P.S.: After much deliberation, the plan to put the novel behind a paywall this week has been postponed to next Friday. That means I'll be writing an extra 30,000 words of free content.
And thanks to everyone, I currently owe one and a half extra chapters. After considering it, I've decided to keep up the regular updates while stockpiling chapters, then pay back every chapter I owe all at once when the novel goes premium, plus 20 extra chapters!
Finally, thank you to every friend who sent monthly tickets and blade donations~
Dragon-Tiger Clash, Foxes Beware (5k)
At the Starcruiser Sea Hub, a few steps beyond the plaza before the Sichen Palace, the headquarters of the Luofu Tianbo Division, stood Kunyutai.
As the saying went, the earth carried all things like a carriage. It was rather fitting alongside the Tianbo Division, which managed star skiffs at its gates. Swaying fox tails gleamed under the sunlight, all of them busy at work.
The pilots and navigators of the Tianbo Division bustled tirelessly before the majestic halls, whose flying eaves resembled ship bows. Most clutched thick stacks of documents as they hurried back and forth between Sichen Palace and Kunyutai, occasionally shaking mineral dust from their fox ears and tails as they shouted irritably:
"Cough, cough! Has the Sky-Jade Ore over there been counted? Remember, not a single jin can be left unaccounted for. It all has to be transported to the star skiff docks!"
"No mistake there! But what happens after it gets to the star skiff docks? Do we hand it directly over to those Company dogs? Honestly, I'd love to punch that bastard named Scott right in the face."
"That's none of your concern. Miss Tingyun will handle the handover with the Company when the time comes."
After giving those instructions, the pilot in charge of the inventory waved toward the plaza atop the steps at the street corner. Seeing Tingyun in the plaza nod, the pilot received the signal and turned back to attend to other matters.
Tingyun picked up a calligraphy brush and carefully recorded the details on the invoice that needed checking, then turned and walked toward the blue-haired Foxkin woman not far behind her.
Her long blue hair was half tied behind her head. The snowy fur around her collar complemented her striking beauty, while her elegant gown could not conceal her perfect figure. Beneath its slitted hem were a pair of fair, smooth legs. Her exquisite black high heels gave her a gentle, intellectual charm, and her fluffy, soft fox tail made one want to bury one's face in it.
She was currently speaking with a gentle smile to the delicate woman beside her, whose complexion was somewhat pale. "We truly have Miss Shen Sha's shipment of Sky-Jade Ore to thank this time. On behalf of everyone at the Tianbo Division, I offer you our sincere gratitude."
"How could I deserve the thanks of the esteemed Division Master? It is merely a merchant's duty, an equal exchange, nothing more." Shen Sha covered her mouth and coughed several times before shaking her head with a smile.
"Miss Shen Sha's health..." Yukong lightly pressed her thin lips together, a trace of concern flashing through her gentle, placid eyes.
"It is nothing serious. Just an inherited old ailment. There is no need to worry."
Shen Sha had wanted to say more, but upon noticing Tingyun approaching, she swallowed the words at her lips and changed course. "Since there are no issues with the inventory, I shall not disturb you any longer. There are urgent matters within my family that require my attention, so I will take my leave. Should anything arise, you may instruct my attendant, Todd."
After pointing to Todd, who was supervising the work in the plaza, Shen Sha nodded to the approaching Tingyun and departed with graceful steps.
"Lady Yukong, this is the invoice that has just been checked. Please review it."
"Ah, you've worked hard, Tingyun."
Yukong turned around and accepted the invoice Tingyun handed over with a smile. After scanning it for a few moments, she returned it. "You're the expert in this sort of thing. Just handle it all yourself. You needn't consult me next time."
"How can that be? Whether piloting star skiffs or leading the Tianbo Division, Lady Yukong has always been there to guide the Xianzhou's course. The Xianzhou cannot do without Lady Yukong either, so you are not allowed to say such things again!" Tingyun puffed out her cheeks indignantly, opened her folding fan, and immediately objected.
