Chapter 218: Feixiao the Little Fox—She’s Quite the Character

General Feixiao...

She really was one of a kind.

Bold.

Straightforward.

At a time when the Xianzhou’s upper ranks were mired in bureaucracy while traitors lurked beneath the surface...

Feixiao was honestly far more refreshing than Jing Yuan.

Seeing her agree so readily...

Evan finally relaxed.

Now wasn’t the time to cross swords with her.

There were far more pressing matters ahead.

The Borisin’s backup plan didn’t concern him much.

But for Feixiao...

Huaiyan...

And Jing Yuan...

It was an entirely different story.

It meant that Destruction’s pawns had officially begun declaring war upon the Hunt.

That was never a good sign.

Fortunately...

Nothing else happened along the way.

Under Yanqing’s guidance...

The group soon arrived at the Seat of Divine Foresight.

The moment they stepped inside...

They saw Jing Yuan standing beside a small old man.

The two seemed to be exchanging pleasantries.

"Elder Huaiyan."

"You’ve traveled a long way. Thank you for making the journey."

"Haha, it’s no trouble."

"Rather, I’ve made you take time out of your busy schedule to receive me."

As the two generals chatted...

Feixiao casually walked over to join them.

Originally...

The one who was supposed to arrive first had been Jiaoqiu.

But thanks to her overwhelming curiosity about Evan...

Feixiao had simply tagged along instead.

Meanwhile...

Evan’s gaze settled on the elderly man.

The old fellow wasn’t particularly tall.

There was none of Jing Yuan’s commanding brilliance...

Nor Feixiao’s youthful vigor.

Viewed from afar...

He appeared utterly ordinary.

A bamboo hat shaded either his bald head...

Or perhaps a mess of white hair hidden beneath it.

His beard was thick.

His clothes were plain.

There wasn’t a single remarkable thing about him.

Anyone seeing him on the street...

Would never imagine...

That this humble old man was the Arbiter-General of the Xianzhou Zhuming.

"General."

"I’ve brought the Astral Express guests."

"I hope I haven’t arrived at an inconvenient time."

Yanqing respectfully announced.

"Not at all."

"You’ve come at precisely the right moment."

"My friends from the Astral Express..."

"It’s been a while."

Jing Yuan smiled warmly.

"What?"

"You missed us already?"

Evan teased.

"’When I enter an old friend’s dreams, it means they still remember me.’"

"If I can occupy even a corner of your pleasant dreams..."

"It would be my honor."

Jing Yuan chuckled before introducing the old man.

"Everyone..."

"Allow me to make introductions."

"This is the Arbiter-General of the Xianzhou Zhuming..."

The Candleflame Arbiter—Huaiyan.

Since Jing Yuan had evidently already explained everyone’s identities beforehand...

The old man simply smiled kindly.

Like an ordinary grandfather next door.

If one didn’t already know who he was...

No one would ever guess...

That he commanded one of the Xianzhou’s six flagships.

"Huh?"

"He’s really a General?"

"He looks so old..."

"I think I’ve heard of General Huaiyan before..."

"Stelle..."

"Who do you think is stronger?"

"You or him?"

"No idea."

"But I know I can still beat you up."

"Hmph!"

"I’m not talking to you anymore!"

March and Stelle’s little exchange sounded like harmless banter.

But Dan Heng knew exactly how extraordinary this elderly man truly was.

Huaiyan...

Wasn’t merely the Arbiter-General of the Xianzhou Zhuming.

He also served as the Master Craftsman of the Artisanship Commission.

He oversaw the Blazewheel Forge Palace.

Countless legendary craftsmen throughout the galaxy had studied beneath him.

Most importantly...

One of the High-Cloud Quintet...

Yingxing—

Now known as Blade—

Had once been his disciple.

Huaiyan had taken in the short-life species youth after the Borisin destroyed his homeworld.

Teaching him everything he knew.

Allowing Yingxing to earn recognition as a master craftsman while still very young.

Eventually...

He even inherited the title of Master Craftsman.

Years later...

When Baiheng accompanied the Yaoqing delegation to the Zhuming...

It was Yingxing himself who welcomed them.

Later...

He became a sinner.

Cursed by Shuhu’s flesh...

He transformed into the immortal long-life species now known across the universe as Blade.

Huaiyan had always carried deep regret over that tragedy.

This visit to the Luofu...

Wasn’t solely because of the Marshal’s orders.

He also wished to uncover...

The truth behind the events that had turned his disciple into what he was today.

"Haha."

"No need for such formality."

"This old man has traveled in plain clothes."

"I’m little different from the ordinary visitors attending the ceremony."

"You are all honored guests."

"Every one of you."

Huaiyan’s aged eyes gleamed with quiet wisdom as he carefully observed the four members of the Astral Express.

Among them...

Dan Heng’s aura felt the most familiar.

After all...

He carried the legacy of Imbibitor Lunae.

Yet...

Huaiyan’s gaze lingered even longer upon Evan.

