"Wrong!" Phantylia's footsteps suddenly stopped.
Her folding fan hung in mid-air, and she even forgot to sway its tassel.
She narrowed her eyes, her mind racing through every detail of the recent events—starting from when that group from the Astral Express entered the Sky-Faring Commission.
Since then, they hadn't come out or had the slightest contact with her.
Not even once.
Was this normal?
Tingyun was, after all, an Envoy of the Sky-Faring Commission; if they came to discuss matters with Yukong, surely they should have at least crossed Paths with her?
And yet?
She hadn't even seen a shadow of them.
Even more suspicious was her superior in this body, Yukong.
From beginning to end, Yukong had only told her to "take a rest."
"Take a rest."
Four words.
And then she never looked for her again.
Unless she knew there was something wrong with this subordinate.
Phantylia's gaze grew colder and colder.
And then there were the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus.
They were clearly scattered across the Luofu, with over a dozen strongholds and secret codes to communicate with each other.
And yet?
In an instant.
Truly, in an instant.
They were wiped out.
Like seventeen anthills being doused with boiling water all at once.
"Dammit!" Phantylia gritted her teeth, squeezing the words out from between them.
Exposed.
She had already been exposed.
They knew she wasn't Tingyun!
With a sharp snap, she closed her folding fan, her fingers gripping it so tightly the ribs creaked.
The gentle, elegant smile on her face vanished completely, replaced by a cold, dangerous arc.
"In that case..."
Her gaze slowly shifted, falling upon the towering giant tree in the distance—the Ambrosial Arbor.
The Ambrosial Arbor stood silently between heaven and earth, its branches twisted like a massive, silent skeleton.
But Phantylia knew that was just an appearance.
Hidden within that withered husk was—
"A vast amount of Abundance Path energy."
She said softly, the smile on her lips gradually widening.
"I am a Suiyang myself, and also an Emissary of Destruction..."
"A dual-Path body..."
She raised her hand, her fingers slowly curling, as if grasping something invisible.
"Perfect."
An evil smile bloomed on her face, beautiful and dangerous.
But she didn't notice at all—
Behind her.
A faint, flickering figure.
Lan.
The Aeon of The Hunt stood less than ten paces away from her.
No bow was raised, no arrow was nocked, and not even a sliver of killing intent was leaked.
He just stood there quietly, like a shadow under the sun, like a ripple blown by the wind.
He watched Phantylia's gradually twisting face, watched that evil smile, and remained silent for two seconds.
Then—
[Lan: Stella.]
Inside the Seat of Divine Foresight.
Stella was holding a teacup, watching Qingque struggling hopelessly amidst a pile of documents.
Suddenly, she jolted.
The tea in the cup sloshed out, spilling onto the back of her hand, but she didn't feel the heat at all.
"Who is it?!"
She looked around.
No one.
No—
That voice resonating directly in her mind...
Big Boss Lan?!
Stella widened her eyes, screaming frantically in her mind:
[Stella: Big Boss Lan! You can do this too!]
Silence.
Two seconds later.
[Lan: Mm.]
Just one word.
As bland as if he were saying the weather was nice today.
Stella's mouth twitched.
What do you mean "Mm"?
Did you just learn how to send messages?
But she couldn't afford to complain, so she hurriedly pressed:
[Stella: What is it? Big Boss Lan, you're looking for me suddenly—did something happen?]
[Lan: Phantylia is about to make a move on the Ambrosial Arbor.]
Stella froze for a moment.
Phantylia?
That fake Tingyun?
The Ambrosial Arbor?
That withered giant tree?
[Stella: The Ambrosial Arbor? That withered giant tree? What is there left to do with it?]
[Lan: The Ambrosial Arbor holds a vast amount of Abundance Path energy.]
He paused.
[Lan: Phantylia is a Suiyang and also an Emissary of Destruction. She could completely create a dual-Path body.]
Stella's pupils constricted sharply.
Dual-Path.
Destruction + Abundance.
An enemy at the Emanator level, plus an Abundance Path—what kind of concept was that?
It's over, it's over, it's over, it's over...
She stood up abruptly, nearly knocking over her teacup.
[Stella: Then Big Boss Lan, why don't you hurry up and shoot her with an arrow!]
In her excitement, her "voice" even cracked.
Silence.
Another two seconds.
[Lan: This body is merely a projection.]
[Lan: It cannot unleash that kind of attack.]
Stella: "..."
Stella slowly sat back down in her chair.
A projection?
You, the dignified Aeon of The Hunt, only use a projection to send messages?
What kind of ridiculous setting is this?!
She took a deep breath, trying hard to calm herself down.
[Stella: Then what should we do?]
The other side was silent for a while.
Was Big Boss Lan thinking?
Do Aeons need time to think?
Or was he just a slow typer?
Finally—
[Lan: The enemy faced is a Lord Ravager, without a doubt a powerful foe.]
Stella nodded like a pecking chicken: Yes, yes, yes, so?
[Lan: You may apply to use a character.]
Stella blinked.
[Stella: A trial character?]
[Lan: Mm.]
That "Mm" again.
Stella's mouth twitched.
Can you please add a couple more words?
This makes me look like a chatterbox!
But she didn't have time to continue asking before the voice in her mind disappeared.
[Lan: That is all.]
[Lan: I am hanging up.]
"Wait—!"
Stella blurted out, shouting aloud.
Qingque nearby was startled, looked up, and gave her a resentful glance.
Stella had no time to pay attention to her.
[Stella: Wait! Big Boss Lan! Hey! Hey!]
Silence.
Silence was the Seat of Divine Foresight tonight.
Stella maintained her shouting posture, mouth agape, eyes wide.
Like a fool.
"Um..."
Qingque asked cautiously.
"Are you okay?"
Stella slowly closed her mouth.
Took a deep breath.
Slowly exhaled.
"...I'm fine."
She sat back in her chair, looking completely hopeless.
Are all Aeons this capricious?
Hanging up just like that?
Without even saying "goodbye"?
She rubbed her face and opened the system panel.
The light screen unfolded before her eyes, the familiar interface appearing in the air.
Stella stared at the input box, silent for three seconds.
Then she started typing.
[We are going to fight a Lord Ravager next.]
She paused.
[Can you give me a trial character?]
Send.
Why did this sound so much like begging?
That feeling of "Big Boss, have some mercy, give me a character"...
She stared at the screen, waiting for a reply.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
Would it be rejected?
But Big Boss Lan said she could apply—
A line of text suddenly popped up on the screen.
[Application Approved]
Stella's eyes lit up.
Approved!
It was actually approved!
She straightened her body in excitement, eyes locked on the system panel, waiting to see what trial character would be given.
Who would it be?
A five-star?
A limited one?
Would it be one of those ruthless characters who can do 999 damage in one hit?
The words on the screen slowly appeared.
[Trial Character Obtained]
Light flickered.
Stella held her breath.
Then—
She saw the name.
Her eyes widened bit by bit.
Her mouth opened bit by bit.
Her whole person froze in the chair as if struck by lightning.
"...Huh?"
Nearby, Qingque looked up, curiously leaning over.
"What is it now? Did you pull a new character?"
Stella didn't speak.
She just stared at that name.
That—name that left one completely unsure of how to react.
System... are you serious?