"You're all grown up, yet you're still just like when you were little."
Hearing her childish words, Yukong covered her mouth and chuckled. Her gentle eyes held the affection of a mother as she reached out and lightly ruffled Tingyun's head, then pinched her soft cheek. Only after Tingyun's cheeks reddened slightly and she muttered in protest did Yukong withdraw her hand.
"All right, I need to report to the General. You should hurry to the star skiff docks and handle the important matters there. Without you, our Amicassador, no one can deal with the Company's lackeys."
"The General is here too?" Tingyun covered her mouth in surprise. Logically, a General's visit was no minor matter. She immediately looked around curiously, wondering why she had failed to notice him all this time.
Yukong nodded. A helpless smile appeared on her gentle face as she turned slightly and pointed toward the entrance of Sichen Palace. "There. Isn't he right over there?"
Following the direction of Yukong's finger, Tingyun saw two figures in white and pink before the distant gates of Sichen Palace. Jing Yuan stood to the left of the stone lions, while Fu Xuan of the Divination Bureau stood on the other side. The divide between them was clear at a glance.
Her fox ears twitched slightly. A woman's innate curiosity drove her to lean closer to Yukong and poke her shoulder. "Lady Yukong, I understand why the General is here, but why is the Master Diviner here as well?"
"The General is here to inspect the Sky-Jade Ore matter. As for Master Diviner Fu... I do not know the specifics. Perhaps it is as usual." Yukong gently brushed Tingyun's mischievous hand away with her fox tail and replied helplessly.
Tingyun gradually understood everything. After all, Master Diviner Fu's intentions were practically known to every passerby. She was most likely pestering the General about "abdication and yielding the position" again.
"I understand. Then please carry on, Lady Yukong. I'll head to the star skiff docks to deal with the Company."
"Mm. I'll leave it to you."
Yukong watched Tingyun's figure gradually disappear from sight before walking toward Jing Yuan outside Sichen Palace.
The March spring breeze still carried a trace of dampness during the day. It brushed against her face with something like the scent of cotton fluff. As a cheerful gust swept past, Yukong could vaguely hear the argument over there.
"I've had enough! The last time was already the one hundred and twelfth time you promised to recommend me as the next General, yet three months passed without any word! This time, you must give me a written agreement—!"
The pink-haired Master Diviner had her cute, delicate face pulled tight. Holding a brush in one hand and paper in the other, she glared frostily upward at the white-haired General before her.
"Mm..." Hearing that topic, Jing Yuan yawned carelessly and stroked his chin with a perfunctory attitude.
"The signature must be your name, and the date must be written in formal numerals: one, two, three, four, five!"
"Mm, mm..." Jing Yuan nodded again in empty agreement.
"Finally, you must add your fingerprint. And you are not allowed to have the Divine Monarch do it in your place—you must press it yourself!"
"Mm, mm, mm..."
"Jing Yuan?"
Seeing Jing Yuan maintaining that unusually rhythmic nodding, Fu Xuan walked closer in curiosity, only to discover that he had fallen asleep standing up again. Instantly humiliated and enraged, she gritted her teeth. "Fine, fine, fine! Since that is the case, the matter we discussed some time ago should also be settled. Bai Jun's talent absolutely should not be wasted idling away in the Earth-Balance Commission. In my view, General, you should transfer him back under the Divination Bureau as soon as possible, so I can continue setting him straight."
"Oh, that matter still requires discussion. Fu Qing, why not continue discussing 'abdication and yielding the position'? Shall I sign that agreement for you right now?" The moment that subject came up, Jing Yuan's previous drowsiness and indifference vanished. He wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve and eagerly took the document Fu Xuan had brought.
"Jing Yuan! You really were just brushing me off!" Fu Xuan clenched her sleeve tightly, her teeth grinding audibly.
"How could I be? Once I step down, only our great General Fu will be able to carry the banner of the Luofu."
