The situation was urgent, Little Mage dared not delay for even a moment.
He decisively turned his head to look at the Guiding Water Orb floating beside him:
" Guidance, please help me. I need detailed information about this faction."
When questioned, the Guidance remained somewhat impatient, and with a wave of his hand, a screen of light appeared.
In the center of the image is a humanoid life form with lifeless bluish-gray skin and hair that consists of countless twisting, writhing, living snakes, hissing and flicking their tongues.
Its most striking feature is its pair of eyes, which have no pupils and are entirely composed of a pale white color.
[This race GeGong Clan, a matriarchal society. They possess a racial talent called "Stone Condensation," which can be understood as a curse-like ability. It can be transmitted through mental projection, rapidly Petrification any living being that comes into contact with this energy... This was once a spell, but through long years of use and refinement, this ability has long since become a life-inherited mark, part of the race's innate talent, present at birth as naturally as breathing...]
Follow the Guidance explanation.
The scene shifts to show this creature hunting in the woods.
When they move, their lower bodies fuse together to form a strong snake tail, which meanders forward at an extremely fast speed.
The figure of a Lingxi Clan warrior flashed at the edge of the screen. After only a moment's eye contact with those pale eyes, his body rapidly turned gray and stiffened from the point of contact, turning into a terrified stone statue in the blink of an eye. Then, he was easily shattered into dust by a Sweeping snake tail.
But the hunt was not over.
This was a massacre caused by an unequal disparity in strength.
All the tactics and teamwork of the Lingxi Clan's elite squad were rendered powerless in the face of the innate abilities of this GeGong Clan creature.
In the end, only the three Spirit Warriors who were furthest away, in the instant their companions risked their lives, did not hesitate to burn their life essence to activate the costly Super Beast Secret Technique, transforming into three streaks of blood light, and narrowly escaped from that desolate wasteland, bringing back the terrible news.
The image on the light screen slowly faded away.
The Guiding Water Orb lazily added:
[And so, the 33 points of Sacrificial Power for displaying intelligence have been deducted from your account.]
After speaking, Guidance closed his eyes.
Through the Guidance, the Little Mage clearly understood the intensity of this force's war.
The highest combat power level of the GeGong Clan is 257, and the average overall combat power level of the tribe is 89. This is clearly not a tribe that the Lingxi Clan can compete with.
If a full-scale war were to break out, the Lingxi Clan would inevitably be overwhelmingly suppressed.
Feeling immediately overwhelmed, he began to quickly think of ways to solve the problem.
Before him, there was a viable precedent.
A well-known Forum user, " Reborn Bro," once faced the risk of failing a hidden quest.
Its mission at the time was probably to protect a force called the " Dragonwing Clan " from being conquered by other races.
However, the invading forces were simply beyond what Reborn Bro could contend with.
In order to complete the mission, Reborn Bro chose to seek help from the three joint guilds at the village entrance battlefield.
It's unclear exactly how he sought help, but the result was that Reborn Bro, with the support of his fellow villagers, managed to activate the hidden quest of "protecting the Dragonwing Clan."
The same applies to this crisis.
With the help of fellow villagers, the GeGong Clan will obviously not face any difficulties.
Under the leadership of the God King, the battle-hardened Temple Guild was more than capable of crushing the GeGong Clan to the ground.
But Reborn Bro's "calling for reinforcements" method is something he is destined to be unable to replicate.
Back in the Spirit Breath Small World, those who made enemies with him were all top-tier player teams who had escaped the pursuit of the Spirit Breath Legion.
They can be said to be at the Pyramid Peak, and many of them are members of the Divine Hall or even other top guilds.
They didn't die at the hands of the Spirit Breath Legion, but were instead "wiped out" under the guise of distributing benefits.
If its request for help is posted on the Forum, perhaps several carloads of "fellow villagers" will come from afar.
But it might not necessarily be an aid; more likely, it would be an attack or beating.
