The Cloud’s answer startled everyone.

If they weren’t in the Star Sea, and yet not in hyperspace, where were they? Could it be some other location similar to the Star Sea within the jump chambers? The thought alone made many of them turn pale.

After expending tremendous effort to finally find a way back, only to discover it was all for naught.

It wasn't entirely their fault for thinking this way; having been away from the Omi Galaxy for so long, everyone was desperate to return home.

Too much anticipation inevitably led to undue anxiety.

Zhong Yun finally noticed the abnormality in their moods; the sudden appearance of enemy contacts moments ago had focused everyone’s attention entirely on those unknown arrivals.

A thought flashed through his mind, and he realized he had made a huge blunder; his previous words were far too easy to misinterpret.

He couldn't help but smile. "This spatial jump was successful.

I’ve already used the positioning system to confirm our current location." He paused at this point.

The others watched him anxiously, a glimmer of hope rising in their hearts. "If I’m not mistaken, this sector belongs to the A Star Domain." "The A Star Domain?" Hearing this unfamiliar term, everyone looked somewhat lost, save for Ming Yunyu and George, whose brows were deeply furrowed, as if they were racking their brains.

They both felt the place sounded somewhat familiar. "Big Brother, stop speaking in riddles.

Just tell us: can we get back to the Omi Galaxy or not?" It was Zeng Xiaosan who spoke, voicing the question everyone most wanted answered. "Yes," Zhong Yun nodded firmly.

A huge cheer erupted from everyone.

No matter how twisted and arduous the journey, after suffering through so much hardship, they could finally go home.

They exuberantly vented their ecstasy.

Zhong Yun looked at them, feeling a wave of relaxed joy himself: Yun Qi.

I’m back.

I’ll come to see you immediately.

You must wait for me.

His gaze shifted back to the main screen.

Now was not the time to relax.

That unidentified fleet had half its warships scattered, while the remaining half formed a unit, flying in a circle around the dispersed vessels, seemingly maintaining a perimeter.

Their speed had dropped to a very low level by now.

If Zhong Yun decided to flee suddenly at this moment, he had a seventy percent chance of not being pursued.

However, he hesitated and did not move.

The warships were still a considerable distance away, and judging by their posture, they seemed to be searching for something.

If he left rashly, he might cause an unnecessary misunderstanding.

Therefore, he decided to wait and observe the situation first. "Captain Zhong," a pleasant voice broke his contemplation.

Zhong Yun turned his head and saw Ming Yunyu’s breathtakingly beautiful face. "How long will it take us to return to the Omi Galaxy?" Zhong Yun pondered. "The A Star Domain is separated from the Omi Galaxy in the Y Star Domain by at least several million light-years.

We can only return via a spatial jump.

The exact time required cannot be calculated yet." "Several million light-years?" Everyone was startled.

Being familiar with interstellar travel, they certainly knew how vast a distance several million light-years truly was.

Among those present, George had arguably spent the longest time in space travel; the farthest he had ever been was not more than ten thousand light-years.

Not to mention the others who had never left the Omi Galaxy.

A few light-years normally felt incredibly far; several million? That was simply preposterous.

Silence fell over everyone.

In their view, several million light-years was probably the distance between the Star Sea and the Omi Galaxy; who knew how many years or months it would take to return.

What was the difference compared to being adrift in the Star Sea? This was due to their limited exposure; they ultimately hailed from a nation of intermediate civilization, and their understanding of cosmic civilization was still quite shallow.

In their understanding, although spatial jumps allowed for long-distance teleportation, even one hundred light-years was the absolute limit.

In fact, they had never encountered a jump point capable of transferring them over a hundred light-years.

Even one million light-years would require ten thousand jumps.

Just thinking about it was enough to drive one mad.

Zhong Yun understood what they were thinking from their expressions, but he didn't elaborate.

He contacted Xiao Ling through the communicator.

