"Why are you seeking this seat?" Fu Xuan had just been thinking that even if she went out, she should let Qingque get some training in, when she was met by today's visitor before she could act.
A genius who, like herself, had once paid homage to Nous.
"I heard the Xianzhou has a device that can contact the Aeon of the Hunt. I wanted to ask if I could borrow it."
Herta chuckled softly.
"Imperator… cough cough, you want to contact Lan?" Even with Fu Xuan's temperament, she could not help choking at such an outrageous request.
The Xianzhou had its own method of contacting the The Reignbow Arbiter.
The Xianzhou's stargazing artifact, the Cloudpeer Telescope.
As one of the Xianzhou Alliance's most important foundations, this artifact had always been carefully safeguarded, and no one could use it at will.
Before this, the only person with full authority to use the Cloudpeer Telescope, and even interpret the Arbiter's oracles and send signals, was the previous Master Diviner, Fu Xuan's mentor, Jing Tien.
Thinking of that master who now existed only in her memories, Fu Xuan's bright eyes dimmed slightly.
That crisis had been resolved by a solution she herself proposed. The Cloudpeer Telescope had been activated by Jing Tien, successfully transmitting a distress signal toward the last known location of the Reignbow Arbiter.
In the end, the Lux arrow of the Hunt tore through the starry sky, indiscriminately annihilating all life on the battlefield.
Although she knew those sacrifices were unavoidable, recalling that past still filled Fu Xuan with deep sorrow.
Therefore, upon hearing that the great Herta wanted to borrow the Cloudpeer Telescope, her expression hardened.
"The Cloudpeer Telescope is a vital artifact of the Xianzhou. Only the Master Diviner of the Xianzhou Yuque has the authority to use it.
Though I am the Master Diviner of the Luofu, I have no right to mobilize it. Moreover, the traces of the Reignbow Arbiter are elusive. To activate it rashly would be inappropriate."
If the message were sent incorrectly, the Reignbow Arbiter might draw bow and loose an arrow, a single shaft of light cleaving the skies.
Even if Lady Herta was a top genius of the cosmos, she would not survive such an attack, would she?
Recalling the overwhelming might of that arrow, Fu Xuan could not help but doubt it.
If the Reignbow Arbiter still used the same strength as that arrow, perhaps Lady Herta's intellect really could allow her to survive, but only if the Arbiter held back.
If it were a restrained attack, there was room for discussion.
What she feared was that once the coordinates were sent, the Reignbow Arbiter would strike with full force.
"Of course I have a clever use for it. I won't shortchange you. I'll owe you a favor. Just lend me the thing, I'll return it once I'm done."
Herta spoke casually. A favor from Herta was indeed tempting, but Fu Xuan knew that the Alliance's integrity mattered more.
"If you insist on borrowing the Cloudpeer Telescope, I can only report it to the Alliance and let them decide."
"That's exactly why I think your efficiency is low. Fine, fine, just hurry up."
With a helpless wave of her hand, Herta urged her to be quick.
Time waited for no one. A genius's time was precious.
Fu Xuan nodded slightly, finished her conversation with Herta, and reported it to the Alliance.
A genius's favor, especially Herta's, was extremely valuable. Used well, it could help the Xianzhou avoid, or directly confront, a major crisis.
But the Cloudpeer Telescope was simply too important. No matter how she thought about it, it could not be casually lent out. Well, forget it.
The authority to use the Cloudpeer Telescope was not in her hands anyway. Let those people argue it out properly.
Shaking her head slightly, Fu Xuan let out a soft sigh. The memory of her mentor lingered in her mind, refusing to fade.
Most Xianzhou natives had a vague sense of time, but that also meant that events from long ago felt like mere blinks of an eye. With a careful recollection, memories could still be vividly fixed.
Especially with the Dharma Eye bestowed by Nous, her exploration of past experiences was even clearer.
Each unforgettable moment felt intensely real, as though yesterday's scenes were replaying before her eyes.
"Hoo…" She took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled.
Her mindset steadied once more. Those were matters of the past. Now, her current situation was one of rare goodwill.
The mental burden brought by fear of mara and daily work pressure vanished the instant she stepped into Jarilo. Now, she bore neither the burden of the Dharma Eye nor the fear of mara.
