As they wandered through the city of Berhais, the Venerable of the Ethereal Sky, Iselabeth, seized the Star-Hunting Venerable, Zendaya—who had been attempting to flee.
When facing an opponent of such overwhelmingly superior strength, escape becomes the only viable option; one's status must be cast aside. After all, vanity, arrogance, and dignity will not save one from an inevitable death.
"How are you, Star-Hunting Venerable Zendaya? Why are you so anxious? I harbor no ill intent toward you, truly. Did you honestly think that the ruse you and my son, the Great Creation Venerable Yuto, concocted would fool me?"
The tone of the Ethereal Sky Venerable, Iselabeth, remained calm as she gazed at the terrified Star-Hunting Venerable, Zendaya, holding her with an unyielding grip that rendered any escape impossible.
Star-Hunting Venerable Zendaya cast a desperate glance toward the Final Domain Venerable, Ping Tao-xin—who feigned complete ignorance of her—as well as the Lotus Blossom Venerable, Jihao Yuxuan, who did the same.
Ultimately, the Ethereal Sky Venerable, Iselabeth, surpassed both of them in every conceivable aspect. With a lifespan spanning over three full eras—and nearing the threshold of a fourth—any attempt to intervene would have been a foolish and perilous endeavor, offering them absolutely no benefit. The Venerable Jalil Barakat Sama'a Izlabith continued, her tone leaving the Venerable Star-Hunter Zendaya looking visibly shocked:
"Strange—I have never heard of your 'Wing' among the others. A 'Hunter' Wing? Is it a recent offshoot of the Hunter lineage, or something else entirely?"
The Venerable Star-Hunter Zendaya remained silent for several seconds before replying:
"Well, you know how new 'serial' Wings emerge from time to time. After all, there were once only fourteen, but now there are so many that no one even knows the exact count—isn't that right?"
The Venerable Jalil Barakat Sama'a Izlabith studied her for a few moments before turning away. The Venerable Star-Hunter Zendaya felt a mix of immense relief and lingering unease, her gaze drifting toward the Venerable Patch—the last one, Bing Tao Xin—who had betrayed her in a single instant.
As she stood up and brushed off her clothes, she was caught off guard when the Venerable Jalil Barakat Sama'a Izlabith reached out and pinched her ear with clear annoyance, leaving her utterly bewildered.
"Venerable Star-Hunter Zendaya, wear attire befitting your station as a Venerable. Revealing clothing is for harlots, or for those desperate to catch the eyes of men. Is that clear?"
The tone of the Venerable Jalil Barakat Sama'a Izlabith was firm, prompting the Venerable Star-Hunter Zendaya to nod in agreement. Ultimately, in the environment where the Venerable Jalil, Blessing of the Heavens of Izlabith, lived, slaves and concubines wore revealing attire, whereas the garments of masters and monarchs covered their bodies completely.
With a snap of her fingers, her own clothing transformed into a red dress that fully enshrouded her, leaving nothing exposed. The Venerable Jalil, Blessing of the Heavens of Izlabith, offered a faint smile as she watched her.
She then patted the head of the Venerable Zendaya, the Star-Hunter, and remarked:
"Beauty does not lie in revealing clothing. A woman with an alluring figure does not belong to everyone; true possession is reserved only for those who are worthy—only they may touch or behold such a form. A precious gem is not for everyone to own, whereas common charcoal is something anyone can obtain."
The Venerable Zendaya, the Star-Hunter, listened intently to the words of the Venerable Jalil, Blessing of the Heavens of Izlabith.
Zendaya let out a deep sigh as the Venerable Jalil withdrew her hand from her head. The two continued on their way, exchanging occasional remarks.
As they wandered through the city of Barhais, the Venerable Jalil, Blessing of the Heavens of Izlabith, came to a halt, her gaze falling upon Jiya, who was walking alone.
A subtle smile graced her lips as she mused to herself in a calm, quiet tone:
"It seems this 'nameless fragment' has grown even more perplexed than it was millions of years ago, back when it was merely an essence bound to Yuto." She continued on her way immediately, without saying another word, heading out of the city of Berhais, where there were tasks they needed to attend to.
