Chapter 754: Endless Insect Sea Front

Chapter 754: Endless Insect Sea Front

Chapter 754: Endless Insect Sea Front

On the Xianqin Continent, in Xianqin Dragoncourt City.

In the central square of Dragoncourt.

The Xianqin Divine King Stele stands tall in the center of the square. Lifting one's head, the ancient and solemn stele is inscribed with golden characters from top to bottom, etching the names that are widely celebrated throughout the entire Xianqin Divine Empire.

Rank 1: Unrivaled King—Ying Ji

Rank 2: Spiritwar King—Zhou Yi

Rank 3: Dragonsoar King—Ying Li

Rank 4: Celestial King—Song Chi

Rank 5: Mechwar King—Lu Ze

...

Rank 11: Vastsea King—Zhao Yunkai

...

Song Chi, standing in the crowd, quietly left without drawing anyone's attention. Although he had long known his ranking on the Xianqin Star Destroyer King List, he still felt compelled to come and see it for himself in Xianqin Dragoncourt City.

Seeing the Xianqin Divine King Stele with his own eyes brought a different kind of feeling, one that even someone with Song Chi's temperament found stirring. He felt an impulse to strive to improve his ranking on this stele, where the names of the most distinguished figures were inscribed. After all, having one's name on this stele could be celebrated for millennia. As a citizen of the Torchfire, who could resist such an honor?

Realizing this, Song Chi did not linger and turned to head to the address given by the Qin Yue Commercial Building.

Xianqin Dragoncourt City, Handan Street.

"The Windbath Lodge, this must be it..."

After confirming the address, Song Chi stepped forward.

"Sir, this is a private venue. May I ask..."

A catgirl with a graceful figure and a sixth-rank life aura approached, about to ask something, but was interrupted by the jade token Song Chi had taken out in advance.

"Meeting Lord Yue, sir, please come in."

The jade token was a gift from the Qin Yue Commercial Building, serving as proof that Song Chi had agreed to participate in the operation against the ancient queen. As for the "Lord Yue" mentioned by the catgirl, it was an identity Song Chi had fabricated.

The final participants in this operation would number no fewer than fifty, including those from the Xianqin Divine Empire, as well as Captains from the other three empires and kingdoms. Given this, the branch of the Ying Clan organizing the operation would not delve deeply into the identities of all participants. Under these circumstances, Song Chi had fabricated his own identity.

The name "Celestial King Song Chi" was too well-known. If he were to participate under this identity, the attention of the dozens of Annihilator Ship Captains involved would undoubtedly be focused on him, which was not what Song Chi wanted.

Entering the lodge, the scene before him changed abruptly.

The unassuming exterior decoration transformed into a long, opulent corridor, with silver doors symmetrically distributed on both sides.

Alpha Courtyard—Number One

Alpha Courtyard—Number Two

...

Beta Courtyard—Number One

Scanning the text marked on these silver doors, Song Chi turned his gaze back.

The catgirl, who had been paying attention to him, immediately understood and spoke in a soft, sweet voice:

"These pavilions are all of equal quality. The doors with glowing lights are already occupied. Sir, you can choose an empty one to stay in."

"If there are any clan activities, someone will notify you immediately!"

Understanding her meaning, Song Chi casually chose an empty door on the right side.

Alpha Courtyard—Number Eight

As soon as the silver door opened, Song Chi felt a strong spatial fluctuation envelop him. Knowing that this level of spatial power could not harm him, Song Chi did not resist.

Once the sensation subsided, Song Chi found himself standing in a quaint and elegant pavilion.

Amid the pavilions and terraces, fragrant green plants dotted the landscape, and birds occasionally flew overhead, calming the restless heart within his chest.

After surveying the pavilion, Song Chi quickly understood the situation.

Clearly, the so-called Alpha Courtyard One, Alpha Courtyard Two, and so on, were tranquil courtyards scattered across the Xianqin Continent. The clan behind the Qin Yue Commercial Building had connected them to Xianqin Dragoncourt City through special means, creating this unique guest lodge.

Although these courtyards were located in different places across the Xianqin Continent, they shared a common feature.

Song Chi fully mobilized his Spiritual Energy, and the shadow of his Double Pupil appeared in his eyes.

With the power of the Double Pupil, the transparent barrier above the pavilion, which was invisible to the naked eye, was clearly visible.

