"Yes, Planet Lord,"
Aurora spoke calmly.
"The space elixir has been fully utilized and is ready for deployment into the cosmos."
She had employed a unique method, opting not to have the treefolk directly consume the space elixir. Instead, she used the elixir to water a massive tree first, which was then catalyzed into a treant. This approach allowed the elixir's effects to spread through the tree's roots and branches, ensuring a more sustained and potent impact than direct ingestion.
"Good, then let's move out immediately," Bai Ze said softly.
After accounting for previous casualties, the combined forces of the four transcendent species were under 3,000. However, with the addition of the treefolk army, their total strength now reached a formidable 6,000.
With such a force, Bai Ze felt confident about their chances.
Boom!
Suddenly, a series of chaotic explosions echoed from the far reaches of the planet.
Startled by the noise, the five major species looked toward the source.
In the distant cosmos, faint shapes began to emerge, rapidly closing in.
Having experienced the previous simulation, Bai Ze and his transcendent subordinates immediately recognized that this was none other than the Lich main army!
Without hesitation, Bai Ze issued a command: "Move out!"
In unison, the four transcendent species, fortified by the space elixir's protective film, leaped into the air and effortlessly broke through the world's barrier.
Aurora quickly followed suit, directing the treefolk to harness the elixir's power to ascend.
Under a tense and urgent atmosphere, the treants swiftly adapted to their newfound abilities. Mimicking the movements of the four species, they too breached the planetary barrier, emerging into outer space.
As the treants entered the vacuum of space, they were immediately bombarded by intense cosmic radiation. A searing sensation enveloped their bodies, causing bursts of red light to flicker across their forms.
Thankfully, the space elixir provided ample protection, ensuring that the radiation couldn't harm them.
"Indeed, plants are far less suited to space environments compared to animals," Bai Ze muttered, shaking his head.
"Without the elixir, these treants would've been reduced to ash the moment they stepped into space."
With a brief comment, Bai Ze refocused on the situation.
In the distance, the tiny black dots grew larger, revealing their true forms and Bai Ze's heart involuntarily tensed.
Even though this was his second time seeing them, the sight of the Lich main army was no less shocking.
"This is a one-shot opportunity. It all depends on you..."
Bai Ze glanced at the system inventory, a cryptic smile tugging at his lips.
Simultaneously, the arrival of the Lich's main army caused significant ripples in the outside world.
In an apartment building, the previously fruitless observers finally picked up a strong signal fluctuation!
"There's a signal! A strong one… a very strong one!"
An observer leaped to his feet, nearly shouting in excitement.
Hearing the commotion, Ouyang Na and Yao Cheng hurried over with puzzled expressions.
"A signal source? Where is it coming from?"
Ouyang Na leaned over the screen, eyes fixed intently.
The observer didn't waste time responding, quickly typing on the keyboard.
Within moments, the signal's location was pinpointed.
"It's here right here!" he exclaimed, his voice brimming with excitement.
However, as the image of the region appeared on the large screen, the observer's smile froze.
His excitement dissipated, replaced by an expression of sheer shock.
Ouyang Na and Yao Cheng, who had been equally enthusiastic moments ago, now stood frozen, their faces pale.
"We're too late..."
"The Lich main army has already arrived. This is bad," Ouyang Na muttered through gritted teeth, frustration evident in her tone.
Yet, upon closer inspection, she noticed something strange the Lich army didn't seem to be aimlessly searching. Instead, they were marching purposefully toward a specific location.
"Wait, have you noticed? The Lich army seems to be heading somewhere specific. That location... it looks like..."
Her voice trailed off abruptly as her eyes widened in realization.
Because as the Lich army advanced, another celestial body appeared on the screen's other side a planet, shrouded entirely in a mosaic-like distortion.
"Hold on! Could this planet be… that student's planet?!"
Yao Cheng leaned closer to the screen, voicing the thought on everyone's mind.
During the earlier battle with the Lich, the student's creations were similarly obscured by a mosaic-like effect.
Now, with a planet displaying the same anomaly, the connection was unmistakable.
"Look! In front of that planet, there's a massive cluster of creatures. Their energy signatures are remarkably similar to what we saw earlier," Ouyang Na said, pointing to a specific region on the screen.
Although the area was also obscured, faint energy fluctuations of varying hues were visible.
"And it seems… this student has more creatures under their command now. That green aura looks familiar, almost like..."
"..."
"The Sacred Tree Heart?!"
The group exclaimed in unison, their shock evident.
As the screen zoomed in further, it locked onto the source of the vibrant green energy still covered by the mosaic distortion.
Ouyang Na's eyes widened further. She could now tell that it wasn't just the Sacred Tree Heart. More specifically, it was the Sacred Tree Spirit itself!
"How can this be...?"
"The Sacred Tree Spirit we've been searching for this whole time it's been with that student all along?!"
"I don't believe it! What would a student even need the Sacred Tree Spirit for? To intentionally provoke the Lich?" someone questioned incredulously.
But the answer was obvious:
"If I'm not mistaken, the Sacred Tree Spirit must have drifted near the student's planet while encased in its icy prison. That's how they recovered it," Ouyang Na analyzed.
"And their preemptive strike on the space station it was likely because the spirit warned them about the Lich's intentions."
Her reasoning was sound.
The Lich had pursued the Sacred Tree Spirit for the Sacred Tree Heart a closely guarded secret of their race.
If another species were to discover this secret, the Lich would stop at nothing to silence them.
Knowing this, the student had likely launched a preemptive strike to gain the upper hand.
Since a battle was inevitable, they had chosen to seize the initiative.
What they hadn't anticipated, however, was that the Lich had more than just a single space station.
Looming behind them was an entire main army, led by the Lich's monarch!
-support me in Patreon for more chapter, 450+ capters
patreon.com/LordoftheReader