They might wipe out the Lingxi Clan first, then imprison him in Emperor's Tomb Village and give him a title, preventing him from ever leaving the village again.
Therefore, seeking help from fellow villagers is highly unlikely, and he must find a solution to this problem himself.
As his thoughts raced, the Little Mage slowly furrowed his brow.
The GeGong Clan's investigative forces will likely arrive soon, and war could break out at any moment.
Lingxi City's still-developing urban defense system won't last long before it's torn apart.
He deduced various plans.
But it seems that all the solutions ultimately lead to the same result.
The huge gap in combat power is an insurmountable mountain.
Failure seems to be only a matter of time.
The price of failure would be the slaughter, Petrification, and devouring of eight million people, and all that he had painstakingly built up over a year and a half would be reduced to nothing.
As his thoughts raced, the Little Mage turned his gaze to the player Forum.
Perhaps we can find inspiration for defeating the GeGong Clan there.
Meanwhile, the main city of the GeGong Clan: Stone Nest.
This is a nest city constructed of pale giant bones and hardened resin, perpetually shrouded in a white, poisonous fog.
Inside the heart of the city, in the main hall of the Mother Nest, the supreme ruler, the Snake Mother, sits atop a small hill made of twisted stone statues of various creatures.
Its form is larger and more imposing than other members of the GeGong Clan.
Its bluish-gray skin was covered with Dark Gold patterns, and at the tip of its writhing snake hair was a snake head that kept opening and closing, revealing sharp fangs.
The pale, pupil-less eyes were lowered, listening to the report from a scout crawling on the ground below.
The scout trembled slightly, not from fear of the Snake Mother, but from the lingering fear of witnessing the brief encounter from afar:
"Great Snake Mother, one of our patrol squads discovered an Foreign Race Squad at the edge of the Black Swamp Forest, and a conflict broke out. The aliens resisted fiercely, but their combat strength was not high. The power of stone condensation was very effective, and most of the targets were quickly turned into stone statues. However, in the end, three Alien Races escaped using some kind of blood escape technique that burned their life Qi and Blood. Our warriors were unable to intercept them."
After the report was finished, the hall fell into a Deathly Stillness, broken only by the hissing of the snakes.
The Snake Mother slowly raised her head, her pale eyes revealing no emotion, but the icy pressure emanating from her made the temperature in the hall drop several degrees.
"They escaped?" Her voice was low and hoarse.
"In other words... we've been exposed, and the other side has also learned about some of our clan's abilities."
It gently tapped the Throne of Bones beneath it with its slender fingers covered in fine stone scales.
This is clearly not good news.
The appearance of an unknown force near territory means that war could break out at any moment.
But deep down, besides feeling a little fear, there was also a growing greedy desire surging within him.
Living in this cruel world, it always believed that the fastest way to rise to power was through plunder and conquest.
An unfamiliar tribe means unknown resource reserves, and even a large amount of flesh and blood energy that can be consumed.
If they can devour it, the race will surely experience a leap in growth in the following period.
But the prerequisite for plunder is having the ability to crush the opponent, rather than being devoured by them.
Thinking of this, the Snake Mother looked at her subordinates, her full head of snake hair dancing with her emotions:
"Please record the information about this tribe for me."
Faced with the Snake Mother's command, the prostrate GeGong Clan warrior lowered his head even further. From his wavy, snake-like hair, a thin, jet-black snake slowly emerged, sliding down his hunched back to the ground before silently swimming toward the bone throne high above.
The Snake Mother's pale eyes were lowered as she watched the small snake slither up the throne made of stone statues.
Finally, they arrived in front of her.
A single snake hair on its head slowly lowered and gently touched the forehead of the person recording the snake.
In an instant, the battle scenes and energy fluctuations flooded into the Snake Mother's mind like a tidal wave.
In the scene, a member of the tribe who was exploring outside the city suddenly Perception unfamiliar fluctuations of Qi and Blood energy when he reached a familiar scene.
It decisively concealed its presence, hiding in the bushes, and slowly approached the direction from which the fluctuations in Qi and Blood were coming from.
