Swallowed Star

Light rays from the glowing Gemini Star far in the distance penetrated the clouds to shine upon Earth. This gave a beautiful orange hue to the layer of clouds.

The land beneath was occupied by many green-skinned life forms of the Yan Ya race. The Yan Ya race was composed of blood and flesh life-forms. They had the lower bodies of wild, four-hoofed beasts, but their upper bodies resembled humans, other than the fact that they had four arms instead of two. They were born to be lovers of peace, but the moment they got angry, they would become crazed warriors.

Peace! Tranquility! Happiness! These were the main tones of life on the planet occupied by the Yan Ya race.

In a little, elegant, wooden building, a Yan Ya lady kneeled on her four-hooved legs, looking around in a leisurely manner.

Hong!

A streak of light suddenly fell from the sky above and landed right before her. A burly figure took form. His entire body seemed to be made of metal, and he wore purple armor. With his icy eyes, he looked at the Yan Ya lady who was kneeling and said, “Yan Ya Master!”

The Yan Ya lady revealed a hint of a smile and replied, “Balance String of the automaton race. My friend, what brings you here? Such a rare sight.”

“The fate of your Yan Ya race is implicated, too. This involves the rise and fall of your Yan Ya race. You and I have pulled each other through life-and-death experiences in Universe Ocean before. How could I not notify you the moment I hear of this?” Balance String Master made himself at home.

“The fate of my race?” The Yan Ya lady looked at Balance String Master.

“My automaton race, the bug clan, and the demons have jointly formed a united force of the three races,” Balance String Master said. “We were involved in crossfire with the human camp. You must have heard about it.”

The Yan Ya lady smiled and said, “Of course, I have heard about it. The news spread extensively throughout the entire primal universe. For any universe master to not know anything about it would be a rare sight. Crossfire between the united force of the three races and the human camp, and ultimately, the three races were defeated… This was such shocking news that many other races were in disbelief when they caught wind of it. Come, try some of this green fruit wine that is brewed by my people.”

With a wave, a wine glass appeared and floated before the two of them. The wine glass had both height and depth. The wine it contained was faintly green and emanated a flurry of aromas. A dark gray, exquisitely sculptured flagon appeared on the ground beside them.

Balance String Master got hold of the wine glass and, in a solemn tone, said, “The humans have the inheritance of an ancient civilization. They just obtained it, but they are already so powerful. If we allow them more time… they will develop into a race that is more terrifying than the Divine Eye clan of the first reincarnation era. That’s for sure. If they can already defeat the united force of the three races, what will happen in the future? I’m afraid that even if the major groups of powers within the primal universe combine forces, they will still not be a match for the humans. Once the humans become that strong, how could they not try to expand? As you know, the human race is quite invasive.”

The Yan Ya lady gave small nods. True. In fact, all six pinnacle races—the bug clan, the demons, the automaton race, the human race, the prison clan, and the crystal clan—were extremely invasive and aggressive! The laws of reproduction for these races were related to their strength and the amount of territory they could possess. The stronger a race, the more territory it could occupy.

“In the primal universe, who occupies the greatest territory?” Balance String Master continued. “Not any of us, the various pinnacle races, but you: the billions of scattered races. Individually, you are all weak, and your lands are small, but when everything is totaled up, you all own a vast chunk of territory. If the humans truly become powerful and invincible, do you think they will let you all off? This war is not only a battle for the inheritance of an ancient civilization; it is also a battle of survival for you and us, the countless other races!”

The Yan Ya lady stared at Balance String Master. “The humans have their original universe. No matter what, there is no way we can exterminate them all.”

“Yes, we are unable to exterminate them,” Balance String Master said. “A race with universe supreme masters is blessed with a fate freed from extermination, but… even if we cannot exterminate them all, we can still suppress them. We can hold their universe masters captive as though they are our reward. Or, even if we are unable to capture them, we can at least take over their territories and force them to retreat into that original universe of theirs.

