Chapter 364

Chu Yuanqing looked at Bishop Russell, who was like fireworks exploding and scattering into the radiance, and sighed with some regret, whispering:

"Morpheus's Magic Mirror".

"The name of this technique comes from the Greek god of dreams. Why can't you listen patiently?"

P. S.: I've been updating later and later lately; it's become a routine of sleeping at noon, waking up at night, and writing in the morning.

PS: Waaah, I didn't want this either, but the drop in readership makes me want to give up. Just looking at the backend makes me not want to write anymore. Plus, I didn't write enough words in 29 days last month, and I lost my 7,000 yuan bonus for the past six months? I'm so depressed? I've completely lost the motivation to write? And then I'm stuck in an endless cycle of procrastination.

P. S.: Please bear with the quality. Updates haven't decreased (if you insist I'm endlessly looping and missing an update, I can only cry???!). The current plan is to finish it around May or June. Will it win??

Volume 1: 337. Three Methods, Iris's Past. (5K)

The Geltigu City, high in the sky.

The "firework" forged from the Archbishop descended from the sky like a heavy swamp, turning Erebus's heart into a catastrophic mass. Located at the center, it devoured black blood and was about to construct a brand new vortex of calamity.

If no one stops it and it is allowed to fall into this ancient city, then the millions of people within it will become provisions, constructing a hellish ecosystem of calamity, forming a device like a signal tower, serving as an anchor point for the Disaster God to descend.

This is the standard contingency plan following the death of a bishop.

The difference is that the Disaster God who descends in full during the first playthrough can, depending on his "mood," use the Archbishop's corpse to carry his authority and create more powerful apostles to give so-called trials.

However, the protection of the Golden Sea was still in effect. The Ten Directions Imprisonment Domain constructed of red and black magic intercepted the range of the "fireworks" in time. With the help of [Echoes of the Past] and the Annihilation King Sword, the "corpse transformation" was quickly dealt with.

All that remained at the scene were the wrecked remains, stripped of their genetic chains and soul fragments, after being purified and baptized by the flames.

The sheer number and variety of these items far surpasses the batch that was initially seized from the Countermeasures Bureau. The heart of Erebus alone is a high-grade item that Astrid could never have obtained from her personal coffers.

Although Russell may seem weak, the power of the Supreme Calamity Beast is truly formidable. If it were a fully formed Erebus, its unfolded Shadow Dimension would be enough to devour tens of millions of square kilometers, transforming it into a dark realm of death.

Even in the first playthrough, it was the world-ending boss before the version update, a gatekeeper-level existence that opened the Disaster God chapter.

However, the human soul, being so fragile, cannot exert much of the power of Supreme Calamity Beast without the blessing of strengthening or the accumulation of evolution and training over time, even if it is infused with the powers of a bunch of Calamity Beasts.

On the other hand, Russell's death was indeed very unjust.

Even if she didn't use her new self-created spell— Morpheus's Magic Mirror —she couldn't save this ancient city, even if she used the same setup she used to beat Xiao Yu that day: Mercury Tree, Mercury Song, Infinite Mirror Reversal, and Spiral Magic Sword.

This is similar to how the entire Salzburg was crushed several times within the Mortal Realm Barrier.

If a real fight broke out, both sides would have ridiculously high damage output, and who would have time to protect the area? Only Russell, who was completely fooled by the "illusion" and guided to a high altitude before his self-destruction, and who had a barrier set up in advance, was able to remain calm as if nothing had happened.

Normally, she would need the above setup, plus [Echoes of the Past] + [Killing Karma of Annihilation], to instantly kill Russell, but the ancient city would still be reduced to ruins.

Although I'm going to die anyway, at least dying like this will make it seem more impressive and save me some face.

Now that the Archbishop has died quietly, even if the Cult of Disaster Gods has planted many spies within its home territories and can monitor the situation here, they will assume that Russell simply hasn't had a chance to act yet, rather than that he has already passed away.

After all, even the most powerful empire on the Fanor Continent couldn't muster a double-digit number of legendary powerhouses, and to kill an Archbishop without making a sound would surely be the work of a saint.

