Swallowing the Stars: Heart of the Martial God

Chapter 148 The Zerg's Surprise

A floating continent lies suspended above the sea of ​​clouds, its entire body composed of glass-like jade, shimmering with iridescent light under the sun.

In the center of the continent lies a garden, where snow-white magnolias bloom and cascading vines cascade down. Various exotic flowers and rare herbs emit a soft, shimmering light. Several jade-colored paths meander through the garden, leading to a crystal pavilion. Beneath the pavilion, a babbling brook flows, formed from liquid starlight.

In the center of the garden, two graceful figures stood beneath the flowering trees.

The Zerg Queen lightly twirled a half-open pink flower between her fingertips, her nails adorned with delicate gold patterns. As she gently brushed the edge of the petals, a corner of her skirt lifted with the movement, revealing a section of her fair calves, where silver chains jingled at her ankles.

She suddenly turned her head, brought her lips close to the petals and sniffed them lightly, raised the corners of her eyes slightly, and glanced at the person next to her as if by accident. Her voice was languid and magnetic: "Linglong, you did a good job. This Xuan Gu Venerable's talent is almost comparable to that of the human Ling Xuan, and his growth rate is extremely fast."

Linglong followed behind the Zerg Queen with respect and a hint of worship, like a little maid.

At the same time, I was filled with relief and joy.

She never expected that the Empress would personally receive her because of Xuan Gu's matter.

It's important to understand that while the hierarchy among the Zerg queens isn't as clearly defined as that among the machine races, and they even address each other as sisters, the gap between a cosmic overlord and the strongest being in the universe is like an insurmountable chasm.

The Zerg Queen, the greatest Zerg being, is rarely seen on ordinary days.

Now, just because of Venerable Xuan Gu, he bypassed Lord Zi Yuan and met with her, and in such a friendly manner.

This made her feel that her initial decision was absolutely correct.

When she received the task from the Lord of the Purple Iris to contact the Xuan Gu King, she did not, like other powerful figures, directly invite him with treasures.

Instead, he carefully observed the interactions between these powerful figures and the Xuan Gu King before deciding to approach them as friends and gradually build rapport.

Today, the rewards have finally come.

The Zerg Queen paused, then casually plucked a blue flower from beside her with her other hand. As her fingertips traced the petals, Linglong Venerable instinctively reached out to take it. The Queen's eyes flickered, and as she handed over the flower, her fingertips lightly brushed against the back of Linglong Venerable's hand, and she chuckled softly: "Other races and powers all think that the Mountain Giants are just big, dumb fools, believing that they can be won over by simply offering some treasures. In reality, these giants are far smarter than they are."

The Venerable Linglong listened quietly to the flower petals, her fingers curling slightly as she took them, and the tips of her ears turning a faint red.

The Empress turned and leaned against the trunk of the flowering tree. She raised her hand and plucked a fallen petal from her temple. Her tone was authoritative yet gentle: "You should make good relations with that Venerable Xuangu. This is our clan's primary goal and plan for a long time to come."

"Our Zerg race is too small; we need more strong individuals like these who have no ties to their side to join our Zerg ranks."

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Venerable Linglong nodded, her voice tinged with awe. “I also believe that Xuangu is completely different from other rock-based life forms.”

"Hmm, it's good that you know." The Empress chuckled. "This ancient giant only showed up and joined the Ancestral God Cult after breaking through to become an immortal, which shows that he has a very clear understanding of the rules of this universe. He is definitely not as simple as he appears on the surface. No matter which force contacts him, they all maintain a certain distance, making people feel that there is a glimmer of hope, but it is not so easy to succeed, so that each race keeps increasing their bargaining chips."

"Xuan Gu is too heaven-defying. The primordial universe could actually give birth to such a special life."

Linglong Venerable subconsciously held her breath, only to hear the Empress continue, "But he also showed a desire to join the major powers, clearly not intending to be a lone wolf."

She straightened up, a vine twirling between her fingertips, her tone regaining its usual composure, yet becoming even more unfathomable. "As long as my Zerg are sincere enough, making him feel a sense of belonging, we will eventually wait until the day he makes up his mind. Moreover, my Zerg are truly willing to accept him—as long as he is truly willing to stand with my Zerg, I wouldn't mind making him the second-in-command of the Zerg Alliance."

She turned to look at Venerable Linglong, her eyes as gentle as the stream beneath the pavilion: "You must treat Venerable Xuangu the same way you treat your other sisters, understand?"

As Linglong Venerable gazed into the Empress's eyes, which seemed to hold the stars, he felt that every gesture she made exuded a captivating charm that commanded respect. She possessed both the majesty of a ruler and the gentleness of a woman, making one unconsciously want to obey her commands.

She nodded emphatically: "Your subordinate understands."

The Queen smiled with satisfaction, raised her hand and placed the broken flower branch in Linglong Venerable's hair, her fingertips combing through the other's hair: "Although I don't expect Xuan Gu to end up like the Lord of Rock Giants treated the Lord of Liu Jiu, I do hope that he can become a powerful ally of the Zerg, rather than a vassal of those in the Alliance who depend on the Zerg for survival."

