tl notes: you wonder why I took so long to upload đ 12k characters man :_:
---o---
A thousand thoughts flashed through Ron's mind, and for a moment, he found himself in a state of turmoil.
The proclamation woven from the threads of fate before him faded away, bit by bit, as if it had never existed, disappearing completely into the air without a trace.
In that instant, Ron felt the power that had bound him completely vanish...
Time began to flow again. In the next moment, Ron immediately met Herta's gaze and saw that her eyes, too, were glinting with a solemn light...
"That was... a notification from the Life Simulation Game?"
Herta fell silent for a moment, then said with a frown:
"If it were just a notification, that would be one thing. After all, we've already personally entered the game... but why did those threads look just like the 'fate' you mentioned before, like the power wielded by Terminus, the Finality?"
Ron listened to Herta's words and paused for a moment, but the gravity in his eyes had already given her the answer.
He was silent for a long time before letting out a deep breath:
"You're right... it is that kind of thing."
"There's no way I could forget what those threads representâeven if their color is different from the black and white threads woven by Terminus, they exude the same flavor of fate."
"The Life Simulation Game's notification just now wasn't just a simple message... It seems to have relied on something to anchor a direction for fate..."
Ron frowned deeply in thought... Although the Life Simulation Game had displayed a power similar to that of Terminus, which made him a little wary, he didn't immediately write it off as an enemy, treating it as the same as Terminus.
After all, Ron was very clear about how he had gotten to where he was today... While all of his current abilities were earned through his own hard work and struggle, without the golden finger that was the Life Simulation Game, he wouldn't have even had the chance to struggle.
If the Life Simulation Game truly wasn't on his side, or if it wasn't simply an unthinking tool but was actually an enemy like Terminus that had anchored a future fate, leading this sea of stars to a desperate end, then Ron wouldn't have been able to hold onto his life. He would have died in a simulation long ago.
Similar powers don't represent the same faction or ideology... Power itself is not inherently wrong; how it is used is what proves the will behind it and which side one stands on.
With this thought in mind, Ron's tightly furrowed brow gradually began to relax...
This matter was, perhaps, not so bad.
It was obvious that the Life Simulation Game was by no means Ron's enemy, but his truest and most powerful assistantâwithout it, everything Ron had done would have been nigh impossible.
And this golden finger, the Life Simulation Game, could in many ways be seen as a power that Ron himself possessed... Ron never felt that this golden finger didn't belong to him. Although there were now many, many other players, Ron still felt that the power of the game originated from himself.
After all, there was no such thing in the original Honkai: Star Rail... He had transmigrated into this world, and then the Life Simulation Game appeared. It was clear that this was a special power that only appeared because of his arrival, which he had generously lent to the other players...
So, without considering the possibility that the game was an enemy, and only observing the nature of the situation, the threads of fate seen in this simulation could be regarded as a manifestation of the game's fundamental power...
Thinking about it, that should be the caseâin the game's own little tips, a "Miracle" was defined as a power capable of breaking the shackles of fate... And after a miracle breaks a predetermined fate, the course of fate will naturally change because of it.
So, the manifestation of the Life Simulation Game's power just now was perhaps the fundamental power of a miracle made manifestâit was to use the fate of a miracle to replace the fate fixed by Terminus, the Finality, and to prepare to forge a new path.
That makes sense... Since Terminus, the Finality, manipulates the threads of fate, fixing the fate of this sea of stars and forcing all events to develop according to the future They have established, then theoretically, every simulation should be identical.
It was only because Ron was attempting things within the game that the game, possessing the same power of fate, was able to shift the predetermined destiny under Ron's control, and use the power of a "Miracle" to break out of fate's shackles, time and time again forging a new path...
Thinking of it this way, his understanding of the fundamental power of the Life Simulation Game and the concept of a "Miracle" had deepened...
As Ron mulled it over, his tightly furrowed brow finally relaxed completely.
