This is a Secondary Dimension, where auroras fall from the sky like fluttering ribbons. A streak of light travels at high speed through it, which is the golem vehicle of Dilron and his group.
After sailing for more than a month, they have now escaped the control zones of the Three Universal Civilizations. Dilron and his companions have gradually relaxed from their initial vigilance.
A little over a month ago, the Oathkeeper saw them through telepathy and then disappeared. They were all Sanctum Revived and had a good understanding of the effects of the Soul Flame. They knew that the Oathkeeper could only communicate with them and could not pinpoint their location in space, so the group was not worried about revealing their coordinates.
"It's been so long. Judging by the days, Black Star should be returning from the Sanctuary by now. The Oathkeeper said he would give us some valuable information; it should be here soon."
A Beyond Grade A player was playing with a furry pet on the table when he casually mentioned this incident.
Another person, who was watering the ornamental plants in the small ecological area inside the cabin, turned around upon hearing this and chuckled, "It seems the Oathkeeper is trying to use this news to win us back. I'd like to know what he'll say."
The Revived in the cabin were all doing their own things, and the crew was intact. All the Beyond Grade A who left the main universe with Dilron a month ago had not yet left.
Aside from special relationships, Beyond Grade A are generally unwilling to be subordinate to others. The group doesn't regard Dilron as the leader of the escape. The reason they haven't parted ways yet is mainly to band together to deal with the risks of the Secondary Dimension. After all, this place is still quite threatening to normal Beyond Grade A, and there is strength in numbers.
Someone turned to look at Dilron, "I'm quite curious, what about you?"
"I'm not curious." Dilron closed his eyes to rest, too lazy to even open them, and scoffed, "Since you've chosen to leave, then be firm. You're all Beyond Grade A, don't you have any backbone? Anyway, no matter what he says, I'm not going back."
The group chuckled and were about to join in when suddenly clusters of black sparks appeared inside the cabin, quickly forming the mental projection of the Oathkeeper.
Upon seeing this, Dilron's brow twitched, and he slowly opened his eyes. The other Revived also changed their expressions slightly, suppressed their smiles, put down what they were doing, and stared intently at the Oathkeeper.
"You're here again." Dilron narrowed his eyes. "What, trying to persuade me to go back?"
"Reply or not, it's up to you. I'm just here to deliver intelligence."
The Oathkeeper ignored him, turning to look at the other curious Revived. A dark flame ignited in his palm, within which blurred images flashed, containing information about the truth of the Sanctuary Revival.
With a gentle flick, sparks scattered out, merging into each person's forehead and directly transmitting the information within to their mental brain. The entire story became clear at a glance, opening up the relevant mental memories for anyone to view.
The next moment, everyone received this information and was instantly dumbfounded.
"The Sanctuary Revival wasn't a one-off event?! You and Black Star have been keeping it from us all along!"
Many people's faces changed drastically, glaring angrily at the Oathkeeper, their expressions indescribably ugly, as if they had just been given a taste of something sweet.
The choice is yours.
The Oathkeeper was too lazy to say anything more. He left behind a sentence, immediately dispelled the mental projection, and disappeared from everyone's sight.
As they watched him leave, the expressions on everyone's faces changed several times.
One of the Revived glanced around before finally settling on the shocked Dilron, and said decisively, "Everyone, I'll head back now. See you again sometime."
Having said that, he ignored everyone's reaction, flashed out of the vehicle, raised his hand to cast a spell, summoned a directional teleportation portal, stepped inside, and disappeared along with the portal.
This became a signal; one by one, the Revived bid farewell and left using various means. The patient ones would say goodbye, while the impatient ones would leave without a word, without needing to explain anything to their temporary companions.
They were all resurrected beings, and their motivation for leaving the main universe was that they believed the one-time Sanctuary Revival was ineffective for them, and that this was their last chance at life. However, they now realize that this was just a deception orchestrated by the Sanctum and Black Star. But the reason is no longer important to them. Infinite number of Sanctuary Revival is almost like immortality, and there is nothing to hesitate about in the face of such benefits.
Many of his companions left, and soon the once lively cabin became empty, leaving only Dilron all alone.
