Yongning City, within the Lu family estate.
Many of Xuanhuang Star's important figures had already gathered here for Lu Wenyuan's Martial Saint banquet. After Demon God Meng Qi appeared, those who had not attended the banquet also hurried here to discuss how to deal with him.
Thus, at this moment, more than ninety-nine percent of Xuanhuang Star's important figures had gathered in the Lu family estate's banquet hall.
As for the remaining important figures, most had already become the leaders of their respective factions' legacy plans.
After all, with Demon God Meng Qi's emergence, humanity had little confidence in being able to deal with him. Naturally, the various factions had to preserve a batch of seeds so that their factions-or humanity itself-could carry on in the future.
Inside the banquet hall.
After even the most powerful nuclear bomb's explosion had only inflicted some injuries on Demon God Meng Qi, the leaders of the various factions and Xuanhuang Star's important figures all wore looks of anxiety they could barely conceal.
Even supreme experts like Wei Changsheng and Chu Zhongtian wore solemn expressions. They knew full well that after the most powerful nuclear bomb had exploded, humanity posed less and less of a threat to Demon God Meng Qi.
"Everyone!"
The emperor of Chu State, who had already arrived, looked at the other experts present and said anxiously, "Although Demon God Meng Qi has temporarily retreated into the ocean because of his injuries, please hurry and think of ways to deal with him. If we can't kill him, more and more people will certainly die!"
"If he destroys the major military bases along the coast, even the other ocean demon beasts alone will be enough to pose an enormous threat to humanity!"
Hearing this, everyone in the banquet hall could not help exchanging glances.
Really, what other way was there to deal with a terrifying demon beast like Demon God Meng Qi?
With even the most powerful nuclear bomb failing to completely annihilate Demon God Meng Qi, humanity had only one last option left...
Their experts would have to put their lives on the line against Demon God Meng Qi!
If one person could not deal with Demon God Meng Qi, then a group would!
After all, if many Martial Masters joined forces, they absolutely had a chance of slaying a Demon Saint!
By the same logic, if many Martial Saints joined forces, they naturally had a chance of slaying Demon God Meng Qi as well.
But first, Demon God Meng Qi could simply flee once he sensed a mortal threat, and the Martial Saints surrounding him might not be able to stop his escape;
Second, the Human Race's Martial Saints were far weaker than Demon God Meng Qi. Even if they surrounded him, many would certainly fall, so naturally, no one wanted to make such a suggestion!
"Everyone!"
Wei Changsheng, the head of the Wei Martial Arts Academy, swept them with a gaze as sharp as a blade before saying solemnly, "I believe everyone here knows very well that Demon God Meng Qi's appearance has plunged us humans on Xuanhuang Star into an unprecedented crisis!"
"If we don't find a way to kill him, humanity might be wiped out completely on Xuanhuang Star!"
Everyone present looked grim upon hearing Wei Changsheng's words, because they knew he was stating a fact.
"I know your various factions have all made plans to preserve our race!"
Wei Changsheng continued, "But Demon God Meng Qi has only just broken through to the Demon God realm. According to humanity's records of this realm, he will certainly be able to live for nearly ten thousand years! Even if we hide in legacy bases and escape this calamity for a time, once the demon beasts discover those bases, we'll still have nowhere to run!"
"So we must kill him now!"
The aura of Wei Changsheng, who had originally seemed somewhat weighed down by age, had now become extraordinarily wild. "Only then can we reduce humanity's losses!"
"That's right! Demon God Meng Qi must die!" Chu Zhongtian said coldly beside him.
"Headmaster Wei, Ancestor Chu!"
The emperor of Wei State, whose strength had yet to reach the Martial Saint level, quickly said anxiously, "We all know we have to kill Demon God Meng Qi, but even the most powerful nuclear bomb failed to kill him. What else can we do?"
"My Martial Arts Academy has a survival base that was reinforced by two of our Martial Gods!"
Wei Changsheng quickly said, "I could easily send my family's younger generations inside and let them hide there, but I don't want them hiding there forever without hope. I don't want the children of my family's younger generations to be unable to see this flourishing world from the moment they're born!"
"So..."
Wei Changsheng's voice echoed in the ears of everyone in the banquet hall. "I've decided to fight to the death and slay Demon God Meng Qi!"
"Hahaha, well said!"
Chu Zhongtian also stood up beside him. "Old Wei, you've spent these past few centuries hiding in your Martial Arts Academy teaching students. I thought you'd forgotten how to fight!"
"To think that after that beast Mengqi broke through, you'd be the first to stand up! But how could I be left out of this?"
"You and I are both seventh-order Martial Saints, but everyone on Xuanhuang Star thinks you're a little stronger than me. This time, I'll see which of us is truly stronger!"
"I'm going too!"
"Hahaha, I'm already nearing the end of my thousand-year lifespan. I was planning to head into the ocean and kill a few Demon Saints as my final battle anyway. Demon God Meng Qi has appeared at just the right time!"
"I'd like to see just how strong a Demon God-level demon beast really is!"
