Chapter 448: The Fate of a Stone (Two-in-One)

Xu Zhi was stunned on the spot.

The serene, emerald forest was elegant, like a fairyland, and the atmosphere was very serious. He was about to comfort Caroline, when suddenly, someone hiding in the shadows blurted out, "Do you want a condom...?"

The atmosphere instantly froze, and all the carefully built mood vanished.

"What a lunatic!"

"Impudence! How dare you be so irreverent! You insult an ancient deity!" Caroline instantly understood the meaning, a flash of anger crossing her face.

*Boom!* A dark red divine light enveloped the area.

The Balloonfish was instantly sent flying, its face a picture of bewilderment. *It had tried everything to prove its usefulness to them, yet it was still silenced for discovering their affair. This really is an alien world, where lives are treated like dirt... I'm trying my best to survive! I was even prepared for the utmost humiliation...*

*Boom boom boom boom!!*

The Balloonfish crashed through countless trees, plowing a massive gully in the ground.

"This guy, I always thought he was quite honest and good at surviving. Why did he suddenly say something so suicidal?" Xu Zhi gazed into the distance, baffled, unaware of the strange workings of the other's mind or what it was currently imagining. He was simply speechless.

Allowing these players into the sandbox world always led to trouble, even disrupting his own actions. What was supposed to be a comfortable historical process, chatting and watching the distant battles of the gods, was now interrupted.

"My apologies," Caroline said, taking a deep breath.

Her face was clearly flushed. She hadn't expected such an abrupt outburst. "That creature is the ancestor of a special material used by us Ishdal people in ancient times. It was likely a misunderstanding, but... it probably didn't have ill intentions."

Xu Zhi shook his head, indicating it was fine.

He silently thought that the Balloonfish was lucky to be alive.

If it weren't for Du Xue, whom Caroline had previously encountered with this unique Balloonfish creature, given her usual decisive temperament, such an offense would have resulted in its death many times over. She harbored a special affection for Du Xue and her group, and also recognized the Balloonfish's unique nature – that it was outside the trajectory of fate, the only variable in this world. Hence, she did not strike with full force.

In the distance, the sent-flying Balloonfish rolled wildly on the ground, spitting blood and feeling dizzy and disoriented. Discovering that it hadn't been beaten to death, it was filled with a sense of relief at having survived a catastrophe. *Sure enough, I was too direct. I'm really not a true Umbrella Corporation; my business skills are lacking.*

However, its expression subtly changed when it heard the voice just as it was struck away: "Our Ishdal people's special material... What does that mean? Do they know my past? Is this god an Ishdal deity?"

*Was there a hidden truth?*

Seeing that it wasn't dead, it inexplicably decided to sneak back closer. The fact that it was only severely injured as a lesson, not killed, proved that the two beings had no intention of ending its life.

After all, if it truly was connected to the Ishdal, they wouldn't kill it out of consideration for Du Xue, and it might even be able to ask for their help.

The gossip from before could be ignored, but this new revelation was worth risking its life for! It might gain the assistance of an astonishingly powerful entity.

Xia Naiming looked up into the distance.

"The battle is extremely difficult. Du Xue is still hidden, waiting for a fatal blow... But Du Xue's presence has probably already been detected by Emperor of Great Joy, because no matter how well she hides, it can't defy a future that's already foreseen..."

*Boom!* The sky changed color, and energy storms dissipated.

As merely a Heavenly Emperor, he could do nothing. He could only continuously send screenshots outside, letting netizens discuss and try to figure out a solution.

By now, the outside world must be going crazy, right?

The multiverse theory...

A mechanical battle armor three times the size of a Creator God...

Yet another ancient deity suddenly appearing...

He looked into the distance. Now, he could only try his luck here, hoping to gain some advantage. "After all, we cannot lose. The fate of Du Xue, the three major races, and the entire world depends on this."

He quietly approached.

*Swish!*

Two ancient deities from a distant era were conversing, sitting on a large white stone, holding two white porcelain cups filled with white liquid, drinking together. It was elegant and classical, exuding an aura of profound mystery.

A gentle breeze blew, and leaves drifted leisurely, covering the mountains and green trees. In the distance, gods battled, the three major races besieging the Emperor of Great Joy, like a magnificent fireworks dream, cheering on the reunion of the two ancient deities.

As they conversed, there was a subtle, peaceful understanding between them, making it unbearable to interrupt.

