The act of ti traveling is inherently risky, so Scarlett Jennings notified Magnolia Hearne and Donovan Jennings in advance.
Magnolia and Donovan were worried, but since Scarlett had made up her mind, they expressed their support.
Then it was ti to activate the Soul Tree.
Eight Elders of the Hearne Clan set up an Array around the Soul Tree, with Scarlett Jennings, Samuel Chalrs, and Susan standing under the tree within the Array.
Scarlett’s palm gently touched the Soul Tree, connecting her consciousness to the tree’s essence.
Upon connecting with the tree’s primordial power, she sent Samuel and Susan into her Mind Domain.
The Domain unfolded.
The Four Symbols Barrier unfolded.
The Soul Bell on the tree vibrated, casting invisible ripples that penetrated the Domain, creating a ti-breaking passage within it.
Scarlett Jennings, Samuel Chalrs, and Susan exchanged glances and finally stepped into the passage.
And this was rely the beginning.
Beyond the Domain, Emily Hearne was continuously channeling demonic power into the Soul Tree, ensuring they accurately arrive at the desired ti period, which required sustaining the force to extend the passage back in ti.
Magnolia watched from the side as Emily’s demonic power rapidly depleted; her originally snowy hair gradually lost its luster, and her skin visibly aged.
Magnolia’s heart trembled. She wanted to step in, but Aaron Hearne held her back.
"Don’t disturb her. She wouldn’t do anything to harm Scarlett."
Magnolia was filled with mixed emotions.
She wasn’t worried that Emily would harm Scarlett again. She just hadn’t expected Emily would deplete her own demonic power so much for Scarlett.
But upon reflection, opening a passage to the past wasn’t easy, even with the Soul Tree’s power.
Magnolia just didn’t understand why Emily would go to such lengths.
After successfully sending Scarlett Jennings’ consciousness into the passage, Emily provided the answer.
She said,
"Finding the Phoenix Divine Soul is insignificant to and the Hearne Clan, but this journey may be where her opportunity lies."
Scarlett Jennings had lacked a breakthrough after manifesting her Nine-tailed form, and Emily had tried various thods.
Seeking the opportunity for the Ten-tailed form in a ti traveled past was one of her considerations.
But she hadn’t made up her mind—until Scarlett brought it up, and Emily knew the timing was right.
Scarlett’s opportunity indeed lay in the past.
And so, the eight Elders of the Hearne Clan willingly helped.
Magnolia was surprised by Emily’s answer, yet not surprised.
After all, sothing that could make her mother deplete her demonic power and ntal energy so much was only for the future of the Hearne Lineage.
She should have known.
But she sincerely thanked her, "Thank you, Mother."
Emily now had her back to her, slightly turned her head, her face and emotions unclear, rely saying in a distant voice,
"I did it not for her, nor for you. You don’t need to thank ."
Magnolia felt a lump in her throat, stifled with frustration, saying only,
"I’ll thank you anyway. If you don’t want to hear it, pretend you didn’t."
Emily seed to let out a soft hum.
Magnolia faintly saw her aging skin as she slightly turned her head. Sensing her gaze, Emily turned away.
Raising her hand, she stepped into her Mind Domain, leaving only a final statent before disappearing,
"From today on, I’ll be in seclusion—don’t bother ."
After speaking, she vanished without a trace.
Magnolia pursed her lips, looked down, lost in thought.
Donovan Jennings refocused on the Soul Tree, having awakened his Demon Vein and manifested his Soul Bell, but it hadn’t rung during these two years.
Donovan was indifferent about it. He had more important things to do than these concerns.
And now, those important matters included one more thing.
Which was—
Waiting for Scarlett and Samuel to return.
...
anwhile, having entered her Domain and reverted to her original appearance, Emily Hearne belatedly rembered what she had forgotten to tell them.
The temporal channel ford through her demonic power depletion for Scarlett Jennings was not three thousand years ago.
But six thousand years ago.
Six thousand years ago was when it all began.
*
The experience of traversing through ti with one’s consciousness was unpleasant.
Scarlett Jennings felt her consciousness in chaos, and upon opening her eyes, sensed a chill all over.
Bitingly cold wind blew in from the window, and Scarlett lay on the icy floor, staring wide-eyed at the female ghost floating in front of her.
"Who are you? Why are you in my body?"
The female ghost, or rather the body’s forr owner, Lily Phoenix, looked at her timidly, seeming sowhat frightened.
Since her consciousness traveled across worlds, to avoid becoming a wandering soul upon arrival, the Soul Tree sent her consciousness into a newly deceased body for rebirth.
Therefore, seeing the original owner’s spirit upon opening her eyes didn’t surprise Scarlett.
Regaining clarity, she forced herself to sit up, saying,
"I’m here to find soone, and I need to temporarily borrow your body. As a trade-off, I can fulfill an unresolved wish of yours."
Upon hearing her offer, Lily Phoenix widened her eyes, then seed lost in thought, a hint of dismay in her gaze,
"My body isn’t that great... Maybe you should choose soone else—a better one."
While Lily Phoenix spoke, Scarlett quickly used the Soul Stabilizing Technique on herself, further binding her soul to this body, then turned to ask Lily,
"What did you say just now?"
Lily Phoenix: ...
"Nothing."
Through Lily, Scarlett grasped the current situation of this body.
Lily Phoenix, once the capital’s Phoenix Family’s daughter, was maliciously switched as a child, living outside until unexpectedly found and brought back three months ago.
The Phoenix Family, unwilling to dismiss the impostor Scarlett Phoenix, kept her due to her unique connection with the Phoenix—a rare occurrence in a century.
Without surprises, she might ascend as Empress.
Allegedly, the Phoenix Family’s ancestor cared for a Phoenix, claiming to sense them, with the first Empress being from the Phoenix Clan, though no one sensed the Phoenix since the political shift.
Hence, Scarlett Phoenix was a huge allure to the family, dormant for years.
The Phoenix Family couldn’t let go of the impostor, and to prevent questioning her identity, despite bringing Lily ho, they labeled her a distant relative orphan.
Lily was unwelcod by kin, mistreated by servants, and after inadvertently revealing her and Scarlett Phoenix’s shared birthday at an event, accused of hinting...
The Family Head personally ordered her confinent without food or warmth, freezing to death in winter.
Scarlett hadn’t expected another case of swapped identities, silently listened to Lily’s tale, and asked,
"Do you want revenge?"
Lily was puzzled at first, a flash of resentnt in her eyes, yet due to her timidity, she dared not hope, simply pinning hope on the outsider ghost before her,
"Will you help take vengeance?"
Scarlett shook her head,
"Though I promised to fulfill one wish, exacting vengeance involves karma; only you can do it."
Lily lowered her head, drifting away, "But I don’t know how."
Scarlett glanced at her, saying,
"It’s simple, I’ll teach you."
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