"Hmph, that's more like it... No, you're changing the subject again!" Realizing something, Fu Xuan immediately stopped looking so smug and raised her face to glare resentfully at Jing Yuan, who was struggling to contain his laughter.
"Hehe, you caught me—Whoa!"
A sharp pain shot through the tip of his foot, nearly making Jing Yuan bite off the tongue he had just stuck out. He desperately covered his mouth, trembling as he looked at the pedestrians constantly passing by. If not for the sake of preserving a General's dignity, he would have hugged his right foot and howled in pain.
And the culprit behind all this was the tiny pink-haired girl before him. Who would have thought she possessed such strength?
"All things in this world have their methods. Even a frail diviner may use unique means to strengthen her constitution. Jing Yuan, do not underestimate me." Fu Xuan gave a soft snort. Her little foot in white stockings tapped the ground, and the purple particles surrounding her quickly dissolved into mist.
That kick had merely been for show. She was certain such a small amount of force could not truly harm a mighty Emanator. Seeing Jing Yuan finally rein in his smile, she got to the point. "Jing Yuan, I am not joking. You know that the Divination Bureau has lacked promising talent in recent years. The one rare seedling we do have is also a lazybones. Bai Jun is an exceptionally rare talent, and I want to cultivate him properly."
Jing Yuan curled his lips and shrugged unconcernedly. "Oh, I do not mind. But even if I were willing, my Yan Qing would never agree to it. He and Qing Yan are quite close, you know. Of course, if you can persuade that boy, I will hand Bai Jun over to you. How about it?"
Get past Yan Qing? Everyone on the Luofu knew he was Jing Yuan's most devoted little follower. Hilarious. Believing he would let Bai Jun go was less believable than thinking she herself was the emperor of some ancient kingdom.
Fu Xuan's brows furrowed slightly before she regained her composure. A confident smile even rose to her lips. "My Qing Que is not on bad terms with Bai Jun either. Why not bring Bai Jun here and let him choose for himself?"
Naturally, she had her reasons for being so confident. Qing Que was no less than charming, and she had a good relationship with Bai Jun. Do not accuse Fu Xuan of being shameless and using a honey trap—Jing Yuan could use a handsome man's charm as well. It merely depended on whether Bai Jun would take the bait.
Just imagining Bai Jun soon obediently falling into her grasp made Fu Xuan beam with joy. Jing Yuan, standing across from her, naturally saw through her little scheme. He wagged a finger and said unhurriedly, "Hehe, Fu Qing, you jest. Qing Yan is the most renowned diligent worker in the Earth-Balance Commission. He is occupied with important duties every day. Bringing him here and wasting his precious time would not be appropriate, would it?"
"What is inappropriate about it? Does the order of the General who commands the Luofu not count as important business?" Fu Xuan asked without concern.
"Using authority for personal gain is not a very good tendency, Fu Qing. How could you say something so absurd?" Seeing her fall into his trap, Jing Yuan immediately wore a foxlike, cunning smile.
"You—!" Fu Xuan was instantly speechless and could only glare at him angrily.
Just as the atmosphere between them became so tense that a single spark could set it off, a gentle voice from the air broke the deadlock in time. Yukong approached with graceful steps and mediated as she always did. "Since the two of you dispute where Bai Jun should go, why not give him to me? The Tianbo Division is also short on talent like him. He could happen to learn under my Tingyun..."
"No!"
The two objected in unison, simultaneously turning their hostility toward the newly arrived peacemaker. What followed were remarks about toads dreaming of swan meat and the like. Their tacit coordination made it hard to believe they had just been arguing fiercely with each other.
As the Division Master in charge of the Tianbo Division, Yukong was naturally not one to quietly take abuse. On the contrary, in her youth, she had been one of the Luofu's most notorious speed demons. She had merely tempered that temperament as she grew older. When it came to causing trouble, she was no worse than anyone else.
