Chapter 777 The Broodmother’s Hidden Pawns
“There are at least two thousand Eternal Realm cultivators in the Blood Jade Galaxy. Every one of them ranks among the highest authorities in their territory, and many are the supreme rulers of their respective domains.
“However, at least a thousand of those Eternal Realm cultivators were implanted with Celestial-grade Gu larvae while they were still at the Planetary Realm—or even the Great Ascension Realm.
Those larvae are extraordinarily rare. The Broodmother must personally gestate each one for well over a thousand years.
“That means she can seize control of more than half the Blood Jade Galaxy whenever she wishes,” the Blackheart Matriarch explained.
“What?” Amir stared at her. “The powerful being you were talking about was the Broodmother?”
Kael’s calm vanished. He immediately raised a barrier around the entire area, preventing anyone outside from overhearing their conversation.
There was no telling whether one of the high-ranking cultivators nearby had already been parasitized.
“Yes.” The Blackheart Matriarch inclined her head. “I’m only willing to reveal this secret because Kael possesses Lesser Immortal Spirit Liquid. That proves he couldn’t have been parasitized. If the Broodmother had already infected him, the spirit liquid would have fallen into her hands long ago.”
“You’re saying the Broodmother implanted those parasites before the cultivators became powerful. But what if one of them never reached the Eternal Realm? Wouldn’t she have wasted a Celestial-grade Gu larva?”
“That is why she secretly provides them with resources and helps them advance. If someone tries to kill one of her chosen hosts, the Broodmother intervenes from the shadows or sends her descendants to protect them.”
“I never imagined her plans ran this deep.” Kael’s voice grew grave. “Is there any way to determine who has been parasitized?”
“Not at present. The only reliable method is to kill them and carefully examine their brains. There is no other way to distinguish an infected cultivator from an uninfected one.
“Some parasitized Eternal Realm cultivators can perfectly imitate the mannerisms and speech patterns of their host’s race.
A few even present themselves as fanatical enemies of the Insect Race.
They constantly demand that every insect be hunted down and exterminated, despite already being infected themselves.
Their extremism is nothing more than an act meant to deceive the Eternal Realm cultivators who remain free. ”
The more Kael heard, the more troubled he became.
“You needn’t be too concerned,” the Blackheart Matriarch added. “You can refine Lesser Immortal Spirit Liquid. If you provide the Broodmother with enough of it, she may no longer need to devour every living creature in the galaxy.”
Kael laughed.
“Greed is a trait shared by all living beings. Even if I handed over every drop of Lesser Immortal Spirit Liquid and willingly allowed her to parasitize me, it wouldn’t end there.
Once she reaches the Real Deity Realm and leaves the Blood Jade Galaxy for the wider universe, her ambitions will only grow.
“So I will never give her the Lesser Immortal Spirit Liquid.”
“You reached your current realm because you have your own way of surviving in this universe. I wouldn’t presume to tell you otherwise.”
The Blackheart Matriarch studied Kael once more.
In truth, she had known some of the secrets surrounding Kael’s time at Sunlance Academy, but she had never shared them with Amir. In her eyes, he hadn’t been worthy of such knowledge.
Now that Kael had returned, however, she revealed everything she should—and perhaps several things she shouldn’t. Whether she did so to win Kael’s favor or for some other reason, Amir benefited simply by being present.
“That will be enough for today, Blackheart Matriarch.” Kael slowly rose. “Six months from now, I’ll relocate humanity to our former stronghold. We won’t impose on the Ant Race’s territory any longer.”
The moment he stood, Amir and the Blackheart Matriarch rose as well.
The response was instinctive, born of the vast gulf in strength between them.
“Very well. I’ll take my leave.”
The Blackheart Matriarch’s body turned ethereal before vanishing from the underground city.
“Kael, I should begin preparing for the relocation,” Amir said.
“Go ahead. I’ll take the others to our old stronghold and wait for you there.”
Kael disappeared.
With his current speed, he needed only moments to reach the oasis that had once belonged to the Blood Race. It had later become humanity’s primary oasis, but the fertile land had been abandoned after humanity fled from Solvaris.
Several weaker races had seized the opportunity and quietly moved their people into the oasis. Dozens of generations had passed since then. Some had grown from tiny tribes into flourishing races, while others had even risen to become mid-ranked powers.
Kael appeared within the sacred grounds that had once belonged to the Blood Race.
His body expanded rapidly until he towered more than three hundred yards into the air. Then he released his aura without restraint.
“Every beast cultivator capable of taking human form must leave the Human Oasis immediately. Three days from now, if I find even one transformed beast cultivator still here, I will show no mercy.”
His voice surged outward like a physical shock wave, sweeping from the sacred grounds across the entire oasis.
Chaos erupted throughout the region.
The transformed beast cultivators leaped onto their flying swords and fled. Most were so terrified that they abandoned everything they owned.
The pressure of Kael’s aura was simply too overwhelming. They could barely breathe beneath it.
After delivering his warning, Kael opened his Inner Cosmos.
Aria, Harper, Rook, Samuel, Dexter, Calla, and the others emerged one after another.
“Ah, my homeland!”
Rook spread his arms and gazed around in rapture.
“I feel a poem coming on.”
Dexter clasped his hands behind his back and stared solemnly at the sky. Even after a long silence, he failed to produce a single word.
Kael led Aria, Harper, and the others into humanity’s former sacred grounds.
The place had originally belonged to the Blood Race, but everything of value had long since been stripped away. Not a single item remained.
The weaker races had even dismantled large sections of the walls. Kael had once lived here, and they believed every brick and stone still retained a trace of his formidable aura.
A short while later, Kael released the demon beasts from his Inner Cosmos as well.
Every one of them had reached at least the Great Ascension Realm, and a few had even advanced to the Stellar Realm.
“Lord Lin, you’ve finally decided to release me?”
The old Tiger Patriarch stared at the world around him as though he had returned after a lifetime away.
“Don’t get too excited. I need you to rebuild this place. Make it tasteful, and don’t try to pass off shoddy work.”
“If we do a good job, will you let us return to our homeworld?” the Goshawk Patriarch asked.
“Start working. I’ll decide based on your performance.”
The Goshawk Patriarch had no choice but to fall silent.
“Let’s begin!”
The Tiger Patriarch took the lead and immediately set to work.
At that moment, Kael sensed something and took out an Astral Compass.
Light pulsed across its surface.
Kael sighed and sent a thread of Origin Power into the compass. The connection opened at once.
“Kael, I didn’t expect you to actually return to the Sunlance Galaxy. Do you have time to visit Sunlance Academy?”
The voice belonged to Rhazorn of Sunlance Academy’s External Affairs Hall.
Kael had never imagined the academy would still refuse to give up.
“Certainly. Come to the Skyfire Desert and invite me in person. How else are you supposed to prove your sincerity?”
“You—”
Rhazorn’s features contorted with anger as he turned toward the white-haired Valerius.