After some days, Zeke, Fu Hua, and Senti arrived at the purported deep-sea altar.
With most preparations completed earlier, their remaining tasks consisted of routine checks on the Central System's daily updates and observing the operations of Valhalla and Mantra Hall—monotonous mechanical work that quickly grew tedious. The reminder about this intriguing site offered a welcome opportunity for a refreshing outing.
However, they didn't expect Zhuge Kongming to join them.
Zeke observed the peculiar altar, still containing air beneath the sea, and casually asked Zhuge Kongming beside him:
"Do you also fear there might be something extraordinary here, worried I'll misuse it if obtained?"
"Your Majesty, don't take me for a fool. With your abilities and the unfathomable power of these two immortals, whether we find anything here makes no difference. After all, to us mere ants, both lions and elephants pose the same threat." Zhuge Kongming waved his plumage fan, rolling his eyes. Did they really need the unknown power from the underwater altar to alter the fate of this country? If Emperor Zeke, with his immeasurable capabilities, decided to act, he would be utterly unstoppable!
As Zhuge Kongming waved his fan once more, it suddenly vanished from his grasp.
"Huh? Did you get a new plumage fan? It's so pretty—can I have it?"
Senti held Zhuge Kongming's fan and pretended to wave it casually, her innocent smile resembling that of a child who'd just received a delightful toy. This wasn't the first time she had done something like this; however, every time she obtained one of his fans, her interest quickly waned after only a few waves, leaving the fan forgotten somewhere.
But no matter—it didn't bother her since Zhuge Kongming always seemed to have a fresh supply of fans at hand. Why not take them for herself?
"Senti—" Fu Hua gently tapped Senti on the head with a swift chop.
Senti's grin froze, her expression turning crestfallen.
"Alright, alright, I'll give it back already! It's not that big of a deal, stop nagging!" Grumbling, Senti shoved the plumage fan back into Zhuge Kongming's hands, all while cautiously watching Fu Hua's face, fearing another lengthy lecture.
Seeing Senti preparing to retreat and avoid further scolding, Fu Hua could only shake her head, caught between laughter and tears. She then turned to address Zhuge Kongming:
"My apologies, Senti can be quite mischievous. I'll have a talk with her when we return."
"Don't worry about it; it's just a fan. It's an honor for something like this to catch an immortal's eye. Please consider it a gift."
After a brief moment of silence, Zhuge Kongming quickly composed herself and presented the plumage fan with both hands, smiling warmly at Senti.
As for social etiquette, Zhuge Kongming knew exactly how to play along!
Senti crossed her arms, tilted her head, and gazed longingly at the fan, torn between choices.
If she took it, the Old Antique would undoubtedly lecture her. But if she didn't, her fingers itched—seeing the fan right before her eyes made her really want to play with it.
Senti sneakily glanced at Fu Hua's expression, only to find a gentle smile on her face.
Slowly, Senti reached out her hand.
"Senti—"
"Fine! I don't want it anyway!" Pouting, Senti turned away, clearly disgruntled.
Fu Hua opened her mouth, intending to say something, but ultimately let out a resigned sigh. What am I to do with this child?
Zhuge Kongming looked around, planning to quietly take back the fan. Offering kindness was commendable, but causing discord between two immortals over such a matter would show poor judgment.
Suddenly, another hand snatched away the fan.
Zeke waved it gently, capturing everyone's attention as he faced the altar and remarked, "This altar has become quite intriguing."
"How so? Your Majesty, have you discerned something?" Zhuge Kongming ignored the incident with the fan and swiftly changed the subject.
Under their watchful gazes, Zeke calmly uttered two words: "World Anchor Point."
Zhuge Kongming blinked, momentarily bewildered.
Senti absentmindedly rubbed her chin.
Only Fu Hua furrowed her delicate brows, her expression turning grave.
"You mean this place is a World Anchor Point, similar to Durandal's?"
"Similar in structure. Durandal's Anchor was created by the collective strength of civilization within that world bubble, striving for survival. This location likely shares a comparable origin. It's not surprising; every world bubble is a product of defeat in the final battle between civilization and Honkai. However, failure does not imply inadequacy or weakness of the previous civilization. After all, even the glorious era preceding ours suffered defeat once," Zeke explained serenely, waving his plumage fan.
Fu Hua nodded in agreement. A defeat at the hands of Honkai did not accurately reflect a civilization's true capabilities. She had discussed this with Su before; numerous worlds, stronger than their predecessors, also succumbed and became world bubbles after failing against Honkai. Therefore, it made perfect sense for this world bubble to have once harbored a brilliant civilization that created anchor points to prolong its existence.
Zhuge Kongming appeared somewhat puzzled, unsure why Durandal was mentioned, as it seemed unrelated to the familiar Durandal she knew, New Sovereign Durandal. Nonetheless, sensing something unusual from certain words exchanged, her eyes shifted slightly, and she crisply asked:
"May I inquire, what do 'World Anchor' and 'world bubble' signify?"
"The truth can be harsh. Are you sure you want to know?"
"...I humbly request Your Majesty's explanation."
After a brief hesitation, Zhuge Kongming persisted, feeling from Zeke's demeanor that the situation might be grave. Understanding clearly would be crucial in formulating an appropriate response.
Zeke paused his fanning, lowered his head, and gently tapped Zhuge Kongming's head with his plumage fan, abruptly changing the subject:
"If not for the altar's power, then you must be here to persuade me against it. So why this insistence? Durandal, the new empress, has already ascended the throne. With your abilities, can't you maintain stability within the nation?"
"We could indeed. Once accustomed to the new system, we believe we can manage the next decade without issue. But what about the one after that? Or the century beyond? Your Majesty, you stirred these winds of change. While we may stabilize the situation now, these transformations will surge forward like mighty rivers, and their ultimate destination remains uncertain. Only you know the path ahead and how to traverse it... Without securing your guidance, we cannot find peace."
"What troubles you so?"
"The trouble lies... Well, there are myriad concerns, difficult to articulate all at once. Let me just mention one: The current officials serve purely as evaluators overseeing the Hub, with no authority to interfere directly in policy implementation. This contrasts starkly from the past, where officials wielded life-and-death power over commoners, controlling society through absolute dominance. Such a model is unprecedented; although it yields remarkable results, numerous issues have accumulated, making future developments unpredictable... Your Majesty, our capabilities are limited, and ensuring comprehensive success proves challenging!"
"In that case, there's no need for further explanation; discussing it would be futile." In response to Zhuge Kongming's heartfelt plea, Zeke redirected the conversation back to her initial question.
He continued fanning himself, falling silent thereafter.
Zhuge Kongming and her contemporaries' abilities were limited to understanding the rise and fall of feudal dynasties. Explaining concepts like the Imaginary Tree, Sea of Quanta, Honkai, and the world's fate to them would be immensely complicated and entirely devoid of practical significance. It would be better to let them continue governing their realm, focusing solely on maintaining peace for centuries to come.
Ultimately, this was a dead world adrift in the Sea of Quanta, akin to an ephemeral bubble that could burst at any moment with a single ripple.
Even if its existence persisted, the essential elements sustaining it continuously flowed into the surrounding void, rendering any possibility of evolution or advancement futile. Despite potential societal changes, the world's limitations would extinguish all hope for a brighter future.
This civilization might experience short-term fluctuations in strength, but ultimately, it would only weaken further without any chance of transcendence.
Perhaps allowing these individuals to live peacefully, oblivious to such realities, would be best after all.