Listening as the voice on the other end gradually turned serious, Elena slowly straightened up as well, her tone returning to its usual calmness. "Please, go ahead."
"This should be the last time I discuss work with you through the system. Listen carefully, Elena. Return to the company within three days to report in. But the place you'll be going is no longer Market Group 166 of the Strategic Investment Department..."
There was reluctance in his voice, but even more celebration. "Congratulations, Ms. Elena, senior executive of the Strategic Investment Department and leader of the Special Debt Investigation Team. From this day forward, you will serve under Diamond as one of the Ten Stonehearts."
"Is that... so..."
Elena knew very well what the title "Ten Stonehearts" meant.
She should have been hugging Zhang Zhang and weeping with joy, celebrating that her efforts had finally been rewarded. Yet strangely enough, she did not feel much happiness now. Instead, there was an inexplicable sense of loss in her heart.
Bai Jun's figure flashed through Elena's mind, and only the voice on the other end of the call brought her back to reality. "Elena? Are you still listening?"
"I understand. Thank you, Uncle Debisky."
She hung up, her expression somewhat gloomy.
Report in within three days...
A Chance Encounter with a Mysterious Woman in Red, Defeat Her with All Your Might!
Elena hurried away, probably because she had other matters to deal with.
Bai Jun did not ask further. First, their relationship had not reached that level of familiarity. Second, although Elena seemed pure and adorable when they got along, she was still an employee of the Interstellar Peace Company. From her manner of speaking and experience, he could tell that she was at least some sort of team leader. Otherwise, she would not have been so wealthy.
It was still early before his six o'clock appointment with Hanya. Since idling on the streets was still idling, Bai Jun simply headed to Buye Hou at the Starcruiser Sea Hub, intending to pass the time with tea and storytelling.
Buye Hou's owner was a very adorable little fox girl. Standing on a small stool, she enthusiastically greeted the customers passing through the doorway.
"Welcome to Buye Hou! I'm Meng Ming, the owner of this little establishment. What would you like to dri... Oh, it's Bai Jun."
Once she saw who it was, her warm hospitality immediately shifted into the familiarity of speaking with a friend. She casually waved toward the shop, signaling him to hurry inside. "Today's Shouyuan Maofeng is especially fresh. Plump, tender buds, mellow and sweet when brewed, with an orchid-like fragrance. If you don't have money, just grab a pot yourself from the back. Tell the waiter to put it on your tab."
"...Thanks, but I have money today."
Bai Jun felt a little awkward. He had not expected Meng Ming to see him as a deadbeat who never paid. Though, now that he thought about it, he did seem to have quite a few unpaid tabs...
"If you have money, that's even better. Clear your tab in the back while you're at it."
Before Bai Jun could speak, Meng Ming impatiently shoved him into the shop. "Go on, get in there. Don't stand here and disrupt my business. You're so big, you'll block the entrance for the other customers!"
As he reached the hall entrance, Bai Jun noticed a chestnut-haired girl with twin ponytails and a massive sword on her back hurrying past him. She went straight to the table closest to the storyteller, picked up a cup of prepared milk tea, and started drinking.
"Sushang?"
She was none other than the pure-hearted and enthusiastic new Cloud Cavalry recruit, Sushang, who was always making a fool of herself over matters of personal culture and education.
However, Sushang did not notice Bai Jun at the entrance. She had answered the Luofu Cloud Cavalry's call some time ago. Though she had been tirelessly patrolling everywhere each day, she had not encountered the slightest disturbance from thieves or robbers, leaving her both annoyed and frustrated. In the end, she could only continue training in martial arts and swordsmanship, listening to storytellers whenever she had free time. Her days were terribly dull.
At that moment, she was hunched over a table at Buye Hou, waiting for the storyteller to make his preparations and properly recount the tale of the Five Valiants of the Clouds. But before the storyteller's gavel could fall, a familiar voice came from beside her.
She turned toward the voice, and surprise immediately filled her lovely eyes. "Oh, it's Bai Jun! What are you doing here? Do you have some trouble you need my help with? Hehe, no need for pleasantries. I'm always available!"
"While I admire your enthusiasm, isn't your train of thought jumping a bit too far ahead?"
Bai Jun interrupted Sushang's monologue, sat beside her, and ordered a pot of premium Shouyuan Maofeng from the waiter.
"Huh? You just wanted to say hello? You really don't need my help?"
"I really don't. By the way, don't you get tired acting like this all day?" Bai Jun looked at the spirited Sushang, feeling that her energy was a little excessive.
