Before We Could Become Invincible, Enemies Arrived from Beyond

The agenda of the emergency meeting jointly convened by the Eternal Beginning Dominator and Lin Yi was very simple.

First, Lin Yi briefly explained the situation to the Venerables and Councilors who had rushed to Origin Abyss Star, which caused a great stir among them.

Immediately afterwards, the Eternal Beginning Dominator declared a state of emergency for the Human Race.

The core of his order was very simple and brutal: fully enter a state of strategic reserves and potential tapping.

At the same time, several measures were issued in succession, including but not limited to:

In the Clan Merit Treasury, the Clan Merit Contribution Points required to exchange for all rare resources used to enhance enlightenment, accumulate source energy, and expand the Divine Kingdom have been reduced by 50%, and the annual exchange limit has been increased to 5 times the original amount.

The clan merit required to exchange for all cultivation manuals has been reduced by 80%.

The seventeen core cultivation secret realms under the control of the Human Race are now fully open to all qualified experts at the god level or above, with the number of admission slots increased fivefold and the usage time extended.

The Supreme Council will directly allocate funds to select and cultivate a group of top deities with the potential to break through the bottleneck of the Venerable Lord in a short period of time. They will receive regular guidance and special resource packages from two Sovereign-level beings.

All border garrisons, key industrial star zones, and research hubs are on high alert, with resources prioritized for military use.

Prioritizing research and talent development.

Following the emergency meeting, the Human Race Supreme Council began operating with maximum efficiency.

The order jointly signed by the Eternal Beginning Dominator and Lin Yi was rapidly transmitted to every corner of the Human Race's territory via the Virtual Network.

All the gods received the "emergency mobilization order" immediately, which was worded solemnly but did not explain the reason in detail.

This mobilization order caused a great stir within the Human Race. Its strength, scope, and priority all conveyed a sense of urgency in preparing for or even facing war.

It's not just the Human Race.

Just as the four supreme beings reached a tacit understanding in the virtual space, the three peak races of the Spirit Race, the Abyss Race, and the Devouring Race also issued similar mobilization orders at almost the same time.

The various races within the Pan-Spirit Alliance, such as the Machine Race, the Holy Radiance Race, and the Crystal Spirit Race, as well as the vassal races under the Abyss Race and the Devouring Race, followed suit, adjusting their respective resource allocations and strategic directions.

Previously regarded as a strategic reserve by various ethnic groups and strictly controlled from leaving the country, these rare resources were slowly consumed over a long period of time to maintain the foundation of the ethnic group, but now they are being released in large quantities.

Those treasures that used to require extremely high contributions or special merits to exchange for a small amount are now not only subject to a significantly lower exchange threshold, but their supply has also increased exponentially.

Especially since the Origin Universe Tower Secret Realm had just ended, all races had reaped a massive amount of rare resources.

According to past practice, the vast majority of these resources would be sealed in the most core treasure troves of each tribe as long-term strategic reserves for the tribe.

This time, however, all the clans acted out of the norm, directly allocating a significant portion of their newly acquired resources to rapidly enhance the strength of their own powerful members.

The entire universe, from top to bottom, has entered a period of rapid development characterized by unprecedented abundance of cultivation resources and greatly increased opportunities for breakthroughs for the strong.

Even many small and medium-sized civilizations and solitary strong individuals that were originally lacking in resources have indirectly benefited.

As more resources flowed out of large corporations, their share in the external market also increased, giving them a glimpse of further potential.

As for the Human Race, the gods recalled the recently concluded Star Abyss Overlord Celebration and the rumors of the four Supreme Beings gathering together. Furthermore, other races also quickly introduced similar policies, leading to various speculations circulating in private.

Although the cause of the incident was unknown, the orders of the Supreme Council could not be disregarded, and all institutions and individuals acted swiftly.

Those peak deities who had been stuck at their bottlenecks for countless years were pleasantly surprised to find that their race had opened a channel to apply for the "Lord Promotion Assistance Resource Pack." Although the competition was fierce, at least there was a clear hope.

