Chapter 112
Facing the “Return to the Void” in his nightmare, witnessing countless worlds collapse and die, Bai Yi truly understood the terrifying nature of the “Return to the Void”.
Beyond that, he felt no other emotions. No sympathy, no regret, nor any urgent desire to save the world – he had none of these feelings.
—He lacked the empathy of ordinary people, and even more so the sense of justice that a typical savior should possess.
But fate works in mysterious ways.
His birth was a miracle created by infinite worlds, stemming from the most incredible choice made by that unknown girl who spent her life in a mental hospital, all to save the world.
Although he didn’t consider himself to possess the shining qualities of hope, he was undoubtedly the hope recognized by the infinite worlds and that person.
—He carried the fate of everyone.
If Bai Yi refused, everything they had done would lose its meaning. Even his own birth would no longer have purpose.
Basking in the faint glow of the morning sun, Bai Yi casually stroked the docile black cat in his arms while chatting idly with Xia Jiajia. A faint smile appeared on his face.
Cause begets effect; gifts can also be shackles. If one day he could repay all karmic debts, perhaps that would be the moment when all shackles break, and he truly transcends.At this moment, a subtle realization dawned in Bai Yi’s mind.
…No, to call it complete transcendence wasn’t quite accurate.
…It should be described as returning to his original essence.
Born into this world as a human fetus, formed from the source of infinite worlds and their last hope, was already a form of degradation. When the fate he carries is fulfilled, perhaps that will be the day he returns to his true nature.
This must be… what Bai Xin had been hoping to see.
“Ah, it seems I need to speed things up,” Bai Yi summoned the system.
The current system had changed compared to before. It seemed more responsive and fluid to use.
“…I remember I still have a real-world task to submit, right?” He was referring to the Leiyin incident.
“Well then, let’s submit it now.”
Bai Yi didn’t forget to hint directly. “I heard there’s a chance to obtain a fragment of the Principle of All Things. I’m really looking forward to the reward.”
In mid-air, lines of distorted text appeared.
[Beneath the dawn of the extraordinary lies surging darkness. The hope you bring has become misfortune for some.]
[To allow it or to save – that is the question.]
[Task submitted, confirming progress…]
As the progress confirmation text appeared, Bai Yi suddenly felt dizzy. The entire world seemed to come to a standstill.
In the next second, he felt his consciousness being pulled upwards by an invisible force, as if suddenly floating out of his body, flying towards the infinite sky until reaching the highest point of the world, where he could look down and survey this vast world with a single glance.
Countless scenes flashed before his eyes.
They showed the subsequent effects around the world since he helped Leiyin fight back against the empire…
The fates of innumerable people changed because of this.
The choices they made, the distortions they caused to the reality timeline, could all be traced back to Bai Yi as the source. The changes in their destinies all transformed into Bai Yi’s task progress.
Scenes from the past appeared before his eyes.
“Reject human experiments! Oppose the Transcendence Project! Ban all evil research using humans as test subjects!”
“We need true freedom and equality!”
“Let those decision-makers who act recklessly step down!”
On the streets of the Chenxing Empire, the marching crowds roared like the sea.
……
The television screens on the street showed news reporters swarming around key figures involved in the research facility livestream incident. Some figures frantically avoided reporters’ questions, hurriedly leaving under the escort of bodyguards. Others dodged inquiries, using the empire’s interests and a bright future as justification for everything. Some righteously declared it all to be a conspiracy by terrorists and enemy nations, refusing to acknowledge any unfounded accusations…
Until the imperial princess, who had disappeared for several days, made an appearance. She faced the cameras directly without hesitation. Her rose-like delicate face bore a resolute expression.
“Yes, everything shown in the livestream footage was real.”
Her tone was sincere, her gaze carrying a hint of shame as she revealed everything she knew, even though her understanding of the Transcendence Project was actually quite limited.
“I admit that the Transcendence Project indeed involved human experiments that harmed innocent imperial citizens. In fact, I didn’t know about this much earlier than everyone else. But after learning about it, I failed to stop it and instead allowed everything to happen. I’m very sorry for this. I didn’t fulfill my responsibility as an imperial princess and betrayed everyone’s trust in the royal family…”
By the time others received the news, it was already too late.
The interview content had already been released. Using Princess Fina’s revelations as a starting point, reporters conducted a thorough exposé of the Transcendence Project. Of course, this wasn’t an exposé of the research content itself, which involved imperial secrets that no one dared to dig into. Rather, it revealed the turbulent undercurrents among the empire’s upper echelons when the Transcendence Project was initially implemented.
