Chapter 746-750: Everyone Possesses Nascent Soul (6k+ words)

"What Yu Shan said makes a lot of sense," San Leng echoed.

Li Fan also nodded, "Let's observe for a while. During this time, it's better to create more Endgame Discs. If possible, we should try whether it can affect the Xuan Heaven Record. After all, such divine items are quite tempting."

Fan Zaiji's eyes lit up as he carefully examined an Endgame Disc, saying thoughtfully, "Master, don't say that. Both of these items are nurtured by the Xuan Heaven Mirror. Perhaps they can really be combined. However, to achieve this, you might need to personally obtain the Xuan Heaven Record for further research."

...

While Medicine King Sect and others were contemplating their future, within the Wanxian Alliance, more details about conquering the pocket worlds were gradually revealed.

When a cultivator with the Xuan Heaven Record found the entrance to a pocket world, there were two choices. One was to explore it alone. If they could sweep through a realm on their own, they would have exclusive access to all the merits of that realm, and the rewards were unimaginable. Of course, if their strength was insufficient to overcome the various obstacles encountered, they could choose to share the entrance to the pocket world. In that case, all Xuan Heaven Record holders would be informed of the entrance, and they would flock to it.

Aside from the merit of "discovery reporting," the initial cultivator could also gain a portion of merits and contributions from later cultivators. Although this proportion was minimal, when added up among numerous cultivators, it became a considerable fortune.

In any case, whether choosing to monopolize or share, the discoverer of the pocket world entrance would become immensely wealthy overnight. This was a strong encouragement for cultivators to conduct comprehensive exploration.

After the conquest of the pocket worlds, the distribution of spoils was even more exciting.

Any pocket worlds discovered during this campaign would be announced in the Xuan Heaven Record after the war. With enough merits, one could directly exchange for the ownership of a pocket world! Moreover, the discoverer of the pocket world or realm would have the priority to purchase it!

Once this news was released, the originally restless cultivators instantly went crazy.

It's important to note that in today's Xuanhuang Realm, reaching the Nascent Soul realm was a clear watershed. Achieving Nascent Soul was still possible through personal comprehension of Golden Core's enlightenment. However, obtaining Nascent Soul realms or pocket worlds either relied on luck or connections. Among a hundred cultivators in the Golden Core realm, it wasn't guaranteed that even one would achieve Nascent Soul. The difficulty was evident.

Now, the Wanxian Alliance aimed to cleanse the four corners and achieve the great unification of the Xuanhuang Realm. At that time, all existing pocket worlds in the Xuanhuang Realm would be revealed. Luck and connections would no longer be decisive factors. As long as you worked hard enough, you had the opportunity to "seize the essence of heaven and earth and become Nascent Soul!"

An era where everyone could become Nascent Soul had arrived!

While extremely excited, cultivators also felt a sense of urgency. After all, everyone knew that the total number of pocket worlds in the Xuanhuang Realm was fixed, and it was a race against time. If you were a step slower, there might be no chance of achieving Nascent Soul in this lifetime. To break through, you might have to wait until Nascent Soul cultivators fell, and new pocket worlds were generated!

In this situation, a strange scene appeared within the Wanxian Alliance's territory. Cultivators combed every inch of land like locusts, carefully inspecting the terrain, be it deep mountains, large lakes, jungles, or swamps.

People suddenly realized that the number of cultivators in the Wanxian Alliance was unexpectedly large.

Under these circumstances, not long after, the first pocket world not under the control of the alliance was discovered.

Named "Zhuo," it was a barren pocket world without spiritual energy, where only mortals existed.

The lucky one, Cheng Shi, only took less than three days to complete the world scan using the Xuan Heaven Record.

No one knew exactly how many rewards he obtained, but after this event, Cheng Shi directly purchased a villa in the Cave Mansion District of Tianyun City. He settled down and didn't go out again, focusing on cultivation. He was just waiting for the Wanxian Alliance to release the pocket world exchange, allowing him to reach the Nascent Soul realm directly!

