Over the next few days, the World Tree army lay low, launching no attacks on the borders of the Shattered World or the shallow dimensions, and ceased exerting pressure, resulting in a brief lull in the fighting. However, the strategic command centers of the Three Universal Civilizations civilizations remained vigilant, maintaining a tense atmosphere, knowing that this was merely the calm before the storm.
The army groups originally stationed in various star systems for contingency purposes were put to use, all entering a state of war and patrolling their respective areas of responsibility.
The encoded particles leaked a star map of the entire Explored Universe, containing countless spatial coordinates, giving the enemy too many routes to choose from, making it possible to invade from anywhere.
Han Xiao dispatched most of the Mechanical Divine Apostle to the main universe to increase the scale of advanced combat power. Originally, the individual power domains of the Three Universal Civilizations already had an advantage, but if the World Tree Invasion of the Entire Territory, then the role of advanced combat power would be completely different from that of a direct war. The extremely high flexibility brought powerful destructive force, and the battle line was divided into countless pieces. As the defenders who had to surround and block the opponent, their own Beyond Grade A powerhouses would still not be enough.
Besides dealing with the changing situation, Han Xiao has also been secretly searching for infiltrators from foreign civilizations these past few days. Unfortunately, it's like searching for a needle in a haystack, and he hasn't found anything yet. However, his investigation into the Super Star Cluster Alliance has yielded some results.
"So, their plan was to take advantage of the intense battle and the fact that the Three Universal Civilizations were preoccupied with other matters, to escape their control, and venture into Unexplored Universe to find a free place to reproduce and develop..."
Han Xiao looked at the information on the virtual screen, his expression somewhat subtle.
How badly they were bullied by the Three Universal Civilizations that they even abandoned their homeland...
He could probably understand the Super Star Cluster Alliance's thinking: staying in the Explored Universe would only lead to endless suppression and being forever constrained by the Three Universal Civilizations, and no matter how much they developed, they could never surpass those three ceilings.
As the landscape was reshaped by foreign invasion, the Super Star Cluster Alliance, considering its future prospects, made Choice: to venture into the unknown so that civilizations could develop freely. This was understandable, given that they had never been of one mind with the Three Universal Civilizations.
"This is terrible. The World Tree's Invasion of the Entire Territory is their chance to escape. If they really do that, they'll be in deep trouble."
Han Xiao rubbed his temples, feeling a secret, throbbing pain in his testicles.
He had already informed the three leaders of the results of the third party's interference, and even directly pointed out the existence of the Lorl Civilization. However, as expected, the three leaders did not completely disbelieve him, but they only accepted it as one version of events. Unless they presented conclusive evidence, they would continue to search for the traitor.
Only when the war situation becomes chaotic and the Three Universal Civilizations are unable to spare the energy can the Super Star Cluster Alliance execute its plan. But just at this time, someone leaked the information. Isn't that a coincidence? To be honest, if Han Xiao didn't know the truth, from the perspective of the Three Universal Civilizations, he would also think that the Super Star Cluster Alliance was a wolf in sheep's clothing and was definitely trying to escape for its own sake, which is why it attracted the Invasion of the Entire Territory World Tree territory.
In their previous lives, the Super Star Cluster Alliance didn't do this; instead, they sided with interstellar society, fighting together against external enemies. This time, they made a completely different choice. Perhaps it's because the time frame is different, the leadership is different, and the decision-making logic is different; or perhaps their situation is subtly different from their previous life, largely due to the butterfly effect they themselves created; or more likely, the Super Star Cluster Alliance hasn't yet witnessed the full power of the World Tree's Invasion of the Entire Territory as they did in their previous life, hasn't grasped the true threat of this cosmic catastrophe, and therefore still believes they can stay away from the war, avoiding being caught in the crossfire...
In other words, it has never been poisoned by the World Tree.
"I need to persuade the Super Star Cluster to cancel its escape plan, otherwise internal division is imminent. However, this is a major strategy involving the future development of civilization. No matter how much influence I have, the Super Star Cluster won't be swayed by a few words."
Han Xiao pondered to himself.
