Baigel, Pangon, and their group returned to the Pale Planet. During the battle in space, they consciously avoided the planet, and some of the aftershocks were neutralized by the Oathkeeper, saving the planet from destruction.
Han Xiao picked up where they left off and continued talking with everyone. This time, the atmosphere was noticeably better, and the scene was harmonious. Baigel and the others listened attentively to his opinions.
As the old saying goes, if your fist is big enough, you can make the other party listen to your reasoning calmly. Lu Shuren was right.
"... Your current condition is absolutely unsuitable for emerging into the world. After all, your combat abilities have declined since the resurgence, and you've fallen behind the times. You'd better find a way to make up for this gap yourselves. If you ask me, you should spend more time in seclusion training, learning some new technologies and knowledge."
Han Xiao said.
These words might not have been very convincing before the competition, but now everyone agrees. They thought that the resurrection was only possible once, and since they had finally been given a second chance to make up for their regrets, fulfill their ambitions, and climb to the top, they naturally cherished it and wanted to do everything perfectly.
The opportunity is rare, and these the First Ones are patient; there's nothing they can't wait for.
"Black Star, you've really broadened the horizons of us old fogies today. Even in the history of exploration, there are few who can rival you," Baigel exclaimed.
Although they had lost face in the sparring match just now, they didn't hold a grudge. At this level, they weren't ungrateful.
The two sides were not enemies. Although Han Xiao's words were harsh, they were the truth. A powerful benefactor naturally held extraordinary weight in everyone's hearts.
"I've always advised everyone to join the Beyond Grade A Association. Although the modern era is more peaceful than the exploration era, there are still undercurrents beneath the surface. Beyond Grade A is not safe. You can look up ' The Tragedy of the Pinnacle' online; it was a purge of us by an advanced civilization. They've always wanted to control our numbers, so banding together is a necessary trend." Han Xiao started promoting the association again.
This time, apart from Pangon, who chose to "sever ties of gratitude and revenge, even at the cost of his life," the other four abandoned their previous dismissive attitude and began to take Han Xiao's opinion seriously, bowing their heads to consider this route carefully.
Seeing this, Han Xiao continued, "Joining the association offers even more benefits. You've just recovered, all alone, without any power under your command. Even starting from scratch would take a lot of time. Moreover, the spoils of each star region have already been divided up by major powers. Even if you possess considerable strength, you'll encounter numerous obstacles... Conversely, if you become a member of the Beyond Grade A Association, you can immediately borrow intelligence, supplies, military resources from other members. If you wish to establish your own power, we will negotiate and provide various forms of assistance to help you become a member of our collective interest..."
Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement, some more or less tempted.
The universe is too vast; without anyone or any money under my command, nothing is convenient.
Having been raised by various civilizations throughout history, these individuals were accustomed to the taste of power and were now struggling to adapt to starting from scratch.
Mysterious Lady pondered for a moment, then said, "We are willing to support you, but you are only the vice president and cannot make all the decisions. Besides, with your strength, the president certainly won't be weak either..."
"Yes, that makes sense. We appreciate your kindness, but we also need to consider our own interests. Wouldn't it be better to support the top leader?" Baigel asked.
Han Xiao laughed.
"You all don't know this, but the president and I have a grudge. Our paths are different. He's ambitious and too radical, trying to tie the association to his own path, which has angered many people. He has no chance of being re- Tu Shu, and he's getting old; who knows when he'll pass away? So supporting him is pointless. I have many friends, and I'm basically guaranteed to be the next president, with a high chance of re-election. Investing in me is the best choice. I'm not bragging; you can all find this information online... By the way, he's also someone I've defeated."
Although they only won against the Mechanic Emperor once, and their overall record was more defeats than wins, it wasn't entirely untrue to say that they had been their defeated opponents... Anyway, Old Manison wasn't here, so what could he possibly object to?
"I see."
The group suddenly realized that Old Manison's reputation had been damaged once again.
After a long conversation, Han Xiao offered many suggestions and analyzed the current cosmic situation. Baigel and his group listened attentively and found it very helpful.
After discussing the subtle relationship between the Three Universal Civilizations, Han Xiao paused, then changed the subject with a smile:
"To be honest, I'm very interested in exploring historical periods, but my understanding is limited to finding information online. You were all people who lived through that era, so perhaps you could tell me about the specific circumstances of that time?"
His trip was not only for planning the Super Calamity, but also for exchanging information with the First Ones. Seeing that the time was right, he brought up this topic.
"Then you've come to the right person. Who in the universe knows that era better than us?"
