"Of course I can."
Aventurine nodded, a smile spreading across his handsome face. "This trip to Penacony is a must for me. Besides, you and Topaz have already placed your bets, haven't you?"
"Hehe, yes, we've placed our bets," Jade replied with a soft laugh. She then retrieved two boxes from a pocket dimension and handed them to the "bedridden" Aventurine.
"Thank you for your wagers, ladies." With a gentlemanly gesture, Aventurine took the boxes from Jade and opened them slowly. Inside were two peculiar jade stones imbued with the power of [Preservation]: the Emerald Stone and the Topaz Stone. These were the Cornerstones, symbols of the authority of the Ten Stonehearts.
Carefully examining the two stones, Aventurine then pulled out his own Cornerstone from his chest pocket. Then… Crack!
Our Mr. Aventurine invoked the power of his Path and shattered his own Cornerstone into several pieces, as if it were nothing more than ordinary, fragmented gems.
Jade, watching the scene with interest, made no move to stop Aventurine's seemingly blasphemous act.
"With this, all the preparations are complete. Next stop: Penacony," Aventurine murmured, as if speaking to himself or informing Jade. He looked up at her and said, "This is a high-stakes gamble, my friend."
Jade's eyes narrowed slightly. "Indeed, it's a high-stakes gamble. You, me, and Jelena—three gamblers betting on what seems like an elusive victory."
— — — —
While Aventurine and Jade conversed, elsewhere in Pier Point…
Bathed in bright sunlight, our Miss Topaz quietly gazed at the now significantly faded Causality Mark on her hand. After a long moment, she let out a sigh. "Before I knew it, half of the mark's energy has already been used up. That was fast…"
Topaz had made no secret of the fact that her mark could only be used ten times—there was no hiding such a thing. However, what she hadn't anticipated was that, upon learning of the mark's limited uses, Aventurine would persistently challenge her. In just two or three months, she had used the power of Causality on him three times.
Heh, of course, that power didn't come cheap.
Each time Aventurine challenged her, he paid a steep price. The first time, he paid in credits—enough to buy the resources of several planets. The second time, he paid with connections, solidifying Topaz's standing within the company. The third time, he paid with himself: after the Penacony trip, he would work for Topaz unconditionally for 50 years.
"Now that I think about it, that gambler probably has nothing left to bet, does he?"
Topaz gave a soft chuckle, seemingly pleased with the price he had paid. But her smile soon faded.
Her gaze returned to the back of her hand, where the once-clear Causality Mark was now growing faint and blurry. "Where are you now, Mr. Envoy of Causality, who wanted me to be your maid?"
Taking out her phone and opening her contacts, Topaz hesitated as she looked at the entry marked "Envoy of Causality." Truth be told, the power of Causality was intoxicating. The envoy had merely granted her a fraction of his power, and it was enough for her to easily defeat powerhouses like the Lord of Silence.
That was the caliber of the strongest beings below an envoy.
If she had only used the power of her Cornerstone, she might have, at best, fought to a draw. But with the authority of the Causality Mark, she could effortlessly deal a crushing blow.
The Cornerstone of Preservation versus the Mark of Causality—the superiority was clear.
Staring at Yun Fan's profile picture on her phone, Topaz's finger hovered, lifting and falling, until she finally steeled herself. She double-tapped his icon, sending a quick "poke."
After doing so, Topaz let out a long breath, consoling herself. "Worst case, it's just like being bitten by a dog."
— — — —
Penacony… The Golden Hour…
Yun Fan and Robin walked side by side along the grand avenue, chatting and laughing, thoroughly enjoying each other's company. For Yun Fan, once Robin's celebrity aura was set aside, she was simply a beautiful Halovian girl.
Unlike the first time Yun Fan invited her to be his guide—when she had been in disguise—this time was different. Due to the Dream Master "Gopher Wood" flipping the table in his haste, the rumors of a scandal between Yun Fan and Robin had spread across the galaxy. So, there was no need for them to hide anything now.
Robin walked openly by Yun Fan's side, even though the scandal had, at the time, been just that—a rumor.
Notably, some of Robin's diehard fans were furious upon learning that their idol was "taken." They were practically "raging in their commoner's clothes, barefoot, banging their heads on the ground in despair."
Of course, among them were some genuinely capable fans. An organization called the Robin Fan Support Association had even posted a bounty for Yun Fan through the Interastral Peace Corporation, offering a staggering 30 billion credits—far surpassing the bounties for Stellarons Hunters.
But then again, Yun Fan was an envoy. His strength was far beyond that of a Stellaron Hunter, so a higher bounty was only reasonable. However, his bounty didn't stay listed for long. From the moment it was posted to its removal, it lasted a mere three minutes.
The Interastral Peace Corporation had no desire to offend an envoy—especially the mysterious Envoy of Causality. If he were to take offense, the consequences for the company would outweigh any commission from the bounty.