Seeing this, the elegance froze on Hu Xuan's face.
It was a rare chance for Cheng Shi to embarrass Hu Xuan. He chuckled softly:
"Is it this?"
Hu Xuan's expression turned peculiar. She frowned in thought for a mont before nodding:
"I didn't expect He'd grant this to you. That happens to align perfectly with my own idea."
"?"
Cheng Shi blinked, then imdiately grasped Hu Xuan's aning!
This Life Sage — whom he'd inadvertently propelled toward Envoy candidacy — was actually planning to give him the item Birth had entrusted to her safekeeping!
Cheng Shi stared at her in disbelief, eyes locked on her smiling gaze:
"Have you lost your mind? You want to transfer His gift and His trust?!
Aren't you afraid He'll punish you?"
"Caught on, did you?
But I'm not crazy.
You heard it yourself — He gave it to
for safekeeping. That ans I temporarily have the right of disposal. And my thod of disposal is entrusting it to a friend for preservation. That's a legitimate transfer of rights, not blasphemy.
Besides, if my Lord dared give Go Lis's belongings to , it ans He can reclaim them at any ti, no matter whose hands they're in...
Furthermore — He also gave you a shackle. So He clearly had His eye on you already.
Who's to say He didn't anticipate my decision?"
Cheng Shi's expression was complicated. He knew this was Hu Xuan returning a favor, but the thod was too reckless — it might cost her the bright path ahead.
Yet he couldn't refuse. She was clearly dead set on giving it to him.
'But sis — this might be fine for you, but it makes things hard for .'
'Who knows what Birth will think of .'
'A Deceit con man holding items belonging to a Birth Envoy, who also happens to be connected to a Corruption Envoy.'
'...Isn't this ss tangled enough already?'
Cheng Shi looked at the Umbilical Shackles in his hand and sighed softly:
"Birth is not Fate. How could He see the future?"
"And an illusion is not life. Yet why was I able to be born from a phantom sun?"
"..."
'Sis, you've changed. You were never this good at sophistry before.'
Cheng Shi understood the implication: since Birth had already seized Deceit's authority, He could just as well seize Fate's.
They shared a glance. Both read the other's thoughts perfectly. Hu Xuan smiled and nodded.
"The one in your hand is probably an ordinary Umbilical Shackle — sothing those ignorant Uma people used to deceive themselves.
What I have is a fragnt of the Sin Brood Mother Go Lis's power. On a true god, such power would be called authority. On an Envoy, it's rely a lost ability — like a Servant God Artifact."
With a gentle wave, Hu Xuan floated away the Umbilical Shackles from Cheng Shi's hand while sending her own blood-red shackle toward him.
Cheng Shi took it and examined it closely. His gaze deepened.
Sinner's Regret (SSS): Servant God Artifact. Ford from the crystallized devotion shed during the Sin Brood Mother's self-atonent.
Special Effect — Sinner Redemption: You may mark yourself and other designated targets as "Sinners." Once marked, all Sinners will be bound and suspended in the lingering resentnt He left behind, until their faith becos devout once more or soone rescues them.
Special Effect — Devout Carnival: Each ti you conceive, give birth, or cause another to conceive or give birth, you gain one opportunity to remove any target's "Sinner" mark.
Special Effect — Blaspher Doom: Any life that blasphes Birth will automatically receive a "Sinner" mark.
'Hiss—'
'This looks like a hard-control Servant God Artifact!'
'If I mark every person in sight as a Sinner... that's basically a screen-wipe!'
Cheng Shi sucked in a sharp breath and looked at Hu Xuan, wanting to confirm if the item was as broken as he imagined. She smiled and nodded:
"You're probably right. But it doesn't work on devout followers of my Lord.
You see, what the Sin Brood Mother despised most were blasphers of my Lord. She spent her entire existence punishing them on His behalf — including herself.
That's why she earned the title of my Lord's 'rod of discipline.' But the title wasn't bestowed by my Lord himself. It was an honor given by the followers who knew of Go Lis's existence across the long sweep of history.
I know you're a priest. You lack essential combat options. Even grafting others' destinies doesn't guarantee a suitable opportunity in every trial. So this should suit you well.
As for removing your own Sinner mark — if you find that troubleso, consider blowing the whistle I gave you.
I believe I have ample ability to remove as many marks as you'd like."
"..." Cheng Shi's face went rigid. He wanted to thank her for this "friendly concern," but feared his gratitude might be misinterpreted, leading to concern so excessive that it produced Cheng family descendants. So in the end, he settled for silence.
After a wordless mont, he thought it over and solemnly said: "Thank you."
Hu Xuan smiled with a graceful nod, as though she'd done sothing utterly trivial. She regarded Cheng Shi and continued:
"Honestly, a Servant God Artifact should only exist after a Servant God has fallen. Go Lis clearly vanished from the Divine Pillar, aning she's been revived — yet this Sinner's Regret hasn't disappeared.
So her current state puzzles . Combined with the trial you described, I wonder whether there's still an ongoing ga between Them — one whose outco hasn't yet materialized?"
Cheng Shi frowned, thinking Hu Xuan was right.
Birth, Corruption, and Ti were definitely locked in a ga. As for its nature — nobody but Them could know.
Even as close to Birth as Hu Xuan was, she wasn't yet the true Eternal Sun. Understanding matters to this degree was already impressive.
"You've changed. You're wiser, and far more composed."
Hu Xuan laughed. "I thought you'd say I've gotten more beautiful. Am I not?"
"..."
"I hear Aph Ros is the master of desire — the most beautiful existence among Them. Since you've t her, tell : between her and , who's more beautiful? Or... who attracts you more?"
"..."
Cheng Shi desperately wanted to temporarily Oathbreak into Silence, but after a beat, he managed a reply:
"Aph Ros is a man."
"?"
Now it was Hu Xuan's turn to be stunned.
She truly didn't know much about the opposing faith's Gate of Joyous Lust. After all, the Sin Brood Mother was herself a newly discovered Birth Envoy. Because Go Lis was obviously female, she'd subconsciously assud Aph Ros was too.
She hadn't expected Aph Ros could change gender at will.
So Cheng Shi's answer wasn't wrong — just incomplete.
Perhaps among Birth's camp, gender was irrelevant. But for ordinary, real-world players, the distinction still mattered greatly.
After a mont of bewildernt, Hu Xuan concealed her embarrassnt behind a graceful smile.
"The Night Curtain Spring Whistle's duration is limited — not suited for long chats. Next ti, I'll find a better dium to see you. When that happens... don't decline my call."
"..."
"Oh, and Cheng Shi — if you ever wish to leave behind sothing precious in this insane ga, please rember to tell
first.
I can set aside every blessing of Birth and bear for you a child of Void. You should know — I now have that ability."
"..."
Cheng Shi was numb. He'd never been this terrified of making conversation in his life.
'Sis, please stop. Every sentence you say is Void enough.'
'Even more Void than .'
Seeing Cheng Shi's awkward discomfort, Hu Xuan laughed brilliantly once more.
Her silhouette slowly dissolved as the phantom sun dimd above. At the very end, she left Cheng Shi with only this:
"Don't lose what He's given you. And also...
Rember to blow the whistle often."
Cheng Shi smiled stiffly, rooted in place. The instant the sun vanished overhead, he imdiately started shaking his head — violently — trying to dislodge every irrelevant thing he'd just heard.
'Terrifying!'
'Never want to hear anything about Birth ever again.'
...
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