212: Chapter 212 A stunningly beautiful and alluring woman! Taking the initiative to please...

Cang Meier raised her hand, her fingertips gently tracing across Zhou Liangan's chest, her movements bold and wanton.

Zhou Liangan raised his eyes, looking at her beautiful face inches away, his gaze deepening...

The starry sky of the Extraterritorial Battlefield was forever veiled in a layer of gray Evil Qi.

Broken stellar debris floated slowly along dead orbits, and rusted Human Race warships were slanted in the asteroid belt, the claw-like gaps in their hulls still congealed with dark purple alien blood crystals.

Space rifts tore through the dark curtain from time to time, leaking currents of Chaos that swept up stardust as they whistled past, distorting even the light until it was fragmented.

This was the frontline where the Human Race and the alien races had been locked in a tug-of-war for over ten thousand years, and the battered rocky war-star beneath their feet was Old Ancestor Cang Xuan's temporary command post.

Old Ancestor Cang Xuan stood at the edge of the highest Peak with his hands behind his back, his black robes snapping loudly in the gale.

His face was resolute, his temples touched with strands of frost-white, and as his Half-Emperor pressure spread out, the Void Realm for a thousand miles around trembled slightly.

At the foot of the mountain lay the corpses of the alien vanguard scattered in disarray; they were the remnants of last night's raid, reduced to pulp by a casual palm strike from him.

He had been waiting for Old Ancestor Ling Feng for three hours.

Until pale green ripples appeared in the distant Void Realm, and the figure of Old Ancestor Ling Feng stepped out from a space channel.

His expression was extremely grim, his footsteps heavier than usual.

Old Ancestor Cang Xuan turned around and caught sight of his expression at a glance, his heart instantly sinking.

"Did the Spirit of the Ancient Tree agree?" He asked, his voice carrying the gravity of one who had long held a high position, though the end of his tone was unconsciously taut.

Old Ancestor Ling Feng walked up to him and stopped, looking up at him with eyes full of helplessness and regret, shaking his head gently: "The Ancient Tree refused."

"Refused?" Old Ancestor Cang Xuan's brows knitted together. "Why? Were the conditions I offered not enough? Three drops of Life Origin Liquid, a hundred-year mining right for three Ancient Stars of Enlightenment—could these not convince him to act?"

He believed his chips were heavy enough. The Spirit Race had been declining in recent years, the Spirit of the Ancient Tree's Lifespan was nearing its end, and the entire clan was holed up in the Spirit Realm, not daring to show their heads.

The chips he offered had absolute appeal.

There was no reason for the Ancient Tree not to agree!

"It is not a matter of chips." Old Ancestor Ling Feng gave a bitter smile. "The Ancient Tree said that the Child of Destiny is Zhou Liangan."

"Child of Destiny?" Old Ancestor Cang Xuan sneered, his tone full of disdain. "What kind of bullshit destiny is that! Where was destiny when the ancient Human Emperor passed away? Now a greenhorn pops up, and he's the one destiny belongs to?"

He least believed in such ethereal rhetoric.

If destiny were truly protecting them, why would the Human Race have lost more than half of the Star Domain, suppressed and beaten by alien races at the border for over ten thousand years?

"Don't be anxious, hear me out." Old Ancestor Ling Feng sighed and continued, "The Ancient Tree said that Zhou Liangan possesses a complete Human Emperor Body and is protected by the Human Race's Golden Dragon of Fortune, making him immune to all Laws. Not to mention that his Lifespan is nearing its end now, even at his Peak, he would not be able to harm Zhou Liangan in the slightest. If he were to force a curse, the backlash would strike back directly along the Golden Dragon of Fortune, and he would be the first to die."

Old Ancestor Cang Xuan's expression darkened, and he said nothing.

He naturally knew that the Human Emperor Body brought the blessing of Luck, but he hadn't expected it to be this strong.

