"Hmm... So it failed after all."
Within the Ambrosial Arbor's space, the aura surrounding Lumina gradually diminished until it completely extinguished.
Gazing at Jing Yuan, who lay before her with closed eyes as if asleep, Lumina murmured, "Hmm... It's not exactly a failure, is it? Half success, half failure?"
Lumina sensed Jing Yuan's condition. Though the Mara-Struck symptoms persisted, his lifespan had undoubtedly been extended.
However, it was far from the millennia Lumina had envisioned—merely extended by half...
If Xianzhou people typically succumbed to Mara around 800 years of age, her "modification" would delay it until roughly 1,500 years.
While still a positive outcome, it fell drastically short of Lumina's expectations...
Lumina had envisioned the Mara-Struck affliction vanishing entirely, granting Jing Yuan millennia of life, allowing him to die peacefully of old age in his twilight years. She had considered potential complications along the way, but assumed the final result would align closely with her vision.
Yet surprisingly, no complications arose during the process—everything proceeded smoothly. Yet when the final result materialized, it deviated wildly from her intended outcome.
Lumina's primary goal had been to use the Ambrosial Arbor to purge the Mara-Struck condition from Jing Yuan's depths, with extending his lifespan as a secondary objective.
According to her plan, if no external forces had intervened, this outcome should have been impossible.
Therefore, there could only be one explanation...
Lumina's mind raced toward a conclusion, and the hypothesis she had been trying to verify now had its answer.
[How clever of you! You've guessed it exactly right. Even if they've gained millennia of lifespan, without bearing the corresponding cost, it cannot be permitted by Equilibrium.]
[Everything comes with a price. Your gift of Long-Life is a testament to your power, and the Aeon of Equilibrium won't interfere.]
[But these Xianzhou people? He will interfere. They obtained Long-Life without paying any price at all. So Equilibrium will demand their due: at the end of their Long-Life, they will plunge into the Abyss. That is their price. Normally, you couldn't change this.]
[Of course, if you truly wish to change it, the solution is simple: give the Equilibrium Aeon a thorough beating until He yields.]
"So it was that Equilibrium fucker after all," Lumina thought, mentally cursing the Equilibrium. She automatically dismissed the System's subsequent unrealistic remarks.
I knew it! My plan was flawless. If not for that bastard's interference, how could it have failed?
Despite the setback, Lumina had achieved her primary goal.
Ever since arriving in this world, Lumina had harbored a persistent question:
As a "transmigrator," a human from beyond this galaxy, was she also subject to the Equilibrium's control?
Lumina had long sought to verify this hypothesis, as whether or not she was bound by the Equilibrium's influence was crucial to her plans.
Yet she could find no means to test this theory...
Lumina had considered traveling to the Xianzhou Luofu to conduct her investigation, but without corresponding storyline cues, she hesitated, unsure when would be the optimal time to go.
After all, her identity was exceedingly peculiar. Given the Xianzhou Luofu's unwavering opposition to anyone "laying hands on the Ambrosial Arbor" and "resolving the Mara-Struck," she knew they would never permit her presence.
In normal circumstances, though they might refrain from outright aggression, she would still face constant surveillance by the Xianzhou General's personal guard, enduring round-the-clock "escorts" and possibly even the "entertainment" of having top-tier patrons shower her with virtual rockets.
For the sake of her own survival, Lumina abandoned this idea... But aside from that, she couldn't think of any other solutions.
After some deliberation, she reasoned that since HooH, the Equilibrium, wouldn't interfere with her desire to slack off, she might as well give up on trying to solve the mystery.
Now, armed with the "script" as a prophetic guide, Lumina felt slightly more confident in exploring this notion.
She would withdraw the blessings granted by Yaoshi to the Xianzhou people, then bestow her own blessings upon them through the Ambrosial Arbor, using her own power.
If Mara-Struck individuals still persisted afterward, it would prove she had been classified as a "Cosmos person" under HooH's jurisdiction.