He thought for a moment and said seriously:
"It's not necessarily a bad thing... The Life Simulation Game relied on the power of a miracle to anchor a direction for fate, and this is clearly not the direction that Terminus has anchored."
"Destruction and death are the main theme of Terminus's fate, but clearly not of the Life Simulation Game's..."
"As it stands now, the Life Simulation Game has only revealed its power to influence the fate of this simulation because of our actions. Its essence still stems from our choices."
As Ron spoke, he hesitated for a moment, but ultimately put a label on the matter:
"For now... this is not something we need to be overly concerned about."
"Instead of worrying about this, we might as well focus on the Lantern of [Salvation] and figure out how to forge it into its final form according to that miracle blueprint..."
Hearing Ron's words, Herta no longer showed any vigilance towards the game's recent display.
After all, she had never seen Terminus in action. Everything was just based on what Ron had said. And now that Ron was certain this matter didn't need to be worried about, Herta would naturally trust him and feel that it wasn't a big deal...
She hadn't even seen a single hair on Terminus's head. How could she possibly understand Terminus better than Ron, who had fought against Them in several simulations?
With the time spent worrying, it was better to focus on solving the matter of [Lord Ravager Phantylia]...
---o---
Herta had already helped Ron complete the miracle design for the Lantern of [Salvation]. As for forging the Guiding Spirit Lantern, while her help would be great, it was no longer essential.
On the other hand, Fu Xuan's side was more urgent. It was time for her to prepare to head to the Cloudford.
Ron didn't stop Herta. Her help was no longer necessary now. Letting Herta go to deal with [Lord Ravager Phantylia] with Jing Yuan was part of the plan. He no longer needed to hold her back.
He picked up his Jade Abacus phone and sent a message to Fu Xuan. Then, paying no mind to the departing Herta, he turned his gaze back to the Furnace of Creation before him, to the Lantern of [Salvation] resting within it...
Brilliant golden flames once again began to rise from the Furnace of Creation, but this time, the form the Lantern was meant to take would no longer be one of those crude, earlier designs...
And at the same time, on the other sideâ
[Ron: Herta is already on her way to the Cloudford... The plan can continue.]
[Ron: With two Emanators making a move, perhaps you can try to capture Phantylia alive and see if you can pry something out of her.]
[Ron: Of course, if you decide to utterly obliterate her with the force of a thunderbolt, that's fine too... How you do it is up to you.]
Looking at the text appearing on the light screen, Fu Xuan couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.
As expected of Ron... even when he ran into some trouble, at most it was just a small waste of time. In the end, he always had the power to resolve those troubles completely.
She had originally been a little worried because the waiting time in the simulation was too long, fearing that some major problem might arise in the game that would cause Ron and Herta to fail. She had even been thinking about temporarily splitting her forces in the simulation to send a detachment to the Artisanship Commission to see what kind of trouble Ron and Herta had gotten into.
But now, she could rest easy... Fu Xuan looked at the screen before her. As the text on it faded away, new lines appeared:
[You have followed Ron's instructions, suppressing the desire to immediately eliminate all enemies in the game and completely resolve the issue of [Lord Ravager Phantylia]. You obediently command the Cloud Knights to surround the entire Cloudford, strictly monitoring everything within and preventing any enemyâeven a single mosquitoâfrom flying out.]
[And not too long after, only half an hour later, you receive a message from Ron on your Jade Abacus phone...]
[Herta's footsteps were hurried. In just a short while, she followed the path to the Cloudford and quickly arrived before you.]
The text on the light screen faded, and a new option box appeared:
[Herta has arrived in a hurry and has successfully rendezvoused with you...]
[The two Emanators are now in position. The [Lord Ravager Phantylia] hiding in a corner of the Cloudford has yet to discover your ambush... You have made all pre-battle preparations.]
[Time waits for no one. Now, perhaps, the final moment to give the order has arrived...]
[Please Chooseâ]
[1. "Attack! Give her a good beating for me! Cloud Knights, charge with me!"
