"General, no time to dawdle now! Over there at the Ambrosial Arbor..."
"No need to trouble yourself searching. That's the Stellaron Core. The traitor tossed it into the grotto where the Ambrosial Arbor lies, making it regrow... Look, the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus finally couldn't hold back."
"A crisis is also an opportunity. Once we know the problem, everything becomes manageable."
Just as Fu Xuan let out a sigh of relief, she saw Jing Yuan with one hand on his hip, silently staring at her.
"A-again... it's my turn to come up with a plan?"
"Yes, I just knew Fu Qing would have a countermeasure."
Seeing this, Fu Xuan didn't say much more. The general's Path was long and arduous; it had to be taken one step at a time.
"In this seat's view, the priority now is to rally the Cloud Knights, head to the grotto where the Ambrosial Arbor is rooted, uproot the Stellaron Core's evil, and halt its rebirth momentum."
"Mhm, mhm. Fu Qing's discerning eye sees clearly—this must be the fastest shortcut to solving the problem. But sometimes, fastest isn't optimal... Guess why, even knowing the Stellaron Core's location early on, I held back?"
"General." Fu Xuan's tone suddenly calmed, and if you listened closely, it carried a hint of chill. After a long pause, she squeezed out a [swear word] from her lips: "...You villain."
Jing Yuan laughed heartily. "To cut the weed, remove the root. Wait a bit longer. The Disciples of Sanctus Medicus choosing this moment to act proves the Cloud Knights have controlled the overall situation. The traitors are getting antsy. Now we have just cause—it's perfect for netting them all at once."
"Just sitting here idly—if something unexpected happens, how can you bear the losses, General?!" Even if the Luofu now has an Aeon, this is ultimately an internal matter. If word gets out to outsiders, where does that leave the Xianzhou Alliance's face? Besides, that Aeon won't intervene.
"Fu Qing, oh Fu Qing, I still have a surprise force unused." Jing Yuan pointed to his right, where the Astral Express crew hurried over.
"Right when we need manpower. Since the Stellaron Hunters intend for the Express to form an alliance with us, Jing Yuan won't stand on ceremony."
Stelle stopped in her tracks. How come the moment they arrived, they heard the general planning to send them off?
"Sigh~ I knew it—the general smiles, and we're about to get dispatched." March 7th said helplessly, not forgetting to tease Adrian: "Could Teacher Adrian have the power to foresee the future? Not wanting to be bossed by the general... he volunteered to escort Lady Qingque back?"
"Looks like it." He left too fast; Stelle and the others didn't even get a chance to stop Adrian. Eternity is freedom!
"It's this seat's fault. This seat had extra expectations for the general." Fu Xuan took the initiative to admit fault. "Do us a favor! This surprise force is used way too often. Is there really no one else available on our Luofu?!"
Jing Yuan stared at Fu Xuan without a word.
"You... what are you staring at me for? Isn't the Church of Eternity reliable too? I must remind the general—the Ambrosial Arbor's location is the secret of secrets. Letting outsiders touch it..."
Jing Yuan cut in: "Violates regulations, right? I must also remind Fu Qing—Xianzhou comes before regulations. In a crisis, use what fits; discard what doesn't."
"So, next I'll make a decision that breaks regulations... ah, maybe more than one. Haha~ Thinking about it is exhilarating." Jing Yuan said seriously.
Stelle turned to ask Welt: "Didn't the train conductor often say, 'The laws of ancestors cannot be changed, pom'?"
"Customs vary by region. In emergencies, don't worry about these." Welt adjusted his glasses frame.
"Yeah! Rules are made to be broken!"
"Haha~ Worthy of the Astral Express's guests—such distinctive words." Jing Yuan clapped in praise.
"Fu Qing, I hand the soldier tally to you. You'll direct the Cloud Knights, providing support outside the Alchemy Commission grotto near the Ambrosial Arbor."
"Me? Leading troops?"
Jing Yuan nodded: "Haven't you always wanted to try what being a general feels like?"
"Usually you won't let me, but suddenly now... Understood. I'll go with what you say. Fu Qing will deploy the Cloud Knights, and I'd like you all to go ahead first, taking the shortcut through Artisanship Commission, then rendezvous with Fu Qing."
Stelle flashed an OK sign. "No need to say more—you're the general alright, pretty slick at dispatching people."
Used to free labor, March 7th almost didn't react: "Unpaid work ends here!"
"I understand, I understand... How could Jing Yuan not know to repay kindness? Xianzhou faces upheaval, yet you all stay loyal, braving fire and water—I'm deeply moved." Jing Yuan clasped his fist in thanks: "Yet things arose suddenly. At the enemy's doorstep, if I haggled with you all, wouldn't that diminish your grace and shame the Luofu?"
He proposed: "How about waiting until the catastrophe subsides, then discussing repayment with you all." Credit points are out of the question; the Astral Express doesn't lack that.
Then came the familiar pre-battle briefing. As the Luofu's general, Jing Yuan surely knew the Ambrosial Arbor best:
"What exactly is the Ambrosial Arbor?"
"It's an ancient relic left on the Luofu Xianzhou by the Abundance Aeon Yaoshi, a miracle that can freely shape life and conquer death."
"Luofu ancestors consumed the divine fruit born from the Ambrosial Arbor, gaining bodies of endless lifespan, evolving into long-life species."
"What a powerful treasure!" Immortal and indestructible—why does that sound familiar?
"Yes, and the root of all future woes."
"Hiss..." Stelle stroked her chin, asking the same question again. "This sounds a lot like Eternity."
"The longevity gifted by the Lord of Universal Constancy is more comprehensive, but THEY never actively bestowed miracles. Perhaps the Church sees Xianzhou people's lifespans nearing Eternity, which is why they sent an alliance request." Yaoshi answers all pleas; Ite isn't so kind. Why are Eternity Pathstriders so few, with only the Church as a related faction? No other reason... Similar organizations already abound. If THEY were truly that benevolent, Abundance followers could rename to Eternity followers.
"Possible, but I lean toward another: the Antimatter Legion."
...
Central Starskiff Haven.
"Whoa, scared me to death! When the Ambrosial Arbor sprouted, I was hiding in the library munching snacks—suddenly a huge branch slashed the sky! Diviner Fu really didn't lie—books hold golden houses!" Qingque patted her startled little heart. She urgently needed a milk tea to calm down.
"Books didn't lie to you... but slacking at work is a big no-no, easy to get payback?" Qingque followed Adrian into the milk tea shop.
"Sigh~ Life's like that, full of surprises~ You never know if tomorrow or trouble comes first."
"So snag a lazy moment to feel good while you can—who knows when annoying jobs will knock."
Adrian deeply related. This was why HE chose the Luofu. Compared to other Xianzhou, the Luofu was much more relaxed... except these past few days. Yaoqing had victory after victory; all that fighting and killing didn't suit HIM. Who knows, one day a certain fox-eared general might drag HIM to the battlefield for a royal flush.
"Such a big deal, and you're not nervous at all."
"Hey, it's fine~ If the sky falls, Diviner Fu's there... oh, now add General too, holding it up front."
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