*Screenshot, screenshot.*

"What kind of heavenly treasures are these two beings drinking? Ten-thousand-year-old stalactite milk? Thousand-year-old spiritual spring? The wine of immortality?" Xia Naiming couldn't help but ponder as he witnessed this scene.

"I have never controlled anyone's destiny, and the same applies to yours," the Ancient God's voice was calm and clear.

"What is destiny?" the ethereal voice asked.

This question troubled her. She had always been straightforward in her speech, and it remained true now.

"You ask what destiny is?" Xu Zhi picked up a small white stone, raised his hand, and tossed it onto the ground in the distance. The little stone tumbled a few times awkwardly on the muddy ground before finally coming to a stop.

"Look, this stone is destiny."

Xu Zhi smiled faintly. "Now, can you see its trajectory?"

Caroline looked at the stone.

With her computational power, she could naturally calculate its trajectory, landing point, forces, tumbles, and final resting place from the moment it was thrown.

In her eyes, the stone's future was predetermined.

The stone was like life: born of being thrown, dying at rest. The process between life and death was destiny – tumbling, colliding, smoothing edges, or becoming sharper, all representing the myriad changes in life...

But these changes could be calculated.

Caroline gazed at the stone with a sigh. She controlled the stone's destiny, and the stone was a slave to destiny, just as she was.

Xu Zhi smiled faintly. "What if, before the stone was thrown, you could calculate its future destiny? Is the destiny you've now calculated a choice you, as destiny, forcibly made for it, or is it a choice the stone will make on its own in the future, merely observed by you?"

These two questions made Caroline pause.

She began to ponder seriously, her expression deep and solemn. Gradually, her demeanor completely changed, and her eyes slowly brightened, as if struck by lightning on a clear day. Much of the discomfort she felt about herself dissipated.

Her journey to this day was indeed her own choice.

Just like this stone of destiny, she had never acted against her will or been forcibly manipulated. She was merely given a key to pry open the door of destiny.

Even if, for argument's sake, she was guided by destiny to reach this point, she had now transcended destiny. Standing alongside the Ancient God, she had also become another entity that could not be calculated, having leapt beyond the three realms and outside the five elements.

Xu Zhi continued, looking at her, "You should be able to distinguish cause and effect. No one manipulated you. Your destiny unfolds in accordance with your character only after you make your choices and decisions... If I truly were destiny, you would no longer be my slave. You are already free. You are another destiny, the destiny of a parallel universe."

*I have also become the destiny of a civilization?*

Caroline was completely moved. A trace of warmth rose within her. She respectfully stood up and bowed deeply. "Thank you for considering my feelings and explaining this to me."

Xu Zhi also stood up, smiling. "We are lonely, for we can only rely on each other. We are the grave keepers of two civilizations, moving forward side by side."

Xu Zhi still knew what she needed, just as he had with Medusa and Di Qi.

Perhaps this was the blindness of those involved, or perhaps it was because he stood high enough above them. To him, they were "little people in a bottle," and he, from outside the bottle, watched their entire life journeys, every step they took to reach this day.

But could Caroline not see it clearly?

With her wisdom, she certainly could.

So why was she still bewildered? Lost and overwhelmed?

Because humans are ultimately not entirely rational. Being able to see something clearly doesn't mean one can accept it, especially for an Ishdal person, who is extremely emotional, passionate, and prone to extremism. At this moment, she still needed someone to accompany her, someone to guide her, just as before.

"Thank you," she said, taking a deep breath, her expression gradually firming.

Before the Ancient God, she was as small and weak as an ant, easily crushable, yet she was given the highest, equal treatment.

The Ancient God was her guide, leading her to this point. She had also become independent, becoming the destiny of a parallel universe.

Indeed, the two of them were now unique existences in this world, with no other peers. Lonely, solitary, as grave keepers of civilizations, they could only support each other and advance side by side.

In fact, the mechanical armor made from the remains of a Ninth-Tier God was indeed terrifying. The Ancient God's realm, she didn't know how formidable it truly was.

But in the future, she would also strive to break through to the Ninth-Tier... perhaps even become a terrifying existence with heaven-defying combat power, like the Ancient God, capable of killing a world-level Ninth-Tier ancient being with tens of thousands of years of life and directly forging it into a weapon.

She had always been ambitious! And now, seeing such terrifying things, her ambition only grew.