Ordinary people finally learned that the Transcendence Project wasn’t supported by everyone – it was just that the number of supporters overwhelmed the opposition.
And Princess Fina, who stood out to sincerely apologize, was actually a member of the opposition and didn’t support the implementation of the Transcendence Project.
She bore undeserved blame on behalf of those cowards who should have come out to take responsibility, living up to her title as princess.
In front of the television screens were faces filled with sudden realization. From anger to understanding to comprehension, and even a hint of admiration.
……
In the palace of the Chenxing Empire, a heated argument erupted. Or rather, it was the old emperor’s one-sided scolding of his daughter.
Before the empire’s high-level officials could take action, Princess Fina’s preemptive statement undoubtedly put them in a passive position. All paths were blocked except to follow her narrative.
The imperial princess hung her head silently until the old emperor tired of scolding. Then she raised her head awkwardly. “I’m sorry for causing trouble for Father Emperor. I didn’t think it through at the time. I was just… just frightened by the angry voices of so many citizens… I thought that stepping forward to admit the mistake might make things better…”
Towards the end, she furrowed her brow tightly again and advised, “Besides, human experiments are indeed too inhumane. I don’t think we should just let Dr. Willis and the others continue like this…”
The old emperor looked at his daughter, whose brow still carried traces of innocence and righteousness. His cloudy old eyes held a hint of contemplation. He couldn’t tell if this choice of hers was an accidental misstep or intentional.
However, he had always known this daughter to have a somewhat inappropriate naivety and soft-heartedness. It was precisely because of this that he was willing to indulge her somewhat, deliberately arranging for her to be in a high-status but practically powerless leisurely department, where she usually had the privilege of sitting in on some important meetings.
…It should just be an accidental misstep out of impulse, right?
He concealed the scrutiny in his eyes and sighed with the helpless tone of an old father. “In any case, think carefully about how to explain this to the parliament and cabinet. They’re always looking for ways to grasp onto the royal family’s mistakes and weaken my power as emperor. This time it’s your fault for making public statements without permission. I can’t help you. Be prepared to leave your previous post and come back to ‘reflect on your mistakes’ for a while.”
In the final scene, the palace doors slowly opened. The imperial princess bowed and retreated from the palace, walking step by step towards the sunlight. The old emperor’s figure melted into the shadows of the palace where sunlight couldn’t reach.
…….
“The revival of spiritual energy has just begun. Even if we’re fortunate enough to embark on the path of martial arts cultivation and become extraordinaries, we’re still only limitedly stronger than ordinary people. Instead, we might become prey for those in power with ulterior motives due to our special nature – Leiyin is the best precedent!”
In a hidden abandoned building, a group of people gathered.
In the unnamed park, a beautiful morning dawned with gentle sunlight.
A group of elderly people were vigorously exercising, practicing martial arts forms from ancient manuals focused on health cultivation. They moved with more agility than many young people.
Suddenly, from a nearby tree-lined path, a young woman’s cry rang out. “Thief! Someone’s snatched my bag!”
At the sound, several of the elderly practitioners sprang into action. At the same time, people further away who heard the shout came running.
With a leap, they nimbly jumped over flower beds. Moving with explosive power completely unsuited to their age, they caught up to the thief’s motorcycle in just a few strides. As one foot touched the ground, they used it as a pivot to swing their other leg around in a whip-like kick. Smack!
The thief was sent flying off the motorcycle. Before he could get up to run, he was surrounded by the group of elderly people. A group of young people who had heard the commotion arrived shortly after, staring in amazement at the scene.
“Wow! The old folks these days are so formidable, they don’t leave any room for us young people to show off!”
“I know! I’ve made great progress in my martial arts training recently and was hoping to test my skills when I heard about the bag snatcher!”
“Why’d you choose to be a thief? Getting cocky after learning a bit of martial arts? Our Yao Country is full of hidden experts now. I heard there’s even a ‘Martial God’ secretly overseeing things. Think twice next time.”
“There’s no future in stealing. You’d be better off doing construction work. With basic martial arts training, your physical abilities double. You could easily make several hundred a day doing manual labor. Moreover, if you have decent talent and can establish a martial foundation, the country even provides benefits.”
In Yao Country, the only nation to fully implement martial arts training, martial arts practices had spread from students to the general public. High schools were considering adding martial arts exams alongside art exams and regular entrance exams as another path to university admission. Martial arts classes for the public were flourishing, with office workers habitually attending training sessions after work and on weekends.
