Just as everyone thought the matter had come to an end, something suddenly changed.
The wounded Cloud Knights around them all began wrenching free of the people supporting them at the same time, letting out piercing howls as branches and leaves burst from their bodies.
"Urgh! Aaaaaah-!"
"No, don't! I'm only a hundred or two hundred years old! I don't want to die!"
"Why? Why?! Get away! I don't want to fall into mara! I don't!!"
Even Li Ge, surrounded by his comrades, began sprouting red shoots.
Yet he remained calm, forcibly suppressing the power of Abundance within him and raising his hand to cut off the shoots on his body.
"Restrain them! No... I don't need to tell you what to do when our comrades fall into mara, do I?"
His expression hardened, and with his heart full of grief, he drew his sword and walked toward the mara-stricken Cloud Knights.
Chen Chang'an watched in silence, but summoned his own sword as well. "Please wait a moment, everyone..."
The Disciples of Sanctus Medicus possessed a secret art that could instantly plunge Denizens of Abundance into mara. Earlier, the Cloud Knights' fierce offensive had prevented them from fully executing it.
Now that the war was over, the bitter seeds planted in the wounded long ago had begun to sprout.
"It seems we arrived too late."
The next instant, a golden figure darted among the Cloud Knights, her hands repeatedly touching those on the verge of falling into mara.
"Rest easy, Cloud Knights. All who suffer grievous wounds or troubled hearts may receive my healing care."
Yaoshi faced the vast crowd with one hand behind her back.
"My wife is right, everyone. It's just a shame we arrived late and missed the fighting."
With a sigh, Zhang Xiu slowly walked over to Yaoshi's side.
With Yaoshi's help, every Cloud Knight was restored to full health. Not a single wounded soldier remained.
Combined with the Skydeep taking the front line earlier, the casualty rate for this battle had reached an astonishing zero percent.
Whatever the case, this battle, worthy of being recorded in history, would be a dazzling achievement in Fu Xuan's career.
Inside the Alchemy Commission, Zhang Xiu was taking Yaoshi around to see the captured Disciples of Sanctus Medicus.
After all, Fu Xuan had yet to arrive, and these lunatics' ramblings were actually rather entertaining. It was just a shame he hadn't bought any fries.
"I... saw it I saw myself become thunder I saw myself turn into a storm..."
"The fumes within the pill furnace... I smelled the future... this hell of flesh cannot imprison me... becoming the Ebon Deer I saw branches and leaves stretching out to obscure the vault of heaven, I shall transform once more!"
This fellow had already fallen into mara, but retained his sanity through the secret arts of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus.
His unfocused eyes gazed in different directions, as though he could see both ends of a forked path at once.
When the man stopped talking, Zhang Xiu lost interest as well. Fortunately, he wasn't the only prisoner.
Stelle and the others were also gathering information from the various Cloud Knights.
Since he had nothing else to do, Zhang Xiu took Yaoshi over to another prisoner who looked quite calm. The Cloud Knights guarding him did not stop the pair from approaching.
"If you wish to question him, we must listen throughout and enter everything into the interrogation record."
"I wouldn't really call it questioning. These guys only ever go on about the same few things anyway. Can't I just have a little fun?"
"...You may, but please don't agitate him too much."
"Don't worry, I'm the easiest person to get along with. I don't even know how to swear." Holding back a laugh, Zhang Xiu nodded solemnly.
Then he turned toward the green-robed Disciple, but before he could speak, the man giggled and said:
"Heehee, finally, someone to talk to. Being held by this bunch of stone-faced fellows who never say a word... heehee, I really..."
"Stop, stop, stop. Don't talk yet. Let me ask you a few things." Zhang Xiu raised a hand to stop him.
"Heehee, certainly. What would you like to ask, young man? Mmm~ I can smell Abundance on you. You must have received great blessings from the Medicus~"
"That's true enough. I'm a Denizen of Abundance too, after all." He nodded.
"Ahem. Disciple attempting the trial, pay attention. This stage tests your mental fortitude;
stand up straight and hear my questions. There will be three, one after another. If you can keep your composure after hearing them, you pass. Otherwise, you will be severely punished. Do you understand?"
Seeing Zhang Xiu's playful expression, the man felt a little uneasy, but continued grinning.
"Heehee, certainly. You're quite an interesting young man~"
Once the man was ready, Zhang Xiu let out a breath. Just thinking about what he was about to say nearly made him lose his own composure.
"Listen to the question. If your younger sister is your mother, and you're also your son's elder brother-in-law, describe your family situation."
At those words, the entire place fell silent. The Cloud Knight taking notes abruptly looked up at Zhang Xiu. After some thought, he still wrote the words down with a trembling hand.
Yaoshi's eyes widened, and she hurriedly turned to look at Zhang Xiu as though she had only truly met him today.
Hearing this, the Disciple repeatedly raised his hands. "Wait, what's my what?"
"Punishment!" Zhang Xiu raised his hand and slapped him.
Before anyone else could work out what had happened, Zhang Xiu asked again:
"Listen to the question. Kiana and Mei are a lesbian couple. One day, Mei tells Kiana, 'I'm pregnant with your child,' but Kiana says that's impossible. Why?"
"Because, because lesbians can't have children?" The Disciple blinked blankly.
"Punishment!" Zhang Xiu raised his hand and slapped him again. "Because Mei's the top! You idiot! No matter how you look at it, Kiana should be the pregnant one!"
This time, the Cloud Knight recording the interrogation hesitated even longer. Bewilderment filled his eyes, and he had no idea how to put his feelings into words, but he still upheld his professional ethics and wrote it all down.
"P-please don't provoke the prisoner!"
"Listen to the question. As everyone knows, Yaoshi never refuses to bless anyone. So tell me...!"
This time, the question concerned the Aeon of Abundance. Both the Cloud Knights and the Disciple realized Zhang Xiu was done fooling around, and focused their attention.
"If someone asked Yaoshi to marry them, would she agree?!"
After that question left his mouth, the Cloud Knight recording the interrogation silently put down his pen.
The Disciple flew into a rage. "Bastard! How dare you utter such blasphemy! Cloud Knights! Cloud Knights!! Arrest him!!"
He lunged forward to grab Zhang Xiu by the throat, only to be slapped unconscious. "Punishment!"
"The answer is yes! You idiot! But asking her from now on won't do you any good."
Zhang Xiu clapped his hands, looking thoroughly satisfied. Unfortunately, those were the only thunderbolt questions he could think of for now. Otherwise, he could have kept playing a little longer.
He had only dared ask because he had figured the Cloud Knights, out of concern, wouldn't assign members of his own race to guard the prisoners.
"Well, thanks for your hard work. See you~" As he spoke, Zhang Xiu even waved at the Cloud Knights.
"...Uh, ah, not at all, not at all..."
Watching Zhang Xiu and Yaoshi recede into the distance, the Cloud Knights exchanged looks, speechless. Only a long, lingering sigh remained.
Before you continue