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

"I think it's probably an equivalent exchange?"

"Oh? I thought it was something like 'respect for the dead'." Seeing her silence, Polycia chuckled. "What, did I convince you?"

Calypso sighed softly, “No. I’ve just realized that I think the same thing as you: life is priceless, and there’s little in the world that can compare to it, isn’t there?”

The girl in the wheelchair thought for a moment, "Indeed. No wonder she is the most intelligent scholar on earth."

“Heh, thank you for your kind words. In return, let me ask you a question, how about it?” Calypso asked, “If I were to teach you the art of alchemy…”

"Would you... be able to use this skill for someone you cherish, bringing them back to life?"

"This..." The girl was stunned for a long time. "What kind of question is this... Ah, I know! You're trying to get information out of me, asking if I have someone I like?"

"Hehe, let's just leave it at that. I was being presumptuous..."

The girl replied seriously, "...Yes."

Her voice carried a hint of sorrow, “Mortals will all die eventually. In the future, there will definitely be people I cherish more who leave me... If there really is such a great power, I should use it without hesitation.”

"After all...you, me, and everyone else, we will all eventually face that destined moment."

[Magic trick: So that's how it is. Using alchemy to resurrect a girl who should have died and extend her life. No wonder you disappeared without a trace in your previous life; this is probably the price you pay.]

[Bai E: Teacher, are you saying that Xia Die is the one who resurrected that girl?]

[Star: Distant Butterfly...]

[Fufu: This is big news! But how did you guys figure that out? Just from these few simple sentences, without even any evidence.]

[Xia Die: Perhaps it's true. I always thought physical death was Cenatos's curse, but it turns out it's the price of alchemy.]

[Dan Heng: The Twin Deaths, does this mean the trial of the Death Flame must be completed by two people, one alive and one dead?]

[Star: Aba aba.]

[Xingqiu: Smart people are just different. I really don't understand how they deduced that. I'm a writer, after all; my logic isn't bad, is it?]

[Qingque: What a cruel trial! Why must someone die?]

[Little Candle: That's because you haven't yet witnessed the trials of the law. In this desperate end times, death is the price you must pay. Either Onphalus ends here, and everyone perishes with it, or you gamble on that sliver of hope.]

[Aglaia: I once naively believed that as long as I achieved perfection, there would be no sacrifices. But a thousand years of chasing fire have taught me that someone must bear the cost.]

[Bai Er: I'm willing... I'm willing to be that person.]

Chapter 392 The Fear of Death

In the darkness came the sigh of Polycia.

"My time has come. But perhaps it is precisely because I firmly believe that life is priceless that I am unable to complete the trial."

The eleven sparks of creation have been returned, leaving only death as a void. The phantom of Calypso lamented, "You will perish, so that the departed may sprout from the remnants, and the fire that died with you may be reborn..."

"How pitiful, fate is truly so cruel."

"Isn't there another way to interpret this?" Gnaeus asked.

The girl in the wheelchair shook her head. "I'm afraid its meaning is very clear: my sister and I must make a sacrifice... at the cost of our lives, in order to complete our trial."

She gave a dry laugh. "Perhaps that's why... the prophecy chose a pair of twins."

Gnaeus sighed, "What a cruel twist of fate."

“My sister is prepared to sacrifice herself… but I can’t…” the girl said self-deprecatingly, “It’s ridiculous… even though I don’t have much time left, I’m still afraid of death and ready to face it…”

"What...what should we do...? What if...what if I can't make up my mind in the end..."

Calypso comforted him, “Since Caius has left us guidance to save this trial for last… then you have plenty of time to ponder.”

“That’s right, don’t let the fog of the future cloud your mind,” Gnaeus advised.

[Bai E: In this scene, is the primordial vortex returning the spark? Their experiences and our trajectories are so similar, is it only death that has not yet returned to its rightful place?]

[Paimon: That teacher Xia was really amazing; she deduced long ago that Onpharos was a great cycle.]

[Magic Technique: My thoughts have never been so clear. Onpharos… or rather, this scepter iterates through a cycle called Rebirth, each spark carrying simulated data, ultimately becoming nourishment for the Iron Tomb.]

[Little Candle: How do we explain this life?]

[Magic trick: I have a rough idea; the answer lies with that fire-stealing pilgrim. It's a pity your Anaxxramas didn't leave any more behind.]