You have long been prepared to give that villain who dared to ignite the Xianzhou [Luofu] and turn the home you've dedicated hundreds of years to into ashes a thorough thrashing, to prepare for the complete annihilation of her soul...
The Cloud Knights have surrounded the Cloudford, and have long since made all preparations for war.
[The Destruction] has declared war on you, so you shall respond in kind!
The outcome of war can only be a fight to the death, and the people of the Xianzhou never retreat...
Following the decree of the Reignbow Arbiter, you will lead the army in a charge. At this moment, everyone will launch a siege against [Lord Ravager Phantylia].
Todayâyou will crush [Lord Ravager Phantylia] in this remote corner of the Cloudford!
The moment she chose to be your enemy, her fate was sealedâa fate of certain death!!
Choosing this option, you will immediately lead the Cloud Knights to break their cover and charge unhesitatingly towards the corner where [Lord Ravager Phantylia] is hiding.]
[The Cloud Knights will clear all obstacles for you. The minions of [The Destruction] will be dragged into the mire of war.]
[And you, along with General Jing Yuan and the Emanator of [The Erudition], Herta, will advance together, arriving before [Lord Ravager Phantylia] and crushing her into dust on this very spot...]
[2. "Heeey, YOUNG GIRL!!!"
deng deng deng deng deng deng~ (incomprehensible music)
Phantylia pokes her head out and sees this sceneâ
Whoa!! It's two big dudes dressed in a lot of cloth (with the power of Emanators); their stern gazes, their confident smiles, their detestable actions, already show that they are the best of the best among Emanators!!
Each one has their own unique skills, their own special moves. Their fighting spirit and endurance are astonishing. Their secret weapons will give you an unexpected surprise...
Haha! Phantylia, how do you feel now? How do you feel?!
Choosing this option, you, along with General Jing Yuan and the Emanator of [The Erudition], Herta, will ride alone for a thousand li, directly and cleanly finding [Lord Ravager Phantylia]...
It's just one Emanator on the other side. You have two Emanators sitting comfortably. In a battle, you have a two-to-one advantage!
Why go through so much trouble? Two Emanators strike together. How could they not solve this measly Heliobus?
Blast her apart!!!]
[3. Acknowledge Ron's choice and hand over negotiation rights to Herta.
Although [Lord Ravager Phantylia] is extremely dangerous and has committed so many evil deeds against the Xianzhou [Luofu], right now, unlike before, you only have one Emanator...
The power of two Emanators is enough to completely control [Lord Ravager Phantylia]. Perhaps you should listen to Ron's suggestion, leave Phantylia half-alive, and see if you can interrogate her for other useful information.
This fiend has done so many evil things. How can she be given the chance to be free? To have her consciousness scattered and be reborn as countless Heliobus soul fragments?
Her remaining value must be squeezed completely dry, so that she can never be free again!
Choosing this option, you will default to Ron's approach and temporarily hand over the final decision and negotiation rights to Herta.
Herta will help you make the final decision on how to deal with [Lord Ravager Phantylia].]
Looking at the three options that popped up on the light screen, Fu Xuan couldn't help but tilt her head, a big question mark appearing above it.
...Why did the options in this Life Simulation Game feel a little off this time? It felt strangely dirty.
Why were the words and phrasing so weird... It was weirdly disgusting to look at.
Fu Xuan shivered, her lips turning down slightly. It was obvious she didn't like the options that had popped up on the simulation screen this time.
But that was as far as it went... Fu Xuan shook her head, shaking off the minor annoyance, and then seriously looked at the screen before her, beginning to contemplate her choice...
To be honest, all of these choices had their merits; there wasn't a clear difference.
Option one was the most stable choice. After making so many preparations, it was only natural to use them all.
Although fighting a Lord Ravager would likely cause immense destruction on the battlefield, and it was possible that the Cloud Knights charging with them would be caught in the crossfire between the Emanators while fighting the minions of [The Destruction], resulting in heavy casualties...
