Chapter 398

Lin Ke remained silent.

Chance?

Facing the ninth‑level great sage's frontal provocation, what can we speak of having a definite chance to escape?

We can only take it step by step, adapt as we go.

Lin Ke's silence let Paro Sage, Selin Sage, Kedi Sage, and Mo Li clearly know that, regarding the impending big trouble, Lin Ke actually had no good solution.

The Four‑House United Army, even the Ruiwosito vanguard detachment, had only one way out: to directly withstand the pressure and attack from Great Sage Miexieer and Great Sage Miexieer's tower.

Lin Ke was the same.

If we can hold on, then we have held on; it can be counted as a victory, and we can also reap the fruits of victory.

If we cannot hold on, then we cannot hold on; we can only accept the consequences of defeat.

And this defeat would mean many deaths.

The atmosphere suddenly changed, and even the air became much stagnant.

Seeing this, Lin Ke laughed a few times, ha ha, and said loudly: "There's no need for everyone to frown so much. Everything is still just our speculation and intuition; nothing has really happened."

"What is supposed to happen will still happen."

Paro Sage replied coldly: "We are not pessimistic, but we are not overly optimistic either."

The usually quiet Kedi Sage then spoke up: "Since you have thought it through and believe that taking Mo Li away from the Four‑House United Army brings more benefit than harm, then go. But being alone outside, if problems arise, you'll have to solve them yourselves. By then, even if we wanted to help, we would be willing but unable."

"Hmm."

Lin Ke lightly nodded.

Selin Sage sighed, looked with concern at Mo Li standing beside Lin Ke for a while.

At that moment, Lin Ke's ear twitched slightly.

Luotesinuo had arrived at some point, and was secretly transmitting, calling his brother‑in‑law Lin Ke to bring his sister‑in‑law Mo Li out to meet.

"We have to go."

Having finished listening to Luotesinuo's words, Lin Ke immediately said to Paro Sage, Selin Sage, and Kedi Sage:

The three all noticed Lin Ke's unhidden movement, and being quick‑witted, they soon figured out some things.

Paro Sage and Kedi Sage exchanged a glance, saying nothing.

Selin Sage then bade farewell to Mo Li, meanwhile urging caution: "Out there, be careful with everything."

"Hmm, thank you, Sister Selin."

Mo Li nodded obediently, answering sweetly.

After working and interacting with the Four‑House United Army for this period, the relationship between Mo Li and Selin Sage leapt forward.

Lin Ke rarely called out "Sister Selin," but with Mo Li it became more intimate.

However, everyone being mages, even if not inherently cold‑hearted, they could still suppress their feelings quite well.

There was no lingering reluctance to part, no repeated farewells.

Paro Sage, Selin Sage, and Kedi Sage watched Lin Ke take Mo Li away from the Four‑House United Army's wartime station, then each gathered their thoughts and began discussing matters.

From Headmaster Fuliste, the Four‑House United Army received notice to secretly prepare for any internal or external changes.

From Lin Ke, Paro Sage, Selin Sage, and Kedi Sage obtained more concrete information and also learned of Lin Ke's premonition.

Preparation without a target is naturally inferior to preparation with a clear goal.

The Four‑House United Army has plenty to do.

Now another Mo Li. Jiedeman has left, reducing one participant in decision‑making and a very outstanding executor of strategy, causing the workload of Paro Sage, Selin Sage, and Kedi Sage to surge dramatically.

Outside the Four‑House United Army's wartime station, Luotesinuo's figure suddenly appeared before Lin Ke and Mo Li.

"Happy New Year, brother and sister‑in‑law."

Luotesinuo wore a bright‑red outfit in the style of the Celestial Divine civilization, holding a large red lantern with an inverted "fu" character, and shouted exaggeratedly at the two.

Mo Li could not understand what Luotesinuo was up to.

For a moment she could not accept Luotesinuo's completely changed appearance and demeanor, and also faintly sensed that something was off.

Unfortunately, the contracted spirit beast hidden in his sea of consciousness, when faced with the present Luotesinuo, was like a frightened quail, trembling and shrinking back.

As if it had encountered its natural enemy.

Lin Ke, however, could understand these.

This Celestial Divine civilization also has the concept of "celebrating the new year."

Based on the fragmentary knowledge he had gathered from his recent travels, Lin Ke roughly calculated and found that today and tomorrow are indeed days when many worlds within the Celestial Divine civilization's territory celebrate the new year.

The customs of the various worlds are largely uniform in general, but still differ in detail.