In that case, let's begin.
Jing Yuan, it was time for you to step down.
...
Xianzhou Luofu
"Cloudpeer Telescope…"
"General, is something the matter?"
Standing with sword in hand, Yanqing looked at the contemplative Jing Yuan with confusion.
"It's nothing. Just that a message from the Master Diviner has raised some doubts."
"What is it?" Yanqing asked curiously.
"Lady Herta wants to borrow the Cloudpeer Telescope."
"The Cloudpeer Telescope?!" Even Yanqing, whose goal was to become Sword Champion, knew how important the Cloudpeer Telescope was.
Without exaggeration, if not for the Cloudpeer Telescope, the current situation of the Xianzhou Alliance would likely have changed again.
Of the six Xianzhou ships, perhaps only five would remain. There would be no talk of centuries of peace and prosperity.
Thus, upon hearing that Herta wanted to borrow the Cloudpeer Telescope, Yanqing could not help but be startled.
"The Cloudpeer Telescope… if Lady Herta borrows it, aside from sending a message to the Reignbow Arbiter, I can't think of any other use."
After some thought, Yanqing spoke.
"I think the same. After all, it's Lady Herta. One of the rare geniuses of the cosmos. Only interesting things and Aeons can truly capture her interest."
Jing Yuan nodded slightly.
But judging from Herta's past behavior, if she were really allowed to use the Cloudpeer Telescope to contact the Reignbow Arbiter… tsk, it was hard to guarantee that nothing unexpected would happen.
Of course, that unexpected outcome would not be directed at the Xianzhou.
There was still trust in the great Herta.
Although Lady Herta always managed to stir up strange happenings, compared to those eccentric geniuses in the Genius Society, her moral standards were outstanding.
"Forget it. Let the Alliance decide." Shaking his head, Jing Yuan decided to toss this troublesome problem back to the Alliance.
Rather than letting those people argue endlessly over trivial matters, it was better to give them something useful to think about.
Especially the Xianzhou Yuque, since the Cloudpeer Telescope was located there.
...
Belobog.
During the period when the Cloudpeer Telescope mattered, there was temporarily nothing else to handle.
The preparations that needed to be made were already complete. The rest either required progress to reveal themselves, or were issues never considered from the start. As such, they found themselves idle for once.
"Will they agree?" During a brief moment of rest, Mobius asked.
She had also seen an Aeon descend. That pressure made it impossible to look directly at, though for those at their level, it had no effect.
The reason the Xianzhou Alliance had grown into such a colossal force in just eight thousand years, one that even the Interastral Peace Corporation treated with courtesy and peaceful coexistence, lay precisely in its foundation of being able to signal an Aeon.
Without exaggeration, once the Xianzhou Alliance deemed itself unable to continue sailing and faced imminent collapse, the Xianzhou would not hesitate to steer their ships toward the enemy and send out a massive signal.
Mutual destruction.
With this capability and the ruthlessness to act on it, wherever the Alliance passed, all factions greeted them with smiles, hosts and guests alike enjoying cordial relations.
"They'll agree. That thing just sits there unused anyway. Might as well lend it to me. I'll owe them a favor while I'm at it." Herta waved her hand casually, unconcerned.
"Compared to those oddballs in the Genius Society, cooperating with me is at least more agreeable, isn't it?" Herta chuckled.
Mobius nodded slightly. She could not agree more.
Only after joining the Genius Society did one realize what kind of creatures those people were.
Leaving aside the geniuses still alive, the ones who had already died were, every last one of them, frighteningly indifferent in terms of morality.
'Eh? I'm also a member of the Genius Society. Then never mind.'
"If we're talking about whose edge is sharpest, capable of piercing everything to achieve our goal, The Reignbow Arbiter is undoubtedly the best choice. This time, it will definitely succeed in one go."
At this moment, Ruan Mei softly asked, "If the Lux arrow of the Reignbow Arbiter is drawn here, what method will be used to guide it?"
She already had some ideas of her own, but since this proposal had been made by Herta, she would let her speak first.
...
The Alliance's reply came much faster than expected.