He knew nothing about the A Star Domain and could only rely on Xiao Ling.

It was his own oversight not to obtain a star map of the A Star Domain before leaving the base of the Lansen Empire.

Although the main computer had provided him with a map, the transfer station established by the Lansen Empire in the A Star Domain could lead back to the Star Sea. "This is the former site of the Lansen Empire." Xiao Ling’s words filled Zhong Yun with great excitement.

He hadn't expected her to know this place.

He quickly asked, "How do we get back to Qi Yun Star?" "This area belongs to the A Star Domain.

To reach the Y Star Domain, we must perform an inter-domain jump.

Near the Lansen Empire, there is an inter-domain spatial jump point that can jump directly to the Y Star Domain." The tension in Zhong Yun’s heart finally eased.

It seemed his luck had finally turned; once back in the Y Star Domain, returning to the Omi Galaxy would be much simpler.

Since the jump point was nearby, Zhong Yun was no longer in a hurry.

He looked at the screen; once those warships left, he could depart.

After careful observation, Zhong Yun noticed the warships seemed to be searching for something; even after this much time, they hadn't moved very far.

Zhong Yun suddenly realized: this was the ruins of the Lansen Empire, destroyed ten thousand years ago.

It wasn't strange that someone would come here treasure hunting.

However, sending such a large contingent meant whatever they were looking for must be extremely valuable.

Though somewhat curious, Zhong Yun, eager to return to Qi Yun Star, had no desire to wade into this mess.

The treasure hunters slowly moved toward another direction, drawing farther away from the Mercury.

Zhong Yun waited patiently until they were at a safe distance before slowly guiding the Mercury in the opposite direction.

The Mars also began to move alongside them.

The stealth capabilities of the Mercury and Mars were excellent.

The enemy did not notice the two warships flying away; even if they had, they would have assumed they were just ordinary rocks.

Such rocks were ubiquitous in space, easily ignored.

The distance gradually widened.

Only when the enemy disappeared from the sensor did Zhong Yun slowly increase their speed.

Suddenly, countless bright lights flared on the detector.

Seeing the violent reaction, Zhong Yun was stunned. "What happened?" Wang Xiao'er asked in surprise upon seeing this anomaly. "That fleet seems to have encountered enemies; a battle has broken out," Zhong Yun stated gravely.

The detector displayed violent energy readings, confirming a fierce engagement was underway.

The fleet that arrived later was even larger.

A question formed in his mind: what exactly were they fighting over? Did the ruins of the Lansen Empire truly hold something so valuable that they would fight over it? In an instant, he dismissed the thought.

Their fighting had nothing to do with him.

The most important thing now was to return to Qi Yun Star as quickly as possible.

The "vicinity" of the Lansen Empire that Xiao Ling mentioned took Zhong Yun ten full days of high-speed travel to reach.

The jump point capable of inter-domain teleportation was hidden inside a dense asteroid belt.

Worse yet, this asteroid belt was impenetrable; to enter it required using a small, cloaked jump point located at the edge of the belt.

After jumping through, Zhong Yun saw a massive vortex in the distance.

The vortex was enormous, hundreds of thousands of times the size of a normal star.

Zhong Yun swallowed hard.

The image formed on the detector showed the vortex as an unfathomably deep black, swirling as if it were about to suck everything in, even space itself.

This reminded him of a legendary object—a black hole.

A black hole capable of devouring light. "Shut down the Mercury's power and all its instruments," Xiao Ling’s voice broke through his shock. "You mean we have to fly into that black hole?" Zhong Yun’s face twitched.

He felt an inherent dread toward that bizarre vortex. "That is not an ordinary black hole; it is a natural spatial jump point.

Only by passing through it can an inter-domain jump be made," Xiao Ling explained.

Trusting Xiao Ling, Zhong Yun gritted his teeth.

He had to risk it.

Just like at the Lansen Empire base, he shut down all the instruments.

