Reborn as a lotus, she initially refuses to hand it over to the state.

Ning Yue didn't take the golden armor. He just looked at Gu Tianheng, his pale soul fire burning quietly in his eyes: "You want to take all the blame by yourself? Gu Tianheng, you're still the same as you were 100,000 years ago, always thinking that as the first commander, you have the right to make decisions for everyone."

Ning Yue raised his spear, the tip sweeping over each of the 120,000 First Border Guards: "The seven star cities are not your private property, and the First Border Guards are not your weapons. Who has saved lives, who has killed, who voluntarily slaughtered the borders for the Hunting Court, and who was merely carrying out orders. These accounts must be settled one by one. You have no right to claim credit for them, nor do you have the right to suffer for them."

Gu Tianheng fell silent. In the formation of 120,000 First Border Guards, a deputy commander wearing heavy crimson-gold armor suddenly stepped forward: "Ning Yue, the affairs of the First Border Guards are not for the Ninth Border Guards to judge."

If the commander hadn't signed the deed of surrender back then, we would all have died under the main cannons of the Hunting Court long ago.

The seven human star cities wouldn't have existed until today. He saved 120,000 First Guardians and preserved 700 million humans. Even if he's guilty, it was a crime forced upon him by the Hunting Court!

Ning Yue did not refute, but Chu Zhou's illusory image of a blue lotus slowly rotated, and a pale blue stone tablet appeared outside Chenxing City in accordance with the resonance of all spirits.

The moment the Wanling War Merit Monument appeared, the aura of the 120,000 First Guardian Army soldiers was simultaneously recorded.

One name after another appeared on the surface of the monument to merit, some of which radiated a pale blue light.

Some names are half blue and half dark red, while others are completely covered by blood-red sin patterns.

The deputy commander in red gold who had just spoken looked up and quickly saw his name.

[Deputy Commander of the First Border Defense Army: Sikong Lie.]

[Defense Merit: Escorted 30 million people from Crimson Star City to safety.]

[Defending the Boundary: Guarding the severed air passage for 1,700 years.]

[Border Defense Achievements: Rescued 960,000 human prisoners of war.]

[Sin: By order of the Hunting Court, I assisted in the conquest of three resisting worlds.]

[Sin: Actively ordered the massacre of twelve foreign cities that refused to surrender.]

Military achievements cannot outweigh criminal offenses.

[Sins cannot erase military achievements.]

All merits and demerits are recorded separately.

Sikong Lie stared blankly at the stone tablet. The words he wanted to say were stuck in his throat. The monument did not deny that he had saved people, nor did it erase all his past merits because he had submitted to the Hunting Court.

However, he did not forgive those who died at the hands of the First Guardian Army just because of the words "preserving humanity".

More and more First Border Guards raised their heads, searching for their names on the war merit monument. Some people's war merits far outweighed their crimes, and some people's names were already glaringly red.

There are also tens of thousands of young soldiers, born in the seven star cities. They have never participated in the war of slaughter, but they have guarded the territory for the Hunter's Court.

The capture of other fleeing civilizations reveals the past of every individual, laid bare in the starry sky, with nowhere to hide and no one to replace them.

Gu Tianheng also saw his name.

[Commander of the First Border Defense Army: Gu Tianheng.]

[Defense Merit: Preserved 120,000 sparks of war in the First Border Defense Army.]

[Defense Achievements: Establishment of seven human star cities.]

[Defending the Boundary: Over a period of 100,000 years, protected the human race, allowing them to multiply to 700 million.]

[Sin: Voluntarily signing a boundary-ceding contract with the Hunting Court.]

[Sin: To conquer twenty-seven resisting worlds for the Hunting Court.]

[Sin: Indirectly caused the deaths of 36.1 billion people.]

[Sin: Providing the Hunting Court with nine world coordinates.]

[Current assessment: Merits are commendable, but sins are unforgivable.]

The entire starry sky fell completely silent.

Gu Tianheng looked up at the phrase "merits can be recorded, but sins cannot be forgiven," and did not look away for a long time.

He had told himself countless times that the worlds conquered by the First Guardian Army were destined to be harvested by the Hunter's Court anyway, and that he was merely exchanging their deaths for the continued survival of the seven human star cities.