The ancient Spirit Race curse technique was eerie and unpredictable; back then, an alien Half-Emperor was silently cursed to death in the Imperial Court by the Ancient Tree from across the Star Domain, and the cause of death couldn't even be investigated.

If he could succeed against an alien Half-Emperor, how could he be helpless against a junior?

"That is not the most critical part." Old Ancestor Ling Feng paused, watching his expression, and said word by word, "The Ancient Tree said that even if he truly had the ability to curse Zhou Liangan, he would never make a move. In Zhou Liangan, he saw the hope for the Human Race to return to its Peak."

This sentence was like a heavy stone, slamming hard onto Old Ancestor Cang Xuan's heart.

He raised his eyes abruptly, his gaze full of disbelief: "Hope? Just based on him? Besides fighting and killing and making enemies everywhere, what else can he do? Arrogant and domineering at the parliamentary competition, without a shred of sophistication—can such a person lead the Human Race to turn the tables?"

His tone carried the anger of being denied, but more than that, it was defiance.

He had guarded the Human Race for many eras; if he had no merit, he at least had hard work. Now, even the Ancient Tree, which had lived for who knows how many years, thought a junior was better than him?

"How many eras the Ancient Tree has lived, both you and I know clearly." Old Ancestor Ling Feng did not take his anger, his tone calm but weighty. "He has seen the glory of the Human Emperor when he was alive, and he has watched with his own eyes as the Human Race declined step by step. He has never misjudged a person. Zhou Liangan's Human Emperor Body is the most complete one since ancient times. His path is longer than both yours and mine."

Old Ancestor Cang Xuan clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. The gale on the mountaintop grew fiercer, blowing his robe corners flying, and the pressure around him became chaotic as well.

He was silent for a long time before slowly relaxing his hands, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of his mouth: "So what? Is there no other way? Just watch him grow step by step? The Ruan Family has already leaned over to his side, and Semi-Emperor has also hit a wall. Once he reaches the Breakthrough to Half-Emperor and controls the parliament, will there be any good days left for you and me?"

He was not reconciled.

The planning and layouts of many eras!

Now a Child of Destiny suddenly pops up, and he is going to overturn all his arrangements?

Old Ancestor Ling Feng looked at his face full of unwillingness, his eyes complex.

He knew very well that this person had a heavy desire for power and was domineering and paranoid in his actions, but deep down, he truly cared for the Human Race.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have foregone the easy life of the parliament to guard this godforsaken place for so many eras.

But some things cannot be turned around by obsession alone.

He was silent for a long time, then sighed faintly, his tone very light but full of weight: "Old Ancestor Cang Xuan, stop now."

Old Ancestor Cang Xuan raised his head abruptly, his eyes instantly turning cold: "What did you say?"

"I said, stop going against Zhou Liangan." Old Ancestor Ling Feng met his icy gaze without taking a single step back. "Both of us are Half-Emperors, the top combat strength of the Human Race. No matter how vindictive Zhou Liangan is, it is impossible for him to truly move against us. The Human Race cannot afford internal friction right now, and he understands that better than anyone. Letting go of prejudices and stopping the confrontation may be the only path of survival for you and me."

"Path of survival?"

Old Ancestor Cang Xuan seemed to have heard a huge joke, let out a cold laugh, and the chill almost spilled out.

He stepped forward, his Half-Emperor pressure pressing towards Old Ancestor Ling Feng without any concealment, his voice as cold as ice: "Old Ancestor Ling Feng, tell me the truth. Are these words your own, or the Spirit Race's?"

He asked directly. They were friends, but behind them stood their respective clans.

If the Spirit Race chose to withdraw and lean towards Zhou Liangan, the nature of the situation would be completely different.

Old Ancestor Ling Feng's face turned slightly pale under the pressure, but he did not retreat at all: "We have been friends for thousands of years, don't you know what kind of person I am? Do these words sound like something I would say on my own initiative?"

