[Host has eliminated the Abyssal Star, allowing the Xianzhou Azure City to rest in peace. Reward: Gacha Roulette *1]
Kiana endured her physical discomfort and took a few more sips of Bailu's oral... medicine, then glanced at the system notification.
But since she was currently live-streaming to her group members, she wasn't in a hurry to use the gacha; instead, she prepared to return to the flagship of the Luofu warship fleet.
[Wangsheng Funeral Parlor Workhorse: Sister, your face doesn't look too good. How about a Wangsheng Funeral Parlor package to set the foundation?]
It seemed this fellow saw that Kiana was no longer in significant danger and came out to be cheeky again.
[Goddess of Moonlight: Wangsheng Funeral Parlor package? Since we're all Kiana, let me support your business!]
[Gojo Kiana: This new white hairball really isn't afraid of being taken away by a full-service funeral package.]
[Pretty Cure: Wangsheng... Sister Workhorse wouldn't happen to be in the funeral business, would she...]
Since they were all Kianas, Pretty Cure felt it was more convenient to use group nicknames.
After all, shouting "Kiana" in the group might get a response from everyone.
"Sisters, This Young Lady is going back to rest for a bit. I really can't take it anymore."
Kiana drifted through space like a dead fish, her limbs dangling as she swayed.
[Wangsheng Funeral Parlor Workhorse: Sister, go back and rest. I'll ask Doctor Baizhu for some medicine later and see if I can send it through the chat group.]
[Chat Group unlocked Red Envelope function (Inherent personal abilities cannot be traded)]
"Cough, cough... This chat group really does update in real-time, doesn't it..."
Kiana complained feebly.
[Gojo Kiana: The Red Envelope function is fine, but if it were trading, we wouldn't have enough points. Remember to share anything you don't need in the group later~]
[Chat Group unlocked function: Kianas' Shared Small Warehouse (Kianas can store items in the warehouse to provide help to other Kianas)]
[Goddess of Moonlight: I don't get it, but it seems impressive.]
[Pretty Cure: I feel like the chat group's potential is very high...?]
"You guys chat first, I can't hold on anymore. My 'Aunt' keeps trying to spray out of my mouth..."
Kiana finished speaking muffledly while covering her mouth and immediately turned off the live stream.
Just as she was about to use her last bit of strength to open an Imaginary Gate to return, a cold and pleasant voice suddenly sounded in her ear.
"Jingliu is here to thank our benefactor for liberating my hometown. If you ever need Jingliu in the future, just crush this ice blade."
Then, a palm-sized, exquisite ice sword floated before Kiana, shimmering with a faint cold light.
Kiana took the ice sword and looked toward where Jingliu had been earlier.
"She left so quickly... I originally wanted to invite This Young Lady to sit at Wangshu for a bit."
Only a few blocks of ice remained of the warship where Jingliu had been, and Jingliu herself was nowhere to be found.
Putting her thoughts aside, Kiana looked toward the location of the Luofu warships and used her remaining power to open an Imaginary Gate large enough for one person.
At this moment, at the lowest level of the Shackling Prison on the Xianzhou Luofu, there was a black box bound by countless chains, emitting a faint, ominous aura.
"The connection with the Abyssal Star has been severed... It seems the jailbreak will have to be delayed for a few days... Heh heh heh..."
...On the other side, as soon as Kiana returned to the flagship, she saw Jing Yuan frowning at a battle damage report.
"Hey, Brother Jing Yuan!"
"Kiana... you're back."
"How was it? This Young Lady... did a good job, right?"
Glancing at the casualty figures on the report, a flash of sorrow crossed Kiana's eyes, but it was quickly masked.
Kiana's subtle change in expression naturally couldn't escape the eyes of Jing Yuan, who had lived for hundreds of years.
Seeing the deep self-reproach hidden in those eyes and noting that her smile was not natural, Jing Yuan sighed inwardly.
"You did well. To the Alliance, this is an indelible kindness. The grudge of Xianzhou Azure City has been avenged, and hundreds of millions of compatriots can now rest in peace..."
Jing Yuan smiled, his voice gentle. He paused mid-sentence and then gave Kiana a deep, respectful bow with hands clasped.
"Jing Yuan is here to thank Miss Kiana on behalf of our compatriots from Azure City."
"Is... that so... That's... great..."
Upon hearing these words, Kiana smiled slightly. Then, the flush on her face instantly faded, leaving her incredibly pale. Her vision blurred, and she collapsed with a thud.
Seeing this, Jing Yuan's pupils constricted. He quickly stepped forward to support Kiana and then turned to bark orders urgently.
"All forces return to the Luofu! Send someone to contact Chief Alchemist Danshu... No, just contact the Healer Dragon Lady!"
