"Jing Yuan, aren't you going to check on Yanqing? I get the feeling that child's mindset is a little unstable."
Watching Jing Yuan playing chess calmly with her, Yukong finally spoke.
"Hmm? Heh, trust the youth. He'll handle it just fine."
-----------------------------------
"Yanqing has been by my side since childhood. Most of the people he encounters are those at the forefront of their respective fields. Unknowingly, he's developed a certain pride. For his future, this pride is not necessarily a good thing."
Young people are naturally proud and ambitious, eager to challenge the heavens themselves.
If he had been harshly tempered by reality, like many of the Xianzhou people, it might be different.
But Yanqing truly is... in the eyes of most of the long-lived species, who are hundreds of years old, he's like a newborn baby.
Yet this 'baby' is unmatched among the younger generation of Luofu.
The older generation of powerful people mostly have their own convictions and ambitions, drifting across the universe.
Unless Yanqing actively seeks them out, none are particularly interested in beating down this young man.
Thinking of this, Jing Yuan couldn't help but feel a headache.
At such a young age, achieving such greatness, it's only natural for Yanqing to be proud. But the problem lies in the fact that no one aboard the Xianzhou can keep up with him.
No one can give him a sense of companionship or challenge. In such a situation, Yanqing's pride may grow unchecked, this is not a good thing.
Still, it's not too late for him to be harshly corrected. He's young, he'll bounce back quickly from a setback.
Jing Yuan toyed with a chess piece, thinking this, and stealthily placed it on the board while Yukong wasn't paying attention.
Yukong nodded slightly. She trusted Jing Yuan's handling of this matter.
As she placed her piece, she asked curiously, "I heard the Vidyadhara preceptors have been stirring up quite a commotion recently. Did something happen?"
Yukong had been stationed in Jarilo, helping arrange the defense against the potential reemergence of the Antimatter Legion. She had little time for other concerns.
Especially those preceptors, stubborn as stone, harder than the freshly renovated floor of the Alchemy Commission.
Hoping they would air their dirty laundry publicly was as good as hoping they'd solve the Vidyadhara's reproduction issues.
Jing Yuan gave a brief summary of the preceptors' mysterious actions. After hearing it, Yukong fell completely silent.
She could understand their desire to reclaim the Scalegorge Waterscape.
She also understood the desire to leave Luofu at any time now that they were nameless wanderers.
But before any operation, intelligence gathering was a crucial step.
And they... the former Sword Champion, the previous High Elder, the Luofu General, a Stellaron Hunter, the master Diviner of the Divination Commission, against this kind of lineup, they dared to rush in blindly? That could only mean those old guys had lost their minds.
"Didn't they consider reporting to the Alliance?" Yukong asked, curious.
Jing Yuan smiled faintly: "They'd have to be capable of reporting to the Alliance first."
He made no attempt to hide his involvement.
Reporting? Sure, they could do it every hour of the day for all he cared, he wasn't going to look at it anyway.
Seeing Jing Yuan's expression, Yukong could only shake her head slightly.
...
"Hoo, ha, hoo, ha, "
Beating her chest hard, Guinaifen collapsed, panting with her mouth wide open.
After a long moment, she came back to her senses, twisted her waist a bit, and slowly scooted over to the equally tense Sushang, her voice trembling with anxiety.
"I say, Sushang, are all you Xianzhou people this wild? That thing was huge~! One of those, stack a few hundred of me and it's still bigger than that! And you just let it sit there?
No, wait! Haven't you been patrolling the Alchemy Commission lately? It's just around the corner from there!"
"Stop, stop!! The more you say, the more anxious I get, okay?" Sushang quickly covered her mouth as Guinaifen rambled beside her.
Terrifying upon careful thought, absolutely terrifying.
She patrolled the Alchemy Commission daily, what if one day she accidentally bumped into that thing out for a stroll, and charged straight at it unaware… eugh!
Don't want to think about it, don't want to think about it, it'd turn her into 'Sushang paste.'
After a while, just as Sushang's nerves began to settle, smack!, Guinaifen shot up like a spring.
Her upper body jolted away from the chair as if by teleportation, her expression cycling rapidly through pain, excitement, numbness, and fury.
She twisted her neck mechanically, her eyes bulging as she stared in disbelief at Guinaifen.
"Ah, what a shame! Such great material right in front of me, and I couldn't even take a single photo! Is this the world's punishment for me? Nooo!"
Big-hearted girls aren't easily discouraged by minor setbacks, but she was truly in agony now.
If she could post photos or videos of that Godzilla online, the views would've skyrocketed!
But Yanqing had sternly warned her not to take any photos without the monster's permission, no one could save her if she did.
As for getting Sushang involved... hmm~~ judging by size alone, they probably wouldn't even qualify as snacks.
"Hey, Sushang, why aren't you saying anything?"
Muttering to herself, Guinaifen turned curiously toward Sushang.
The next second,
A fist, about the size of a bun, came flying at her face.
"I swear, you airheaded fool! Why can't you just photograph your own legs?!"
"Accident! Honest mistake!"
...
