Chapter 2012 – The Burden of a Leader
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Through over 6000 years, Xiao Moxian had already forgotten how many times she had touched the Thousand Mile Heartlink or had tried to use it to contact Lin Ming.
And now, the Thousand mile Heartlink’s sealed divine runic symbol was near the point of collapse and yet there still wasn’t any news of Lin Ming.
After gently stroking this necklace that had lost its luster, Xiao Moxian’s thoughts and mood began to waver up and down. If she were to use this necklace but a single time more, than after a short period of use the divine runic symbol sealed away in the necklace would shatter into nothing. As for this divine runic symbol, besides Lin Ming there likely wasn’t anyone in the 33 Heavens capable of drawing it up again…
After countless attempts failed, all she had was a single chance. With just a single chance, how could she possibly reach him…?
Xiao Moxian let out a deep sigh. At this time, she heard a sound come from outside the room, followed by fast and chaotic footsteps.
A group of people had arrived. Xiao Moxian put away her necklace and hid away the sorrow that etched her face.
A group of 7-8 people had come. Each one of them was the backbone of Demon Fairy Celestial Palace. The black-clothed man standing at their head was Xiao Moxian’s son – Lin Huang.
Ever since New Ming Planet stood at peak of the perilous storm, Lin Huang had ended his adventure to temper himself and had returned to Xiao Moxian’s side. This was the only thing that made Xiao Moxian feel a bit more at east.
“Your child greets mother!” A war armored Lin Huang quickly strode into the room and bowed. The others following behind him, the core of Demon Fairy Celestial Palace, also bowed in tandem.
“What is the matter?” Xiao Moxian’s heart quickened as she saw the expressions on Lin Huang’s face and the other officer’s faces. She knew that this was unlikely to be anything good.
In this war against the saints, the commanders of humanity each had to have nerves of steel.
Lin Huang stood up and said, “Our allies in the Hidden Dragon galaxy – the forces of Empyrean Transience and Dragon Fang have been locked down by the Good Fortune Saint Son into a star territory that is less than a trillion miles in width. The saint legions have already begun their search. It won’t be long before our allies are discovered by the saints.”
Lin Huang’s voice was grim. Dragon Fang had yet to break into the Empyrean realm, and in truth, even if he did he still wouldn’t be a match for the Good Fortune Saint Son. As for Empyrean Transience, he was merely a middle human Empyrean, not a match for the Good Fortune Saint Son at all.
“What?”
Xiao Moxian directly stood up, her heart sinking into her stomach.
The fact was that Dragon Fang and Empyrean Transience had been dragged into this disaster by her. Originally, the Good Fortune Saint Son didn’t know that there were other human influences in the Hidden Dragon Galaxy besides Xiao Moxian’s. In order to coordinate and help shield Demon Fairy Celestial Palace, Dragon Fang and Empyrean Transience had been slowly discovered by the Good Fortune Saint Son.
Empyrean Transience’s influence was far larger than a single New Ming Planet. The Good Fortune Saint Son had yet to locate New Ming Planet but was now already beginning to hone in on Empyrean Transience’s location.
This was incredibly bad news, so bad that it couldn’t be any worse.
At this time, a core figure of Demon Fairy Celestial Palace stepped forwards. He asked Xiao Moxian, “Palace Master, Dragon Fang and Empyrean Transience’s forces cannot last much longer. Do we set out to save them? Or not save them?
This officer of Demon Fairy Celestial Palace asked. This was also the main reason why Lin Huang and the others had rapidly made their way here to ask Xiao Moxian for her decision.
To not save them was to violate the tenets of righteousness.
But, to save them meant that they would have to face an unbelievably terrifying enemy. This would be the same as jumping into the fiery pit. The most likely result was that they would all be annihilated!
This was a difficult choice!
And the only who could decide this was Xiao Moxian.
Without being a leader one could never understand or feel the pressure of a leader. It was only when Xiao Moxian became a leader did she profoundly realize just what it was like.
In the battlefield, any decision made by the leader concerned the lives of trillions and quadrillions of people!
And in these turbulent times, she was pillar of everyone’s courage, she was their hope. No matter how confused or shocked or overwhelmed or helpless she was, she had to stand tall and firm, calmly making her decision.
Perhaps, in the thousands and millions of roads that stretched out before her, there might be only a single road to survival. As for her, through her tense nervousness and desperation, she had to seek it out no matter what!
Whether or not she could do it, she had to do it!
………..
“Mojin greets Lord Timebright.”
In front of Lin Ming stood a saint race World King. This World King was the general of the third saint legion in the Blue Horn Galaxy.
“Have you brought the information?”
Lin Ming dragged out his words and simulated a hoarse and gravelly voice. Currently, he had the appearance of a skinny old man, one that was completely similar to the dead Empyrean Timebright. In addition, he had already read through Timebright’s memories and learned everything he needed for his disguise. Even if Timebright’s own son came here they still wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.
“I have brought the requested information. Lord Timebright, please take a look.”
The saint World King passed several jade slips to Lin Ming. Lin Ming swept through them with his divine sense. The information contained inside included the rough distribution of the saint race armies, the map of the wild universe and places which had been explored, as well as some galaxies which might hold human influences.
Lin Ming used a mere 10 breaths of time to read through these materials. He frowned. These materials were far from complete. For instance, the distribution map of the saint race armies only sketchily indicated star territories. Those star territories were far too vast; wanting to find any information there would be difficult.
