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

[Black Tower: Then add Screw, Ruan Mei, Stephen, and myself—four geniuses in total. Even you, I think, cannot be ignored.]

[Huang Quan: Don't look back.]

Chapter 364 A Brief Discussion of That Summer

"I will set the sea ablaze!" The Sam mech sped through the starry sky, appearing from afar like a fluorescent shooting star. And her target was undoubtedly... Onpharos.

"Starting in full combustion mode!"

"Sam's firefly-colored wings expanded rapidly as he wielded two swords, slashing in a crisscross pattern. The sword light surged like layers of progressively advancing waves, unleashing endless tides of fire. But without exception, each wave of fire was extinguished in the void before it even reached Onpharos."

"Her mech's communication system activated, and Kafka's gentle voice rang out, 'Listen to me: relax, Starbaby is alright; her death is only temporary.'"

"Kafka, you were clearly worried too, so why did you stop me?" The mecha's voice was filled with rage; she would not allow Xing to be harmed.

"As you've probably noticed, Onpharos is invisible to ordinary people, and we can't enter without permission. Firefly, let's have more faith in the stars, just like we did before."

"Sam's engine gradually calmed down. The shock of Xing's death temporarily robbed her of her reason, but she was willing to believe in Kafka. Because she had given far more to Xing than she had to herself. But the panic in her heart remained; she was really, really scared."

A clear, ethereal male voice echoed in her ears, "I can help you enter Onfaros. Following the principle of equivalent exchange, you'll need to complete a task with Galakh at the necessary moment."

"As he spoke, a vortex radiating a blue aura appeared not far in front of the Sam mech. "Once you pass through the passage, our agreement will take effect; the decision is yours."

"Who are you? What is your purpose?" Firefly's expression was grave; even Sam couldn't detect any trace of anyone else.

After a long while, she still hadn't received a response. Looking up at the passageway before her, she fell silent. "The future has been changed. Perhaps I no longer need to follow the script. It's definitely not that I want to see her."

"She can't be hurt..." The power unit restarted, and Sam teleported into the passage in the blink of an eye. The starry sky outside Onpharos seemed to be unaffected.

"...Someone is attacking the scepter." At the heart of creation, Lai Gushi pulled up external surveillance footage, and the scene of the fireflies launching their attack was replayed on the screen before disappearing into the starry sky.

"Why would Star Core Hunter Sam attack Onfaros?" Lai Gushi opened the Miyin video, and after a dozen seconds, he suddenly realized, "So it's because of the Pathfinders."

"Unfortunately, I gave her a chance, but she chose the Golden Clan."

In the Garden of Life, Xing came to the tree where Tian's doll was placed.

Tirispeius's memories reveal the original prophecy... that everyone will part from one person, who will witness miracles, for this is destiny...

Xing scratched his head. If I accept the trial of Oronis, will the prophecy also come true for me?

In any case, Aglaia needs an answer...

[Alice: So Miss Star died because she underwent Eulonis's trial; the prophecy truly came true.]

[Bai'er: It's me again. It's all my fault, my comrade. If I could, I would want you to live in my place. Onphalus cannot be a burden to you anymore.]

[Kafka: Starp, Firefly's gone. I suspect she's entered Onpharos. Who could it be...?]

[Star: What? How did Firefly get in? Butterfly, hide quickly!]

[Xia Die: Oh, okay. Your Excellency...we are so far apart, why are you hiding?]

Some time ago.

Inside the Golden Baths, Aglaia heard footsteps behind her and turned around. "It's you, Butterfly. I've finished reading the poetry collection you lent me the other day. Here you go."

“I thought you hadn’t had time to read lately,” Xia Die replied with a smile.

"I've been quite busy lately, so I finished reading it as soon as possible."

"Won't you read even slower if you're in trouble?"

"When people know that they don't have much time left, they can always break through their constraints. The constant stream of problems actually makes my reading efficiency stand out."

"Indeed, I recall my time studying at Shuting. Whenever there was an exam, when I should have been focused on studying, the chores that I usually didn't have time for would suddenly become clear and organized."

Aglaia agreed, "That makes sense."

"I remember you and Bai E were both disciples of the School of Wisdom. That Xia's test, I suppose, was as unreasonable as he is, wasn't it?"

Xia Die felt deeply moved, "At that time, Teacher Xia's courses were... Introduction to Alchemy and History of Mythology. To be honest, they were the two courses that students feared the most."

“It’s naturally frightening to have a blasphemous performer lecturing on history,” Aglaia said with a hint of irony.

Recalling her student days, Xia Die smiled, saying it was a happy time. "Looking back, people would often rush up to the podium to argue with him and deny those irreverent views."