He paid no attention to the departure of the others, still immersed in shock, muttering to himself:
"No wonder, no wonder Black Star has always ignored us, the group that avoids war. It turns out he's holding this trump card..."
The opportunity for immortality is right in front of us, but...
Dilron's expression shifted, filled with inner turmoil, as if he were torn between two conflicting emotions.
Several days later, in the top-floor conference room of the training base.
Han Xiao sat at the head of the table, surveying the numerous Beyond Grade A participants present. Seeing everyone's eyes fixed on him, he casually spoke:
"You all now know the truth about the Sanctuary Revival, so I believe I don't need to repeat myself. You should have all digested this information over the past few days. The reason I've gathered you all today is to discuss the follow-up issues regarding the Sanctuary Revival. This will be a crucial trump card in our fight against the World Tree, and the Three Universal Civilizations are all delighted by this, deciding to continue their strong support and, for the time being, keep it a secret from the public..."
The people present nodded silently, their expressions rather subtle.
They believed there would be surprises, but more often than not, there would be shock. Even a fool could imagine the heart attack that would occur to the leaders of the Three Universal Civilizations upon suddenly learning of this "surprise."
They had been trying to find Han Xiao for the past few days, but after completing the Sanctuary Revival, Han Xiao temporarily left and could not be contacted at all. He only returned now and publicly summoned all the Beyond Grade A staying at the training base.
All the participating Beyond Grade A fighters who had been waiting for the meeting arrived immediately; no one was absent.
Han Xiao took in everyone's expressions, tapped his fingers on the table, and chuckled:
"By the way, let's gather everyone's opinions again today to see if anyone is willing to continue participating in the war. After all, from now on, participation in the war is linked to the treatment received during the Sanctuary Revival, and I need to keep a record. Some people might not like this treatment, and I can't force them, since I'm a fairly democratic person."
Democracy? Bah! Shameless!
Everyone secretly grumbled to themselves.
Black Star has seized this crucial opportunity, elevating his influence to a new level, almost to the point of having a one-man show. Who would be willing to give up this prestigious position?
Despite their inner complaints, the many Beyond Grade A individuals present were quite honest, eagerly speaking one after another.
Count me in!
"There's no reason to give up halfway; of course we'll keep going."
Everyone eagerly expressed their support, unanimously declaring their intention to continue participating in the war.
Some of the third batch of Revived had not initially participated in the battle or the interception zone campaign, but upon seeing the substantial evidence of unlimited Sanctuary Revival, they all changed their tune.
Han Xiao watched this scene with a smile, opened a virtual screen, brought up a memo, and wrote down the names of those who had expressed their opinions in front of everyone, while secretly sighing in his heart.
'The allure of unlimited Sanctuary Revival is indeed irresistible to most; the effect is about as expected...'
A few days ago, Han Xiao received a report from the Oathkeeper that the reclusive Revived of the Sanctum were also requesting to come out of seclusion and join the war. He had spent the last few days dealing with this matter, appeasing the group of Sanctum Revived and telling them that they would only need to take action when the World Tree invaded their homeland. For now, they did not need to come out of seclusion and could remain hidden in the shadows, as long as they accepted his targeted training plan.
The reason why the Sanctum Revived went into seclusion was partly because they did not want to continue to be involved in the power struggles, and partly because they had grudges against the Three Universal Civilizations. But now they have all abandoned their original intentions and changed their minds. They may say nice things, but their actions are still realistic enough. The Beyond Grade A who are clear about their own needs have basically made rational choices.
Han Xiao naturally wouldn't ridicule him; it's just human nature. Few people can stand by and watch others enjoy the benefits while they themselves get nothing.
Just as everyone was expressing their opinions, the conference room door was suddenly flung open, interrupting the meeting.
Everyone turned to look, their faces showing amusement. They saw that many of the war-avoiding Revived who had stayed on Planet Fein had arrived here and were filing in one after another.
The room fell silent. The group of those who had stayed behind to avoid battle and hadn't left with Dilron stood at the table.
Han Xiao glanced around, put on a calm expression, and casually asked, "What brings you here? Is there something you need?"
Upon hearing this, one of the averse-to-war faction stepped forward, seemingly representing the crowd, and spoke loudly:
"Lord Black Star, after careful consideration, we have reached a unanimous decision. Please allow us to join the training camp; we request to participate in the war!"
