1552 Negotiations
Cold Night was a universe completely submerged in darkness. A very long time ago, the Ant Race and the sapient beasts that were currently under the influence of Darkness had wiped out all of its natives, and every inhabitable planet had been conquered.
To humans, Cold Night had been a dangerous restricted zone. But today, the Skywings had breached the place and broken the peace!
At the Skywings’ behest, a sizable army had hurried over, which leading to a confrontation with the forces of darkness that inhabited Cold Night. This reinforcement army was composed of the marine-living Sea Race, the Flying Goose race who had wings growing on their backs, the dark-skinned Giants, the Guerilla Race that excelled in traversing through jungle, and so on!
All these strange sapient races were friends of the Skywing Clan. Upon hearing that Xia Fei and the Skywing’s main forces had mysteriously gone missing, everyone was worried and had gathered their forces from all over, fulfilling their original promises to the Skywing Clan.
A terrible war was waged against the forces of Darkness, and during their mad push, they destroyed all the strongholds of the enemy they encountered. In the third week of the war, the forces of Darkness finally sent envoys to the Skywing, and both parties agreed to engage in negotiations on a planet called Cold Gale.
!!
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This was a planet that seemed to be br.i.m.m.i.n.g with life, vibrant trees and plants that covered the land, with a sea-like lake that stretched out into an endless horizon where turquoise waves crashed against the sh.o.r.es.
Xia Fan followed Xia Geng to the lakeside. It was said that the strongest experts of this universe would be gathering here. Xia Yu instructed Xia Fan that no matter what happened, that there was no need to panic, as there was no need to be afraid of anyone given the strength of the Skywing Clan.
The patriarchs of the Sea, Flying Goose, and Giant races also arrived soon after. They were brought to a garden in a forest beside the lake, where both the garden and the villa attached to it had been hidden so subtly that it was very hard to discover it had been built there.
“I heard he’s the son that Xia Fan was lost since he was just a baby.”
Someone mentioned Xia Fan’s ident.i.ty, and their comrades all immediately flashed sympathetic glances. The reason why the Skywings had appeared in the Great Chiliocosm was known to everyone. All of them knew about how Xia Fei’s youngest was not born with a seventh brain region, so they thought Xia Fan was just a normal person.
“From today onward, if there’s any one out there that bullies you, tell me and I’ll beat him up for you!” the simple and honest patriarch of the Giants, Stonewood, told Xia Fan earnestly.
Xia Geng and Xia Yu suppressed their laughter, but did not reveal the truth to Stonewood and the other people here. Those people all expressed their welcome and sympathies, with one even offering to introduce a woman to Xia Fan. However, the purpose of their matchmaking was not because Xia Fan was outstanding, but out of pity. It was very sad for the son of the distinguished Patriarch of the Skywing to turn out to be just a commoner!
That was when the owner of the villa by the lake arrived. He was riding a colorful eagle, which he landed in front of everyone. His colorful eyebrows sparkled in the sun, proof that he was a very unique existence among the sapient beasts.
A koi leaped out from the lake, her entire body covered in dazzling gold. She suddenly transformed in mid-air, so when she landed onto the sh.o.r.e, she was already a graceful woman with a devilish figure, practically bursting with sensuality.
Then there was also a creature that looked somewhat like a polar bear, tall and very fat. He was extremely white and deathly afraid of heat. He immediately asked for servants to bring some frozen watermelon the moment he took a seat, devouring the food without caring for the looks others cast his way.
These were the kings of the Cold Night Universe. They were all sapient beasts, but due to evolution, they had obtained a human form and began to live like humans, gaining a seventh brain region like humans, and were capable of gaining special abilities.
The last to appear was a Demonic Ant. He was the oldest of the demonkind of the Great Chiliocosm, and held an extraordinary position.
