"Why should us small-time workers panic? Let the big shots worry about the big issues; that's the secret to keeping a happy body and mind."
"Moreover... with Mr. Adrian standing here, I'm sure it won't cause too big of a disturbance."
As an esteemed Emanator, he chose a lifestyle like an ordinary person. Those who didn't know would really think Adrian was an Outworlder carrying his family's expectations, coming to the Luofu to start a business... and promote his hometown's food culture.
Qingque came back to the topic: "But look, even at a critical juncture like the [Ambrosial Arbor] reviving, I still stuck to my post and came specifically to look after your shop. Employees as hardworking as me are rare~"
"Didn't the Master Diviner assign you any work?" Adrian served a cup of milk tea.
"She did. She saw me on the road and told me to go to the library and look up records related to the [Ambrosial Arbor]. Such a small matter, in my hands, it's done in fifteen minutes."
"The Astral Express crew is really capable. I heard from others... even the General is polite to them. Truly impressive! Pity they left in a hurry, I didn't have time to give them any gifts."
"I originally planned to take them around after the Divination Commission got off work, and maybe teach Mr. Yang how to play tiles."
"With heavy responsibilities before them, I feel bad delaying them with such matters. I can still distinguish priorities. I hope they return safely." Girl praying~
"In that case, I'll trouble you with watching the shop."
After settling Qingque, Adrian originally planned to go to the Artisanship Commission to deal with the [Abundance Ebon Deer] first, but he sensed a familiar aura there. It seemed the children of the Church had gone to provide support.
Hmm... then I'll go back to the Alchemy Commission to find Dan Heng and the others.
Leaving everything else aside, Adrian's shop was absolutely safe, not to mention the security measures above it.
Just looking at this dilapidated decoration style, he reckoned Fragmentum creations and Mara-Struck Soldiers wouldn't even spare it a glance, the kind they'd skip directly.
Can't be helped; who told this milk tea shop to have such low presence?
...
Divination Commission
Jing Yuan began to tell the story of the ancient era to Stelle and the others.
"As travelers, you don't know much about the history of the Xianzhou, so it's not strange to ask such questions. Let me tell you a story."
"Long ago, before the Xianzhou ascended into the sky, our ancestors lived on the land of a certain planet. Like you, the Xianzhou people at that time were short-life species living no more than a hundred years."
"The emperor who ruled that kingdom could not bear the fleeting nature of life, knowing his foundation would belong to others after a century. So he exhausted everything to build nine giant ships, setting off towards the celestial stars where gods were rumored to have left traces, in a vain attempt to seek the elixir of immortality and retain youth forever."
Hearing this, March 7th asked cautiously: "Then... did he succeed?"
"Yes, and no. Yes, because the nine giant ships endured a bitter journey and finally witnessed the manifestation of a god, finding various incredible celestial powers from Yaoshi's revelation."
"No, because the fleet lost its way from then on and never successfully returned to its homeland."
"That's not too bad. After all, the Xianzhou people are the ones who truly experienced the adventure. Getting what they wished for is a good thing." So far, March 7th felt the ending of this story was quite satisfactory.
"Not bad...?"
Jing Yuan sighed. "Our ancestors once thought so too, but the miracle that grants immortality was nothing more than wishful thinking."
"Take the Luofu for example: Immortality seems like a beautiful thing. But what followed was population explosion, resource scarcity... To fight for the hope of survival, the long-life celestials wanted to be human but couldn't, eventually degenerating into beasts."
"Unlike the [Immortality] of the Church, fortunately blessed by the Celestial of Eternity, their bodies are imprisoned in a certain moment, so the aforementioned situation almost never happens."
Saying he wasn't envious would be a lie, but it seemed there were also downsides... Everyone had a unique style of doing things, and even some emotional control issues.
At any rate, Jing Yuan had visited the Church of Eternity as a guest. Regarding food, as long as you weren't from the [Destruction] faction, you generally wouldn't be given a hard time by the restaurant owner (serving food meant for customers' pets...).
"After paying the price of countless blood and tears, the Luofu people finally understood that [Immortality] is not a gift given for free, but the beginning of a cruel trial."
Because she encountered the Church of Eternity first, March 7th had always held illusions about the word [Immortality].
"Even for the Church of Eternity, immortality is a form of torture for them. According to investigations, only [Emanators] can offset the erosion brought by the torrent of years."