Before long, the people in the scene saw the figures of the Alien Races race approaching from a distance.
This led to a confrontation.
At the end of the scene, it saw the three Lingxi Clan warriors turn into bloody light and quickly disappear into the sky, leaving behind only a devastated battlefield and Petrification debris scattered all over the ground.
The mental connection was severed at this point.
The snake that recorded the information seemed to have lost all its energy, became stiff, fell from the throne, and shattered on the white bone ground below.
After reading the record, the Snake Mother fell into deep thought.
The fact that the tribesmen encountered this small Foreign Race Squad by chance cannot be used as a basis for judging the tribe's strength or even its war prowess.
But you can still see some clues.
In the initial encounter, this race's combat strength was not outstanding, and even lacked any highlights.
Perhaps it is a Alien Races civilization that can be hunted and plundered.
However, the information was still too little to explain everything.
Perhaps the other side is merely a slave creature of the tribe behind them, and cannot represent the war controlled by the forces behind them.
As her thoughts churned, fear and greed intertwined in the Snake Mother's heart.
It craves to wage war and revels in the evolutionary thrill of devouring.
But its reason as a ruler told it that rushing headlong into another behemoth of unknown size in the darkness would be an extremely foolish decision.
Perhaps, the moment the behemoth reveals its form will be the moment the GeGong Clan faces its destruction.
"Dispatch all Stone Speakers and Shadow Snakes to investigate." The Snake Mother finally gave the order, a resolute glint in her pale eyes:
"I need to know everything about this race, including their population size, weaknesses, and power system... Until we understand their true nature, any large-scale operations must cease."
At this point, the Snake Mother paused briefly, then her tone turned sinister:
"At the same time, prepare all warriors within our tribe. Once we confirm that the Alien Races is no threat, our fangs will pierce their hearts."
The order was quickly relayed, and the entire GeGong Clan began to operate efficiently, like a war machine.
We are preparing to launch a comprehensive investigation into the Lingxi Clan.
The Snake Mother returned to her throne, her gaze seemingly piercing through the walls of the Stone Nest, looking towards the direction of Lingxi City.
The caution that surfaced in his eyes could not conceal his greedy desires.
It could sense the commotion emanating from the depths of the lair; the bloodlust of the war commanders was pressing down on it as if it were a tangible force.
The GeGong Clan revere conquest and annexation; prolonged peace will only lead to the accumulation of internal pressure.
It needs a war to unleash this power.
They either plunder external forces or devour themselves, using self-destructive competition to optimize and innovate.
It craves the intelligence it gathers to satisfy the bloodlust of the GeGong Clan.
Just as the Little Mage was deep within the royal court pondering a way out of the predicament, and the GeGong Clan was preparing to launch an investigation.
The seven Thrones of Spirit Breath, who had also received the urgent message of " War Priest," had gathered in the Lingxi Council Hall.
Within the magnificent hall, energy surged like the tides.
Beside the enormous conference table, seven figures, each with a unique form yet radiating a powerful aura of life, sat silently, like statues that had existed since time immemorial.
The first to break the silence was the Soul King, surrounded by a pale blue soul mist, whose voice seemed to come from the depths of time:
"This could very well be the first real war crisis we've faced since we arrived in the Monster World. The Blood King must have already received the news. What are your thoughts?"
In response to the question, the Bone King beside the Soul King said in a deep voice:
"The current situation is that we know nothing about the Alien Races races, but they also know nothing about the Lingxi Clan. Each of us sees the other as a force of unknown combat power. We are nervous at the moment, and perhaps the Alien Races are even more nervous than us. They are also worried about whether they can cope with the war power possessed by our Lingxi Clan."
"Before they have a clear understanding of our situation, they probably won't dare to make any rash moves."
After listening to the Bone King's analysis, the Soul King and the other six thrones nodded in agreement.
They have all considered this idea.
It is certain that the Alien Races forces will soon launch a reconnaissance operation and conduct a detailed investigation of the Lingxi Clan.
