In all the cosmos, what Emanator would submit to someone else's threats?
Besides, even if they wanted to deploy the Xianzhou generals, the generals would never attack another Emanator for their selfish desires and plunge the Xianzhou into turmoil. They might even resolve to send them into retirement instead, on the grounds that their foolishness threatened the Xianzhou's safety.
So, under the current circumstances, they had to stay on good terms with Lingchen.
Ultimately, it was nothing more than a bunch of incompetent people's empty boasts and delusions.
Lingchen still clearly remembered the way Fu Xuan had looked at him back then, as though he were some extraordinary creature.
His recollection ended. Tingyun had now reached him.
"May I ask if the general sent you here?"
Faced with the Borisin who had died so strangely all around her, Tingyun showed no panic whatsoever. The female Foxian working under her, however, had received quite a fright. Clearly, she had never seen anything so bizarre.
"No." Facing Tingyun's hopeful gaze, Lingchen shook his head and said frankly, "I came of my own accord."
"Oh?" Tingyun paused, then immediately put on a smile. "On behalf of the Minghuo Merchant Group, I thank you for your help, my lord.
"Once everything is over, we will reward you handsomely."
The Minghuo Merchant Group was among the foremost merchant groups on the Luofu. Tingyun thought he might be looking to earn some money.
After all, she had heard from Yukong that this Emanator apparently wanted to acquire a residence on the Luofu.
The higher-ups had suppressed most of the information, and Yukong could hardly tell her everything.
Thus, Tingyun did not know that the Xianzhou Alliance had already gifted Lingchen a private residence as an apology. It was just that Fu Xuan never mentioned it, and neither did Lingchen. By unspoken agreement, he was still staying at Fu Xuan's home.
"Don't misunderstand, Tingyun. The Minghuo Merchant Group is of no use to me, and I'm not a Xianzhou Emanator. Everything I've done was for you."
"For... me? This..."
Tingyun froze slightly, unsure how to respond.
He had been so straightforward that if she still failed to understand his meaning, she might as well give up doing business.
P.S. Two more chapters to go. Please send votes and flowers!
Chapter 31: A new character card
It was just that Tingyun had never imagined someone would come specifically to save her.
In her memory, Yukong was the only person who would do something like that.
And now there was someone else, a man she was meeting for the very first time.
She was merely an inconspicuous civil servant on the Luofu, and not particularly strong. While most Foxians chose to become pilots, she had chosen commerce. To think that such an ordinary Foxian would have someone as powerful as Lingchen come specifically for her.
Tingyun's thoughts grew a little tangled.
"That's right. Purely for you. Otherwise, I'd probably still be drinking tea and listening to stories right now~ Also, just call me Lingchen. All that 'my lord' business is no fun."
"Thank you for saving me, benefactor. It's just that this is our first meeting, and we..."
Tingyun had changed how she addressed him.
Saving a group for profit and saving just one person without seeking any benefit left entirely different impressions on the heart.
But this was her first meeting with Lingchen. Agreeing outright would have been far too hasty.
"There's no rush to answer, Tingyun. Feelings can develop slowly, but the Cloud Knights around us can't wait. I'll go deal with those dogs."
Hearing Lingchen's reply, Tingyun breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly nodded.
At least she had time to process things. As for whether she and Lingchen could be together in the future, she would leave that to time.
In any case, she already had quite a favorable impression of him, especially with how he referred to those Borisin.
"Another fleet has arrived."
He had originally intended to use a character card, but judging by the system's explanation, an advanced Pathstrider would probably be enough to handle the problem before him with ease.
"Everlasting Blossoms."
With a gentle sweep of the scythe in his hand, countless blue-violet flower buds bloomed in the air.
Blue-violet mist instantly enveloped the entire battlefield. Screams rose one after another as nearly all the Borisin lost their vital signs at the same instant. Even their ships became "dead things."
"So powerful."
