Seat of Divine Foresight · Side Hall
Stella stared at the system panel that only she could see, her brows knitted together.
3,500 stellar jade.
She hadn't done anything! She hadn't saved the world, nor had she experienced any great emotional outbursts of joy or sorrow. Did this stellar jade just grow legs and run to her on its own?
"It's probably... because you met the Aeons from our side."
[Jing Yuan] leaned lazily against the back of his chair, holding a cup of Xianzhou green tea, his tone as casual as saying, "The weather is nice today."
Stella turned her head sharply: "Huh?"
"The Aeons from your side?"
March 7th's ears perked up instantly. She leaned in like a red panda that had smelled a snack, her fingers gesturing back and forth between Stella and Stelle.
"Is it those eighteen Aeons you and Stelle saw after touching the Stellaron in Belobog?"
"Yes."
[Jing Yuan] nodded, gently skimming the foam off the tea with the lid.
"Compared to the Aeons of the reality universe... hmm, they are more human. Or rather, more willing to interact with people."
He paused and continued, "At the same time, if the energy of a certain Path in the vicinity is too strong and concentrated, they can occasionally appear in the form of a projection. Of course, the strength of a projection is far inferior to the original body; it's about the level of... showing their face and saying hello."
"And as for the Xianzhou people."
[Jing Yuan] narrowed his eyes, a subtle smile hanging on the corners of his lips.
"The vast majority are blessed by both The Hunt and Abundance. Although individuals are not strong, they have the advantage of being numerous and having concentrated faith. This environment happens to meet the condition of 'intense Path energy'—"
He slowly reached out and gently pushed March 7th's jaw, which had been hanging open and nearly dislocated from listening so intently, back into place with his palm.
"—So, I just don't know if it was Yaoshi or the Reignbow Arbiter who came this time."
March 7th closed her mouth, her eyes glazing over.
After a long while, she squeezed out a sentence: "...So what on earth did that Grand Diviner go through?!"
Stella silently looked away, pretending to study the patterns on the ceiling.
She always felt that this matter had something to do with her, but she had no idea exactly how, or to what extent.
"Original."
[Jing Yuan] put down his teacup, his expression becoming a bit more serious.
"Since you have plenty of stellar jade, why not summon some help now? The waters of the Luofu will only get muddier."
"Got it, got it."
Stella took a deep breath, as if making a major decision, extended her index finger, and solemnly tapped the shiny [Ten-Pull] button on the system panel.
"Twenty-pull, activate!"
—First pull: Green.
Stella was expressionless.
—Second pull: Green.
As expected.
—Third pull: Gray.
—Fourth pull: Gray.
—Fifth pull: Blue!
[Bailu]'s stellar jade x1
Stella's eyes lit up! Bailu! Healer rations! Survival rate up up!
—Sixth pull: Green.
—Seventh pull: Green.
—Eighth pull: Purple light!!!!
It's here!
[Four-star Character: Luocha (1/80)]
—Ninth pull: Gray.
—Tenth pull: Gray.
The first ten-pull, ended.
Stella looked at the "battle results" on the system panel: one blue, one purple, with the rest being a mix of gray and green.
"Pull again!"
She gritted her teeth and tapped the second ten-pull.
—First pull: Blue!
[Clara]'s stellar jade x1
—Second pull: Gray.
—Third pull: Green.
—Fourth pull: Gray.
—Fifth pull: Green.
—Sixth pull: Gray.
—Seventh pull: Blue!
[Three-star Character: Cu Chulainn (1/70)]
—Eighth pull: Green.
—Ninth pull: Gray.
—Tenth pull: Purple light!!!!
[Four-star Character: Tribbie (1/80)]
The second ten-pull, ended.
Stella took a deep breath and shoved all the newly pulled stellar jade into the corresponding characters.
[Bailu] LV.42 → LV.52
[Clara] LV.28 → LV.38
As for that three-star Cu Chulainn...
