Xingtie: Starting with an in-depth analysis of the Yellow Springs

Nicole: Great idea!

[Bai E: This… I won’t learn it, I really can’t bring myself to deceive my friends.]

[Tibo: You don't study this, you don't study that... and you'll be even worse at history. Little White, you've actually already learned many of the best aspects of the Golden Clan without even realizing it. Keep it up!]

I sneaked up behind Mimi.

"During the month of plowing and the time of seclusion, it is advisable to eat rice and wheat crops, and avoid fishing..."

Xing suddenly spoke up: "Superstition, superstition, blind faith."

"Oh, you scared me!" Mimi's pink hair stood on end as she turned around and patted her chest. "Xing, barging into someone's world so suddenly can really make them feel awkward!"

"Okay, okay, I'm not kidding anymore. There's nothing here... I'll go look somewhere else."

Watching Mimi leave, Xing pondered, "Mimi is so strange, what book is it flipping through?"

[Mimi: Oh dear, Xing, it's not nice to snoop on someone's privacy. If you really want to know, they can tell you themselves.]

[Star: Superstition, blind faith.]

[Paimon: Hey, so Mimi likes reading these kinds of books too. Paimon wants to read them too! Traveler, from today onwards, I'm Paimon, the bookworm!]

The second time I spied on Mimi.

"The cards are so exquisitely designed... The King... The Weaver... The Wanderer... The Healer..."

As expected, Xing interrupted Mi again this time. But Mi was completely different from usual, as if she was deliberately avoiding her...

Mimi sighed helplessly, "You...you're really persistent. Oh well, I just can't resist your personality..."

Bai'er walked over and greeted him, "What good stuff are you talking about? Is this... the Complete Book of Onpharos Divination?"

"Why are you here too!"

"Haha, sorry, seeing you guys chasing each other around made my book suddenly lose its appeal. I didn't expect Mimi to be interested in divination... But it's not exactly a niche hobby, so why are you being so secretive?"

Mimi, hands on hips, said, "I was planning to surprise you all by secretly learning the skills!"

"But if you get caught halfway through, it's inevitable to feel shy. A young girl's delicate heart is much more unpredictable than Aigler's..."

“Ha, a surprise…” Bai’er recalled, “Someone else said something similar to me. She is particularly good at stargazing and divination, especially with cards—look, the set you’re looking at.”

Mimi asked curiously, "Bai E has friends like that, so you must be quite familiar with all kinds of divination techniques?"

He shook his head. "No, I know nothing. I've never really believed in using cards or hip stones to predict fate since I was a child. If the auspicious signs mentioned in the divination results are true... then my hometown, the Elegant Secret Pavilion, wouldn't have disappeared."

Moreover, Tinin's prophecies had never been wrong, and Bai Er was even less inclined to believe in divination, seeing it as nothing more than a smokescreen and a pre-rehearsed sophistry.

Mimi held a different opinion: "Fortune telling... may be seen as a guiding force for the soul. Fate always casts shadows on people's path, making it impossible for them to clearly see their future."

"That's why people need divination; they just want to give themselves a little reason to muster the courage to cross that unknown path..."

Xing: "What if the divination results in a bad outcome?"

"It's precisely because the outcomes can be good or bad that divination has meaning. Even bad omens are a form of guidance; at the very least, they can raise people's awareness, right?"

Bai E nodded in agreement. "Strange... The person I know said something similar. Thinking back, every time she interpreted the cards for me, I would feel inexplicably uneasy... even though I didn't believe in the results of the divination."

"Perhaps it was because of her tone? Xi Lian... she could describe a complete fantasy so vividly that it immersed me in it as a child."

[Fireworks: Who exactly is Xi Lian? It's so hard to guess, don't you think...? Mimi.]

[Mimi: ...I don't know.]

[Fufu: Even I saw it, surely there's someone who hasn't grasped the hint... no, the explicit one. Pink hair, young girl... isn't Xi Lian right there in front of Bai E?]

[Bai'er: This is truly...unbelievable. I witnessed her die at the hands of the Fire Thief, so even though it's vaguely similar, I remain skeptical.]

[Star: So you really are a beautiful girl.]

[Himeko: But why did Xilian become what she is now, and why did she appear with the divine power of time, and why is there an inexplicable connection with the floating memories?]

[Mimi: Maybe when the time comes, the answer will come out on its own.]

