Chapter 920 - 280: I Am the Cosmos
Amidst the Endless Star Sea.
The thick, stagnant darkness gradually thinned, visibly dissipating.
Although everything inside remained in a state of eternal stillness, it was now possible to vaguely discern the images within from beyond this Star Sea.
Branches extended who knows where, enveloping the entire Star Sea layer upon layer.
From the outside, it resembled a gigantic bird’s nest constructed from branches.
Once the stagnant state ends, no one, whether within the Blue Star Fruit World or from Blue Star, will be able to escape.
Dawn Number Two’s delaying tactic merely bought a little time.
It can’t change anything.
At least for now, that’s how it is.
Just then, a figure suddenly appeared.
With his appearance, the last remnant of the stubbornly maintained stagnant darkness vanished.
Everything within this Star Domain transitioned from stillness to motion, and time returned to normal.
The Antique Artifact, A Bright Lamp, secured them seven days.
To seize seven days from the Creator God is already an impressive feat.
Han Zhan opened his eyes, first seeing the familiar Blue Star Fruit World, and he sighed in relief.
Dawn Number Two didn’t lie to him.
The Blue Star Fruit World was indeed protected.
He looked up again, seeing countless branches of the World Tree outside the Star Sea beginning to rapidly contract inward.
The World Tree acted the moment the stagnation disappeared.
Using the Star Sea as a prison, it threatened to "capture" the Blue Star Fruit World back onto its branches, to await the arrival of the end.
Inside the Blue Star Fruit World, within the Planet Level War Fortress.
Little Dragon Man Bob, Shang Jianyue, and others were still in the pre-stagnation mindset.
The moment consciousness returned, he monitored Han Zhan appearing in the Star Domain through the Celestial Net.
Bob immediately warned:
"Han Zhan, the teleportation failed, the energy needed for a second teleportation is insufficient, our plan has completely failed."
"Now I’m preparing to activate the backup plan, abandoning Blue Star and helping you leave alone!"
The Celestial Net Intelligence had prepared two plans.
The first plan was the Wander Blue Star plan, known to all.
However, this plan ultimately failed.
As the Celestial Net Intelligence, Bob couldn’t have prepared no backup plan.
His backup plan was to have Han Zhan abandon saving Blue Star and leave the Star Domain.
Compared to an entire planet, a single person was insignificant.
Sending one person to escape the World Tree’s control was much easier.
The reason for this decision was simple.
The World Tree controlled this Star Domain, its power was unquestionable.
But the cosmos is vast and boundless, and there may exist entities capable of rivaling it.
Letting Han Zhan leave alone to find possible allies before Blue Star’s extinction.
It might just be a way to save Blue Star.
"Hold on a moment."
Shang Siteng suddenly raised her hand, stopping Bob from activating the second plan and opening the solo teleport channel.
"Ah Zhan’s state seems a bit strange."
Not only Shang Siteng, but other Contracted Spirit Girls also sensed this.
Among them, Jiang Lingling and Feng Xiaozao felt it most strongly.
One was the Contracted Spirit of Haotian Tower, the other Kongtong Seal.
They could clearly feel, at the moment Han Zhan appeared, their bodies and souls seemed completely integrated, entirely compatible.
"What’s strange? Has the World Tree sealed him?" Bob quickly asked.
Not being a Contracted Spirit, he didn’t know what they felt, thinking the World Tree had used a special method, ready to respond at any time.
Gongyang Jin shook his head.
"No, quite the opposite, Ah Zhan, he’s gotten stronger."
"Stronger?" Bob hesitated, even the Celestial Net Intelligence couldn’t analyze the cause of this phenomenon.
He could only get information up to before the stagnation.
He had no knowledge of what happened after stagnation.
This was beyond the analytical capabilities of the Celestial Net Intelligence.
...
"You’ve gotten stronger."
"You’ve found your path."
Amidst the Endless Star Sea, golden pages appeared before Han Zhan, writing slowly.
Han Zhan remained suspended in mid-air, silent.
"But you still can’t rival me."
"Your path’s potential is extremely high, but your cultivation time is too short, your accumulation insufficient, even if your current strength surpasses gods, you’re still far from the Creator God."
"You’re not my opponent, stop it, Han Zhan."
"Instead of a futile struggle, wasting time and energy, wouldn’t it be better to cherish the little time left with them?"
The World Tree’s words exhibited unparalleled confidence.
Reading the text on the pages, Han Zhan pressed his lips tight.
Then he spoke:
"We’ll only know if I can beat you after the fight."
The writing on the pages came to an abrupt halt.
The World Tree seemed disappointed by Han Zhan’s response, unwilling to continue the conversation.
The accelerating contraction of its branches was its answer to Han Zhan’s decision.
Han Zhan slightly raised his eyes, his gaze unwavering.
Some decisions, at first glance, seem wrong, at second glance, foolish, at third glance, absurd.
But without making this decision, he would no longer be himself.
"The end of Blue Star may indeed bring great benefits as you say."
"But if the price for this benefit is sacrificing Blue Star and its people, then I would rather have none."
In this world, not everything is solely about profit.
There are always some foolish yet stubborn individuals who hold true to themselves and do what they believe is right.
Those are people.
Living, breathing people.
Those are the companions he spent days and nights with, the people who revered and trusted him.
Han Zhan believed, not only himself, but those human Saints and his teacher Li Shutong, given the choice, would certainly make the same decision as he would!
Because this is humanity!
"Well, let’s begin."
With this thought, Han Zhan cleared his mind, his gaze growing unprecedentedly determined.
His hands, previously hanging by his sides, lifted slowly.
With this action, all the Contracted Spirit Girls stationed in the Planet Level War Fortress seemed controlled by an invisible force.
Involuntarily, they flew out of the fortress, transforming into streams of light, eventually settling around Han Zhan.
No need for words, an unspoken mutual understanding connected them; there was no need for unnecessary exchange.
As they appeared beside Han Zhan, they completely transformed into their respective Contracted Spirit forms!
Seven differently colored beams of Divine Soldiers intermingled harmoniously.
Witnessing this, the World Tree seemed to understand, further accelerating the contraction of its branches.
In the space of a breath, the World Tree’s branches compressed the Star Domain into a planet-sized sphere.
Suddenly, silver starlight pierced through the densely packed branch prison.
Then the second, third... countless beams!
The sphere formed by World Tree branches instantly turned into a silver hedgehog.
The dazzling starlight erupted completely.
Accompanied by Han Zhan’s sacred, grand voice rising:
"I am the Cosmos."