Dan Heng felt puzzled by the voice that remained within that Vidyadhara mirage.
Behind him, Nero and Jing Yuan, who understood a bit about it, silently chose not to speak.
They just racked their brains, but there was no answer in their hazy memories. Besides, there was no time to waste now.
So Dan Heng didn't dwell on this matter and led everyone forward.
Within the curtains of waves on both sides, faint black shadows could be seen flashing past, like dragons swimming within, moving forward along with the group's steps.
As everyone relit the three formations, the entire Scalegorge Waterscape began to tremble. Waves surged on both sides, bursting into thin white mist that spread out like clouds, shrouding this sacred cavern realm.
Countless strange, glowing fish rode the mist, swimming and playing through the air, fantastical beyond compare.
Vidyadhara mirages filled the place, and voices from the distant past echoed endlessly around them like an unceasing wind. The entire Scalegorge Waterscape felt like a hazy, dreamlike world.
Straight ahead, the already shattered path slowly restored itself under some force. The group sped forward like arrows released from a bow, heading straight for the Arbor's core root.
They rushed toward the location of the core root, then stopped, looking at the dragon's head before them that seemed to burn with pale golden flames.
March slightly widened her eyes, clearly curious and shaken by the massive spectacle, and immediately asked, "What is that! Is it a dragon?"
Then they heard Dan Heng say, "We've reached the end. This is the Arbor's core root, the site of the Abundance's divine miracle."
He raised his eyes, looking at the dragon's head that seemed wrapped in flames, yet also like a drifting soul. On that dragon's head, he felt the power of the Dragon Lord and saw glowing inscriptions.
"'Knock thrice with claws, pay homage to the inch-wood,' refers to this place. Under the suppression of dragon power, the Arbor's core root has taken on the form of a dragon-shaped burl."
Dan Heng gently closed his eyes. Fragments of the past surfaced from the darkness deep in his mind. After taking a deep breath, he said, "Now, I will break this final seal..."
At that moment, Jing Yuan also turned to face everyone. "Everyone, I assume you're ready?"
The group nodded one after another, and Nero jumped down from Black Cutter.
The boy planted the heavy sword that had accompanied him into the ground beside him, slowly closed his eyes, and kept moving his hands as he rolled up his sleeves, revealing smooth, pale arms.
BOOM!
In an instant, a powerful aura burst out from the boy, spreading far outward. The rolling wave curtains were torn open by this force, though they quickly returned to normal as they continued to churn.
Then Nero opened his eyes. In his clear, mirror-like gray pupils, countless stars flashed past in an instant. An even stronger force spread outward again, blowing away all the mist-like white fog.
The Scalegorge Waterscape cavern began to shake violently, and the wave curtains on both sides were forcibly pushed back thousands of meters...
Feeling the terrifying fluctuations erupting from Nero, the members of the Astral Express and Jing Yuan all looked at him at the same time. There was a trace of astonishment in their eyes.
It felt as if they were only now meeting Nero for the first time. In the past, they knew he was strong, but they had never imagined just how strong that power could be.
At this moment, faint cracks appeared across the boy's body. Within those cracks reflected a pitch-black color, like an endless abyss, like a massive rift stretching across the sea of stars.
Occasionally, within it, one could glimpse devoured stars releasing their final brilliant jets of light.
After finishing his preparations, Nero grabbed Black Cutter, already ready for a jumping slash.
Back at the beginning, what he had worried about most was this very moment... the disaster on the Luofu caused by Phantylia.
But as time passed and events unfolded, many things had already been changed by Nero.
And now, it was time to show his strength and beat down the enemies invading the Xianzhou.
Nero turned his head and said, "Ready."
His voice pulled everyone out of their daze. They looked at him, wanting to say something, but in the end, gave up.
There was nothing more to say. Just feeling the aura bursting from Nero made people feel reassured. Even Jing Yuan and Dan Heng now felt much more confident.
At this moment, just by looking at his stance, it was obvious... this kid was terrifyingly strong!
They had thought that since Nero carried the power of multiple Paths, he might be broad but not refined.
But now it seemed he had gone far beyond what they imagined. Those powers were not built on Joy as a crutch, but instead bloomed together like a hundred flowers.
