Global Era of Star trekking Chapter 1: Torch Awakening
Chapter 1: Torch Awakening
White Tower Floating Land, Golden Shark Starfield, Chenxing Principality.
Located on the outskirts of Jiangyuan City, the ultra-long-distance Starry Sea deployment platform stood ready.
Following a massive, kilometer-high beam of light that pierced the heavens, the hundred Torch Warships that had been meticulously arranged on the platform vanished instantly. They were sent across the void to an unidentified and distant reach of the starry sky.
Meanwhile, a thousand miles away in Jiangyuan City—one of the five primary cities of the White Tower Floating Land—the atmosphere was thick with anticipation.
Inside dormitory building number 3 for men at the First Torch Academy of Jiangyuan City, Song Chi removed his virtual helmet and exited the White Tower network.
A look of nervous intensity clouded his features. He had just finished watching the live transmission of the current year's graduates from the First Torch Academy of Jiangyuan City being deployed into the vast starry sea.
After Jiangyuan City, his own city was next in the sequence. As a graduating student of Jiangyuan’s First Torch Academy, it meant the events he just witnessed would soon involve him personally.
The prospect of ultra-long-distance deployment into the Starry Sea and the exploration of uncharted space made it impossible for his heart not to tighten with tension.
Yet, beneath that anxiety, a glimmer of hopeful expectation shone in his eyes. This was a rare, life-changing opportunity. If he could grasp it, rising to the highest heavens was a genuine possibility.
The current age was the era of the Starry Sea. Millions of years in the past, the multiverse was shattered, leaving behind countless fragments of broken universes that drifted throughout the void of the Starry Sea.
That cataclysm marked the end of the multiverse era and the birth of a new age, which the surviving civilizations named the Shattered Starry Sea Era.
Over the long passage of time, these cosmic remnants became known as Starry Sea Floating Lands.
Civilizations eventually realized that as the concentrated essence of the former multiverse, the majority of these Starry Sea Floating Lands were treasure troves of rare resources.
To claim these riches, the remaining civilizations fought relentlessly, turning the entirety of the Shattered Starry Sea into a massive, war-torn battlefield.
Over millions of years, in every corner of the infinite Shattered Starry Sea, countless civilizations were extinguished and lost to time. However, new civilizations also sprouted like bamboo shoots after rain, constantly rising to take their place.
The Torch Human Civilization was one such power.
Within the territories of the Torch Civilization, every citizen reaching the age of 30 could begin a journey of Starry Sea exploration via ultra-long-distance interstellar deployment using Torch Warships.
Due to the advancement of genetic engineering, the average life expectancy of a Torch citizen had reached 140 years. Thus, a 30-year-old was essentially considered to have just reached adulthood.
Since the Source Seed of Torch was first lit over three hundred thousand years ago, a standard rule was established for all of Torchlight Humanity: any legal citizen over 30 can attempt to awaken their Seed of Torch, bind a Torch Warship, and begin their journey through the Star Domains.
By harvesting resources from Alien Star Domains, they could upgrade their Torch Warships and increase their life levels. This was vital for resisting the increasingly aggressive Alien Races bordering their territory and for protecting the Torch Human Civilization.
Awakening the Seed of Torch and commanding a Torch Warship is undeniably the most pivotal moment in the life of any citizen. Success in this awakening grants ownership of a ship and immediately elevates one's social standing.
If a pilot can advance their Torch Warship to a higher rank, they could eventually rule over a massive Star Domain, achieve longevity, and enter the ranks of the Torch Human Civilization’s nobility.
Pushing down the turbulent emotions in his chest, Song Chi stood up. He assumed a horse stance, spread his legs, and slowly raised his hands with palms up, moving them apart in a measured rhythm.
He was performing the standard movements for practicing the Guidance Technique.
Official data from the Torch Bureau confirmed that this Guidance Technique, refined over tens of thousands of years, does more than just harden the body and raise life levels; it also improves the success rate of the Seed of Torch awakening. Before reaching 30, a higher level in the Guidance Technique directly correlates to a better chance of a successful awakening.
The reason the awakening age is set at 30 is quite logical.
With a 140-year lifespan, starting at 30 provides ample time to master the Guidance Technique for a better awakening chance while also allowing for the study of essential Starry Sea lore. This preparation significantly reduces the death rate during early explorations of Alien Territories. Furthermore, the remaining century of life is more than enough to upgrade the Torch Warship and further evolve one's life level, providing a triple benefit.
...
Three hours later, Song Chi concluded his training session.
After twenty years of tireless practice, his Guidance Technique had reached lv4. Moving beyond this level would require much more than a short burst of effort.
Seeing that it was now dark outside, he stopped his training. After cleaning up, he went to bed immediately.
Tomorrow was the day of the Torch Awakening. Being well-rested was his top priority.
...
The following morning, at the sports field of the First Torch Academy in Jiangyuan City.
The ceremony for the Awakening had already commenced.
“Zhang Lili, Torch Awakening successful, ‘Colorless’ quality. Next, Zhou Pengfei.”
As the Torch Bureau official’s voice boomed across the field, the hundreds of students gathered below the platform reacted with a mix of emotions.
While some whispered in disappointment, most eyes were filled with deep envy.
