Walking beside her, Dan Shu noticed the change in Sylvia's breathing.
Yet she simply assumed it was a reaction to her own words. So Dan Shu continued, "That girl told me pressing this button could detonate the Stellaron and cause the Ambrosial Arbor to revive ahead of time."
"..."
Why is it always explosions?
Is Sparkle truly so single-minded, forever obsessed with blowing things up?
Come to think of it, we just met a few days ago—wasn't Sparkle in Penacony? I can teleport, but how did she manage it?
How did she get from Penacony to the Xianzhou so quickly?
A headache creeping in, Sylvia began scratching her head.
"...You haven't pressed it yet, have you?" Sylvia pressed anxiously.
She even cut Dan Shu off mid-sentence.
Dan Shu didn't mind, though. She simply raised a finger with a smile and lightly clicked the button twice more—click-clack, click-clack.
"The moment I received it, I pressed the button. But as you can see, nothing happened."
Nothing at all.
It was as if it were just a simple toy button.
Instead, Dan Shu covered her mouth and let out a light, cheerful laugh.
"Hehe~ Little friend, how could you take such a prank seriously? Perhaps what that girl said is true—maybe seeking amusement really is something that brings joy."
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Sylvia pouted slightly, then reached out and took the button from Dan Shu's hand.
Gotta admit, it's made quite meticulously.
Sparkle, huh?
Looks like she hasn't learned her lesson yet!
Just you wait till I catch you next time!
Sylvia swore fiercely in her heart—next time she caught Sparkle, she absolutely wouldn't let her get away again.
She'd knock her down, tie her up, and drag her back to…!
Perhaps sensing Sylvia's flustered anger, Dan Shu spoke, a smile still playing on her lips, "Alright, alright… I'll stop laughing. Ah, truly amusing. I was feeling quite vexed earlier, but after laughing by your side, I unexpectedly feel much lighter."
As they spoke, the two arrived at a small port where a modest starskiff was docked along the shore.
Places like the Exalting Sanctum were dotted with such small ports, able to accommodate a few starskiffs, much like ordinary street intersections.
"Come, I'll take you somewhere."
Dan Shu stepped onto the starskiff with one foot, then beckoned to Sylvia.
Sylvia boarded and glanced around—there was no one in the pilot's seat.
"Where's the pilot?"
"How could there be a third person for a meeting between just the two of us?"
Dan Shu shook her head, then took out her own Jade Abacus and operated it briefly.
Soon, the starskiff started up on its own, lifted into the air, and flew toward the direction of the Ambrosial Arbor.
"So there's an autopilot mode too. I've never used it before."
"Hehe~ It was mainly developed to serve those like me, who are visually impaired. Most people usually pilot manually themselves."
"So you're taking me to get a close look at the Ambrosial Arbor? Aren't you afraid the Cloud Knights will shoot us down…"
"Not just to look. Although that girl gave me a little toy, her words truly moved me."
A smile still hung on Dan Shu's face, but Sylvia sensed a self-destructive madness in her.
"I know where the Stellaron was placed. I intend to further stimulate it, cause the Ambrosial Arbor to revive ahead of schedule, and snatch the Arbor's fruit that Phantylia desires."
As she spoke, Dan Shu's vacant eyes fixed directly on Sylvia.
"I will make the Ambrosial Arbor revive, and I will make Phantylia return empty-handed, forcing all her plans to serve another's gain. And you, little friend… if you intend to stop me, then act now. To you alone, I do not wish to deceive."
"..."
Sylvia fell silent.
Faced with Dan Shu's honesty, she was momentarily at a loss for words.
Arrest her and take her back? But Phantylia hasn't shown herself yet. Even if we dig out the Stellaron, she could just come back anytime.
"So why did you call me along?"
That was the only part Sylvia couldn't understand.
Even if Dan Shu wanted to share the plan, it didn't have to be in person—she could've just said it over the phone.
Seeing Sylvia remain still for a long while, a radiant smile spread across Dan Shu's face.
"Consider it a little secret of mine."
As Dan Shu said this, her favorability rating ticked upward once more.
--+--
[Target: Dan Shu]
[Favorability: 80 (Filled with anticipation for you)]
[Relationship: Friends Across Generations]
['Even the villain falls for you—I underestimated you.']
[Reward: One Purple Summon]
--+--
Seeing the favorability jump to 80 points and even reward a purple summon, Sylvia's emotions instantly grew complicated.
She wondered—had she really done anything special?
How could Dan Shu's favorability rise so high?
The starskiff sailed through the night sky, with no sign of anyone around.
Even as they approached the Ambrosial Arbor, they encountered no obstruction.
The Ambrosial Arbor was planted at the very center of the Xianzhou, visible directly from many of its delves.
Normally, approaching the Arbor was strictly forbidden.
But given the sheer scale of the relic, the Cloud Knights couldn't maintain a perfectly seamless protective perimeter.
And with today's circumstances…
No Xianzhou native dared to linger near the Ambrosial Arbor.
The Cloud Knights had long since withdrawn from the Arbor's vicinity to avoid unnecessary sacrifices.
As for the unmanned surveillance equipment, it seemed to have missed this particular, ordinary-looking starskiff carrying Sylvia.
As the Ambrosial Arbor outside the window rapidly grew larger in view, Sylvia suddenly asked with curiosity,
"Where exactly was Phantylia's Stellaron hidden? How did it bypass the Cloud Knights' surveillance?"
"It's true that the vast majority of the Xianzhou is under the surveillance of the Six Charioteers. Under such conditions, attempting to secretly insert a Stellaron into the Ambrosial Arbor would be nothing short of delusional—unless Phantylia acted personally."
Dan Shu's words sounded like praise for the Xianzhou, but the more Sylvia listened, the more something felt off.
The vast majority of areas…
Are there delves not under the Xianzhou's control?
After a moment's thought, Sylvia suddenly realized one place.
The Scalegorge Waterscape.
It wouldn't be realistic to say the Xianzhou had no surveillance there at all, but the interior of Scalegorge Waterscape was indeed seldom visited year-round.
Most who entered were Vidyadhara.
Especially near the areas with the Vidyadhara eggs—only the Vidyadhara themselves could approach.
"...The Vidyadhara?"
"Correct. The Scalegorge Waterscape—where the Vidyadhara undergo molting and rebirth. It is the only delve the Xianzhou cannot thoroughly monitor."
A mocking smile appeared on Dan Shu's face.
"You've met the Dragon Lady of the Alchemy Commission, haven't you? Over countless years, she is the only newborn Vidyadhara. Though she has… various issues as the next Dragon High Elder, as a Vidyadhara, she is the genuine article."
"And the birth of that Dragon Lady was due to the Abundance. Tell me, little friend—do you think a leaderless Vidyadhara clan could resist the temptation of the Abundance?"
--+--
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.