Chapter 438 : Volume Twelve: The Operation
Chapter 438: Volume Twelve: The Operation
“I agree!” Minghuang’s eyes lit up as he said, “We were all too timid before. With our current strength…… we can completely occupy all the Source Worlds throughout the entire Endless Primordial Space!”
Luo Feng nodded: “What we care about most are Source Worlds, but what the Innate Primordial Lifeforms care about are all kinds of evolutionary resources. Source Worlds are merely one type of evolutionary resource!”
Wulan laughed heartily: “The different races of Innate Primordial Lifeforms have different needs. Some races don’t have much demand for Source Worlds. If we only seek ‘Source Worlds’ and give up the other resources…… many Innate Primordial Lifeform races should be willing to accept that.”
“Mm, the hostility of the Innate Primordial Lifeforms would weaken considerably.” Yuan agreed.
This was also a way to divide the enemy.
If they expanded their territory on a massive scale and seized every resource within it, including all Source Worlds, it would cause many Ancestors to join forces! The Innate Primordial faction and the Icepeak faction, including some weaker powers, might all unite.
If they only wanted the Source Worlds, most of those races that did not have much need for Source Worlds would be unwilling to fight desperately.
“We Lords primarily pursue comprehension of the Path.” Luo Feng said, “Those evolutionary resources are of very little use to us. There’s no need to make the entire world our enemy for the sake of those resources. After all, there is still a group of undying and indestructible existences.”
If they pushed too hard and forced the undying and indestructible existences into a desperate battle against the Cultivator faction, the Cultivator faction would not be able to withstand it either.
“Luo Feng, when you say expanding beyond 5,000 World Clusters, do you mean occupying this region?” Starlight waved his hand, and a space-time map of the Endless Primordial Space appeared in midair. He marked out a territory roughly equal in size to the Cultivator faction’s current territory.
Luo Feng nodded: “This region contains 1,600 World Clusters. In terms of World Cluster density, it is second only to our current territory. Once we occupy this place…… we’ll control twenty percent of the valuable territory in the Endless Primordial Space! Considering that future generations of the Cultivator faction will need some resources, twenty percent of the territory will be enough.”
The Lords present also nodded.
“This territory can just barely support the establishment of a space-time network.” Starlight looked at it and nodded slightly, “But the difficulty of establishing it will be far greater than within our current Cultivator faction territory.”
The territories were comparable in size.
One contained 3,600 World Clusters, while the other contained 1,600 World Clusters. The latter had vast stretches of barren dark regions, making a space-time network much harder to establish.
“We do need to occupy this territory.” Yuan said, “We have to give the Innate Primordial faction enough pressure! If they refuse to hand over all their Source Worlds, then we’ll continue expanding our territory.”
“They get two choices.” Starlight smiled and nodded, “They’ll probably be more inclined to hand over all their Source Worlds, though the Infinite Serpent Clan will resist very fiercely.”
For the Infinite Serpent Clan, the origin of Source Worlds was what they needed most.
Moman also smiled: “As long as the Innate Primordial races are divided internally, how much trouble can the Infinite Serpent Clan alone really cause?”
“First occupy the 1,600 World Clusters to intimidate the Innate Primordial faction and deter all the other powers. After that, we negotiate…… exchanging a promise not to expand further for control over all Source Worlds.” Yuan looked toward the other Lords, “Does everyone agree?”
“Agreed.”
“Agreed.”
Jin, Wulan, Minghuang, Naigu, Starlight, Moman, and Luo Feng all agreed.
Absolutely occupying twenty percent of the territory, then governing all Source Worlds within the remaining territory! All eight Lords felt that would be enough!
“Starlight, I’ll trouble you to refine the plan.” Yuan looked at Starlight, “Once the detailed plan is finalized, we’ll begin the operation.”
“Alright.” Starlight nodded.
He would observe countless possible futures and formulate the plan with the highest probability of success.
“Then let’s first practice our coordinated techniques.” Yuan looked at the seven Lords, “I need to create several more sets of Formation Arrays suited to everyone.”
“Haha, I’ve wanted to see just how strong you and Luo Feng are now for a long time.” Wulan laughed.
“Then let’s begin.” Jin was also filled with anticipation.
