Deep within the artifact forging valley behind Qingxu Temple, concealed bylayers upon layers formations, today's atmosphere was especially solemn yetwith hidden excitement. After years of painstaking research and countless failures by the large team led by Second Senior Brother's remnant soul, in conjunction with artifact forgers from Qingxu Temple, the Mysterious Mechanism Holy Land, the Dragon Palace, and part of the Situ family surrendering forgers, they had finally welcomed the most critical moment.
At the center of the valley, a giant artifact forging furnace dozens of zhang tall had already been extinguished. The furnace door stood open, with lingering spiritual energy andlingering starlight essence and metal energy filling the air. Everyone's gaze was focused on thebizarre creation suspended in mid-air before the furnace.
It was about ten zhang long, presenting a streamlined shuttle shape. Its hull was not a single metal color but as if the night sky's stars had been molten within, glittering with deep yet sparkling starshine. Its surface inscribed with countless delicate and complex talismans—combining both the inscrutability of cultivation formations and part of the silicon-based civilization's energy circuit concepts. More importantly, positioned at the core power location, was precisely that "Void Dragon Crystal" obtained from the Void Dragon. Now, the crystal emanated soft and stable spatial fluctuations, interacting with the entire hull's talismans.
This was the trial-type magical treasure built by pooling the Three Realms' top wisdom and resources—the Sky-Piercing Shuttle.
Second Senior Brother's weak yetbarely concealing excitement spiritual sense fluctuation rang in everyone's mind: "All component connections completed. Core 'Void Dragon Crystal' energy output stable. Buffer formations activated. External pressure-resistant talisman arrays operating normally... Theoretical model verification passed! Now, only one step remains—actual startup and void navigation testing!"
Standing at the very front, Tang Xiao Qi's gazecalmly surveying this creation condensed from countless efforts. He could clearly feel thevast energy contained within the Sky-Piercing Shuttle and its delicateleveraging of spatial laws. This was not merely an artifact, but a bold attempt by the cultivation civilization to stride toward an even broader realm.
"Little Seven," Senior Brother Sect Master Xuan Xuan Zhenren stepped forward, his tonewith a trace of worry. "The void environment is unpredictable, far beyond our previous understanding. Though this shuttle is a trial, the risk is unknown. Perhaps first let..."
Xiao Qi raised his hand, gently yet firmly cutting him off: "Senior Brother, I understand your concerns. But precisely because it is unknown, someone must verify it. I bear the lotus origin, have some insight into space, and am connected to this Void Dragon Crystal's energy. I am the most suitable for this first test drive." He paused, looking at Mu Xue beside him with concerned eyes, at the solemn Third Senior Sister, at theZhao Tiezhu with clenched fists, and at the rabbit spirit nervously pawing the air,smiled slightly. "Rest assured, I know my limits."
Without more words, his figure flashed, and he was already at the shuttle's side. The hull sensed his aura,a hatch silently slid open, revealing a compact interior space that could only accommodate three to five people. The control console was not traditional compass wheels, but several floating orbs, corresponding to energy regulation, course locking, defense enhancement, and spatial jump preparation.
Xiao Qi entered. The hatch silently closed. External sounds and scenery were completely isolated. Only the faint glow of talisman flows within the hull and thestrange encompassing sensation brought by the core Void Dragon Crystal—like being in a mother's womb—remained.
He drew a deep breath, pressing his palm onto the main control orb. His Spirit Transformation stage spiritual senseflooded in like a tide, instantly establishing a close connection with the Sky-Piercing Shuttle's core formation. A feeling of controlling it like his own limbs arose. The entire Sky-Piercing Shuttle became an extension of his body.
"Start up." Xiao Qi's mind moved.
hummed——!
A low humming vibration emitted from within the hull. The starlight on the outer shell suddenly brightened. Those complex talismans likeimbued with life illuminated in sequence, flowing with magnificent halos. The core Void Dragon Crystal's glow intensified greatly. A powerful spatial fluctuation rippled outward from the Sky-Piercing Shuttle, causing the valley's formation barriers torippled violently.
