281: Chapter 281 Burning Away the Origin! All Races Unite to Fight the Cataclysm

"The final battle—victory or death!"

Emperor Chen Fan's roar, laden with the supreme majesty of a Cosmic Venerable, pierced through the oppressive darkness of The Devourer and echoed in the hearts of every soldier in the Universal Allied Forces.

The remaining billions of the Universal Allied Forces moved instantly, arranging themselves according to the ancient ultimate battle formation of the Protoss Inheritance. Millions of surviving warships linked end to end, with the strongest of each race taking their places at the formation's nodes, pouring all their remaining origin energy into the array. The seven-colored energy of the myriad races intertwined with the purifying power of the Protoss Inheritance, coalescing in front of the Dawn into a massive, void-spanning shield of purification. This was the universe's final defensive barrier and a desperate counterattack formation.

The Devourer did not hesitate in the slightest; its pure devouring will erupted suddenly, and a boundless, pitch-black tide of devouring energy surged from within it. This black tide was more terrifying than all its previous tentacles and dark energy combined. Wherever it passed, space was reduced to absolute nothingness, and even the laws of the universe were rapidly consumed. The moment the light shield collided with the black tide, dense cracks appeared. Soldiers within the formation immediately vomited blood, and many warriors from weaker races had their hearts shattered by the devouring will, sacrificing themselves heroically, yet they still held their positions firmly, with not a single one retreating.

"At this rate, the battle formation won't last ten breaths!" Old Hu roared, pouring all his cultivation into the formation node. His blood surged, and his skin began to crack. "Your Majesty, we must take the initiative; we cannot defend passively!"

Commander Ling Shuang dragged her damaged Dawn Mecha, pointing its mecha blade directly at The Devourer, her eyes filled with determination: "This subordinate is willing to lead the mecha regiment in a charge to buy Your Majesty a chance for a single strike!"

Commander Lei Meng went even further, burning his own lifespan to drive the remaining energy of the warship's main cannon. His eyes were bloodshot, seeking only to hold back The Devourer for just a moment longer.

Emperor Chen Fan looked at the soldiers behind him who were ready to die, watched the soldiers of the myriad races fall one after another, and gazed at the cosmic homeland on the verge of being consumed; the last shred of hesitation in his heart completely vanished. He knew clearly that with his current power as a Cosmic Venerable, he could not completely defeat the main body of The Devourer. Only by burning his own origin as a Cosmic Venerable, detonating the entire power of the Protoss Inheritance, and combining it with the purifying energy of the myriad races' battle formation, would there be a slim chance to heavily damage The Devourer and protect this universe.

Burning the origin would result in the loss of all cultivation at best, and the total annihilation of his soul—never to be reincarnated—at worst; this was a final strike that would cost him his life.

Yet, Emperor Chen Fan did not hesitate in the slightest. He was the Lord of Humanity, the Cosmic Sovereign; protecting the myriad races and the universe was his mission.

"Zero, order the entire army to stabilize the battle formation and channel all energy to me!" Emperor Chen Fan's voice was calm yet carried unquestionable firmness. He slowly released the scepter of the cosmic sovereign, and golden light suddenly erupted around him. The origin core of the Cosmic Venerable slowly appeared on his chest, the pale golden origin power exuding a vast aura. This was the foundation of his cultivation, the bedrock upon which he had ascended to become a Cosmic Venerable.

"Your Majesty! You must not!" Commander Su Qingyue burst into tears in the research cabin. She instantly understood Emperor Chen Fan's plan; burning his origin was equivalent to destroying his own cultivation and sacrificing his life. "There must be another way, let us think of something else, you cannot do this!"

Commander Ling Shuang, Commander Lei Meng, and Old Hu also roared to dissuade him. They would rather die in battle than watch Emperor Chen Fan burn his origin, but there was no time to hesitate now. The devouring black tide had already breached the outer layer of the light shield and was only a step away from the heart of the universe.