On the one hand, it's to prevent the Supercluster from being blamed and to allow the third party to go unpunished. On the other hand, interstellar society needs the Supercluster's power to resist the World Tree's invasion. As long as they remain steadfast in their fighting spirit, their combined combat power should not be underestimated, and they are also an important component of the Explored Universe's combat power.
"I need to think of a way..."
Just as I was pondering this, an urgent internal message from the military of the Three Universal Civilizations popped up on the virtual screen.
"Traces of the World Tree Fleet have been simultaneously detected in the following star regions: Ancient Star Desert, Ancient Star Desert, Sea of Star Spirits, Black Hole Edge, Infinite Nebula, and Shattered Star Ring! Requesting reinforcements! Requesting reinforcements!"
Han Xiao sat up abruptly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
It's here!
In the Ancient Star Desert, blue wormholes formed one after another, stretching into a vast expanse, like a huge elliptical spatial rift, as if a god had torn open the curtain of the universe, leaving a dark blue scar.
Immediately afterwards, a green light appeared in the huge spatial rift, turning from dark to bright, from small to large, and finally transforming into an overwhelming green tide that surged out!
It was as if an endless fleet of World Tree crossed the border of the Shattered World and descended directly along the wormhole. Dense warp beams condensed into pillars of light, shooting out in all directions, breaking into smaller units, like a plague virus injected into an enemy's body, spreading in the blink of an eye.
Countless World Tree warriors, their faces contorted with fervor, charged in as if in the midst of a grand carnival—after years of stalemate, they had finally broken in and were dismembering their prey!
As the World Tree fleet passed by, the outer space of the planets fluctuated violently. Thick roots of the World Tree seemed to pierce through the soil, tearing open spatial rifts and extending from the void, inserting themselves into the planets like straws, extracting dazzling energy visible to the naked eye.
The planet's crust softened and flowed into the roots of the World Tree like fluid. The material of the mantle and Planet Core was also devoured, and the planet slowly withered and rapidly decayed.
Where the green tide passed, stars slowly died out, planets gradually Dissolution, leaving only desolation and barrenness.
This reminded the World Tree Warriors of the old days, roaming the boundless universe, recklessly savoring the delicious flavors of enemy territories, cutting chunks of flesh from their still-struggling prey, and devouring everything in their enemies as if they were being skinned alive—we were ultimately the most elite hunters in the universe, perhaps even the only predators!
The same scene was happening simultaneously in multiple star systems.
In haste, the Interstellar Joint Army launched a counterattack against local star system and star cluster-level civilizations, encircling and intercepting them, engaging in bloody battles in the Long Sky, and the flames of war spread like wildfire Explored Universe.
With the battle lines divided into countless parts, the World Tree's powerful warriors finally found their place, scattered across various regions, acting in twos and threes, fully demonstrating the flexibility of their advanced combat power, stirring up trouble. Many of the Three Universal Civilizations' Beyond Grade A warriors could no longer stick together and had to leave Aurora to rush to the aid of various regions. Fierce battles of individual power broke out in various places.
The sudden change terrified countless interstellar citizens. The favorable situation was reversed in an instant. Foreign enemies ravaged the territory, and the panic suppressed in their hearts broke free from the reins of reason, erupting like Volcano and burning away the remaining rationality. Violent riots broke out on several refuge planets!
The Ancestral Tree King gazed into the distance, his gaze seemingly piercing through the barriers of infinite space, locking onto the location of the Central Galaxy, and murmured to himself:
"Eat! Eat everything! You have given us a feast, and we will repay you with despair."
In the Shattered Star Ring, at a legion branch base, Black Star Army guards were engaged in fierce combat with the descending World Tree fleet. The battle was evenly matched, while in the midst of the battlefield, a black tide of mechanical warrior guards swept across the battlefield, tearing apart World Tree warships.
On a nearby planet, dozens or even hundreds of World Tree had already penetrated the star core, drawing energy. In outer space, three Sacred Tree Envoy were chasing two figures, and five streams of light collided time and again.
Clang!
Rotel wielded two daggers, one facing forward and the other backward, their speed as fast as lightning, creating streaks of shimmering silver light. With agile movements, he weaved and shifted between the three Sacred Tree Envoy, engaging in fierce battles. The gleaming silver daggers collided with lasers and magic time and again, creating sparks and flames.
