Him and their stars.

Chapter 2104 This is the best opportunity to enter the Heavenly Realm

Yes, there must be others! Yu Lian made this rather arbitrary judgment.

You should know that the Knight Commander Milerka is not a "throne," but a "coexistence"! Yu Lian has always felt that the reason this old man failed to become a demigod is largely due to his choice of the wrong career path.

Amidst the shouts of "For the Empire!" "Slay the Demon Dragon!" and "Death is all that matters!" echoing in his ears, Yu Lian fully unleashed his spiritual senses, searching for the true source of the crisis.

At this moment, the projected Star Knights also roared in battle, brandishing weapons made of light, and launched a desperate charge towards Yu Lian from all directions.

To be fair, if it weren't for the projection, they probably wouldn't have been so brave.

In an instant, sword light, spear shadows, and spiritual energy surged forth like a tidal wave of intense light, engulfing Yu Lian and submerging his figure.

However, Yu Lian seemed completely oblivious. He shifted his gaze from the charred face of the knight commander to the hunched figure in the grey robe. His eyes still found nothing, but his spiritual senses detected an overwhelming presence. Without even making a defensive or evasive move, he simply activated his will, and his body became ethereal.

This time, he didn't even maintain the blurry shadow state before directly forming a stream of energy.

The "etheric body" can still maintain a human-like appearance in the virtual realm, but when applied to reality, it is reduced to an indescribable entanglement of light and shadow.

This is something that is utterly incomprehensible to the naked eye in the real world; it is a vortex of constantly pulsating information and energy. Many Star Knights, even those seeing through the battle golems, inexplicably experienced a terrifying sense of dizziness. This was a pain they simply could not bear.

And so, the knight projections that charged in carrying destructive energy, their power, their courage, their passion, all vanished into this incomprehensible shadow.

Immediately afterward, the physical entities that constituted the power were dissolved, while the souls were banished. The Star Knights were utterly powerless to stop the advance of this vortex of light. As for themselves, this experience of their souls being torn apart, destroyed, and melted away would inevitably cause a direct blow to their spirits.

For most psionicists, this would likely be a lifelong nightmare and hardly be considered reliable combat experience.

Of course, perhaps a very few exceptionally resilient heroes will be able to overcome and digest all of this, entering a new world with limitless potential. This is probably the future of the Galactic Empire.

The relativity of history has always unfolded in this subtle way.

The violent psionic explosion occurred as expected, the blazing sphere of light expanding and engulfing the knights' blurry shadows. The boiling shockwave melted the surrounding metal walls, exposing the still-glowing psionic circuits directly to the chaotic energy-filled space.

Those psionic circuits, having lost their physical support, floated in the air, as if forming crystal circuits.

Intense light and energy passed through the discrete spirit nodes, and after refraction, reflected bizarre and colorful hues.

At this moment, the space seemed to be incorporated into a kaleidoscope.

However, even before the radiance of the explosion had faded and the chaotic energy turbulence still raged in the center of the chaos, Yu Lian's ethereal figure had already solidified again.

Yu Lian's spiritual senses remained locked on the psionic nodes here from beginning to end, searching for that "quantum superposition" clone.

He didn't search for long. When more than half of the knights' projections were expelled, he finally saw the collapse of that clone. Before he even exerted his power, the "wizard" had already begun to vanish.

However, since it's quantum, it would naturally break down if it were constantly stared at, right? This is the setting of quantum superposition states: "it can be there, and it can't be there."

This is in line with scientific ethics.

Yu Lian, of course, also felt that he was very scientific. His gaze swept over the old knight commander Milaka, who was clad in the "Lion of Light," and he sighed, "Your Excellency, it's time to end this."

The old knight, who had already merged with the light, appeared in the shadows. His face, as resolute as granite, carried a hint of enlightened understanding, as if he were only half a step away from achieving complete enlightenment and shattering the void.

He could even give Yu Lian a knowing smile: "Yes, I have done all I could. As a warrior of the empire, as a subject of His Majesty the Emperor, I have a clear conscience."

"Have you really staked everything on the future? Aren't you going to take a look?"

"Since it's gambling, if you're fixated on seeing it, you're actually falling behind."

"What a magnanimous old man. I hope I'll have the same mindset when I reach your age." Yu Lian's calm voice pierced through the lingering echo of the explosion. He took a step forward, and the spatial ripples beneath his feet seemed to bloom like lotus flowers with each step, propelling him across the final distance between them in an instant.

The old knight's sword came down again.

Although he was vaguely prepared to die a heroic death, when Yu Lian actually attacked, he resisted quite resolutely.

In the blink of an eye, the two had already exchanged more than a dozen moves.

With the added benefits of the armor and the array, the knight commander actually managed to keep up with the dragon's movements.

"Didn't you stake everything on the future?" Yu Lian asked.

“Of course, but I’m prepared to die a violent death!” he said matter-of-factly.