But when the number 36.1 billion actually appeared before his eyes, Gu Tianheng realized that those faces he had deliberately forgotten had never disappeared; they had simply been suppressed under the lights of the seven star cities.

Chu Zhou's voice came from the green lotus: "I do not deny that you saved 700 million people, nor will I say that all your choices back then were wrong just because your hands are stained with the blood of all realms."

But the people you saved have no right to forgive you on behalf of those you killed.

The monument will remember you for protecting seven cities, and it will also remember the world destroyed by the First Border Guard.

Gu Tianheng looked down at his severed wrist: "This is fair."

Ning Yue gripped the spear: "Therefore, until the seven star cities are safe, the First Border Guard Army will still be led by you."

You are not an innocent commander, but a guilty guardian of the border. Once the seven cities have broken away from the Hunting Court, you, along with all the generals who participated in the war of slaughter, will return to the ancestral realm to face judgment.

Some deserve to die, some deserve to be suppressed, and some can even pay with their lives. The Monument to the War Gods will provide the answer.

Gu Tianheng looked at Ning Yue: "Aren't you afraid I'll betray you again?"

Ning Yue raised his hand and pulled out the broken flag stuck in the starry sky: "I'm afraid, so from now on, the Ninth Guardian Army will keep an eye on you."

If you raise your weapon for the Hunting Court again, I will personally enforce military law.

Gu Tianheng remained silent for a moment, then bent down to pick up the First Commander's Golden Armor from the ground, but did not immediately put it back on.

With force, he tore off the golden vertical pupil of the Hunter's Court from the chest of the armor piece, bit by bit.

After the golden vertical pupils left the armor, they continued to writhe, trying to return to Gu Tianheng's body.

A lotus root extended from the side, and azure-silver spirit fire fell, burning away the remaining aura of the Hunting Court.

Gu Tianheng put his golden armor back on, leaving only a hideous hole in his chest.

He turned to face the 120,000 First Border Guards: "First Border Guards, listen to my command."

All the crimson armors collided at the same time, but there was no immediate response as usual.

Gu Tianheng did not get angry: "The Golden Contract of Offering the Realm has been dissolved. From this moment on, you no longer need to obey me. Those who are willing to return to the Seven Star Cities and continue to protect their people, stay."

Those willing to go to the Ancestral Realm to face judgment, may remain. Those who still believe the Hunting Court is humanity's only path to survival may leave now.

The First Border Guard will not pursue them, nor will the Ancestral Realm Expeditionary Force obstruct them.

Among the 120,000 troops, many people subconsciously looked at their fellow countrymen around them.

They had followed Gu Tianheng for so long that obeying orders had become instinctive. When they finally had a choice, they didn't know where to go.

After a full hundred breaths, a young soldier was the first to step out of the battle formation.

Instead of heading towards the starry sky, he came to the banner of the First Guardian Army, reached out and tore off the vertical pupil of the Hunter's Court from the banner, leaving only the crimson-gold Jianmu tree in the center: "I was born in Tian Shu City and have never seen the Ancestral Realm, but I don't want my children to live kneeling before the Hunter's Court in the future."

The second soldier stepped forward, then the third, and the fourth.

More and more First Border Guards came to the battle flag.

On the surface of the seven crimson gold main warships, the Hunter's Vertical Pupils were deliberately removed.

After losing the core of the Hunter's Court, the Golden Law Circuit began to extinguish in large sections.

Shen Xinglan immediately led the lunar researchers to take over the main ship's energy system via the remote Azure Lotus Mark. The modern psionic circuit replaced the Hunter's Court Golden Law, and for the first time, the human race's battle flag on the crimson gold main ship truly overshadowed the Hunter's Court Mark.

Ultimately, of the 120,000 First Border Guards, more than 113,000 chose to stay.

The remaining 6,000 soldiers boarded two small frigates.

They did not attack anyone, but silently drove away from the ancient road.

Ning Yue watched them depart without stopping them. Qin Zhenyuan also did not order a pursuit.

One of the world's most formidable gatekeepers couldn't help but ask, "Are we just going to let them go like that?"

Qin Zhenyuan gripped the black knife: "They have no slave seals, nor have they raised their weapons against the ancestral realm."