Veins bulged one by one on Yukong's fair forehead, and the smile she maintained showed faint signs of breaking. She looked around one last time, confirmed that Tingyun had already gone far away, then tugged open her collar, cleared her throat, and joined the argument over someone's ownership.
After turning the corner of Xuan Ye Avenue, Sushang soon spotted the majestic hall in the distance, its eaves shaped like ship bows. She impatiently tugged Bai Jun's sleeve, wanting to confirm whether that was the so-called Sichen Palace.
"Yes, yes, yes. Miss Sushang is truly so clever."
Bai Jun pulled his sleeve back. Along the way, Sushang's endlessly chattering little mouth had annoyed him badly, so he gave an irritated snort.
"The plaza opposite Sichen Palace is that Kun-something Terrace, right? There are so many people. Bai Jun, are you sure the Cloud Cavalry needs to report in here?" Sushang found a bench, stood on it, rose onto her tiptoes, and took a quick look before asking curiously.
"Generally speaking, newly enlisted Cloud Cavalry must report to the Earth-Balance Commission or the Tianbo Division of the local realm. Your situation is rather special, so I suggest you ask directly at Sichen Palace."
Bai Jun sighed and dragged Sushang down from the bench. "And do not stand on public benches, idiot."
"Hehe, sorry, sorry. I'll wipe it clean."
While she wiped down the bench, Bai Jun also glanced toward distant Kunyutai. Seeing the pilots moving about and the star skiffs loaded with ore, he quickly understood the situation—it was probably the Tianbo Division's purchase of Sky-Jade Ore.
"All right, hurry up. We're almost there."
Following the principle of seeing a good deed through to the end, Bai Jun intended to take her to Kunyutai, then go to Buye Hou for a cup of hot tea.
Upon reaching the vicinity of Kunyutai, fluffy fox ears and tails filled his view. Walking up the steps, Sushang even felt as though she had returned to Yaoqing. Bai Jun beside her, however, frowned and uneasily looked around.
His instincts had always been sharp, and he vaguely felt that something was wrong.
The two stone lions before Sichen Palace looked as imposing as ever today, but the people standing beneath them were not the usual Cloud Cavalry guards. Bai Jun stopped to look carefully and discovered Jing Yuan, Yukong, and... Fu Xuan!?
Bai Jun's face went pale. The instant he saw that pink figure, he successfully recalled what he had forgotten yesterday afternoon—he had been so busy playing with Bailu that he had forgotten to visit Fu Xuan!
The wind continued to blow wildly, brushing over his face along the broad corridor. He could vaguely hear blurred phrases like "nothing escapes the Eye of Providence" and "only I can tame him," making Bai Jun shudder.
First, I am not afraid of Fu Xuan.
Second, I forgot. In any case, I absolutely cannot let Fu Xuan catch me.
Bai Jun's dead-fish eyes gradually sharpened. He immediately held a finger to his lips at Sushang, then silently backed into the crowd without a word. Lowering his head slightly, he did his utmost to conceal his presence and turned to leave this trouble-filled place.
However, Sushang seemed not to understand his meaning at all. Blinking her clear, wide eyes, she shouted in a thoroughly tactless manner, "Bai Jun! Don't leave! How about I treat you to a meal after I finish reporting in?"
"?"
The moment those keywords were triggered, the three people beneath the distant stone lions instantly exuded the dangerous aura of predators hunting prey. Their gazes locked simultaneously onto Bai Jun, who stood pale-faced in the crowd and had just been preparing to flee.
"You thoughtless fool, what nonsense are you stirring up now?!"
Bai Jun was horrified. The arm pointing at Sushang trembled uncontrollably. Before he could turn around, a rushing afterimage, carrying a howling gale, had already swept to his side.
In less than half a breath, Yukong, who deeply understood the value of striking first, forcefully pressed both hands onto his shoulders. Her soft violet eyes displayed unprecedented seriousness. "All right, Bai Jun. I know this is sudden for you, but I still want to ask: are you willing to come to the Tianbo Division and assist me?"
"Huh? What nonsense are you—Mmph!"
