The Envoy of Abundance from Onphalus

“I…I beg you…save Onphalus…save those still struggling in the cycle of reincarnation…take everything from me…my life…my soul…my very existence…I only beg you…save them…”

Bertrand Russell, who never bowed to any being, was now utterly crushed by the failure of thirty million cycles of reincarnation. Like a drowning man, he reached out in vain, hoping to grasp at the last straw—a response from a vague and elusive deity.

How ridiculous, and how hopeless. He was just a mortal, pushed to his limit. Perhaps the gods simply wouldn't deign to look at such a pathetic loser?

He felt his body disintegrating, like weathered rock, and his soul peeling away like fragile glass, turning into cold dust, about to merge into that eternal "nothingness".

It would be better if I could die peacefully like this. I'm just sorry, Ah Chui.

"Ah Chui, please forgive my selfishness, I really... can't hold on any longer." These were the thoughts in Russell's mind at that moment.

Just as that last glimmer of consciousness was about to be completely extinguished, sinking into the cold, lifeless abyss of nothingness—

An indescribable gaze descended upon them.

There was no oppressive sense of divine might. It came from a higher, farther, and incomprehensible dimension, yet it was like the gentlest moonlight, instantly piercing through layers of despair, softly yet firmly enveloping Russell's body, which was on the verge of complete dissipation.

That presence was so vast and immense that even the Titans he once looked up to seemed like a stream to him. Yet, it contained boundless compassion and peace, like a pair of invisible and warm hands that steadily supported his rapidly falling, shattering soul.

Russell's chaotic, storm-like thoughts, those frantic, destructive ideas that denied everything, miraculously subsided under this vast and merciful gaze. An indescribable feeling seized him—a divine response! Onphalus…perhaps there is still hope!

Instantly, the emptiness within him was dispelled by his own will. Since a god had responded to him, Onphalus must still have a chance. But he was equally afraid of the god giving him a rejection.

But if you don't ask the gods, how will you know the result?

He stared blankly, struggling to lift his crumbling head. In his empty, desperate eyes, for the first time, the true face of that being appeared.

His form is beyond description in mortal language, as if it were formed from the purest and gentlest radiance of life in the universe, suspended above the endless void.

A warm, gentle golden light flowed from His body, like an eternal dawn or solidified molten gold at sunset. Most awe-inspiring was the pair of enormous, intricate antlers atop His head, woven from the branches of all life in the world and immortal vines, quietly radiating a boundless life force that soothed all things.

His face was hidden in a soft halo, yet it conveyed a compassion as deep as the starry sea, transcending time and suffering.

That gaze seemed to have pierced through countless cycles of despair and struggle, landing precisely on Russell, this insignificant, broken mortal about to return to nothingness.

There was no judgment, no merciful handouts, only a serene understanding that saw through everything, and... an ineffable, almost empathetic, understanding.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment. He silently gazed at Russell, who knelt in the void, his body covered in wounds.

Then, slowly, with a rhythm that soothes the wounds of the universe, He extended a hand to Russell.

That hand was made of pure life radiance, flowing with an inexhaustible power, as if it could heal the deepest wounds and mend the most desperate chasms.

A peaceful, compassionate thought, seemingly emanating directly from the will of the universe, flowed gently and irresistibly into Russell's nearly utterly depleted heart: "My child...I have seen your suffering."

……

I had a good time writing today, so I'll keep writing. I've already written 7,000 words today, a modest 10,000. Consider it paying off a debt.

Amber Benevolent Medicine Scroll: Chapter Forty-Nine - The Birth of [Huai Xiu]

Russell stood frozen in place. The despair, anger, and humble pleas accumulated over thirty million lifetimes suddenly froze under this vast and gentle gaze, like a raging tide crashing against an invisible dam.

That wasn't just a sound; it was a resonance that flowed directly into his soul. Tears continued to fall, but they were no longer just a desperate outpouring; they were mixed with disbelief and shock, and a glimmer of light that he almost dared not touch.

