Leaving the Central Hub behind, the Heavenly Horizon Farm glided smoothly into the quiet depths of the void. The thirty-five million high-grade astral stones won at the auction were quickly absorbed by the island's Ley Lines, converting into a steady stream of radiant energy that enriched every corner of the soil.
Inside the quiet sanctuary of the World Tree, Li Xian knelt on the grass, carefully planting the rare dormant seeds he had acquired from Manager Chen. Beside him, Little Ling hovered, sprinkling a drop of refined cosmic nectar over each freshly covered plot.
— Master, look! — Little Ling gasped, pointing her tiny staff at the ground.
The moment the cosmic nectar touched the dark earth, three distinct shoots burst through the surface:
The Stellar Flame Lily, absorbing ambient heat to produce pure fire-element qi.
The Iron-Root Vine, capable of strengthening the physical defense of the island's borders.
The Void-Sensing Grass, whose delicate silver blades vibrated softly whenever spatial fluctuations occurred nearby.
Before Li Xian could examine the young sprouts further, every blade of the Void-Sensing Grass suddenly turned razor-sharp, turning jet-black and pointing directly toward the rear of the floating continent.
SWOOSH!
The peaceful void behind the Heavenly Horizon Farm buckled as five pitch-black warships materialized out of thin air. Unlike the dark iron ships of the Dark Star Realm, these vessels were made of bone-like material, completely shrouded in the same light-devouring mist as the figure from the auction hall.
— Li Xian of the Heavenly Horizon Farm, — the central shadow spoke, its voice layering with multiple echoes. — The Void Realm claims what is rightfully its own. Surrender the Realm Core and the ancient star chart, or watch your sanctuary become a graveyard.
Li Xian stood up slowly, dusting the soil off his palms. He looked at the five bone warships and the three shadows with a calm, unbothered smile.
— You shadows really lack patience, — Li Xian said, stepping onto a rising column of Iron-Root Vines that carried him high into the sky. — I was just looking for a practical test for my new harvest.
With a gentle snap of his fingers, the Iron-Root Vines around the island's perimeter flared with blinding metallic light, weaving together into a massive web of living armor. The battle for the path to the Primal Seed Vault had officially begun.