"No need for more words; this is the only way." Emperor Chen Fan turned back, taking one deep look at the human soldiers and the beings of the myriad races behind him, his eyes filled with reluctance and the firmness of protection. "Humanity was able to walk from Blue Water Star to this day because you fought alongside me; I was able to become the Cosmic Sovereign because of the trust placed in me by the myriad races. Today, I, Emperor Chen Fan, in the name of the Cosmic Sovereign, burn my origin as a Cosmic Venerable to protect the myriad races of my universe, never ceasing until death!"

As his voice fell, Emperor Chen Fan fiercely clenched the origin core on his chest and squeezed it hard!

Boom—!!!

The vast, boundless power of the Cosmic Venerable's origin erupted instantly. The golden origin light illuminated the entire chaotic darkness. All the purifying power of the Protoss Inheritance was completely detonated, perfectly merging with the origin power to transform into a pure, divine light of purification. Zero immediately drove the battle formation, channeling all the remaining energy of the myriad races and the power of faith from all living beings into Emperor Chen Fan's body. The divine light grew increasingly brilliant, containing the will of the myriad races united as one, the obsession to protect their home, and the determination to destroy the catastrophe, as it blasted straight towards the main body of The Devourer!

This strike had no flashy techniques, only the purest purification and protection; it was the ultimate strike of the universe, condensed by Emperor Chen Fan at the cost of his life!

The main body of The Devourer seemed to sense a fatal threat and frantically drove the devouring black tide to counterattack. But before this divine light, which fused the origin of the Cosmic Venerable, the Protoss Inheritance, and the faith of the myriad races, the devouring black tide melted away like snow, rapidly collapsing. The divine light pierced straight through the black tide and slammed heavily into the chaotic main body of The Devourer!

A piercing, extreme psychic wail echoed throughout the universe. The main body of The Devourer was pierced through by the divine light, its pitch-black body rapidly dissolving. Its devouring origin suffered a devastating blow, and it no longer possessed its previous dominance. Its massive body began to retract, crazily retreating towards the shattered dimensional rift; it had clearly been heavily damaged and had lost the ability to consume everything.

Emperor Chen Fan hung in the void, the golden light around him gradually fading. His origin as a Cosmic Venerable had burned out, his soul had become extremely weak, and his figure was swaying, yet he still stared fixedly at the heavily damaged The Devourer. Only when he saw it forced back into the dimensional rift by the divine light, and Zero immediately drove the remaining energy of the Protoss Inheritance to reseal the rift, did he finally heave a sigh of relief.

"We held it... we held the universe..." Commander Lei Meng watched The Devourer retracting, collapsing onto the warship's control seat, tears streaming down his face.

The soldiers of the myriad races looked at Emperor Chen Fan, whose aura was dim in the void, and bowed in salute one after another, their eyes filled with reverence and heartache.

Commander Su Qingyue immediately piloted a rescue ship and rushed out, catching the falling Emperor Chen Fan. Looking at his pale face and nearly dissipating aura, she wept uncontrollably: "Your Majesty... hold on, we will surely be able to reshape your origin..."

Emperor Chen Fan opened his eyes slightly, looking at the people before him and the newly stabilized edge of the universe. A faint smile curled at the corners of his mouth, and with his last ounce of strength, he said: "We held it... that is good..."

As his voice fell, Emperor Chen Fan completely closed his eyes and fell into a deep slumber, his breath weak to the extreme. But at the cost of his life, he had ultimately dealt a heavy blow to The Devourer, protected this universe, and safeguarded the homes of the myriad races.

The ultimate catastrophe had temporarily subsided, but The Devourer had not been completely destroyed, and the seal on the dimensional rift could loosen at any time. With Emperor Chen Fan's origin burned out and him fallen into a deep slumber, the Universal Allied Forces had suffered heavy casualties, and the myriad races had not yet recovered from the exhaustion of the great battle; new challenges were still waiting for them ahead.