Beastmaster of the Ages

Long Xing sighed slightly. ”It’s not much of a plan. All I can do is keep these geniuses around. As long as we have them, they will be worried about my retribution and will keep our 800 million kin alive. The risks you took have saved 800 million of us from certain death!”

Tianming still felt rather down about the whole affair, even though Long Xing seemed grateful. His expression seemed rather uncertain. ”Those cosmic gods are from different factions. Even though the ones from the Starfall Pantheon can’t bear to let their descendants die, the others might. Wouldn’t they just bring even more of our kin to try to bargain with us?”

”Even if they bring more here from Wargod Haven, it’s pointless. No matter whether they bring another 800 million or five billion, they can’t possibly be comparable to these hundred geniuses,” Long Xing said.

”The issue here is that with so many people on their side, they will only treat them as mere numbers. They can’t possibly sustain 800 million people for so long on their ships,” Tianming said. The two of them bore the same burden. It didn’t take more than a few words for them to be frank with each other. Not to mention, they had long heard about each other even before their meeting. Long Xing didn’t consider himself a senior but rather an elder brother.

”Tianming, there’s something I need to check with you. If what Boss Chen says is true, can you really convert the faith of others into power?” Long Xing asked. Only the flameyellow descendants that had formed omnisentient threads with Tianming knew that, and Long Xing hadn’t done that yet. It wasn’t easy to gain the faith and worship of a cosmic god.

Even so, the fact that Tianming revealed it to him was a sign of trust. Long Xing’s efforts to help the flameyellow descendants made him deserving of respect.

”That’s right, but there’s an upper limit for now. Even if I factor in those 800 million, I might not necessarily be able to face off against cosmic gods! Not to mention, even if I can fight cosmic gods, they still have the hostages. It’s all too easy for them to get involved and killed since they’ll have to be in Starmoon Haven while I use their power.” If they die en masse after they form omnisentient threads with him, Tianming’s imperial order might just shatter. It would be a huge problem.

Hearing the affirmative answer, Long Xing’s eyes lit up with hope. Excitedly, he said, ”There’s another three billion of us in Starmoon Haven!”

”Aren’t they spread too far and wide?” Tianming had already gotten Yin Chen and Bai Ye to look into it. Most flameyellow descendants in Starmoon Haven had scattered, straying far away from large population centers in favor of the deep sea, tall mountains, and unpopulated wilderness. They mostly lived lives in seclusion to avoid being found.

Long Xing had made sure that they didn’t gather. On the other hand, flameyellow descendants in Wargod Haven and Wondersky Haven didn’t have a figure like Long Xing to lead them, so they were unable to leave their hardship-filled lives at all. ”I was the one who asked them to spread out. It can’t be helped. Living in large groups would make it easier for them to be caught all at once.”

”You had the right idea. Otherwise, our enemies wouldn’t have had to go to Wargod Haven to bring more of our kin here,” Tianming said. ”Are you able to reach out to those three billion?”

Long Xing nodded. ”Yes, but it takes time. I can only reach out to a handful, each of whom can reach out to their associates and their associates, and so on. I also know roughly where they are. Though it’s a bit slow, we are able to spread the news to everyone with enough time.”

”Alright! Then, we should try to reach out to the others in Starmoon Haven using your method and my two beasts.” This was different from the rapid strength boost that Tianming got at the Middlekin Star Ruin. It would take much more time to gather them, let alone convince them to have faith in him, given that Yin Chen and Bai Ye’s bandwidth was limited. However, it would be a different story if Tianming could get to the 800 million; on the other hand...

Then again, those 800 million are inside the Starmoon Guard Formation. Even if we can save them, where would we house them? The cosmic gods wouldn’t just let us do our thing. Long Xing spent many years freeing up to three billion of them. Who knows how many people have given their lives to the cause? The Eightpart Pantheons’ oppression of the flameyellow descendants was merciless and cruel. That shared hatred allowed Tianming and Long Xing to empathize with each other without speaking it out loud.

”Either way, I will think of a way to hold back our enemies for as long as possible. I can’t face off against that many cosmic gods alone, so it’ll be up to you!” Long Xing said.

”Sure.” Tianming looked at the Skydome Prison. ”By the way, will you be able to go past the Starmoon Guard Formation if I could get you on a divine astralship?”

”No. They have it targeting me at all times.” Otherwise, Long Xing wouldn’t stay there and do nothing.

”Then, let’s test out my omnisentient-thread coverage.” With Long Xing’s help, Yin Chen and Bai Ye would have a much better time reaching out to the flameyellow descendants. Soon, they reached a sea of stars.

”This is the Shensha Starsea. I usually cultivate in the depths here,” Long Xing said.

Tianming entered the depths of the sea with him and finally found a temporarily safe refuge. Then, Long Xing began to reach out to his contacts, working with Bai Ye and Yin Chen to rally up as many as they could. There were many powerful flameyellow descendants that served Long Xing, who were above the tenth level of the Overflow stage. They were on standby near the Shensha Starsea to aid Tianming if they were called.

”There are around three million overflowers across Starmoon Haven. In a real fight, they are a force to be reckoned with. They are much better than the forces of the Sundown and Starfall Pantheons, who have not seen true battle for far too long and don’t have the determination we do,” Long Xing said.

Tianming gave him a look and found that he was quite the quiet person, far more low profile than Tianming had envisioned. The burden on his shoulders must be heavy. Why else would he always be in deep thought, never smiling? ”What we need to do now in the territory of the Eightpart Pantheons in Starmoon Haven is to get the three million overflowers to form a real fighting force like Long Qian’s while we hold off the elite fighters on their side.”

The power balance between those two sides was uneven. The key to success was with the elite fighters!

”When the time comes for battle, all three billion of us will be ready!” Long Xing’s gaze was distant as he looked across the vast lands of Starmoon Haven. He was a raging dragon, trapped on this planet. He took a deep breath and smiled. ”Tianming, I hope that I will live to see the Flameyellow Imperial Star.”

”You will definitely have the chance to.” Tianming could finally relax somewhat now that they had the hundred geniuses as bargaining chips. After checking out his spoils, he found that he had quite a few overflow fragments. ”I’m already at super zenith, so I should give myself a push! Use all that rage to rush to the Overflow stage!”