A choice beyond the Chosen of Wisdom

Standing beside Lin Yu, Nightless Sky Fire Apricot listened to her mother's words and almost doubted whether she had misheard.

"Mother... what do you mean by this?"

Nightless Sky Yong Lian looked at Nightless Sky Fire Apricot and slightly raised her eyes.

"Fire Apricot, my most intelligent daughter... judging from your reaction, you seem quite surprised?"

What surprised you most?

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot scratched her cheek and said, "Because your attitude has suddenly changed... Just now you seemed almost unwilling to budge, but now, after Arthur mentioned that I would also be involved, you suddenly seem to have agreed?"

Nightless Sky Yong Lian chuckled softly, "Hehe... You are my most cherished daughter. Shouldn't I change my mind and perspective because of you?"

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot shook her head. "Don't joke around, Mother. I know my place... An event that you consider a 'bottom line' cannot be changed because of my involvement."

"Besides, your most valued daughter must be Sister Huo Le... but even Sister Huo Le isn't enough to change your mind."

"Rather than that... Arthur is already special enough—if he can't make an exception for you, I'm afraid I can't either."

"In fact, I was here from the beginning... If there was any possibility that you and Arthur would compromise on the matter of 'Supreme Evolution,' you wouldn't have been so adamant just now."

Nightless Sky Yong Lian chuckled softly. She leaned gently against the circle of books surrounding her, tilting her head to examine Fire Apricot: "It's good to be good at using your brain, my dear daughter... But now, my attitude is right here. What you should be doing now is not arguing why my reaction is unreasonable and abnormal, but finding out... the reason for my behavior."

"You have a great talent for Alchemy, so you should understand... Once a phenomenon has occurred, no matter how much it differs from your expectations and analysis, what you need to do is to re-attribute it based on everything that has actually happened."

"Now... think about why I changed."

"Nightless Sky Yong Lian asked lazily."

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot bit her index finger. "At first, you said 'Supreme Evolution' was the bottom line, and you weren't bluffing, but genuinely trying to persuade Arthur to give up... However, after Arthur said he would join, there was room for maneuver."

"The crux of the matter lies with 'me'... and even if I 'accompany' you, it won't work; Arthur has already said he would participate... so the change lies in Arthur's 'commitment'..."

"Ah, ah, I think I understand," Nightless Sky Fire Apricot looked at Lin Yu and said in a low voice, "Arthur... the technology you want seems to have the following two characteristics."

"First of all... it may not even have been fully mastered by the mother, or at least the mother may not have been able to actively reveal or pass it on."

"Secondly, this technology... will still play a crucial role even after my mother is unable to intervene in the affairs of the City That Never Sleeps —if I can master this technology, it will be of great help to me becoming the Chosen of God, or to things after Chosen of God, right?"

Lin Yu nodded in response to Huo Xing's question from Nightless Sky Fire Apricot.

"What you guessed... is basically correct."

Lin Yu agreed with the explanation given by Nightless Sky Fire Apricot.

Nightless Sky Yong Lian tapped the book beside her. "How wonderful, Fire Apricot... my daughter, you are indeed talented in more than just 'Alchemy'."

"However, the fact that you can make this analysis... means that Arthur did indeed tell you that my days are numbered."

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot's face stiffened, then she said, "Arthur didn't tell me, I figured it out myself... You can't just guess like that, can you?"

"Mother, your recent actions, plans, and even your own state of mind all lead people to this conclusion."

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot.

Nightless Sky Yong Lian shook her head. "No... because of ingrained thinking, any of my opponents or subordinates, including my relatives including you, even if I become active, even if I designate an heir, they will only think that I am just trying to gain benefits."

"After all... I have never shown weakness, and as a 'Chosen of God' and a 'Family Head Royal Nobles family,' I seem to be far from my 'lifespan limit.'"

"Someone like me, at this point in time... it's very difficult for anyone to actually have the thought that 'the head of the Nightless City family might die.'"

"My power... to a certain extent, is enough to veil the shadow of death in people's hearts, to conquer death."

Nightless Sky Yong Lian said slowly, "You are very clever, but you still can't break free from this 'mental inertia' on your own."

Lin Yu said, "There's no need to hide it from me, Fire Apricot... The Family Head told me this because he also hoped to use me to convey this information to someone."

