Heaven, Earth, Me

Entering the Nebula, Alaia controlled the ship's main command center to create a map. The map used stars as reference points and had a zoomed-in section in the middle area for their immediate vicinity.

In the immediate area, all the large celestial bodies and other energy signals could be seen. Everyone looked with interest, awe, and some fear at the world-eater creature in the distance. The body shape was beast-like but not really similar to any land animal. Instead, it appeared more like a mix, similar to a fish with neck and head, accompanied by large fish fins that it used as paddles to move or hold the giant planet and slowly chew on it.

Tengliu looked over and asked. "So… what is that?"

Tatyana shook her head. "No idea. Star Beasts are the least cataloged species because they are just everywhere. Discovering a new Star Beast species while exploring space is like walking on a beach and finding a seashell." 

Everyone looked while moving along and leaving behind the world-eating Star Beast. Evelyn looked at Gu Chen and Ayanduin and asked with a curious look. "How do you two see yourselves fighting that thing?"

Gu Chen looked at Evelyn with a raised eyebrow and a smile. "Curious?"

Evelyn nodded. "I want to feel the distance between mortal cultivators and sixth realm cultivators more clearly."

Gu Chen hummed and commented. "Personally, I would find it basically impossible. The toughness of that thing is probably enough to pose a threat. However, I am confident that it wouldn't be able to kill me even if it hit me."

Ayanduin commented. "I feel similar. Still, if I have to kill it, disregarding everything, I might have a few treasures that could help me and give me a chance. So, I am not completely hopeless." Ayanduin looked around him and sighed. "But it would certainly be easier if the surroundings were not full of this energy."

Everyone looked around them, and even though they couldn't see it, they could feel the dense Cosmic Energy in the surroundings. They were in the outer area of the nebula but could easily tell the difference in the energy density during their travel and when they arrived. 

Unlike a typical area, a Nebula was filled with extremely pure and concentrated Cosmic Energy. It was refined enough that Yasenia wanted to step out of the shielded Skeletal Warship and take a deep breath.

At the end of the day, a Nebula was the "corpse" of one or more stars that had gone supernova. The energy scattered around was like bathing in healing hot springs for Yasenia. 

Still, because the warship was surrounded by a protective barrier to prevent hurting Money, Laurina, and the other weaker passengers, Yasenia metaphorically had a bunch of tasty food in front of her but could not take a bite. 

Tatyana looked at her and immediately noticed the little twists Yasenia's tail was doing as her precious dragoness tried to keep her desires in check. Smiling, she asked. "Do you want to step out, Little Treasure?"

Surprised, everyone looked over and quickly turned to hear the dragoness's answer. Yasenia looked at Tatyana with a thoughtful expression, but she eventually shook her head. "No. It is too dangerous. What if I am noticed? There are too many things that can go wrong."

Tatyana smiled and looked at Gu Chen and Ayanduin. "They can take you in before anything happens. Moreover, you will be anchored to us."

Both Sixth Realm cultivators blinked twice. 'Do we need to babysit your daughter now!?'

Yasenia didn't focus on that. She was curious as to what could keep her massive dragon body anchored to the ship. "What item will you use?" 

Tatyana took out the [Immortal Binding Rope] that she used to tie down Fu Lang Zu in the past and smiled. "With this. We place it around your neck, and since we are in space, you'll be easily dragged by the warship in case something happens."

Yasenia asked. "Are you sure it won't be me dragging the Warship instead? I am much more massive than all of you combined." 

Tatyana rolled her eyes. "Have you forgotten this ship's treasure rank? It can drag an entire planet, not to mention you! Now go, go!"

Yasenia couldn't resist the temptations anymore and immediately nodded. "Okay. If you insist!"

Then, without anyone saying one more word, she jumped off the ship, leaving behind a bunch of stunned faces. 'She was not tied down!'

Of course, Tatyana was prepared and quickly threw the other end of the rope. The powerful item was quicker than Yasenia and quickly latched around her neck. Just as it did so, the dragoness transformed below the warship.

Those above saw two enormous wings spreading far on each side, creating something like a surface. The dragoness's thirty-kilometer wingspan meant that her wings extended fifteen kilometers to each side of the ship. That was the average size of a medium-sized city or an island.  𝙧

Looking at the front, Yasenia's head, horns, and neck could be seen. It felt like the warship was being carried by Yasenia and they were riding the enormous dragon.

Laurina placed her hands on her cheeks and sighed. "She is so pretty~."

The girls gave her a glance but didn't say anything. That was a fact, after all. 

For Money, this was the first time Yasenia was seen in this form. Even her usual impassive face couldn't help but show awe. "Lady Yasenia is so big… and valuable."

The girls almost tripped. 'Valuable!? That's your assessment!?'