If nothing unexpected occurs, this transparent light barrier is a highly advanced isolation shield. Though it doesn’t affect the visual layer, any living beings within the courtyard who attempt to leave their designated area will find it impossible.

Not only the sky above but also the ground beneath is likely equipped with similar isolation measures. The Xianqin Continent, being the private territory of the Pillar Ying Clan, wouldn’t allow outsiders to wander freely, except for the public trading zones that are open to the public.

The Star Sea is vast and filled with all sorts of bizarre methods. Even with the Pillar Ying Clan’s substantial resources, they couldn’t afford to be complacent in this regard.

After retracting his gaze, Song Chi focused on the pond in the center of the courtyard.

"No wonder the energy here is so rich; the pond’s bottom is a source of a seventh-rank Floating Continent’s origin spring..."

To be fair, ignoring the minor details, the environment of this courtyard is indeed excellent. The Song Family, as it stands now, doesn’t have a place like this. The accumulation and sedimentation over long periods are not just about the abundance of resources or the strength of peak combatants.

With no other thoughts in mind, Song Chi settled down in the courtyard.

Free from the restless mindset, his practice of the Guidance Technique progressed much more smoothly. The bottleneck between levels 78 and 79, which had previously been insurmountable, showed signs of loosening.

Even though breaking through to the near-eighth-rank Guidance Technique is no easy feat, this small progress saved Song Chi decades, perhaps even a century. After all, beyond the seventh-rank Guidance Technique, each level of advancement can take centuries, even millennia. Annihilator Ship Captains without additional resources often endure for thousands of years.

One day, a spatial fluctuation rippled through the courtyard. Though no voice was heard, Song Chi knew that someone outside was calling him.

Exiting his meditative state, he focused his mind, and familiar spatial energy began to emanate from his body.

After a brief spatial shift, Song Chi reappeared in the golden, ornate corridor.

Several figures already stood in the corridor, seemingly just teleported from their respective courtyards.

After waiting a while, Song Chi noticed that, including himself, a total of 52 Captains had arrived.

This was a staggering number, as it meant 52 Annihilator Ship Captains.

Once everyone had gathered, a figure emerged from the depths of the corridor.

At the sight of this person, Song Chi’s eyes instinctively narrowed.

"An eighth-rank Galactic Ship Captain!"

The fleeting glimpse of the Double Pupil in his eyes allowed him to detect the life energy within the other, as deep and unfathomable as an ocean. Even with just a brief glance, he could accurately determine that the other’s Guidance Technique had reached the eighth-rank level, a new and fundamentally different tier of life compared to seventh-rank beings.

"I am Ying Kuang. I believe you have all been waiting for this day. Let’s skip the formalities and depart immediately!"

With that, the Galactic Ship Captain from the Pillar Ying Clan led the way out of the Windbath Lodge, followed by the 52 Annihilator Ship Captains.

As they left Xianqin Dragoncourt City, dozens of enormous Emberfire Warships tore through the sky, heading out of the Xianqin Continent.

This spectacle drew the attention of countless onlookers across the Xianqin Continent. Even as the first Floating Continent of the Xianqin Divine Empire, which has seen innumerable Emberfire Warships over the past 200,000 years, the simultaneous appearance of one Galactic Ship and over fifty Annihilator Ships remains a rare event.

In the eastern part of the Xianqin Continent, within the depths of a mountain that blocks the sky, a figure who had been in seclusion for countless years was awakened.

"Ying Kuang’s lineage... causing such a commotion, what are they planning?"

"Send someone to investigate and see if we can find out more."

...

In the central part of the continent, by the Azure Dragon Lake.

"Is it definitely Ying Kuang’s boy?"

"Let him go. The Ember Flame Civilization is on the verge of major changes. What difference does a branch make? It’s still the Ying name!"

...

Scenes like this were playing out across the Xianqin Continent. While most clans took action, they tacitly kept it within certain limits.

Perhaps the Ying Kuang lineage would face joint suppression from other branches, but their core would not be truly harmed.

The Pillar Ying Clan is indeed a colossal entity, with complex and bloated internal factions. However, as long as the Ying Emperor remains, the order within this superpower will not collapse, and the Pillar Ying Clan’s influence will continue to grow.

...

Beyond the Xianqin Continent, in the Divine Empire's transfer base.

