Chapter 69: The True Iris, “Destined Death”
“……”
The grey figure fell silent.
If what Iris said was true, it was an incredibly insane decision. This news, if leaked, would surely shake the Order-side forces to their core.
As for the Harbingers… they likely knew about this beforehand. Otherwise, how could they have so perfectly exploited this to facilitate Artist’s ascension?
The past conflicts in Victoria were no less dangerous than the current situation. It was only due to Luo Ling’s intervention that the situation had become even more unpredictable.
“However, Moonflower and the others seem to have also received some new information… but they refuse to reveal it. It likely concerns the core aspects of the path to godhood.”
Iris’s expression turned melancholic. She worried that the path to godhood could only be walked once. If someone else took the lead, she would truly have no hope.
Whether she became a god or not didn’t matter, but her deity, Jingwei, would remain on the verge of death, constantly enduring pain. This pained Iris deeply.
“Immortality” merely maintained a state of living. The critically injured Jingwei still suffered, her decay continuing.
Worse, as time passed, her condition would gradually worsen until she was eternally trapped on the edge of death, completely enslaved by Immortality.
This was why, despite knowing Amethyst’s malicious nature, Iris had gritted her teeth and agreed to cooperate, albeit with greater caution.
Even Iris could see that among the Tea Party members, Amethyst was relatively easier to deal with. At least her “evil” was openly displayed.
The other sisters, although always smiling and amiable, would likely devour even Lord Jingwei given the chance.
“Has there been a recent Tea Party meeting?”
Luo Ling was surprised. Otherwise, how would Iris know about the others’ situations?
“No, the First Seat has been silent,” Iris shook her head, continuing, “However, we have other means of communication, without a Tea Party meeting.”
“Hmm?” Luo Ling became interested. “Is it some kind of Sacred Tool?”
“Ah… no, it’s this.”
Iris took out something unexpected—a smartphone, seemingly the latest model, with a cute bird charm hanging from its case.
“……”
Luo Ling looked surprised.
Was this… a bit out of place?
Having stayed in Victoria for so long, Luo Ling had subconsciously overlooked many convenient modern inventions.
“Actually, we’ve created a chat group… but they said you’re too dangerous, that you might ‘dox’ them, so they don’t want to add you.” Iris opened a chat group in a messaging app.
—The group was called “One Big Happy Family.”
Only Moonflower, Camellia, and Iris were in the group. The First Seat and Snowdrop weren’t included.
The former went without saying, while the latter… according to Iris, Snowdrop rarely interacted with the other members, only uttering a few words occasionally. Even Luo Ling seemed loquacious compared to her, a true woman of few words.
Iris seemed to particularly like birds. Her profile picture in the messaging app was a beautiful bird carrying a stone in flight, likely Jingwei.
Camellia’s profile picture was a blooming peony, while Moonflower’s… was a 2D anime girl.
Quite fitting for their Tea Party personas.
“Is there even signal in a Kingdom?”
Luo Ling reached out to take the phone for a closer look, but Iris quickly snatched it back, looking at Luo Ling warily.
“Just modify it. There are many similar services in the Kingdoms, using Chaos or Order Path abilities. Don’t you even know this?”
A puzzled look flashed across Iris’s face, then she seemed to remember something. “Oh right, I almost forgot, Sister Amethyst was a… wild Naraku Godchosen before.”
Luo Ling glanced at Iris pointedly.
But she understood what Iris meant. Back in Jiangcheng County, even An Yu, a relatively new Order Path Awakened One, could modify a phone. The Godchosen, who specialized in such things, were even more capable.
“Alright, I understand the general situation,” Luo Ling nodded slightly. “By the way, I’m going to see the First Seat now. Do you want to come along?”
“Why are you going to see her?” Iris asked, then feeling it was inappropriate, shook her head repeatedly. “No, no, I’m not going. I’m still in debt. It’s useless even if I go.”
Having been completely drained of her petals by Luo Ling, Iris couldn’t afford anything. Her interactions with the other Tea Party members had also made her realize that she had little to offer for trade. Attending the Tea Party would only put her further in debt.
“Alright, then I’ll be going.”
Luo Ling didn’t insist, pressing her finger to her forehead, preparing to leave.
But then, looking at the nervous Miss Iris, a sudden thought came to mind.
Just as Iris breathed a sigh of relief, glad to have sent away the terrifying Naraku Godchosen once again, she saw the grey figure point a finger at her and softly utter,
“Ensnare.”
A pair of black eyes with pinpoint pupils appeared before her. The surrounding laws of reality twisted, even the mystical aura enveloping Iris fluctuated.