"Lady Aglaia, has your relationship with Teacher Nakashia always been like this?"

Aglaia criticized, "He openly despises people's beliefs and questions the legitimacy of the fire-chasing mission. My stance is irreconcilable with his. You must have heard of his nickname when you were studying there, right?"

"...The earth beast dressed in magnificent robes." Xia Die remembered it very clearly.

Aglaia chuckled. "In my opinion, this statement is actually not very friendly to the Earth Beasts."

"Hehe..." Xia Die couldn't help but chuckle to herself.

She continued, “But aside from his unbearable arrogance, I respect his true nature as a scholar. He was not afraid to stand against the world for what he believed in, which takes determination.”

"Anaxagoras's life was like an irony. As a member of the Golden Family, he refused to heed the divine pronouncements. He was disrespectful to the gods..."

“…But the gods chose him.” Xia Die’s smile faded, and the atmosphere became somber.

“That’s right. Cecilia chose him.”

[Magic trick: Very well, I understand why I dislike you now. You're really relentless. So what if I like the Earth Beast? Did it eat your red clay?]

[Earth Beast: Buzz~]

[Sai Fei'er: Hehe, you and the "Dwelling Narrowness Princess" get along quite well, but our Teacher Xia is suffering, becoming the subject of gossip without even knowing it.]

[Star: To be honest, although we attended school for a few days, we really didn't like the teachers, especially alchemy and mythology. Oh... now I finally understand why Bai'er is bad at history.]

[Bai E: Uh… Teacher Xia’s teaching was quite interesting, but I just couldn’t get interested, whether it was mythology or history.]

[Qingque: I feel that Ms. Aglaia respects him quite a bit; she never refers to him as "Nakeya" in formal settings, but always uses his full name.]

[Tibo: After all, they just have different ideals. They're on different paths, but both are willing to do anything to save Onpharos.]

[Eileen: I hate going to school.]

[Robin: Outside of school, Professor Xia's courses are more commonly referred to as chemistry and history, which are indeed quite a headache.]

[Xia Die: I remember that Bai E always liked to argue and contradict the teacher in class back then, and the teacher didn't stop him, and even looked forward to his reaction when his supposedly correct answer was proven wrong.]

[Bai E: Let's not talk about that. I can't let Wan Di know about my embarrassing past, or he'll definitely mock me.]

[Wan Di: If you're bad, practice more.]

Chapter 365 The Story of the Dragon

"Do you have any doubts, Butterfly? The golden thread trembled; the atmosphere here doesn't seem like idle chatter."

Xia Die hesitated for a moment, then asked, "I'd like to know, what are your plans for him next?"

When she was in the treehouse, Teacher Xia took good care of her. Although she was a bit strict, it was all for her own good.

“He played a crucial role in the battle against the Firewalkers, and I’m willing to step back and give him time to find a way to remove the fire,” Aglaia said, changing the subject.

"But if something unexpected happens at that time and a decision is made that could harm us... I will not hesitate to use extreme measures."

"Just as I expected..." With the dust settled, Xia Die's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally calmed down. She had anticipated this outcome.

Aglaia sighed softly, "Flame-chasing is the destiny of the Golden Blood. He looks like a walking corpse now, but with his lofty pride... I believe Anaxxramas will make a dignified choice."

[Star: Be confident, remove the image, he's just a walking corpse now.]

[Aglaia: I'm really not surprised at all.]

[Qingque: Teacher Na Ke Xia's Strange Rules: First, don't call him Na Ke Xia. Second, the one with an incomplete soul is the real him. Third, please don't harm the Earth Beast. Fourth...]

[Seele: If the Black Tide becomes eerie, that would be really something.]

[Yuzu Leaf: Then I'll have to experience it for myself. The eerie version of Onpharos, only the one and only savior can escape.]

“But I hope there’s another possibility…” Xia Die tried her best to give her teacher a chance, “Perhaps when the teacher knows that time is running out, she can break through the constraints.”

Aglaia: "I understand you have your own ideas. Let's discuss them at another time." She turned to the side, where Jin Si conveyed a message, "But right now, we need to entertain our guests first."

Xing and Mimi took the elevator to the bottom floor of the Golden Baths, where she prepared to tell Aglaia her answer.

"Star, you've come. Does this mean you're willing to accept Oronis's trial?"

“It was me and Mimi together.” Xing put her hands on her hips and gestured to the floating Mimi.

Aglaia nodded gently. "Yes. This sacred beast has intricate connections with the Titans and is equally indispensable."

After hearing this, Mimi squinted her eyes and smiled happily, "Hehe, thanks to you, I've also transformed from a puppy into a sacred beast."

