193: Chapter 192 Extraterrestrial Aid (Happy National Day)

This once peerless Prodigy had also stepped into the Marquis-level Divine Demon realm.

At this moment, his expression was equally grave, evidently having received the same orders.

"Junior Apprentice Brother Li." Ling Feng approached with quick strides, his voice low. "You should have received the orders as well, right?"

"Mm." Li Wen nodded, his gaze sweeping across the city, where lights were beginning to flicker on in thousands of homes.

Ling Feng's brows were tightly locked. "I worry that the migration itself is a difficult hurdle. The population of hundreds, if not thousands, of cities needs to pour into the remaining dozens of locations within a short time; the pressure of transportation and resettlement alone is unimaginable.

How can we ensure the safety of the elderly, the weak, the sick, the disabled, women, and children during the journey? Furthermore, with so many people concentrated into a few cities, can basic supplies like food, water, and energy keep up?

I heard the Logistics Department is already producing compressed food and liquid nutrients at full capacity, but it's just a drop in the bucket."

Li Wen looked up at the darkening sky, his voice carrying a trace of heaviness: "Logistics and support are problems that Kindling Hall and local governments must solve; we are responsible for order and safety.

The orders mentioned a ten-day deadline, which means the time window left for us is very small.

The Principal didn't specify a date, but the Yao Race will likely strike within these ten days, or perhaps even sooner. They won't sit idly by and watch us complete our contraction."

He paused, then added, "Perhaps they will choose the moment when the mass migration is at its most chaotic."

Ling Feng's eyes sharpened: "A storm is coming—"

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing the gravity and determination in the other's eyes.

The news was like a boulder thrown into water, and the ripples it stirred up spread rapidly across the entire Blue Star within the next 24 hours.

June 2nd.

A new day had just begun.

An invisible panic and sense of bewilderment began to spread among countless ordinary people.

In "Minghu City," which was about to be abandoned, a construction worker named Wang Jianguo was packing his simple luggage while operating his communicator with somewhat clumsy fingers.

The person on the other end of the video call was his fellow townsman and friend, Zhang Hai. Changning City, where the other party was located, was one of the core fortresses being retained.

"Old Zhang, look at my life—" Wang Jianguo's voice was filled with bitterness and intense envy. "You guys in Changning are lucky to be able to stay without having to leave your hometown. I'm dragging my family along and will soon be heading to the temporary resettlement area near you. I hear it's very crowded, and I don't even know what kind of work I'll be doing—

Food prices have already started to rise; you tell me, how are we going to live in the future? There definitely won't be any jobs in the city. With my strength, will I be able to find work in the resettlement area? What about the kids' schooling?"

Zhang Hai on the other side of the screen had a trace of relief on his face, but it was overshadowed by sympathy and concern for his old friend: "Jianguo, don't worry too much. The government definitely has arrangements. You guys come over first and squeeze in with me; we'll manage to get through this.

Food prices have indeed risen, but I heard that Kindling Hall is mobilizing supplies here, so it should be stabilized. The key is—

As long as we are still here, there is hope. You talk about this Yao Race—sigh, I really don't know if we can hold them off."

Zhang Hai's voice also deepened; the status of being in a fortress city could not completely eliminate the fear of the future.

In another city facing evacuation, "Qinghe City," a retired professor named Lin Shuhua was silently placing his cherished books into a specially made protective box.

He looked at the familiar street scene outside the window where he had lived for decades, his eyes filled with reluctance and worry.

He was not only worried about the drastic changes in his personal life, but also about the continuation of human civilization: "Concentrating our strength to defend—it is a forced choice. However, having abandoned so many cities, human activity space has been compressed to the limit, and industrial and agricultural systems will suffer heavy damage. Even if we hold the fortresses, the road to recovery in the future will inevitably be long and difficult."

He whispered to himself, worried about whether the resilience of human civilization could withstand such immense pressure.

Relief and worry were intertwined, reluctance and bewilderment coexisted.

The entire Blue Star society was violently restless and uneasy because of this cold order.

Similar scenes were playing out among countless families and friends about to be separated.

While those in the retained core fortress cities felt relieved, they were also worried about the massive influx of population and the potential strain on resources and social order.

Meanwhile, those leaving their homes were filled with deep anxiety about their unknown destinations, livelihoods, and safety.