Since the Lord of the Azure Lotus has granted the seven star cities the power of choice, it is only natural that they should be given that power as well. However, if they meet again on the battlefield, they will be enemies.

The two frigates gradually disappeared from view.

Gu Tianheng never turned around, but a hint of weariness appeared in his eyes.

Just then, a loud bang came from inside Chenxing City.

Boom!

The golden chains binding the remnants of the Jianmu tree all snapped. Freed from the suppression of the Golden Contract of Offering to the Realm, the black city gates, silent for a hundred thousand years, finally opened slowly to both sides.

A vast amount of azure mist surged forth from the city. It was not ordinary spiritual energy, but the divine soul energy accumulated over 100,000 years by three million slumbering beings within the long dream of the Jianmu tree.

The commander of Chenxing City stood in front of the city gate, still holding the broken spear in his hand.

He glanced at Ning Yue, then turned his gaze to Gu Tianheng: "First Commander, didn't you want to know what the Ninth Border Guard ultimately preserved?"

He slowly turned his body to the side, and the transparent roots of the Jianmu trees in the city lit up completely, revealing the faces of the three million sleeping people clearly to everyone: "Of these three million people, 1.76 million are the families of the First Guardian Army who were left behind in Chenxing City back then."

Gu Tianheng's body suddenly stiffened.

A large number of rapid breaths instantly came from the First Border Guard formation behind him.

Ten thousand years ago, when the First Guardian Army left the Ancestral Realm, many people's parents, wives, children, and clansmen were sent to Chenxing City for refuge.

Later, the ancient road collapsed, and Gu Tianheng always believed that Chenxing City had long been destroyed.

He dared not come back to check, nor did he want to.

Only by confirming that all these people are dead can he lead the First Guardian Army to the Hunting Court without any scruples.

But now, they are still trapped in a dream that has lasted for 100,000 years, waiting for the First Border Guard to return home.

A veteran in crimson armor suddenly rushed out of the army formation. He stumbled to the foot of the city wall and pressed his hands against a transparent tree root.

Inside the tree roots, a young woman held a two- or three-year-old child, quietly leaning against the stone wall.

Ten thousand years have passed, and her appearance remains unchanged, while the old soldier has survived for a long time thanks to the Hunter's Court's transformation.

"Ah Ning..." The old soldier raised his hand tremblingly, but dared not actually touch the tree roots. "I'm back. I didn't die. Open your eyes and look at me."

The woman in the tree roots did not respond; only the child's fingers in her arms twitched very slightly.

More and more First Guardian Army soldiers rushed towards Chenxing City. Some found their parents, some found their wives and children, and some only found a withered tree root.

That meant that the people in the roots ultimately did not survive for 100,000 years, and suppressed cries rang out outside Chenxing City.

For the first time, these Crimson Gold Legion soldiers, who had once destroyed countless worlds for the Hunting Court, laid down their weapons and knelt before the roots of the Jianmu trees.

Gu Tianheng did not enter the city. He stood outside the city gate, looking at the sleeping people: "Why didn't you tell me?"

The commander of Shenxing City gripped the broken spear tightly: "I sent out 372 scouts with news that Shenxing City was still alive to the First Border Guard's garrison. Not a single one returned."

Gu Tianheng's expression changed slightly: "I have never seen them before."

Chu Zhou's roots extended from the void, sending a wisp of residual golden law aura to Gu Tianheng: "They didn't die on the ancient road, but were intercepted by the Golden Contract of Offering Realms."

The Hunter's Court doesn't want you to know that Sunken Star City still exists, and even less does it want the First Guardian Army to know that the families you abandoned are still waiting for your return.

Gu Tianheng stared at the golden aura, his fingers slowly clenching, but in the end, he did not defend himself: "The Hunting Court blocked the news, but the one who dared not return was still me."

The commander of Chenxing City stared at him for a long time before turning back to Chu Zhou: "Lord of the Azure Lotus, the remnants of the Jianmu tree are nearly exhausted. Without sufficient life essence, even if the Golden Law seal is lifted, not all three million people in the city will be able to awaken."

Chu Zhou's divine sense sank into the depths of Chenxing City, where a pale blue seed, no bigger than a fist, floated amidst countless roots. The seed's surface was covered in cracks, and its internal life essence was less than one percent of its original strength.

