Sushang had her horizons broadened; [Eternity] actually had such marvelous uses.
"Very well, there is no need to return to the Realm-Keeping Commission. The mission continues... According to the laws of the [Ten-Lords Commission], as a Judge, I do not enlist outside help," Xueyi expressed her gratitude.
"But since you assisted me in escaping, I offer a word of advice: leave as soon as possible."
"I came here to restore order and capture a fugitive... a Stellaron Hunter. This person possesses extraordinary swordsmanship and wields a divine weapon; he is extremely dangerous."
"Had I not encountered a singular accident, my [lifespan] might have been cut short right then and there."
Sushang looked puzzled. "A singular... accident?"
"Follow me." Looking around, Xueyi led the group to an open clearing and pointed to the Ambrosial Arbor emitting an eerie glow not far away.
"I have never seen such a sight before."
"Wow! Is that the [Ambrosial Arbor] of the Luofu? It's my first time seeing it," Sushang and Xueyi said simultaneously.
"Miss Sushang... aren't you a Cloud Knight?"
"Cloud Knights don't go out of their way to look at the [Ambrosial Arbor]. Besides, I arrived not long ago... Our Yaoqing's Plaguemark is a moon. Tsk tsk~ I feel it looks better than the Luofu's."
Luocha asked, "I heard the [Ambrosial Arbor] withered long ago... how could it suddenly grow and spread?"
"It is the work of the [Stellaron] evil; there is no other explanation. I must return to the Ten-Lords Commission as soon as possible. Thanks to this elven lady, the injuries my body sustained have fully healed, so I will not commandeer you for the journey."
"Stellaron..." Freesna frowned, pointing at the [Ambrosial Arbor]. "It's right there?"
Xueyi nodded in response. "It lacks safety to remain here. You still need to come with me; once we find a starskiff jetty, you can move freely."
Sushang understood; Xueyi wanted them to leave the perilous Artisanship Commission as soon as possible.
She suddenly hesitated, casting a pleading look at Xueyi: "Hiss... does this count as helping the Ten-Lords Commission handle a case?"
Everyone on the Luofu has an obligation to assist the Ten-Lords Commission in handling cases, but in this situation... it seemed more like they were unilaterally rescuing a Judge of the Ten-Lords Commission.
"Sigh~ I didn't expect so many twists and turns on a simple walk. It seems we are people of the Ten-Lords Commission again." Luocha looked up. As the culprit who brought the Stellaron into the Luofu, he had to be careful not to reveal any flaws.
There was an Emanator staring right at him nearby, and one from the [Eternity] he had never had contact with before.
"The resurgence of the Ambrosial Arbor is bound to attract numerous calamities. The Cloud Knights must be at the Alchemy Commission adjacent to the [Ambrosial Arbor]; just head there." Just as Xueyi pointed the way for everyone, Freesna conjured a portal with her hands.
According to this Puppet Judge, since there was a [Stellaron] upheaval, she couldn't sit idly by.
Before giving anyone a chance to react, Freesna tapped the void, and the portal enveloped them.
"Hey hey hey... this thing is automatic?!"
Just as Sushang was complaining, in the blink of an eye, they—along with the coffin—had arrived at the Alchemy Commission.
...
Earlier, inside the Divination Commission, at the center of the Matrix of Prescience.
"Even [Aeons] can be killed."
Stelle was stunned, doubting the authenticity of this statement, and a terrible conjecture formed in her heart: "Your script... surely isn't to kill an Aeon?"
"Hah, how is that possible? That is not our wish. I just want to tell you some things that happened in the past: stories of fallen Aeons." Kafka smiled. What is this child thinking?
"The Dragon of [Permanence], Idrila of [Beauty], Ena of [Order], Tayzzyronth of [Propagation], and... Akivili of [Trailblaze]."
"These are all names that once resounded through the universe... Now, THEY have all disappeared, leaving behind only ownerless Paths."
She took a step forward, getting a bit closer to Stelle: "There are three ways known to humanity to make an [Aeon] fall."
Kafka took a step back: "First, a collision between Paths with overlapping concepts. The broader Path will swallow the narrower one—Ena of [Order] was assimilated by Xipe of [Harmony] in this way."
"Second, a divine war between Aeon and Aeon. The stronger side will annihilate the weaker side... This was the fall of Tayzzyronth of [Propagation], and it is also what the Xianzhou Alliance, under the guidance of [The Hunt], seeks to achieve as they travel the star ocean to exterminate the abominations nurtured by [Abundance]."
"...The thing they ultimately want to accomplish," she added.
"Why does the Xianzhou want to kill [Abundance]?"
"As far as I know, the predecessor of the Alliance consisted of [Elixir Seekers] looking for Yaoshi, craving blessings. They successfully met the Aeon and received a blessing that could cure death: the Ambrosial Arbor."
Kafka turned around, pointing to the towering tree not far away.
"The result was that the curse of immortality polluted them. Then [The Hunt] appeared and severed the Ambrosial Arbor with an arrow. From then on... to cut off the curse of immortality from the star ocean, the Alliance followed [The Hunt] in pursuit of Yaoshi's traces."
"It is said that [Eternity] also participated in this..."
"Huh?"
Seeing Stelle's confused face, Kafka chuckled softly. "The Hunt, patrolling and hunting. Do you think this counts as a different kind of [Eternity]?"
"Hiss, it seems so..."
Stelle hadn't thought about it in that way before.
"By that logic, wouldn't everything count as [Eternity]? That's a bit perverted!" She suddenly realized.
At the same time, Adrian, who was watching the show nearby, sneezed.
"Why is Kafka suddenly floating?" March 7th's focus was always so strange.
Moving the perspective forward, Kafka discussed other Aeons with Stelle: "Hmm~ Speaking of the Dragon of [Permanence], do you know the Vidyadhara?"
Stelle nodded, recalling the High Elder Bailu she met in Exalting Sanctum yesterday.
Kafka continued to guide Stelle: "I heard that when Vidyadhara live too long, or are injured and near death, they turn into a pearl-like egg, and then break the shell to be reborn in the form of a child."
"There are also rumors that the Vidyadhara can transform into giant dragons..."
Kafka hinted, but unfortunately, Stelle wasn't interested in turning into a dragon at all.
"The Vidyadhara are [Dragon Scions], descendants of the Aeon of [Permanence]. Therefore, among the Vidyadhara, there used to be those who could transform into dragons, but not everyone has this aptitude."
"This power is a rare inheritance; one must undergo numerous rituals and trials to receive it. For the successor, it's hard to say if it's a blessing."
Stelle nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite. "So... why do you know so much about the Vidyadhara? Is this also in the [Script]?"
Kafka remained silent. The corner of Stelle's mouth twitched; don't stay silent at such a critical moment!
"Hehe~ Have you heard the story of the [Dragon of Permanence] and HIS descendants?"
"Many myths praise HIM for possessing perfect, immortal life, but for some reason, HE disappeared from the stars without a trace, as if HE never existed... leaving behind only remnant descendants."
"Regarding this, a Fiction Historian once published his unique insight: [Eternity] swallowed HIM. Just like the first method I mentioned just now."
"How about it, Stelle? These stories are novel, aren't they? They are stories that those who walk on the righteous path will never tell you."
"Isn't that still [Eternity]?!"