Upon arriving at the Divination Commission, Master Diviner Fu Xuan was presiding over a divination. The Scryvoyance Device was slowly emitting a soft glow as it calculated the results.
"Um, Master Diviner, I've brought them here. If there's nothing else, can I go now?" Qingque asked, feeling rather nervous.
Fu Xuan gave a slight shake of her head. "You may go about your business, Qingque." Hearing this, Qingque slipped away as fast as her legs could carry her.
Fu Xuan glanced once more at the Scryvoyance Device, then turned to the group. "I have heard much of you all. I am Fu Xuan. You are well aware of the current situation—the Stellaron Hunters are undoubtedly plotting something, and I shall use this Scryvoyance Device to deduce it shortly."
"There's no need to make such a fuss. I've already said I would cooperate with you," Kafka said with a helpless shrug.
"Hmph, you know how to use Spirit Whisper to bewitch people. I only trust the results of observation," the Diviner snorted coldly. With that, she had everyone step back, instructed the other diviners to prepare, and activated the Scryvoyance Device, causing the array at the base to burst into dazzling light.
A strange, unfathomable light flickered in Kafka's eyes. After a moment, Fu Xuan stared at Kafka in sheer astonishment, uttered two cryptic sentences, and then looked at the Astral Express crew. "The Stellaron Hunters are not the masterminds. Instead, it is you..."
Caelus was completely baffled. What was going on? Were they speaking in riddles?
"What do you mean?" Caelus asked.
"Hmph, I never expected such a result, but the Scryvoyance Device cannot be wrong. If you wish to know anything, ask her yourselves. I must report this to the General at once." Without another word, she hurried off to brief the General.
Caelus looked at Kafka, whose attire was plain and simple. He had to admit that she looked vastly different from when they first met on the train; back then, she had appeared mature and alluring, whereas now she possessed a touch of pure innocence.
So this was Kafka? He wondered what crimes she could have possibly committed, as she didn't seem particularly threatening. Still, she couldn't be underestimated—given such a high bounty, she surely possessed some formidable skills. That was what Baihong thought to himself.
Kafka looked at the Trailblazer with a gentle expression. "Hi, we meet again. You haven't changed a bit! I'm so sorry you had to see me in such a disheveled state."
Kafka continued, saying that she knew the Trailblazer had many questions, so the timing was just right.
"What exactly did Fu Xuan observe just now?"
"She used the Scryvoyance Device to deduce that the Stellaron Hunters are not the culprits behind this incident; someone else is.
She observed that the person who brought the Stellaron into the Xianzhou is working in collusion with a traitor inside to tear the Xianzhou apart. As for us Stellaron Hunters, while we are not the masterminds, we did push matters along from behind the scenes by standing by and watching, our sole purpose being to draw you, the Astral Express, into the fray. Only with the power of the Hunt can the Xianzhou weather this crisis.
In short, the Stellaron Hunters are not enemies of the Xianzhou—as you likely already know, even if you might find it hard to believe.
Secondly, as I just mentioned, there is a traitor within the Xianzhou conspiring with the person who brought the Stellarons to subvert the alliance. With enemies both internal and external, Fu Xuan is surely rushing to find the General to report precisely this."
Kafka went on to say that this was what she knew, and what the Xianzhou Alliance ought to know right now. "I'm afraid Fu Xuan would never imagine that the Stellaron Hunters went to such great lengths simply to bring you—the Astral Express—to the Xianzhou.
Yet the answer is wonderfully fascinating. In the future chosen by Elio, you can use this to forge a connection with the Xianzhou Alliance, ensuring that at the most critical moment, the Xianzhou will lend you a helping hand.
Well? Isn't that a surprising answer? The Stellaron Hunters have done all this just to make you heroes of the Xianzhou.
Learning the right thing at the wrong time can reduce long-standing efforts to nothing.
As for the future, I can only say that in those futures, you will ultimately face Nanook the Destruction. By then, you will need all the help you can get, for that is a brutal battle on the level of an Aeon—a realm beyond the reach of you, me, or the Xianzhou.
In most futures, destiny is brought to an end, but if you walk the script laid out by Elio, there will always be a glimmer of survival.
...Actually, you know what? Even an Aeon can be killed." Kafka fell silent for a moment before dropping this mysterious statement.
"Could it be that you want to kill an Aeon?" Connecting it to Kafka's previous words, Caelus asked.
