"During the Chaos of Shuhu, I was fortunate enough to witness this spectacle in person. Mountains shifted, seas overturned, palaces lay empty… The Vidyadhara confined the Ambrosial Arbor within their ancestral holy land. The Luofu truly owes them far too much."
After reflecting on the past, Jing Yuan called out.
"Fu xuan."
"I'm here."
"Remain here and lead the Cloud Knights in guarding this passage. Prevent any further incidents."
"…Understood. I'll wait here for everyone's victorious return."
...
"These steps are huge. Hey— let me find a place to step down."
"Huh? That egg over there is—"
"That's a Vidyadhara egg. The result of their cycle of reincarnation. Given time, a new Vidyadhara will hatch from it."
"Ooooh— then we really shouldn't touch it…"
March 7 immediately withdrew her hand. Stelle, who had been about to lean in as well, took a quick step back into the group.
"You two— we're about to fight a lord ravager, at least try to be serious!"
Xun yu looked at the overly lively March and stelle with helplessness.
Completely forgetting that he himself had been tempted to join in just moments ago…
"Mm~ that's true. Even a lion uses full strength to hunt a rabbit. I really shouldn't be like this…"
March 7 immediately lowered her head in self-reflection. Seeing her do so, stelle blinked—and began reflecting as well.
"…Whoever you are, get off March 7 right now."
"The March 7 I remember wouldn't say something so cultured."
"Huh?! Hey! You don't seriously think I'm dumb as rocks, do you?!"
March 7 instantly bristled.
"Ahem— alright, Little March, focus. Business first."
"Bleh~"
Xun yu hid behind Welt and made a face.
" 'Knock thrice with the three-clawed salute, and pay homage to the measuring wood'… thus shall the path to the Profound Root open."
"Follow me."
Dan Heng glanced at the dragon-shaped Ambrosial Arbor deep ahead, signaled everyone, and took the lead.
"Vidyadhara remnant eggs, bathed in moonlight and brilliance.
The ancient sea vast and boundless— rebirth beneath the moon."
"Vidyadhara children, guided by hands of old friends.
Bonds of past lives, teachers of lives to come."
"Vidyadhara grown, clouds chanting, waters dancing.
Azure dragons take flight, each returning to their destined place."
"Vidyadhara aged, walking alone beneath shimmering waves.
Moonlit tides ripple— pearls sink into the deep."
Several murals depicted the full cycle of a Vidyadhara life.
Through them, the group unraveled the seal.
The path into the depths of the Ambrosial Arbor's Profound Root opened—
"We've reached the end. This is the Profound Root of the Ambrosial Arbor, the site of the Abundance's divine miracle."
" 'Knock thrice with the three-clawed salute, and pay homage to the measuring wood' refers to this place. Restricted by draconic power, the Profound Root has taken the form of a dragon-shaped burl."
"Now, I will remove the final seal—"
"Ahem! Everyone ready?"
Xun yu cleared his throat and cut in ahead of Jing Yuan.
Seeing everyone nod, Xun yu clapped his hands.
"Excellent! Full of spirit!"
He turned to Jing Yuan and shouted:
"Jing— horn!"
"…Present?"
"Louder! Where's the morale?!"
"JING— HORN!"
"Present!" (Very loud)
"Drinking— horn!"
"…Present!" (Reluctantly louder)
"Twin horns march forth— not a blade of grass survives!"
"Move out!"
Seeing Xun yu finally stop messing around, Dan Heng quickly removed the seal.
Tired… sigh…
"Hm? Is that the General of the Luofu who approaches?"
As they moved through the space surrounding the Ambrosial Arbor, Phantylia's voice reached them.
"That thing! So you really are waiting for us here! Come out, Phantylia!"
March 7 planted her hands on her hips and shouted when she didn't see Phantylia.
This immediately reminded Dan Heng and stelle of the time on Herta Space Station, when March shouted at the Doomsday Beast—
"Come down here!"
And it actually did.
And afterward, Xun yu had claimed it had nothing to do with him…
Ah yes—
Top-tier taunt.
But this time was different, which explained March's confidence.
March stood in the center, with Azure Dragon Dan Heng to her left, Welt to her right, Jing Yuan in front, and Xun yu behind.
Good grief— her safety rating was maxed out.
"Even my 'benefactor' is here? Don't be impatient— this 'young lady' hasn't finished dressing yet."
"No wonder the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus are so confident… This Ambrosial Arbor miracle truly does possess the power of rebirth and creation."
The group quickened their pace.
Soon, they spotted a lotus platform— Phantylia's true body sat upon it.
"Phantylia— what is she doing?"
As if answering March, flames ignited around the lotus.
In the next instant, it rose into the air, transforming into a gigantic form with only its upper body visible.
"Everyone— behold this beautiful flesh… The miracle of Abundance truly lives up to its name."
Phantylia rested her face in one hand, the other holding a fan that covered the twin peaks of her chest.
Uh…
Compared to their own sizes— those really were like two mountains.
"Let me see… what I can do with this body."
"Excellent— I'll use the power that granted the Xianzhou longevity to instead bring you Destruction!"
The power of Abundance surged.
Countless illusion-flowers and Profound Root tendrils spread wildly.
"Phantylia has seized control of the Ambrosial Arbor's power…"
"Everyone— do your best to clear the illusion-flowers. Xun yu and I will break her physical body!"
Jing Yuan shouted— then realized Xun yu was gone.
"…What the hell? Are Emanators always this ridiculous?"
Stelle saw that her baseball bat wasn't very effective against the surrounding illusion-flowers and decisively switched to Judgment of Shamash.
"Wait— where did Xun yu go?"
Bang!
A gunshot split the air.
The illusion-flowers Phantylia summoned were rapidly eliminated.
"Oh— so he's a long-range unit?"
Stelle blinked and quietly lowered the output of the Judgment of Shamash.
Strong as it was, using it too much was bad for her lifespan…
She really didn't want another "seven-tenths cooked" experience.
The battlefield stabilized.
Jing Yuan held the front line, seeking chances to heavily wound Phantylia.
The Express crew— minus Xun yu— cleared illusion-flowers and harassed Phantylia.
Meanwhile, Xun yu fired shot after shot, blasting crater after crater into Phantylia's body.
But the power of Abundance was absurdly strong—
The wounds regenerated instantly.
Phantylia noticed the one taking potshots at her and pinpointed his position.
Eliminate him— and she'd already be halfway to victory.
To ensure she didn't fail to kill Xun yu in one strike, Phantylia decisively shifted forms.
In-game, "Undying God's Truth · Phantylia" has three phases.
First: Abundance.
Second: Destruction.
Third: Abundance + Destruction.
At this very moment, Abundance and Destruction surged simultaneously.
Phantylia skipped phase two entirely and entered the tanky, hard-hitting third phase.
"…How utterly— insolent."