Meanwhile, in the Eastern Continent.
The Chen family, one of the earliest and one of the most powerful families in the Eastern Continent, had gathered in their ancestral hall.
It is because of the arrival of the insects, and the Chen Zemin knew that this was not a good sign, so they called the whole family and elders to discuss this.
Family Head Chen Zemin sat at the head of the table, his gaze sharp and focused. Around him, the elders and senior members of the family waited quietly, their expressions serious.
The grand hall, lined with intricate carvings and glowing inscriptions, seemed to hold its breath.
Chen Zemin took a deep breath, his voice echoing throughout the room.
"It seems that we are facing a great danger," he began.
"Indeed," the elders and the members of the family agreed, their faces solemn.
"Has anyone figured out who they are, how they are, and why they came to our planet?" Chen Min, who was standing behind her brother, asked.
Another elder who was standing in front of them crossed her arms as she spoke. "The pods were alive to some extent. When the Nascent Soul-level leaders were killed, the pods collapsed, leaving behind only ashes.
That was no ordinary destruction; it was a deliberate design to prevent us from learning anything."
"How do you know that?" Chen Zemin asked, his voice hardening.
"My team and I examined the remains," the elder replied. "They were deliberately burned to ash, and not just ordinary flames either.
They were created from some strange energy, and not only that, but they also seem to be made of a special kind of material.
It's impossible to determine their origins without a sample, but from the little we know, it's safe to say that the pods were not from our planet."
Chen Zemin's jaw tightened. "You're telling me these creatures aren't from this world?
Where did they come from then?"
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The damage is mostly contained, but it will take weeks, if not months, to recover."
"I don't think we need to go that far," Chen Min said, catching the attention of others.
"You must know that although hundreds of pods landed, what about the main ship that transported these pods?
I think this is the first problem we need to solve. Then, we need to figure out the whole situation and attack them before they send another group toward us."
Chen Zemin nodded gravely. "Yes, we must respond in kind. But without understanding their origin, we're fighting blind, just like Mei'er said."
A moment of silence fell over the room. The weight of their situation was evident.
These insect-like creatures weren't like rogue cultivators or demonic beasts—they were organized, disciplined, and utterly alien.
One of the younger elders, Elder Zhou, spoke up hesitantly. "We may not know their origin, but we do know their weaknesses.
They rely on brute strength and numbers, but their intelligence seems... limited."
Elder Yun shook her head. "Don't underestimate them. Their leaders showed clear strategic thinking during the battle. They aimed for our weakest points and coordinated their attacks."
"Then let's hit them back where it hurts," Elder Zhou argued. "Send a force to their main base. Hit them hard and fast."
"How are we going to find the location of their main ship?" Elder Yun countered. "We have no idea where they're hiding. They could be anywhere."
"What about the pods? They had to come from somewhere," Elder Zhou said.
"That's true, but we have no idea where they're hidden or their capabilities," Chen Zemin said.
"We could spend weeks searching for their base, only to be caught off guard by an even bigger attack."
"We need intel," the female elder agreed. "And that's basically impossible as we do not have anything that we can use to travel in the void."
"Yes," Chen Min nodded, but then she smiled. "We do not have it, but I know someone whose family does, and if my guess is correct, they must have already figured out most of the situation."