Meanwhile, in the Divine Foresight, Yanqing stood behind the General to report on the situation. Jing Yuan nodded from time to time, picked up his teacup to savor the exquisite tea, and then slowly spoke: "Yanqing, what do you think?"
"Judging by the General's expression, you don't seem worried at all! Actually, I also believe he poses no threat to the Luofu. Although he has some skills, after all, he is short-lived and not with the IPC. Moreover, for some reason, the moment I interacted with him, I could feel that sense of chivalry. I always feel as though he has experienced countless encounters amid flashing blades—things I could never possibly experience."
Jing Yuan smiled as he looked at Yanqing. "Good. It seems Yanqing has grown a great deal. Everything you said is correct. Allowing him to join the Cloud Knights, on one hand, gives him a justifiable reason to stay on the Luofu; on the other hand, we can use this to motivate him and turn him into a military asset for the Luofu—that is not out of the question. However, Yanqing, you need not worry. This is hardly a bad thing; I believe he will soon blend into life here."
"Your disciple understands."
"By the way, have you heard about recent events on the Luofu?" Jing Yuan reminded him.
"Recently, I heard the Cloud Knight brothers mention something about a Stellaron. But a Stellaron shouldn't pose too great a threat, right? I suspect the General's concerns lie elsewhere," Yanqing thought for a moment and replied.
"Indeed. I am afraid the Abundance abominations will seize the opportunity to meddle and launch a sneak attack. If necessary, I may request reinforcements from the other Xianzhou ships." Jing Yuan's expression turned somewhat grave, though a trace of a smile still lingered at the corner of his lips, as if everything were well within his control.
Yanqing was startled. "Is it really that serious?"
"I hope I am merely overthinking it, but we must remain cautious nonetheless."
"I understand. Then Yanqing will take his leave."
Returning to his quarters, Yanqing still felt somewhat unsettled at the thought of Jing Yuan's words. Thus, he threw himself even more diligently into the study of swordsmanship, hoping to share some of the burden for the General.
Meanwhile, aboard the Astral Express.
Having just concluded the thrilling and perilous journey to Jarilo-VI, the group intended to relax for a bit. March 7th stretched lazily and said with a relaxed air, "That was too close! If Himeko and Mr. Welt hadn't stepped in to save the day at the very last moment, we might never have completely resolved that crisis."
"Little March, don't forget that this was ultimately the result of everyone's hard work. Welt and I merely gave a little push behind the scenes," Himeko said, sitting on the leather sofa as she leafed through an ancient text in her hands. "Now that Jarilo-VI is free of the Stellaron threat, under Bronya's leadership, I believe it will return to its former prosperity. Next, having received an invitation from The Family, we should set off for our next destination."
"Yay! The three of us are major heroes, after all." March 7th beamed happily (*(ˊωˋ*)**). Leaning against the window, she admired the ever-changing sea of stars outside. "I'm so excited! What kind of experiences await us at our next destination?"
Pom-Pom the conductor walked over to inform everyone that the train was about to depart for the next world and that a train meeting was going to be held.
However, before the conductor could even speak, a projection appeared inside the train. When everyone looked, it turned out to be Kafka from the Stellaron Hunters, and they instantly went on high alert.
"Ah! Stellaron Hunter, what are you doing here?" March 7th pouted, eyeing Kafka with strict vigilance.
"Stellaron Hunter, I should think you know how high your bounty is with the IPC—dead or alive. Besides, your presence is hardly welcome here right now."
"Everyone, there's no need to be tense. I apologize for interrupting your pleasant moment. I am here because I hope you will change your destination and head to the Luofu Xianzhou," Kafka said with a light chuckle.
"Why should we listen to you?" March 7th asked.
"Elio said this is written in the script and cannot be altered. Right now, there is a Stellaron on the Luofu, and the Alliance suspects we Stellaron Hunters are behind it, though this has nothing to do with us. But according to the script, you are the ones who can change all of this."
"Who would believe that! The Xianzhou is so powerful—could they really fail to handle a single Stellaron? Furthermore, a Stellaron crisis erupts the moment you people show up, and you expect us to believe it has nothing to do with you? I certainly don't! Besides, we aren't professional Stellaron exterminators." March 7th mercilessly exposed the loopholes in Kafka's words.
"Ms. Kafka, isn't your rhetoric a bit exaggerated? As far as I know, the Xianzhou Alliance worships the Hunt Aeon. They possess formidable combat strength, not to mention a General who is an Emanator keeping watch. Even if there truly existed a threat capable of endangering the Xianzhou, what difference would it make if we went there?" Welt adjusted his glasses and spoke slowly.
"It doesn't matter. You can certainly choose to mind your own business. However, the Xianzhou is very close to you at the moment—you can reach it in just two jumps. And this crisis on the Xianzhou could result in the sacrifice of more than half of its population. Ah, destiny has a thousand faces, yet why does it only reveal this one single aspect to us?" After uttering these incomprehensible words, she vanished, leaving the crowd looking at one another in dismay.