This makes a lot of sense, and even Yu Lian couldn't express any doubt about it.

Then came another exchange of blows, at least six hundred strikes per second. Knight Commander Michael was finally forced to break his stance by the impact of the enormous kinetic energy, revealing a fatal flaw.

However, as Yu Lian's right hand tore open the opponent's breastplate, behind the former's side and behind, where the intense light had not yet faded, an unseen spatial gate opened silently.

A beam of energy composed entirely of golden-red firelight, carrying destructive energy capable of piercing through the void, passed through the spatial gate and appeared three inches behind Yu Lian, suddenly stabbing towards his vital back!

This was clearly a long-awaited attack. At this juncture, the Eternal Array continued to restrain Yu Lian, the war puppets possessed by the knights were still doing their best, and the confrontation with the old knight had also attracted most of his attention. This was the moment when this "dragon whose name cannot even be mentioned" was at its strongest, and perhaps also its weakest.

This is a fatal blow.

However, the moment the spear tip, imbued with concentrated energy, touched Yu Lian's back, it seemed to pass through a transparent phantom.

With a soft, tearing sound, the beam of light easily pierced the force field shield, broke through the sword's momentum, and, to the astonishment of Knight Commander Michael, struck the very center of the "Lion of Light's" indestructible breastplate.

The old knight commander was thus defeated.

The old man, who seemed as calm and collected as if he were about to ascend to heaven, finally showed a look of shock as he gazed at the crimson beam of light that had sunk deep into his breastplate.

However, when the pillar of light reformed and crystallized, his shock inexplicably transformed into a sense of enlightenment. He struggled to raise his head, looking at the spatial gate, his eyes filled with no resentment, only a sense of relief and liberation.

"The future of the empire... I'm finally free from being that glamorous puppet, but you will still have to be. Right?" The old man murmured, his head slowly drooping, and the breath of his life dissipated as quickly as a candle flickering in the wind.

This centenarian knight still stands even after his death.

The bright lights inside the cabin were extinguished, leaving only dilapidated facilities and a numb, deathly silence in the passageway.

Speaking of which, weren't your last words a bit too much information? Yu Lian's figure reassembled. Thus, the scarlet crystal not only pierced through the old knight, but also impaled him on it.

Clearly, the enemy's sneak attack was intended to skewer him and the old knight commander together.

He almost succeeded.

The pain Yu Lian felt was even more intense than the previous cell burning, but as a battle-hardened tough guy, he still maintained a calm expression as if everything was under control, slowly took a few steps back, and forcefully pulled his body off the crystal spear.

He looked down at the wound; there wasn't a trace of blood, yet it was a shockingly deep hole, as if a part of his torso had been hollowed out and evaporated. Fortunately, spiritual fire had already risen from the edge of the wound. This was, of course, the process of the "Touch of Life" operating.

No, of course it's not the "Touch of Life," but rather the "Causal Compensation" that flashed in the latest star position after reaching the demigod realm of the eighth ring. This is a high-level ability to interfere with causality.

It can "decompose, delay, or even transform" the moment of receiving fatal damage.

For some time to come, I will continue to suffer intense pain until this penetrating wound, which has a destructive effect on my understanding of concepts, is completely healed.

But can't a real man even endure pain? As a qualified commander, as a masochistic, or rather, iron-willed man who is used to experiencing the disintegration of his body through elemental cells, he has been adept at walking with pain since his previous life.

Prolonged and sustained suffering can temper his spirit and will, making his heart colder than ice and harder than iron. This is spiritual practice; why not do it?

To reiterate, this is not an M, but a true iron-willed man, without any compromise.

More importantly, he had survived. Pain aside, he was actually unharmed from the enemy's rule-level attack.

In short, despite its sophisticated technique, Yu Lian still prefers to call it a "health bar bank".

I'm borrowing health bars from the Spirit of the Universe! By all accounts, I'm practically a financial client of the Spirit of the Universe, wouldn't that make me invincible?

He endured this pain, then turned to look at Duke Géribane, who had appeared behind the portal: "Oh, long time no see, Duchess. Why is it always you?"

"It wasn't me, it wasn't me, it's all a misunderstanding." The current leader of the Astral Knights, Lady Garybean, covered her face and took a few steps back, looking as if she wanted to squat down with her hands on her head.

However, she immediately remembered that she was still seemingly an invisible shadow, so she straightened up, stood up, took a deep breath, and forced a smile that could barely be considered a business expression: "I have now returned to the Whirlwind Star System. I am with General Sobaek and my fleet."

The implication is that I've already slept with him, so even if I wanted revenge, I wouldn't be able to find the real culprit.

And that was indeed the case. Her body had become completely transparent; all that remained was a projection of her will and information.

