Compared to Herta, who was so worried she could barely sleep, Acheron was faring much better—mostly because she had no intention of sleeping at all.
The tremors within the mini-world in her palm told Acheron that Bai Ming was up to something.
Though she didn't know the specifics, Acheron kept watch by its side, thinking that if any need arose, she could act as a messenger. Yet, a long time passed without a single word from Bai Ming.
The mini-world simply remained in that state it always took when Bai Ming was deep in her research.
She must have run into something and been forced to start her research out there, Acheron figured.
Taking a moment to check on the outside world, Acheron learned that Bai Ming, who had headed to the Xianzhou Fanghu, had vanished into the cosmos along with the Aeon of Equilibrium, who had come knocking.
Their whereabouts were unknown. Acheron was just as worried, and with the mini-world remaining unresponsive, she could only keep her sleepless vigil.
However, the aura emanating from the mini-world was rising at a visible rate.
This led Acheron to believe that Bai Ming's life wasn't in any immediate danger; after all, one's presence doesn't usually intensify like that if they're dying. Still, she remained by its side, refusing to move an inch.
--+--
Ruan Mei didn't lose her appetite or sleep like Herta did.
She pushed forward with her plans with steady precision.
It was only in those occasional moments when she looked up, wanting to consult Bai Ming, that she would suddenly remember her friend had been gone for a long time.
She would stand frozen for a beat, glancing at the account that hadn't been online in ages, before giving up on the idea and choosing to solve the problem on her own.
--+--
Beyond those two, there were others fretting over Bai Ming.
Gopher Wood and his associates in Penacony, as well as the Galaxy Rangers, couldn't set their hearts at ease. Even knowing that Bai Ming was no longer a mere mortal, they couldn't help but worry.
Of course, the strangest case of all had to be Celenova.
Upon hearing that Bai Ming had vanished with the Equilibrium, her internal state was a tangled mess.
Part of her felt it would be for the best if Bai Ming were defeated, yet another part hoped she would return unscathed.
Celenova had been turning it over in her mind so much lately that when she finally snapped out of it, she realized she cared about that rascal Bai Ming far more than she had imagined.
Unfortunately, no matter how much she cared, she was far too insignificant to the current Bai Ming.
Now, Celenova didn't even have the strength to stand before her.
It left Celenova deeply frustrated. But Bai Ming was an Aeon; what could Celenova do other than think?
Only Nanook could stand face-to-face with her now. What could a lowly Lord Ravager do?
Unless that Eighth Lord Ravager, while becoming her summon, could walk the Path of Propagation to a point nearing Aeonhood. But just thinking about it felt like a pipe dream.
Even Celenova didn't believe she could pull it off.
Meanwhile, the object of everyone's concern, Bai Ming, watched as Equilibrium faded away.
She looked down at her own palm.
As her understanding of the Equations of Permanence and Elation deepened, she realized she could now control the Path of Permanence at will, along with a significant portion of Propagation.
Consequently, the divine body she currently inhabited—the one fashioned by Aha specifically for Elation—felt a bit like a mismatched suit.
With the power left to her by Equilibrium, Bai Ming decided to give her divine form a bit of an upgrade, weaving the powers of Permanence and Propagation into the fabric of her being.
She didn't want the gears to grind whenever she tried to channel the Path of Permanence.
With the power of Equilibrium acting as a mediator, the reshaping process went smoothly.
Bai Ming intentionally dialed back the influence of Elation, ensuring Permanence accounted for over fifty percent of her makeup. It was a way to guarantee a sense of security, if nothing else.
With the work finished, Bai Ming finally returned from that strange space and stepped back into the material world.
Her first stop, naturally, was the Xianzhou Fanghu, where she had first departed.
The moment she manifested, Xuanquan, who had been waiting there all along, transformed into a massive dragon and soared into the sky.
"You're finally back!"
"Have I been gone long?"
Bai Ming hadn't checked the time yet. It felt like a while, but she wasn't sure exactly how much had passed.
"You have been away for over sixty system days. Even Madam Herta and the others contacted the Fanghu," Xuanquan explained briefly.
Hearing this, Bai Ming started plotting how to give her friends a surprise, though she kept a straight face.
She did a quick scan of the area below. The Vidyadhara who were undergoing their transformation had been stuck mid-process for two whole months. Only just now had they entered the final stage.
"The matter is settled. You should go look after your kin," Bai Ming said, gesturing downward.
Only then did Xuanquan notice the Vidyadhara were finally completing their molting.
"Could it be—!?"
"It's done. Go on, I have things to attend to as well."
