Beastmaster of the Ages

Long Xing sighed slightly. "It's not much of a plan. All I can do is keep these geniuses around. As long as we have them, they will be worried about my retribution and will keep our 800 million kin alive. The risks you took have saved 800 million of us from certain death!"

Tianming still felt rather down about the whole affair, even though Long Xing seemed grateful. His expression seemed rather uncertain. "Those cosmic gods are from different factions. Even though the ones from the Starfall Pantheon can't bear to let their descendants die, the others might. Wouldn't they just bring even more of our kin to try to bargain with us?"

"Even if they bring more here from Wargod Haven, it's pointless. No matter whether they bring another 800 million or five billion, they can't possibly be comparable to these hundred geniuses," Long Xing said.

"The issue here is that with so many people on their side, they will only treat them as mere numbers. They can't possibly sustain 800 million people for so long on their ships," Tianming said. The two of them bore the same burden. It didn't take more than a few words for them to be frank with each other. Not to mention, they had long heard about each other even before their meeting. Long Xing didn't consider himself a senior but rather an elder brother.

"Tianming, there's something I need to check with you. If what Boss Chen says is true, can you really convert the faith of others into power?" Long Xing asked. Only the flameyellow descendants that had formed omnisentient threads with Tianming knew that, and Long Xing hadn't done that yet. It wasn't easy to gain the faith and worship of a cosmic god.

Even so, the fact that Tianming revealed it to him was a sign of trust. Long Xing's efforts to help the flameyellow descendants made him deserving of respect.

"That's right, but there's an upper limit for now. Even if I factor in those 800 million, I might not necessarily be able to face off against cosmic gods! Not to mention, even if I can fight cosmic gods, they still have the hostages. It's all too easy for them to get involved and killed since they'll have to be in Starmoon Haven while I use their power." If they die en masse after they form omnisentient threads with him, Tianming's imperial order might just shatter. It would be a huge problem.

Hearing the affirmative answer, Long Xing's eyes lit up with hope. Excitedly, he said, "There's another three billion of us in Starmoon Haven!"

"Aren't they spread too far and wide?" Tianming had already gotten Yin Chen and Bai Ye to look into it. Most flameyellow descendants in Starmoon Haven had scattered, straying far away from large population centers in favor of the deep sea, tall mountains, and unpopulated wilderness. They mostly lived lives in seclusion to avoid being found.

Long Xing had made sure that they didn't gather. On the other hand, flameyellow descendants in Wargod Haven and Wondersky Haven didn't have a figure like Long Xing to lead them, so they were unable to leave their hardship-filled lives at all. "I was the one who asked them to spread out. It can't be helped. Living in large groups would make it easier for them to be caught all at once."

"You had the right idea. Otherwise, our enemies wouldn't have had to go to Wargod Haven to bring more of our kin here," Tianming said. "Are you able to reach out to those three billion?"

Long Xing nodded. "Yes, but it takes time. I can only reach out to a handful, each of whom can reach out to their associates and their associates, and so on. I also know roughly where they are. Though it's a bit slow, we are able to spread the news to everyone with enough time."