"…"

The Herrscher of Sentience fell silent.

She wasn't a fool. The words Lu Xing had just spoken… while not entirely lies, if even 50% were true, it would already qualify as "sincere."

According to her judgment.

Lu Xing's description of the Fusion Soldiers' strength was likely accurate—the very reason she operated on the network and consciousness planes was because she simply couldn't defeat humans in reality, especially a certain white-haired individual who wielded a comrade's heart as a weapon.

Viewed this way.

Lu Xing being severely injured should also be true.

Although this lower-tier Honkai Beast possessed high intelligence, its strength was merely at the Emperor-class level; it was only natural that it couldn't defeat a Judgement-class.

As for her own great peacock…

Moyuli was also no match for a Judgement-class opponent. If the enemy's strength was so overwhelming that Moyuli couldn't retreat, then it might indeed cover Lu Xing's escape—but not to protect the latter, rather to depart with its Honkai Core.

After all.

As her companion Honkai Beast, as long as its Honkai Core remained intact, there was definitely a possibility of bringing it back.

Pity—

"Is that so."

The Herrscher of Sentience believed him, or at least, she appeared to believe him on the surface. Simultaneously, as she spoke, she transferred her own Honkai energy to Lu Xing.

Overflowing Honkai energy materialized from the void.

Energy from a higher dimension instantly repaired Lu Xing's injuries to their original state, and incidentally, refilled all his previously depleted reserves.

A Herrscher could not be a lone ruler.

With Moyuli now dead, she needed a capable subordinate to help her command the legions.

"Let's put Moyuli's matter aside for now."

The Herrscher of Sentience acted as if she had done nothing, lowering the hand she had placed on Lu Xing's armor. Her next sentence, however, directly gave Lu Xing a new understanding of her progress:

"I've found their base."

Undoubtedly, "they" referred to the Flame-Chasers.

"You will command the legions."

"I need a more ferocious offensive… ideally, one that can pin down all the troublesome humans on the front lines."

"That way, I can…"

"Wipe them all out in one fell swoop."

———

"Vmm."

A ring materialized in the air.

Following the Herrscher of Sentience's command, Lu Xing departed from "Heng He Li" and headed towards the Pacific Ocean region. There, he would take over from the local Emperor-class Honkai Beast and command this ragtag army… or rather, these two ragtag armies.

However, before that.

Lu Xing first made a detour back to Australia.

Moyuli was gone. During Lu Xing's absence, he needed to find a suitable subordinate to go and look after the Honkai Energy Rift in "Heng He Li."

The Herrscher of Sentience had no time to wait for the rift to grow stronger.

But Lu Xing was different; if he wanted his legion to become powerful, the rift was an absolutely necessary existence.

In any case, Moyuli had already taken the blame for its creation, so dispatching a more astute Honkai Beast there was still a very necessary matter.

Capable of crossing vast oceans…

For such a task, only the Big Crab in the entire legion was relatively suitable.

However.

Before dispatching the Tide-class on its mission—

"She's sending you to your death."

Shesha, perched on his shoulder, stated bluntly.

Whether in the Pacific or the Atlantic, apart from the initial large-scale offensives, the Emperor-class Honkai Beasts leading those two legion divisions simply dared not show their faces—both Kevin and Elysia were beings capable of crushing them with a single blow.

"Correct."

"Theoretically speaking, that is indeed the case."

"?"

Shesha couldn't understand Lu Xing's words.

Knowingly going to one's death—this didn't seem like the Emperor who had just delivered a stellar acting performance.

"Before the great peacock perished."

"Commanding two ragtag armies in an offensive was indeed no different from suicide."

"But now…"

Lu Xing's words were cut short by a sudden question from Shesha.

"What did you do to Moyuli's corpse?"

"Oh?"

This was the first time Shesha had managed to keep up with Lu Xing's line of thought.

"Emperor."

"You once gave my eyeball to humans."

Shesha's gaze was fixed intently on Lu Xing's eye, though the latter didn't meet its stare.

"Those individuals who fought Moyuli earlier."

"Those humans you call Fusion Soldiers, they all carry the aura of Emperor-class Honkai Beasts within them… and one of them was a Honkai I knew."

"Coupled with the question you asked me back then…"

"Emperor."

"You intend to control that human, the one who is highly likely to fuse with Moyuli's body; and this human is the key to you breaking free from the Eighth Herrscher's control."

"Am I right?"

———

"Ha…"

"Hahahaha!!"

"Shesha! Shesha!!"

The mental reverberations caused Shesha's consciousness to blur for a moment.

Since inheriting the old Emperor's will, no, since transmigrating to this world, this was the first time Lu Xing had laughed so freely and heartily.

During this period of being "inseparable" from Lu Xing, Shesha had finally begun to understand him on a deeper level.

This feeling.

It wasn't quite that of a confidant, but to have someone understand his thoughts—even if it was a Honkai Beast, it didn't matter—was indeed an exceptionally pleasant thing.

"You're right."

"I am the one who allowed the Herrscher of Sentience to be born into this world."

"Her authority, something even that idiotic O peacock could accomplish, do you think I'm incapable of it?"

Before Shesha could answer, Lu Xing continued.

"Aquatic Honkai Beasts, Ranger-class."

"They possess a special ability called [Fission]. The weakened individuals born from this ability can bear a portion of the original's will."

Lu Xing paused slightly.

"Moyuli's birth was inseparable from the combined effect of the Herrscher's consciousness and my Honkai energy. Its body…"

Shesha, having understood the course of events, slowly finished Lu Xing's sentence:

"Is equivalent to your avatar."

"After Moyuli's consciousness dissipated, you can then use the Herrscher's authority to inject your own consciousness into its dead shell."

"…"

Lu Xing didn't continue this topic, instead slowly extending his hand towards his shoulder—Shesha instinctively wanted to dodge, but at the last moment, it suppressed the urge to move aside.

It was terrifying.

Although it was terrifying, the Emperor's willingness to so "frankly and sincerely" explain the entire matter to it also indicated that he truly considered it one of his own Honkai.

Such a powerful backer—

"The human who will fuse with Moyuli… are they very strong?"

"Very strong."

"As long as he successfully becomes a Fusion Soldier, he will possess the power to defeat the Herrscher of Sentience. In the not-too-distant future… even slightly contending with humanity's strongest warrior will not be a difficult task for him."

"…"

"Emperor."

Shesha slowly lowered its head, as if kowtowing, pressing it tightly against the surface of Lu Xing's pauldron.

"What is it?"

"Do you… possess the authority to peer into the future?"

"The future? …No."

Lu Xing gently shook his head.

System, Honkai, Imaginary Space…

Shesha's question made Lu Xing ponder for a moment, truly just for a moment, about the ultimate origin of the power he wielded.

"It's probably just."

"A god's 'blessing,' that's all."