Xing Tie: Wait a minute! How come Weng Xing has two saviors?

There was none of the oppressive darkness of the bottom of the River Styx; instead, it was enveloped in a soft, mysterious blue light.

The air was very fresh, with a slightly cool and damp feel.

The cave was incredibly vast, with a high dome from which countless luminous minerals, like clusters of crystals, hung, illuminating the entire space like a dreamlike realm.

Directly in front of them was a flat, man-made rock platform.

At the very center of the platform, a water jar stands quietly—it is carved entirely from a special material.

The water jar has a simple yet beautiful shape with smooth lines and is engraved with countless complex runes that seem to be constantly flowing and changing.

“This is…” Xia Die’s breath hitched slightly, “the place that Teacher Xia deduced based on various clues…the theoretically closest to the origin of the world?”

She involuntarily took a few steps forward, wanting to touch the mysterious object that was so close at hand.

A deep hum resounded. The layers of Fajina magic on the surface of the water jar seemed to be activated, rippling out in a gentle yet resilient wave.

A gentle yet irresistible force softly pushed Xia Die's hand away, preventing her from making contact.

Chapter 232 "Death" - The demigod will guide the last undead soul to the underworld.

At that moment, Xia's fingertips gently tapped the table. On the communication stone tablet in front of him, a message from Xia Die from the depths of the River Styx and several relatively clear pictures were displayed—the water altar heavily protected by Fajina's secret magic, and the starry sky flowing within the altar.

He muttered to himself, as if organizing the logical chains in his mind:

"As expected... If the so-called 're-creation' ritual is real, how could something as crucial as the Titan Seed be submitted to such a 'conspicuous' device as the Dawn Machine?"

"There must be a more secretive and safer place to preserve these embers."

"Oh?" The floating shadow of Sersis chuckled with amusement.

“Son of Man, are you so certain that the place your student stumbled upon is the legendary center of Onphalus—the ‘Creation Vortex’? Such an assertion, lacking empirical support, is not quite in line with the rational spirit you have always championed.”

“Of course I can’t be 100% sure,” Xia said without looking up, her fingers quickly bringing up several fragments of images from ancient books that had been simultaneously transmitted back by Xia Die.

The above explicitly mentions vague concepts such as "vortex center" and "navel of the world."

"Although the fragments that Xia Die found coincide with some ancient legends about the 'center of creation,' it is far from enough to determine the authenticity of the Cephalo oracle and verify the true path of 'recreation' based on these fragments."

His voice was calm and cautious: "After all, what is the true purpose of that place that the priestesses of Fajina protected with the highest level of secret magic, layer upon layer, at any cost?"

"Is it the engine of the world, their archives, or a... massive seal? Without seeing it for ourselves, any speculation based on external factors is just castles in the air."

"So your plan is..." Sersis's shadow leaned forward slightly, revealing interest.

“Fagina’s secret arts are particularly adept at sealing and isolation; forcibly breaking through them is definitely not the best strategy.” At that moment, Xia raised her head from the stone slab, her eyes gleaming with a pre-determined plan.

“To safely and effectively untie these ancient shackles, we may need to seek the help of professionals. — I need to visit Ms. Heather immediately. She may be able to provide us with a path to the truth.”

Having said that, he didn't linger any longer, quickly put away the stone slab, and walked out with firm steps, his figure soon disappearing among the tall pillars of the library.

Meanwhile, inside a mysterious cave deep within the River Styx.

"Sister, are you... leaving?" Polycia looked at Xiaodie, who had just finished recording the details of the water jar with the communication stone tablet and was now carefully putting the tablet away, her voice filled with undisguised disappointment.

This quiet sea of ​​flowers and tower was briefly filled with life because of her sister's arrival. She greedily enjoyed this hard-won warmth, yet feared the loneliness of returning after their separation.

Xia Die looked at her younger sister's forced composure, yet unable to conceal her vulnerability, and listened to the cautious expectation in her words.

