Chapter 76: First Foray into Space

Year 271639, Day 298

It has been over 100,000 years since I reached the absolute pinnacle of supreme existence, yet I still see no hope of progressing further. 

No matter what I do, I cannot compact my core any further, and without that, forming my inner world is impossible. 

After so many years, I've almost begun to lose hope. 

On another note, I encountered young Miss Bai again a few millennia ago. Like me, she is also stuck and sees no way to break through. Perhaps because we share the same struggles, we grew much closer and eventually became Dao companions. 

Without a major encounter, it's likely that our cultivation journey will end here. After all, only by becoming immortal can one gain entry to the true Thousand Swords Sect. But to become immortal, I need the guidance and resources of the immortal world. 

Fortunately, I see a glimmer of hope. 

There is a rumor of a secret realm hidden between layers of space, said to contain the paths to immortality. 

…

"This sensation is... interesting," Ilbert said calmly as he floated serenely on the deck of the Portalis flagship. 

"Is this your first time in the void, Guardian Luminara?" Jonas asked evenly. 

Alandal's strongest man nodded. 

"Well, your ships are not yet fully adapted for space combat, but I imagine that within a few years, space travel will become routine for your people." 

"Indeed. To my knowledge, only superior existences can really survive in the void. I simply didn't expect a ship to also enable space travel," Ilbert replied. 

Jonas nodded silently. 

It was well known that the void energy was particularly dangerous and violent, and even low-tier superior existences dared not underestimate its presence. 

However, this was only when it became turbulent. 

In fact, void energy was "dormant" most of the time. It only became agitated and uncontrollable near spatial disturbances, destroying everything in its path. 

These anomalies could take many forms: a black hole, an attack so powerful it destabilized space, a dying world, or even an unstable hidden realm. 

But outside these scenarios, void energy was harmless, and people could easily exist alongside it. 

To draw a simple analogy, let's the wind. Most of the time, we feel it but are not overly disturbed by it. Only during a storm does the wind become truly menacing and destructive. 

Thus, even lower-level beings could survive in space, provided they were protected from spatial radiation and had oxygen to breathe. 

The engineers had spent the last month installing an air isolation and renewal system, along with several anti-radiation formations. 

It didn't seem like much, but between Alandal and Nyma, there were about forty ships, representing an enormous workload. 

Additionally, each vessel was modified to withstand the void's vacuum and to breach the spatial wall. 

A plane doesn't have an atmosphere in the traditional sense; all the air is contained within the plane by the spatial barrier. Similarly, the oceans at the edge of the world are directly held in by the spatial barrier, while the land ends abruptly. 

It's like an invisible wall separating the plane from the void, allowing a world that isn't a planet to support life and convert spiritual energy. 

Even the spatial wall of the weakest world could withstand an attack from a superior existence, so there was no concern about internal conflicts destroying the barrier. 

Of course, this didn't apply to worlds that had long since died. 

But just as the barrier protected its inhabitants from the void's dangers, it also imprisoned them—at least, most of the time. 

There are currently four known ways to bypass the spatial wall: break it by force, use a teleportation formation or spatial channel, reshape the spatial wall by using faith energy, or achieve ley resonance. 

Everything within a world is influenced by ley lines, and the spatial wall is no exception. 

Thus, if someone could replicate the oscillations of the electromagnetic and energy fields of the ley lines near the edge of the world, they could resonate with the spatial wall, creating a short window through which they could pass into the void. 

The process had to be extremely precise; a single mistake would cause the ship to crash into the spatial barrier. 

Furthermore, this was only possible at certain rare points along the spatial wall. Like a formation, its strength couldn't be entirely uniform and depended heavily on the adjustments of the telluric lines. 

These were the two prerequisites for breaching the spatial wall. Even a lone individual could achieve it if they were powerful enough or had the right artifacts. 

However, the spatial wall also exerted intense pressure on anything attempting to pass through, naturally resisting to prevent energy leakage into the void. 

This resistance manifested as a distorting force that attempted to break anything crossing through, or as an energy compression that could disrupt spiritual flows and make even golden core cultivators implode. 

Nevertheless, a ship could pass through as long as it housed some intermediate existences to enforce the shield. Meanwhile, only Rank 5 cultivators had a small chance of crossing unaided. 

On the other hand, handling the void's vacuum was relatively easy; after all, which of these ships wasn't made of at least Rank 2 materials? Coupled with formations engraved throughout the ship, even an all out attack from a pinnacle rank 3 wouldn't leave a scratch, no matter where he hit. 

Still, no matter how many resources were provided or how skilled the engineers of Alandal and Nyma were, they could never have developed such technology in a single month.

Ilbert was fully aware that this was thanks to the Brotherhood's personnel and expertise. 

Of course, nothing in this world comes free, and the Brotherhood was no exception to the rule. 

There were two reasons they were willing to share their valuable knowledge. 

The first, and undoubtedly the most important, was the certainty that the student armies would leave their system at the end of the war. 