The numerous Beyond Grade A individuals present exchanged glances, shook their heads, and chuckled, not surprised at all.
Han Xiao smiled and nodded, saying, "As I said before, if you ever change your minds, we welcome you to fight alongside us."
With that, he snapped his fingers, and a flash of Mechanical Force caused the conference table to suddenly move. Mechanical particles extended, the tabletop slowly expanded, and the seats slid up, creating more space. New seats rose from the ground one by one.
After finishing this task, Han Xiao casually gestured towards an empty seat and chuckled:
"Please have a seat, everyone."
Seeing this, the group of war-avoiding Revived breathed a sigh of relief, nodded their thanks, and then found empty seats to sit down, their numbers just right.
They had originally intended to stand by and watch as a group of association members fought off the enemy on the front lines, but after learning the truth about the Sanctuary Revival from Baigel, everyone changed their minds overnight and eagerly decided to join the war.
They were initially worried that Black Star would make things difficult for them, or at least someone would make sarcastic remarks. However, they found that the participants acted as if it were perfectly normal, and no one mocked their choice. This made them relax... But thinking about it, it makes sense; everyone is the same, so the eldest brother won't laugh at the second brother.
The Sun Hunter glanced at them, then let out a surprised "Huh?" and said, "How come there's only so many of you? There were some talented people, right? Where's that foul-mouthed Elf King?"
"Them..." A former member of the anti-war faction paused, then smiled helplessly, "They didn't want to get involved in the war, so they've left the main universe. Nobody can contact them."
Everyone looked surprised; not everyone knew about this, Kasuyi had kept it a secret.
"They really lost out big time, missing out on such a great opportunity," the Sun Hunter exclaimed in amazement.
Many people smirked, secretly mocking the decision. They figured they had to see it through, even if it meant crawling on their knees, and they weren't going to feel sorry for these guys who were running away.
It's a pity they didn't know the allusion in Han Xiao's memory, otherwise they would know that this behavior had a fitting description: it was like joining the National Revolutionary Army in 1949.
"They don't know the truth about the Sanctuary Revival yet, do they? Should we bring them back?" Milizaus asked, turning his head.
Han Xiao didn't take it seriously and pretended to be calm, saying:
"Our association isn't an organization where you can join but never leave; they're free to leave, so don't worry about them..."
He paused mid-sentence, chuckled, and continued:
"Besides, didn't they come back on their own?"
After he finished speaking, everyone noticed and turned to look at the dazzling starry sky outside the window. They saw a portal opening and rotating, with streams of light landing on the training base.
Soon, a series of rapid footsteps approached from afar, growing louder and louder. Everyone turned to look at the open doorway, and before their eyes, all the fleeing, war-avoiding Revived appeared at the door and entered, with Dilron lagging behind.
Kasuyi calmly took a sip of calming tea. After this group returned, they couldn't find Black Star, so they contacted him one after another. He then arranged for everyone to appear together today, separating them from the other group that stayed behind to avoid the battle. However, only he and Han Xiao knew about this.
"Hey, we were just talking about you guys. Didn't you say you were staying away from war? What brings you back?"
The Sun Hunter winked and made a teasing gesture.
The others also wore mocking expressions, their gazes constantly sweeping over Dilron at the very end of the line. They still remembered Dilron as the staunchest opponent of war, his resolute opposition to participating in the war during previous meetings still vivid in their minds. But now he was silent, expressionless, and staring straight ahead, as if he treated everyone else as if they were invisible, ignoring everyone else after entering the room.
Ignoring the Sun Hunter, Dilron looked at Han Xiao and said seriously, "Black Star, we hope to participate in the war. Do you agree?"
After he finished speaking, the others fell silent and turned to look at Han Xiao, awaiting his decision.
Han Xiao glanced at the group, tapped the table, and another batch of empty seats rose from the floor. He said calmly:
"Please sit down."
Seeing this, the group relaxed, not daring to look Han Xiao in the eye. After bowing, they quickly sat down.
Seeing that Han Xiao didn't intend to say anything more to him, Dilron's anxiety subsided somewhat, and he found a seat and obediently sat down.
