Chapter 3962: Bound To Shine

Gu Duanke’s eyes bulged after he heard Greater Sancte Awe Gate’s words. They blazed with an overwhelming amount of killing intent.

E Xiu and the others clenched their fists. The Nest civilization was coming.

Lu Yin’s eyes narrowed. “Are the insects already coming? They’re faster than I expected.”

Most people had expected the insects to take a slow approach in invading the Nine Odysseys Megaverse and the Spirit Nidus. It was assumed that they would take their time spreading around the area and attempting to lure humans out to fight them. Once too many humans appeared, the Nest civilization would take advantage of Luo Chan’s ability to instantly enter the Nine Odysseys Megaverse and launch a massive offensive while humanity’s defenders were absent.

At that point, even if people wanted to return and help protect their home, they would not be able to do so quickly. By the time they returned, human civilization might already be gone.

This should have been the Nest civilization’s plan, as it would have leveraged Luo Chan’s ability to the fullest.

The fact that the Nest civilization was already on their way to the Nine Odysseys Megaverse suggested that Luo Chan’s ability was either not necessary and the bugs were confident that they could directly destroy human civilization, or that they had already managed to learn of the Nine Odysseys Megaverse’s strategy and saw no need to wait.

Lu Yin had no idea which of the two was true.

After all, the second option did not necessarily mean that anyone had betrayed the Nine Odysseys Megaverse. It was possible that the Nest civilization had simply noticed how the humans had retreated from the three battlefields and realized that they were shrinking their defensive line, leaving the bugs with no choice but a direct attack.

Greater Sancte Awe Gate looked at Lu Yin. “The timing of their reaction, as well as the arrival of the second wave of insects, is sooner than anticipated. We need to hasten our own response as well.”

She then looked out at the sky and the ground far below the Frightened Sparrow Terrace. “Let the foundation of my Nine Odysseys be used to test this Nest civilization. A war between civilizations is a war of foundations, as well as a war of potential. I may not know the Nest civilization’s full potential, but my Nine Odysseys Megaverse fears no civilization.”

...

Soon, more than a year had passed. Both the people of the Rift of Suffering and the Four Commands Sword Sect arrived in Spirit Nidus. It had been several years since Lu Yin and Greater Sancte Awe Gate had decided to shrink the battlefield to the Nine Odysseys Megaverse, and changes could already be seen across the entire Spirit Nidus.

Even the thirty-six domains were being culled. Some domains were abandoned, while other connections to various parallel universes were closed off. No one entered those universes, and there were no plans to reopen access to them again, in an attempt to further minimize potential casualties.

As for the universe beyond the thirty-six domains, everyone had begun migrating to the domains that would be defended. Even the Ascendant Hall was abandoned, as it was too far away from the defended universes to be protected, and moving defenders to that location was unrealistic.

With the Gate of Laws serving as the center, fifteen domains were being protected. They were the fifteen domains that formed the upper half of the Spirit (灵) character.

On average, the inhabitants of those domains were stronger than those in the lower half of the Spirit (灵) character. With Ku Yuan and other cultivators from the Nine Odysseys Megaverse joining forces with those from the Spirit Nidus, it should not be overly difficult to defend fifteen domains.

The rest of the megaverse had to be abandoned.

The passage that Master Qing Cao had opened up was also closed off now. If it had remained open, the insects could have entered Heavenspire from the Spirit Nidus and then attacked the Skyward Gate. That possibility would require a top expert to defend it at all times.

What humanity needed to do was to close off as many potential invasion routes as possible. Ideally, they would only leave one route open, which would allow the defenders to consolidate all of their forces into a single defensive wall.

Of course, that ideal was impossible to achieve, but they would do their best to get as close to that as possible.

After another two years passed, the Eighth Night Pillar returned from the Clearvoid Megaverse. Shortly after that, a brilliant light erupted from every direction of the Nine Odysseys Megaverse as the Nine Odysseys’ spirit treasure formation had been fully activated. To the southeast, above where the Fifth Night Pillar stood, countless ripples spread out, though they were so small that ordinary people could barely see them. However, Lu Yin could see them, as could Greater Sancte Awe Gate. Those ripples were produced by Nests.

The Nest civilization had arrived.

The insects wanted to throw a number of Nests into the Nine Odysseys Megaverse.

