"A grudge? You've misunderstood. Yunli and I were merely exchanging blows to test each other's skills. We had no intention of harming one another."
"Huh? That can't be right. One wielded a Flying Sword, the other swung a massive Blade, and you fought each other with more ferocity than anyone I've ever seen. If you tell me there's no animosity between you, I won't believe it."
"Oh my, General Feixiao, what are you doing here?"
As Yanqing and Yunli's battle concluded, Lingsha, Lumina, and the others arrived at the battlefield.
Noticing a familiar figure in the crowd, Lingsha was initially surprised before stepping forward to greet her.
"Fei...xiao? Could you be the one...?" Hearing the Foxian Woman beside her addressed as Feixiao, Yunli's eyes widened in shock.
"Yaoqing's Vanquishing General!" In stark contrast to Yunli's shock, Yanqing showed no surprise at the Foxian Woman's identity. Instead, his eyes lit up with fervent admiration, his expression radiating pure awe.
"Heh, it seems I'm quite famous on the Luofu as well," Feixiao chuckled, turning to face the crowd behind her.
"I... oh? Sister Lumina, we meet again."
She had been about to say something else, but when she spotted the pure white figure, her face lit up with unmistakable joy as she greeted her.
"Sister Lumina?!"
Hearing the Vanquishing General of Yaoqing address Lumina as "Sister Lumina," everyone present, almost in unison, cast shocked and astonished glances her way—especially Yunli.
Yunli knew that Lumina, who hung out with the Astral Express crew, Yanqing, and Sister Lingsha, must be someone extraordinary.
But she never imagined this "extraordinary" would be this extraordinary... that even the Vanquishing General of Yaoqing would call her "Sister."
"Mm, Feixiao, it's good to see you again too," Lumina replied with a gentle smile, nodding in acknowledgment. A peculiar sense of satisfaction bloomed in her heart.
It felt like that moment in those trashy, brainless novels where the male protagonist, constantly mocked and scorned, reveals his true identity to everyone and puts on a grand display.
Lumina was thoroughly enjoying the moment.
"I never imagined Lady Lumina and General Feixiao knew each other so well," Lingsha said, genuinely surprised.
Lingsha wasn't particularly surprised that Lumina and Feixiao knew each other.
But the fact that their relationship was so close they addressed each other as "sister" was beyond Lingsha's comprehension.
After all, for an Abundance Emanator and a Hunt Emanator to become close sisters, that would instantly top the trending topics across the entire Cosmos, right?
"I sought Sister Lumina's healing, and as we worked together, we naturally grew closer," Feixiao said with a smile, not elaborating further.
After all, the gazes from the three figures nearby were rather intense...
Feixiao glanced at March 7th, Stelle, and Little Swarm standing beside Lumina, and a sigh escaped her lips.
With Lumina's personality, being popular was inevitable.
But the expressions on those three... they seemed to have moved beyond the realm of mere popularity, didn't they?
As a Foxian, Feixiao was intimately familiar with that expression and gaze. It was the look that people wore when they caught others peering at something that was exclusively theirs...
"Ahem."
Feixiao chuckled, offering March 7th and the others a playful wink before focusing her attention entirely on Little Swarm.
Propagation, yet tinged with the aura of Abundance... What is this creature?
Is she Sister Lumina's daughter with some remnant of Propagation's forces?
Has Sister Lumina already gotten married?
And had a child?
Impossible, right?
"It's absolutely not what you're thinking," Lumina interjected, noticing Feixiao's gaze toward Little Swarm growing increasingly curious and surprised. Though she couldn't know exactly what Feixiao was imagining, Lumina was certain she was letting her wild thoughts run rampant.
"Ah, my apologies," Feixiao said, snapping out of her reverie. Yet she still couldn't quite shake her worry. "Then... her?"
"Don't worry, Little Swarm is perfectly safe and utterly adorable," Lumina said, seeing Feixiao's wild thoughts starting to subside. She kept her explanation brief and direct, assuring Feixiao of the child's well-being.
"Mm, she is quite adorable." Satisfied with Lumina's confirmation, Feixiao asked no further questions. After giving Little Swarm a thorough once-over, she nodded in hearty agreement. "Indeed, utterly adorable."
"Umm... adorable?" Little Swarm's cheeks flushed crimson, and she shrank back slightly, clearly embarrassed by the praise.
"Yanqing, Yunli," Lingsha interjected, seeing that Lumina and Feixiao had finished their greetings, "now that your spar is over, shouldn't you shake hands and make peace?"
"Hmph, here's your sword back," Yunli retorted.
"We didn't settle anything this time. Next time, I'll make you admit defeat wholeheartedly."
With that, Yunli returned Yanqing's sword and stalked away.
Yanqing caught the sword, shook his head helplessly, clasped his hands in a bow to the crowd, and said, "Yanqing must return to the Seat of Divine Foresight to report for duty."
"General Feixiao, Yanqing takes his leave."
Feixiao nodded in acknowledgment.
Having received Feixiao's acknowledgment, Yanqing prepared to depart with the rest of the Astral Express crew.
"You all go ahead," Lumina said with a smile, sensing March 7th and the others' gazes. "I still have some matters to attend to."
"Okay, Sister Lumina. Goodbye!"
Though their faces betrayed a hint of reluctance, March 7th and the others eventually left with Yanqing.