He appeared invincible, but in reality, he was covered in wounds and had to take care of the slightly weaker Carrot during the fierce battle, inevitably revealing his weaknesses.
Rotel slashed with his twin daggers, unleashing a dazzling blade of light that forced back the entangled mech warrior, the Sacred Tree Envoy. A sudden glint of light flashed in the corner of his eye, and without hesitation, he dodged to the side. In an instant, a magnificent high-level arcane aura pierced through his waist and abdomen, leaving a burn mark.
"You dodged a fatal blow? Pretty quick reaction."
The Mage Class Sacred Tree Envoy had made the move spoke, his tone tinged with regret for his failure.
Of these three Sacred Tree Envoy, two had never appeared on the front lines; both were powerful foreign warriors who had remained inactive.
It wasn't until they broke into the territories of the Three Universal Civilizations and created countless battlefronts that the World Tree began to utilize powerful foreign warriors to increase the scale of its advanced combat forces.
On the one hand, the dispersed operations are flexible enough that even if Black Star has a way to awaken powerful alien beings, they won't be wiped out in one fell swoop. On the other hand, the World Tree is already desperate; as long as it can speed up the invasion, it doesn't care about losing some manpower. It has already mentally prepared for some powerful beings to be eliminated by Black Star using [Information State Erasure].
Rotel's face tightened. He pressed the wound slightly, using his strength to urge the cells to recover quickly. The wound soon scabbed over. He glanced at his three opponents, feeling a chill run down his spine.
His martial arts style focuses on agility, stealth, and assassination; direct combat is not his forte, and being surrounded is even more disadvantageous. At this point, he was already struggling to cope.
"Are you alright?" Carrot, who was also covered in injuries, came over and stood back to back with Rotel, assuming a boxing stance and staring intently at their enemy.
He had only been Beyond Grade A for a few years, and the new stage of [Boundless Martial Arts] was still being activated. His combat power was still at the level of a newly born Beyond Grade A, making it extremely difficult for him to fight. He might not be able to defeat any opponent in a one-on-one duel.
The two were training here when the World Tree suddenly attacked, drawing them into the flames of war.
"We can hold on for a while longer."
Rotel regulated his breathing, and his martial arts aura rose again, condensing at the blade.
The five individuals locked onto each other's auras, paused briefly, and then suddenly sprang up simultaneously, closing in on each other and fiercely clashing. Blade light, aura, and magical power shot out, and the five streams of light resembled five threads, tangled into a mess.
Suddenly, Rotel paused, his twin daggers slicing out a cross of light, shattering the arcane impact of the Mage Class Sacred Tree Envoy. However, amidst the shattered light, the mech warrior suddenly appeared, having been hurled by the Mage's Hand. Eight spider-leg-like mechanical spears suddenly extended from the back of his mech, their tips piercing through the protective aura and embedding themselves into Rotel's body.
Click!
With a flash of silver light, the eight mechanical, segmented spears were cleanly severed, leaving smooth, mirror-like cuts.
Rotel retreated rapidly, manipulating his muscles to squeeze out the broken spear tip from his body, leaving eight shallow wounds, which were nothing more than superficial injuries to him.
However, just as he was about to continue his attack, his body suddenly stiffened, and a ghostly green color suddenly appeared on his wound. The flesh and blood that were healing suddenly began to fester.
"Biotoxins?!"
Rotel's expression changed. He looked up and saw that the broken spearhead that had been ejected was oozing green liquid. He used his microscopic vision to seep out, and realized that this green liquid was actually a group of dark green microscopic molecular robots carrying an alarming amount of toxins.
Waves of excruciating nerve pain surged like a tsunami, and Rotel's senses suddenly became disordered. As if he had lost control of his body, he began to tremble involuntarily, and his cells were being eroded on a large scale.
With a flash, the last Pugilist Class Sacred Tree Envoy seized the opportunity, wielding a sharp blade forged from anti-regenerative alloy, and plunged it straight into Rotel's neck from behind, attempting to rip out his entire spine.
Just then, Carrot attacked from the side, trying to intercept the Pugilist Class Sacred Tree Envoy. Unfortunately, he was a step too late and could only unleash a powerful punch, attempting to strike where the enemy was about to defend.