"That Kafka, why does she have to act like such a riddle-maker? None of what she said made any sense," March 7th said, putting her hands on her hips with skepticism.
"Judging by what she means, I suppose we have no choice but to visit this Xianzhou?" Welt mused.
"What about you all?" Himeko looked at the group. "There is still some time before the Charmony Festival. Whether we go to the Xianzhou is entirely up to you."
"Caelus, what do you think?" March 7th looked at the silent gray-haired youth beside her.
"I'm fine with whatever. The Galactic Bat of Chivalry answers the call of duty!"
"Ah, actually, I really don't want to get mixed up in this muddy water. We only just managed to resolve a bitter battle, and this young lady does not want to fall into trouble again <(｀^′)>!"
In the end, after a vote, the Astral Express crew decided to head to the Xianzhou first.
"If you all really want to go to the Xianzhou, I will stay behind on the Express and wait for you to return," Dan Heng stated his position.
As for why Dan Heng was unwilling to go to the Xianzhou, only he knew the reason. Himeko looked at Dan Heng and offered words of comfort: "Don't worry, everyone has their own secrets. You must believe that everyone on the Express will stand by your side." Dan Heng nodded and then returned to his room.
"Whoa! Kafka just now really scared me, Pom." Pom-Pom wiped away non-existent cold sweat from his forehead as he hid behind Welt, sighing, "Next time we need to strengthen the train's defense system and not let the Stellaron Hunters wander in at will anymore."
"Reporting to the General, the Astral Express crew has arrived at the Xianzhou," Qingzu said, flipping through the report in her hands as she briefed the General.
"Mm, I am aware," Jing Yuan nodded. "I wonder if Tingyun of the Sky-Faring Commission has returned to the Xianzhou yet? Having her attend to the guests would also be a good arrangement."
"I'll go notify her right away," Qingzu said, and immediately went to make the arrangements.
Meanwhile, Baihong had not slackened his pace. The credits Guinaifen had promised him had all been paid in full, and at this moment he was practicing his sword in a secluded corner. Relying on the sparse remaining memories in his mind, he swung his sword with force, leaving behind blinding afterimages that dazzled the eye.
Yanqing had come to Starsmithing Serenade—considered one of the liveliest places on the Luofu, and concurrently one of the areas most in need of public order. To his surprise, however, he ran into an enemy attack. A few Abundance abominations had somehow broken into the Luofu and appeared in Starsmithing Serenade, assaulting innocent people. Yanqing immediately drew his sword, and with a flowing routine of sword forms, he sent the enemies scrambling away in utter panic.
He felt a trace of anxiety. I wonder how he is doing?
After disposing of the enemies, Yanqing placated the crowd: "Everyone, please remain calm. I know you urgently need an explanation, but on behalf of the Cloud Knights, I promise you that the current crisis will be thoroughly resolved. In the meantime, please look after your safety."
Then he instructed the other Cloud Knights to notify the medical staff of the Alchemy Commission to come and assist the innocent citizens and the wounded.
Yanqing took out his phone and, holding onto a sliver of hope, sent a message to Baihong, thinking to himself: I hope Sushang managed to explain things clearly to him.
Yet a long time passed, and there was still no reply from the other end. "Just as expected, that Sushang person is truly unreliable." Yanqing had a hunch about this all along. However, Guinaifen believed that Baihong came from ancient times; if he truly hailed from a remote planet or antiquity, modern technology would indeed prove troublesome for him. Right now, there was a genuine possibility that Baihong was just as Guinaifen had described.
If he really came from ancient times, combined with the sword techniques he had displayed earlier, could he be some sort of ancient swordsman? Perhaps he even mastered formidable sword techniques, and he himself might even be able to take him as a master.
At this thought, he immediately set off without stopping to search for Baihong. As it turned out, he spotted him over by Mr. Xiyan. Mr. Xiyan was a renowned storyteller on the Luofu who frequently performed here, so Baihong must have been drawn in by the storytelling content.
Still, he couldn't just rush over rashly. He would wait a moment first. Thus thought Yanqing.
Right at that moment, the storyteller held a fan in one hand while speaking eloquently: "Behold, the great hero remained calm in the face of danger, showing not a shred of fear before tens of thousands of foes. With a kick to the left and a punch to the right, all enemies were wounded by the hero's internal energy and could rise no more. Yet those wicked villains, unwilling to accept defeat, ordered their underpants—their subordinates to loose a volley of arrows. A torrent of arrows rained down upon the hero like falling blossoms! The hero used his internal energy to deflect the arrows, only to be forced to the edge of a cliff by the scoundrels. Esteemed listeners, how do you suppose things turned out next?"
The crowd was instantly hooked, and they chimed in: "Take my fifty credits, hurry up and get to the good part!"
Someone raised a query, remarking: "Has none of you ever read a novel? Doesn't this kind of situation always end with the protagonist falling off a cliff without dying, then stumbling upon a martial arts manual, or receiving guidance from some hidden master to become a martial arts expert?"