Chapter 1253
She is no longer alone
The emerald green octagonal jewel placed in front of Eivass was indeed the Stone of Eden. This was the only treasure Eivass obtained during the spoils distribution phase after clearing the Sky-Piercing Tower ruins.
When Eivass came into contact with this jewel, a system panel suddenly popped up, indicating its name was “Stone of Eden.” However, anomalously, its properties did not pop up at the same time. It was this peculiarity that made Eivass notice it and choose to take only it with him.
Afterward, whenever Eivass had free time, he would take out this jewel and play with it. Eivass had also tried various methods to activate it—including, but not limited to, injecting mana into it, praying to it, smearing his own blood on it, soaking it in water, roasting it with fire, or aiming it at the sun and moon…
“Haha, it was completely useless.” If it weren’t for the fact that it kept flashing “Stone of Eden,” and that touching it would trigger a pop-up window, to the extent that it was as frequent as Xunlei or Sogou Input Method’s GG… Eivass would have directly treated it as an ordinary jewel.
Until recently, things finally began to change. Not long ago, the container trait that Amber gave Eivass turned golden: “Mother of Amber”: [Mother of Amber (Golden): Amber hatched from an egg, breaking through the shell.] When the container trait Eivass obtained became “Mother of Amber,” upon contacting the Stone of Eden again, a new trait suddenly appeared: [Stone of Eden] [Description: An unhatched winged egg, solidified over the long passage of time. Perhaps it can also be considered a type of amber.]
It had no properties, nor any specific method of use, only this strange descriptive line. Yet, this single line of description was enough. Eivass knew why it appeared in the Sky-Pierencing Tower—In that ancient era without the concept of nations and families, the Sky-Piercing Tower was a gathering place for the Winged Ones. Outside the Sky-Piercing Tower, there were many foreign races, and in an era of eat-or-be-eaten, it was not safe to stray too far from one’s own kind. Therefore, many people inevitably would not leave the Sky-Piercing Tower… That is, many people lived their entire lives within the Sky-Piercing Tower. Clearly, this jewel was a “stillbirth” of failed hatching. Eivass thought that its failure to hatch might be related to Taiyi’s fall.
Eivass remembered that when he entered the Sky-Piercing Tower ruins, the incomparably brilliant Second Sun, “Taiyi,” still existed high in the sky. This means that at least at the time of the Fallen Heavenly Envoy’s ascension, Taiyi still existed. At that time, the owner of the Path of Creation was the Path of the Sun, and the Winged Ones reproduced by relying on such jewels.
With the ascension of the Fallen Heavenly Envoy, the Sky-Piercing Tower ruins were stripped from space-time by Lucifer using the Preservation Technique. What happened next was Taiyi’s fall, the Sea Monster obtaining a fragment of the Path of the Sun and crawling ashore, becoming the Beast Lord. Subsequently, the reproduction of the Beast Path completely replaced the creation of the Path of the Sun, and then came the birth of Those with breasts… This “jewel-like” embryo lost its possibility of creation because it did not conform to bestiality. This was probably the fundamental reason for the extinction of the Winged Ones—perhaps the Winged Ones had no gender, and therefore could not reproduce through sexual reproduction represented by the Beast Path. This was probably why Ai Shiping, who was then a Samsara Heavenly Envoy, was able to hatch Amber after stealing the Amber Egg.
The golden Path of Hunting turning into the green Path Adaptation should have occurred after the Path of Eating turned into the Path of Power, that is, between the first and second Tower Lords of the Sky-Piercing Tower. Therefore, at that time, there were only two green path colors… the Path of Beauty and the Path Adaptation. This jewel should be the remnant of the Path of the Sun at its end… Under the influence of the Path of Beauty or the Path Adaptation, it was barely preserved. However, it had completely lost the possibility of hatching new Winged Ones.
As for the later Harpies, Snake People, and Lizardmen, compared to the Winged Ones and Those with scales, they had clearly degenerated. Compared to the ancient existences like ancient gods, they became more barbaric and more like animals. Or rather… more like “beasts.” This “degeneration” should be the influence of bestiality from the Beast Path! In order to survive, they lost their divinity and became beasts.
Thus, Eivass clearly realized… these “Stones of Eden” existing in the “mirror dungeon” of the Sky-Piercing Tower ruins should be the last batch of true “Winged Ones” in the world. And Eivass only rescued one such piece at that time, so it was the last Winged One in the world. Nothing could be more suitable as a carrier for Amber.
And Eivass had also prepared two Tarot Cards for the soon-to-hatch Amber. This box of Tarot Cards that Eivass bought last year now only had four lonely cards left. — The Magician, The Empress, The Hermit, The Tower. The registration count for the Book of Law had also reached [17/21], and only these last four cards were needed to complete the Book of Law. Eivass had already vaguely sensed a premonition—something might happen when he completed the Book of Law. He had already decided where to use the card of The Magician. The card of The Magician contained the four elements of Wind, Earth, Water, and Fire, with the infinity knot above its head, the Ouroboros at its waist, and roses and lilies at its feet… Here, the roses represent life, and the lilies represent death. — There is no card in this world more suitable to give to Ah Huan.
As for which two of the remaining three cards to use, Eivass had actually pondered for a long time: [The Empress] This card signifies compassion. It is the archetype of all mature women, representing maternal love and the nourishment of the earth. The wheat fields and forests represent tranquility, abundance, completeness, sympathy, and unconditional love. And [The Hermit] is dressed in a long robe, carrying a lamp, and groping forward alone in the darkness… It represents loneliness and solitude. Leaving the collective to find inner peace and one’s true self. It signifies not compromising or adapting to others, and seeking truth in silence. This card is actually most suited for the Great Philosopher—but it is equally suited for the Ring Heavenly Envoy, Hengwo, and Amber, as they are all great sages who walk alone and seal themselves off. As for [The Tower]—this is the most suitable card for Amber, and also the most suitable for the Winged Ones. The Tower signifies dissolution. The dissolution of old things, the collapse and destruction of the old world, but it also signifies transformation and complete change. Destroying everything old, it is sudden and unacceptable, but since things have already happened, one can only try to grow within the new rules. — This collapsing tower is the Sky-Piercing Tower. The collapse of the Sky-Piercing Tower heralds the end of the old era and the beginning of the new era. The earliest Elves were born at this time, and they raised the flames of the new era, allowing civilization to achieve an update. It also heralds the end of the world… and these concepts are very fitting for Amber.
Finally, after meticulous and prolonged thought, Eivass put away [The Hermit]. The reason was very simple. “The Hermit” was too cruel a fate for her—Amber became [The Hermit] because she fell into the eternal cycle induced by the power of Samsara and became the hub of the cycle. But the Amber about to be born is a “brand new Amber” that has completely transcended this cycle and will witness the end of it all— Thus, she is no longer alone.