“With the Nine Odysseys’ formation, Nests cannot enter. Unfortunately, that protection cannot be extended to the Spirit Nidus. Nests will surely be sent into that megaverse,” Greater Sancte Awe Gate commented.

Lu Yin watched the occasional ripple. Nests had been sent, which meant that the swarms of insects were not far behind.

There were times when he was happy that the Immortals were restricted from acting freely, as that was a good thing for cultivators who had not reached that realm.

However, there were also times when he wished that Immortals were not restricted. Those were times when such power would give him a greater sense of safety.

He gave a bitter smile. People were greedy, and they always hoped for whatever benefited themselves.

Humanity now faced a choice: life or death, the rise or fall of their civilization, and the faint hope of a future. War was approaching.

One after another, cultivators rose into the sky above the land of the Nine Odysseys Megaverse. All who had hidden themselves or gone into seclusion had been summoned. No one could avoid fighting, as no one could escape this war.

What the people needed to protect were the Night Pillars themselves.

The Nine Odysseys spirit treasure formation could not be destroyed.

Lu Yin stepped forward toward the southeast, where the Fifth Night Pillar should have been. At present, that Night Pillar was still stationed in the Allsense Megaverse, so he assumed its position. From this direction, the first insect swarm from outside the Spirit Nidus would come, the very one that the Rift of Suffering had faced.

As for the insects attacking the west, they were the same ones that had wiped out the forces of the Third Night Pillar. Gu Duanke and Deathmound’s experts held that location.

Their opponents included one of the four Insect Lords, and the swarm had also annihilated the Third Night Pillar. This would be an unprecedentedly powerful enemy. However, with Greater Sancte Awe Gate nearby, so long as the defenders remained in or near the Nine Odysseys Megaverse, they could receive support at any time.

Lu Yin was well aware that he was not merely defending the southeast, but also taking responsibility for the entire Nine Odysseys Megaverse.

This was precisely what he had promised Greater Sancte Awe Gate.

The Morrow Behemoth in the southeast opened its eyes. It seemed to have sensed something, and the beast’s breathing quickened as it stared into the distance.

All around it were countless cultivators, both strong and weak. They were all packed together, waiting for the fighting to begin.

Greater Sancte Awe Gate had already informed every family and faction in the megaverse to use all of their cultivated spirit seeds. Failure to do so might mean never getting another opportunity.

Looking out from the Nine Odysseys Megaverse, a great distance away, a vast swarm of insects was approaching. Not only could the people of the Nine Odysseys Megaverse see it, but so too could those in the Spirit Nidus.

The Nine Odysseys Megaverse and Spirit Nidus were not far apart; one was above, the other below.

While staring at the horde of bugs that filled Lu Yin’s vision, his brow furrowed. The enemy had arrived.

At the same time, insects arrived at Beacon City. However, compared to the swarm attacking the southeast of the Nine Odysseys Megaverse, Beacon City was facing a much smaller swarm. The insects attacking the city had already been nearly exterminated once before.

The swarm descended upon Beacon City, but it had long since been abandoned.

Greater Sancte Awe Gate had pulled back all their defenses until they were within range of the Nine Odysseys. Naturally, this meant that Beacon City would not be a part of the battlefield. The Yu and Jue families were defending the northeast of the megaverse, roughly in the Eighth Night Pillar’s location. They were still awaiting the insects’ arrival.

The swarm flooded Beacon City, destroying everything and surrounding the springboard.

Mixed in with the grotesque and eerie bugs was a stunning young girl wearing a princess dress. She had thick, curly golden hair, her entire being seemed to glow, and her appearance caused the insects to fall back.

The girl went straight over to the springboard and circled it as she examined it with a great deal of curiosity. “Humans are really cautious. Despite finding such a good tool, they chose not to use it. If they had used it...” A smile spread across her lips. “They might have been wiped out long ago.

“Shan Lie truly is pathetic. He was so strong, and he even had the Rampart card, but he still lost. Poor thing, to have lost his only friend. Still, you don’t need to worry. I’ll help you exterminate humanity and avenge you.”

With that, she skipped off in the direction of the Nine Odysseys Megaverse.

As for the springboard, not a single insect dared to even touch it.

Half a month passed from the time since the first swarm had been sighted, but the insects had not advanced any further. They maintained their position at a point that was just barely visible to both the Nine Odysseys Megaverse and the Spirit Nidus.

