Hearing the Imperial Princess’s firm response and seeing the unwavering determination on her face, Xu Bai almost laughed out loud.
“This is your plan?”
“Placing all your hopes on some illusory, unknown great hero who may or may not even appear?”
Xu Bai shook his head repeatedly. “It seems the organization has really overestimated your value.”
Despite Xu Bai’s condescending attitude, the Imperial Princess remained unfazed.
Instead, her eyes gleamed with steadfast conviction. “The savior we’ve awaited for thousands of years, the one we’ve desperately longed for, will eventually appear!”
“Before the Xuanhuang Realm completely falls into ruin.”
“This is the sacred belief passed down from the Holy Emperor. No matter what policies the empire’s rulers have enacted throughout history, none can go against this principle.”
The moment those words left her lips, Xu Bai, who had been ready to mock her further, suddenly fell silent as a thought crossed his mind.
“So you’re saying that Mr. Bai foresaw that, in a few millennia, a heaven-sent prodigy would descend to save the Xuanhuang Realm from catastrophe?”
Xu Bai couldn’t help but feel that the notion was absurd.
Yet, he also recalled the ever-persistent presence of the Du’e Sect, which seemed to have some inexplicable connection to him.
Perhaps… this wasn’t entirely impossible.
At the very least, the “Calamity-Bearing” chosen by the Du’e Sect pointed directly to him.
Xu Bai furrowed his brows.
“From Mr. Bai’s cultivation of the new breed of Rift-Whale to his efforts in distancing numerous mortal worlds from the Xuanhuang Realm, it’s clear that the empire’s ultimate plan aligns with that of other mortal worlds.”
“The only difference is that the empire has a stronger initiative, allowing it to move further away from the Xuanhuang Realm. Meanwhile, the other worlds are merely being forced to accept their fate, unaware of what is truly happening.”
“The source of this disparity lies in the connection between Xu Ke and Mr. Bai. Perhaps this was the task entrusted to Xu Ke by Lu Ya before his passing.”
“But the real question is—could Mr. Bai and the Du’e Sect truly have foreseen my existence, as well as the existence of [Truth], a thousand years in advance?”
After a brief moment of contemplation, Xu Bai dismissed the idea.
[Truth] had the ability to turn truth into falsehood, to transform reality into illusion, and to return all things to their original state.
Such power would surely surpass even the legendary True Immortals.
If Mr. Bai and the Du’e Sect had truly predicted the existence of [Truth], then why would they need to wait for some prophesied savior? With their own abilities, they should have been able to resolve the crisis of the Immortal Ruins on their own.
“The Du’e Sect’s methods are likely similar to Senior Brother Zhang’s—they only cast their gaze upon someone once certain conditions are met. They may even employ a broad search, meaning the so-called ‘Calamity-Bearer’ is not necessarily limited to me alone.”
“And as for Mr. Bai…”
Xu Bai remained silent.
He still had no idea what made Mr. Bai so certain that, a thousand years later, someone would rise to save the Xuanhuang Realm.
“It can’t just be because of hope, right?”
“An infinite future holds infinite possibilities. This means that no matter how small the chances may be, under the premise of ‘infinity,’ everything will inevitably happen.” The words of Emperor Yi suddenly surfaced in Xu Bai’s mind.
“Perhaps, among the countless futures deduced by Mr. Bai, there really is a possibility where the Xuanhuang Realm is saved. Just like what I saw in my past life when I merged with the object itself—as desolate as the Xuanhuang Realm had become, with all things withering and civilization crumbling, in the end, it still welcomed the light of revival. Even though I don’t yet understand what transpired, in a certain sense, if the Empire can truly endure until that time, then perhaps their strategy can be considered a success.”
Xu Bai seemed to have gained some insight.
Seeing Xu Bai lost in thought, the Imperial Princess did not interrupt him.
“Alright then, if this was my ancestor’s judgment, then maybe there’s something to it. However, it’s unfortunate that, from the current situation, without the help of our Federation of All Worlds, your Empire probably won’t last until that day.” A while later, after snapping out of his thoughts, Xu Bai spoke with a hint of mockery.
“Although we are somewhat distant relatives, and I’d love to help, the right to use a supreme treasure capable of concealing the Tianxuan Treasure Record is not something I alone can decide. If you don’t show some sincerity, my hands are tied.” He shrugged with a helpless expression.
The Imperial Princess nodded slightly. “While you were visiting the Nine-Headed Shrine, we have already gathered intelligence regarding the changes in the Xuanhuang Realm. Rebirth Mansion, Tianxuan Treasure Record…”
“It has indeed exceeded what we can handle. After discussions, if we can exchange resources for the assistance of your Federation of All Worlds…”
“There would be no objections from anyone in the Empire. After all, those nobles are not only afraid of death, but they also fear losing their current status.” Her expression remained indifferent, as if she were simply stating a mundane fact.
“Heh, it seems your Empire is even more pragmatic than I expected. Well, at least that saves me some effort in persuading you. But…” Xu Bai’s tone paused, a slight smile appearing at the corner of his lips. “Given the current crisis and the immense pressure from the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance, our Federation cannot spread its aid evenly across all realms. Support will be distributed based on the potential each small world demonstrates.”
“So, if you want to receive more of our assistance, it depends on how many truly valuable things your Empire has to offer.”
“I’ll be blunt—your so-called proud beast cultivation techniques, in our eyes, are only useful as cannon fodder. With just this alone, you won’t impress those greedy old men in the Federation.” Xu Bai said coldly.
The Imperial Princess nodded slightly, expressing her understanding.
Then, she flew forward and said, “Follow me.”
After traveling through the Imperial Treasury for some time, she finally stopped before a mechanical device.
The device consisted of several interlocking rings, continuously rotating, with faintly visible numbers rapidly changing within.
“This is the culmination of thirteen generations of emperors’ efforts—the [Void Coordinator Trajectory Instrument],” the Imperial Princess introduced with a trace of nostalgia in her eyes.
“During void navigation, it records and preserves spatial data from the surrounding area. Based on a predetermined target, it sets a course to prevent us from getting lost in the void. At the same time, it can mark coordinates of the locations we pass by…”
“It has some use, but not much.” Xu Bai interrupted, extending his hand. “Right now, our biggest concern is how to survive the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance’s first wave of purges.”
The Imperial Princess nodded in acknowledgment. Then, she led Xu Bai to a round pearl.
“This is?” Xu Bai narrowed his eyes slightly.
From this pearl, he could sense both spiritual energy and the aura of a beast.