It can keep three million people asleep for 100,000 years, which is close to its limit.

If everyone is forcibly awakened, at least half of the sleepers will die because their souls cannot adapt to their physical bodies.

[Remnants of the Jianmu tree were detected.]

The core of our goals is severely depleted.

[Three million seven hundred and seventy-six thousand four hundred and twenty-one dormant lives have been detected.]

[The souls of those who have fallen asleep can be repaired in batches through the Pool of Ten Thousand Spirits.]

[Estimated time to full awakening: eleven years.]

Seven human star cities have been detected calling upon the remnants of the Jianmu race.

[The remnant species of the Jianmu tree exhibits a tendency to branch.]

[It can consume the essence of eight major nodes to nurture seven Jianmu boundary branches.]

The Jianmu tree's boundary branches can stabilize the space of seven star cities.

The nurturing of the boundary branches will not harm the remnants of Shenxing City.

Upon seeing the last two prompts, Chu Zhou unfurled all ten lotus leaves simultaneously: "Who says that if the seven star cities want to break away from the Hunting Court, they must seize the remnants of Sunken Star City?"

Gu Tianheng looked up at Qinglian: "There is only one Jianmu seed left."

Chu Zhou: "That's right, but why can't one seed grow into seven branches?"

Black Dragon Lake, North Mountain, Changbai Mountain, Tokyo Bay, Zhenhai Remnant Island, Fuyue Stone Ridge, Guardian Remnant Star and Qinglian Town Prison.

Eight world nodes lit up simultaneously.

The vast source of life flowed along the root network of the Jianmu tree, crossing the ancestral realm and the starry sky, and poured into the City of Sinking Stars.

Chu Zhou did not directly channel these powers into the sleeping creature's body, but instead sent them all into the Jianmu remnant seed underground.

Click.

On the surface of the seed, the first crack slowly opened.

A tender green shoot sprouted from the crack.

Then came the second, the third, and a total of seven tender shoots, growing around the remnant species of the Jianmu tree.

At the tip of each tender sprout lies the coordinates of a distant human star city.

[Consumes the essence of eight major nodes.]

[Seven Jianmu branches were successfully conceived.]

The branches of the Jianmu tree are still in their juvenile stage.

Each boundary branch can stabilize the ley lines of a human star city.

Once the boundary branches have taken root, a temporary timber passage can be built.

[Warning: The boundary branch has not yet connected with the seven city ley lines.]

[If attacked by forces of eleventh rank or higher during transport, it may wither.]

Seven azure branches slowly detached from the ground and appeared in the sky above Chenxing City.

The humans in seven distant star cities simultaneously sensed a vague path home.

Gu Tianheng stared at the seven boundary branches, remaining silent for a long time. Back then, the Hunting Court had given him two paths: die in battle or surrender. Just now, he was presented with only two choices: sacrifice three million or abandon seven hundred million people.

However, Chu Zhou did not choose any of these paths. Instead, he used the eight nodes of the Ancestral Realm to create a third path.

Gu Tianheng's voice was deep: "Ten thousand years ago, no one could nurture seven Jianmu branches."

Chu Zhoulianye swayed gently: "Therefore, I will not stand ten thousand years in the future and casually tell you what you should have done back then."

But now that a third path has been found, if you still intend to solve the problem with the lives of three million people, I will first imprison you in the first level of jail.

Gu Tianheng looked up at Qinglian: "What if you existed in the Ancestral Realm ten thousand years ago?"

Chu Zhou did not answer immediately. A root wrapped around a cracked rock beside him and sent it back to the Azure Lotus Platform: "I did not live 100,000 years ago and cannot give you an answer for the people of that time. I can only guarantee that from this day forward, the Ancestral Realm will no longer voluntarily give up any human city."

Qin Zhenyuan drew his black sword and stood before the seven Jianmu tree branches: "Where are the seven star cities located?"

Gu Tianheng raised his only remaining left hand, and a complete star map appeared before everyone.

The seven star cities are scattered across different regions of the Fifth Hunting Court's territory.

Even the nearest city, Crimson Star City, requires a 21-day voyage by the Crimson Gold flagship.

The furthest city, Guixu, is located in the heart of the Fifth Hunting Court, surrounded by three Hunting Court slave army legions.