A thought, a resolve that had quietly grown after witnessing his sister's long period of self-imprisonment, became incredibly clear and firm at this moment.

She turned to face Polycia, gently placing her hands on her sister's shoulders, her gaze calm yet resolute: "Polycia, hand over the flame of 'death' to me."

"Huh?" Polycia was clearly stunned, her purple eyes filled with confusion and a hint of panic.

Sister? You...you don't need to take on the torch of "death" now! The underworld is no longer what it used to be; there are no longer any souls to be guided. This authority is just a heavy burden for you..."

“No, you’re wrong.” Xia Die interrupted her, her voice gentle yet carrying an undeniable power, “There is another ‘soul’ in the underworld that needs to be guided, and that is you, Polycia.”

She gazed into her sister's eyes and said, word by word, "Since the authority of 'death' no longer needs to fulfill the duty of guiding the souls of the dead in this era, then why must its previous wielder, my sister, be forever bound to this River Styx, a symbol of end and oblivion?"

Xia Die tightly grasped Polycia's slightly cool hand, as if saying, "Entrust the flame of 'Death' into my hands. When I bear the authority of 'Death,' I will make a wish to the Dawn Machine—a wish that will free you from the shackles of this place and grant you true freedom."

“In that case… you should be able to leave this desolate place with me and go with me to see the sun-drenched Ohmma that you have longed for countless times in your letters.”

Dawn on the cloud-covered cliffs, the altar bearing the weight of the world.

Seven blue-purple flames rotated silently in the center of the altar.

At this moment, Krydella, Aglaia, and others were welcoming Heather, who had just returned from Suspended Peak.

Then, Xia's figure appeared at the edge of the altar.

“Ms. Heather,” he broke the silence of the altar, his voice tinged with a rare urgency, “I apologize for disturbing you just as you were resting from your shift at the Hanging Peak, but I need to consult you on some… matters concerning the ‘Ocean’.”

Heather noticed that Aglaia's gaze was starting to focus on Narcissa. She quickly stepped forward and stood between Aglaia and Narcissa; only she could do this, because the other person present…

“Anaxagoras, what would you like to ask me?” she asked Naxya calmly.

That moment, Xia recounted in detail his discoveries deep within the River Styx, the sealing of the Fagina secret technique, and the mysterious water altar.

Everyone present frowned.

A slight ripple appeared in Heather's tranquil eyes. She sighed softly, her voice tinged with weariness, yet still gentle:

"I never expected to hear such...disturbing news so soon after returning to the Holy City. If everything is as you suspect, then what shrouds Onpharos may be a lie that has lasted for nearly a thousand years..."

Then, she shook her head slightly, her long hair flowing like waves. "But, Anaxxramas, I'm sorry. Although I am a demigod of the 'Ocean,' my true nature is that of a siren."

"Our clan's power originates from the affinity with the sea and the control of rhythm. I am not an expert on the sealing secrets of human priests."

She looked at Naksha honestly and said seriously, "If you want me to immediately use my powers to let you pass directly through that seal that even Titans have to treat with caution, I can't do that."

“However,” she changed the subject, with the confidence of a demigod, “give me a few days, and I should be able to find a way to safely pass through or temporarily ‘bypass’ that seal.”

“A few days…” At that moment, Xia’s gaze swept toward Cecis, who was made of light and shadow, beside her.

A few days isn't a long time, and it's even considered highly efficient for academic research, but... a certain Titan might not be able to wait even a few days.

Chapter 233 He still listened to their wishes, even as they were about to expose his lies.

Just as he was weighing his options, a faint light from the Hundred Realms Gate shone on the altar.

Xia Die emerged from within, her hands carefully cradling a dark, tranquil crystal—the very spark of "death."

Her appearance instantly attracted everyone's attention.

