The Monster Race wasn't the only one affected. Almost every peak faction, except the Crystal Race, had been drawn into it.
Even the Prison Race, which normally wouldn't have taken part in their war, had been retaliated against by the Human Race because of its greed.
After bidding farewell to Lord of Ganwu, Ace continued deeper into the Outer-Domain Battlefield.
Most of the alien Venerables sent to pursue and intercept him along the way were dealt with. A few escaped using palace-type treasures and spread word of his actions far and wide.
As a result, a group of equally powerful experts came to surround him in retaliation.
"Heh, Savage Elephant Venerable, you're interested in coming to hunt me down too?"
Ace looked at the enormous figure blocking his path. His heart tightened, but he still put on an unconcerned expression.
Savage Elephant Venerable belonged to the Star Mammoth clan of the Monster Race. Although they weren't a royal clan, they were among the strongest of the kingly clans.
If their clan had a powerhouse who'd broken through to become a Universe Master, then given their bloodline talents and Gene Multipliers, they would undoubtedly rank above the Sky Wolf Clan.
His divine body was enormous even by Monster Race standards, making him one of their top Universe Overlords!
He was also one of the natural enemies of Ace's long-range fighting style.
But...
"If you've got the guts, come out of that damn shield!"
Savage Elephant Venerable punched Ace's protective barrier, but it didn't do any damage. The barrier even glowed a little brighter.
"Do I look stupid?" Ace mocked. "If I came out now, would your friends hiding in your God Kingdom really let me go?"
"You!" Savage Elephant Venerable was furious, but he was helpless against the defense before him, which was as strong as a High-grade Supreme Treasure.
Against anyone else, his defense would have been virtually invincible. But now...
The talent that should have given him an advantage had become a burden.
Even his powerful attacks couldn't break through Ace's defenses.
"Stop struggling. We've laid a tight net around you. You can't even connect to the Virtual Universe.
"You have only two choices. Either release our people, and we might grant you a quick death.
"Or self-destruct now and draw the attention of your Human Race's higher-ups!"
A Bug Race Mother Emperor emerged from the void, with an endless sea of bugs behind her.
She was Venerable Qi Lian, currently the Bug Race's only Top Universe Overlord.
"That's right. Our Universe Master is already on the way. If you're willing to release our people, I can guarantee your safety!"
This time, the speaker was a Machine Race Venerable whose body gleamed with a metallic sheen. He, too, was a Top Overlord.
His name was Venerable Xinji!
"What kind of nonsense are you all talking?"
Ace smiled as he spoke, quietly surprised.
They could block the Virtual Universe?!
These guys had even resorted to this kind of method. It seemed the three races were truly getting desperate.
But...
They didn't know that, as a Giant of Light, he had means of communication beyond the Virtual Universe!
With that thought, Ace waved his hand, and a beam of light flashed toward the distance.
The three Top Overlords saw it and instinctively dodged, unaware that this was exactly what Ace had intended.
"Something's wrong—that's... Quick, Savage Elephant, Qi Lian, attack!"
Venerable Xinji of the Machine Race reacted the fastest. The moment he recognized Ace's beam of light, he responded.
Unfortunately, it was already too late!
"We're done for!"
The three of them thought the same thing.
Savage Elephant Venerable lost his earlier composure and suddenly increased the force behind his attacks.
Venerable Qi Lian's expression darkened as well.
"Why so quiet all of a sudden? Where's all that arrogance from before?"
Seeing their reactions, Ace was thrilled.
But he knew that getting reinforcements would still take some time.
The Machine Race's Universe Master would arrive soon, though. Ace wasn't confident he could escape from three equally powerful opponents, so he might as well...
With that thought, Ace maneuvered his protective barrier backward.
"He's trying to escape!"
Savage Elephant Venerable roared and finally brought out his High-grade Supreme Treasure, the Savage Elephant Hammer.
He struck Ace with a solid blow.
Ace's protective barrier remained intact, but the blow undoubtedly placed an additional burden on it.
After all, the divine power required to activate a Supreme Treasure was nothing like the amount needed to activate a precious treasure.
What was more, attacks from opponents of the same level could often reach the threshold of a first-tier Universe Master.
As a result, Ace's divine power was being depleted!
"Stop making pointless struggles!"
As Venerable Xinji spoke, he produced a long spear and attacked Ace.
Venerable Qi Lian said nothing, merely directing her swarm of bugs to cut off Ace's escape route.
"Pointless struggles?" Ace said nothing. He only grinned.
Although all three alien Venerables had unleashed powerful attacks, the offensive power of mere Top Overlords still couldn't break through Ace's defenses.
Of course, he wasn't stupid enough to go out and face three—or even more—equally powerful opponents.
"Ace's Ultra Signature?"
Venerable Ice Axe Seven, billions of light-years away, was the first Guard Team member to receive Ace's distress signal.
He didn't dare delay. He hurriedly stored his many servants in his personal World Ring.
He entered the Virtual Universe.
"Captain, Ace is under attack from at least three alien Top Overlords. They've cut off his connection to the Virtual Universe.
"His current coordinates are... Please send reinforcements as soon as possible!"
"Understood! I'll send the nearest Human Race experts to help!"
After receiving Seven's report, Lord of True Light immediately ordered the human experts in the Outer-Domain Battlefield to provide support.
As for why Ace didn't directly send a distress signal to the human experts in the Outer-Domain Battlefield, the answer was simple: Ultra Signatures were a racial talent used exclusively within the Ultra Clan.
Other races, including humans, needed to expend a massive amount of computing power to analyze the information they contained.
Even the Machine Race would need at least three days to fully decipher the message.
After receiving Lord of True Light's confirmation, Seven didn't dare delay. He immediately used God Kingdom Teleportation to hurry toward the Outer-Domain Battlefield.
"Venerable Light Blade, you can't escape!"
Seeing Ace repeatedly trying to break out of the swarm, Venerable Qi Lian increased her control over the bugs.
But how could these Zerg Warriors, whose strength had only reached the Immortal Level, stop Ace, a Top Overlord?
Still, the sheer number of them slowed Ace down considerably.
"Savage Elephant Heavenly Domain!"
Savage Elephant Venerable had always been the slowest among them.
Faced with Ace, who was steadily pulling farther away, he stopped holding back and activated a Domain-type Supreme Treasure shaped like a mountain.
In an instant, the surrounding stretch of space, nearly ten light-years in diameter, was enveloped by the power of the Law of Earth and Space.
Ace slowed down once again.
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