Kafka denied his claim. She explained that many Aeons had already vanished, such as Ena the Order, Tayzzyronth the Propagation, Akivili the Trailblaze, and IX the Nihility, leaving behind masterless Paths. Humanity currently knew of three ways to cause an Aeon to fall.
First, overlapping Paths can be overridden, with a broader Path swallowing a narrower one—such as the Harmony, Himeko—wait, Xipe the Harmony assimilating Tayzzyronth the Order.
Second is battle between Aeons, where the stronger annihilates the weaker—such was the fall of the Propagation, and ultimately what the Xianzhou, guided by the Hunt, strives to achieve as they traverse the sea of stars to purge the abominations spawned by the Abundance...
Caelus pondered for a moment and raised a crucial question:
"Why does the Xianzhou want to kill the Abundance?"
Kafka explained the reason: in short, the ancestors of the Alliance sought the Aeon of Abundance and received her blessing. As a result, the curse of immortality corrupted them, until Lan the Hunt severed the Ambrosial Arbor. Ever since, the Alliance has followed the Hunt, chasing Yaoshi's tracks across the sea of stars.
"Well? Aren't these stories fascinating? These are things those who walk the straight and narrow will never tell you."
As Caelus prepared to ask about the third method, Kafka interrupted him.
"Wait... it should be about time."
With that, she broke free of her restraints and walked away with graceful strides. Baihong snapped back to reality—even if the Stellaron Hunters weren't the masterminds, he couldn't just let her go.
"Stop right there! You can't leave yet."
Baihong rushed forward, but was intercepted by a tall man.
"Don't even think about stopping us!"
The man looked fierce, his entire body wrapped in bandages. His strikes were vicious, and at a glance, he was clearly no ordinary foe.
"You're a Stellaron Hunter too?" Baihong raised his sword to parry. He could feel that the man possessed immense strength, and while the blade in his hand was covered in cracks, it was terrifyingly sharp.
After a brief exchange, Blade and Baihong clashed in fierce combat. Baihong unleashed a wave of sword qi toward Blade, who parried with his blade and took a few steps back.
"Not bad, kid. If there's a chance, we'll cross swords again next time. I can't afford to be delayed any longer."
Blade sneered. Seeing Kafka gracefully leap down from the platform, he knew he couldn't linger and decisively jumped down as well.
Baihong ran to the edge of the platform, hesitating for a moment whether to follow them down, but decided against it. Without knowing the enemy's exact situation, leaping down blindly was unwise.
"Woe is me, Kafka got away again! How aggravating! By the way, that was amazing back there. Are you okay?" March 7th asked.
"I'm fine..." Baihong was about to speak when suddenly, anomalies erupted from the Ambrosial Arbor in the distance. The previously barren branches instantly burst forth with golden, flower-like blooms.
"This... looks like the Ambrosial Arbor is being reborn," Welt said, pushing up his glasses with a grave expression.
"So what should we do now?" March 7th looked around, puzzled.
At that moment, the Trailblazer's phone rang—it was Dan Heng.
"I finally got through to you, Dan Heng. Where are you?" Caelus asked via text message.
Dan Heng replied that, worried about everyone, he had disembarked the train. He happened to run into Sushang and Luocha. As Sushang was escorting them away from Starskiff Haven, they witnessed the rebirth of the Ambrosial Arbor on their way to the Alchemy Commission, and messaged to ask what was happening.
"Let's rendezvous first; it's hard to talk over text."
Caelus sent that message back to Dan Heng.
"Then let's go find Dan Heng and figure out our next move," March 7th said.
*I wonder how Yanqing is doing. I need to find him.* Baihong thought to himself. Then he said to Caelus and the others, "Since the Stellaron Hunters have left, my presence here won't change anything. Farewell, everyone. Until we meet again." With that, he cupped his fists in salute and departed.
Elsewhere, Kafka looked at Blade with a smile. "Not bad, A-Blade, you arrived right on time."
Blade asked, "That guy just now—was he in the script?"
Kafka shook his head. "If he wasn't in the script, it means he has no impact. Pay him no mind. Let's go. Time to go meet your old friend."
Following the coordinates sent by Dan Heng, the Express crew set off to find him. Meanwhile, after parting ways with Baihong, Yanqing had gone to patrol another area.
After casually disposing of a few Mara-Struck soldiers and Abundance legion members, Yanqing encountered a white-haired woman wearing a blindfold, exuding a cold and serene aura. She stood there all alone, lost in thought.
"Um, big sister, why are you all alone out here? It's very dangerous. You should leave quickly," Yanqing warned.