Star Odyssey

Chapter 3966: Restraint

Lu Yin’s eyes narrowed. “It has Lifeforce?”

Master Qing Cao looked at Lu Yin. “As expected, you are aware of Lifeforce.”

Greater Sancte Awe Gate asked, “Did you learn of it in the Allsense Megaverse?”

Lu Yin did not intend to hide this matter. Given his strength, there was no reason to hide such things from those weaker than him, and it was impossible to hide it from those more powerful than him. “The most dangerous creature in the Allsense Megaverse could also use both Lifeforce and Immortal matter.”

“That is certainly quite similar to this Chang,” Master Qing Cao agreed. He let out a sigh. “With both Immortal matter and Lifeforce, it became too costly for me to capture it. It would be no different from slaying several peak Dukkhans. If I were willing, I could have paid such a price to bring back the Third Night Pillar, but since it has already returned, doing so was unnecessary.

“Back then, Chang had fully entrenched itself upon the Third Night Pillar and was on its way to the Nine Odysseys Megaverse. Since it would come here regardless, I did not strike further.”

Lu Yin did not dwell much on what had happened with the Third Night Pillar. After all, it had already been recovered.

What he was currently concerned about was that Chang clearly knew that an Immortal expert was present, having faced Master Qing Cao before. Despite that, the creature was still confident enough to approach the Nine Odysseys Megaverse, and it was even using schemes against humanity. What did that mean? Was it confident that it could deal with an Immortal?

Frightened Sparrow Terrace fell silent. No one said another word.

No outsiders entered. It seemed that there was some sort of tacit agreement that this place had become the command center for the war.

Greater Sancte Awe Gate’s gaze swept across the stars above. She was holding herself back, resisting the urge to attack.

Lu Yin could see her struggle, and he could not help but remember the legends that he had heard about Awe Gate’s past.

Enter this Gate, and on the Jade Terrace the spirit is reborn divine.

Tread the Sparrow’s Path, and a startled swan takes wing toward Immortality.

Humanity’s First Gate.

Greater Sancte Awe Gate had once created a list of the most powerful humans, and then had fought her way across the Nine Odysseys Megaverse. She had even confronted Greater Sancte Blood Tower, and while she had bled and retreated seven steps, she had not fallen.

She was a woman whose lust for battle rose higher than the sky.

However, during humanity’s war against the Nest civilization, she was unable to take any action at all. Suppressing such a love of fighting was simply cruel.

She did not even realize that she looked at Lu Yin with a bit of open envy.

She wished that she could act as unrestrained as Lu Yin. Perhaps, given the current situation, she wished that she was not an Immortal.

Lu Yin glanced at the ever-composed Master Qing Cao and then back at Greater Sancte Awe Gate. She appeared calm, yet she was constantly suppressing her desire to fight.

Things could not continue as they were. Eventually, when Greater Sancte Awe Gate was no longer able to restrain herself and attacked, then even if the Nest civilization was successfully repelled, she would be at a disadvantage against Master Qing Cao and the unknown Immortal Lord.

Greater Sancte Green Lotus and Greater Sancte Blood Tower still had not returned. At the moment, Greater Sancte Awe Gate seemed to be the most favorable toward Lu Yin.

It was imperative that he make sure that Greater Sancte Awe Gate endured.

“Master Qing Cao, please check where the bugs have stopped their retreat,” Lu Yin asked.

Master Qing Cao glanced at Lu Yin and then at Greater Sancte Awe Gate. “Is there anything regarding this war against the Nest civilization that I cannot hear? Lord Lu, this war is not limited to just the Nine Odysseys Megaverse. It includes all of humanity.”

Lu Yin was about to answer when Greater Sancte Awe Gate interjected, “I want to discuss marrying my daughter to him. Do you wish to listen?”

Lu Yin was stunned, and Master Qing Cao was also taken aback. After a moment, he shook his head and turned to leave. Ah, to be young.

Once Master Qing Cao was gone, Lu Yin gave a wry smile. “Senior, your words will damage Miss Qing Yun’s reputation.”

“Then marry her. That will make everything fine,” Greater Sancte Awe Gate casually replied.

Lu Yin quickly changed the subject, “Senior, you have been holding yourself back and avoiding attacking, haven’t you?”

