Cecilia turned in surprise and found that familiar face standing right behind her.
Within the hazy glow, Yaoshi's features were as gentle as ever, almost sorrowfully compassionate. Those eyes rested on her as though looking upon a child that had once been lost and had finally been found again.
"...You're still here?" Cecilia found it a little unnerving.
She had suspected as much, but when Yaoshi really did appear again, it was still more than a little startling.
Yaoshi seemed to guess what she was thinking.
[I'm sorry. If you do not like this, I will leave from now on.]
Her voice sounded a little aggrieved, like a mother being disliked by her daughter.
Cecilia froze for a moment, then hurriedly waved her hand.
"No, no, no, that's not what I meant. I just didn't expect someone as grand as you to be this free, following me around every day."
She wasn't wrong.
Originally, she had already found Nanook's level of attention toward Kiana startling enough, but compared with Yaoshi, Nanook now looked downright restrained.
Yaoshi stepped closer and took Cecilia's hand, her face filled with concern.
[You are hurt.]
Only then did Cecilia remember the matter at hand. "Well... not really hurt, exactly?"
Phantylia's attack had certainly looked dramatic, but in terms of actual damage, it probably hadn't even made a sound.
Even Jing Yuan, who knew her identity as an Emanator of Abundance, likely wouldn't have believed she had really died just like that.
But Yaoshi clearly didn't care about such technicalities.
In the next second, Cecilia felt the hand holding hers tighten slightly.
Then a warmth almost hot enough to burn flowed in from her palm and spread through her entire body in an instant.
[There. It is all right now.]
Yaoshi released her hand and nodded in satisfaction.
Cecilia stared blankly at her own palm.
The effects had looked spectacular, but what Yaoshi had actually done was just the most basic kind of healing.
After all, when it came to blessings and gifts, Yaoshi had already given her everything she could. If she gave any more, Cecilia suspected she'd end up like the Xianzhou people and start suffering the darker consequences of mara.
"By the way, if you've really been around this whole time, then you should know what's going on with this Arbor, right?"
Cecilia asked another question.
Below them, the battle was still going on, and somehow Phantylia still hadn't been beaten into the dirt.
Relying on the power of the Ambrosial Arbor and the Stellaron, she actually looked like she might win if this kept up.
That wasn't right, was it?
Given the combat power on the Luofu's side right now, even without Cecilia stepping in, they should have been stronger than the original lineup by quite a bit. Could it be that Phantylia had taken some kind of buff?
The more Cecilia thought about it, the more plausible that seemed.
As an Emanator of Abundance, she could clearly sense the Arbor's abnormal state.
The current Ambrosial Arbor was absolutely not at its normal strength. It had boosted Phantylia to a level that even surpassed an enhanced Skaracabaz.
Cecilia considered herself second to none in the entire galaxy when it came to mastery over Abundance—except for Yaoshi herself.
So she had good reason to suspect the Arbor's changes were tied to Yaoshi.
And Yaoshi admitted it immediately.
[Yes. The changes to this Ambrosial Arbor are indeed connected to me.]
[That was a long time ago. The people of the Xianzhou prayed to me for immortality, and I gave them the Arbor.]
[But now, it seems they no longer need it. So I thought... perhaps I could elevate it and make it into a gift for you instead.]
Cecilia fell silent.
Those words nearly moved her to tears.
So Phantylia had basically stolen her upgrade material to level herself up?
"Then why didn't you just give it to me directly?" Cecilia asked.
[I was afraid you would not like it.]
Afraid she wouldn't like it? Where had that come from?
Yaoshi continued, patient as ever.
[The last time, I wanted to give you a blessing. You did not want it.]
Ah. She meant the remains of Shuhu.
Cecilia remembered now—back in the Shackling Prison, she really had rejected Yaoshi's goodwill.
For a moment, Cecilia didn't know whether to laugh or sigh.
So Yaoshi had really remembered that, and had been remembering it this whole time.
Then, as if finally making up her mind, Yaoshi plucked a leaf from herself and gently placed it in Cecilia's palm.
It was a tender, emerald-green sprout, glowing with a warm, luminous sheen, as though it contained endless Abundance within it.
[This one...]
[This time, please don't refuse me again, all right?]
Yaoshi's voice was full of hope.
Looking at her like this, Cecilia suddenly found the whole thing both funny and strangely touching.
Here was the mighty Aeon of Abundance, acting like an old mother trying to slip pocket money to her daughter while worrying she might be rejected.
"Thank you. I'll accept it."
Cecilia carefully put the sprout away.
Only then did Yaoshi explain what it was for.
[It can grant you one wish.]
Grant a wish?
[Any wish related to Abundance,] Yaoshi added.
[As long as it is something you truly desire, it can make it happen.]
This was the best gift Yaoshi could possibly give her.
When it came to authority, Cecilia, as the purest branch of Abundance, had already reached the very peak of Abundance power.
But as a mortal, there was still a limit to how much authority her existence could bear.
So Yaoshi had found a compromise.
If Cecilia could not directly accept all of her power, then Yaoshi would simply seal it into a medium and let that medium hold it for her.
After all, what had happened today had truly frightened her.
Cecilia was fine right now, yes. But Yaoshi was genuinely afraid—afraid that one day, if she weren't there, her child might be harmed by someone stronger.
Now, though, things were different.
With this gift from Yaoshi in her possession, even if Cecilia encountered Lan himself, who stood opposed to Abundance, she would at least be able to hold out long enough for Yaoshi to arrive.
If Cecilia wished, she could even use it to appoint other Emanators of Abundance herself.
[Child, I must go now.]
Cecilia blinked. "So soon?"
After all, Yaoshi had been hovering around her this whole time.
[Yes. If I remain longer, it will not be good for you.]
Not good for her?
For a moment, Cecilia didn't understand.
Did that mean something dangerous was about to happen?
But if Yaoshi was here, what kind of danger could even make her say that?
Unless—
Suddenly, an immense will descended upon the Xianzhou Luofu.
In that instant, both Cecilia's side and the battlefield in Scalegorge Waterscape fell into a brief, absolute silence.
It was the figure of a centaur.
The Aeon of the Hunt—Lan.
Following the trace of Abundance, he had descended.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 126)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter140)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter89)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter1165)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 145
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 135
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 84
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 150
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 125
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 105
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 53
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 80
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 66
Uma Musume: From Beginner 80
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 52
Uma Musume: I Want All 55
I Can Copy Unique Skills 53
Summoning an Evil God, but the 27
Supernatural Multiverse 27
My Harem Is Indescribable 26
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