With this vivid example before them, cultivators became even more excited.

Soon, the second and third pocket worlds were discovered one after another.

While cultivators were immersed in collective ecstasy, Xu Bai also entered the Xuan Heaven Mirror.

"Do you want to generate a personal version of the Xuan Heaven Record?" The prompt from the Xuan Heaven Mirror sounded in his ears. Compared to the emotionless mechanical voice of the past, it now had a hint of liveliness.

After a moment of contemplation, Xu Bai chose yes.

In his spiritual sea, a rhombus-shaped crystal crafted from the Endgame Disc was radiating a colorful light. This was the preliminary plan devised by Fang Zaiji and the others after a brief study.

To prevent the Xuan Heaven Record from secretly scanning the contents of his spiritual sea, they used the shielding function of the Endgame Disc to protect his spiritual sea. Simultaneously, the rhombus crystal would also disguise itself by constantly emitting various thoughts to ensure that any abnormalities would go unnoticed by the Xuan Heaven Record.

Of course, these exposed thoughts were all deliberately sent out, irrelevant and inconspicuous, intended to be perceived by the Xuan Heaven Record.

In simple terms, it was like putting a lock on the spiritual sea to prevent the Xuan Heaven Record from prying.

After several experiments, it did indeed achieve the effect of protecting the spiritual sea. Fang Zaiji was now researching methods to protect the physical body.

His true self was in the Longevity Valley, concentrating and ready to act at the slightest sign of trouble.

On the other hand, Xu Bai was quietly observing the changes in his own spiritual sea. It seemed like an invisible ripple passed through his body.

After a moment, a small square bronze mirror appeared in his spiritual sea. The rhombus crystal floated quietly above it, and the Xuan Heaven Record remained completely unaware.

"It seems to be intact now," Xu Bai thought to himself.

As his divine sense made contact, numerous pieces of information instantly surfaced. Consistent with what he had known before, it possessed various functions.

"It is indeed convenient." With a thought, the entire map of the Wanxian Alliance appeared in his mind. He could clearly see four prominent red dots flashing on the map and six calm green dots.

"Red indicates the shared worlds still in the process of conquest by cultivators, while green represents worlds that have already been explored," Xu Bai understood.

Glancing at the location of Stone Linzhou, which seemed to have not been discovered by anyone, Xu Bai revealed a faint smile.

Exiting the Xuan Heaven Mirror, he headed straight for his destination.

Yes, the place he wanted to go was the "Empire" created by Xu Ke!

"I wonder what treasures that can avoid the Xuanhuang Realm's conquest they are willing to offer? And what will be their reaction when they see this body, identical to Xu Ke's appearance?"

Chapter 747: Returning to the Empire After a Thousand Years

With eager anticipation, Xu Bai quickly approached the mountainous valley ruins from his memories. When Li Chenfeng returned to the Empire, Xu Bai, through the surveillance of the impersonal killing intent, learned about the entrance to the Empire. However, he hadn't had the chance to visit before, so he took advantage of this opportunity.

In his spiritual sea, the rhombus-shaped crystal once again emitted a colorful light, enveloping the Xuan Heaven Record below. Intentionally manipulating it, virtual scenes appeared within the radiance, distorting the Xuan Heaven Record's perception. He swiftly flew to the entrance after thorough searching, discovering a space channel concealed by some special means. Looking at the Xuan Heaven Record, it gave no alert. "Indeed effective," Xu Bai nodded to himself without rushing to enter.

After confirming no nearby cultivators with his divine sense, he took out an Endgame Disc and set up an array to conceal the entrance. Then he entered the spatial channel.

Before him was an endless darkness. This scene was not unfamiliar to him; it was highly similar to the void scenes opened by countless crack realm whales when traversing the Immortal Array. Only, this place seemed even more profound.

After a moment of contemplation, the Purifying Light Luminous Robe crafted by Fang Zaiji manifested on him. With an additional layer of protection, Xu Bai flew forward. Having traversed the Immortal Array numerous times, he was already familiar with it. Without surprises or dangers, after smoothly passing through the array, he did not see any traces of the small world.