[Star: Then let's take all twelve sparks from the core of the cosmic vortex, leaving none for Laigushi.]

[Bai E: Gather the power of all the sparks and fight him to the death. I can withstand twelve of them.]

[Magic trick: Unfortunately, there might be more than twelve sparks of fire. If another creation were successful, our current existence would be impossible. The Fire-Stealer still took the sparks.]

[Bai E: If he can endure it, why can't I? Teacher, let's set a trap, strip all the fire within him, and then use it for our own purposes.]

[Star: Wow, my partner's handsome! Share half with me, I'll cover for you.]

[The Fire-Stealing Traveler: ...]

[Magic trick: It seems my student from my previous life had some skill. Think about it, he might have hundreds or even thousands of fire seeds within him.]

[Bai Er: I can, I must be able to!]

[Aglaia: Bai'er, aren't you being a bit too radical?]

Back in reality, Cecily wondered, "Trials, prophecies... the topics they're discussing seem a little familiar."

"But none of these three people ever left their names in the epic. Otherwise, I certainly wouldn't have no recollection of them..."

At that moment, Xia pointed out, "Isn't it strange that Onpharos was a state of chaos before the Titans were born?"

"I have three guesses about this. But for now, let's continue to see."

“Calypso, Polycia…” Xia Die murmured, “And this warrior…where have I seen him before…”

Let's take a picture back in the day.

"Having said that..." Calypso, standing between the two, looked at the warrior, "Gnaeus, are you confident in your trial?"

"Of course. What worries me is what will happen after we defeat it..."

At that moment, the scene before Xia and the others transformed into Suspended Peak City. The five divine vessels shone with golden light, and conflicting divine power swirled in the hall, as if witnessing a moment of glory.

Calypso sighed softly, "It seems you've made up your mind."

Beneath the divine vessel, Gnaeus looked up and said, "Yes, this is the safest approach."

“To separate courage, honor, perseverance, sacrifice, and reason…” Calypso shook his head helplessly, “Sigh…you really know how to pose difficult questions.”

Gnaeus looked at the girl in the wheelchair. "I entrust this to you, little girl, to bear witness to my demise. Lord Calypso, the Soul Ritual will be presided over by you."

[Wan Di: The Soul-Splitting Ritual? It seems that these reflections of the past have indeed occurred, confirming that Xia's conjecture was correct; we live within the re-creation of Kefal.]

[Bai'er: Lord Gnaeus, he was a great warrior. To prevent himself from being assimilated by the conflict, he separated his soul from his own, and even his reason helped us.]

[Danheng: Laigushi's goal is to select eligible Golden Descendants through continuous re-creation. As expected, the reason you're stuck in this world is because you've already met the requirements.]

[Tian: Lagus...you bad guy, Tian won't let you get away with this!]

[Laigushi: In the name of the divine audience, I witness... that a monstrous ruler who slays gods will be born, and the moment that the learned Venerable anchored will be shattered; this is the only true answer.]

[Navia: What is the moment of erudition?]

[Doctor Truth: To put it simply, a road leading to the unknown could originally branch out into countless paths, but His timing, after designating one path, blocks all the remaining ones. This is the boundary of knowledge.]

[Black Tower: This may be meaningless to ordinary people, but geniuses have already touched the boundaries. As long as the Venerable Master is still alive, we will never be able to realize any more possibilities.]

[Potio: Damn it, this Astral God of Intelligence is even more domineering than the company's hyenas. No wonder Laigus is so hostile.]

[Fu Xuan: The essence of divination is numerical calculation, determining the event with the highest probability of occurrence from countless possibilities.]

Wendy: Onfaros is a world entirely of data. Wouldn't it be easy to achieve things here? Those prophecies are probably the result of extensive calculations.

Polycia was confused and puzzled. "I don't understand... why would you dare to sacrifice yourself for a future you can't even witness?"

“Because that is our destiny. My power is so violent that one day I will be swept away by it.” Gnaeus clenched his fist, his eyes resolute.

"I'd rather die in battle than return in glory! I've already embarked on this path. I believe that your sister, or Caius, would also choose to do the same."

The girl lowered her head involuntarily. "I...I'm not that brave. I don't know how to face something so heavy..."

The warrior let out a hearty laugh, “As the chosen one of death, I still don’t know how to face it…” His gaze was as gentle as an elder’s, “Let’s talk, little girl. Perhaps my journey shouldn’t have ended so hastily.”

