Wei Qing's movements stopped.
In truth, he could also sense that Xipe's gaze carried no malice. One could even say it was rather benevolent.
But what if?
What if They had come to snatch it from him?
Given his current strength, he still could not fight Xipe. If the other party really intended to do that, then it seemed he truly had no way to stop Them.
No way. Even if You're the boss, You can't be this unscrupulous, right?
With that thought in mind, Wei Qing looked over warily.
The Aeon of Harmony, Xipe.
This Aeon, now clearly one of the Four Ends, had not truly descended here in person, but Their will had very much settled in this place.
"…Xipe," Wei Qing called out.
But there was no response. Only the sensation of being watched became clearer.
Just as before, that gaze carried pure curiosity, as though it were merely observing an unexpected variable.
Since Xipe did not answer, Wei Qing chose to continue absorbing the authority of Order.
However, at this moment, Wei Qing discovered that the entire process had been paused by a gentle power.
It did not feel like obstruction. This action was more like Xipe wanted to observe a little longer.
"Ahem. May I ask what Lord Xipe means by this?" Wei Qing could not help asking. "You were the one who ignored this before. Now, this is something I fought for myself."
That was right. Wei Qing directly and boldly questioned an Aeon.
After all, judging from Xipe's previous actions, since They were able to cast Their gaze upon the Astral Express, then They must have also known everything that had happened here in Penacony.
With this method, you cannot truly absorb Order.
The will that encompassed all things gently swept past him, directly sounding a clear note in Wei Qing's mind.
Wei Qing frowned slightly and stopped the fusion.
What did that mean? He could not truly absorb Order?
He clearly felt that he was absorbing it just fine. If not for Xipe's interference, he should have almost completed the process by now.
However, judging from Xipe's attitude, Wei Qing silently breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.
The other party was still speaking to him properly and had not done anything like forcibly seizing it from him.
From that perspective, Xipe probably did not have any objection to his actions.
Then why had They come?
"What do You mean?" Wei Qing continued. "Order originated from Ena. Now Ena is dead, and Its foundation was absorbed by You."
"Now I am using Harmony as a foundation to inherit this ownerless authority. What is improper about that?"
Xipe's will came again.
What you say is indeed correct. This Order is truly ownerless. It originated from Ena and resides within Me.
However, what you wish to inherit is only its shell, not the true authority of Order. The true authority of Order remains within Me.
"Shell?"
Wei Qing's gaze turned doubtful, but he quickly understood what Xipe meant.
What Sunday and Gopher Wood had tried to revive was merely the shell of Order, an empty vessel containing a large amount of Order's authority.
The true origin of Order had long since been absorbed and fused by Xipe, becoming part of Harmony.
What he had sensed and attempted to absorb before was precisely that forcibly nurtured shell.
Even if he succeeded, what he obtained would only be a flawed, secondary authority.
"So You're saying I spent all that effort just to pick up an empty shell?" Wei Qing said flatly.
A gentle ripple came from Xipe's will, like a soundless chuckle.
"Of course I know that. But even if it's only so-called secondary authority, it should still be far beyond what a candidate can reach, right?" Wei Qing said again.
That really had been what he thought before. Even if he could not become the true Aeon of Order like this, he could at least become something akin to a demigod.
Ahem. He was not talking about the false demigods from Amphoreus, but a demigod in the true sense.
Perhaps in the eyes of others, Aeons were supreme existences, beings that no number of Emanators could ever touch.
But Wei Qing's intelligence network was comparable to Jiraiya's. He knew many secrets that others did not.
For a nearby example, Phantylia had been able to carve two holes into Nihility IX. Some might say:
No, wait, Phantylia didn't actually touch that level, right? She didn't kill IX, did she?
Okay, then for a more distant example, in the future, Iron Tomb would be able to elbow the entire universe with a single strike. The value of that hardly needed further explanation, right?
And hey, Iron Tomb was an Emanator of Destruction, a Lord Ravager.
Wei Qing was also an Emanator of Destruction, likewise a Lord Ravager. He was even a candidate of Destruction.
With all these labels stacked together, if he said he was stronger than Iron Tomb and had better prospects, surely someone out there would understand.
Thinking of this, Wei Qing once again looked toward Xipe and said, "Of course, if Lord Xipe could share a little more of Order's authority with me, that would be even better."
"After all, as You know, although I have stepped onto many Paths, my faith still belongs to Harmony!"
