Chapter 490: Isn

Who am I?

Where am I now?

What do I want to do?

One by one, these questions plunged the traveler who had just made sovereign decisions across eons into stunned confusion.

Hmm, could it be that the flow of time within the Black Calamity differs from the outside? I only spent a brief moment inside, yet centuries or even millennia have passed outside?

Have Bakeneko, Ailuko, and Klee already become Star Lords?

Why did I dream something like this?

Before Kage could regain her composure, Istharu stepped forward; time rippled slightly, and while Kage was still dazed, she gently lifted her fingertip, cradling Kage’s delicate chin, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips:

“Our beloved Kage! Next time Itachi see Phanes, be sure to ask her whether she intends to adopt Itachi as her precious daughter or make Itachi our little sister.”

With those words, the Time Archon vanished without a trace.

Logically, given Kage’s current strength, Istharu’s move should never have succeeded—but…

“...”

Kage was speechless. The Time Archon had performed this action in the past timeline, and now, in the present, everything was already settled—she’d already fled.

Was this really necessary?

Itachi’re teasing me, old woman? I see Itachi, Istharu, are quite lovely—I’d be happy to properly appreciate Itachi too!

We’re all super beauties; why not play a little girl-on-girl cuddle game? I don’t mind!

Then Itachi’ll be happy, and I’ll be happy— isn’t that a win-win?

Hermes, seeing Kage’s expression, couldn’t help shaking his head—he knew this troublesome Kage was thinking something utterly bizarre again.

Turning his head, he gently clasped both Mei’s slender hands. As Qimao’s face swelled like a pufferfish and she glared as if ready to devour him, his lips curled into a faint, gentle smile as he softly advised:

“Mei, both of Itachi, prepare well and strive to ascend to Star Lord status as soon as possible—it will benefit your future cultivation.”

As the supreme sovereign who actually governs the Infinite Tree Sea multiverse, Hermes, as the Ancestor of the Star Lord Dao, grants his disciples hidden advantages when they attain enlightenment within this multiverse.

In other worlds, achieving enlightenment requires clearing all karmic ties beforehand, to avoid triggering a chain of catastrophic calamities—external titles like Emperor of Heaven, Human Sovereign, Heavenly Zun , or Divine Position must all be relinquished if possible—

One might even need to practice “reducing to achieve emptiness,” finding an heir to inherit one’s karmic burdens before embarking on the path unburdened!

But.

In the Infinite Tree Sea multiverse, for practitioners of the Star Lord Dao, all of that is mere illusion.

When Star Lord Dao cultivators attain the cosmic truth, they can shed all external attachments at any moment, leaving only a thread of spiritual light transcending the world—and then…

Once enlightenment is achieved, they simply reclaim the shed portions—how simple is that?

Put more plainly, those shed portions can even serve as subtle anchors—if one fails to break through to cosmic truth, the Star Lord might still use that remnant to crawl back from annihilation!

“...Lord Tianli, aren’t Itachi just openly giving the Star Lords a backdoor?”

Raiden·Wangchuan Shou·Mei, after listening to her Lord Tianli’s earnest teachings, blinked her bright eyes, a faint shimmer of amusement glinting in them, a peculiar smile forming on her lips—as the Pure Beauty’s First Envoy…

She couldn’t help but feel that opening such a massive backdoor was a bit inappropriate.

The Eater of Meals, beside her, also nodded slightly, agreeing that this cheat was seriously unbalanced.

If this reality were a game, wouldn’t the Star Lord Dao be the undisputed OP class?

“What’s wrong with that?”

Hermes met Qimao’s disdainful gaze without a hint of shame—he, the founding Ancestor of this Dao, had struggled tirelessly, endured countless aeons of trials, and achieved this astonishing cultivation—why shouldn’t his disciples enjoy some advantages?

If he, the Ancestor, had to start as a blank slate, wouldn’t all his efforts—overcoming countless obstacles and enduring countless eons of tribulations—be rendered meaningless?

“Understood, Lord Tianli. We’ll go prepare now.”

After a moment’s thought, both Meis had no further questions and quietly took their leave.

“Go. When Itachi become Star Lords, my Great Destiny Path will finally no longer be just a handful of weaklings.”

Hermes lightly squeezed their palms, gazing at Qimao with a teasing smile before releasing them.

This time, Qiana could no longer hold back—she rushed forward, grabbed both Meis’ hands, and immediately dragged them off running.

Facing such blatant betrayal—her short temper…

If she were sure she could win, she’d never let this slide!

“Alright, alright, Qiana, don’t rush so much—wait for Bronya and Cecilia-sis…”

As they stepped out the main gate of the courtyard and saw Qiana still sprinting, the Eater of Meals gently tugged on Qimao’s hand, signaling her to mind her behavior.

“Mei… did that old creep really not use any underhanded tricks?”

Qimao stared at her Mei, eyes shimmering with tears, on the verge of spilling—this time, her loss was simply too great!

“Hehehe, little Qiana, don’t worry—Lord Tianli wouldn’t do anything like that.”

Raiden·Wangchuan Shou·Mei’s lips curled into a subtle, peculiar smile; she didn’t pull away from little Qimao’s grip, instead gently explaining:

“Our current state is, roughly speaking, even closer than the most intimate twin sisters—so…”

She looked at little Qimao with boundless tenderness, yet her words struck like a blade: “It’s not that little Mei was brainwashed and changed her mind—it’s that little Mei, through my experiences, came to know and understand Lord Tianli through my memories, and thus naturally developed these feelings herself!”

For beings of Lord Tianli’s caliber, memories are virtually indistinguishable from the original self.

Whether little Mei met Lord Tianli through memory or through reality…

There is no difference whatsoever!

Hearing this, and seeing Mei’s cheeks faintly flushed, Qiana’s heart sank completely.

“Oh~ Actually, thinking about it, isn’t this a good thing?”

Bronya, walking up swiftly from behind, glanced at Qimao’s petrified form and delivered another blow:

“Qiana has Mei-sis, Mei-sis has Lord Tianli…”

Isn’t that a win-win?