"There is still time, and I am not afraid to let fate wait a little longer."

Chapter 393 The Butterfly, The Butterfly?

At this moment, Xia Die was certain, "This warrior... is Lord Gnaeus."

"As the embodiment of Nicardi's divinity, he entrusted his name to us...so that humanity could end his madness with its own hands."

"So, what we see before us is..."

“It seems that some of my conjectures have been proven.” Seeing Xia Die’s reaction, Xia’s lips curled up slightly. “These heroes are exactly what the Titans looked like before they became gods.”

"If that's the case, then this so-called chosen one of death..."

“Polysia…is what Senatos used to look like?” Xia Die was somewhat incredulous. “But her appearance…”

That moment, Xia indicated that knowing the girl's whereabouts would reveal the location of the Death Titan. For now, let's witness the consequences of Gnaeus's soul-splitting.

Each statue is inscribed with alchemical terms corresponding to a divine nature: glory, courage, perseverance, sacrifice...

"In the end... is rationality all that's left?" The girl said with a hint of sadness.

Gnaeus comforted her, "Cheer up, little girl. There's no need to shed tears for a glorious death."

"All partings in this world are sorrowful, Your Excellency."

He immediately denied it, saying, "No, little girl: as a soldier, I've seen too many violent deaths. But now, I can only feel tranquility... I didn't know there was such a way to live in this world."

Polycia couldn't understand, "Your soul is almost gone, yet you remain so optimistic... Or is it that you are no longer capable of feeling sorrow?"

"Frankly, I don't know. But I can confirm this: it's not acceptance of fate, indifference, or despair... it's just enjoying myself."

"Enjoy yourself...?" The girl was even more confused.

“Indeed. Along the way, I have changed the world and myself.” He turned and looked back. “Now, I have reached the end. Looking back at the magnificent epic we have written, how can I not feel exhilarated?”

The girl pressed on, "But once you leave this world... won't all of this vanish? Separation and death are two sides of the same coin... how can mortals easily reconcile?"

[Xia Die: Polycia... Is she also confused about death? What is she afraid of?]

Wendy: Not everyone can face death with equanimity. This little girl is afraid that after death, no matter how outstanding your contributions are, they will all vanish. Death and life are completely opposite.

[Qingyi: A pessimistic view, but since I haven't experienced the suffering of others, I won't make any judgments.]

[Wan Di: Why fear death? Death does not mean the end; being forgotten is true death. Like Gnaeus, rather than exploring the meaning of life and death, it is better to do one's best.]

[Bai'er: I must admit, Nicardoli is absolutely the most magnanimous Titan, and also the purest Titan.]

[Dartaria: As a warrior, I like his style.]

[Billy: So cool! I'm Nicardo, the necessary scar of this world! A real man is me, I am Billy.]

[The Robin: Viewed as a calamity by the Titans of Conflict, it unexpectedly sacrificed everything to protect Onpharos. Isn't this a kind of spirit? Even when misunderstood by everyone, it remained true to its original intention.]

[Star: My damn stereotype! I admit that Suspended Peak people are highly knowledgeable and mentally strong, except for dictionaries.]

【All-powerful: HKS!】

Gnaeus sighed, exasperated by her bewilderment. “Finally, let me tell you my own story, little girl.”

When I first returned from the battlefield, I felt an overwhelming emptiness. Calamity had devoured everyone on the battlefield, and only I returned to the city-state, where people cheered for me. But it felt as if I were still on the battlefield, and what I had returned was merely an empty shell.

When I returned to camp alone after the party, I encountered a mad scholar.

I asked him, almost as if I were possessed: Do you think it would be better for us to just die by the roadside like two stray dogs?

The scholar shrugged and sighed: "For someone experiencing death, death and life are equally blissful. Now, please step aside; you're blocking my starlight."

Calypso thought for a moment, "You mean... death and life are no different, both are journeys towards death?"

“That’s right, that’s life, and death is the measure of the journey’s value,” Gnaeus remarked. “The greatness of the journey and the grandeur of the epic are all because everything eventually comes to an end.”

"So, little girl, don't hate fate, embrace it with respect."

The girl in the wheelchair lowered her eyes, "...As the embodiment of conflict, are you telling me about the magnificence of the world?"

A hearty laugh rang out, and Gnaeus looked at her tenderly. "Exactly. I believe that when the appointed time comes, you will understand the meaning of these words."