Some time later, having left the city of Berhais, the Venerable "Heavenly Blessing of the Skies" Izlabith spoke in a calm, measured tone:
"Very well, there is something I wish to tell you both. The War of the Paths is fast approaching—only 503 years, 5 months, and 9 days remain. As for you two—Venerable 'Last Board' Bing Tao Xin and Venerable 'Star Hunter' Zendaya—you both still reside within the Fourth Wing. You must reach the Fifth Level within the next 500 years. The coming three years will not be suitable for advancing your wings, but beyond that, you must prepare yourselves thoroughly."
Neither Venerable "Last Board" Bing Tao Xin nor Venerable "Star Hunter" Zendaya uttered a word; they knew all too well how swiftly time passes and that they had to be ready.
In contrast, the Venerable "Lotus Flower" Jihao Yuxuan awaited the war with eager anticipation, his mind drifting back to something Yuta had said when they were in the city of Yuspeakers.
Flashback
"Isn't this question more significant? Have you ever wondered why your wing is slightly darker in its second half?" A look of bewilderment crossed Jihao Yuxuan's face. Yuta snapped his fingers, revealing his true form: a man with striking, well-proportioned features, waist-length crimson-pink hair tied into a ponytail, and eyes with lotus-shaped irises. He wore a *hanfu* that blended charcoal black with deep crimson.
Yuta also revealed his true form, offering a faint, subtle smile:
"Would you like to know a thing or two that might prove useful to you in the future? Consider it an equivalent exchange."
Jihao Yuxuan—the Venerable Lotus—narrowed his eyes as he listened. Yuta was a cunning, ancient fox, the type who would stop at nothing to serve his own interests.
Still, there was no harm in hearing him out; Jihao Yuxuan could easily kill him if he chose to—and, in fact, Yuta would be a welcome target across the other twenty-five Paths, should the need arise to eliminate the Emperor of the Sovereign Path.
However, Yuto's confident gaze left him puzzled. As an embodiment of the "Ruler Path," Yuto possessed a Level 9 form of immortality; his death would mean the annihilation of the Ruler Path itself, which in turn would cause the collapse and destabilization of the story—the very novel Yuto found himself trapped within.
While the master of a path can replace a lost path, the death of both the master and the path would trigger a catastrophic imbalance—a fact of which the Venerable Lotus Flower, Jihao Yuxuan, was unaware. The same principle applied to the guardians of the Sacred Existence Tree, whose betrayal had once forced Yuxuan to detonate his own essence and regress to the moment of his birth.
"I'm listening, Yuto. Yes, as you said, the power of my 'wings' surged suddenly over 30,000 years ago."
Yuto snapped his fingers, and a beautiful table appeared, complete with a teapot, two exquisite glass cups, and an assortment of delicious sweets.
Yuto gestured for the Venerable Lotus Flower, Jihao Yuxuan, to take a seat. Both sat down in silence.
Yuto poured tea for himself and for Jihao Yuxuan, a faint smile playing on his lips:
"Don't worry—it's not poisoned. I'm not a 'Venerable Poison-Maker,' after all."
He handed a cup to Yuxuan, cutting off any chance for him to speak, then continued in a calm, steady tone:
"The reason for your surge in power is that the master of the 'Death Path'—BO 00 01—and I have once again become a single entity. Consequently, the fragments of the Ruler Path embedded within each of your wings have merged with the fragments of the Death Path." Venerable Lotus Blossom Jihao Yuxuan's eyes narrowed as he listened to Yuta, and he remarked with a hint of surprise:
"Once again? Were you all part of the same whole in the past?"
Yuta nodded in agreement and replied:
"Yes. The Master of the Death Path—BO 00 01—and the other Path Masters were all once contained within a single entity. So, have you figured out how to evolve your Aspect to the ultimate Level 5?"
