"Master Diviner?! And Lord Yanqing!"
Several Cloud Knights grew visibly panicked upon seeing the two figures stride into the flames.
Especially after the words left the Master Diviner's lips—the man Sylvia had kicked earlier turned deathly pale.
"Why is the Master Diviner here? Isn't she just an outworlder?! Why would she speak up for her!"
The lead man stared up at the Master Diviner, his breathing suddenly turning ragged.
Sylvia couldn't help but smirk at that.
She stepped forward, planting a foot squarely on the man's head, her tone dripping with mockery.
"Must just eat you up inside, doesn't it? Seeing the big shots of the Xianzhou choose to side with a mere outworlder like me."
"Grah! You wretched outworlder!!"
The man struggled, trying to rise, but pinned beneath Sylvia's foot, he couldn't break free.
"And yet here you are, crushed under my heel—doesn't that make you even lower than the outworlder you despise?"
True destruction meant striking at what such people held most dear.
Watching the man's face flush crimson, his eyes bulging with fury, Sylvia then turned her gaze to the two children standing frozen nearby.
"Hey, you two. Since you had the bright idea to bring Cloud Knights here to kill me, I assume you're also prepared to be killed in return, right?"
As she spoke, ghostly green flames twisted into monstrous shapes, and a tide of terrifying illusions instantly swallowed the two children.
"Kyaaaa—!! Dad!! Save me!! Waaah— I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'll never do it again!!"
Their perceived shield had crumbled. Xianzhou's high authorities were supporting Sylvia, an outworlder.
By the children's own twisted logic, those with power could easily pass judgment on the weak without facing consequences.
But this time, that logic shattered completely. The children broke down, weeping and wailing, begging for mercy.
Seeing his offspring reduced to such a pitiful state, the man under Sylvia's foot nearly exploded with rage.
"Bastard!! You beast!! Come at me if you dare!! Stop this!!"
He began thrashing wildly again. Just then, Yanqing stepped forward, his voice sharp and commanding. With a metallic shing, his sword came to a halt, hovering just above the man's forehead.
"Silence!"
"You, who have disgraced the Cloud Knights' honor—utter another word, and I will court-martial you on the spot!"
"…"
The gleaming blade suspended in the air, backed by the stark authority it represented, stole the man's voice.
Compared to the Master Diviner, he truly feared Yanqing's martial prowess and status more.
Once the man was subdued, Yanqing sheathed his sword and bowed deeply to Sylvia, his expression utterly serious.
"My most sincere apologies, Miss Sylvia! This fault lies entirely with the Xianzhou Cloud Knights. However, I must beg you to spare their lives for now. Allow the Xianzhou to conduct a fair trial."
The Master Diviner, for her part, paid the fallen Cloud Knights no further mind. She approached Sylvia and offered a slight bow of her own.
"This one offers her apologies to Miss Sylvia. I will make no excuses for the actions of these Cloud Knights. The fault originates wholly from the Xianzhou's failings. Within a single day, this one and Yanqing here will deliver a satisfactory resolution to you on behalf of Yu Kong."
The moment Sylvia saw the Master Diviner appear, she had sensed that the diviner had likely foreseen some of this.
Yet, she had chosen to intervene at this precise moment, following the most tactically opportune approach.
The Xianzhou's transition from a state of war to an era of peace was not an instant process. Especially given the long lifespans of its people, spanning many centuries, comprehensive reform across all sectors was an immense challenge.
The emergence of such misdeeds never happened without underlying causes.
Now, with both the Master Diviner and Yanqing personally present, it was clear they intended to eradicate this festering problem at its root.
Seeing the two of them together, Sylvia understood whose will this represented. Whatever might be said of other factions, the leadership of the Luofu, at least, seemed reasonably sound.
She was well aware of the potential developments that might follow.
The Master Diviner didn't believe Sylvia would fail to grasp this. Even if she hadn't, the diviner would have explained it herself later.
After all, standing behind Sylvia was that 'Galaxy Ranger.' The Xianzhou had no desire to make an enemy of such a formidable figure.
Yanqing, meanwhile, was growing somewhat restless. He spoke up again, a note of urgency in his voice as he explained to Sylvia, "That man actually left the Cloud Knights years ago. He currently holds a position in the Realm-Keeping Commission... The Cloud Knights of today... they are not so corrupt..."
He was torn between shame and fury.
As a prodigy of the sword, studying under Jing Yuan himself, he had imagined himself wielding his blade against enemies, dominating the battlefield.
He never dreamed he'd one day be carrying out the General's order to clean up a mess made by the Cloud Knights.
His voice grew less and less confident as he spoke, his face flushing scarlet by the end. He barely managed to finish, struggling to preserve some semblance of the General's dignity.
Yanqing dearly wished he could simply execute these scum who had tarnished the Cloud Knights' name on the spot.
Regardless of whether Sylvia was suspicious or not, since when did the Cloud Knights arrest someone based solely on the testimony of two children?!
And to falsely accuse her of being one of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, no less!
Watching Yanqing's reaction, Sylvia found it somewhat amusing. His dedication to the Xianzhou was evidently profound.
Here to gain some life experience, perhaps?
With that thought, she addressed them both, "Rather than explaining things to me, there's another group you should be focusing on. I'm unharmed, after all. But the ones who were the real cause of this incident... they haven't been faring so well."
Yanqing had been dispatched midway and hadn't yet learned the full background. Frowning slightly, he clasped his hands in a formal salute.
"I understand, Miss Sylvia. Thank you for your mercy. Afterwards, I will personally investigate this matter from beginning to end and report everything in detail to the General. We will provide a full accounting to all involved."
Sylvia gave a nod of acceptance.
Then, the eerie green flames surrounding them—under Yanqing's curious gaze and the Master Diviner's furrowed brow—swirled back, reabsorbed into Sylvia's body.
Seeing Sylvia stand down, Yanqing immediately moved to deal with the Cloud Knights who had disregarded military law.
The Master Diviner, however, continued. "After this is settled, Miss Sylvia, if you have no objection, would you be willing to visit the Seat of Divine Foresight?"
"Let's discuss it once this matter is concluded."
Sylvia didn't agree directly. The Master Diviner nodded, pressing no further.
"Very well. The Xianzhou should first demonstrate its sincerity."
--+--
Just as Sylvia was about to take her leave, her phone vibrated in her pocket a few times.
Pulling it out, she saw a message from Robin—the first in two days.
She was asking, straight out, if they could meet in person on the Xianzhou.
[Robin: Miss Sylvia, I wonder if you might be free sometime soon? I'd like to discuss the song with you in detail. Shall we arrange to meet on the Xianzhou?]
She was getting straight to the point, wanting to see Sylvia face-to-face.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.