Chapter 48: Lei’s Arrival |
“Rest assured, I am not from the Three Great Duchies.”
Shan explained calmly.
But He did not immediately lower his guard,
and instead continued in a deep voice.
“Praise the great Lord of the Stars!”
Shan remained composed and unhurried.
“Praise the great Lord of the Stars!”
After the code matched, He finally let out a long breath of relief.
“My apologies, brother.”
“Otherwise, all our efforts would be wasted.”
“It’s fine, I understand.”
Shan did not mind at all.
Ever since his great vengeance had been fulfilled, he had been overwhelmed by a deep sense of confusion, unsure of what he should do next.
If not for the fact that among the Twelve Constellations under the god, other Constellations had begun to manifest in this era,
he would not have come here deliberately.
Afterward…
Shan walked through the rebuilt tribe alongside He.
Yet he never saw the person he had been expecting, so he took the initiative to ask.
“He, I came this time to pay respects to the newly ascended Constellation. Could you take me to meet them?”
He was not surprised by this.
After all, when a Constellation manifested, those of them who were Recipients of Divine Grace of the Leo Constellation could naturally sense its location.
He spread his hands helplessly.
“You’re late. Luo Ya has already left.”
“Luo Ya…”
Shan repeated the name.
“Is this the name of the Constellation?”
“Of course.” He nodded.
Shan felt puzzled.
“But shouldn’t a Constellation’s name have three words? Like Leo—Apollo.”
He shook his head and explained.
“That was her name when she was still mortal.”
“After becoming a Constellation, she did not tell us what name the god granted her.”
Though Shan felt some regret, he understood.
He continued asking.
“Then which Constellation under the god does she belong to?”
An awkward expression appeared on He’s face.
“About that… I don’t know either.”
Shan: “……”
This was the first time he had encountered such a situation—
not knowing anything at all.
For a moment, he was at a loss.
“Then what exactly do you know?”
Shan asked patiently.
He thought carefully and realized that his understanding of Luo Ya was indeed pitifully little, so he could only answer stiffly.
“…Nothing at all.”
Shan: “……”
Shan’s expression darkened slightly; he felt that He was toying with him.
“He, I’m serious.”
“I truly came to pay respects to the Constellation.”
He replied helplessly,
“I understand.”
“But it’s not that I don’t want to tell you—I really don’t know much about the Constellation.”
Afterward, he briefly recounted the events: the disaster of the Luo River, the tribe’s migration, the overwhelming flood, Luo Ya’s prayer to the god…
and finally, how she was chosen to become a Constellation, revived her people, and led them toward the sea.
After hearing this, Shan stood frozen in place.
This newly emerged Constellation…
her legs had actually turned into a fish tail?
However, Shan did not dwell on it too much.
After all, merfolk were essentially transformed from humans.
Moreover, when the first Solar King Apollo became the Leo Constellation, his hair and eyes had also turned golden.
It was just that Luo Ya’s transformation was more extensive—her hair and eyes turned azure, and even her legs became a fish tail.
Thinking of this, he raised a key question.
“Can Lady Luo Ya’s fish tail still turn back into legs?”
He shook his head again. “I don’t know.”
Shan sighed inwardly but did not press further.
After all, Luo Ya had left immediately after becoming a Constellation.
There had been no communication between them,
so it was normal that He did not know.
Yet Shan could not suppress the envy in his eyes.
To be chosen by the god, to become an eternal Constellation and accompany the god—what incomparable glory!
Afterward, Shan stayed temporarily in the Luo River Tribe.
Because his own tribe had long been destroyed by the floodwaters.
Now alone, he wandered the world without a home.
And the reason he remained
was naturally because He had said—
perhaps one day…
Luo Ya and the others might return to visit the tribe.
……
Time slowly passed.
Lei also arrived at the Luo River Tribe.
At first glance, he saw
He and Shan, who had just returned from hunting.
Although they looked somewhat unfamiliar,
he did not investigate further.
As the Pope of the Theocratic State of the Stars,
there were not many priests qualified to meet him.
And He was clearly not among them.
He only felt puzzled
as to why the bloodline of Apollo would appear here.
Moreover, judging from their condition,
it seemed they had already been here for some time.
Meanwhile, He and Shan…
also felt Lei’s gaze.
They subconsciously turned their heads.
With just one glance,
they froze in place.
Fear instantly rose in their hearts!
Lei had actually come!
Just as He felt uneasy inside, Shan decisively pulled He down to kneel together, respectfully calling out:
“Shan pays respects to Great-Uncle Lei!”
He’s eyes lit up, and he quickly followed:
“He pays respects to Great-Uncle Lei!”
Lei gave a slight nod.
Seeing their respectful attitude,
he assumed they were Recipients of Divine Grace from the Ya Bloodline or Ze Bloodline, who had either wandered here or been stationed here.
“How long have you two been here?”
he asked in a deep voice.
Shan lowered his head and replied.
“Reporting to Great-Uncle,”
“we have been here for five days.”
The people of the Luo River Tribe nearby, though puzzled as to why He and Shan said five days, did not speak up to expose them.
Lei nodded.
It seemed that He and Shan had sensed the emergence of a Constellation here and thus came.
Moreover, as Recipients of Divine Grace, their physical abilities far surpassed ordinary people, so it was natural that they arrived earlier than him.
“Where is the Constellation now?”
During these past few days on the road…
he had calmed down considerably.
A Constellation, after all, possessed complete Authority.
It was not something he could contend against.
Thus, it was better to maintain harmony.
He and Shan instinctively exchanged a glance.
Shan maintained his respectful posture and replied.
“Great-Uncle, the Constellation has already left.”
Lei’s brows furrowed slightly.
“Left?”
“Where did they go?”
The two shook their heads. “We don’t know.”
Lei: “……”
Lei had not expected such an answer.
But he assumed that the Constellation had already departed before He and Shan arrived,
so he did not dwell on it.
Afterward, his gaze shifted to the people of the Luo River Tribe, who were either working or secretly observing.
“They… are the Constellation’s people?”
“Yes, Great-Uncle,” Shan confirmed.
At once…
Lei’s gaze lingered on those people,
a thoughtful glint flashing in his eyes.
After all, he had personally witnessed how the former Star Tribe, under his father Apollo’s leadership, had grown step by step into the great Solar Dynasty.
But now, the situation across the entire continent had already been fully surveyed—whether it was the Solar Dynasty or the Theocratic State of the Stars.
The Solar Dynasty—or rather, the current Three Great Duchies—occupied the most fertile regions of the continent.
To the north lay the Theocratic State of the Stars.
It could be said that nearly half of the entire continent was already controlled by the descendants of Apollo.
As for the location of the Luo River Tribe, it lay to the east of the Theocratic State of the Stars, that is, northeast of the Three Great Duchies.
But further east of the Luo River Tribe were only mountains,
clearly unsuitable as a direction for future expansion.
Therefore, if the Luo River Tribe wished to develop,
they would have to expand westward.
But to the west…
was their territory…