After Sunday finished speaking, he was already prepared to fight Fu Zhu. However, even after he had assumed his stance, Fu Zhu simply maintained his posture of leaning on [Yamato], showing not the slightest intention of launching an attack.
This actually surprised Sunday. Previously, when Fu Zhu fought, his desire to attack was very strong. Why was he so 'laissez-faire' now?
Unable to suppress the confusion in his heart, Sunday asked, "Are you not going to make a move?"
"Don't rush." Fu Zhu opened the minimap with a smile and took a glance. "I promised someone not long ago that I'd bring her along to beat you up. I've already said the words; I can't go back on them at the last minute, right?"
Sunday's heart sank involuntarily. He calculated in his mind which big shots he had provoked who were also acquainted with Fu Zhu. Thinking it over, there were only those two from the Company—the Ten Stonehearts—and Acheron.
Regardless of which one it was, they were tough nuts to crack, not to mention that Fu Zhu was also present.
He couldn't wait any longer!
Sunday made a prompt decision and manipulated the gigantic shell to raise its right hand. The index finger pointed diagonally at the sky, and he began to chant in a resonant voice.
"On the first day, let there be..."
Before he could finish speaking, a feather slowly drifted down from the sky, landing on his fingertip. Immediately after, more feathers drifted down in a chaotic dance.
Accompanying the rain of feathers falling on the scene, a melodious singing voice turned from distant to near. Very quickly, that pleasant singing voice also reached the ears of Fu Zhu and the others.
"We rise together as our destiny unfolds."
(As destiny unfolds, let us face the battle together.)
Fu Zhu turned his head to look into the air behind him. At some point, Robin stood on an oval platform, singing high in the sky. Snow-white feathers drifted down chaotically, landing beside them as well.
Fu Zhu reached out and caught one of them. The feather melted in his palm like a snowflake. Immediately following that was the sound of a steam whistle. A slightly illusory Astral Express broke through the dimension and drove through the vast starry sky above everyone's heads.
"Robin..."
Seeing Robin appear on Fu Zhu's side, Sunday couldn't help but fall silent.
"Robin, do you also acknowledge their ideals?"
Robin looked at Sunday with a slightly sorrowful gaze, but the singing in her mouth did not stop.
Fu Zhu smiled casually, raised the [Yamato] in his hand, and pointed it straight at Sunday.
"Sunday, no matter the status, no matter the race, people have the right to make choices, not to follow the ideals of you alone. Forced immersion in the sweet dream of [Order]... at the very least, the sweet dream of Penacony definitely does not belong to [Order]!"
As the words fell, Fu Zhu raised his blade and charged toward Sunday. But before he had taken two steps, he suddenly realized the scenery in front of him had changed. Furthermore, in front of him was no longer the massive body of the Divine Lord Sunday, but a deity with a deep blue body and three faces.
Fu Zhu slowly stopped his charging steps. Frowning, he looked up at the deity in front of him. On the minimap, a title was clearly marked.
[Harmony • Xipe]
He looked down at him with a face full of smiles. For some reason, Fu Zhu could vaguely feel that Xipe seemed very happy at this moment.
Fu Zhu stared at Xipe with some confusion. He waited for a good while, but the other party made no movement. He didn't communicate with himself, nor did he come to grant blessings. He just stared at him like that.
"Do you... need something?"
Fu Zhu truly couldn't figure out His thoughts, only gripping the [Yamato] in his hand vigilantly.
Xipe stared at Fu Zhu for a good while, and finally, He spoke. However, His voice sounded like men, women, the elderly, and children all mixed together—indistinguishable.
"No need to be nervous. I like you."
Fu Zhu, who originally wasn't particularly nervous, instantly tensed up upon hearing this.
Was he being confessed to by an Aeon?
Xipe didn't mind Fu Zhu's tension, but continued to speak on His own.
"There have been quite a few people with multiple destinies in this universe. They are all able to contain multiple Paths barely through [Equilibrium]."
"But you are different. Your body can contain everything in the world. [Elation], [Trailblaze], [Erudition], [Destruction], [Finality]... clearly they are all gathered within your body, yet they operate independently. It is as if there are different emotions on one person. You let me see a completely distinct [Harmony]."
Hearing Xipe's words, Fu Zhu couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. According to Xipe's phrasing, could it be that He can represent all Paths in the universe?
Thinking carefully, Steve indeed could embody all Paths.
After being attacked by a monster, wanting revenge corresponds to [The Hunt].
Immersed in researching Redstone technology corresponds to [Erudition].
Having no purpose, simply destroying for the sake of destruction corresponds to [Destruction]. Things like that—these are all representations of Steve.
Although interpreted this way, Fu Zhu felt it was a bit forced, but the Paths in this world are inherently a philosophical concept. Looking at it this way, it could be considered reasonable.
However, why was Xipe saying these things to him?
Fu Zhu met Xipe's gaze with confusion. He saw the confusion in His eyes and smiled as He continued to explain.
"I want to witness in you. To contain all, and become the only [The One]."
Xipe raised a finger. From the puzzle pieces that were originally pieced together on His body, one automatically detached and flew toward Fu Zhu, hovering right in front of him, awaiting his choice.
Fu Zhu hesitated for a moment, then extended his left hand. The puzzle piece automatically fell into Fu Zhu's hand, turning into a stream of light that merged into his body.
[Obtained: Power of Harmony Path Level IV]
[Power of Harmony Path Level IV: Consume 1 Level of Experience per second to enter [Chorus] state. In this state, consume Experience Points to use partial Commands. Experience Level must be lower than 150. Unable to activate; Promoted to Envoy of Harmony]
Level IV blessing?!
Seeing the system notification that suddenly popped up, Fu Zhu couldn't help but look up at Xipe strangely. This was the first time, aside from the Ender Dragon, that he had directly obtained a Path Blessing of Level III or higher!
According to his own deductions regarding the various Levels of Path Power: Level 1 is equivalent to an ordinary Pathstrider, Level 2 is far beyond ordinary but inferior to an Envoy, and Level 3 benchmarks the Envoys of each Path.
Then what is Level 4?
The remark on the system stated that he was still an Envoy of Harmony, which meant that he was only one step away from becoming the Aeon of Harmony?
Fu Zhu looked at Xipe with some disbelief and asked, "Why are you being so generous?"
The smile remained on Xipe's face, which was missing a large puzzle piece. He suddenly took a step toward Fu Zhu. With every step He took, His figure shrank by a few fractions. By the time He reached Fu Zhu, He was only as tall as Fu Zhu.
He extended his right hand and placed it on Fu Zhu's left hand, which was still held up.
"The answer, I have already stated. I want to see if you can contain everything in the world and become [The One]."