"Not tired at all! As they say, help those in urgent need and answer every request; do one good deed a day and examine oneself three times. Whenever I think about how this young lady will leave her name in history, it feels like I have the strength of ten thousand horses still unused!" Thinking of that, Sushang seemed to be filled with power. She rose, held up her Xuanyuan Sword, planted her hands on her hips, and laughed loudly.
"It's good that you have so much energy, but could you maybe not act like an idiot in public..."
Noticing the strange looks from the surrounding patrons and seeing Sushang's foolish display, Bai Jun covered his face and tugged at her sleeve. He was so embarrassed he wanted to burrow into the ground.
"Oh, oh, sorry."
She did sit back down, but judging from Sushang's smile, Bai Jun felt she had not repented in the slightest. Just as he was considering whether it would be better to stay farther away from her, she suddenly leaned close again, holding a book in her hand. "Oh right, Bai Jun, what does this character say? Is it the jiǔ from chives?"
Looking closer, Bai Jun found that it was the saying Jing Yuan always had on his lips: "Life is but dew upon a scallion; why fight over right and wrong on a snail's horn?"
"This character is pronounced xiè. It refers to an ancient plant called scallion grass. The general meaning is that human life is as brief as dew on a scallion, sometimes vanishing in the blink of an eye. Yet many people fight for fame and profit over trivial matters, scheming against one another. It really is rather unnecessary."
Bai Jun had explained it as carefully as he could. Though he had no idea whether she understood, he felt quite gratified, because Sushang was actually taking advice and reading in her spare time.
Sushang scratched her head, then tilted it in confusion. Her clear eyes somehow conveyed the emotion of, What is this? In the end, she calmly closed the book and said, entirely living up to Bai Jun's expectations, "As expected, I don't understand any of it."
Bai Jun waved dismissively. When it came to learning, attitude was far more important than talent. As long as Sushang wanted to learn, even slow progress was still progress.
"It's fine. Learning has no end, so take it slowly... But I'm curious. Didn't you attend school back on the Yaoqing?"
Bai Jun remembered that Yaoqing's education standards were quite high. Moreover, Sushang's mother was Su Yi. By all logic, Sushang should not have turned out like this.
At that, Sushang showed a bashful smile. She picked up her teacup, her fingers lightly tapping against its rim now and then.
"Well, how should I put it... My mother made me train in martial arts from a young age. Before the morning bell even rang, I had to get up and spar with her. I'd be exhausted by dawn, so when class began at school, all I could do was sleep. The teachers all called me Big Pillow Li."
Bai Jun's tightly furrowed brow suddenly relaxed when he heard the nickname Big Pillow Li. Then he could not help laughing. "It, it suits you quite well."
"Ah! You're actually laughing at me! And I even told you about my embarrassing past!"
Sushang immediately blushed crimson. She stood up and raised her delicate fists, ready to teach Bai Jun a lesson.
But before her fist could land on Bai Jun, a fellow Cloud Cavalry soldier wearing the same uniform as Sushang burst through the door and shouted into the hall.
"Sushang, come quickly! That outworlder in red is causing trouble and misleading people again!"
"What? That woman actually dares show herself again? She really doesn't take us seriously!"
Upon hearing the shout, Sushang's eyes immediately widened. She drained her milk tea in one gulp, patted Bai Jun on the shoulder, and tried her best to strike a bold pose. "Sorry, Bai Jun, I need to head out first. I'll come right back after dealing with that annoying person!"
Then she grabbed her greatsword and rushed out the door.
Bai Jun could not make sense of what she was playing at now when the waiter beside him approached with the premium Shouyuan Maofeng and asked, "Sir, do you know that young lady?"
"I do. Why?" Bai Jun accepted the tea and nodded.
"Oh, that's good, then. She hasn't paid for the tea she drank here. So, would you perhaps...?"
"..."
Firecrackers and Fire Breath, Strong as a Monster—Even with All Her Strength, She Couldn't Win!
Upon reaching the scene, Sushang and the other Cloud Cavalry soldiers quickly fixed their gaze on the center of a crowd near the Starskiff Haven.
"Come one, come all! This little sister has just arrived in your fine land. I'll show off a few tricks and perform a little act! Don't mind tossing a few coins, and a generous gift shows your goodwill. No idle chatter now—let me show you my signature act!"
They saw a red-haired woman beating gongs and drums, stirring up the crowd. She swallowed swords and breathed fire, delighting the spectators beyond measure.
