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"Aha really has quite the gift of gab," Sylvester said, watching the crowd gathered in the center of the plaza, his voice tinged with admiration.
He looked back at Jing Yuan. "So… if you're in a hurry, I could just pull Aha out directly. Of course, if you'd rather wait until the show ends, that works too."
The words sounded casual, but to Jing Yuan, there was nothing ordinary about them.
"Shopkeeper Sylvester… is your strength really on par with an Aeon?"
Although this newly risen female Joyseeker was admittedly weak, her aura as an Aeon made anyone hesitate to treat her as an ordinary Pathstrider.
Unless he was reckless, but Sylvester was clearly not that type.
The conclusion was obvious.
He need not fear the Aeon of Elation themselves—whether Sylvester could surpass THEM remained uncertain.
"Ah, well…"
He hadn't actually fought Aha, so who could say who was stronger.
But with the effect of [Equality], he knew he would not lose.
Sylvester smiled lightly and shrugged. "Shouldn't be too far off, I guess."
"Hss~" Jing Yuan sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes widening involuntarily.
The reactions of the others were equally strong.
Especially Lingsha, thinking back to the mess she caused while opening the barrel a few days ago, and then recalling Sylvester's strength, she felt deeply embarrassed.
"No wonder..."
Her cheeks flushed slightly, a shy expression hidden in her gaze. Fortunately, the others were so shaken that they didn't notice her reaction.
"Ah… well, it's nothing too extraordinary. Hahaha."
Sylvester recalled the events of that day, feeling slightly awkward.
But thinking of Lingsha pressed tightly against him, covering his eyes…
Huh, Marshal's patience really is remarkable.
Jing Yuan and the others couldn't discern any hidden meaning in his words, and Sylvester's usual secrecy regarding his strength made it seem like he was just joking again.
But this time, they finally had a clear comparison.
Almost equal to the Aeon of Elation…
For a long time, the upper echelons of Luofu had tried desperately to determine Sylvester's true strength, but there had been no useful information.
At the very least, those bizarre golden curios hinted that his power far exceeded that of an Emanator. Whether he could reach Aeon-level had long been speculated.
Yet now, with the confirmation before his eyes, Jing Yuan still could not calmly accept it.
Especially at a moment like this.
He looked at Sylvester, then glanced at Aha in the center of the plaza, secretly wincing.
Luofu truly is a land of misfortune, having two Aeon-level beings standing here—and both seem intent on staying.
If only one of you would show mercy and take the general's position…
It would save me from all this anxiety.
"General Jing Yuan, hey, you don't seem quite yourself today."
Sylvester observed the usually composed Jing Yuan, whose face fluctuated between red and pale, seemingly lost in thought—more entertaining than Lingsha herself.
Could something be troubling him recently?
Hmm… probably Aha's doing. If no one here is distressed where THEY are, wouldn't that embarrass Aha?
Well, Sylvester could mediate that.
He gestured toward Aha. "So… want me to make a move?"
Jing Yuan stared at Sylvester as if he were about to shut down an illegal street vendor, his mind reeling.
For Sylvester, this might be a mere flick of the wrist—but the consequences for Luofu could be catastrophic.
"No need for that. We'll wait a little while."
Indeed, the number of people Guinaifen and Aha had gathered wasn't small, but after all, it was just a street performance, not a formal theater event.
There were plenty of spectators who would leave after watching, and the plaza would clear soon enough.
"Speaking of which… it's a little strange."
Lingsha, having recovered from her earlier embarrassment, still instinctively avoided Sylvester's gaze but otherwise showed little sign of abnormality.
To distract herself, she looked at Aha surrounded by the crowd and voiced her question.
"This new Joyseeker is so weak, yet reveals their identity so carelessly… aren't they afraid someone might target them?"
"The Wardance Ceremony is about to begin, and many outsiders have poured into Luofu. Among them, it's not impossible for desperate individuals—like those from the Annihilation Gang—to try and seize her top-tier Elation power, which could be harmful."
"Could it be that their true form is nearby, protecting them? If so, this clone would be rather redundant."
"Makes sense," Jing Yuan nodded.
He had considered the same question, but the behavior of an Aeon was hardly conventional—especially in the case of the Joyseeker. He didn't dwell further.
"Exactly. Aha's true form isn't here; what they're doing is indeed somewhat reckless."
Sylvester gazed at the starry sky, seemingly casually, but his probing ability was at its peak.
First, to confirm that Aha was not crouched in some corner like during their previous battles.
Second, to make sure he wasn't mistaken.
After seeing five hundred colorful clouds of energy rise among the crowd and be absorbed by Aha, he spoke slowly.
"But her actions aren't without reason. On the contrary, she's using the joy generated by the crowd to directly enhance her power. At this rate, she'll be ready for a Guinaifen-level battle in less than a month."
"And this is only the effect from a few hundred people here."
"She has this kind of ability too?" Lingsha, Yukong, and others exclaimed.
All records over thousands of years on the Xianzhou only vaguely speculated that an Aeon's strength correlates with the breadth of their Path.
But according to Sylvester, increasing the number of believers could also enhance an Aeon's power?
Unbelievable. Jing Yuan mulled over the implications.
If so… could humanity, by concentrating a sufficiently large number of believers, actually create a human as strong as an Aeon?
Not impossible!
But executing it would be extremely difficult.
Especially since most of Xianzhou's people worship the Reignbow Arbiter, leaving little fertile ground for such an endeavor.
He couldn't help but sigh. "No wonder they're an Aeon. Even the Joyseeker, their actions and plans are remarkably clever."
"Huh?"
Lingsha and the others looked at him strangely.
What does he mean by 'even the Joyseeker'?"
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