Chapter 2618 - Battle of Two Stars
Having more nova sources would greatly benefit the generations to come. It was a crucial resource, without which cultivators would go extinct. The reason Gladeus was situated where it was, rather than being near Ebonia, was because it needed to settle somewhere with other star clusters in the vicinity.
The Sun was currently really hard to find. Other nova source worlds shone brightly in the void of the astralscape to advanced races like the ebons. While the Sun itself wasn’t easy to detect, the movement of a sanctuary-class world like it would leave waves of nova source consumption that ebonian fiendbats could pick up on. More and more, Tianming felt the encroachment of the bats. The optimum scenario he’d envisioned before had been completely crushed!
"The ebons are quite relentless, not that I expected otherwise." If it weren’t for the Star Hunters setting their sights on the Myriadstar Zone, Tianming wouldn't have had to rush the growth of the Sun. Had the Sun still been a skypiercer-class world, it could stay near Gladeus without having to worry about the fiendbats. But now, Tianming's fate was tied with the billions of people in the Sun that followed him. There was no way he would leave them to their own fates.
The four of them exchanged glances, their expressions worsening as they contemplated the implications.
"News from the Infinitum Swordsea says that the ebons are buttering up to five reges mundi, who also seem to show signs of moving troops and divine astralships. Apart from that, the ebons also reached out to hundreds of other top factions in Ebonia. They might be using our theft of the nova source worlds in the Myriadstar Zone as the spark for a crusade against us. They’ll muster the might of hundreds of factions within the Infinitum Bodhimanda in a crusade against us," Lin Xiaodao said.
Originally, they wouldn't have had to fear persecution to such an extent. If the alliance attacked Gladeus, Lin Xiaodao could repel them with the astralguard formation, and even push the fight harder. While there would be many troops, most of them would only be there to pad out the ranks. They couldn't afford to actually commit so many forces in a fight like that with Yi Daiyan and many of their rival factions still on Ebonia. But with the fiendbats tracking the Sun's location, it wouldn't be hard for the alliance to coordinate a swift excursion. Divine astralship fleets were much faster and more agile compared to nova source worlds.
"As long as they're locked on to the location of the Sun, they'll have no problem keeping on our tail and mounting an attack. While the pretense they're using is the theft of the stars in the Myriadstar Zone, another reason for their assault is that the Sun is marginally weaker than Gladeus, making it an easier target. Not to mention, if we use the Gladean Ruins to help the Sun, Gladeus itself would come under threat," Lin Xiaodao continued.
"We're the weaker side and we can't afford to fight on two fronts, especially when our foes are joining forces," Wudi said. Gladeus and the Sun were like isolated cities being marched upon by cavalry. The ebons could simply take out the weaker one before going for the stronger target. The cities wouldn't be able to reinforce each other in any way, for fear of complete extermination by spreading their forces thin.
"Can the Infinitum Swordsea send reinforcements?" Gongyang Yan asked. At the very least, the main fighting force of the Lin Clan was located there. They had quite a few ether-class divine astralships as well.
Lin Xiaodao shook his head. "We just got word that ebon ships were sighted in the vicinity of the Infinitum Swordsea. While they didn't outright invade, it’s enough to form a barricade against any reinforcements they send out."
"Shit.... Just... shit...." Gongyang Yan rolled her eyes and laid flat on the ground.Tianming, Wudi, and Lin Xiaodao stood at the very front of the Ninedragon Imperial Tomb as it cruised through the thick flaming clouds of the new world, bathed in raging fire and showered in stormy lightning.
When they passed through the flaming cloud layer, the new world opened up in Tianming's vision. He scanned the area and spotted some hints of viridian green. The seeds they had planted were sprouting. Some of the patches below were the seas of flowers that Feiling had asked for. Tianming had pledged that he would turn this world into a paradise, and it was only the start of what was to come. Yet just as he had been pumped about working on his new project, cruel reality informed him that all he’d dreamed of would disappear when he awoke from his dreams. Six Infinitum Regal Clans had formed an alliance, one of whom was the massive ebon clan. How could the Sun possibly stand up against a force of that caliber?
"It's a bit of a shame! I didn't think that all our plans would fall apart as a result of the far-sighted ancestors of the ebons, who bred so many of those fiendbats." Lin Xiaodao felt rather miffed about the whole thing.
"We'll eventually have to fight them anyway. We still have time now. The problem is how to maximize the likelihood of our victory in the event our location is exposed?" Wudi said.
"Yi Daiyan should be on our side and giving us support. If this battle truly starts, it'll be different from the one started by the ebon expeditionary army. It would be a true civil war within the Infinitum Bodhimanda, and she's the first rex mundi. If six Infinitum Regal Clans are assembling their troops under her watch, aren't they undermining her authority?" Lin Xiaodao said.
The Infinitum Bodhimanda was a single grand sect that encompassed different houses within it, akin to the Archaion Sect. What was happening was much like a conspiracy orchestrated between internal factions against one of their own. If such a thing was allowed to happen, it was bound to fracture the sect. While the ebons were officially doing it as a means to hold Lin Xiaodao accountable for his actions, as well as Tianming's, it would still be considered as an offense to the first rex mundi's authority. There was no way the second rex mundi could take that kind of action against the eighth rex mundi, Lin Xiaodao, without official sanction from Yi Daiyan.
"Still, we don't even know if we can count on her. We have to focus on what we can do instead. Where does our potential lie?" Wudi said. While he was much younger than Lin Xiaodao, he had experienced quite a bit. In times of crisis, he was incredibly calm.
Tianming gave it some thought and said, "The Sun definitely won't be able to escape the fiendbats. Since that's the case, it's best that we play our strongest card. We'll have the Sun and Gladeus fight back-to-back. The good thing about that is that we'll be able to pit the Gladean Ruins against the Ebonfiend. No matter where it attacks, we'll be able to respond instead of being pulled around by the nose." Neither Gladeus nor the Sun would be able to defend against the Ebonfiend if they didn't have the Gladean Ruins.
"That's one way to do it, possibly the only way." A fire sparked in Wudi's eyes. The Star Hunters had been foes on the level of an Infinitum Regal Clan. Yet not even one like the ebons wouldn't be able to send all their forces away on an expedition. The most they could send would be a quarter of their forces. But even so, they would be far more difficult foes to face.
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