"I see."
"So, this is the reason you led me here?"
Lu Xing glanced impassively at Xiao Zi beside him.
Aside from the fact that they were old acquaintances, which was a slight surprise to Odin, the rest was within expectations. As the Hybrid Honkai Beasts' and this civilization's final guide—though even he didn't know where he was leading them—Odin must have maintained a considerable degree of control over the mere few hundred Hybrids.
Given his current physical condition, rushing into battle would be an extremely dangerous act, but that didn't mean he had lost his eyes and ears as well.
"Correct."
"Visitor, it is just as you have guessed."
Allowing a target that his current top combatant couldn't even stop to walk so openly into his hiding place was, aside from a show of magnanimity and sincerity, mostly an act of desperation.
Just as Lu Xing could see Odin's authorities.
This "god," who at his peak was possibly even more powerful than the Imaginary Emperor, could likewise sense the Herrscher authorities on Lu Xing.
Setting aside the fact that fusing seven authorities into one body was something Odin had never even conceived of—simultaneously controlling three authorities was already the result of his comprehensive and detailed analysis of [Shenhuo]—the Honkai Beast before him, of unknown origin, possessed the power Odin craved most: the Authority of the Void.
With this authority.
Even in the deepest part of the Quantum Sea, there was surely a possibility of escape.
"Then..."
Lu Xing's arm slowly lifted, and the spatial rings connecting his six limbs to his torso began to light up with a brilliant golden glow.
"You want me... to take you away from here?"
"..."
"No. It is to take them."
"?"
As mentioned before.
Using spatial energy in this World Bubble was an extremely troublesome affair.
A large-scale spatial fluctuation could very well trigger a "spatial collapse," which in turn would cause the Quantum Sea, held at bay by the spatial barrier, to rush in in the form of a great tsunami—the kind from the Book of Genesis.
Without a doubt.
Power of that magnitude could absolutely submerge in an instant... no, it would instantly and utterly crush the entire World Bubble!
Aside from the limitations on volume.
The "energy level" of the individuals being transported during a spatial jump also had a huge impact on Honkai energy consumption. Although Odin's current state could be described as knocking on death's door, wanting to take him out of the World Bubble—just leaving, nothing more—would require Lu Xing to act at his absolute peak condition.
And even a spatial jump of that level would only transport Lu Xing and Odin from the World Bubble into the Quantum Sea. To survive, they would still need to find another World Bubble at an appropriate distance, with an appropriate barrier thickness, and an appropriate civilization energy level. Only after repeating this process countless times would Lu Xing possibly be able to bring Odin out of the Quantum Sea.
If this "request" could be considered a mission, it would certainly be of the highest difficulty.
Lu Xing understood Odin's thoughts clearly.
He wasn't afraid of the other party trying to use force. To pose a threat to him, Odin's remaining power might be able to break his defense, but that would inevitably require him to stake his life on it.
And...
The hope of wanting to live, no matter the cost—Lu Xing knew exactly what that felt like.
He empathized deeply.
Therefore, regarding Odin's wish to leave this World Bubble, Lu Xing could only express that he was powerless to help. Through their earlier conversation, Lu Xing had gained a certain understanding of the Quantum Tides. Before the next Tide capable of birthing a being of "Tonatiuh's" level appeared, the time Lu Xing had was probably only enough to restore his Honkai energy reserves to about 35%.
This amount...
The coordinates of this World Bubble's descent into the sea were simply too deep. Lu Xing couldn't even sense his own avatars. To leave this place, he could only use the brute-force method mentioned earlier—using other World Bubbles sunk in the Quantum Sea as stepping stones to climb out bit by bit.
On the premise that his own Honkai energy reserves were sufficient to ensure his safety, if he were to use [Warp Drive] to leave this world, Lu Xing could only take Xiao Zi with him.
He couldn't even take her two followers. It was only at this moment that Lu Xing learned that Xiao Zi's two followers were also the same "little brothers" he had met once before, who had even served as his temporary subordinates for a time.
Therefore.
Just as Lu Xing was preparing to refuse Odin's request, the other party's answer had caught him by such surprise.
"Them?"
"Them."
"Not including you?"
"Not including me."
As the most ancient creature in this World Bubble.
It was impossible for Odin not to know the consequences of large-scale spatial fluctuations. Even if he were in his complete state, he could absolutely not survive a quantum tsunami... That was a force even more terrifying than swimming in the Quantum Sea, a force sufficient to destroy all traces of a civilization.
One must remember.
Before this short conversation, in order to survive, Odin had "killed" both his master and his comrade.
Such a ruthless, cruel, and yet profoundly real god—
"Is it so unbelievable?"
The great golden bird's heterochromatic eyes remained fixed on him.
Odin's answer had indeed caused an irrepressible fluctuation in Lu Xing's spiritual world, one he couldn't even conceal.
"Time is the most terrifying force."
"It is capable of changing many things, especially... the survival attitude and methods of a being that has existed for a 'long' time."
The wings, shining with a golden radiance, flapped gently.
A gorgeous play of light and shadow flickered within the vast and dim underground fortress.
"Visitor."
"Even you... I can see it. Even you have likely walked step-by-step to the position you are in today."
It wasn't difficult to see this.
Although Odin couldn't sense Lu Xing's still "incomplete" Honkai Crystal, he could guess a thing or two just from the types of authorities he displayed.
"The you of today."
"Are you... still the same as the you from the beginning?"
"..."
"..."
Xiao Zi beside him, the Hybrids on the perimeter.
These few two hundred Hybrid Honkai Beasts—under the capture of his spiritual power, all of their auras were reflected in Lu Xing's mind.
"Indeed."
"..."
"Senior, what you say makes a great deal of sense."
"Then..."
The emotional tone gradually became formal, signifying that Lu Xing, who was "negotiating" with Odin, had reverted to the demeanor befitting an Emperor.
"Tell me your plan."
"And... Lord Odin, what price are you willing to pay for this?"