As long as it is clear that their war power is insufficient to pose a serious threat, a war of plunder will ensue.
" Soul King, why did you summon us here? Why didn't you call Blood King?" Fungus King asked, puzzled.
Upon hearing this, the Soul King sighed and glanced at the other six Spirit Thrones:
"Let me ask you all a question first: how many years have we seven old guys been guarding the Lingxi Clan?"
Before the other thrones could answer, the Soul King continued:
"We were once the leaders of the Lingxi Clan, the cornerstone of the Lingxi Clan development. Every interdimensional war our Super Beast Legion waged contributed to the clan's growth. Those were our most glorious moments. With our war experience, we led the Lingxi Clan to unprecedented heights... But that was all in the past."
"Can anyone tell me, what is our value after descending into the Monster World?"
"The answer is that we are worthless, more like stumbling blocks on the road to the new era. Only the Blood King is the future of the Lingxi Clan, the only hope to break the Lingxi Clan's development predicament... But he is being held back by us old stubborns. If the Lingxi Clan wants to be completely integrated and united as one, there shouldn't be the old era's eight thrones. We should delegate power to the Blood King."
Upon hearing these words, the expressions of the other six kings dimmed slightly.
They understood perfectly well what the Soul King was saying.
The eight thrones also represent the eight branches of the Lingxi Clan.
Although they are compatriots, each lineage has its own leader, its own interests, and its own way of doing things.
Once the Blood King's decrees leave the capital, they are subject to some degree of influence; the final decision must be made after consultation with the relevant authorities.
Even if they were willing to relinquish power to the Blood King, their very existence would be an obstacle.
The existence of those seven old men had, in effect, divided the power of the Lingxi Clan into eight parts.
The Soul King's tone was filled with deep weariness and helplessness:
"Externally, we face unknown and powerful enemies; internally, we must expend energy balancing the interests of different branches and reconciling their conflicts. Each branch of the clan is hoping that their respective leader will make decisions that are favorable to them... Even if the Blood King has extraordinary strategies, this heavy internal strife has slowed his progress."
"We keep saying it's for the sake of the community, but this ingrained structure is itself the biggest shackle preventing the community from moving into a new era."
"What the future needs is integration and unity, not the continuation of this Eight Kings structure." The Soul King surveyed the other thrones, a resolute glint in his eyes:
"Our authority stems from the deepest desire of our people for rise and survival; now, we must relinquish it for that vision."
"The current crisis with the Alien Races is merely the first life-or-death hurdle our race faces in this Monster World, not the end. The road ahead is fraught with peril and unpredictable. If we cannot sever internal strife and forge an unbreakable bond, the Spiritual Flame... will ultimately be a fleeting moment."
"Now we have an opportunity. The Alien Races knows very little about us, and both sides are about to enter a probing phase before war. If we want to make the Alien Races wary of us, the best thing to do is to bare our fangs and demonstrate our power in the most ferocious way... Gentlemen, we... should retreat."
After hearing the Soul King's words, the other six Spirit Thrones understood what Soul King meant.
The Soul King wants to use this crisis to break the old system of the Eight Meridians' division.
The demise of the seven leaders was used to achieve absolute unity of the clan, clearing all obstacles for the Blood King to seize power.
Secondly, their all-out attack during the probing phase will inevitably intimidate Alien Races, deterring them from any aggressive actions and even causing them to retreat voluntarily.
The Alien Races could never have imagined that the seven combatants sent during the probing phase would be the strongest force of the Lingxi Clan.
"I agree with the Soul King's idea. We seven old guys still have the most ancient life structure, which can no longer keep up with the new generation born through reproduction after the reform. Our existence is no longer protection, but trapping the clan in the past. Extinction is to make way for a new path for them."
"It is nirvana, not annihilation," the Soul King corrected, his soul mist surging, yet his tone remained unusually calm.
