Image 143: The Fall of the Saintess of a Hundred Flowers

Both of them awoke from their meditation. The Heavenly Emperor’s face was deathly pale, and Sang Sang was not in any better condition, supporting her throbbing head in pain.

“Did you forcibly absorb the Origin in the Origin Sea and get repelled?” Sang Sang asked.

The Heavenly Emperor frowned and shook his head. He took out a soul-restoring potion, took half for himself, and handed the other half to Sang Sang. “I’m not stupid enough to gorge myself in the Origin Sea. It was my external embodiment that was erased by the Origin Sea.”

Sang Sang’s eyes widened in disbelief. “How is that possible?!”

The Heavenly Emperor lowered his head, his expression grave. “I don’t know if it’s you who’s special, or if it’s me.”

“Let’s find someone else to try again.” Sang Sang pondered aloud. “The Flower Saintess managed it, and she even implanted the pulling force into a child. That child also absorbed the law of devouring. There’s no reason you can’t do it.”

“No, forget it. Let it remain a mystery. You and I are roughly the same anyway.” The Heavenly Emperor shook his head. “It’s probably because of me. I’ve been to the Origin Sea several times and always felt a slight repulsion. Those Origins don’t approach me willingly; they can only be devoured.”

Sang Sang frowned. “I felt a sense of coming home in the Origin Sea.”

Little Jin, who had been listening quietly from start to finish, interjected, “According to recorded data, under normal circumstances, the Origin Sea neither rejects nor embraces humans. Even prodigies born with the Origin laws only connect with that particular law, not the entire Origin Sea.”

Sang Sang raised an eyebrow. “So, both of us are special. The Origin Sea is drawn to me, and the Origin of Space-Time is hidden within my soul?”

The Heavenly Emperor opened his mouth but swallowed his words again.

Little Jin remarked, “The odds are about fifty-fifty.”

“Enough about the distant matters. Let’s end this topic here.” Sang Sang consumed the soul potion to soothe the pain, sank her consciousness into her spiritual sea, and continued to comprehend the laws.

The Heavenly Emperor turned to look at Sang Sang’s profile, gently tucking the wind-blown strands of her hair behind her ear, silently thinking: You work so hard you make me feel threatened.

Little Jin glanced this way and that, covering his eyes with one hand and his mouth with the other, even trying to mute the noise from his high-speed calculations, afraid of ruining the good atmosphere.

The Heavenly Emperor stared at Sang Sang for a long while, then suddenly snapped his fingers and flicked Little Jin into the grass. Stretching lazily, he said, “Exhausted. I’m going to take a nap. Don’t disturb me.” With that, he laid across Sang Sang’s legs, resting his feet on the swing’s armrest, and closed his eyes to sleep.

It was a real sleep, not merely resting or meditating.

After checking the Heavenly Emperor’s condition, Little Jin was so angry he stomped on his nose with his foot. If he had teeth, they would surely have been crushed.

Sang Sang did not open her eyes. Little Jin, having taken the reassurance mask off the Heavenly Emperor’s face, handed him the recommendation list for potential new worlds to develop: “Help me find relevant information on the Blackstone and Heavy Water worlds. The next exploration mission will be chosen from these two.”

Sena was extremely busy. The transfer of new maps to the brush and ink studio had just been completed; the breakthrough gifts sent by disciples were meticulously sorted and stored; the latest interdimensional starship retrofit had finished trial runs and handover; the Danxia faith district’s recent situation and fifty-year plan had been revised...

When accompanying the committee leader hunting, Sena received Sang Sang’s reply. He was initially surprised but quickly deemed it reasonable. Their boss had pride and embraced challenges. Though Blackstone and Heavy Water were difficult, they were among the top seventeen worlds.

However, the problem lay in the high difficulty, especially with Heavy Water. Blackstone had precedents, but Heavy Water had defeated countless experts. Previously, those wielding space-time laws attempted the challenge, but all failed. Sena worried the boss might be blinded by the allure of space-time.

Sena came to see Sang Sang with concern and happened to overhear Little Jin narrate secrets of the Heavy Water world — some unknown even to him. He listened attentively, occasionally glancing at Sang Sang.

Strange.

Normally, after a breakthrough, one’s vigor should soar. Last time, she lacked vitality, likely from overexerting herself on painting. Even after many days of rest, she still seemed weak. Should they call a doctor?

Sena’s intense gaze made itself known. When Little Jin finished his explanation, Sang Sang, who had been resting with closed eyes, opened them. Their eyes met, and suddenly her vitality surged dramatically. Though she showed no external projection of her cultivation, countless ripples of law burst forth from within her.

The wind roared, clouds swirled above, and energy swept the surroundings, forming a giant brush that crashed down like thunder and lightning.

Sang Sang sat quietly without moving. Flowers and grass around her were shredded by the energy storm, leaving the swing’s ropes and board bare.

“Sang Sang, what’s happening? Why such a commotion?” A space rift opened nearby, and the Heavenly Emperor peeked through, looking around. Through the tear, Kane’s silhouette was faintly visible.

“Unprecedentedly good.” Sang Sang stood in the eye of the storm, waving her hand. The Heavenly Emperor, far off, was thrown back, and the torn space repaired itself.

Sena was about to speak when his face suddenly changed. He received a message.

The Flower Saintess was dead.

White Star was dead!

Sena was stunned, thinking he must have read it wrong. He reviewed the message repeatedly. The brief note left no room for confusion: The Flower Saintess had fallen, her soul utterly shattered, so completely destroyed that not even a strand of hair remained to be gathered by the divine tomb.

What happened?

Though the situation was dire and injuries complicated, it had remained stable without worsening. Was there some unexpected accident?

Sena was baffled and conflicted but forcefully suppressed his strange emotions. Seeing Sang Sang’s recent display, her face flushed and eyes brightened, clearly in excellent condition, he no longer worried about her illness.

“Has Your Highness made a final decision? In my opinion, the Blackstone star region has higher value. Emperor Anthony will assist with the Five Elements Origin issues. You lack the cultivation to mediate, but you can borrow the Five Elements artifact. I happen to know whom to ask. The chance of borrowing is about seventy to eighty percent. By comparison, Heavy Water’s uncertainties are too great. Better to wait until you condense the space-time Origin before going.”

“Heavy Water,” Sang Sang said firmly. “The Eye of Space-Time guides me. There will be surprises there.”

“Alright.” Though concerned Sang Sang might be overambitious and waste time, Sena resolved to fully support his boss’s resolve. “The Heavy Water world entered the shortlist after a senior student from the Divine Academy petitioned Red Leaf City, claiming its connection to space-time. Verification confirmed this. Since you’ve decided to go, do you want to meet that student?”

“Sure...” Sang Sang’s words barely finished when a long, heavy bell tolled in the air. According to the temple’s regulations, this signified the death of a senior temple figure.

One toll means the fallen was a senior god official, below the level of archbishop or elder, such as a district bishop or chief saint son or daughter.

Sena murmured, “It’s White Star. Already confirmed can’t be resurrected. Completely fallen.”

(End of excerpt. To be continued.)