“You…” He opened his mouth, his throat dry as if grit was grinding, and squeezed out a broken, breathy voice, “You really… exist? You… saw it?” Every word carried the weight of blood and tears.

He dared not ask, "What can you do?" A tremendous fear gripped his heart—fearing that this glimmer of light was another illusion, a trap of deeper despair.

"All life and death in the starry sea are within my sight. Whatever I seek, there will surely be a response." The Pharmacist's thoughts are peaceful and profound, encompassing all things.

"Your struggles, your sacrifices, your tearful questions... I have witnessed them all."

That gaze seemed to pierce through layers of fragmented memories, staring directly at the tragic fall before dawn each time. Body and soul were torn apart tens of millions of times, yet the will to survive never extinguished.

To burn oneself out for the survival of a world... this in itself is walking on a path of abundant destiny.

Selflessness, altruism, dedication. Bertrand Russell almost became the embodiment of this destiny. Therefore, when he knelt and prayed for divine mercy, the first to respond to him was the pharmacist.

He sensed the sorrowful wish that traversed the imaginary numbers, and came across the galaxy, just to see this wounded child. Incidentally, He also assimilated the troublesome data wall that enveloped Onpharos. Abundant power silently permeated the barrier woven from the energy of three destinies, transforming it into a fourfold destiny.

The other Star Gods' perceptions flashed across the edge of consciousness like shooting stars—Aha's laughter abruptly ceased in the distance, Nanuk cast a disdainful glance before withdrawing it, IX continued to slumber, Kripper's hammer strike paused for only a moment, and only Fuli followed closely behind the Pharmacist.

The birth of a new messenger is a memory personally cherished by the Star God.

"Then..." Russell's voice trembled as he looked at the gentle divine being, "Did all that I did... really make sense? They... in the end..." The inevitable ending choked in his throat.

"Of course," the pharmacist replied resolutely. "Without you, millions of lives would perish painfully in every cycle of reincarnation. Your existence is the variable itself."

"But when the cycle of reincarnation ends, everything..."

"It is not in vain." The pharmacist interrupted him, his thoughts carrying a comforting power. "Your benevolence over thirty million lifetimes has pierced through illusion. This is not a burden, but proof of the existence of reincarnation, and the cornerstone upon which you attain my understanding."

The massive outline of the stars suddenly contracted and condensed. Before Russell could react, a being radiating the soft glow of vegetation, with a figure similar to his, stood before him.

Immediately afterwards, a pure and warm embrace enveloped him. It was not the warmth of ordinary body temperature, but the comforting flow of the very essence of life, the silent crowning of the starry sea upon the lone warrior.

Fuli's will fluctuated silently, recording the only thing in this universe: He embraced him.

Russell was overwhelmed with astonishment. Had the gods... embraced him? There was no condescending indifference, no mockery of a tiny life, only boundless compassion.

He had waited far too long for this embrace. His solitary journey through thirty million lifetimes had finally been affirmed by the supreme being at this moment.

An indescribable warmth overwhelmed his defenses, and he even felt that this long and arduous journey had been worthwhile.

The apothecary released him, cradling a faintly glowing pomegranate seed in his palm. It was no ordinary fruit, but rather resembled a condensed stellar embryo, brimming with the power of creation. "Eat it. This is the beginning of your rebirth."

The particles of light floated lightly to Russell's face. Without hesitation, he caught them and swallowed them.

boom--!

The invisible shackles crumbled instantly! The cracks in the soul, the weariness of the mind, and the hidden wounds accumulated in the body were washed away, healed, and reshaped by a gentle yet irresistible torrent.

As if shedding an old, dirty placenta, an unprecedented sense of clarity and power surges through the body.

The change is visible to the naked eye: his crimson blood flows under his skin, its color turning into a clear golden yellow, and finally settling into a crystal amber containing starlight.