"Count me in!"
After hearing Chu Zhongtian and Wei Changsheng speak one after another, other Martial Saints around them soon spoke up as well.
Among these Martial Saints, some were aged and decrepit, already approaching the end of their thousand-year lifespans; some were only one or two hundred years old, in the blazing noon of their lives; and some had only recently broken through and were not even a hundred years old...
Yet at this moment, they all rose to volunteer without a single one shrinking back!
Watching this scene from the side, Lu Qingshan's heart brimmed with countless feelings!
In truth, after the most powerful nuclear bomb failed to kill Demon God Meng Qi, Lu Qingshan's first thought had been to retreat for the time being!
After all, with his current strength and talent, as long as he had another hundred-odd years, he would certainly have a chance of reaching the Martial God level;
At that point, even if he could not kill Demon God Meng Qi, protecting humanity would pose no problem.
But now, seeing so many experts volunteer to fight, he too felt his blood surge.
That's right!
So what if I break through to Star Level in the future?
The cultivation resources on Xuanhuang Star can't possibly support my cultivation to Universe Level!
Although Star Level comes with a lifespan of ten thousand years and would give me a better chance of making contact with cosmic civilization, who can guarantee that Xuanhuang Star is within the Human Race's territory?
So, whether or not I can reach the Martial God level in the future, my hopes of making contact with cosmic civilization are incredibly slim.
Then rather than regretting in the days ahead that I couldn't fight shoulder to shoulder with everyone today, I might as well stake everything now!
If we win, the billions of humans on Xuanhuang Star can continue living in peace;
If we lose, that will still be the outcome after giving everything we have. I won't regret it!
At this moment, a change came over Lu Qingshan's entire state of mind.
Thus, Lu Qingshan soon spoke as well. "You must count me in. As the world's strongest expert, I certainly won't back down!"
In fact, as both the world's strongest expert and the host here, Lu Qingshan naturally drew the most attention.
With Wei Changsheng and Chu Zhongtian, the world's second- and third-strongest experts, having spoken one after another, everyone else naturally wanted to see what choice Lu Qingshan would make.
If Lu Qingshan chose to retreat, the other Martial Saints would naturally have a reason to retreat as well.
After all, they were all Martial Saints. Even if humanity had to flee en masse in the future, their chances of survival would be the highest.
But now that Lu Qingshan had stepped forward as well, even more of the Martial Saints around him volunteered to fight.
After all, even Lu Qingshan, the world's strongest expert, had stepped forward. What reason did they have to retreat?
But just then...
"No!"
A voice suddenly interrupted the other Martial Saints volunteering around them.
Everyone in the banquet hall looked toward the voice and discovered that the speaker was none other than the world's second-strongest expert, Wei Changsheng, who had been the first to decide to fight Demon God Meng Qi to the death!
"This..."
Everyone looked at Wei Changsheng in bewilderment, not knowing why he had objected.
Wei Changsheng, however, quickly turned to Lu Qingshan and said, "Young friend Qingshan, you cannot take part in this battle!"
"Why is that?"
Hearing Wei Changsheng object to his participation, Lu Qingshan quickly asked in return.
"Of course it's because you are humanity's last hope!"
Wei Changsheng quickly said solemnly, "You're only a little over three hundred years old, yet you've already cultivated to eighth-order Martial Saint. Your cultivation speed surpasses even that of many Martial Gods in human history!"
"In going to face Demon God Meng Qi this time, we're really just fighting to the death. We have no certainty of victory!"
"If we fail, we'll still need you to shelter the humans who survive!"
"Besides, with your strength and talent, given another hundred or two hundred years, you might well reach the Martial God level!"
"When that time comes, even if the demon beasts already rule all of Xuanhuang Star, with you leading us, humanity will still be able to continue holding a place on Xuanhuang Star, living and multiplying!"
"That's right!"
After hearing Wei Changsheng's words, Chu Zhongtian beside him quickly said as well, "King Yongning, don't take part in this battle. If we fail, humanity will indeed still need your leadership!"
"I'll have someone gather Chu State's cultivation resources and send them here to you shortly. I believe they'll help you break through to the Martial God level sooner!"
"Yes! King Yongning, if humanity loses, the remaining humans will still need your leadership!"
"King Yongning, as long as you're here, humanity won't perish!"
"King Yongning, I've already decided to fight Demon God Meng Qi to the death. These are some cultivation resources I have on me. I hope they can lend you a hand. I'm entrusting humanity to you!"
For a time, the many experts present all spoke up.
As Lu Qingshan watched the scene before him, a glimmer of moisture shone in his eyes.
This was humanity!
In his previous life, he had been moved by the sacrifices of Hong, Thunder God, Luo Feng, Jia Yi, and the others when the Earthlings faced the Golden Horned Beast catastrophe.
And now, as the humans on Xuanhuang Star faced such a calamity, countless people were likewise stepping forward!
But where lay the chance of survival for the humans on Xuanhuang Star?
But suddenly...
Wisps of earthy-yellow airflow abruptly appeared throughout the banquet hall!