But Fu Xuan would not give up this option for that reason.
After all, this was a war, a war of the Xianzhou [Luofu] against the Antimatter Legion...
War always means death. To protect the Xianzhou [Luofu], the Cloud Knights of the Luofu would never retreat.
It was still unclear how many soldiers of the Antimatter Legion [Lord Ravager Phantylia] had brought with her. These minions had to be dealt with by an army. Even if the Cloud Knights might suffer casualties, they still had to participate in this decisive battleâ
After all, once Jing Yuan and Herta joined forces to fight Phantylia, they wouldn't have the spare attention to deal with these small fry of [The Destruction].
But even so, upon careful consideration, there was no need to be so cautious.
With two Emanators present, they indeed had an unparalleled advantage...
Letting the Cloud Knights surround the area and kill any escaping soldiers of the Antimatter Legion, while the three of them went directly for a decapitation strike to deal with Phantylia, their only hostile Emanator, was perhaps not an unacceptable option.
After all... even if this approach might lead to the Antimatter Legion being left unattended and swarming them like locusts to die, trying to bog down the three of them, that was not an unacceptable situation.
One Emanator plus a pile of cannon fodder could never beat two Emanators. Even if this group of [The Destruction]'s minions could delay them, it would only waste a little bit of their time and not affect the final outcome...
After hesitating for a moment, Fu Xuan's thoughts shifted again, and she had an idea.
Since they could win no matter what, why not just turn this fiend into a prisoner?
Ron was right. If they could capture Phantylia alive and then pry something out of her, it might not be a bad thing.
After all... if they didn't try to capture her alive, actually killing her would be extremely difficult.
The Heliobus was a very peculiar life form. As a spirit of formless fire, although their will could be destroyed, the essence of their life was eternal and undying.
[Lord Ravager Phantylia], as a great Heliobus on the same level as that ancestor, "Suihuang," was already extremely difficult to extinguish...
Although with two Emanators present, they might be able to use pure power to tear Phantylia's consciousness apart, shattering her Heliobus body into countless soul fragments, just like that great Heliobus "Liaoyuan" who had lost his sense of self, Phantylia would not have died because of it...
A half-baked character like "Liaoyuan" could maintain its vitality for nearly a thousand years after death. There were even fragments of "Liaoyuan" that had escaped the Furnace of Creation. Who knows, one day they might fuse into a new Heliobus that inherits "Liaoyuan's" will. How could one be sure that [Lord Ravager Phantylia] couldn't do the same?
Perhaps, for Phantylia, this process might even be much faster...
If they could make her recognize her situation, that she had absolutely no way out, and turn her into a prisoner, that might be the best choice.
Handing over the final negotiation and decision-making rights to Herta, letting her try to capture Phantylia alive, might be the best choice.
With this in mind, Fu Xuan finally made up her mind and clicked on the third option on the light screen.
The text on the screen faded, and a new scene appeared:
"The matter over there has temporarily come to an end... Phantylia, how should we deal with her?"
Herta strode over, her tone very calm, but one could hear a trace of urgency in her words...
It seemed that although the matter on Herta and Ron's side had come to an end, Herta didn't feel that the matter was simple at all. She still needed to hurry back, and there were other things that required her help.
Therefore, Fu Xuan's expression also became serious. Without wasting any of Herta's time, she immediately took two short steps forward. With Jing Yuan beside her, she led Herta quickly towards the corner of the Cloudford where [Lord Ravager Phantylia] was hiding...
Jing Yuan, beside her, obediently followed Fu Xuan's steps, but on the way, the Divine Foresight General's mouth was not idleâ
"So this is Lady Herta? Genius Society #83, a genius personally recognized by Nous the Erudition, an existence capable of sitting in one of those seats..."
A cordial smile hung on his face, but his words were laced with a bit of caution. He probed slightly:
"For Lady Herta to be able to come and assist the Luofu is truly a great honor. Jing Yuan is overjoyed, but I also understand that this is a great kindness. The Luofu dares not accept it lightly."
