"Video?"
Seeing Guinaifen take out her Jade Abacus and project a video to start playing, Jing Yuan was slightly stunned.
"Hehe~ W-Well, I just thought about capturing evidence of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus's crimes."
"By the way, General, can I post this video online later? A small streamer has to put food on the table, you know~!"
Guinaifen revealed an awkward yet polite, sheepish smile.
"This..."
Jing Yuan's expression became somewhat strange. "I need to understand the situation first."
This understanding turned out to be quite significant!
With Bailu and Guinaifen speaking one after another, they recounted the sequence of events, the causes, and the consequences.
During the first quarter of the incident, Jing Yuan frequently glanced at the brown-haired Cloud Knight rookie in the white dress, and later, his gaze locked onto Sushang completely.
By the end, the way Jing Yuan looked at Sushang had changed entirely!
From Bailu and Guinaifen's account, Jing Yuan learned that they knew Dan Shu, the Head Alchemist of the Alchemy Commission, was the Head of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus. The source of this intelligence was Sushang's investigation.
Jing Yuan knew clearly that the Seat of Divine Foresight would never assign a Cloud Knight rookie like Sushang to contact the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus.
Did she investigate on her own initiative?
As a Cloud Knight, eliminating hidden dangers for the Xianzhou is naturally appropriate, but how did a rookie Cloud Knight investigate faster and deeper than the Seat of Divine Foresight?
Wait!
"Sushang, do you know Caelus?"
Jing Yuan suddenly thought of a possibility.
"I do. Mm, we can be considered friends."
Moonscar tapped her chin with a slender finger, chuckling softly.
Jing Yuan nodded. So that's it. If the source of intelligence is related to Caelus, then there's no problem... yeah right!
Normally, any Cloud Knight who learned of such news would report it to the Ten-Lords Commission or the Seat of Divine Foresight, right?
If it were Master Fu, she would certainly have immediately dispatched the Cloud Knights to surround the Alchemy Commission and arrest Dan Shu.
This is the correct approach, but not necessarily the best choice.
If Cloud Knight troops surrounded the Alchemy Commission, the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus would surely detect the anomaly. It would turn into a massive battle with the Alchemy Commission as the battlefield.
The Cloud Knights possess superior combat power, but considering the Ascension Elixir Powder, sending any number of troops would be futile!
At that point, if the Cloud Knights fell into the Mara-struck state and it spread to the delves where civilians lived, the incident would blow up massively!
Considering the meticulous style of investigating first and acting later, especially given there were spies of the Medicine King within the Xianzhou's high command, Jing Yuan analyzed the situation while listening to their description.
In his heart, Jing Yuan gave this Cloud Knight rookie, Sushang, an extremely high evaluation.
This move, though risky, had to be praised for its ingenuity. Seeking victory amidst danger—it was truly a surprise maneuver.
Many true crises and disasters are impossible to guard against effectively. The Xianzhou has the Divination Commission to seek good fortune and avoid calamity, but divination is not omnipotent, just like in this incident.
A true general does not show their worth when the wind is calm. The real test comes from the tempering of stormy seas, opening a path through predicaments with wisdom and courage.
Sushang's conduct was enough to prove the excellence of her courage and resourcefulness—her composure might even be above Master Fu's.
To put it more thoroughly, this girl has the bearing of a General!
Jing Yuan was pleasantly surprised, but then he thought of something, and his brows furrowed again.
Why did Sushang hide herself before?
Could it be...
A petite figure in green suddenly flashed through Jing Yuan's mind. He understood.
Another score-controller and slacker like Qingque?
She usually hides herself with a silly appearance, but now that the Xianzhou is facing a great calamity, she had no choice but to reveal her true side.
The more Jing Yuan thought about it, the more he felt this was the case!
His mind immediately became active, recalling the details of Sushang's martial performance.
This girl is a good seedling. If I focus on cultivating her carefully, she will definitely grow up without issues!
The personal martial power of a Xianzhou General is important, but as long as one can gain approval and be confirmed as the successor General, they can obtain the power of the Lightning Lord. At that time, any deficiency in martial power can be compensated for.
I must transfer Sushang to the Seat of Divine Foresight later!
I'll carefully observe her performance and test her mental state and abilities more deeply. Perhaps I can groom her as an heir!
After seeing Sushang's judgment, logic, and capability for action in the video, as well as the warehouse full of Ascension Elixir Powder that caused one's heart and lungs to stop in shock, Jing Yuan became even more determined to cultivate Sushang.
And then... and then...
Jing Yuan was completely dumbfounded!
He watched as the three discussed and decided to breach the secret Grotto-Heaven, drawing the water of the unpolluted Ancient Sea to flood it, thereby destroying the Ascension Elixir Powder in the medicine warehouse.
Seeing this, Jing Yuan was initially blank.
How is such a thing possible?
Grotto-Heavens are the masterwork of the Xianzhou Alliance's space folding technology, and their structures are extremely stable. Even though Jing Yuan could easily destroy an ultra-small Grotto-Heaven relying on his Emanator-level power...
If you asked him to bore a hole in the spatial barrier, he might not necessarily be able to do it.
That required extremely profound technique.
Only twenty percent... no, probably around ten percent chance?
Just as Jing Yuan was pondering his own probability of success, he saw the white-dressed girl in the video speak with dashing elegance.
"The General can't do it, but who said I can't?"
Jing Yuan fell silent.
Bailu and Guinaifen, who were explaining, also went quiet and coughed a few times.
"Oh no, I forgot to cut that part out."
Guinaifen muttered softly. Letting the General see a Cloud Knight rookie speak like that was so bad!
Jing Yuan glanced at Sushang, and Moonscar revealed a polite smile.
