And so, a few more days passed on the Xianzhou.
During this time, unable to draw on her full strength, Sylvia threw herself into training the Taixu Sword Art—Heart Mantra—that she had won from the gacha.
Well, it wasn't like she had much else to focus on anyway.
Truth be told, Sylvia felt her progress was quite decent. With just a sliver of Nihility's power, she could snap into the right mindset almost instantly.
And the power of Permanance—kept her from leaning too far into Nihility.
With the two working in tandem, her mastery of the Heart Mantra advanced by leaps and bounds.
She even felt that after these days of cultivation, she was already brushing against the threshold of the second realm: 'Dustless.'
Thus, she spent these peaceful days in fulfilling practice.
Sylvia also felt she had recovered about seventy or eighty percent, enough to use her Herrscher core in a normal fight.
Going all out still felt a bit off, of course, but that was just a matter of a few more days.
As for the Healer Lady Bailu, Sylvia found time to pay her a visit.
She even sneakily took her to Aurum Alley for a whole day, letting her experience the time-honored traditional flavors of the Xianzhou.
As for Dan Shu, who knew where she had scurried off to work—or if she was deliberately avoiding Sylvia.
She hadn't shown her face at all these past few days.
Sylvia had originally intended to fulfill their agreement and give her that Stellaron.
But with her completely M.I.A., there wasn't much to be done. She'd just have to wait until Dan Shu reappeared.
The Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, meanwhile, had been unusually quiet these days. Much of the Xianzhou's attention was focused on the Exalting Sanctum.
Repairing that sword scar was no easy task.
And to ensure the spatial stability of that delve, they couldn't just brute-force erase it either.
Undoubtedly, this increased both the difficulty and the cost of the restoration.
But these matters had little to do with Sylvia.
She hadn't been to the Exalting Sanctum, nor had she contacted Fu Xuan or Jing Yuan, so she had no idea about the current state of affairs on the Xianzhou.
Instead, she was busy preparing the application documents for a trip to The Blue.
As Herta's homeworld, with the Herta Space Station orbiting overhead, entering The Blue through official channels wasn't something just anyone could do on a whim.
But with the Xianzhou Luofu backing her, Sylvia's application went through without a hitch.
It wasn't as if she couldn't just use the Stellaron Hunters' old hideout again.
But this time, she was going with tourism in mind. There was no need to sneak in.
After completing the paperwork and waiting for The Blue's response, Sylvia accepted Fu Xuan's invitation from a few days prior and paid a visit to the Seat of Divine Foresight.
It was the same familiar hall, and the same familiar faces.
Only this time, there were no other staff members present.
"Young friend Sylvia, how fares your recovery?" Jing Yuan stood up, beckoning her over with a wave, his tone concerned.
"Thank you for your concern, General. I'm recovering quite well. I was just wondering about the situation at the Exalting Sanctum."
"Ah, speaking of that, young friend Sylvia, you truly exceeded my expectations. Without that sword strike, I fear Phantylia would not have withdrawn so readily."
Hearing this, Sylvia privately thought that with Phantylia now severely wounded, she was probably even more fixated on your Luofu's Ambrosial Arbor.
But she kept that thought to herself. Saying it out loud would just sound bizarre.
"You flatter me. Without the General's timely reinforcements, I could only have watched Phantylia escape."
Seeing her modesty, Jing Yuan chuckled and smoothly changed the subject.
"Actually, the reason for inviting you here today is to once again express our gratitude for your righteous actions in aiding the Xianzhou."
Jing Yuan paused here before continuing, "Whether it was lending your name to help streamline our affairs, or confronting the Emanator of Destruction, Phantylia, I find it truly difficult to decide how to repay your deeds."
"Therefore, on behalf of the Luofu Cloud Knights, I hope you will accept this Jade Abacus of Allying Oath, a token symbolizing our 'alliance of friendship.'"
As he spoke, Jing Yuan picked up a jade abacus from the table beside him and offered it to Sylvia.
Fu Xuan, standing nearby, showed no reaction, clearly having been briefed on this beforehand.
Sylvia didn't immediately take the abacus. Even setting aside what she knew from the game's story, just from the term itself, accepting this token was akin to accepting an 'alliance' with the Xianzhou.
If it were just her alone, it wouldn't matter. But it was clear Jing Yuan also understood who stood behind Sylvia.
That was the issue.
Even the same object could carry different weight for an individual versus a group.
If Sylvia accepted it, with a certain interpretation, it could essentially pull Acheron into the same united front.
Conversely, as an Emanator of Nihility, Acheron wasn't exactly welcome in the eyes of most factions anyway.
By accepting the abacus, Sylvia would also be securing a guarantee that even if Acheron's identity were exposed in the future, she would still be received with courtesy upon entering the Xianzhou.
Not that Acheron would probably care either way.
"If this pertains to me alone, I would be happy to accept it."
Sylvia looked solemnly at Jing Yuan, stating her condition in terms that were almost an explicit demand.
Fu Xuan didn't quite grasp why Sylvia was emphasizing it was just for her. Wasn't she a lone operator? Who else could it involve?
But Jing Yuan understood Sylvia's meaning perfectly.
"Of course. Please rest assured, young friend Sylvia, this abacus symbolizes friendship, and nothing more."
Jing Yuan's vision was naturally broad enough not to quibble over such details. Moreover, he valued Sylvia herself more than the 'Galaxy Ranger' behind her.
Still, Sylvia's caution made Jing Yuan realize he hadn't misjudged her. This was an ally worth having.
Then, after Sylvia reached out and took the jade abacus, Jing Yuan explained its practical uses beyond its symbolic meaning.
Once that matter was concluded, Jing Yuan dismissed Qingzu and Yanqing, leaving only Fu Xuan, Sylvia, and himself in the room.
With no outsiders present, Fu Xuan finally asked, "Sylvia, what are your thoughts regarding the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus and their leader?"
"Huh? Why ask me… oh…"
Sylvia was puzzled at first, then realized they were probably asking about Dan Shu.
Jing Yuan smiled and added, "Don't worry, what follows is just casual conversation. Fu Xuan mentioned to me that your feelings towards Dan Shu seem… somewhat complex. So I'm curious—if it were up to you, how would you deal with her?"
Sylvia nodded in understanding, but as for Jing Yuan's claim of 'casual conversation,' she wasn't buying it.
If it were just chit-chat, why deliberately send Yanqing and Qingzu away?
What puzzled Sylvia most was why they were asking her this question.
According to Xianzhou law, wasn't the fate of Dan Shu and the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus execution? Was there even a way out?
Sylvia wasn't truly a Xianzhou native. Even if she said 'don't kill her,' it wasn't like they could actually spare her, right?
That just wasn't realistic.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.