While Fu Xuan was busy escorting Phantylia away, word of what had transpired in Exalting Sanctum naturally reached the Ten-Lords Commission in short order.
After all... while 'Huohuo' had been busy veiling the perceptions of the onlookers, she hadn't done a thing to dampen their enthusiasm for a good spectacle.
Consequently, video clips and heated discussion threads began spreading across the Luofu's digital networks like wildfire.
Because this 'Huohuo' hadn't displayed any of the telltale signatures of the Ten-Lords Commission, the usual public opinion suppressors weren't immediately triggered.
As a result, the web was currently abuzz with rumors that this foxian lady—who looked like she was nursing a serious case of sleep deprivation—might be a hidden expert from the General's residence.
Some even went as far as to claim she was a successor being groomed in secret by the Xianzhou Luofu.
All in all, Huohuo had become an overnight sensation.
In fact, because the incident involved a Lord Ravager, the news didn't just stay within the Luofu; it rippled outward into the wider cosmos.
The name 'Huohuo' was now finding its way onto the desks of many powerful figures.
Elsewhere, even though the online chatter had nothing to do with the Ten-Lords Commission officially, the unmistakable image of Huohuo caught their attention regardless.
Hanya was visibly stunned when she reviewed the recordings.
Had Huohuo not mentioned that strange "other self" upon returning from her mission, Hanya would have been hard-pressed to tell the difference between the 'Huohuo' in the video and the real deal.
Actually, she still couldn't tell them apart physically; she simply knew the real Huohuo wasn't capable of such feats.
"Sister, what do you make of this?"
"Since Huohuo has caught that person's eye, it's her own stroke of luck... though, I must admit, I'm envious. To be chosen by that Lord..."
Xueyi's voice drifted over from beside Hanya. Her tone was thick with envy for Huohuo and a deep, quiet yearning for 'Huohuo' herself.
Hanya turned to her sister. "We could actually use the imprisonment of the Lord Ravager as a pretext to request an audience. I don't think Lord Bai Ming would mind."
"..."
Xueyi hesitated, her heart clearly stirred. "...It feels a bit improper to do so for personal reasons."
"But we do need to seek that Lord's counsel on this matter anyway, don't we? Besides... I still haven't decided where to hold Phantylia," Hanya sighed softly.
She wasn't sure just how much that Lord trusted the Luofu's Shackling Prison to think it could hold a Lord Ravager.
Formally requesting a meeting—or perhaps asking to accompany Fu Xuan or Jing Yuan—was perfectly reasonable. It just so happened that her sister had admired that Lord ever since the turmoil caused by Shuhu centuries ago.
This was a rare chance for a meeting; fulfilling her sister's long-held wish wasn't asking for much.
"..."
Xueyi nodded slowly. "I just wonder what kind of growth Huohuo will undergo."
"Have faith in her. She has the talent."
To rise to the rank of Judge within a few short decades was already an incredibly meteoric promotion.
--+--
Meanwhile, in an unknown sector of space.
Densely packed Voidranger legions, warships, and gargantuan, grotesque war machines occupied nearly the entire star system in various formations.
The fleet had largely returned to its former scale, and with the added power of the Swarm, it was arguably even more formidable than before.
However, Celenova—who had been hiding away recently to bolster her legions—was far from satisfied.
Or rather, she was feeling a bit lost.
She wasn't even sure what she was chasing anymore.
The mere thought that her target for revenge had ascended to become a high-and-mighty Aeon made her realize that her path of vengeance was essentially a dead end.
If their Paths were opposed, she might have had a sliver of a chance, but Bai Ming was now aligned with Harmony. She certainly couldn't count on that fellow Nanook to bridge that gap.
So, Celenova had been quite withdrawn lately. She had even stopped overseeing the "Great Lord-Slaying Army" expansion project.
After all... trying to use numerical superiority against an Aeon was a bit of a stretch.
Today, however, the brooding Celenova received intel regarding Phantylia.
Compared to the shut-in Celenova, Phantylia had clearly been much more active—active enough to go dancing through a minefield by stirring up trouble within the Xianzhou Alliance.
Everyone in the universe knew by now that Bai Ming was on excellent terms with the Alliance.
Halfway through the shaky video footage, Celenova couldn't help but scoff.
"...Honestly, is her luck really that abysmal?"
Celenova was genuinely baffled. The Xianzhou Alliance was vast, and the Luofu was massive.
How did Phantylia manage to pinpoint Bai Ming—who was clearly there on an incognito stroll—out of tens of billions of people?
Stepping out for a walk and bumping straight into an Aeon... she didn't even know what to say to that kind of luck.
It was lucky for Phantylia that Bai Ming had ascended; otherwise, she definitely would have died right then and there.
