Before, it was because her body had been destroyed, and she had no spare.
That's why she had maintained her energy form as a Heliobus.
But with the Ambrosial Arbor, that problem has been solved.
The divine power of Abundance contained within the Ambrosial Arbor was enough for Phantylia to forge a brand-new vessel.
Leon looked up.
A voluptuous and generous female form was revealed before his eyes.
It was just that her skin tone wasn't very healthy; a shade darker and she could cosplay as a Smurf.
Leon pressed his hand down.
With a bang, dust scattered everywhere.
For no apparent reason, Phantylia, who had been standing high and mighty just a moment ago, suddenly fell prostrate.
Like a dog that had its spine ripped out.
"How much have you refined?"
Leon withdrew his upward gaze, looking at her levelly as he asked.
Damn it, this pathetic mediocrity actually expected me to look up in awe? The audacity.
"...Seventy percent."
Phantylia answered truthfully, not daring to defy him in the slightest.
Until she received his permission, she could only grovel at his feet.
"I gave you a chance and you still couldn't make use of it."
Leon shook his head. As expected, mediocrity is forever mediocrity.
Phantylia remained silent.
No matter how you looked at it, the Ambrosial Arbor was a creation personally bestowed upon the Xianzhou by the Aeon of Abundance.
Even as a fragment, there were few things in the galaxy that could compare to its existence.
As someone who had personally received the blessing 'of the Ambrosial Arbor,' Phantylia was absolutely qualified to make this assertion.
The quality of this body, constructed from a 'miracle of Abundance,' was better than any in her previous collection.
If one had to describe it, it was like one Emanator receiving the aid of another Emanator.
A leap to the pinnacle of power, just half a step from grand completion!
It was no joke.
That she could refine seventy percent was largely thanks to her being a Lord Ravager who specifically countered the Abundance before Zulo's death.
She had a certain resistance to it.
Otherwise, unless it was a true follower of Abundance, any other Emanator would be lucky to refine even fifty percent.
To say Phantylia wasn't disappointed would certainly be a lie.
The chance to ascend to the heavens was right in front of her, yet she couldn't grasp it.
But there was nothing to be done.
The remaining thirty percent was the core essence of this Ambrosial Arbor.
It couldn't be refined easily; it would have to be done slowly over time.
"Can you control it?"
Leon's tone implied, 'If you can't, I might as well just kill you.'
"I can. At the very least, I don't need to worry about any sudden mishaps one day."
Phantylia replied, still prostrate on the ground.
"Good."
Leon nodded, then turned as if to leave.
"Then you'll stay here and work."
He said with a sigh, "What a pity. I was originally going to send you to the Zhuming to be used as fuel."
"But this job will do. It's good to make use of your remaining value."
Leon started walking towards the exit, saying as he went:
"But let me make things clear first. You had better not make me come back here a second time."
If he had to come back, it would mean that both the Ambrosial Arbor and she had earned their deaths.
"Loyalty!"
Phantylia shouted at his back, unable to stop the tears of endless sorrow from streaming down her face.
But in her mind, she was already cursing up a storm.
Phantylia felt this wasn't some friendly reminder, but naked mockery.
To even think of treachery, one needed the ability to act on it, and she clearly had none right now.
It was like wanting to pull in gacha; the impulse was there, but your hand simply wouldn't obey.
Her heart truly wanted to rebel, but the debt of gratitude she owed to Arbiter-General Leon wouldn't listen to her.
...
Scalegorge Waterscape.
The commotion caused by the Ambrosial Arbor had drawn the attention of the Vidyadhara.
"Look! The seal is gone!"
Upon seeing the magnificent scene before them, a clamor erupted among the Vidyadhara present.
Rumble!
The dragon's head that had once been at the end of the path had vanished.
The aura of the Abundance was also completely gone, and in the place of the dragon's head was an empty lotus throne.
"This..."
Xuepu's mind was momentarily overloaded.
Their Vidyadhara clan had suppressed the Ambrosial Arbor for a thousand years.
Passed down through generations of reincarnation, a subtle connection naturally existed between the two.
Xuepu could feel it.
The Ambrosial Arbor hadn't disappeared; rather, it had transformed into a more harmless form.
What was going on?
Xuepu was completely baffled; this was entirely different from what they had anticipated.
Everyone thought Leon had come to destroy the Ambrosial Arbor, but judging by the current situation, it seemed that wasn't the case?
He didn't destroy it, but rather... uh, how should one describe it?
Purified it?
Xuepu's poor vocabulary could only find this one word that was barely suitable.
Leon's actions were something no one had expected.
The Ambrosial Arbor was still here, which meant their jobs were still here, even if it had taken on a new appearance.
After this purification, one could even say this job was of a higher quality than before.
The kind you couldn't find even if you searched with a lantern.