As he spoke, he finally revealed his true intentions, his real question that he wanted an answer to:
"I wonder why Lady Herta has come at this moment to lend the Luofu a hand?"
Although Jing Yuan was a little suspicious about the other Emanator who had come to help before this battle, it had to be said that this matter was not his fault...
After all, the Luofu had suddenly fallen into chaos. An Emanator of [The Destruction] had appeared out of nowhere, revealed by the Master Diviner with the "Reignbow's Decree," causing the entire Xianzhou Luofu to be mobilized. Everyone was scrambling, afraid they would be too late to save the Luofu, to let Ron be utterly destroyed at the hands of [The Destruction]...
And at a time like this, Fu Xuan had hastily told him that the reinforcements she had found had arrived. Jing Yuan had considered many possibilities, but he had never imagined that it would be an Emanator of [The Erudition] who had nothing to do with the Xianzhou [Luofu]...
Who was Herta? The eighty-third member of the Genius Society, an important partner of the Interastral Peace Corporation, a super genius whose research results greatly influenced the course of this sea of stars...
...He had never heard of her having any grievances with [The Destruction].
On the great chessboard of the cosmos, Herta was like a dark horse, quietly sitting at the edge of the board. You knew she had a great effect, secretly influencing the progress of the game, but no matter what, she usually seemed extremely quiet...
But obviously, when she wasn't being quiet, something unusual was bound to happenâ
The current invasion of the Xianzhou [Luofu] by [Lord Ravager Phantylia] was clearly that most unusual thing.
Although the Xianzhou Alliance had a history of fighting against the minions of [The Destruction], and the "List of Great Enemies" had already recorded the names of [The Destruction] and its minions, they hadn't paid too much attention to their movements.
After all, the true enemy of the Xianzhou Alliance was definitely the Plagues Author of [The Abundance] and the Abundance monstrosities created by its boundless blessings. The minions of [The Destruction], while they indiscriminately destroyed all civilizations in this sea of stars, had ultimately not focused their attention on the Xianzhou Alliance too many times...
You have to consider the master before you beat the dog. What's more, the Xianzhou Alliance wasn't even a dog; it was practically the adopted son of Lan of [The Hunt].
If they wanted to attack, the Antimatter Legion had to have the confidence to actually defeat the Xianzhou Alliance and completely wipe it from existence.
There were so many civilizations in this sea of stars. Even if the Antimatter Legion was vicious, they knew to pick on the weak first...
So, the sudden arrival of [Lord Ravager Phantylia] definitely meant that something unusual was about to happen.
Not to mention that Fu Xuan had even produced the Reignbow's Decreeâalthough Jing Yuan had always felt that there was something off about the decree in Fu Xuan's hands, after all, there was no precedent for this, but the lack of a precedent didn't mean he could treat it as false.
After all... there were few in this sea of stars who had received the grace of an Aeon. Fu Xuan had received the Reignbow's Decree. Why couldn't it be because she was exceptionally talented, far surpassing others?
Fu Xuan had a precedent for this... Previously, she had been blessed to see Nous, The Erudition, and that Nous had bestowed upon her the Omniscient Eye that could peer into fate...
...If an outsider could achieve this, there was no reason why the Lord of the Hunt couldn't bestow a Reignbow's Decree upon Fu Xuan.
After all... no matter what, Fu Xuan was the Master Diviner of the Xianzhou [Luofu], the next General of the Luofu that Jing Yuan had already decided on, the one who would take over his seat...
He had no reason to doubt her loyalty to the Luofu, nor did she have any need to deceive them.
So, what needed to be worried about now was only Herta's thoughts.
...An outside Emanator, suddenly willing to lend a hand to the Xianzhou [Luofu], and to do something as dangerous as fighting a Lord Ravager, was truly worrying.
After all... who knew what kind of reward this Emanator wanted?