What greeted him was still an infinite dark void. "It seems to have moved away from its original position by passing through the crack realm whales," Xu Bai pondered. Standing in the void, Xu Bai closed his eyes, concentrating on sensing.

Just a moment later, he vaguely sensed a very familiar aura fluctuation in the distant darkness. Following the aura, Xu Bai swiftly flew towards it.

As he approached, a loud whale song suddenly echoed. Xu Bai abruptly stopped. Like triggering a chain reaction, one after another, whale songs resounded from nearby to far away, continuously echoing. It was impossible to discern how many crack realm whales existed in the dark void. They echoed harmoniously as if playing a grand symphony.

Surrounded by countless crack realm whales, Xu Bai felt no sense of danger. He could tell that these crack realm whales were expressing their joy, as if welcoming his arrival.

"Interesting," Xu Bai's eyes flashed, continuing forward. The group of crack realm whales sensed his aura and voluntarily made way for him. Not long after, Xu Bai arrived outside the Empire. From the dark void, he could see an elliptical world with vast water areas and the floating corpse of the Nine-Headed Red Dragon.

While observing, a mysterious fluctuation occurred in the space ahead. Seven cultivators wearing Beast God Armors suddenly appeared, riding on a creature resembling an eel, and instantly surrounded him.

"Who are you?" The cultivators, wearing Beast God Armors, swiftly formed a defensive formation as they noticed Xu Bai. They encircled him, but their Beast God Armors were no match for him.

With a slight smile, Xu Bai lightly waved his folding fan. Before they could react, he had subdued all seven.

"Woo, woo..."

Chapter 747: Return to the Empire After a Thousand Years

They showed expressions of shock, but their mouths couldn't utter a word.

What happened next made their faces change dramatically. Xu Bai waved his hand, and the Void Serpent, which they had painstakingly nurtured and could only be subdued by the joint efforts of seven people using the Heart Alignment Technique, obediently swam towards him. It even seemed to be ingratiating, actively stretching its head out to rub against him.

This servile behavior almost made the seven people think they were hallucinating! Since when could the ferocious Void Serpent become so docile?

Feeling the affectionate intention of this eel-like creature, Xu Bai placed his hand on its head and gently caressed it.

Before long, vague scenes appeared in his mind, revealing the creature's name. "Quite majestic. The ability to traverse short distances in space is commendable even in the Xuan Huang Realm," Xu Bai nodded slightly. "Lead the way," he commanded.

The Void Serpent emitted a cheerful cry, swaying its body, and actively supported Xu Bai.

Xu Bai did not forget to grab the seven restrained individuals.

After a spatial fluctuation, in the next moment, Xu Bai arrived in the heart of the Empire, a human kingdom built on the corpse of the Nine-Headed Red Dragon. Stepping on the Void Serpent, with seven Beast God-armored warriors in tow, and his extraordinary appearance, Xu Bai almost captivated the gaze of everyone nearby.

After a brief moment of stupefaction, chaos ensued in the surroundings.

"Enemy attack!"

"It's a cultivator!"

"Where's the guard?"

"Quick, go get the Blue Sage!"

...

Amidst the successive exclamations, hundreds of figures swiftly flew from all corners of the city.

Some wore Beast God Armor, some were seated on different mythical creatures, and others even flew with their physical bodies. Judging from their auras, they were clearly cultivators similar to Xu Bai. Despite their large numbers, the strongest among them was only in the Nascent Soul realm.

With the Purifying Light Luminous Robe protecting him, Xu Bai remained unruffled.

"Who are you?" Seemingly noticing Xu Bai's extraordinary nature, they cautiously chose not to attack directly but rather shouted out to inquire.

Xu Bai didn't answer, only scanning his surroundings.

"Why have you come here?" A guard from the Empire shouted loudly.

Just at that moment, a green light flew out from the central part of the Empire, arriving in front of Xu Bai.

"Friend..."