In the past, even if the Ambrosial Arbor wasn't causing harm, they had to constantly monitor its growth.
To prevent any sudden accidents.
But now, that was completely unnecessary, because its main body could be said to have completely dissipated.
Only a throne for offering incense and worship remained.
If before they were doing ten parts of work for nine parts of pay, now it was a complete case of getting paid to slack off!
As long as word of this didn't get out.
Then the Vidyadhara could maintain their long-standing status while slacking off on the clock.
This wasn't someone who came to destroy the Vidyadhara's great work; this was clearly someone who came to help them take it a step further!
Who could say anything bad about Leon?
This Leon was fantastic!
Tap, tap, tap.
The sound of unhurried footsteps grew louder from ahead.
Besides Leon, there were no outsiders in the Scalegorge Waterscape, so it was obvious who was returning.
"Thank you, Arbiter-General Leon!"
Xuepu dropped to his knees without a second thought.
"Thank you, Arbiter-General Leon!" xN
Damn it, this pathetic mediocrity actually expected me to look up in awe? The audacity.
Many Vidyadhara, seeing his action, quickly followed suit.
Although they weren't clear on what exactly had happened, the Arbiter-Generals' reputation was there for all to see.
Even a fool would know they were not the type to slaughter the innocent.
This was even more true for Leon, the hero who ended the third Abundance War.
The ship was the Vidyadhara's main base.
During the previous Abundance War, the Vidyadhara had received much help from him.
Even if he had done nothing this time, there was really no harm in kneeling to him.
It could be taken as an expression of gratitude, a simple gesture.
"Stand up. Kneeling is forbidden."
Leon stopped and scanned the crowd.
The Vidyadhara dared not disobey and scrambled to their feet.
But just as this group of Dragon-Elders was about to rise, they were forcefully pushed back down.
"You Dragon-Elders can remain kneeling."
Leon felt they truly had no self-awareness.
"Death is the most just thing. You only have one life, and this applies to everyone without exception."
He paid no mind to anyone, and after speaking, he departed on his own.
He couldn't be bothered to speak, and couldn't be bothered to listen.
...
The kneeling Dragon-Elders remained silent.
As old hands in the workplace, how could they not understand the warning hidden in his words?
From now on, the alliance would no longer be the Vidyadhara's protective charm.
If they committed a crime, they would die.
This would apply to everyone without exception.
Dan Feng was the best example.
By not slaughtering all of these tacit approvers this time, Leon had left them plenty of leeway.
If they were to commit acts detrimental to the Xianzhou again in the future, it would mean they were prepared to be killed by him from the very beginning.
With every gain, there is a loss.
After obtaining a job where they could get paid to slack off, in return, they had forever lost their unique privilege.
The punishment of molting and reincarnation could no longer be used to muddle through.
...
The Luofu, Aurous Alley.
After dealing with that bunch of foolish Vidyadhara, Leon didn't rush to meet up with March 7th and the others.
Instead, he followed the trail left by that Foxian Cloud Knight here.
Du's Tea House.
Modu sat alone, preparing to drown his sorrows with tea that was even stronger than wine.
"Sigh..."
Modu sighed, picked up the teapot, and took a large gulp.
"What should I do now?"
After wiping the liquid from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, he muttered to himself with a worried expression.
"Can we really rescue the Battle-Chief successfully...?"
Or rather, should he really go and rescue him?
Modu hesitated.
Perhaps it was as Dan Feng said; he had worn the skin of a Foxian for so long that he had lost his nerve.
At this very moment, a trace of retreat was born in his heart.
Wouldn't it be fine to just keep living like this, barely scraping by?
He was even starting to covet his position in the Cloud Knights.
But the problem was, what if he didn't go to the rescue?
At this thought, Modu's face immediately contorted with worry.
The Vidyadhara held all his secrets.
Even his identity as a Cloud Knight was obtained with their help.
If he didn't do as they said, and they reported him afterward, wouldn't it all be over?
From the very beginning, he never had a way out...
Modu slumped dejectedly onto the table.
He raised a hand, intending to call for another pot of tea, only to see an unexpected figure now sitting in front of him.
Modu was so startled he immediately sat up straight, feeling as if he were sitting on pins and needles.
"Ar... Arbiter-General Leon..."
He stammered, clearly not how a normal person should react upon seeing an Arbiter-General.
Modu knew this too.
But with a guilty conscience, he was already trying his best to act like he didn't.
After taking a seat, Leon said nothing and just silently took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket.
"I'll give you my seat..."
Modu quickly found an excuse to get up.
He wanted to leave this troublesome place immediately, to avoid revealing any flaws that would expose his guilty conscience and see his grand plan die before it even began.
But just as he stood up, the cigarette pack was suddenly offered to him.
