: Even these inner traitors couldn't resist making a move!!
-----------------------------------
: I was just saying, how could such an important place like the Shackling Prison possibly be so easily breached by that brainless bunch of Borisin?
: With the Sanctus Disciples from the Alchemy Commission, and the Preceptors from the Vidyadhara, this plan truly does have a chance of success!
: Damn it! Those people!
: Damn, the Xianzhou protects you so much, without the Xianzhou, could you lot even live a proper life?
: Not to mention the Disciples of Medicus Sanctus, after all, the Xianzhou itself is deeply entangled with the Abundance, practically something like a cult, with a popular base.
: Damn it, what's with these Preceptors? No lofty ideals or ambitions to speak of, nor do they truly hold loyalty to the Xianzhou!
: Compared to Dan Feng, these Preceptors are simply a bunch of rotten scoundrels!
: Dan Feng caused the Sedition of Imbibitor Lunae, damn him. But at least he was fulfilling the Xianzhou Alliance oath, when it came to addressing the issue of Vidyadhara's fertility, he bore the responsibility he was supposed to.
: No wonder Dan Feng looked down on these Preceptors.
: They must be made to pay the price!
...
The barrage of comments was filled with heated emotions.
When it comes to stirring up hatred, no one can compare to those preceptors.
What disgusted the audience even more was the attitude of the Preceptors.
To the extent that, under this disgust, even the Disciples of Medicus Sanctus seemed almost endearing.
After all, it was the Xianzhou itself that sought after the Aeon of Abundance.
Although in the end, because of pragmatic concerns, the Xianzhou shaped it into something uniquely its own through its historical trajectory.
But no matter what.
Tracing back, the Merciful Medicus once bore the honorable title of the The Merciful One.
He was also part of the true Xianzhou orthodoxy.
This is recorded in the Xianzhou's history, and it is a fact.
And you Preceptors, what the hell are you?
Back when the Xianzhou first allied with the Vidyadhara, they truly shared hardship together.
Countless Vidyadhara High Elders and Vidyadhara stood alongside the Xianzhou people, building the future of the Alliance with their blood.
So much shared life and death, so many sacrifices, all for a better tomorrow.
Even Dan Feng, who stained his hands with blood, at least held that purpose.
But the Preceptors of Luofu do not think that way. From the very beginning of the Phantylia's storyline, the attitude they displayed has been singular.
Internally: suppressing the High Elder faction and the neutral faction, propping up the puppet High Elder Bailu.
Externally: forcing Luofu to reduce its involvement in Vidyadhara internal affairs.
Inside and out, their one goal is simply to seize and hold power.
'Only "I(Preceptors)" shall reign supreme.'
If they were to succeed, no matter what the Vidyadhara below might think, no matter how they resist,
These Luofu Preceptors could comfortably drag the Luofu Vidyadhara along with them, guiltlessly leeching off the Xianzhou Alliance's lifeblood.
They would become a malignant tumor within the Alliance itself!
That is the destruction seen by Illusory.
A grave internal fracture.
And this kind of internal issue is, without a doubt, the most disgusting thing. Thus, the audience's hatred for the Preceptors was the greatest of all.
...
: Hurry up and kick out the Preceptors already.
: Holy shit, I've watched Honkai Star Rail for so long, but never have I hated a group this much.
: Honestly, arrogant, selfish idiots, no matter how they show up, my anger explodes!
: Why didn't Dan Feng just wipe all these Preceptors out back then, damn it?
: What's worse, the more you think about it, the more it seems there's nothing that can actually be done about them.
: They're hiding too deep, and have countless ways to escape punishment...
: Please! General Jing Yuan, as long as you wipe out these Preceptors, I'll do anything you ask!
: Damn right!
...
The thought that villains cannot be brought to justice made the audience even angrier.
But at the same time. Everyone's minds were filled with expectation.
They wanted to see how Jing Yuan would deal with these Preceptors.
Now that the conflict had surfaced within the plot, there was no way the Divine Foresight General Jing Yuan was unaware.
Had he... already made preparations?
The story became more and more intricate.
On the chessboard. The only player the audience could clearly see was Jing Yuan.
But his opponents, the Borisin and the Preceptors, their moves remained hidden from view.
Amid the mystery, the audience grew increasingly anxious.
And then, on the screen. An even more tense moment appeared.
Hoolay and a group of Borisin, relying on insider information, had already fought their way to the upper levels.
Somehow, using an unknown source of intel, they even managed to avoid Dan Heng, Stelle, and the others who were searching the mid-levels.
But before leaving. They had to make a decision regarding Jiaoqiu.
Near a staircase, Mok Tok excitedly reported to Hoolay: "My lord, just one more level and we can leave."
"Then this hostage has no value anymore?"
"Mok Tok, you're right!" Hoolay looked at Jiaoqiu.
At this time, Jiaoqiu had already snapped out of his earlier contemplative look.
His expression was tense, even a little panicked.
But contrary to what the audience imagined,
His thoughts were not on his own life or death.
