In that previous space, her body had existed purely as consciousness. Even if something had truly happened there, her physical form wouldn't have suffered any harm.
In other words—there was no evidence. Fu Xuan could only swallow her grievances like broken teeth.
"Diviner Fu Xuan, are you...?" Noticing Fu Xuan's odd demeanor, the mahjong parlor owner cautiously inquired.
"I'm fine. Attend to your business. I'll take my leave now." Fu Xuan waved her hand dismissively before turning and briskly walking out of Exalting Sanctum, heading straight for the Seat of Divine Foresight.
The appearance of the First Emanator of the Lord of Samsara on the Xianzhou was no trivial matter. Though she had her own thoughts, the final decision rested with the Cloud Knights' general. Thus, she needed to report to Jing Yuan to discuss countermeasures.
However, in a corner Fu Xuan hadn't noticed...
"Hey, did you get the shot?"
"Hehehe, of course! Look at this one—how's this? I've already got tomorrow's headline: Shocking! Divination Commission Staff Allegedly Dumped by Scoundrel, Heartbroken Woman Flees in Tears."
"Not bad... But if we write this, won't the Diviner—"
"Pfft, money doesn't grow on trees these days. Fortune favors the bold! Besides, we're just saying a diviner, not the Diviner~"
"Heh, smart thinking. You're sharp."
"..."
...
"What's wrong? You've been staring out the window—something on your mind?"
The Astral Express...
After a brief resupply on Xianzhou Luofu, the Astral Express—imbued with the power of the Aeon of Trailblaze, Akivili—set off once more. The Nameless continued their journey of exploration.
Whoosh—
The speeding train, enveloped in the Trailblaze's divine power, streaked across the cosmos like a radiant comet. No one knew its final destination, for the essence of "trailblazing" was a journey without end.
Inside the train, Himeko carried two cups of coffee as she gracefully approached Welt, offering him one.
"Ah, Himeko. Thank you." Recognizing her, Welt withdrew his gaze from the vast galaxy outside the window and accepted the cup with a faint smile, so subtle most wouldn't notice, but a smile nonetheless.
"You still haven't answered my question. You've seemed distracted lately, is something bothering you? Of course, you don't have to share if you'd rather not. Everyone has their secrets, after all."
"It's... not exactly a secret." Welt shook his head before looking back out the window.
"It's about that newly ascended Aeon. I might know something about him."
"The new Aeon? You mean the Aeon of Causality, Yun Fan?" Himeko asked, surprised.
Recently, the name of the Aeon of Causality had spread across the universe. When they'd met Herta on the Xianzhou Luofu, they'd even discussed this very topic.
Unlike the other nineteen Aeons, whose origins could be traced, the Aeon of Causality seemed to have appeared out of thin air no records, no history.
And now Welt claimed he might know something about this Aeon? How could that not surprise her?
"In the world I once lived in, there was a cyclical phenomenon called Honkai..." Welt recounted parts of his past to Himeko, who listened with a deepening frown.
For some reason, everything he described felt eerily familiar.
"During my time there, I met a man named Yun Fan—a warrior from the Previous Era with near-immortal regenerative abilities. When I first encountered him, I sensed a peculiar energy from him—cold yet violent. Now that I think about it, it was likely Path energy."
"Are you suggesting the Aeon of Causality, Yun Fan, is the same person you knew?" Himeko rested her chin on her hand, intrigued.
"I can't say for certain." Welt shook his head again. "But... I have a feeling we'll meet again."
——————————
"An Emanator of Causality? Fu Qing, are you absolutely certain?"
Seat of Divine Foresight...
After hearing Fu Xuan's report, Jing Yuan massaged his temples, weighed down by worry. Though he'd known the Lord of Samsara would visit the Xianzhou, having an Emanator pave the way was only to be expected.
But... why did it have to be the Luofu again?
The Xianzhou Alliance had six ships. A one-in-six chance, why did it have to land on the Luofu? In terms of economy, scenery, or military strength, the Luofu wasn't the top choice.
Truly, "misfortune never comes alone"... No, more like "when it rains, it pours."
"General, do you think I'm joking?" Fu Xuan's brows knitted slightly, her tone tinged with displeasure. After suffering such humiliation nearly losing her "virtue" to obtain this information, how could he doubt her?
"Ahaha, of course not! You misunderstand, Fu Qing. But since that's the case... do you have a plan?"
"Naturally, the plan is... I don't have one." Under Jing Yuan's expectant gaze, Fu Xuan confidently declared—only to deliver an anticlimactic twist at the end.
Cough cough...! Jing Yuan choked on air before staring at Fu Xuan as if to say, Are you kidding me?
"I truly have no viable strategy." Faced with his questioning look, Fu Xuan shook her head.
"If the Emanator of Causality bears no ill will toward the Xianzhou, then we need not interfere. But if he schemes against us... General, forgive my bluntness—the Luofu may lack the strength to oppose him."
Fu Xuan's expression was deadly serious as she recounted how effortlessly the Emanator had dragged her into a consciousness space and dismantled her Third Eye. Of course, she conveniently omitted all instances of Yun Fan's teasing.
Hiss— "Manipulating causality, severing causality... The power of the Lord of Samsara is truly tyrannical." Jing Yuan sucked in a cold breath. To date, no Pathstrider on the Luofu had ever walked the Path of Causality. Thus, the full extent of its authority remained speculative. But if Fu Xuan's account held any truth, the Path of Causality's power bordered on the absurd.