"Witness the shattering of the stars!"
Welt let out a low shout, the power of his Path surging wildly within him. In an instant, a massive amount of Imaginary energy poured into his cane.
'Hiss—!'
A tearing sound echoed as the space behind the Abundant Ebon Deer began to rip apart inch by inch, quickly forming a massive black hole.
'Hiss, hiss…'
A powerful force of tearing and pulling emanated from the pseudo-black hole, dragging the Abundant Ebon Deer toward its center.
"Roar!" The Ebon Deer struggled fiercely, its remaining Abundance creations rooting themselves deep into the ground, extending vine-like tendrils to wrap around its limbs, resisting the pull of the pseudo-black hole.
The two forces were locked in a stalemate, but soon, without a supply of energy, the Ebon Deer could no longer hold on.
'Snap, snap, snap…'
Hundreds of tendrils broke one by one, the counterforce on the Abundant Ebon Deer diminishing until it vanished entirely.
"Roar! Roar!"
In the end, the Abundant Ebon Deer and its remaining Abundance creations were all swallowed by the black hole. After completing its task, the pitch-black void, capable of devouring all things, disappeared, and the space returned to normal, leaving no trace behind.
"Uncle Yang, that was amazing! What was that move called? It's the first time I've seen you use it!"
Seeing the Abundant Ebon Deer consumed, March 7th exclaimed in awe. She knew Uncle Yang was powerful, his strength unfathomable, but she hadn't expected him to be this powerful!
"This move is called a pseudo-black hole. It mimics the principle of a black hole's formation, infinitely amplifying the mass of a single point to artificially create a gravitational collapse…"
March 7th: ???
Stelle: ???
The two girls exchanged glances, nodding earnestly on the surface but thinking to themselves: What kind of nonsense is Uncle Yang spouting? I don't understand a single word!
Unlike the girls' confusion, Master Gongshu, a veteran of the Artisanship Commission, listened with rapt attention, occasionally nodding and muttering to himself, "I see, so it can be done like that…"
'Beep, beep, beep…!'
Just as Welt was explaining the theory behind the pseudo-black hole, his communication terminal at his waist suddenly emitted a series of beeping sounds.
"Hm?"
Taking out his phone and looking at the message on the screen, Welt's brows raised slightly.
"What's wrong, Uncle Yang? Did something happen?"
Seeing Welt suddenly stop speaking and stare at his phone screen, March 7th, who had been growing drowsy, perked up.
The girl blinked, exchanging a glance with Stelle beside her before cautiously asking Welt.
"No, it's nothing. It's Dan Heng."
Welt shook his head, putting the phone back in his pocket.
"Dan Heng? Uncle Yang, you got in touch with Dan Heng?!"
"Yes, Dan Heng just sent me a message saying he'll meet up with us later," Welt said, wiping his glasses as he spoke to March 7th and Stelle.
"He's currently at the Vidyadhara residence on the Xianzhou, helping a junior with some trouble. But he said when the final battle comes, he'll head to the decisive battlefield."
As he spoke, Welt's brows furrowed deeply. From Dan Heng's words, it was clear he knew something. Perhaps he even knew who the final enemy was and when the decisive battle would take place.
However, when Welt replied to Dan Heng, trying to ask for specifics, Dan Heng's signal cut off again.
Dan Heng, what do you know? What are you hiding?
Welt gazed at the Creation Furnace, entwined with the roots of the Ambrosial Arbor, watching its branches gradually wither. He couldn't help but murmur to himself.
— — — —
Time is a cheap thing, especially for a universe with a history spanning countless years.
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, day and night alternating in an endless cycle.
Penacony, the Star of Festivities…
"The moonlight graces the tower, its glow lingering gently… Penacony's nightscape is truly beautiful!"
Gazing out at the vibrant, colorful nightlife beyond the window, swirling the crystal glass in his hand and admiring the wine's natural flow along the glass's walls, our Mr. Yun Fan couldn't help but recite a line of poetry, expressing his feelings at that moment.
"Hahaha, Mr. Yun Fan, what refined taste! I never would've guessed you're a man of letters. I've never heard that poem before—is it your own creation?"
As the dark-haired youth recited his poem, a voice of praise reached his ears. Yun Fan merely smiled, raising his glass toward the blue-haired man across from him.
"Heh, Mr. Sunday, you flatter me. I'm hardly a man of letters. As for this poem… I daresay no one else in this world would know it but me."
Yun Fan spoke with a touch of sentiment, then drained the wine in his glass.
"Haha, Mr. Yun Fan is truly an interesting person."
Hearing Yun Fan's words, Sunday's eyes flickered slightly. Though it seemed like a casual jest, he could glean some significant information from it.
'This world'—could it mean this mysterious Emanator of Causality doesn't belong to this greater world?
An outsider to the Star Rail universe isn't unheard of. Take Welt, for example—he crossed over from the Honkai world.
"If I may be so bold, Mr. Yun Fan, your name seems to carry a story. If I recall correctly, the Aeon of Causality, the 'Lord of Samsara,' is also named 'Yun Fan,' is it not?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere grew quiet. Sitting with Sunday, Miss Robin, who served as the bridge for this family banquet, felt the air around them solidify.
The girl nervously fidgeted with her hands, glancing up slightly. Seeing no strange expression on Yun Fan's face, she let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Please, brother, take it easy. Don't anger this gentleman, she silently prayed.
Sunday spoke with a beaming smile, though his tone carried a subtle hint of provocation. Yun Fan raised an eyebrow slightly but soon relaxed, smiling faintly.
"Heh, Mr. Sunday's intuition is quite sharp. I won't hide it—as you've guessed, I do indeed have a deep connection with the Aeon of Causality."
Yun Fan set down his glass, his expression growing slightly more serious. After a moment to gather his thoughts, he spoke.
"Mr. Sunday, would you like to hear some secrets about the Lord of Samsara?"