The attendant beside Tingyun widened her eyes. She had not even seen how Lingchen attacked. He had simply flown into the air and waved his scythe, countless flower buds had bloomed, and then it was over.
"So this is an Emanator..."
She had also heard Lingchen and Tingyun's earlier conversation, but she was clever enough to know what she should and should not say. Precisely because of that, she suddenly felt a little envious of Tingyun.
If-if she could possess Tingyun's beauty and abilities, would Lingchen take an interest in her too?
Tingyun was also somewhat stunned. Hearsay could never compare to witnessing something with her own eyes.
During the war against the Denizens of Abundance in year 8072 of the Star Calendar, she had remained on the Luofu. She had only heard that the fighting was fierce: nearly one-fifth of the Fanghu Xianzhou's delve-heavens had been destroyed by the Reignbow's Arrows; Yueyu, the general of the Yaoqing, had defended the Cloudwatcher Mirror to the death, ultimately falling to those arrows; and Diviner Fu's master had also died in that war.
Although this battle came nowhere close to that one, it still offered a glimpse of such power.
After returning to the Luofu and reporting what had happened, Tingyun took many days off to rest. During those days, Lingchen gained another companion in Tingyun, besides spending time with Fu Xuan, Qingque, and Bailu.
Of course, when he brought Tingyun back, Yukong had already been waiting for some time.
[Checked in before Yukong, the current Helmsman of the Sky-Faring Commission. Reward obtained: Herrscher of the Void character card]
That was the reward Lingchen had received at the time.
He had to admit that, by comparison, the character card he had obtained from checking in with Jing Yuan was rather lackluster.
Perhaps because Lingchen had saved Tingyun, Yukong felt a touch of warmth toward him in addition to respect.
After all, without Lingchen, Tingyun would still have been in some danger. She had heard from Tingyun that the Borisin had received reinforcements at the time.
Of course, Yukong bore no resentment toward Jing Yuan for not setting out.
She understood the reasons behind it.
As for Yanqing, setting aside his youth, even she could tell that his mood had been off lately. Young people were terrible at regulating themselves once they got stuck on something-she knew that firsthand. Leading troops in that state would have been extremely dangerous.
So when Jing Yuan approached her about the matter afterward, Yukong simply let it pass. Apart from their many years working together, neither reason nor sentiment gave her any grounds to blame Jing Yuan. Tingyun's intelligence had simply been inaccurate.
But Lingchen was different. He was the man who had turned Jing Yuan's "good fortune" into "great fortune." Although he had gone purely for Tingyun, he had indeed saved many lives. That was a fact.
Thus, whenever Lingchen had time, he would visit the Sky-Faring Commission and chat with Yukong, who was happy to have him.
After all, although her work was demanding, she was not so busy that she had no time to rest. Yet at the Sky-Faring Commission, there was practically no one she could talk to, leaving her to go online instead. Lingchen's occasional visits gave her someone to confide in.
At first, since they had barely met, they only talked about food and clothing and exchanged formal pleasantries. Then came their everyday hobbies, work, and finally her little worries. By now, five months later, she was even telling Lingchen about her concerns over Qingni.
But it was not only Yukong who felt a little odd about it. Tingyun did too.
Hadn't he gone there for Tingyun?
Yukong vaguely sensed something, and so did Tingyun, but both tacitly chose not to mention it.
After all, to be honest, having someone like Lingchen nearby offered a sense of safety and, once they grew familiar, a feeling of ease. After experiencing it once, it became rather addictive.
And so, time passed to the present.
At a tea table outside the Sleepless Earl on Xuanye Avenue, Lingchen quietly listened as Tingyun recounted what she had seen and heard during her recent travels.
"I'm sorry. Have I been talking a little too much again?"
Tingyun's cheeks flushed faintly, as though she had noticed something amiss. Why was she doing all the talking?
Tingyun inwardly scolded herself for being so hopeless. She was not normally like this, so why could she never resist saying a little more whenever she was beside Lingchen?
