Immortal Paladin

The void stretched into infinity, silent and immeasurable, where countless stars burned like scattered jewels across an endless sea of darkness. Drifting through that boundless expanse was a solitary vessel bearing no banner, no crest, and no declaration of allegiance. To any wandering observer, it was merely another merchant ship venturing between distant worlds. However, that was not the case.

At the helm stood a woman whose long dark hair had been woven into a thick braid that rested against the back of her black robes. A golden sash circled her waist, the only ornament that broke the simplicity of her attire. Her hands rested lightly upon the wheel as though steering through the stars required no more effort than guiding a boat across a quiet lake.

This woman was Liang Na, the Spy Master of His Holy Majesty and the unseen hand that directed the countless shadows gathered beneath the banner of the Hollowed World.

The title of 'Spy Master' had never been one she sought. In truth, she had resisted accepting it for as long as circumstances allowed. The position had originally been expected to fall upon Hei Mao, the Holy Emperor's disciple.

Fate, however, possessed its own sense of humor. Hei Mao's road stretched far beyond the world of shadows, carrying him toward a destiny that would one day see him ascend as the god of the new Underworld. Someone still needed to govern the intelligence network left behind, and after exhausting every reasonable excuse, Liang Na had finally accepted that the responsibility belonged to her.

Without taking her eyes from the stars ahead, she stepped aside from the helm. "Ye Yong, take the wheel for a while."

A young woman dressed in dark leather strode over with exaggerated reluctance before placing both hands upon the wheel. Her lips puffed into an unmistakable pout as she steered the vessel.

"This is boring," Ye Yong complained. "We've been drifting through empty space for days. No ambushes. No assassinations. Not even a pirate foolish enough to pick a fight."

Liang Na unfolded a polished metallic compass whose surface shimmered with countless moving stars. It was a Star Map, or at least an iteration of it. Rather than a conventional navigation tool, it was a masterpiece produced by the workshop, capable of charting routes between worlds with astonishing precision.

"Boredom is preferable," she replied calmly. "It means everything is proceeding according to plan."

Ye Yong groaned loudly.

"My Night Blades weren't named because we're good at hiding in corners. We earned that name because we cut people apart before they knew we were there. Lately we've been spending all our time infiltrating noble houses, bribing officials, forging identities, and passing secret messages." She sighed dramatically. "When do we finally get to draw blood again? You know... discreet murders, silent executions, the fun parts."

Liang Na finally looked at her.

"Do not allow impatience to cloud your judgment. The truce between the Hollowed World and the Human Empire exists for a reason."

Ye Yong clicked her tongue.

"I know, I know."

Referring to their counterpart as the Human Empire was an oversimplification. The official designation remained the Greater Human Realm, for the civilization encompassed countless independent territories beyond imperial authority. Nevertheless, the Human Empire stood undeniably at its center, serving as the dominant political power through which the Supreme Heart's will spread across the realm, much as the Holy Emperor guided the Holy Ascension Empire within the Hollowed World.

Liang Na's thoughts shifted as she studied the rotating constellations within the workshop's star compass. Several routes illuminated themselves before fading again, quietly confirming the fleet's projected course.

"Jin Wen," Liang Na called. "How much of the preparation has been completed?"

A middle-aged man dressed entirely in black raised his head from a peculiar rectangular tablet resting across his arms. Its glass-like surface shimmered with countless moving symbols, maps, and miniature images that updated continuously as distant reports arrived. It was yet another invention produced by the workshop.

"Ninety-seven percent," Jin Wen answered. "The major installations have already been secured. We are only waiting for confirmation from several smaller units. Once they report in, we can guarantee none of our activities have attracted unwanted attention."

Unlike everyone else aboard the vessel, Jin Wen possessed virtually no combat capability. He represented the Hei Clan as one of its foremost historians while simultaneously serving as an accomplished formation master. Long before joining this expedition, he had apprenticed beneath the late Guardian Fu Wu, inheriting much of the his knowledge regarding formations and spatial engineering.

Ye Yong glanced around the remarkably empty vessel before scratching her head.

"Can someone explain what we're actually doing out here? There are barely enough people aboard this ship to raid a decent merchant convoy." She looked toward Liang Na with narrowed eyes. "Surely we didn't bring a warp-capable vessel all this way just to steal a few cargo holds."

Liang Na closed the compass with a soft click.