A royal Galactic Captain greeted everyone, and the priority for the teleportation of over fifty warships was raised to the highest level.

After just a few days, Song Chi boarded a massive Dark Energy Hyper-Teleportation Platform with his team.

Under the solemn gaze of the numerous staff at the transfer base, the giant Dark Energy Hyper-Teleportation Platform slowly activated.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

Below the platform, ten large dark energy reactors simultaneously operated at maximum capacity. Vast amounts of dark energy gathered on the platform at every moment.

When it reached a certain threshold, a terrifyingly wide beam of dark energy shot up into the sky, piercing the pitch-black cosmos. It was accompanied by intense spatial fluctuations.

The spatial fluctuations caused by this dark energy beam were almost stronger than any Song Chi had ever seen before, except for the time when the Spacewormhole connected to the star system where Veritas Mechanica was located.

A severe sense of weightlessness enveloped his body. When the weightlessness dissipated, a long-absent feeling of nausea followed closely.

Fortunately, the Level 78 Guidance Technique had endowed Song Chi with a sufficiently strong physique, and the discomfort lasted only a moment.

Once he regained his composure, Song Chi looked out through the warship's holographic view to the distance.

His pupils dilated slightly in the next second.

At the edge of the cosmos, a familiar Stellar Great Wall came into view, stretching endlessly with countless Emberfire Warships scattered along its length.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The sound of cannon fire filled the vast cosmos, almost obscuring the entire sky. Beyond the protective light barrier that enveloped the Stellar Great Wall, countless Starsea Insectoids were furiously attacking every section of the wall.

Warship wreckage, insectoid remains, and splattered blood drifted through the cosmos in every direction.

Seeing this scene, Song Chi finally understood why the staff at the transfer base had been so solemn, and why their eyes were filled with respect and solemnity when they looked at their fleet of dozens of warships.

They had only undergone one teleportation and were already at the frontline of the endless insect sea.

This was one of the frontlines of the Ember Human Civilization, and it was among the most intense battlefields of all the civilizations under the Ember Human Civilization.

The endless insect sea, truly endless. Today, Song Chi finally felt the true meaning of the word "endless" before "insect sea."

Because the Star Sea Insectoids they faced on this frontline were truly infinite.

As he watched this scene, Song Chi's curiosity about the familiar Stellar Great Wall was overshadowed, and his mind was filled with information about the Star Sea Insectoids.

To his knowledge, the Star Sea Insectoids were not considered part of the Shattered Star Sea's Sovereign Civilizations, at least according to the records of the Ember Human Civilization.

The reason was not that the Star Sea Insectoids were weak; on the contrary, their strength in the entire Shattered Star Sea was extremely terrifying. They were so powerful that even when facing the top-ranked Sovereign Civilizations, they could achieve absolute dominance.

Yes, absolute dominance.

According to official records of the Ember Flame Civilization, the Wizard Civilization ranked fifth among the known Sovereign Civilizations, occupying as many as eight Galactic Clusters.

The Angel Civilization ranked fourth, also with eight Galactic Clusters under its control.

The Shizhu Civilization ranked third, with twelve Galactic Clusters under its control, a number that had been stable for ten thousand years.

The second-ranked Titan Giant Civilization directly controlled fifteen Galactic Clusters.

Even these Sovereign Civilizations, which stood at the pinnacle of the Shattered Star Sea, would be dominated if they faced the Star Sea Insectoids alone.

The Star Sea Insectoids, driven solely by their instinct to consume, do not follow the mutually agreed-upon rules of sustainable development. Wherever they go, everything is consumed.

In the eyes of the countless civilizations of the Shattered Star Sea, they are not considered true civilizations but rather a disaster for the entire Shattered Star Sea.

According to the records of the Ember Human Civilization, at least forty Galactic Clusters have been destroyed by the Star Sea Insectoids.

This is based on the records of the Ember Flame Civilization. In reality, the number of destroyed Galactic Clusters is likely even higher.

Driven by this massive amount of resources and energy, the strength of the Star Sea Insectoids has already expanded to a level that is unimaginable for any Star Sea civilization.

Don't be fooled by the sheer scale of this battlefield; this is just one segment of the vast front between the Starsea Insectoids and the Ember Human Civilization. The Starsea Insectoids are not only at war with the Ember Human Civilization; in the boundless Starsea, they are simultaneously engaged in countless conflicts with other civilizations across various star regions.

