Chapter 278: The Pearl of the Empire · Bai Fu
Rufas’s interference made the Supernova Battle Group temporarily too occupied to pay attention to Bai Fu.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Bai Fu flew away from Roxinam and redirected her course from the Initial Gate to return to Origin Star.
That would take nearly ten days.
On the way, she constantly paid attention to Rufas’s battle against the Supernova Battle Group.
Partly for entertainment, partly to better understand Rufas and those Dominations and Transcendents of the Supernova Battle Group.
After all, she would most likely face them directly in the future.
Rufas’s strength far exceeded the expectations of Bai Fu and all others watching the situation.
In conventional understanding, the strength ranking of the three Transcendents of the Edge Worlds should be: Yuan Yi ＞ Rufas ＞ Oathmaster.
That ranking just happened to follow their ages.
But judging from the current situation, Yuan Yi and Rufas’s order might need to be swapped, even though Yuan Yi had displayed combat strength on Origin Star far beyond his usual level.
Even Rufas’s avatar possessed the power of a Transcendent II.
With his own strength, he fought Stardust Jeroen and several Dominations until their heads were split and bleeding.
If not for Goruga arriving in time with his fleet, Jeroen would not have died, but the survival of the other Dominations with their corpses intact would have been questionable.
Afterward, Goruga and the others kept tightening the encirclement, attempting to trap Rufas completely.
But at the critical moment, Rufas’s true body appeared.
He revealed crushing power, fighting two at once, forcing Jeroen and Goruga into desperate defense.
Fortunately, this time Goruga and the others carried the Eckhard Cannon with them.
A single blast gave Rufas a serious headache, and in the end, out of safety concerns, he decisively fled.
But before escaping, he struck Goruga with the Void-Rending Claw.
A massive chunk of Goruga’s beastly body was ripped away out of nothing.
According to Players present, that single move directly cut off one-fourth of Goruga’s HP bar.
Utterly terrifying!
Goruga was enraged beyond measure.
The entire Supernova Battle Group was enraged beyond measure.
Previously, the Rebirth Empire had dealt with Rufas effortlessly.
Now it was supposed to be their Supernova Battle Group’s turn, but Rufas toyed with them brutally.
This was not just a slap in the face.
It was as if their pants were pulled down and their buttocks smacked instead!
Although discerning people all knew Rufas had been hiding his true strength, who cared?
People would laugh regardless.
“What the hell is going on here? Why is Rufas this strong? Why did Rufas suddenly appear in Roxinam?”
The upper echelons of the Supernova Battle Group urgently convened an online meeting.
In the end, they unanimously concluded that Rufas must have hidden something in Roxinam.
Because they had announced their plan to move against the Ten Saints Council, Rufas sensed the danger and came out on his own.
This was a misunderstanding!
But it had already become bitter hatred!
Hide, huh?
Fine, I’ll make sure you can’t hide!
The Supernova Battle Group immediately mobilized forces to conduct a massive search in Roxinam.
That very search made Rufas increasingly certain that the Supernova Battle Group had indeed come specifically for him.
He hurried back to his base, only to…
Find it smashed into pieces, not a single intact part left.
Rufas nearly vomited blood from rage.
Birth, birth, birth!
He thought he had won a round.
Unexpectedly, while he had been suppressing Goruga and Jeroen, the Supernova Battle Group had already stolen his home.
“Supernova Battle Group! This isn’t over between us!”
Rufas roared, then left Roxinam in fury with his avatars, heading back to find the Saint and the others.
Several days later.
Somewhere in the Dark Zone.
Rufas, the Saint, and Corona sat in a circle, looking at one another.
Truth be told, both the Saint and Corona held grievances toward Rufas.
If Rufas had not run midway, they definitely would not have lost.
And Rufas, that bastard, had actually hidden his strength—an unforgivable act!
Even so, they swallowed their anger.
Given the current situation, they needed Rufas’s power.
And truthfully, all three of them had their own selfish thoughts.
Fellow fallen souls under the same sky—better to huddle together for now.
With that mindset, the three of them set aside their grudges and reconciled.
They agreed not to cause Bai Fu trouble for the time being.
After all, they bore no great enmity with her—at least from their perspective.
The pressing matter was to deal with the Rebirth Empire and the Supernova Battle Group.
The Rebirth Empire had stolen their True Spirit Pillar.
The Supernova Battle Group had stolen Rufas’s secret.
Both were heinous crimes demanding heavy retaliation!
