Within the bounded field of the First Emperor's mausoleum, the sky was a dim yellow, and cold, biting winds swept across the land, casting the world in desolation and solitude.
Outside Xianyang, the scenery was lush and beautiful, yet inside the city, it was barren and lifeless—reminding Roy of the Loess Plateau of later ages. The stark contrast only deepened the sense of eerie unease.
Amidst the endless yellow sands, a towering bronze alchemy furnace, a hundred meters high, stood where the Xianyang Palace once was. The furnace's intricate design bore many mysterious patterns, and from its openings, one could see flames burning within, emitting billowing white steam.
By one of the furnace's legs stood an old man with the youthful face of a crane—Xu Fu, the man who had "deceived" the First Emperor. Contrary to Roy's expectations, Xu Fu's first impression was remarkably pleasant, like an immortal wandering freely among the clouds, ready to ride the wind at any moment.
"Three years ago, I observed the celestial phenomena at night and divined that a stranger would descend from beyond the heavens," Xu Fu said, stroking his long beard, his eyes filled with curiosity and uncertainty as he regarded Roy. "Alas, my skills were insufficient to discern the stranger's origins—only that he would appear in the underground palace beneath Xianyang City."
"You managed to divine that I would appear in the underground palace beneath Xianyang. That's already impressive," Roy replied.
Roy knew it wasn't that Xu Fu was powerful enough to calculate the 'Ark' or matters beyond the Moonlit World. Rather, when Roy descended into this world via the 'Ark,' he formed a 'karmic bond' with it, leaving a record that Xu Fu could trace using his mystical arts.
Xu Fu shook his head, ignoring Roy's praise, and sighed. "Long ago, I divined that the Qin dynasty would last only a dozen years, ending with the second emperor, and that the one to destroy Qin would be a man of Chu. So, after foreseeing the descent of a stranger, I sought out Xiang Liang of the Xiang clan in Chu and told him of this prophecy."
"...I couldn't divine the stranger's roots or abilities. After much deliberation, I concluded he wouldn't drastically alter the course of history. Thus, I informed Xiang Liang, hoping he might gain the stranger's aid. In doing so, I merely followed the will of Heaven!"
Roy's eyes flickered with surprise. This Xu Fu truly had some skill—his mastery of celestial divination was profound enough to deduce historical trends and even foresee Roy's arrival.
"If you knew the fall of Qin to Chu was inevitable, why aid the First Emperor so extensively? Isn't that defying Heaven's will?" Roy asked, glancing at the massive alchemy furnace. Though not well-versed in mystical arts, he could tell the furnace served some grand purpose.
Xu Fu merely smiled. Instead of answering, he posed a question of his own: "...Does the King of Chu know that after Emperor Zhuanxu severed the connection between Heaven and Earth, gods and men were separated? The divine vanished from the land, and mystery began to fade. Eight hundred years ago, at the end of the Shang dynasty, a great war drove the last of the immortals and gods from this world. Human order flourished, and ever since, mortals have struggled to break free from the world's constraints. Those who dare try are inevitably thwarted by the Counter Force."
"...Yet the world is fraught with calamity. In the future, mankind will face countless disasters, with odds of extinction so high it chills the soul. Beyond this planet, foreign enemies lie in wait. The trials of human order are as arduous as scaling the heavens!"
"I have exhausted my spirit divining countless futures for mankind, and every conclusion is the same: humanity is doomed. Alas, how tragic! The limits of mankind... lie here!"
Xu Fu wore an expression of profound sorrow, lamenting as if mourning all of creation.
Roy seized the opportunity to interject, "...Are you trying to say that because humanity is doomed to extinction and has its limits, you decided to stop being human?"
With his decent understanding of the Moonlit World, Roy knew that what Xu Fu was describing aligned precisely with the research of the 'Atlas Institute' from the future Mage's Association. No matter how the 'Atlas Institute' calculated, their conclusions always pointed to humanity's inevitable demise, driving countless directors to madness as they desperately sought a path to save mankind—only to fail every time.
Roy even wondered if Xu Fu, too, had foreseen humanity's extinction and, like the directors of the 'Atlas Institute,' was searching for a way to save it. His solution? If everyone stopped being human, then humanity wouldn't face extinction.
That... was certainly one way to look at it.
As for whether Xu Fu had any connection to the Atlas Institute far in Egypt, Roy doubted it. In this era around 200 BCE, the Mage's Association likely only had the Wandering Sea in its infancy, while the Clock Tower and Atlas Institute hadn't even taken shape yet. In that sense, Xu Fu's ideology could be considered the precursor to the Atlas Institute's philosophy.
Xu Fu froze for a moment, caught off guard, as if he hadn't expected Roy's train of thought to jump so abruptly.
"No, no, no. Getting all of humanity to stop being human is far too difficult—I don't think it's feasible," Xu Fu quickly shook his head, dismissing Roy's speculation. After a pause, he continued, "...I, too, am human. My calculations show that humanity is doomed to perish. Since extinction is inevitable, why bother resisting it? I only need to follow the ancients—leave this world for the 'outside.' Whatever becomes of humanity in the end has nothing to do with me!"
"...Unfortunately, I was born in the wrong era, during the Spring and Autumn period. The ancients of the late Shang dynasty were the last to depart this world. Since then, breaking free from this land has become increasingly difficult—the Counter Force will surely intervene. But I will never give up."
Xu Fu's words made Roy realize his true goal.
One could say this alchemist truly embodied the Eastern concept of 'transcendence.' His approach was remarkably pragmatic.
The people of the 'Atlas Institute' sought to save all of humanity, driving themselves mad in the process. While their ideals seemed noble, the practical execution was impossibly difficult.
Xu Fu, however, was far wiser. He didn't care about humanity's ultimate fate, nor did he try to avert its extinction. He only sought his own transcendence—escaping the inevitable doom.
If he could reach the 'outside' like the ancients, he would sever all ties with this world. Whether humanity perished, the world ended, or some celestial calamity struck—none of it would concern him. That was true immortality.
On the surface, his motives seemed entirely selfish. Yet Roy had to admit—this was the essence of humanity. Xu Fu was the more complete human being! Those who thought like saints were no longer truly human.
"The First Emperor can help you—that's why you're helping him!"
Roy glanced up again at the massive alchemical furnace, his expression thoughtful.
"Precisely so!"
Xu Fu nodded with a smile, then turned his gaze to Yu Meiren, sighing regretfully, "...Fairy, you were once a celestial being, yet you chose to descend upon this mortal earth. Eight hundred years ago, you had the chance to return to the heavens, to live as long as the universe itself, free from the entanglements of karma. Yet, to my surprise, you missed that opportunity and became tainted by worldly dust."
He shook his head, murmuring with profound sorrow.
But Yu Meiren took two steps closer to Roy, grasping his large hand, and replied to Xu Fu with a radiant smile, "...Yet it is precisely because I remained on this earth that I was able to meet the Great King."
Xu Fu's cheek twitched slightly, as if uncomfortable with being subjected to such displays of affection here. Tamamo-no-Mae seemed to share his sentiment.
"Xu Fu, is this the so-called 'Outworlder' you spoke of?"
Just then, a voice emanated from the massive alchemical furnace—a voice brimming with majestic authority.