The entire social structure of Blue Star was undergoing its most violent reorganization and growing pains under the shadow of impending war.

Meanwhile, in the distant Monster Realm, the atmosphere was one of another extreme: murderous and fanatical.

Deep within the Heavenly Fox Hall, Emperor Fu's cold gaze swept over the massive star map floating in the hall; the coordinates of Blue Star were flashing with a blinding red light.

A low and imposing command, like an invisible ripple, pierced through space and was transmitted to every vast territory of the Monster Realm: "Assemble!"

Once the order was given, ten thousand Yao responded.

The areas near the various Interstellar Gates to Blue Star had long since become a boiling ocean.

The earth shook, and the sky was obscured.

Rhinoceros Yao, massive as small hills and covered in thick, rocky carapaces, took heavy strides, leaving deep hoofprints on the ground; swarms of ferocious-looking Wolf Yao and Jackal Yao, their eyes flashing with bloodthirsty green light, emitted continuous low roars;

Winged Eagle Yao and Roc Yao blotted out the sky, their sharp screeches piercing the air; agile and swift-moving Leopard Yao and Cat Yao weaved through the beast hordes; and there were countless bizarrely formed Insectoid, Snake Yao, and Tree Yao, exuding scents of decay or deadly poison—

Countless Yao Race surged out from their respective nests and territories, converging into black torrents.

The sound of scales rubbing together merged into a teeth-grinding sound like a metallic tsunami.

Heavy footsteps rolled like muffled thunder, shaking the already gloomy sky of the Monster Realm even further.

Intense Demonic Qi soared into the sky, forming black clouds that blotted out the sun in front of the countless Interstellar Gates, roiling and surging, emitting a suffocating Aura of destruction.

The scale of every assembly point far exceeded that of the "Year-End" night five years ago; this was the final mobilization of the entire Monster Realm's strength for an ultimate invasion meant to completely bury human civilization.

The ocean of Yao soldiers was boundless, and the Auras of Yao generals were like stars scattered across the sky.

Behind every Interstellar Gate, at the very core position of the formation, a faintly leaking, terrifying pressure signaled that the ones commanding these armies were terrifying entities that had reached at least the Great Yao King level.

They stood silently, their cold gazes piercing through the spatial barriers, cast towards the direction of Blue Star, waiting for the final order, waiting for the floodgates to open and pour out the torrent of destruction.

June 10th, 242 of the galactic calendar.

The past Nine Heavens had been a migration of unprecedented scale in human history.

Under the unified scheduling of Kindling Hall and the day-and-night shuttling of countless aircraft, the vast majority of the population had gathered from scattered cities into designated core fortress cities and provincial capitals.

The vast Blue Star now had only sporadically scattered cities remaining.

Some residents chose to stay due to an inability to leave their homeland or different understandings of future plans—perhaps harboring wishful thinking, believing that sparsely populated areas would be safer; or perhaps they were concerned about the resource pressure in the fortress cities.

Kindling Hall respected their choices but also clearly informed them of the risks.

Changning City, as one of the most important fortress cities in Jiangnan Province, had expanded exponentially in scale.

The former city boundaries had been pushed far out, and the towering alloy walls on all four sides stretched for over two hundred li.

Even for a Marquis-level Divine Demon flying at full speed, it would take several minutes to cross the urban area.

Standing on the platform of a towering building in the central area of the city, the view was incredibly expansive.

Li Wen stood leaning against the railing, looking down.

The city was still busy; newly relocated residents were being settled, engineering troops were reinforcing defensive nodes, and transport vehicles were shuttling constantly, building up the increasingly solid Foundation of this massive fortress.

However, Li Wen's brows furrowed slightly.

"Nine Heavens have passed—the Yao Race actually didn't choose to launch a large-scale surprise attack during the migration; this is somewhat strange."

He whispered to himself, his voice carrying a trace of lingering doubt.

Such a question was not his alone.

The guardian Divine Demons of the major fortress cities had also mentioned it frequently in communication channels.

Migration was the moment when the human defense line was at its most fragile and dispersed.

If the Yao Race had launched a full-force attack, even if they couldn't completely stop it, they would inevitably have caused huge chaos and casualties, dealing a heavy blow to morale.

Yet, the enemy had remained motionless, allowing humanity to complete this crucial strategic contraction.

