"General, let's not dawdle now! [ Ambrosial Arbor ] there..."
"No need to search anymore, that's the [ Stellaron ]. The traitor threw it into the cave where the Ambrosial Arbor is located, causing the Ambrosial Arbor to regrow... Look, the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus have finally made their move."
"A crisis can also be an opportunity; once you know where the problem lies, everything becomes easier."
Just as Fu Xuan was relieved, she saw Jing Yuan standing silently with one hand on his hip, staring at her.
"Again... it was my idea again?"
"Yes, I knew Fu Qing would have a solution."
Seeing this, Fu Xuan didn't say much. The road to becoming a general is long and arduous, and one must take it one step at a time.
"In my opinion, the most urgent task is to summon the Cloud Knights and head to the grotto where [ Ambrosial Arbor ] is rooted, eradicate the evil spirit in the Stellaron, and stop its rebirth."
"Hmm, Fu Qing's insightful observation is undoubtedly the fastest way to solve the problem. But sometimes, the fastest isn't necessarily the best... Guess why I remained inactive even though I already knew the location of the Stellaron?"
"General." Fu Xuan's tone suddenly became calm, but upon closer listening, it was tinged with coldness.
After a long silence, she finally managed to utter a curse word, "... You bastard."
Jing Yuan laughed heartily, "To nip the weeds in the bud, we must pull them out by the roots. Let's wait a little longer. The fact that the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus chose this moment to act means that the Cloud Knights has already taken control of the overall situation. The traitors are getting impatient. Now that we have a legitimate reason to act, it's the perfect time to wipe them all out in one fell swoop."
"If we just sit here doing nothing, what if something unexpected happens? How can the general bear the loss?!"
Even if Luofu now has a Aeon, this is still an internal matter. If it gets out and outsiders find out, what will become of the Xianzhou Alliance's reputation? Besides, that Aeon won't actually take action.
" Fu Qing, Fu Qing, I still have a secret weapon I haven't used yet." Jing Yuan pointed to the right, where the Astral Express passengers were rushing over.
"We're in dire need of manpower right now. Since the Stellaron Hunters are willing to forge an alliance between the train and us, Jing Yuan won't stand on ceremony."
Xing stopped in her tracks. Why was she hearing the general ordering them around so soon after arriving?
"Sigh~ I knew it. The moment the general smiles, we're about to be ordered around."
March 7th said helplessly, not forgetting to mention Ye Yan:
"Does Teacher Ye Yan have the ability to foresee the future? Did he not want to be bossed around by the general... so he volunteered to escort Qingque back?"
"It seems so."
He left too quickly; Xing and the others didn't have time to stop Ye Yan. [ Eternity ] is freedom!
"It's my fault, I had higher expectations of the general." Fu Xuan admitted his mistake. "Please have mercy! This surprise attack force has been used far too frequently. Is there no one else we can use on Luofu Mountain?!"
Jing Yuan stared at Fu Xuan without saying a word.
"Why are you staring at me like that? Can't we also count on the Church of Eternity? I must remind the general that the location of [ Ambrosial Arbor ] is a secret within a secret, preventing contact with uncivilized peoples..."
Jing Yuan quickly replied, "There are rules and regulations, right? I also want to remind Fu Qing that rules and regulations only exist after the Xianzhou exists. In times of crisis, rules and regulations are used when appropriate, and discarded when they are not."
"So, I'm going to make a decision that goes against the rules... ah, maybe more than one, haha~ it feels so good to think about it."
Jing Yuan spoke in a serious tone, and Xing turned to ask Welt, "Didn't the Conductor often say, 'The ancestral laws cannot be changed'?"
"Customs vary from region to region; don't worry about those things in a crisis," Welt said, adjusting his glasses.
"Yes! Rules are meant to be broken!"
"Haha~ No wonder you're a guest on the Astral Express, your way of speaking is so unique." Jing Yuan clapped and praised.
