Seventy-Second Illustration: The Budget [Fourth Watch]

Tom gently pinched and rubbed the corner of Sang Sang’s uniform, feeling the texture of the fabric. “This uniform is excellent,” he said. “Even the Celestial Emperor looks presentable in it—much better than what we have. How else do you want to package it?”

Hu Yang, who had been silently polishing his sword nearby, nodded in agreement.

Sang Sang smiled as she unwrapped the package. “The uniforms are fine, but they’re too ordinary here. Xiao Jin hopes I can add something distinctive, and it wouldn’t hurt to promote Galactic civilization a bit.”

“It’s only when you’re unique that people remember you—makes it easier to win followers,” Ye Xiu said with a smile, catching a drifting green leaf before his eyes. He chuckled, “It’s been so long since I’ve seen such a lively Celestial Emperor. I do miss those days.”

Sang Sang ate two slices of meat and then, after another bite, exclaimed as she looked down at the packaging, “Spicy from Thunder, sweet from Cloudwater—wait, is this meat from a Thundercloud Star Beast?”

Tom nodded, leaning slightly toward her. “It’s from the beast you hunted during your last video call. You’ve been pretty popular on the star network lately. Even when we were at a spaceport in an outer civilization, charging up, we saw people discussing news about the candidate Saintess, Sang Hongye. What’s the story there?”

The moment he said this, the Celestial Emperor stopped horsing around as well. He picked up Ling Xiao and tossed him to the white wolf, then with a “whoosh” appeared beside Sang Sang, squeezing in next to her. “What’s this Saintess of a Hundred Flowers thing? Everyone says she bullied you.”

Hu Yang stopped polishing his sword; Ye Xiu put down his book. Lvmiao and Little Dragon Lord tucked away their racial characteristics, sat amid the jumbled food, tidied up, and pricked up their ears to listen. Even Jun Shi and Xiao Lang turned to look over.

Seeing everyone so concerned, Sang Sang shook her head with a smile. “Relax, it’s just hype. Did you think my interstellar city was delivered by the temple? It’s a gift from online friends, fulfilled and custom-ordered with the help of Uncle Sena. Its configuration is worthy of the title of Saintess.”

The Celestial Emperor’s focus was different from the others. “Even if it’s just hype, what about that Hundred Flowers Saintess?”

Sang Sang replied lightly, “It’s a power play at the top. I’m collateral; the Hundred Flowers Saintess is a pawn.”

“You don’t need to tell me the details—I’ll find out anyway,” the Celestial Emperor said, glancing at Xiao Jin. He let the topic drop, then took out some food and had a tea party with Sang Sang’s candies, joining Xiao Jin in the discussion on how to present Sang Sang.

Sena took the large skewer of roasted meat tossed to him by the Celestial Emperor, removed the time-stasis spell from it, and ate slowly.

He’d always thought Sang Hongye was mature and composed, never childish, but today he saw another side of his future boss: a sincere, radiant smile rarely seen on his usually impassive face. It wasn’t calmness and composure, but rather wariness and detachment in a strange environment. As for the Celestial Emperor—though his star core had yet to form, looking into those dark golden eyes, Sena couldn’t help but feel a trace of apprehension.

The shuttle sped along, and by the time they reached Heavenly Dao Star, the workers were still installing equipment. Each worker was at least of the Profound rank, standing at four points around the planet, constantly adjusting the magnetic fields. The planet glided smoothly into its designated position, like water flowing, without any magnetic clashes. The small stars and mineral satellites that once surrounded Heavenly Dao Star had been moved to centralized energy reserve locations.

Standing atop the shuttle, the Celestial Emperor’s robes whipped in the wind. Sang Sang came to his side. “There are so many experts here. Profound rank is common, and there are quite a few Origin rank as well. Only those above the Universe rank are rare.”

“I’m not stupid,” the Celestial Emperor said, taking a deep breath and spreading his arms wide. “The difference in levels is too great; I wouldn’t challenge them recklessly. The energy here is incredible—worthy of a high-level civilization. Sang Sang, let’s dual cultivate!”

“Get lost,” Sang Sang said, kicking him so hard that he turned into a shooting star streaking across the sky. He returned to the shuttle with a dark expression. She had thought he’d be intimidated by so many experts, but clearly, she’d been too naïve. Seeing Tom’s teasing look and Sena’s shocked face, Sang Sang’s own expression darkened further.

Sena cleared his throat. “Ahem, let’s go take a look at the future base of the Saintess Hongye. Your Highness has only seen the virtual model, right?”

The residential star was still under construction, but already a great variety of buildings, each with its own unique style, had been erected—some flying in the sky, some floating on water, some running through the woods. Not just thousands, but tens of thousands could each have a place of their own.

The crowd was dazzled. On their travels, they’d seen the civilizations of thousands of worlds, but those belonged to others. What lay before them now would be theirs, barring accidents, for a lifetime. The prospect of choosing an architectural style left them torn, but Sang Sang, with characteristic generosity, waved her hand. “Pick whatever you like. Change your residence every day if you want. These planets are ours now, and if it’s not enough, we still have Heavenly Dao Star.”

Tom said, “Speaking of Heavenly Dao Star, Uncle Kane agreed to help us connect with the factory to upgrade the residential planets.”

Sena had already handed over the upgrade of Heavenly Dao Star to the company that outfitted the interstellar city. The planning was done with the help of Xiao Jin’s intelligent life friends. After the upgrade, it would remain an independently traveling planetary fortress, but its weaponry would reach the level of a sixth- or seventh-level civilization. Since reserve faith power was tight, resources for the upgrade would be paid in installments, and only essential weaponry would be installed at first. The rest would be added later, once there was enough faith power.

Sang Sang said candidly, “The upgrade for Heavenly Dao Star is already underway, so don’t worry. But you might find yourselves a bit strapped for resources in the short term.”

The temple’s basic welfare only covered nutritional supplements for daily living. Free intelligent terminals had been distributed, and cultivation resources amounted to one energy crystal per day. But with the interstellar city to handle food and housing, Sena and Jun Shi decided to transfer resources, equipping each with large public shuttles that could carry a thousand people, each with a hundred small flyers. However, only fifty percent of the energy costs for these vehicles could be reimbursed.

As for education, everyone would first take mass online courses to learn basic life skills. Once the results of the cleansing process were in, their future paths would be determined by their talents. Anyone lacking the necessary aptitude would start from elementary school, with thirty years of free education. After thirty years, further study would require payment. However, as long as basic life skills were mastered, those who didn’t want to study could go straight to work—provided they could find jobs.

Minors under a hundred received special treatment: free cleansing qualifications, free distribution of cultivation manuals, unlimited use of energy crystals for personal cultivation, and monthly candy allowances. However, education was compulsory. All humans under fifty had to attend school; those under thirty were placed in small classes of fewer than a hundred, and their daily activities were closely monitored by instructors.

Xiao Jin flew over. “Nearly a third of those who arrived are over a hundred years old, each with their own specialties. The budget for Heavenly Dao Star’s weaponry has been shifted to their cleansing potions. Although age reduces the effectiveness, with enough resources, it’s not hard to extend their lifespans to the standard of an advanced civilization. Reaching Profound rank is out of the question, but those with good talent and comprehension might make it to the Starry Sky rank.”

Tom said, “Starry Sky rank was always something I could only dream of. I used to think that reaching the Holy Domain in this lifetime would be a miracle—who would have thought we’d see this day?”

Hu Yang nodded. “A millennium in an advanced civilization is like ten thousand years for us. Meeting you is their good fortune.”

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