Jingliu left the Shackling Prison.
Luocha, however, remained behind.
When she departed, Fu Xuan was practically losing her mind inside.
She had nearly fainted.
After all, what Luocha had lost was simply too important.
The remains of an Aeon.
Anyone could tell that such an object was of immense significance.
And to make matters worse, they were the remains of the Aeon of Propagation.
So far, the Xianzhou had designated three great calamities:
The Plagues Author.
The Flame Reaver.
And the Swarm Disaster.
And the item Luocha had lost just happened to be the remains of the Plagues Author of the Swarm.
How could Fu Xuan not be worried?
The remains of an Aeon were not merely corpses left behind on a battlefield against Abundance.
If mishandled, they could result in something even more dangerous than the Lord Ravager Phantylia.
Even after reviewing the surveillance footage multiple times, Fu Xuan found no suspects.
Although a few people had passed by the coffin, no one had touched it.
This only made her more anxious.
Putting everything else aside—
This was the opportunity she had finally received to act as General.
Even if only temporarily, she was still genuinely the acting General of the Xianzhou!
How could something like this happen?
Wouldn't this mean that she had committed a catastrophic blunder immediately after taking office?
"Even though there was no contact and no conversation... your presence alone is enough to make you suspicious!"
Recalling the surveillance footage showing Su Ran and Hanya passing by the coffin...
Jingliu had almost immediately identified her prime suspect.
Even if, in everyone else's eyes, Su Ran had merely walked past.
His gaze hadn't even lingered on the coffin.
"Shameless scoundrel!"
The reason both Fu Xuan and Luocha had dismissed Su Ran as a suspect...
Was because, according to the footage, Su Ran's attention had been completely occupied by Hanya's impressive figure.
After seeing that, Fu Xuan had decisively ruled him out.
Had Mr. Su Ran done anything wrong?
He simply preferred women with a little more... presence.
Using an utterly ridiculous method...
He had completely cleared himself of suspicion.
But Jingliu knew better.
Apart from him, there were practically no other possibilities.
Others might not know.
But she did.
Su Ran already possessed a Propagation Emanator.
He had every reason to steal the remains of the Plagues Author.
Which was precisely why she had come to demand answers.
"You've already fallen so low that you're making a move on a child?"
Inside Su Ran's room, he was gently stroking the sleeping Bailu's cheek.
This prompted Phantylia to tease him.
"I like mature women. No exceptions. Even Clara, with her white hair and red eyes, I've always treated like an adopted daughter."
Su Ran refused to accept Phantylia's slander.
"No wonder you've remained so captivated after seeing my previous body."
Phantylia hadn't forgotten.
Back then, Su Ran had suddenly remarked:
"I must say, Miss Phantylia, you're still quite charming."
At the time, she had genuinely thought she'd encountered a pervert.
But after realizing that this pervert happened to be a member of the Genius Society...
She became even more concerned.
Because Emanators of Erudition...
Were all eccentrics.
Back when she had still been free, Phantylia had never feared those called geniuses.
But now, as a prisoner...
She couldn't help but worry.
Falling into the hands of a genius might be even more terrifying than simply dying.
Because their ways of thinking were often incomprehensible.
People frequently said that the Lord Ravagers were lunatics.
But geniuses were no different.
In fact...
They could be even worse.
Many weapons capable of annihilating entire planets throughout the universe had been created by followers of Erudition.
Just like the man before her.
Phantylia had already confirmed that the Propagation Emanator had originated from him.
The Swarm that had once engulfed two-thirds of the inhabited universe...
How could even a Lord Ravager compare?
That was Propagation—
An Aeon that had once provoked the united assault of multiple Aeons.
Even Nanook, whom she served, had never received such "honor."
"Could it be that you're interested in the Transmutation Arcanum?"
Noticing Su Ran continuously using the power of Remembrance to probe Bailu's memories...
Phantylia grew curious.
Compared to this half-grown little girl...
Wouldn't the former High Elder who had once guarded the Ambrosial Arbor be a better target if he wished to obtain the Transmutation Arcanum?
"Hmph. I'm interested in white-haired fox girls."
Although the Transmutation Arcanum was an exquisite secret art exclusive to Vidyadhara High Elders, Su Ran wasn't particularly impressed by it.
Dragons were undeniably cool.
But for now, he had no desire to become something like Bailu—with horns atop his head and a tail behind him.
Though Dan Heng's version wasn't bad.
"Baiheng wasn't white-haired."
Jingliu pushed open the door and entered.
"...That's fine. She can become white-haired."
Su Ran couldn't care less what Jingliu thought.
After all, Jingliu wasn't the one resurrecting Baiheng.
Did she really think she had a say in the customization options?
Bailu's expression remained peaceful.
She slept comfortably.
"How are you planning to do it?"
After arriving beside Su Ran, Jingliu's voice softened considerably.
Not because of him.
She simply didn't want to wake the sleeping Bailu by speaking too loudly.
"The power of Remembrance can uncover a person's essence. And Bailu is Baiheng's reincarnation. Even though her appearance has completely changed, traces of the original still remain."
It was precisely because Bailu had been born through the Transmutation Arcanum.
This involved the mysteries of Vidyadhara reincarnation.
Although Su Ran could identify the essence of her existence...
There remained one issue.
At present, Bailu was simply Bailu.
"Let me ask you something. If Baiheng were truly resurrected, would you still care about Bailu?"
The reason Jingliu cared so much about Bailu...
Was precisely because Bailu had been born through the Transmutation Arcanum.
Thus, Jingliu naturally regarded Bailu as Baiheng's reincarnation.
"I probably... wouldn't anymore..."
If Baiheng truly returned...
Would there still be any reason to concern herself with Bailu?
Jingliu understood this herself.
The reason she cared for Bailu was because of Baiheng.
If Baiheng existed once more...
Then perhaps she and Bailu would never cross paths again.
After all...
She wasn't a lolicon.
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