The Luofu warships all turned around, while the IPC warships sent people to clean up the battlefield and take away some valuables left behind by The Alliance of the Abominable and the Prosperous.
Furthermore, the wreckage of the enemy warships could be taken back for the IPC to research.
After the Abyssal Star was destroyed, the video of Kiana's battle with it was leaked from within the IPC, and the view count skyrocketed.
For a time, this mysterious general, surrounded by silver light, became famous throughout the universe.
————————
Kiana's thoughts drifted in a pitch-black chaos, only faintly hearing a few whispers in her ear.
"Dragon... Ki... she... how is...?"
"Breath... chaotic... internal organs ruptured... but because... energy... self-healing... incredible..."
"Convert... longevity..."
"Yuan... absolutely... not... this violates..."
So noisy... In the chaos, Kiana's long, white eyelashes trembled slightly.
"An unfamiliar... lack of a ceiling."
Kiana slowly opened her somewhat dazed azure eyes and muttered to herself.
"Hmph, now that you're awake, get out. Don't be an eyesore here."
A cold voice with the Queen's unique double-tone rang in Kiana's ear.
"Eh?"
Lying there, Kiana tilted her head slightly upward, following the sound, and saw a scene that made her nose feel warm.
A pair of fair, long, straight legs were crossed above her head, with two delicate jade-like feet only two fists away from her head.
Those pink and rounded toes looked like fresh jade grapes, making Kiana subconsciously swallow her saliva.
But she quickly realized—weren't these body proportions exactly the same as hers!
She suddenly tried to sit up, but because she moved too fast, her face bumped into the sole of the Queen's foot.
"Ah, Sister smells so good..."
Kiana subconsciously rubbed the tip of her nose and whispered.
The sharp-eared Queen naturally heard Kiana's soft muttering and instinctively moved a bit further away from her.
A look of disgust couldn't help but appear on her cold little face.
Kiana didn't care about this and instead shamelessly leaned in closer.
"Good sister, how was my performance earlier?"
Kiana grinned with a pure smile and tried to grab the Queen's arm, but the latter turned away.
But Kiana wasn't discouraged; instead, she clenched her two small fists and looked at the Queen with anticipation.
Seeing this, the Queen felt a hint of annoyance and wanted to insult Kiana, but seeing those pure and untainted eyes, she couldn't say anything.
But then she thought about it carefully; she had seen all of Kiana's performance just now.
That aura, enough to cover a galaxy, and the power Kiana displayed made her, who had been watching from the depths of consciousness, somewhat silent.
That power was definitely not the ability of the Second Herrscher, nor was it a power this physical body originally possessed.
It was precisely because of this powerful force that she began to seriously consider the things Kiana had said to her before.
Because based on Kiana's current performance, it was clearly impossible to completely take over her body.
She decided to try and seriously observe the outside world from within Kiana's body.
But there was no way she would say these things to Kiana.
"You did..."
"Mhm, mhm!"
Kiana looked at the Queen, the light of anticipation in her eyes growing even brighter, as if a Tail were wagging frantically behind her.
"Terrible. You got yourself covered in wounds and still dare to come here begging for praise."
"This Young Lady clearly worked very hard!"
Kiana's smile froze, then she pouted like an aggrieved kitten and grumbled unhappily.
The Queen gave a faint glance, turned around, and let out a soft hmph.
"Be careful next time. If the vessel dies, I will also disappear."
"I knew you weren't as cold as you seem on the surface!"
Kiana immediately brightened up and jumped up, wanting to hug the Queen.
But... the Queen simply waved her hand, and Kiana suddenly felt the world spinning.
She... was kicked out of the conscious world.
When she opened her eyes again, Kiana felt a bright light stimulating her eyes, her body felt weak, and there were bursts of sharp pain from within.
"Ouch... this hurts so much..."
Kiana's voice was hoarse as she groaned and grimaced in pain.
Suddenly, four gazes converged on her.
"This doesn't make sense. How could she wake up so fast!"
Bailu ran to Kiana's side on her short legs and placed her fingers on Kiana's wrist.
After a moment, she looked at Kiana with a subtle expression.
"If I didn't see that you have no Path power, I would have thought you were tainted by that big monster's flesh and blood and turned into a Follower of Abundance."
Kiana's current recovery speed was much faster than during her coma, and her damaged internal organs were also healing rapidly.
"Oh! Could it have something to do with that stone inside your body?"
Bailu suddenly had a realization and looked at Kiana.
"In my perception, I can indeed feel a gem inside Miss Kiana's body, which contains a highly corrosive energy and a hot, divine aura."
At this time, a woman with gray hair and green eyes dressed in Taoist robes walked over, looking Kiana up and down, and spoke calmly.
