In this vast universe, across the boundless heavens and earth, Blue Star is more minuscule than a drop in the ocean.

Humanity has witnessed the Majestic Power of Heaven and Earth, explored the treacherous cosmos, and even attempted to defy destiny and reign proudly over the heavens.

Unfortunately, the fragility of the individual caused many dreams to wash away, leaving them to gaze upon a splendid cosmos they could not explore.

Though an ant is small, it may still aspire to shake a tree. How much more so for humanity, which holds the cosmos in its heart!

With the rise of the nationwide Cultivation craze, a number of scientific research projects also underwent cataclysmic changes.

The most significant of these were in the development of fundamental theories and space exploration.

The existence of Spiritual Qi fundamentally upended all previous systems of cosmic mass and Energy.

It seemed that just as the great tide of Spiritual Qi swept in, the heavens and the earth fell silent.

It was as if all previous scientific principles had been misguided and sealed away.

This world, suffused with Spiritual Qi, was the real world.

The Dark Matter and Dark Energy that humanity had been unable to detect suddenly revealed themselves to the entire world.

Feeling as if they had discovered a priceless treasure, scientists forsook food and sleep, ravenously dedicating themselves to researching and exploring this new environment.

The new properties of matter under the influence of Spiritual Qi, along with their interactions with the four fundamental forces, left scientists utterly enthralled and engrossed in their studies.

While it was an era of nationwide Cultivation, was it not also the beginning of a nationwide awakening?

Humanity would, one day, step onto a much larger stage.

...

At the border defense line, Zhao Rui sat cross-legged under a large tree, resting with his eyes closed.

In the distance, a group of soldiers practiced Martial Arts under the guidance of one of the army’s High-tier Martial Artists.

In the past, the proportion of Martial Artists in the army was less than one in ten, to say nothing of High-tier Martial Artists.

Many could only perform basic physical conditioning and knew a few fighting techniques, but they were completely unable to cultivate Inner Qi.

Now, the situation had changed entirely. Nourished day and night by Spiritual Qi, many soldiers began to develop Qi Sensing within a week or two, with some even successfully cultivating Inner Strength.

With nothing else to do, Zhao Rui was practicing his own skills under the tree, taking the opportunity to observe the army’s fighting style.

"Director Zhao! Director Zhao! The division command sent down an order. Your Spring Festival leave has been approved."

Qiu Tong came jogging over from a distance. He saluted Zhao Rui and then spoke, slightly out of breath.

"It’s approved?"

Zhao Rui’s heart leaped with joy.

With the New Year just around the corner, he was quite eager to go home.

He had assumed it wouldn’t be approved due to the special circumstances, but unexpectedly, the division command had made an exception for him.

"I’d better go pack my things right away!"

Zhao Rui shot to his feet and strode quickly toward his dorm.

Qiu Tong hurried to keep up, his eyes sparkling with admiration as he looked at the young man beside him.

Perhaps only in this moment did it become clear that he was still just a young man, not yet twenty years old.

With Qiu Tong’s help, Zhao Rui had his bags packed in no time. He then hopped into a military jeep and headed straight for the airport.

He had a week of leave in total, and every minute was precious.

Back when he was in school, he’d often go half a year without returning home, but he never felt this kind of intense homesickness.

Now, he wished he could sprout wings and fly straight home.

’Could it have something to do with the distance?’

「The next morning」

The plane slowly descended, landing at Lincheng Airport.

Beneath a blue sky and white clouds, high-rises towered over streets lined with shops. Customers in twos and threes lingered leisurely outside.

The sight of the city couldn’t help but make Zhao Rui sigh.

"Peaceful times really are the best!"

「Half an hour later」

A taxi brought Zhao Rui back to his home.

Though it hadn’t been long since he’d left, his experiences with the brutal slaughter of the battlefield and the desolation of the barren Gobi made it feel like an eternity had passed.

"Mom, Dad, I’m home!"

Zhao Rui pushed the door open to see Zhao Jincheng and his wife at the coffee table, making dumplings while watching TV.

Hearing the door open, Xue Wenhui’s face lit up with pleasant surprise. She dusted the flour from her hands and hurried over.

She looked her son up and down, the rims of her eyes glistening with tears.

"You’re thinner! And you’ve gotten so tan!"

"Mom, I’m doing great!"

Zhao Rui reached out and wiped the tears from the corner of Xue Wenhui’s eye.

He knew what his mother was worried about.

If he were just going off to college, his mother wouldn’t be like this. But he had gone to a battlefield, to be a soldier.

What mother wouldn’t be worried sick?

"When your mother heard you’d gone to be a soldier, she cried I don’t know how many tears. And you... you didn’t even give us a heads-up."

Zhao Jincheng walked over, his tone slightly reproachful.

"You would have just worried more if I’d told you."

Zhao Rui chuckled.

"You... you’ve always had a mind of your own, ever since you were little. Your mother and I can’t control you, and we can’t help you either... Ah, forget it. Let’s not talk about it. This is a happy day, so don’t look so glum!"

Zhao Jincheng said with a sigh, turning to his wife.

Zhao Rui laughed cheerfully and put an arm around his mother’s shoulder, guiding her to the sofa. "You guys don’t know this, but I’m a deputy commander! I’m an officer, so I’m perfectly safe!"

"A deputy commander? You... how did you get such a high rank?"

Zhao Jincheng was stunned.

"Mom, Dad, actually, there’s something I haven’t told you. I’m already a Grandmaster Realm Martial Artist!"

"A Grandmaster..."

Zhao Rui’s words left Zhao Jincheng and his wife frozen in place, their faces etched with disbelief.

’Our son is a Grandmaster?’

’How is that possible? He’s so young!’

’He’s only a sophomore in college this year!’

Zhao Rui didn’t say another word. He simply extended his right hand and, with a sucking motion through the air, pulled a teacup that was still half-full of water from the table toward him.

He then circulated his Cold Ice True Qi, instantly freezing the water in the cup into a solid block of ice.

"This is called Ice Palm Force. Most Grandmasters don’t even know it."

Zhao Rui said with a smile.

Zhao Jincheng and his wife stared in astonishment. After a long moment, they reached out to touch the block of ice inside the cup.

"It’s real ice!"