A/N: Do read "Chapter Fifty-One: Eclipse" first before reading this chapter, thank you. 

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Jingliu's stance, a solitary silhouette against the backdrop of an eternal cosmos, was a monument to her journey. There was a palpable stillness, a quiet before the birth of stars, where her thoughts unfurled like nebulae across the tapestry of her mind. Each celestial sentinel stood as a testament to the epochs she had traversed, the trials overcome, and the allies who had graced her path with their wisdom and might.

A mental bulwark rose within her, a recognition of the precipice upon which she balanced—the edge of transformation. It was a barrier, not of confinement, but of potential waiting to be unleashed, the harbinger of her evolution.

Her heart thrummed a silent cadence, a rhythm that resonated with the frequency of gratitude. "Thank you," she breathed into the void, a mantra echoing into the universe. The simplicity of the phrase belied the depth of her indebtedness, the sum of countless debts woven into the very fabric of her being.

She had sought solitude, a path of her own forging, and yet destiny had conspired to weave others into her narrative.

Pluto's gift was the dance of twin blades, their swift arcs and deadly poise now mirrored in Jingliu's own style. The girl's dual-wielding finesse had inspired Jingliu to adapt her single sword to confront a multitude of foes simultaneously, a whirlwind of ice and steel.

Holos's lessons in defense had bolstered her resilience. His guidance had fortified her Moonlit Guardian, an ethereal shield that resonated with the lunar force. Yet, even with this newfound strength, Jingliu sensed an absence, a gap in her defenses waiting to be filled.

Adabas, with her entrancing ruby petals, had sharpened Jingliu's mental edge. The hypnotic dances and illusory warfare had been infuriating trials, yet they forged in her an unwavering focus, a mind as impervious as the hardest diamond.

Mono's teachings had been a spectacle of raw power. The girl's sword, capable of sundering mountains, had stirred a deep-seated awe within Jingliu. It echoed the aura strikes of Y/N, yet with an intensity that went beyond, pushing Jingliu to master the art of cleaving with her greatsword, a force to rival the tectonic.

Icaria, master of flames, had guided Jingliu through the paradox of her innate element—ice. The cryo abilities, a tempest born from emotional turmoil, had evolved into a versatile arsenal. Avalanches, icy slashes, the negation of healing—all these were now woven into Jingliu's combative tapestry. Their spars, a clash of fire and ice, had honed her swordsmanship to a fine edge, each exchange a lesson in power and restraint.

Yara, the healer and scholar, had been a wellspring of knowledge. The doctor had dissected Jingliu's powers, offering insights that accelerated her mastery over her abilities, laying the groundwork for techniques that Jingliu now wielded with confident precision.

Seris, the noble haunted by specters of the past, had served as the crucible for Jingliu's acquired skills. The noblewoman's versatile prowess challenged Jingliu in every conceivable way, acting as the final arbiter of her preparedness.

And then there was Terminus. The Aeon, a being of enigmatic contrasts, had become a friend. Governed by time, death, and the universe, Terminus had shown Jingliu the expanse of her domain—yet remained curiously detached from it, displaying a humanity that defied her divine nature. In her company, Jingliu had learned to manipulate time with her ice, to shape her soul as a bulwark against death, and to wield her sword with a force that could sever the fabric of the cosmos itself.

The Dark Moon, Terminus's final lesson, loomed over Jingliu—a threshold to an ascension that called to her very essence. Gratitude, profound and heartfelt, filled Jingliu's heart for the Aeon who had guided her to this point of near-transcendence.

Gazing at the moon, her eyes neither joyful nor sorrowful, Jingliu gathered the fragments of her journey. Each mentor, each lesson, had carved her into the warrior she now was. And she was close, so tantalizingly close to the culmination of her ascent.

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"Our beloved sister!" Icaria's exclamation cut through the evening air, her arms outstretched towards Jingliu, who responded with a half-hearted wave. The armor dress Jingliu wore clung to her form, the deep blue hues reflecting the lunar glow, the metal segments catching the light and scattering it like stars.

"Icaria, how many times do I have to say this. I am not your sister," Jingliu protested, though the hint of a smile betrayed her fondness for the fiery woman.

"Phooey... you practically live with us, and thus, you are one of ours!" Icaria proclaimed defiantly, unwilling to relinquish the bond she felt to Jingliu.

Their conversation was punctuated by a flourish of ruby petals that spiraled into existence, weaving a dome of vibrant red. From this floral display stepped Adabas, with Mono trailing behind her, her youthful energy embodied in each jubilant skip.

"So, what are we doing here, Jingliu?" Mono queried, coming to a halt before Jingliu, her innocent black crystal eyes searching for an answer.

