Jedi Master’s Shock

The Emperor’s group headed toward the distant town.

At that moment, a starship slowly descended from the sky into the desert outside the town.

Raven looked up at the starship.

"The people inside that starship carry the aura of destiny as well. They are important figures in this universe."

"Do we need to change their fate?" Primal Heavenly Venerate asked.

It was his first time traveling between universes, and his power and authority had been severely suppressed.

Unlike in the Transformers Universe, where he possessed infinite might, he could not see this universe’s fate or karma.

In the Force Universe, he was merely an individual with formidable power.

After all, he was not the ruler of this universe and lacked the relevant authority.

Raven was unique.

He was like someone with an all-purpose card, able to use the authority of any universe.

"There is no need to be too deliberate." Raven shook his head. "The methods used to change fate must be gentle, lest they be rejected by the will of the universe."

"This world is quite wondrous." Supreme Lord Taijun said, "I can sense a peculiar power—intermingling with each other, yet standing in opposition."

"Every universe has its own characteristics." Raven said. "If you want to gain their recognition, you either wage war or learn to respect them."

"This universe possesses the Force. What you sensed should be the Light and Dark Force. They share the same origin, yet possess entirely different characteristics, and are wielded by the living beings of this world."

"Can we master this power?" Primal Heavenly Venerate asked curiously.

Raven nodded. "Of course. The myriad heavens and worlds are endlessly mysterious, yet some fundamental traits are shared between them."

Supreme Lord Taijun and Primal Heavenly Venerate kept asking Raven all manner of questions, learning the taboos and knowledge of traveling to other universes.

The Emperor and Waldo remained silent the entire way.

They had traveled many times before.

Science-fiction universes, fantasy universes, and even cultivation universes.

Traveling to Other Universes was already second nature to them.

Naturally, they were not like Supreme Lord Taijun and Primal Heavenly Venerate, asking questions everywhere like curious children.

Still, they could understand. Those who had never traveled could only have so much knowledge.

While answering Supreme Lord Taijun and Primal Heavenly Venerate’s questions, Raven led the group to the junk shop where Anakin was.

Anakin was a child slave on Tatooine.

No one knew who his father was.

Because when his mother became pregnant, she was still a virgin.

When he was three, he and his mother were lost by their first owner—Jabba of the Hutt—to the greedy junk shop owner Watto in a gambling match.

From then on, the mother and son had remained Watto’s slaves.

While working for Watto, Anakin learned valuable mechanical assembly techniques through his talent.

He had even gained a small reputation in town, earning the title of "the one who can assemble anything."

At the age of nine, he had assembled a work robot—C-3PO—to help his mother with her work.

He was, without question, a little genius.

Watto was a Toydarian.

He was short and fat, with a pair of wings and azure skin.

When the Emperor and the others arrived at the entrance of the junk shop,

Watto fluttered his wings and flew over to them with a fawning smile.

"My lords, what would you like?"

Raven swept his gaze around and spotted a dirty-faced child, along with a woman sorting through miscellaneous items.

They were the Anakin and his mother whom they had come looking for.

They were also important Destiny Nodes in this universe.

"We want that mother and son."

Raven spoke, pointing a wing at Anakin.

Watto looked surprised, but quickly concealed it.

He had never imagined that a bird could speak.

But the universe was vast, and nothing was too strange.

A talking bird was not that unusual.

When he was young, he had even seen a rock speak.

It kept asking every day whether it was beautiful.

"This mother and son are slaves I went to great lengths to buy. They are priceless and not for sale."

Watto sized up the group before him.

The two humans at the front looked noble, while the robot behind them had smooth, rounded lines and was clearly high-end merchandise.

They were likely nobles of status or top-tier wealthy merchants.

They had come to the junk market without even disguising themselves and directly stated what they wanted.

They looked like inexperienced newcomers, fat sheep through and through.

Thinking of that, Watto’s smile grew even brighter.

"Put away those foolish thoughts of yours." Raven said. "We can see through every thought in your mind, you unscrupulous merchant. We will only give you a price that leaves you some profit. Do not even think about extorting us."

"They are very precious to me." Watto shouted guiltily. "I will never sell them to you."