Before he returned, he was worried about being purged. After all, he had always been a dissenter, and it was very possible that Black Star would not accept him. He was unsure of himself and thought that at the very least, he would be ridiculed. Unexpectedly, Black Star treated him the same as everyone else, as if he did not care about him at all.
At this moment, the Sun Hunter beside him curled his lip and looked at Dilron with disdain.
"Tsk tsk, didn't you say you would never regret it? Didn't you say you were full of bitterness and resentment? Weren't you so stubborn? I look down on you."
Dilron, unfazed, couldn't suppress his foul mouth and retorted, "Do I need your respect? What I do is my own business. Can't I change my mind? To earn your respect, I have to give up my chance at immortality? Who do you think you are?"
He was always independent and did things his own way. If he had cared even a little about what others thought, he wouldn't have died such a tragic death in history.
After a struggle within himself, he ultimately chose the chance for immortality. Though the hatred of the past was etched into his heart, it did not cloud his judgment. He was unwilling to fight for the Three Universal Civilizations; hatred was one factor, but the lack of benefit was another. Now, with the truth of the Sanctuary Revival laid bare before him, he could clearly distinguish what was more important... As long as he lived, there were Infinite possibilities, and the contempt of others was not an obstacle preventing him from making the right decision.
"Hmph, I'll kill you one day." The Sun Hunter snorted coldly, turned his head away, and didn't bother to argue with this guy.
The others also looked away. The words were crude but the reasoning was sound. For the sake of important interests, few of these Beyond Grade A individuals would be swayed by the opinions of others. They could only scoff inwardly and move on. They understood the group's choice and there was nothing to look down on.
Han Xiao ignored them and waited until everyone quieted down before continuing to talk about the important matter.
Before long, the simple meeting ended, and everyone dispersed with their own thoughts.
Just as Dilron was about to get up and leave, Han Xiao's voice suddenly came from behind him.
"You stay here for a moment."
The group paused, glanced back at the composed Han Xiao with amusement, and quickened their pace to leave, deliberately leaving themselves alone. Soon, only the two of them remained in the room.
Dilron's expression stiffened. He turned to look at Han Xiao, somewhat hesitant to meet Han Xiao's calm gaze, and forced himself to ask:
What's the matter?
Han Xiao tilted his head, feigning confusion, and asked, "You incited members to leave the association; you don't think you can just let this go, do you?"
"... What do you want to do?"
Dilron's heart skipped a beat. Although he was foul-mouthed, it was just his personality, and he wasn't truly fearless.
Han Xiao did not answer immediately, but instead continued to speak to himself:
"Your experience is indeed tragic, but that's no excuse for your repeated incitement. Are you the only one here who has a grudge against the Three Universal Civilizations? Why are you the only one jumping around like this?"
I don't care about your hatred; that's your private matter, and how you handle it is none of my business. I don't sympathize with you either; someone like you deserves to be beaten to death. I only care about whether my plan can proceed as scheduled and whether the war can develop smoothly. You've hindered me many times, and you should pay some price...
"I've temporarily set aside my grudges and am willing to return to serve the Three Universal Civilizations. What more do you want?!"
Dilron felt increasingly uneasy and said in a deep voice.
Whether you let go of your grudges or not is none of my business! Just because you think you've overcome your difficulties doesn't mean I should indulge you? If you didn't have the chance for immortality, would you have come back? I only care whether you can be of any use!
Han Xiao wasn't buying it, and slowly said:
"But you came back on your own initiative, which was definitely the right choice. You didn't go down a dead end, so I'm giving you a chance."
What are you going to do?
Dilron clenched his fists tightly and carefully backed away.
"If you don't come back today, I will Pursuit you down and prevent you from encountering the World Tree and having your information leaked. I believe your companions will be happy to expose your route. After you die, I will send you to the Netherland to serve the war effort as well, and I will never let you find peace."
But I'm pleased that you've returned on your own, so I won't be so ruthless. As a destabilizing element, I'll still send you to the Netherland, but I promise that after the war ends, I will remove your heroic spirit status and restore you to normal through the Sanctuary Revival, so you'll still gain eternal life..."
As he spoke, Han Xiao slowly stood up, rubbed his fists, and narrowed his eyes:
"I hope you fight back. You never speak like a human being; I've wanted to beat you up for a long time to teach your mouth a lesson!"