"Third Elder, the Flower of Origin can certainly separate two realms, but it can't be effective forever, right? Once you or Evangelin leave the Sea Eye, the Flower of Origin will gradually fade with the operation of the world. What then?"

"That's simple."

The Third Elder chuckled:

"As long as I don't leave the Sea Eye, staying there forever to guard it should be fine, right?"

"??!!!"

After casting a shocked glance at the Third Elder, Leon incredulously reminded:

"Third Elder, are you sure..."

"Alright, I'm sure, no need to talk more about it."

The Third Elder waved his hand to indicate that Leon did not need to ask further, speaking with an indifferent expression:

"Anyway, even if I'm not lying in the Sea Eye, I usually lie in a coffin in the Sage's Cemetery; now I'm just changing places to lie down, lying somewhere is still lying down, isn't it?"

But that's not the same...

Recalling that deep and dark place where there's nothing except the cold sea water, the Mermaid Beauty couldn't help but remind:

"Third Elder, it's not just about lying outside the Sea Eye. You probably have to go deep into the Sea Eye, close to the Abyssal Realm, and maintain the cohesion of the Flower of Origin at all times, without falling asleep or losing consciousness.

To put it bluntly, it's like being awake forever, locked in a pitch-dark secret room, with a prison term that is virtually endless, you..."

"I know."

After glancing at the Mermaid Beauty, the Third Elder said calmly:

"I proposed this plan myself, could I not understand the consequences? Since I dare to tell you this, it means I am prepared.

Enough! Let this decision stand, you are responsible for connecting the Abyssal Realm to the Sea Eye, and I am responsible for separating the two realms to prevent problems in the current world... any other questions?"

"..."

After giving the Third Elder a deep look, the Mermaid Beauty, in his "What are you waiting for?" expression, turned to smile lightly at Leon, then raised a hand to open the path to the Sea Eye, leaving the Source God Platform without saying a word.

After the Mermaid Beauty left, the Third Elder gathered his indifferent expression and looked at Leon with a smile:

"You... hey?"

Grabbing the Third Elder's conveniently graspable square head, Leon frowned:

"What are you trying to do again?"

"???"

The Third Elder was momentarily stunned by Leon's words, then angrily said with three parts surprise and seven parts annoyance:

"I'm prepared to sacrifice myself to save the current world! You little..."

"Stop pretending."

Staring into the Third Elder's eyes, Leon said with a hostile expression:

"Don't tell me you intend to sacrifice yourself for the current world. I don't doubt your determination to protect the current world, but this is definitely not your style."

"Ah? What's my style?"

"Question everything, trust only yourself, and act faster than you speak."

Leon squinted:

"You, me, Evangelin, we three have similar habits in this regard; we tend to manage everything ourselves and keep all plans inside until everything is settled.

So if you really intended to do this, you wouldn't have told us, you would have just done it, maybe only explaining briefly afterwards.

You explained so much just now, which instead proves you're not intending to do this... Third Elder, wasn't your clumsy performance aimed at having Evangelin take on your 'plan,' voluntarily guarding the Sea Eye?"

"..."

Indeed, couldn't hide it...

Looking at Leon, who was saying "isn't it?" with his mouth but "definitely" with his eyes, the Third Elder pondered for a moment, then nodded and replied with a smile:

"But I'm not playing tricks either; if she's really unwilling, I would still go to guard the Sea Eye myself. Moreover, just based on the way she looked at me when she left, I think she probably guessed my intentions."

I think so too... Evangelin probably understood, knowing you're wary of her and even planning something against her, she doesn't want to make things difficult for me caught in the middle, so she left so decisively...

Recalling the meaningful look in the Mermaid Beauty's eyes when she left, Leon couldn't help but sigh, then said somewhat headachily:

"Third Elder, we have strong enemies outside now, what we need is to unite all forces that can be united, yet you're doing this..."

"Leon, don't forget that the mermaid is also a Root Survivor."

Putting away his smile, the Third Elder solemnly said, calling Leon's name rarely:

"I'm not trying to exclude her, nor am I trying to harm her, I'm merely taking necessary precautions... People can change, and Root Survivors resemble humans, they probably change too; she is now willing to help you and the current world, but will she always think so?

When you help revive her tribe, when she needs you to fight number 1 on her behalf, she willingly helps you and the current world, but what about afterward when the current world is safe? What about when her tribe conflicts with humans? What happens if you have a divergence of views with her?

Don't tell me such things are impossible, The Twelve Kingdoms are all humans yet often fight to the death, can a species from another realm really coexist peacefully with humans forever? Will you really never have any conflicts with her?" 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"..."

"Of course, I also admit, I might indeed be somewhat biased against these Root Survivors."

Seeing Leon's furrowed brow and silent expression, the Third Elder's tone softened quickly, reminiscing with a sigh:

"Ever since I entered between the roots, learned about the existence of these Root Survivors, I secretly went to Ring Time Mountain in Old Soil once, saw many 'images' before the material planes' destruction, feeling that many of them are connected to these Root Survivors.

After discovering that this species often accompanies the destruction of an entire plane, I was so scared I didn't dare to die, borrowed the secret technique of Taurus and the Star Palace to preserve my body, and had to collaborate with those True Gods of the Slaughter King Association to prevent my will from being worn down by time... enough, let's not talk about this."

Looking up at Leon, the Third Elder spoke benevolently:

"Leon, I have been wary of you all along since I discovered you were unusually special, almost perfectly fitting the characteristics of a Root Survivor, including leaving a wisp of my will to observe you just now for this reason.

But now I know, you aren't one of them, but a human like me, so I can speak to you freely... She is ultimately a Root Survivor, not a human. If she is unwilling to guard the Sea Eye, then you should be cautious of her in the future."

Leon couldn't help but fall silent for a moment after hearing this, then retorted:

"What if she's willing to go?"

"Then I won't let her suffer."

The Third Elder replied with a smile:

"Even you, a young guy barely twenty, know to unite all forces, how could I not understand?

I just have a cautious personality and am not inherently a trickster, if she truly is willing to go to such lengths, I also have a win-win solution."

A win-win solution?

Leon felt a surge of understanding and retorted:

"Your solution, isn't it the method you used to preserve your life abilities?"

"Exactly."

Nodding slightly, the Third Elder answered with a chuckle:

"Using the authority stolen from the Taurus Star Palace, she can act with separated mind and body like I did, and the separated mind with Taurus's secret technique is indistinguishable from a living person with a physical body.

Aside from the Flower of Origin's main body being unable to leave and needing to stay in the Sea Eye, she could go anywhere she wants, even the Four Pillar Gods can't hold her down, as long as she's careful not to encounter the current Taurus director and get the stolen authority absorbed back by the Taurus Star Palace."

Don't encounter the current Taurus... No wonder you've been avoiding the Taurus Pavilion for all these years, so that's the reason...

Leon finally solved the long-standing riddle of the Third Elder's avoidance of the Taurus director, feeling enlightened silently asked in his heart:

'How about now? Are you relieved?'