At that moment, another group approached.

"Boss, do you have a Hyperdrive flow regulator here?"

Raven looked in the direction of the voice.

The authority to read the universe activated, instantly revealing the identities of the newcomers.

Jedi Master Qui-Gon.

The fourteen-year-old queen of Naboo, Padmé Amidala.

And an amphibious humanoid alien with powerful lungs—a Gungan, Jar Jar Binks.

The Gungans lived on Naboo. They had soft skeletons and expressive faces.

They used their beaks and developed tongues to dig for food, while their hard teeth could crush shellfish.

Though their lifestyle was primitive, they possessed advanced technology and maintained a standing army.

Their houses and vehicles were organically grown.

They were on bad terms with the humans of Naboo.

"Yes, I have everything you need here." Watto flew toward Qui-Gon with a fawning expression.

"We were here first." Raven blocked Watto’s path. "Finish our business first."

"I’m sorry, but my slaves are priceless. I absolutely will not sell them." Watto shook his head in refusal, his attitude resolute.

"One piece of gold." Raven named his price. "In exchange for two slaves. This is our greatest sincerity."

"How large a piece of gold?" Watto asked.

"A Big Corn Cob." Raven looked at Waldo. "Go get him a piece of gold."

Waldo nodded and walked outside to pick up a rock.

Using his ability to rewrite concepts, he redefined the rock as gold.

Just like that, the rock turned into glittering gold.

That display made Jedi Master Qui-Gon, Padmé, and the others widen their eyes.

"Is that magic?" Padmé asked in surprise.

Qui-Gon was equally shaken.

He had heard that some ancient Jedi with powerful Force abilities could turn stone into gold, summon wind and rain, and do anything they desired like gods from myth.

But most of it was legend, and he had never seen such things himself.

Now, even as a Jedi Master, he could not turn stone into gold.

Even changing the innate properties of matter was extraordinarily difficult.

Yet the people before him could do it with ease.

Who were they? How had they obtained such unbelievable power?

"Gold!"

Watto’s eyes widened. He took the heavy gold from the other party and inspected it, only to discover that it really was gold.

"You can turn stone into gold."

His eyes shifted as greed rose within him.

"I’m sorry, but I said this mother and son are priceless. One piece of gold is not enough."

"Do you think I am too easy to talk to?" Raven raised his voice. "We can turn stone into gold, and we can also turn your ugly self into a pile of worthless mud. Would you like to try?"

Waldo turned to look at Watto, his gaze calm and cold.

It was as though emotions had never existed within him.

At Raven’s command, Waldo would immediately act and turn the foolish alien before him into a pile of mud.

Hearing Raven’s threat, Watto revealed a terrified expression.

He suddenly realized just how foolish he had been.

The people before him were clearly not people a mere junk shop owner like him could provoke.

"All right, gold for the mother and son."

Watto turned to Anakin and his mother. "From now on, you belong to him."

Slaves had no right to choose.

The mother and son could only pack their things and leave with the Emperor.

Throughout it all, Anakin kept looking at the fourteen-year-old Queen Padmé.

She was incredibly beautiful.

Anakin sincerely felt that she looked like an angel.

"This child’s Force is incredibly powerful." Sensing that something was amiss, Qui-Gon felt the Force within Anakin and showed a surprised expression. "No wonder they were willing to pay such a high price for him. But who exactly are these people? Why are they taking away a child with such powerful Force?"

Qui-Gon frowned, recalling the Sith Warrior he had encountered before.

A terrifying dark power was brewing.

These people were very likely agents of those dark organizations.

"I’m sorry, may I speak with you?"

Qui-Gon walked up to Raven and the others, blocking their path.

"This Jedi Master, may I ask what you need?" Raven tilted his head and looked at Qui-Gon.

"You know I am a Jedi?" Qui-Gon grew wary. He believed he had disguised himself well upon entering the town and had not revealed any clues.

How did this bird know his identity?

"I know far more than that. I know your apprentice, Obi-Wan, is waiting for you outside town aboard the ship. I also know that this little girl is the queen of Naboo and is being hunted by the Trade Federation."