"I have always loved Lord Xipe dearly. If Lord Xipe is willing to help me a little more, then from now on, wherever Lord Xipe points, I will strike."
Clearly, even for Harmony, which embraced all things, Wei Qing's current speech was still utterly outrageous.
Yet Xipe's will truly seemed to stir with a faint ripple because of this unabashed, even slightly shameless confession.
Within that all-embracing intent, the curiosity grew even stronger.
Your faith, I naturally know.
However, the Paths are vast and are not confined to one alone.
This response neither directly refused nor agreed.
Wei Qing's heart stirred, and he immediately pushed further.
"Though the Paths are vast, my heart has its belonging. My yearning for Harmony can be witnessed by heaven and earth!"
"Look, am I not working hard to bring the fragments of Order back into the harmony of Harmony? This is completely in accordance with Your Path."
These words were not entirely nonsense.
Ena's Order had already been absorbed by Xipe. His current attempt to fuse with this revived shell could, in a certain sense, truly be considered helping Xipe integrate that power.
Although his main goal was still for himself.
Xipe's will fell silent for a moment. The gentle power enveloping the newborn shell of Order did not withdraw, but Wei Qing could sense that some deeper connection was being established.
Very well.
Xipe's response was simple and direct.
They did not show the slightest displeasure at Wei Qing's rather shameless bargaining. Instead, They seemed to be moved by some quality within him.
Your existence is itself a wondrous concerto. I am willing to grant you one opportunity.
Wei Qing: ?????
Did They really agree?
I was only casually saying that just now!
They really… I'm moved to tears. This Xipe is practically even more generous than Yaoshi.
As Xipe's response ended, Wei Qing felt the gentle power that had paused the fusion process suddenly transform.
It was no longer merely a hindrance. It became a bridge.
A bridge connecting him to the deeper origin of Order.
Originally, he had only been able to touch the shell nurtured by Sunday and the Dreammaster. But now, through the connection Xipe had actively established, he clearly sensed the authority of Order that had once belonged to Ena, now sleeping in the depths of the Path of Harmony.
Wei Qing's pupils abruptly contracted. The aura around his body began to tremble violently beyond his control.
Golden streams of light burst forth from within him. This was no longer the relatively gentle Trailblaze from before. Instead, it carried an absolute, unquestionable regularity and solemnity.
Perhaps the day of takeoff was today.
Wei Qing quickly gathered all his focus and officially began accepting this gift from Xipe.
"Senior!"
Not far away, Himeko finally could not hold back. She instinctively took a step forward, only to be gently pushed back by an invisible force.
Sunday, who had just narrowly survived, was being supported by Robin. He weakly raised his head and looked at the scene before him, his eyes filled with complicated emotion.
There was shock, realization, and also a trace of indescribable bitterness.
The Order that he had exhausted all his efforts to recreate, even to the point of sacrificing himself, might truly be nothing more than a toy that could be casually granted or withdrawn in the eyes of a real Aeon.
And this Yiqing, who called himself an Emanator of Order—his relationship with the Aeon was far closer than they had imagined.
Time seemed to lose all meaning.
Under the influence of this power belonging to an Aeon, nobody knew how long had passed. Eventually, the surging torrent of authority gradually calmed and fully merged with Wei Qing.
The golden light shining around him gradually withdrew and finally returned to stillness.
When Wei Qing opened his eyes again, something indescribable seemed to have appeared in the depths of those golden pupils.
He slowly landed, feeling the new power flowing within him.
This truly was the complete power of Order. Xipe had genuinely shared the authority with him.
The current Wei Qing could perhaps be called the spokesperson of Order.
Or perhaps, the worldly executor of the authority of Order appointed by Xipe.
He raised his head and looked toward Xipe's will, which had already faded in the unseen depths but still left behind a trace of lingering resonance.
"Thank You," Wei Qing said solemnly.
This gift had exceeded his expectations.
Xipe's will sent one final gentle ripple, carrying praise and anticipation. Then, like a receding tide, it withdrew completely from Penacony.
"Senior, are you… all right?" Dan Heng asked cautiously.
Wei Qing turned around and looked at the members of the Express crew, then smiled.
"I'm fine. In fact, I'm better than ever."
His gaze swept across Sunday and Robin again before finally landing on the Dreammaster, who had been tossed aside and had yet to awaken.
"Penacony's farce should end now."
He walked up to Sunday and looked at this final boss of Penacony.