Gu Tianheng said in a deep voice, "The Jianmu Boundary Branch must be sent into the Seven Cities' ley lines. Although the Hunting Court has lost the Boundary Offering Gold Contract, it will soon realize that the Seven Cities are out of control."

Once the boundary branch appears, all the Hunter's Court legions along its path will intercept it.

Harrison erected a barrier for all living beings: "Then let the gatekeepers of this world escort us."

Gu Tianheng looked at the ancestral expeditionary force of only 10,000 men: "This is the territory of the Fifth Hunting Court."

You have no star map, are unfamiliar with space routes, and cannot even independently repair the Crimson Gold flagship.

"After leaving the Jianmu Ancient Road, the first hunting party patrol fleet will likely sink you all."

Qin Zhenyuan sheathed his black sword: "So you will lead the way."

The First Guardian Army is familiar with the Star Path, the current Gatekeeper carries the Azure Lotus Mark, and each legion carries a Jianmu Boundary Branch. All seven routes set off simultaneously.

Gu Tianheng frowned: "If we split the troops into seven groups, any one of them could be wiped out if it encounters an eleventh-tier enemy."

Ning Yue pulled up the broken flag: "Then let the eleventh-tier enemy step over the corpses of the ninth-tier guards first."

Gu Tianheng turned to Ning Yue: "You only have 108 remnant souls left."

Qin Zhenyuan's voice fell: "Not the 108th."

Outside Chenxing City, ten thousand contemporary gatekeepers simultaneously raised their weapons, and the main cannons of thirty human-modified warships were recharged.

Behind them, another spatial fluctuation came from the direction of the Fire Star Gate. The second batch of gatekeeper legions was heading from the moon to the remnant star of the guardian realm.

"Ten thousand years ago, when you left the ancestral realm, you had no reinforcements. Now you do."

Gu Tianheng looked at the modified warships that were clearly not as powerful as the Crimson Gold Main Ship, and then looked at the human awakeners on the warships whose realms were far lower than those of the First Guardian Army.

These later generations of humans were very weak. They lacked a complete fleet of laws, no eleventh-tier commanders, and had only just learned how to navigate through space.

But they still came. Gu Tianheng suddenly realized that what had truly changed in the Ancestral Realm was perhaps not just the appearance of a Pure Lotus.

Instead, those protected by the First Guardian Army have begun to actively venture into the starry sky.

The system notification reappeared.

[Successfully dissolved the 120,000 offering contracts.]

Seven human star cities have been successfully rescued.

[Gained 3 billion evolution points.]

[Acquire the Incomplete Law: The Golden Law of the Hunting Grounds.]

The Golden Laws of the Hunter's Court are being purified.

[Forced possession, the mortgaging of civilization, and the clauses of bloodline enslavement have been eliminated.]

[Retained Ability: All Beings Keep Their Pact.]

All civilizations that voluntarily join the Azure Lotus faction can jointly establish a boundary-guarding pact.

Boundary defense contracts cannot be forced upon anyone.

Any contractual member has the right to voluntarily withdraw.

[Special node detected: Sunken Star City.]

[Sinking Star City does not currently meet the conditions for world node transformation.]

[Condition 1 for transformation: Awaken half of the dormant individuals.]

[Condition Two for Transformation: Repair the Jianmu Earth Vein.]

[Condition 3 for transformation: Establish a stable stargate.]

[Upon completion of the conditions, you will obtain the Starry Sky Node: Sunken Star City.]

Chu Zhou handed over the seven Jianmu Boundary Branches to the seven legions. The first one was escorted by Gu Tianheng and Qin Zhenyuan to Chiming Star City.

The second one, escorted by Sikong Lie and Harrison, was sent to Tian Shu City.

Cassian led the Europa Legion to Xuanjia City, the closest city to the Hunter's Court front.

Zhang Baoyi led the awakened ones from Longhu Mountain to Zhaoye City, which is shrouded in dark storms year-round.

The remaining three routes will be jointly managed by the three royal commanders of the First Border Guard Army and the gatekeepers of various countries.

Ning Yue did not join any faction; he wanted to stay in Chenxing City to protect the remnants of the Jianmu tree and the three million sleepers, while also monitoring the First Guardian Army left behind by Gu Tianheng.