A cunning smile spread across Venerable Lotus Blossom Jihao Yuxuan's face as he sipped his tea:
"So, I must kill the other Venerables who possess the same Aspect from different paths, and collect the fragments of those paths to ascend to the final level."
Yuta picked up a piece of candy, ate it, and took a sip of his tea:
"Precisely, Venerable Lotus Blossom Jihao Yuxuan. That is one way to do it—and it shouldn't be too difficult for you. Take my Aunt Kyunai, for instance: after reaching Level 5 in her 'Hunter 27' Aspect, she had to eliminate the masters of the sub-Aspects to secure her own, and then go on to kill those who held the same Aspect from other paths to reach the ultimate level."
Venerable Lotus Blossom Jihao Yuxuan's eyes narrowed further as he listened. In a calm, composed tone, he asked:
"What is it that you want from me? It is time you told me what you are asking for, Great Creation Venerable Yuto." Yuta's smile turned cold as he listened to Jihao Yuxuan:
"Well, there are only 504 years left until the start of the War of the Paths, and 600 years until the end of the 15th Era—the 'Era of Beginning and End.' After that, we will transition into the 1st Era of the First End, known as the 'End of the Beginning Origin.'"
Jihao Yuxuan, the Venerable of the Lotus Blossom, looked on with growing bewilderment, trying to discern Yuta's true intentions:
"I am aware of that, but what are you driving at?"
"I want to assist you in the coming war—for you to fight alongside me and advance your 'Domain' to the Absolute Level. Furthermore, we are set to convene at the Supreme Venerable Union Palace two centuries from now; I require your help—and perhaps some assistance in eliminating certain other Venerables. You are free to refuse, but know that your chances of survival along any other path are effectively zero."
End of flashback.
He mused to himself, his inner voice calm and steady:
"Not much time remains, yet it will be enough for me to elevate my Domain to the Absolute Level. 504 years—that's hardly any time at all."
"What I stand to gain, however, will be immensely valuable. Still, there remains a real possibility that I could perish during the War of the Paths. *Haa... hoo...* No matter. There is still ample time to prepare myself to face adversaries—up to 25 entities, each possessing power equal to or greater than my own—should any other Lotus Blossom Domain masters from the past still be alive." The Venerable of the Sky-Blessing, Elizabeth, turned her gaze toward him. Speaking in a calm tone, she dismantled all his plans before he could even begin to execute them:
"If you are contemplating evolving your 'Wing' to the Absolute level, then you are nothing but a fool."
"Your 'Wing'—and that of the final Board Venerable, Ping Tao Xin—are unique phenomena. They have not manifested along other paths because they are intrinsically tied to the very nature of your own existences. The same applies to Yuta Caseral, as well as the remaining fifteen 'fragments'—individuals like Gowther MacIntyre, Christian Leon, Inuyasha, and Nicholas. Consequently, the path you must take to reach the Absolute is entirely different—a path unknown even to me, as the existence of such 'Wings' is exceedingly rare."
As he listened to Elizabeth, the Venerable of the Lotus, Jihao Yuxuan, narrowed his eyes. He realized that he had been, in a sense, partially deceived by Yuta Caseral.
After all, Yuta possessed a vast wealth of knowledge; having lived for fifty million years in his previous life and participated in the 'War of the Paths,' it stood to reason that he would be privy to such information.
It was knowledge that Jihao Yuxuan—the Venerable of the Lotus—had lacked, though perhaps that was always intended to be the case.
Meanwhile, the final Board Venerable, Ping Tao Xin, was struck by a silent shock. He discovered that he was incapable of evolving his 'Wing' to the Absolute level—yet he did not dwell on it for long, as he had not even reached the fifth rank, let alone attained the level required to worry about the Absolute. Zendaya the Star-Hunter laughed at them with clear mockery, prompting Jalil Barakat Sama'a Izlabith to speak in a calm, measured tone:
"Have you forgotten that you will be an adversary to the Queen of the Keonai Hunters—a figure who reached the absolute pinnacle of power two eras ago?"