……

The fact that Ling Xuan, in his capacity as the Xuan Gu Venerable, killed a large number of inheritors from various races in the aftermath of his battle with the Cold Whale could not be kept secret from the various races.

First of all, the large number of immortals dying mysteriously is already unusual. Moreover, not all the powerful figures were under the influence of the aftershocks at the time. There were also some survivors who were far away and saw the battle situation clearly.

These powerful beings in the universe have lived for countless years and have long since tried all kinds of entertainment.

These kinds of important events and topics of conversation are what they really use to pass the time.

So the battle was immediately spread in Glory Square, giving the major powers in the universe a further understanding of the strength of the Xuan Gu Venerable.

This is a unique life form with an extraordinary talent and secret technique that rivals the power of the universe's ruler to control space and time.

Possessing such a spacetime-related talent technique means that the other party has extremely strong talent in the laws of spacetime, and has a very high possibility of becoming the master of the universe.

The desire of various ethnic groups to win over Venerable Xuangu intensified, and they once again sent envoys to court and befriend him.

And the sincerity brought by these envoys was more and more evident than the last.

The expected scenario of powerful figures from various races questioning and interrogating him about the massacre of numerous immortals did not occur; it was as if nothing had ever happened.

The envoy from the Hongmeng even offered a complete set of high-grade treasures as a token of their sincerity.

If he weren't originally human, he probably would have been tempted by such a gift long ago.

“Xuan Gu.” Only after the human messenger left did Venerable Linglong reappear.

"Those humans are really delusional, actually thinking they can gain your friendship with a set of high-grade treasures."

"I have to admit, I almost fell for it." Xuan Gu's clone shook his head, his tone still sullen.

“Xuan Gu, you underestimate yourself too much. With your strength, you need at least a complete set of top-tier treasures to match.” Venerable Linglong said in a self-righteous manner.

"Hahaha, Linglong, your Zerg Alliance is willing to give up a whole set of top-tier treasures? That's a privilege that even many universe lords haven't received. Can the universe lord behind you make that decision?" Xuan Gu clone laughed.

"This decision was not made by the Lord of Purple Iris, but by Her Majesty the Great Empress."

"The Zerg Queen?" Xuan Gu's clone said in surprise, "I never expected to receive the attention of the great Queen. It's truly an honor."

"So, what do you say? Do you want to join my Zerg Alliance?" Venerable Linglong asked.

"I must say, Linglong, you've given me a pleasant surprise," Xuan Gu's clone said with a smile. "Alright, I'll join the Zerg Alliance."

If this drags on any longer, and the Ancestral God Cult begins to intervene, there will be no more opportunities to infiltrate other ethnic groups.

"Alright, Xuan Gu, it's a pleasure to become your comrade-in-arms." Venerable Linglong smiled happily. "The Empress said she wants to see you. Could you please leave this Ancestral Mystic Realm for a while?"

"The Great Empress wishes to see me?" Xuan Gu's clone's face showed a hint of longing.

He wasn't worried at all that the Zerg Queen would cause trouble. First, according to the intelligence from the Giant Axe Founder, the Zerg Queen's true form was in the Cosmic Sea; the Zerg Queen in the Primordial Universe was merely an avatar with limited power.

Even the avatars of the two great holy lands' progenitors dared not show themselves in the cosmic sea, which shows that the Zerg Queen's divine avatar is not that powerful either, so there is no need to worry about her causing trouble.

Furthermore, the Xuan Gu clone is also a combat force of the universe's master, and it's not so easy to use underhanded tactics against it.

Most importantly, the Xuan Gu clone has no soul, which makes it a natural counter to the Zerg, a race with mastery of souls.

"Since you agree, then come with me." Venerable Linglong's eyes were full of joy. Instead of summoning a soul servant to teleport, she directly used the Divine Kingdom Teleportation, completely exposing her Divine Kingdom to the Xuan Gu Avatar, as if she trusted Venerable Xuan Gu very much.

"Linglong, you..." Even Ling Xuan felt that the Zerg were really going all out to win him over.

Not only did they provide a complete set of top-tier treasures, but they also directly revealed the divine kingdom of a Zerg cosmic overlord.

But he didn't know that the exposure of the divine kingdom's coordinates was entirely Linglong Venerable's own doing.

After so many years of getting to know him, she felt that Xuan Gu's clone was straightforward and trustworthy.

She didn't think that the Zerg would suddenly turn against Xuan Gu Venerable because of how the Zerg treated him.

"Xuan Gu, the Empress's time is precious, there's no time to waste, come quickly," Venerable Linglong invited with a smile.

Xuan Gu's clone nodded and followed behind the other person, stepping into the divine kingdom passage and entering a magnificent world.

They were teleported again from that divine kingdom to a starry sky in the insectoid territory.

The halo of light from the divine realm passage dissipated, and Xuan Gu's avatar and Linglong Venerable stepped into the starry sky of the insectoid territory.

This star field was filled with a faint glow, and countless rhomboid insect crystals formed a star belt that flowed in the distance, illuminating the void with a touch of splendor.