In the end, Sunday fell silent for a moment. He broke free from Robin's support and, although he was still weak, forced himself to stand straight. Then he bowed deeply to Wei Qing and the Express crew behind him.
"I have learned my lesson."
This bow represented his reflection on his past ideals, as well as his acknowledgment of greater power and a higher realm.
Wei Qing nodded and said nothing more.
He raised his hand and pressed it through the air in Gopher Wood's direction. A wisp of pure power of Order entered the Dreammaster's body.
Gopher Wood's body trembled. He slowly woke up, but the obsession and madness in his eyes had already faded, leaving only confusion and exhaustion.
The blessing of Order within him had been completely withdrawn by Wei Qing.
Gopher Wood slowly opened his eyes. At first, his vision was blurry, then it became clear.
He discovered that he was lying on the cold ground, surrounded by shattered theater decorations. Memories flooded into his mind like a tide.
The final ritual. Sunday's fall. The appearance of that Emanator of Order. And… that irresistible power that had stripped everything from him.
He tried to mobilize the familiar power of Order within him, but what answered him was only emptiness.
That body, once full of power and seemingly capable of grasping the rules themselves, now felt like a hollowed-out shell.
He struggled to sit up, but he could only feel a weakness and suffocation unlike anything he had ever experienced.
"…Why…"
Gopher Wood spoke hoarsely.
He did not understand why, when everything had clearly been for Penacony and for the glory of reviving Order, things had ended like this.
"Why?" Wei Qing repeated his question. "Gopher Wood, ask yourself honestly. Was everything you did truly only for Penacony and the glory of Order, without the slightest trace of selfishness?"
"I…"
Gopher Wood opened his mouth, wanting to defend himself, but when he met Wei Qing's golden eyes, which seemed capable of seeing through everything, his words stuck in his throat.
Wei Qing did not wait for his answer and continued, "You staked your soul on a forcibly nurtured shell of Order. Rather than calling it a grand wish, it was more like unwillingness and a dying struggle."
"The true Order has long since returned to Harmony. What you pursued was nothing more than the phantom of an obsession."
Those words were like a cold chisel, shattering Gopher Wood's final psychological defense.
He collapsed on the ground, his eyes completely dimming, leaving only endless emptiness and exhaustion.
He had planned for too long, paid too much, even gone so far as to use Sunday. Yet in the end, it had been proven that his path had been wrong from the very beginning.
In order to fully take over Order, he had wagered his own soul.
And now, having wagered his soul, he had failed.
Failure meant his death.
Gopher Wood said nothing more, and Wei Qing no longer paid any attention to this dying man.
At that moment, Robin stepped forward and thanked Wei Qing and the Express crew.
"Mr. Yiqing, Miss Himeko, and everyone from the Astral Express. Thank you… Thank you for stopping my brother, and thank you for ultimately not giving up on Penacony."
Although these words expressed gratitude, Robin had hidden a small wish within them.
She hoped everyone would spare her brother and give him a chance to atone.
Wei Qing nodded slightly, accepting her thanks.
Himeko, meanwhile, responded on behalf of the Express crew.
"Miss Robin, we merely followed the will of Trailblaze and did what we believed was right. Penacony's future should ultimately be decided by the people who live here."
Robin nodded firmly, and the bright smile that belonged to a superstar bloomed once more on her face.
"Yes, you are right. After everything that has happened, I believe my brother… and many people in the Family, will reconsider Penacony's path."
As she spoke, she turned to glance at Sunday, who remained silent. Although he was weak, the obsession and indifference that once filled his eyes had already faded, replaced by a calm reflection that had settled within him.
Robin turned back to everyone.
"So, here, in my own name, and also on behalf of my brother and all Penaconians who long for true harmony, I sincerely invite you all—"
Her voice rose slightly, filled with warmth and anticipation.
"Please stay and attend the true Charmony Festival that is about to come!"
"This will no longer be an illusory dream held to conceal the truth, nor a ritual to welcome some absolute will."
"It will be a celebration. A celebration of the crisis being resolved, a celebration of rebirth, a celebration that we finally have the courage to face reality and, upon that reality, weave our dreams anew!"
"We hope this festival can become Penacony's new beginning. And all of you, as witnesses and participants in everything that has happened, would give us the greatest support and blessing by attending."
This invitation was sincere and heartfelt, completely different from Sunday's earlier invitation, which had carried the meaning of final judgment.