Zendaya the Star-Hunter's expression darkened instantly; she threw her arms around Jalil Barakat Sama'a Izlabith and pleaded:
"Auntie Jalil Barakat Sama'a Izlabith, please—ask the Queen of the Keonai Hunters not to kill me! I beg you!"
Jalil Barakat Sama'a Izlabith offered a wry smile, amused by the other's flair for dramatics, and replied in a calm voice:
"There is no need for me to speak to her. Ultimately, what matters is that you manage to stay alive for the next three years. From what I've heard, there is a certain..."
For a fleeting fraction of a second, the expression on the face of the Venerable Star-Hunter Zendaya shifted—turning cold and murderous—before instantly reverting to a charming, pleading look. She reached out and gently pinched the cheeks of the Venerable Heaven's Blessing, Islabeth.
Turning away, she cast a glance toward the Venerable Last Patch, Ping Tao Xin, and the Venerable Lotus Blossom, Jihao Yuxuan. Both men watched her with calm gazes that barely masked a clear, mocking amusement directed at the Venerable Star-Hunter Zendaya.
As she headed back toward the city of Berhais, she remarked:
"I've changed my mind. Isn't it better to just enjoy ourselves? Whatever is destined to happen will happen; we simply need to adapt and turn it to our own advantage."
Neither the Venerable Lotus Blossom, Jihao Yuxuan, the Venerable Last Patch, Ping Tao Xin, nor the Venerable Star-Hunter Zendaya offered a reply; they understood exactly what she meant.
The following day promised to be an entertaining spectacle—a play that would completely upend the Human Empire and fundamentally alter how the world's inhabitants perceived the great powers.
As they wandered through the city of Berhais once more, they crossed paths with Chloe and Madeline, who were busy playing games at the Summer Festival. They embraced the Venerable Celestial Blessing, Elizabeth, with radiant smiles and immense joy—a sentiment she warmly returned. Afterward, they stepped back to converse with the Venerable Lotus Blossom, Jihao Yuxuan, and the Venerable Final Domain, Pingtao Xin.
"How are you both, my dear elder brothers—Venerable Lotus Blossom, Jihao Yuxuan, and Venerable Final Domain, Pingtao Xin? You both look absolutely wonderful!"
Chloe's voice brimmed with happiness as she gazed at them, and in response, they both reached out to pat the girls' hair.
Venerable Final Domain, Pingtao Xin, spoke as he drew two exquisite necklaces from his dimensional space:
"I hope these please you, my charming ladies. Please, accept this humble gift."
Chloe and Madeleine looked at the necklaces with calm, curious expressions before putting them on—a sight that drew a soft, gentle laugh from the Venerable Celestial Blessing, Elizabeth.
As for the Venerable Star-Hunter, Zendaya, she had departed long ago, preferring to spend some time alone, away from the others.
"They look beautiful on you both, Chloe and Madeleine."
The Venerable Celestial Blessing, Elizabeth, spoke with such genuine praise that both Chloe and Madeleine were filled with delight.
They joyfully embraced the Venerable Final Domain, Pingtao Xin, who laughed as he remarked:
"I am so glad that my gift pleased you both." The Venerable "Heavenly Pool" Elizabeth snapped her fingers, casting a calm, subtly admonishing glance toward Chloe and Madeline—a silent prompt that drew them to her side.
Meanwhile, the Venerable "Last Patch" Bing Tao-Xin avoided her sharp gaze, masking his true thoughts behind the benevolent smile of a doting father, while the Venerable "Lotus Blossom" Jihao Yuxuan chuckled to himself.
They continued on their way, immersing themselves in the joyful atmosphere of the summer festival. Chloe and Madeline spent the hours delighting in the festival games, while the Venerable "Last Patch" Bing Tao-Xin busied himself collecting various trinkets—his favorite pastime.
Throughout the day, the Venerable "Lotus Blossom" Jihao Yuxuan and the Venerable "Heavenly Pool" Elizabeth kept a watchful eye on Chloe and Madeline.