The Xianzhou [Luofu] was not stingy, and was even extremely generousâbut this generosity ultimately had its limits.
What kind of appetite did an Emanator with an unknown purpose have? No one could say for sure...
So, before this matter was settled at the very end, even if it was a bit rude, Jing Yuan was willing to play the role of the bad guy who didn't know right from wrong and make things clear with Herta.
The Xianzhou [Luofu] could pay the price to hire an Emanator... As long as the price wasn't exorbitant, they could always be firm allies.
Hearing Jing Yuan's words, Fu Xuan had actually already prepared a draft to explain this matter, ready to face his questions.
Now was clearly the time to use it...
But before Fu Xuan could open her mouth, she heard Herta respond in a flat tone:
"My boss gave me a direct order, telling me I must help you deal with [Lord Ravager Phantylia]. No need to probe my intentions."
Hearing this, Jing Yuan couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief... Although he didn't know who Herta's boss was, he knew that since this matter had a reason, the Xianzhou [Luofu] might not have to pay much of a price.
But... Herta's boss? What kind of boss could this Emanator have?
Could it be that Nous, The Erudition, had personally descended and ordered Herta to help fight [Lord Ravager Phantylia]?
Thinking of this... could it be that Nous had some grievance with Nanook of [The Destruction]? Had they become complete enemies?
Although the enemies of the Annihilation Gang were numerous in the sea of stars, the Aeons themselves had no strong sense of self. Theoretically, they shouldn't be so clearly hostile...
After all, Nous of [The Erudition]'s attitude towards Nanook of [The Destruction] was not like the Lord of the Hunt's attitude towards the Plagues Author of [The Abundance]. It wasn't an enmity that stemmed from the very nature of their Paths...
Jing Yuan's mind was filled with thoughts, and he was already beginning to suspect that the situation in the sea of stars was about to change.
But he didn't show it on his face. Instead, he looked at Herta with a smile and said:
"Lady Herta is indeed straightforward. But regardless of which will Lady Herta is following, the Xianzhou [Luofu] will not forget your kindness..."
Jing Yuan was about to say a few more pleasantries, but Herta waved her hand, having no intention of listening to them. Instead, she asked:
"Let's skip the pleasantries... Have you decided how you're going to deal with [Lord Ravager Phantylia]?"
Hearing Herta's question, the smile on Jing Yuan's face from just a moment ago slowly faded. His expression became stern and cold, and the lazy, languid tone in his voice lost its former gentleness, now tinged with a biting chill.
He replied seriously:
"Phantylia? Since a villain of [The Destruction] has had the idea of harming the Xianzhou, then the vengeance of [The Hunt] will follow like a shadow, leaving no roomâ"
But before he could finish, Fu Xuan, beside him, stood on her tiptoes and patted his shoulder, signaling him to stop talking for a moment.
Jing Yuan was slightly taken aback. Although he didn't know why Fu Xuan had done that, they had worked together for hundreds of years, and he had enough trust in her.
Considering that Fu Xuan now held the Reignbow's Decree, everything she did basically symbolized the will of the Lord of the Hunt...
It was better to first listen to what Fu Xuan wanted to do.
With this thought in mind, Jing Yuan said no more, and even took a few steps back, gesturing for Fu Xuan and Herta to talk first.
Seeing Jing Yuan step back, Fu Xuan breathed a small sigh of relief. That was one less explanation she had to give.
She then looked at Herta and replied:
"Whether Phantylia lives or dies is not important... Even if there is a way to deal with a Heliobus, it would probably be a waste of time."
As she spoke, she turned to look at Jing Yuan and Herta and said seriously:
"We have basically secured victory... The power of two Emanators is something a single Emanator can never match. Since that's the case, we might as well try to capture Phantylia and make her spit out everything she should."
"The Reignbow Arbiter has already given me guidance... Now that we have an Emanator of [The Erudition] on our side, why not rely on her 'Erudition'?"