This abnormal calm felt like a giant stone pressing against the heart, signaling the suffocating low pressure before a storm.

Although puzzled, Li Wen understood that this at least bought the Human Race valuable time to catch their breath and prepare their defenses.

He withdrew his gaze from the city and cast it toward the distant skyline, the direction of the Interstellar Gate fortress.

At the same moment, Kindling University, behind Wudao Peak.

Inside a rustic pavilion, the white-haired Principal sat opposite a woman.

The woman wore a silver robe with the texture of flowing clouds, her hair tied up simply, secured only by a single starlight stone hairpin.

Her face was as calm as water, showing no traces of time, with only a pair of deep eyes that seemed to contain a swirling galaxy, carrying a serenity that perceived everything.

She was the Human Race's other pillar Venerable—Venerable Xingxuan.

"I just received an urgent message from Jiang Hong," the Principal picked up his teacup and set it down gently, the bottom of the cup making a light sound against the stone table. "Demon Saint Wujing has successfully refined that item. The situation has changed; I fear they won't wait until tomorrow as planned, and they will likely make a move tonight."

Venerable Xingxuan unconsciously traced the grain of the stone table with her fingertips, letting out a barely audible sigh.

"Time is, after all, too rushed. The second phase of the Guixu Project has just been completed, and many defensive fortifications have not yet been perfected to their optimal state."

"Given the situation, this is already not easy," the Principal said in a steady tone. "At least, we have completed the most critical population transfer. Next, we must meet the enemy head-on. We must concentrate our strength and hold the fortress firmly; only then will we have a chance to counterattack."

He changed the subject, "By the way, have the support forces from Crimson Flame Star, Ice Soul Star, and Cangwu Star arrived?"

"According to the latest news, they should be arriving soon," Venerable Xingxuan nodded slightly. "However, their home bases are also facing high pressure from the Yao Race, so the troops they can spare are limited. The Mercenary Alliance is led by King Jiuyou, with a total of four King-ranks and twenty Marquis-levels; Galaxy Bank is led by King Yandan, also with four King-ranks and twenty Marquis-levels; the Virtual Universe Company has sent King Wanxiang and three others, totaling four King-ranks and eighteen Marquis-levels."

Hearing this, the Principal's eyes showed a hint of relief. "Although the four Yao Emperors fight among themselves, they are united in curbing the expansion of the Human Race's power. They will inevitably move to restrain the other three stars. Being able to secure support of twelve King-ranks and fifty-eight Marquis-levels, especially with the personal arrival of the three Peak King-ranks—King Jiuyou, King Yandan, and King Wanxiang—is truly a timely help. It is also because those four Emperors are wary of each other and cannot truly join forces; otherwise, our situation would likely be ten times more difficult than it is now."

"Indeed," Venerable Xingxuan agreed, her voice carrying a hint of gravity. "If the four Emperors could truly set aside their grievances and attack together, I fear we would really be left with no choice but to make a last stand at the Xinhuo Ancestral Vein."

"They are here," the Principal suddenly looked up, his gaze piercing through the eaves of the pavilion toward the sky.

The originally clear blue sky suddenly changed. A massive black vortex that seemed capable of devouring light unfolded silently in the high altitude, causing the space to twist violently. Immediately after, three interstellar ships as vast as mountains, carrying the majestic momentum of crossing endless star seas, slowly sailed out from the vortex.

On the grey metal hulls of the ships, different emblems were clearly engraved. The crossed swords and stars of the Mercenary Alliance, the rustic coin and galaxy pattern of the Galaxy Bank, and the high-tech quantum matrix symbol of the Virtual Universe Company. These three symbols represented the other three major forces that, alongside the Kindling Hall of Blue Star, stood as pillars of the Human Race—they came from Crimson Flame Star, Ice Soul Star, and Cangwu Star, respectively.

The three giant ships, like prehistoric beasts, slowly descended onto the super-large landing pad carved out inside the Xinhuo Ancestral Vein mountain, stirring up ripples of invisible energy.

The massive hatch doors slid open silently, and three teams of figures exuding powerful Auras flew out in succession, landing on the landing pad. The teams from the three major forces were clearly distinct, led by the abyss-like King Jiuyou, the stern-faced King Yandan, and the ethereal and unpredictable King Wanxiang. They, along with the King-ranks and Marquis-levels behind them, bowed in unison to the approaching Principal and Venerable Xingxuan.