Ayanduin nodded to his disciple's words. "Indeed. I would be rich almost anywhere if I could harvest part of her."

Money nodded in agreement. Then, she paused and said. "Master, you mustn't fall to temptation. Lady Yasenia is our friend."

Ayanduin coughed. "What are you speaking about? What temptation?"

Meanwhile, Yasenia was feeling heavenly. Her body glided through the Nebula's gasses, and she felt the space slide around her wings. The sensation of the Cosmic Energy moving around her body was nothing but delightful.

As she focused more and more on absorbing this energy, her presence melted with the surroundings at an increasingly fast pace. 

The people on the ship looked on and couldn't help but frown as their need to focus increased. It felt like the enormous dragon would disappear if they relaxed their gaze. 

Alaia walked to the outer edge of the ship and threw something down with quite a lot of strength. The item flew down and lodged into Yasenia's scales. The dragoness felt a slight pinch, but she ignored it. 

With the tracker on her, the maids became more relaxed. The last thing they wanted was for their Young Miss to become lost in a Nebula.

As they traveled along the Nebula, they spotted several groups of Star Beasts. However, all of them ignored them, which left many confused. Tengliu commented. "I mean, while I agree that Star Beasts are dangerous, if you don't provoke them, they seem quite tame."

Tatyana commented. "The reasons they are not attacking are two. First, the ship's stealth. Second, we are basically surrounded by Yasenia's aura, and right now, she is invisible to these beasts."

Kali commented. "I can feel my Natural Treasure shard getting closer." She moved toward the map in the middle of the ship and hummed. "I think it is around this area. Can you move the ship, Alaia?"

Alaia nodded. "Understood. Young Miss, move thirty degrees laterally and fifteen degrees vertically." 

Yasenia's wings gently spread and moved, changing her direction according to Alaia's instructions. Then, she continued flying forward. Her speed was currently as fast as the ship.

The number of planets was beyond anything they had seen in the past. There were rogue planets everywhere, and all of them were devoid of life. Still, they couldn't help but guess how many minerals and other resources they would be able to find if they landed on one of them.

With that in mind, someone in the group couldn't help but answer. "Do we stop on one of these planets? There must be something valuable there, right?"

Looking sideways, they could see that the person who spoke was Cao Chenghua, the former Patriarch of the Jade Thunderbird Clan. During the last years, he had been quite close and helpful to the Astral Sky Alliance, so Yasenia agreed to take him on her journey. 

He was not the only one that came from other powers. Other than those leaders that the dragoness interacted with habitually, the Holy Beast Emperor and his Empress, the Empress of the Forest Sky Empire that was almost bisected by the swordmaster maid Eira in the past, and a few others were present. Their numbers were over 100, so if you ignored the seventy or so that Yasenia's group and maids took, that left more than 30 people.

One person who didn't come was Ebirah's father. The Lobster King didn't have a proper descendant to leave behind. Therefore, he decided to stay back and guide the clan. 

Coraline was about to stay back as well. However, Ebirah begged her with puppy eyes, and the almighty queen's determination was quickly shattered. 

After the Jade Thunderbird Patriarch asked, Cecile answered. "Lord Chenghua, while I agree that there might be many resources, we don't know if Star Beasts are roaming those worlds. Star Beasts are unable to live in worlds where there is a Heaven due to the different energy they produce compared to Cosmic Energy, but that doesn't mean they can't live in worlds."

Cao Chenghua hummed. "I guess you are right."

Now that everyone was on the same page about not stopping until they recovered the Natural treasure, the journey was silent and passed by quickly.

Once they arrived at the nearby area, Alaia spoke aloud. "Young Miss, please slow down. We are in the vicinity of the Natural Treasure." The dragoness extended her wings and tilted them to slow down."

Kali looked around with squinted eyes and pointed in a southwest direction. "Go in that direction, love."

Yasenia answered softly, her voice reverberating through the fabric of space as it spread around. "Understood."

As they moved forward, they quickly noticed that the number of Star Beasts was increasing at a quick rate. It was to the point that there was at least one group anywhere they looked. 

Yasenia suddenly stopped, prompting Kali to ask. "What's wrong, love? Why'd you stop? The shard is right ahead."

Yasenia commented with a wary voice. "I can feel something dangerous up ahead. It is probably strong enough to detect my presence, at least. If I go much closer, I'll be discovered by it."

Alaia looked at the formation and then at Tayana. "Lady Tatyana, are we in a similar situation? If so, Young Miss could enter the ship again as we try."

Tatyana shook her head. "Yasenia's stealth is higher than ours. As I said, we are hidden by her aura, together with the ship's own stealth. The second Yasenia stops her transformation, we are going to be discovered."

Kali frowned and looked ahead. 'We are so close… Is there really no way?'