He paused, his tone sinking: "This is the Ancient Tree's intention, and it is also the unanimous decision of the Spirit Race's Council of Elders. The Spirit Race will fully lean towards Zhou Liangan and will no longer participate in any plots against him. I came here today, firstly to bring you a message, and secondly to make it clear to you—from now on, the Spirit Race will no longer provide you with any support."

Put simply, it was a complete breakup.

Old Ancestor Cang Xuan shuddered, the chill on his face freezing.

He looked at Old Ancestor Ling Feng's calm eyes and knew he was not lying.

Even the Spirit Race did not favor him and chose to bet on Zhou Liangan.

After planning for so long, he actually ended up abandoned by everyone.

The coldness in his eyes faded away bit by bit, replaced by thick exhaustion and loneliness.

He turned around, facing away from Old Ancestor Ling Feng, looking at the gray starry sky, watching the floating warship debris, and after a long time, let out a long sigh.

"I didn't expect... I, Old Ancestor Cang Xuan, set up such a big game, planned for so many years, and in the end, it was all for nothing."

The voice was very light, full of self-deprecation and desolation.

Old Ancestor Ling Feng stood behind him, looking at his desolate back, and felt bad inside as well.

Words of comfort reached his lips but were swallowed back—this level of obsession required him to figure it out himself.

After a moment of silence, he spoke again, his tone exceptionally grave: "There is one more thing I must tell you."

Old Ancestor Cang Xuan did not turn back, giving a faint "Hmm."

"The Ancient Tree made one last divination for the Human Race." Old Ancestor Ling Feng's voice carried a suppressed heaviness. "He said that the Human Race will face a great disaster. Before long, the race will split. Moreover, there is an invisible hand that has been manipulating the movements of the alien races from behind the scenes. The border wars of so many years were not unilaterally provoked by the alien races at all."

"What did you say?!"

Old Ancestor Cang Xuan turned around abruptly, his eyes staring fixedly at Old Ancestor Ling Feng, his pupils shrinking sharply.

He even thought he had misheard, stepping forward to grab Old Ancestor Ling Feng's arm, his voice trembling: "Say it again! The Human Race will split? There is someone manipulating behind the alien races?"

He had guarded the border for many eras.

The greatest enemy in his life was the alien races, and the premise of all his layouts was that "external threats are greater than internal ones."

Now they were telling him that behind the alien races stood the Human Race's own people?

How could this be possible?!

"Calm down." Old Ancestor Ling Feng frowned but did not break free. "Everything I said is true. This is the result of the Ancient Tree exhausting its Origin of Life to perform the divination, it absolutely cannot be wrong."

"Exhausting the Origin of Life?" Old Ancestor Cang Xuan was stunned, subconsciously letting go of his hand. "What do you mean?"

Old Ancestor Ling Feng's face revealed bitterness and deep self-reproach: "The Ancient Tree's Lifespan was already nearing its end, relying entirely on slumber to extend its life. This time, when I went to find him to discuss your plan, he was worried that you would take the Spirit Race clansmen at the border as hostages to force him to perform the curse. To make you give up, and to seek a way out for the Spirit Race, he directly burned his remaining Origin of Life to forcibly deduce the future of the Human Race."

His voice was a bit hoarse: "After the divination ended, the Ancient Tree's Origin was completely exhausted, and it has now fallen into a permanent slumber; whether it can wake up depends entirely on Heaven's will. It's all my fault... If I hadn't mentioned these things, it wouldn't have come to this."

Old Ancestor Cang Xuan was stunned.

He had indeed harbored thoughts of using force.

If the Ancient Tree refused to agree, he would have used the Spirit Race strongholds at the border to apply pressure and force the other party to submit.

But he hadn't expected that the Ancient Tree would rather burn its Origin and risk falling than submit, and it had even exposed such a huge secret.

This old thing actually had some backbone.

He was silent for a long time before giving a bitter smile, his tone full of self-deprecation: "When all is said and done, this matter started because of me. The Ancient Tree risked falling just to pass on the message; it turns out my perspective was small."

