Global Era of Star trekking Chapter 1916 - 928: Return to the Starry Sea (2)

On the deck of the Heavenly Ruins Cang Qiong, Song Chi maintained a stoic gaze, surveying the harrowing spectacle of the collapsing battlefield before him and the rapidly advancing Bottomless Abyss, its half-dimensional metamorphosis escalating its formidable presence.

The mounting repulsion from the abyss strained even the robust seven-colored engine of the Heavenly Ruins Cang Qiong, which began to emit a strained, overloaded hum. The moment had arrived.

With a mere thought, the White Bone Giant, locked in combat with the Transcendent Heart Stealer, unleashed a surge of power. This temporary repulse was followed by its transformation into a cascade of light, swiftly reintegrating into the mainframe of the Heavenly Ruins Cang Qiong.

Concurrently, the Space-Time Nether Brilliance Dragon, its strength waning as the effects of the Enslavement Mark: Frenzy dissipated, seized an opportunity. It exploited the combined assault of the Heavenly Ruins Cang Qiong's destruction beam and the Mirror Image Warship’s attack to push back the Transcendent Demon before being reeled in by the Divine Thought Seal.

Instantly, every engine aboard the Heavenly Ruins Cang Qiong roared to life. The chaotic luminescence emblazoning its hull fractured the increasingly dense abyssal regulations, propelling it forward as a streak of light that defied all limitations, accelerating towards the retreating Torch Fleet.

The Transcendent Heart Stealer and the Transcendent Demon, their attempts to give chase futile, could only emit frustrated roars as their quarry vanished.

As the Bottomless Abyss finalized its transitional phase, solidifying into a semi-high-dimensional realm and projecting an overwhelming high-dimensional pressure, the last remnants of the All Heavens Star Sea Alliance Army, including Song Chi and his command ship, managed to break free from the abyss’s grasp, re-entering the familiar expanse of the Starry Sea.

A retrospective glance revealed the once all-consuming maw of the abyss now seemed veiled by a shimmer of high-dimensional silk, appearing indistinct and remote, shielded by an newly formed, invisible barrier.

Thus concluded the brutal abyssal conflict.

However, the immediate aftermath offered little solace. All surviving denizens of the All Heavens Star Sea, having narrowly escaped the Bottomless Abyss, turned their gazes backward, their spirits heavy with sorrow and resentment as they witnessed the desperate struggles and anguished cries originating from within.

The Bottomless Abyss's dimensional ascension had proceeded at a pace exceeding all predictions; only a fraction of the alliance forces succeeded in executing an early withdrawal. The vast majority of the survivors found themselves sealed behind the nascent semi-high-dimensional barrier of the Bottomless Abyss, rendering their immediate escape virtually impossible.

...

At the demarcation between the Starry Sea and the abyss, the alliance warriors who had just extricated themselves from the suffocating Demon Energy Domain felt a pang of dread. Before they could savor the comforting embrace of the Starry Sea’s origin, the scene unfolding behind them seized their hearts with icy fingers.

Looking back, the formerly distinct entryway to the abyss was now concealed by an ever-undulating and solidifying semi-high-dimensional barrier. This barrier, while iridescent, radiated a profound aura of isolation and despair.

Beyond this formidable barrier, faintly discernible, lay countless alliance warships that had failed to evacuate, alongside colossal Titan Giants, majestic Eternal Starships, intricate mechanical legions, and representatives of myriad powerful races.

They were ensnared, akin to insects trapped in ancient amber, desperately battering themselves against the rapidly solidifying shield, their efforts met with futility.

Energy beams struck the barrier, producing mere ripples; colossal warhammers impacted it like blows against primordial divine iron, the resulting recoil sending shockwaves that made the wielders vomit blood; those skilled in dimensional manipulation attempted to rend the fabric of space, only to discover the surrounding temporal-spatial structure utterly immutable and unyielding.

"No! Release us!"

"Emperor Sky-splitting, save us!"

"Eternal Ancestor——!"

Desperate pleas, defiant roars, and the final laments of the dying faintly permeated the not-yet-impenetrable barrier, striking the souls of every successful escapee like a barrage of sharpened knives.

Many of these trapped individuals were forces severely damaged during the preceding Battle of the Flame Prison Abyss, thus moving with diminished speed, or were valiant warriors who deliberately stayed behind to facilitate the retreat of their comrades.

Among them were integral components of the Titan Legion, esteemed mages hailing from the Eternal Clan, seasoned Star Speakers from the Source Star Divine Hall, and a significant number of promising survivors from mid-to-large scale civilizations...

