[At the Seat of Divine Foresight, Qingzu explained that Fu Xuan was temporarily acting as general. As she spoke, Fu Xuan approached, mustering a faint smile: "It's great to see you all here."]
["Tallying casualties, sending troops to hunt down the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus remnants, reporting to the Six Chariots… no wonder Jing Yuan said 'sitting in this chair is like sitting on a mountain of knives.'"]
[Fu Xuan sighed softly, then looked at Welt and the others: "As acting general, I must officially thank you on behalf of the Luofu for your righteous aid. Now that things have settled, it's time for an open and honest talk."]
[March 7th's eyes widened, her fists clenched with excitement: "Whoa! Is this the part where the general's promised rewards come in?!"]
["Indeed. The Astral Express fought bravely for the Luofu, your sincerity undeniable. After deliberation with the Six Chariots, as of today, you are sworn allies of the Luofu. Within the Luofu's domain, you'll receive treatment equivalent to alliance envoys."]
[Everyone exchanged glances, and Welt spoke up: "On behalf of the Astral Express, I thank the Master Diviner."]
——
New Eridu
"Huh? That's it?"
Nicole slammed the table with a thud, her ample chest bouncing with the exaggerated motion. She squinted at Fu Xuan's faint smile on the screen, her voice full of disbelief.
"The reward's just that? A few words like 'sworn allies' and 'highest treatment'? Not even a single credit point? The Xianzhou's too stingy!"
"Doesn't Stelle love those shiny, sparkly gems? What're they called… Stellar Jades? Shouldn't they give her a ton of those? The Luofu's so vast and rich, they can't be that broke, right?"
Billy shrank back, quietly reminding her: "Uh… Boss Nicole, maybe the Xianzhou folks think promises are worth more than stuff. To them, Stelle's help can't be measured in material terms. Paying with credits or Stellar Jades might cheapen their contribution."
"Hmph, that makes sense, but they could at least… show some gesture, right?" Nicole huffed discontentedly. "Just promises feel like an empty check. Sure, free food and drinks on the Xianzhou for a few days is nice, but it's still missing something."
She muttered under her breath: "If I could eat, drink, and take stuff for free on the Xianzhou for life…"
A drop of oil slid down Billy's forehead. "Hey, Boss Nicole, free food and drinks are one thing, but free taking is too much! Even Phantylia wouldn't dream of that!"
——
["Wow, they didn't give anything tangible, but it sounds kinda cool…" March 7th said, still a bit excited.]
["Now that the thanks are done, I have one more matter to discuss. Please, come this way," Fu Xuan said, her expression turning serious as she led them to a nearby archive shelf.]
["The Stellaron disaster, the Ambrosial Arbor's revival, the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus' chaos… I must submit a detailed report to the alliance's higher-ups for investigation. But being in the midst of it, my perspective may be biased by external influences."]
[Fu Xuan hoped to work with them to clarify the details. It wasn't difficult, and after they recounted their experiences, Fu Xuan handed them an item to pass to Yukong.]
["Tingyun's item?"]
["Yes," Fu Xuan nodded. "The scene was chaotic then. After Phantylia manifested, Tingyun's body seemed to vanish into thin air. The Cloud Knights only found the fan she carried."]
[Fu Xuan handed them a broken folding fan. Its frame was charred black, its edges licked by fire, with only the faint patterns on the silk hinting at its former elegance.]
["Whether the Tingyun we traveled with was a puppet controlled by Phantylia or some kind of deceptive illusion, we can't yet confirm," Fu Xuan said, shaking her head with a sigh. "I've prepared for the worst. Given the Legion's ways, the real Sky-Faring Commission emissary is likely… in grave danger."]
——
Demon Slayer
In the Butterfly Mansion's large ward, an eerie silence fell. Zenitsu sat on the bed, his lips trembling, the teacup in his hand cracking with a faint snap.
"No way… it's gotta be a lie…" His voice sounded squeezed from his throat. "Someone as gentle and lovely as Miss Tingyun, her fate unknown…?"
As if his reason snapped, Zenitsu clutched his head and started rolling wildly on the floor. "Aaaah, something's gotta be wrong! Miss Tingyun can't be dead! Even Phantylia could mess up, right? Right?!"
Tanjiro tried to calm him: "Zenitsu, calm down…"
"How can I calm down?!" Zenitsu leapt up, tears streaming from his eyes. "She was the first girl I fell for on the Xianzhou! My pure feelings! And now you're telling me it was all wasted on a villain?! We don't even know if the real Miss Tingyun is alive or dead… Waaah!"
Inosuke interrupted impatiently: "Shut up! It's just a woman! Isn't Yukong a foxian too? Just go like her instead!"
"You don't get it! Yukong's great, but she's the mature, sexy, intellectual big-sister type! Miss Tingyun was cute, playful, and charming—completely different vibes!"
"And who said I don't like Lady Yukong now?!"
Aoi walked past Zenitsu, her icy gaze treating him like a buzzing fly.
"Saying such two-faced things so boldly… what a scumbag."
——
[How to handle Tingyun's matter, Fu Xuan decided to leave to her fellow foxians, so she had reported it to the Sky-Faring Commission.]
[After saying this, Fu Xuan went back to her work. But Stelle noticed March 7th staring at Fu Xuan's retreating figure, lost in thought.]
["March, what're you thinking about?" Stelle waved a hand in front of March 7th's face.]
["Oh… I was wondering if I could ask Master Diviner Fu Xuan for a favor," March 7th recalled. "The Matrix of Prescience Ultima is so powerful, it can trace Kafka's past… I was thinking, if they used it on me, could it figure out my past?"]
["You're a little genius," Stelle said.]
["Hehe, you bet. When you're free, let's head to the Divination Commission and ask the Master Diviner for help," March 7th said, thrilled at the thought of uncovering her past.]