P.S. The picture shows the weapon Path of Life-Reaping. Thank you to Lord Yin Quantao for the monthly ticket.
Thank you for your support.
Chapter 32: Quite the tsundere
"Not at all. Has no one ever told you? Simply listening to your voice is like hearing celestial music~"
"Please don't tease me, benefactor."
Tingyun lowered her head slightly, her fair little hands unconsciously turning her teacup.
"I was wondering where you'd gone. Sure enough, you're here. Miss Tingyun is here as well."
"Lord Diviner~"
Tingyun greeted her, then took another sip of tea.
Although all the women knew what Lingchen had in mind, every one of them still wanted to compete to be the only one he kept by his side.
With a calm expression, Fu Xuan looked at Lingchen again.
"You don't really like tea, do you? Would you like some milk tea?"
"No. The Sleepless Earl's tea is renowned far and wide. I've long wanted to try it, and today is as good a day as any."
As she spoke, Fu Xuan sat down on Lingchen's other side.
As Fu Xuan took her seat, Tingyun also edged a little closer to Lingchen.
"..."
Lingchen quietly ordered a cup of tea.
"Lord Diviner, you're normally so occupied with your many duties, working diligently and attending to the Xianzhou's important affairs. How have you found the leisure for this today?"
When it came to Lingchen, Tingyun did not want to yield either.
"Diligence brings mastery, but balancing work and rest is the proper approach. I normally keep busy with work, so I must occasionally relax, or I might work myself into trouble. As for you, I recall the Minghuo Merchant Group had business to attend to today. Why aren't you taking part?"
Listening to Fu Xuan, Lingchen also looked at Tingyun. As for the gazes of those around them...
It hardly mattered if they watched from afar, and even those nearby could not make out their conversation. Given the identities of the people at this table, who would dare sit too close?
Besides, if neither Fu Xuan nor Tingyun minded, what did he have to mind? Moreover, at a time like this, aside from a slight worry that things might get out of hand, a man always felt rather pleased.
Still, this sort of "duel" between girls really was quite entertaining.
A trace of crimson flashed across Tingyun's face before she regained her composure.
She sighed softly, placing a perfectly measured hint of helplessness on her face.
"I wanted to take part as well, but everyone in the merchant group insisted that I rest more. I could only accept their kindness.
"But with you spending so much time out here, Lord Diviner, might your work be delayed?"
"No matter. I have my own arrangements for work. As for why I came here..."
Fu Xuan's amber eyes turned to Lingchen, only to catch his spectator's expression of "this is so interesting, please continue." Her face immediately darkened.
This scoundrel!
"I came to tell you that I need to return to the Jade Abacus Xianzhou tomorrow. You'll be home alone for a while."
"Did they say what it's about?"
Lingchen glanced at Fu Xuan in some surprise.
Fu Xuan shook her head, then said with a smug expression:
"But I divined it. The Family wants to discuss some matters concerning you with me."
At that, a blush inevitably colored Fu Xuan's face.
After all, she was still a girl, even if she was an exceptionally career-minded one.
"Oh? Are they getting ready to marry you off to me?"
"Of course not!" Fu Xuan immediately retorted, her blush deepening. "They just want to learn a little more about you. What could there possibly be that can't be explained over the phone?"
She was indeed a little shy, but she was genuinely exasperated too.
They were The Family of stargazers, so why were they still using such an antiquated way of asking questions?
When it came to Lingchen, they certainly could not divine what she wanted to say while she divined what they wanted to say, then convey everything with a few meaningful looks. But surely a phone call would work?
"So secretive. They must have caught it from those Alliance higher-ups."
Fu Xuan could not help grumbling. She had already been somewhat displeased the last time The Family spoke with her.
Although she knew a few old fossils in the Alliance had backed it, and the Fu family was indeed a major family, one arm could not overpower seven or eight others.
Still, she could not help feeling annoyed.
"Looks like they're extremely satisfied with me and want to talk you around."