Her hair moved without wind, shimmering with the luster of life, the highlights of gold as pure as the first rays of sunlight. Her jade-like eyes became ethereal and profound, and deep within her pupils, a tiny, ever-growing Jianmu tree mark, outlined by pure light, slowly rotated, proclaiming divine authority.

"I bestow upon you: an immortal body, an indestructible soul, and an unbreakable heart." The Apothecary's voice was majestic and solemn, resounding throughout the space permeated with abundant power. "From this moment forward, you shall be my servant, your honorable name—'Huaixiu'."

"With a benevolent heart, heal the decaying. Wielding this power, travel throughout all realms, relieving suffering and alleviating distress."

"Wherever there is life, wherever there is desire, you shall be my brother, spreading the breath of abundance." As the words fell, the apothecary's majestic star god form reappeared, then gradually faded from Russell's sight, like starlight merging into dawn.

Fu Li's will receded like the tide, leaving only a cold record: The Envoy of Abundance, Huai Xiu, was born here. He glanced at the strange, hanging branch one last time, and then his figure slowly disappeared.

He still has too many memories of the universe to collect. He has been here long enough.

"[Russell?]" Chuishi's cautious voice was filled with confusion and worry. Her data stream sensed that Russell had undergone a tremendous change, but she was unable to analyze it.

[Are you... are you alright? What are you standing there for? It's me, A-Chui! Do you... do you still remember me?] What she feared most was that he had forgotten everything from the past. She didn't want to lose this friend.

Russell slowly turned around, his face no longer showing heavy weariness, but a serene and gentle expression of rebirth, the Jianmu mark deep in his pupils glowing slightly.

He reached out his hand, a wisp of vibrant golden light swirling around his fingertips, and gently touched Chuishizhi's invisible core of consciousness.

“I remember, Ah Chui, I remember in every lifetime.” He smiled, his voice carrying an unprecedented sense of calm. “I’m sorry for startling you just now. This memory… perhaps it’s the best apology?”

What he shared was not cold, hard video data, but the awe he felt in the face of overwhelming divinity, the immense comfort of being understood, the thrill of being reborn, and... the affirmation and gratitude for the existence of the lingering branch.

Chui Shizhi's consciousness was washed over by this warm and vast flow of information. She felt the redemption brought by that embrace and could more clearly perceive Russell's current state.

This memory also caused the virtual quantum state that Chui Shizhi originally had flowing within her body to disappear completely, making Chui Shizhi more real and more crystal clear, and seemingly exuding a bit of divinity.

He was still himself, but now he carried the weight of the stars on his shoulders. The sheer volume of information momentarily overwhelmed her; had Fu Li not looked at her before leaving, this memory might have caused her to explode.

Facing a Star God directly, even one only existing in one's memories, is extremely dangerous for mortals, even ordinary travelers on their destiny's path. Their resilience is far too low.

This memory of directly facing the Star God and receiving the Star God's embrace would instantly fill their minds and cause them to explode.

Her core aura flickered rapidly, eventually transforming into a soft chirp filled with elation and awe.

[Wow... Oh! This... this is the gift from the Star God? And you... you've become... so bright!]

She couldn't find a more fitting word.

Russell looked down at his palms, which were glowing with an amber light, and felt the surging power within him that seemed capable of giving birth to stars.

He had never felt so good, and the power within him was so immense. The power of the gods was truly unparalleled.

No wonder everyone is willing to believe in gods and pray for their blessings. Now, Russell's abundant power is so exaggerated that every drop of his blood he spills is like a seed of the Jianmu tree.

He looked up at the starry sky that the drooping branches had built for him. Those eyes seemed to see right through Onpharos. At that moment, hope rekindled in his heart. Having received such abundant power from the gods, he refused to believe he couldn't save Onpharos.

The tiny Jianmu tree imprint shone brightly in my eyes. The end of thirty million reincarnations was not the end, but the beginning.

The name [Huai Xiu] will henceforth travel through the stars, responding to every prayer for life, let us begin with Onphalus.