Little Green halted, and the words were just about to be spoken. After seeing Xu Bai's appearance, she was thunderstruck on the spot.

"Master..."

The word "Master" wasn't spoken, and Little Green sensed that something was wrong.

Suppressing the shock within, she stared at Xu Bai for a long time before asking, "You are..."

There was a strong sense of doubt in her tone.

"Friend Green, do you remember the Universal Alliance?" Xu Bai smiled and asked.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 748: Prosperous Animal Kingdom

"The Universal Alliance?" Little Green's body trembled slightly, and this term instantly stirred many memories within her.

"What proof do you have?" However, she didn't easily believe it. Both Xu Bai's appearance and the timing of his arrival were highly suspicious.

Xu Bai smiled slightly, conveying all the details of their previous transactions through voice transmission.

A strange color flashed in Little Green's eyes, temporarily choosing to believe Xu Bai's identity.

"Friend, please follow me." With a gentle wave, Little Green dismissed the guards surrounding them. She then led Xu Bai towards the towering spire-shaped palace in the city.

As they flew through the air, Xu Bai scanned the continuous structures built on the Nine-Headed Red Dragon's corpse.

After thousands of years of continuous development, the original terrifying beast's shape was no longer discernible. Only in a few critical places could faint traces of the original creature be observed.

For example, the crack on the head, treated as a sacred site for sacrifices, and the claws of the creature, covered in layers of mysterious metallic structures.

The capital of the empire seemed to be built around the original heart of the creature.

During their rapid flight, Xu Bai gained a more intuitive understanding of this civilization closely related to mythical creatures.

Mythical creatures had indeed integrated into every aspect of people's lives. In just the brief time Xu Bai observed, he saw hollowed-out beings resembling dragons, transporting residents between cities; lion-like creatures with wings patrolling the skies with guards on their backs; and eye-like structures hidden in various corners of the city, occasionally casting their gazes towards the sky.

Not to mention the various unknown mythical creatures the empire's residents carried with them.

"It's indeed unique, vibrant and full of life," Xu Bai praised in his mind.

The two moved at an extremely fast speed and soon arrived at the imperial palace of the empire.

It was only then that Xu Bai noticed that the towering spire he saw earlier was also a living mythical creature.

Or rather, this tower and the surrounding buildings for dozens of miles around had evolved from this colossal mythical creature.

"The strength of this mythical creature is probably not inferior to an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator," Xu Bai evaluated silently.

One was an imperial sage, and the other possessed the refined blood of the empire's founder.

The mythical creature made no defensive moves. Just as the originally smooth and featureless tower suddenly revealed a door.

Little Green looked back at Xu Bai with some confusion, then flew into it first.

Unperturbed, Xu Bai followed closely behind.

Upon entering the tower, they found themselves in a gorgeously decorated room. Carved patterns adorned the ceiling, walls resembling white jade, wooden floors, and a carpet covering the entire room.

There was no one in the room.

Little Green seemed to have no intention of letting others participate in the conversation.

After gesturing for Xu Bai to take a seat, she politely asked, "May I know your name?"

"Xu Bai."

"You're also surnamed Xu?" Upon hearing this name, Little Green's aura instantly became chaotic.

Seeming to realize that something was amiss, she quickly calmed her mind. "I haven't told my friend yet. The surname of the imperial family is indeed 'Xu.'"

Sensing that Xu Bai's reaction disappointed her, he said, somewhat surprised, "That's quite a coincidence. I wasn't aware of this earlier."

"Hehe..." Little Green didn't continue, but after a moment of silence, she directly entered the main topic.

"Friend, what did you mean by saying that our Empire is about to face a great calamity?"

Xu Bai sighed slightly, revealing a troubled expression.

He then detailed everything that happened in the Xuan Huang Realm – the establishment of the Eternal Life Mansion, the upgrade of the Heavenvoid Mirror, and the instigation of cultivators to explore the small worlds, aiming to achieve world unification.

When mentioning the establishment of the Eternal Life Mansion, Little Green's expression remained relatively calm.