The Brotherhood's decision-makers weren't fools. If there was any risk that the student armies could use their own technology against them, they would never have revealed their secrets, no matter the price offered. 

Thus, they were able to confidently establish an agreement with Alandal and Nyma. This went back to their first major meeting when the question posed by the Dark Elf Queen drew everyone's attention: 

"Don't worry, Queen Miranda. We have prepared a solution for this. We have a way to force the world's consciousness to awoke for a few days. Even if their missiles can pass through the spatial wall, it's only when the world's will is dormant. As long as it's conscious, it will block all foreign objects from penetrating the spatial barrier," Envoy Feng had said at the time. 

The war chiefs had collectively sighed in relief. No matter how strong their armies were, they would never survive an orbital bombardment. 

"According to the terms of the agreement between the gods and the Brotherhood, your portion of the contract ends here," Jonas said with a sly tone under his helmet. "At least, for most of you. In fact, the Brotherhood would like to propose an additional agreement to certain forces among you. Therefore, I would like to have a private discussion with the leaders of Alandal and Nyma," he declared suddenly.

"Oh, and why not us, huh?" growled the tentacle brute who had previously clashed with Sylvera, drawing odd stares from all the other war chiefs. 

Jonas cast him a disdainful glance. 

"First of all, this falls outside the scope of the contract, so the Brotherhood's choice of associates is none of your concern. Second, your group is, by our standards, ranked eighth among the fourteen armies gathered here, so you have no qualifications to raise your voice at this table. Lastly, if you have a fleet, I warmly invite you to join the discussions," Jonas said with a sharp glare. 

"Who the fuck do you think you are!" roared the violet-skinned man, his face turning an indignant shade of blue as humiliation and fury overtook him. 

The oppressive aura of a Nascent Soul cultivator, combined with the force of a Sword Master, filled the room. But before it could extend across the surrounding kilometers -

"That's enough, Kimbale. Stop embarrassing us more than you already have," the incarnation of his god interrupted, wearing a forced smile as he silenced his saint. The divine envoy bore the mocking stares of his peers with practiced composure. 

"But envoy, I—" 

"I said enough. Look around you; this isn't your palace." 

The man cast a panicked glance at the room. All the war chiefs had tightened their grips on their weapons, and the divine envoys of other gods were staring at him with ridicule. 

A cold sweat broke out on his back as he realized that, had he acted recklessly, dozens of beings as strong as or stronger than him would have instantly torn him apart. At such close range, he wouldn't even have had time to react. 

"Please accept Tanaide's apologies, Envoy Feng. Kimbale recently lost a close friend and is overwhelmed with grief. Do not take his behavior to heart," the younger envoy hastily fabricated an excuse that no one in the room believed. Nonetheless, the tentacled man silently thanked him for saving his life. 

Jonas smirked but ultimately decided to let it slide, seeing no value in escalating the situation further. 

"The loss of a loved one affects us all, my lord. I can only wish Chief Kimbale peace and solace in his mourning," Jonas replied graciously. 

The younger envoy nodded calmly. 

"In that case, we will take our leave. We shall meet again in one month." 

Without waiting for a response, he left the room immediately, his two followers scrambling to keep pace. 

The others exchanged polite farewells and gradually departed as well, leaving only the six leaders of Alandal, the four leaders of Nyma, and Envoy Feng behind. 

"I'm well aware that everyone here is pressed for time, so let's get straight to the point," Jonas began. "The Brotherhood plans to launch a full-scale assault on the Minks, but no matter the strength of our forces, it will be impossible to decide the battle's outcome quickly. It may take months, even years, given the size of the belt and the extent of their fleet. In the upcoming offensive, our primary objective will be to drive them out of the inner belt." 

He pulled out another map from his spatial ring, this one displaying the entire Polaris system. 

"To minimize our losses, we need a surprise attack to directly break their blockade and seize an entire portion of the belt within days," he explained, pointing at numerous red markers on the map, which represented known Mink bases. 

"Without this, we will get bogged down in guerrilla warfare, losing men, resources, and time. It is therefore imperative that we secure this section to stabilize on two fronts. Once we establish a foothold, we can advance steadily through the belt from both sides and eventually converge at the opposite end, marking the completion of our objective." He gestured to a small section of the belt near Devara. 

The eyes of Sylvera, Ilbert, and Arius lit up as they gradually pieced together the envoy's intentions. 

"However, this remains speculative. For now, the two most critical points will be these two supply bases, here and here," Jonas explained, indicating two larger points on the map. 

"Our forces will launch a full-scale attack on the furthest base from Devara, while we send a smaller detachment to attack that same base initially, as if unaware of its strategic importance. At that moment, we are almost certain the Mink commandment will call back as many ships as possible to defend the supply bases—at least the one closest to Devara. This will allow us to ambush them en route while capturing our objectives with minimal resistance." 