Though every citizen can attempt the awakening at 30, the success rate is actually quite low. At the First Torch Academy of Jiangyuan City, the average rate usually sees only about four out of ten students succeed.
This was the elite academy; other schools in the city suffered from even lower success rates.
Standing in the crowd, Song Chi gripped his fists until they were tight, his heart racing with nervous hope, just like those around him.
“Thirty years of waiting... it all comes down to today.”
The announcements continued to ring out.
“Zhou Pengfei, Torch Awakening failed. Next...”
“Zhao Yunfeng, Torch Awakening successful, ‘Colorless’ quality.”
...
As students either succeeded or failed one by one, it was eventually the turn of the tenth-year Class 5, Song Chi’s group.
“Next, Sun Hao.”
At the mention of that name, the man next to Song Chi—a nearly two-meter-tall youth who looked like a black bear—shook visibly.
Song Chi reached out and gave his shoulder a reassuring pat, urging him to stay calm.
“Haozi, give it your all.”
The massive Sun Hao was one of Song Chi’s few close friends at the academy.
Sun Hao gave a small nod and marched toward the Awakening Platform.
A few moments later.
“Sun Hao, Torch Awakening successful, ‘White’ Quality.”
A wave of stunned gasps immediately swept through the student body.
It was common knowledge that while many might awaken the Seed of Torch, the Quality of the seeds varied. Colorless was the lowest tier, followed by White, then Blue, Purple, and so on.
White might be the second lowest, but it was rare—usually only appearing once in every few dozen successful Awakeners. The odds of hitting Blue or Purple were incredibly slim.
Song Chi smiled, genuinely thrilled for his friend’s good fortune.
Predictably, the moment Sun Hao stepped down, he was swarmed by classmates trying to befriend him. Even those who hadn't spoken to him in a decade were now trying to build a connection.
No one blamed them for such behavior; Sun Hao was now a valuable asset. A White Quality Seed of Torch would draw heavy investment from small consortia, merchant chambers, and families. Once Sun Hao signed a legal contract, he would receive massive resources to upgrade his Torch Warship, allowing him to outpace almost all his peers.
Every pilot starts with a Level 0 Torch Warship, and upgrading Components is incredibly expensive. Without backing, progress is painfully slow.
“Next, Song Chi!”
After a string of four failures from others, Song Chi’s name was finally called.
Sun Hao returned the gesture from earlier, giving him an encouraging look.
Taking a deep breath to settle his nerves, Song Chi walked up to the Awakening Platform.
On the stage, under the watchful eye of the Torch Bureau officer, Song Chi reached out his right hand toward the flickering dark flame.
This flame, known as the “Source Seed of Torch,” was a derivative of the original Fire Seed from the Torch Human Civilization’s core. It served to help people awaken their own seeds and boosted the success rate.
Song Chi felt a wave of warmth wrap around his hand. It felt like a split second and an age all at once. When a sharp, stinging pain hit the center of his palm, he opened his eyes.
Before he could process the sensation, the announcement was made.
“Song Chi, Torch Awakening successful, ‘Colorless’ Quality.”
As he walked back down, Song Chi felt a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.
He was relieved that he had successfully awakened his Seed of Torch, ensuring a path toward the extraordinary and proving his thirty years of discipline weren't for nothing.
However, he was worried about the Quality. A Colorless Seed of Torch was the bottom tier and had a very low potential ceiling. It wouldn't be an issue early on, but without a way to improve its Quality, his Torch Warship’s growth would eventually hit a wall, halting his progress toward true power.
“Hiss!”
Suddenly, a sharp burning sensation flared up from his chest. Song Chi’s eyes narrowed as a thought struck him, and he whispered internally.
“The Star Sea Ruin Market Rank is getting hot. What’s happening? It’s been thirty years... this is the first time it’s reacted.”
He returned to his class with a look of confusion, which the other students interpreted as deep disappointment.
“Chi, don't let it get to you. You can improve a Seed’s Quality. Colorless is still a success...”
Sun Hao, thinking his friend was depressed, quickly tried to comfort him.
Song Chi gave a small shake of his head to show he was alright. It wasn't just an act; he truly wasn't that bothered.
While the Colorless result had been a bit of a letdown initially, he had quickly moved past it.
As Sun Hao mentioned, the grade of a Seed of Torch can be raised, even if it is incredibly difficult and requires rare resources. As a transmigrator, he felt he could eventually find a way to upgrade his Quality.
He was indeed a transmigrator, having been reborn into this world as an infant.
Right now, his main focus was the Star Sea Ruin Market Rank hanging around his neck.
As the object that caused his transmigration from his previous life on Blue Star to this one, he had spent thirty years certain that this Rank was his "golden finger."
The fact that it was now undergoing some kind of change was far more important to him than his awakening rank.
Despite his curiosity, he couldn't check it in front of everyone. Luckily, the heat gradually faded away after a short time.
Half an hour later, the ceremony for the graduates of Jiangyuan City’s First Academy concluded.
Out of more than six hundred students, fewer than two hundred had successfully awakened their Seeds of Torch.
The plaza was a mess of noise—crying, laughing, shouting, and mourning. It was a day of triumph for some and heartbreak for others.
From this day forward, the lives of these two groups would follow completely different paths.