["'General!' Yanqing exclaimed with joy."]
["Jing Yuan signaled him to stay down and recover. He looked at Blade and Dan Heng, his eyes filled with unspoken emotions."]
["Memories flooded back—sorrow, joy… But in the end, he forced a lighthearted smile. 'It's been a while since you two returned to the Xianzhou, yet it's always in such awkward circumstances. If you're visiting old friends, you should've informed me earlier.'"]
["Blade responded coldly, 'I've finished what I came to do.'"]
["'Indeed, it's done,' Jing Yuan nodded, turning to Kafka and Blade. 'You've done the Xianzhou a small favor, and for that, I'm grateful. Take him and leave. This time, I'll pretend I didn't see anything.'"]
["'General?! I…' Yanqing could hardly believe his ears."]
["'Now's not the time for that,' Jing Yuan said sternly, shaking his head."]
New Eridu, Cunning Hares—
"Hey! Jing Yuan! How can you just let Kafka and Blade walk away like that? That Blade guy beat up your subordinate!" Nicole practically screeched, outraged that Jing Yuan wasn't standing up for Yanqing.
"Calm down, Boss Nicole!" Billy quickly tried to placate her. "The General must have his reasons, right? Maybe… uh, he's trying to train Yanqing or something?"
"Think about it—last time Yanqing got defeated by Jingliu, he learned a new move. Maybe getting tag-teamed this time will help him master double the moves!"
"It's like… if someone slaps me and then gives me a million dennies, even if Boss Nicole doesn't back me up, it's not really a loss, right?"
"Huh? A million dennies? Cough… If it's that much, I think you could take a few more slaps, Billy."
Nicole's attitude did a complete 180 as she turned back with righteous indignation. "And Billy, don't be so crude. It's not getting slapped—it's called high-intelligence tactical unit head-impact resistance testing under firepower suppression! If you get a chance like that, you should test a few more rounds. That way, the Cunning Hares' debts… I mean, your machine performance could get a huge upgrade. It'd be fantastic!"
["Jing Yuan watched Kafka and Blade leave, then turned to Dan Heng. 'It's been a long time… old friend.'"]
["'I'm not him,' Dan Heng said calmly, his voice tinged with exhaustion."]
["'…My apologies,' Jing Yuan said with a casual smile. Watching Dan Heng prepare to leave, he added lightly, 'You can't go yet. Your train companions are waiting for you in Scalegorge Waterscape. Shall we go meet them together?'"]
["Dan Heng nodded, following Jing Yuan and a large group of Cloud Knights."]
["Before long, they arrived at a deeper secret realm in Scalegorge Waterscape, where the grand Dragonvista Rain Hall and the towering Dragon Sovereign statue in its center came into view."]
["Seeing this scene again, Jing Yuan was filled with emotion."]
["'The ancient sea of Boyue, a realm of sublime beauty. The scenery of Scalegorge Waterscape remains unchanged since I last saw it. Yet you and I, standing here now, are no longer the same. Even as immortal beings, we cannot stand equal to the heavens and earth.'"]
["'The General is aware of the Vidyadhara's cycle of reincarnation,' Dan Heng said evenly. 'The waters of the ancient sea have washed away Dan Feng's sins. The person who once stood here with you is gone.'"]
"Well… Lady Frieren, does this mean Dan Heng's past life was Dan Feng, a notorious sinner of the Xianzhou, but he's been reborn as Dan Heng through reincarnation, right?"
Fern neatly summarized the information from the Celestial Screen. "The crimes were committed by his past life, so Dan Heng is actually innocent."
"Hmm, but there are still some questions…" Frieren pointed at the dragon horns on Dan Heng's head on the screen. "According to Vidyadhara customs, reincarnation severs all ties with the past life. So why does Dan Heng still possess the Dragon Sovereign's power and some of his memories?"
"It's called reincarnation, but it doesn't feel like a complete rebirth. It's… strange."
"Oh, no wonder Blade said Dan Heng 'hasn't even died once'!" Stark suddenly realized. "The Vidyadhara's reincarnation is equivalent to the death of their past life, but Dan Feng's reincarnation… something must have gone wrong, allowing the Dragon Sovereign's power and memories to remain in Dan Heng."
"That doesn't add up either," Sein said, frowning in confusion. "The Dragon Sovereign's power is inherited. If Dan Heng has the Dragon Sovereign's power and was exiled from the Xianzhou, then who is the current Vidyadhara Dragon Sovereign?"
"Could it really be Lady Bailu?"
Fern recalled the candidate for Dragon Sovereign that everyone had initially dismissed.
["'I am Dan Heng. Whether Dan Feng was a hero or a sinner has nothing to do with me. I've borne his punishment and accepted eternal exile—I have no complaints. But when the General sees me, please let go of the shadows of the past,' Dan Heng said calmly."]
["'Ah… bringing up old matters is like stirring a muddy pond, only causing trouble,' Jing Yuan sighed. 'Perhaps it's your appearance… or those dragon horns, that faint air of the Dragon Sovereign, that makes me associate you with an old friend.'"]
["'…' Dan Heng reiterated firmly, 'I've already said—'"]
["'Yes, you've said it. And so what?' Jing Yuan tilted his head with a smile, interrupting him. 'If a single sentence could change how others see you, the world would have far fewer conflicts. If you want me to stop seeing you as Dan Feng, fine. Do one thing for me.'"]
["'As Dan Feng, help me with one last task. Once it's done, I'll let him die and lift your exile. From then on, I can guarantee that, at least on the Luofu, you'll no longer be anyone's shadow.'"]
["Dan Heng shook his head. 'What Dan Feng could do, I may not be able to accomplish.'"]
["'You must do it, or all promises are void,' Jing Yuan said with rare assertiveness. 'Blame your past life. If he hadn't done that foolish thing, if the power of the Dragon Sovereign had been fully passed down, I wouldn't have to force you.'"]
["'As I said earlier, the you and I standing here today are no longer the same. Dan Feng is gone, and there is only Dan Heng. As for me…'"]
["'I am the General of the Luofu. Some things, however unwilling I am, must still be done.'"]