Chapter 138: Abundance

Chen’s footsteps came to a halt, and the playful smirk that usually graced his features faded slightly. His gaze swept over the motionless forms of Cloud Knights scattered across the ground, and his tone grew heavy.

“It seems the fighting on Lady Fu Xuan’s side was quite fierce.”

Ms. Welt’s brow furrowed. She moved forward quickly, kneeling to check the condition of the nearest soldier. After pressing her fingers against the man’s carotid artery for a moment, she looked up at the others.

“There’s still a breath; they’ve just fainted,” she reported. “I see traces of vine entanglement on the body. This should be the work of the Abominations of Abundance.”

“Over here!”

March 7th suddenly raised his hand, pointing toward the corner at the end of the street. There, the faint silhouettes of several Cloud Knights could be seen, their spears held at the ready. They seemed to have erected simple defensive fortifications before them.

The group quickened their pace. The moment they came into view, the sharp points of several spears were leveled at their chests.

“Halt! Who goes there?”

The leading Cloud Knight, a junior officer, had a sharp gaze, and his voice was raspy from exertion. It was clear he had just endured a bitter battle; his armor was stained with grime and the dark, dried red of blood.

“We are from the Astral Express,” Ms. Welt announced, taking a step forward. Her tone was steady as she stated their identity, simultaneously signaling for her companions to lower their own weapons and show they meant no harm.

Upon hearing her words, the vigilance in the junior officer’s eyes did not immediately dissipate. His gaze swept back and forth across the group, scrutinizing each of them. Finally, his eyes settled on Ms. Welt. After a moment of recognition, he slowly lowered his spear, and his tone softened fractionally.

“So it is the honored guests from the Astral Express. Please forgive my rudeness.” He gave a stiff, weary bow. “The Grand Diviner has gone deeper ahead to scout the enemy’s situation. Her Ladyship ordered us to hold this key pass. She also instructed that if we saw you, we should ask you to wait here. She will return once her investigation is complete.”

“Then I guess we can only wait!” Chen looked around, found a relatively clean set of stone steps, and plopped down.

The scene before them was indeed shocking.

March 7th sat down beside him, hugging his knees. His voice, usually so bright, had become uncharacteristically low. “It looks… truly tragic. These people were alive and well just a moment ago… and they became like this just to protect the Xianzhou.”

Just as March’s voice fell, Mr. Tingyun, who had been standing quietly just behind them, suddenly spoke.

“Young Master March’s compassion is truly moving.”

He took a half-step forward, his gaze slowly sweeping over the fallen Cloud Knights.

“However,” he continued, his voice a smooth, melodic cadence, “for the long-life species of the Xianzhou, the scene before us… perhaps, truly doesn’t amount to much.”

“A thousand years is but the blink of an eye to a Xianzhou native. The war from hundreds of years ago is still as clear as yesterday to many who live here today. The iteration of life and death, the cycle of growth and decay—this is the norm of the cosmos. The warriors who fell today might have been witnesses, or even participants, in another war on some forgotten yesterday.”

He withdrew his hand, which had been gesturing gracefully, and looked back at March 7th and Chen. His smile had returned, as flawless and gentle as ever.

“So, there is no need to be overly immersed in sadness. Time… will smooth everything over. And it will also witness everything.”

The words sounded like a comfort, but between the lines lay a deep indifference toward life. It was as if the sacrifice of these people, who had fallen to protect their companions and their home, was nothing more than an insignificant brushstroke on the vast, unending canvas of time.

March 7th was left a bit dazed by the speech, his brow furrowing. He felt that something was deeply wrong with those words, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was.

Meanwhile, Chen, whose posture had been somewhat slouchy, slowly straightened up.

He turned his head, his eyes methodically sizing up Mr. Tingyun from top to bottom, from his spotless hem to that flawless, unwavering smile.

“Hoh…”

Chen arched an eyebrow, drawing out the sound. The roguish grin reappeared on his face, but his eyes held a new sharpness.

“Mr. Tingyun… those words of yours are certainly transparent. From your tone, you don’t sound like a Ferrymaster at all. You sound more like… an Old Timer who has lived for thousands of years and is used to seeing stars being born and extinguished, wouldn’t you say?”

“It was just a spontaneous reflection.” Mr. Tingyun bowed slightly, that impeccable, gentle smile hanging on his face once more. “Having seen many of the Xianzhou’s storms, it’s inevitable to have some untimely sentiments. I’ve made a fool of myself in front of you, Mr. Chen.”

Chen stared at him for two long seconds, then suddenly grinned and waved a dismissive hand. “Not at all. Mr. Tingyun is well-informed. What you said is the honest truth.”

The atmosphere became subtly quiet, the silence broken only by the occasional groan of pain from a distant wounded soldier and the hurried footsteps of medics.

Just then, light and shadow flickered in the passage ahead. Fu Xuan’s slender, upright figure returned, her steps quick and precise. The official uniform she wore was stained with a bit of dust, making her look slightly travel-worn.

“I have kept you all waiting,” she said, nodding to the group.

“Lady Fu Xuan, how is the situation ahead?” Ms. Welt asked, getting straight to the point.

Fu Xuan’s gaze swept over the wounded Cloud Knights being tended to nearby. Her brow furrowed for a moment before she spoke with solemnity.

“I have roughly ascertained the reality of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus. The core of their base is entrenched where the roots of the Ambrosial Arbor are most dense. By borrowing the power of the Stellaron and the Ambrosial Arbor, they are triggering abominations. Their strength cannot be underestimated.”

She paused. “The specific details… please forgive me for being unable to elaborate here. This matter concerns the safety of the Luofu and, by extension, the entire Xianzhou Alliance. The full intelligence and our corresponding response strategies—according to the law, only the General and a very few core individuals have the right to know the whole picture. This is to prevent leaks and further complications.”

Her tone softened slightly as she looked at each of them, providing the necessary explanation.

“You only need to know that the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus is a secret organization attempting to subvert the rule of the Xianzhou Alliance. They believe in the Aeon of Abundance, pursue a madness for immortality, and have long lurked in the shadows of the Alliance’s various ships.”

“In this Luofu Stellaron crisis, they finally couldn’t hold back. They’ve shown their tails and come out in full force. Their purpose is definitely not just to create chaos.”

“What they truly want… is to take this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to achieve their long-cherished wish of subversion. This turmoil is indeed directly related to this group of scoundrels. One could even say they are one of the masterminds behind this entire calamity!”

[Elysian’s Note:

Having a good time with the story?

Every single bit helps immensely:

Thanks a ton for making this journey possible!]