As she spoke, she smiled at Herta and said:
"As for how to solve the problem of Phantylia next, how we should trap her, we'll have to listen to your instructions, Lady Herta."
Herta's expression didn't change. She had seen Ron's message before coming over, so she had naturally anticipated Fu Xuan's choice.
She just nodded lightly, then silently followed behind Fu Xuan and Jing Yuan, her expression somewhat solemn, as if she were contemplating something...
But that was definitely not Phantylia, not this enemy who had no ability to resist and had basically been sentenced to death.
[Lord Ravager Phantylia] was just hiding in this corner of the Cloudford. Although as an Emanator, even if she wasn't paying attention, a Heliobus's natural perception of intelligent life was vast enough. This had caused Fu Xuan to arrange the encampment of her soldiers far enough away to form an encirclement, which meant that they had to travel a considerable distance to reach Phantylia's location. But the travel time was not long.
After all, among the three of them were two Emanators, and the one who wasn't an Emanator was basically confirmed to be the next General of the Luofu, who would surely ascend to the position of an Emanator in the future...
Just crossing half of the Cloudford, no matter how carefully they protected themselves and advanced with caution, would at most take a dozen minutes.
The three of them walked through the quiet Cloudford. The mechanical creations of the Cloudford were all operating normally, as if there were no problems at all, following their preset programs.
One after another, Crane Express logistics cycranes flew across the sky. The eyes of these cycranes flashed with a warning light. They were clearly one moving camera after another...
But as one cycrane after another flew by, none of them noticed anything amiss... But was there really no problem here?
Just by walking like this, Fu Xuan and the others had already glimpsed many Voidrangers hiding in the dark...
These minions of [The Destruction] were following the great lord's decree, like venomous snakes hidden in the dark, licking their fangs, ready at any moment to devour any enemy who dared to intrude and expose the hiding place of [Lord Ravager Phantylia], to burn them to ethereal ashes...
But these little minions of [The Destruction] obviously did not notice their existenceâFu Xuan and the others had easily passed through all the defensive lines set up by [Lord Ravager Phantylia]. Finally, in a remote corner of a small port at the very edge of the Cloudford, they saw a container that looked a little out of place, one that was giving off faint points of white-green light...
The moment they all saw this container, Fu Xuan's Omniscient Eye lit up slightly. The eye bestowed by Nous, The Erudition, detected a high-energy electromagnetic reaction in the surroundings. The ambient temperature didn't change, but all three of them felt their "souls" being touched by a faint heat coming from the container not far away.
This heat grew stronger and stronger, as if it were about to burn their very soulsâ
"Which little rascal is looking for me?"
A sudden voice came from within the containerâthey had already gotten so close. Even Herta and Jing Yuan could only conceal their auras, making it difficult for Phantylia to distinguish who they were, but they couldn't prevent her from discovering that someone had approached...
A seemingly ordinary Vidyadhara from the Xianzhou walked out of the container. A faint, illusory white-green flame floated beside her, flickering in and out of existence... It was obvious that this was another poor soul possessed by Phantylia at some point.
She arrogantly cast her gaze in the direction of the newcomers. One could faintly see a trace of exhaustion and fear in her eyes.
That Aeon of [The Equilibrium] had really left a deep psychological scar on Phantylia... so much so that she had been hiding in this container, trembling with fear, for a long time.
But now that someone had come to her door, she had to come out and see them, no matter what... and satisfy her desire for [Destruction] while she was at it.
Her existence was no longer a secret... The fact that she had left the legion's minions in the Scalegorge Waterscape would obviously be discovered by the people of the Xianzhou [Luofu].
And now, the people of the Luofu had broken through the seals she had set and come before her...
To be honest, Phantylia wasn't afraid.
What enemies were there on the Xianzhou [Luofu]? Phantylia had already done her homework before coming.
Jing Yuan, the Divine Foresight General, an old general who had been sitting in his position for over eight hundred years and could go crazy with mara-struck at any moment.
