Eldritch Horror Theatre

Seeking a wisp of the Fire of Frenzy to burn away her own will?

Such a request must have been rare even during the era of the Tyrant.

Faced with Nepheli's request, Fu Qian couldn't help but marvel.

Even the displaced ones in the Abandoned Prison were essentially seeking asylum out of desperation—a completely different matter.

Yet this worldly dignitary had exhausted her efforts testing him, not hesitating to trade secrets, only to ultimately seek the torment of the Tyrant?

The contrast was truly staggering.

Of course, as he had noted earlier, digging a little deeper revealed a certain logic to it.

She had risked much and expended immense effort to confirm that he was indeed the one who had pinned the blame for the Flame of Frenzy onto the Origin Council, yet she hadn't come here aggressively demanding accountability.

Therefore, confirming he could actually produce the flame was clearly the whole point.

In theory, Nepheli's psychological symptoms were quite easy to diagnose. After all, Master Yuhun had already provided an even more absurd precedent—the precious jade is ahead—

Through her exploration of Miracles, she had seen things she shouldn't have, leading her to doubt the very existence of the world.

The difference, perhaps, was that Master Yuhun categorized everything as his own delusional thoughts.

Nepheli's theory, however, leaned toward the idea that after the apocalypse, a group of lonely, wandering ghosts had entered a specially woven dream, pretending the world was still carrying on.

This included the Warehouse, which appeared to be struggling to maintain itself but had actually failed long ago.

In short, they shared similar symptoms, just to different degrees.

However, "the night and the Nightmare are too long"—a famous quote even Blazing Rainbow had uttered—seemed to be growing weightier by the moment.

Where had Nepheli learned of it? What did it truly mean?

It even brought to mind the warning the Red Moon had once given: Do not indulge in the Lie.

What exactly was the Lie? The entire world?

From this perspective, things somehow seemed to align perfectly.

Regardless, he at least had some idea now why Nepheli had resigned from her position as Dean of the Benevolent Curse Institute.

Having caught a glimpse of the world's truth, she recognized the meaninglessness of certain things and pivoted toward seeking an answer—or a specific goal.

"You have one chance to change your wish."

Without refusing, Fu Qian smiled back at her, as if confirming her resolve.

"Thank you, but there is no need. Also, you need not worry that my receiving this boon will cause any hidden dangers to the scene before us."

Unsurprisingly, Nepheli had not answered immediately. Instead, she had fallen into a half-second of what looked like melancholy.

When she spoke again, her voice was calm and resolute.

"I have a special method to slow my descent into that madness."

......

Impressive.

The firmest stance was not a hot-blooded, immediate answer, but an insistence born of thoroughly weighing the consequences.

Nepheli not only wished to receive the boon, but she had also long prepared to slowly savor the agonizing process.

It truly made one wonder just what this former Dean of the Benevolent Curse Institute intended to do while carrying such a blazing fire.

"Please endure it."

Amidst his silent marveling, Fu Qian did not try to satisfy his newly roused curiosity. Instead, just as before, he extended a single finger.

A golden flame surged from his fingertip, rapidly growing so brilliant that Nepheli's eyes seemed to be dyed in its color as she gazed upon it.

"You..."

Although this was the outcome she desired, his effortless manipulation of the flame clearly caught Nepheli off guard.

Ultimately, she restrained her curiosity as well, choosing not to ask about Fu Qian's exact relationship with the King of the Abandoned Prison.

The next moment, she lowered her gaze and closed her eyes, waiting until Fu Qian's finger pressed against her forehead.

Boom!

The fierce golden flames surged instantly, igniting that focal point before quickly engulfing her entire face.

Come to think of it, wasn't this the second time he had bestowed a boon recently?

Although the posture was slightly different, in that moment, Fu Qian couldn't help but recall the scene when a certain demigod named Serana received her boon.

What a pity. The woman before him possessed an even higher Rank, yet he couldn't broadcast this live to the Greed Worms.

......

"Thank you..."

It was obvious that receiving the boon was not a pleasant experience.

It was so painful that Excellency Nepheli instantly concluded the flames were genuine, prompting her to offer her sincere thanks.

At the same time, the special method she had mentioned was now on full display.

Even though Fu Qian had withdrawn his hand, the raging golden flames showed no signs of dying out, spreading across her entire body in the blink of an eye.

It felt as if she had turned herself into a living torch, sustaining this withering vitality without letting it burn out.

Of course, the blaze was still somewhat ferocious.

As Nepheli voiced her gratitude, her entire face tore and warped just from the physical act of speaking.

Even the surrounding space seemed to be burning along with her.

"It is just a projection."

Nepheli deliberately explained, signaling that he didn't need to worry.

"I understand. I look forward to your results."

Fu Qian nodded, his emotions perfectly stable.

The Flame of Frenzy had always possessed a special advantage against Psychic Type constructs, and Nepheli had stated from the very beginning that her true body had not made a Descent here.

Now that her goal was achieved, there was clearly no need to expend extra effort maintaining this projection.

Although a certain countdown had officially begun, he was confident that her true body's appearance wouldn't look quite as grotesque as the sight before him.

And his 'anticipation' wasn't just empty words.

Thinking about what a figure like her intended to do with such a death-defying resolve filled him with genuine curiosity.

Unfortunately, the person in question did not respond.

A moment later, a section of the patterned dome crashed at Fu Qian's feet. The Longsword painted on its surface seemed to be severing everything in its wake.

The light subsequently dimmed once more. Both person and object vanished entirely, leaving only the familiar night before him.

"Not bad. There's still enough time..."

Having escaped the previous scene, he noticed that the Eye of the Punished Consort hadn't disappeared; it even carried a trace of warmth.

Fu Qian interpreted this as her preserving a channel to "share her results," which left him quite satisfied.

He felt even more satisfied after checking the time, promptly resuming his journey back to school.

......

Excellent, everyone was so highly motivated.

This little interlude during his journey had brought an unexpected harvest without actually delaying his itinerary.

After randomly commandeering a lucky fellow's seat—saving the man from the hardships of nighttime travel—the rest of the trip passed without a hitch.

When the bright morning light arrived, Fu Qian was already standing outside his Laboratory.

He quickly confirmed that neither Classmate Liushuang nor Wen Li had slept in; both had gotten up early to go study.

Basking in the vibrant vigor of youth, Fu Qian comfortably settled into his seat.

'Oh? After I used the previous one, they even restocked it?'

'How thoughtful.'

He easily spotted a Golden Candlestick sitting nearby and couldn't help but murmur a word of praise.

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