To give a closer example, the Corpse Emperor Clan, a neighbor of the Ember Flame Civilization, is also locked in a fierce battle with the Starsea Insectoids.

After dealing with the Eight-Armed Serpent Demon Civilization, the Ember Human Civilization, lacking any Mythic-level combatants, was one of the key reasons they didn't immediately launch a full-scale assault on the Corpse Emperor Clan.

...

"Still not coming to help?"

A sudden roar from the distant starfield snapped Song Chi out of his reverie. Following the sound, he saw the source of the voice.

Or rather, the warship from which the roar emanated.

It was a Galactic Ship, a top-tier vessel stretching two million kilometers in length.

Despite its formidable power, capable of standing against a Ninth-Rank Sovereign, the energy shield enveloping the Galactic Ship was now dim, and its black-red hull was riddled with countless cracks and dents.

From these marks, he could imagine the intensity of the battle this ship had endured.

"Everyone, follow my orders! Rush to the battlefield and attack freely!"

Ying Kuang's roar echoed through the communication group, and he immediately charged forward, his ship, the only Galactic Ship in the fleet, roaring towards the wall of the Stellar Great Wall.

In the main control room of the Skygale of Tianxu, Song Chi's eyes narrowed, and the next second, the warship's engines roared, propelling it into a blur as it followed the Galactic Ship.

Almost simultaneously, fifteen Annihilator Ships also launched, and the remaining thirty or so ships followed closely behind, rushing towards the Stellar Great Wall without hesitation.

...

Swish, swish, swish!

Insectoids with a wingspan exceeding ten kilometers, resembling giant hornets, rapidly flapped their wings. Vast amounts of spatial energy converged on their wings, and in the next second, they transformed into streaks of shadow, slicing through the protective barrier above the Stellar Great Wall with terrifying spatial cutting forces.

Each slice of the spatial cutting force dimmed the barrier, and when a Seventh-Rank Winglord Insectoid used this technique, it could directly tear through a particularly weak spot in the barrier.

Through these tears, large numbers of Tigerclaw Insectoids, Blast Insectoids, and Splash Insectoids poured in, forcing the Flame-Ember Warships within the barrier to engage them in close combat.

In the central section of the Stellar Great Wall, the core area of this segment of the front line.

Two minutes ago, two Eighth-Rank Winglord Insectoids took advantage of the two Galactic Ships stationed here being preoccupied and jointly cut a massive gap in the protective barrier above the Great Wall.

Although the two Galactic Ships worked to repair the gap, over a million Starsea Insectoids, including two Eighth-Rank and nearly twenty Seventh-Rank Insectoids, had already poured through the gap within those two minutes.

The Flame Fleet responsible for defending this area was not small, numbering over four hundred thousand. Under normal circumstances, they could gradually eliminate these insectoids, but this was a battlefield. The number of insectoids outside the recently repaired barrier was even greater, and if they didn't intercept them, the barrier, which had just been restored, would not hold for long.

"Ji Xuan, prepare to activate the backup Titan I Stellar Fortress!"

"No, we can't use the third fortress. It's the last one we have on this front. It will take another twenty years to replenish, and we absolutely cannot use it lightly!"

"When else should we use it? Wait until the front collapses? If the front collapses, we will have to pay ten times, even a hundred times the cost to push back!"

"Lords, no need to argue. Reinforcements are here!"

...

Rip!

The razor-sharp mandibles of an Eighth-Rank Tigerclaw King easily tore through the hull of a Veteran Annihilator Ship. In a single strike, this newly Ascended ship suffered over 60% damage, and another hit would likely sink it.

At that moment, a deep, rumbling engine sound approached.

A blazing beam of light pierced through the air, striking the back armor of the Eighth-Rank Tigerclaw King just as it was about to strike again.

[Dark Energy Fighter Cannon] - "Dark Energy Penetration"!

Sssss!

Even the formidable Eighth-Rank Tigerclaw's back armor couldn't withstand the intense beam, which tore through it, leaving a terrifying wound.

As the only Ultimate Galactic Captain in his lineage, Ying Kuang, who actively sought to advance to the Ninth Rank, had a warship with exceptional power and capabilities.

With just one strike, he nearly crippled an Eighth-Rank Tigerclaw King.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end