Starry Sky Railway: Twin Origins

Chapter 262 Pink Cloud Celestial Maiden

"I never expected that you would bring back two sparks for Ohmma in just two days."

Ohma, inside the Marble Palace.

Aglaia's gaze swept over everyone, finally settling on the spark of conflict floating in Bai E's palm.

"Although the passing of Oronis is regrettable, your achievement in reclaiming fire from the fire thief is truly commendable and should not be overlooked."

"Furthermore, I already know about everything that happened in the floating city from Xia Die."

"If it weren't for the help of those extraterrestrial visitors, Nicardoli's forged Heavenly Punishment Blade would probably have already pierced through Cephale's divine body."

As she spoke, Aglaia turned slightly to the side, shifting her gaze to Lin Qiong and the others, then raised her hands and clapped them gently.

next second.

A creature suspended in mid-air, missing its legs and head, with only its upper body and two arms remaining, dressed in a golden silk robe.

A bizarre doll, resembling a mannequin in a clothing store display case, slowly floated out from the side, carrying a tray.

On that tray, a delicate crystal bottle filled with a golden-red liquid sat quietly.

Aglaia explained:

"As a token of my gratitude, I have retrieved this item from the treasure vault of Ohma and present it to you all as a gift."

Upon hearing this, Lin Qiong immediately withdrew his gaze from the doll and turned to look at the bottle placed on the tray.

He examined it closely for a while, but still couldn't identify what the liquid in the bottle was.

So he asked out of curiosity:

"What is this? A drink?"

In his opinion, the color of the liquid in the bottle was somewhat similar to that of Sulphur Soda, except that the red part was more vibrant.

“No, this is wine.” Before Aglaia could speak, Bai’er interjected, “I didn’t expect Aglaia to actually bring out ‘Divine Blood Honey Dew’.”

"Wine? Is it that valuable?"

Seeing Bai E's surprised expression, Xing's curiosity was piqued, and she quickly asked him a question.

"This is no ordinary wine. It is said to be brewed from crops soaked in the blood of the Titans, and there are only twelve bottles of it in the entire Onpharos."

"Before the arrival of the Black Tide, this wine was generally used as a gift of the highest level of etiquette when establishing diplomatic relations between city-states."

At this point, Bai E paused briefly, his eyes fixed on the golden-red liquid in the bottle, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily as he swallowed.

He then went on to explain to the crowd:

"Because of its extreme rarity, no one has ever tasted this wine until now."

"This is outrageous!" Lin Qiong's eyes widened, an expression of disbelief on his face. "Is this wine just meant to be given away as a gift?"

"Well... I don't actually know much about it." Bai E raised his hand and scratched his head. "Most of what I learned came from Teacher Tibao."

However, just as the group was discussing the rare and exquisite wine...

Aglaia spoke up at just the right moment, interrupting the heated discussion:

"Alright, Bai'e, that's enough of the small talk. You should go and perform the ritual to return the fire seed and begin your trial."

Upon hearing this, Bai E froze, his relaxed expression instantly replaced by seriousness.

"I understand, Lady Aglaia." Bai E nodded, then turned to face Lin Qiong and the others. "Excuse me, I'll have to stay for a moment."

After Bai E finished speaking, he left Yunshi Heavenly Palace without looking back, carrying with him the seeds of conflict.

Watching Bai E's receding figure, Lin Qiong frowned slightly. This was the first time he had ever seen Bai E so serious and focused.

Bai E always has a smile on his face and loves to chat with others, making him a sunny and happy young man.

But just now, after Aglaia mentioned "returning the fire," he seemed like a different person, voluntarily shedding his facade.

This change gave Lin Qiong a strange feeling—as if Bai E's appearance just now was his most authentic state.

"It seems that Bai E's seemingly innocent demeanor was likely just an act..."

Just as Lin Qiong was lost in thought, Dan Heng's voice suddenly rang in his ears.

“Ms. Aglaia, you have given us such a valuable gift and deliberately sent Bai Er away. You must have something to say to us alone, right?”

Upon hearing this, Lin Qiong instantly snapped out of his thoughts, then abruptly raised his head and looked directly at Aglaia in front of him.

When he saw the smile on Aglaia's lips gradually fade and her aura suddenly turn cold and serious, an ominous premonition rose in his heart.

"Yes, I do have something important to discuss with you."

Aglaia remained calm and nodded generously in acknowledgment. She then crossed her arms over her chest and glanced at Lin Qiong, Xing, and Dan Heng in turn.

"Do you all remember what I said before we went to visit Ohmma?"

"Hmm? What you said before the visit?"

Lin Qiong looked puzzled and repeated the sentence softly.

He tried to search his memory and vaguely recalled that Aglaia had indeed been emphasizing something important.

But he couldn't remember the specific content at all.

"No matter what, we must not reveal the existence of the 'Outer Heavens' to the citizens, right?" Dan Heng pondered for a moment before responding.

Lin Qiong was slightly taken aback, only then remembering that Aglaia had indeed said something like that.

“It seems you still remember.” Aglaia nodded slightly. “What I’m about to say is related to this matter.”

"Wait a minute! You're not suspecting that we let something about the outer realm slip, are you?"

Xing seemed to have thought of something and quickly clarified:

“We kept our mouths shut the whole way. Apart from the blacksmith who repaired Danheng’s weapons and a little girl we met on the road, we didn’t have any contact with any other passersby.”

“Xing is right. Bai E and Ti Bao were there at the time, so they should be able to testify for us,” Lin Qiong echoed.

"I naturally believe that you are not lying, otherwise I would not be speaking to you in this way."

Aglaia's gaze slowly swept across the three faces before she continued:

"But just recently, Jin Si brought a message that someone was spreading rumors in the city, claiming that a 'Pink Cloud Celestial Maiden' exists beyond the world."

"Not only that, that person also painted the 'Pink Cloud Celestial Maiden' and hung it in a prominent place in the marble market."

As she spoke, Aglaia beckoned to the side, summoning the dressed doll from before.

But this time, what it was holding was no longer a tray, but a portrait of a person.

Upon seeing the contents of the portrait, Lin Qiong's pupils contracted sharply, and he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise:

"How is this possible? How could it be March 7th!?"