After I spent time with Kiana, I did my final divination. Aside from my [Encompassing Eyes] that are absolutely busted, I added several other cultivation specializations over the years. The divination-exclusive ability, Hexagram Spirit, enhances one's ability to peer through the temporal dimension.
After reaching the Nascent Soul Realm, I upgraded it to the fifth level. It only took several days back in the Bubble World.
It proved to be a worthwhile investment.
Immortal cultivators proved to be more resilient and threatening than anyone thought. It was a fatal mistake to gather them together.
Welt…
He's actually mobilizing the Herrscher Authority of Truth with his residual connection to it.
The scenes changed. The world in my sight remains pure black. White lines are present everywhere, seemingly leading to possible futures. Using deduction to view the events of the present is plausible with them.
In an instant, the situation of the entire 'battlefield' presented itself to my eyes. The Dao of Causality kept running. The Dharma Avatar behind me emitted a fog of white light.
Soon, the deductions changed from the "past" to the possible futures.
Hum-!
The black surroundings turned into shattered glass. The manifestation of the temporal dimension emerged.
I am currently on the "Present" plane. Both the "Past" and "Future" are covered in fog; therefore unaccessible. I can only resort to a less accurate divination using the Present's information. Each shard showed a deduced possibility of the future. The larger it is, the more chances of it happening. Similarly, interfering with bigger shards will cause bigger backlashes.
I can mitigate a part of it with the [Encompassing Eyes] and Hexagram Spirit, though it will consume a huge chunk of my mental strength. I am still recovering from the two-time usage of [Nine Lives Burning Samsara Art]. The authority of Origin only mitigated my third usage of it. I am also saving its power up for other things.
I chose not to peer into the bigger shards. I did not need much details. Some of the smaller shards imply a lot of big events.
For instance, Kiana changing into the Herrscher of Finality battlesuit. We agreed she would use it after she became the Herrscher of Finality. This is one of the few loopholes divination masters can exploit.
Just then, a stark and dreary sensation assaulted me.
I looked forward and saw a huge glass shard. Nothing could be seen on it.
As expected…
Nihility is my biggest problem.
I cancelled my divination state. The mystical mirror-like world is replaced by reality. Kiana's worried look entered my sight.
"You saw something bad."
"..."
Our five years of dual cultivation together isn't in vain. She read through my thoughts in an instant.
Helplessly, I revealed:
"It's an Aeon."
"The gods from the outside world?" Her expression turned more bleak. "Did something bad happen to you?"
"I don't know. I chose not to look at it."
I had the intuition about the extreme backlash I will face upon looking at that glass shard. Being in the "Present" plane of the temporal dimension saved me. Had the "Future" not been foggy and I chose to divine from there, peeking at that shard would have severely injured me at least. It is the equivalent of receiving an Aeon's direct gaze.
"Let's not think of it now. We still have something to do."
"...Um."
The Core of Origin inside me emanated a blinding white light. My will turned into something more substantial, capable of affecting the real world. The vast power of a fifth level Tao Heart complemented its strengths.
It did not take long for a wish to manifest tangibly. Thirteen different spots of light appeared in my vast spiritual consciousness. They corresponded to Herrscher Authorities. Four of them shone with exceptionally brilliant light—the awakened Herrschers.
The Herrscher of Finality began to take shape with my own hands.
*****
"I thought you stayed behind to buy time. I did not expect you to place much trust on them."
On the Moon, the "corpse" of the Herrscher of the End remained. Nobody knows how she died, just that the huge statue on the far side of the Moon existed. Kevin visited this place every year since his discovery.
Standing beside him was none other than Su.
"Part of it is that. My disappearance made them ready. It is a cost-effective deal."
Su possessed a hint of pride as he spoke. It was one of the rare moments where he showed this kind of emotion.
He crossed his arms behind his back. His eyes revealed a hint of melancholy at the view of the Herrscher of the End's remains.
"What we couldn't do, they can do now." He paused as he continued, "See for it yourself. I know you can't be convinced anymore."
"Did you know about that darkness?"
"Of course."
Su recalled the days when he assisted Shi Tian in suppressing Nihility's influence inside him. That gave him the same impression as a high-dimensional entity—the Cocoon of Finality.
It is more vast than the Cocoon, however.
"The kid came to Earth in an accident. He was destined for a bigger world, yet fate brought us to him."
"...You are confident he can handle it."
"Why not?"
Su's rhetorical question was met by Kevin's silence. Just as how the latter could no longer be convinced verbally, Su has placed his entire bets on Shi Tian.
"Doctor MEI was right. There are other entities aside from the Cocoon of Finality inhabiting the Imaginary Tree."
The mention of MEI's name made Kevin freeze for a moment.
"That darkness you spoke of belongs to them. Their influence spreads far and wide, to various worlds so as to speak. A single thought is enough to determine the fate of humanity."
"...I know."
The Will of Honkai died due to the Previous Era's backdoor. Kevin was able to receive the fragment of Finality due to it. His overwhelming power gave him perception unmatched by his prior self.
It was no longer within the realms of humanity, but of the gods.
That was how strong the Cocoon of Finality was.
He sensed not only the hidden entity nearby within the vast Sea of Quanta. He also caught a glimpse of a higher-dimensional entity with a slight connection to Su. They felt a lot like the "Aeons" they spoke of.
Su received Kevin's prolonged gaze and realized something.
"So it isn't my imagination."
Though his cultivation realm stagnated at the early Purple Mansion Realm, his Tao Heart had reached the fourth level. This led to him discovering more things he did not know. Su confirmed the presence of a high-dimensional entity paying attention on him.
"Humanity… still has a long way to go."