---o---
Looking at the scene on the light screen, the corners of Ron's mouth turned up slightly in a triumphant smile.
The entire situation was unfolding exactly as he had predicted. That Bailu would be able to open the seal on the Ambrosial Arbor in Boling, the Ancient Sea was well within his expectations, and he wasn't surprised by it.
Although in the original story of Honkai: Star Rail, Bailu was called "just a little girl who inherited the name" by Jing Yuan, and she had not truly inherited the power she should have as Imbibitor Lunae, possessing the title of the Luofu's "High Elder" but not its true strength…
This did not mean Bailu wasn't the true High Elder of the Xianzhou [Luofu].
Although in the original story, Jing Yuan needed Dan Heng to awaken the memories of his past life as Dan Feng and inherit the power of Imbibitor Lunae to open the Arbor's seal, Ron had no way of doing that.
The Xianzhou [Luofu] had suddenly diverted to Jarilo-VI, and the Astral Express was currently who-knows-where along the star rails. Judging by how quickly Herta had arrived at the Luofu without any mention of the Astral Express, the Herta Space Station had likely not yet been invaded by the Antimatter Legion, and the Stellaron Hunters had naturally not yet had the chance to deliver the Stellaron into the Trailblazer.
Nothing had started yet. Ron had no way to find the Express crew and pull Dan Heng into his party—he simply didn't have the time.
Therefore, he could only focus on the High Elder at hand, finding Bailu and attempting to use her power to open the path through Boling, the Ancient Sea and undo the seal suppressing the Abyssal Roots of the Arbor.
And no matter how weak Bailu seemed in Jing Yuan's eyes, she was, in fact, the one and only true High Elder. This was a point made clear in Dan Heng/Imbibitor Lunae's companion quest.
Besides Bailu, not even Dan Heng could close the seal on the Ambrosial Arbor in Boling, the Ancient Sea.
The reason Bailu couldn't open the seal was not because she wasn't the High Elder, but because she was ostracized by the Vidyadhara Elders, never received proper instruction, and because the previous High Elder Dan Feng's punishment of exuviation was incomplete, preventing the vast majority of the High Elder's power from being passed down through rebirth. This left Bailu with nothing but the empty status of a High Elder, stripped of the power she should have possessed.
The Vidyadhara Elders, still not satisfied, even placed a "Chi-Wood Shackle" on her to prevent a repeat of the past tragedy where a mara-struck dragon brought disaster to the Scalegorge Waterscape. This suppressed what little power she had, leaving her to act as a little mascot in the Alchemy Commission, holding consultations every day in utter boredom.
In the original story, Bailu took on a house call, had no guards to accompany her, ran into mara-struck soldiers she was powerless to fight, and had to rely on the help of the Nameless to survive. This showed just how little she was valued.
But now, Ron valued her very much. So what if she didn't have the inherited power of the High Elder?
To put it bluntly, even if the "Progenitor of the Myriad Dragons of the Celestial Abyss" was still alive, the absolute upper limit for the five High Elders of the Xianzhou Alliance was merely the level of an Emanator—and a very weak one at that. Otherwise, after the death of the Aeon, Long the [Permanence], they wouldn't have lost their divine grace and fallen into their current predicament, without any of the unique wonders that belong to an Emanator.
The five High Elders were just a minor branch among the dragon-kin; otherwise, they wouldn't need the protection of the Xianzhou.
After all, even after the Aeon of [The Permanence] Long proved unable to prove its "undying" nature and fell from the heavens, the dragon-kin still held a place for themselves among the stars.
In the world of "Leiptr" encircled by five suns, a High Dragon sat enthroned in the stellar vortex, alternating day and night, changing the seasons, and protecting the galaxy's inhabitants.
In the homeland of the Infinnia people, in the Land of White Ashes, the Dead Dragon [Tifang] rained down fire, allowing its [Offspring] to thrive and be reborn, burning ever brightly.
After the fall of Long the [Permanence], truly powerful dragon-kin could still command the wind and rain throughout the sea of stars, far superior to the five High Elders who could only ally with the Xianzhou Alliance and mostly served as side characters.
But even so, these dragon-kin with their boundless, mighty power were, at most, only [Emanators].
The countless beings in this sea of stars capable of moving stars and shifting the heavens, be it the High Dragons or the Dead Dragon [Tifang], were nothing more than Emanators who had lost the blessing of their respective Aeon.
They would most likely become experimental material for an Emanator of [Erudition] like Herta, who was not adept at combat. Let alone the unremarkable Imbibitor Lunae from among the five Vidyadhara High Elders of the Xianzhou.
