?Location: The Iron-Blood Arena

  Time: Post-Exam Standoff

  ?The silence in the arena was heavy enough to crush a mortal.

  ?Elder Iron-Fist stared down from the balcony, his gaze drilling into the small, trembling alchemist. He looked at the dead bear—its neck snapped cleanly by a force equivalent to a hydraulic press—and then at Aris's skinny, shaking hand.

  ?"A heart attack," the Elder repeated, his voice flat.

  ?"Yes, Exalted Elder!" Aris nodded frantically. "It was very old! It had... cholesterol!"

  ?Iron-Mountain leaned over the railing, his face twisted in a sneer. "Father, he is lying. That blow shattered the spine. He is hiding his cultivation. He might be a spy from the Demonic Sects."

  ?The Elder raised a hand. "I agree. Initiate Han Xiao, you are detained for interrogation. Step into the shackles."

  ?Two guards moved forward with Spirit-Suppressing Cuffs.

  ?Aris stopped shaking. He straightened up just a fraction—enough to show he wasn't scared, but annoyed.

  ?"Detained?" Aris asked, his voice losing its squeak. "That is unfortunate. Lady Bai was very specific. She wants her Star-Metal necklace today."

  ?He pulled out the Fox's Favor token again. He held it up to the light.

  ?"If I am late, I will tell her it was because the Earth Sect Elder wanted to check my pulse. I am sure she will understand. She is so patient when she is denied shiny things."

  ?The Elder froze.

  ?Everyone in the sect knew Lady Bai. She wasn't just a beast; she was a calamity in fur. If she threw a tantrum because her "stylist" was in a dungeon, she might just come down and eat the Earth Sect's mountain.

  ?Elder Iron-Fist gritted his teeth. The veins in his neck bulged.

  ?"Fine," the Elder spat. "You pass. You have Inner Sect access."

  ?"Thank you!" Aris beamed, reverting to the idiot persona.

  ?"However," the Elder continued, a malicious glint returning to his eyes. "Sector 12 is a lawless zone. It is crawling with Scavengers and Puppet Constructs. A 'weak' alchemist like you would die in an hour."

  ?He clapped a heavy hand on Iron-Mountain's shoulder.

  ?"My son, Iron-Mountain, will escort you. To ensure your... safety."

  ?Iron-Mountain smiled. It was the smile of a butcher looking at a pig.

  ?"I would be honored," Iron-Mountain cracked his knuckles. "I will watch him day and night. I won't let him out of my sight."

  ?Aris looked at Iron-Mountain.

  ?Perfect, Aris thought. Delivery service.

  ?"Oh, thank you, Senior Brother!" Aris bowed deeply. "I feel safer already!"

  ?Location: The Inter-Sector Teleportation Hub

  Time: 1 Hour Later

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  ?The Hub was a massive floating ring of stone, inscribed with coordinates for the 33 Sectors of the Middle Realm.

  ?Aris stood on the platform with Mo. Iron-Mountain stood beside them, accompanied by four elite Earth Sect disciples. They were armed to the teeth.

  ?"Coordinates locked: Sector 12," the operator announced. "Warning: Environmental Hazards. Radiation levels are critical."

  ?"Don't worry, little alchemist," Iron-Mountain whispered, leaning close to Aris. "Once we arrive, the radiation will be the least of your problems."

  ?Aris looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes. "Really? Is the local food bad?"

  ?Iron-Mountain laughed. "You'll find out."

  ?HUMMM.

  ?The array fired. A beam of white light engulfed them.

  ?Space twisted. The feeling was like being pulled through a straw.

  ?[System Alert: Sector Transition.]

  [Entering Sector 12: The Star-Metal Graveyard.]

  [Warning: Ambient Void Energy Detected.]

  ?Location: Sector 12 – The Rusty Belt

  Time: Arrival

  ?They didn't land on a planet. They landed on the hull of a dead starship.

  ?Aris opened his eyes.