"He's about to leave..."
"Think of something, just like before, Jiaoqiu, you useless waste, think of something!"
Cold sweat dripped down Jiaoqiu's forehead as he frantically searched for a plan.
Even now, he was still thinking about how to keep Hoolay from leaving!
Just then.
Mok Tok suddenly said: "Lord Hoolay, perhaps this envoy of Yaoqing might strike a bargain with us to survive, using his status to help us escape the Xianzhou Luofu."
There was no helping it, the plan had not gone perfectly.
In the original design, they would have fled the Shackling Prison swiftly, with the IPC automatons left behind greatly slowing down the Ten-Lords Commissions' pursuit and the later Cloud Knights.
By the time they left this place, disguised themselves, and boarded a Starskiff, the Cloud Knights would already be...
But now, although internal communication has been cut off, who knows, that gray-haired nameless' combat power is so astonishing.
With her help, the enemies were swiftly purged.
Now the pursuers are right behind them, once they leave, those people will immediately be able to follow and escape from the Shackling Prison, up to the surface of the Xianzhou Luofu.
Mok Tok had no choice but to prepare for the worst.
Yet in Hoolay's repressed voice, there was only dissatisfaction:
"In the days I was gone, what have you fallen into? You've sunk so low as to haggle with beasts? In my memory, the Yaoqing people would never negotiate with the offspring of Duran."
Hoolay keenly sensed that, within the Borisin, the long passage of time had eroded authority.
The blood feud between the Foxians and the Borisin, because one side had been crushed, had undergone a fundamental change!
But before Mok Tok could answer, Jiaoqiu stepped forward to face Hoolay and took the initiative to say:
"We can make a deal, if only for the value of survival."
"My identity, my knowledge of the Xianzhou, and besides, I know many things that even the war chiefs' subordinates don't know."
After speaking, Hoolay narrowed his eyes, not in anger, but calmly asked:
"Let's hear it."
"No doubt, War Chief does not know…"
Jiaoqiu said slowly:
"The woman who defeated you, Jingliu, has recently returned to the Luofu. Your chance for revenge is right before you."
When the words fell, the scene turned utterly silent.
At the side, Mok Tok suddenly realized something, glaring furiously at Jiaoqiu.
Meanwhile, the bullet chat exploded instantly:
.....
: Jiaoqiu! So quick-witted, this kind of "pulling the rug out from under" is way too ruthless!
: Huh? Jingliu is on the Xianzhou?
: Damn, no way! This is Jiaoqiu bluffing Hoolay!
: Narrowed eyes truly are the mark of strategists!
: He's boxed Hoolay in completely, not afraid of being killed on the spot! Is he really a medic? More like a schemer!
: If Hoolay really dares to run today, then when he returns, it'll cause huge turmoil!
: One sentence shakes the very foundation of Borisin legitimacy! Awesome!
: That's why they say Foxians and Borisin share the same origin, taking down Borisin, damn, it still takes the Foxians! Lol!
: Hoolay, don't get enraged and kill Jiaoqiu on the spot!
: Jiaoqiu is way too bold!
...
The audience grew excited all at once. These few simple words had directly elevated Jiaoqiu's reputation for cunning.
You, Hoolay, were captured by Jingliu back then, and now your enemy stands before you. As the Borisin war chief, do you not seek vengeance?
If you don't go for revenge, and instead just run, your prestige as war chief, your authority over the Borisin tribe, will begin to crack.
And because of the Borisin's special system, a war chief absolutely cannot have flaws.
Being defeated was already a huge flaw.
Now, if Hoolay were branded with the mark of cowardice and flight, it would be unbearable.
This is the war chief! The one the Borisin look to, to lead them through the stars.
You may lose in battle, but you must face your rival head-on!
If you really run back, when the time comes to rally the other packs, those Brood Lords will demand answers.
Back then, you were crushed by Jingliu, captured and imprisoned for seven hundred years.
Now, after finally breaking free, you've done nothing, and the moment you hear that Jingliu is on the Xianzhou, you run away.
So why should we support you as war chief, to lead us hunting? What if Jingliu comes again? Will you just run again?
Lose once to Jingliu, and it will never end.
At this rate, we Borisin will be doomed. What kind of war chief is that? Get lost.
Originally, Hoolay had many options to maneuver.
But with Jiaoqiu's words, the path had split cleanly in two. Either go, or stay.
"My lord, this slave is spouting nonsense!"
"I've never heard such news!"
Mok Tok grew anxious, realizing he'd made a blunder, now wishing he could kill Jiaoqiu on the spot.
"Shut up, Mok Tok!"
Yet Hoolay didn't look at Jiaoqiu, instead, he gave Mok Tok a deep look, then turned back to Jiaoqiu and said:
"As for you, slave, from now on you'll follow by my side, not leaving even a step. When I allow you to speak, you may speak. When I allow you to walk, you may walk. Otherwise, I will crush you completely, body and soul!"
At Hoolay's command, the group decided that after escaping the Shackling Prison, they would temporarily remain on the Xianzhou.