……
“If only they could kill a Domination or even a Transcendent, that would be perfect.”
Bai Fu muttered with some regret as she browsed the news.
What a pity.
If only she had shapeshifting and aura-concealing abilities, then at that moment she would definitely have sent Hei Fu on a suicide attack to take down a Domination of the Supernova Battle Group.
That would have been a super fire-stoking move.
Bai Fu closed the website and nibbled on some snacks.
While eating, she suddenly received a transmission from Whitney.
“What happened?”
“The sudden surge in strength of Yuan Yi and the Oathmaster has drawn huge attention.
In the near future, many will likely head to Origin Star to investigate.
You must be cautious.
It would be best to leave Origin Star temporarily.
Also, the Rebirth Empire will probably be looking for you soon.”
Whitney gave her a general explanation.
Bai Fu nodded lightly.
So that’s how it was.
Avoid?
No!
This was exactly the situation she had been waiting for.
She was counting on Yuan Yi and the Oathmaster to advertise her ‘Guidance Ability’.
The Ten Saints Council had cooperated wonderfully, making the promotional effect explode instantly.
However, Whitney was correct in one regard.
This advertisement brought her massive profit but also immense potential risk.
She could ride the wave, but to guarantee her safety, the best course was still to raise her own strength as quickly as possible.
Bai Fu thought of the Players, then of Cypriss.
After helping Cypriss restore her Calamity-class strength, the next step of her quest line had been suspended.
The reason was simple: Cypriss insisted that only after regaining her Domination-level power would she reveal the location of the Mental Sanctuary.
Bai Fu had not been in a hurry before, but now she felt it might be necessary to “interrogate” Cypriss.
In short, she had to return to Origin Star as soon as possible!
That same afternoon, Bai Fu received a communication from the Empire.
The contacts were Annihilation Dimitri, and Heinz the Shepherd, whom she had met at the Ethereal Realm Research Society.
The Empire had come to discuss cooperation.
The Empire hoped she would hand over that “thing.”
In return, the Empire would fully guarantee her safety, and do everything possible to help her advance to Transcendent.
Prayer Cards, psionic consumables, cutting-edge knowledge—whatever she wanted—would be provided free of charge.
If she was unwilling to hand it over, that was fine too.
As long as she gave the Empire priority in using it, the Empire would likewise return her a huge pile of resources.
Bai Fu spread her hands.
“I don’t have such a cosmic treasure, nor such a potion.
The reason Yuan Yi and the Oathmaster’s strength grew over the past months is because I identified the problems they were facing, and then told them how to resolve them.”
“???”
Both Dimitri and Heinz froze.
Yuan Yi and the Oathmaster had grown stronger because Bai Fu guided them.
At first, this sounded fine.
But on closer thought, it was full of things too hard to accept!
First, a Domination guiding two Transcendents—was that reasonable?
Then, a psionic prayer-user guiding a martial artist and an esper—was that really reasonable?
And finally, the guidance was not only real, but effective.
Was that… truly reasonable?
Shocked, Dimitri and Heinz practically wore “Really? I don’t believe it” written across their faces.
Bai Fu had long known they would react like this.
But the point was not whether they believed the advertisement, but whether they believed the results.
Once they saw the results, others would realize her promotion was no fraud.
“If you really don’t believe me, then ask the Administrator and the Oathmaster.
Or find a Transcendent stuck at divine metamorphosis and unable to advance, and test it.”
Dimitri and Heinz exchanged a look.
Bai Fu spoke so confidently.
Then they should at least ask Yuan Yi and the others—asking would cost them nothing.
They acted swiftly and soon found Yuan Yi.
After asking, they discovered things were exactly as Bai Fu had said.
Yuan Yi personally admitted that he had completed a divine metamorphosis under Bai Fu’s guidance.
Dimitri and Heinz discussed, then brought the matter to the Empire’s Senate and Emperor.
They proposed sending another candidate for testing.
Some opposed.
They argued it was nonsense, most likely Bai Fu colluding with Yuan Yi and the Oathmaster in a staged trick.
If they rashly sent someone, it could be dangerous.
Dimitri’s eyelid twitched.
He recognized the opposition as the very group that once supported Kaide.
Clearly, they were speaking out of spite.
Still, their words were not without reason.
That possibility did exist.
But compared to that risk—if Bai Fu truly had this ability, her value would rival that of the Crystal Orb of Insight.
