While everyone was lost in their own thoughts, the Supreme Heavenly Venerate Venerable on the battlefield shrank in size, and wave after wave of mechanical soldiers surged back into Han Xiao's body, quickly revealing his original form.
Han Xiao glanced at the spot where the Sorokin had died, a strange light flashing in his eyes.
Just as he had emptied the Sorokin's blood with a single strike, a strong intuition suddenly surged within him, giving him the illusion that his attack might be able to transcend dimensions and affect the opponent's Information State level. However, this feeling was fleeting and impossible to grasp.
'If we were to annihilate both the enemy's physical entity and its Information State Projection, we could potentially eradicate its very existence. In that case, perhaps even the Sanctuary, the World Tree, the Netherland, and other methods would be unable to resurrect it.'
Han Xiao thought to himself.
His sudden idea stemmed primarily from the concept of [Unique Information, Immortal Concept]. If even Beyond God Grade possess this ability, then powerful beings at the same level should have countermeasures. If only Beyond God Grade can kill Beyond God Grade, then they should possess destructive power at the information and conceptual levels.
"I've only been at the Beyond God Grade for a short time; it seems there's still a lot of power hidden at this level that hasn't been fully unlocked."
Han Xiao composed himself and flew back to the Imperial flagship.
As soon as they returned to the command room, everyone turned to look at them, their expressions varied.
Han Xiao ignored him, glanced at Gaud's expression, and casually said:
"How about it? You're happy to see the real thing after so long, aren't you?"
Gaud remained silent, seething with hatred, but dared not speak, fearing he would lose control of his pent-up anger and inadvertently confess.
Moreover, Black Star's power had already given him a sense of despair.
At this moment, Tenny walked over, a complex look flashing in his eyes, which quickly returned to its firmness, his tone unfriendly:
"Lord Black Star, you've killed him. The Sorokin will soon become your henchman. It's time to fulfill your deal."
What kind of thugs?
Gaud was slightly taken aback, secretly wondering.
But no one answered his question at the moment. Han Xiao turned to look at Hila, Hila understood and showed him the Netherland Brand, indicating that the Sorokin's soul had been sent into the Netherland.
Seeing this, Han Xiao smiled casually and replied:
"Of course, we each get what we need, so this person is back with you."
After saying that, he picked up Gaud's body and threw it in front of Tenny, just like throwing away trash.
Ignoring Han Xiao's attitude, Tenny had someone help Gaud up. After sensing Gaud's condition briefly, he suddenly realized something was wrong and couldn't help but ask:
"Mr. Gaud, are you alright?"
"I..." Gaud gritted his teeth.
Before he could finish speaking, Hila coldly interrupted, "His powers have already been stripped away; he's a cripple now."
"What?"
Tenny was shocked and quickly examined the wound closely, confirming the fact that the injury was recent. It was clear that Black Star had done this shortly before the transaction, and he was filled with shock and anger.
"Black Star! How dare you!"
"You take a break. Let Mabrus come out and talk to me. He should be watching."
Han Xiao ignored him.
Tenny choked, glared at Han Xiao, and then turned to give a few instructions.
A dozen seconds later, a remote projection appeared in the field, showing Mabrus staring at Han Xiao with a gloomy expression.
"Black Star, this isn't the deal we agreed on!"
"Really? But I remember the deal only involved handing over the person, and now the person is in your hands, isn't he?" Han Xiao said dismissively.
Stop making excuses, you know what I mean!
Mabrus was furious.
Their deal with Black Star was, of course, to exchange for a potential direct descendant with extremely dangerous abilities, not a useless person. The current situation made him feel as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a fly.
Energy Manipulation is a promising ability; with proper training, it can definitely place one among the top combatants. But now, a direct descendant of Beyond Grade A with immense potential has been rendered useless. Mabrus is furious.
Not only him, but all the Imperial officers in the cabin wore unfriendly expressions, staring intently at Han Xiao and his group. They felt a shared indignation at the plight of Gaud, a direct descendant of the Empire, and if it weren't for the greater good, they would have loved to open fire directly.
"Alright, stop looking so awful. We haven't finished talking yet." Han Xiao waved his hand. "Didn't you want an explanation?"
Mabrus suppressed his anger and said in a deep voice, "Speak, and you'd better satisfy us."
"You all think Gaud is a pure imperial heir, but his true identity is actually Sorokin. When he was captured..."
Han Xiao, too lazy to respond to his polite words, slowly explained the Split Personality caused by [Superpower: Rebirth].