He studied him for quite some time.

Then smiled.

"You must be Mr. Evan."

"The one who resolved the Stellaron crisis."

"I’ve heard you’re the divine envoy of Nous."

"I’ve long wished to meet you."

"And now that I have..."

"Indeed."

"Handsome."

"Dignified."

"What an impressive young man."

The old man narrowed his eyes as he spoke.

No matter how one looked at him...

He simply didn’t resemble a general.

He was...

Far too ordinary.

Yet as the eldest of all the Xianzhou’s Arbiter-Generals...

And the one who had witnessed the greatest number of triumphs and tragedies...

There was naturally much more to him than appearances suggested.

The fact that Marshal Hua had repeatedly entrusted him with crucial missions...

Spoke for itself.

"You’re too kind, Elder Huaiyan."

Evan inclined his head slightly before glancing toward Jing Yuan behind him.

"So..."

"You and General Feixiao came to investigate the truth behind the Luofu’s Stellaron crisis?"

"As expected of Nous’ divine envoy."

Huaiyan smiled.

"But there is no need to make such a grand affair of it."

"As for the Divine Foresight General..."

"I have always trusted him."

Turning toward Jing Yuan...

He continued.

"I’ve already read every report Lady Fu Xuan submitted concerning the rebirth of the Ambrosial Arbor."

"She herself has also been summoned to the Yuque for questioning."

"The Alliance harbors many doubts."

"But..."

"I trust you."

"From the day you first joined the Cloud Knights..."

"You’ve accomplished remarkable feats."

"After each member of the High-Cloud Quintet disappeared..."

"Many questioned your qualifications."

"Yet the Marshal still entrusted the Luofu to your care."

"All these years..."

"You’ve devoted yourself entirely to the Alliance."

"You defeated the abominations of Talassa."

"Lifted the siege of the Yuque."

"Destroyed the demonic star summoned by the Denizens of Abundance."

"I still remember every one of those battles."

"Those parasites who question your loyalty..."

"Who claim you’ve become senile or incompetent..."

"They merely delight in seeing the Divine Foresight General fail."

"Because that is their nature."

"They’ve achieved nothing themselves."

"So they survive by feeding upon the failures of others."

"But..."

"I’ve witnessed far too many failures in my lifetime."

"I would rather choose to believe."

"Believe that your loyalty has never once wavered."

As Huaiyan finished speaking...

Only one person in the room still looked completely unconcerned.

Feixiao.

She had been happily watching the whole exchange unfold.

Then...

Evan turned toward her with a mischievous grin.

"So..."

"That means..."

"The only one who actually came here to interrogate Jing Yuan..."

"Is you."

"General Feixiao."

The instant everyone’s attention shifted to her...

Feixiao scratched her head awkwardly.

"H-Hey!"

"Of course not!"

"The old man came too!"

"General Huaiyan!"

"You can’t dump all of this onto me!"

"We both came to see the Divine Foresight General!"

Inside...

She was screaming.

Compared to navigating political infighting...

Or dealing with all the Alliance’s useless bureaucrats...

She’d much rather lead the Yaoqing Cloud Knights into battle against a thousand Borisin.

Politics...

Simply wasn’t her thing.

Watching her flounder...

The old general burst into laughter.

As he laughed...

His eyes narrowed into slits.

"How could I?"

"I’m involved too."

"Exactly!"

"I’m not the only one here."

Feixiao rubbed her forehead helplessly.

She truly hated all these twists and turns.

Honestly...

Charging into battle against a thousand Borisin sounded far more appealing.

Only on the battlefield...

Could she forget about all this nonsense.

"This old gentleman..."

"Really says the most unexpected things..."

March whispered to Stelle.

Sure enough...

Stelle’s face reflected exactly the same emotions.

A mixture of astonishment...

And utter disbelief.

"The Marshal’s orders instructed me to come to the Luofu."

"But the document contained only a few brief words."

"’Observe the Martial Ceremony.’"

"’Sit in while Feixiao questions Jing Yuan.’"

"The Marshal understands perfectly well why Jing Yuan insisted on holding this tournament."

"She also understands the predicament he currently faces."

"The fact that she mentioned both in equal measure..."

"Shows that she considers them equally important."

"...Um..."

"Are we really allowed to hear the Marshal’s orders?"

March quietly asked.

Evan could only shrug.

Huaiyan was simply too old to care about formalities anymore.

Even Jing Yuan couldn’t help looking somewhat embarrassed.

"Elder Huaiyan..."

"Your trust humbles me."

"But..."

"The Marshal’s orders..."

"Is it truly appropriate to discuss them openly?"

Fortunately...

The old man didn’t care in the slightest.

Instead...

He looked at Jing Yuan as though the younger man was making things unnecessarily complicated.

"Feixiao is standing right here."

"Weren’t you just trying to determine whether the two of us disagreed with each other?"

"This old man treats others with sincerity."

"So you youngsters..."

"Stop hiding behind all those needless formalities."

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