  ?The sky was a sickly green nebula, choked with dust and lightning. Floating all around them were the corpses of thousands of ships—ancient dreadnoughts, shattered frigates, and broken space stations—drifting in an endless ocean of debris.

  ?Gravity was low. The air was thin and tasted of rust.

  ?[Scan Complete]

  [Location: The Hull of the "Titan-Class" Carrier (Designation: Forgotten).]

  [Radiation: Moderate. Do not remove shielding.]

  ?"Beautiful," Aris murmured, looking at the wreckage. This wasn't just junk; it was technology from the Old Era—the time before Cultivation took over.

  ?"Move it," Iron-Mountain shoved Aris.

  ?The group walked across the rusted hull. The metal groaned under their boots.

  ?"So," Aris asked, looking around. "Where are the Star-Hearts? Lady Bai wants the blue ones."

  ?"There are no hearts here," Iron-Mountain stopped walking.

  ?He signaled his men. The four disciples fanned out, surrounding Aris and Mo.

  ?Iron-Mountain turned around. He drew his massive warhammer. The pretense was over.

  ?"You really thought I was going to help you?" Iron-Mountain scoffed. "You humiliated me in the Tomb. You made a fool of my father. Did you think a Fox's token would save you in the Graveyard?"

  ?"But... Lady Bai..." Aris stammered, backing up toward the edge of the ship's hull.

  ?"Lady Bai will get a report," Iron-Mountain swung his hammer casually. "Tragic accident. The Alchemist stepped on a landmine. Or maybe he was eaten by a Scavenger Crab. Very sad."

  ?"Mo!" Aris cried out. "Protect me!"

  ?Mo stepped forward. He reached for his sword handle.

  ?"Don't bother," Iron-Mountain laughed. "My men are Core Formation Peak. I am Dao Severing (Initial Stage) thanks to the pill I took this morning. You are two rats in a trap."

  ?Iron-Mountain raised his hammer. The bronze Qi flared, heavy as a mountain.

  ?"Any last words, Han Xiao? Maybe a joke? Or another lie about a dragon?"

  ?Aris stopped cowering.

  ?He sighed. He rolled his neck.

  ?"Actually," Aris said, his voice dropping an octave. "I do have a question."

  ?He looked up at the green nebula.

  ?"Do you know why this place is called the Graveyard?"

  ?"Because ships die here," Iron-Mountain growled.

  ?"No," Aris looked back at Iron-Mountain. The violet light in his eyes ignited, burning through the contact lenses he wore for disguise.

  ?"It's called the Graveyard because nobody checks the bodies."

  ?Aris snapped his fingers.

  ?[System Command: Override Local Protocol.]

  [Target: Ship Core "Titan".]

  [Status: Rebooting...]

  ?The massive ship beneath their feet shuddered.

  ?Deep inside the hull, ancient reactors that had been cold for ten thousand years flickered to life. Red emergency lights slammed on, bathing the deck in blood-colored illumination.

  ?WARNING. INTRUDER ALERT. A mechanical voice boomed from the rusted speakers. DEFENSE SYSTEMS ENGAGED.

  ?Turrets popped out of the deck plating. Not Qi turrets. Gatling Laser Cannons.

  ?Iron-Mountain blinked. "What the—?"

  ?Aris smiled. A cruel, Sovereign smile.

  ?"Welcome to my playground, Senior Brother."

  ?Aris pointed at Iron-Mountain.

  ?"Open fire."

  ?[Abyssal Nexus: End of Chapter Status]

  ?Host: Aris Thorne (Alias: Han Xiao / The Void Sovereign)

  Location: Sector 12 – Star-Metal Graveyard.

  Current Status: Engaging Hostiles.

  Advantage: Technological Supremacy.

  ?Active Effect:

  ?Technomancy: Aris can communicate with the Machine Spirits of the Old Era ships because his System is compatible with their OS.

  Lore Update - Sector 12:

  ?History: This sector was the site of the final stand of the "Science Civilization" against the Cultivators eons ago. The Cultivators won, but the machines remain, dormant and angry. Aris is the first person in millennia who speaks their language.