"I just remembered something I need to tell you."
In the Seat of Divine Foresight, Jing Yuan, who had been resting his chin on one hand with his eyes closed, opened them as if he'd just woken up.
"Looks like I disturbed your nap," Adrian said, a bit embarrassed.
Jing Yuan looked Adrian up and down, his tone laced with mock flattery. "When an Aeon comes to visit, how could Jing Yuan dare not comply?"
"Hey, none of that formal nonsense with me. What's so special about being an Aeon? I was human before ascending to this Path. No need for all this fuss."
Being an Aeon was just a dispensable [identity] to Adrian. Right now, he only wanted to be a slacking layabout.
"I wouldn't dare presume."
Jing Yuan vaguely recalled the time Adrian arrived at the Xianzhou Luofu.
What kind of Aeon shows up and immediately reveals THEIR divine status? Even the Ever-Joyous Monarch ([Elation] Aha) wouldn't pull that!
It was the first time in Jing Yuan's life he'd come face-to-face with an Aeon so closely.
It was an experience he never wanted to repeat, like being plunged into endless darkness.
Later, Adrian explained that it was actually a suppressed fraction of his power, and this was just a fabricated avatar.
Under the might of an Aeon, even an Emanator seemed insignificant.
The divine grace of the Reignbow Arbiter could easily sweep away the Abominations of Abundance, piercing entire star systems with a single strike.
Thankfully, Adrian was one of the more approachable Aeons. He was responsive to requests, absolutely trustworthy, and when he came to the Luofu to "retire" and slack off, he stuck to his word and didn't meddle in unrelated matters. Only then did Jing Yuan's guard relax.
Considering Adrian's good relationship with their own Aeon, and rumors that he'd even helped pinpoint the location of the Plagues Author, Jing Yuan didn't say much about his harmless appearance. He arranged for a shop to be set up for Adrian.
Who would've thought an Aeon would enjoy running a milk tea shop? Talk about a learning experience.
"Hey, since you guys were going to take on [Abundance] eventually, I was just helping you get a feel for facing an Aeon firsthand. So, how was it?" Adrian raised an eyebrow.
Jing Yuan gave a wry smile, offering no comment.
"Oh, and keep an eye on that little fox from the Sky-Faring Commission. You might just catch a pawn of [Destruction]," Adrian said, leaving it at that. "See ya~ Don't miss me too much."
"[Destruction]'s forces…"
Jing Yuan felt like he'd been spoiled the plot.
…
At the Sky-Faring Commission's Starskiff Haven
"Judging by Mister Adrian's attire, are you heading out for a trip?" Tingyun waved her bone fan, her tone gentle.
"I've been wearing this outfit for days…" Adrian was puzzled. Was this sly fox really that sharp?
"Mengming told me~"
"It's not even time for you to head to [Sleepless Earl]… You're fishing for info!" Adrian caught on, looking at Tingyun's sly smile with exasperation.
The little fox had grown up and was now trying to pry info out of him.
"Sigh~ Every time Mister Adrian comes to see me, it's because you're about to embark on a journey. It's not hard to guess."
Tingyun feigned a sigh and leaned closer, sniffing Adrian.
"You reek of milk tea… How much have you been drinking, Mister Adrian…"
Tingyun naturally knew Adrian wasn't an ordinary person. From her earliest memories, Adrian had always looked the same. Over all these years, time hadn't left a single mark on him.
Was this the power of an [Eternity] Pathstrider…?
"I run a milk tea shop. I make tons of Immortal's Delight Tea every day, so of course the smell sticks," Adrian said, giving a reasonable excuse.
Hearing this, Tingyun's lips twitched. She'd been to Adrian's shop before—did he not know what his own shop was like?
Everyone knew foxian children were often mischievous and cheeky. Tingyun was an exception; she'd been well-behaved since childhood and was adorable to boot.
But even the most obedient child has curiosity. Passing by that rundown milk tea shop every day, anyone would get a little curious.
On a stormy night, Tingyun mustered her courage and pushed open the tightly shut shop door.
No one could've imagined that the shop, despite its "closed" sign, wasn't even locked.
"A safety hazard," little Tingyun thought. The shop owner must have a big heart—weren't they afraid of thieves breaking in at night?
Indeed, it couldn't be locked, because Adrian lived in the shop. It was his only home.
After a few minutes of mental preparation, little Tingyun took her first step inside.
Hmm…
It was a bit dark. She should've brought a flashlight.
Tingyun wasn't scared. At her age, curiosity trumped everything. No wonder foxian kids were so naughty—some could gleefully tear a house apart.
Stepping into the darkness, Tingyun felt someone watching her from a corner.
But after scouring the shop, she didn't find the owner anywhere.
The search was fruitless, and her little adventure ended in failure.
When she got home, Tingyun noticed a bottle of milk tea on the table. Being young, she didn't think much of it, assuming her parents bought it.
Why was it called Immortal's Delight Tea? Simple—it was delicious. Little Tingyun couldn't resist taking a few extra sips.
Until her tummy was bloated, she realized the milk tea in the cup hadn't decreased at all.
Only then did Tingyun sense something was off. This seemed to be…
A milk tea bottle that never runs out.
It was late, though, and if she didn't go to bed soon, her parents would scold her. Rules were rules, so Tingyun placed the milk tea back on the table.
…
The next day, Tingyun woke up early to find her mother chatting with a casually dressed man.
"I'm just a milk tea shop owner. You two want me to teach your kid to pilot a starskiff?"
"Madam Yukong recommended you. She said when she was young, you helped her run eighteen red lights in a row…"
"Hey, hey, hey, let's not bring up the past. For the record, she only ran six red lights. The other twelve were all me."
"With your starskiff skills, if you could teach her, she'd surely make a name for herself at the Sky-Faring Commission."
"We're out of options. Please give it one last try. If it doesn't work, we'll let her do her own thing."
"Fine."
The handsome man glanced at little Tingyun, who was peeking from behind a wall. He picked up the milk tea from the table and walked toward her.
"Why are foxian kids' ears so pointy?" the man asked, looking down at Tingyun as he took a sip of the milk tea.
Miraculously, he broke the spell of the never-ending milk tea!
"So amazing…" Tingyun stared at the milk tea in his hand, murmuring.
If this milk tea hit the market, it could rake in a fortune…
Thinking deeper, an inexhaustible milk tea could even be used as a trade gift with other worlds.
Thus, a shining new star was born in the Luofu's trade history.
…
Recalling this experience, Tingyun still found it unbelievable.
Her meeting with Adrian stemmed from that cup of never-ending Immortal's Delight Tea.
The power of [Eternity] was truly miraculous, able to affect even a beverage.
"As long as you will it, all things can embody [Eternity]."
Adrian smiled, pinching Tingyun's cheek before quickly pulling back.
"Bailu asked me to do it. Every time she massages you, you pinch her cheeks under the guise of [equivalent exchange]. Since she's tied up at the Alchemy Commission, she entrusted me to 'get revenge' for her."
"Mister Adrian, hasn't anyone told you you're terrible at lying?"
Tingyun sighed, but she did do that too—and she'd even cling to Bailu's tail and not let go.
Let's not get it twisted—she was just helping the Dragon Lady care for her tail~