"Looks like I can get some proper rest over the next few days."
"In a fight between powerful opponents, especially a sparring match focused purely on technique, a few hundred exchanges were usually enough to tell whose skills were superior."
"How about we spar a few more times over the next few days, if you have time?" "I have time, but I'll pass on the sparring. I'm planning to learn Taixu Swordsmanship."
"Really? Sorry, I almost forgot."
Even Feixiao's erect ears seemed to droop.
Rather than taking a break, she would much rather go fight the Borisin.
That way, perhaps some civilization could avoid being struck down by a falling "meteor."
"That's right. But if you have time and don't mind, you could teach me some unarmed combat."
"Unarmed combat? You're not messing with me, are you? You had me on the defensive throughout our entire match."
At first, Feixiao was rather speechless. But as she watched Lingchen's calm expression, her eyes gradually widened.
"Wait, don't tell me that Scythe Combat Method is the only thing you know?" Jing Yuan's slightly narrowed eyes widened too.
What was going on? Someone who knew such a powerful combat method didn't know how to fight unarmed? Martial training began with training the body. Anyone who knew how to use a weapon should know at least a little unarmed combat.
"Mm-hmm~" "All right. But have you looked through the Taixu Swordsmanship?" "I gave it a quick look. Why?" "Marshal Hua never overlooks anything. She's meticulous about every detail. Try looking more closely; there might be a fist technique in there too. You must have noticed when you examined it that this isn't an ordinary Jade Abacus."
Most Jade Abacuses on the Xianzhou looked like accessories, whereas the one given to Lingchen looked more like a smooth, crystal-clear gemstone.
Feixiao's reasoning was simple. Since Hua had decided to befriend Lingchen, even going so far as to have her... ahem. In any case, under those circumstances, Hua had probably copied both Taixu Swordsmanship and the Inch Heart Fist Technique into it.
One more technique or one fewer would hardly matter given the gulf between Lingchen's strength and theirs.
On the contrary, if Lingchen learned these techniques, outsiders would see him as having extremely close ties to the Xianzhou. That alone was enough.
After all, Lingchen understood the implications himself. His willingness to learn meant he didn't mind being associated with the Xianzhou.
"But, Lingchen, you do understand what learning these techniques means, right?" Still feeling a little uneasy, Feixiao asked the question again.
"I told you, I like the Xianzhou's style. It's a little like the civilization I came from, and there are people here I cherish. Besides, other civilizations have no say in what I do. Even if I went to kiss Yaoshi right now, nobody could stop me."
Unless there were more than seven Emanators, and he only used the power he currently possessed without using character cards, they might have a chance of injuring him.
After all, his philosophical concepts-or rather, his authorities-were indeed powerful, but they had yet to transcend the Emanator level. His Imaginary Energy was also genuinely only equivalent to that of three top-tier Emanators.
Aha accounted for a little over one, Fuli for one, and the top-tier Pathstrider energy rewarded by the system for a little over half. Together, they amounted to exactly three top-tier Emanators' worth of energy.
Of course, once he grew stronger, quantifying energy levels would become meaningless.
Jing Yuan and Feixiao: "..." Both felt rather embarrassed.
Jing Yuan was already used to Lingchen's unpredictable manner.
Feixiao, however, opened her mouth, then ultimately said nothing.
Because Lingchen was right. Unless an Aeon intervened, he could get away with even an "I don't eat beef" sort of tyrannical declaration in this universe.
It was just that his comparison was far too outrageous.
"Lingchen, wasn't that comparison a little inappropriate?"
True, they called Yaoshi the Plagues Author.
But they knew their own circumstances. Their higher-ups didn't actually hate Yaoshi or want to kill Yaoshi as intensely as others might imagine.
Some of their higher-ups might genuinely hate Yaoshi enough to wish they could devour Yaoshi's flesh, but for the most part, the targets of their hatred were vile creatures such as the Denizens of Abundance.
In fact, they killed the Denizens of Abundance, saved civilizations, and developed countless kinds of medicine. In a sense, they were also walking the Path of [Abundance].