"We're here to steal a world."

Silence settled over the bridge.

Ye Yong blinked once.

"...You really know how to make a sentence sound terrifying."

Liang Na neither confirmed nor denied the observation.

Over the past several years, similar vessels had begun appearing throughout the Greater Human Realm. Blueprints depicting the Hollowed World's star-faring ships had mysteriously found their way into countless workshops, merchant guilds, and engineering academies.

Naturally, the leaked designs omitted the technology responsible for warp travel, preventing anyone from replicating their greatest strategic advantage. Even so, the ships themselves represented an extraordinary technological breakthrough, one that many would have considered an immeasurable loss.

The leak, however, had never been an accident.

It had been Liang Na's proposal from the very beginning.

If one wished to conceal a tree, the simplest method was to grow an entire forest around it.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

His Holy Majesty had approved the strategy without hesitation.

As civilian and military shipyards throughout the Greater Human Realm enthusiastically embraced the revolutionary designs, genuine Hollowed World vessels capable of warp travel gradually disappeared into the ever-growing sea of identical silhouettes. The disguise proved remarkably effective. Their agents moved across countless worlds without attracting suspicion, quietly embedding themselves within merchant associations, noble courts, scholarly institutions, and military bureaucracies. From there, they established new channels reaching neighboring realms, extending the Hollowed World's intelligence network farther than anyone had believed possible.

Before the introduction of these vessels, nearly all interstellar travel throughout the Greater Human Realm relied upon portal arrays or other forms of large-scale teleportation. While undeniably effective, such methods demanded staggering quantities of spiritual energy, placing regular travel beyond the reach of ordinary cultivators and merchants.

Star-faring vessels offered a slower alternative, yet one vastly more economical, allowing ambitious individuals to chase wealth and opportunity across distant worlds without exhausting fortunes merely to reach their destinations.

A soft chime echoed from Jin Wen's tablet.

His fingers danced across the glowing surface before a faint smile appeared.

"The final reports have arrived," he announced. "Preparation has reached one hundred percent completion. Every formation, every cache, every infiltration route, and every contingency has been verified. Every piece is now in its proper place."

He lifted his eyes toward Liang Na.

"All that remains... is for us to perform our part."

Liang Na closed the Star Map before turning toward the gathered passengers upon the deck.

"I have a few things to say."

Only a dozen people stood before her, yet every individual had been selected after careful deliberation. No one aboard this vessel was expendable, nor had anyone come merely to fill numbers. Four members belonged to the Night Blades under Ye Yong's direct command, each specializing in assassination, infiltration, sabotage, and covert elimination. Jin Wen and the elderly Hei Min represented the Hei Clan, their responsibilities encompassing logistics, paperwork, historical verification, research, and journalism whenever information needed to be documented or quietly disseminated. Three Guardians stood nearby in solemn silence, their presence radiating quiet authority, while two members of the Player Covenant remained beside an unassuming storage chest that concealed one of their organization's greatest strategic assets. Finally, standing apart from everyone else was Xin Nu, one of the Six Queens of the Origin Faith, invited both as an advisor and as overwhelming combat support should diplomacy fail.

Liang Na swept her gaze across every face before beginning.

"Lady Ding Cai, one of His Holy Majesty's disciples, discovered a world within this region of space. Our objective is neither conquest through brute force nor open annexation. We are here to quietly remove every obstacle surrounding that world so that when the Hollowed World eventually embraces it, the process will appear as natural as possible and draw no unnecessary attention."

Her voice remained calm, neither hurried nor theatrical.

"The Player Covenant has brought an artifact capable of summoning additional covenant members should circumstances spiral beyond our projections. They will serve as our primary contingency force against unforeseen threats. Ideally, none of us will ever witness that artifact being activated."

Her attention shifted toward the three Guardians.

"The Guardians shall act as heralds whenever our presence must be formally acknowledged."

She then looked toward Ye Yong and the Night Blades.

"As for the Night Blades, your responsibility is securing the cooperation of every key individual whose influence may affect our route toward the target world. Whether that cooperation is obtained through negotiation, coercion, blackmail, deception, or violence is left to your discretion."

Her expression hardened ever so slightly.

"Do not misunderstand this operation. This is a military occupation. The battlefield simply happens to consist of information, influence, and politics rather than trenches and fortresses. Our goal remains unchanged. That world will become part of the Hollowed World."