Beneath this facade of overall prosperity lies a tacit tension and urgency among the rulers of the three dominant races and their affiliated forces.

All the informed high-ranking officials knew that this was not the dawn of a golden age, but rather the calm before the storm, a final sprint to prepare for the crisis that had alarmed all four supreme rulers.

Silver Blue Star, Star Abyss Hall.

Lin Yi sat in the core quiet room, surrounded by a faint silver-gray spatial glow.

Since advancing to the Dominator realm and stabilizing his cultivation, he has focused his main efforts on improving his strength.

Besides his own cultivation, as the newly ascended ruler of the Human Race, he also needs to handle many affairs.

"Master, Lord Hai Hong has sent the latest report from the Emergency Response Committee." Xuanji's voice echoed in the quiet room.

"To put it simply."

"Yes," Xuanji began her report, "In the past Epoch, the Human Race has gained three new Venerable Lord Rank powerhouses, all of whom are veteran peak gods who successfully broke through with the support of resources. 127 new High-ranking gods have been added, significantly increasing the number of high-level and powerful gods. The first phase of the ' Strong Foundation Plan ' selected 1000 prodigies, and 170 have already touched the threshold of godhood. It is estimated that more than 30 more will be able to break through within ten thousand years..."

Regarding resource consumption, the inventory of relevant categories in the resource database decreased by 22% year-on-year. However, thanks to new resource replenishment from Origin Universe Tower and increased mining efforts, overall reserves remain above the safety line. Border defense levels have been comprehensively upgraded, with 17 new forward early warning outposts added...

"According to limited information exchanged through the Spirit Race -sharing agreement, the utilization rate of their core secret realms, such as the Holy Spirit Source Pool, has increased by 300%, and the emergence of new generation powerhouses is accelerating."

Lin Yi listened quietly.

An Epoch is but a fleeting moment on a cosmic scale, but the changes brought about by this model of mobilizing the entire race and exploiting resources are significant.

The overall strength of the Human Race, especially the quantity and quality of its core forces, is steadily improving, and other races are likely doing the same.

"Understood." Lin Yi nodded. "Continue proceeding according to plan. By the way, how is the preparation for the establishment of the Eastern Edge Academy progressing?"

"Reporting to Master, the main buildings and core cultivation facilities of the Eastern Edge Academy have all been renovated. The first batch of 1,000 top-tier genius students recruited from the entire Pan-Spirit Alliance has been selected, with Human Race accounting for 60%, Spirit Race for 30%, and other alliance races for 10%. It is expected that the academy will officially open in the next standard year. As for the dean, as you wish, Venerable Xuchen will temporarily serve as the dean, and Zhenyu will serve as the vice dean and be responsible for the practical teaching part." Xuanji replied quickly.

Eastern Edge Academy was proposed and promoted by Lin Yi, with the aim of using the unique environment and resources of Silver Blue Star to cultivate more top geniuses for the Human Race and even the Pan-Spirit Alliance.

The academy adopts a more systematic and open training system and has established generous scholarships and resource allocation policies. This is not only to reserve strength for the future of the Human Race, but also part of Lin Yi's fulfillment of his responsibility as the master of the Human Race.

"Very good." Lin Yi was satisfied with this progress.

Raising offspring is fundamental to the continuation and development of a race. Now that he has the ability, he should naturally do more for the Human Race.

After handling these necessary matters, Lin Yi closed his eyes again. Deep within the Purple Mist Space of his soul, the Spiritual Enlightenment Qi was burning fiercely.

Time is precious, and he must seize every moment to improve himself.

The sense of crisis that made the four supreme beings feel oppressed was like a sword hanging over their heads, not knowing when it would fall.

Silence returned to the quiet room.

And so, another half- Epoch passed.

On this day, just as Lin Yi was immersed in profound insights...

Suddenly, his heart sank!

It was not an invasion by external enemies, nor a mistake in cultivation, but a kind of throbbing originating from the depths of the soul.

Immediately afterwards, an incredibly clear image forced its way into his mind, or rather, was directly imprinted deep within his senses.

