“The rulers of the empire, throughout history, have had to undergo studies here from birth. Only after mastering the vast knowledge preserved within can they formally inherit the throne.”
“And the Imperial Treasury—only those with royal blood may enter,” Xiao Qing explained.
“But I can’t enter right now, can I?” Xu Bai shook his head slightly.
“Perceive it with your heart, and this invisible barrier will cease to exist,” the Imperial Princess said softly.
With that, she personally demonstrated. Stepping forward, she passed through the barrier effortlessly and entered the Imperial Treasury.
Xu Bai, upon hearing this, closed his eyes.
Sure enough, an indescribable feeling surged through his mind.
In the boundless darkness, he seemed to hear the rhythmic beating of a heart—coming from all directions.
Recalling what he had seen earlier, it appeared that the entire imperial palace was formed from the body of some massive, mysterious beast.
The Imperial Treasury might just be the heart of this creature.
The empire’s various exotic beasts all originated from Xu Ke’s secret methods of cultivation.
Since he carried Xu Ke’s bloodline, it was only natural that this place could not keep him out.
With newfound clarity, Xu Bai took a step forward. It felt as though he had passed through a thin, transparent membrane. The next moment, he found himself inside the Imperial Treasury.
Rather than immediately inspecting the artifacts within, he turned to the Imperial Princess and Xiao Qing. “I made it inside, as expected. But that doesn’t prove anything.”
“Only those with royal blood may enter…”
“That claim,” Xu Bai shook his head slightly.
The Imperial Princess smiled. “There’s no need for you to be so suspicious. Take a walk through the treasury, and you will understand.”
“This place is filled with the empire’s most valuable treasures. Aren’t you afraid I’ll just take a few for myself?” Xu Bai asked.
“If you wish, you could take everything here. But in truth, the most precious thing inside isn’t the artifacts—it’s the memories of the empire’s past rulers,” Xiao Qing replied casually.
The Imperial Princess simply gestured toward Xu Bai in invitation.
Xu Bai let out a cold snort and casually flew toward an exotic beast—a winged turtle.
“Silent Soaring Turtle: Lifespan of up to 300 years. Its meat can treat hyperactivity, mania, and similar conditions. However, caution is advised—its blood is harmful and reduces lifespan if consumed.”
A voice echoed in Xu Bai’s mind, accompanied by a vivid image.
The person in the vision bore a striking resemblance to Xu Ke.
He was seated at a research table, dissecting a Silent Soaring Turtle while meticulously recording his findings.
Before Xu Bai could fully absorb this information, another vision emerged moments later.
This time, the researcher was a woman—she, too, bore some resemblance to Xu Ke.
“New discovery: The wings of the Silent Soaring Turtle can be used as material for constructing aerial ships, maintaining high-speed flight while minimizing noise.”
The scene continuously flickered and changed.
The protagonist shifted through more than a dozen individuals, and research on the Silent Soaring Turtle advanced steadily.
In the end, a technique capable of mass-producing Silent Soaring Turtle was developed. This allowed them to complete a full life cycle in just three years, significantly reducing cultivation time.
The scene disappeared. Xu Bai savored the countless new pieces of information in his mind before looking at the Imperial Princess.
“What is this?”
“The Empire’s first ruler was cultivated using the Holy Blood Embryo Transformation by Holy Emperor Xu Ke.”
“The second generation of emperors was created in the same way.”
“And so on, passed down from generation to generation.”
“In essence, the imperial bloodline throughout history is actually the same person—Holy Emperor Xu Ke.” The Imperial Princess smiled as she spoke.
Xu Bai had already known this but still feigned shock and horror. “What kind of wicked sorcery is this?”
“How can technology be classified as good or evil?” The Imperial Princess shook her head.
“Although we share the same flesh and blood, we each have independent consciousness. You may consider us as different individuals.”
“However, due to the connection established by the Holy Blood Embryo Transformation, our thoughts can resonate and synchronize.”
“What you just experienced was the accumulated research of past emperors on the Silent Soaring Turtle.”
“Before each ruler passes away, besides undergoing the Holy Blood Embryo Transformation Method, they must also leave behind their will within the Imperial Vault.”
“The successor will inherit the vast majority of their predecessors’ wisdom and experience.”
“Thus, the ruler of the empire will only grow stronger with each generation.”
“Only in this way can an eternal empire be established.”
The Imperial Princess spoke indifferently, her tone carrying a trace of grandeur.
“An eternal empire…” Xu Bai sneered, refusing to acknowledge her claim. “Forget about Longevity Immortals, even Dao Integration cultivators—do you really think they would fear your so-called empire?”
Hearing this, the Imperial Princess froze, her face flushing red.
Xu Bai swept his gaze over the Imperial Treasury and then asked, “Although this place holds numerous strange and unique records, truly valuable ones are few.”
“I’m in a hurry to report back. Speak—what are the Empire’s most powerful technologies?”
“If you have enough bargaining chips, I might be able to secure better terms for you in the Federation of All Worlds.” Xu Bai hinted.
The Imperial Princess glanced at Xiao Qing, who was standing outside the invisible barrier.
Seeing Xiao Qing give a slight nod, she hesitated briefly before replying, “Our definitions of ‘valuable’ may differ.”
“From the perspective of the Empire’s strategic goals, the most advanced technologies we possess are:
First, the method to cultivate and control Rift-Whales.
Second, Void Coordinate Locator.
“With these two technologies, the Empire can continuously open void passages and move as far away from Xuanhuang Realm as possible,” the Imperial Princess explained.
Xu Bai smirked with ridicule. “I’ve heard of your ridiculous plan from my fallen comrades.”
“The idea isn’t bad, but…”
“If it were really so easy to leave Xuanhuang Realm, don’t you think someone would have done it long ago? Do you really believe it’s your turn?”
“Those cultivators who fled into small worlds to take refuge during past calamities—why do they still long to return to Xuanhuang Realm instead of escaping altogether?”
“It’s not that they don’t want to—it’s that they can’t.”
“I advise you to abandon this unrealistic fantasy and join our Federation of All Worlds instead…”
The Imperial Princess remained unfazed by Xu Bai’s mockery.
Instead, she firmly interrupted him. “What if our goal was never to escape Xuanhuang Realm in the first place?”
Xu Bai was momentarily stunned.
“Not escaping Xuanhuang Realm? Then why go through all this effort?”
The Imperial Princess smiled faintly. “To buy time.”
“The farther we move from Xuanhuang Realm, the lower the chances of being affected when catastrophe strikes.”
“At the same time, we wait patiently.”
“Because one day, a savior will emerge to rescue Xuanhuang Realm from its apocalyptic fate.”