Then, he used the restraints to secure himself to the chair once more.

The Mercury and Mars, relying on inertia, flew toward the colossal vortex.

As they drew closer, the pulling force intensified, and their speed rapidly increased.

They quickly reached light speed, and the velocity seemed to keep climbing...

Experiencing the sensation of bodily disintegration once again, once everything stabilized, Zhong Yun opened his eyes. "Is everyone alright?" he asked, skillfully powering up the Mercury. "We’re fine." Having gone through it once, everyone appeared remarkably calm. "Where are we now?" It was Chu Tiange who asked; among them all, he was perhaps the most unconcerned with returning home, so his question carried no hesitation.

The others, especially those engineers who held management positions, dared not ask, fearing another disappointing answer. "This should be the Cass Star System in the Y Star Domain, just a few million light-years from Omi—" "Did you say the Cass Star System?" Before Zhong Yun could finish, George interrupted him.

George stood up, his usually rigid face now filled with excitement.

His lips trembled. "You mean the Cass Star System, the one closest to the Omi Galaxy?" "That's right," Zhong Yun nodded. "Is this real?" George felt as though he were dreaming.

Having been disappointed so many times, he now found it hard to believe this reality.

The others exchanged uneasy glances.

Why was George losing his composure so suddenly? He was usually the most steady.

Under their questioning, George finally managed to control his runaway emotions, though his expression remained somewhat agitated. "I have been to the Cass Star System before.

From here, it only takes two years to return to the Yanbin Empire!" Everyone else was stunned.

Two years? The sharp contrast between several million light-years and two years made everything feel dreamlike.

They had already given up hope, only to have fortune suddenly reverse.

In just two years, they could be home.

Seeing their descent into wild elation, Zhong Yun also smiled.

One month later, Omi Galaxy.

Qi Yun Star was finally in sight.

Zhong Yun was overcome with emotion.

It had been four years since he left Qi Yun Star.

Now, he was finally back.

This journey had been immensely fruitful.

Not only had he brought back a warship far more advanced than the Mars, but also an army composed of two million Three-Star AI Mechs, countless rare ores, machine parts, production equipment, and more.

In addition, there were over two million people.

Except for George, the survivors from the Pearl, and about eight thousand others who had been dropped off at the nearest free star, he had brought everyone else with him, including the six people, Chu Tiange among them, whom he had requested from Ming Yunyu. "Is this our planet?" Gazing at the beautiful azure sphere, Twenty-One’s eyes glazed over.

Since being lost in the Star Sea, this was the first time he had seen a natural planet.

Such breathtaking beauty stirred his soul.

It wasn't just him; the others were equally mesmerized. "This is our home," Zhong Yun said, his eyes distant.

He thought of his parents, Yun Qi, Xiao Ruo, and the others.

They must be waiting for him.

The Mercury and Mars began to slow down, approaching the azure planet before cutting into the atmosphere.

As they entered the atmosphere, they saw the colossal green tree piercing the sky, beneath which lay a vibrant expanse of green.

Qi Yun Star had completely transformed since Zhong Yun left.

The entire base was encircled by green; the metallic silver-white was entirely obscured by greenery, almost unrecognizable.

Surrounding this green expanse, countless buildings were scattered artfully.

These were not traditional structures; they resembled large trees more closely, and people lived inside them.

These structures extended to the horizon.

This was his kingdom, Zhong Yun mused with profound feeling.

In four years, it had developed to this extent.

It was a complete, earth-shattering transformation.

As the Mercury and Mars descended, the towering tree suddenly resonated with a deep hum, as if welcoming the return of its master.

Near the World Tree, a large area—the core of the entire planet—was the base Zhong Yun had established earliest.

The Mars landed on the original spaceport, but the Mercury could only hover in mid-air.

Zhong Yun and the six individuals including Chu Tiange descended in a shuttlecraft. "Zhong Yun." A voice thick with tears rang out, followed immediately by a small figure throwing herself into Zhong Yun’s arms. "I...