But when Xu Bai mentioned that cultivators all possessed the Heavenvoid Mirror and were exploring the entrances to small worlds, the shock on Little Green's face could no longer be suppressed.

"When did this happen? How did I not receive any news?" Little Green said with a slightly trembling voice.

"In the current Xuan Huang Realm, things change rapidly. The development is too fast, and there are too many changes. It's normal that your empire's scouts haven't had time to report back. Even though the Universal Alliance had anticipated the actions of the Myriad Immortals Alliance, we didn't expect their movements to be so swift and decisive. We were a step behind, resulting in several small worlds being quickly occupied," Xu Bai explained.

A trace of sorrow flashed in Xu Bai's eyes. "Fortunately, your location here hasn't been discovered."

"Although we have the Universal Alliance, we are scattered everywhere, making it difficult to concentrate our strength. Faced with the aggressive approach of the Myriad Immortals Alliance, we chose to temporarily avoid their edge and preserve our strength," Xu Bai continued.

Little Green's eyes revealed a hint of worry. "I'm afraid that avoiding it for a while might not be able to avoid it forever."

Xu Bai confidently stated, "This is why I came to find you. Although the power of the Heavenvoid Mirror is indeed formidable, the Universal Alliance has its own reserves."

"Now, the organization has developed an unparalleled treasure that can interfere with the Heavenvoid Mirror's detection."

Pausing deliberately after saying this to attract Little Green's attention, Xu Bai continued, "Before coming here, I had already used the power of this treasure to temporarily conceal the entrance to your empire. So, you don't need to worry for now."

Little Green looked at Xu Bai with a hint of suspicion.

With a light smile, Xu Bai took out his folding fan and waved it in front of his chest. "If you don't believe it, friend, you can verify it yourself."

Little Green looked at Xu Bai and smiled, "Friend, you came from afar, and I naturally trust that you wouldn't deceive us in such matters. However, I'm curious, how did you find out about the entrance to the Empire?"

Xu Bai confidently answered, "Without certainty, how could we dare to call ourselves the Universal Alliance? Besides, friend, don't forget. It was us who first came to you for trade."

"Thank you for that, but..." Little Green stared at Xu Bai and asked, "Your alliance always wakes up early for profit. This time, you actually took the initiative to help. What are your conditions?"

Xu Bai closed his folding fan with a clap. "I like talking to smart people. Besides informing you about the situation in the Xuan Huang Realm, I do have a mission on this trip."

Standing up abruptly, Xu Bai's expression turned serious. "Now that the Immortal Alliance is strong, we can only choose to endure for now. But as you said, always avoiding will eventually lead to discovery."

"Therefore, before that day comes, we must develop enough strength to resist the Myriad Immortals Alliance."

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 749: Mr. Bai's Sword

"We all come from different small worlds, and compared to the Xuan Huang Realm, there is a natural hierarchy difference. However, we also have considerable advantages."

"That is diversity."

"Just like how your Empire can manipulate exotic beasts in battle. Over the years, other small worlds have also developed different and peculiar abilities."

"Even if they are weaker than the immortal techniques of the Xuan Huang Realm, if we can concentrate all our strength, combining the strengths of all realms, we might be able to develop a system that can counteract immortal techniques."

Xu Bai spoke confidently.

Little Green's first reaction was to shake her head.

However, before she could speak, Xu Bai interrupted her with a raised hand and said solemnly, "As they say, where there's a will, there's a way. Everyone knows that the hope is somewhat slim, but at this critical moment, we can only fight desperately."

"What kind of life do the ordinary people under the rule of cultivators lead? I believe you should understand better than I do."

"Members of the Universal Alliance are rulers of a realm. Even if they die, they probably wouldn't want to live the life of being treated like cattle and horses."

"The Universal Alliance is the trend of the times. As for those who are unwilling..."

Xu Bai's face instantly darkened. "Although we won't directly oppose you, wanting us to provide protection for you is impossible."