"A mere freshman with Beyond Grade A thinks he can... huh?!"
The Pugilist Class Sacred Tree Envoy originally intended to risk injury to defeat Rotel, but just as Carrot's fist approached, a strong sense of alarm suddenly erupted in his heart!
Carrot's aura flowed like water, all concentrated in his fist. His power was contained but not released, yet his fist force rose steadily, as if the Milky Way had been reversed and the stars had shattered, bursting out with an indomitable and powerful edge.
In that instant, a furious shout, imbued with mental energy, exploded like thunder!
"Martial God Fist - Galaxy Severance!"
The fist slammed into the arm of the Pugilist Class's Sacred Tree Envoy, who was hastily defending himself. A blinding light burst forth, stealing the attention of everyone present!
Time seemed to freeze for a moment before it began to flow again.
The other two Sacred Tree Envoy regained their sight and hurriedly looked over, only to see that Carrot had already retreated to the side with Rotel in his arms, while the Pugilist Class Sacred Tree Envoy Stay Where You Are, still in a defensive posture, but made no further move.
However, in the next moment, the body of the Pugilist Class Sacred Tree Envoy cracked like porcelain, falling piece by piece, and finally turning into dust and scattering into the Milky Way, its life force extinguished.
One-hit kill!
"What kind of move is that?!"
The two remaining Sacred Tree Envoy were shocked, almost unable to believe their eyes; one of their colleagues had been killed in an instant.
It would be understandable if it were Peak Beyond Grade A, but is this the power a newly born Beyond Grade A could unleash?!
Having caught his breath and struggling to suppress the poison, Rotel's eyes widened slightly at the sight. "You've already created that kind of fist technique?"
"Huff... Huff... No, I've only created two forms. I'm still a long way from perfecting the Martial God Fist."
Carrot was extremely exhausted. This punch had gathered all his energy and spirit, and its power far exceeded his level. At this moment, his whole body was sore and weak, his physical strength was about to run out, and he had almost no strength left.
Upon entering the Beyond Grade A realm, Carrot had some special insights and came up with an idea: to create a martial arts style suitable for himself, named "Martial God Fist." He didn't use this name out of arrogance, but rather because it contained his expectations for himself, hoping to create a Beyond Grade A fist technique that could make a cow fly.
Over the years, Carrot has been exploring and integrating the strengths of various schools of martial arts. Only now has he mastered two free-form techniques. Their power is incredibly exaggerated, but the energy consumption is equally frightening. Even with his foundation Beyond Grade A martial artist, he can only unleash about three or four punches.
Looking at the dust formed from the enemy's corpse, Rotel clicked his tongue and said, "What a terrifying move. You've surpassed me."
"Do you want to learn? I can teach you."
Carrot smiled shyly.
The two thought it was because the Martial God Fist was very powerful, but if Han Xiao were here, he would see that although the Martial God Fist was very magical, it could not be used by others to unleash such great power. The real power was Carrot himself.
The process of creating the Martial God Fist was also a stage in which Carrot integrated all his knowledge. During this process, he could learn a new specialty almost every few days, among which three Pugilist Class specialties were extremely powerful.
[Martial Saint's Powerful Strike] -- Any martial arts skill, when actually used, will have its base power increased by 80% to 240%!
[Martial God Fist Ancestor] -- When you use the "Martial God Fist" series of skills, the base power is increased by 100%~300%!
[One Punch Martial God] -- Every time the "Martial God Fist" series of skills hits an opponent, it can trigger a critical injury/instant death judgment (the success rate depends on the skill power, the difference in level, energy level, attributes, etc. between the two sides). If the judgment fails, it will deal an additional 50%~150% damage!
With a plethora of martial arts expertise, Carrot, despite being only a newly minted Beyond Grade A, possesses an incredibly powerful explosive force. With a bit of luck, he could even instantly kill an enemy.
Thump thump...
Carrot clenched his fist, glanced at the two bewildered and uncertain Sacred Tree Envoy, and said to Rotel beside him, "I still have some fighting strength left. Keep going, don't let them get away."
"Alright." Rotel gripped the dagger tightly, his eyes sharp.
While many people are unaware, the reputation of martial arts practitioners is quietly taking shape.