A thoughtful silence settled over the deck.

Xin Nu folded her arms beneath her flowing white robes before speaking.

"...I have my doubts. Who exactly approved this operation? The Supreme Heart will not react kindly if an entire world suddenly disappears."

There was no accusation in her voice, only genuine concern.

Liang Na nodded, having expected the question.

"The proposal originated with Lady Gu Jie after a petition submitted by Lady Ding Cai. Lord Hei Mao reviewed the operation before granting his approval. Unknown to nearly everyone, His Holy Majesty entered deep seclusion long ago, and preparations for claiming this world have already continued for centuries. If His Holy Majesty were not occupied and could personally appear before us, I would gladly ask for permission one final time."

"Do it."

A familiar voice suddenly echoed across the bridge.

Space rippled beside Liang Na as a projection materialized without warning.

The Holy Emperor himself stood there, dressed in immaculate white robes, appearing so lifelike that every person aboard instinctively forgot they were merely witnessing a projection.

Liang Na's eyes widened.

"Your Holy Majesty..."

She immediately bowed.

"I pay my respects."

Everyone else followed without hesitation, lowering themselves in unison.

The Holy Emperor chuckled softly before raising a hand.

"Relax."

His gaze wandered across the assembled group.

"I'll be honest. When I first learned about this plan the first chance I got after I finished my seclusion, I nearly rejected it outright."

Several people exchanged uncertain glances.

"Ding Cai pleaded with me to allow it. She has grown rather attached to that place." His smile carried both amusement and resignation. "After giving the matter sufficient thought, I ultimately decided to approve the operation."

His golden eyes settled upon Liang Na.

"I expect every one of you to perform your duties well."

The smile faded as his expression became more serious.

"I won't remain any longer. The Supreme Heart undoubtedly keeps a close watch on my movements, and lingering here could compromise every one of you."

The projection dissolved into countless particles of light before vanishing completely.

An awkward silence immediately descended upon the deck.

Liang Na quietly cleared her throat.

"...Proceed according to the original plan."

Everyone seemed to awaken simultaneously before carrying out their assigned responsibilities with noticeably greater urgency.

"Xin Nu," Liang Na called.

The Queen of the Origin Faith turned toward her.

"There are several matters I'd like to discuss privately."

Xin Nu nodded before following Liang Na into the captain's cabin.

The Six Queens of the Origin Faith had maintained a cooperative relationship with the Holy Emperor for many years, supplying intelligence regarding the numerous universes from which they originated. Their knowledge often complemented the Hollowed World's own intelligence network, revealing perspectives that even Liang Na's spies could not easily obtain.

Inside the cabin, Liang Na spread numerous documents, maps, and intelligence reports across the table before explaining every relevant detail concerning their target world. Xin Nu occasionally interrupted with observations drawn from the Origin Faith's own archives, allowing both women to gradually refine their operational plans while eliminating several overlooked variables.

Time quietly flowed onward.

Months slipped into years as the vessel continued its voyage across the endless sea of stars.

Far beyond ordinary perception, the marked world slowly drifted toward the Hollowed World, guided by invisible forces Liang Na neither fully understood nor attempted to comprehend. She knew only that the Dark Veil surrounding the Hollowed World possessed the incomprehensible ability to pull entire worlds into its embrace, while generations of planners had merely ensured the process unfolded without interference.

Eventually, Liang Na became satisfied that the operation would continue according to schedule even without her constant supervision.

She entrusted command of the ongoing mission to Ye Yong before departing alongside Xin Nu to strengthen the Hollowed World's expanding intelligence network throughout the Greater Human Realm.

As they traveled together aboard another merchant vessel, Xin Nu broke the comfortable silence between them.

"Doesn't this feel a little early? We're already planting spies inside the Human Empire itself."

Liang Na smiled faintly.

"Actually, I was thinking of sending you back."

Xin Nu blinked.

"...Back?"

"As an ambassador."

The Queen stared at her for several long seconds.

"...That is either the boldest plan I've ever heard or the most ridiculous."

Liang Na merely continued walking through the corridor.

During her years serving beneath the Holy Emperor, she had learned one lesson that repeatedly proved itself correct.

When the most obvious course of action appeared impossibly bold...?

...it was often precisely the path no one expected, making it the safest choice of all.

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