"Who are you?" Qui-Gon looked somewhat flustered, his hand moving to the hilt of the lightsaber at his waist.

"Who I am is unimportant. But I advise you not to draw that lightsaber, because that would only bring humiliation upon yourself. You cannot defeat any one of us here."

Raven kindly reminded the ignorant Jedi.

After all, he was facing two Creation God Tier beings, the end of a universe, and the King in Yellow, who had been implanted with the highest-level Gene Engine and possessed the ability to alter reality.

The only reason mortals could stand before them without trembling and kneeling, or having their souls burned away, was the suppression of the universe’s will.

And the reason these people did not resist the universe’s will was not because they could not, but because they did not wish to cause unnecessary trouble.

Jedi Master Qui-Gon was quite powerful, but merely quite powerful.

Under normal circumstances, he was not even qualified to speak with anyone in this group.

Except for Anakin and his mother, who had just joined the group.

"You must explain yourselves clearly, or I will never let you leave."

Qui-Gon drew his hilt and assumed a fighting stance.

The people before him knew far too much.

It made him suspect that they had been watching them from the shadows all along.

The lightsaber activated, its bright blade emerging and shocking the people nearby.

"It’s a Jedi."

"What are they doing here?"

"Quick, inform Jabba."

"…"

Raven admired the Jedi Master’s courage in drawing his weapon.

"How did you dare draw your sword? Such behavior is utterly foolish!"

"The Jedi Code, never—"

Before he could finish, Qui-Gon was lifted by an invisible force and violently hurled into the distance.

As he reeled in confusion, another force dragged him back.

An invisible force locked his limbs in place, leaving him unable to move.

He had no chance to fight back throughout the entire ordeal.

"Do not treat us as your enemies. If we wanted to kill you, you would never even have had the chance to see us." Raven said. "Fix your ship properly, then leave this planet."

Raven’s group left with Anakin and his mother.

Qui-Gon regained the ability to move and wanted to give chase, but Padmé stopped him.

"My planet’s people are suffering, Jedi Master. We must reach the capital planet as quickly as possible and seek help."

"But that child…" Qui-Gon looked unwillingly at Raven’s group as they departed. "He may very well be the Chosen One from legend, destined to maintain the balance of the Force."

"But you cannot defeat them." Padmé stated a cruel truth. "Returning to seek support is what you should do most."

Qui-Gon had no choice but to follow Padmé’s advice.

They bought an engine coolant from Watto and went back to repair their ship.

The two groups left one after the other.

Then a third group arrived at Watto’s junk shop.

The newcomer was Jabba the Hutt, the notorious crime lord of this star system.

He sat in a broad hovercar, his bloated body filling the entire vehicle.

Around the car were thugs and mercenaries riding hover bikes.

Jabba’s business dealings were extensive: slave trading, weapons smuggling, spice smuggling, extortion, and more.

As long as it involved huge profits, he would get involved.

Jabba was heavyset, like a giant slug with no legs, covered head to toe in mud.

His plain face bore a wide, toothless mouth dripping with saliva.

Two reptilian orange eyes gazed greedily at everything around him from atop his massive head.

"I heard there’s someone here who can turn stones into gold."

Jabba got out of the car and wriggled toward Watto’s shop entrance.

"They’ve already left." Watto watched Jabba warily.

The two of them did not have a good relationship.

He was somewhat worried that Jabba would smash up his shop or do something unpleasant.

"I was hoping to invite them over as guests." Jabba sounded unwilling to give up. "My palace is empty. It needs visitors."

"Then you’d better hurry, or they’ll leave this planet," Watto said.

"No one can refuse my invitation." Jabba waved his small, chubby hand. "Come on. Let’s find our guests as soon as possible."

Turning stones into gold.

If I could uncover the secret behind it, wouldn’t I make a fortune?

A brilliant smile appeared on Jabba’s disgusting face.

He had to invite those people to his palace as guests.

In the desert outside the town.

Jabba’s men found Raven and the others.

Riding hover bikes, they surrounded Raven’s group.

"Gentlemen, our master wishes to invite you as guests." A mercenary stepped forward with a Blaster Gun in hand, his expression unfriendly. "Don’t make this difficult for us."