" Fu Qing, I am entrusting you with the military tally. You will be in command of the Cloud Knights, providing support outside the Alchemy Commission cave near the [ Ambrosial Arbor ]."
"Me? I'll lead the troops?"
Jing Yuan nodded. "Haven't you always wanted to see what it's like to be a general?"
"You usually wouldn't allow it, but this time you suddenly... I understand. We'll do as you say. Fu Qing will deploy the Cloud Knights, and I'd like to ask you all to go ahead and take the shortcut through the [ Artisanship Commission ] before meeting up with Fu Qing."
Xing gave an OK sign. "No need for further explanation. You're a general after all; you're quite adept at ordering people around."
Having gotten used to being free labor, March 7th almost didn't realize what was happening. "That's the end of our unpaid labor!"
"I understand, I understand... How could Jing Yuan not know the importance of repaying kindness? The Xianzhou suffered a catastrophic event, yet you all remained steadfast, risking your lives for me. I am deeply grateful." Jing Yuan clasped his hands in thanks.
"However, given the suddenness of the situation, if I were to bargain with you all while facing the enemy, wouldn't that diminish your kindness and bring shame upon Luofu?"
He suggested, "Why don't we wait until the disaster subsides before discussing the topic of [repayment]?"
Credits are definitely not a concern; the Astral Express has plenty of them.
Then came the familiar pre-battle information session. As the General of Luofu, Jing Yuan was undoubtedly the most knowledgeable about Ambrosial Arbor:
What exactly is Ambrosial Arbor?
"That's an ancient artifact left on the Xianzhou Luofu by the [ Abundance ] Aeon Yaoshi; it's Miracle capable of shaping life at will and conquering death."
"The ancestors of the Luofu people obtained bodies with [endless lifespan] by consuming the divine fruit generated from the Ambrosial Arbor, thus transforming into Long-Life Species."
"What an amazing treasure!"
Immortality and indestructibility... does that sound familiar?
"Yes, and that was the root of all future troubles."
"Hiss..." Xing stroked his chin and asked the same question again, "This sounds similar to [ Eternity ]."
"The immortality bestowed by the Heavenly Lord of the Eternal World is more comprehensive, but He has never proactively bestowed Miracle. Perhaps the Church has extended an alliance request to us precisely because it has its eye on the lifespan of the Xianzhou native, which is close to [ Eternity ]."
The Yaoshi is always ready to grant requests, but Yite isn't so kind. Why are there so few [ Eternity ] practitioners, and why is there only one related faction —the Church? The reason is simple...
There are already many similar organizations. If He is truly so benevolent, then the Denizens of Abundance could be renamed the People of Eternity.
"That's certainly possible, but I'm more inclined to believe the other way around: the Antimatter Legion."
Central Starskiff Haven
"Oh my god, that scared me to death! When the [ Ambrosial Arbor ] tree sprouted, I was hiding in the library eating snacks when suddenly a huge branch ripped through the sky! The old fortune teller was right, there's a wealth of knowledge in books!"
Qingque patted her frightened little heart; she desperately needed a cup of milk tea to calm herself down.
"The book isn't lying to you... slacking off at work is a big no-no, it'll bring you bad luck!"
Qingque followed Ye Yan into the milk tea shop, sighing, "Life is like that, full of surprises. You never know whether tomorrow or an accident will come first."
"So I'll take a break and relax for a while, because who knows when troublesome work will come knocking."
Ye Yan understood this perfectly; this was why He chose to come to Luofu. Compared to other Xianzhou, Luofu was much more leisurely... except for these past few days.
Yaoqing is all about great victories; fighting and killing are not suitable for him. Maybe one day he'll be taken to the battlefield by some fox-eared general and get a royal flush.
"Such a big thing, aren't you nervous at all?"
"Oh, it's alright~ Even if the sky falls, we have the Lord Diviner... oh, now we also need to add the General, to step forward and hold it up."