At that moment, Dan Shu's memories flooded into Phantylia's consciousness.
Only then did Phantylia realize with a shock that Dan Shu had plucked the fruit long before she arrived—while it was still far from ripe.
As a result, the power of the Ambrosial Arbor's fruit was less than half of what she had anticipated!
"Damn that Dan Shu!!! And Sylvia too!!! You will both die!"
Inside the flower bud, Phantylia let out a furious roar.
She was so enraged she nearly passed out.
Dan Shu was truly out of her mind.
Didn't she hate the Xianzhou?
And just because Sylvia sweet‑talked her a little, she turned traitor like this??
Phantylia had originally thought Dan Shu was merely under Jing Yuan's control, which was why she had excluded her from so many plans afterward.
But she never imagined Dan Shu would actually team up with Sylvia.
And worse—she had gone and offered herself up willingly.
Logically speaking, Sylvia was clearly on Jing Yuan's side.
Weren't you afraid they'd just tie you up on the spot and deliver you to the Ten-Lords Commission?
If Sylvia hadn't stepped in to block the way, Dan Shu wouldn't have even had time to react before being subdued by the Vidyadhara.
But the most critical point—
What Phantylia never expected was that Dan Shu, leader of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, faced with the miracle of Abundance she had pursued for so long—the first fruit of the reborn Ambrosial Arbor—could actually suppress her greed and pick the fruit before it ripened.
If it had been Sylvia down there, Phantylia might have understood.
But Dan Shu?
This woman had been chasing after the blessings of Abundance all along—how could she possibly resist?
Just to spite me?
Even after seeing Dan Shu's memories, Phantylia still couldn't comprehend her choice.
But what's done was done. Grinding her teeth, Phantylia had to admit that even half the power would have to do.
It was still stronger than an ordinary body.
--+--
Above the sea.
Jing Yuan, who had rushed over as fast as he could only to arrive a step too late, quickly assessed the situation.
He let out a slight sigh of relief.
At least they knew where Phantylia had gone.
And their side still had enough strength to fight back.
Jing Yuan glanced at the Vidyadhara lying unconscious on the ground.
When Master Diviner Fu Xuan calculated that the roots of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus lay in the Alchemy Commission, Jing Yuan had already wondered what role the Vidyadhara might be playing.
Now, they had simply caught them red‑handed.
Compared to that…
Jing Yuan looked up at Acheron and gave a slight nod.
"I wasn't aware Miss Acheron had come to the Luofu. It seems the Xianzhou was too slow to receive its guest."
"I came in response to Sylvia's expectations, and I answer only her call. This has nothing to do with the Xianzhou. There's no need for the General of Divine Foresight to trouble himself."
Acheron gestured toward Sylvia, her meaning clear.
She was here only to ensure Sylvia's safety, and she would remain only by Sylvia's side. She would not involve herself in Xianzhou affairs.
Jing Yuan's gaze shifted between the two.
This Acheron—clearly a powerful figure on the Path of Nihility—seemed to care for Sylvia even more than he had guessed.
Though slipping onto the Xianzhou like this was somewhat… irregular.
Still, with Sylvia vouching for her, Jing Yuan wouldn't press the matter now. He could probe further after dealing with Phantylia.
Of course, that was assuming this "Galaxy Ranger" really would stay by Sylvia's side.
"So, the current situation is that Phantylia has likely already consumed the Ambrosial Arbor's fruit to forge herself a body?"
"It should be an unripe fruit. Dan Shu wouldn't have waited for it to mature."
Jing Yuan decided not to question why Sylvia trusted Dan Shu so completely.
"In that case, the final problem now is how we get below the seal."
As he spoke, Jing Yuan smiled and looked at Sylvia—especially at the draconic horns on her head and the tail behind her.
His expression was meaningful.
"…What's that look for?"
Sylvia glared back without hesitation, while Acheron stepped protectively behind her, fixing Jing Yuan with a cold stare.
Like some kind of vengeful spirit.
"Don't look at me like that."
Jing Yuan waved a hand, still smiling. He had no solid evidence, but he didn't think Sylvia—who had acted so decisively up to now—would be stopped at the last hurdle, barred outside the seal.
Normally, given Sylvia's temperament, Dan Heng should already be here with her, ready to serve as the key to unlock the seal.
Not waiting for Jing Yuan to contact him, and still on his way.
Sylvia might act a bit recklessly, but she always made thorough preparations. She wouldn't, for example, find a treasure chest and only then go back to look for the key.
"I just think, little friend, that someone as capable as you must have a way to take us down there."
"We do need to go down, but aren't you going to wait for Dan Heng? The Stellaron Hunter Blade came all the way to the Xianzhou—he can't just be here as a tourist."
Sylvia looked curiously at Jing Yuan.
Was he really not going to intervene in the fight between Dan Heng, Blade, and Yanqing?
Poor Yanqing—so young, yet having to fight a Stellaron Hunter, a Vidyadhara High Elder, and even Jingliu until his spirit nearly breaks.
Just thinking about it made Sylvia feel sorry for the boy.
"I trust him, and I also trust the Stellaron Hunters' purpose."
Jing Yuan explained with a smile:
"Since the Stellaron Hunters' goal in coming here is to foster goodwill between the Astral Express and the Luofu, then I suspect… Kafka's aim is to awaken Dan Heng's power."
To be fair, the Astral Express was not weak, but its strength alone was hardly indispensable when dealing with an Emanator.
What could play a crucial role in this whole affair was the Imbibitor Lunae—the key.
Dan Heng had to remember the power of the Vidyadhara High Elder to fulfill that pivotal role in events.
Though he felt a little sorry for him, Jing Yuan had tacitly allowed this to unfold.
Because Jing Yuan, too, needed a reason to lift the many restrictions placed on Dan Heng.
It was a win‑win situation—one Jing Yuan had no reason to refuse.
As for Sylvia…
From his earlier probing, Jing Yuan could see her attitude was the same as Kafka's: she was also waiting for Dan Heng to arrive.
To elevate the importance of the Astral Express in this entire affair.
"Still… what I'm curious about is where you, little friend, obtained the power to break the seal."
But there was one thing Jing Yuan didn't understand.
What had Sylvia intended when she borrowed those photographs?
"That's my own secret."
Sylvia smiled and declined to answer.
The matter of the Light Cone—the fewer who knew, the better.
"Speaking of which, what's the Xianzhou's stance on the Ambrosial Arbor?"
"What do you mean, 'stance'?"
Jing Yuan looked curiously at Sylvia, unsure what she was getting at.
"I mean, if I were to chop the Ambrosial Arbor to pieces, or seal it up and cart it off somewhere else, would you stop me?"
"…?"
Jing Yuan found this both absurd and genuinely puzzling.
Do you even hear what you're saying?
The Xianzhou Alliance has an Aeon watching its back, and even they haven't managed to completely destroy these Plaguemarks.
Even if you've previously sealed an Emanator's power, this still sounds like pure fantasy.
--+--
At the same time.
Inside the Artisanship Commission—
Welt, leading Stelle and March 7th, had just witnessed the troublesome regenerative abilities of the Abundant Ebon Deer.
They retreated temporarily with Master Gongshu.
In a safe spot, March 7th took a breather and sighed:
"No wonder the Xianzhou hates Abominations of Abundance so much—their healing is downright terrifying! Ugh, if only Sylvia were here…"
--+--
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.