"So far, none of this concerns you, but I'm getting to that," Jonas continued, scanning the room. "I imagine you're wondering why we specifically chose this part of the belt for our attack. The reason is simple: Devara is the closest inner world to the belt, just five or six million kilometers away. If we were to target a more distant location, we would likely achieve the opposite effect. Instead of drawing ships from Devara to support, they would likely send a significant portion of their fleet here to establish a stable foothold. 

"As the nearest outpost is within the belt, I won't hide the fact that none of our superiors want us to engage in open combat in space. Our ships are far more maneuverable than theirs but have a shorter firing range. The belt naturally favors us, but a direct assault in open space near Devara would lead to heavy losses, even in victory." 

The Dark Elf Queen Miranda and Sylvera exchanged a knowing glance. They were almost certain they understood the situation but waited politely for the envoy to explain further. 

"We need about a week to travel from Devara to the belt. This makes it impossible for our fleet to annihilate the Mink detachment stationed around Devara. If the enemy command discovers this, they will bolster their forces along the belt's edge, nullifying our element of surprise and causing massive, unnecessary casualties." 

"Similarly, our forces are limited, and it's impossible to leave a detachment in place to handle the remaining Mink ships after the initial attack. Doing so would also increase the risk of detection." 

"But the problem remains—nothing prevents them from sending additional ships to Devara to form a blockade. Once the world's consciousness falls back into slumber, they could easily use its resources to resupply and maintain their forces, leaving us trapped between two fronts in the belt. This brings us to the primary subject of discussion." 

Boum

Jonas pulled out an enormous metallic sphere, about a meter in diameter, and slammed it onto the table with a heavy thud. 

"This is the XP-286-C detector, or just XPD for simplicity. It can detect any movement within a 10,000-kilometer radius and is completely undetectable by conventional, non-spiritual radars or entities below Rank 5. In short, it's the perfect tool for locating those Mink pests unable to use spiritual energy. You remember that we have a way to awaken the world's will? Well, our plan is to deploy an entire network of these little devices 250,000 kilometers away from Devara. They'll be synchronized with an artifact capable of determining if any incoming object is a Mink ship or not, and so, it will immediately awaken the world's will."

"In addition, we'll install several spatial defenses capable to intercept any incomming missiles. As for their laser weapons or other attack methods, their effective range doesn't exceed 200,000 kilometers. While Devara's awareness only extends to 150,000 kilometers, it can accurately hit targets at 250,000 kilometers as long as it's guided. In other words, once the device is in place, the area will be secure. Regardless of the force they deploy, Devara will be able to handle it." 

The dozen or so Rank 5 individuals present in the room exchanged smiles. Even a simple-minded person could grasp the elegance of this strategy, let alone these seasoned schemers who had been honing their craft for centuries. 

"Your plan is intriguing, Envoy Feng, and undoubtedly feasible given the Brotherhood's abundant resources," Ilbert said calmly. "However, I doubt the Mink detachment will sit idly by while we install the XPDs. I assume the agreement you've mentioned involves us dealing with the Mink ships in orbit?" 

Jonas smiled under his helmet as he saw Ilbert take the initiative, which signaled that Alandal was at least open to cooperating. He nodded. 

"Well, it's not that we're unwilling to assist," Ilbert continued. "But firstly, our ships aren't suited for space combat. Secondly, they're incapable of breaching the spatial wall. Lastly, our technology is clearly inferior to both the Brotherhood's and the Minks'. Why should we risk our men's lives in a conflict that isn't ours? I assume Nyma shares the same concerns." 

Queen Miranda inwardly cursed Ilbert for his quick wit, but she had no choice but to agree—they were in the same precarious position. 

Jonas slightly frowned as he heard Ilbert opposition, who was clearly playing with his mind.

 "Of course, the Brotherhood wouldn't expect you to work for free. If you decide to assist us, we'll upgrade your ships at no cost and will generously reward you. Artifacts, combat techniques, cultivation methods, rare resources, spells, formations, blueprints, potions... As long as it's within reason, we won't hold back on rewards." 

What followed was a grueling negotiation that lasted for hours before the three factions reached a consensus. Just as Jonas was about to leave, Sylvera stopped him abruptly. 

"One last thing, Envoy Feng. If the Mink ships in orbit don't leave as reinforcements or if more than five ships remain—excluding the mothership—the attack will be called off. No matter how tempting the resources may be, one must be alive to enjoy them. I'm neither presumptuous nor reckless enough to think we can defeat more than five true battleships with forty hastily modified ships. This condition is non-negotiable. Of course, if such a scenario arises, we'll return all the resources you've provided, though the modifications of the ships will remain at your expense." 

Jonas narrowed his eyes but finally nodded, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. He could see the unwavering determination in Sylvera's gaze. 

He had already gauged Sylvera's personality and knew the man wouldn't send his subordinates to certain death. Pushing further would only jeopardize the agreement, which Jonas couldn't afford. 

"In that case, we have a deal!"