Greater Sancte Awe Gate did not deny it. “There have been several occasions when I wanted to act, especially when I saw those four bug lords. Eliminating one would help relieve some of your burden.”

“But Senior, you are not in a position to act.”

“I understand the situation.”

Lu Yin bluntly stated, “Understanding the situation doesn’t mean that you can restrain yourself.”

Greater Sancte Awe Gate looked at Lu Yin. “Are you telling me how I should act?”

“I wouldn’t dare. I merely don’t wish for others to seize an opportunity. I am used to taking one step while considering my next three. Senior, do not forget how Greater Sancte Mi Jin died. Do not forget about the Netherfiends, Silent Death, or the recent upheaval in the Spirit Nidus. Do not forget that there is even that far away Immortal beast. No one knows when it might reappear.

“There is also Yong Heng.

“The truth is that the things hiding in the shadows will always be the greatest threat.”

Greater Sancte Awe Gate did not argue, and she seemed as calm as ever. Lu Yin could not tell if his words had been a reminder, but the truth was that she was not thinking any less than Lu Yin; it was just that their perspectives were different.

Given Greater Sancte Awe Gate’s stubborn nature, watching the battlefield while holding herself back was absolute agony.

The difference between humans and machines was their emotions. Impulsivity was also based on emotion.

Greater Sancte Awe Gate indifferently said, “You don’t need to worry. I won’t act until the very last moment. After all, I have been an Immortal for a long time and have become accustomed to this state of suppressing myself.”

Lu Yin let out a breath of relief.

“There have been many times when I have regretted becoming an Immortal, but do you know the moment that I regretted it the most?”

Lu Yin was curious. “When was that?”

Greater Sancte Awe Gate slowly smiled as she stared at him. “The moment that I clearly saw your strength.”

Lu Yin’s expression shifted slightly.

Greater Sancte Awe Gate continued, “If I was not an Immortal, I would absolutely fight you. Throughout the entire history of humanity and the whole Nine Odysseys Megaverse, you are one of the few who has managed to stir my interest in fighting. I never expected someone like you to suddenly appear in this era, but that one attack of yours was what truly sparked my desire to fight.”

She let out another sigh. “It’s such a pity that we cannot fight. If we could, you might not be the one to hold the title of most powerful beneath the Immortal realm.”

Lu Yin smiled. “That is certainly a pity.”

If he was being honest, he did not believe that anyone within the same cultivation realm could fight against him as an equal. Still, Greater Sancte Awe Gate was one of the most talented individuals in all of history, being one of the only beings to have broken through to the Immortal realm. Her glorious records shone like gold.

Hearing her regrets, Lu Yin also felt that the situation was a pity.

The Nine Odysseys Megaverse grew quiet. The Third Night Pillar had returned. Gu Duanke stayed on it for several days with people from Deathmound. Only after that did he leave again.

It did not take long for voices among the human forces to call to pursue the insects, and those voices quickly grew more numerous.

No matter how people looked at their current circumstances, the insects had clearly been defeated and forced to retreat.

With such an advantage, not pursuing the enemy and instead shrinking back to within the Nine Odysseys was completely unacceptable to many.

This was particularly true for people who had fought against foreign megaverses with the Night Pillars. Those expeditions had exposed them to the true cruelty of the cosmos; thus, they did not wish for their Nine Odysseys Megaverse to be exposed. If the Nest civilization was not completely destroyed, then it would always be a threat that could expose the Nine Odysseys Megaverse. This made many people scared and nervous.

Many of the people with this opinion held important positions within great clans or factions within the Nine Odysseys Megaverse. After all, those who could fight in a war against a foreign megaverse and return alive were not ordinary people. This led to more and more people being influenced, and more and more raised their voices in protest.

Lesser Sancte Dan Jin even went to the Frightened Sparrow Terrace to seek an audience with Greater Sancte Awe Gate, also raising her protests.

However, an explanation from Lu Yin was enough for Dan Jin to accept the situation, and she simply left.

After her, Gu Duanke visited, as did Deathmound and several Odyssey Commanders, such as Ming Zhuo. All wanted to seize the opportunity and chase after the insects, but all of them quickly accepted the reality of the situation.

Pacifying these people was no different from calming the vast majority of cultivators.

The Nine Odysseys Megaverse grew calm again, at least for a time.

