"Huh?"
Only after hearing Welt's words did Stelle finally look up at the sky.
Then, she immediately understood why Mr. Yang and Jing Yuan were both stunned.
Lynelle, wrapped in the power of two Paths simultaneously, wasn't accelerating her absorption of the Destruction Path's power as Stelle had imagined.
Instead, with the help of the Ambrosial Arbor, she was gradually expelling the power that Phantylia had forced upon her.
Although the rate of expulsion was still somewhat slow compared to the speed at which Phantylia had injected it, at the very least, Phantylia's imagined scenario—rapidly transforming Lynelle into a Void Ranger—was now impossible.
After all... the reason she had transformed Dan Shu and the others so quickly before was because she was an Emanator-level Lord Ravager, and the Abundance blessings within Dan Shu were only slightly stronger than those in ordinary people.
But the one currently providing Lynelle with blessings... was the Ambrosial Arbor, a high-level Abundance blessing directly bestowed by Yaoshi.
If it weren't operating only on instinct, an Abundance blessing of the Arbor's caliber could fully rival an Emanator.
The Crimson Moon, a level below it, had managed to produce a Borisin Warhead on par with Jingliu.
If someone could fully assimilate the Ambrosial Arbor for their own use, attaining Emanator-level combat power would indeed be no issue.
"So, Stelle, how did you know that Lynelle's body would reject Abundance energy?" Jing Yuan asked curiously.
"Because back at the Artisanship Commission..."
As Stelle recounted the story with a dazed expression, both Jing Yuan and Welt's faces twitched with barely suppressed... something.
"Ha, so that's why Phantylia... I see." Jing Yuan looked at Phantylia not far away, who wore a "who am I, where am I, what is happening" expression, and couldn't help the smile tugging at his lips.
"Stelle, you were actually tricked by Lynelle."
"As an Emanator specializing in mental and spiritual abilities, it's impossible for Phantylia not to have overheard the mental communication between you and Lynelle at that time. And because Lynelle already suspected Tingyun, she deliberately fed you false information."
"Indeed," Dan Heng, standing nearby, nodded.
"I saw it with my own eyes. The Ambrosial Arbor's attitude towards Lynelle could almost be described as... doting."
"..."
Stelle rubbed her eyes.
She felt she ought to act a little angry, but the overwhelming wave of relief washing over her made it impossible to keep the corners of her mouth from turning up.
In the end, the young girl could only puff out her cheeks in a rather adorable manner.
"That idiot... when she gets back this time... I'm definitely going to get some serious compensation from her!"
"You can discuss that with Lynelle in detail later," Welt quickly interjected, pushing his glasses up.
After all, given his past experiences in environments with a... notably high concentration of certain relationships, he could easily recognize the nature of Stelle and Lynelle's bond.
Worried that the often-oblivious Stelle might say something startling and accidentally corrupt the still-innocent March 7th, Welt hurriedly steered the conversation away.
"However, Phantylia seems to be... having a breakdown."
Back on the distant battlefield, Phantylia had already abandoned her earlier bravado about the body being "casually sculpted."
She was now screaming and flailing, desperately trying to withdraw the Arbor's power.
Unfortunately, while she had implanted a Stellaron into the Ambrosial Arbor, granting her a degree of control over its power, it was only just that—a degree.
After struggling for a moment, Phantylia made the grim discovery that the most she could achieve was forcing the Arbor into a state of internal conflict. Even that state was beginning to tilt in Lynelle's favor as the Arbor grew increasingly familiar with her body.
Without a doubt, her plan to come to the Luofu and instigate internal strife had completely failed.
While her nature as a Lord Ravager made it impossible for those present to capture her... the feeling of snatching defeat from the jaws of certain victory infuriated her to no end.
"Fine... Fine! Using the Arbor's power to resist Destruction's baptism, is it? Haha..."
Phantylia let out a laugh that sounded utterly broken.
"Then, take all the remaining power of Destruction in this body! Let's see how long you can last!"
"Jing Yuan... We'll meet again! I look forward to seeing one less companion by your side when we do! Ahahahaha!"
"Look out!"
Seeing the brilliant, intensifying glow emanating from Phantylia's form, Jing Yuan swiftly commanded the Lightning Lord to shield everyone from the ensuing shockwave.
Lynelle at the center of the area wasn't so lucky.
Bound by Nanook's command, Phantylia certainly wouldn't dare kill her, but the young girl was now completely enveloped in a thick, almost tangible black mist.
Only a faint, golden thread connecting her to the Ambrosial Arbor was still faintly visible within the gloom.
Phantylia's logic was simple: if she couldn't stop the Arbor from channeling energy to Lynelle, she would simply detonate the body, using the Emanator-level energy of the Destruction Path to force the transformation.
After all, hampered by so many seals and other energies, the Arbor's output could never match the effect of an Emanator directly overloading and releasing their power.
"Now... what do we do?"
March 7th looked around anxiously at the unconscious Lynelle, shrouded in black mist at the center of the Scalegorge Waterscape.
She manifested a piece of Six-Phase Ice and tentatively reached out towards her.
However, before the ice could even get close, it was instantly disintegrated by the destructive black fog. Breaking through such a dense concentration of Path energy without harming Lynelle was a monumental challenge for everyone, let alone figuring out how to disperse it.
"..."
Jing Yuan stared at the connection between Lynelle and the Arbor, his expression shifting uncertainly.
After only a moment's hesitation, he immediately stood up and addressed the group.
"Everyone... I have a bold idea."
"The situation is critical. There's only one path to save Lynelle now."
"Next, I will use the Lightning Lord to temporarily breach the seals around the Ambrosial Arbor and split it open, exposing its core. Seize that opportunity... and get Lynelle inside the Arbor at all costs!"
"As for the responsibility for unauthorized destruction of the Arbor, and any subsequent accountability from the Xianzhou Alliance, don't worry. I will bear it alone. I can guarantee the Alliance will not move against her until she recovers."
"Jing Yuan, you..."
"No hesitation! Move quickly!"
Jing Yuan took a deep breath, then, enduring the massive strain from his earlier efforts, took control of the Lightning Lord once more.
"Radiant spirit, heed my word. Show no mercy!—"
"Lightning Lord, cleave the Arbor!"
The moment Jing Yuan moved, Stelle also charged towards Lynelle without a second thought.
As the only one present who walked the Path of Destruction, the task of "transporting" Lynelle naturally fell to her.
But...
"Tch—"
The instant her hand touched the black mist, it became covered in golden cracks, like ceramic about to shatter. An intense, searing pain shot up from her fingertips, forcing Stelle to take half a step back.
But soon, a look of determination flashed in the girl's eyes. Gritting her teeth slightly, she prepared to force her way into the black mist.
However, a hand pressed down on her shoulder and pulled her firmly back.
"Stelle, fall back. You too, Dan Heng."
"Leave this kind of dangerous work to me... As Lynelle would say, when it comes to 'making comebacks,' I have more experience."
Welt's body glowed with a strange blue light as he pulled back both Dan Heng and Stelle, who had been trying to advance.
Then, without the slightest hesitation, he strode directly into the condensed black mist of Destruction.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.