Xingtie: Starting with an in-depth analysis of the Yellow Springs

"And these heroes share a common name—the Golden Blood!"

"So, do you all understand? You must eat and drink well and keep exercising so that you can grow up to be a great hero and dedicate your strength to Onphalus."

[Star: They're treating me like a child...]

[Ring: You've been a baby for less than three years since you were born, there's nothing shameful about being a baby.]

[Yes, a childish voice is also very pleasant to hear.]

[Fireworks: The recent videos have been so bland, can you please upload something more entertaining? This chapter is especially rambling.]

Paimon: Exactly, it's a total dud.

[Wendy: According to the history of Onpharos, the three villainous Titans are the bad guys.]

[Ambi: The source of your divine pronouncements is unknown; I suspect they were guided by someone named Laigus.]

[Naksha: The prophecy of re-creation is correct; the origin of the oracle is unimportant. Once I confirm the connection between the Titans and the Golden Blood, the operating rules of Onpharos will become clear.]

[Lygus: I must say, Anaxxramas, you are the most intelligent of the Golden Blood. If you could have escaped Onpharos, you would have had an even better future. It's a pity...]

[That Summer: Heh, you fool, how much of what you say can you really believe?]

Xing pondered for a moment and then asked, "Do you really know nothing about the outer world?"

"Your question is tinged with pity. Deep down, you may be proclaiming our weakness and helplessness."

Aglaia did not answer directly, but instead avoided the question, her words were watertight, and she did not mention any useful information.

"Now that you two have a basic understanding of the history of Onphalus, let's get down to business. Please follow me."

Danheng stared thoughtfully at Aglaia's departing figure. This woman was not easy to deal with; he would have to be extra careful from now on.

The two then exchanged a glance and followed suit.

The three arrived at a lift platform, and the sound of water flowing down from above nearby unconsciously made them feel relaxed.

"Please wait a moment." Aglaia stopped in her tracks.

Xing: "What happened?"

"Up to this is the bathhouse bestowed upon the Golden Descendants by the Ritual Academy. Originally, no one but my comrades was allowed to set foot here."

“You two are distinguished guests from beyond the heavens, and I am willing to make an exception for you, but bringing two people with you at once is still against tradition.”

Aglaia looked troubled, her meaning clear: only one person could accompany her.

"Such strict rules." Xing looked at Dan Heng; even the bathhouses were divided into different levels.

Danheng: "It seems that in Ohm, heroes and commoners are not on equal footing."

"It's alright, Xing, you go up first. I'll wait for you here."

[Walter: It's obvious they want to separate Danheng and Xing; unsurprisingly, they're trying to extract information from Xing.]

[Star: Turns out she had ulterior motives. I thought she was just doing a simple visit.]

[Dan Heng: I will intervene if necessary.]

[Aglaia: Dear guests, please forgive me if I have offended you; it is entirely my fault.]

[Bai'er: Aglaia... how did things turn out like this?]

[Zhe: Uh…why not let Danheng go up? He should be able to get more information out of him.]

[Danheng: Ahem, Aglaia is a lady, so I'm afraid I'm not in a position to help.]

Aglaia smiled and said, "You have a gentle and courteous companion. Please come in, distinguished guest."

Xing was confident in his abilities, and besides, Danheng wasn't far away.

Aglaia walked onto the platform, and the two ascended to the upper level.

Arriving at a private bath, Aglaia invited Xing to sit down and close her eyes.

"Do you want to close your eyes again?" Xing took off her clothes and slowly immersed herself in the bath.

Aglaia explained, "It's not coercion, but... people bathe in water precisely to be honest with each other. Do you believe me?"

Chapter 251 Reply

Xing remained silent and closed her eyes.

“…Thank you. Then, please move a little to the left; it will be warmer there,” Aglaia suggested.

Xing thought for a moment, splashed some water, and moved closer to the left. The distance between them increased, and Aglaia's stunningly beautiful face came into view; she was so fair-skinned.

<Ahem, the video is perfectly normal, no perks for viewers.>

It was truly amazing; having moved only a few centimeters, the water around her noticeably became warmer. Xing consciously closed her eyes.

Aglaia's gentle voice came from beside my ear.

"Now, please place your left hand on the table, raise your forearm, palm facing forward, fingers slightly spread..."

"That's it, very good. Let me make up for the belated self-introduction. I am Jinzhi Aglaya, the alteration master of Ohma, and one of the Golden Descendants of Onfaros."

"Thanks to the trust of my comrades, I will temporarily take charge of the Golden Descendants' operations."

"Although my profession is weaving exquisite garments, in my private time, my favorite place is this bathhouse. Ultimately, clothing is a barrier, concealing one's body and soul..."

"But here, we can let go of our pretenses; the flowing water will bring us closer."

"Now you can open your eyes, Star."

Aglaia's fingertips were entwined with Xing's left hand, and her unfocused pupils were mesmerizing.

"Look, we are now connected."

Xing felt a pang of panic. "What kind of trap is this...?"

“A trap?” Aglaia smiled. “Of course not. Please treat it as a ritual of communication.”

“The golden thread of Meneta binds us together, and it can detect the slightest wavering, so that we cannot lie to each other.”

[Star: Well, another lying older sister.]