Before the Seventh Army Corps could set off, the strange rock slid off the lotus platform.

It has continuously suppressed the Golden Contract of the Realm, and the first inscription on the natal stele has faded to the point of almost disappearing. Furthermore, dozens of small cracks have appeared on the surface of the stone.

Chu Zhou extended a root in time and rolled it back, and a large amount of the life essence of the green lotus surged into the strange stone's body along the root.

The strange stone struggled for a moment: "Let go. My beloved concubine almost shattered just now, but she only managed to create a projection of the prison; she won't die."

Chu Zhou: "It pains me to see this."

The crimson patterns on the surface of the strange rock paused for a moment, then lit up brightly: "Who needs your pity?"

Chu Zhou: "I feel sorry for my roots. If my beloved concubine were to break into hundreds of pieces, I would have to pick them up one by one, which would be too much trouble."

Strange Rock: "Then you don't have to pick it up."

Chu Zhou: "That won't do. If one piece is missing, won't it be incomplete when it's restored to its original form?"

The strange rock stopped struggling, and the dark red crystal patterns pulsated gently: "I can't return to my original form. The First Prison Suppression Stele is already shattered, and most of my original body is still being dragged deep into the Nine-Layered Prison. Only by finding all the natal stele patterns can I possibly know what I was before."

Chu Zhou's roots gently touched the edge of the dark red crystal pattern.

The strange stone froze instantly: "Lotus Demon, move the roots away."

Chu Zhou: "I am examining the inscriptions on the stele for you."

Strange Rock: "What's wrong with you? Why do you always touch this spot?"

Chu Zhou: "This is the only place I'm truly familiar with."

A burst of crimson light erupted suddenly. Chu Zhou was prepared; his ten lotus leaves simultaneously closed forward, but they were still knocked away by the strange rock, lotus leaves and all.

The illusory image of the Azure Lotus passed through the world ruins outside the City of Sinking Star and crashed heavily into the interior of a meteorite.

Little Jinbao, holding three drops of dark gold dragon marrow, peeked out from behind Bai Shanjun: "Sister Strange Stone, Master just used up a lot of his essence to save you."

The luster on the surface of the strange rock gradually faded: "He deserved it."

Little Jinbao: "But when you were burned by the golden eyes, you kept grabbing your master's root."

The strange rock fell silent.

Little Jinbao wanted to continue speaking, but a scarlet stone seal appeared on its head.

Little Jinbao immediately shrank back behind Lord Baishan: "I didn't see anything."

Inside the meteorite, a lotus root sprouted anew, quietly wrapping around the edge of the strange rock.

This time, the strange rock did not shake it away.

……

In Qinglian Town Prison.

The Dragon Ancestor of Myriad Calamities looked at the Seal of the Lord of the Realm, which was locked by the Dragon Suppression Ring, and the black soul fire in his eyes kept flickering.

The golden vertical pupils had lost most of their power of law, yet they still emitted an extremely faint spatial fluctuation.

After observing for a long time, the Dragon Ancestor of Myriad Calamities suddenly raised his dragon claw and slammed it heavily against the prison gate: "Pure Lotus of Dharma, get in here."

A root from Chu Zhou emerged from the black water and wrapped around the right horn of the Myriad Calamities Dragon Ancestor: "Watch your tone when you speak to the Prison Lord."

The Dragon Ancestor shook his head violently, but couldn't shake off the roots: "You think you've caught a World Lord's Seal? This thing has another use."

It's the coordinate of the Fifth Hunting Court's return to the seven star cities. Before you dragged it into the Azure Lotus Prison, the last coordinate information had already been transmitted.

Chu Zhou focused his divine sense on the golden vertical pupil. The Azure Lotus Purifying Law peeled away the remaining golden law layer by layer, and sure enough, he found a communication mark that had been extinguished deep within the vertical pupil.

[The Hunting Court Returns Beacon has been detected.]

[Coordinate information has been successfully transmitted.]

[Target: Fifth Hunting Court's main ship.]

The transmitted information cannot be retrieved.

[Calculated based on spatial fluctuations.]

The Fifth Hunting Court is expected to arrive in the Crimson Star Domain in eighty-six days.

[A high-level life form has been detected.]

Within the Fifth Hunting Court fleet, there are at least three fluctuations of eleventh-order laws.