"Our existence is bound to the Lingxi Clan from the moment we ascended the throne. The survival of individuals is meaningless. Only by completely fusing our last strength and our last will into one can we forge the most solid foundation for development, help the Blood King truly wield complete authority, lead the merged Lingxi Clan through this calamity, and even go further."
"With the simultaneous fall of the Seven Thrones, as sacrifices for the Blood King's ascension to absolute rule... at the same time, to put on a grand show to intimidate foreign enemies, killing two birds with one stone... that's certainly in line with your usual style, Soul King... but is it worth it?" The Fungus King's voice was filled with complex emotions.
"Worth it." This time, it wasn't the Soul King who spoke, but the Erosion King, whose body was radiating an aura of decay. Its voice was resolute:
"The glory and survival of the individual are as insignificant as dust before the survival of the race. If our complete annihilation can bring about a future of unity and harmony for the Lingxi Clan, free from internal strife, and even deter external enemies from easily invading, then this is the value of our existence."
The Dark King's silhouette nodded slightly in the shadows.
"I agree. The shadows of the old era should give way to the rising sun of the new era, burning away in the most fervent way. Isn't that giving ourselves some dignity? It's time for us old folks... to retire."
Although the other thrones did not speak immediately, the will permeating the hall was gradually converging.
It was a poignant yet resolute consensus, stemming from the deepest attachment to and responsibility towards their community.
Sensing this heavy resolve, the Soul King finally spoke:
"Then it is settled. In the future, there will be no more eight thrones, only the Blood King, and a complete, unified Lingxi Clan moving towards rebirth."
"Hahaha, we remnants of the old era have the opportunity to clear obstacles for the Lingxi Clan and the Blood King, and to end our lives in a sublime way. I like this kind of ending."
"I'm so frustrated! I've been so constrained ever since I came to this world, I've never dared to go all out." The Bone King's voice carried a wild, unrestrained energy that had been suppressed for so long.
"Now we can finally fight without restraint and show those Alien Races scum what the true power of the Lingxi Clan is."
The Fungus King's voice also carried a hint of fanaticism:
"Then let our final curtain call ignite the future, everyone. Let us once again join hands and fight for the glory of the Spirit Breath."
Upon hearing his colleague's words, the aura of decay surrounding the Erosion King suddenly intensified:
"Returning to nothingness... is also a magnificent end. To be able to journey to the end with all of you, my dearest friends of a thousand years, is truly wonderful."
At this moment, all worries and anxieties transformed into the exhilarating feeling of facing death with abandon:
"The glory of the past will ultimately form the foundation for a new life. From now on, all authority and power will be returned to the Blood King, so that the Lingxi Clan will have only one voice, one will, and one direction."
"Hahaha, good, this is the kind of ending we old guys deserve."
"A soldier's life should not end in retirement; dying in battle is our best destiny."
A surge of Battle Intent and determination rose into the sky as if it were a tangible force, shaking the entire Spirit Breath Hall.
At this moment, seven ancient wills resonated and intertwined without reservation, prepared to burn everything for the same goal.
The next moment, seven dazzling beams of light burst through the dome of the Spirit Breath Hall.
Like seven shooting stars rising against the tide, piercing straight into the sky.
The light faded, revealing the true forms of the seven thrones.
No longer concealing its aura, the boundless life energy spread unrestrainedly, its oppressive power enveloping the surrounding area.
They hovered high in the sky, looking down one last time at the Lingxi City below, which they had guarded for a thousand years and which was now reborn in a new world.
His gaze held too many indescribable emotions.
In that instant, time seemed to stand still.
Before parting, the Seven Thrones recalled their past.
On their coronation as kings, under the fervent gaze of millions of their people, they swore an oath before the ancient Altar:
"This life, this soul, we give our all; wherever glory points, that is where we will go."
In their youth, a flame of pioneering spirit and dedication to protecting their people burned in their eyes.
They were the first to lead the original Super Beast Legion, tearing apart the world's barriers and stepping into an unknown Small World.