[Aglaia: I'm sorry, I cannot allow unknown individuals to enter the final city-state. Let Butterfly accompany you this time; any inconvenience caused is my fault.]

[Xia Die: Ah, me? I'm a little shy.]

[Star: You want to use your beauty on me? Heh, that's my thing. Just give in to me, Miss Xia Die.]

[Ring: As expected of an organization's leader, how could she be unprepared? What will she ask?]

[Danheng: Origin, Purpose, Identity.]

[The robin: Similar to the function of tuning, it also acts on the spiritual level.]

[Sunday: Onphalus seems to have more than just memory, intellect, and destruction; it's just that other destinies haven't yet manifested.]

"Next, I will tell you the truth about this world. In return, I need you to make a small promise."

"Only after this exchange is completed can I promise you a smooth journey in Onfaros."

Xing couldn't help but feel a little resentful at this moment, "What if I can't make that promise?"

Aglaia maintained a polite smile, making it impossible for anyone to get angry.

"Can you feel it? The gold thread ripples. It tells me that you still have a slight doubt about Ohmma's sincerity, and I must dispel that concern."

Aglaia's tone changed, becoming more somber.

"Just now, the bath fairies told you the legend of Onpharos, but they were unwilling to reveal the cruelty beneath the legend."

"The Titans who once ruled the world have now become the cause of the corruption of Onpharos. Some unknown force has altered most of them, attracting rage and madness."

"Now, the Black Tide has swept across the world, and the earth has sunk into eternal night. Only Ohma, under the protection of Kefal, retains the last ray of light."

"The Golden Blood gathered here are humanity's only hope. People revere us as heroes, guardians, saviors..."

"...We hope that we will defeat the gods, seize fire, and pull the gods' authority from their thrones and bring it into the hands of mankind."

"When all the sparks are gathered, the miracle of creation will be revealed, and the broken world will be reborn."

Aglaia sighed softly, her eyes meeting the stars.

"This is Onphalus's journey to the fire—a group of heroes embark on a journey to slay the gods, obtain the twelve sparks of fire, and achieve the great feat of recreating the world."

[Walter: We're not even going to act anymore, this is it. Xing, Danheng, we need to make plans early and be on high alert.]

[Xing: Ah, why Uncle Yang?]

*Alicia: Because being a hero isn't easy. Star, perhaps the story of Onpharos is... because of you?

[Kevin: Bai Er, cherish the present.]

Mei: Ah, maybe I understand now.

[Paimon: What? You guys have all become riddle solvers?]

[Walter: That's a story from my homeland's pre-civilization era. I'll tell you it to you in person.]

[Danheng: It seems the ending isn't happy.]

"We are in the midst of the apocalypse and need to guide millions of people to the top of the mountain. Ohmma urgently needs more allies to become our solid support."

“Perhaps you are the reinforcements the Golden Blood have been waiting for,” Aglaia said with a hint of hope.

Of all that, this one sentence is absolutely right. Xing recalled the past, "Saving the world is our specialty."

As she spoke, Xing's lips curled up slightly, revealing unparalleled confidence, after all, those were facts.

Aglaia sensed this conviction, saying, "You must have personally experienced many miracles to be able to say this without wavering."

"Perhaps I'm being too hasty... For Onpharos, I'm willing to give it a try."

"I have opened my heart to you. Now, I only ask you to make a promise."

Aglaia tugged at the gold thread, their fingertips almost touching.

"Please promise me: under no circumstances should you reveal the existence of the outer world to the citizens."

That's it? Xing was deeply puzzled. "Why?"

Aglaia shook her head. "Because Ohmma's time is running out, I don't want to give people false hope... The world has been deeply hurt by it."

Can you grant my request?

Xing was silent for a moment, then said, "For the sake of expansion, I have no choice but to agree."

Xing naturally wouldn't completely believe Aglaia. She was just abstract, not stupid. How could she possibly believe someone who had just arrived in Onphalos? Besides, the people here clearly had connections with the outside world.

Same language, similar things...

Aglaia seemed to be merely seeking an answer without delving deeper.

"In that case, the agreement is fulfilled. Thank you, Xing."

If this ceremony has upset you, I apologize. But please understand... I had to do it.

"Although I would love to hear your story, I have already taken up too much of your time. Mr. Danheng seems a little impatient, and his anxiety is disrupting the flow of the water."

Aglaia loosened the golden thread. "Let's tour the Holy City together and see how people make a living in hardship."

"Later, I will prepare a gift for our two distinguished guests."

Xing put on her clothes while thinking.

Aglaia… This woman just wanted me to agree not to reveal anything about the outer world? It feels a bit strange, but I'll leave the brain work to Danheng.

Take the opportunity to appreciate the local customs and traditions of Onphalus.

Chapter 252 The Prayer of Oronis

[Walter: Ms. Aglaia, you must have had contact with the outside world in recent years, why didn't you think of asking for help?]

[Aglaia: I started seeking outside help in the second year after Miyin appeared, but I didn't get any opportunities. I didn't even have connections with people at higher levels.]

[Bai'er: And every time there was a chance of success, various unexpected events would occur to stop us. Now that I think about it, it must have been Lai Gushi who was hindering us behind the scenes.]

[Black Swan: To my knowledge, many people who remember mysteriously disappeared in Onphalus.]

[Star: So you thought of our Starry Sky Train?]