The Envoy of Abundance from Onphalus

That was the beautiful illusion he created for me with his last bit of strength.

"Ah Su, are you smiling? But there's only weariness in your eyes..." I couldn't help but gently stroke his cheek with my mind.

He stiffened slightly, then his smile became even more bitter, yet tinged with genuine self-mockery: "You found out again, Ah Chui... I really can't hide it from you. Because you are my only anchor... I don't want you to only see my pain anymore. I don't like to trouble others."

He leaned gently against my torso, seeking support. Each time he came so close, I could feel more clearly the heavy weariness that was keeping him from collapsing.

This scene has repeated itself countless times. All I remember is that each time he returned, the wounds on his body were deeper than the last.

The fake smile grew paler and harder to maintain with each passing moment.

His returns came at increasingly longer intervals, and sometimes I would fall into a panicked wait, afraid that he would never come back.

Each time I called upon him with the intention to bring him back, it carried a plea that I myself was unaware of.

But then one day, I heard the words I least wanted to hear.

"I'm...sorry...Ah Chui...I..."

"boom!"

This sentence conveys the most intense and utter despair I have ever felt in all my memories of him.

It is a million times more bitter than the suffering of a million reincarnations combined! That premonition of loss is icy and bone-chilling.

It instantly seized my roots and spread to every vein of my leaf!

"No! Asu! Don't give up!" I frantically called out to him with my mind, and the branches and leaves tightly wrapped around his constantly dissipating body, pouring in my life energy without reservation.

“We promised to be friends for life! You can’t go back on your word!” My voice was filled with unprecedented fear and trembling.

But at this moment, Asu could no longer hear what I was saying. He was enveloped by endless void power and was about to be annihilated.

A chilling despair rose within me. I knew him all too well.

That "I'm sorry" was his final farewell. Once he made his choice to face death, there was no turning back.

I am just a tree rooted in this desolate space! What can I do but watch him return, break, and depart again?

I couldn't even step out of this space; I could only watch helplessly as my only friend was swallowed up by nothingness.

Boundless anger and grief surged within me like a storm of consciousness. Why?! Why must this world he so deeply loved, this endless cycle of fate, cruelly torment him thirty million times?!

I don't want to face the answer to this question, but it's also very simple: this is the path that Asu chose himself. No one forced him to take this path. He loves the ideal world in his heart, and life loves its own existence.

All I wanted was a friend, a reason not to be alone anymore. Why was even this small thing taken away from me?!

The silence in this starry space has never been so suffocating and despairing as it is now.

.........

In the moment of utter despair, an indescribable, vast, and pure life force, like a pillar of light descending from the will of the universe itself, suddenly tore through the barriers of space.

It precisely protected Russell, and only later did I realize that it was the manifestation of the power of abundance.

Just as I was holding my breath, experiencing this miracle, another completely different, cold, indifferent will, seemingly able to illuminate all things, swept over me silently like a gaze sweeping across the entire starry sea.

In that instant, I felt as if I had been plunged into a bottomless void, or as if I had been suspended high above the starry sky, with my past, my existence, and even the possibility of my future laid bare under that gaze.

Was it Fu Li, the legendary star god who controls "memory"? I only glimpsed him briefly, but I felt as if some solid barrier deep within my consciousness had loosened, as if the invisible chains that had been binding me had developed tiny cracks…

An irrepressible surge of emotion, originating from the depths of one's being and yearning to break free from constraints, welled up within me. Could it be...?

The radiant blessing finally faded. A more solid, complete figure, even radiating a faint divine glow, reappeared before me.

The familiar silhouette carried a new, profound aura and pure power fluctuations belonging to the Star God Envoy.

He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze reflecting the trajectories of stars. He saw my branches, curled up almost unconsciously from worry and anxiety.

He immediately withdrew his oppressive aura, strode forward, and gently stroked my branch with his now firm and warm hand, his voice hoarse with the pain of surviving a disaster and filled with deep apology:

"Ah Chui! I'm sorry for making you worry! I..." His eyes were full of self-reproach, like a child who had done something wrong.

All my worries, fears, and anxieties were instantly shattered by this real touch and familiar clumsiness.

The branches and leaves instantly unfurled, even intimately wrapping around his wrists and fingers, greedily savoring his presence.

As long as Asu is still here, everything will be alright.

As for resentment? It has never appeared in my emotional landscape regarding Asu.

Then, with barely suppressed excitement, he began to share with me his new memories of gaining abundant power and becoming a Star God's Messenger.