Moreover, despite all the calamities they had endured, without the miracles of [Abundance], the Xianzhou civilization might well have vanished into the river of history.
The followers of [The Hunt] were also walking the road of [Abundance] "without realizing it."
Otherwise, the Homeward Faction and the Qingqiu Faction would never have emerged.
It wasn't just that some had grown weary after following [The Hunt] for so long. Another reason was that they had never been walking only one road.
What they professed was simply the right choice.
In the present interstellar age, the Xianzhou Alliance's immense influence was primarily due to its Emanators of [The Hunt].
If they
didn't follow the road of [The Hunt], would Lan still grant the Xianzhou the status of Emanator? Without Emanators, the fate of those Vidyadhara who had once been turned into medicine or enslaved could very likely become the Xianzhou Alliance's future. After all, humans understood human greed best.
No one dared gamble on that outcome.
"What comparison? Oh, that one. I thought it was pretty good. If Aha heard about it, Aha would probably go arrange a marriage for me on the spot."
"P.S. One more thing: I'm preparing for the national civil service exam, so update times have become a little irregular. Sorry, everyone!"
Chapter 69: This Is the Gift You Mentioned?
Jing Yuan and Feixiao exchanged a glance and fell silent.
Given what they knew about the Lord of Eternal Joy and Lingchen's relationship with that Aeon, it really was possible that Aha would go propose a match.
"Ahem, anyway, Lingchen, take another look at the Jade Abacus first. If it isn't there, I'll speak to Marshal Hua. I'm sure she won't mind."
Feixiao cleared her throat. As for the people Lingchen said he "cherished," she felt it was best not to ask about them yet.
"All right."
He had only given it a cursory look earlier. This time, Lingchen settled down to examine it properly.
This Jade Abacus required an input of Imaginary Energy to access, and its contents were transmitted directly to Lingchen.
After carefully reviewing the material, which felt as though Hua were explaining it right before his eyes, Lingchen finally discovered another "scene." The Inch Heart Fist Technique.
It really was there. Just as Feixiao had said, Hua had already taken it into consideration.
It had merely been stored separately from the main material. He could have found it by carefully examining the information storage areas outside the Taixu Swordsmanship section.
She really thought of everything.
Although Lingchen was powerful, there was no harm in learning traditional martial arts like these, especially techniques he had already loved before transmigrating.
Time passed, second by second. Once Lingchen had committed everything to memory, the Jade Abacus in his hand simultaneously crumbled to ash.
"Well?" "Very thorough. Speaking of which, where will you be staying over the next few days?" Lingchen had memorized both the fist and sword techniques in full, so the Jade Abacus was no longer of much use.
"I'll find an inn, or... perhaps the Divine General will provide accommodation?" Feixiao looked at Jing Yuan questioningly.
"Of course."
"Of course. I've been so bored these past few days, I'm practically growing wings."
Sparkle looked pitifully at Lingchen.
Sure enough, although being with Lingchen was fun, and the aura surrounding him at least made Sparkle feel considerably more at peace,
Sparkle had never been the sort who could sit still.
She was only staying here to develop her relationship with Lingchen to a point she found reasonably acceptable before leaving to find some fun.
After all, there wasn't much fun for her to find on the Xianzhou.
"Were the stories I told you really that boring? Besides, it wasn't easy to make time for this."
Lingchen was a little speechless. He had known Sparkle wasn't the sort to stay put.
Fu Xuan had long since returned. She hadn't said what she had gone to discuss, and after coming back, she got along with him just as she had before. Presumably, it wasn't anything important.
Tingyun had come to Fu Xuan's home to see him, and after meeting Feixiao as well, she had left on a trading trip with the Minghuo Merchant Group.
A large order had come in recently. Tingyun had found it tempting too, so she had departed straight away.
A trading trip took at least a week, and usually around half a month.
Qingque, meanwhile, couldn't understand why her work was drifting further and further from a diviner's duties.