Han Xiao had been the one talking and they were the ones listening. But when Han Xiao brought up a topic they were familiar with, they immediately became interested in talking and began reminiscing about their past glories, from the Dark Forest to the battle for supremacy, chatting about everything under the sun.
Han Xiao nodded and listened, occasionally interjecting with questions. He learned a great deal about the secrets of the Exploration Era War and some information about the First Ones from the group.
"Speaking of which, do you know Spirit Emperor Ling?"
Han Xiao's eyes flashed.
"Rowell Sisok? I've fought him a few times on the battlefield before. www. hetushu. com. com That guy was pretty good, but I died before him. I wonder what happened to him afterward," Mysterious Lady said.
"He died in battle." Baigel shook his head. "I killed him."
"You killed him?" Han Xiao immediately became interested.
"Well, to be more specific, Spirit Emperor died in the encirclement on the battlefield. I was one of the participants, along with two others, but I was the one who delivered the fatal blow."
Oh, what a coincidence!
Han Xiao was very curious about what kind of expression Sorokin would have after Baigel joined the association.
Hmm, given how cunning Little Sorokin is, even if he's internally turmoil, he'll probably still be wearing a fake smile... Should we provoke him a little?
Suppressing his mischievous impulse, Han Xiao asked, "Are you sure he's really dead? His psychic abilities are quite unique; maybe he transferred his soul without anyone noticing."
"You mean he faked his death?" Baigel was taken aback, thought for a moment, and shook his head, saying, "I don't know about that. Anyway, I didn't notice anything unusual at the time."
"I'm just guessing. If he lived to the modern era like the Oathkeeper, would you recognize him if you saw him again?"
"Well... it's hard to say. If he hasn't changed, my soul Detection magic can recognize him. By the way, the Spirit Emperor was also the former host of the Soul Flame. As long as they meet, the Oathkeeper might sense it... but that's on the condition that he hasn't changed his own soul frequency, which is usually a unique characteristic."
Upon hearing this, Han Xiao rubbed his chin and began to ponder.
Sorokin is a master of psychological warfare, so he probably wouldn't leave such a flaw... but that's not necessarily true. After all, Sorokin survived to the modern era, and he probably didn't expect to run into the First Ones with whom he had previously interacted.
No one in the modern world can prove that Sorokin is the Spirit Emperor; on the contrary, the First Ones have become strong evidence... Tsk, if Baigel had recognized Sorokin on the spot when he joined the association, that would have been hilarious.
"Black Star, I feel like there's something more to what you're saying. Do you know something? Is the Spirit Emperor really alive?" Baigel couldn't help but press.
Who knows?
Han Xiao shrugged, still undecided whether to expose Little Sorokin's true identity; now was not the time to maximize profits.
He paused, then asked, "By the way, in the exploration history, there are two sisters who each possess the power of life and death, respectively. What are your thoughts on them?"
"Nigos and Aios... those sisters are very powerful. They created the Netherland, and not many people dare to mess with them." Pangon found an opportunity to interject.
"What is the Netherland?" Han Xiao pretended not to know.
"That's also a way to revive, but it has many drawbacks and would turn you into a vassal of the two sisters..." the group explained.
The Oathkeeper listened for a while, then hesitated before saying, "Many of the First Ones were searching for a way to revive. We chose the Sanctum, and some placed their hopes in the Netherland, but..."
Mysterious Lady shook her head. "Let me tell you. Those two sisters are obsessed with the concepts of life and death; they're very unreliable. We once invited them to join the Sanctum, but they refused. We lost contact with them afterward, and I don't know what happened to them. They're probably dead."
They didn't just die; you wouldn't believe it, they actually committed suicide...
Han Xiao mentally complained, then suddenly froze, realizing something.
When the Netherland Land Goddess first introduced the Sanctuary. But now it seems... the two sisters' act of leaving behind Information State power seeds—is it equivalent to them extracting their own power information from the Sanctuary, allowing these two power seeds to carry on their life's insights?
Master Han was startled; the more he thought about it, the more he felt the truth was not so simple.
Could it be that the sisters' suicide was actually due to discovering clues about the Sanctuary Revival, and they wanted to resurrect immediately afterward to confirm their own ideas and thus verify that this path was correct? Or perhaps they ultimately failed, leaving behind only information about their powers, unable to revive themselves...
Considering Kasuyi's situation, could it be related to the Divine Transformation quest?
Before their final deaths, the two sisters mentioned the word "inheritance" in their last words... Could this refer not only to the superpowered seeds, but also allude to Great Restart or Universe Iteration?!