"Oh, right. I carry with me one of the cards she used to use. Would you like to see it?" Bai E took out an exquisite card, which vaguely resembled his own.

The moment Mimi saw it, her eyes lit up. "I wish I had cards like that too!"

Xing suggested, "We need to design a set of cards specifically for Mimi."

"Oh, now that you mention it, it's true! It would be even better if it were made of a different material, like crystal!"

Bai E retrieved the card. "Speaking of which, Xing, there's something I haven't told you guys yet. Do you remember when we first went to the Temple of the Three Phases of Fate? The riddle that Oronis gave us back then..."

The sudden noise interrupted Bai E.

He turned around, his gaze sharp as a knife. "...Who's there?!"

Just like Danheng encountered, three assassins dressed in black, belonging to the Senate.

Bai E scrutinized the clothing opposite him. "Black attire... a mask adorned with gold blood decorations... is he a Cleanser?"

The Cleaners captain sneered: "Heh... You can actually call us by our names directly. It seems you've done quite a bit of research on the history left behind by Onpharos, Lord Bai'er."

"Your friend seems quite interested in us. Perhaps you could explain this to him, Lord Bai'er? Out of courtesy..."

"...We can't let our distinguished guest leave without knowing why."

After speaking, he looked at Xing with a fierce gaze, filled with murderous intent.

Chapter 436 Aglaia!!

Bai E, Xing, and Mimi all crossed their arms, their eyes never leaving the cleaners, who dared to lay a hand on them and spout such nonsense.

"During the Golden War, in order to fight against the Golden Race, several city-states gathered an assassin force underground, which they called the Cleansers."

"Their duty is to wipe people with golden blood from the world. Assassination, poisoning, political persecution... they will stop at nothing to achieve this goal."

The Cleansing Captain complained, "These historical records seem to be somewhat biased. In order to vilify the cause of our ancestors, they gloss over the heinous crimes committed by the Golden Descendants who abused their divine power..."

"Could you please reveal the name of the author of this unofficial history to me, Lord Bai'er? I don't want the innocent children of Ohm to be poisoned by this guy's embellished writing style."

Bai Er ignored his request, coldly replying, "You should have stayed obediently in the dust of history. The Citizens' Assembly has once again legitimized the mission of the Golden Blood, as for you..."

"Not a single citizen will vote for you executioners in the shadows."

"So what?" The Cleansers captain didn't care about the referendum at all. "We've long since given up on expecting understanding. They've gotten used to peaceful days and have long forgotten the disasters caused by letting the Golden Clan hold power for generations!"

"Nonsense! Did you travel all the way to the Tree Court just to have a good argument?" Bai E glared angrily.

Faced with the Purifiers' confidence, Bai Er relaxed his shoulders. "My shoulders are sore, and my sword is a bit dull... but cutting off your tongues? That's more than enough."

[Star: Heh, Senate, you've messed with the wrong people. Purgers, let me give you a purge instead.]

[Aglaia: Katniss is dead, the Cleansers are no longer needed. As for Bai'er and Xing, those are entirely yours. We don't have time to waste on them.]

[Bai'e: To repel external threats, we must first secure internal stability. Onphalus is facing a life-or-death situation; I will show no mercy.]

[Fou: That's bold! I've been fed up with the Senate for a long time.]

[Gui Naifen: Our Xiaobai has finally shown his handsome side! How can the savior stand still? Become the leader of the journey to chase fire!]

[Xia Die: Your Excellency Bai E has truly changed a lot.]

[Saifei: Perfect timing! I'll go and take away the Cleaner's hidden treasure tonight, not leaving a single cat hair behind. Bartluth, get ready, let's go!]

[Bartleus: Hehe, boss, don't worry.]

[Ling: I knew choosing Bai Er was the right choice, the savior is the coolest!]

[Zhe: Ten thousand enemies! Ten thousand enemies!]

"How is it, Little Violet? Isn't this place perfect?" Tibo led Violet to a room filled with flowers and plants, bathed in direct sunlight. "It's a bit small, but the lighting is perfect!"

Feng Jin expressed her gratitude, "Thank you, Teacher Tibo! Now, the Twilight Garden can be reborn in Ohema."

"Do you like it here, little Ika?"

"Toot...toot toot!" The round-bodied Pegasus, adorned with a bow and a small crown, flapped its small wings rapidly behind it and called out happily.

