In Zhang Lie's past life, the superior worlds had managed to take down the death spirits without his help—given his presence, their victory in this life was all but guaranteed. Furthermore, the death spirits hadn't managed to absorb as much world's energy as before, and Zhang Lie had intercepted part of their spoils. The death spirit king wouldn't be as strong.
It was true that Zhang Lie had destroyed the xuluo world and weakened the superior worlds as a whole, but he and the Zongming world were more than sufficient to make up for the lack of the xuluo.
What had been done in his past life could easily be achieved in this one. There was no reason to expend all his trump cards and power on this single war alone.
The draconian sage clutched his head in panic. "Without you and the warlords, without the members of Team Zenith, how will our world survive the war?"
Zhang Lie rolled his eyes. "Sage, I feel like you've gotten too used to our presence."
The sage lifted his head. "What do you mean?"
"Before I and the rest of Team Zenith showed up, how did your world deal with the Mengtai invasion?"
The draconian sage tugged at his head. "But this time around, our opponent isn't just a medium-sized world—it's a superior world that far exceeds all others! Even the other superior worlds have to be wary of the death spirits. We would be hard-pressed to protect ourselves in this conflict, let alone fight against the death spirits."
"You're quite right. If the death spirits were to invade the draconian world, it would be annihilated in less than an hour. Unless I and the rest of Team Zenith were present, the draconian world wouldn't stand a chance."
"That's precisely what I'm saying!"
Zhang Lie continued, "But you would hardly be facing the death spirits alone, and they certainly wouldn't be focusing on you. You're nothing more than cannon fodder in the fight between the death spirits and the other superior races."
The draconian sage frowned. "That sounds even worse!"
Although Zhang Lie was stating the truth, the draconian sage was still somewhat hurt by his words. The draconian world was a peak large world, but it would still be little more than cannon fodder in this war. It didn't have the strength to do anything instrumental—though all that would change if Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were to participate on the side of the draconians.
Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith were strong enough to be a third nexus of power in this conflict—or, at the very least, on equal standing with a superior world.
Zhang Lie shrugged. "At any rate, it'll be straightforward enough for you to survive. You won't need to fight against the death spirits directly—just protect yourselves."
Sun Mengmeng asked, "Won't some of the draconians have to sacrifice themselves in battle, then?"
Yang Ze nodded. "Although I can't say I understand what you're planning, Captain, if any of us from Team Zenith were to participate in this war on the draconian world's side, we would surely be able to mitigate the human and draconian losses."
This would be a mythical battle which would draw in all three thousand worlds of the third realm, unprecedented in its history. The members of Team Zenith didn't want to miss out on such a once-in-a-lifetime event.
Zhang Lie replied, "Sacrifices are only natural. No draconian or human could live wholly under another's protection, and I and the members of Team Zenith will ultimately set off toward another realm. The draconians and humans shall have to learn to live without our presence—as well you know, Sage."
Humans and draconians were no flowers to be cultivated in a greenhouse. If Zhang Lie were to continue protecting them all, they would start developing an unhealthy dependency complex.
If even the draconian sage was feeling this way, it was evident how the ordinary draconians and humans had to feel—and if this feeling of dependency were allowed to grow, the humans and draconians of the third realm would be crippled.
Zhang Lie continued seriously, "We're happy to support you—not to sustain you."
The draconian sage nodded. "You're absolutely right. We've been too comfortable lately, and we're already starting to forget our training. It's too convenient to rely on you and your team, and the death spirits' war will be an excellent opportunity to forge the draconian and human hunters anew in the flames of war."
The death spirits' war would be a massive conflict, and one beyond the level of the draconian world. Even if the humans and draconians were to suffer defeat, there would be no impact on the draconian world.
Furthermore, the draconian world would still be host to Team Zenith, and it was under Zhang Lie's protection. The draconian sage simply wanted to avoid unnecessary loss of life—but in that case, the hunters could never become strong. They were no greenhouse flowers, no pandas to be kept in a zoo. The draconians and humans were proud fighters in their own right, and they had to be kept that way. To do so, their skills would have to be refined in battle.
Sun Mengmeng added, "Don't include our human forces in your count. They've all been participating in the invasion of neighboring worlds, and humanity as a whole has grown far stronger than it has been before."
Zhang Lie nodded, adding, "There's no need to worry too much, Sage. The draconian world has changed dramatically. The draconians, humans, and all manner of other species will serve as excellent fighters."
The humans, in particular, were bolstered by the increased gains that they had received in the second realm as well as the limit-breaking potions that Zhang Lie had devised. They were incomparably stronger than the previous generation of hunters.
Zhang Lie continued, "With this strength as basis, even in a war of mythical proportions like this one, the draconian world won't lose too much of its forces. I guarantee it—after all, you're not the only large world participating in the war."
Sun Mengmeng continued, "On the battlefield, you don't necessarily have to be too much faster than others—just one step is enough."
Sun Xiaowu grumbled, "That's supposed to be when you're chased by a tiger, not on a battlefield, surely!"
Yang Ze said, "Well, the principle is the same. If you don't want to be cannon fodder, you just have to be stronger than those around you."
The draconian sage nodded approvingly. "I do feel quite a bit more confident given your words."
"And not only that," Zhang Lie added, "I can have Zhu arrange for a few peak- and disaster-grade lifeforms to fight alongside you."
Li Feng grinned. "As expected of our captain—he's been preparing for this well in advance!"
Sun Mengmeng asked, "Captain, do you have any plans for us during the death spirits' war?"
"Surely you must have some plans for us if you're forbidding us from joining the draconians." Yang Ze turned to Zhang Lie as well.contemporary romance
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