"Lady Herta, Lady Ruan Mei, Lady Mobius. The Alliance agrees to the three of you borrowing the Cloudpeer Telescope. However, we have conditions. No matter what effect you intend to achieve by borrowing it, it must not harm the Alliance."
The one contacting them this time was none other than the Xianzhou Yuque's General, Yaoguang.
After all, the artifact was housed on the Xianzhou Yuque. Naturally, General Yaoguang had to be the one to handle it.
"Relax. I guarantee it'll look exactly the same after I'm done as it did before." Herta chuckled, then turned her head to look at the other two.
"I'll go use that mirror now. You two just wait here." Ruan Mei nodded slightly and said softly, "Go. We're here."
...
"The Alliance actually agreed to lend out the Cloudpeer Telescope so quickly?"
On the other end, Fu Xuan was utterly baffled. No matter how she thought about it, she could not understand why the Alliance had agreed so readily.
That was the Cloudpeer Telescope.
In terms of status, even the Grand Array could not compare.
It was the true trump card capable of contacting the Reignbow Arbiter, one of the Alliance's greatest foundations. Whether for mutual annihilation or for paying a great price to secure victory in war, it was indispensable.
That it could be lent out was not surprising to Fu Xuan. But to lend it out so quickly was completely beyond her expectations.
Lingsha, who was recounting the matter to Fu Xuan, nodded slightly and said softly, "I am also puzzled. Lady Herta's favor is important, but it shouldn't be enough to make the Alliance act like this, unless there is an even greater interest involved."
Without a doubt, only greater benefits could prompt the Alliance to act with such decisiveness.
The larger the organization, the more cumbersome it became. Its speed in handling issues could even be slower than some peripheral systems.
"Could it be that they want to use Lady Herta as a line…" Fu Xuan murmured softly.
At present, this seemed to be the only explanation.
...
Time waited for no one. After obtaining permission, Herta set off at full speed toward the Xianzhou Yuque.
As the Alliance's vessel. The Xianzhou Yuque had always borne the role of scouting the path ahead.
But precisely because of this, it never strayed too far from the main fleet.
Scouting was scouting, but if it went too far and got attacked, the others would not be able to provide support in time.
Just as the Xianzhou Luofu broadly opened trade routes, the Xianzhou Yaoqing cultivated a strong fighting presence, and the Xianzhou Zhuming excelled in forging.
The Xianzhou Yuque likewise had its own specialty. In the art of divination, the Yuque stood far ahead.
Even the General Yaoguang had considerable attainment in divination. Not to mention the level of ability required to serve as the Diviner Commission's Master Diviner in such an environment.
In order to catch up to this Xianzhou ship as soon as possible, Herta raced all the way.
At last, she arrived at the Xianzhou Yuque.
"Lady Herta, a pleasure to meet you." Facing such a distinguished guest, it was only natural for the General Yaoguang to receive her personally.
Looking at the great Herta before her, Yaoguang raised an eyebrow slightly.
Lady Herta's real body rarely appeared before the public of the cosmos. In most cases, it was her puppet bodies that acted on her behalf.
Though those little Hertas were quite cute as well.
She had not expected Lady Herta herself to come this time. It seemed she placed extraordinary importance on this research topic.
"Let's skip the pleasantries. Where's that thing? It's called the Cloudpeer Telescope, right?"
Herta placed one hand on her hip and smiled confidently.
"Lady Herta is truly straightforward. Please follow me." With a light laugh, Yaoguang gestured ahead, waved for her subordinates to withdraw, and led the way.
"It's clear that Lady Herta takes this research very seriously. I didn't expect you to come in person. I failed to prepare paper and pen for an autograph in advance, truly a misstep."
"If you want one, it's not impossible. I have a pen here. I could sign it on… your dress?"
"Really? Then I won't wash this dress. I'll hang it by my bedside. Every morning when I open my eyes, I'll see Lady Herta's beautiful handwriting. Just thinking about it makes me so happy."
Mm, still a bit too frivolous after all.
"Since this is an activity involving an audience with an Aeon, how could I possibly be absent? It's not like going to see that machine-head."
"Machine-head… The Xianzhou has records of the Reignbow Arbiter's last known location, but we cannot guarantee a response."
"After all, that is the cosmos. By the time the message arrives, the Reignbow Arbiter may have already left."