Klee: Wow, Ika is so cute.

[Robin: Is she a Pegasus? Little Ika is so... chubby. But she's so cute.]

[Little Ika: Beep beep~]

[Fireworks: Little Ika is right!]

The Courtyard of Dusk has a long history. According to records, the Thunder Knight Seneos shot down the Eye of Dawn and Dusk, which also marked the end of the long divine war between Nicardoli and Aegler, which lasted for centuries.

Those who inherited the bloodline of the Sunfire Knights established the Twilight Courtyard under the acceptance of the scholars of Serhis.

Just then, Clatrus came up behind the two of them. "Miss Wind Violet, and Lady Tibo, it's good that you're alright. I heard from the citizens that you were nearby, so I came to check on you."

Tibo asked in confusion, "Nothing...? What happened, Clatrus?"

"Another serious security incident has occurred at the market, with some shops being looted and vandalized. This is the third time this week."

“How…how could this be?” Feng Jin refused to believe it. “With Lady Aglaia here, Ohmma has always been peaceful and stable…”

Clatterus sighed, “That was certainly true in the past. But lately…if I may be so bold, her senses are probably not as sharp as they used to be.”

"In my opinion, it is likely that someone with malicious intent has noticed the loosening of the gold thread and has begun to plot a rebellion, taking advantage of the situation to start a conflict."

"The citizens' assembly just ended not long ago... why would anyone want to cause trouble?" Tibo said indignantly.

Clatrus succinctly revealed the truth: "The Golden Clan won by a single vote, Lady Tibo. Based on my many years of experience in warfare, Pyrrhic victories and upheavals often go hand in hand."

[Bai Er: It must be Katniss. As the leader of the Cleansers, she took advantage of Aglaia's temporary loss of power to wreak havoc throughout Ohmar, even hunting down Golden Children.]

[Bronya: Something's not right. Aglaia couldn't have been unaware. Could it be...?]

[Tibo: Aya, you've reached your limit.]

[Clatrus: The Suspended Peak Clan has spontaneously organized themselves. The Golden Blood are our hope for survival. We must not allow any of them to be harmed by the Purifiers!]

[Bai Er: Hmph, they've already lost their chance.]

[Star: Don't worry, my partner and I wiped out the Cleansers' lair. Even with Mimi's divine power of time, digging three feet into the ground, we found no survivors. The Cleansers have vanished.]

[Sai Fei'er: The seamstress absolutely cannot get into trouble. I haven't even been able to tell her the truth in the video yet.]

"...Something terrible has happened! Miss Feng Jin...something terrible has happened!"

Clementine rushed in, her eyes filled with panic and disarray.

"My lords! Something terrible has happened at Yunshi Heavenly Palace!"

Clatrus was getting impatient with her shouting without saying anything. "What's the matter, Doctor? Calm down and recount the situation!"

She caught her breath and couldn't help but cry, "Lady Aglaia..."

Tibo seemed to have a premonition of something, and felt a vague unease in her heart.

"The one who had an accident... was Lady Aglaia!"

[Bai'er: Aglaia... How could this be? With her demigod-like strength, the Cleansers couldn't possibly have killed her.]

Wendy: What if she wanted to die?

[Saifei: I won't allow it, seamstress, I won't allow you to die. Waaaaah... Senate, I'll make you pay!]

[Fou: Huh? That can't be! Aglaia just left without a trace. Although I didn't like her personality at first, I like it now.]

[Tibao: Aya...]

[Little Fish Knight: ...May we meet again at the end of the River Styx, beautiful little golden trout.]

[Rin: No!!!]

[Walter: Aglaia, she dedicated her life to the journey to the fire. Bai'er, we cannot lose; you carry the hopes of all those who have sacrificed themselves for the fire.]

[Aglaia: Well… thank you all for your support, but I haven't reached that point yet.]

[Sai Fei: I'm so glad you're alright. I'll never leave you again.]

Chapter 437 Katniss's Coercion

A moment ago, at the Marble Palace...

Aglaia silently gazed at the Son of Man in the golden bath from above. "I remember that this bath, which overlooks the entire Heavenly Palace, was advocated for by the Senate nine hundred years ago."

"It was originally built to commemorate the first journey to the fire, and to remember the heroes who made great sacrifices for Onphalus a thousand years ago."