For example, some worlds celebrate the big new year today and the small new year tomorrow.

Some worlds celebrate the small new year today and the big new year tomorrow.

Some worlds do not celebrate at all today, have no concept of a small new year, and only celebrate a new year tomorrow.

But no matter what, Luotesinuo's remark really is a very timely and fitting blessing.

Moreover, it was precisely this remark that gave Lin Ke a very important hint.

Just as the mage civilization has a native mage world, the Celestial Divine civilization also has a native Celestial Divine world.

The prevalent new‑year custom of the Celestial Divine civilization naturally originated in its native world.

In the native Celestial Divine world there is a saying: "The twelfth month runs its course, cycling back to the start; at year's end the twelfth month points to Chou, then the first month returns to Yin. The dipper handle turns to Yin, spring returns to the earth, ending and beginning anew, all things renewed, the new year starts from here."

Lin Ke focused on the eight characters "ending and beginning anew, all things renewed."

The lifespan of Sage Miexieer is about to run out, which truly counts as an "end."

If, with the aid of the Celestial Divine heavenly court, Great Sage Miexieer successfully switches cultivation and advances, that would be a "renewal."

Everything would be "all things renewed."

So, Lotesinuo was reminding Lin Ke that, for Great Sage Mixieer, today and tomorrow are the most important days.

In the origin of the New Year customs, according to the calendar of the Immortal Gods' native world, today is not special; tomorrow is New Year's Eve, i. e., what is usually called 'the big year'.

From this angle, it can be inferred that the day Great Sage Mixieer completes his promotion is actually tomorrow!

According to the prior foreknowledge and speculation, tomorrow is also the day Great Sage Mixieer launches an attack on the Ruowosuosi Academy's vanguard and the Four Families United Legion.

His thoughts were in turmoil, but Lin Ke showed nothing on his face and quickly came to his senses.

Lotesinuo handed the big red lantern in his hand to his sister-in-law Mo Li, and with his right hand lightly snapped his fingers.

With a snap, a starry sky skiff appeared out of thin air.

"Please come inside, elder brother and sister-in-law."

He gestured toward the hatch where the gangway was lowered, and Lotesinuo spoke in a strange tone.

Mo Li tilted her head to look at Lin Ke, intending to keep pace with him.

Indeed, this Lotesinuo made Mo Li feel unfamiliar, and she didn't quite know how to respond!

Lin Ke gave Mo Li a reassuring look, then took her hand, unceremoniously accepting Lotesinuo's hospitality and service, walked up the gangway into the hatch, and boarded the starry sky skiff.

Lotesinuo followed closely behind.

The gangway retracted automatically, the hatch sealed shut, the starry sky skiff ascended on its own, and entered outer space.

"Where are we going?" After entering the starry sky skiff's cockpit, they casually picked two seats, sat down together with Mo Li, and Lin Ke got straight to the point, asking directly.

"Of course we're going to solve the problem."

Lotesinuo grinned, showing a mouth full of white teeth, "Even if we can't solve the problem, we can solve the person who caused it."

Lin Ke fell silent upon hearing that, then bluntly asked, "Your change is rather sudden—did something happen that I don't know about?"

"Of course."

Lotesinuo nodded in acknowledgment, but didn't mention what exactly had happened.

Seeing that, Lin Ke didn't ask further.

The cockpit instantly fell into silence.

Not long after, the silence was broken by Mo Li's shout.

"Lin Ke, look quickly."

Mo Li pointed with one hand at the starry sky outside the left-side porthole of the cockpit, and with the other hand gently tugged Lin Ke's arm to give him a heads‑up.

"What are we looking at?"

Lin Ke asked while looking in the direction Mo Li indicated.

After a moment, Lin Ke understood why Mo Li had shouted.

It turned out to be a massive star‑fleet with no attempt to conceal its movements, sailing in formation at high speed.

Lotesinuo's starry sky skiff is of extremely high grade and had already entered stealth mode.

Therefore, the star‑fleet ahead‑to‑the‑side did not detect the skiff's presence.

Lin Ke, however, had already identified where this star‑fleet came from.

"The Tower of Great Sage Mixieer."

He whispered the name, then Lin Ke pulled out an encrypted communicator, about to contact Dean Fulisite.

"Don't rush."

Lotesinuo reached out and pressed down on Lin Ke.

"Reason."

Halting his motion to grab the communicator, Lin Ke locked eyes with Lotesinuo and asked in a low voice.

"Let what is meant to happen, happen."