In the First Divine Age gods, the term "saint" referred to the incarnation of the gods on earth. Later, it gradually evolved into an interpretation that transcended legend and could be considered demigod.

It is worth mentioning that the title of "Saint" was an honor bestowed upon a subject by Emperor. Looking at the annals of the continent over thousands of years, only the Three Covenant Families and the three sages have been given this title.

There are no beings in this era who can be called saints, but thanks to the Emperor's legacy, the Calembert Empire can unleash Combat Power equal to, or even more terrifyingly, in three ways.

First, there is the Judgement Envoy with Golden Blood.

Secondly, the revitalized Giant Thought Tree, the Divine Sentient Body.

Thirdly, it is a god-slaying weapon developed by pooling the resources of the entire nation, based on alchemy left by Emperor and drawing upon a thousand years of history.

Chu Yuanqing recalled this background, through Russell's memories, she knew that the current situation was extremely unfavorable to her side. Coupled with the problems left over from history, the empire was already riddled with holes and devastated by this group of insects from the Cult of Disaster Gods.

If nothing unexpected happens, in a few days, the three methods by which this empire controlled the saints will either be erased or fall into the hands of the other side, making it a hellish challenge to overcome.

Moreover, since the bishops distrusted each other, Russell didn't know the whereabouts of the others, and the other side revealed themselves too quickly, before all the information could be extracted, so their future looked bleak.

The Pure White Witch sighed wearily. For some reason, looking at the current situation of the empire, she suddenly felt the same anger a mother would feel when she saw her child smoking, drinking, getting a perm, skipping classes, having a puppy love, and being addicted to the internet.

How could it be that as soon as the Emperor left and the Divine Sentient Body slept, the world quickly descended into power struggles, infighting, mutual neglect, and sordidness, to the point that even alchemy stagnated, requiring Lucy Tiffany to lift the curtain and create this embarrassing situation?

Judging from the information Russell revealed, if it weren't for the legal mechanisms that were being enforced by default after the Divine Sentient Body went into slumber, and the Freyabit family's safety net, she would think the Cult of Disaster Gods could have started popping champagne.

What is an advantage that I possess? This is my advantage.

Chu Yuanqing rubbed her temples. She glanced at the wrecked remains, each sealed by Quicksilver Blood, and put them all back into her and Charlotte's shared space, intending to give them to Little Sakura as gifts later.

She then flew back to the courtyard of Tiffany home, where she landed and deactivated her Magic Armor.

The Pure White Witch took out an exquisitely decorated crystal bottle from her storage ring, drank it down in one gulp as if it were soda, savored the strawberry-flavored potion made by Lucy Tiffany, felt the magic revitalizing her body, and showed a satisfied expression.

These potions contain a large amount of Magic Element, and with the help of alchemy to adjust their properties, they enhance the body's absorption capacity, achieving a rapid mana recovery effect.

Most importantly, this potion is also useful for Magical Girl, and its effect is several times greater than that for human mages. If the Countermeasures Bureau can replicate these potions on a large scale in reality, it will undoubtedly greatly reduce the mortality rate of Magical Girl in missions.

Unfortunately, although she inherited some of Lucy Tiffany's memories, the Historical Echo wasn't generous enough to give her all of her abilities for free.

For example, the memories related to alchemy are ambiguous and extremely obscure.

But the subtle thing is,

When Chu Yuanqing relearned using the other person's notes, she always felt it went exceptionally smoothly. The fragmented visuals allowed her thoughts and wisdom to always collide and spark the most suitable ideas, giving her the illusion that she was truly an alchemical genius.

Perhaps it has something in common with the forging techniques I learned in the past?

Chu Yuanqing didn't think too much about it. The things she learned in the Gap World were vast and boundless. Even if she forgot 99% of them, the remaining instincts could still be applied to other things.

The Pure White Witch sat back down on the edge of the bed. She released a messenger bird to deliver a message to Astrid, looked at the excessively thin little girl who was still fast asleep, placed her hand on the girl's forehead, and whispered:

"Iris, can you hear me?"