This memory, so unique and imbued with a divine aura, was given to me without reservation as a gift of atonement.

The instant his telepathic transmission ended, I was suddenly struck as if by lightning. It wasn't just the astonishment at the miraculous scene.

More importantly, during this experience that was a fundamental leap in his life, he opened up everything about himself to me without reservation.

That unreserved trust, that deep connection of souls...

A word that I had always overlooked or never carefully considered suddenly emerged clearly from Asu's worldly memories:

Lovers.

Not friends, not partners... it's a deeper, more intimate, and more unique relationship.

My soul trembled. A torrent of scalding emotion overwhelmed all boundaries.

It turns out that the heart-wrenching pain of cleaning his wounds each time, the endless worry during the long wait, the helpless sadness when seeing him force a smile, the fear and despair when he was on the verge of death...

The reasons for everything have long transcended friendship. He is my Asu, and I am his Asui—we are a community of shared destiny destined to depend on each other.

We are twin trees, unique in the starry sky, lovers who know each other inside and out, whose souls are in harmony, and who are willing to give everything for each other. We are the golden branches that will last forever.

.........

When he told me that I had to set off again to save the world, the core of my soul, which had been imprisoned here all along, began to pound violently.

The sense of constraint that had been unintentionally broken by "Fu Li's" gaze surged again, so intense that it almost burst out of the tree.

In the past, I couldn't leave; I could only wait passively.

But now, that mysterious chain has broken, and I can follow him to see the outside world.

I requested to travel with Asu.

I don't want to stay here helplessly and witness my friend's breakdown.

If we still cannot escape the fate of collapse, then we will embrace each other and walk towards collapse, at least then we will no longer be alone.

Asu's figure visibly trembled. Without the slightest hesitation, his eyes shone with an unprecedentedly bright smile and a sense of relief.

At that moment, my consciousness was filled with a pure joy, like the first glimmer of stars.

Finally! It's no longer him leaving, and me gazing in vain at the endless void.

I can finally follow in his footsteps and step into that grand and vivid world that I had only seen in my memory before!

Even after becoming the Envoy of Abundance, he still didn't know how to love himself.

She still stubbornly loves him, that world called Onpharos.

But that doesn't matter; he's responsible for using his power to protect the Onpharos he loves.

And I will use everything I have to protect him—the only heartbeat I cherish in this universe.

.........

I am no longer the tree that could only take root in the vastness of space. Our ever-deepening connection is changing my very essence.

The most amazing change is that I can clearly feel that with just a thought, I can be reorganized, transformed, and shaped like flowing water...

At that time, I had only one thought: to condense into a human form that resembled Asu and express my feelings to him.

That day, I made up my mind, waiting until he could finally temporarily set aside the heavy responsibility of guarding the envoy and free his beloved Onpharos.

I will use this form to tell him everything in person under the starlight.

It will no longer be just about communicating with thoughts. I will reach out and hold his hand tightly, like a real human lover.

I want to tell him in person: From the moment my first thought touched you, from the moment we exchanged the essence of our lives, you are not only my only friend, but also the destination my soul has chosen.

I cherish you more than the eternal starry sea itself. I am your Atui, and you are Atsu, whom I will protect for a lifetime. This is not a promise, but a preordained fact within the galaxy.

As for now? Of course, I will play the role of a silent listener, not interfering with his actions, and quietly supporting him.

Once the matter of Onfaros is completely resolved, I will approach him with a completely new attitude.

I am not in a hurry for this day to come, and I have no doubt about it.

We are inseparable twin trees in the starry sea, and that has never changed.

That day will come sooner or later.

Ah Su, I really want to see your expression back then.

.........

This is the second one today, a 4k7. It's mainly to refine the emotional lines and add some patches for the infrequent appearance of the hanging branch. I still owe 27 more. Goodnight everyone.

Please vote, add to your favorites, follow this story, and subscribe. (Blades of rage)

I'll be updating a lot during the National Day holiday and offering a reward for each new chapter, so stay tuned! I mean what I say.

Golden Branches and Wails: Leave of Absence Notice for September 7th

As the title suggests. I'm not feeling well today, and I haven't finished the Xianzhou storyline, so I don't have much to think about. I'm taking a day off to refresh my thoughts.

I think it's because I've been staying up too late these past few days; I feel a bit weak and my whole body is foggy. So I'm going to go to bed early today to get back into shape and prevent sudden death.

Goodnight everyone. Tonight will be the earliest I've ever gone to sleep.