Moreover, there was only a tiny amount of information regard the Legion of Famine.
Lin Ming believed that the saints had even more detailed information but they just didn’t give it to him.
“Is there nothing with more detail?”
Lin Ming tossed the jade slips at the saint World King. The saint World King awkwardly spoke, “Lord Timebright, without sufficient authority it is impossible to access more information. Moreover…Lord Timebright should only need information related to the Blue Horn Galaxy, so what is the reason for needing other information?
As the saint World King spoke, he looked at Lin Ming with some doubt in his eyes. If Lin Ming’s actions were done by anyone else, they would have long since aroused the wariness of other saint race officers. But because Lin Ming’s identity could not seem any more real and he also knew all the secret codes of the army and also had the status badge to prove his identity, he could not be doubted. No one dared to suspect that a saint Empyrean could be a traitor to the saint race.
“If Lord Timebright really requires this information, then some of the information you seek is in the hands of Empyrean Thundercloud. You may make a request to him. Lord Timebright will be spending some time in the Blue Horn Galaxy, so you can also pay a visit to Empyrean Thundercloud…”
The saint World King carefully said. Empyrean Thundercloud was an upper Empyrean as well as the high commander of the saint race forces in the Blue Horn Galaxy. The reason Empyrean Timebright came to the Blue Horn Galaxy was to coordinate with Empyrean Thundercloud. If so, then the first person Lin Ming visited after reaching the Blue Horn Galaxy should ben Empyrean Thundercloud. However, because the Timebright that he masqueraded as originally had a strange and eccentric personality, not paying a visit wasn’t anything out of the ordinary at all.
Hearing the saint World King say such words, Lin Ming’s lips lifted in a smile. “I understand.”
Lin Ming walked directly towards Empyrean Thundercloud’s Heavenly Palace.
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In a purple grand hall, the high level figures of the Blue Horn Galaxy’s saint legions were currently carrying out a military conference.
“…We have already spent over 20 years in this damned place and used so many people, but all we found in the Blue Horn Galaxy so far has been three of the human planets. Moreover, they are nearly all commoners. This is no different from finding several trillion ants. Even using them as fertilizer isn’t enough to fill the gap between my teeth…”
A Great World King with vaguely blood red eyes and thick blue veins on his neck grimly said. He came from the Legion of Famine and was the commander of the Legion of Famine forces in the Blue Horn Galaxy.
“Don’t worry. This sort of comprehensive search might seem a little stupid but it’s the best method possible. As long as we stick to this plan then we’ll be able to find those mice hiding in their holes. At that time, I’ll make sure I entertain them well and have them all regret ever coming to this world.”
A pallid man that looked like a viper quietly said. As for Empyrean Thundercloud who sat in the head seat, he didn’t say a single word throughout but simply let the subordinates discuss amongst themselves.
At this time his thoughts stirred and he looked towards the entrance.
“Lord Timebright, a conference is underway right now. Would you like to wait?”
Just as a guard was speaking, the door to the hall was pushed open and an old man as skinny as firewood walked in.
Empyrean Thundercloud’s complexion darkened as he saw Timebright burst in; he never had any favorable impression towards this lower Empyrean that had been transferred over here.
Just as he was about to say something to establish his position, he suddenly saw Timebright’s lips curve up in a smile.
Then, Timebright thrust out a hand. In the center of his palm spun a black cube. This black cube seemed to contain some demonic charm, capable of drawing one’s soul into it.
Empyrean Thundercloud was immediately on guard. “What are doing?”
Shua!
A boundless and potent force field came shrouding down. Everything with a thousand feet was enveloped in this force field.
And this force field was a strength that Empyrean Thundercloud had never experienced before. But mixed among it was a Law that he recognized.
That is, the Grandmist Laws!
“You…you aren’t Timebright!”
Empyrean Thundercloud was enraged.
But at this moment, Lin Ming had already stepped forwards. He shot out the Magic Cube from his hand and a terrifying soul vortex swallowed all!
Empyrean Thundercloud’s eyes turned blood red. His body emitted loud crackling noises as he instantly activated the power of his bloodline.
And beside him, the two officers from the Legion of Famine also roared. Wriggling red tentacles dripping with blood rose up from their bodies; they had summoned the power of Famine within their bodies without any hesitation. As Great World Kings facing an Empyrean, their only chose was to undergo body metamorphosis and become an abyssal monster, otherwise they simply wouldn’t have any strength to resist!
However, they never imagined that just as they activated their body metamorphosis, their bodies would seem to be caught in a mire of chaos, completely unable to move. The blood red tentacles that stretched out behind were like snakes caught in the charm of a flute, completely escaping their control.
In a flash, those tentacles that should have plunged towards Lin Ming suddenly turned around and pieced towards their necks!
That change caused them to be scared out of their minds. They wanted to resist, but to their horror they discovered that their bodies were no longer under their control and they were rooted in place.
Puff! Puff!
The tentacles of Famine’s flesh pierced through the necks of those two Legion of Famine officers. Then, their heads flew off with everlasting regret in their eyes.
This ability to control the Legion of Famine had been tested by Lin Ming on Timebright before. Now, he could do so with skillful ease.
At the same time, Empyrean Thundercloud was also surrounded by the massive soul storm set off by the Magic Cube. No matter how much he struggled he couldn’t change his fate.
Peng!
Blood gushed out from Empyrean Thundercloud’s head and his body slumped to the floor…