Before long, the woman was even preparing to bring out a Blue-and-white granite slab, intending to perform "breaking a boulder on her chest"!
"Stop! Traffic at the Starskiff Haven has always been congested. How can this be a place for your silly street performance!" Unable to bear it any longer, Sushang gave a sharp shout. Her arms sank, and with a broad, forceful motion, she pointed the tip of her Xuanyuan Sword at the woman.
"Oh my, it's you again. Why does it feel like I haven't seen you in ages?" Seeing that Sushang's grip was unsteady and her steps floated, the red-haired woman was not alarmed. Instead, she smiled and teased her.
"Ages? I saw you just yesterday!" Recalling how she had been toyed with yesterday, Sushang ground her teeth in anger. She wanted nothing more than to catch the woman on the spot and tickle her until she cried!
"What? You saw me just yesterday? Ah, but don't you Xianzhou people have a saying? One day apart feels like three autumns!"
As she spoke, the red-haired woman took advantage of Sushang's slowness and quietly packed up all the things on the ground. Carrying the bundles over her back, she prepared to leave and called out brightly, "I'll be taking my leave first, then. Bye-bye!"
How could Sushang let her have her way? She charged forward, swung the Xuanyuan Sword in a full arc, and prepared to smash the bundle behind the red-haired woman.
"Don't be like that, sister. Fighting and killing is never good if someone gets hurt." The red-haired woman immediately sidestepped, casually snatched up a three-foot fire rod, and spun it until sparks flew, making it look terrifyingly fierce. With a flick of her wrist, the blunt end of the staff shot straight toward Sushang's wrists.
Sushang hurriedly retreated half a zhang, but the woman took the chance to pull several round objects from her pouch and slam them hard onto the ground. A tremendous explosion sounded, followed by flames shooting into the sky.
Smoke and fire scattered everywhere, explosions ringing out without end. Amid the chaos, Sushang suddenly felt herself being shoved. By the time she came to her senses, the woman was already gone.
"What was that... Firecrackers? How could they have such power?"
"That outworlder... really can't be underestimated!" The Cloud Cavalry soldier beside her had been smoked black-faced. Coughing, he stepped forward to comfort Sushang. "Sigh, she got away again. Don't lose heart, Sushang. There'll always be a way—"
His words abruptly stopped. Sushang's shoulders were trembling slightly. She stared at her empty right hand, tears welling up in her soot-blackened pretty face. "Waaah! She stole my Xuanyuan Sword!"
Having her beloved sword stolen was no less heartbreaking than the murder of her father or the theft of her wife. Sushang was devastated, sobbing as she ran toward Buye Hou.
"Sushang!" The other Cloud Cavalry soldiers all looked worried. They stared after her, not knowing what to do.
With nothing to do today, enjoy music at the entertainment house.
"Last time, we spoke of how the Xianzhou faced attacks from Voidranger monstrosities overseas while remnants of the Medicine King's Legacy occupied the ship within. The Marshal gathered the Cloud Cavalry to restore peace and order to the world. Among the many Cloud Cavalry warriors, five heroes from across the Xianzhou Cloud Cavalry gathered and fought together. They were known collectively as the Five Valiants of the Clouds."
"Led by these five, their accomplishments were too numerous to record: they drove away the Buli person fleet that invaded Thalassa; destroyed the alliance between the Huiyin and Wingweavers in the Abundance coalition; even relieved the siege of the Jade Palace Xianzhou and defeated the living planet, 'Jidu Mirage,' preserving the Alliance's eye upon the sea of stars..."
Although Bai Jun had heard this story many times, it was still not tiresome as a way to pass the time while drinking tea. Besides, tea and storytelling were all about the atmosphere. Without that undulating voice in his ears, even the tea in his cup would seem to lose its flavor.
The afternoon sunlight was just right. The light filtering through the blinds was not harsh, casting faint, solitary, drifting beams through the air.
A cool breeze passed through the corridor, making his post-meal mind feel clearer and more comfortable. Bai Jun took a sip of steaming tea and gazed wistfully out the window.
Days of leisure and contentment like this were what truly counted as living...
Bai Jun poured more hot water into his tea bowl. After several infusions, the color of the leaves had faded from deep to light, but the flavor had become gentler as well. Just as he lifted the bowl and brought the tea to his lips, Buye Hou's door was violently pushed open, followed by an aggrieved cry that carried a sobbing tone.
"Bai Jun, my sword was stolen—!"