The boundless black mist, writhing like a living thing, obscured everything.

Within the fog swarmed countless eerie creatures.

They have no fixed shape, resembling clumps of dark, soft mud that constantly wriggle and change, with a viscous liquid flowing on their surface.

These "slime monsters," layer upon layer, seemingly endless, were crawling on the surface of some enormous creature, churning and writhing wildly, as if gnawing at it, or perhaps secreting even more black mist.

What they covered was an existence so enormous that it exceeded Lin Yi's comprehension.

It floated silently in the center of the boundless darkness and mist, its shape... resembling an enormous, closed clam.

Its outer shell has a grayish-white color, which has been washed and polished by countless years. It is rough and heavy, and covered with vicissitudes.

At this moment, the surface of the giant clam's tightly closed shell was emitting a faint, hazy glow.

The light was not dazzling, but it carried a tenacity that came from the very source of life, like a barrier that tenaciously guarded the last lone lamp amidst raging waves, struggling to resist the endless black mist and the encroachment of the slime monsters around it.

The image is almost still, yet it is filled with Dynamic of despair.

The faint glimmer of light flickered and waned under the repeated washes of the black Tide, as if it might be extinguished at any moment.

The writhing of those slimes and the churning of the black mist carried a cold and greedy rhythm, relentlessly eroding that fragile defense.

This scene lasted only a brief moment, yet it brought a tremendous impact on Lin Yi's soul.

As the screen receded like the tide, Lin Yi suddenly opened his eyes.

The quiet room remained peaceful, and the spacetime Origin Law field operated smoothly.

But Lin Yi's heart was pounding violently.

What is that?

That enormous "clam"... a sense that originated from the deepest imprint of life and soul told him with unparalleled clarity that it was the universe they inhabited!

It is the entire world upon which they depend for survival and reproduction!

And those black mists and slime monsters... are eroding their universe!

Furthermore, this message didn't feel like a cry for help to Lin Yi.

More like... a warning!

Run!

The universe itself is warning him in the most direct way.

The enemy has reached our doorstep, our defenses are crumbling, and only destruction remains!

"The ominous signs of crisis sensed by the Supreme Beings... the root of it all!"

Lin Yi instantly connected everything.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, knowing he had to inform the Eternal Beginning Dominator of this news immediately.

"Xuanji," he said immediately, "Help me contact the Eternal Beginning Dominator."

Before the words were finished, Xuanji's voice rang out. "Master, we have received an urgent Virtual Network meeting invitation from the Eternal Beginning Dominator. It was initiated just now. At the same time..."

Xuanji's voice carried a rare hint of doubt. "In the past three seconds, we have received Virtual Network visit requests from as many as 197 Venerable Lords, including Xuan Yan, Sky Halberd Lord, Radiance Lord,..."

Lord of the Nether Sea, Lord Hai Hong, etc.

Lin Yi's heart skipped a beat.

The fact that the Eternal Beginning Dominator contacted him almost simultaneously could be explained by the fact that the Bright Moon Supreme also sensed it and then informed the Eternal Beginning Dominator. But for hundreds of Venerable Lords to request visits almost at the same time? This is far from ordinary!

Could it be... that those venerable lords also...?

Lin Yi immediately forced himself to calm down, "First, accept the invitation from the Eternal Beginning Dominator."

"Yes, Master."

The pure white space, the scene of stone houses and stone benches was instantly constructed.

The figure of the Eternal Beginning Dominator solidified almost simultaneously. His face was more solemn than Lin Yi had ever seen before. The moment their eyes met, they understood each other without words.

"You received it too?" The voice of the Eternal Beginning Dominator was so low that it was almost inaudible.

Lin Yi nodded emphatically, "I saw a scene. Boundless black mist, countless slime-like monsters, were eroding an enormous... clam. I'm certain, that's our universe! It's issuing a warning, struggling to resist!"

The Eternal Beginning Dominator's pupils contracted slightly, confirming his worst fears. "I also received the same images... and hundreds of Venerable Lords submitted visit requests to me almost simultaneously."