Little Green softly said, "Friend, don't worry too much. Our Empire will never lean towards the Xuan Huang side. However, matters of the Empire are not something I can decide with just a word."

"Please wait here for a moment, friend. I need to discuss with Her Imperial Majesty and the Imperial Council."

Xu Bai nodded to express his understanding.

At the same time, he made his own request, "I've heard that the Empire is built on the body of a three-headed divine bird."

"And the head of the divine bird was severed by a sword from an immortal in the past."

"Such a spectacle, if I come all the way here and can't see it with my own eyes, it would be a great regret. I wonder if my friend can fulfill this wish of mine?"

Little Green looked at Xu Bai with a hint of a smile, her eyes flickering.

After a while, she agreed, "But it's a trivial matter. Since you're interested, wait a moment, and I'll have someone take you there. However, be cautious at the site of the severed head, as there are lingering sword qi and residual regrets."

Xu Bai showed surprise on his face, then joy. "Even after such a long time, the sword qi still exists. It should be enough to imagine the past brilliance. Since my friend said that, I'm even more looking forward to it."

Little Green smiled without saying a word.

After she left, in just half a day, a girl who looked seventeen or eighteen, wearing a veil, walked in.

"Please follow me, sir."

As she spoke, the veiled girl summoned an inflated spherical exotic beast.

A crack opened in the sphere, and the girl walked in.

Xu Bai followed with a bit of curiosity.

Inside the sphere were seats for people. As soon as the two entered, it continued to inflate.

Slowly floating out of the towering palace, it rushed towards the distant "Imperial Sacred Ground."

The body of the spherical exotic beast gradually became transparent, allowing Xu Bai to see the surrounding scenery clearly.

"This is the Flying Ball Beast. After inflation, it can fly high in the sky, travel with the wind, and is extremely fast. When the Empire's people go to visit the Sacred Ground, they mostly use this method." The veiled girl explained in a gentle and melodious voice.

"However, if adults want to visit, Saint Qing has already ordered the temporary evacuation of the visiting crowds from the Sacred Ground to avoid disturbing the adult's peace."

...

During the gentle introduction by the girl, they soon arrived at one of the heads where the Nine Temples were.

"This is one of the nine temples."

As Xu Bai followed the girl into the silent building, he faintly sensed the sounds of howling and wailing.

The floor and walls were covered with ink-black slabs, casting a solemn and dim atmosphere in the temple.

Without the guidance of the girl, Xu Bai followed the direction of the sound and walked towards the depths of the temple.

The deeper he went, the louder the cries of the exotic beasts became.

According to the introduction from the veiled girl, these were not just the sounds of the Nine Temples before their death but the collective wailing of numerous exotic beasts sacrificed over the years to suppress the ferocity of the divine bird.

In each temple, countless exotic beasts had tragically died.

Countless resentful spirits entangled, enough to turn an ordinary area into a hellish underworld.

However, in this temple, although it felt eerie, it was still...

However, there was no occurrence of vengeful spirits causing trouble.

Simply because there was an unparalleled sharp sword qi that consistently suppressed them.

"Swoosh..."

A strand of hair randomly fell, and Xu Bai immediately stopped his steps.

In front of him, black flesh, like entwined vines, coiled into a mass.

Occasionally, it would squirm for a moment, making it hard to believe that this was the corpse of a monster that had died thousands of years ago.

Above the black mass of flesh was a red sword qi.

Like a long rope, floating indistinctly.

In fact, ordinary cultivators couldn't see this red rope sword qi.

Let alone the ordinary mortals in the empire.

They could only infer the existence of "Immortal's Sword Qi" from the continuously suppressed black flesh and the occasional outwardly released sword qi.

But Xu Bai could see everything clearly.

Even...

Xu Bai closed his eyes slightly.

A scene suddenly appeared in his mind.

It was a red light that illuminated the heavens and earth, seemingly faster than lightning.

The sharpness contained within it seemed capable of splitting the heavens and earth.

"Seems like a rope, but it's actually..."

"A sword."