Back when she wasn't an Aeon, that woman never knew when to hold back when fighting Lord Ravagers.
"But being held on the Luofu... why leave Phantylia there?"
Celenova rubbed her smooth chin. Should she move to rescue her? She felt conflicted.
In their previous collaborations, there had been a shred of "comradeship" between her and Phantylia. Not much, but enough to make her debate whether to lead her troops to demand her release.
"If I go now, I'll see Bai Ming, but... challenging an Aeon?"
It felt like a death wish. Not that Celenova particularly cared about dying—she was notoriously hard to kill.
As the video progressed to the latter half, showing Phantylia being sucked into a gourd, the woman in the video said a few words toward the vessel. Though the audio was muffled, Celenova's instincts flared.
"...Wait. Did Bai Ming just say the name 'Celenova'?"
Celenova narrowed her eyes, sensing something was off. She had the system process the audio file and replayed it.
"...Celenova... a little maid to warm the bed..."
BANG!!
A pale fist punched straight through the equipment. Destruction's flames incinerated the floating screen and the audio file along with it.
"BAI MING!!! I knew it! You really are a perverted god!"
Those shameful memories of being toyed with by Bai Ming, which she had tried so hard to bury, came rushing back. Celenova's fair skin flushed several shades darker—purely out of sheer, indignant rage.
She truly felt the woman was a degenerate.
Considering Bai Ming had kidnapped her before, taken photos, and made a habit of being "handsy" during the process, Celenova knew the "bed-warming maid" comment wasn't a joke.
That woman really wanted her for that.
Yet, at the same time, that woman had genuinely tried to kill her during their past encounters.
Even if she didn't succeed, the sensation of being slain wasn't something one easily forgot. Now that she was an Aeon, she still hadn't fixed that twisted personality of hers.
Celenova trembled with rage. And, perhaps, a tiny bit of fear. If that woman actually came looking for her and dragged her avatar off to warm a bed... she probably wouldn't even get the chance to self-destruct.
The thought of the potential humiliation turned Celenova's face even redder. She wanted nothing more than to string that woman up and beat her.
The most infuriating part was that she had zero chance of turning the tables. Not unless she became an Aeon herself, which, as a Lord Ravager, was practically impossible.
"Whew... don't get angry, don't get angry... Celenova, don't let her get to you... you can't beat her."
She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, trying to settle her emotions.
The power gap was simply too vast—there was no winning. Faced with the choice of exploding or being angry, Celenova chose to swallow her pride and just be miserable.
After about a system hour of self-regulation, she finally calmed down enough to think about her next move.
If she had been hiding before out of an existential crisis, she was now wondering: if she resumed her usual path of following the Stellarons through the cosmos, would Bai Ming just drop out of the sky and snatch her up?
But she couldn't hide forever, could she? What would be the point of her existence? Nanook gave her life, and THEY could just as easily take it away.
If she truly abandoned her duties, Nanook would probably "fire" her before Bai Ming even laid a finger on her. That was a guaranteed death sentence!
But if she went out... she felt she could hardly escape Bai Ming's clutches. It was a total deadlock.
Retreat, and she'd likely be discarded by Nanook—which was as good as death.
Advance, and she'd likely have an avatar captured by Bai Ming and subjected to "humiliating" experiences. However, considering what was said in the video, Bai Ming probably wouldn't kill her.
It seemed there was no way out. But if she was willing to endure some humiliation, the other party might actually be easier to talk to.
If she led her army to the Luofu now to demand Phantylia's release, she'd have a legitimate excuse to get herself "captured." With just a small sacrifice of her dignity, she could defuse this ticking time bomb.
But... did she really have to yield to that woman?!
From an outsider's perspective, sacrificing a little bit of pride to be the constant companion of an easy-going Aeon was a miracle people would kill for.
Celenova actually thought so too—if only the person in question wasn't the same Bai Ming who had humiliated her so many times!
"Curse it... of all people, why did Aha have to take an interest in Bai Ming?"
Celenova gritted her teeth in frustration.
It was infuriating. That woman probably anticipated her dilemma and intentionally said those things to Phantylia in front of the cameras. She was using Phantylia to toy with her across the screen!
Despicable! Shameless!!
The thought that she might be falling right into the woman's trap made Celenova flush with heat again.
But then she realized that with Bai Ming's wicked, perverted personality, she might even be peeping on her right now as she struggled with the decision.
She forced her emotions back down. Celenova would rather die! She would jump into the edge of the Nihility before she ever yielded to that woman's tyranny!
--+--
A short time later.
Outside the Xianzhou Luofu.
Celenova's legion arrived in the star system!
And she issued a formal notice to the Luofu: Hand over Phantylia.
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL