Episode 12: Division

The resource best suited to the Infinite Great Serpent Clan was the 'Source World origin.' The Infinite Serpent Ancestor itself had long since become indestructible and immortal; for the needs of its clan, it could not possibly agree.

"All the Source Worlds within our domain, handed over to you? Pure wishful thinking!" The Infinite Serpent Ancestor's gaze was icy. "There is no room for negotiation on this condition!"

"All Source World lifeforms are our kin. Generation after generation, our Cultivator Faction has strived to reclaim them all. We cannot tolerate Source World lifeforms serving as your food forever!" Yuan said coldly.

The Infinite Serpent Ancestor sneered. "You want all the Source Worlds? Then there can only be all-out war! When that time comes, the countless Source Worlds in your cultivator domain will also be dragged into the war!"

The many Ancestors and eight Lords radiated chilling killing intent.

"All-out war? We Lords do not care." Yuan was indifferent. "Lords are indestructible and immortal. Let us see how many of you Ancestors will die in battle."

"Haha, our Innate Primal Chaos Faction does indeed need enough blood and fire." The Nirvana Ancestor spoke. "Only blood and fire can make Life Cores grow and allow more indestructible and immortal beings to be born!"

"All-out war? Who would fear it?" The Endless Ancestor sneered as well.

The Ancestors who had reached the indestructible and immortal level did not care.

Those Ancestors who were extremely close to becoming indestructible and immortal, such as the Nirvana Ancestor, eagerly anticipated taking another step forward. A sufficiently brutal war would benefit their evolution.

As for whether the lower ranks lived or died?

What they cared about was the continuation of their clans. As for the many wars that would eliminate countless members along the way, they did not care.

"The Innate Primal Chaos Faction has been the largest faction in Infinite Primal Chaos Space for far too long!" Luo Feng said. "It is time for the largest faction to be replaced."

Luo Feng, who wielded the power of the Destruction World, could carry out 'periodic cleansing' and would receive the favor of the Abyss of Destruction.

Luo Feng was ready for a great slaughter!

To rule over all Source Worlds, if negotiation failed, then only war remained!

On one side stood eight indestructible and immortal Lords! On the other stood five indestructible and immortal Ancestors, along with over a hundred Ancestors of varying strength. Once all-out war began, the casualties were destined to be severe.

Some, such as the Nirvana Ancestor, who stood on the verge of a breakthrough, instead longed for such a brutal war!

"Is all you want merely the Source Worlds?" The Giant God Emperor suddenly spoke. The Infinite Serpent Ancestor and Nirvana Ancestor immediately glared at it in anger.

"Yes."

Yuan nodded. "You should know as well that resources for Life Core evolution are not important to us cultivator Lords! We care only about Source Worlds. In a vast domain, aside from Source Worlds, there are countless other resources, and all those resources will belong to you. Of course, we will still compete fairly over Mysterious Lands."

For Mysterious Lands, all sides had always tacitly accepted fair competition! Whoever refined and controlled one depended entirely on their own ability.

"You promise that, throughout the endless ages to come, you will never again encroach upon the domain of our Innate Primal Chaos Faction?" the Giant God Emperor asked again.

"We eight Lords will promise all Ancestors that we will 'never expand.'" Yuan said.

The Giant God Emperor understood.

It looked at its other companions and said, "The eight cultivator Lords collectively promise never to expand again. They only require us to hand over all Source Worlds! I do not think Source Worlds are all that important to us."

"Source Worlds are very important to us." The Infinite Serpent Ancestor stared at the Giant God Emperor.

"Our Giant God Clan does not care." The Giant God Emperor looked at it. "Your Infinite Great Serpent Clan cares greatly, but... throughout the long years, the strength of your other Ancestors has shown little improvement. Infinite Serpent Ancestor, I think you rely too heavily on Source Worlds. Completely abandoning Source Worlds would also be a trial for your Infinite Great Serpent Clan."

"If your Giant God Clan does not need them, you can give them up." The Infinite Serpent Ancestor shook its head. "But my Infinite Great Serpent Clan can never agree to this condition!"

The proportion of World-level members of the Infinite Great Serpent Clan who became Ancestors far exceeded that of other clans, precisely because they devoured Source World origins. Once they gave that up, the difficulty of producing more Ancestors in the future would soar rapidly.

"Many clans do not particularly need Source Worlds." The Giant God Emperor looked behind it. "I believe that among the eighty-six Ancestors present, many do not care about 'Source World origins.'"

Many Ancestors were somewhat moved.

They had previously believed that the Cultivator Faction was still dissatisfied after taking the Southern River Domain and wanted to continue expanding! For the territory needed for their own survival and reproduction, these Ancestors had united in common cause, willing to pay any price to deal with the Cultivator Faction.

But now, the eight Lords promised never to expand!

This was not the promise of a single Lord, nor was it a private promise! It was a public promise from all eight Lords... to every Ancestor. Considering that cultivator Lords had no Life Cores either, the promise was highly credible.

Never expand? Then what was there to fight for?

As for Source Worlds, they were merely an icing-on-the-cake resource for the propagation and growth of their clans. Losing that resource was nothing much.

"What the Giant God Emperor says makes sense." The Initial Progenitor, who had remained silent all along, suddenly spoke. "Your Infinite Great Serpent Clan has always depended on 'Source World origins.' Perhaps separating from Source World origins would be another kind of trial for Life Core evolution."

