Chapter 752: The Only Future
Hearing the Emperor's Daughter's solemn reply and seeing the unwavering conviction on her face, Xu Bai nearly laughed out loud. "So this is your grand plan?"
"Pinning all your hopes on some mythical hero, a savior no one can even be sure exists?"
Xu Bai shook his head again and again. "It seems the Federation really did overestimate your worth."
Despite the blatant contempt in Xu Bai's tone, the Emperor's Daughter remained surprisingly calm.
Instead, a resolute light glinted in her eyes. "The savior we have awaited, the one we have desperately hoped for these past several thousand years, will appear!"
"He will come," she insisted, "before the Xuanhuang Realm is truly lost."
"This is a sacred belief passed down from the Saint Emperor himself. No matter the policy, no emperor in the Empire's history has ever dared to defy it."
Just as Xu Bai was about to offer another sarcastic remark, a thought struck him, and he fell abruptly silent.
There was no doubt in his mind. The only person who could inspire such unshakable faith in someone like Xu Ke was Mr. Bai.
The thought struck Xu Bai as utterly absurd.
Yet, he was reminded of the Salvation Sect, a group that haunted his steps like a persistent shadow, seemingly connected to him in some way.
Perhaps... it wasn't entirely impossible after all.
After all, the Salvation Sect had designated him as the "one to face the calamity."
Xu Bai's brow furrowed.
"Considering Mr. Bai bred a new species of Split Boundary Whale and found a way to move numerous mortal worlds far from the Xuanhuang Realm, the Empire's ultimate goal seems to align with that of the other mortal worlds."
"The only difference is that the Empire is more proactive, managing to put even greater distance between itself and the Xuanhuang Realm. The other worlds are merely passive participants, unaware of the true nature of their exodus."
"The reason for this distinction lies in the connection between Xu Ke and Mr. Bai. Perhaps this was the task Lu Ya entrusted to Xu Ke before his death."
"The real question is," Xu Bai mused, "could Mr. Bai and the Salvation Sect truly have predicted my existence—and the existence of [Truth]—a millennium in advance?"
A moment later, he dismissed the notion.
[Truth] could, with a single thought, turn reality into illusion and truth into falsehood, resetting the entire world to its original anchor point.
Even the legendary True Immortals surely couldn't dream of wielding such power.
If Mr. Bai and the Salvation Sect could truly foresee the existence of [Truth], why would they need to wait for a savior? With that kind of foresight, they could likely have dealt with the threat of the Immortal Ruins themselves.
"The Salvation Sect's methods are likely similar to Senior Brother Zhang's," he reasoned. "They only turn their attention to someone when specific conditions are met. They might even be casting a wide net. This 'one to face the calamity' they talk about... I might not be the only one."
"As for Mr. Bai..."
Xu Bai fell silent.
He still had no idea what gave him such conviction that someone would emerge a thousand years later to save the Xuanhuang Realm.
It couldn't be simple hope, could it?
The words of Di Yi suddenly echoed in his mind: "An infinite future holds infinite possibilities. This means that no matter how small the probability, given infinity, everything is bound to happen."
"Perhaps among the countless futures Mr. Bai deduced, one existed where the Xuanhuang Realm was saved. It's like what I witnessed in my previous life, when I became one with the world itself. Although the Xuanhuang Realm suffered through the decay of all living things and the collapse of civilization, it ultimately welcomed the dawn of recovery. I still don't know what transpired to make that happen, but in a way, if the Empire can truly endure until that moment, then their strategy could be considered a success."
Understanding dawned on Xu Bai.
Seeing Xu Bai lost in thought, the Emperor's Daughter waited patiently without disturbing him.
A short while later, Xu Bai returned to the present, a faint, mocking smile on his lips. "Alright, if it was my ancestor's judgment, then perhaps there's something to it. Unfortunately, given the current circumstances, your Empire won't survive to see that day without the help of our Federation of All Worlds."
"We might be distant relatives, and I'd love to lend a hand, but the authority to use a supreme treasure capable of blinding the Heavenly Profound Mirror isn't mine to grant alone. If you don't show a little sincerity, my hands are tied." He shrugged, feigning helplessness.
The Emperor's Daughter nodded slightly. "While you were touring the Temple of the Nine-Headed God, we made our own inquiries into the recent events in the Xuanhuang Realm. The Rebirth Palace, the Heavenly Profound Mirror..."
"It has indeed grown beyond our capacity to resist. After much discussion, we've decided that if we can exchange resources for the aid of your Federation of All Worlds..."
"...no one in the Empire will object. After all, our nobles are not only terrified of death, but also of losing the status they enjoy today." The Emperor's Daughter's expression was placid, as if she were discussing something utterly mundane.
"Heh, it seems the Empire is even more pragmatic than I imagined. Excellent. That saves me the trouble of further persuasion. However..." Xu Bai paused, a slight smile playing on his lips. "The situation is dire. Faced with the immense pressure from the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, our Federation can't afford to distribute its aid equally. Our support will naturally be allocated based on the potential each small world demonstrates."
"Therefore, if you wish to secure more substantial aid, it will depend on what things of true value your Empire has to offer."
"I'll be direct," Xu Bai stated coldly. "The beast breeding techniques you take such pride in are, from our perspective, only useful for creating cannon fodder. That alone will never be enough to sway the profit-driven old-timers in the Federation."
The Emperor's Daughter nodded slightly, showing she understood.
Then, she flew forward. "Follow me."
After flying through the Imperial Treasury for some time, she came to a halt before a complex mechanical apparatus.
The device consisted of several interlocking rings, all in constant motion, with faint, rapidly changing digits flickering within them.
"This is the culmination of thirteen generations of emperors' life work: the [Void Latitude and Longitude Positioning Instrument]," the Emperor's Daughter explained, a hint of nostalgia in her eyes.
"During voyages through the void, it records and stores spatial data from its surroundings. It can then plot a course to a designated target, ensuring we never lose our way. It can also mark the coordinates of any location we pass..."
"Moderately useful, but not a priority." Xu Bai cut her off with a wave of his hand. "Our primary concern right now is surviving the first wave of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance's assault."
The Emperor's Daughter nodded, understanding, and led Xu Bai to a spherical pearl.
"And this is?" Xu Bai asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.
From the pearl, he could sense both a familiar spiritual energy and the distinct aura of a demon beast.
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