The flaw of a Destiny Dynasty was naturally extremely large, and moreover, it was laid bare for all to see. Many times, it would become a shackle. Of course, if one's strength was great enough, then a shackle was no longer a shackle, and a flaw no longer a flaw—it could even become the strongest part of the dynasty. But under normal circumstances, such a worry was not without merit.
Yet now, this was the epoch of the final decisive battle between Eternal Night and the Eternal World. How far that ultimate war would go, no one could predict. Once it began, Great Yi could also be reduced to ruins. The destructive power of such a battle would absolutely exceed ordinary imagination.
If some catastrophic force truly descended within Great Yi's borders and caused devastating destruction… the damage to Great Yi would be shocking.
Therefore, Yi Tianxing was not the only one searching for a fallback for Great Yi, seeking a solution, cutting off the hidden danger looming overhead. If the moment of crisis arrived, he had to ensure that the Great Yi Celestial Court could still maintain its national destiny unextinguished, its fortune unbroken.
Now, upon hearing that within the Palace Treasure Tree, countless Cave Heavens had been opened, and that with sufficient resources and cultivation, they could even evolve into Small Thousand Worlds, Middle Thousand Worlds, or perhaps even Great Thousand Worlds in the future—although difficult, the potential was visible.
To plan ahead before the rain fell was the true path to long-lasting stability.
Liu Bowen and the other Great Yi ministers, as pillars of the dynasty, were naturally concerned with the road for Great Yi to endure for all eternity. Their first thought was to leave a backup plan, a hidden card, for Great Yi. When enemies believed Great Yi was on the verge of disaster, only then would they discover that Great Yi's foundation was far deeper and stronger than they ever imagined.
These Abyss Heavens could entirely serve as Great Yi's fallback—and even its future.
"Since all of you agree with this emperor, after I opened up these many Cave Heavens, I have already sealed and bound all their qi, severing any connection with the outside world. Although each Cave Heaven is only a mere hundred miles across for now, this is only the present, not the future. As more resources are invested, the heavens will grow, the space will expand. With persistence, in a thousand years, in ten thousand years, they will be the indestructible foundation of Great Yi."
Yi Tianxing nodded and said, "Therefore, I intend to migrate population into these Cave Heavens."
"May I ask, Your Majesty, with what purpose this migration is to be carried out?"Liu Bowen asked.
"Oh? If my beloved minister has any suggestions, speak freely."Yi Tianxing smiled, gesturing for him to continue.
"Your servant has two approaches in mind," Liu Bowen said slowly. "The first: directly place the common folk inside, let them develop and multiply on their own, growing together with those worlds. With the passage of time, they would naturally create their own civilizations.
"The second: dispatch our officials, establish Immortal Cities, then move the people inside, governing them under Great Yi's laws and systems. In this way, those citizens will seamlessly inherit Great Yi's civilization, becoming part of us from the start. Once they are fully integrated, they will instantly and perfectly fit into our structure."
Both options clearly had their merits. One was to absorb and wholly assimilate them into Great Yi's domains; the other was to let a hundred flowers bloom, cultivating diverse civilizations, each with limitless potential.
"In my humble view, the second approach is of far greater benefit to Great Yi's future," said Liu Bowen. "It ensures that the new domains will belong to us entirely, saving untold effort later. Of course, we can try both methods—direct control for the majority, but allow a portion to develop independently, in case new sparks of civilization appear. Let both paths advance together. But the majority should still be governed directly by Great Yi."
Jia Xu smiled and added, "It is necessary to test different possibilities. Every unique spark of civilization could lead to new brilliance. With so many Abyss Heavens at our disposal, we have the perfect opportunity to attempt both approaches. Yet our focus must always be on building the eternal foundation of Great Yi."
Yi Tianxing nodded. "Very well. The population can be drawn from the Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Tower. This time we obtained billions upon billions of people—enough to fill every space. We shall dispatch them directly, establishing Immortal Cities within the Cave Heavens. As for governors and officials, can our reserves of talent sustain such appointments?"
Xun Yu immediately responded: "Your Majesty, over the years countless talents have emerged within Great Yi, refined through our various systems. Our reserves are sufficient to support this expansion. However, once transferred, our stock of capable officials will be depleted, and we will urgently require a new generation of talents."
Yi Tianxing nodded again. "No matter. A new round of imperial examinations is about to begin, and from it we will gather fresh talents. But those chosen for the Cave Heavens must be carefully prepared. Once inside, they will have little contact with the outside world, even their families. If their families agree, relocate them together to avoid the pain of separation. Explain all of this clearly in advance. If they refuse, place a seal of silence on them and respect their wishes. For those who accept, their treatment will be more generous than ordinary."
"Yes, Your Majesty. We shall arrange this carefully."Xi Zhicai and the others all assented.
Yi Tianxing continued: "And what of the Immortal Cities required? This operation demands a vast number. Do we have enough in reserve?"
Pei Ju stepped forward. "Please rest assured, Your Majesty. Our reserves of Immortal Cities are abundant. Enough to support this deployment, and more are being continuously forged day and night. There will be no shortage."
"Good. Then I leave this matter in your hands. Remember, not a whisper of the Cave Heavens must leak outside."
"Yes, Your Majesty!!"The ministers replied in unison.
…
Soon, beneath a calm surface, Great Yi's power began to move. Vast numbers of animals, birds, and beasts, as well as seeds of plants and trees, were quietly gathered in Xuanhuang Immortal City, and then disappeared without a trace.
Great quantities of materials were also secretly mobilized, vanishing silently.
Soon, people began to notice: many famous talents, once active in various regions—those who had passed the imperial examinations and been recognized as governors or city lords—had mysteriously disappeared, sometimes even with their families. Some were newly married, their spouses gone as well.
At first, people thought little of it. After all, migration between Immortal Cities was permitted and not uncommon. Many enjoyed pioneering new settlements.
But this time, the scale was unusual—many renowned figures disappeared at once. On the StarNet, they could no longer be contacted. Messages went unanswered, video calls were declined. If not for their Life Stars still shining in the firmament, people might have thought they had perished.
Rumors spread—yet most common folk only gossiped briefly, then let it go. After all, many assumed these people had simply been reassigned by the Immortal Court to govern newly acquired domains.
And so, the matter faded from public attention.
Meanwhile, within the hidden Cave Heavens of the Palace Treasure Tree, one Immortal City after another silently took shape in the central regions. City lords and officials assumed their posts, and vast waves of common folk poured into them, beginning new lives in unseen worlds.