"Especially since I myself have the mission of persuading you to become the 'Chosen of God'."

"Hey, Arthur, don't make it sound like I'm planning to use my 'death' to force Fire Apricot to submit," Nightless Sky Yong Lian laughed. "I'm not that wicked... Fire Apricot, my daughter, since things have come to this, I'll just make things clear in front of Arthur, taking this opportunity."

"In fact, although I have designated you as the next Chosen of God, whether or not you should be this 'Chosen of God' ultimately depends on your own will."

"On the one hand, I truly do not have the power to force you to become Chosen of God —if you are determined to refuse, I cannot do it... I am not omnipotent."

"On the other hand, you... should indeed have the right to refuse."

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot looked at Nightless Sky Yong Lian, somewhat surprised. "Mother, these words... don't sound like what you said. Have you been possessed? Or is it just that people speak kindly when they are about to die?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Yu rubbed his temples and said, "I really don't understand why you acted so respectful to the Family Head and your mother before... How could you be so cautious behind their backs, yet say such things to their face?"

Nightless Sky Yong Lian also sighed, "You really are... this personality, this mouth, are nothing like your father's at all."

Then, Nightless Sky Yong Lian paused for a moment, then added, "However, you can't really blame anyone else, after all, you do resemble myself somewhat when I was young."

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot shrugged. "Right, Mother, you won't mind... So, I'm really curious, what exactly is this technology Arthur was talking about?"

Nightless Sky Yong Lian looked at Lin Yu: "You decide whether or not to tell Fire Apricot."

"She's going to be dragged into this by me, so I definitely have to tell her," Lin Yu said casually, glancing at Nightless Sky Fire Apricot. "The 'Supreme Evolution' technology I need to master... is about 'Authority' and 'Deity'."

"The specific direction might be how to enable people to grasp and integrate 'Unclaimed Authority' in some way, and take the steps towards Becoming a God."

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot's pupils constricted. "This is a technology mastered by 'Supreme Evolution'? No wonder, no wonder..."

No wonder they were wiped out!

"The Nightless Sky Fire Apricot murmured."

Nightless Sky Yong Lian said softly, "The reasons for their destruction were not limited to this... However, this is indeed the most important one."

"Moreover, very few people actually know this 'real reason'... and I, as the one in charge, am one of them."

Lin Yu nodded. "Yes, now you can understand... why the Family Head was so adamant about not letting me investigate just now."

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot scratched her head, finally understanding the situation. "Ah... yes, so no wonder my mother's attitude changed after I got involved."

"Just like the Autumn Family's 'Divine Artifact'... Even if this technology isn't fully mastered, or doesn't reach the point of becoming a 'Deity,' the ability of the gate to grant individuals the Authority fusion and Authority is powerful enough even if only a portion of it is mastered."

"Therefore, if I can master this technology... it's like having another path besides the 'Chosen of Wisdom' — the Nightless Sky Family doesn't necessarily need a 'Chosen of Wisdom'... it just needs a power of equal level and a high-ranking being."

"As for the source of power, that's not important—we're no longer in the early days of the company, and we don't need a Chosen of God one to continuously analyze the Supreme Alchemy for technical support—besides, the technical data left by my mother should be enough to support at least fifty years, a generation's worth of research."

Nightless Sky Fire Apricot Analyzes, Nightless Sky Yong Lian gently claps her hands. "That's right, so... after Arthur made his promise, my attitude changed."

"Because of all the 'Player' I've met so far, he understands Authority the most," Nightless Sky Yong Lian said slowly. "He's the most likely to master this technology... that's why I was initially reluctant to let him investigate."

"If it were someone else, I might not have been so resolute... After all, the other party might have gained nothing."

"But I won't give in to this guy so easily," said Nightless Sky Yong Lian, her eyes narrowing, the upturned corners of her eyes looking even more cunning than usual. "Fortunately, Arthur is sensible enough to have made a promise to 'conspire' with you."

"I... naturally want to hear his next terms."

"After all, to be honest, Fire Apricot... the path of 'Chosen of Wisdom' is indeed not the 'optimal solution'," Nightless Sky Yong Lian looked at Fire Apricot and said softly, "That's why I gave you the right to refuse—so, if there are other options besides 'Chosen of Wisdom,' then naturally it would be even better for me..."