Mok Tok still wanted to protest urgently, but sensing Hoolay's aura, he shut his mouth tightly.
...
: Jiaoqiu's stratagem worked, Hoolay's boxed in!
: They're really staying on the Xianzhou! Damn, gotta give Hoolay a thumbs-up, he's cornered now!
: I thought Hoolay was cunning, unlike the usual Borisin. How did he suddenly get duped like this? Really fell for provocation!
: Does he even know what kind of situation is outside the Xianzhou right now?
: Not just a general, it's a giant!
: Holy crap, I just want to tell Hoolay: "Bro, do you even know who you're about to fight?"
: Wonder what Hoolay's face will be like when he runs into all three Arbiter-Generals…
...
At this moment, the audience admired Jiaoqiu even more.
With nothing but wits, he managed to keep Hoolay trapped here.
And their perception of Hoolay also became a little blurred.
After all, before this, Hoolay's portrayal and aura had been very strong, just a few moves were enough to establish him.
Soon, the tense atmosphere intensified.
Hoolay and the others fled ahead.
Behind them, Stelle and the others had already closed in!
Close pursuit! Although Stelle, reckless and fearless, charged forward wanting to block them, in front of that bat, even giants were suddenly vulnerable.
But, the main gate was already right there.
Stelle rampaged forward like a war god, cutting a path through.
Yet Hoolay had already stepped out through the gate.
At the final moment, Dan Heng, from the side, raised his weapon, and with a spear-throwing motion, hurled it forward at high speed!
Too late!
Once Hoolay had stepped outside the gate, he turned back unhurriedly, shield and spear reflecting the cruel light from the prison's door.
...
: Couldn't stop him after all.
: But that's fine, there are still three generals ahead!
: Next comes the true head-on clash!
: The situation in Luofu is already boiling like a cauldron, reaching its fiercest point.
: Who knows which general will make a move, we must act!
: And those Preceptors must also be dealt with!
: After all this buildup, Borisin, Preceptors, all had their moment. Good. Now it's our turn!
: I want to see the Luofu Xianzhou utterly slaughter these arrogant fools!
: I can't wait! I wish I could see the divine lord descend right now!
...
As the barrage of comments scrolled by, the screen shifted to Palace of Astrum.
Cloud Knights were reporting the prison riot to the generals.
"The Yaoqing Envoy's, and the Nameless, where are they?" Jing Yuan, calm-faced, asked steadily.
"No news yet. We're trying to quickly restore contact with the prison." The Cloud Knight replied.
"Stand down." Feixiao waved his hand.
Once the Cloud Knight retreated, the three generals exchanged looks.
Especially Jing Yuan and Huaiyan, who both seemed to be waiting for Feixiao to speak.
The three generals had already been forthright with one another before.
Now, all the affairs happening in Luofu required Feixiao, the general personally sent by the Marshal, to make a judgment, or rather... a definition.
At this moment, the audience was eagerly waiting for these three generals' response.
But when Feixiao closed her eyes briefly, then opened them to speak, she did not mention what had happened inside the prison.
Nor did she mention Hoolay, the Preceptors, or the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus.
The audience was puzzled. But the very next moment, Feixiao's words left everyone stunned.
Feixiao spoke with utmost gravity, her tone carrying the authority befitting a Arbiter-General:
"The rise of the Ambrosial Arbor does not mark the end, but the beginning."
"That hand which rose from the Antimatter Legion has already sown the seeds of Destruction."
"From this moment until the unseen future, the Xianzhou Alliance will face an even greater trial, a dual threat from both 'Destruction' and the abominations of Abundance!"
With these words, the lingering doubts surrounding the three generals circled in the audience's minds, only to be shattered completely.
Where lay the divide between the Ten-Lords Commission and the Heavenly Generals?
Why had the Marshal sent Feixiao here, handling Luofu so delicately, even to the point where the interests of the ruling powers seemed compromised?
Why was there little concern shown toward Hoolay's escape and the internal rebellion, which seemed like the most urgent matters?
What were the three generals waiting for? Now... an answer no one had expected emerged.
Hoolay, the Preceptors, Phantylia, these people and factions tangled together, forming a unique moment in time.
And this was what the great general had been waiting and watching for.
It was also the crux of the disagreements at the highest level, between the Marshal and the Ten-Lords Commission.
They were waiting for a moment. A proper moment that could be recorded into history.
A moment to, declare war on Destruction!
Before, though conflicts with the Antimatter Legion existed, they were just responses, measured steps taken out of necessity.
The overall strategy had always emphasized suppressing the abominations of Abundance, never had there been a large-scale proactive war against the Antimatter Legion.
But this time was different.
Feixiao's words marked the determination of the road ahead: on the Xianzhou Alliance's hunting list, the Antimatter Legion itself was now written in bold.
The audience trembled with shock at the revelation carried in those words.
Just as they yearned to hear more,
The episode ended, showing a closeup of Feixiao's striking face.
Once again, MiHoYo showcased its masterful cliffhanger.