"... More than a hundred Venerable Lords have also submitted urgent communications to me," Lin Yi said in a deep voice. He didn't think there was anything wrong with it. After all, he was a newly promoted ruler, and it was only natural that the Venerable Lords would instinctively contact the Eternal Beginning Dominator first when such a major event occurred.

A knowing glint flashed in the eyes of the Eternal Beginning Dominator: "It seems that it's not just us. I'm afraid... all those at the Venerable Lord Rank and above have received this message."

There is no doubt that the situation is more serious and urgent than expected.

This means that the intensity of the crisis has exceeded a certain limit, no longer limited to the covert perception of the Supreme level, but broadcast to all beings in the entire universe who have reached a certain level of life.

"They must also be panicked, desperately seeking answers and a leader." The Eternal Beginning Dominator quickly assessed the situation, his tone regaining the decisiveness befitting a ruler. "We can't delay any longer. Star Abyss, here's the plan: immediately pull all those Venerable Lords into the virtual space, and we'll convene a top-level emergency meeting."

"Okay." Lin Yi immediately agreed.

This is not the time for pomp and circumstance; we must immediately reach a consensus and stabilize morale.

The Eternal Beginning Dominator said no more, his consciousness subtly shifting.

The next moment, Lin Yi felt his consciousness being drawn into a simple, pure white virtual space.

There were no seats, only a vast platform, where he and the Eternal Beginning Dominator appeared in the center.

Immediately afterwards, as if starlight were falling, figures solidified one after another around the platform at an astonishing speed.

Xuan Yan, Sky Halberd Lord, Xuchen Venerable Lord, Lord Hai Hong, Zhenyu... one after another, figures, some composed, some surprised, and some solemn, quickly appeared.

Almost all the invited masters responded and connected instantly.

The space was completely silent; you could hear a pin drop.

All the lords' gazes were focused on the Eternal Beginning Dominator and Lin Yi in the center of the platform.

The Eternal Beginning Dominator's gaze slowly swept over each Venerable Lord. "Gentlemen, the reason for this sudden and urgent summons is something I'm sure you all already know."

In short, get straight to the point.

Many of the venerable ones nodded subconsciously, their expressions growing even more solemn.

Sky Halberd Lord couldn't help but step forward, asking in a deep voice, "Lord, Star Abyss... what... what exactly is that... and what exactly happened?"

His words echoed the sentiments of all the venerable ones.

The Eternal Beginning Dominator looked at Lin Yi and nodded slightly.

Lin Yi understood and stepped forward. "Our knowledge is also limited, but according to my and the Eternal Beginning Dominator's assessment, our universe is suffering from an unknown erosion or attack from the outside. The origin of the universe is fighting desperately and issuing warnings to all individuals within it who have reached a certain level of life."

"External attack?"

"Unknown erosion?"

"The origin of the universe... is resisting?"

Despite being mentally prepared, hearing the confirmation directly from the Star Abyss Ruler still sent shockwaves through the hearts of the Venerables present.

They were used to the struggles and wars within the universe and never imagined that one day the entire universe itself would face an external enemy.

The usually gentle face of the Xuan Yan was now solemn. He pondered and said, "So, the ominous signs of crisis that the Supreme Beings sensed earlier... the root of it lies here?"

"I'm afraid so," the Eternal Beginning Dominator affirmed. "The four Supreme Beings' perceptions were a harbinger. Now, this alarm, directly affecting the soul, means... a crisis is imminent."

A subdued murmur arose on the platform.

"Then what should we do?" the Venerable Lord Mountain Suppressor asked in a deep voice. "Even the universe itself can hardly withstand it, what can we do?"

This is a question on everyone's mind.

Faced with a disaster of this magnitude, the power of Venerable Lord Rank being seems ridiculously insignificant.

The Eternal Beginning Dominator and Lin Yi exchanged a glance, then the Ruler said, "This is precisely what we need to determine next. Our Human Race's judgment alone may not be comprehensive enough. Star Abyss, let's immediately contact the Spirit Race Supremes to confirm the situation and understand their response strategies."