"... So you mean you assassinated Gaud and imprisoned him for so many years because he was an unstable factor who might prematurely attract the World Tree? Yet the Sorokin didn't know about this avatar, and only Gaud knew his true identity... Don't you think that's a ridiculous claim?"
Mabrus frowned.
Han Xiao said calmly, "I know you don't believe me, but we've already given you the person. If you have any guts, you can dig out the evidence from him yourselves."
It would be difficult to use the evidence obtained by personally searching Gaud's memories. The Empire would only consider it a forgery. As a victim of a disaster, Gaud would not be subjected to memory searches simply because of the casual suspicions of outsiders. The Three Universal Civilizations would not easily use such methods on their direct descendants, as it could easily damage loyalty, and direct descendants would also resist.
Even if the Empire were willing to search Gaud's memories, it would still suspect that he had tampered with them and deliberately planted false evidence. There was no way to completely prove Gaud's true identity anyway, and Han Xiao didn't care whether the Empire believed him or not.
As expected, Mabrus didn't believe this unverifiable explanation at all, thinking it was just Black Star's excuse. He said in a deep voice, "I'm not satisfied with this explanation. According to you, we should thank you?"
You really should thank me.
Han Xiao didn't care. He could have explained it properly, but there was no need.
Taking advantage of this incident, he planned to change his previous image. Because of the joint fight against the external enemy, he had cooperated deeply with the Three Universal Civilizations, established a training base together, and provided a lot of assistance, which made his image in the eyes of the Three Universal Civilizations seem too righteous.
Having reached the Beyond God Grade, he is at his most mysterious. This is a good opportunity to distance himself from the Three Universal Civilizations and strengthen his elusive image in their eyes. Let them think that his improved power has caused a change in his personality. This is a common occurrence, and the Three Universal Civilizations will be more cautious in handling their relationship and will recalibrate their attitude towards him.
It's best not to be too sincere when interacting with these advanced civilizations. Both sides' leaders know that they will inevitably become adversaries sooner or later, so talking about making friends now is futile.
Mabrus's breathing quickened for a few seconds before he calmed down and said coldly, "We will conduct a thorough internal investigation into this matter and find out the truth as soon as possible."
He really wanted to turn against them, but he didn't dare. Even if the Empire did that, the Glory and the Arcane wouldn't go crazy with them.
"Whatever you like." Han Xiao waved his hand.
"... There's another matter. You crippled Gaud's superpowers, and you need to give me an explanation for that. Don't give me that 'unstable factor' explanation again."
"That's exactly the situation. If we let him continue to possess this power, he'll most likely participate in the war. Given his special feelings for the World Tree, he might cause some things we don't want to see... I know you don't have the guts to cripple the power of a direct descendant, so I did it for you and resolved this hidden danger. You should still thank me."
"Black Star!" Mabrus laughed angrily, "Have you no shame?!"
"I'm just stating the facts; whether you accept it or not is your choice."
Han Xiao spoke calmly.
Mabrus clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. After a moment, he suppressed his anger and said in a deep voice:
"No matter your reasons, it's such a waste that such a unique and extremely dangerous ability as Energy Manipulation is just gone! If properly nurtured, this ability could be a powerful tool against the World Tree."
Black Star's strength, status, and influence constrained him, so he could only criticize Han Xiao for wasting his abilities from a different angle. He was also genuinely heartbroken by the disappearance of the extremely dangerous ability of "Energy Manipulation."
"I agree with you on that point," Han Xiao nodded. "But don't worry, I haven't completely destroyed this ability; it can still be useful on the battlefield."
Mabrus was taken aback and subconsciously looked at Gaud, thinking that Han Xiao meant that Gaud hadn't been completely castrated.
But then, Han Xiao patted Evans on the shoulder and said, "I've already transferred this ability to Evans. Compared to Gaud, his potential is more worthy of cultivation."
Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at them, their faces showing confusion and surprise.
"He has the ability to Energy Manipulation?" Tenny couldn't help but ask, his tone full of surprise. "How did he do that? What kind of ability user is he originally?"
This was also Mabrus's question, as he stared intently at Han Xiao.
"Evans has been secretly trained under my wing for decades." Han Xiao glanced at everyone and said, "His ability is exactly the same as the Sorokin's; he absorbs the abilities of others for his own use. It was through this method that he seized Gaud's superpower gene chain and gained this extremely dangerous ability."
As soon as the words were spoken, everyone was shocked and horrified.
The Sorokin were a nightmare for many forces, and thankfully they have been defeated. But now another being with the same abilities has appeared in the universe. Will this interstellar society ever be able to recover?!
