Testing and Persuasion

Within a thousand years, trying to push head-on all the way into Wizard Civilization's homeland would be exceedingly difficult.

Secluded Bamboo Supreme had also investigated Wizard Civilization's strength. After all, his daughter, Zi You, was currently in the Wizard War Zone.

Moreover, from information Mist and Haze Demon Ancestor had previously revealed to him, Zi You had actually taken a liking to one of Wizard Civilization's Dominators?

As for his daughter's private affairs, Secluded Bamboo Supreme had little desire to interfere.

He had granted Zi You absolute freedom!

Of course, even if Secluded Bamboo Supreme wanted to intervene, he had to choose the right time.

The future scenes displayed within the Source Tracing Stone showed that Evil Tide Civilization was on the verge of destruction.

Especially that towering metal robot which had charged into the Demon Territory Depths, displaying the potential of Level 9—even Secluded Bamboo Supreme's scalp had gone numb at the sight of it. He had hurried over to discuss matters with Undying Supreme.

With that as a premise, Zi You's little "romantic entanglements" truly amounted to nothing.

Since even Secluded Bamboo Supreme believed it would be difficult to break through Wizard Civilization from the frontal battlefield, then they could only...

"In recent years, Evil Tide Civilization has more or less exhausted its reserves for war," Secluded Bamboo Supreme said gravely.

Though he rarely involved himself in the grand ambition of crossing the Astral Realm, he constantly kept watch over and maintained control of Evil Tide Civilization's specific circumstances.

Many Alien World civilizations currently fighting Evil Tide Civilization feared that the strength of the evil tide was inexhaustible, as though the more they fought, the greater its numbers became.

But in truth, Secluded Bamboo Supreme had long known that his Evil Tide Civilization was nearing its limit.

This was also the foreshadowing for why the Wizard Battlefield and the Immortal Domain Battlefield would undergo a major turning point three thousand years later.

The recuperation plan Six-Winged Demon Ancestor had submitted to the Three Supremes had been reviewed by all three of them.

Even a being like Demon Fall Supreme, who was wholly devoted to the grand ambition of crossing the Astral Realm, had ultimately chosen to approve it out of rationality.

Undying Supreme's desire to accelerate the war was clearly another squeeze upon Evil Tide Civilization's reserves and its potential for future warfare.

To shorten a Civilization War that would originally take at least several thousand years to conclude, demanding broad results within a thousand years—it was plain to see just what a tremendous price Evil Tide Civilization would have to pay!

All Evil Tide Dominators, including Six-Winged Demon Ancestor, would soon receive mandatory orders from the Supreme Hall—perhaps even death orders!

Such immense wartime pressure would be a tremendous challenge not only for their enemies, but also for Evil Tide Civilization itself.

Perhaps the scenes displayed in the Source Tracing Stone would arrive ahead of time?!

But Secluded Bamboo Supreme also knew that Undying Supreme's firm push to accelerate and escalate the war this time was an opportunity for Evil Tide Civilization to make another choice.

The day Evil Tide Civilization truly perished, as shown in the Source Tracing Stone, occurred only when the Demon Territory was breached thirty thousand years later. It would not happen three thousand years later, much less a thousand years later!

Once a thousand years had passed, the exact course of the war in the Wizard Star Region might alter the strategy for crossing the Astral Realm that Undying Supreme had long championed, and his attitude might then change as well.

"In this age of great contention, every civilization in the Star Realm is merely struggling with all its strength to survive."

"Our Evil Tide Civilization has enjoyed smooth sailing for over a hundred thousand years. More than a hundred Demon Emperors were sealed in Light Dimension Country, while over a hundred Demon Emperors died in battle in the Minghe Empire. Quite a few Evil Tide creatures have actually faintly sensed that the coming wars may become harder and harder to fight."

"A thousand years truly is a reasonable testing period."

"Even if, during this period, the scale of our Evil Tide losses is triple that of the past—or even greater."

