The Jade Realm was bright and clear, the Qiong Fields vast and boundless.
Star-faring vessels, like threads, wove into the Sea City, while travelers streamed into the Heavenly Gate in an endless flow.
This was the Star-faring Sea Central Platform, the hub for all who entered and exited Luo Fu. Anyone passing through would see a wide, expansive Gate, within which the spatial membrane resembled a swirling vortex, unanchored and yet steadily drawing in and expelling vessels of all sizes, a truly awe-inspiring sight.
This was Luo Fu's famed "Jade Realm Gate," the gateway to and from the Immortal Boat Hollow.
A short distance away from the Gate, countless travelers who had disembarked their star-faring vessels lined up, inching forward, preparing to formally pass through the checkpoint and enter Luo Fu.
Among them stood a young girl clad in a yellow apricot robe, her long black hair tied into twin pigtails with yellow apricot ribbons. Her youthful face, like a blooming peach blossom, was undeniably charming and drew many curious gazes.
People from the Immortal Boats were fine, but those from foreign lands, after casting a few glances, quickly averted their eyes - in the realm of Luo Fu, heavenly beings who appeared so young, who knows what their true age might be? They could very well be the grandmother of anyone looking at them.
However, while their eyes may have shifted away from the girl's face, many couldn't help but repeatedly focus on the heavy sword she carried on her back.
The sword, two feet and one inch long, was far from ordinary.
Though it was wrapped in white cloth, its shape was clearly antique. Yet, the edges of its blade were thin as cicada wings, capable of severing hair with a mere breath.
The girl paid no heed to the stares around her. She watched as she drew closer to the front of the queue, her brows furrowed, a hint of frustration in her voice as she muttered to herself,
"This is strange! Mother taught me this heart-calming incantation, saying it would settle my mind, but it doesn't seem to be working at all?"
"Next."
Before she could utter another word, the bright-robed man at the checkpoint raised his hand and gestured for her to come forward.
The girl's heart skipped a beat. Her jaw clenched, but she could only grit her teeth and walk towards the checkpoint.
"Metals can be melted, oaths... oaths..."
The bright-robed man looked at the girl in yellow apricot before him, his expression a mix of bewilderment and amusement.
Just as he was about to say something, he heard murmurs from the crowd around him. Then, a clear voice rang out,
"Metals can be melted, oaths remain unbroken. You're passing through the checkpoint, why are you muttering about oaths?"
Hearing the familiar voice, the same voice that had always been at the other end of their jade-talisman video calls, the girl's face lit up. She looked up, meeting the eyes of the smiling young man not far away. Her joy grew, and disregarding the bewildered bright-robed Cloud Cavalry officer, she dashed towards him.
"Bai Yu -!"
Bai Yu spread his arms, catching the girl as she leaped into his embrace. Gently placing her in front of him, he patted her head, then turned to the Cloud Cavalry officer who was now staring in shock. "Excuse me, this girl is a childhood friend of mine. She's a new Cloud Cavalry recruit recently transferred from Yao Qing to Luo Fu."
The Cloud Cavalry officer finally snapped out of his daze, his face flushed red - not unlike, or rather, clearly like someone who had just seen an idol, he yelled at the top of his lungs, "I... I have seen the young general!"
This shout instantly echoed through the Jade Realm Gate, causing a stir among the locals of Luo Fu. The visitors from foreign lands, bewildered by the commotion, immediately had someone from Luo Fu, with a proud chest, begin regaling them with tales of Bai Yu, the young general.
Stories about how he single-handedly broke through enemy formations, how he wielded his sword alone to slay celestial demons... They were told with such vividness, it was as if they were right there.
The girl - Su Shang - was overwhelmed by the enthusiastic scene. She then clenched her tiny fists and lightly punched Bai Yu in the chest, playfully scolding him, "Bai Yu, you're so popular now! I've been hearing stories about you from Father and Mother in Yao Qing all the time."
"How are your parents?"
Bai Yu naturally reached out and grasped Su Shang's small hand, causing her fair cheeks to flush red. Her usual briskness vanished, replaced by a gentle lowering of her head as she whispered softly, "They're good, they're good."
Leading Su Shang to the bright-robed Cloud Cavalry officer, Bai Yu said, "Please check her travel documents."
"Yes -!"
The Cloud Cavalry officer, who had never imagined he'd get so close to the young general, gazed at him with eyes ablaze with adoration. The intensity of the gaze made Su Shang's delicate skin tingle.
As she was still marveling at Bai Yu's overwhelming popularity in Luo Fu, filling out her entry information, Su Shang suddenly noticed something strange. She looked up towards the Jade Realm Gate.
The spatial membrane, which had been in a swirling vortex form, suddenly shook violently. Then, a massive, semi-transparent shadow passed through the Gate and entered Luo Fu.
It was the Black Tower Space Station.
In everyone's eyes, the massive space station remained a ghostly semi-transparency. Its outer layer even continued to ripple like water waves.
It was clear that the space station had not truly entered the Star-faring Sea Central Hollow, it had only just passed through the Jade Realm Gate.
Naturally, such a large space station couldn't park in the same regular berths as other star-faring vessels or starships. The Luo Fu Skycraft Bureau would guide it to a special designated Starport Hollow.
That was a special port area reserved for large starships.
"What a coincidence."
Bai Yu, who had also seen the Black Tower Space Station, raised an eyebrow slightly. Su Shang noticed this and leaned over to whisper, "Bai Yu, do you know that big thing?"
"The Black Tower Space Station. I thought it would be a few more days before it reached Luo Fu. Unexpectedly, we ran into each other, perfect. I'll take you to meet it later - um? Why are you staring blankly?"
"Hehe..."
Su Shang shyly scratched the back of her head, then looked around furtively, confirming that no one was paying attention to her. Then, lowering her voice, she wailed in a pleading tone, "Bai Yu, look at this origin place, 'Yao Qing', the 'Yao' character, how do you write that?"
"Give it to me."
Taking the jade talisman from Su Shang and, with the Cloud Cavalry officer looking the other way, helping her fill out her entry information (this was technically against the rules), Bai Yu then reached out and poked Su Shang's forehead, causing her to make cute "Ah~ Ah~!" sounds.
"No wonder Mother wrote to me, repeatedly urging me to make sure you study more. You're already an adult, how come you can't even write all the characters in your name?"
"It's not like everyone is as brilliant as you!"
Su Shang, seeming to be used to Bai Yu's tone, grinned and leaned against his arm, rubbing against him.
"It's obvious I started attending school years earlier than you, but within a few days, you were already reading better than me. It made Mother and Father scold me for a long time."