Angel’s question was not without reason.
Since they entered the Underground Labyrinth, along the way, they encountered a lot of emblems related to the Baiyuanians, such as the Snake Entwined Staff and Snake Entwined Cone. Moreover, most of them were found in the ruins of laboratories.
From these small details, it can be glimpsed that a thousand years ago, Naraku City seemed to have some connection with the Baiyuanians.
However, at this time, Angel hadn’t linked the Box of Cicia with the Baiyuanians.
It wasn’t until Cicia wanted to pull Angel into the "Dark Space," but was blocked by some power in his left earlobe. Coupled with Cicia’s curiosity about Angel’s left earlobe and her previous mention of a "familiar fluctuation," it made Angel wonder if Cicia had sensed... the Primeval Flame?
And just now, Cicia’s "dissatisfaction" with Angel’s answer confirmed Angel’s guess that the "familiar fluctuation" Cicia mentioned indeed referred to the Primeval Flame.
Since Odeclass bestowed the Flame Mark, it has become increasingly rare to directly sense the presence of the Primeval Flame through the Flame Mark. Even Rhein can only feel the Flame Mark itself and cannot perceive the Primeval Flame sealed within it. However, Dororo, being a Baiyuanian himself, can vaguely detect some clues.
Cicia’s ability to detect the Primeval Flame, just by this alone, was enough for Angel to ask the speculative question, "Are you a Baiyuanian?"
Moreover, Cicia’s name also quite matches the Baiyuanian naming conventions.
Popota, Hua Que, Dororo, Cicia... Baiyuanians seem to have a penchant for cute, repetitive names.
So when Angel asked this question, he was already seventy to eighty percent sure in his heart.
On the other side, upon hearing Angel’s question, Cicia fell into a long silence.
Previously, Cicia’s demeanor of "I’m tired, ask quickly and then leave" seemed to have dissipated, and the dark space was filled with a stifling atmosphere.
"...Why are you asking this question?"
Angel listened to the calm voice in his ear and thought to himself: This is more like it, an old monster trapped in a dark box for millennia still acting so lively was obviously a facade. Now, this cold, dark, sinister, and ruthless tone is more normal.
While pondering the "reasonable tone" in his heart, Angel had completely disregarded the possibility that Cicia’s feigned voice might be a friendly gesture.
"I originally intended to ask other questions, but suddenly thought of this one, so I asked. There’s no particular reason," Angel said casually. In fact, it was true; it just happened to connect, so why not ask?
Cicia once again fell into a long silence.
But Angel could feel that in the surrounding Dark Mist, there seemed to be a pair of cold eyes silently observing him.
The atmosphere began to slowly slide toward indifference, the stifling feeling not only not dissipating but becoming even thicker.
In such an atmosphere, Angel spoke up, "Was your earlier question considered a question? If it was, I’ve already answered it. Now it’s your turn to answer my previous question."
"You are a Baiyuanian, right?" This time, Angel’s tone was no longer doubtful but rather certain.
"Does it matter to you whether I am or not? Or do you think that if I am a Baiyuanian, you could use me like the other massacred Baiyuanians?"
Cicia’s voice already carried anger, with a hint of hatred embedded in her words.
Even if Cicia didn’t admit it, having captured these hidden emotions, Angel had by now almost confirmed that Cicia was indeed a Baiyuanian... or rather, at least once was a Baiyuanian.
"A thousand years ago, Baiyuanians shouldn’t have been completely massacred yet, right? If you’ve been here all along, how do you know these things?"
Cicia: "I have my own channels."
Angel feigned realization, "Oh, I remember, Baiyuanians have a shared ancestral altar that exists in every Baiyuanian’s mind. The extinguishing of the altar’s flame should be visible to all Baiyuanians, and they understand what it signifies."
Angel: "So, is this how Cicia knows outside information?"
However, before Cicia could answer, Angel denied this inquiry himself.
"Ah, I almost forgot, you’re unable to perceive souls, so even if you are a Baiyuanian, you shouldn’t be able to sense the altar. So, someone else must have brought you the outside information. Would it be other intelligent life living in this Underground Aqueduct?"
Angel was really tempted to directly ask if it was the Triclops Blue Demon sage who told her. But he held back. After all, these details were not important.
Following the style of raising tension first, he had already stirred enough hatred, and it would be difficult to raise it "up" any further.
"How do you know about the ancestral altar? Who told you?" Cicia’s voice, inexplicably calm, felt to Angel through his super senses that her tranquility was only a surface appearance, with deadly undercurrents beneath—
Cicia had already birthed murderous intent.
Upon sensing the killing intent, Angel knew it was time to reveal something; otherwise, it would really be difficult to "boost" it.
"How do I know this secret? It was, of course, a Baiyuanian who told me directly."
Angel deliberately emphasized the word "directly."
Cicia: "...There are still living Baiyuanians outside?"
Cicia’s voice remained as calm as before, like a casual inquiry. But in Angel’s perception, Cicia’s real emotions were far from this.
Previously, there were hidden undercurrents and rising killing intent. Now, it’s like a turbulent storm, disbelief mixed with a slight hope.
Angel: "So, is the question and answer game over?"
"To hell with the question and answer game, I now declare that from now on, there’s no such game. You either answer my question or leave. I don’t have time to waste with you."
Cicia elevated her emotions again, but beneath her elevated emotions lay careful caution. Evidently, even though she switched to an intense response style, it was still her performance.
"Even if there’s no question and answer game, I still hope that before I answer your question, you can answer mine first. Cicia, are you a Baiyuanian?" Angel repeated the question once more, but this time, his expression was more solemn and serious than before.
In the darkness, Cicia gazed deeply at Angel. Only after a long moment did she finally speak, "You’ve already guessed it. Why insist on me confirming it for you?"
"Because if I can’t confirm that Cicia is a Baiyuanian, then there’s no reason for me to stay here any longer."
Angel didn’t explain why, and Cicia didn’t ask. After a brief silence, she finally gave a decisive answer: "Yes, I was once a Baiyuanian. Now... I still am."
Upon hearing Cicia’s words, Angel finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He’d held "down" for too long; if he didn’t "raise" it now, there’d be no way to "raise" it. Fortunately, Cicia answered his question, and the answer was more than Angel wanted to know.