The Xuan Root of the Ambrosial Arbor was as silent as a tomb.
The air was filled with the smell of charcoal.
Phainon stood silently on the scorched earth he had personally created.
Before him was the special box Dan Shu had personally given him.
Without the slightest hesitation.
Phainon summoned the Dawnbreaker and struck down fiercely!
The sturdy alloy casing melted silently, the cut smooth as a mirror.
The box was empty.
The Stellaron was not here.
Phainon was not surprised by this scene in the slightest.
Phantylia —
The Lord Ravager, who believed in "civilization's self-destruction," was also a strategic genius.
After his "variable" appeared, she could no longer entrust such an important "key" to the The Disciples of Sanctus Medicus.
This so-called "ritual" was, from beginning to end, merely a bait she had thrown out.
A fishing game tailor-made for him.
"Destruction…"
Phainon murmured, a cluster of flames burning in his ice-blue eyes.
Phantylia's ability was to inject the "seed" of destruction into all things, causing them to collapse from within, wither, and completely become pawns of the Legion.
And he, precisely, needed this power of destruction.
He needed the purest, most immense power of destruction to ignite the long-dormant spark within himself.
The next moment, his consciousness sank into the deepest part of his body.
"Ignitable sparks: 108642"
"Maximum spark capacity: 48000000"
Not enough.
The limit of this body was still too far from the four hundred million sparks.
But he must… persevere until the day he reached Amphoreus.
Just then.
A light footsteps sounded on the silent scorched earth, without stirring a speck of dust.
Phainon looked up.
Directly in front of him, a graceful, alluring fox-eared woman was slowly walking towards him with elegant steps.
She wore a perfectly appropriate smile on her face, but her eyes held a hint of playfulness and curiosity.
It was Tingyun.
"My benefactor, this little one has finally arrived. I hope I haven't kept you waiting long."
Tingyun walked a few steps in front of Phainon, bowing slightly with standard movements, her tone full of apology.
Phainon looked at her indifferently, not saying a word.
His gaze was devoid of any emotion, yet it was more desolate than the scorched earth beneath his feet.
Tingyun tilted her head, feigning confusion, her fox ears twitching slightly: "Why does my benefactor look at this little one like that? Could it be… that something went wrong with the ritual?"
"The Stellaron was never in the hands of the The Disciples of Sanctus Medicus to begin with," Phainon's voice was devoid of warmth, "When did you swap it?"
Upon hearing this, Tingyun's charming fox eyes instantly widened, her folding fan snapped open with a "shua," half-covering her vermilion lips, and she let out an exaggerated gasp.
"Oh dear! My benefactor, please don't scare this little one!"
"I personally handed that Stellaron to Dan Shu, and for that, I took on an enormous risk. If the Stellaronisn't there, wouldn't my plan to destroy the Xianzhou… wouldn't it be completely ruined?"
Her voice was filled with "shock" and "grievance," every syllable perfectly modulated, enough to make even the most astute lie detector in the world deem it true.
"Heh heh…"
Phainon let out a low laugh, slowly straightening his body.
Click.
With a soft sound, he raised his hand, removed the golden mask that concealed his true face, and placed it at his waist.
A face so handsome it was almost demonic was exposed to the air.
Those ice-blue eyes, now unmasked, held a brewing madness that almost materialized, scorching the surrounding air.
"Put away your boring tricks!"
Tingyun's gaze lingered on Phainon's face for a moment.
She showed no awe or infatuation that a mortal should.
She merely covered her lips with her folding fan, revealing a pair of eyes with an even deeper smile.
Her gaze was like that of a top connoisseur who had finally discovered a peerless treasure worthy of themselves.
What she saw was not the superficial appearance, but the burning madness and destructive essence beneath that handsome face, enough to make even a Star God take notice!
"My benefactor's appearance is truly extraordinary!"
Her praise was heartfelt, but the next second, her tone suddenly shifted.
"My benefactor is truly remarkable. Now, all the Cloud Knights of the Luofu are following the map you provided, clearing out the remnants of the The Disciples of Sanctus Medicus."
"In this way, my original plan to let the The Disciples of Sanctus Medicus and the Cloud Knights fall into a long-term chaotic battle, slowly consuming the Luofu's power, has been completely nullified."
She closed her folding fan, a hint of "distress" in her voice, and slowly walked to Phainon's side, standing shoulder to shoulder with him, looking down at this masterpiece of destruction.
"In that case, this little one has no choice but to make a personal appearance."
She turned her head, her beautiful eyes shifting, unabashedly gazing at Phainon's profile.
"However, this is also good."
"While General Jing Yuan is busy dealing with the The Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, on this small chessboard, there is only…"
A hint of pleasure emanated from her voice.
"You and I, my benefactor, to play a game of chess."
Phainon's eyes remained cold, "So, you saw through my problem long ago, and the The Disciples of Sanctus Medicus were a discarded piece from the beginning."
He slowly turned his head, looking directly into Tingyun's eyes, "But this doesn't seem to align with your so-called… aesthetic of destruction."
In Phantylia's script, destruction should be a grand and chaotic symphony, filled with death, betrayal, struggle, and wailing.
But Phainon's actions were too fast, too direct, too pure.
He skipped all the tedious steps and brought the ending forward.
This kind of destruction made her feel an unprecedented novelty and interest!
"Giggle, giggle, giggle…"
Tingyun let out a string of clear laughs, the sound like shattering glass, exceptionally harsh, "Of course!"
Her eyes sparkled with excitement and fanaticism, the joy of finding a new toy.
"So I've changed my mind now."
She leaned closer to Phainon, her breath like orchids, her voice filled with temptation, "Since a war of attrition isn't fun anymore, let's try a more interesting way to play."
"For example…"
"Making you an enemy of the entire Luofu!"
She paused, admiring Phainon's unmoving profile, then added.
"As long as I transform you into a pawn in my hand, from now on, you will replace me as the sharpest chess piece, moving across this chessboard!"
"Isn't that very interesting?"
"Heh heh heh…" Phainon's eyes were as calm as an ancient well, as if he were listening to a joke.
"Miss Tingyun, no, Miss Phantylia."
"You once asked me what my belief in destruction was."
"I can tell you the answer now."
His voice became calm, yet it was more unsettling than any frantic roar.
"My belief is to destroy 'destruction' itself."
"Whether it's the Legion, the Lord Ravager, or your wounded god… Nanook."
"I will destroy all of you completely!"
Tingyun was beside herself with laughter, shaking with mirth.
"No wonder He appreciates you so much. I truly can't wait to turn you into my new toy!"
With that, she slowly walked to the root of the Jianmu Tree.
"Then, my benefactor, please wait a moment…"
"Allow this little one to re-dress and make up."