When Yanqing returned to the General's office, the first thing he saw upon entering was Jing Yuan, drinking tea and playing chess in the courtyard.
Playing against himself.
"General," Yanqing called out as he walked in.
"You're back, just in time. Come try this. I just brewed some Spring tea. I learned the ancient method from the The Sleepless Earl's landlady herself. Tell me, how does it differ from the usual brew?"
Jing Yuan smiled as he gestured for Yanqing to sit across from him, handing over a cup of steaming, fragrant tea.
Taking a small sip, Yanqing smacked his lips. Under Jing Yuan's gaze, he put on a serious expression:
"Tastes good."
"..."
Helplessly rubbing his forehead, Jing Yuan knew he probably wouldn't get much of a proper answer from this young man like this.
Shaking his head, Jing Yuan watched Yanqing sip the tea one mouthful at a time, his eyes calm and observant.
"…General, is there something you wanted to say?" Under such a gaze, Yanqing couldn't stand it.
After a moment of patience, he couldn't help but ask.
"It's just that you seem more carefree than when you returned. Did something affect you?"
Hearing Jing Yuan's words, Yanqing was stunned, then hesitantly said, "It's alright, I don't think I've changed much. Practicing swordsmanship, going out to buy swords, subduing monsters, no different from before."
"Heh, you weren't like this when you just got back. I even wondered if my bodyguard had been possessed. Just as well, since we were both busy yesterday, why don't we talk today about your recent trip?" Jing Yuan chuckled.
Yanqing had no objection, so Jing Yuan carefully listened to his account.
When Yanqing was halfway through, Jing Yuan asked curiously, "I heard that when you were on Jarilo, you often challenged Godzilla. How did those go?"
"…Most ended in crushing defeat. Occasionally I'd do a bit better if I had a new technique, he was just curious, that's all."
Speaking of this, Yanqing couldn't help but show a dejected expression.
Anyone would feel discouraged if they came up with a new move, excitedly tried it on someone, only to be easily defeated just like before.
"How do you feel now?"
"Hm? Now? Feels the same as usual." After thinking for a moment, Yanqing replied.
Jing Yuan didn't speak, simply looked at Yanqing with a slight smile.
"…Fine, a little disappointed."
Yanqing would rather face countless Blessed Beasts than be stared at like this by the General.
He felt a chill rise in his heart.
"But I really don't feel anything now. I even think I'm better than ever." Yanqing added.
Jing Yuan nodded slightly.
Unlike when he had first returned to the Xianzhou, Yanqing now radiated a more vibrant aura.
Compared to his past impulsiveness, he was now steadier in his actions.
"In the battles with Godzilla, I gradually realized my shortcomings. This world is vast. Somewhere out there, hidden from sight, are powerful warriors from past eras. Though we may both be prodigies, they've trained a whole generation longer than I have. That's not a gap one can just catch up to."
We're both geniuses, but I've trained a generation longer than you, don't you have any shame?
If his peers heard this, they'd probably laugh their heads off.
"On the way back, Lady Yukong told me that there's never a shortage of talent in this world. In others' eyes, I might be an insurmountable mountain. But in my eyes, Godzilla is that mountain.
There's no need to fixate on others. Making a little progress every day is the greatest encouragement."
"It's like us Xianzhou people on other planets. Even the most ordinary Cloud Knights among us, being long-lived species, can dominate an average planet, fighting one against ten thousand. I merely encountered a stronger being, just like an ordinary person would feel seeing me."
Yanqing spoke calmly.
These were the words Yukong had told him on their way back to the Divine Foresight Mansion, though originally intended for the return trip on the ship. Who knew…
Still, it had a powerful effect. After that person selflessly sacrificed himself, Yanqing managed to reclaim that feeling.
That was the feeling he had the first time he held a sword.
The slash that cut through Heliobi, wasn't it a strike worthy of him?
Jing Yuan nodded slightly, comforted. "It's good that you've come to understand. No matter what, the future belongs to your generation. Time is on your side."
…
While Jing Yuan had soothed Yanqing, Yukong now faced a new challenge.
The next day, at the Sky-Faring Commission, a foxian figure stealthily slipped out and headed straight for the Star Skiff Dock.
"Alright, mission success!" Qingni clenched her fists and whispered excitedly.
To celebrate, she grabbed a bottle of soda bean juice from the vending machine.
"Gulp… ahh."
"Qingni."
"Cough cough cough! Mom?!"
The last voice she wanted to hear rang out right next to her.
Qingni instinctively wanted to spit the drink out but, realizing her mother was right there, she forced herself to swallow it down.
The price: the lingering, indescribable taste in her throat.
Yukong watched coldly and said flatly, "Where are you planning to go?"
"Mom, no, it's nothing. I was just going for a walk… and maybe grab something to eat…"
Her ears drooped with her mood as Qingni replied in a low voice.
"A walk? If I remember right, you've only been on duty for an hour. Is this how you treat your job? Or do you think you can skip work?!" Yukong's tone grew heavier.
She hadn't expected to feel like having a heart attack just two days after returning.