“Returning the flame is the duty of the Golden Clan, and I am truly grateful for your great help.” Aglaia expressed her sincere gratitude to Xing for his immense assistance to the Golden Clan.

"But please carefully consider the risks of accepting the trial: becoming a demigod means that you will abandon your human identity, take over the divine authority of Oronnis, and bear the burden of Onpharos alone."

"From this day forward, your fate will be intertwined with ours, with no possibility of separation—until the end of creation."

Does she mean I might be trapped in Onphalos until the rebirth truly happens? Xing hesitated, "Is there a Plan B?"

Aglaia did not want to resort to coercion or bribery. The two pioneers undoubtedly had the qualifications to inherit divine authority, and the decision of whether or not they were willing was up to them.

“Qualified Golden Bloods are extremely rare. If this path is not feasible, I will have to lower the standards. There are still many priests of Janusapolis and their descendants in the city. If there is no other choice, I will recruit suitable candidates from among these people.”

The meaning is self-evident: continuously lowering standards and using sheer numbers to try and gain a glimmer of hope.

After Mimi's patient persuasion and cuteness, and with the help of her recently made Golden Descendant friends, Xing finally decided to trust Mimi's judgment and give it a try.

Aglaia smiled and said, "Since you've made up your mind, go back to the Bathing Palace and rest. Once the ceremony is ready, my master will summon you both."

"Given how things have turned out, I, as the one who led the way, am not without blame. You have stood up for Ohma time and time again, and a mere cup of honeydew is hardly enough to express our gratitude."

"Once the dust settles, I hope we can have another long talk about your journeys home and the curse of the sky... It's time to break the taboo and put these issues on the table."

[Walter: Becoming a demigod in Onphalus means being deeply involved in the future of this place. You are embarking on a path shared with the three pioneering predecessors, Mikhail.]

[Star: What if I return to the train with the spark and the power of time? Does that mean that after the rebirth, the new inheritor of time will have to go to the stars to find me?]

[Fireworks: It's hilarious to think about. If things had gone according to plan, the trials the future Golden Descendants would have faced would be: defeating the Titans with human bodies; collecting all the Tibbo dolls; a story where reason and romance are intertwined; and years of escape...]

[Bai E: My good brother Wan Di, his trial might just be meeting me, it's that simple.]

[Wan Di: Get lost, who cares about you?]

[Fou: I have to admit, you guys have such wild imaginations; you could make a whole Onphalus movie out of this.]

[Ying: Mimi is so cute. Sister, how about we swap? Paimon is yours, Mimi is mine. This guy just ate and already used up most of my resources, and his fighting power is even weaker than a wild boar.]

Paimon: The Traveler!

[Star: Little Paimon, I'm not short of money. Just come over, and you can eat whatever you want from all over the galaxy. It might not be as good as Pepe from Estádio, but I don't mind if you eat a lot. You can keep Pam company.]

Paimon: What should I do... I'm starting to get tempted by the Traveler. What do you think, should I go or not?

[Ying: Haha... I was just kidding, I just really like raising Paimon.]

[Rin: Hoshino, aren't you worried? In the previous prophecy, you were supposed to die.]

[Star: In my experience, I'm actually more worried about Xia Die. It seems she paid a price to bring me back to life. Die, don't worry, this time I will definitely protect you.]

[Firefly: Starbaby, wait for me. I'll come to Ohema to find you in a few days. Also, purple fluttering moth, stay away from my home star.]

[Xia Die: ...I'm already far away from her. I won't let death entangle you.]

Before leaving, Xing learned from Xia Die that she had come to retrieve a book.

The poetry collection was a gift from Tian to her; it was a memento of a wandering poet. Tian gave it to Xia Die because she loved reading.

The contents of the poetry collection are roughly as follows:

In a faraway land, there was a city-state called Stikosia. One day, a giant dragon corrupted by the Black Tide descended from the sky, like death itself.

The dragon swallowed the princess, which led to a siege by warriors. They defeated the dragon, only to discover that the princess inside its belly had already died.

The grieving queen summoned an alchemist who resurrected the princess using dragon flesh and blood. However, the princess lost her memories of her previous life and transformed into another dragon, wreaking havoc everywhere... The prosperous city-state was thus destroyed.

After listening to Xia Die's story, Xing exclaimed, "What a heartwarming story..."

Chapter 366 Citizens’ Assembly

[Feng Jin: Xingbao, where did you see this heartwarming story? This is totally a dark fairy tale!]

[Silver Wolf: It's been so long, and you still haven't realized how special she is. Please don't look at her with ordinary eyes.]

[Robin: I suddenly had an inspiration. Long, long ago, a dragon suddenly appeared... Haha, I can't sing a third line, or it'll be copyright infringement.]