Still, even as she spoke these words.
Leaving a seal here, placing it for the long term, made Acheron feel uneasy.
"Why don't you discuss this further with Jing Yuan later? Otherwise, if something goes wrong, it could mean an endless feud with the Vidyadhara."
Acheron offered the advice with a smile, yet she had already raised the long blade in her hand.
She stepped forward into the curtain of rain Sylvia had created, feeling the pervasive presence that was uniquely Sylvia's.
Acheron loved the rain, but today, she found herself loving this rainfall even more than before.
"I know my limits."
Sylvia was no fool; if something proved impossible, she wouldn't force it.
Saying this, Sylvia flicked her wrist and produced an exquisite card.
The blank card approached the roots of the Ambrosial Arbor.
Soon, the card's response flowed into Sylvia's mind.
It couldn't be absorbed.
The Ambrosial Arbor was a living being.
Its roots continuously drew power from the void, converting it into nourishment.
Just as Sylvia had suspected.
The roots had to be severed, this ceaseless flow of energy had to be cut off.
Only then could the Ambrosial Arbor be judged as 'lifeless'.
Just like when they dealt with the Abundant Ebon Deer in the story.
Shing—
The clear, sharp ring of a blade being drawn echoed in Sylvia's ears.
The bright edge of the long blade reflected the golden roots of the Ambrosial Arbor.
Dark hair, her entire body, even the whole world around her, was washed into a pallid white by that hollow, empty aura.
Only shades of grey and crimson remained, glaringly vivid within this pocket of space.
Phantylia, who had been wondering just how powerful this suddenly appearing woman was, felt that familiar sense of threat the instant the blade was drawn, instantly recalling her last encounter on the Luofu.
That slash Sylvia had landed on her.
Damn it! Did that strike come from this woman?!
Could she be the real masterstroke Jing Yuan had hidden?
While Phantylia held her breath, focusing and observing the situation, Acheron, holding her long blade, stepped forward as if walking on air.
"Sylvia's rain... it's very comforting."
Within the rain from Sylvia, overflowing alongside the moisture was Sylvia's own presence.
Being enveloped by this mist made Acheron feel a certain sense of peace.
Her crimson pupils turned to Sylvia. Those eyes, which should have been cold and empty, now revealed a hint of gentleness.
And then, under this gentle gaze, Acheron's long blade erupted with dazzling radiance in an instant.
That slender arc of light, seeming to connect heaven and earth, due to its unparalleled power and speed, stirred a terrifying tempest beneath the ancient sea.
The rain belonging to Sylvia was forcibly parted by the invisible shockwave, then, under Sylvia's control, rapidly reformed and swirled.
The rain transformed into countless threads of water, still encircling the Ambrosial Arbor. Vast Abundance energies coiled around it, preventing the Nihility's aura from spreading into the ancient sea.
Clang—
A shrill, metallic screech, as if from colliding metals, instantly exploded.
Three slashes, delivered in almost the same instant—the three explosive cries of the blade were forcibly merged into one.
The Ambrosial Arbor was wood-like yet not wood, incredibly tenacious.
Yet, under those strikes too swift to see, an extremely fine crack slowly appeared upon the dragon-headed root.
Nihility's power spread from the crack, attempting to dissolve the great power of Abundance.
Under this effect, the crack that should have healed grew larger and larger, more and more fragile.
Until finally—
Rumble—
The deafening roar of a colossal collapse, accompanied by earth-shaking tremors, suddenly erupted.
Upon the root of the Ambrosial Arbor, the massive entity whose top was lost to sight began to tremble and groan unnaturally.
The dragon-headed root, its horn severed, emitted a particularly load-bearing creak.
Crack—
Returning her blade to its sheath, Acheron watched the grotto-heaven beginning to tremble violently and the severed-root Ambrosial Arbor showing signs of collapse.
"Sylvia—"
"Leave it to me!"
A water dragon surged skyward from beside her.
Sylvia instantly charged toward the severed Ambrosial Arbor.
This time, the Collection Card finally reacted to the Ambrosial Arbor with its roots cut.
"Retrieve!"
Whoosh—
The massive Ambrosial Arbor, which had been ceaselessly releasing terrifying power and luring the people of the Luofu into Mara-struck transformation, vanished just like that—without warning, in an utterly inconceivable manner.
From the Luofu, it simply disappeared without a trace.
Rumble—
The sudden absence of the Ambrosial Arbor stirred fierce storms across the entire Luofu.
Gales carrying countless speculations and unease swept through all its grotto-heavens.
The ancient sea itself rose in towering waves.
Jing Yuan strode upon the waves, watching the upheaval on the Luofu with tension.
The anticipated, even more terrifying collapse of the delve did not follow, allowing Jing Yuan to release a long sigh of relief.
"Phew... Little friend, oh little friend, you've truly presented me with an enormous dilemma."
Yanqing, who had just exited the Scalegorge Waterscape, stared dumbfounded toward the direction where the Ambrosial Arbor had vanished.
All the day's events paled in comparison to the shock of the Ambrosial Arbor disappearing into thin air.
"H-how is this possible?! The Ambrosial Arbor... how could it just vanish?"
Yanqing found it truly hard to stay calm. Now, he couldn't even heed the General's orders.
He turned and, riding his flying sword, sped back toward Jing Yuan's location.
--+--
Alchemy Commission.
Fu Xuan, holding the fort and managing affairs at the Alchemy Commission, naturally sensed the tremors affecting the entire Luofu.
She looked up.
Where the towering Ambrosial Arbor should have been, there was now nothing.
Yet no greater catastrophe befell the Luofu.
The earlier observations from her Third Eye and the results of the Matrix of Prescience's divination concerning Kafka were confirmed.
"The Ambrosial Arbor truly has vanished... Sylvia, just what method did you employ?"
Fu Xuan could only deduce it was related to Sylvia, but what Sylvia had done, what technique she had used, remained a complete mystery. Utterly undetectable.
She only knew that for the Luofu at this moment, it was auspicious, not ominous.
--+--
Outside the Scalegorge Waterscape—
Kafka looked up at the now-empty sky, a brilliant smile curling her lips.
Then, leading Blade, she quickly departed.
--+--
Artisanship Commission.
March 7th and the others, who had been locked in the final battle with the Abundant Ebon Deer, upon seeing the deer's power suddenly plummet and hearing Master Gongshu's exclamation, noticed the distant Ambrosial Arbor had vanished without a trace and realized the gravity of the situation.
The Ebon Deer fell with a mournful cry under Welt's black hole, its golden glow dimming, none of its former divine radiance remaining.
Though they had defeated a formidable foe, the atmosphere among the group held no relief.
"Good grief... H-how can such a huge Ambrosial Arbor just disappear like that? What kind of ghosts and monsters are hiding on this ship?!"
March 7th grabbed Stelle's arm, hiding behind Welt.
This matter was simply too shocking.
Coupled with the Abundant Ebon Deer's reaction, everyone had to acknowledge the Ambrosial Arbor's disappearance was no illusion.
It had genuinely been packed up and taken away by some unknown entity.
Welt adjusted his glasses, his voice solemn:
"Let's first regroup with Master Diviner Fu. This matter is of great importance. The Divination Commission should have a clearer idea of what transpired."
--+--
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.