Perhaps the Frigid Depths Lord of the Fanghu had some special qualities and could compare to those two other dragon-kin, but Imbibitor Lunae was absolutely not on the same level.
So, all he needed was new power.
As the master of the Path of [Salvation], Ron didn't mind lighting the flame of [Salvation] within Bailu as well.
Although the Lantern of [Salvation] was dilapidated and its power nearly exhausted, Ron was still confident that it was enough to open the path through Boling, the Ancient Sea to the Abyssal Roots of the Arbor.
...And even if it wasn't enough, wasn't Herta there to back him up?
No matter how you looked at it, Ron was equivalent to a half-crippled Aeon, and while Herta wasn't using her true body, she could still be considered an Emanator holding back a bit. With a half-Aeon and an Emanator present, couldn't they grant Bailu power on par with Imbibitor Lunae to open the seal on the Abyssal Roots?
In fact, what this blazing flame could accomplish was far more than just opening a seal.
Ron watched the screen, where the picture continued to unfold.
Boling, the Ancient Sea was reflecting a brilliant golden light. The entire Scalegorge Waterscape was now enveloped in a holy, golden flame.
The Vidyadhara clan had lived in the boundless "Sea of Soup" when their progenitor, Long the [Permanence], still soared through the heavens. That vast ocean was home to countless creatures modified and utilized by the Vidyadhara, who wielded the power of [The Permanence]. The power of [The Permanence] practically permeated the Sea of Soup.
Although after Long's passing, the vast majority of dragon-kin in the Vidyadhara clan lost the terrifying power to create life with a wave of their hand, falling completely from the top of the food chain into the dust, they were forced to leave their ancestral home of countless years and come to the Xianzhou [Luofu].
The current Boling, the Ancient Sea in the sacred Vidyadhara land of the Scalegorge Waterscape was no longer an overly special body of water, far from the otherworldly wonder of the Sea of Soup that covered an entire planet's surface, but it still possessed a bit of miraculous power.
The Vidyadhara clan's cycle of rebirth in the palace ruins beneath the rippling turquoise waves was not just a miracle of [The Abundance], but also contained the lingering legacy of [The Permanence] from the Vidyadhara's continuous rebirths.
The Abyssal Roots of the Arbor would continuously channel its power into Boling, the Ancient Sea, and the Vidyadhara clan would continuously be reborn, unconsciously leaving behind countless "memories" in these turquoise waves.
And all of this was fuel for the Lantern of [Salvation]. Incomparably superior fuel.
The concepts of other Paths were the most precious supplement for the now-shattered [Salvation]. With Long the [Permanence] now gone, the greatest manifestation of the dispersed [Permanence] concept in Boling, the Ancient Sea was these Vidyadhara mirages formed from entangled memories. As for the [Abundance] from the Abyssal Roots, Ron had long considered it a thorn in his side and would naturally not hesitate to light a fire under it.
Thus, the holy flame of [Salvation] burned from the conceptual level. It followed the channels of the High Elders' seal on the Arbor and instantly spread throughout Boling, the Ancient Sea, burning away all concepts related to [The Permanence] and [The Abundance] and absorbing them completely.
The entire Scalegorge Waterscape was thus brought to a complete boil. Under the "high temperature," the churning ancient sea was parted by Bailu's will. The dark, deep sea was forcibly pushed aside by an infinite power, leaving only air for the Vidyadhara palace, which had not seen the light of day for who knows how long.
The Vidyadhara palace ruins broke through the immense pressure of the deep sea that had weighed upon it, seeing the light of day once more. A magnificent underwater landscape appeared before the three of them.
Spirited fish swam in the parted deep sea, like spectators swimming along the edge of the monumental force that had split the boundless ocean, looking on with reverence at the three small figures holding a dilapidated lantern beneath the waves.
Within the magnificent underwater palace were natural boundaries formed by giant corals and shells. Countless jewel-like Vidyadhara eggs slumbered in the water. Mottled carvings on the ancient pillars of the palace ruins were etched with the marks of time, outlining the history of the Vidyadhara.
And at the end of this underwater palace, a dragon-like, white-gold phantom appeared. Golden motes of light flowed over its body. Its dragon eyes were closed as if in slumber, yet it seemed that in the next moment it would open them and soar toward the heavens.
Looking at this scene beneath Boling, the Ancient Sea, Ron was momentarily stunned.
This massive underwater palace occupied more than half of Boling, the Ancient Sea, and the Vidyadhara's Dragon Palace had long since fallen into ruin under the scouring and suppression of the ancient waters.