Dan Heng withdrew his gaze from Nero and nodded.
Then he stepped forward, extended his hand, and guided the power of the Dragon Lord. Everyone saw boundless radiance burst forth from the dragon head's forehead.
In the next moment, everyone fell into a deep space. White mist filled the area. All around were massive tree shadows, twisted and intertwined like the gnarled roots of ancient trees.
The path beneath their feet was clear and reflective like a mirror, like still water, yet stepping on it produced no ripples. The place was vast and desolate.
The group felt like a lone boat drifting in an endless ocean. In the silent environment, a faint chill pricked their skin like fine needles.
This was clearly the Arbor's core root, a divine miracle symbolizing life and longevity granted by the Abundance, yet walking here, all they felt was a deathly stillness.
Nero dragged Black Cutter forward as if gathering strength. He walked at the back of the group. The black heavy blade scraped along the mirror-like ground, leaving behind a dark trail.
As Nero entered his state, some kind of change also began to occur in this ancient heavy sword, forged from a Stellaron and the wishes of countless craftsmen.
In just this short time, Black Cutter also developed fine cracks like those on Nero's body. The same deep, mysterious starry sky flowed within them.
It was clearly a Stellaron capable of corrupting the world, yet now Black Cutter looked as if it had been assimilated by Nero.
Black Cutter could see this change, and so could Nero, but neither reacted to it.
Nero simply treated it as a result of his power erupting, while Black Cutter felt no danger or unease from it at all. In fact, it felt incredibly good... better than ever before.
Black Cutter felt its entire body brimming with strength. It seemed to have grown stronger again. This overflowing power made it want to shout out loud. Compared to before, it now felt like a well-fed powerhouse.
At the very beginning, when Nero unleashed his power, Black Cutter had felt fear. Even as a Stellaron, it still feared the power within Nero.
And based on Nero's two full-power states during Belobog and the ambush at Jertok, Black Cutter was certain that as a weapon used in that state, it was not qualified.
Perhaps it wouldn't even last twenty swings before it shattered under the immense and strange pressure within Nero's power. But now, it felt extremely healthy. It could be used freely by Nero.
Finally, the group reached the end. Here, faint spiritual flames illuminated the area, making it much brighter. Countless roots surrounded the place like tentacles, as if guarding a throne.
Large amounts of dreamlike mist continuously rose from behind, making one want to walk around and check if dry ice had been placed there.
At the very center of those root-like tentacles, there was a small lotus platform, and above it floated a faint green flame.
Sensing their approach, Phantylia immediately spoke, "Hmm? Hehe, is that the Luofu's general?"
As her voice fell, before Jing Yuan could respond, March at the back had already angrily shouted.
It was unclear whether her anger came from Phantylia invading the Luofu, or from this person impersonating Tingyun and deceiving a girl's feelings.
Perhaps both.
"You jerk! So you really were waiting here for us. Come out, Phantylia!"
However, Phantylia only said, "Oh? My benefactor is here as well? Don't be so impatient, I haven't finished getting dressed yet."
After saying that, she continued with a sigh, "No wonder the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus are so confident... this Arbor miracle truly has the power to reshape life."
Jing Yuan let out a soft breath and led everyone forward, saying as he walked, "Everyone, be careful."
"Dan Heng, I'll leave my back to you."
Dan Heng replied in a low voice, "Understood."
March looked confused. "Phantylia... what is she doing?"
While everyone's attention was drawn to Phantylia and they moved forward, Nero remained where he was.
He looked around, scanning every corner, but couldn't find the Mirror Holder, Aemdo.
[T/N: 'Aemdo' seems to the be the name of the Mirror Holder.]
Finally, Nero lowered his head and stared at the mirror-like "floor" beneath his feet, falling into thought.
And just as Nero focused on thinking, Aemdo's figure indeed appeared below.
Lying within the "floor," Aemdo removed his mask, revealing a face that was refined yet resolute, full of heroic spirit.
His face looked like that of a battle-hardened warrior, completely unlike the impression Nero had of a scheming Mirror Holder lurking in the shadows.
Aemdo had a pair of golden eyes. At this moment, those eyes looked at Nero with respect and admiration.