This fellow was known as the Divine Foresight General and had always won battles through strategy. She had never heard of him having any great martial prowess...
The only one who could have found this place was this Divine Foresight General... And on this Xianzhou [Luofu], the only one with the power to fight her was this Divine Foresight General.
But, if she were only facing this Divine Foresight General... even in an away game, here on the Xianzhou [Luofu], in Jing Yuan's own territory, Phantylia was not the least bit afraid.
After all, as a Lord Ravager, an Emanator of [The Destruction] who carried the calamitous fire of world-ending destruction, although she was considered one of the weaker Lord Ravagers in terms of combat ability, she still had a significant advantage over the Emanators of other Aeons.
[The Destruction] was able to run rampant in the sea of stars not just because of its madness... Strength was the foundation of their rampage in this sea of stars.
The average strength of the Lord Ravagers was considered to be in the upper echelons among all Emanators. After all, when it came to pure combat and destruction, no other Path of an Aeon could compare to [The Destruction].
Thinking of the coming battle, Phantylia not only felt no fear, but she even managed to dispel some of the terror that [The Equilibrium] had instilled in her. Rubbing her fists, she was already prepared for battle.
A sudden enemy was the perfect form of entertainment for her...
After all, the fear brought by HooH of [The Equilibrium] had to be vented somewhere. What was more comforting than crushing ants and watching them scream in agony...
The Divine Foresight General, Jing Yuan, was the perfect target for her torment.
This pressure on Phantylia had been building for too long. She needed to vent it through these means.
After she won, how should she play with him... Should she turn him into a Voidranger? Turning an Emanator of [The Hunt] into a chess piece would surely make Lord Nanook happy...
With this thought in mind, Phantylia had just walked out of the cramped container. She cast her gaze towards the newcomers and saw three silent figures walking towards her. She faintly felt that the atmosphere of the scene was a little off.
The three silent figures just stood there calmly, as if nothing had happened, but the air at that moment seemed to freeze. If this weren't reality but a scene from a manga, the air would probably be filled with stretched-out "ă´ă´ă´ă´ă´ă´" sound effects...
Seeing this scene, Phantylia's originally arrogant steps faltered slightly. She subconsciously stopped in her tracks.
Wait... what's going on?
Phantylia had always been cautious. After sensing this subtle atmosphere, her originally relaxed mood gradually tensed up again...
But before she could figure out what was happening, she saw the second shortest of the three figures in the distance take a step forward and point a finger at herâ
"Phantylia, right?"
Hearing the person's question, Phantylia subconsciously nodded, then immediately came back to her senses...
Why am I being so obedient?
I am a Lord Ravager, an Emanator of [The Destruction]!
A wave of defiance rose in Phantylia's heart. She looked at the three people before her and continued to speak in her arrogant tone:
"Since you've already found me, how could you not recognize me?"
"If you're afraid and trying to stall for time with this idle chatter, then you've come to the right person... The aesthetics of [The Destruction] shouldn't be so crude. Chatting with you ants isn't entirely out of the question..."
But before Phantylia could continue with her nonsense, Herta waved her hand impatiently, cutting off her long-winded speech.
"I'm in no mood to talk nonsense with you. I'm just confirming that it's you. Do you think everyone is like you, changing their skins all day?"
Herta said, looking at the Phantylia before her. She fell silent for a moment, looking as if she were just now beginning to consider how to deal with this arrogant fellow.
But this matter didn't occupy much of her thoughts at all. She only thought for a moment before coming up with a very Herta-esque solutionâ
"Looking at you like this... dealing with you in any way feels like a waste of time."
"How about this? Let's not waste everyone's time. I'll give you the best option."
Herta said, beckoning to Phantylia. It looked like a mocking taunt, but the expression on her face was extremely seriousâ
"Come here, be my dog."
A small, white-green flame popped out of Phantylia's head. The flame twisted, forming an illusory question mark.
No, what's going on?
Where did this master come from? They're even more arrogant than I am???