["'The Stellaron Hunters indeed have their schemes, haha. They sent you all here, deliberately escalating the situation so you'd fight alongside the Xianzhou. At this point, your sincerity is beyond doubt… The Luofu owes you a debt of gratitude and shouldn't ask for more.'"]
["Jing Yuan's eyes lowered slightly, a trace of solemnity flashing through them. 'But as Master Diviner Fu said, Phantylia's appearance has made the situation uncontrollable. As the General of the Luofu, I must borrow Dan Heng's power and ask for your full assistance as well.'"]
["'Even if the Luofu's crisis isn't tied to the Stellaron, my nature wouldn't let me stand idly by. But my will alone cannot represent the Astral Express,' Welt said solemnly, looking at March 7th and Stelle. It was time to take a stand."]
["'Explore, understand, establish, connect… The Trailblaze creed boils down to these eight words. The journey is perilous, and living up to them is harder than ascending to the heavens.'"]
["'Whether to move forward or leave, the destination of the Nameless should be their own choice… just like casting a vote for the train's next stop.'"]
["After Welt finished, March 7th and Stelle exchanged a knowing glance, confirming each other's thoughts before nodding in unison."]
["They stepped forward to Dan Heng, extending their hands, awaiting his response. 'Dan Heng, you…'"]
["After a moment's hesitation, Dan Heng finally reached out his hand."]
["'Thank you, Dan Heng,' Jing Yuan said with a smile."]
["'I'm not standing here as a Nameless,' Dan Heng shook his head, sighing before looking at Jing Yuan. 'Because of this journey, I've been manipulated and have no freedom to speak of… But I will fulfill my duty to the Luofu as a Vidyadhara descendant.'"]
["'Great! Everyone's as righteous as when you first arrived,' March 7th said confidently, hands on her hips, looking up at Jing Yuan. 'So, what's the General's brilliant plan?'"]
["'No brilliant plan, just a gamble. A gamble on the Vidyadhara elders' half-complete scale-shedding ritual, a gamble that Dan Heng can reclaim the Dragon Sovereign's memories…'"]
["Though he called it a 'gamble,' Jing Yuan's face showed no trace of worry, only the calm confidence of someone who had everything under control."]
——
Natlan, Sacred Flame Arena
"This Phantylia… seems stronger than I expected."
As a fellow leader, Mavuika understood Jing Yuan's cautious approach to a formidable enemy. But she also realized that there might be a vast gap between Emissaries.
As an Emissary of the Hunt, Jing Yuan's strength had been displayed before, his astonishing skill still vivid in Mavuika's memory. With the aid of his divine spirit, he was likely unmatched across the entire Xianzhou Luofu in terms of raw power.
Yet even someone as strong as Jing Yuan needed the Dragon Sovereign's help and the Astral Express crew's combined efforts to face Phantylia. Just how powerful was this Lord Ravager, also an Emissary?
"Could an Emissary's strength be tied to their Aeon?" Chasca noted Mavuika's curiosity. "I recall Mr. Welt saying the Aeon of the Hunt is relatively young. In terms of raw power, they're not particularly standout among the Aeons."
"…That's a possibility."
Mavuika's lips curved slightly. "But that makes me even more curious. Aside from those Aeons who exist only in legends and rarely act, the strongest I've seen on the Celestial Screen is Jing Yuan… Yet an Emissary he fears so much—Chasca, aren't you curious to see how she performs in battle?"
["'Dragon Sovereign?' March 7th looked utterly confused."]
["Her expression now was like a side character in a novel, realizing that the friend she'd been hanging out with all along was secretly a Dragon King, only catching on once their three-year term was up and they returned to their true role."]
["'Back then, though the Ambrosial Arbor was severed by the Reignbow Arbiter, a faint remnant of the Plague of Longevity's curse lingered,' Jing Yuan said, turning to the Dragon Sovereign statue at the center of the Dragonvista Rain Hall. 'To seal it, the Luofu called upon the power of the Immortal Dragon descendants, making it possible to tame the Arbor's remnants.'"]
["Following Jing Yuan's gaze, the group looked at the statue. Though time had weathered it slightly, the figure holding a spear aimed at the Ambrosial Arbor still conveyed the Dragon Sovereign's gallant and proud presence from millennia past."]
["'Under the ancient Dragon Sovereign's guidance, the Vidyadhara channeled the waters of the ancient sea, flooding the Scalegorge Waterscape to serve as a vessel for sealing the Arbor. To commemorate this feat and sacrifice, the Xianzhou Alliance erected the Dragonvista Rain Monument in the Scalegorge Waterscape, preserving the Vidyadhara's likeness.'"]
["As Jing Yuan explained, the group slowly approached the statue."]
["Up close, they realized the statue bore an uncanny resemblance to Dan Heng!"]
["'This statue looks just like Dan Heng. Could it be…' March squinted, examining Dan Heng closely. 'The person in the statue is…'"]
["'—Dan Heng's brother!' March 7th once again displayed her astounding wisdom."]
["'…' Dan Heng sighed silently, having briefly hoped she'd figured it out."]
["'Haha, just a slight resemblance. It's from a long time ago,' Jing Yuan said with a faint smile. 'If you must know, the appearances of past Dragon Sovereigns are indeed quite similar—except for the current one. The present Vidyadhara Dragon Sovereign's heir is just a young child who hasn't inherited the full power.'"]
["'Dan Heng, do you understand now? After Dan Feng's death, the Luofu's Vidyadhara no longer have anyone capable of this task. You, who once guarded the Ambrosial Arbor, should be able to open the path to it for us.'"]
——
Liyue, Bubu Pharmacy
"So, Lady Bailu really is the Dragon Sovereign?" Xingqiu scratched his head, still finding it hard to believe. "The great Vidyadhara Dragon Sovereign wanting to be a healer? That's a bit too…"
"Unserious?" Baizhu finished Xingqiu's sentence with a faint smile.
"…Uh, Mr. Baizhu, I didn't quite mean it like that," Xingqiu said, puzzled. "As the Dragon Sovereign, shouldn't she prioritize Vidyadhara affairs? It's great that Lady Bailu loves healing people, but abandoning her clan's duties feels… a bit like neglecting the root for the branches."
"I see it differently," Baizhu said, gazing at the twinkling lights of Liyue outside Bubu Pharmacy. "The Dragon Sovereign is important, but an incomplete Dragon Sovereign may not be as vital to the clan. Compared to the power struggles among the Vidyadhara's dragon masters, the fact that Lady Bailu can stay out of it and live the life she wants is already a great thing."
"Besides… though Lady Bailu's medical skills are exceptional, her mind is still that of a child—pure and kind. People like her are the easiest to manipulate in the hands of those with ulterior motives."
"If I were her… I'd probably stay in the Alchemy Commission forever and never come out."