Mabrus' pupils contracted sharply as he stared intently at Han Xiao, his heart churning with turmoil.
Good! Black Star has been trying to cultivate a second-generation Sorokin for decades. Perhaps another objective of assassinating Gaud was to seize the "Energy Manipulation"!
Now that Black Star has an Sorokin hero spirit and a second-generation Sorokin he's secretly cultivating, even he can't help but be shaken by this lineup.
Han Xiao, seemingly oblivious to everyone's expressions, continued, "So, what do you think? Evans has more potential than Gaud, right? Don't worry, I'll do my best to nurture him and get him playing a role on the battlefield as soon as possible. So, Mabrus, you don't need to worry about this ability being wasted. I'm a very frugal person."
"... That puts my mind at ease." Mabrus forced out a sound like chewing steel through clenched teeth.
"Great, it seems we've reached a deeper consensus. Now that the matter is resolved, I'll be going."
After Han Xiao finished speaking, he turned and left with the two of them without any hesitation.
Watching Han Xiao's the Sight of Father's Back, Tenny couldn't help but whisper:
"Black Star, you've changed..."
Han Xiao paused.
... If things don't change, are you just waiting to be completely taken advantage of?
He said nothing, continued walking, and strode away.
Soon, his vehicle drove out of the main ship's airport and quickly disappeared from everyone's sight.
After watching Han Xiao and his group leave, the people in the command room remained silent, their feelings complicated.
Mabrus was in a gloomy mood; this unexpected turn of events made him feel nauseous and vomit.
He wanted to look down on Black Star, but then he thought about it and felt a little dejected. They were the only ones who had no right to look down on others. If it weren't for Black Star, the World Tree's iron hooves would probably have already trampled through the borders, and there wouldn't be the current situation.
Despite the contradictions, from his own perspective, he is the least qualified to judge Black Star's character.
"Take good care of Gaud; let's heal his injuries first."
After leaving a message, Mabrus sighed and deactivated the remote projection.
Gaud witnessed the entire negotiation between Black Star and the Empire, his expression shifting constantly, his heart filled with despair.
He had still held a sliver of hope that the Empire would stand up for his "unfair treatment" and take revenge on Black Star. However, the Empire's restraint and forbearance in front of Black Star completely shattered his illusions and crushed his desire for revenge.
Even one of the Three Universal Civilizations doesn't dare to provoke Black Star now. Just how high has this guy climbed to in the last few decades?!
In my current state, provoking Black Star would be like throwing an egg against a rock.
Gaud sighed inwardly, feeling as if his bones had been removed.
But he still had a question, so he turned to look at Tenny beside him and whispered:
"You just said that Black Star turned the Sorokin into a henchman. What's going on? Wasn't that Sorokin dead?"
Tenny glanced at him, her expression complicated.
Black Star said that Gaud was Sorokin. Although he didn't believe it, he couldn't help but feel a little wary.
Tenny thought for a moment before answering:
"You've been imprisoned for decades, so you might not know, but Black Star has subdued a pair of twin sisters. These twin sisters possess abilities exactly the same as the two sisters from the historical Life and Death duo. They have also opened up the Netherland Dimension, capable of transforming the dead into immortal heroic spirits to serve as their fighting force. Although the Sorokin was killed, his soul was thrown into the Netherland, becoming their fighting force. Currently, there should be more than ten Beyond Grade A heroic spirits."
As soon as he finished speaking, Gaud's eyes widened suddenly.
On the other side, in the Netherland Dimension.
The Sorokin slowly opened his eyes, and a boundless, pitch-black land came into view.
Am I dead...?
The Sorokin looked down and saw that his body had turned into a semi-transparent spirit form, and couldn't help but mutter to himself.
The scene before his death resurfaced: the overwhelming, stunning blade light that had extinguished the life force of every cell in his body, causing a long-lost tremor to rise from the depths of his soul. He couldn't help but savor the memory.
But soon he realized that something was wrong with him. His soul was just a flickering candle in the wind, but it showed no signs of dissipating. Instead, it became more and more solid.
Sa--
Just then, several beams of light flashed, and Han Xiao and his group used the Sovereign's Teleportation to travel to the surrounding area and fly to the front of the Sorokin.
What did you do to me?
The Sorokin frowned.
"Don't worry, this is a good thing for you. Do you really think I'd want to kill you?" Han Xiao chuckled.
"... What are you going to do?"
"Don't worry, this is a good thing for you. This is the Netherland, which can stabilize the souls of the dead. It..."