Bai Ming needed to check in with Acheron and the others; Xuanquan needed to care for the clan.
There was no sense in wasting time on pleasantries. With that, Bai Ming ignited the Phase Flame and vanished from the Fanghu.
Xuanquan stared at the empty void for a moment before bowing deeply. Then, with a mix of excitement and urgency, the dragon returned to the ship to check on the people.
--+--
Elsewhere, Bai Ming first sent messages to Herta and Ruan Mei to announce her return.
Then, she let her consciousness sink into IX, heading toward the horizon of Nihility to see Acheron.
Messages couldn't reach Acheron's location, and while they could connect through the mini-world, Bai Ming figured a face-to-face visit was in order.
"Acheron."
Seeing Acheron sitting by the mini-world, Bai Ming appeared with a smile and called her name.
Acheron whipped her head around, and a look of pure relief washed over her face when she saw it was Bai Ming.
"The trouble is settled?"
"Yep. Sent Equilibrium packing. I don't have to worry about THEM breathing down my neck anymore."
Bai Ming nodded with satisfaction and sat down beside Acheron. Since she was already there, she wasn't in a rush to leave. She began to recount her recent experiences.
"...I see. No wonder the mini-world felt like you were in the middle of an experiment," Acheron said, finally understanding.
She hadn't expected a showdown with Equilibrium. At the same time, she was stunned.
"Wait, if that's the case, does it mean you can fully control the Path of Permanence now? Can you be called the Aeon of Permanence?"
"Pretty much. I can tap into the full power of Permanence whenever I want, and I've got a handle on most of Propagation too."
"That is... a bit staggering."
Acheron found it hard to imagine a single person commanding an entire Path. In her eyes, the power of an Emanator was already as vast as the sea.
To reach the level of an Aeon... what kind of scale was that?
Seeing Acheron's wonder, Bai Ming felt the urge to try and persuade her again—to have her accept a share of this power and become an Emanator of Permanence.
She could use Permanence to neutralize the erosion of Nihility on her selfhood. It might complicate Acheron's journey into the depths of Nihility, but at least she'd be safe.
"Acheron."
"Hmm?"
"Do you want to be my Emanator?"
Bai Ming thought it over once more before finally asking. Acheron blinked, momentarily stunned, then let out a soft laugh. She knew exactly what Bai Ming was thinking.
Whether it was Elation or Permanence, both offered strong resistance against Nihility.
But in exchange, if Acheron accepted that power, her quest within the Nihility would become far more convoluted and difficult.
She shook her head, choosing to refuse.
"..."
Bai Ming had expected as much, but she didn't lose heart. "Then what if, in the future, I manage to decipher the Path of Nihility? Would you refuse me then, too?"
Acheron smiled and reached out, playfully pinching Bai Ming's cheek. "I'll consider it when the time comes."
"Why just 'consider it'..."
"Because it's a big deal, obviously. Truthfully, I don't want you taking that risk. If you go chasing that at the expense of your own safety, I'll definitely turn you down."
Having witnessed Bai Ming's miracles, Acheron found it hard to believe, yet she was willing to trust that one day Bai Ming really might crack the code of Nihility.
Still, she felt it was too dangerous. Bai Ming was already immune to the corruption of Nihility—why wade into those murky waters?
"..."
Bai Ming pouted. Acheron was being such a hypocrite.
Look who was talking! A Self-Annihilator who spent every waking moment on the edge of the abyss was telling her not to ignore her own safety?
Between the person immune to Nihility and the one walking a tightrope over it, it was pretty clear who was in more danger.
Yet, facing Bai Ming's accusing stare, Acheron simply smiled and looked her in the eye, acting as if she didn't see the protest at all. It felt like Bai Ming was punching a cloud.
In a fit of mock-pique, Bai Ming grabbed Acheron by the shoulders, forced her to sit straight, and looked down at her.
"Hmph! You won't be allowed to refuse when the time comes. This is an Aeon's blessing—you're taking it whether you like it or not!"
"..."
Acheron looked like she wanted to say something, but Bai Ming didn't give her the chance.
She stuck her tongue out, made a face, and vanished. Acheron was left alone, letting out a helpless, slightly fond sigh.
Back in reality, Bai Ming checked her messages. Ruan Mei had an auto-reply on, saying she was in the middle of an experiment. Herta's side was even stranger; she had only sent a single "!" and nothing else.
"Maybe she's so happy she's speechless? Heh, I knew you loved me, Herta."
Bai Ming chuckled to herself.
She sent Ruan Mei a message saying she'd visit once the experiment wrapped up, then decided to head straight for Herta's place!
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL