"Hahaha, those cowardly Xianzhou natives are probably too busy looking after themselves and scrambling around in panic by now."
A fellow clansman beside him chimed in. "Absolutely! Those weak Xianzhou natives must be hiding at home, trembling with fear right now. Hahaha!"
Inside the tent, the Houyhnhnms laughed and clinked their cups together, their voices and expressions full of ridicule and contempt.
Meanwhile, the Xianzhou Daiyu was attending to its most important matter since its reconstruction.
The birth of a new life!
Outside the Alchemy Commission's emergency room, Qingzhu paced with a tense expression. A number of Daiyu's senior officials and the child's father, Muyun, were just as nervous.
"Lady Helmsman, please stop pacing. You're making me nervous too."
During this time, Muyun had risen from an ordinary soldier to a centurion, making a modest name for himself in the military.
His progress had even left Xiahou Chan clicking his tongue in amazement, and he was considering keeping the position of general open for him.
Hearing Muyun's complaint, Qingzhu turned to look at him as he paced back and forth as well. "Look who's talking. You're just as nervous."
"I-I'm worried about my wife. I heard the elders on the Xianzhou say that giving birth is like a woman stepping halfway through the gates of death. One mistake and she'll be beyond saving."
Muyun paced anxiously on the spot. He really was worried. Yu Xian'er was such a wonderful girl, and he genuinely didn't want anything to happen to her.
Qingzhu grew even more anxious. She had already been nervous, and Muyun's words only magnified her worry. A mighty Emanator, yet at this moment she seemed somewhat helpless.
"I'm an Emanator of Existence, but my powers can't help Xian'er. Can I only stand by and watch? Agh, this is so frustrating!"
Just then, a hand rapped Qingzhu on the head. It wasn't a light tap, but it wasn't too hard either-enough to hurt, but not badly.
"Ow! Who hit my head? Huh? Lady Arbiter of Life, why did you hit me?"
Hearing Qingzhu's words, everyone turned and saw Ayinai standing behind her, drawing her hand back.
"Lady Arbiter of Life."
Everyone bowed in greeting. Ayinai waved her hand and said softly, "Keep your voices down. Don't disturb the doctors inside."
"Oh, right."
Qingzhu covered her mouth with both hands and nodded solemnly. Lady Arbiter of Life has spoken. I'll behave.
Ayinai's arrival calmed everyone present. After all, how could anything go wrong with Lady Arbiter of Life there? Lady Arbiter of Life was omnipotent.
And so they waited quietly outside the operating room. No one knew how much time had passed before a baby's first cry finally rang out, easing half their worries.
The operating room doors opened, and Yao Gao, Cauldron Master of the Alchemy Commission, appeared in the doorway. He removed his protective mask, a smile spreading across his face.
When he saw Ayinai at the door, he bowed respectfully. "Lady Arbiter of Life, I am pleased to report that mother and daughter are safe."
At his words, Muyun started to rush inside without thinking, but Yao Gao reacted quickly and stopped him.
"She just gave birth and shouldn't get too excited. Once she's been moved to a ward, you'll have plenty of time to talk."
With that, Yao Gao went back into the operating room and joined the other alchemists in wheeling Yu Xian'er out. Muyun followed closely beside her. There was no trace of a battlefield hero about him now; he was entirely a husband worried about his wife.
Meanwhile, their daughter lay swaddled in Ayinai's arms. Looking at the little bundle, whose eyes hadn't even opened yet, she could clearly feel the existence of the little life in her arms, the existence of a new life.
"A new existence... In that case, let me give you a blessing."
The power of existence flowed through her hand, and a thread of it slowly entered the little bundle's brow through her finger. The little bundle seemed to sense something and reached out with two chubby hands, grasping wildly.
At last, she caught Ayinai's finger, clutching her index finger with both chubby hands. Watching the little bundle, Ayinai gently withdrew her finger from her grasp, then carefully handed her to Qingzhu, who had been watching eagerly at her side.
She had noticed Qingzhu's gaze long ago, a gaze full of curiosity about the new life.
After receiving the little bundle from Ayinai, Qingzhu reached out and gently poked her cheek with her index finger.
"So soft."
Seeing this, Ayinai simply said softly, "Take good care of this new existence."
As soon as she finished speaking, Ayinai vanished. Qingzhu paid her disappearance no mind; Lady Arbiter of Life always came and went without a trace.
Holding the little bundle, Qingzhu walked toward Yu Xian'er's room with a grin. "Let's go, little bundle. Let's find your mommy and daddy."
News of what had happened at the Alchemy Commission quickly spread throughout the Xianzhou Daiyu. That day, everyone aboard was overjoyed.
This was a new life, the first life born since Daiyu's reconstruction. It meant that although the original inhabitants of the Xianzhou Daiyu had difficulty having children, it wasn't impossible.
Not long after the news came out, Qingzhu personally ordered a day off for everyone on the Xianzhou Daiyu.
That day, it wasn't just the people who rested. In a mere ten minutes, the streets were decked out with lanterns and decorations, everyone on the Xianzhou Daiyu wore a happy smile, and every shop had a discount sale sign hanging outside.
Every street vendor gave free gifts, food, and the like to anyone they saw.
The trembling and panic the Houyhnhnms had anticipated never appeared on the Xianzhou Daiyu. Instead, the entire Xianzhou took on a faint red hue.
Ayinai System
"Everyone, we have now regained control of sixty percent of the planets in the Ayinai System. I believe it won't be long before the Ayinai System returns to the true Garden's jurisdiction!"
Xiahou Chan pointed at the remaining planets on the star chart.
"These are the planets we haven't retaken. Without exception, they were all important planets of the original Garden. The Garden's weapons, food, and daily necessities were produced almost entirely on these planets."
The leaders of the various legions sat around the long table. Wanmeng and Qi Tianque sat on either side of Xiahou Chan. Wanmeng watched the people at the table with a cold expression, while Qi Tianque wore a cheerful smile. Yet the caution and scheming hidden beneath that smile made those who saw through him shudder.
Before coming, they had thought Xiahou Chan was the only tough one to deal with, but once they arrived, they discovered that neither of these two was easy to handle either.
Especially that young man who smiled so cheerfully. He looked friendly enough, but behind that facade, he had already thought of ways to make them experience the utmost pain if they betrayed him.
As for Wanmeng, they weren't that foolish. Her name had been on the lists of the various factions since before Daiyu's fall. There was also a saying among their ranks: on the Xianzhou, you could provoke anyone except Wanmeng.
As for why, according to a certain kindhearted person who declined to be named, it was because she was petty.