Chapter 9: Traces of an Alien Civilization

After Xingfeng's death, Shen Xing's heart was stirred by the unwavering faith of this follower who had believed in him until the very end. He sighed softly and continued to observe the development of civilization.

Shen Xing had been a planet for a very long time; to him, the passage of years no longer corresponded to the mind of his former self from Earth. Thus, he simply watched quietly as the evolution of Celestial Vault Star unfolded.

Human civilization, under the joint governance of royal and divine authority, underwent countless transformations. Royal power changed hands like the turning of seasons, while divine authority remained as steadfast and immovable as the eternal stars. Over the course of a millennium, the birth of iron marked the end of the Bronze Age. Gold, silver, and copper coins became mediums of trade, and the appearance of pottery and porcelain enriched daily life.

No longer did humans rely on clumsy stone tablets to record their words; now, paper had become the vessel of knowledge. As they explored the natural world, more plants and animals became part of human existence. Knowledge in fields such as calendars, astronomy, and mathematics advanced at an unprecedented rate.

Because there were no other civilizations beyond the Celestial Empire and the supercontinent spanned nearly the entire northern hemisphere, humans, in their relentless development and exploration, quickly discovered the spherical nature of their world, as well as the true forms of the sun and moon. Indeed, the star was still called the sun, and the satellite, the moon. Shen Xing had once wondered about this, only to realize that these terms had been unconsciously adopted during the transmission of knowledge, so the people of Celestial Vault Star had long since begun using them. They also discovered pi and calculated the planet's diameter and circumference.

Advances in medicine, improved nutrition, and abundant resources led to a population explosion, and soon, the once-empty lands of the supercontinent were filled with humanity.

It was a prosperous age, a time of rapid scientific and civilizational progress. Benefiting from this development, Shen Xing found that his own abilities seemed to have advanced.

Celestial Vault Star
Level: Planet
Fundamental Force: Possesses the ability to manipulate gravity and electromagnetism
Fictive Force: Possesses the ability to manipulate mental force and aspects of time
Universal Laws: You can manipulate certain fundamental laws of the universe, altering physical and natural laws at their root
Civilization Level: Level One Civilization – Age of Exploration

Shen Xing noticed his powers seemed to have integrated; physical and fictive forces were now distinct, and all his abilities were unified under the universal laws. As for the range of these so-called universal laws, Shen Xing was still exploring. For now, he understood that after this integration, his powers were not only stronger but also far broader in scope—a pleasant surprise.

Yet, as this era of peace and steady progress unfolded, a polished metallic sphere the size of a soccer ball suddenly entered Shen Xing’s vision. The sphere radiated a strange light, flying directly toward the star system where Shen Xing resided, soon entering the range of his fundamental force.

Unease pricked at him. Immediately, he summoned his control over electromagnetism to probe this unknown object. It seemed to be a technological construct, and in Shen Xing’s experience, electromagnetism was quite effective against such things.

The metallic sphere circled Shen Xing several times at a speed far beyond anything Earth’s spacefaring technology had ever achieved. As it moved, Shen Xing sensed pulsing signals within the sphere through his electromagnetic force.

On high alert, he decided to attempt reading these signals, for the sphere was clearly the product of some advanced technological civilization. Focusing his energy, he probed the sphere with his electromagnetism and discovered the internal pulses were a complex code, quite obscure to him.

Yet before his force of consciousness, this was a trivial barrier; in the blink of an eye, Shen Xing had deciphered the signal’s content:

—Universal Probe No. 2231 Report—
—Full scan of planetary coordinate AS-7960 complete—
—Shortest estimated lifespan: approximately 4.3 billion years—
—Detected carbon-based, highly intelligent life; self-evolving, no external civilization interference—
—Civilization in planetary exploration phase—
—Civilization level remains extremely low; minimum time to reach stellar civilization: approximately ten thousand years—
—Assessment complete, awaiting instructions—

The information surprised Shen Xing. He knew his own lifespan was nowhere near 4.3 billion years, so the probe’s assessment was clearly mistaken. Moreover, it had failed to detect his independent consciousness, making him question this so-called advanced civilization.

He did not lower his guard; this probe might be just the tip of the iceberg, with a formidable civilization lurking behind it. He prepared himself—should the probe emit any sign of hostility, he would destroy it with electromagnetism without hesitation.

Minutes later, a pulse wave arrived from the distant stars. Shen Xing quickly analyzed the wave with his electromagnetic power and discovered it was an order, instructing the probe to proceed to the BI star system. The probe acknowledged the command, then swiftly departed, vanishing into the depths of space.

Watching the sphere disappear from sight, Shen Xing felt a slight relief, but an even greater sense of urgency pressed upon him. He realized humanity’s fragility and the uncertainty of the future.

Whether to unlock new abilities or simply because he regarded the people of Celestial Vault Star as his own creations, his own children, Shen Xing decided to take action. He would guide human civilization toward a more prosperous and stable future, accelerating technological development so they could, as quickly as possible, gain the means to confront other alien civilizations.

Turning his gaze back to the planet, he saw that the sole supercontinent, once a symbol of peace and prosperity, had now become restless and uneasy as nations vied for resources. Wars erupted again and again between the countries that had splintered from the Celestial Empire and the newly formed states, each seeking to claim the bounty of the continent.

War, like an uncontrollable plague, swept across the supercontinent, drawing all of humanity into catastrophe. Even the Celestial Church, that supreme religious authority, could not stand apart.

The Celestial Church had always guarded these lands in the name of the Star Father, never involving itself in secular conflicts or disputes for a thousand years. But now, it faced an unprecedented challenge—one that would determine whether the Celestial Church could continue to exist in this world.