He had always thought he was acting for the overall situation of the Human Race, but compared to the Ancient Tree, his little "overall situation" was nothing more than an obsession with guarding his own small patch of land.

Others would rather die to warn the Human Race of a great internal disaster, yet he was busy with internal strife and suppressing juniors.

Having lived for all these many eras, he had really lived them in vain.

"This isn't your fault." Old Ancestor Ling Feng shook his head and said earnestly, "Your intentions were for the Human Race, but you were just too stubborn, refusing to turn back once you set your mind on a path. But things are different now; the truth is right before our eyes. The world is about to descend into Chaos, and if the Human Race wants to survive, we absolutely cannot continue to fight amongst ourselves. Zhou Liangan is the Child of Destiny and the only person currently capable of uniting everyone. You and I are both Half-Emperor; we cannot drag our feet at a time like this."

On the mountaintop, the gale howled, carrying stardust that struck the rocks with a faint, crisp sound.

Old Ancestor Cang Xuan lowered his head, his brows furrowed tightly as he fell into a long, deep contemplation.

Countless images flashed rapidly through his mind.

What made his back go cold were the "coincidences" he had overlooked.

Three thousand years ago, during the Battle of Shufeng Gorge, he set up a perfect pocket formation, and the deployment was top secret. Yet, the alien races changed their route at the last minute, precisely striking the weakest flank of his defense line, causing the loss of thirty thousand elite troops.

He investigated for half a year without catching the mole and eventually had to let it go.

A thousand years ago, during the major counterattack he had spent ten years preparing for, everything was ready, but the Council suddenly withheld military funding and slashed the budget by seventy percent, causing the counterattack plan to completely fall through.

At the time, he only thought that the old fogies like Semi-Emperor were intentionally making things difficult for him.

There were several other times when the alien races' weapons and equipment were suddenly upgraded, and their tactical style changed abruptly, so precisely that it was as if they knew his deployments like the back of their hand...

Once or twice might be a coincidence, but when it happens repeatedly, it is definitely not an accident.

He hadn't been without suspicions about internal problems before, but he dared not think about the very top.

Everyone was of the Human Race; no matter how much they fought internally, surely they wouldn't collude with the enemy, right?

But the result of the ancient tree's life-burning divination slapped him hard.

There really was someone using the fate of the entire Human Race as a bargaining chip, just to satisfy their own selfish desires.

If it were truly as the ancient tree said, that the Human Race was about to split, then wouldn't his current suppression of Zhou Liangan and creation of internal friction be helping the mastermind behind the scenes?

He had guarded the Human Race for countless epochs; would he end up destroying it with his own hands?

No.

Absolutely not.

Old Ancestor Cang Xuan suddenly looked up, the confusion and unwillingness in his eyes gradually dissipating, replaced by a heavy sense of determination.

He took a deep breath and looked toward the distant starry sky. His tone was calm, carrying the relief of a settled matter: "Forget it. To know something cannot be done yet insist on doing it, to act against the Heaven-Defying path—this is not what a cultivator should do. Since the mandate of heaven is with him, and since the Human Race faces this great calamity, let all previous schemes and grievances be forgotten. Let everything return to the right track."

As these words left his lips, it was as if he had unloaded a heavy burden, and the aura around him became much more peaceful.

The obsession that had weighed on his heart for years was completely released at this moment.

Old Ancestor Ling Feng's suspended heart finally settled, and he let out a long sigh of relief, revealing a gratified smile: "It is good that you can see reason. I was really afraid you would get stuck in a rut and insist on walking down the wrong path to the end."

Old Ancestor Cang Xuan glanced at him, annoyed: "I, Old Ancestor Cang Xuan, am not that muddled. I can distinguish what is important and what is not."

As his voice fell, he took a step forward, ripples appearing in the Void Realm, and his figure instantly vanished from the mountaintop, leaving only a faint, dark afterimage.

Old Ancestor Ling Feng stood where he was, sensing the direction of his departure, and raised his eyebrows slightly.