One cigarette was even already sticking out, clearly meant for him to take.
Modu froze, not understanding what this meant.
Leon still didn't say a word, and the two remained in a standoff for a long time.
Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Modu carefully took the cigarette.
"Arbiter-General Leon, what is the meaning of this?"
Modu asked, bewildered, his heart involuntarily beating faster.
Leon glanced at him, still saying nothing.
He stood up, put the cigarette pack away, and started to walk forward, as if about to leave.
"Arbiter-General Leon, you..."
Before Modu could finish his sentence, his mouth was stopped by Leon's sudden action.
Just as the two were about to pass each other, Leon secretly tucked the cigarette pack into his armor.
Having done that, he raised his hand and lightly patted him on the shoulder.
And with that, he strode away.
Leaving Modu alone, bewildered in the wind.
What did that mean?
With a look of astonishment, Modu took the cigarette pack out from his armor, unable to comprehend this maneuver.
Could it be a reminder for him to turn back from the brink?
Modu had a sudden realization, his world-shaking intellect quietly kicking into gear.
He had deliberately avoided the commotion today, fearing someone might notice something was amiss.
Modu looked at the two large characters printed on the cigarette pack: Kingmaker.
Arbiter-General Leon probably came just for this, right?
Kingmaker, 'benefit the masses.'
Only by benefiting the masses can it be called Kingmaker.
To think he would still care about a small figure like me...
Modu's eyes grew a little moist, a strange sense of gratitude suddenly welling up in his heart.
He put the cigarette he had just taken into his mouth.
Although there was no fire, he couldn't let his good intentions go to waste.
He would experience it symbolically.
Modu thought to himself.
But the moment he put it in his mouth, a magical sweetness quickly spread through his oral cavity.
His eyes widened in an instant.
This flavor, this flavor, it was simply too irresistible!
Modu was lost in it.
He completely failed to notice that under the special effect of this candy, all the negative emotions in his heart immediately vanished without a trace.
"Hah."
After finishing the 'cigarette,' Modu let out a symbolic puff of air.
At the same time, his previously dazed eyes suddenly became resolute.
Modu looked at the cigarette pack in his hand, a different kind of emotion brewing in his heart.
He had heard that Arbiter-General Leon was handing them out one by one today, never a whole pack.
But he had treated him differently.
There must be a hidden meaning in this!
Kingmaker, benefit the masses.
For his sake, the Arbiter-General had forsaken the masses!
He must have realized my problem.
Everything he did was probably just to hope that I could turn back from the brink!
I absolutely cannot fail him!
Modu made up his mind, his expression firm!
That's right, he still had a chance to turn over a new leaf.
He absolutely couldn't keep making the same mistake!
The jailbreak was a life-or-death situation, and the Vidyadhara wouldn't let them go either.
It would be better to just turn himself in!
Squatting in the Shackling Prison is still squatting, but at least he'd be alive, which is better than anything!
Modu clutched the cigarette pack, having already decided to turn traitor.
Not only would he turn, but he would also bring his comrades with him!
Kingmaker.
That's right, he would pass on this goodwill from the Arbiter-General and make it benefit the 'masses' again!
More importantly.
Bringing this whole group to surrender would count as a meritorious service.
Then he could even get a few years off his own sentence!
...
So, does Modu really have a chance to turn over a new leaf?
Haha, Leon didn't think so.
If he hadn't considered that the Yaoqing Ceremony was happening soon, and that most of the Luofu's people were looking forward to it, he would have slapped him into oblivion long ago.
Leon didn't want to see blood in such a public place.
That would be impolite.
Besides, Modu wasn't the only mole.
It would be too much trouble to find and kill them one by one.
It was better to let them gather on their own.
Then, on the day of the prison break, he could just wipe them all out in one fell swoop.
Much more practical.
Really, if this were some deserted wasteland, he would have blown them up along with the ground long ago.
But unfortunately, it wasn't.
Therefore, he could only find a hidden place first.
Wait for this group of moles to gather on their own, and then kill them all with a single arrow.
Simple and efficient.
It would be truly bizarre if Modu thought Leon would actually let him go.
Once an Abundance Denizen, always an Abundance Denizen.
He knew full well what he had done in the past.
And The Hunt and the Abundance were mortal enemies.
Not to mention this group were moles trying to disrupt the peace of the Xianzhou.
All that could be said was, of the people who deserved to die, Leon would absolutely not let a single one go.
_____
🔥 Check out the new story releases! 🔥
New Story: COTE: Natsuki Subaru Returns to School, but as the Purge King
✅ Unlock a 40-chapter backlog for ALL my series.
✅ Receive exclusive content and regular updates!
Help us reach these goals:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 universal bonus chapter
🚀 140 MEMBERS = +5 extra chapters for ALL STORIES!
👻 P - Walnutchan