She, too, could have something she was capable of mastering.
But once the restraints were removed, Huohuo understood from Tail Master's words that her abilities were still lacking. She felt a little disappointed compared to before, but now that she had found the method, all she needed to do was work harder.
Before, she had been unable to find the path. Now that she finally had one, all she needed to do was keep running forward.
Huohuo stole a glance at Ji Yuan, her eyes filled with gratitude.
This teacher, who did not seem much older than her, had brought all this to her.
She had to practice hard and not let down her teacher's guidance.
Just as she was about to practice the hand signs again, Sushang came out carrying a pile of prepared dishes.
"Dinner's ready!"
"Come on, Huohuo. Let's eat."
"Mm."
Huohuo nodded carefully.
The two of them headed toward the dining table.
As they walked over, a system settlement notification sounded by Ji Yuan's ear.
As the Chief Adjudicator's teacher, you have completed your daily instruction. Reward: Universal Spiritual Energy +1
Ji Yuan felt a kind of energy appear within his body, one that he could manipulate freely.
I wonder what this Universal Spiritual Energy means. Can it be used with any form of attack, any Path?
He thought to himself.
Setting the matter aside for now, he and Huohuo arrived at the table.
Sushang had already served two bowls of rice. The moment she saw Huohuo, she said, "Come on, Huohuo, try my cooking."
"Mm-hm."
Huohuo hurriedly sat down in a chair. It was a little too tall, so her feet could not touch the floor. Her slippers rested on the ground while her little feet in cotton socks dangled in midair.
Sushang handed Huohuo a bowl of rice, and Ji Yuan casually reached for the other one. However, Sushang moved it aside.
"That one's mine. Serve yourself. You're such a grown man, yet you can't even fill your own bowl?"
"Hey, you little brat."
"T-Teacher, how about... how about you have mine?"
Huohuo said softly.
Ji Yuan and Sushang were both stunned when they heard that.
Then Ji Yuan silently picked up an empty bowl, while Sushang grabbed the rice paddle.
"I'll do it myself."
"Forget it, I'll serve you."
The three of them finally sat down.
Huohuo picked up her bowl and glanced at Ji Yuan. Only after seeing him lift his chopsticks did she feel at ease enough to pick up some food and put it in her mouth.
"How does it taste?"
Sushang asked Huohuo.
"It's... it's very good." Huohuo looked at Sushang and Ji Yuan, then nodded carefully.
At the same time, tears nearly welled up in her eyes.
Sushang's cooking could only be called ordinary home cooking, but Huohuo tasted something here that belonged to a home.
A dependable older brother and sister, warm food, a place where she could feel safe, the teasing at the dinner table—these were all things Huohuo had only just experienced.
Studying here was wonderful.
Ji Yuan spoke to Huohuo then. "Huohuo, you'll have to practice well on your own for the next few days. I won't be able to guide you for the time being."
"Ah!?"
Huohuo looked at Ji Yuan blankly, a hint of fear appearing in her eyes.
What was her teacher going to do?
Ji Yuan explained, "Sushang and I are going outside the Luofu Starfaring Vessel to eliminate the Buli Ren. You might be the only one here for the next few days. Stay here and practice properly, or do you have work at the Ten-Lords Commission that you need to handle?"
"Oh, okay."
Huohuo nodded gently.
She felt slightly relieved inside.
But she was still a little disappointed.
She had only just begun to experience this warmth, yet she was already going to have to watch her teacher leave for a while.
After dinner, Huohuo had originally wanted to wash the dishes, but Sushang and Ji Yuan stopped her. Ji Yuan went to wash up, telling Huohuo and Sushang to play on their phones or watch television.
Sitting on the sofa, Huohuo picked up her phone and contacted Lady Hanya.
"Lady Hanya asked me to report regularly. Changchang, can I tell her that you're going over there?"
She knew the Luofu's customs. Before battle, they made a grand show of things. She just did not know whether her teacher and the others were willing to let it be known.
"Go ahead. It doesn't matter."
Sushang waved her hand.
After seeing Sushang agree, Huohuo nodded and began typing a message to Lady Hanya.
Huohuo: Lady Hanya, I have begun learning the Suiyang Subjugation Art. My teacher will be taking part in the war against the Buli Ren in the next few days. Should I stay here and continue practicing, or return to the Ten-Lords Commission to work?
After a while, Hanya's reply arrived.
Hanya: I suggest you go with them.
Huohuo: Go with Teacher?
Hanya: Mm. It is time for you to see blood. I had been considering how to let you see blood before, but having you witness a war firsthand this time is just right.
Luofu General Jing Yuan
Huohuo: S-See... see blood?