Then, just like before, he bowed to Nero and let out a sigh in a voice that seemed only Nero could hear, "My goodness, Idrila...!"
Hearing that, Nero instinctively frowned.
'Familiar. Too familiar!'
Pom Pom and Argenti seemed to have said something similar.
"Sorry, please forgive my rudeness," Aemdo apologized again.
"My judgment was correct. You are the being closest to Her. Not just in appearance... your power, and certain qualities you carry, all remind me of Her."
"Although I have never seen Her in reality, in countless dreams, in countless trials and near-death states, I have glimpsed Her figure time and time again, and I have engraved Her qualities into my heart. What you possess is precisely the embodiment of pure beauty."
"However, aside from that, there seems to be something else within you. Something chaotic, complex, mysterious, and obscure... something I cannot understand."
"That won't do. Once impurities are mixed in, it is no longer pure. Just like how She left, unwilling to return to this world filled with sin."
"My companions and I are working to cleanse the sins of this world, hoping to call Her back with a purified land."
"Although I would like to invite you to join us again, your eyes tell me that you will not accept my request."
Listening to Aemdo, Nero glanced at the others approaching Phantylia, then asked, "Aren't you Mirror Holders going to come out and fight?"
Aemdo shook his head. "This operation is under my responsibility. I have my own principles. Although we are acting together with Phantylia, our goals do not align."
"Following a knight's... following the etiquette I uphold, I am unwilling to fight alongside Phantylia against you all. My matters are my matters, and hers are hers."
"If she wins this battle, we will naturally obtain what we seek. If she loses, it will not be too late to fight you all then."
"Well then, I shall take my leave."
Aemdo nodded to Nero. Before leaving, he took one last deep look at him and offered a final blessing, "May fortune favor you in battle."
With that, Aemdo disappeared.
At the same time, in the mirror world, Aemdo slowly turned around. He placed his mask over his chest. In the next moment, a sacred radiance burst forth.
He shed his noble, ornate clothing and instead donned a set of polished silver armor. Then, within this reflected Arbor cavern, Aemdo slowly walked toward the center.
As he passed under one root-like tentacle after another, bodies lay scattered. Those corpses wore black robes, their bodies long cold, leaving only pools of blood behind.
Finally, Aemdo arrived before the last root-like tentacle.
"Aemdo... you... bastard..."
A Mirror Holder was pierced through the chest by a silver longsword that looked both elegant and sharp, nailed to the root. Dark red blood had already spread across the ground.
The Mirror Holder gripped the sword with both hands, glaring at Aemdo with hatred. He gritted his teeth, spewing countless vicious curses and filthy insults, but he couldn't form a complete sentence.
Every time he got agitated, his body would convulse uncontrollably, and he would cough up a large mouthful of blood.
Aemdo stood to the side. In his silver armor, his posture was straight and upright. He didn't even glance at the man's miserable state, nor did he react to the foul language.
He simply stood there, his gaze bright and focused, as if he were facing his god.
He slowly raised his hand, grasped the hilt of the sword, and then pulled it out.
With a clang, the Mirror Holder fell to the ground. His eyes were dull and lifeless, already on the brink of death.
Aemdo gave the sword a light flick, shaking off all the blood. The blade became spotless, as if enchanted, shining with a radiant silver glow, as though emitting endless sacred light.
Aemdo planted the sword before him, the tip touching the ground, both hands resting on the hilt, and slowly said, "Your existence is itself sin and filth in this world."
"You claim to believe in pure beauty, yet you scheme and resort to any means. Your hearts are as sinister and vile as beasts and venomous insects."
"You impose your views onto others, and some of you even attempt to seize Her power through Her divine body?"
"I joined the Mirror Holders to gather fragments and cleanse sin, to welcome Her return as soon as possible... not to watch you gutter rats display your ugliness here."
"As sins, you now stand against me, and you are things that must be burned by Her flames."
Hearing Aemdo's words, the Mirror Holder lying on the ground suddenly grinned.
In a hoarse voice, with a sputtering tone like an old diesel engine, he used the last of his strength to say, "Heh... you just picked up a mirror... and you think you're so... noble?
"You... you're no different from us... you're even... filthier... Aemdo... Omen... Falcorez..."
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