[A higher level of aura detected.]

[It is currently impossible to determine.]

The roots of the Chu boat stopped.

The Myriad Calamities Dragon Ancestor let out a low laugh: "Now you realize you're in trouble? Among the nine hunting courts, the Fifth Hunting Court is specifically responsible for harvesting surrendered civilizations. The seven star cities, accumulated over ten thousand years, have long been ripe fruits for them to covet. By seizing the Seal of the Offering Realm Lord, you've essentially snatched seven pieces of meat from the Fifth Hunting Court's mouth. They won't send ordinary adjudicators. That unidentifiable aura most likely came from the Fifth Hunting Court's High Priest."

Chu Zhou asked, "What realm?"

The Soul Flame of the Myriad Calamities Dragon Ancestor slightly contracted: "Twelfth rank, and not just any ordinary twelfth rank."

The High Priest can temporarily gain the power of the entire Hunter's Fleet by offering sacrifices to the Court of Civilization. Even when the original ancestor possesses nine cauldrons, it is unwilling to confront it directly.

Chu Zhou remained silent for a moment, and a drop of the Myriad Spirits Transformation Pool's essence fell into the black water.

The Dragon Ancestor of Myriad Calamities opened his mouth and absorbed it: "Why was it so easy this time?"

Chu Zhou's roots entangled its other dragon horn: "Both dragon horns are useful for now. I'll nurture them first, and then I can take them off when I need twelfth-tier materials later."

The Dragon Ancestor of Myriad Calamities tensed abruptly: "Pure Lotus of the World! I am reminding you!"

Chu Zhou: "I am also thanking you."

The two roots tightened simultaneously, and the massive skeleton of the Myriad Calamities Dragon Ancestor was pressed back into the black water.

Little Jinbao squatted on the stone gate of the prison, peering at Blackwater: "Old Black Dragon, Master gave you two drops of life essence, so are you promoted now?"

A flash of soul fire appeared in the eyes of the Myriad Calamities Dragon Ancestor: "What do you mean?"

Little Jinbao: "Before, you only worked for your master, but now you also have to be a reserve material for your master."

Myriad Tribulations Dragon Ancestor: "Get lost!"

The dragon's roar shook the first level of the prison.

Little Jinbao was prepared; it shrank back while hugging the prison gate. Only after its roar subsided did it peek out again: "Eighty-six days from now, can I eat an eleventh-tier Hunter Beast?"

The Dragon Ancestor of Myriad Calamities did not reply. It suddenly felt that the Fifth Hunting Court had better arrive quickly and capture this little thing first.

……

News of the Fifth Hunting Court's imminent arrival was quickly relayed back to the Ancestral Realm through the Fire Star Gate, and the lunar base immediately entered a state of maximum war.

Shen Xinglan suspended civilian transportation through the Star Gate, prioritizing the supply of all energy to Shenxing City and the Seventh Escort Legion.

The Ancestral Realm United Defense Council also convened an emergency meeting within an hour.

Seven human star cities, seven hundred million humans, eighty-six days to go—these three numbers appeared in the center of the conference hall.

The representative from the White Eagle Kingdom spoke first: "The Ancestral Realm is currently unable to accommodate 700 million people at once."

Food, housing, psionic supplies, disease isolation. Any one of these could cause the global order to collapse.

The Europa Alliance representative also frowned: "Moreover, they have lived in the Hunter's Court territory for 100,000 years, and their culture, bloodline, and cultivation system have all changed. No one can guarantee whether the Hunter's Court's hidden imprint still exists."

The representative from the Northern Bear Kingdom did not refute these questions, but instead projected a map onto the conference table: "Around the Siberian Bone Jar, there are 7.3 million square kilometers of uninhabited areas. After the fifth spiritual energy revival, some of the permafrost can now be used to grow spiritual grains."

The Northern Bear Kingdom is willing to establish the first border city to receive 30 million people.

The representative from the White Eagle Nation looked at him: "Thirty million people isn't thirty thousand. Do you know how many resources that would require?"

The representative from the Northern Bear Kingdom calmly replied, "That's why it requires the collective contribution of all countries."

Old Ye sat at the very front of the conference table, never participating in the debate. Only after everyone quieted down did he look up at the seven star city paintings.