“Hiding in a small universe and being suppressed by the major groups of powers in the primal universe… The other major powers in the Universe Ocean will be coveting the same thing. They will also be threatening the humans to hand over the inheritance! In this way, the human race will not be able to advance a single step. They will not dare to let the weaker ones out into the field to hone their skills via life-and-death situations because they are no longer training or honing their skills through life and death experiences… If the weaker ones are sent into the field, they are going to die—without a doubt! The moment humans appear in the primal universe, or within Universe Ocean, they will be besieged and captured! They will then be treated as the bargaining chips of the various top powers during their negotiations with the humans.

“If that is the case, then no one human can truly rise up and beyond. It will only be the same select few of them: Luo Feng, Primal Chaos City Leader, and a few others, who can wander around and escape for survival whenever they need to. But just the few of them. Even if there are a few more supreme masters added, what good does it do for the various top powers? If they are trapped in one place without being able to breed more people and talents, then the human race will be destined to wield limited power… They will no longer be a threat to us!”

Balance String Master looked at Yan Ya Master. “This is why some of us—races who own territory—must fight the humans in this war or make them hand over the inheritance or even suppress them so they cannot execute their power! As for the supreme masters who travel alone, in the future, even if the humans get more powerful, there is nothing for them to fear. But this might mean that in the future, they may have no chance to threaten the humans into handing over the inheritance, which is why, if they want to transcend reincarnation, they need to grab hold of this opportunity!”

“In short,” Balance String Master said solemnly, “be it supreme masters who travel alone or the various races like us who have territories, everyone will be laying siege on the humans. Our automaton race, the bug clan, the demons, the prison clan, the crystal clan, and the Northern Territory Alliance—even the various scattered groups of powers—have all started to join alliances. I believe, if you probe around, you will learn more. If you do not join anyone, you will be ostracized! This time around, if you join a camp, then surely, it will form a highly beneficial interest… You should know. You should know what to do.”

Yan Ya Master frowned and said, “Actually, the human race has already sent an envoy to speak with me.”

“An envoy from the human race?” Balance String King was shocked. So fast!

“They said, so long as we do not get involved, they promise never to invade our lands,” Yan Ya Master said.

Actually, she had refrained from saying something: If the Yan Ya race joined the human camp, the humans would share information on the experiences of the ancient civilization about how universe masters could cultivate to become universe supreme masters.

“And you believe them?” Balance String Master snorted. “This time around, the war has swept across the whole primal universe. You are my friend, so I shall tell you outright. If you do not take any side at all… when this war is over, your race will come to a most tragic end. And unquestionably, the united force camp consisting of major groups of powers is bound for victory.” Balance String Master held the wine glass in his hand. “To join the victorious party or the losing one—the decision lies with you, Yan Ya Master.”

Then he tilted his head backward and downed the glass of green fruit wine.

Gurgle. Gurgle.

“This green fruit wine is indeed worthy to be the famous brew of the Yan Ya race.” Balance String Master lowered his eyes to look at the wine glass. “But if the wrong choice is made this time around, I’m afraid, in the future, there won’t be such delectable wine for anyone anymore.”

Hong!

Balance String Master immediately transformed into a streak of light and disappeared in the clouds high in the sky.

Yan Ya Master was a very influential universe master within the Three Mountains Alliance, which was a secondary group of power. That was why Balance String Master was specially sent over to Yan Ya race to persuade her. If he succeeded in persuading Yan Ya Master, then the possibility of influencing the entire Three Mountains Alliance was much higher.

“For this war, the possibility of the various races of the united force winning is indeed, very high,” Yan Ya Master whispered with a sigh. “But the number joining the united force is getting too many. Even if great beings from the numerous races within Three Mountains Alliance, as well as myself, join the united force, we would just be like icing on the cake. There is not much purpose for us there. Just how much benefit do we stand to gain? I’m afraid we will be totally neglected!”

Even if they managed to get some little part of that inheritance from the humans, after much difficulty, with those pinnacle races and supreme masters in the picture, would the united force give all that inheritance to them, the inconspicuous groups?