Without even waiting for Bai Jun's response, or indeed needing his opinion at all, Yukong pulled a prewritten contract of sale from her clothes, took out lipstick, forcibly grabbed Bai Jun's finger, and pressed it down.
"Division Master Yukong, impressive methods. But before that, should Qing Yan not be allowed to speak before a conclusion is reached?"
A bolt of lightning suddenly erupted from the ground. As flame-colored talismans rose into the air, hundreds of meters of golden lightning descended and coiled through the sky, forming a radiant celestial spirit: the Divine Monarch who had previously guarded the Jade Realm Gate, the Heavenly Lord of the Divine Thunder Office who commanded thunder and lightning, pursued demons, and swept away filth.
The only difference was that he did not carry the Formation Blade. Instead, he curled his fingers and plucked Bai Jun away from Yukong like a chick before placing him beside Jing Yuan.
"Jing Yuan, you bastard! Is that how you use the Divine Monarch?!" The short-legged Fu Xuan arrived only then, pointing furiously at Jing Yuan, who had seized Bai Jun. "You are completely using public resources for private gain!"
"I did not summon the Divine Monarch. The old fellow came on his own initiative."
Jing Yuan pulled two lollipops from his pocket and stuffed them into Bai Jun's mouth, then turned around and spread his hands helplessly. The irritating amusement in his eyes made Fu Xuan burn with anger.
If she ever got the Divine Monarch in the future, she would order him to pry off Jing Yuan's roof while he slept at night.
From the instant Bai Jun had been snatched away, Yukong had stood frozen in place, staring blankly at the golden phantom in the sky. She had never imagined that the Divine Monarch would intervene over something like this.
Divine Monarch: Should I leave, then?
The enormous commotion caused by the Divine Monarch in the street had already thrown the surrounding pilots and pedestrians into chaos. Sushang, on the other hand, acted as though nothing had happened. She stared foolishly at the majestic celestial spirit overhead, occasionally nodding and offering a few admiring remarks.
"Ooh, ooh, Third Grandpa really is handsome when viewed up close."
But then again, Bai Jun was surprisingly popular, wasn't he?
Master Diviner Fu Xuan Is Full of Dignity
The commotion and noise in the street quickly attracted many Cloud Cavalry soldiers patrolling nearby.
When they arrived excitedly, imagining that they were about to capture criminals and finally earn some merit in their dull military lives, the first thing they saw was Jing Yuan and Yukong standing before Sichen Palace. The enthusiasm that had just risen in them was immediately doused with cold water.
They exchanged silent looks, uncertain how to handle the situation. After all, it was not as though they could go up and arrest General Jing Yuan.
"Ahem. All soldiers, return to your posts."
Jing Yuan spoke up in time and ordered the Cloud Cavalry soldiers, who were staring blankly at one another, to disperse. Only then was the nearly solidified awkwardness in the air broken.
"Yes, General!" The Cloud Cavalry all saluted Jing Yuan together before promptly scattering back to their posts.
Watching their retreating backs, Jing Yuan felt that he truly had acted impulsively earlier. At the very least, he should not have had the Divine Monarch help. Sigh, who knew what rumors would spread today? Thinking of that made Jing Yuan's head ache.
To prevent this kind of situation from happening again, Jing Yuan, Yukong, and Fu Xuan forcibly dragged Bai Jun into Sichen Palace.
The pilots and astrologers of the Tianbo Division were mostly outside dealing with the Sky-Jade Ore matter, so Sichen Palace was quite empty at the moment. With no outsiders to interfere and no need to mind their surroundings, the three finally had the chance to continue bickering. They placed Bai Jun to one side as though he were some prize and resumed arguing over where he belonged.
Bai Jun tried to escape several times along the way, only to be caught and dragged back each time. He could only sit obediently in a chair, occasionally having to answer questions such as, "Who do you actually want to follow?", "I was clearly here first!", and "Shameful! Step down!"
Before you continue