"As long as we can find a suitable and correct path, I believe every sacrifice will be worth it!" Secluded Bamboo Supreme declared solemnly.

At their level, even the deaths of Demon Emperor-level creatures were merely a string of numbers.

Undying Supreme nodded and said, "Let Six-Winged Demon Ancestor and the others do their utmost. No matter how great the losses, we can bear them!"

Six-Winged Demon Ancestor was originally a direct subordinate of Undying Supreme, and he understood Undying Supreme's attitude more clearly than anyone.

When Undying Supreme issued a compulsory order demanding that Six-Winged Demon Ancestor find a way to reach Wizard Civilization's Mother Plane within a thousand years,

Six-Winged Demon Ancestor would surely understand the unwavering will and resolve behind Undying Supreme's command!

Though he might not understand it, he would absolutely carry it out. Six-Winged Demon Ancestor was precisely such a Half-Level-9 being.

After sensing Undying Supreme's attitude, Secluded Bamboo Supreme nodded as well. "The turning point will not come only from Wizard Civilization. There is also the Immortal Domain Battlefield."

"As for Darkness Demon Ancestor... neither you nor Demon Fall Supreme is suited to persuade him. I will personally make the trip," Secluded Bamboo Supreme sighed.

If the future crisis of Evil Tide Civilization came from both internal and external causes, then Darkness Demon Ancestor was undoubtedly an internal factor that could inflict tremendous losses upon Evil Tide Civilization.

For Evil Tide Civilization's own interests, it would be best if Darkness Demon Ancestor never advanced to Level 9 in this lifetime!

As long as he remained in this Star Realm, he would be Evil Tide Civilization's greatest deterrent and sharpest blade in its external wars.

But if Darkness Demon Ancestor advanced to Level 9, he would shatter the void and leave on his own. What then would become of Evil Tide Civilization and the Three Supremes?

Undying Supreme nodded approvingly at Secluded Bamboo Supreme's initiative, then offered him a constructive suggestion. "You can first go find Bright Blue Demon Ancestor, then temporarily summon Mist and Haze Demon Ancestor as well."

"The scenes in the Source Tracing Stone include Bright Blue Demon Ancestor's death."

"Although Darkness Demon Ancestor has never given Bright Blue Demon Ancestor any direct response over the years, I do not believe he would ignore her death."

"And Mist and Haze Demon Ancestor—Darkness Demon Ancestor has pursued her with unwavering devotion for so many years..." Undying Supreme said.

Undying Supreme's words left Secluded Bamboo Supreme looking somewhat awkward.

That was because Mist and Haze Demon Ancestor liked Secluded Bamboo Supreme, and he too regarded her as a confidante.

In truth, the one truly suited to Darkness Demon Ancestor had always been Bright Blue Demon Ancestor, who had constantly assisted him.

Not only had the Three Supremes seen this, but even many Demon Emperors felt the same.

It was only that Darkness Demon Ancestor himself was too stubborn.

Perhaps it was precisely this stubborn temperament of Darkness Demon Ancestor's that had enabled him to achieve what he had today on the path of power.

If Darkness Demon Ancestor were someone who gave up easily, he would never have reached his current heights.

Stubborn persistence could sometimes bring forth boundless strength.

Secluded Bamboo Supreme was a top Star Realm expert who understood the greater picture. In response to Undying Supreme's "constructive" suggestion, he nodded and replied, "I will handle it."

"Indeed, Darkness Demon Ancestor is a pinnacle force that Evil Tide Civilization cannot afford to lose. While all of us are equally restricted by the Astral Realm Rules, only he can represent the peak of Evil Tide power."

"It is understandable that, in the future scenes presented by the Source Tracing Stone, Evil Tide Civilization swiftly entered a period of decline after Darkness Demon Ancestor advanced to Level 9 and left the Star Realm."

"What he truly represents is a certain 'spirit' of Evil Tide Civilization," Secluded Bamboo Supreme said meaningfully.

Undying Supreme looked at him and nodded faintly.