The gaze reminded Jingliu of the first time she peered into the Abyss, the memory still capable of sending a shiver down her spine.

"I will announce it after everyone gathers," Jingliu replied, preferring to wait for the full assembly rather than repeat herself.

Mono seemed poised to protest but was silenced by a gentle smack from Adabas's ruby fan. The twin sighed, resigning herself to patience under her sister's admonishing gaze.

A spectacle of teleportation unfolded as a magic circle, intricate in design and vibrant with hues of green and blue, spiraled into existence. Yara stepped through the portal, her demeanor as composed as the unbroken surface of a still lake.

Following her, a mythical gate creaked open, allowing Seris to step through before vanishing as swiftly as it appeared.

Jingliu surveyed the gathering, noting the near-complete assembly of her extraordinary companions. The final arrival was heralded by a comet streaking across the sky, Holos and Pluto descending from the heavens with celestial grandeur.

As they landed, the impact sent a shockwave through the area, leaves swirling in a maelstrom and branches snapping from the ancient trees. Emerging from the crater, Holos and Pluto dusted themselves off and acknowledged Jingliu with an enthusiastic thumbs-up.

With the celestial siblings now convened, Jingliu nodded in satisfaction and stepped forward, her resolve evident in her posture. "Everyone, I wish for you all to fight me at your fullest," she declared, her voice carrying the weight of her request, a challenge laid bare under the watchful gaze of the moon.

The air, charged with anticipation and cosmic energy, grew dense as Jingliu declared her intent. Arrayed in her warrior's armor, the moonlight cast her in an ethereal glow, turning the plates of her armor into a cascade of starlit reflections.

Yara maintained her stoic demeanor, eyes now razor-sharp, slicing through any façade. Holos, the star-core titan, radiated a gravity that seemed to bend the very light around him. Pluto, ever the silent comet, caressed the hilt of her blade with a promise of unleashing her stellar wrath.

Mono, ever the enigma, perched upon her colossal crystalline sword, a throne of her own making, her youthful visage etched with curiosity. Adabas' gaze flickered with an inner fire, her robes aglow with a crimson luminescence that spoke of dormant power stirring to life.

Silent communion passed among them, a symphony of unspoken understanding that needed no words. Jingliu, patient as the moon that watched over them, allowed her aura to spiral slowly outward, a silent sentinel awaiting acknowledgment.

Seris, her eyes previously closed in quiet contemplation, now opened them, her expression mirroring Jingliu's own. With the poise of one who understood the gravitas of the moment, she became the voice of the celestial cadre. "How unexpected. What do you benefit from this? Or rather, why?" Her question, simple yet profound, sought the core of Jingliu's sudden challenge.

Jingliu met each gaze, her aura subtly gathering like the calm before a storm. "I am a mere outsider in this family of stars, and with the completion of my training that you all have so graciously imparted, I wish for all of you to test me. Hence my request to all of you." Her words, though few, echoed with a resonance that touched upon the bonds they had forged.

Mono, reclining on her sword-turned-throne, piped up with a mischievous grin. "Jingliu, oh brave Jingliu, seeking to challenge the celestial tide? A bold move, or is it a hidden dance of defiance?"

Pluto, adjusting the grip on her twin swords, offered a supportive nod. "A trial by fire—or in our case, the stars—is the only fitting culmination for such intense preparation. Jingliu, your spirit's flame has always burned brighter when tested."

Yara regarded Jingliu with a clinical eye. "An interesting hypothesis, Jingliu. Testing your mettle against us all, a true measure of your growth. I'm curious to see the results."

Icaria's laughter rang out, fiery and bright. "Let's turn the heat up, shall we? Show us the strength that burns within you, Jingliu!"

Adabas spoke, her voice as calm as the illusions she wove. "The fabric of reality is ever-shifting, much like your path, Jingliu. Let's see if you can navigate the maze you've set before yourself."

The siblings understood Jingliu's need for strength, her quest to find her friend, yet they also recognized the kinship that had woven their lives tightly with hers. They had become more than distant stars to one another—they had become a constellation.

Seris, her tone carrying the edge of a blade, set forth her condition. "Very well. But not without terms. If you win, we will grant you the freedom of your will, but if you lose, you will remain and continue your training under our tutelage."

A flicker of skepticism crossed Jingliu's face, a shadow of doubt that this simple wager could hold such weight. Yet her voice was steady as she accepted the challenge. "I accept, though I sense there's more to this than a mere spar. Is this another lesson cloaked in the guise of combat?"

Holos gave a slow nod, as if confirming an unspoken truth. "Every moment with us is a lesson, Jingliu. Remember that."

With a measured nod, Jingliu accepted, trusting in the integrity of her newfound family. "I accept."