Xu Bai gazed at the red line in front of him, and after some time, he said thoughtfully.

"The red rope Mr. Bai gave... compared to the 'Wooden Sword' he casually created in the Falling Immortal Realm, this red rope sword carries a stronger killing intent."

"Rather than saying it's a pure sword, it's more like it carries a hint of retribution."

Various insights continuously emerged from Xu Bai's heart.

He seemed to see the figure of Mr. Bai gently flicking a strand of thread.

And then, the unrivaled fierce beast, the Nine-Headed Red, died tragically on the spot.

...

In this way, Xu Bai immersed himself in contemplation, unaware of the passage of time.

The veiled girl didn't dare to disturb him and stood silently behind Xu Bai.

Not far from Xu Bai, on the other side of the temple wall.

Xiao Qing and a graceful girl were staring at Xu Bai through the transparent wall.

"How is it, can you confirm?" Xiao Qing asked, a rare hint of anxiety flashing in her eyes.

The girl kept her eyes closed all along.

Her eyelashes trembled constantly, and beads of sweat dripped down her face.

After a long time, she suddenly opened her eyes.

"How could this be?"

The girl was full of shock.

"When I saw him, it was like looking at myself!"

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 750: Nine Heads Die Unremittingly

"This feeling."

"It's truly marvelous."

The girl's tone became somewhat elusive: "It's like looking at another appearance of myself in the mirror, involuntarily feeling close."

"Qing Shi, what's going on?"

When Xiao Qing heard the girl's affirmative answer, her eyes also burst with an expression of disbelief.

"Could it be..."

...

Xu Bai was naturally unaware of what happened on the other side of the wall.

At this moment, his mind was completely immersed in the enlightenment of the Red Rope Sword Intent.

As the level of comprehension deepened, the red rope that suppressed the black flesh seemed to come alive. It gently floated to Xu Bai's side, affectionately swirling around him.

After an unknown amount of time, Xu Bai suddenly opened his eyes and flicked his fingers.

An almost invisible red light flashed from his hand and flew towards the distorted flesh.

The constant wailing in the temple fell silent for a moment.

Although it immediately resumed after a moment, this abnormality still shocked the veiled girl who was waiting behind Xu Bai.

"Master..." she couldn't help but speak.

However, Xu Bai raised his hand to stop her questioning, just looking at the faint bloodstain on his wrist that appeared out of nowhere.

With the robust physique of a new-law Nascent Soul cultivator, even injuries from sword and blade could recover in an instant.

However, this faint bloodstain seemed to be innate, unable to dissipate.

"Such a serious side effect." Xu Bai couldn't help but furrow his brows slightly.

"It seems that the disappearance of Xu Ke back then may be related to his frequent use of the Red Rope Sword Art."

"Although the Wooden Sword contains the sword principles of the world, it cannot initiate an attack."

"While the Rope Sword has unparalleled killing intent, it requires one's own life in exchange."

Xu Bai's eyes flickered with light. "Both have certain limitations. Interesting..."

Next, Xu Bai proceeded to visit the remaining eight temples one by one.

In addition to a deeper understanding of the Red Rope Sword Art, he also witnessed the three unblinking heads of the Nine-Headed Red.

One of the heads had its hair, flesh, and eyeballs hollowed out by the people of the empire. Only the mottled skull remained.

The other two heads, however, were still alive and kicking, just like when they had just died.

Even without getting close, one could feel the boundless resentment and malevolence emanating from them.

"A monstrous beast indeed!"

This was Xu Bai's first time seeing a true ancient fierce beast, and he couldn't help feeling a chill in his heart.

"A thousand years after death, the ferocity lingers. I really don't know how ferocious it was in its prime. And Mr. Bai, who could kill it with just a red rope..."

Various thoughts floated through Xu Bai's mind.

After finishing the tour, Xu Bai returned to the palace in the high tower.

Looking at the girl with a veil sitting next to Xiao Qing, Xu Bai inexplicably felt a strange connection.

He tried raising his right hand.