Master Qing Cao returned with news. The insects had only stopped after they retreated past the range of the Awe Gates, but they had not continued to retreat. They had stopped and were now increasing their numbers again.

Looking at the astral chart of the Nine Odysseys Megaverse and its surrounding area, Lu Yin’s eyes grew pensive.

Was the distance that the insect swarms had retreated not too much of a coincidence? They had halted just past the range at which the Awe Gates could open. Stopping even just a little sooner would have left them within the Greater Sancte’s range, while a little farther away would have placed them too far to be a threat.

Was it possible that the insects knew the range that the Awe Gates could open?

Lu Yin went to ask Greater Sancte Awe Gate how many people were aware of her Awe Gates’ range, only to be told that very few knew that information. It was practically impossible for the insects to have obtained that information. The only variable was Master Qing Cao. No one knew what that man truly thought.

If Master Qing Cao really was responsible for Greater Sancte Mi Jin’s death, then his position regarding the Nine Odysseys Megaverse—no, regarding the entire human race—had to be reconsidered. It was possible that he did not truly want all of human civilization to endure, and if that was true, then the man was capable of absolutely anything.

In the blink of an eye, an entire year passed.

During that time, the insects had not advanced even a single step. They remained at a distance, constantly reproducing. After a year, their numbers had tripled compared to when they had first attacked, and dense swarms filled the Aevum Inch.

When word of the situation spread within the Nine Odysseys Megaverse, it immediately provoked countless debates.

Humanity had not attacked the insects, but instead allowed them to remain untouched just a short distance away. The bugs reproduced ceaselessly, and their numbers had grown greatly within just one year. If they were allowed to continue for two years, ten years, or even twenty years, there would eventually be enough insects to simply overwhelm the entire Nine Odysseys Megaverse and the Spirit Nidus.

The voices of those with such fears grew louder, and they soon reached the Frightened Sparrow Terrace.

Even Dan Jin and the others were no longer able to suppress the unrest.

Those at the top had been informed of Luo Chan’s existence, so they understood that confining the battlefield within the Night Pillars’ range served to grant the Nine Odysseys Megaverse an advantage, but even so, if the insects were allowed to continue reproducing as they had for the past year, when their numbers reached an absurd level, humanity would no longer face war, but rather slaughter. They would be exterminated.

However, these arguments were again quickly suppressed. Greater Sancte Awe Gate stepped forth, and the entire megaverse fell silent.

Had there ever been a war where one side could minimize its sacrifices while still concealing its trump cards? If such a war truly existed, that side would never reveal its advantage prematurely.

At the moment, humanity had that advantage.

As long as the fighting took place within range of the Nine Odysseys, cultivators from the Nine Odysseys Megaverse would be able to fight by separating out their cultivated spirit seeds. By doing so, even if they were killed, only their spirit seed would be destroyed. Additionally, it would allow the Awe Gates to counter Luo Chan.

That was the scenario that offered the most advantages to humanity.

When looking back at all the wars to destroy foreign megaverses, had there been even one where the Nine Odysseys Megaverse had not suffered terrible casualties?

However, if the insects continued to reproduce, the protesters would eventually be proven correct. The bugs would eventually flood the entire Nine Odysseys Megaverse.

For that reason, Lu Yin and many others had not simply sat around idly and waited for the last year.

To begin with, the Nine Odysseys Megaverse had gathered many powerful formation masters to arrange spirit treasure formations that could be activated at any moment. At the same time, people were constantly sent out when they had a breakthrough so that their auras would be sensed by the Nest civilization, in hopes that humanity’s growing strength would unsettle the bugs.

More importantly, the Nine Odysseys Megaverse had also been waiting.

They were waiting for Greater Sancte Green Lotus and Greater Sancte Blood Tower to return. Once those two Immortals were back, the Nine Odysseys Megaverse would gain a completely different level of confidence.

The Nest civilization was stalling so that the insects could reproduce and increase their numbers, while the Nine Odysseys Megaverse was waiting for their Immortals to return. Both sides had been waiting.

“We cannot know when Greater Sancti Green Lotus and Blood Tower will return—maybe ten years? A hundred? A thousand? No one understands the cosmos. However, these insects reproduce too quickly, to the point where we cannot afford to wait any longer,” Dan Jin stated. She made this argument while standing in the Frightened Sparrow Terrace.