Ruan Mei slowly stepped back and asked softly.
"Firefly. I've analyzed your Entropy Loss Syndrome. If you give up using SAM's power entirely, you might live longer."
Firefly was silent for a moment. Then she shook her head.
Ruan Mei sighed softly.
"Such a stubborn, earnest girl. Very well. From now on, your entropy loss will progress at half its current rate."
Hearing this, Firefly's eyes curved like crescent moons, hope flickering within them. She nodded politely to Ruan Mei in gratitude.
"Thank you, Madam Ruan Mei. That's more than enough for me. But... I'm a Stellaron Hunter. Why did you choose to help me?"
"You ask why I helped you? Because of Herta and Silver Wolf?"
"Yes."
Ruan Mei smiled faintly.
"In several Amber Eras, almost no one except Polka has actively chosen to be Herta's opponent."
"The conflict between Herta and Silver Wolf is nothing more than childish squabbling. Or perhaps Herta simply enjoys seeing Silver Wolf cry and whine."
"It helps her pass the boring hours when she's not conducting research."
Even steady Firefly couldn't help but smile awkwardly at this.
Silver Wolf cares so much about getting revenge on Herta... and Herta just sees her as a way to pass the time? If Silver Wolf ever finds out...
Firefly shuddered at the thought. She was genuinely afraid Silver Wolf might do something foolish.
"So... there's no real enmity between you and us Stellaron Hunters. Is that right?"
Ruan Mei nodded slightly. Firefly pressed on.
"Then... did you help me because of Stelle?"
Ruan Mei was silent for a moment. Then she shook her head.
"She never asked me to find you or save you."
Firefly froze. A flicker of disappointment dimmed her bright eyes.
"Then... how can I repay you now?"
Ruan Mei produced the flawless crystal fragment.
Firefly suddenly noticed that the fragment hidden in her sleeve was also radiating a prismatic, flawless light.
It's identical to the fragment Elio told me to find?! Was this within his predictions too?
I'll try it.
Firefly stepped forward and placed the two fragments together. In an instant, they merged into one whole—though many pieces were still missing.
"Five left."
"Madam Ruan Mei... what is this?"
Ruan Mei shook her head helplessly.
"I don't know either."
---
The moment Ruan Mei dismissed the barrier, a bolt of etherically constructed quantum energy shot directly toward her.
Bam.
Firefly instantly transformed into SAM and instinctively shielded Ruan Mei.
Silver Wolf's eye twitched. She stared at Firefly in utter disbelief.
"Ah?! Firefly, have you lost your mind?!"
"Silver Wolf. Madam Ruan Mei is Stelle's friend. And she's slowed my Entropy Loss by half."
Silver Wolf froze, staring at Ruan Mei in shock.
"Firefly, get over here! Geniuses like Ruan Mei don't help people for no reason, even if she knows Stelle!"
Firefly shook her head.
"Silver Wolf. I already gave her the fragment."
Silver Wolf gritted her teeth. That fragment—even she couldn't fully comprehend it. Flawless. Mysterious.
Finally, she lowered her weapon.
"Sigh. Fine. One fragment for half your entropy loss slowed. Not a bad trade."
Ruan Mei warned softly.
"You two have three minutes. Herta has already returned to the Jade Gate."
Firefly grabbed Silver Wolf and vanished in an instant.
---
When Herta returned with the starskiff, she looked around, confused.
"Hmm? That strange but familiar aura again. Has someone been here?!"
Ruan Mei found Tingyun's "belongings" inside the starskiff. A broken, incomplete folding fan. A jade bracelet. A bell. And a foxian bow.
"Two of Stelle's friends."
Herta frowned.
"Oh? The Stellaron brat's friends?!"
Ruan Mei nodded. Herta stepped forward and stared at her intently.
Neither of them looked away.
"Stellaron Hunters?"
Ruan Mei didn't answer. She silently sorted out Tingyun's last possessions.
Herta gritted her teeth. Praise me!! Just praise me already!! I'm questioning you so you'll change the subject and praise me!
"Ruan Mei. Stellaron Hunters are a bunch of ruthless criminals."
"Oh."
"Ruan Mei. Anyone else trying to find this starskiff might take ten thousand years and still fail."
Ruan Mei smoothed a strand of hair and met Herta's gaze directly.
"But you're not anyone else."
Then she offered Herta a plum blossom cake.
Herta blinked. She instinctively interpreted this as: Ruan Mei means I'm not just "anyone else." I'm not an outsider.
That's why she trusts me unconditionally. And this plum cake is my reward.
Herta feigned composure with a cough.
"Ahem. Ruan Mei. When are we leaving the Xianzhou?"
Ruan Mei was silent. There were still five flawless crystal fragments to collect. And Feixiao's wish remained unfulfilled.
"After we celebrate Yukong's birthday. And after you fulfill your promise to little Bailu."
"Oh!! I remember now. That Taoran guy. I need to have a little 'chat' with him on Bailu's behalf."
---
An hour later, at the Scalegorge Waterscape.
Dragonfang Taoran glared at Herta, Bailu, and Ruan Mei.
"Wretches! What do you think you're doing?! I am a Vidyadhara Dragonfang of the Luofu! How dare you show me such disrespect?!"
Herta smiled contemptuously.
"Dragonfang? Just another insect—easily crushed."
Bailu gave a light snort.
"Dragonfang. Never thought you'd see a day like this. Madam Herta, Madam Ruan Mei—leave him alive. Let me send him off with one swing of my tail."
Taoran, already furious, gestured to the Cloud Knights behind him. They crushed Calming Pills.
"You!! You!! Infuriating! Leave no one alive—including the Vidyadhara Dragon Lady, Bailu!"
The Cloud Knights transformed into Abundance remnants, their power far exceeding that of ordinary remnants.
Bailu instinctively hid behind Ruan Mei.
"No way! Why do these Abundance leaves have more health than normal mobs?!"
"Taoran. These are your final pawns?"
Taoran burst into manic laughter.
"Indeed!! These were all elite Cloud Knights in life. Some have been tempered by these pills for a thousand years! You—"
Bam.
Herta summoned her magic key and casually erased every Abundance remnant. Before they could even rise and regenerate, they were reduced to dust.
Taoran froze. His final trump card... so pathetically weak. They couldn't even survive a single second.
"You... you're not even human!! Inhuman!! These were the fruits of a thousand years of my labor!"
"Gone... in an instant?!"
Herta sighed.
"Sigh. Too weak. I'd erase you too, but that wouldn't fully satisfy Bailu."
"You!! Infuriating!!"
Taoran fainted from rage.
With a thought, Ruan Mei froze him awake.
"Freezing!! Infuriating!!"
Then Herta unleashed her "magic."
Bam.
"This old man is done for!!"
Bam.
...
Each time Taoran was on the verge of annihilation, Ruan Mei and Bailu would save him—only for the cycle to repeat.
Taoran had lost all hope. The light in his eyes was gone.
His life flashed before him. Scheming against others. Summoning Shuhu. Driving a wedge between the High-cloud Quintet. Dividing the Vidyadhara from the Xianzhou natives.
Summoning Phantylia. Releasing Hoolay...
His crimes were numerous. His heart was deserving of death. His virtue was corrupt and evil.