Quickly, the mystical aura shattered like a bubble, but what appeared before Luo Ling wasn’t a little old woman, but a petite, teal-haired girl with a slightly vacant expression.
Although the girl wore little makeup, crimson patterns and faint downy feathers adorned her cute face, adding a touch of wild beauty.
Her teal, shoulder-length hair was slightly messy, tinged with crimson at the tips. Most striking was the small bird’s nest perched on her head, a small, teal-colored bird with closed eyes nestled inside.
The bird’s colors were almost identical to Iris’s, or rather, Iris looked like the bird’s human form.
“Actually, Miss Iris, you’re quite cute.”
Luo Ling smiled faintly, then vanished instantly, leaving Iris still frozen in place.
Had she… just been exposed?
But after a moment, Iris came to her senses, quickly and anxiously checking the teal bird on her head.
After a careful examination, she breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness, Lord Jingwei is alright…”
Iris carefully placed the teal bird back on her head, then covered it with her teal hair, completing her task only when the bird was completely hidden.
“Damn Amethyst…”
Iris gritted her teeth, angrily kicking a stone.
But soon, she realized something was amiss.
Why… hadn’t she aged?
Iris ran to a nearby lake, crouching down to look at her reflection. No matter how long she looked, she still appeared as a young girl.
Every time Iris returned to her Kingdom from elsewhere, her appearance would quickly age, turning her into an ugly old woman.
Now… somehow, due to whatever Amethyst had done, the side effects of Immortality were gone?
Wait—
Iris’s heart skipped a beat.
Could it be…
She hurriedly conducted several tests, the results obvious, confirming her suspicions.
Immortality was now avoiding her.
In other words, Iris had become the only being within her Kingdom immune to the curse of Immortality.
Whether this was good or bad… remained to be seen.
“Thankfully, Lord Jingwei wasn’t affected.”
Iris gently stroked the teal bird on her head, then gritted her teeth. “Moonflower and Camellia were right, Naraku Godchosen are all bad news! Every single one of them is wicked!”
How hateful! In a moment of impulsiveness, blinded by greed, she had signed a contract with that wicked being for a few petals. Now, that being could freely enter and exit her Kingdom, and she had no way to restrict them, as these were the terms she had personally agreed to.
Iris had nowhere to vent her regret, only hoping that Amethyst wouldn’t do anything else to her Kingdom or Lord Jingwei, even if it was directed at her.
“No, no, I can’t even keep Lord Jingwei with me anymore. I have to find a safer place to hide her…”
………..
Bizarre illusions flashed around her, and billowing black fog surged forward. Moments later, Luo Ling found herself in a dilapidated garden filled with gloomy colors.
The meeting place of the Witches’ Tea Party, the Kingdom, Lost Victoria.
The First Seat, as usual, leaned lazily against the head of the round table, her gaze fixed on Luo Ling with an enigmatic smile.
“Amethyst, this is the first time, and the last,” the First Seat suddenly said, her words seemingly out of nowhere. But Luo Ling quickly understood.
It was about what just happened.
Luo Ling had simply wanted to see if she could dispel the mystical aura and see Miss Iris’s true appearance, using Naraku’s first ability, Ensnare, as a test.
She hadn’t expected to succeed, and so thoroughly at that. Miss Iris had revealed her true appearance for the first time, even the disguise of Jingwei on her head was dispelled, completely exposed to Luo Ling.
This was the power of Omniscience, the power of Naraku, revealing someone’s true form as easily as drinking water.
This seemed to explain why Moonflower and Camellia refused to add Luo Ling to the “One Big Happy Family” group.
The mystical aura was clearly the First Seat’s power. Luo Ling’s action had dispelled the disguise granted by the First Seat to the Tea Party members.
If not for the fact that Miss Iris’s true form was already known to all the Tea Party members, the First Seat wouldn’t have let Luo Ling succeed so easily.
“Mmm, I understand,” Luo Ling replied indifferently, taking a seat at the table, furthest away from the First Seat.
“You came here to convene the Tea Party?”
The First Seat smiled, leaning forward slightly, her hands clasped elegantly on the table. “Amethyst, you should know… the price of convening the Tea Party, right?”
“I do,” Luo Ling replied concisely.
“Why don’t you tell me about your predicament first? Perhaps it would be cheaper to have me handle it… even without a discount.” The First Seat seemed eager to spend more time with Amethyst, her voice trailing off seductively.
Luo Ling hesitated slightly. She had considered this, but… she really didn’t want to be alone with the First Seat. This woman felt too dangerous.
Talking to her too much could lead to trouble.
However…
The other Tea Party members didn’t seem easy to deal with either. Regarding Aunt Fiona’s situation, if she had to choose one person to confide in, Luo Ling would choose the First Seat.