If she hadn't suddenly decided to check the latest Star Skiff registry, she wouldn't have known that her daughter had secretly taken a skiff from the Stargazer Navalia all the way to Artisanship Commission, passing through Alchemy Commission.
Judging by the looks of it, she probably started the day after Yukong left. And now that she's back, the girl still dares… Has she really taken her for granted?!
Yukong's chest rose and fell, her whole figure seeming to have grown larger.
Her gaze was locked tightly onto Qingni, who stood before her with her head lowered.
Yukong knew Qingni had always wanted to become a Star Skiff pilot. They had argued over it countless times, and every time, it ended with Yukong's victory.
After all, as the helmswoman of the Sky-Faring Commission, it was all too easy for her to prevent someone from joining the pilot selection.
If she were truly ruthless, she could even ensure Qingni never touched a starskiff again.
Qingni kept her head down, her hands tightly clasped together, wrestling with themselves.
She regretted it. If only she had waited a day or two before coming, she wouldn't have been discovered.
Yukong's face was ashen. Normally, if Qingni tried to sneak off to fly, she would at most scold her a few times.
After a bit of back-and-forth, she would simply use her authority as a mother to force her to behave. But this time was different.
Soon, the Emanator of Destruction Scorching Flare would lead the antimatter legion in an assault on the Xianzhou.
In a battle of Emanator-level magnitude, even the faintest glimmer of light could consume a fully armed warrior, let alone an inexperienced and unskilled young girl like Qingni.
"But mother, the Xianzhou is about to go to war! Shouldn't everyone be contributing their strength at a time like this? Why are you stopping me?!"
Qingni, silent until now, finally erupted.
She knew there was no way her mother wouldn't find out about her secretly piloting the starskiff, so she had been thinking of how to explain herself.
But no matter how she spun it, only the truth would truly touch someone's heart.
"Even though none of you have said it, I know all about the Cloud Knights' deployments and the pilots' movements. Mother, I don't know a lot of things, but when it comes to flying, I know exactly what's going on. Those Foxian pilots move swiftly every day, with solemn expressions. Is that something training would cause?"
"Mother, I'm a Foxian too. My talent for flying surpasses many others. I should be soaring in the skies and fighting for Luofu, not tethered at your side, only able to watch everyone else go into battle!"
Yukong's face grew even darker, but she didn't interrupt Qingni.
She simply stood there, her emotions unclear.
Once Qingni finished speaking, she stubbornly lifted her head to meet Yukong's gaze. Only then did Yukong speak.
"Are you finished?"
Qingni blinked, sensing something wasn't right.
"If you're finished, go back to work. You didn't take leave today."
Qingni stood frozen in place, her hands hanging awkwardly as if unsure what to do.
She felt Yukong's face looked especially gloomy.
...
Every family has its own troubles.
Yukong's face was hidden in shadow, making it unreadable.
After a long silence, she finally let out a sigh.
Not long ago, she had just discussed Yanqing's psychological issues with Jing Yuan. Now she was facing a mother-daughter crisis of her own.
It was just...
"Lady Yukong, here are some documents left for your review while you were away from the Sky-Faring Commission..." Yanming carefully placed a stack of papers on Yukong's desk, not even daring to breathe too loudly.
As a competent office worker, reading the mood of one's superior was a required skill.
With the heavy atmosphere surrounding Lady Yukong today, the temperature in the Sky-Faring Commission seemed to have dropped at least five degrees the moment he walked in, wasn't today supposed to be a lucky day?
Upon hearing her name, Yukong glanced at Yanming's nervous but composed face. After a moment, she asked, "Yanming, when did you find out Qingni flew a starskiff?"
"Uh, well..." Yanming's expression stiffened.
Could he say he knew the very next day?
"...Sigh, go back to work. There's plenty to do lately." She waved him off.
Yukong didn't want others involved in the matter between her and Qingni.
Still, the thought that so many people had known about Qingni flying a starskiff while she alone was kept in the dark gave her a suffocating feeling, like they had all grown up and learned how to bully the elderly.
But she also knew she couldn't really blame them. It was just that with the crisis involving the Antimatter Legion and Qingni happening at the same time, her mood was unusually sour.
"Sigh, " At that moment, Yukong sorely missed the carefree days back on Jarilo.
At least during that time, all she had to do was sip tea and watch Yanqing get beaten.
Nothing else.
Unlike now, dealing with both daughter and enemy...
...
No worry can engulf everyone all at once.
Unlike the increasingly tense mood at the Sky-Faring Commission, the mood at the Ten-Lords Commission was high... Well, as high as such a place could ever get.
"Lord Xueyi, Lord Hanya, how did it go?"
Seeing the two return, Huohuo approached them, her heart racing as she asked.
Upon hearing her, the two looked at each other, then shook their heads.
"Even the Ten Lords couldn't explain the changes happening in Hanya."
Hanya's body had been a revived zombie, brought back by sudden fate. By all logic, someone who had already died once shouldn't be able to return to a normal human state.
But that patch of flesh color couldn't be wrong.
When Xueyi submitted the recorded data, even the Ten Lords were stunned.
They had seen almost everything there was to see.
But a situation like Hanya's... was truly unprecedented.