"Nan Ma?" Bai Zhongqi's ire rose upon seeing the figure before him.
Two Incandescence Cannons aboard the Homeland Titan immediately fired, white light splashing forth and shooting directly at the figure.
However, after the white light receded, that figure was still standing there.
"Sorry, Chancellor, I don't have the courage to appear before you in the flesh," said the illusion of Nan Ma.
Bai Zhongqi clenched his fists and narrowed his eyes slightly, asking, "Then, are you here to mock me?"
Nan Ma shook his head, his expression extremely solemn, very unlike the Star Warrior master that Bai Zhongqi remembered who never seemed serious.
"Yongxi was killed by you, wasn't he?" Nan Ma asked.
Bai Zhongqi was somewhat surprised, but quickly realized something and countered, "Are you a Pilgrim?"
Nan Ma's expression remained unchanged as he admitted, "Yes, I was born in the Sacred Garden and have been a Pilgrim from birth, carrying the mission entrusted to me by the Pilgrims when I arrived on Iridium Star."
Bai Zhongqi gritted his teeth, "As I thought. The Pilgrims had interfered from the beginning."
Bai Zhongqi also thought of many problems. Even before he had any contact with the secrets of the Elder Race, the Pilgrims already possessed some critical intelligence and had planted Nan Ma in the United Empire of Iridium Star. Although his comrades looked down on the Pilgrims, it was clear that the Pilgrims had considerable ability in foresight and other matters.
At that moment, Nan Ma asked again, "Did you kill Yongxi?"
Bai Zhongqi answered without pausing, "I escaped, isn't that obvious?"
Nan Ma gave a self-deprecating laugh, "Right."
"What are you really here for? To tell me that you Pilgrims have been manipulating me from the start?"
Nan Ma shook his head, "Not at all, quite the contrary, I greatly respect you, Chancellor. It's just regrettable that our positions are naturally opposed. The Pilgrims are not as simple as you think; we too have a complex system, with desires and interests."
He paused, then continued, "Yongxi was just a novice, too trusting of the teachings within the Sacred Garden. In fact, when he left Sacred Garden to assassinate you, I already knew he would not succeed."
Bai Zhongqi remained silent, looking at the Nan Ma before him who seemed like a stranger.
Nan Ma appeared somewhat weary, perhaps more from his state of mind.
"Well, just so you know, Yongxi was my junior brother. He didn't like me and even thought I was incompetent and pathetic, but still, he was my junior brother," Nan Ma rambled on.
Bai Zhongqi coldly asked, "Do you plan to kill me to avenge your junior fellow disciple?"
Nan Ma shook his head weakly and sighed, "You're too hard to kill."
Bai Zhongqi suddenly thought of something and asked, "Back then at Cliffless Palace, you had the chance to kill me, why didn't you do it?"
Nan Ma, floating in space, a solitary figure, said, "Perhaps I was too afraid to die. Back then, killing you would have gathered the law of cause and effect into a torrent that would have completely crushed me."
Bai Zhongqi observed his facial expressions and bodily movements very closely and felt that he was somewhat insincere.
Nan Ma spoke again, "This time I came to say hello, after all, as enemies, it would be very disrespectful to keep you completely in the dark. I can't speak for the Pilgrims, but I know about the Pilgrims' plans and actions. You pose too great a threat to the Pilgrims, and they will spare no effort in trying to eliminate you. Yongxi is Plan A; after its failure, there is an even larger scale backup plan, which started the moment you escaped the false world and entered the First Universe."
Bai Zhongqi instantly realized something, "Damn, you're delaying my time."
Nan Ma denied, "Even if you've realized it, it's of no use. The cards the Pilgrims threw out this time to deal with you are terrifying."
Bai Zhongqi demanded, "What are you trying to do?"
Nan Ma finally smiled, a very mocking smile, "The Pilgrims, who claim to believe in the true god of the universe, are always using various means to attempt creation. However, the universes they create are never as perfect as the real Universe. Actually, the Pilgrims' methods are very old-fashioned. If a small fish tank is shattered by the fish, then just replace it with a bigger one."
"You're trying to trap me in another fish tank? Dream on, those tricks worked once, but I won't be fooled a second time."
"No, no, no, Chancellor, you might have misunderstood. This time, the big fish tank is an experiment of the Pilgrims' technology and capabilities that took tens of billions of years to build up. The Sacred Garden won't create a new universe, but rather will cut out three galaxies from three universes and merge them into one galaxy within a universe. Such a thing was impossible for the Pilgrims initially, but one hundred and fifty million years ago, a genius Holy Judge in a damaged universe obtained a universe framework, which was itself a real world. Now, all the Pilgrims need do is cut the three Stellar Galaxies and embed them into this already broken universe, to complete its properties and rules, letting it stabilize. Like the previous fish tank, this place will be completely sealed off; your Elder Race companions will not be able to enter to help you, and this time, you won't even receive any news from them."
Bai Zhongqi could hardly believe what Nan Ma was saying, "You... you all are a bunch of madmen!"
"From an outsider's perspective, that is indeed the case," Nan Ma said with a severe face, yet a shameless smile that was characteristic of him stretched almost to the back of his ears. At that moment, Bai Zhongqi looked at him and felt that the big smile seemed exceedingly terrifying.
Nan Ma's illusion stood before the enormous Homeland Titan, appearing minuscule. Illuminated by the starlight of the universe, he looked unfathomable.
"Actually, the Pilgrims have been trying this plan for up to two thousand years, from before I arrived at Iridium Star, the Sacred Garden had already been making arrangements. The galaxies of the First Universe, the Second Universe, and the Snow Dragon Galaxy from the Third Universe will merge into one galaxy, one universe. This grand universal-scale spatial movement will unleash immense power, and many celestial bodies across the three galaxies will be destroyed. Oh, and the Pilgrims have also developed a way to suppress the storage technology of the Glass Beads to prevent you from thinking about taking refuge by collecting all your planets with the Golden Great Sail Ship inside the Glass Beads."
Bai Zhongqi roared, "Damn it, I won't spare you."
Nan Ma nodded, very seriously, "I know, this is an arena between the Elder Race and the Pilgrims; you came in, naturally, there's also a Pilgrims' challenger. I'll be somewhere in this universe, waiting for you, hoping you can kill me."
At that very moment, Bai Zhongqi was greatly shocked, he felt the space he was in suddenly shake violently, an indescribable yet clear feeling transmitted to his heart.
Like a piece of cake being cut from the center.