The eight Lords all used only a single weak clone each（with ten percent energy reserves）to practice coordination within the Land of Beginnings! Even as a Mysterious Place, the Land of Beginnings could not withstand a full-power training session involving all eight Lords’ main combat clones.
This training session also left the other seven Lords utterly shocked by Luo Feng’s strength!
Yuan’s Formation Arrays had also reached an inconceivable level, becoming even more complete than before and allowing their overall strength to be brought out to an even greater degree.
This filled all the Lords with immense confidence!
……
The twentieth layer of the Abyss of Destruction.
“Mm?” Icepeak Ancestor, who had transformed into a towering iceberg, sensed Yuan on the nineteenth layer suddenly enter his world. Icepeak Ancestor naturally opened his eyes and looked in confusion at that familiar figure.
“Brother Yuan.” Icepeak Ancestor looked toward Yuan.
Could Yuan be here to challenge him?
“Just passing through.” Yuan smiled faintly, then continued toward deeper space-time.
Icepeak Ancestor was somewhat stunned.
……
“What’s going on?” Infinite Serpent Ancestor on the twenty-first layer and Demon Ruin on the twenty-second layer both saw Yuan hurriedly pass through and enter deeper layers.
This also caused some of the Ancestors throughout the Endless Primordial Space to begin paying attention to Yuan.
The twenty-third through twenty-fifth layers were unclaimed.
Once someone entered them, they would inevitably be attacked by the World Envoys.
“Rumble——”
Yuan walked leisurely onward as Formation Arrays enveloped all directions. No matter how the World Envoys besieged him, they simply could not touch Yuan! Those World Envoys became lost within the Formation Arrays, and even their attacks deviated from their intended directions.
Yuan very easily passed through the twenty-third and twenty-fourth layers, and in the end, he left his imprint upon the Shadow of the Origin on the twenty-fifth layer.
“What?”
“How is that possible?”
All the factions were stunned.
The current structure of the Abyss of Destruction was that Luo Feng stood alone in the top tier, occupying the thirty-fourth layer. Shazhou and Starlight occupied the twenty-seventh and twenty-sixth layers respectively, forming the second tier. After them came Demon Ruin, Infinite Serpent Ancestor, Icepeak, Yuan, and the others, occupying the twenty-second layer and some even weaker layers.
But now Yuan had effortlessly occupied the twenty-fifth layer! Judging from the battle, Yuan clearly had not even gone all out.
“Among the top four in direct combat strength throughout the Endless Primordial Space, the Cultivator faction now holds three positions?”
“Does mastering a Primordial-level Path really provide that great an advantage?”
The many Ancestors felt extremely uncomfortable.
There were more than two hundred Ancestors throughout the Endless Primordial Space, while there were only eight Lords! Yet the moment those eight Lords achieved their status, they became undying and indestructible, and their direct combat strength was also extraordinarily powerful.
“Some of us Ancestors have fallen throughout history. Those who have survived until today are already quite formidable. Yet even the weakest among those eight Lords possesses top-twenty strength.”
“Although in terms of numbers and overall strength, all the Innate Primordial Ancestors together are stronger, since there are more than two hundred Ancestors. But individually, the gap is rather large.”
On the surface, they were divided into the Cultivator faction, the Innate Primordial faction, the Icepeak faction, and several weaker powers, but in truth, in terms of lifeforms, there were only two major categories.
One category consisted of beings born in Source Worlds who cultivated until becoming Lords. There were only eight.
The other category consisted of Ancestors evolved from Innate Primordial Lifeforms. There were more than two hundred in total, and twenty-two of them were undying and indestructible.
……
Yuan’s effortless capture of the twenty-fifth layer of the Abyss of Destruction truly stimulated all the Ancestors.
The twenty-seventh layer.
Shazhou watched as that familiar figure arrived in her layer.
“Big Sister Shazhou.” Yuan smiled as he looked at Shazhou.
“I never expected that the little fellow from back then would already have caught up to me.” Shazhou looked at Yuan, “Come, let me see your methods.”
Yuan nodded.
A great battle erupted. Many Ancestors and Lords watched this battle from afar.
Shazhou still possessed a terrifying might that made all sides tremble, while Yuan’s Formation Arrays seemed like heaven and earth themselves, bearing every attack while also counterattacking.