“Xia Die?” Xia raised his eyebrows, a hint of surprise and confusion flashing in his eyes. “You… have decided to take over the power of ‘death’ right now?” He knew his student; she was not an impulsive person, and there must be a profound reason for this action.

Xia Die raised her head, her gaze sweeping over the people on the altar before finally settling on Na Ke Xia. She nodded gently, her voice clear and firm: "Yes... Teacher Na Ke Xia, I have made my decision. I will become the demigod of 'Death' right now."

In order to... be able to make that one wish that can save my loved ones. Her eyes held complex emotions, a mixture of fear of becoming a demigod of "death" and longing for the return of her loved ones.

“Son of man,” Serhis, who had been observing quietly, suddenly floated closer and spoke to Naksha, “I have a sudden thought. Since you said that when you submit the fire, you can use the remaining will of Kephale to grant a wish.”

"Then why didn't you simply make a wish when submitting the 'Spark of Reason' to 'obtain the method to safely pass through those seals and reach the heart of the vortex of creation'? Wouldn't that save you the time of waiting and research, and get straight to the heart of the matter?"

Upon hearing this, Xia frowned slightly, his tone filled with skepticism and a sense of absurdity: "Titan, your idea... sounds far too far-fetched."

"Is such a thing really possible? We've gone to great lengths to enter the heart of creation precisely to gather evidence that the 'salvation' oracle descended by Cephale is a huge lie or fallacy, haven't we?"

His voice carried a hint of mockery, yet also a subtle wavering: "Now, we're about to make a wish to this Kephall, who may be the source of the erroneous 'oracle'?"

"Ask Him to grant us access to that core place that might hold His secrets or even evidence of His crimes? No matter how benevolent, tolerant, and selfless Kephat is portrayed in myths and legends..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the enormous figure outside the altar that seemed to bear the weight of everything, and slowly uttered the second half of his sentence:

"...How could He possibly respond to a desire aimed at 'overthrowing' Him?"

However, just a few minutes later.

At that moment, Xia stood silently on the edge of the dawn cloud cliff, the mountain wind ruffling his emerald hair and the hem of his scholar's robe.

His gaze fell somewhat complicatedly on a spot not far away—Xia Die, who had just become a demigod of "death," was tightly embracing her sister Polycia, who had been freed from the shackles of the underworld and regained "life."

For the first time, her pale cheeks were bathed in real sunlight, and her face was filled with unbelievable joy and tears. The scene was so warm that it almost felt unreal.

A clear, complete, and detailed method for safely passing through the Fajina arcane blockade and reaching the so-called "Creation Vortex" appeared abruptly and precisely in the depths of his mind as he made his wish, as if it had been directly instilled.

The ease with which this knowledge arrived, the "responsiveness" of his requests, ironically made him feel a deep-seated unease.

“Son of man,” Cecis’s figure, formed from the glow of reason, reappeared beside Nashia. Her voice rang in his ears, and although her tone was still calm, the meaning contained within it carried an indescribable strangeness.

"It seems that Kefaller is indeed much more tolerant than you imagined. Or perhaps you were judging him by your own petty standards?"

Xia was momentarily stunned by the fact that Sersis was still alive, but he quickly regained his composure and replied in his usual sarcastic tone, "Hmph... Titan, you're still 'alive'? After I submitted the 'Reason' seed, I thought your lingering consciousness would vanish like smoke. It seems even the remnant soul of a Titan is quite attached to this mortal world."

"So you so eagerly await my demise?" Sersis's light and shadow rippled slightly, and she retorted without flinching, "Since I said this consciousness could last fifteen days, then it will last fifteen days. Rational calculations never fail." Her rebuttal still carried the pride of a Titan.

However, this usual bickering didn't last long. Cecily's aura quickly turned serious, and the light and shadow solidified, clearly indicating that there was something more important to confirm.

"Son of Man, sense carefully." Her voice lowered, carrying the solemnity of discovering a major anomaly. "After I was submitted to you, not only did my consciousness remain, but the connection with the spark of 'Reason' was not completely severed as expected..."