Behind them are tense soldiers; ahead lies a new world filled with danger and opportunity.
Standing shoulder to shoulder, they combined their strength into an invincible torrent, bringing back the first abundant resources for their race, which was on the verge of exhaustion. This laid the foundation for their rise and clarified the path of plunder and development for the Lingxi Clan.
In a brutal cross-border war, the first Erosion King sacrificed himself to clear a path for the main force's retreat.
The scene depicts the other thrones silently guarding their slumbering place as the kings return to their home world.
There was also the Lingxi Civilization at its peak, when they stood on the clouds, looking down on the prosperous kingdom. Although there was weariness in their eyes, there was more satisfaction and pride.
That is the sweetest fruit of their hard work.
Countless scenes of battle, struggle, and glorious prosperity... the long years they shared, the trust forged in fighting side by side, and the moments of protecting their people... flashed through the minds of the seven kings like a revolving lantern, ultimately coalescing into a deep and profound attachment and responsibility to the word "spiritual breath" that Transcendence individual existence.
They took one last look at the city beneath their feet, imprinting it in their hearts.
The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the sky a magnificent orange-red, and the flowing clouds were like fire, as if the sky had laid out a carpet that stretched all the way to the end for them.
Warm light shone on their diverse yet equally steadfast bodies, gilding them with a sacred golden outline.
The Soul King murmured softly at this moment:
"For... our original vow."
This single sentence perfectly encapsulates the thoughts of the other throne holders.
All the sacrifices, all the resolute decisions, find their final conclusion in this sentence.
It's time to fulfill the promises made at the beginning of our journey, at the starting point of our struggle.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Seven deafening roars suddenly erupted from the depths of Lingxi City, like a ferocious beast that had slumbered for millennia suddenly awakening.
Immediately afterwards, seven beams of light, each a different color but all containing terrifying power, shot into the sky from different areas of the city.
It shot towards the seven thrones high in the sky.
These are seven terrifying, mountain-sized, throne-level super beasts.
They were once the most powerful weapons of war in the hands of the Seven Thrones.
Although they lacked independent consciousness, they sensed their master's resolute will and boiling Battle Intent, and let out a roar that tore through the sky.
The Bone King's companion super beast, " Starry Bone Dragon," carrying the aura of death, crashed into its body with a deafening roar, and thousands of bones perfectly merged with it.
The Fungus King's companion super beast, the " Thousand Spore Corrupted Beast," transformed into billions of mycelia shimmering with deadly light, enveloping and fusing with the Fungus King like a living tide, making its form increasingly enormous.
The Erosion King's companion beast, " Myriad Erosion Devourer," transformed into a torrent of gray smoke, merging into the decaying mist surrounding the Erosion King...
Without another word, the seven Shadow Transformation a breathtaking sight that tore through the sky.
With unwavering determination, they sped off towards the location of the " GeGong Clan's territory".
The mountains and rivers along the way rushed past beneath our feet.
Finally, on the distant horizon, the outline of the city of the GeGong Clan, exuding a cold and Deathly Stillness aura, came into view like a crouching behemoth.
The leading Soul King slowed down slightly. He glanced back at the six kings flying side by side behind him, and then looked into the distance at Li Lingxi City, whose outline was no longer visible in the afterglow of the sunset.
A sense of relief and nonchalance emerged in her pale blue eyes:
His calm voice clearly reached the ears of every person on the throne, devoid of sorrow, only displaying a composed and heroic spirit befitting a person going to a rendezvous:
"Gentlemen, Farewell to the Lingxi Heroes' Mausoleum..."
"Roar!" The six thrones responded with War Cry.
As soon as the words fell, the speed of the seven figures suddenly exploded, like seven sharp Li Jian burning with the last glimmer of life, shooting headlong into the Deathly Stillness Alien Races city.
With the most magnificent demise, let us offer the final, blazing flame of the old throne to the new era of spiritual breath.
They were only meant to ignite a spiritual future they were destined never to witness.
A tomorrow they can never reach.