After finishing his words, Xu Bai ended the communication.
His face immediately darkened.
“A hundred careful steps, yet a single misstep—eventually, a flaw was exposed.”
“This Liu San always seemed carefree and unserious, but I never expected his thoughts to run so deep.”
Indeed, during his seemingly casual conversation with Liu San just now, Xu Bai had made a mistake.
When Liu San mentioned that a disciple had successfully reached Foundation Establishment, Xu Bai hesitated for a moment.
This hesitation stemmed from his distrust of Liu San.
Because he understood the difficulty of achieving Foundation Establishment himself, he knew it was practically impossible.
Thus, he suspected that this might be a trap—a ruse by Liu San to lure him back.
Yet, instead of doing so, he had remained silent.
Although he could have come up with countless excuses to explain that silence, deep down, Xu Bai knew—it was already too late.
Liu San hadn’t spoken in a continuous flow but had deliberately paused after the first half of his sentence, waiting for Xu Bai’s reaction.
That in itself was a test.
Liu San had already obtained the answer he wanted. From that brief moment of hesitation, he had confirmed Xu Bai’s distrust of him.
In a battle between experts, even the slightest slip can determine victory or defeat.
“However, the situation hasn’t spiraled to an irreparable state just yet. The effects of the True Temptation Fruit aren’t so easily broken. Although they have sensed something amiss and solidified their suspicions, they still cannot turn against me.”
“Apart from having altered their thoughts, the more crucial factor is that the Xuanhuang True Cauldron is still in my hands.”
“With the numerous alchemists of the Medicine King Sect still slumbering inside the cauldron as hostages, they wouldn’t dare to act recklessly.”
“For now, I’ll ignore them and wait until the final moment…” A trace of cold ruthlessness flashed in Xu Bai’s eyes.
The relationship between Xu Bai and the Medicine King Sect remained in a precarious state of equilibrium.
Xu Bai only communicated with them remotely via Communication Talismans, while Liu San and the others continued their usual behavior, as if completely unaware of anything unusual.
During this period, Xu Bai made a brief return to the Empire.
As he flew above the capital, he caught a faint scent of blood lingering in the air.
Clearly, a large-scale purge had recently concluded.
Revealing himself, Xu Bai was quickly greeted by Xiao Qing.
Inside the grand tower palace, he once again met the Imperial Princess and Xiao Hong.
To his surprise, in the short time they had been apart, the Imperial Princess had transformed from a delicate young maiden into a voluptuous and mature beauty.
Furthermore, there was now a newfound confidence in her gaze, replacing the timid hesitation of before.
“It seems your Empire still has some hidden technologies you haven’t disclosed,” Xu Bai remarked indifferently.
The Imperial Princess chuckled, her ample figure trembling slightly. “The Empire has endured for a thousand years. It would never gamble its survival on a single path.”
“You should understand that, shouldn’t you?”
As she spoke, her deep and radiant eyes locked onto Xu Bai’s, carrying both a subtle charm and a blatant temptation.
Yet, Xu Bai’s gaze remained clear and tranquil, like an undisturbed lake—completely unfazed.
Instead, he responded with a brilliant, innocent smile.
In that instant, the Imperial Princess’s mask was shattered. A flicker of panic and embarrassment crossed her face.
“My apologies for the inappropriate display,” Xiao Hong intervened, stepping forward slightly to shield the Imperial Princess.
Taking a deep breath, the Imperial Princess closed her eyes for a moment before regaining her composure.
Xu Bai did not mock or rebuke her failed attempt at seduction. Instead, he asked with great interest, “If I’m not mistaken, the Imperial Princess is pregnant?”
The three people present fell into an awkward silence upon hearing his words.
Xiao Qing waved her hand lightly, setting up a barrier around them before explaining in a hushed voice, “Fellow Daoist, after you left, we followed your suggestion and carried out a purge of the empire’s nobility. Anyone whose will did not align with ours was captured.”
“Of course, the empire has existed for thousands of years. The power accumulated by these noble families is not something to be underestimated.”
“Before taking action, we had already considered the possibility of failure. To prevent the imperial bloodline from being severed, the Imperial Princess performed the Holy Blood Embryo Technique in advance.”
Xiao Qing glanced at the Imperial Princess before continuing, “In fact, the Holy Blood Embryo Transformation Technique that our master originally passed down has been significantly improved over the years through the imperial family’s continuous research.”
“It can now be completed with external assistance, even if the necessary conditions are not met naturally.”
“In this scenario, the resulting infant is not so much a next-generation heir but rather a type of clone.”
“However, there are drawbacks. A clone cannot inherit cultivation; it is merely a physical body.”
At this point, Xiao Qing stopped speaking, deliberately avoiding further explanation.
Xu Bai narrowed his eyes, his expression unreadable.
He did not pursue the matter further but instead, in front of Xiao Qing and the others, formally announced the approval of their review.
After deliberation by several elders, they unanimously agreed that the technological advancements demonstrated by the empire were worth investing in for the Federation of All Worlds.
As a result, the empire would become one of the few small worlds currently under the alliance’s protection.
With that, Xu Bai retrieved three Endstone Disc from his storage ring.
He then explained to them an array formation that could amplify the power of the Endstone Disc and conceal the entrance to their small world.
Among the three, the Imperial Princess was utterly confused.
However, Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong showed visible excitement.
With utmost reverence, they carefully stored the Endstone Disc away. Then, following their exchanged glances, the Imperial Princess handed over a storage ring.
The storage ring was engraved with the emblem of a Heavenly Fate Black Bird. Its aura was ancient, showing clear signs of age.
It bore a striking resemblance to Xu Ke’s spirit pet, Xiao Hei.
“All the items we previously showcased are inside.”
As Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong looked at the storage ring, a hint of nostalgia flickered in their eyes.
“This was something our master left behind, and we have never used it. Using it now to trade for the empire’s future… I don’t think he would blame us,” Xiao Qing said with a sigh.
Xu Bai merely glanced at the contents, noticing that various valuable materials—including the ‘All Beasts Merged into One,’—were present. However, he did not immediately verify their authenticity.
Instead, he put away the ring and looked at Xiao Qing and the others once more.
Sensing that Xu Bai had more to say, Xiao Qing and her companions turned to him with questioning expressions.
“The transaction between the empire and the Federation of All Worlds has been finalized.”
“However, there is another personal deal I would like to propose to you all. I wonder if you’d be willing to accept it?”
Xiao Qing’s expression became somewhat serious. “Fellow Daoist, please speak.”
“I’m very interested in the improved Holy Blood Embryo Transformation Technique,” Xu Bai said calmly.
Xiao Qing’s expression changed slightly, and she was about to refuse.
However, Xu Bai’s next words left the three of them unable to remain calm.