"Greetings to the two Venerables."

A gentle yet dignified smile appeared on the Principal's face, and he raised his hand in a gesture of support. "You have all worked hard. Coming from afar to lend a hand—the Human Race of Blue Star will keep this friendship in our hearts."

King Jiuyou stepped forward, his voice deep and powerful. "Venerable, you are too kind. With the Yao calamity at hand, the Human Race is of one breath and one branch. Helping each other is our duty."

King Yandan and King Wanxiang also nodded in greeting.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the Principal and Venerable Xingxuan personally led the core forces of the reinforcements, walking up the steps along the road leading to Wudao Peak. The three groups followed closely behind, the solemn atmosphere carrying a sense of gravity as the great battle approached. The arrival of the reinforcements injected new strength into this Human Race Holy Land, but it also meant that the countdown to the final decisive battle was now clearly audible.

After settling the reinforcements from the three major forces—King Jiuyou, King Yandan, and King Wanxiang—the white-haired Principal and Venerable Xingxuan did not rest for a moment. The two exchanged a grave and tacit look, their figures flickered, and they vanished from where they stood.

The next moment, their figures appeared in the deepest part of the Xinhuo Ancestral Vein. The environment here was deep and secluded, the energy condensed to the point of being tangible, and the air was permeated with an indescribable sense of antiquity and majesty. This place was the most core Forbidden Ground of the Kindling Hall; unless the two Venerables went together, even the Principal himself was absolutely not allowed to approach it alone.

They walked along a passage emitting a faint fluorescent glow, passing through layer after layer of invisible yet tough energy barriers. Finally, a common cave entrance appeared before them. However, the closer they got, the stronger a strange sense of dissonance became. The Aura of time and space became chaotic. The surrounding light seemed to be slightly distorted, and the air was sometimes as viscous as if frozen, and at other times became light and fleeting.

In the area near the cave entrance, the flow of time became erratic, sometimes fast and sometimes slow, causing a slight sense of dizziness and pulling. Above the cave entrance, two ancient seal script characters were deeply carved into the stone wall: "Time".

Standing before the cave door, the Principal and Venerable Xingxuan each flipped their hands to reveal half a jade pendant. The jade pendant was a rustic pale cyan, the material neither gold nor jade, and the surface flowed with a subtle, sand-like energy luster. The two halves were held flat in their palms, and as if pulled by an invisible force, they slowly floated into the air, joining together perfectly to form a complete circular jade pendant.

The complete jade pendant lit up with a soft yet deep glow and flew automatically toward the tightly closed stone door of the cave. The moment the jade pendant touched the stone door, the door, which had been silent for who knows how many years, emitted a low rumble and slowly opened inward.

"Hum—!" As the stone door opened, a torrent of time, a thousand times denser than before, surged out as if a gate to the depths of the river of time had been opened. This Aura carried endless vicissitudes and chaos, enough to instantly plunge any creature below the King-rank into space-time confusion. However, the moment the Aura was about to touch the Principal and Venerable Xingxuan, the floating complete jade pendant emitted an even brighter light, forming a thin shield that steadily enveloped the two. The chaotic Aura of time washed fruitlessly against the shield but could not penetrate it in the slightest.

The door was fully opened, and the jade pendant separated into two halves again, each flying back into the hands of the Principal and Venerable Xingxuan. The two held their half-jades, their bodies enveloped in the shield emitted by the jade, and walked side-by-side into the "Time Cave".

The interior of the cave was exceptionally empty, without any extra furnishings. Only in the center of the cave, a dozen figures sat cross-legged quietly like eternal rocks. Their eyes were closed, their Auras silent, as if they had merged with the stone walls. As soon as they stepped in, the Principal and Venerable Xingxuan clearly felt that the flow of time inside the cave had reached a state of near stagnation. A hundred years might have passed outside, but here, perhaps only an instant had elapsed. Were it not for the protection of the jade pendant's shield, their movements, thoughts, and even life vitality would be frozen by this extreme time-slowing force.

The Principal took a deep breath and slowly raised the half-jade pendant in his hand.

(PS: It's the beginning of the month, I shamelessly ask for votes again 0.0)