Xin Yu sipped the coffee, which could only be described as a semi-fluid substance. Beyond the bitterness, its flavor profile had expanded to include a host of other bizarre tastes, far surpassing the previous cup he'd tried. It was no exaggeration to say that one mouthful felt like ingesting the entire periodic table of chemical elents.
Highly stimulating. If one were to drink this regularly, it would definitely provide a certain degree of ntal fortitude training.
Xin Yu offered his opinion with utmost seriousness, suggesting that this beverage could be marketed as a cultivation resource. So individuals with an intense pursuit of power might frequently drink this concoction to temper their ntal resilience; this could be a major selling point.
Hiko opened her mouth, but seeing Xin Yu's earnest expression, devoid of any mockery, she found herself at a loss for words. Although she knew her coffee might not suit everyone's palate, she hadn't imagined it was this severe.
Hiko took a sip of her own coffee. While the taste was indeed a bit odd, it surely wasn't as bad as he made it out to be. Could it be that her own taste buds were faulty?
Seeing Hiko cradling her coffee with a look of existential doubt etched on her face, Xin Yu decided it was best not to say more. He located Pom-Pom, who, at so point, had already taken up a broom and was sweeping, and with its help, found his assigned room.
The room was small, apparently having once served as a storage space for fragile items. Xin Yu knew he wouldn't be accompanying the Astral Express crew indefinitely, so he had only requested a modest room to serve as a temporary base.
Xin Yu stood in the center of the room. A gust of wind emanated from him, sweeping outwards, and all dust and gri vanished. Simultaneously, simple furnishings like a bed, desk, and chair materialized instantly on the floor. A carpet had even, at so unnoticed mont, been laid out.
Xin Yu lay down on his bed, gazing at the ceiling. An inexplicable wave of fatigue suddenly washed over him. Thinking back, it seed he hadn't truly slept since Sakura's death.
His nights were mostly spent in ditation, daze, or cultivation. His most recent "rest" had rely been a period of unconsciousness after exhausting his lifespan and falling into the Void Land, hardly qualifying as true, holistic repose.
Perhaps it was because he had once again found a place for himself in this world, perhaps because he finally had soone who loved him here, or perhaps because his path and purpose in life had beco clearer. Now, the exhaustion he had long ignored finally crept into his heart, and Xin Yu at last felt the desire to sleep.
He closed his eyes and sank into a heavy darkness, into a long-overdue slumber.
In this sleep, he didn't dream again of people crying out to him for help, nor of his aged lover, nor of himself walking alone. He saw no more of those dark, twisted phantoms.
Kiana, who had been watching over Xin Yu, saw his body relax and his face take on an extrely serene expression in his deep sleep. A smile graced her lips, and she gently humd the lullaby he had once sung to lull her to sleep in Nagazora.
...
A knock sounded at the door. Xin Yu opened his sowhat bleary eyes, realizing he had actually slept. He sat up, rubbed his eyes, and went to open the door, finding Xing there.
"You sure slept for a long ti! The train is about to depart! If I hadn't co to get you, you might have slept straight through to the universe's reboot!"
"Who could possibly sleep that long? I'm not Brahma, you know."
"Brahma?"
"Ah, he's a deity from a local myth in my hotown. According to the mythology created by his followers, the entire universe is one of his grand dreams. When the god awakens, everything will shatter like an illusory bubble."
"Then it seems the god is quite satisfied with this dream, still unwilling to wake up."
"Don't you find that notion rather absurd?"
"The world itself is but a grand dream. Why bother chasing after truth or falsehood, distinguishing between illusion and reality? Constant questioning only leads to endless internal conflict, ultimately tornting and driving oneself mad. Instead of pursuing such things, it's better to live your own life well, maybe even ponder what treasures one might find in a trash can."
Xing waved her hand and then headed towards the central part of the carriage. Xin Yu watched the girl's retreating figure, finding her quite interesting. When she was being flippant, she seed like a child of three or four, yet at other tis, she displayed a remarkable seriousness and carefree spirit. Perhaps this was, in a sense, a case of great wisdom appearing foolish?
Xin Yu followed Xing to the middle of the train. Along the way, Xing explained the situation: apparently, soone from the Stellaron Hunters organization had appeared while everyone was deliberating, claiming that a Stellaron disaster was about to erupt in a place called the Xianzhou Luofu.
Currently, everyone was discussing whether to change course and head to the Xianzhou Luofu, a decision that required a vote from all mbers.
"I've heard about the situation from Xing. Is it ti to vote now?"
"Yes. You might not be aware, but the Stellaron Hunters are an extrely radical organization in this galaxy, constantly tracking the 'Cancer of All Worlds.' While it's currently unclear what their purpose is in collecting these things, their organization is highly dangerous and consistently ranks at the top of the Company's bounty list."
Welt, concerned that this young man from his old world might not fully grasp the circumstances, explained the perilous nature of the Stellaron Hunters.
"The current situation is that the Stellaron Hunters claim a Stellaron is about to erupt on the Xianzhou Luofu. If we go there, we might be able to save many innocent lives. However, there's also the possibility that we could be used by the Stellaron Hunters. Therefore, we've decided to make a decision via a democratic vote."
"Those in favor, raise your hand. Those opposed, do not."
Xin Yu raised his hand without any hesitation.
In the end, everyone except Dan Heng raised their hands.
"Five to one. Then let's change our destination."
...
Xin Yu sat on the sofa, watching March 7th standing in the middle of the area, not understanding what she was doing. Xing, sitting beside him, explained.
"That's March. She's challenging herself to remain standing steadily during the train's jump. She's tried before, failed every ti. Probably wants to give it another shot."
Then, as Pom-Pom's announcent echoed, the space-ti surrounding the train suddenly fluctuated. Xin Yu could keenly perceive this change in space-ti; if he wished, he could even casually interfere with the process.
However, he didn't. Instead, with a slight lift of his hand, just as March 7th was about to tumble to the ground, a large, fluffy pillow materialized beneath her, catching her fall.
For the others, the entire process likely lasted only a few seconds, or the blink of an eye. But for Xin Yu, he seed to perceive a new sensation of space-ti travel, a feeling akin to breaking through so restriction and then dashing forward.
This gave him a faint inkling of a new technique.
But for now, the Xianzhou Luofu had arrived.
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