Before Han Xiao could finish speaking, the Sorokin widened his eyes, interrupting him with a surprised tone.
"The legendary Netherland?!"
"Oh? You know?" Han Xiao paused, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course I know."
The Sorokin nodded. As a collector of extremely high-risk superpowers, he had collected information on all the Beyond Grade A superpowered individuals in history.
The two sisters, whose lives and deaths were so remarkable, naturally became the focus of attention, so I read all the records of the Netherland.
"That makes things easier, saves me the trouble of explaining." Han Xiao smiled. "The life and death abilities of this generation have found masters. They have restored the Netherland and restored its historical efficacy. You are now a spirit of the dead. Are you willing to accept the transformation of the Netherland and become an immortal heroic spirit?"
A hint of hesitation flashed in the Sorokin's eyes. If he could live, he didn't want to die. But joining the Netherland meant losing his freedom, and he would probably never be able to break free.
Seeing this, Han Xiao smiled and said, "I know your concerns. Actually, this is not a bad thing. You should know your lifespan better than I do. You didn't have much time left anyway. As long as you give up some of your freedom, you can live forever in the Netherland. Moreover, your physical form will change, and you will no longer have to worry about the pressure of the gene chain. Your combat power will only be stronger than before you were alive. Why not?"
The Sorokin's eyes flickered, and he suddenly said in a deep voice, "Black Star, we've known each other for many years. Although you've taken the lead in reaching a higher level, my goal remains unchanged. If I join the Netherland, I won't have the opportunity to advance any further."
"You never had a chance to advance. Even if I didn't kill you, you wouldn't have been able to advance. Don't doubt my judgment. As someone who's been through this, I know better than you what's needed to advance."
Han Xiao shook his head.
That's not a lie. The Sorokin's gene chain is overloaded, and his life form will be more unstable when he advances. In addition, given his terrible interpersonal relationships, it's unlikely that any Peak Beyond Grade A would be willing to help him advance, making it difficult to meet the three requirements.
Seeing that the Sorokin remained silent, Han Xiao thought for a moment and then smiled:
"But don't be discouraged. Your dream can be realized by your successor."
"The successor?" The Sorokin was completely bewildered.
Han Xiao beckoned Evans over.
"This guy's name is Evans. He inherited your ability to steal other people's powers. Can't he inherit your will and help you see a higher view?"
"The same ability as me?!"
The Sorokin was taken aback and scrutinized Evans closely.
Evans also demonstrated his abilities at the opportune moment, proving that Han Xiao's words were true.
Seeing this, the Sorokin became even more shocked.
"You... you wouldn't happen to be my illegitimate child, would you?!"
Evans' face darkened, but he remained silent.
Han Xiao shrugged and smiled, then replied, "How would I know?"
"Let me think about it..."
The Sorokin frowned, lost in memories.
While he wreaked havoc across the galaxy, he naturally sought out females of different species to vent his desires, but after mating, he left them to fend for themselves, and he didn't know if he had any offspring.
The deeper the Sorokin delved into his memories, the more he felt as if he was missing a part of them, and he secretly wondered why.
At this moment, Han Xiao spoke up, "Don't worry so much. The probability of having the same superpower is much rarer than having offspring, let alone an extremely rare ability like yours. Thanks to my guidance, Evans didn't go down the wrong path you did. Now, although he has fewer abilities, they are refined. His talent is no less than yours. Why don't you train him and let him fulfill your wishes?"
The Sorokin remained silent for a moment, then suddenly chuckled, his tone mocking, "To put it bluntly, you just want to trick me into helping you build up your combat power and working for you."
Han Xiao said without any politeness, "Evans has too little practical experience and doesn't know how to coordinate and utilize his various abilities. This is precisely your strength, so I'll have to ask you for guidance."
"... I haven't agreed to it yet."
"You have a choice?" Han Xiao raised an eyebrow.
"Ah, that's what I admire most about you."
The Sorokin chuckled inexplicably, looked at Evans, nodded, and slowly said:
"Life is truly unpredictable. This is my first time teaching someone... Alright, I'll teach you how to use this ability in combat. I only have one request... If one day you can reach a higher level, help me beat up Black Star."
"Oh my, how scary." Han Xiao clicked his tongue.
Evans glanced at Han Xiao, then at the Sorokin, and seeing that both of them were staring at him, he finally hesitated before nodding.
Seeing this, the Sorokin spread his arms wide, his expression calm:
"Come, transform me into a Heroic Spirit! Let the world see what I'm like without any burdens!"