To his surprise, something unexpected happened.

The girl with the veil across from him also, coincidentally, raised her right hand.

Without any prior agreement, their movements were almost perfectly synchronized.

It was as if there was a mirror between the two.

Apart from some differences in appearance, the veiled girl seemed almost like a reflection of himself.

"Bloodline Transforming Fetus Technique." In an instant, Xu Bai understood the reason for this phenomenon.

At the same time, he also knew the identity of the veiled girl in front of him.

Empress.

The descendant of Xu Ke, the nominal ruler of the empire.

However, she obviously couldn't reveal herself.

Feigning an expression of extreme surprise, Xu Bai suddenly stood up, pointed at the empress, and exclaimed, "What's going on here?"

Xiao Qing carefully observed every expression of Xu Bai, trying to find any flaws. But she was disappointed.

Xu Bai's performance was almost identical to that of the empress.

"It seems he is also unaware of his true identity," Xiao Qing muttered.

"Friend, what do you mean by this?" However, she decided to probe further, knowing the importance of discretion.

At this moment, Xu Bai seemed to have recovered from his initial shock. He stared at the empress, a deep sense of puzzlement in his eyes.

"Who is this? Although it's our first meeting, I feel incredibly close and familiar with her," Xu Bai inquired.

"It's not an illusion. I feel the same way," the empress responded softly.

Xu Bai seemed even more shaken this time. Turning back to Xiao Qing, he asked, "Friend, what is going on here?"

Xiao Qing maintained eye contact with him for a long time before speaking. Instead of answering, she countered, "Friend Xu, how much do you know about your own background?"

"Background?" Xu Bai was taken aback.

"I was just an ordinary mortal, originally living in a small world. Later, by a twist of fate, I joined the Multiverse Union and embarked on the path of immortality. My close blood relatives have long since passed away..."

"Why, is there anything wrong with my background?" Xu Bai asked.

Xiao Qing looked into Xu Bai's eyes, seemingly trying to discern the truth in his words.

After a long silence, she finally gave up.

Then Xiao Qing took out a portrait, featuring a figure almost identical to Xu Bai.

"This is..." Xu Bai continued to play dumb.

"This is the founder of the empire, also my master," Xiao Qing said in a faint tone. "His name is Xu Ke."

"Many years ago, he bid farewell to everyone. Since then, his whereabouts have been unknown."

Xu Bai stared at the portrait as if struck by the weight of this information, standing still in shock.

After a long while, he spoke slowly, "He also has the surname Xu. Could it be that I might also be a descendant of Xu Ke?"

"For now, it seems like the only reasonable explanation," Xiao Qing's tone also carried some uncertainty.

"Friend Xu, where is your hometown, in which small world? From what I know about my master, he doesn't seem like someone who would marry and have children..." Xiao Qing asked inexplicably.

"My hometown is..." Xu Bai began to speak but suddenly stopped.

Coming to his senses, he accused them with suspicion, "Friend Qing, are you playing tricks on me like a child? How could this be so coincidental?"

"Speak up, what is your real purpose?" Xu Bai looked at Xiao Qing with cold eyes.

Faced with Xu Bai's sudden change in attitude, Xiao Qing couldn't help but be stunned.

Afterward, she sighed and said, "Actually, I find it hard to believe too. But everything is just so coincidental. It's like destiny, allowing me to meet you after thousands of years, at a time when I had already given up."

"As for whether what I said is true, there's a way to find out."

After saying this, Xiao Qing signaled to the empress.

The empress took out a scepter and lightly tapped the ground.

Suddenly, a hole appeared in the floor, swallowing all three of them in an instant.

Xu Bai did not resist, and shortly after, he found himself in a vast space with no visible end.

Rows and rows of different exotic beast corpses were laid out here.

In the distance, various mechanical devices seemed to be arranged.

When Xu Bai tried to move forward, he found an invisible barrier blocking his way.

"This is the imperial treasury, storing the wealth accumulated by the empire for thousands of years."

(End of this chapter)