In the end, this clash ended without a victor.
Shazhou could not threaten Yuan while he was protected by layer upon layer of Formation Arrays.
Yuan’s attacks were also unable to do anything to Shazhou.
Shazhou looked at Yuan and transmitted: “Did Luo Feng tell you about the Fruit of Destruction?”
Yuan was startled.
From the intelligence Luo Feng had given them, he knew about the Fruit of Destruction. But he did not know about Shazhou’s previous proposal.
“I’ll ask Luo Feng.” Yuan replied.
After privately contacting Luo Feng, Yuan quickly understood the whole story.
“Big Sister Shazhou, you’re willing to completely join the Cultivator faction?” Yuan transmitted, “Even if it means becoming enemies with Icepeak Ancestor, and enemies with every Innate Primordial Lifeform Ancestor, you’ll forever advance and retreat together with us?”
“I never said I would join you. I said…… I would fully support you.” Shazhou transmitted, “I can help you deal with the Innate Primordial faction. Even if you become enemies with the Icepeak faction, I can also remain neutral between the two sides.”
Yuan gently shook his head.
He understood Shazhou far too well.
At her core, Shazhou was extremely cold and ruthless. Other than toward ‘Icepeak’, Shazhou could be absolutely merciless toward anyone.
“Luo Feng said that he already exchanged his Fruit of Destruction for treasures. He doesn’t have it anymore.” Yuan said, then turned and left.
“Exchanged it for treasures, so he doesn’t have it anymore?”
Shazhou was stunned.
On the Mountain of Destruction, she could only defeat two statues. The third statue completely suppressed her, and she could not see even the slightest hope of winning.
Kafuxiu’s Fruit of Destruction had long since been exchanged for battle armor. Luo Feng was the only one from whom she had any hope of obtaining a Fruit of Destruction.
“With his strength of occupying the thirty-fourth layer, even if he exchanged all his Fruits of Destruction for treasures, those treasures could greatly increase his strength, giving him a chance to defeat another statue and obtain another fruit.” Shazhou thought.
In her view, there was a very high possibility that Luo Feng possessed at least one Fruit of Destruction!
……
The Land of Beginnings.
The main combat clones of all eight Lords gathered together.
“Shazhou mentioned the Fruit of Destruction to Luo Feng before, and now she’s brought it up with me as well.” Yuan was somewhat worried as he looked toward Starlight, “From what I know of her, she clearly desires this Fruit of Destruction very badly.”
“Brother Yuan, don’t let sentiment cloud your judgment.” Starlight shook his head, “Shazhou’s true nature is extremely cold and ruthless. Even if she obtained one Fruit of Destruction, she would still desire a second…… There’s no possibility that she would serve us forever just because of one fruit.”
Luo Feng listened from the side.
After taking control of the World of Destruction, he had indeed defeated the fifth statue and could exchange for another Fruit of Destruction. But Luo Feng did not trust Shazhou, nor was he willing to nurture a rival for himself.
“In this operation, we need to face many Ancestors and a group of undying and indestructible existences. As for Shazhou? There’s no need to think too much about her.” Starlight said.
Everyone present nodded. They all understood the detailed operational plan.
Yuan smiled: “Then let’s set out. First, we’ll seize the 1,600 World Clusters.”
“Luo Feng, when the time comes, you’ll need to be a little ruthless. Slash those Ancestors the same way you slashed me.” Wulan laughed. During their previous sparring session, in order to personally experience Luo Feng’s blade’s ‘ability to cut through anything’, Wulan had been cleaved into two halves.
“Don’t worry.”
Killing intent brewed within Luo Feng’s heart. When sparring with the Lords, he had already held back considerably. Since taking control of the ‘World of Destruction’, he had yet to unleash his full strength against an enemy.
This time, he should finally be able to fight to his heart’s content.
“This should be very interesting.” Moman smiled.
“I can hardly wait.” Jin’s battle intent surged. Minghuang also smiled faintly, while bloodlust gleamed in Naigu’s eyes.
Lord Starlight controlled space-time, carrying Yuan, Jin, Wulan, Minghuang, Naigu, Moman, and Luo Feng as they acted together.
The eight Lords left the Land of Beginnings together and headed directly toward their target territory.