After finishing the story behind the parchment, Cicia summoned Dox’s "ticket" from the darkness — the Holy Light Vine Staff.
"As for this staff..." Cicia frowned slightly: "The emotions contained within it are the most complex among the treasures handed over by your teammates."
"The gratitude for a favor, the friendship resolutely protected, the love waiting in vain, the indifference towards sentiment, the sorrow of parting difficult to endure, and the longing waiting silently... etc."
Angel was somewhat puzzled: "The emotions within it, are they the stories of several people?"
"Four, if you count the maker, it’s the story of five people."
Angel: "..."
Originally, if it were the story of two people, he could already imagine a sensational drama. Unexpectedly, it’s the story of five people... Oh, wait, isn’t a five-person story even more sensational?
Angel pondered: "Which part of the emotions does Dox belong to among these five people? Dox is the one who handed this treasure to you."
According to Angel’s imagined script, Dox should belong to "love and longing," after all, the vine staff is ultimately kept by him, so it’s quite normal to emotionally connect with it.
However, if this is truly the case, then Dox’s previous carefree attitude is actually just a performance? Deep down, he should still be reluctant, because after all... he loved.
Yet, Angel’s imagined sensational drama hadn’t taken shape before Cicia poured cold water on it.
Cicia: "He occupies a small part in these emotions, considered as friendship, perhaps?"
Angel: "Resolutely protected friendship?"
Cicia nodded: "Yes."
"Then by exchanging this vine staff for a ticket, the ’resolutely protected’ seems to have disappeared as well?"
Cicia turned her head, looking at Angel: "Why do you think sending the vine staff away doesn’t count as protection? Don’t be limited by your thinking. Sometimes, giving up is also a choice. And your teammate previously chose to keep it, but now chooses to give it up. Perhaps from his perspective, giving up is also a protection for a friend."
Angel considered for a moment, what Cicia said seemed right. He always thinks too simplistically and superficially about such emotional issues; in reality, any form of emotion is very complex, much like human feelings, always fluctuating.
What you think may not be what you think; what you deny might actually be true.
Human hearts are unpredictable, emotions as well.
"I don’t know the specific story of this vine staff either, but it should be quite entangled." With that, Cicia muttered softly: "I actually don’t like treasures with such complex implications. Being immersed in them, I also end up entangled. But these kinds of treasures are the best to pass the time; viewing the whole story from different emotional perspectives gives different sentiments."
"Even though I don’t like such treasures, compared to your two Gold Coins, I prefer choosing this type of treasure."
Angel: ... The two Gold Coins he sent out have now become Cicia’s measuring standard, each one needing a comparison.
Cicia finally looked at the vine staff with complex eyes, then tossed it into the Mist.
In the Mist, a final treasure emerged — a stone tablet.
It was the stone tablet that previously housed the Black Earl’s nose.
Angel wasn’t concerned about the treasure itself, but he was eager to know the story of the Black Earl and what he discussed with Cicia?
"This stone tablet, is the carrier for the Black Earl’s nose avatar that you mentioned." Cicia didn’t hold the stone tablet in her hand but let it float in mid-air: "The stone tablet carried the Black Earl’s nose avatar for about sixty years, witnessing some emotional changes of the Black Earl’s nose over the years."
"However, his emotions are quite faint, not much meaning. It can hardly be considered a treasure."
"If it weren’t for him claiming to be from the Noah Clan, I really didn’t intend to accept it."
Upon hearing this, Angel realized the topic had reached its entry point, so he feigned surprise and asked: "Is there any connection between the Noah Clan and the Baiyuanians?"
If he directly asked Cicia why she favored the Noah Clan, Cicia might not answer. But Angel directly put the Baiyuanians and the Noah Clan on the same level, significantly increasing the probability of Cicia explaining.
Sure enough, Cicia frowned: "The Noah Family is just an insignificant Wizard Family in Naraku City, how could they have any connection with us Baiyuanians?"
Angel: "The current Noah Clan is a giant in the Southern Domain."
Cicia sneered: "So what? A Southern Domain where Legends don’t show, any organization or family placed ten thousand years ago could be deemed insignificant."
Angel stroked his chin: "That’s true."
"Since the Baiyuanians have no connection with the Noah Clan, then why does Miss Cicia favor the Black Earl? Could it be... because you fancy the power of the Noah Clan today, paving the way for the Baiyuan Clan’s revival?"
Angel knew very well that the latter statement was not the reason for Cicia’s favoritism, but it didn’t stop him from mentioning it. After Cicia met Popota, she would naturally understand the Baiyuanians’ current situation; apart from Angel, they virtually had no connections. If Cicia and Popota truly wanted to revive the Baiyuan Clan again, without the support of more forces, they would still end up like the Baiyuanians of old, devoured by a pack of wolves.
Cicia didn’t react initially, thinking Angel was teasing her because his latter half of the statement was full of teasing tone.
Just as Cicia was about to respond sarcastically, she suddenly paused. Upon careful consideration, Angel’s apparent teasing actually concealed a very real issue beneath his joking tone.
Having the Primeval Flame, the ancient altar reigniting doesn’t mean the Baiyuan Clan could rise immediately.
Revival is a goal, an outcome. But without the process, where is the outcome?
And the revival process, relying solely on Cicia and the yet-unmet Popota, could they truly achieve it?
Cicia’s gaze gradually became somber as her thoughts narrowed and the outlook became bleaker.
At this moment, Angel spoke: "Suddenly speechless, is it because you don’t want to answer this question? Or are you pondering how to brush me off?"
Cicia glared at Angel: "I’m just thinking!"
Angel had an expression of ’I see now’: "Is this your norm for thousands of years? When something comes to mind, you start pondering, and as you ponder, you lose track of time, letting the days pass by like that?"
"If that’s truly the case, I don’t mind, but are you planning to let Popota wait till he completely withers away?"
Cicia: "... You little rascal, you have a lot of wild ideas, but unfortunately, they’re all wrong."
Angel replied nonchalantly: "Wrong is wrong. I don’t mind right or wrong, I just want to remind you, keep those unreachable matters in mind; when the time truly comes, you can consider how to face them. After all, the Baiyuan Clan was blessed with celestial favor; the revival might be inherently destined, just like a distant mountain appearing insurmountable, but upon closer examination, there might be a staircase leading directly to the peak."
Upon hearing this, how could Cicia not understand that Angel completely saw through her thoughts? Or rather, her thoughts were actually being led by Angel.