At her assent, the environment transformed, the siblings releasing their auras, each a titan in their own right. The landscape reshaped itself, bending to the will of Aeons, as Jingliu faced a pantheon of power unimaginable to her past self.

Holos stood resolute, his form like a bastion hewn from celestial rock. His armor shimmered with the brilliance of captured constellations, each plate and rivet seemingly struggling to contain the nova that raged within. The night sky played across his form, stars moving at his silent command, forming patterns of impending cataclysm.

Pluto exuded the radiance of a knight ordained by the cosmos itself, her armor gleaming with a luster born of the intent to obliterate any foe. Small and seemingly timid, she belied her stature with an oppressive aura, her twin swords promising destruction to any who dared to approach.

Adabas' presence warped the very fabric of the landscape, the forest shifting through a macabre dance of illusions at her whim. One moment a graveyard of silent tombs, the next a suffocating desert, each blink brought forth a new vista, a testament to her mastery over the realm of deception.

Mono's sword, now a gargantuan construct, bore the magnificent wings of a griffon. The blade's design was one of ancient majesty, its edges sharp as the winds of change, and its presence so immense the very earth seemed to groan under the increased gravity of her will.

Icaria became an avatar of primordial flame, her fiery blade a harbinger of world-consuming infernos. As she brandished her weapon, the air crackled with the promise of an all-consuming blaze, the first and last fire to touch the world's breadth.

Yara's transformation was no less awe-inspiring. Her wand metamorphosed into a demonic spear, a halberd etched with runes that pulsed with a blue glow, each line a conduit of monstrous magical power. Jingliu beheld the weapon, realizing the offensive might Yara had kept veiled until this moment.

And Seris, her aura was the most unsettling, an oppressive force that gnawed at the edges of Jingliu's mind. It was reminiscent of the Great Ones, an insidious presence that threatened to unearth the deepest of fears. Seris materialized a lightsword of ice, its chill a stark contrast to the malevolent warmth of her aura.

The combined might of the siblings was a spectacle that would render the Emanators of Abundance in Xianzhou as mere cubs among lions. Jingliu's own lightsword of ice, now brandished before them, was a beacon of her readiness, her determination to face the trials ahead.

Their expressions, an amalgam of expectancy, bloodlust, and pedagogical intent, were the final affirmation Jingliu needed. This was the moment of truth, a test of her mettle against the family of stars she had come to cherish.

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The universe became their arena, an expanse devoid of anything but the imminent clash. Jingliu stood in the void, her inner tempest stilled by the serenity of her resolve.

She remembered the mirages, the High Cloud Quintet, her trials that seemed but a prelude to the vastness she now faced. A simple hiss in the void—subtle, almost serene—was the prelude to the storm.

A hiss, subtle as the whisper of space itself, was all the provocation needed. Jingliu, recognizing the ploy, unleashed an arcing wave of ice from her sword, a frigid cleave that sought to preempt her celestial adversaries.

Holos, the guardian of their ranks, teleported to the forefront. With a commanding gesture, he beckoned the stars to align. They flickered and danced, tracing paths across the void. The constellations of Caelum, Scutum, and Aegis formed, embodying the essence of defense and protection. The ice wave met the stellar barrier, crystallizing upon an invisible shield that Holos conjured from the constellations' alignment. Jingliu's eyes widened in silent reverence—here was the Path of Preservation made manifest, a connection to the cosmos that bound the stars to his indomitable will.

The siblings dispersed without a sound, their movements a silent ballet choreographed by unspoken understanding. Yara retreated, her halberd striking the fabric of space itself, puncturing it to unleash cascading waterfalls. Jingliu watched, her mind racing as she deduced the convergence of elements at play.

Adabas vanished beneath her robes, the ruby petals swirling in a tempest of red, and the cosmos shifted around her, reshaping the battlefield with each fluttering petal.

A phantom slash, a whisper of mortality, grazed Jingliu's neck, a harbinger of Pluto's approach. Twin slashes of fluorescent light darted toward her, only to find empty space as Jingliu dodged with transcendent reflexes. The slashes, persistent in their pursuit, redirected themselves, barreling toward Jingliu with renewed fervor.

Jingliu weaved through the cosmic onslaught, her agility a testament to her celestial tutelage. Without warning, the world shifted—a planet of water replaced the star-studded void. Jingliu stood upon its surface, her balance unyielding, even as the twin slashes continued their relentless chase.

Mono, her grin splitting her face with lunatic glee, met Jingliu's sword with a clash that sent ripples through the aqueous planet, turning liquid to solid in an instant. Jingliu's riposte sent Mono sliding across the new ice with a grace that belied the force of the impact.