"Okay." Lin Yi nodded.

This is the most reasonable approach.

The Eternal Beginning Dominator then addressed the assembled Venerables on the platform. "Please remain calm and wait here. The Star Abyss Sovereign and I will immediately inquire with the Spirit Race Supreme about the details."

The assembled dignitaries naturally had no objections and bowed in obedience.

The consciousness of the Eternal Beginning Dominator and Lin Yi was then temporarily withdrawn from this temporary meeting space.

The Eternal Beginning Dominator initiated a virtual meeting request directly through his exclusive channel with the Bright Moon Supreme.

The request was approved almost instantly.

As the light and shadow shifted, the two appeared in a courtyard that seemed to be woven from moonlight and starlight.

The figure of the Bright Moon Supreme was already there. She was still wearing a simple white linen dress, barefoot and with silver hair, but at this moment, her beautiful face no longer had the gentle indifference of the past. Instead, it was filled with a deep solemnity and worry.

"Heng Shi, Star Abyss," Zhaoyue's voice was still clear, but visibly tense, "You've received it too."

It is a declarative sentence.

"Yes," the Eternal Beginning Dominator replied briefly, then asked urgently, "Zhaoyue, where is the Primeval Cosmos Supreme? What exactly is going on? That alarm... on the Spirit Race's side?"

Zhaoyue shook her head gently, her tone tinged with helplessness. "Sister Chu Yu has already set off to find Dark Annihilation and Frost Rainbow. Things are much more serious than we anticipated, so serious... that they've exceeded all our contingency plans."

She paused, then continued, "All Spirit Race at the Venerable Lord Rank and above, including the rulers of subordinate clans, received the same soul warning at the same time. Before Sister Chu Yu left, she left clear instructions: All members of the Pan-Spirit Alliance, immediately raise your combat readiness level to the highest! Enter a full-scale war state! This will be a battle for the survival of the entire race... a battle for survival!"

The highest level of war! A battle for survival!

Both the Eternal Beginning Dominator and Lin Yi felt their hearts sink.

Primeval Cosmos Supreme's reaction was even more intense and decisive than they had anticipated.

"Zhaoyue, do you... know what's outside?" The Eternal Beginning Dominator couldn't help but press, "Did the Primeval Cosmos Supreme say what's eroding the universe? Is there... anything we can do? Even just to slow it down..."

A bitter expression appeared on Zhaoyue's beautiful face. She shook her head again, her voice softening.

"I don't know. Sister Chu Yu doesn't know either. That black mist, those monsters... we've never seen any similar descriptions in any records."

She raised her head, gazing at the empty sky above the courtyard, her eyes filled with complex emotions. "Sister Chu Yu even tried to see if she could find a way to briefly go outside and take a look, perhaps she could find a weakness or a way to deal with it."

The Eternal Beginning Dominator and Lin Yi listened intently, holding their breath.

"But," Zhaoyue's tone carried a deep sense of helplessness, "This crisis isn't in the Chaos Tribunal Sea outside the cosmic bubble, but... at a higher level. Like a fetus unable to leave its mother's body, and even less able to resolve the crisis facing the mother, we... don't even know how to get out."

Upon hearing this, the two fell silent.

Their pride in their strength, wisdom, and civilization seems so insignificant in the face of the unknown terrors "outside."

Zhaoyue turned her gaze back to Heng Shi and Lin Yi, and slowly said, "So, Sister Chu Yu said that the only thing we can do now is to follow the original plan, but with a hundred times, a thousand times, more urgency. That is to increase our strength! To increase the strength of the entire clan at all costs!"

"Invest all resources, all potential, and all wisdom into enhancing our strength! Cultivate more powerful individuals, develop more powerful weapons and technologies, and integrate all forces that can be integrated! Because when that barrier is completely shattered, when the terror from the outside truly descends..."

Only with sufficient strength can one have a glimmer of hope! Whether in battle, defense, or...

Seeking one last chance!

At all costs, increase our strength!

Lin Yi repeated this sentence to himself.