In her eyes, through Kiana's physical body, she could see a gem emitting a silver aura, seemingly nourishing the body at all times.
Kiana herself was completely unaware of this.
Her herrscher core had undergone some subtle changes after merging with the Divine Breath.
"Marshal, it is already the best outcome that Miss Kiana has woken up safely. There's no need to investigate further."
A valiant fox-eared beauty with silver hair and green eyes walked over with a confident smile.
This fox-eared beauty wore an improved qipao that tightly hugged her graceful figure, with a white trench coat draped over her shoulders.
Her face exuded confidence at all times.
"Feixiao, Marshal, Kiana has just recovered from a serious illness. Let her rest well, shall we head out first?"
Jing Yuan also walked over, glanced at the curious Kiana, and spoke to Marshal Hua and Feixiao.
The two of them thought about it and nodded in agreement; it would indeed be impolite to disturb a patient too much.
"Eh... no need. Aside from a little pain, I don't have any major problems anymore."
Saying this, Kiana propped herself up and flexed her arms toward them to show she was perfectly fine.
After glancing at each other, the group looked at Bailu.
"At her current recovery speed, she will surely be fully healed within a day. No need to worry about disturbing her."
Bailu nodded and spread her hands.
Marshal Hua nodded slightly and then looked at Kiana.
Her personal visit this time was mainly to show the Alliance's sincerity and, secondly, to take her to the Alliance for an award ceremony.
A few days ago, after seeing Jing Yuan's report of the great victory and his mention of Kiana's willingness to join the Alliance, she had overruled all objections to make Kiana one of the Alliance's generals.
She had already thought of a title, named after the Taiyin Mansion of Wangshu: the Taiyin General.
In Kiana, Hua saw not only an increase in the Alliance's strength but also a new hope for the eradication of Abundance.
This time, the arrows of The Hunt would be sharper than ever before!
"Miss Kiana, in the name of the Alliance Marshal, I formally invite you and Wangshu to join the Xianzhou Alliance."
Marshal Hua extended a hand to Kiana, her tone very sincere.
Several pairs of eyes watched Kiana quietly, waiting for her answer.
Kiana was slightly stunned upon hearing this, then gave a big smile and took Marshal Hua's hand.
"I am willing to join the Xianzhou Alliance, Marshal Hua."
[Congratulations to the Host for joining a faction. Reward: Gacha Roulette *1]
"Haha, in that case, we will be colleagues in the future, Kiana."
Jing Yuan was the first to clap in celebration.
Having been the first to receive the Marshal's mission, he naturally knew Kiana would become a new general.
Feixiao stroked her smooth chin, looked at Kiana, and nodded with satisfaction, then threw an arm around Kiana's shoulders with an air of familiarity.
"I heard you eliminated the Abyssal Star recorded in the ancient texts all by yourself without breaking a sweat. You must be really strong."
"It was... it was alright..."
Catching the fragrance around her nose, Kiana's face flushed as she scratched her head.
"Once your injuries are healed, you must come visit Yaoqing."
"Feixiao, Kiana is still a patient. If your hands are itching for a duel, how about Jing Yuan accompanies you for a few moves?"
Jing Yuan could easily see Feixiao's little scheme; she was simply itching for a fight after seeing someone talented.
"Eh~ if there's nothing else, I'll be going."
Seeing that she wasn't interested in any of this, Bailu prepared to leave on her short legs, but then she suddenly remembered something and turned back to Kiana.
"Don't you forget to take me to eat delicious food and play! If you forget, you'll be in for it!"
After saying that, she trotted away. However, seeing that she didn't head toward the Alchemy Commission after leaving the room—
The Dragon Lady was going to sneak out to play again.
"Since everything has been discussed and settled, in two days, we will publicly announce Wangshu's joining of the Alliance and hold the investiture ceremony for the new Xianzhou general."
After finalizing everything, Marshal Hua spoke calmly.
"Okay... wait, in two days? Wait! How long have I been unconscious?"
Kiana was about to agree, but then she suddenly remembered she hadn't let Mei and the others know she was safe!
"Kiana, you have been unconscious for five days already."
"Oh no, oh no! When I get back, I'll definitely be hung up by Aunt's Judah and have my butt spanked!"
Upon hearing this, Kiana immediately made a long face and wailed in fear.
"Hahaha, Kiana, your contribution this time is significant. You eliminated the Abyssal Star and brought grace to the region. I'm sure your Aunt will be proud when she finds out."
"Ow, ow, ow... Miss Feixiao, you're too strong..."
Kiana coughed, her lips trembling as she pushed away Feixiao's arm.
"Marshal, I've been away from home for too long. I need to go back for a bit. Could the investiture ceremony... be postponed...?"
"..."
Marshal Hua was silent for a moment, then nodded.