That direction was the ancient star on the front line of the Human Race—the residence of the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation.

He couldn't help but shake his head and smile: "This guy is certainly decisive."

That was good.

It was time for those two to sit down and have a proper talk.

The Human Race front line, the Ancient Star of Reincarnation.

This planet was the core hub of the border, refined by the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation with great magical power. Its surface was covered by a barrier of the Law of Time, so even if an alien Half-Emperor were to launch a strong attack, they wouldn't be able to break in for a while.

The palace made of Star Essence Gold deep within the planet's core was surrounded by ripples of time all year round; it was the residence of the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation.

On the observation deck at the top of the palace, the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation stood with her hands behind her back, dressed in white, gazing toward the Extraterritorial Battlefield.

Her long hair was like a waterfall, her eyes and brows were cold and clear, and her whole body seemed to be covered in a thin mist. Even though she stood right there, she gave people a sense of detachment, as if separated by endless time and space.

In her hand was a cup of clear tea, still emitting curling wisps of steam.

From the moment Old Ancestor Cang Xuan entered the planet's range, she had detected him.

She was not surprised at all; in fact, one could say she had been waiting for him to come.

She had received news of the Spirit Race's ancient tree burning its Origin for divination half an hour ago.

With her intelligence network, such minor disturbances at the border could not be hidden from her at all.

Not long after, a dark figure broke through the clouds and landed on the observation deck.

Old Ancestor Cang Xuan stood at the other end, looking at the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation not far away, feeling somewhat complicated.

After going in circles for so long, coming to her doorstep now was a bit awkward.

But he was not a coy person, so he got straight to the point: "The Spirit Race's ancient tree burned its life Origin to divine that the Human Race will face great Chaos and that the clan will split. Behind the alien races, there is manipulation by high-level members of the Human Race."

He did not beat around the bush, directly throwing out the core information to see the reaction of the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation.

The Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation turned slowly and lifted her eyes to look at him.

Her gaze was calm and waveless, without the slightest surprise, as if she had known everything all along.

She spoke indifferently, her voice as clear and cold as mountain spring water: "You have not completely extinguished your humanity yet. I thought you would cling to your obsession and walk down the wrong path to the end."

These words carried a bit of a sting, but they could also be considered a disguised acknowledgment.

Old Ancestor Cang Xuan frowned, a bit unconvinced: "I have guarded the Human Race border for many epochs, fought in ten thousand battles large and small, and the blood of alien races on my hands could form a river. Everything I have done was never for my own selfish gain. Reincarnation, you underestimate me too much."

He couldn't stand it when others thought he was targeting Zhou Liangan for the sake of power.

He was stubborn and overbearing, but his bottom line had always been the survival of the Human Race.

The Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation looked at his serious expression and nodded thoughtfully, her tone softening slightly: "Perhaps."

She paused: "You came here today just to tell me about this?"

Old Ancestor Cang Xuan looked at her indifferent expression, his heart skipped a beat, and he realized it instantly.

No.

She was too calm, so calm that it was as if... she had known all along.

A thought suddenly popped up, and he widened his eyes, his tone filled with disbelief: "You knew? You knew the Human Race was going to be in Chaos, and you knew there was someone behind the alien races?"

The Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation looked at his shocked appearance and suddenly smiled.

The smile was faint, carrying an air of indifference, and also the confidence of one who overlooks all living beings.

She gently shook the teacup in her hand, her tone flat yet arrogant to the extreme: "Otherwise, why do you think you are still standing here talking to me?"

A single sentence made Old Ancestor Cang Xuan's expression change drastically.

He understood—if she had wanted to deal with him, he would have been dead long ago.

Keeping him until now was merely for the sake of the big picture, not wanting internal strife in the Human Race that would pain kin and gladden enemies.

Under normal circumstances, if someone dared to say that, he would have flipped out and attacked.

But looking at the calm eyes of the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation now, he couldn't muster even a shred of anger.