I thought...

I would never see you again..." The words seemed to drain all her strength.

She gripped Zhong Yun’s waist tightly, her small body trembling uncontrollably, suppressing sobs escaping her.

Zhong Yun’s expression softened as he stroked her hair. "Silly girl, aren't I back now?" The six people accompanying Chu Tiange exchanged strange looks and quietly increased their distance. "Little Yun." Another voice sounded.

The six looked over, wondering if this person was also...? Just as they thought this, they heard Zhong Yun call out, "Mom." The six broke out in a cold sweat.

Seeing her son, whom she had longed for, standing before her completely whole, Yun Rong’s eyes misted over.

So many times in the dead of night, she had dreamt of Zhong Yun’s safe return.

Now, he was truly back.

Yun Rong felt as if she were in a dream, everything too unreal.

She feared this was another dream and dared not approach.

Only a strong hand settled on her shoulder.

She looked up and saw her husband. "Pingjiang, Little Yun he..." Zhong Pingjiang looked at his son.

Although his face remained calm, despite his strenuous effort to suppress it, the excitement in his eyes betrayed him. "Mm, it's good that you're back." Years of worry and longing were contained in that simple sentence. "Dad..." A pang of sorrow struck Zhong Yun’s heart.

He mumbled briefly but ultimately failed to voice the rest. "Why didn't you die out there?" A sharp female voice abruptly shattered the touching atmosphere from the side.

The six accompanying Chu Tiange turned to look and saw a girl, dazzlingly beautiful, standing beneath a nearby tree, glaring hatefully at Zhong Yun.

This girl was not only stunningly beautiful—rivaling even the young mistress or Miss Ming—but she also carried an air of arrogance, as if no one in the world was worthy of her notice.

The six exchanged glances, seeing the shock in each other's eyes.

They simultaneously guessed the identity of this girl...

Zhong Yun raised his head, nervously scanning the area.

His eyes slid over the girl without the slightest pause, treating her as completely transparent.

This infuriated the proud girl to the point where her nose nearly skewed sideways. "Where is Yun Qi?" Zhong Yun finally failed to spot the person he was looking for and looked to his father instead, a sense of foreboding settling in his heart. "You didn't return within the two years we agreed upon, so she went to the Mins Kingdom herself to look for you," a sinister glint flashed in Zhong Pingjiang's eyes.

Zhong Yun's heart sank.

He hadn't expected even his parents couldn't hold Yun Qi back.

It seemed he had to go to the Mins Kingdom to find her immediately.

However, thinking of the romantic entanglements he had left behind in the Mins Kingdom gave him a massive headache.

Yet, looking at his parents and then at Chu Tiange and the others, he knew he couldn't just leave.

He needed to arrange things properly before he could search for Yun Qi with a clear conscience. "Let's go home and talk," Zhong Yun said.

The group walked toward home.

Their so-called home was a massive structure designed by his parents and Yun Qi themselves, featuring a distinct Davo style.

The main hall imitated the design of their home in Davo, only much larger.

More than ten people sat on the sofas.

Zhong Yun first introduced the six people with Chu Tiange, and then introduced his family.

Just as he was about to speak after the introductions, Yun Rong suddenly said, "Wait a moment." "There is one more person in our family." Saying this, Yun Rong rose and left the hall.

Zhong Yun was puzzled.

Besides Yun Qi, everyone in his family was here.

Who else could there be? He glanced at his father, whose face showed relief.

He then looked at Xiao Ruo, who was covering her mouth and suppressing a giggle.

This girl had been clinging to him since meeting him, refusing to leave his side.

Just as he was wondering, his mother walked back out, holding a small child in her arms. "Come, Little Yu, look at your big brother." "Big brother?" Zhong Yun was dumbfounded.

P: Vote for me, vote for me.