Sam Li looked at March 7th, Himeko, Trailblazer, and the others with clear confusion. Although this was their first meeting, the moment he saw them, he had already guessed they were connected to the train that had fallen from the sky earlier. Their aura was completely different from the residents of New Eridu.
So, Sam Li directly voiced the doubt in his heart: "You are not from this realm. May I ask where you come from?"
Faced with Sam Li's question, Himeko, Trailblazer, March 7th, Dan Heng, and the others exchanged glances. After a brief silence, Himeko slowly explained why they had come: they were entrusted by Miss Herta to investigate and resolve the Ether Disaster on this planet.
But now, it seemed their presence was no longer necessary. The Ether Disaster had already been resolved by the young man before them—Sam Li.
As she spoke, Himeko, March 7th, Dan Heng, and Trailblazer continued to study Sam Li with growing curiosity. Before they arrived, they never imagined someone could resolve the Ether Disaster before them. And… before landing in the city, they had witnessed the battle with their own eyes.
They saw that giant—towering like a mountain—and knew how powerful it was. Judging from its energy level and the enhancement of two Stellaron, the colossus possessed at least Emanator-level strength. Combined with the body left from the failed "God-Making Project," it would have been incredibly difficult to defeat.
March 7th sighed.
"Looks like this trip was wasted."
Himeko did not share that view. She looked seriously at Sam Li.
"Mr. Sam Li, where are the two Stellaron now?"
This was the true concern. If the Stellaron weren't properly handled, disaster would soon befall this planet again—and next time, it could be far worse.
Sam Li finally understood. "So that gem from the Sun-Colored Starlight that day is called a Stellaron. Don't worry—I've already sealed them underground."
Only now did Sam Li learn the true name of those gems. And it confirmed his suspicion: the two gems were not of this world, but came from somewhere deep in the cosmos.
Hearing this, March 7th was stunned.
"How did you seal them? Stellarons are extremely dangerous. If the seal fails and they escape, things will get a lot worse."
Himeko also turned to him.
"Mr. Sam Li, may we take a look at the seal?"
Trailblazer added, "We mean no harm. We just want to make sure the seal is stable enough to contain the Stellaron…"
This wasn't the first time Trailblazer had dealt with a Stellaron, so they had some experience.
Seeing their sincerity, Sam Li said nothing further. He simply lifted his foot and gently stepped on the ground.
Boom—
With a soft echo, the nine Statues of The Seven around them erupted in golden light. From each statue, a thread of Geo energy plunged deep into the earth. With the nine statues as the formation's anchors, and the abyss created by Planet Befall as the array, the formation drew Geo from across the entire planet to seal the Stellaron.
As the formation revealed itself, glimmering motes of golden Geo rose from the ground, like thousands of tiny fireflies illuminating the evening sky.
Witnessing this sight, Himeko, Dan Heng, March 7th, and Trailblazer felt their expressions shift at once. Such power. Such an extraordinary formation.
They realized they had underestimated Sam Li. Though he appeared young, he possessed tremendous strength—and he could even construct a formation capable of sealing Stellarons. This alone was astonishing.
After observing for a moment, Himeko was confident the formation was more than sufficient to seal two Stellaron.
However… while examining the surrounding Statues of The Seven, Himeko, March 7th, Dan Heng, and the others made a new discovery. These towering statues were clearly no ordinary creations. Each one housed immense power, its foundations rooted deep underground, connected directly to the planet's core. Impossible for mortals to craft.
If Miss Herta knew there were such wonders and such individuals on this planet, she wouldn't have sent the Express Crew—she would have come here herself without hesitation.
After a moment of thought, Himeko looked again at Sam Li, Cloud Retainer, Moon Carver, Azhdaha, and the other Adepti.
A hint of doubt crossed her brows.
"Mr. Sam Li, you all are not natives of this planet either, are you?"
Sam Li answered slowly.
"Correct. We come from Liyue."
March 7th blinked.
"Liyue? Never heard of it…"
A remote planet? March 7th had traveled to many worlds aboard the Astral Express, yet had never heard the name. Its style did somewhat resemble the naming conventions of the Xianzhou.
But that didn't matter. Everyone here had come to help with the Ether Disaster—and now that it was resolved, the rest would be simple.
March 7th grinned.
"Next, we go to that Origin Star Dan Heng mentioned, and find the Senior he talked about…"
Himeko said seriously.
"Since we're already here, let's rest for a few days."
Trailblazer nodded immediately.
"Good idea."
While everyone talked, Dan Heng seemed distracted, occasionally glancing at Sam Li as though something weighed on his mind.
Noticing this, Himeko walked over and asked quietly, "What's wrong?"
Dan Heng shook his head. "I'm not sure… No, it can't just be a coincidence."
Himeko pressed gently. "Did you notice something?"
He shook his head again. "It's nothing…"
But he could feel it—the same bloodline power within Sam Li. The power of the Dragon. Not long ago, he had witnessed Sam Li transform into a dragon, suppressing the Sun-Colored Starlight Giant with overwhelming force.
Now Sam Li stood before them in human form, freely wielding that power…
Even if he wasn't that Senior, he must be someone with the same bloodline—someone of great mastery. If possible, Dan Heng hoped to speak with Sam Li about the methods and experience of Dragon Transformation. But not here.
With the Ether Disaster resolved, the group soon returned to the New Eridu district together.
Along the way, March 7th was especially lively, constantly following Cloud Retainer and listening to stories about Liyue…
Trailblazer spoke proactively with Sam Li and Mountain Shaper, asking all sorts of questions about Liyue.
After hearing everyone's accounts,
March 7th said happily, "Please tell us your planet's coordinates! Once we return from Origin Star and help Dan Heng find that Senior, we'll visit your world!"