"I am Chu Yuanqing, and also Lucy Tiffany. You know Charlotte and Sister Ellie, right? They are my family too."

"So, don't worry that I'm a bad guy. I've already dealt with the intruder. You're safe now, and I'll protect you."

Chu Yuanqing could sense the child's soul wavelength and connect with it. She could almost see the girl locked in a corner, lonely and tearful, her lips stubbornly pursed, looking pitiful.

That cluster of gray, withered begonias, forever etched in my soul, conceals fear, loneliness, loss, sorrow, self-pity, and... an unquenchable courage.

This is proof that the Dragon Witch Iris has not completely given up.

If possible, she would like to communicate with the other person more.

It's a pity that if Liuli were here, even in this state, she could communicate directly with the child, right?

Without the Green Eyed Cat, [Spiritual Might] could only have one-way conversations, unable to engage in formal communication, let alone act as a spiritual mentor to help the child overcome difficulties by offering comforting words.

But even if they could communicate, it would be of no use. The Dream Weaver Rabbit had already invited world-class psychologists and other Magical Girl skilled in mental techniques to do these things, but the effect was minimal.

From the very beginning, after hearing Astrid's request, she didn't intend to use any kind of persuasion or Lucy Tiffany's alchemy, but rather a simpler, faster, and more permanent solution.

A soft light shone in Chu Yuanqing's golden eyes, and her exquisite face was imbued with a sacred maternal aura. She lowered her gaze and gently stroked the girl's eyebrows and eyes. After politely introducing herself, she softened her tone and smiled reassuringly:

"I'm your Dream Weaver teacher, invited here to treat your illness."

"I can see your Soul Flower; its degeneration is terrifying, isn't it?"

"It's like being trapped in a dark, haunted house, where even the sounds coming from outside are indistinct and hard to understand, as if you're the only one suffering in the world."

"But that's okay. Just like when you went on stage, the cheers from the audience reached your ears. Even in the darkest places, light can still shine in."

The words had faded.

The vibrant rose within the soul glowed faintly, and the magical patterns representing the ideal world ignited with heat. The power of will, originating from the dimension of the heart, danced like tiny sprites, surrounding the room and drawing the sleeping beauty on the bed into its embrace...

The world of the mind.

The girl hugged her knees, squatting alone in the corner. She was completely naked, her gray hair covering her white back, and her slender, pert curves were also obscured. In her spiraling gray eyes, all emotion was suppressed, and her innocent, childlike face was lifeless.

Since sacrificing the Lantern Fairy to temporarily seal the Disaster God's rampage, she has been in a deep slumber, only able to watch helplessly as the Soul Flower slowly withers away.

This is an extremely terrifying process.

Because degeneration involves the complex structure of the soul, past memories, obsessions, desires, emotions, and everything that forms the basis of personality are like disassembled materials, slowly flowing in reverse.

Once a mistake is made, not only will one's original self be lost, but one's soul will also be irreversibly and completely destroyed.

Worst of all, generating excessively intense emotions can disrupt the degenerative process, causing the reverse flow to go wrong, and leading to a vicious chain reaction, much like a car accident on a congested road.

But who can avoid having emotions?

The reverse interpretation of the Soul Flower is equivalent to reliving one's past life, still in a chaotic, distorted, and disordered state, with a jumbled array of senses.

In fact, she already knew she was going to die when the Lantern Fairy died, Lantern Gem dimmed and showed signs of degeneration.

But the constraints of reality are like anchors pulling out strands of life.

That's like an older sister doting on her, taking care of her teammates, loving her stage, adoring her fans, being a gentle and caring mother Aili, and being a lovely Teacher Dream Weaver...

Iris possessed the ability to perceive her surroundings; she could hear the older sister's voice, but she simply lowered her head dejectedly, awaiting the countdown to death.

Even the ideal environment couldn't delay the collapse; her death was faster than Teacher Dream Weaver had imagined, and Dragon Beard Begonia would truly crumble today.