Lotesinuo said softly, "Sometimes an appropriate cost can be borne. Forcibly avoiding it will only lead to a greater cost later, which is not worth it."

"What have you foreseen?"

"I can't say, I can't say."

After hearing Lotesinuo say that, Lin Ke reconsidered and actually gave up entirely on informing Dean Fulisite.

After all, the Ruowosuosi Academy's vanguard had already received advance notice of the impending attack and had made preparations.

Dean Fulisite is no one to sit and wait for doom.

Faced with such a formidable foe as the Tower of Great Sage Mixieer, they would certainly not rely solely on the vanguard's own strength to resist; they would definitely seek outside help.

Whether the outside aid they seek comes from the Supreme Council or elsewhere, it will be powerful help for the vanguard to survive this crisis.

Lin Ke believes Dean Fulisite will certainly not let the vanguard suffer a devastating blow.

As for how great or small the final loss will be, that is not something Lin Ke can control.

As for Sage Paluo, Sage Selin, Sage Kedi, and the Four Families United Legion…

Lin Ke could only coldly say, "Everyone, fend for yourselves."

Mo Li beside him suddenly asked, "Why must we pay a price? If I don't want to pay a big price later, nor a small price now?"

This question seems naive and childish, but it actually hides a deep secret.

Lotesinuo gave Mo Li a deep look, the corner of his mouth curling into a mocking smile: "In that case, you'll end up paying both a small price and a big price. Moreover, whether it's the small price or the big price, both will be greater than before."

"Really? Can you give an example?"

Mo Li frowned slightly, seeming not to quite understand.

"An example?"

Lotesinuo narrowed his eyes, smiling, "That old brat Mixieer is the quintessential example."

"How so?"

Lin Ke suddenly spoke up, feeding Lotesinuo a line.

Luotesinuo looked left and right at the brother-in-law and sister-in-law for a while, his smile undiminished, the mocking tone lessened, and he explained: "If that old fellow Mixieer hadn't repeatedly prolonged his life, we would have already had a chance to ascend to Saint. We mages claim to pursue truth; we don't necessarily have to go against nature. Often, going with nature actually yields a better result."

You say that?

Lin Ke heard this and fell into thought.

Mo Li also stopped pressing for answers and accepted the decision not to inform Dean Fulisite.

Thus, the star-flying vessel and the huge star fleet from Mixieer Great Sage Tower passed close by in space near the vanguard war zone station of the Auspicious Fertile Seek Think Academy.

The star fleet headed for the vanguard war zone station of the Auspicious Fertile Seek Think Academy.

The star-flying vessel headed toward the direction from which the star fleet had come.

As the last warship of the star fleet swept past from the side, Lin Ke and Mo Li simultaneously turned their heads, and through the huge screen of the star-flying vessel's cockpit, they took a deep look at the vanguard war zone station.

There, a battle in which Lin Ke and Mo Li ought to have participated was about to erupt.

However, based on various considerations, Lin Ke not only abandoned the Grand Sage Legion himself, but also took Mo Li out of the Four Families United Legion.

Lin Ke actually did not know whether what he had done was right or wrong.

Whether Mixieer Great Sage and his tower would abandon their special focus on the Four Families United Legion now that Lin Ke and Mo Li were absent remained unknown.

However, the decision had already been made and put into action; regretting it now would be pointless.

All Lin Ke and Mo Li could do was not truly let down Paro Sage, Selin Sage, Kedi Sage, and the Four Families United Legion.

"Don't look anymore, it's gone."

Luotesinuo waved his hands in front of Lin Ke and Mo Li's eyes, breaking their gaze and train of thought.

"Hmm, I won't look."

Lin Ke responded, turned his head to look at Luotesinuo, and said, "Now, let's talk—what is your real purpose in summoning us this time?"

Luotesinuo replied in surprise, "Wasn't it you who wanted to bring your sister-in-law out? How did it become me summoning you?"

Lin Ke couldn't be bothered with these nonsense words; he simply stared at Luotesinuo, waiting for an answer.

Mo Li lacked understanding of the current situation, not knowing what Lin Ke was doing, yet she accompanied him and stared hard at Luotesinuo.

You two...

Luotesinuo sighed, seeming helpless, as if there was nothing he could do about the brother-in-law and sister-in-law.

After sighing, Luotesinuo's face showed a very helpless expression, and he said in a low voice, "In my current state, to deal with the person who caused the trouble, I have to resort to some strategy—for example…"

Put out some bait, set a trap.