At least, she was the leader of the Tea Party.
“I have a friend,” Luo Ling said after carefully choosing her words.
“I understand, it’s about you,” the First Seat nodded. “Go ahead.”
“…A real friend,” Luo Ling said, twitching the corner of her mouth. She always spoke directly; there was no reason to be evasive when talking about a friend. “Her situation…”
Luo Ling briefly described Aunt Fiona’s current condition. After listening, the First Seat seemed puzzled. “That’s it? Isn’t it just ‘Destined Death’? You can handle it yourself. Why come to the Tea Party?”
Destined Death?
Luo Ling’s pupils constricted. This term sounded incredibly ominous, but why… was the First Seat so nonchalant?
Seemingly sensing Luo Ling’s confusion, the First Seat said lazily,
“For others, Destined Death is indeed troublesome. It’s a sure-kill move formed by the intertwining of Present and Chaos Path abilities. But you are… Naraku’s… Godchosen, the most powerful being on the Chaos Path. How could you be afraid of something so trivial?”
The First Seat’s voice paused almost imperceptibly before the word “Godchosen.”
“Rewrite Reality? But the side effects…” Luo Ling said hesitantly.
“You’re truly different, Amethyst. After using it only a few times, you’ve already recognized its seemingly omnipotent flaws.” The First Seat continued to gaze at Luo Ling, her eyes almost seductive.
“However, these are your flaws, not Naraku’s. Only the true Omniscience wielded by Naraku is truly omnipotent.”
Her voice rose, filled with unconcealed fervor. “Naraku… is a being of Omniscience and Omnipotence, knowing everything, understanding everything, capable of… everything.”
The First Seat lowered her gaze, her demeanor returning to its usual elegance, as if her previous outburst was just an illusion. “Now… do you… understand?”
“More or less,” Luo Ling nodded calmly.
“I thought you would have a more… dramatic reaction.”
“I thought you would say something more surprising.”
After a brief staring contest, the First Seat finally conceded, waving her hand dismissively. “Fine, fine. I’ve never seen a Naraku Godchosen like you. I’ll just tell you directly.
“Ensnare does have flaws. Rewriting reality is indeed effective, but the greater the degree of rewriting, the heavier the price, not just inspiration, but also more uncontrollable changes. This is the common characteristic of the Chaos Path.”
Chaos… was a state of extreme disorder and lack of order, the opposite of Order.
This explained why Luo Ling had experienced some malicious side effects when using Ensnare before. It was the price she paid.
Luo Ling’s expression darkened slightly.
But she was right not to rashly use Ensnare on Aunt Fiona. The price of reversing Destined Death might bring even more severe consequences.
“One petal, and I’ll tell you the answer,” the First Seat said directly.
“Alright.”
Luo Ling didn’t hesitate, separating a petal and handing it to the First Seat.
This time, the First Seat was taken aback. So straightforward? Was it because she had profited greatly last time, so she was willing to spend freely now?
“Free things are often the most expensive,” Luo Ling softly answered the First Seat’s unspoken question.
“Very clever.” The First Seat snapped her fingers. “Moonflower and Camellia didn’t tell you the function of a whole Floral Pattern, did they? They also wanted to earn this petal.”
After all, the only way to learn the function of the Floral Pattern, besides asking, was to use it.
And using it… meant consuming a whole pattern. If used at the wrong time, it would be a loss of ten petals. It was better to pay one petal beforehand to avoid such a situation.
…The Tea Party members were all quite calculating.
“A whole Floral Pattern allows you to use the Authority of your deity once, the complete Authority, once.” The First Seat raised a finger, then added, “Even Naraku’s Authority, Omniscience, is possible.
“However, you have to bear the inspiration cost yourself. Be careful not to deplete your inspiration, as that would be very dangerous.”
Luo Ling remained silent, seemingly lost in thought.
She slowly raised her head, looking directly at the enigmatic and elegant figure at the head of the table, and finally said, “So, First Seat, are you Naraku?”
“Of course not,” the First Seat said, spreading her hands. “I knew you would ask this, but unfortunately, I am neither Naraku, nor Naraku’s Godchosen, nor Naraku’s God’s Favored.”
“……”
Luo Ling was silent for a moment, seemingly thinking of something, about to ask another question.
But just then, the First Seat waved her hand, and billowing black fog surged from all directions, engulfing Luo Ling. At the same time, her voice echoed,
“The Tea Party is over.”
Only after the black fog dispersed and the grey figure vanished did the First Seat breathe a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on her lips.
“Sometimes, being too clever isn’t a good thing, hehe…”