"Energy output stable! Spatial anchor points being established!" Second Senior Brother's spiritual sensetransmitted information with barely containable excitement to the waiting crowd outside.
Beyond the valley, all onlookers couldn't help but hold their breath.
Within the Sky-Piercing Shuttle, Xiao Qi felt thetiny spatial law variations around him. He locked onto a preset coordinate in shallow void space beyond the near-Earth orbit—where previouslydetected,relatively stable and low-risk airspace.
"First short-distance spatial jump, initiating!"
With Xiao Qi's spiritual command, the Void Dragon Crystal blazed with piercing silver light. The entire Sky-Piercing Shuttle was completely wrapped in distorting spatial force. The next instant, that streamlined starshine shuttle at the valley's center,like a stone dropped into water, creating ripples of visible space, then flashed and disappeared completely!
Only the unsettled spatial ripples remained, countless wide eyes, and heartsin their throats.
...
Almost the moment it vanished, countless miles away from the main world, in true void wilderness—dark, silent, with only distant stars providing faint light—a point of silver radiance suddenly blazed, then quickly expanded into a shuttle shape.
The Sky-Piercing Shuttlesuspended at the preset coordinate.
Inside the cabin, Xiao Qi rapidly checked various data.
"External environment confirmed: shallow void. Spatial turbulence intensity: minimal. Hull structural integrity: one hundred percent. Energy reserve consumption: three point seven percent. Core crystal status: stable..."
All data indicated this spatial jump succeeded!
Through the observation windowpolished from special crystal, he gazed outward. No up or down, no left or right, no air, no sound—only eternal darkness and stars scattered likecold gems. The main world had become a massive blue sphere radiating hazy light in the distant field of vision—serene yet magnificent.
This was an unprecedented experience. Separated from the familiar world, placed in this universe's wilderness, a sense of smallness and solitude arose, but with it surgedthe boldness of exploring the unknown and the responsibility of being a guardian.
He piloted the Sky-Piercing Shuttle, attempting conventional flight. The hull under spiritual commandlike fish swimming, turning nimbly,accelerated,braking sharply in the void, with extremely sensitive response, far surpassing any flying artifact. He tested the defensive formation—a layer of starshine-like barrier erected, easily resisting occasional small blocks of void debris and faint energy radiation drifting past.
"Performance excellent, far exceeding expectations." Xiao Qi evaluated in his heart,a satisfied expression on his face. The Sky-Piercing Shuttle not only achieved spatial jumping; its conventional mobility and defense were sufficient to handle general void navigation risks.
He stayed in this area for about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, conducting multiple basic tests, collecting valuable data, before initiating the spatial jump program again.
...
In the artifact forging valley at Qingxu Temple, just as everyone was beginning to feel anxious or uneasy, the space at the valley's center rippled once more.
Silver light flashed. The starshine shuttle appeared perfectly intact at the original location. The hatch slid open, and Tang Xiao Qi, smiling,walked out composedly.
"It succeeded!" Second Senior Brother's spiritual sense burst outecstatic cry first.
In an instant, the entire valley erupted with deafening cheers! Senior Brother exhaled a long breath of relief. Third Senior Sister's furrowed brow relaxed. Zhao Tiezhu excitedly waved his fist. Mu Xue's eyes were full of relief and pride. Even the rabbit spirit rolled excitedly on the ground multiple times.
Xiao Qi walked toward the crowd, his voice clearly spreading throughout the valley: "The Sky-Piercing Shuttle's first manned void navigation test,a complete success! Jump positioning precise, navigation stable, defense reliable. This shuttle will become the sharp sword and sturdy shield for our Three Realms Alliance to explore the void, pursue the demonic entity, and even face future unknown threats!"
His words provided the perfect conclusion to this epoch-making trial. The successful trial-production of the Sky-Piercing Shuttle marked that the Three Realms civilization truly possessed the ability to set foot in deep space and traverse the starry sea. A brand new era thus commenced. And next was how to use this sharp sword to complete that final mission.