Chapter 861: Chapter 803: The Emperor of the Northern Country in the Second Timeline

"Why?" Minis couldn’t help but say.

He had just seen the praises of those young, passionate heroic companions, the Sages of a fearless era.

And now, upon his return, they spoke of their former comrades who had overthrown the Light Ancient God—some might have sordid, dark sides, or betrayals?

These two seemed like beautiful ideals and dark reality, and the feeling of disconnection was too strong.

"The future holds infinite possibilities!"

Atabia’s voice was incredibly calm, depicting a bloody truth to Minis.

He lowered his head, looking at the resplendently dispersing Long River of Time, expressionless:

"As I traverse the future, is it really just to guard against young heroes of the future?"

"It could also be against these future Celestial Venerables!"

"The future of a person may have countless changes in character."

"To exaggerate, maybe in some timeline of the future, a Celestial Venerable suddenly faces certain stimuli and begins harboring treacherous intentions."

Upon hearing this, Minis thought of a collapsed timeline: "Are you saying, the infinite possibilities of the future could include a future timeline where a Sage becomes darkened?"

Minis was numb all over!

This was simply too terrifying.

A Sage that might darken in some timeline...

Just thinking about it was horrifying.

If such a companion were to stab him in the back...

No wonder Atabia was cautious even with his own people.

Because he, as the Ancient God of Time, knew precisely that the future held infinite possibilities, hence his high vigilance.

Only by nipping it in the bud can one avoid disaster.

"It’s a possibility, but currently, it’s very low."

At this moment, Herodotus gave a fair assessment, informing Minis, "But if you only traverse five thousand years, there shouldn’t be much of a problem; if you traverse longer, a hundred thousand years, two hundred thousand years, who knows what the other might become?"

"Understanding time allows you to become time, and time... will turn comrades who once drank and laughed together, shared their hearts, into strangers."

Minis was a bit silent.

Indeed, the Sages of today, although they were all comrades-in-arms, lived and died together, but even among this group, relationships had clear proximities.

The relationship among the three brothers was better than with others.

In front of Nokron, the weight of others certainly couldn’t compare to the two maidens who had always followed him.

Everyone was part of a big group, but in reality, it divided into several smaller groups.

"Of course, don’t overthink it, just prevent it, and never completely place your life in others’ hands."

Atabia said to the two of them.

Just like the Light Ancient God back then, when sowing discord among them, said: human hearts are inscrutable!

Even if they are comrades who fought together to establish a realm, the ultimate seat of the Cosmos, the mixed Chaos God, can only be one!

Others would naturally compete.

The reason why no one seemed to be competing now, in the end, is because the time isn’t ripe yet.

When the critical point appears, the great tribulation looms, and opportunities open, will they compete or not?

The other two, who wholeheartedly pursue the Dao, don’t need to be mentioned; they will undoubtedly act.

Even Elis, who is inclined to murder kin and has little need for truth, could almost be certain she would furiously charge forward.

Atabia shook his head, murmuring to himself, "Such is this era, with continuous development, as it approaches the future, Sages will gradually develop differences."

Even if they don’t want to act against others, they must guard against others acting against them.

By then, if divides arise among the Sages and they are no longer completely unified externally, perhaps that’s when the Sages get overthrown.

But even knowing the future might be like this, what could they do?

They couldn’t change any of this, and gaps would still appear, mutual vigilance would arise, leading to insane internal consumption, possibly leading to those young heroes succeeding.

This is likely the trend of the cosmos, even as a Celestial Venerable, one must adhere to the law that what prospers must decline.

The momentum of history wouldn’t allow anyone to be eternal; if the Light Ancient God could fall, why wouldn’t they be the ones to fall next?

"And I have already laid out plans for the future. Minis is our faction’s possibility of fighting for the omnipotent door of the future, while others?"

"How could others just watch as we compete and lead?"

"Surely, some will feel unwilling and scheme in various ways, so being cautious is never wrong."

Atabia shared some psychological insights with the other two.

After a while, once they had rested enough, they intended to set off once more, to the future.

After all, the Celestial Realm here was prepared with all kinds of traps, ready and waiting; since the monster hasn’t been lured here yet, he naturally wants to lure another wave of enemies while everyone is still focused on preparing.

Though Atabia didn’t know what the future would become.

Because this time, upon returning, they seemed to have changed almost nothing in history... and went back again.

"Still traversing five thousand years later? Nine billion years?" Herodotus asked.

"Yes, no longer than that," Atabia said, "not only to prevent protagonists of more distant eras possibly appearing stronger but also to guard against darker Sages in more distant timelines."

He was too afraid of the darkening!

Just thinking about it was hair-raising.

But theoretically, countless timelines, countless Parallel Universes, as long as the probability isn’t zero, it will certainly occur on some timeline—the scenario he most fears!

And how could the probability be zero?

He didn’t believe that all four of them, the Sages, would remain unfailingly loyal until death, never betraying, eternally united, life or death...

"Let’s go, let’s see the future," Atabia directly set off.

A splash sounded.

He transformed into a fish, leaping into the Long River of Time, moving along with the current, watching the fragmented virtual images of the Long River of Time around him, scene after scene of scrolls.

Atabia suddenly fixed his gaze on a certain fragment, "Volga? That King of the North Universe? He has reappeared in this future?"

It seems the butterfly effect did not affect the world of his birth, resulting in his birth being uninterrupted.

And such a monstrous anomaly, Atabia understood too well, as long as he successfully entered the world, however many times, he would immediately stand at the pinnacle of the cosmos.

As for the danger during infancy, potentially being killed?

Heh heh.

That just wasn’t monstrous enough.

Some beings, like the earliest Tang Xia and Geb, were born with innate knowledge, began cultivating in infancy, reached Legend in just a few months, became a Demigod at a few years old, and stood at the pinnacle of humanity in their twenties.

"I wonder if this guy has created more turtle shells for me again."

Atabia frowned slightly, feeling uncomfortable, for dealing with such a character was risky, mainly unpleasant, "Hopefully, it’s still that previous turtle shell, and I’ll go through it again as before."

"Then I’ll return to the Celestial Realm, completely change history once, create turmoil in the Northern Country in the future, and wipe out his future existence, he indeed deserves to die... I no longer want to encounter that turtle, I need to unleash a protagonist of the future daring enough to ascend to the Celestial Realm, filled with passion, excitement, and bravery, to fall into our trap."