If, however, the Mara-Struck truly vanished, and the Xianzhou people's lifespans extended to the millennia she had predicted, it would confirm she remained a "transcendent"—an outsider to this Cosmos, naturally exempt from HooH's control.
However, based on the results reflected in Jing Yuan's case, her "identity" likely fell somewhere in between these extremes.
Although the Mara-Struck still existed, the extended lifespans and delayed onset of the condition were undeniable realities. Yet HooH had remained silent.
Lumina believed her blessing was inferior to that of the Aeon of Abundance. Based on this result, she surmised she likely existed in a liminal state—simultaneously belonging to and not belonging to this cosmos.
Equilibrium would keep an eye on her, but not too strictly.
If that's the case, then...
"Hmm..."
Just as a wildly audacious idea was forming in Lumina's mind, Jing Yuan, who had appeared to be sleeping nearby, let out a soft groan. His eyelashes fluttered, and in the next instant, his eyes snapped open.
"You're awake? Familiarize yourself with your new body as an Abomination," Lumina said with a light laugh, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as she released the cage binding Jing Yuan. A glint of cunning flashed in her eyes as she watched the newly awakened, slightly dazed Jing Yuan.
Jing Yuan: ?
!
Initially confused, Jing Yuan's eyes carried a hint of foolishness as he processed her words. Then realization struck him. Alarmed, he quickly checked his body for any changes.
"Hmm?"
After a thorough examination, Jing Yuan froze, a puzzled expression flickering across his face.
His body hadn't undergone any significant alterations, and there were no signs of a Mara-Struck outbreak. On the contrary, he seemed to have gained a surge of youthful vitality.
The exhaustion accumulated over the past few days due to Phantylia, Lumina, and the various calamities on the Xianzhou had completely dissipated, leaving Jing Yuan feeling an unprecedented sense of ease since assuming the position of General.
"What did you do?"
Jing Yuan detected no physical abnormalities... No, he did notice one anomaly...
An extraordinary sense of lightness and comfort, as if he had returned to centuries past, when all his friends and family were still alive...
A feeling of boundless ease and absolute peace of mind...
"I failed in my attempt to dispel the Mara-Struck state," Lumina said, shrugging helplessly and sighing in resignation.
"However, it wasn't a complete failure. At least the time your consciousness can survive—your lifespan—has been extended, thus delaying the next outbreak of the Mara-Struck state."
"..." Hearing this, Jing Yuan carefully re-examined his physical condition.
He discovered that, just as Lumina had said, the darkness that had been invading his spirit had completely vanished. His mental state had regained the vitality it possessed centuries ago...
"Hah... Miss Lumina, I am deeply grateful for your assistance."
"But I must implore you to refrain from using the Ambrosial Arbor's power to bestow Blessings upon other Xianzhou people..."
Jing Yuan sighed, his expression a complex mix of emotions as he spoke:
"It's not that I want to keep this to myself," he said, "but I can't risk gambling with the lives of the Xianzhou people..."
Though the physical sensations felt perfectly real, with no immediate adverse effects, who could guarantee that Mara-Struck symptoms wouldn't manifest later?
If mass acceptance of Lumina's Blessing resulted in no adverse reactions, all would be well...
But if negative effects did manifest... then Lumina would become a second Yaoshi...
By preventing Lumina from using her power on other Xianzhou people, Jing Yuan was both protecting his people and helping Lumina herself.
"Rest assured," Lumina said with a gentle smile. "The hypothesis I wanted to test has been confirmed. I've found the answer. The Ambrosial Arbor holds no further value for me."
Hearing this, Lumina naturally understood Jing Yuan's concerns. She chuckled softly and agreed to his request.
Help the entire Xianzhou people resolve their Mara-Struck condition? What a joke! I was just bluffing him earlier. Do you think I have time to solve everyone's problems?
The Saintess is quite busy, you know!
After all, she still needs to...
After all, she still needs to properly bid farewell to the beautiful Xianzhou Luofu...