The Sky-splitting God King’s gigantic fists clenched with immense force, the divine light emanating from his battle-ax blade flickering with incandescent fury. He watched as a Titan Commander, a veteran who had stood by his side through countless campaigns, frantically slammed against the barrier before being ultimately overwhelmed by the encroaching demonic hordes, unleashing a final, defiant roar of anguish.

Around the Eternal Ancestor, temporal fragments swirled chaotically. He attempted to retroactively alter events using his mastery over time, but the semi-high-dimensional barrier had already developed the capability to impede temporal manipulation, rendering his endeavors futile. He could only watch as member after member of the Eternal Clan dissolved into eternal stardust, consumed by demonic flames.

From the mechanical core of the Mother of Ten Thousand Machines, a piercing alarm blared. Countless rescue plans were calculated, yet each outcome invariably concluded in failure.

Any attempt to forcefully breach the barrier would only expedite its solidification. Worse, it risked triggering a dimensional storm, a cataclysm that would annihilate everyone trapped within.

The Source Star God Master, already grievously wounded, felt his body tremble slightly. His starlight dimmed, the spectacle tooHeartbreaking to bear.

An unspeakable sorrow mingled with boundless rage permeated the alliance that had successfully managed to retreat. They had achieved victory, thwarting the abyss's perfect dimension-raising and preserving the vitality of the Starry Sea. However, the cost was agonizing. They were forced to watch, helpless, as countless comrades and allies were left behind in a purgatory poised to become the enemy's domain.

Song Chi stood stoically on the bridge of the Heavenly Ruins Cang Qiong, his expression as hard as iron. He observed several captains of the Torch Fleet, who had valiantly stayed behind to shield the main forces, utterly unable to break through. Their life signals abruptly ceased on the Torch communication network moments before the barrier sealed completely.

He understood all too well that the fate of those remaining within the alliance was sealed. Confronted by the Demonic Clan, now fully empowered by the will of the abyss after its preliminary transition, their resistance would be short-lived.

For them, only death in battle awaited, or worse—becoming sustenance for the abyss, enduring endless torment.

"Abyss..."

Song Chi whispered the two words, etching them deep into his soul. He swore a solemn vow to repay this day's bloody debt a hundredfold in the future.

The semi-high-dimensional barrier finally solidified, transforming into a colossal, cold tombstone that sundered two worlds. All voices and shadows from beyond the barrier vanished completely, leaving behind only the profound silence of darkness and a faint, ominous abyssal pressure that permeated the area.

The remaining alliance forces, in grim silence, began to regroup. They tallied the devastating casualties, with less than a tenth surviving. Burdened by infinite sorrow and entrenched hatred, they commenced their journey back towards their respective civilizations.

Thus, the abyssal blood battle concluded in a manner both tragic and heroic.

Yet, every being understood in their hearts that this was far from the end. With the upheaval in the abyss, countless civilizations and forces across the All Heavens Star Sea had been obliterated, leaving behind resource-rich regions vacant. These areas would undoubtedly become future arenas of conflict for all surviving civilizations.

It was conceivable that, in the very near future, the All Heavens Star Sea would descend into another era of brutal warfare. This chaos would persist until a new overlord, a mythic civilization, or a dominant force emerged.

...

Shattered Starry Sea, Torch Domain.

Upon their barely-made return to the domain, Song Chi, Jiang Yuan, and the surviving remnants of the Torch Expeditionary Army were immediately convened for another supreme meeting of the Torch Civilization. The primary focus, naturally, was formulating strategies to navigate the impending era of new chaos.

The outcome of this deliberation was hardly unexpected; all factions vehemently advocated for outward expansion. With Song Chi, a transcendent being himself, now wielding considerable influence, the Torch Civilization was recognized as one of the Transcendent Forces within the All Heavens Star Sea. Under these circumstances, it was imperative for the Torch Civilization to seize this opportune moment for aggressive expansion, thereby compensating for its foundational shortcomings stemming from a relatively short history.

Ultimately, the meeting reached a definitive resolution.

The five Great Torch Empires would each spearhead an expedition fleet, venturing in five distinct directions for expansion. Meanwhile, the Mythical Powers would remain stationed within the Zhu Tian Ruins Market, providing crucial support.

During this period, Song Chi received overtures from both the Eternal Clan and the Titan Giant Clan. They expressed a desire to establish a mutual understanding, proposing that the three transcendent forces would each govern their respective territories without encroaching upon one another.

Song Chi readily agreed, his hesitation minimal. The vastness of the Shattered Starry Sea was more than sufficient to accommodate not only the three current transcendent forces but potentially ten or even dozens more. Furthermore, it was merely the nascent stage of the Starry Sea's existence; with the passage of hundreds of millions, or even billions, of years, the Shattered Starry Sea would continue its inevitable expansion.