“If we were to join the human camp, we would get some guidance. That is for sure. It’s just that the human camp seems destined to fail and be eventually sent to the original universe… Then the races who stood with the humans will find themselves in trouble. By that time, we must combine forces—that is, the many scattered races within the human camp must form an alliance to deal with the attacks… This situation would be equally terrible.”

The universe masters were no fools. All of them were aware of the advantages and disadvantages of joining either of the two camps. The united forces camp was almost a sure-fire win! But there were no benefits to reap, and they had to risk their lives for them. After all, there were already quite a few universe masters being annihilated.

The human camp represented almost certain death! But there were also the benefits of gaining the guidance of an ancient civilization. The problem was, after the war, there would be troublesome repercussions.

How should they choose?

******

When the united forces camp was persuading the various scattered races, supreme masters who traveled alone, the Ancestral God School, and the Space Beast Alliance within the primal universe… the human camp was doing likewise, brainstorming ways to rope in other groups of races and forces. However, the humans’ approach sought to conciliate and placate rather than persuade. Both parties would neither help nor harm one another. The human camp also promised never to invade any other territory that did not belong to them.

This condition, as reasoned by the united forces camp, was meant to exercise some restraint over the humans just in case the expansion of the human race, and them gaining more power, caused them to infringe on the territories and domains of other races.

The two camps were thinking of all sorts of ways and methods. However, the decision of the countless great beings of these scattered races would implicate the fate of their entire race. How could they not think it through carefully?

This was why, regardless of choosing the human camp or the united forces camp, there was not much to gain initially. Obviously, those scattered races had already started to interact and discuss among themselves just how should they address the question of joining the two great camps. There was even a new viewpoint being voiced: they would not join either of the two camps!

In short, everything was in a mess! Be it underhanded or aboveboard, the two camps were deploying all sorts of methods—for instance, buying over a universe master with a multitude of benefits and thereafter making use of that universe master to lead its group to one’s own camp. In short, no one had the intention to scrimp on the various methods they could come up with. They were desperately roping in powers to their side!

If one side gained ten universe masters, it would mean the opponent would have ten less. To and from. Every exchange would be equivalent to the combat power of 20 universe masters put together. In such a situation, how could they not give it their all?

******

Amidst the endless, deserted starfield, no life form could possibly proliferate. Yet this starfield was where Sitting Mountain Guest laid his territorial rights.

“Teacher, Teacher.”

Right away, Luo Feng went over to Sitting Mountain Guest to pay him a formal visit.

“Here at my humble abode, personally?” said Sitting Mountain Guest. “The human camp must be in a crazy hustle and bustle now. Such an important figure like yourself! What brings you here in person? Seems like you have a favor to ask of me.” Sitting Mountain Guest was holding a crystal stone as he made his way down step by step along the stairs. “You never come to visit unless you need something from me.”

Luo Feng broke into a sweat out of guilt and was quick to apologize. “I am guilty as charged. In the future, I will make an effort to visit you more, Teacher.”

Sitting Mountain Guest sat down in a relaxed manner. “Let me guess. Your purpose in coming here must be to ask me to make another true treasure with willpower that can exert an impact. And my guess is that you have personally killed a universe master and have video documentation as proof, right?”

Luo Feng merely nodded obediently. “Teacher is indeed impressive.”

“In the future, whether you annihilate a universe master or not, there is no need for you to document it. You just need to inform me. That will do. I trust that you will not lie to me.” Sitting Mountain Guest gave a casual nod. “Refining one more is simple. Give me three days, and yes, that Old Beast God from the Space Beast Alliance has asked me for a favor in getting in touch with you. Since you are here, I shall let him know. He will be here shortly. You can meet up with him and discuss matters. Whether the negotiations go through or not, do not worry about me. In this so-called battle of camps and such, I have no intentions of getting involved at all.”

“Old Beast God?” Luo Feng was shocked.