"No wonder, now I know why Pontiff Blake's mental state is so abstract..."
As soon as the words fell, a ghost-like whisper rang in Stelle's ear:
"[The Script] says: Those who obtain eternal life will eventually actively seek death."
"Because in the years that followed, the denizens of Abundance, who also received Yaoshi's grace, repeatedly invaded the Xianzhou to seize the miracle, creating great slaughter. The Xianzhou compatriots who were lucky enough to survive the war fell into the long-life disease known as [Mara-Struck]."
"If not for the fortune of receiving the revelation and protection of the Reignbow Arbiter, the [Xianzhou Alliance] of today would not exist." Jing Yuan's eyes were full of stories.
"War is equally cruel... With the story told to this point, you should understand what kind of disaster the resurgence of the Ambrosial Arbor will bring, right?"
If he continued, the topic would lean towards the Church, so Jing Yuan coughed twice:
"Since the Reignbow Arbiter took action to sever the [Ambrosial Arbor], it has been withered for thousands of years. Except for those familiar with ancient texts and history, most of the Xianzhou populace only regard it as a piece of old dead wood, knowing little of its origin."
"The sages placed this piece of dead wood in full view, intentionally making it seem insignificant, while actually sealing it layer by layer with delve techniques. Even if one advances towards the [Ambrosial Arbor], one can never reach it."
"However, now someone has brought a Stellaron onto the Xianzhou and thrown it into the roots of the Arbor. They want to use this external force to revive the [Ambrosial Arbor] and achieve [ulterior] motives."
With Adrian's spoilers in advance, Phantylia's little scheme was clear to Jing Yuan. It was his first time seeing an Emanator of [Destruction] so thirsty for the immortal power of [Abundance].
Hmm... in that case, why not ask [Eternity]?
"The person who provided the Stellaron and the person who activated the Stellaron, in my opinion, seek different things."
Fu Xuan recalled the content of the divination not long ago, her brows furrowed tightly.
"'Progress is hindered; nothing is favorable'... It really matches the hexagram, damn it. Broken for thousands of years, the originally dead and withered [Ambrosial Arbor] has revived. The future of the Xianzhou is hard to divine."
"Sorry, we let Kafka escape..." March 7th bore the brunt, apologizing on behalf of Stelle. Unexpectedly, Fu Xuan was not surprised at all, even showing an expression as if 'it was as she expected'.
March 7th was very surprised. No thunderous rage? It seemed she had cast a divination and was prepared long ago.
"This Seat expected this. Chasing her is a waste of effort. The [Matrix of Prescience] revealed Kafka's innocence to me. The most urgent matter now is to deal with the Ambrosial Arbor."
Fu Xuan mentioned the Alchemy Commission: "Calculating from the time the Stellaron began its corrosion, apart from the alchemy scholars and healers stationed in other delves, no one from the Alchemy Commission has reported back."
"That was originally the place on the Xianzhou for refining elixir recipes and researching medicine. It is very close to the sealed site of the [Ambrosial Arbor]. Once the Stellaron evil erupted, I'm afraid it bodes ill for them."
"Moreover, the General believes someone within the Alchemy Commission has betrayed the Xianzhou. Those traitors calling themselves [Disciples of Sanctus Medicus] have plotted for a long time, using the time and place to execute their conspiracy. I must act quickly too..."
As Jing Yuan and Fu Xuan left, the Express crew gathered together to discuss their next countermeasures.
"Sigh~ One link after another. Let's get ready to go to the [Artisanship Commission]... Wait, they didn't arrange a guide for us!"
"Should I call Phantylia over now?"
Thinking about it, Stelle had two contacts with Tingyun's profile picture on her phone: one was the Lord Ravager Phantylia, and the other was the real Miss Tingyun.
"Sigh~ I hope nothing else happens next..."
"March, look out!"
Boom!
With a loud noise, a massive black shadow smashed directly into the center of the Matrix of Prescience.
"Cough cough... what thing flew over with a bang?" March 7th covered her mouth, swatting away the kicked-up dust. Realizing the situation was wrong, she directly pulled out her ice bow.
As the thick smoke cleared, the auspicious beast born from the [Ambrosial Arbor] to guard its roots—the Abundance Ebon Deer—appeared before everyone, completely unharmed.