But this thought didn't linger for long. The radiance representing the aspirations of all beings dispelled the surrounding darkness, and like countless lamps, it completely illuminated the infinitely narrow yet infinitely vast world.

Then, her older sister's clear, cool voice, like that of someone washed by well water, began to sing a familiar nursery rhyme in her ear:

"Edelweiss, edelweiss (Edelweiss, Edelweiss)".

Every morning you greet me (as the morning sun shines upon my blooming).

Iris raised her tender little face, and in a daze, she was transported back to her childhood, when she was held in her mother Aili's arms and listened to this ode to Edelweiss with the other children. She found herself involuntarily opening her lips and singing along:

"Small and white."

"Clean and bright."

You look happy to meet me (shaking happily towards me).

And strangely enough,

The accompaniment to Edelweiss has changed, becoming gentler and more melodious, like a babbling brook under the sunlight, carrying the fragrance of flowers from the depths of the valley, the earthy smell of the soil, and the fresh scent of grass and dew.

The melody composed of the [Pure White Aria] not only blends the most beautiful, warmest, and happiest memories of her life, but also infuses it with the care and love of the Pure White Witch, like the mercy of gods and Buddhas, bringing the protection of a mother.

Iris's mind melted; she felt as if she were lying in an ocean of clouds, sugar, chocolate, and cheese, with all sorts of adorable, childlike things floating in her heart, giving her the warmth to forget her fears.

Thus, in the realm of Chu Yuanqing mind, the power of her fans' wishes ignited a magnificent, bubble-like pure white light.

This aurora, which existed for only a fleeting moment, inexplicably halted the degeneration, causing the half-withered begonia to bloom again and restoring the Lantern Gem lying in the flower's heart to its original state.

At this point, the shackles that imprisoned consciousness shattered, and the entire spiritual world dissolved in the white light.

Chu Yuanqing's golden eyes were unfocused, and she coughed a few times with a pale expression. She looked down at Iris, shut down the Ideal World, cut off the surging power of her will, and revealed a relieved smile.

Fortunately, the seventh episode aired just before they set off, which gave Utopia a lot of motivation; otherwise, it would have been much more difficult to save the child.

Well, while this kind of behavior—using fans' wishes to support other Little Idol —is even more exploitative than bloodsucking in the entertainment industry, bordering on NTR (Netorare), the Little Yuan Xiao are so kind, they probably won't mind, right?

Thinking of this, Chu Yuanqing pursed her lips, feeling inexplicably guilty.

The girl stopped thinking about it. After recovering from her weakness, she reached out and pinched Iris's soft cheek. Looking at the little girl whose eyelashes were trembling, she tentatively asked:

Do you still feel any discomfort anywhere?

Iris opened her eyes groggily. She looked at the Pure White Succubus beside her and stared blankly for a while before snapping out of her daze at the older sister's beauty. A blush of shyness crept onto her expressionless face.

The little girl slightly turned her gaze to the side. She didn't mind Qing Bao pinching her cheek; she just thought the older sister's hands smelled so good. She immediately sat up and politely replied:

"No, I'm fine."

"Thank you, amazing doctor."

Chu Yuanqing thought Iris was so well-behaved, just like a doll. She couldn't help but stroke the child's soft gray hair and began to miss the time when her Little Cotton-padded Jacket was only this big and she could easily pick her up and lift her high in the air. She was super cute!

Iris blinked her gray eyes, simply watching the Pure White Witch quietly, showing no intention of resisting. As a child of that age, she was already used to being treated this way by her teammates in the girl group.

Of course, most importantly, in the eyes of a little girl, the Pure White Succubus is beautiful, gentle, warm, and incredibly maternal, just like a mother, making her want to snuggle into her arms and sleep.

However, out of shame and politeness, she simply couldn't bring herself to make such a request.

Chu Yuanqing happily chatted with the little girl for a while.

The reason for this relaxed state was twofold: firstly, Iris had just woken up and needed to be checked to ensure she was not mentally unstable; secondly, she was physically and mentally exhausted after treating the patient and needed to rest for a while.

During this time, she also learned about Iris's specific situation.