*Whoosh.*

Caroline reached out, and the stone vanished into thin air.

Xu Zhi was momentarily stunned, then chuckled, watching Caroline's little gesture.

This person had a hoarding habit reminiscent of a groundhog from long ago. First, it was collecting milk tea cups, and now, stones.

"Just for a memento."

Caroline noticed his gaze and felt a bit embarrassed, but her demeanor was still bold. She suddenly chuckled. "Do you remember that cup from back then? Now, in my universe, in that ancient land of lava, it's called the Holy Grail, and terrifying wars have even been waged over it."

"The Holy Grail?" Xu Zhi was astonished and couldn't help but ask curiously, "Then this stone..."

"It holds profound significance." Caroline thought for a moment, then said seriously, "Hmm, let's call it the Stone of Destiny. It's the name you gave it, a memento, because it also opened the door of my destiny... Its ability to interfere with fate and world lines means that whoever possesses it can master destiny like the Three Pillar Gods and open the Door of Destiny... What do you think of this idea?"

"Your world truly does as it pleases."

Xu Zhi immediately became very interested and curious. This was quite fascinating. It seemed that during Caroline's period of slumber, many things had happened in her own universe.

"If you have time, I can take you to see it," Caroline said with a smile, continuing their usual conversation. Then she suddenly asked, "By the way, what do you think will happen to this era?"

She gazed distantly at the fighting and battles in the sky, as if an observer. After all, today's battle of destiny would determine the trajectory of this era's civilization, with immensely profound implications.

This time, Xia Naiming's scalp truly tingled!

*My parallel universe?*

*Another similar land of lava?*

*Take you to see it if there's time!?*

*This world is indeed a multiverse, possessing several parallel universe spaces.*

*And these two beings seem to be the masters of their own parallel universes?*

*Have they descended into this parallel universe to observe the development of this ancient land of lava?*

Many thoughts arose in his mind.

Xu Zhi looked towards the sky, where terrifying flames spread. "Emperor of Great Joy still holds an overwhelming advantage and probability of victory. After all, his strength already crushes all beings; no matter how they resist, they cannot defeat him, making it difficult to alter destiny. However, even if I closed off destiny... destiny is their own choice, and we cannot interfere."

"You don't interfere?"

Caroline pondered for a moment, glanced at the hiding Balloonfish beside them without acknowledging it, then nodded seriously, enlightened. "I see. We only need to observe these eras."

Xu Zhi neither confirmed nor denied.

Caroline couldn't help but ask again, "Many will die in this war, including some exceptionally talented individuals who have already perished. Could they be brought into my universe? Into that parallel space-time, the ancient land of lava?"

Xu Zhi was momentarily taken aback for a few seconds. He looked at her and said, "Of course... After all, they have already perished. But how would you integrate them into your world?"

Caroline thought for a moment and answered seriously, "With their memories, they could be reborn in our universe, perhaps as children in cities, attending school, or perhaps reborn as powerful magical beasts, like dragons or hydras... After all, they are all highly talented beings, essentially strengthening our universe. But, what should such beings be called when they are reborn in another parallel universe with their memories?"

For a Creator God, naming things was also a challenge; Caroline had a naming difficulty.

"Call them Transmigrators," Xu Zhi said with a smile.

"Transmigrators? What a great name!" Caroline's eyes instantly brightened. She couldn't help but organize her thoughts, as if sharing her future vision with a confidant. "After all, they are parallel universes; the land distribution is the same, so it won't be too unfamiliar... In the future, our lava land parallel universes will even continue to increase. This current universe, this world line, can only be called the main universe!"

Her eyes gleamed with immense ambition, even to the point of creating a multiverse.

"It's pretty good, isn't it?" she asked with a smile.

"It's a very good concept," Xu Zhi replied with a smile, surprised inwardly. He hadn't expected her ambition to still be so wild. This mad scientist, who previously delved into human gene technology and forbidden zones, was now dabbling in this...

But seeing Caroline calm down, he breathed a sigh of relief. After all, the top existences of each world, transcending their own eras, were all his treasures. As pioneers, exploring and developing new unknown realms and cultivation systems, they naturally could not be lost. Moreover, he suddenly felt a bit overwhelmed. *Is she really capable of imagining all this?*

While it did complete the worldview of the ancient land of lava and was bound to happen eventually, it was exhausting!

He hoped such things wouldn't happen again afterwards.