Thinking further, could we use Hila, Aurora, or the Netherland as a medium to resurrect Nigos and Aios in the Sanctuary? If that fails, wouldn't it mean they are still alive in some way?
Han Xiao gasped inwardly, feeling a chill run down his spine as he pondered the matter.
Suppressing his inner surprise and doubt, he changed the subject and continued chatting with the group.
After chatting for a while longer, Han Xiao, seeing that the conversation had reached a point where it was almost over, interrupted and said with a smile:
"That's all for today. I've conveyed my message, and now that we're acquainted, feel free to contact me if you need any help in the future. Let's keep in touch."
Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement, expressing their friendliness.
Han Xiao bid farewell to everyone, then donned the Sovereign Mecha, and vanished into thin air in a flash, leaving no trace.
With the main character gone, Baigel and the others exchanged glances.
"Let's leave too. Black Star is right. I'm going back to train hard. With such a good opportunity, I can continue to seek breakthroughs and hopefully regain my peak strength," someone said.
"Hmm, I don't plan to be born again for the next twenty... no, forty years. I'll stay in the Sanctum."
Listening to his friends' discussion, the Oathkeeper smiled with satisfaction.
A sapling won't grow straight if it's not pruned; Black Star has finally corrected the mindset of my friends, so all my hard work wasn't in vain...
On the other side, Han Xiao used the Sovereign Teleportation to return to the Black Star Palace, which was several star fields away. He immediately opened the panel and saw the mission prompt that had been flashing for a while.
[[Might Makes Right] Completed!]
[Your actions have earned the awe of the First Ones, yielding remarkable results that will have an unknown impact on future developments.]
[Evaluation: Incredible]
[Mysterious Lady's affection for you +20]
[Trip's favorability towards you +20]
[Pangon's favorability towards you +20]
[You have gained 2400e experience, 8 random rewards, and 3 Blank Character Card.]
[You have gained 10 Awakening Points]
[You have obtained 1 [Third Sanctum] Fragment]
[You have acquired the special ability [Elderly Killer]]
[[Elderly Killer]: When facing opponents older than yourself, your base attack power will increase during the battle, with a maximum bonus of 15%, and your charm will also increase by 40%.]
"This..."
Han Xiao was speechless.
The rewards are quite generous; it's rare for a mission to directly reward Awakening Points, and this one even gives you a new specialization.
The perk's effect is pretty good; like [Fearless Heart], it increases base attack power...
There are just too many flaws!
I attacked a bunch of the First Ones, so I'm now a "Elderly Killer"? Is this some kind of attack on the Nanshan Nursing Home?!
Also, I can understand adding some attack power, but what's with increasing charm? Does it mean people think my fighting style is heroic and extraordinary, and that I'll be cheering "Well done!" while getting beaten up? Have they all become masochists?!
Han Xiao's spirit of complaining was burning, and he finally suppressed it.
Putting aside these flaws, the trigger mechanism does suit him; among the existing Beyond Grade A, it seems no one is younger than him...
"That's a truly bizarre ability, and it seems to go against the traditional virtues of respecting the elderly and caring for the young..."
Han Xiao shook his head helplessly, carefully looked through the rewards, then closed the panel and began to ponder the impact of this trip.
"This time I gave the First Ones a good beating and shattered their arrogance. As a result, they should develop quietly for a long time, which will delay the Super Calamity... We can rest easy for a while."
Han Xiao let out a breath.
He currently has a mountain of tasks to complete: researching technological treasures, expanding his legion's branches, collecting Sanctuary Key, and so on. What he lacks most is time. The later the Super Calamity erupts, the better for him. Ideally, it should only appear after he becomes the next president of the Beyond Grade A Association. That way, his position will be very secure, and it will be easier for him to guide the direction of the Super Calamity.
Currently, the Three Universal Civilizations and the Super Star Cluster Alliance are fighting, causing cosmic turmoil. However, this is actually a stable period for Beyond Grade A. Without external conflicts, they can develop quietly and promote the integration of the association's stakeholders. In the end, the Beyond Grade A Development Association has only been established for a few years, and its work has just begun. There are still many things to work out.
"It's time for me to develop properly for a while..." Han Xiao thought to himself.
At the same time, Manison and Sorokin, who were in different places, suddenly felt a chill.
"That's strange. I have a feeling something bad has happened."
Sorokin was uneasy, and a dozen guesses flashed through his mind in an instant.
Manison's reaction, however, was much more direct.
"It must be that little brat Black Star talking about me behind my back again!!"