But even so, Ron could still sense the dilapidated magnificence of this massive underwater palace. Before it became like this, what kind of wondrous sight must it have been?
But now was clearly not the time to think about such things. Although this underwater palace was endlessly beautiful, there were quite a few disgusting things that caught the eye.
Visible to the naked eye, at the entrance to the Vidyadhara Dragon Palace, a group of Antimatter Legion footsoldiers and mara-struck fiends transformed from the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus were fighting alongside the "Pearl-Guardians," who were merely responsible for clearing debris around the Vidyadhara eggs and caring for the molting Vidyadhara.
The "Pearl-Guardians" of the Xianzhou [Luofu] were not like those on the Fanghu; they were not an elite unit, but rather a militia whose main purpose was to care for the Vidyadhara eggs.
Although these people fought to the death against the Antimatter Legion footsoldiers to protect the molting and reincarnating children, the ground was still littered with their corpses. The last living "Pearl-Guardian" valiantly raised his spear to charge a footsoldier, but before he could even pierce it, he was stabbed by the vibrating blade formed by the Antimatter legionnaire's stance, and was instantly sliced into charred, stinking pieces.
"What… what is that?"
Seeing the tragic state of the "Pearl-Guardians," the brilliant golden holy fire that had been burning in Bailu's eyes gradually faded, leaving only a small flicker in their depths.
She was terrified of the Antimatter Legion footsoldiers and subconsciously hid behind Ron.
The golden flame flowed back into the lantern in Ron's palm. The dim light was noticeably brighter than before, and the oil had been slightly replenished.
"What a coincidence…"
Ron looked at the Antimatter Legion footsoldiers with an indifferent expression. Many things, when they reached a familiar domain, became very easy to handle. For Ron, killing Antimatter Legion footsoldiers was second nature.
He waved his hand lightly, and another wave of golden flames flowed out from Boling, the Ancient Sea, which was still reflecting the golden light. In an instant, it crashed down like a tide upon these insects from between the stars. Whether they were from the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus or the Legion, they were all thoroughly consumed by the holy fire of the slightly restored [Salvation]. Without being able to utter a single word, they were reduced to cold ash.
Ron then led Herta and Bailu forward without hesitation. The seal on the Abyssal Roots in Boling, the Ancient Sea had just been completely burned away. The path to the Arbor was now wide open; all they had to do was walk to the end.
A short while later, after the three of them had crossed the ancient palace ruins and stepped onto a decaying, broken bridge, they saw the giant, dragon-shaped wooden canker up close. They saw, within its tightly shut dragon eyes, flames of interweaving cyan-white and deep purple beginning to burn.
That was the mark of a Heliobus. A Heliobus had marked this place and done something to the Abyssal Roots of the Arbor.
And that Heliobus could only be [Lord Ravager Phantylia]. But she was clearly not here now; perhaps she was somewhere else on the Xianzhou [Luofu], plotting some other conspiracy.
Looking at the scene on the light screen, Ron couldn't help but ponder.
"So she's already reached the Scalegorge Waterscape by now… quite the coincidence, indeed."
As he spoke, Ron unhesitatingly opened the jade abacus phone that Fu Xuan had given him and Herta in reality, and dialed the only contact in it.
"The Legion's footsoldiers and the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus should have just arrived at the Scalegorge Waterscape. It'll probably take some effort for them to infiltrate. If you take people to deal with them now, you should still make it in time."
Ron spoke, then added another sentence.
"Phantylia isn't in the Scalegorge Waterscape. Be careful when you act elsewhere on the Luofu."
A familiar voice came from the other end of the jade abacus.
"Alright, this seat understands."
Hanging up the call cleanly, Fu Xuan stood majestically in the Seat of Divine Foresight, on the meeting seat of the Luofu's Six Charioteers. In her hand, she held a brilliant arrow, which pulsed with an infinite pressure and power.
"The Reignbow's Decree is manifest. Heed the Arbiter's command. Cleanse the universe, purge the fiends…"
"The Luofu Vidyadhara have contributed immeasurably to the Alliance's friendship. How can we sit by and watch as the embers of a dead evil bring disaster to Boling, the Ancient Sea, and stir the winds and waves of chaos?"
As she spoke, she slammed the arrow in her hand onto the conference table, setting the final, crucial tone for the actions to come.
"For the salvation of the Luofu's Vidyadhara people, this seat appeals—"
"Muster the troops, call the generals, raise the banners, and march!"