March 7th's eyes lit up, and she immediately tugged on Stelle's sleeve.
"Wow, that sounds amazing! A real Charmony Festival! We finally came all this way. Wouldn't it be such a pity to miss it?"
Stelle also nodded and looked toward Himeko.
"Hmph, I think it's fine too. After all, we worked hard for this dreamscape. It's only reasonable to join the celebration and relax a little."
Dan Heng did not state his position. He merely turned his gaze toward Wei Qing and Himeko, clearly leaving the decision to them.
Himeko smiled elegantly and looked toward Wei Qing.
"Senior, what do you think?"
Clearly, although they had not interacted much, Himeko had already regarded Wei Qing as part of the Express crew.
As fellow navigators of the Astral Express, with the other party being her senior and a Nameless from eight hundred years ago, surely he had also been practicing the principles of Trailblaze during these eight hundred years.
Because of that, Himeko very much wanted to exchange some insights on Trailblaze with him.
As for Wei Qing, he sensed the steady flow of Order's authority within his body, then looked at Robin's expectant eyes and Sunday's complicated expression. After a brief moment of thought, he nodded.
"Very well."
He said calmly, "After working for quite a while, I would like to rest a bit too."
His gaze swept across the theater, which was in utter disarray.
"Cleaning this place up and redecorating it into something suitable for a celebration will take time. I'll wait here."
Seeing Wei Qing agree, Robin's smile became even brighter.
"That's wonderful! Please rest assured, everyone. The Family will receive you with the highest standards and will absolutely not neglect you!"
As she spoke, she looked toward Wei Qing again and added, "Mr. Yiqing, you are Penacony's most honored guest. If you need anything, please tell us at any time."
"Then I'll trouble you, Miss Robin," Wei Qing said, nodding as he accepted her goodwill.
He looked around, his gaze lingering for a moment on the broken debris.
"Does this place… need help?"
Robin followed his gaze, and a complex emotion flashed in her eyes.
"There is no need to trouble you. These things… should be left to the Family to handle. Some traces must be cleaned up and remembered by us personally."
She turned to Sunday and said softly, "Brother, we should go arrange the follow-up matters."
Sunday nodded silently. Supported by Robin, he gave Wei Qing one last deep look.
In the blink of an eye, only Wei Qing and the Astral Express crew remained in the core area.
"Whoa…"
March 7th let out a long breath and patted her chest.
"It's finally over, right? It feels like I just had a really long dream!"
Stelle nodded as well, fatigue showing on her face.
"Although it was dangerous, the result… seems pretty good? At least Penacony didn't turn into that cold, lifeless dream of Ena."
Dan Heng put away Cloud-Piercer and walked to Wei Qing's side. His tone carried a trace of concern that was not easy to notice.
"Senior, that power you fused with just now… is it truly all right?"
"Don't worry. My Lord Xipe generously gave it to me, so naturally I accepted it safely," Wei Qing answered with a smile.
Right now, he truly felt better than ever before.
"In any case, congratulations, Senior. It seems you also found what you were seeking in this dreamscape."
That was Himeko's voice.
"What I was seeking, huh…"
Wei Qing paused.
"Perhaps. But calling it 'found' might still be a little too early."
"At the very least, it is a good beginning."
Himeko nodded thoughtfully.
"The voyage of fate is always filled with unknowns. To gain something during a long journey is itself something worth celebrating."
"Exactly, exactly!" March 7th immediately chimed in, her face once again blooming with her lively smile.
"And we stopped a huge crisis and saved Penacony! This is definitely a glorious entry on the Nameless resume. When we go back, we have to make Pom-Pom properly praise us!"
This time, Stelle did not tease March 7th. Instead, she looked seriously at Wei Qing.
"Senior, what are your plans after this? Will you return to the Express with us?"
This question made everyone's gazes focus on Wei Qing again.
Although Dan Heng did not speak, his eyes also carried the same question.
The return of this senior who had crossed eight hundred years of time carried extraordinary meaning for the Astral Express.
Wei Qing fell silent for a moment.
Joining the Astral Express?
That was actually not impossible.
After all, according to the plot, the Express crew's next destination would be Amphoreus. Since that concerned Iron Tomb, Wei Qing really did need to make a trip there.
And Baiheng was always thinking about the Astral Express. When the time came, bringing her and Jingliu along might not be impossible either.
"I will stay for the Charmony Festival," Wei Qing finally said.
