"…Kill the Lord Ravager? Me?"
The leader's voice faltered, tinged with a hollow disbelief, as if the very idea was too absurd to entertain.
If Felicity had demanded that they declare war on the Xianzhou Luofu itself, or even challenge the Lord Ravager's domain in unison, the leader might have—after a long, hesitant pause—gritted her teeth and nodded. But to face an Emanator alone?
That was a different matter entirely.
Truth be told, she wasn't weak. She had ascended beyond mere mediocrity, her cultivation as a Pathstrider already nearing its peak. She had long grasped the profound mysteries of the Ambrosial Arbor, and her path toward harnessing the powers of Abundance was far from shallow. Yet, against an Emanator?
It was laughable. The power disparity was simply too great. If she truly tried to confront the Lord Ravager in battle, that merciless entity could probably swat her aside with nothing more than a sigh.
It was a fool's errand.
"…You're joking, aren't you?" The leader's forced smile twisted awkwardly as she shrank back slightly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"…Just in case… may I ask… what exactly is it you usually do?"
Felicity's voice was soft, but her eyes gleamed sharply as she tilted her head, her expression unreadable.
The leader's response came quickly, as if desperate to prove herself.
"Of course… it's to guide those deceived by the so-called Devilish Archer Author back to the embrace of the evolving Mara—so that the Xianzhou Luofu may return to the arms of the Merciful Medicus. As for those blind fools who still follow that heretical Archer, they will be cast out—exiled without a trace!"
Her voice was tight, the words tumbling over themselves, and it was clear she sought Felicity's approval—rushing, anxious, pleading.
But Felicity's lips curled in thin, cold disdain.
"Hmph. You Disciples of Sanctus Medicus are all the same—raving madmen, embracing the Mara as if it were some holy salvation. You cloak your delusions in flowery rhetoric, but in the end, aren't you all just turning yourselves into monsters?"
It was Bailu who spoke first, her voice sharp as she tugged nervously at Felicity's sleeve. Yet her small body trembled, and her wide, defiant eyes glared at the leader with unyielding determination. She couldn't allow this—she had to speak.
How could such a great and noble figure like Sister Felicity be dragged down into this madness? If Felicity truly joined the Disciples, it would tear the Xianzhou Luofu apart.
Bailu's voice, though small, cracked with urgency. She had to make Felicity see the truth—to stop her from falling for the lies of these so-called disciples and mistaking the Mara for evolution.
The leader only shook her head slowly, as if in pity, and sighed—a soft, condescending sound directed toward Bailu.
"I don't blame you, Dragon Lady. It's not your fault. None of you were there to witness the arrival of the Ambrosial Arbor, to see the miracles it once wrought. You speak out of ignorance."
She looked at Felicity then, her eyes shimmering with an odd glimmer of hope. Despite everything, she seemed to still hold onto the fragile thread of a dream—that Felicity, the Emanator of Abundance, might yet be their savior.
Yet—
"Your so-called faith in Abundance… it's twisted."
Felicity's gaze darkened, her voice laced with disdain.
"…What…?"
The leader's eyes widened, a flicker of confusion breaking through her carefully composed expression.
"The Path to Abundance lies in devotion. What you call faith is nothing more than a greedy lust for power, draped in hollow words. No wonder you've ended up like this."
Felicity's voice was sharp, slicing cleanly through the air like a blade. There was no hesitation, no mercy. As an Emanator, she knew—knew better than anyone—the true nature of the Merciful One. The Aeon was a being of love, of nurturing, of boundless acceptance—not some twisted entity that hoarded power like a despot.
The leader's lips parted, but no words came. Silence stretched between them like a chasm. Slowly, she lowered her head, a shuddering breath escaping her lips. Then, almost imperceptibly, she began to shake.
Her hands clenched around the wooden staff—then, with a sudden, wild desperation, she raised it toward Felicity.
"…I thought… the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus… would soon see the dawn. But in the end… all I've found is a betrayer!"
Her voice broke into a roar, cracking as it rose into the heavens.
"Lord Ravager! If you still honor your promise to the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus—save me!"
The staff pulsed with a dull, golden light, the patterns of falling leaves flickering into the air like dying embers. Then—without warning—a purple beam surged from its tip, aimed directly at Felicity.
Felicity's lips curved into a faint, almost pitying smile.
How foolish. Did they truly believe they could wield the powers of Abundance against her—the very embodiment of the Aeon's will?
With a simple wave of her hand, the purple light scattered into a dull mist, fading into nothingness. Yet her posture remained tense, her arms protectively shielding Bailu, her gaze fixed on the leader's trembling form.
And then—
The leader's body jerked violently, her limbs going rigid as if unseen hands gripped her throat. The blindfold fell away, revealing a pair of radiant, golden eyes—familiar, far too familiar.
Felicity's breath caught in her throat.
"…We meet again, phantom."
Her voice was soft, but it carried a subtle, gathering weight. The Blessings of Abundance stirred at her fingertips, an unseen force coiling and ready.
She wasn't afraid for herself. But Bailu… Bailu was a different matter.
The woman's head tilted at an odd angle, her lips twisting into an unsettling, languid smile. Her gaze swept over Felicity, eyes sharp as a predator's, and she spoke with a purr.
"…I never thought I'd meet an Emanator who truly embodies the philosophy of Abundance. What a rare and precious sight."
Her gaze drifted downward, lingering, unashamedly critical—lingering on Felicity's form as if evaluating a prized object. The smile deepened, taking on an eerie, unsettling curve.
"…A fine body indeed. Flawed, but worthy of being called immortal."
For mortals, at least.
The phantom—Phantylia—twirled the wooden staff absently, the light of the Ambrosial Arbor's blessings flickering along its length. Her eyes narrowed, settling on Felicity with a hunger barely masked by amusement.
"…Tell me, if I claim a little power from the Arbor—if I perfect this body's flaws—could I truly achieve an immortal form?"
Felicity's voice was steady, edged with cold amusement.
"I wouldn't know. But if you're so obsessed with bodies, why don't we settle it out there, in the stars? If I fall, you can have my corpse. If you fall, well… the world will breathe easier."
Her words were sincere, her offer genuine—almost too genuine.
Phantylia's eyes flicked to Bailu, a shadow of disdain passing over her features.
"…All this, just to protect a mortal… and a broken immortal. You'd wager your own body in this fight? Is that what the Path of Abundance means to you?"
She shook her head slowly, a smirk tugging at her lips.
"But no. I refuse. Doing it myself isn't… aesthetically pleasing. Don't worry—we will meet again. It won't be long."
Her gaze glimmered with dangerous amusement, but she made no further move. An Emanator wasn't worth the risk, not with the Xianzhou's generals nearby—and if the Hunt's Aeon happened to pass by…
No, it wasn't worth it. There were easier ways to claim power.
The Ambrosial Arbor's traces… those might hold the true key to transformation.
Without another word, Phantylia turned away, leaving without a backward glance.
Felicity watched her go, her body taut with tension. When she turned, Bailu's small form trembled behind her, eyes wide and unblinking, her usual chatter replaced by a heavy, breathless silence.
Felicity exhaled softly and offered her a gentle smile.
"Don't be afraid. I'm here."
She reached out and ruffled Bailu's hair, a quiet, protective gesture—and for a fleeting moment, the weight of the world seemed to ease, just a little.
--+--
T/N: Bro's HP Stat is infinity but his ATK stat is like average. Also the difference between the Dan Shu in the Acheron fanfic and the Dan Shu in this fanfic is jarring. Feels weird to see some characters act completely different depending on the story.