“The Eternal Array’s functions extend deep into the Void Realm, constructing a safe and stable spatial passage that allowed me to cross the chasm of a thousand light-years and arrive here. The Silent Array of the branches completely conceals my aura and presence, allowing me to cautiously intervene in the battlefield and possess the basic courage to face you. If I can catch you off guard at a crucial moment, that would be my achievement.” She explained her plan in detail, perfectly embodying the basic qualities of a standard villainous boss from an anime.

Of course, considering the difference in strength between the two sides, it seems that Commander Yu is more like the boss, while Duke Gai and the old knight are the protagonists who are passionate, indomitable, and full of combat wisdom.

"You almost succeeded. I clearly guessed that someone was lurking, and that it was a 'throne' capable of initiating conflict, yet I couldn't avoid your attack." Yu Lian praised, "Duchess, you almost succeeded. We fought several times, and this was the closest we came to success."

Duke Gérène thought this guy was acting like a mortal again, but she still calmly explained, "General, you've already reached the top. To deal with someone like you, scheming and sacrifice are inevitable."

At this point, a look of regret appeared on her face: "This is the culmination of all my hard work..."

"It's anomaly judgment, it's guaranteed to hit. But its power depends on the ability, and the visual and auditory effects depend on aesthetics," Yu Lian said. He thought that the scarlet crystal looked like it was made of the finest rubies, it looked luxurious yet elegant and mysterious.

It must be admitted that, regardless of the values ​​and abilities of the imperial family members, their aesthetic sense is certainly not lacking.

The duchess paused for a moment, then said, "At first, I never imagined that you would also possess the ability to interfere with the cause and effect of life and death. Yes, it is indeed an ability to interfere with cause and effect."

"Wow, as expected of the Galactic Empire. They even have records of such mysteries?" Yu Lian was slightly surprised.

"According to the records of the Herald Academy's psionic code, in the 3000-year history of cosmic expansion, there were a total of seven Imperial psionicists who mastered similar abilities, three of whom wore the Void Crown." She made no attempt to hide anything, as candid as a cunning spies who had been in the deep sea for a long time.

"Does that include today?"

This time, she neither answered nor denied it, but said with a longing look, "An eighth-ring demigod can interfere with their own karma. Perhaps at the ninth ring, they can interfere with the karma of external things. It's a pity I no longer have that chance. I originally thought I could become an eighth-ring demigod before I turned forty, but now it seems I might end up like Lord Knight Commander Milerke, stuck at the seventh ring for life!"

At this point, she looked sadly at the Knight Commander, who stood there like a statue with his head bowed: "Then, he transformed into a heroic spirit to protect the empire with great passion."

“This is not your plan for yourself,” Yu Lian said with a smile.

“She also wants to become a demigod. She also wants to stand beside the truth.” Geribian wiped away her tears. “If Brin can do it, why can’t I?”

The orange cat should be looking like a saint by now, right? But the empire's higher-ups never seem to doubt her future.

Yu Lian said, "Whose fault is this? You can't blame me."

"..." Duke Gerabian smiled awkwardly. Although she only had one information projection left, she dared not express any obvious anger.

"However, on another note, you're always causing me trouble. Do you see me as a demon in your heart? Do you think that as long as you kill me, you can glimpse a new realm?"

Am I looking for trouble? Didn't you come here yourself? Her eyes widened. Although she felt she had never seen such a shameless person, she still managed a bitter smile and said, "No offense intended, but please understand, I am, after all, just a vicious dog of the empire, a female dog kept by His Majesty the Emperor, and I have to do my duty. I am still a young woman in my thirties, and I just want to live with dignity."

The implication was that she was merely fulfilling her duty as a soldier of the Empire and implored someone not to retaliate. You, Commander Yu, are also a soldier; surely you understand this.

Commander Yu immediately showed a sympathetic expression: "Why humiliate yourself like this? You are the new Grand Master of the Knights, a Privy Councilor, and you almost became King Soren. Uh, no offense intended."

Who was the one who ruined her throne back then? Oh, was it me? Then there's no problem.

The Duchess sighed: "In the Empire, without a seat among the kings, without the chance to inherit the Void Crown, even at my level, I am ultimately just a lackey of the Empire. We are all slaves to this relentless conquest."

Yu Lian frowned slightly. He was still quite unaccustomed to having such a self-reflective imperial leader.

"And what happens after you become the chosen emperor?"

"Who knows? Anyway, judging from the way the King of Wei looks, he's still quite troubled. Perhaps the closer one gets to that position, the more one can sense certain indescribable auras. I used to feel sorry for myself for losing the throne, but now I think it might have been a kind of luck."

"Indescribable? A year ago, it was clearly a symbol of sublimity and holiness." Yu Lian almost burst out laughing: "Since when exactly did it become indescribable?"

This time, Duke Gérard Benedict did not shy away from the question: "Perhaps it all started with that 'bloody disaster' you mentioned?"

At this point, she raised her head, her eyes filled with complex emotions, and looked directly at Yu Lian: "His Majesty the Emperor is already seriously injured. If you really want to enter the Heavenly Realm, this is the best opportunity."