Bailu set down her Immortal's Delight and looked up at Lingsha with confusion. "Sister Lingsha, what... what did you just say?!"
Lingsha froze. She felt as though certain memories had been removed. Had she encountered one of those so-called Memokeepers?!
"Bailu, what happened to the Dragonfang, Taoran?!"
Bailu answered without hesitation. "The Dragonfang Taoran was eliminated by Madam Herta. Don't you remember?!"
Lingsha laughed awkwardly, scratching her head. She had no recollection. "I'm getting older. My memory isn't what it used to be. And who is Madam Herta?!"
Bailu stared at her. Ever since the Luminary Wardance, Lingsha and Herta had been at odds. She often praised Ruan Mei's kindness. Could it be that Sister Lingsha was defeated so badly that Herta wiped her memory?
"Madam Herta is Genius Society member #83."
Lingsha's face filled with astonishment. "I remember now. My master said most Genius Society members are eccentric, pioneers at the forefront of their fields. And Madam Herta's mastery of space and time is extraordinary. But why would she eliminate the Dragonfang Taoran—my mortal enemy?!"
Bailu sighed. She knew Herta was terrifying, but she hadn't realized she could erase memories.
"Sister Lingsha, take my advice. Taoran is gone. Just focus on running the Alchemy Commission. There's no need to appear before Madam Herta and Madam Ruan Mei again. This time you lost some memories. Next time, who knows what you might lose."
Hearing the name "Madam Ruan Mei" and the mention of lost memories, Lingsha suddenly understood. Erased memories? How had she even provoked such a peerless genius?!
"Do I... have a grudge against Madam Herta? And when I hear 'Madam Ruan Mei,' I feel a strange longing. Bailu, you must know something. Please tell me, alright?"
Bailu sighed again. Her online friend Herta Ninety-Nine had told her the whole story—Lingsha renaming Herta City to Lingruan City, turning millions of Herta puppets against their master, asking Jing Yuan to retire and pass on the Lightning Lord, confessing to Ruan Mei right in front of Herta...
This time, only memories were erased. Next time would be worse.
She left behind a bottle of Immortal's Delight and turned to leave.
"Sister Lingsha, stay in the Alchemy Commission. Don't go out for a while. And don't ask about Madam Herta or Madam Ruan Mei again. Understand?"
Lingsha watched her go, nodding mechanically. What had she been thinking, provoking a genius?
At the Scalegorge Waterscape, Jing Yuan awoke from the Elation dreamscape. He slowly raised his head, looking at Aha with a gaze full of gratitude, relief, and even a hint of reverence.
Yanqing was taken aback. Why did Jing Yuan look at Aha with such respect?
"General, you took much longer to wake from the dreamscape than ordinary people."
Jing Yuan smiled faintly. In that Elation dream, his master Jingliu and his friends Baiheng, Dan Feng, and Yingxing were all alive. A wedding that had never happened in reality took place. Baiheng and his master, with three letters and six rites, both in phoenix crowns and rosy capes, finally came together. His master—cold as the bright moon—bowed to Baiheng with the most natural smile, one he had never seen in any memory.
So even knowing it was an illusion, he stayed until the very end, only then awakening as an observer.
He murmured, "The Lord of Changle is indeed joy."
Yanqing scratched his head, utterly confused. "General, the millions of Herta puppets have returned to Herta City. Cauldron Chief Lingsha has left. But Madam Ruan Mei, Madam Herta, and the Lord of Changle are still on the Luofu."
Jing Yuan waved a hand lazily. "Leave it to Madam Herta and Madam Ruan Mei. I'll go back to rest." A pause. "No—I should visit the Dragon Lady at the Alchemy Commission. Bring her some Immortal's Delight or mille-feuille rolls."
Yanqing was stunned. "General, you trust those two geniuses that much? And why go to the Alchemy Commission? Shouldn't we return to the Divine Foresight?"
Jing Yuan did not answer. He walked toward the Alchemy Commission.
A single tear traced down his cheek, reflecting memories of the High-Cloud Quintet laughing and drinking together. Then a sea breeze passed, and the tear shattered on the ground—as if the past had ended, scattered like smoke.
Yanqing watched him go. For a moment, the General seemed to have aged, as if all the wear of years had caught up at once.
Probably just a hallucination.
He bowed to Herta and Ruan Mei. "Madam Herta, Madam Ruan Mei, I leave this to you. And the Lord of Changle above—we don't know why They have come. Please look into it."
Herta feigned composure with a cough. She already had an answer: Aha's arrival was almost certainly because of 'Yu Qingtu'. Best to handle it herself, before outsiders learned anything.
She nodded. "Fine. I'll help."
Yanqing hurried after Jing Yuan.
Ruan Mei studied Herta. She had seemed flustered for a moment. Was Aha really connected to Herta? Or to that fake Yu Qingtu?
"Ruan Mei, why are you looking at me? I know I'm perfect."
Ruan Mei looked away. "Herta, did Aha come because of that 'Yu Qingtu'?"
Herta blinked, then recovered. "Impossible. Absolutely not. I'd say it's ninety percent because of Lingsha and Herta #3156. Their antics were absurd and entertaining enough to draw Aha's personal attention. They'll leave on their own after a while."
Asta, standing nearby, reminded them. "Madam Herta, Madam Ruan Mei, I feel like Aha has been staring at the two of you this whole time."