At that moment, an indescribable will, as great as the ocean, swept across the entire starry sky like a tidal wave. It was not a force of oppression, yet it caused all things to subconsciously hold their breath.

Immediately afterwards, that will coalesced into a graceful figure—she wore a dark red floor-length dress, the hem embroidered with millions of flapping-winged insect totems, which shone with every movement, as if she wore the life force of the entire insect race on her body.

Her waist was cinched extremely thin by a waist chain inlaid with pigeon-blood red worm crystals. When she turned around, the hem of her skirt swept through the air, stirring up fine dust of light and outlining her voluptuous yet graceful curves.

Her eyes, as they moved, possessed both the majesty of the strongest being in the universe and a captivating charm that seemed to see into people's hearts. A faint smile played on her lips, as if a single glance could make the stars sway for her.

Even a rock-like being like the Ancient Avatar had to admire the beauty of the Zerg Queen.

"Venerable Xuan Gu," the Zerg Queen spoke softly, her voice like a clear spring soaked in nectar, gentle yet penetrating, "Welcome to the Zerg."

Xuan Gu's clone nodded slightly: "It is Xuan Gu's good fortune to have gained the favor of Her Majesty the Empress."

Venerable Linglong knelt and bowed to the side, his eyes filled with awe and joy.

The Zerg Queen slowly stepped forward, her bare feet treading on a carpet of light formed from the void. With each step, tiny golden insect shadows bloomed and disappeared beneath her feet.

"I've long heard of your extraordinary talent, Venerable One. The battle at the Nine-Colored Waterfall truly made the universe witness your power." She raised her hand, and a set of supreme treasures appeared in her palm—the helmet was inlaid with dark crystals that could devour light, the armor shimmered with a liquid metal-like luster, and the edges of the boots were swirling with spatial ripples. The entire set of equipment was perfectly integrated, exuding the unique pressure of a top-tier supreme treasure. "This 'Erosion Set' is the Zerg's gift to you."

The treasure floated in front of Xuan Gu's clone, its radiant light illuminating his rock-like face.

"This set can amplify any arcane technique, making it perfect for a powerful individual like you who enjoys hand-to-hand combat." The Empress raised an eyebrow, her tone tinged with amusement. "I imagine it will be of some use to you."

Xuan Gu's avatar accepted the treasure and could clearly feel the immense power contained within it. He said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty's sincerity will be remembered by Xuan Gu."

"The Zerg never use empty formalities to win over friends," the Queen chuckled. "From this day forward, you will be the Zerg's best friend."

Her gaze fell on the Xuan Gu clone, scrutinizing it, yet more like admiring a rare treasure: "May you stand with the Zerg."

"I will certainly live up to your trust," Xuan Gu's clone replied in a deep voice.

Linglong Venerable laughed from the side, "With Xuan Gu joining us, our insect race is like a tiger with wings."

The Empress nodded slightly, her figure gradually turning into a shower of light and dust, and her great will also dissipated, leaving only one sentence echoing in the starry sky: "Go, and familiarize yourself with everything about the Zerg."

As the light and dust settled, Xuan Gu's clone, holding the "Erosion Set," exchanged a glance with Linglong Venerable.

"Your Majesty is too kind."

"Try them on quickly," Venerable Linglong said with a smile.

Xuan Gu clone immediately and without hesitation equipped the "Erosion Set".

All treasures can freely change their size according to their owner's size, even someone as large as him with a size of three million kilometers can be equipped with them.

After equipping himself, Xuan Gu clone tried it out, which greatly enhanced his strength.

Originally, with the cultivation of the Heaven-Covering Technique and nearly ten thousand times the genetic power, he could rival a third-tier universe master with his bare hands.

Now, with the blessing of this top-tier treasure, his strength is approaching the fourth rank.

Of course, this refers to the fact that without using the secret techniques of the Lord of the Void Blade, the sword intent comprehended by comprehending the Heavenly Blade is still his strongest move.

Upon returning to the secret realm, the brand-new equipment worn by Venerable Xuan Gu instantly attracted the attention of countless powerful individuals who had been keeping a close eye on him.

"The Venerable Xuangu has actually joined the Zerg! How despicable! I thought he was truly impervious to reason!"

"I don't know what tricks the Zerg used to manage to attract that big rock."

"Damn Zerg! That Xuan Gu Venerable possesses the combat power of a Universe Lord. Now the Zerg Alliance is practically invincible within the Ancestral God Sect. Who can defeat them?"

"Sure enough, these old women have a lot of tricks up their sleeves."

“That’s right, how come we didn’t think of that? Venerable Xuan Gu is a member of the Ancestral God Cult and can stay in the Ancestral God Mystic Realm. Now he has also joined the Zerg Alliance and has become the only cosmic master among the major forces in the universe who can stay in the Ancestral God Mystic Realm.”

"It's over."

The powerful figures from various races discussed the matter animatedly, and the situation within the Ancestral Mystic Realm suddenly became quite delicate.

The Zerg were originally the weakest, but now they have become the strongest.

However, the strong members of the Zerg Alliance were overjoyed. They had been bullied before but there was nothing they could do. Now they had a powerful backer.

(End of this chapter)