"This means there's a serious problem—this so-called method of submitting the spark to initiate 're-creation' is likely flawed, or rather, incomplete! It has failed to even begin the process of re-creation!"

She paused, allowing Xia to process the information, before speaking with absolute certainty: "I can clearly sense that the spark of 'rationality' is merely being temporarily restrained and fixed in that specific area above the altar by a powerful external force."

"The spark itself, and the authority and rules it contains, show absolutely no sign of flowing to or being absorbed by the body of the god Kephale. It's as if it's been placed in a display case, frozen in place. This is definitely not the normal situation when the spark is successfully submitted and its power is utilized!"

At that moment, Xia's eyes sharpened like knives. He quickly examined the knowledge he had just acquired in his mind, and combined it with what Cecis had just said. A cold conclusion came to mind.

“Yes…” he responded in a low voice, his tone carrying a hint of coldness, “It seems that our previous suspicions were not unfounded.”

"To find out what's really hidden behind this so-called 'savior' blueprint..."

To find out whether the oracle of Cephalus was real or fake...

"Want to know the truth about submitting the spark..."

"In the end, we still need to go into that heavily protected 'Creation Vortex' to see for ourselves."

At that moment, Xia was reviewing the method she had received as a gift, which she had found in her mind.

"Using the 'spiritual water' left behind by Priestess Fajina as the medium and key? It seems the method is quite clear..."

But what no one knew was that in some inconspicuous corner of Onpharos, the black tide that was originally as black as ink and capable of destroying the world suddenly revealed a bright orange-red color for the first time.

Chapter 234 "Preservation" - The Path to Salvation.

Tick…tick…tick…

Footsteps echoed across the boundless amber-colored earth, crisp yet lonely.

Bai Mo walks in this space manifested by his own will and the power of "preservation".

Every step he took was on crystallized memories that were sealed away.

Bai Mo's expression was calm, devoid of joy or sorrow, with only the weariness and resolve accumulated over thirty million reincarnations deep within his eyes.

He raised his hand, and another file was precisely extracted.

He stared at it for a moment, then gave it a gentle push. The "document" representing someone from the past solidified quickly, like an insect wrapped in resin, becoming part of the vast amber earth beneath his feet and a member of an eternal collection.

He knew that "that moment Xia 33550336" was trying to expose the lies he had meticulously woven in the endless cycle, and wanted to tear open the veil called "divine oracle".

But that's no longer important.

Lies were once a necessary tool. But they were only used to collect the Titans' embers more efficiently, and to keep the flame of the Onpharos civilization burning through countless destructions and rebirths.

However, a turning point has arrived. Onphalus, this lone boat that has been tossed about countless times in the dark apocalypse, finally no longer needs to rely on endless reincarnation to prolong its life.

He, Bai Mo, touched that indestructible path of destiny, the cornerstone that protects the universe—"Preservation".

Krippe has answered his prayer, promising to seal away all thirty million Onpharos that exist only in his memory in immortal amber.

Since the laws of this universe allow consciousness to be matched with a new vessel, he preserved all the consciousness accumulated over these 30 million reincarnations through the power of "preservation".

He intends to use this amber, which originates from the Star God, to build an unprecedented ark of consciousness.

Then... through the hands of this "false" man, all the beings of these thirty million Onpharos... were able to touch that real starry sky.

As for himself? The place of triple destiny and deadly struggle is hard to escape. It's impossible to make something leave without paying a price...

Deep within the core of the Dawn Machine, Bai Mo slowly opened his eyes.

His consciousness withdrew from that spiritual realm built of amber and obsession, returning to this body that bore too much weight.

Upon returning, he leaned against the cold wall, murmuring the name that had sustained him through countless reincarnations:

"Sister Xi Lian..."

Bai Mo's somewhat weary voice echoed softly in the empty room.