Hu Linfei spoke up with a grin. "This time, they didn't have a massive world-ending showdown ten thousand years ago. However, once we reached ten thousand years in the future, they still ended up fighting. Otherwise, we wouldn't have been sent back here."
It went without saying: they had once again been teleported back by the immense surging Energy of the two rulers while trying to prevent Ming Wang and the Snow Queen from perishing together.
Ren wanted to ask about Gui Gu's fate, but Hu Linfei caught his eye and gave a subtle look. Ren instantly understood and remained silent on the matter.
After clasping fists in farewell to Ming Wang, Ren and Hu Linfei returned to the Seventh Parallel Universe.
"Compared to the foul atmosphere of the other universes, this Seventh Parallel Universe is definitely the most comfortable," Hu Linfei remarked, leaning back lazily.
"Yeah," Ren agreed. "Out of all seven, the Snow Queen's domain is the only place where you can see a true shadow of civilization."
Now that they were alone and away from prying ears, Ren finally voiced his doubt: "What happened to Gui Gu in the end? Did you guys kill him?"
Hu Linfei replied, "Before we traveled back, no, not yet. But... I feel like Gui Gu is no longer a match for you. I suspect that the 'future you' probably dealt with him during the time we were gone!"
However, Ren didn't quite buy that. If he had the strength to kill Gui Gu, he would have done it long ago. The fact that the villain was still breathing meant there was likely a complication or a restraint he hadn't accounted for yet.
The two chatted for a while as they lounged in the trees until a green starship appeared in the sky. Miao Tiaojun scrambled out of the hatch, and upon seeing the relaxed Hu Linfei, he exploded in a fit of rage!
"AH FEI!!!"
The "Little Fatty" was surprisingly agile, scrambling up the tree and reaching Hu Linfei's side in seconds. "Ah Fei! Do you have any idea how hard I looked for you?! And here you are, just enjoying the breeze?!"
Hu Linfei's expression didn't flicker. "Fatty, I only stayed here because I believed in you. I knew you'd find me, so I waited right here for you to arrive!"
Ren hopped down from his branch with a smile. "Looks like you're heading out. Have a safe trip, and good luck breaking the cycle."
With that, Ren turned and left to continue his journey. Miao Tiaojun watched Ren's retreating back, finding him vaguely familiar. He turned to Hu Linfei. "Ah Fei, who was that? He seems familiar."
"That's the Carefree King, Ren."
"What?! It's HIM?!" Miao Tiaojun's face transformed from shock to indignation. "Ah Fei! Why didn't you tell me?! He's my idol! I've been wanting his autograph forever!"
"It's fine. We can get it when we go back."
"I guess you're right~"
After parting with Hu Linfei, Ren traveled to the Third Parallel Universe.
The main planet here was a vast desert—nothing but sand and yellow earth as far as the eye could see. Ren was curious about where the inhabitants found food and water in such a wasteland, so he went to investigate.
At this point in time, the Whale Shark King had just led his rebellion, overthrowing the rule of the Golden Elephant Tribe. He had literally gone from "serf" to "master," becoming the new ruler. However, the current Whale Shark King had not yet been consumed by greed or the lust for power. He was still an idealistic young man determined to make his tribe strong and vowed never to become the same kind of "trash" the Golden Elephant masters were.
Upon Ren's arrival as a traveler, the Whale Shark King welcomed him warmly, inviting him to witness the newfound friendship between the two tribes.
"Come, everyone! Let me introduce you," the Whale Shark King announced, pulling Ren to the center of the gathering. "This is a traveler from another universe! He arrives just in time to witness our bond. I hereby declare that from this day forward, the Whale Shark Tribe and the Golden Elephant Tribe shall coexist in peace!"
Hearing this, Ren felt a pang of awkwardness. He knew that in the "original" future, the Whale Shark King would eventually suppress the Golden Elephants with absolute force, reducing them back to slavery once tensions boiled over.
Ren glanced at Elder Yuan Zheng standing in the distance. The elder wore a satisfied smile, clearly approving of the Whale Shark King's current path.
Wait, Ren thought, is this kid just acting because Yuan Zheng is here? If that old man decided to break his vow of non-violence, the Whale Shark King would be lunch.
The realization hit him like a lightning bolt. It made sense why the Whale Shark King would show restraint now against a tribe that had oppressed him for a hundred thousand years.
Wait, that's not right either, Ren reconsidered. I remember Tai Lei didn't exterminate the Whale Sharks in the future because he didn't want to become a killer like them...
While Ren was lost in thought, the feast began. He approached Yuan Zheng. "Elder, have you truly abandoned the use of force?"
Yuan Zheng nodded. "The Whale Shark King is right. If I use force to stop them, how am I different from Ming Wang? Besides, look at them—they are getting along wonderfully."
Ren couldn't argue. At this moment, the two tribes truly did seem united by a common struggle. If he didn't know the "history" of the next hundred thousand years, he would have believed the peace was genuine.
He shook his head and offered one final warning: "Nothing stays the same forever. If you want to maintain eternal peace, you need a big enough fist. Otherwise, no one will listen to you for long."
Ren then joined the banquet. He had just eaten, but he wasn't about to turn down free food and wine. To his surprise, the "livestock" they were roasting were hearty beasts bred by the Golden Elephants. Despite the desert exterior, the planet possessed a stubborn vitality; with just a bit of effort, it could sustain life.
After a night of dancing and feasting, Ren left the Third Universe and arrived at the Sixth Parallel Universe—the home of the Baboo Tribe.
Because the Snow Queen knew she couldn't seal Ming Wang this time, she hadn't sent an army here. Consequently, the Baboo Tribe hadn't been purged by Gui Gu and were living peacefully. However, the Baboos were extremely wary of outsiders and refused to interact with Ren.
"Do I look like a bad guy?" Ren muttered, disappointed. He had hoped to recruit a Baboo as a companion, but that plan was clearly a bust.
He spent a day wandering the forest until the time came for the universes to disconnect. Forced to leave, he returned to his "birthplace" in the Seventh Universe. The First Universe was still in a primitive state and the others were unappealing, so he decided to spend his time slowly exploring his home universe.
"This time, neither the Snow Queen nor Ming Wang are sealed," Ren mused. "Does that mean Hu Linfei and the others won't have time to grow in the next cycle? I bet those two rulers will start swinging the moment they see each other again."
As the connection between the Seven Parallel Universes finally severed, Ren suddenly slapped his forehead in frustration.
"I forgot to kill Ye Xiaozi while I was at it! Dammit, the Fourth Universe's environment was so depressing I didn't even want to go there. I should have sucked it up and made the trip!"
One follow-up question: Should Ren spend the next hundred thousand years training to reach the 10.0 Black Hole threshold himself, or should he focus on creating a hidden organization within the Seventh Universe to safeguard the balance?