But with Fu Xuan keeping her firmly under control, she could only finish her tasks quickly before slacking off. She was visibly more exhausted, though, and had to go home to rest after just a few rounds of Imperial Jade.
There was no chance of persuading Fu Xuan, so she was already thinking about how to ask Lingchen to help her leave the Divination Commission.
Since Lingchen was learning the Inch Heart Fist Technique, Feixiao had begun sparring with him in unarmed combat.
Then it had gotten out of hand, and they sparred every day.
Although Lingchen improved extremely quickly, he hadn't been learning for long, and there was still a gap between him and a master of unarmed combat like Feixiao.
And that made Feixiao happy.
Little Bailu also dropped by occasionally. After working for long enough, she always needed a break.
As for Sparkle... after she had found a few sources of amusement amid the Xianzhou's peaceful life, the Xianzhou natives had learned who she was.
Back in the present, Sparkle was looking pitifully at Lingchen.
Lingchen, meanwhile, was wondering whether to give Sparkle a round of Purification. Perhaps it would make her mind normal.
"Hmm? Is this young lady leaving the Xianzhou?" Feixiao's voice interrupted the strange atmosphere that had somehow developed.
"Say, if you're so eager to spar with me, why not just stay here? I'm sure Xuanbao wouldn't mind."
Feixiao's cheeks flushed, then immediately returned to normal.
"Ahem, the accommodation General Jing Yuan arranged is quite nice too. Besides, you know I've been getting restless these past few days. The Marshal happened to receive news of a Borisin fleet, so I'm planning to leave tomorrow."
"So soon? I thought you'd keep me company for another couple of days."
Although Feixiao sparred with him for the sake of "winning," he had to admit that his grasp of the Inch Heart Fist Technique improved rapidly during their matches. "We can still chat on our phones. Besides, we have plenty of time ahead of us."
Sparring with Lingchen over the past few days had already given her a certain rapport with him.
One look from Lingchen, and she knew what he was thinking.
As she had suspected, Lingchen did have romantic feelings for her. As for her... well, she had initially seen him as a buddy, but spending these past few days together had gradually changed her feelings toward him.
People weren't unchanging, after all.
Especially after Lingchen had treated her to a drink, and she had promptly put on a whole dueling performance in front of him.
In the end, she had only fallen asleep after Lingchen held her tightly in his arms so she couldn't move.
If she had to name it, that incident had been the real turning point.
Once there was a foundation of affection, or at least a leaning in that direction, the most important thing was occasional physical contact.
"All right, you're right. We still have plenty of time ahead of us. But before you leave, let me give you a little gift."
Lingchen knew Feixiao's personality. Since she had come to tell him about this, she had presumably already sent out word.
He had also gained quite a lot over the past few days.
Honestly, he could probably try making things official with Fu Xuan and the others now. A confession to any one of them would succeed. But Lingchen wanted them all, so he could only keep waiting until a new turning point appeared.
That turning point would be when they confessed to him, and when his life with multiple partners began.
"A gift?" Feixiao froze. The next moment, Lingchen's hand was on her ear. Last time, when he had restrained her, he had held the fragrant, soft fox that was Feixiao in his arms, but he hadn't had the chance to really appreciate it.
After all, with someone rooting around like a wild boar, trying to escape his embrace and duel him, Lingchen really hadn't been in the mood to savor anything.
Although once Feixiao had fallen asleep afterward, he had been able to feel the fluffy softness of her fox ears against his cheek.
But this was his first time touching them with his hand.
Feixiao's body trembled. The warmth of Lingchen's touch flowing through her fox ear almost carried her thoughts back to the scene where she had gotten drunk, acted up, and finally fallen asleep in his arms.
Her mature, elegant face was instantly covered in a scarlet blush.
"Y-you... this is the gift you mentioned?"
Chapter 70: Purifying Moon Frenzy Syndrome
"That's right. Besides, I still haven't used the condition you agreed to after losing to me before, have I? Consider this me using it."
"All right. Just hurry up."
Remembering that she had indeed lost to Lingchen, Feixiao gritted her teeth
and agreed.
She wasn't a sore loser.