Then Titan Industries and the Supernova Battle Group could fight over the Orb and the Ten Saints Council, while they could sit back and watch the storm.
“I’ll go myself.
With the Extra-dimensional Cube in hand, even if Origin Star is a trap, there’s nothing to fear!”
Once Dimitri resolved, the others said no more.
Dimitri was one of the Empire’s pillars.
He was a Transcendent raised entirely by the Empire—born to noble Imperial blood, trained at the vast Imperial Military Academy, tested in the Empire’s ace Arrow-Forging Legion.
He was the true banner of the true Empire, and held enormous authority.
Half a day later, Dimitri, carrying the Extra-dimensional Cube, departed for Origin Star on the most advanced high-speed ship, accompanied by Heinz and the Sword Emperor.
When Bai Fu’s mobile palace landed at the orbital port of Origin Star’s ringworld, Dimitri was already waiting outside the port.
“My apologies for not greeting you sooner.”
Bai Fu walked up with a smile.
To her eyes, Dimitri was not the Empire’s top master, but a walking gemstone—shining bright, with credit-coin symbols flashing in her vision.
Since they had already communicated en route, Bai Fu wasted no time on small talk.
She directly led the Empire’s group to the Silent Court’s new headquarters built on Origin Star.
In a spacious chamber.
Bai Fu, the three Imperial Transcendents, Yuan Yi, and the Oathmaster gathered together.
Dimitri, who had braved countless storms between life and death, now felt nervous.
Like a youth heading to school for the first time, both hopeful and uneasy about the future.
“Do we need some kind of ritual?”
Dimitri’s mind spun with thoughts.
If Bai Fu required strange rites, he would need to be on guard.
Bai Fu shook her head. “No need.”
Dimitri asked cautiously, “Then what must be done?”
Bai Fu smiled and nodded. “Good, I already understand.”
“Hm?”
Dimitri blinked.
Understand? What had she understood?
Bai Fu said, “Like the Administrator before, you are stuck at your third divine metamorphosis.
But unlike him, your metamorphosis is different.
Because your esper power is extremely rare, your metamorphosis is far more troublesome.”
She sent the metamorphosis requirements to Dimitri via communicator.
Of course, she didn’t send concrete data, only the general direction.
If she could spout exact numbers, that would be far too outrageous.
If the Players got wind of it, they would certainly become suspicious.
“It’s already done?”
Dimitri was dumbfounded.
What speed was this?
What kind of method was this?
He wasn’t even prepared yet.
“How did you see it?” Dimitri couldn’t help asking.
Bai Fu pointed at her eyes. “After advancing to Calamity-class, I awakened this ability.”
A talent ability?
Dimitri did not press further.
Instead, he quickly read through the file Bai Fu had sent.
It was a perfectly serious file.
No matter how he looked at it, there was no possibility of harm.
At the same time, he couldn’t immediately see how it would help him complete divine metamorphosis.
He might as well try.
At worst, he would just waste a dozen days.
In reality, by the third day, Dimitri already felt obvious improvement.
“What Bai Fu gave me is real!”
He was overjoyed.
He had been stuck for years.
As the first to raise Annihilation esper powers to Transcendent, he had no reference, only blind groping forward.
But such things were not so easily done.
Now, Bai Fu had solved his problem!
Dimitri immediately informed Heinz, the Sword Emperor, and the rest of the Empire’s leadership.
Like a storm breaking suddenly, the Emperor and his court were filled with excitement.
Though Bai Fu could only guide Transcendents stuck at divine metamorphosis, that alone was enough to raise the Empire’s top-tier power considerably.
If all went well, within years the Empire could surpass the other two interstellar civilizations.
And if they could also obtain the Crystal Orb of Insight from the Saint, then they could hope for the Heroic Soul Plan to succeed.
The only problem now was that Yuan Yi and the Oathmaster had shone too brightly.
The Supernova Battle Group and Titan Industries surely had investigators already.
If they discovered something…
Not good, not good at all.
The Empire had already lost the Crystal Orb of Insight once.
They could not lose Bai Fu.
“By every means, win Bai Fu over!
Never let the Supernova Battle Group or Titan Industries steal her away!”
The Empire’s leadership replied to Dimitri immediately.
In their eyes, Bai Fu had become one of the brightest jewels in the crown of the Empire—the crown of the sole ruler of the starry sea.
……
“Bai Fu, Annihilation seeks you,” Yulia found her.
Bai Fu smiled and nodded. “I know.”
Now, it was time to reap the harvest!