Because he knew it was the truth.

All these years he had targeted her everywhere and caused many obstacles, but the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation had never truly held it against him.

Previously, he thought it was because she was afraid of causing internal strife, but now he realized it wasn't fear at all; it was that she hadn't taken his petty actions seriously.

The gap in strength was even greater than he had imagined.

Old Ancestor Cang Xuan remained silent for a few seconds, suppressing the complicated emotions in his heart, and asked in a deep voice: "What exactly have you found out? Who is the person behind this?"

Since she had known all along, she must have held many clues in her hands.

The Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation, however, shook her head, her tone indifferent: "Some things are not easy to say, nor can they be said recklessly. The other party is hidden very deep, their influence is deeply entrenched, and the implications are too great. To speak out rashly without conclusive evidence would only alert the enemy and instead cause the Human Race to fall into Chaos first."

She had always acted cautiously; without absolute certainty, she would never act lightly.

During this time, she had been investigating in secret, from the timing of several bizarre battles to the suddenly upgraded equipment of the alien races, and then to the perfectly timed power reshuffling within the Human Race.

The clues converged bit by bit, pointing to a deeply hidden force.

That force had infiltrated too deeply; the Council, the border army, the noble families, and even the alien royal courts all had their shadows.

She had remained still, firstly because of insufficient evidence, and secondly because she was waiting for Zhou Liangan to grow.

The Human Emperor Body is the nemesis of all conspiracies; when Zhou Liangan breaks through to Half-Emperor and completely activates the Human Emperor's Luck, the monsters and demons hiding in the dark will be backlashed by the Luck and automatically reveal themselves.

Old Ancestor Cang Xuan frowned but didn't ask any more questions.

He understood this logic. A conspiracy of this level, if not handled well, would be a catastrophe.

For the other party to set up such a large layout, their influence must be terrifyingly large.

Biting blindly without evidence would only lead to his own collapse.

"I understand." Old Ancestor Cang Xuan nodded and said in a deep voice, "I will continue to keep an eye on the border, and if the alien races have any unusual movements, I will notify you immediately. Previous matters were due to my stubbornness; in the face of major right and wrong, I, Old Ancestor Cang Xuan, will never drag my feet."

This was his formal stance.

The Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation nodded slightly and said no more.

Old Ancestor Cang Xuan did not stay long either; he knew the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation did not like dealing with people.

He cupped his hands, took a step forward, and his figure instantly vanished from the observation deck.

The observation deck returned to silence.

The Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation turned around and looked back toward the direction of the Extraterritorial Battlefield. The wind blew her white clothes, making them flap loudly.

She took a light sip of tea, her eyes deep.

The ancient tree had only divined the split of the Human Race, but it hadn't calculated that the person behind it was more terrifying than everyone imagined.

She lowered her head to look at her palm, where there was a faint golden pattern—a key clue she had found.

"Soon..." she murmured softly, her voice dissipating in the wind, "Very soon, it will be time to close the net."

Beneath the starry sky, a storm was approaching.

Inside the luxurious villa.

The warm yellow light of the living room fell down, blending the figures of the two together.

Cang Meier leaned forward, her smooth and delicate arms gently hooking around Zhou Liangan's neck, her cool fingertips carelessly rubbing against the skin of his nape.

Her body was pressed very close, and the rose-scented perfume, mixed with a faint warmth, rushed toward him, her warm breath sweeping across his jaw, bringing a vague, ticklish sensation.

She lifted her eyes to look over, her beautiful eyes shimmering with water, the corners of her eyes slightly upturned, and every movement of her gaze was full of alluring charm.

Seeing that Zhou Liangan didn't make a sound, she gently shook the arm hooked around him, her body softly rubbing against him, and she dragged out the end of her sentence, with a bit of a clinging, coquettish tone: "Help me, okay~"

A few strands of hair fell beside her snow-white cheeks, making her eyes and brows appear even more soft and charming...