Chapter 377
"Then let's wait and see."
Volume 1: 350. This prosperous age is as you wished. (5K)
Golden Sea.
The branches of the Divine Sentient Body, like drifting buds, slowly unfurl in the illusory dimension. Its wisdom and true self are like pieces of paper shredded in the ocean, corrupted and crumpled into countless fragments. Even the laws that are constant in the rules slowly fall silent.
This is both the choice of the imperial people and the freedom bestowed upon humanity by His Majesty.
--How long has it actually been?
It, he, she, or perhaps Him.
Thoughts, personalities, ideas, emotions, fragments, and remnants that branched out from the intellectual body are, in the brief moment of revival, unexpectedly intersecting and whispering to each other, forging the will of a unified system.
The origin of the Divine Sentient Body is that the Emperor, with himself as the axis, coupled and connected with the consciousness of millions of people to form a Giant Thought Tree. As soon as it was born, it was linked to the Golden Sea, implanted with the Golden Law, and banished the gods, thus gaining the favor of the world.
But if that were all, there would be no later intelligent bodies.
After all, the Giant Thought Tree is connected by the consciousness of millions of people. If it continues to exist constantly, the race will become a unified Gestalt consciousness. Therefore, its collapse is an inevitable result after the gods are driven out.
Therefore, the Emperor used the Philosopher's Stone, the souls of the fallen, and human thoughts and information extracted from the quantum dimension to reconstruct the Giant Thought Tree, weave a network of Divine Sentient Body, and forge the greatest Alchemical Creation in history.
The origin of this Divine Sentient Body is something that the people of the empire have known since childhood.
But no one knew that His Majesty was initially unwilling to use this method to establish an intelligent body, but wanted to use a pseudo-soul technology to replicate another version of himself to take responsibility for everything.
However, before this plan could be implemented, humanity rebelled against the Divine Emperor for the first and last time.
That night, a total of 1,382 mages chose to forge their souls, flesh, will, and selves into living Philosopher's Stone, and inscribed an unbreakable pact through magic, presenting it before His Majesty in a gesture of suicidal devotion.
Even the Emperor himself might not be able to understand this fierce spirit.
But for the pioneers who witnessed firsthand how that boy led humanity step by step to where it is today, they could no longer accept that he should give more or sacrifice more.
That deity reversed the fate of mankind, bringing them from purgatory to heaven.
From then on, no one was treated as food or playthings anymore. For the first time, they embraced the concept of dignity and were able to live with their heads held high in the sunlight.
Such Emperor should be detached, aloof, noble, arrogant, and a unique and towering figure. No one who lived through that era could accept that the Emperor was a replica of another version of themselves.
This is an insult, and a defilement.
Even if the Emperor himself had proposed the plan, it would not have been accepted by the world.
Thus, the Emperor's plan was changed, and in its place were the living Philosopher's Stone forged by 1382 mages, eternally linked in the form of Gestalt, which became the prototype of the will of the Divine Sentient Body.
Over the millennia, the Thought Branch rooted in the empire have absorbed fragmented thoughts from generation to generation, supplemented by information records in the quantum dimension, allowing the intelligent body to continue to evolve, and its will to transform accordingly.
That loyalty to the Emperor, the oath etched in their souls, kept the thoughts of the 1382 mages consistent until one of their personalities completely merged, gaining a true self and intellectual thoughts, at which point the intelligent body chose to hibernate.
How long time has passed.
There was a time when it felt it would never see Emperor again.
Can...
"Your Majesty, thank you."
"Thank you for being willing to return to this world that couldn't offer you any help."
The branches of the Divine Sentient Body stir up waves in the Golden Sea, and the rhythm of countless thoughts plays a beautiful symphony, like a lighthouse extending into the sky, located at the end of the Golden Sea, crossing over to the outer reaches of the world.
From a cosmic perspective, within the energy dimension enveloping the planet, colors are as beautiful as gold, and textures resemble branches solidified from amber, growing without limit, weaving a cradle for the entire celestial body, and offering a warm embrace.
It's not over yet.
Beyond the protection of the Golden Sea lies the endless universe where divine kingdoms converge, a dangerous star system slowly approaching and surrounded by endless Disaster Tide caused by the Disaster God. Even if an intelligent being grows to the point of coexisting with the Golden Sea, it cannot resist such erosion.
And so, a lamp that illuminated the desolate universe, scorched the endless divine realm, and dispelled the endless black tide suddenly ignited from the outside of the cradle. Its radiance had just appeared when it repeatedly collapsed and expanded, swallowing up the vast universe.
The crimson flames, like solidified magma, engulfed the outer edge of the planet, transforming it into an inextinguishable, ever-exploding, eternally scorching ring of fire.
It devours the remnants of the divine realm, assimilates other planets, and even treats calamity gas as fuel, like an ancient dragon entrenched in the galaxy, wantonly expanding its defenses.