Seeing the disappointment instantly flash across March 7th and Stelle's faces, he could not help smiling before adding,
"After that… if the Express doesn't mind taking in one more old freeloader, I may go back with you to take a look."
"Really?!" March 7th immediately cheered. "That's great! Pom-Pom will definitely be happy to know! The Express crew finally has two navigators!"
Stelle nodded firmly as well.
"Mm. Mr. Yang will definitely be happy too."
The corner of Dan Heng's mouth also curved slightly in an almost imperceptible smile.
Himeko smiled elegantly.
"The Express will always welcome the return of family, Senior. If Pom-Pom knows you are willing to come back, I am sure there will be the most lavish dinner prepared."
"Family…"
Wei Qing softly repeated that word. But before he could say anything, the system's long-dormant, icy notification sounded once again.
Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the main quest: after joining the Stellaron Hunters, you finally endured until the main storyline began!
Now distributing quest rewards!
Wei Qing froze for a moment.
He himself had almost forgotten this mission from eight hundred years ago.
The main storyline began…
Good grief. So the system's judgment of the main storyline starting was not the Herta Space Station plot, but his rejoining the Astral Express?
In an instant, time stopped.
But Wei Qing had not used The World.
The entire Penacony Grand Theater—no, the entire universe—fell into absolute stillness at this moment.
Everyone's expressions froze on their faces. Only Wei Qing's thoughts and movements were unaffected by this absolute stagnation.
After Xipe, another Aeon had arrived here.
The Aeon of Remembrance, Fuli, descended.
"Fuli…"
Wei Qing's heart tightened.
This was his second meeting with this Aeon.
The previous time, for some unknown reason, Remembrance had shown Wei Qing the future of Finality.
At that time, although Wei Qing knew that Fuli was an empty shell, he had only been an Emanator then and had not been able to perceive much from his senses.
But now things were different. With Wei Qing's current perspective, he could clearly distinguish what kind of existence stood before him.
"Hiss. You really are an empty shell, Fuli."
Wei Qing approached without the slightest courtesy and carefully examined this glittering existence before him.
At this moment, Fuli simply hovered there quietly, without any reaction.
But when Wei Qing drew close, countless familiar images began appearing among the specks of light around Fuli.
They were all of Wei Qing's experiences since his transmigration.
"Oh? What's going on now?"
"Are you giving me a life review?"
Wei Qing raised an eyebrow and asked, his tone carrying a hint of teasing.
"Or are you planning to spoil something about Finality again, like last time?"
Fuli remained silent, but the countless specks of memory began to converge, ultimately flowing into Wei Qing's body.
…
The light completely dispersed.
The stagnation of time was also released.
March 7th's cheering face, the anticipation in Stelle's eyes, Dan Heng's subtle expression, Himeko's elegant smile—everything resumed its flow, as though that decisive moment just now had never happened.
No one noticed anything abnormal.
Except Wei Qing.
He stood quietly in place. On the surface, he seemed unchanged, but inwardly, he was far from calm.
Just now, he had become an Immaculate Pure Child.
In other words, one of the candidates for the Aeon of Remembrance.
Wei Qing: Okay.
I don't eat beef.
Join here to read ahead.
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 180)
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TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter260)
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I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (This matter is completely finished.)
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Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 240
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 210
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 280
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 260
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/40
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 130
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 155
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 120
I Can Copy Unique Skills 120
Summoning an Evil God, but the 75
Supernatural Multiverse 135
My Harem Is Indescribable 105
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 110
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 67
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 110
Still playing traditional Honk 91
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 95
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 80
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 90
Checking In in Demon Slayer 95
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 105
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 95
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 80
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 100
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 95
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 85
Why did they assign me to Uma 80
MYGO Beauties 75
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 80
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 90
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 105
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 65
The Uma Musume Who Became 70
I'm Definitely Not the King of 85
After Maxing Out Every Class 85
Naruto: I'm Konoha's Local Men 44
Honkai: World Modulation Mode 70
I, the Elden Sword Saint 60
Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 60
No One Knows Pokémon Better 55
I, Sakazuki, Won't Go Down Tha 55
From Trilobites to Titans 55
Chainsaw Man: Contracted with 66
DanMachi: My Party Members Are 70
An Anime Heroine Darkened 60
Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Links 50
Honkai: The Fire Devil 30
Honkai Transformation Cards 35
Age of Heroes, I'm Just a Back 45
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