Stella glanced at the avatar on the system panel of the man with blue hair and a red spear.
"You stay right there, don't move."
Stella expressionlessly closed the system panel.
"I'm going to pull something else."
(Cu Chulainn:? I haven't even debuted yet and I'm already benched?)
(Lancer's Luck E, it really doesn't deceive me.)
Stella rubbed her face and turned to [Jing Yuan] to humbly ask: "Um, are [Luocha] and [Tribbie]... strong?"
[Jing Yuan] heard this, and the teacup in his hand paused noticeably.
"...[Luocha] and [Tribbie]?"
He repeated it, his tone carrying a hint of subtle surprise, which then turned into a complex expression, as if he were thinking about "how to tactfully express a tricky matter."
"What's wrong? Are they strong? Or are they hard to raise?"
Stella became nervous.
"Hmm, they are strong."
[Jing Yuan] spoke cautiously, but his gaze involuntarily, as if attracted by a magnet, drifted to the other side of the side hall—
There, Welt Yang was sitting quietly in a chair, leaning on his cane, calmly flipping through the Xianzhou Gazetteer.
He seemed to sense something, looked up towards this side, and then lowered his head again as if nothing had happened.
[Jing Yuan] withdrew his gaze.
Drifted back over.
Withdrew it again.
"Um..."
He coughed lightly and lowered his voice.
"As for [Luocha], Original, I suggest you—don't bring him out for now."
Stella: "Huh? Why?"
[Jing Yuan] did not speak.
He just once again, meaningfully, gestured with his eyes in Welt's direction.
Stella followed his gaze.
Stella: "..."
She suddenly remembered not long ago, Uncle Yang holding his forehead, his eyes revealing a world-weary, hopeless look through his fingers.
She also remembered [Phainon] introducing his real name "Khaslana," and the moment Uncle Yang's stiff back looked as if it had been pierced by an invisible arrow through his heart.
Stella pressed her palms together and piously closed her eyes: "Mr. [Luocha], I'm sorry you have to stay in there a while longer. This is for your own good, for Uncle Yang's good, and for the harmony and stability of the entire Astral Express."
"Then what about [Tribbie]?"
Stella put aside the heavy topic of Luocha and turned to the other new character.
"As for [Tribbie]..."
[Jing Yuan]'s expression finally relaxed a bit, even carrying a hint of relief that "there's finally some good news."
"I suggest you transform directly, Original."
"Huh? Why?"
Stella was stunned.
"[Tribbie]'s own combat power is not strong."
[Jing Yuan] admitted it very frankly.
"But she possesses an extremely powerful ability—Gate of the Hundred Worlds."
He put down his teacup, rarely serious.
"That is a portal that can connect any two spatial coordinates. Theoretically, as long as there is enough time and energy, she can open a passage to any known location."
He paused and added, "Moreover, [Tribbie] has no offensive capabilities. She is a pure support, so it's best not to occupy a team slot right now."
"Is that so..."
Stella nodded thoughtfully, her gaze landing on the avatar of the young girl with red hair, wearing a dress, and having a pair of small wings on her back on the system panel.
She was silent for two seconds.
"Um, [Jing Yuan]."
"Hmm?"
"Tribbie... about how tall is she?"
[Jing Yuan] revealed a sincere smile: "About a little higher than your knee. She is very cute."
Stella: "..."
She looked down at herself; [Stelle] cannot be summoned, so she can be said to be her original body, and she is quite tall.
She looked again at the little girl with a bright smile in the avatar.
"...I'll think about it some more."
[Jing Yuan] smiled and nodded, picked up his teacup again, and said in a relaxed tone: "No rush, Original can think about it slowly."
He just quietly and imperceptibly raised his teacup a little higher, blocking the "plan successful" smile at the corners of his lips.
And Stella was still staring at the [Tribbie] avatar on the system panel, falling into a serious philosophical debate about "which is more important, height or the portal."