This magnificent scene stems from the resources accumulated by the empire over thousands of years, the evolution of the Divine Sentient Body into the authority of collective consciousness, and the alchemical principles, legacy, and related plans left behind by that Emperor a thousand years ago.
The Divine Sentient Body is the only being that knows the Emperor's secrets.
That sage came from another world, a selfless and desireless traveler. In order to give salvation to this world, he made a pact with the will of the Golden Sea, traveled back a thousand years, arrived at the Second Divine Age, and created the Calembert Empire that never existed.
Ultimately, His Majesty did this precisely to hinder the Disaster God. He foresaw the invasion, a thousand years in advance, and laid out a grand plan for the empire to protect the world and safeguard all living beings.
Its name is Eden.
Everything that young man sacrificed was solely to create an Eden free from calamities.
Therefore, even though the other party has been gone for a thousand years, the will of the intelligent entity still holds expectations, and even the endless chaotic thoughts are unified as a result.
They all shared the same expectation and hope, wanting the Emperor to witness this moment, to witness the instant his plan succeeded.
At this moment, the entire Fanor Continent was filled with the inverted scenery of the universe. The flames of the burning star system were proud and intense. Even the embryonic shell of the Disaster God was stopped by the Hyperion Principle, an infinite explosion, an inextinguishable magical energy reaction.
"Your Majesty, we, the Empire, and humanity have not failed your trust."
"This prosperous era is as you wished."
The whispers of the Divine Sentient Body being echoed across the continent. The people watched this awe-inspiring scene with bewilderment and confusion. Beyond the world, the universe was being transformed into an eternally burning Eden by the Emperor's will that transcended millennia.
As the words faded, the Thought Branch that had embraced the entire world finally detected the origin of the overflowing soul factor. It pinpointed the location of the Divine Emperor, causing the branch to fall into the high sky above Saint Roland, passing over the three tower masters, and reaching its destination.
After a thousand years, the loyal and wise body finally saw the great Emperor again. Even though the body had changed, the holy and noble soul was still engraved in the thoughts of the Golden Sea, shining like an indelible epic.
Therefore, there was no hesitation, nor any doubt.
The branches of the giant tree of thoughts wove into an illusory human form, ignoring the stiff body of the tower master beside it, bowing its head in respect:
"It's been a long time, Your Majesty."
The Pure White Witch looked at the intelligent entity that had suddenly run up to her, then glanced at the blazing fire in the sky, blooming like a rose in the galaxy. Her delicate and lovely face was filled with confusion. She blinked, innocently pointed to herself, and couldn't help but ask:
"Huh? Your Emperor, it's me?"
Isn't this joke a bit too much? Xiao Xuan, Liuli, Yayoi, and Charlotte clearly have no recollection of the background or history of the ideal world.
The Divine Sentient Body replied:
"Even after a thousand or ten thousand years, the empire's loyalty will not change."
"Your Majesty, please stop refusing the title that is rightfully yours."
Chu Yuanqing's mind was in a daze, and she replied helplessly:
"I am Lucy Tiffany."
In response, the intelligent entity had no doubts and replied confidently:
"No matter how your appearance or identity changes, Your Majesty is Your Majesty."
Chu Yuanqing felt like she was being pestered by someone else's puppy. She couldn't possibly think it was Emperor. This was Historical Echo, a dream that had been destroyed by the Disaster God and only a faint echo remained. It couldn't possibly have anything to do with her.
Unless... the Historical Echo bestowed upon her not the identity of "Lucy Tiffany," but rather an even more overpowered reincarnation of Emperor?
That's a barely plausible explanation.
The problem is that even Dilia can see that she is not the real Lucy Tiffany.
Even if he were truly granted the title of Emperor, how could he possibly conceal it from Divine Sentient Body capable of orchestrating such a spectacle on the outer reaches of the planet?
Therefore, there must be other reasons why the other party is so certain.
Moreover, as Dream Weaver Rabbit said long ago, the ideal state is a gift from Planet Consciousness, unlike the normal Historical Echo, and one should not be bound by normal logic.
Chu Yuanqing's emotions gradually calmed down. She vaguely guessed what was going on, looked up at the intelligent body, sighed inwardly, and said:
"Let's find somewhere else to talk."
"I've forgotten many things—about the past, about the Emperor, about those flames beyond the world. If you don't mind, could you tell me?"
The intelligent body replied:
"It is my honor, Your Majesty."
After speaking, the branches of his thoughts intertwined to form a magnificent throne.
After the Pure White Witch sat down somewhat uncomfortably, she was swept away and teleported to the other side of the Golden Sea, leaving behind three tower masters who had not yet recovered from the huge amount of information, looking at each other with complicated emotions.
Chu Yuanqing arrived at the Golden Sea and began receiving information.