Hanya: Yes. This is part of your cultivation as an adjudicator. I originally intended to have you participate in operations to capture vicious criminals, but this battlefield is more suitable.
Hanya: I will speak to Helmsman Yukong of the Ten-Lords Commission about this matter.
Huohuo: I-I understand.
Huohuo swallowed nervously.
Seeing Huohuo's expression change, Sushang, who was beside her, immediately asked, "Huohuo, what's wrong?"
"Um, I just reported to Lady Hanya. She... she said I should go to the battlefield too."
Huohuo said softly to Sushang.
"She wants you to go to the battlefield?"
Ji Yuan had just finished cleaning up and returned. He was somewhat surprised when he heard her say that.
"Yes. Lady Hanya said it was time for me to gain experience..."
As Huohuo spoke, her voice trembled as though she was about to cry from fear.
Tail Master emerged then and said in a disappointed tone, "Relax. Isn't it just a few people dying? With me here, I definitely won't let you get hurt!"
Although Ji Yuan felt some sympathy for Huohuo's nervousness, he knew this was something she had to go through in order to grow.
"When the time comes, stay by Tingyun's and my side. That way, you won't run into danger."
And that way, I won't run into danger either.
Ji Yuan thought to himself.
Ji Yuan planned to have Tingyun and himself stick close to Sushang so they could protect themselves. But having only her was still not safe enough. If Huohuo joined them as well, with two people protecting two people, it should be much safer.
"Okay, I understand."
Huohuo gulped down mouthfuls of air anxiously and spoke softly to Ji Yuan.
Sushang thumped her chest and promised as well, "Don't worry. As long as I'm here, you'll definitely be safe."
"Mm-hm."
Huohuo nodded hurriedly, and much of her earlier nervousness eased.
Her hands unconsciously began forming the technique as she looked at Tail Master.
She said softly to him, "Um, Tail Master, could you help me continue practicing?"
"No, absolutely not." The instant Tail Master heard Huohuo's request, he shook himself vigorously.
Just as he was shaking his head, Ji Yuan walked over and patted Tail Master.
"Come on, Huohuo, wait a moment. I'm going to have a little talk with Tail Master."
"Kid, what are you doing!?"
Tail Master shouted at Ji Yuan.
However, Ji Yuan had already prepared the technique in advance and slapped it onto Tail Master. Tail Master was still a fairly powerful Suiyang. If Ji Yuan had not prepared beforehand, he really would have had a hard time controlling him. Unfortunately, while Huohuo was making her request, Ji Yuan had already begun preparing. The moment Tail Master opened his mouth, Ji Yuan struck.
"Um..."
Huohuo looked at Tail Master with some reluctance.
"Wait a moment. I'll be right back."
Ji Yuan smiled as he led Tail Master into an empty room.
You actually dared to obstruct Huohuo's growth.
Are you stopping Huohuo from practicing? You're trying to get me killed!
Under such circumstances, Ji Yuan was going to give Tail Master a heavy beating in the most literal sense.
The door closed, and soon waves of miserable howls came from inside the room.
Sushang and Huohuo looked at each other, neither daring to say a word.
After a while, Ji Yuan emerged with a dispirited Tail Master and tossed him in front of Huohuo.
"Come on, Huohuo. I've finished communicating with Tail Master. He agreed to help you train."
"This..." Huohuo stared dumbfoundedly at the silent Tail Master.
But after a moment of internal struggle, she still picked up Tail Master and began practicing.
For the next few days, Huohuo kept learning the Suiyang Subjugation Art at Ji Yuan's side, while Sushang went to the Cloud Knights to make preparations for the coming war.
Tingyun came to see Ji Yuan several times, saying that they needed to purchase protective supplies before the war.
Tingyun had originally planned to go shopping alone with Ji Yuan. But for safety's sake, Ji Yuan brought Huohuo with him every time he went out, giving Tingyun no opportunity to be alone with him.
After two or three days of preparations, the army was ready to depart and begin its campaign to encircle and suppress the Orion Trading Company.
Though it was called a war, it was ultimately only a small military operation targeting a single trading company, so the scale of the mobilization was not large.
There were only over ten thousand pilots and another eight thousand Cloud Knights.
That would have been a massive army for a primitive planet, but it was not much for the Luofu's military.
During the Third Abundance Followers War, the Luofu Starfaring Vessel had lost one hundred and twenty thousand pilots alone. There were not even twenty thousand people in total now, so this was considered a very small-scale operation.
Although Ji Yuan and Tingyun were important, they were still but drops in the ocean within the army. They stood outside the neatly arranged Cloud Knights and pilots, waiting for the army to depart before their personal guard came to take them to the battlefield.
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