"Pfft—!"
Caught off guard, Bai Jun sprayed out a mouthful of tea, then began coughing violently. After a long while, he finally caught his breath and immediately glared toward the door in irritation. "Sushang, what kind of foolishness are you up to this time... What happened to you?"
Noticing the tear streak on her soot-blackened face, Bai Jun's expression immediately changed. He hurried over and took her hand, while sweeping a warning gaze around the hall. The sounds of people enjoying the spectacle promptly fell silent.
"Don't cry, don't cry... Tell me what happened. Where's your Xuanyuan Sword?"
Bai Jun first helped her sit on a bench, then gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with his sleeve. He moistened a tissue with tea and wiped the soot stains from her face.
Sushang sniffled and wiped away her tears, then pitifully held out her empty palm to him. "M-my Xuanyuan Sword was stolen by that person."
"That person?" Bai Jun quickly focused on the key detail. "You mean the person you went out to find just now?"
"Mhm, mhm..."
Sushang sobbed as she explained the entire matter to Bai Jun in a thoroughly unclear manner, especially embellishing the part about how the red-haired woman's firecrackers and fire breathing were as powerful as a monster's, and how Sushang could not defeat her even with all her strength.
"So that street performer took advantage of your inattention and used the smoke from firecrackers to steal your Xuanyuan Sword?" Bai Jun rubbed his brow, having spent considerable effort barely sorting out what Sushang meant.
Sushang nodded. Only then did Bai Jun's tense heart relax somewhat. At least the Xuanyuan Sword had not been taken by some troublesome enemy. He had initially thought it was those bastards from the Medicine King's Legacy causing trouble again.
After thinking for a moment, Bai Jun lightly tapped her head with the side of his hand. "Sigh, take this as a lesson. Come on, let's go get your sword back."
"Bai Jun, can you help me get Xuanyuan back!?"
Sushang lifted her head in surprise. Some soot still remained on her face, making her look oddly comical, but Bai Jun did not laugh at her. Instead, he pinched her cheeks with complete seriousness.
"What are you thinking? You have to get your own sword back yourself. Did you really expect me to retrieve it for you?"
Is a Sword Truly Such an Inconvenient Thing?
Before long, Bai Jun and Sushang found traces of the red-haired woman at the far end of the Starcruiser Sea Hub's main road.
For some unknown reason, a large crowd had gathered beneath a bench at one corner of the street. Their expressions alternated between tense concern and boundless excitement, followed by cheers and applause that soared into the sky.
The two drew closer and saw that the figure in the middle of the crowd was indeed a red-haired girl. Her brows were picturesque, neither too dark nor too light, carrying a kind of stubborn optimism. Paired with those bright eyes, she looked all the more radiant and spirited.
She carried an enormous hammer over her shoulder. On the wooden table before her sat a large block of tofu, with a Blue-and-white granite slab standing beside it. As for Sushang's Xuanyuan Sword... it was being used to prop up one leg of the table.
"Ah, ah, it's her, it's her! Bai Jun, hurry up and avenge me!"
Enemies meeting made Sushang's eyes turn red with anger. Anxiously grabbing Bai Jun's arm, she half pleaded and half urged him to push forward, only to receive a hand chop to the forehead from him. "Calm down. And that's your Xuanyuan Sword. If anyone's going up there, shouldn't it be you?"
"Ugh..." Sushang clutched her head and crouched down, immediately wilting like an eggplant struck by frost. "B-but without the Xuanyuan Sword, I'm afraid I can't beat her..."
Seeing her pathetic, cowardly appearance, Bai Jun's usually half-lidded azure eyes widened round in frustration at her failure to live up to expectations. "Is a sword truly such an inconvenient thing?"
The heart was the foundation of martial arts. Only when one cultivated one's spirit into the formless could one understand that a sword was merely an external tool.
Grass, wood, stone, and bamboo could all become swords.
"Come, sword!"
Then, under Sushang's astonished gaze, Bai Jun hurried to a vending machine and bought a bottle of drink. After gulping it down, he casually picked up the crushed can and viciously threw it at the red-haired woman in the distance.
"Everyone, watch closely! Brushing teeth and whistling, locking a golden spear in the throat—those are only minor tricks. Next comes my signature act—breaking a boulder on my chest!"
Breaking a boulder on one's chest was an acrobatic act originating from an ancient nation. A large stone was placed on the chest of someone lying down, while another person used a hammer to smash the stone apart.
Before you continue