The branches of the Divine Sentient Body are constructed from the concepts of spirit, thought, rules, and collective consciousness. She pops a golden bubble with her fingertip, and vivid images resurface from the depths of her soul.
Although the bubble shattered completely the moment it entered the soul due to the curse, leaving no complete memory, even in that fleeting moment, the boy's figure Holding Laevateinn still ruthlessly revealed the truth.
"How could I really be?"
The Pure White Witch was somewhat skeptical, so she simply watched the footage of the Emperor recorded by the intelligent body, playing it out loud like a movie. But the more she watched, the more ashamed she felt, as if she had dug up some Black History from some obscure corner.
Just kidding, she definitely didn't want to be surrounded by billions of people chanting "Divine Emperor" while sporting this pretty younger sister's appearance! Charlotte would definitely record it and use it as some kind of weird material!
The intelligent being was unaware that the great Emperor had many more troubles than ordinary mortals. It was using the branches of its thoughts to empathize with the suffering of a soul that was constantly breaking and a will that was weakening and dying, silently chewing on the extra weight that had been placed on the Emperor's shoulders.
At this moment, even the consciousness of Gestalt could not help but grieve.
A thousand years have passed, the empire has prospered, the population has increased hundreds or thousands of times, people live a life of abundant resources, no war, happiness and prosperity, and thanks to His Majesty's plan, the tragedy that should have destroyed the world has been averted.
The Emperor, who could bring happiness to everyone, fell into an even greater prison. Her radiant and fiery soul, as brilliant as the sun at its zenith, was broken and weakened, like a flame that could be extinguished at any moment, or a lifeless star sealed in a glass bottle.
The Lingering Fire that had once clung to his body, tormenting his spirit and flesh, vanished, replaced by an even greater, more terrifying, and more incomprehensible despair.
In the past, people could not help the Emperor and could only shamelessly accept his gentle gifts, and this remains true even a thousand years later.
This is not fair.
The thoughts of the Divine Sentient Body were in unprecedented chaos; its non-existent self revealed, in that instant, the bewilderment of humanity.
Whether a thousand years ago or a thousand years from now, in His Majesty's presence, they seem to be nothing more than children who need care, unable to share any of the storms of life.
Chu Yuanqing sensed the emotions originating from the Divine Sentient Body —a pure and immense willpower, far exceeding the ordinary, that mended the Lantern Gem like a tsunami, restoring it to its peak, and then overflowing into his soul, conveying a devout murmur.
How should we respond?
Chu Yuanqing felt a sense of unreality. She could roughly guess that this was Historical Echo that she had tried to save in her first timeline, and that the Planet Consciousness had unearthed this "archive."
In other words, the self that is called the Emperor truly wields immense weight in this illusory yet real world.
Chu Yuanqing's memories have been devoured by the curse and are now blank. She cannot fully empathize, but she can still understand what she would think and say after experiencing all of this.
The girl's delicate eyebrows were lowered, the light in her eyes gentle, her pale hand lightly stroking the branches on the throne of thought, her lips curving into a smile:
"Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine."
Just like you said, you did a great job, far exceeding my expectations.
"I've seen Eden's framework. I only provided the most basic theory and structure, right? The ones who truly fill it in, revise it, optimize it, implement it, and ultimately use it are you, the Empire, and many more capable and talented people."
"So this is the future you've created with your own hands. There's no need for guilt, no need for sorrow, and no need to think about giving back. Just continue like this. I'm happy that you remember me; that's enough in return."
The Divine Sentient Body silently listened to the Emperor's whispers.
His Majesty has always lived in a world full of thorns, sorrow, loneliness, solitude, and injustice.
Because no one is stronger than him, he must shoulder all the expectations and hopes.
Because they had never received flowers or praise, they never expected to be rewarded no matter how much they gave.
Having witnessed a world filled with despair and sorrow, I am content simply to see people smiling peacefully.
But...
"Your Majesty, you are not alone."
Even if it's just a little bit, I, the Empire, humanity, and this world all want to repay you.
Chu Yuanqing remained silent. She didn't think she had done anything wrong. The Empire, the Divine Sentient Body, and the Disaster God group that were intercepted in space and anchored and locked in a fixed dimension were all just a beautiful dream.
The Historical Echo is a reverberation.
No matter how joyful or perfect this echo is altered, it won't change what has already happened.
This world, once protected by the Golden Sea, was long ago devoured and swallowed by the Disaster God, becoming nourishment for the genes of calamity, and no longer exists.
So, in the end, she was just indulging in self-gratification; she can't be called selfless, and she doesn't deserve to be thanked.
But...
Inevitably, she still couldn't help but think about it.
Even in a fleeting, illusory dream, do those we invite into this beautiful dream, those who are already dead and merely reflections, feel happiness for a moment?