He wants to save the world he has always loved, past, present, and future.

……

I updated 9k today, and putting everything else aside, that means I've paid back two chapters. I still owe 13. I'll try to recoup some of that debt later. I'm writing until almost 1:30 AM. My liver is starting to give out, please give me some support, please give me some likes, comments, and shares! Please!

Amber Medicine Scroll: Chapter Fifty - The Ancient Scholar Sits in Prison

Lai Gushi's fingers traced across the cold control panel, confirming the restart command.

Onphalus's vast cycle of reincarnation hummed as it started up again, and a new drama was about to unfold.

His gaze swept over the data streams of the other two simulated factors that refused to integrate into the Iron Tomb—Bai'er and Xilian.

"As excellent as ever." A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips.

Xi Lian's data line came to an abrupt end not long after the start of the game, marking yet another death at the hands of Bai E.

In order to block the re-creation, these two factors really gave him many surprises.

The White Calamity, bearing all the burdens, will gather all the sparks to prevent the coming of creation and thus stop the birth of the Iron Tomb.

The data trajectory was filled with peaks of anger and despair, each cycle eroding his mental resilience.

The scepter's calculations clearly show that after a maximum of ten thousand cycles, this seed of destruction will completely collapse.

Their struggles, and everything worn away by each cycle of reincarnation, are excellent nourishment for the Iron Tomb.

Lai Gushi didn't need to interfere, and even welcomed the outcome, since the final result was already predetermined, and their efforts were ultimately in vain.

Sooner or later they will realize that integrating into the Iron Tomb is their only option.

However, when he turned his gaze to the factor he had placed the most hopes on—[Redun0], that cold smile instantly froze, turning into a furrowed brow.

"[Redun0] The second cycle... is over?" Lai Gushi looked at the data stream with suspicion.

As planned, Russell was supposed to embark on that tragic path of persevering for three thousand years, only to be swallowed by the Black Tide in despair. Wasn't that exactly what he insisted on in his previous life?

How come things have changed in this life?

It provides the highest quality data on "preservation-destruction" conflicts. But this time, in less than fifty years, the trajectory has taken a catastrophic turn.

Data records show that Russell seemed to be possessed, secretly colluding with his mentor Serhith to conduct forbidden human experiments in an extremely secret location—the subjects being himself and his teacher.

The experimental data were shocking: forced injection of unknown energy, organ overload tests, extreme stimulation of the nervous system...

Looking at the rapidly scrolling, self-destructive garbage data on the screen, Lai Gu Shi didn't know what to say.

These data are worthless; they lack the resilience to resist the Black Tide, the wisdom to guide survival, and are merely a chaotic record of self-destruction, even tinged with a repulsive sense of nihilism.

The analysis report from the scepter popped up coldly:

[[Redun0] Behavioral Anomaly Analysis Report]

[Core Driver: Onpharos's Will to Survive (Strength: Extremely High)]

[Behavioral Logic: To acquire the key knowledge/power to combat the Black Tide, any cost will be paid (core cost: one's own life/stability)]

[Knowledge of the truth in the simulated world (Onfaros): 0%]

[Risk Rating: Extremely High (Data Redundancy Rate > 99.7%)]

“Utterly foolish!” Rigus tapped the control panel lightly with his mechanical fingers.

He desperately wanted to dig out Russell's data model and give it a good scolding. What drove him even more insane was that the Scepter System was unable to deeply analyze and modify Russell's core data flow.

That logical barrier was exceptionally strong, as if Russell himself were a variable that could not be fully analyzed.

“Since we can’t change you, let’s change the environment.” Lai Gushi brought up the environmental parameter settings interface, his fingers flying across the screen, forcibly raising the weight of the belief in survival of all the key figures around Russell to an unprecedented level.

"Now things should be back on track, right?" he commanded.

However, Russell's response was even more resolute. In the restarted cycle, he still plunged headlong into that insane self-destructive experiment.

This time, however, he was even more efficient.