Volume II – Chapter 5
The Empire of the Shining Moons
In a beautiful garden built especially for Princess Long Yuehua, she sat quietly beneath a blooming tree.
Beside her was Xin Linchen, the little prince.
In his small hands, he clutched a long fruit known as a "Golden Stick."
Sweet and nourishing, it was a favorite among children.
Xin Linchen ate it slowly, seriously — as if savoring the moment itself.
Yuehua smiled gently, a warmth on her face that had only returned after his birth.
Lying nearby was a small white dragon, just over a meter long, with four legs and a long tail.
Peacefully curled up, it watched over the prince.
This Rank-4 beast was harmless and treated as a family pet — a gift from Yuehua's brother, First Prince Long Leyan.
> "It's already been a year since I came to this world," Linchen thought.
"Everything here revolves around magic. Mother loves me dearly… but Father… he only visits once a month. And when he does, there's something cold between them. I've never seen him embrace her. He plays with me, sure… but looks at her like she's far away."
Of all the imperial family, only one visited regularly — Yuehua's brother, Long Leyan.
He played with Linchen, brought him sweets, and always smiled warmly.
It meant the world to him.
As for the emperor himself — Long Chentian — their relationship was… practically nonexistent.
He had visited only a few times. And each time, Yuehua had hidden Linchen from him. She wouldn't even look her father in the eye.
> "Well… I guess I'll learn more in time. Still… this fruit is way too sweet," Linchen thought as he finished it.
Raising his tiny hands, he silently asked for another.
Yuehua chuckled softly.
> "That's enough for today. You've had plenty."
She stroked his head and gently wiped his mouth.
Linchen puffed his cheeks, made a grumpy face, and stomped off to play with his dragon — the one he named White.
White instantly sprang to his feet, circling and hopping with excitement.
In response, Linchen flapped his arms like a bird.
White understood at once.
He gently scooped the boy into his paws, spread his wings — and soared into the air.
They didn't fly far, but it was enough.
The sound of Linchen's laughter echoed through the garden like a song of joy.
Yuehua looked up and watched them quietly.
To her, he was the light at the end of the tunnel.
A reason to live, even in a life full of pain.
Just then — her thoughts shattered.
All across the fortress, the energy barrier activated.
A dome of light flared to life in the sky, flickering like a heartbeat.
Warning of danger.
White immediately stiffened. He dove down, wrapping his limbs protectively around Linchen, and carefully brought him back to his mother.
At that moment, a woman entered the garden.
Slender, yet powerful — her body clad in a sleek, dark-green combat uniform that hugged her figure with elegant precision.
Her face was veiled, her long hair tied into a high ponytail.
Even at first glance — it was clear.
This was Caili — Yuehua's personal guard, her instructor, and most trusted protector.
Caili activated her Avatar.
Behind her, a swirl of power erupted — two orange, four green, and five violet energy spheres spun in a deadly dance.
From the light formed a green spear, long and gleaming — her Avatar, built for speed and devastating area attacks.
> "Princess Long Yuehua," she said sharply,
"Return to your chambers immediately.
A spatial rift has opened.
It's the Insect Swarm."
---
Those words froze Yuehua in place.
She knew what they meant.
Seven thousand years ago, humanity first encountered these creatures.
They broke through space itself, swarming in without warning.
Parasitic, they devoured all living things, draining the very essence of life.
And when destroyed — they exploded, leaving behind cursed land, barren and dead.
Their appearances were rare. The planet itself fought back, releasing waves of energy to repel them.
But whenever they did arrive — it was a disaster.
Their strength varied wildly — from Rank 50 up to the terrifying Rank 140, the highest ever recorded.
To this day, no one knew where they came from — or why.
Yuehua nodded, holding Linchen close, and made her way toward the palace.
White followed, silent and alert.
Back in her room, she approached the window.
Far in the distance — about four kilometers away — a rift had opened in the sky.
The earth responded. Gentle green light surged from below, rushing toward the tear like a living breath, trying to seal it.
At that very moment — Caili shot into the sky.
She used a high-speed movement technique and vanished in a flash of light.
Linchen toddled to the window.
Seeing his teacher flying off, he smiled and waved at her.
Caili glanced back mid-air — and despite the situation,
she smiled back.
> "Looks like things are finally getting interesting," Linchen thought.
---
At the rift, elite warriors had already assembled — clad in shining imperial armor.
Each one was a personal guard of the princess, none below Rank 9.
One by one, they summoned their Avatars.
Two warriors called forth Flame Wolves.
Three summoned Jade Serpents — each with different specializations.
Their auras filled the air with heat and brilliance.
But one man stood out — tall, broad-shouldered, eyes full of wild fury.
His Avatar — a giant monkey — burst forth with a roar that echoed for miles.
Standing over five meters tall, the beast slammed its fists into its chest and howled, as if challenging the heavens themselves.
This was Shenwu, the Princess's Chief Guardian — a Rank-10 master.
From the walls, mechanical weapons began to emerge — dozens of anti-insect cannons.
Among them stood one especially massive gun —
the Light Lance, seven meters long, shaped like a colossal spear of energy, built to pierce the darkness itself.
Then — a loud siren blared across the city.
> ⚠️ ALERT! STAY INDOORS!
DEFENSE BARRIER ACTIVATED!
Above, a massive dome of energy enveloped the city.
The people below — for now — were safe.