Pluto engaged next, her twin swords a blur of motion, their edges carving tempests and whirlwinds in an attempt to overwhelm Jingliu. Yet, Jingliu parried each strike, her movements a dance of counterpoints to Pluto's aggressive symphony.

Feeling the incoming slashes once more, Jingliu channeled her cryokinetic mastery, her aura flaring as she transformed the sea planet beneath them. Yara observed from afar, her eyes alight with intrigue, as Jingliu's power crescendoed.

With a surge of will, the ocean world succumbed to an icy rebirth. What once was a planet of water, vast beyond comprehension, now stood frozen—a crystalline sphere reflecting Jingliu's inner tempest. Mono's whistle cut through the silence, an acknowledgment of the spectacle before diving into the fray once more, her sword ready to shatter the ice beneath them.

"Hahahaha! Now this is fun!" Mono's laughter resonated, her sword raised high as she charged, embodying the thrill of the hunt. Pluto, not to be outdone, circled with her swords drawn, each step on the ice deliberate, each swing a dance of blades meant to ensnare Jingliu in a storm of steel.

From the cosmos above, Holos descended, his form like a falling star, his jade hammer poised to deliver a blow that could fracture worlds. The ice beneath Jingliu's feet hummed with the impending impact.

The siblings' auras, each a testament to their dominion over their respective Paths, bathed the planet of ice in an otherworldly glow. Jingliu stood at the center of this cosmic convergence, her lightsword of ice poised against the might of the heavens.

Mono's blade, now an extension of her very being, carved through the air with a force that matched the gravity of her environment. It bore the intricate design and noble grace of the mythical griffon, its sweeping arcs reminiscent of the creature's majestic wings, each feather a blade of its own, promising dominion over the skies and lands below.

Pluto's dance was that of the celestial huntress, each movement calculated and precise, her swords the extensions of her will, each strike imbued with a tempest's fury, her every step conjuring gales that sought to sweep Jingliu off balance.

And Holos, in his descent, became the embodiment of a star's final moment—a supernova contained within the form of a warrior. The very cosmos seemed to bend to his intent, ready to birth new stars from the collision that awaited.

The transformation was swift, a metamorphosis of steel and soul. Jingliu's lightsword elongated, broadened, and darkened, forging into the Dark Moon Blade. It was the birthright of the Nighthilt Sovereign, her title now fully realized in the weight and edge of this new greatsword. Beside her, the Moonlit Guardian emerged, a lunar doppelganger mirroring her form, each wielding a replica of the formidable weapon.

With a flourish that caught the starlight, the Guardian summoned a shield of iridescent lunar energy, intercepting Holos' celestial hammer with a resounding clash. The impact sent a spider web of fractures across the ice planet, yet the shield held firm. Jingliu entrusted her ethereal twin to contend with Holos, her focus narrowing to the eager Mono and the excited Pluto.

Mono's blade carved through the void, its passage marked by sonorous shockwaves that reverberated through the cosmos. Jingliu, attuned to the vibrations, nimbly sidestepped the onslaught. Pluto, a whirlwind of blades, lunged with a series of stabs and slashes, each met with Jingliu's precise parries and counters. With a deft sweep of her Dark Moon Blade, Jingliu struck, her blade glancing off both of Pluto's swords in a single, fluid motion.

Stamina—a trait honed to perfection throughout her arduous training—served as Jingliu's bulwark against the otherworldly might she faced. Each consecutive swing of her greatsword set the void ablaze with arcs of ice and moonlight, targeting Pluto with unyielding accuracy and confidence. Simultaneously, Jingliu wove a growing tapestry of ice around her, seeking to keep Mono's destructive power at a distance.

The cosmos around them began to change, snowflakes forming from the ether, gathering upon the surface of ice, rapidly amassing into blizzards and avalanches. The planet of ice transformed before their eyes into a barren, snow-choked wasteland.

Impatience sparked within Mono, and with a frustrated grunt, she raised her sword high. The blade thrummed with pent-up energy, descending in a cataclysmic cleave. The impact resonated like a cosmic quake, and Jingliu, sensing the imminent destruction, vaulted into the void above.

From her vantage point, Jingliu witnessed the planet's bisection—a world once grander than the mightiest Xianzhou ships now sundered into a crumbling sphere of ice.

But the battle did not pause for awe or grief. Arcane energies enveloped Jingliu, and reality folded upon itself once more. She found herself transported, not to another planet but to a ship—a vessel etched into the core of her being. With trembling eyes, she gazed upon the cityscape of Xianzhou Cangcheng, a mirror of vibrancy and life that shook her to the core.

End of Chapter

A/N: Don't forget to vote and comment to show your support—thank you! Also, I've chosen to divide the chapter into two parts for more breaks.