Although there were quite a few who misused their martial arts skills for wrongdoing, these individuals were a minuscule fraction when considering the entire population. As a result, there were actually more people capable of stopping crime.
…..
In the Holy City of the Holy Federation.
Buildings decorated in white, gold, and red – the colors symbolizing the Sun God Temple’s sacred emblem – lined the streets in an orderly fashion, embodying the holy, magnificent, and solemn beauty described in the Holy Sun Scripture.
But at some point, amidst this sacred and austere golden-red Holy City, colorful flowers had begun to bloom.
On the windowsills of buildings, in street corners, under fluttering shop banners, on some pedestrians’ hats and lapels…
White, purple, blue, pink, yellow… Flowers of various vibrant hues bloomed all over the city, completely shattering the purity and solemnity that once belonged to the Holy City. A faint floral fragrance wafted through every street, transforming this sacred city of the Sun God Temple into a city of blossoms.
Along with these blooming flowers, the faith of the Flower Speaker began to blossom in countless hearts, one by one.
This incredible scene was also occurring in other cities of the Holy Federation, spreading and expanding at an extremely rapid pace.
—As the only theocratic country on Blue Star influenced by divine power, the Holy City where the Sun God Temple was located was the sacred place in the hearts of all people in the Holy Federation. However, apart from the faith in the Sun God, this country also had various cults, both large and small.
—Since people believed in the existence of the Sun God, who had never shown any divine miracles, it meant that the people of this country could easily believe in the existence of other gods as well. Just as the Sun God Temple could influence them, other cults could equally deceive them.
However, those who believed in cults were always a minority, and all religious sects other than the Sun God religion were illegal organizations explicitly banned by the Holy Federation. Once discovered by the authorities, cult members spreading illegal beliefs would all end up in prison.
Therefore, cults in the Holy Federation didn’t last long. They might be shut down by the authorities just two or three months after being established.
But during this period, all cults, big and small, were purged. The entity calling itself Samuel seemed to have a deep understanding of these sects, easily infiltrating them and successfully taking control of various cults, large and small. He persuaded those cult members to “mend their ways” and believe in the Flower Speaker, a real god walking among humans.
—This made the Holy Federation authorities hesitant to take action.
As a result, an incredible thing happened.
The Holy Federation, which was supposed to wholeheartedly believe in the Sun God and severely crack down on illegal beliefs, was directly split in terms of faith. The newly emerging “Candlelight Society” grew rapidly in a very short time and began to rival the long-established Sun God religion.
Even in the Holy City, followers of the “Flower Speaker” appeared.
……
Cities adorned with flowers floated past Bai Yi’s eyes. He saw Samuel, who had previously appeared in various cult hideouts, and the cult followers he had fooled, praying devoutly in the newly established “Candlelight Society” churches.
He incited them with fanatical language: “The omnipotent Sun God is nothing but a false god fabricated by the Sun God Temple! Even the mere candlelight can dispel darkness!”
“My lord is the devourer of misfortune and despair, the radiant god who illuminates the unfortunate with fire in the darkness…”
“He selflessly bestows hope upon everyone…”
Countless scenes floated before his eyes and then dissipated.
When Bai Yi’s consciousness finally descended from the infinite heights, he was still immersed in the scenes he had just witnessed, unable to come back to his senses for a long time.
Was this the highest realm of an evil god?
Without even having to spread the faith, the sect had been spontaneously arranged. There was a pope, there were believers, and even a name for the sect.
Bai Yi was greatly shocked.
However, this wasn’t the focus now.
He reached out his hand, and something invisible slowly fell from midair.
[Mission completed, drawing rewards.]
[You have obtained 1 Fragment of the Principle of All Things.]
“As expected,” Bai Yi revealed an unsurprised expression. “Well, what needs to be done next is quite simple…”
“System, use this Fragment of the Principle of All Things to continue distorting the physical laws of the real world.”
He decisively used the reward he had just received.
“But this time, I want to specify the direction of distortion…”
Bai Yi, who now understood his own origins and the secrets of the Principle of All Things, knew that this was entirely feasible. Or rather, this was the most correct way to use the Fragment of the Principle of All Things.
In the depths of the nightmare, as Bai Yi’s thoughts moved, a dim star fragment emerged from the deep sea, emitting a faint light.
Music, poetry, paintings, novels, the shadows of countless timeless works flowed within the star fragment, manifesting the Principle of All Things.
” —This is it.”
” —I want to awaken another world’s Principle of All Things. Add a new path to the physical laws of the real world.”
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