Jing Yuan lowered his head to look at the Jade Abacus projection video again.
He saw the girl manifest a sword from Qi, fly upon it, use the Taixu Sword Heart to perceive the weak points of the spatial structure, and employ the Taixu Sword God—the Honkai Impact 2 version of the Power of Taixu.
With a gentle stroke of her sword fingers, precise as a scalpel and smooth as a sword toppling mountains and rivers, she pierced through the spatial barrier.
Huh??????
At this moment, even with Jing Yuan's temperament, a stormy sea surged in his heart. His eyes widened abruptly, and his entire being was shocked by the scene.
W-W-What is this!?
Sword intent of this level... if I didn't see it wrong, space itself was transformed into a 'Sword' by the girl's sword intent.
"Shen is the pinnacle of change, the subtle expression of myriad things, that which cannot be interrogated by form."
Shen nurtures all things, transcends form, the elusive Sword God.
This is a freaking Cloud Knight rookie!?
Jing Yuan remembered his own apprentice mentioning that, to repay the favor of Miss Sushang lending the Xuanyuan Sword for a look, he had guided Sushang in the Sword Art.
He felt that Yanqing was more or less a bit swollen with arrogance.
A sword realm that even makes me marvel—is that something Yanqing can guide?
Even if his master, Jingliu, came, she couldn't guide this!
"Sorry, sorry, I just said it in passing. I didn't mean any disrespect to the General."
Jing Yuan's heart exploded along with his gaze as he stared, mouth slightly agape, at the brown-haired girl who looked humble and was apologizing for the arrogant words in the video.
"...It doesn't matter."
Jing Yuan let out a long sigh of relief. After the shock came wild joy.
Surprise!
What the hell do you call a surprise!?
A surprise is picking up an heir whose courage, character, and resourcefulness are all impeccable, and who is also a sword genius... no, a sword grandmaster!
He knew Sushang's family background clearly. Red... oh no, authentic Hunt, no errors there!
"Lady Dragon High Elder, Miss Guinaifen, Sushang. Thank you. The result of this operation saved an unknown number of Cloud Knights and rescued the Xianzhou from crisis. Your merits are outstanding!"
Jing Yuan's expression was solemn.
"Did we become heroes?" Bailu's eyes sparkled with little stars.
"That's right, you are all heroes of the Xianzhou!" Jing Yuan affirmed.
"Right? Right! You have to help this Young Miss more later. Make those old geezers stop controlling this Young Miss!" Bailu rolled her lively little eyes.
Jing Yuan was stunned, then smiled, somewhat wavering between tears and laughter, returning to his usual amiable smile. "No problem. Once this incident is resolved, I will pay a visit to the Preceptors."
It wasn't just for Bailu. Behind the Xianzhou's calamity this time, there was also the help of certain individuals from the Vidyadhara. It was time to warn those Preceptors.
"Miss Guinaifen..." Jing Yuan looked kindly at the orange-haired girl.
"General, you can just call me Little Gui. I'm really not used to you calling me so formally."
It was all because of the influence of those sand-sculpture netizens!
"Alright, Little Gui. You can rest assured, the Xianzhou will not mistreat any meritorious official! You can post this video later. Also, in the future, you can help various departments with publicity more often."
Moonscar listened silently. He plans to help push Little Gui.
Making her a streamer who collaborates with the Seat of Divine Foresight... if she does some crazy stunts in the future, her livestream room won't get banned, right?
"General, actually, it's like this..."
Guinaifen briefly recounted her family matters and things related to her brothers.
"...Is that so."
Jing Yuan looked thoughtful. He had heard of this matter.
Pondering for a few seconds, Jing Yuan spoke, "There is no problem with your other siblings, but your eldest brother... in principle, that won't do."
"Ah?" Little Gui was pleasantly surprised at first upon hearing this, then somewhat regretful, but it was still a very good result.
Just then, her bestie Sushang nudged her arm.
"'In principle, no' means 'actually, yes'. 'In principle, yes' means 'actually, no'."
"Oh! Is that how it works?"
Jing Yuan chuckled lightly, shaking his head helplessly.
This child, speaking such honest truths.
"Given the current situation on the Luofu, we will discuss this matter later."
Jing Yuan nodded to Guinaifen with a smile.
With the current situation on the Xianzhou, he had no mind to deal with such trivial matters.
"Okay General, no problem General!"
Guinaifen excitedly linked arms with Moonscar. If not for being in front of the General, she would have wanted to give Sushang a kiss to express her gratitude!
"As for Sushang..."
Jing Yuan fell into deep thought for a moment, then revealed a smile that made him seem very easy to get close to.
"I have a task to entrust to you now."
Moonscar's heart moved slightly, and then she imitated Little Pillow's silly demeanor. "Okay General, no problem General!"
When you have achieved great merit, but the leader doesn't give you a reward and instead assigns you more tasks, there are usually two possibilities.
One: The leader is a piece of trash and swallowed the credit.
Two: This is a test.
"Help me keep an eye on two suspicious individuals. Once they do anything harmful to the Luofu, stop them immediately, and then notify me."
Jing Yuan was just worrying about who would watch his Master and that traveling merchant while he went to the Alchemy Commission, and then Sushang delivered herself to his door.
Jing Yuan intended to use this task to test Sushang.
If she completed it very well, then, once the event ended, he would groom Sushang as the future heir of the Luofu. Even if she didn't become the General, she would certainly be put in an important position!
"Alright! Cloud Knight Sushang guarantees to complete the mission!"
Moonscar smiled with narrow, squinting eyes, looking full of interest.
There were only a few people who would make Jing Yuan dare not look away at a time like this.
Sister Jingliu, Sister Sushang is coming!
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