The Demonic Ant colony formed gradually. Seeing the countless creepy-crawlies throng and ama.s.s made for a disgusting sight to anyone with even the slightest sense of cleanliness. Very soon, the dark Ant ma.s.s a.s.sumed a humanoid form. While it was very detailed, a close inspection of this ma.s.s was enough for anyone to tell that the blinks of this humanoid Demonic Ant were just differently colored ants changing positions.
Unexpectedly, the Demonic Ant actually sat at the lowest seat, and seemed to have no intention of partic.i.p.ating in the negotiations.
“Such bullies, you Skywings are simply too bullying!”
“We’ve been living here this whole time, not once entering the Celestial Path, so why have you people suddenly come to make life difficult for us?”
These creatures of Darkness denounced the violent behavior of the Skywing Clan, claiming that they were simply keeping a peaceful existence in their universe. They gave examples from millions of years ago to prove that they had been living in the Cold Night universe, not once taking a step into the Celestial Path. Though they had some altercations with humans in the past, that was because the humans had been the ones who recklessly encroached upon their land. Compared to the many other forces of Darkness across the Great Chiliocosm, they had been quite dutiful!
“We are different from the other demonic creatures and demonstrate no wild ambitions!” the polar bear shook his head with his claim.
“Hahaha!” Xia Geng suddenly burst into laughter, “You guys are saying that as if you’re all very innocent. Let me ask you, since you are a peace-loving race… where have the humans that previously inhabited the Cold Night universe gone to?”
His cold glance swept across the patriarchs, but none of them answered. That was because the humans that had previously lived in this universe had already been wiped out by their hands, a b.l.o.o.d.y ma.s.sacre that resulted in billions dead. Countless people had fled their homes, something none of these sapient beasts could absolve themselves of. Every one of them had their hands stained with blood!
Xia Geng turned his head and gaze toward the Demonic Ant that had been silent this whole time, “And what is up with him being here? Everyone knows that while we Skywings do not care much about race, and are able to befriend any race, the Demonic Ants are the one and only exception. These d.a.m.ned ants could not possibly be the reinforcements you’ve gone looking for, right?”
“Not at all!”
“What nonsense!”
“Every sapient beast race is on their own, and there’s no such thing as reinforcements!”
The three hurriedly denied the accusation, rejecting the notion that the Demonic Ants were on their side.
Xia Fan shrugged, “Then that’s strange. Since the Demonic Ants are not your comrade, then why have they appeared here at the negotiation table?”
With that said, Xia Fan lightly rubbed his nose and pointed a hand down beneath his feet, ” I also know that there’s a large ma.s.s of Demonic Ant forces below us. Could this be a trap that you’ve all set up?”
Xia Fan’s scent special ability demonstrated its remarkableness once more. The expressions on everyone’s faces changed drastically after he made mention of this, and that included the demonic forces!
“Don’t you lack a seventh brain region?” the leader of the Sea Race, Sea Spiritos, gasped in surprise.
That was when the silent Demonic Ant representative finally spoke up. “Skywings, all of you better listen closely. I know what your motive is, but let me warn you all; continue investigating at your own peril, for you will end up facing a calamity that you have no way of withstanding. Trying to banish me is no use, because I am everywhere.”
Indeed, the Demonic Ants were a unique existence. There were countless Demonic Ants across the Great Chiliocosm, but there was only one true Demonic Ant. Those small or huge ants were all just avatars of the one true Demonic Ant. Even if the Skywings killed this avatar seated at the negotiation table, there would still be many Demonic Ants around, and he could monitor every move the Skywings made however he liked!
Xia Fan frowned, “Since you’re omni-present, then you ought to know where my father and the others have gone, right?”
“Yes, I do. Which is why I’m sitting here, warning you all.”
“Hmph. We don’t need your warning. All we want is for you to tell us where they have gone.”
“I will not!”
“If you choose to not tell us a word, then this war shall continue!” Xia Yu stood up, his face stern.
The obstinacy of the Skywings was already well-known across the universes. Though Demonic Ant persevered for a very long time, he still failed to overcome their stubbornness. Finally, he told everyone present a truth that left everyone dumbfounded.