Golden Branches Endure the Ages: Chapter 147 An Ominous Sign Arrives from the Ten Kings' Court

Shence General's Mansion

The afternoon sunlight slanted through the windows, casting dappled patterns of light on the polished floor of the Shence Mansion.

Jing Yuan leaned back on the soft couch, his fingertips twirling a white jade chess piece, his expression unusually relaxed as he looked at the unfinished game on the chessboard.

The fragrant aroma of tea dispelled the oppressive atmosphere of the past few days. His tense nerves finally relaxed, and this moment of tea tasting and chess playing was the leisure that General Luofu should be enjoying.

On the chessboard, black and white pieces intertwine, seemingly fierce, yet all is contained within his deductions.

The Great Monarch of Annihilation, Huanlong? No matter how many hidden pieces she places on this chessboard called "Luofu Immortal Boat," it will all be in vain.

Unless the other Great Lords of Extinction are willing to swarm Luofu in their selfish desire to seize the Jianmu tree, thus igniting a massive war that will engulf the entire world.

But is that even possible? The cost would be too high for them, and the gains would outweigh the losses.

A barely perceptible smile curved Jing Yuan's lips. The outcome was already predetermined; it was simply a matter of whether Huanlong would flee in disarray or be forever etched into the history of Luofu.

The former merely escaped with serious injuries, while the latter meant that the annals of the Luofu Immortal Ship would be filled with a significant chapter: the annihilation of the Great Lord of Annihilation.

Even in the worst-case scenario, if all the Annihilation Lords came together, the overall strength of the Immortal Ship Alliance, along with the Abundance Envoy Russell and his ever-flowing compassionate physicians, would be enough to make the enemy suffer a crushing defeat and gain no advantage whatsoever.

As his thoughts raced, Jing Yuan's state of mind subtly shifted. His initial goal was to eliminate the threat posed by Huanlong, and incidentally remove any destabilizing factors within the Immortal Ship.

Now? He prefers the word "hunt." He is subtly enticing Huanlong, inducing her to keep increasing her stakes in this game, revealing more of her cards and hidden pieces on the Luofu chessboard.

The more moves he makes, the more thoroughly they are exposed. Rather than letting those hidden, troublesome "ailments" flare up sporadically one after another, he'd rather use Huanlong's hand to uproot them all at once and sweep them into the dustbin of history.

"Clatter." Jing Yuan casually placed the white piece in an insignificant position, picked up the warm teacup, and took a sip.

This is truly excellent tea. He is already the mastermind, sitting firmly on the sidelines, just waiting for the right moment to seize control of the entire situation.

"General!"

A cold voice, tinged with obvious annoyance, abruptly shattered the tranquility of the mansion. Fu Xuan appeared at the doorway, her eyes burning with discontent. She strode in, her skirt billowing in the wind, her gaze sweeping sharply over Jing Yuan's leisurely demeanor.

"As a general of Luofu, how can you be so lazy and negligent in this critical situation?" Fu Xuan's voice rose, carrying a questioning tone.

"If the general truly yearns for a life of leisure and tranquility, why not propose at the Six Emperors' Meeting as soon as possible that I be allowed to succeed him as general? At that time, you can be relieved of your burdens and enjoy your carefree days; while I can also wield power. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"

"Eh?" Jing Yuan slowly put down his teacup, his face still bearing that gentle smile, even with a hint of mischief. "Why is Fu Qing in such a hurry? This position of general will be yours sooner or later. Since it is destined, why rush it?"

He picked up the jade teapot beside him and slowly poured a cup of fresh tea, the steam rising gently. "As the head of the Grand Diviner, being too hot-tempered is not conducive to divination. Here, have a cup of tea first, soothe your throat and calm down."

Fu Xuan glared at him, but still stepped forward and took the cup of tea. She symbolically blew on the not-too-hot tea, tilted her head back and drank it all in one gulp, her movements swift and decisive, as if she were completing some kind of task.

"Thank you, General." She placed the empty cup on the table with a crisp sound. "I've had my tea. Now, General, it's time to get down to business. The Great Lord of Annihilation, Huanlong, is still causing trouble on the Immortal Ship. What are you planning to do with your nonchalant attitude? Are you really counting on those compassionate physicians?"

Jing Yuan smiled dismissively, leaning forward slightly, a sharp glint in his eyes: "Minister Fu is a man of great wisdom and strategy, so he naturally knows about the large influx of Cihui physicians into Luofu. According to the latest statistics, there are now over a million physicians in the resettlement sites."