Seeing this, the Infinite Serpent Ancestor realized that an internal split had emerged.

Even among the Nine Sovereigns.

The Giant God Emperor, Primal Chaos Beast Ancestor, and Ancestor of Black Tide stood together.

The Initial Progenitor and Mother of Space-Time also leaned somewhat toward neutrality.

Its friend, the Endless Ancestor, had stopped advancing and retreating alongside it as before after becoming indestructible and immortal. After all, it was alone and had no clan.

"Are we going to retreat like this when facing the Cultivator Faction?" the Nirvana Ancestor asked.

"We do not need Source World origins, so why should we fight to the death over Source Worlds?"

"That is right. Since the Cultivator Faction will never expand, why fight them?"

The Ancestors transmitted messages among themselves.

Even the Nine Sovereigns had split into three factions, and the other Ancestors were equally divided.

The vast majority of Ancestors might die if they joined the war! Naturally, they were unwilling to risk their lives for resources they did not need!

The eight Lords watched the scene. They could see that the Innate Primal Chaos Faction seemed to be fracturing internally. These Ancestors should have been transmitting messages to one another. Though they could not hear the contents, they could guess at some of it.

"They seem to be arguing?" Moman watched.

"That was expected." Xingmang said.

Suddenly—

The Endless Ancestor among the Nine Sovereigns spoke. "Eight Lords, regarding the demands you have made, we need to discuss them carefully among ourselves. We also need to discuss them with some Ancestors who did not participate in this battle. Let us postpone the final negotiations by One Epoch. After One Epoch, our Innate Primal Chaos Faction will give you a definite answer."

"Fine. We will await your answer." Yuan nodded.

To give up every Source World within the entire faction, the Innate Primal Chaos Faction truly needed to reach a unified decision internally.

"Let us go."

Led by the Mother of Space-Time, the Ancestors immediately stepped into a space-time passage and departed.

Within the dazzling space-time passage, the Ancestors continued onward.

"Giant God Emperor, do you truly refuse to join the war?" The Infinite Serpent Ancestor transmitted. "When facing the Cultivator Faction, we must stand united."

"So long as the Cultivator Faction honors its promise, my Giant God Clan will not join the war. Not only us; quite a few Ancestors are unwilling to participate as well." The Giant God Emperor transmitted. "Nearly half of the Ancestors do not need Source World origins. None of them are willing to risk their lives."

The Infinite Serpent Ancestor sighed inwardly.

"There is still One Epoch until the final negotiations." The Giant God Emperor transmitted. "Think of a solution carefully. If you cannot, then after One Epoch, I and the many Ancestors under my command will accept the cultivators' conditions."

Though the Infinite Serpent Ancestor was domineering, it had no way to forcibly suppress the Giant God Emperor's faction, which had the support of nearly half the Ancestors.

"This Cultivator Faction is truly despicable. It will not expand its domain and only wants the Source Worlds." The Infinite Serpent Ancestor felt deeply troubled.

Never expanding truly removed far too much hostility.

Southern River Domain.

"The purpose of this clash has been achieved. We have displayed our strength to all of Infinite Primal Chaos Space. Even the Innate Primal Chaos Faction lost three Ancestors in battle before us." Yuan said. "We can use this opportunity to negotiate with every force!"

Using war to seize all Source Worlds was the inferior option!

After all, there had been more than twenty indestructible and immortal beings. Even if they barely occupied some Source Worlds, indestructible and immortal beings could still return to slaughter their way back.

Resolving matters through negotiation was best.

"Xingmang, I leave the negotiations to you." Yuan said.

"Brother Yuan, Brother Luo Feng, send avatars with me to visit the various major forces." Xingmang said.

Luo Feng and Yuan both nodded.

With a single thought, they could condense a weak avatar within the domain of a target force. The three avatars could directly meet the Ancestors of weaker forces.

"When meeting those weaker forces, weak avatars sent by Luo Feng, Yuan, and me will suffice." Xingmang said. "But when we visit the Ice Peak Faction and negotiate with them, all eight of us must send our combat avatars."

"The Ice Peak Faction will be no easier to negotiate with than the Innate Primal Chaos Faction." Yuan frowned as well.

In terms of strength, the Ice Peak Faction was indeed weaker than the Innate Primal Chaos Faction.

But the leaders of the Ice Peak Faction were twelve indestructible and immortal beings! These indestructible and immortal beings did not fear war. So what if they lost? They were indestructible and immortal anyway.

"To permanently rule all Source Worlds while facing a group of indestructible and immortal beings in Infinite Primal Chaos Space will not be easy." Xingmang could not help sighing. Even though he could traverse countless future timelines, he still understood—there was no way to resolve everything perfectly.

Mogus alone, who bore a mortal enmity toward the Cultivator Faction, could not be dealt with.

Mogus was indestructible and immortal, a lone wanderer who delighted in devouring the souls of countless living beings! Mogus was destined to remain an enemy of the Cultivator Faction forever.

"Every one we can reach an agreement with is one less enemy." Yuan said. "Through negotiation, we can spare ourselves much trouble in the future."

Through negotiation, they would reduce their opponents as much as possible.

The fewer opponents they had, the less pressure they would face in the future.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—"

The combat avatars of the eight Lords set off together toward the domain of the Ice Peak Faction.

At the same time, the weak avatars of Luo Feng, Yuan, and Xingmang descended upon the domains of one weaker force after another. They visited Ancestor after Ancestor and began negotiations one after another.