The people of both megaverses had been mentally prepared themselves for the final battle, but there was still no war being fought.

Lu Yin peered into the distance.

Still not moving?

Master Qing Cao had already returned. Since the battlefield had been selected and reduced, he no longer needed to run around delivering messages.

“What are those bugs doing?” Lu Yin returned to the Frightened Sparrow Terrace, joining Greater Sancte Awe Gate and Master Qing Cao there.

Master Qing Cao answered in a low voice, “Spawning.”

Lu Yin’s brow shot up. “Spawning?”

Master Qing Cao nodded. “They might feel that their numbers aren’t sufficient to fight against the whole of human civilization, so they are increasing their numbers.”

Greater Sancte Awe Gate added, “Hordes of insects have been sighted in all directions, and their numbers are already astonishing. However, it’s simply impossible for this number to destroy our human civilization.”

“What do you plan for us to do, Senior?” Lu Yin asked.

Greater Sancte Awe Gate replied, “Fight our way out.”

Lu Yin remained silent.

Reducing the size of the battlefield down to the Night Pillars’ range had been their initial strategy, but strategies had to change with the shifting conditions of the battlefield.

It was not impossible to attack. Even if the battlefield was expanded, it would still fall well within the region that Awe Gates could be opened, which meant that things would remain under Greater Sancte Awe Gate’s control.

Given the circumstances, if humanity still did not attack, the Nests would be allowed to continue producing more and more insects, which would not be a good thing for humanity.

“I will lead a group to attack, but the Awe Gates must remain a secret. Those are our only way to counter Luo Chan, so we can’t expose them,” Lu Yin reminded.

Greater Sancte Awe Gate agreed.

“It shouldn’t be just you. We need to have people attacking in all four directions, especially...” Master Qing Cao looked toward the west.

“I’ll head to the west,” Lu Yin offered.

Greater Sancte Awe Gate shook her head. “The western battlefield belongs to Deathmound and Gu Duanke. They wish to be the ones to reclaim the Third Night Pillar. Leave it to them.

“Gu Duanke is very strong.”

Master Qing Cao calmly said, “The Nine Odysseys Megaverse is not as simple as you think, Lord Lu.”

Hearing an Immortal use that title filled Lu Yin with a sudden sense of urgency. He was currently standing among those who could be regarded as the most powerful experts representing the three human megaverses: he stood for the Tianyuan Megaverse, Master Qing Cao for the Spirit Nidus, and Greater Sancte Awe Gate for the Nine Odysseys Megaverse.

Two were Immortals, while one was only an Ortuser.

While Lu Yin did have the right to stand there, the gap in cultivation between him and the other two was simply too vast.

Truthfully, he did not even know how vast the difference in combat strength between them was.

With that thought, he glanced at Master Qing Cao and then returned to the Fifth Night Pillar.

Soon, Greater Sancte Awe Gate’s majestic voice echoed across the Nine Odysseys Megaverse and the Spirit Nidus. “This is a clash between the civilizations which will determine which species will survive. There is no room for compromise, only life or death.

“Whether our human civilization will endure or be destroyed, this war will decide.”

No matter their cultivation level, everyone in the Nine Odysseys Megaverse understood that they were at war with foreign creatures. Their Night Pillars had left to wage war against countless foreign civilizations. Finally, it was their turn to be targeted. They had to fight. They refused to allow themselves to be eradicated like the civilizations that the Nine Odysseys Megaverse had eliminated in the past. They had to fight and kill for their future.

Next, Master Qing Cao’s voice rang out. “I am the invincible being of the Spirit Nidus.”

Everyone in the Spirit Nidus looked up.

The invincible being?

People grew excited, and they struggled to suppress their elation as they stared up at the starry sky.

“When our civilization is destroyed, humanity will become nothing more than a footnote in history. It’s possible that your bones will become specimens on exhibit for some foreign civilization, with your names replaced by numbers. That day should never come. If war arrives to drag us into the abyss, then we will fight and slaughter every foreign creature that we see. Human civilization will endure.”

Greater Sancte Awe Gate spoke up afterwards. “Human civilization will shine brilliantly.”

As those words fell, countless people charged out from the Nine Odysseys Megaverse in four different directions to attack the swarms of insects.