Chapter 44: The Six Arbiter Generals
Based on the information revealed by Diviner Jing Tian, you fully understood…
This was an agreement between the Marshal of Xianzhou and The Hunt.
When absolutely necessary, coordinates would be sent using the Cloud-Gazing Mirror.
The response would be a light arrow…
And the authority to send that signal lay in the hands of the Six Secretaries, along with the tokens each of them possessed.
Taking all of this into account, the problem before you became very clear.
Become one of the "Six Secretaries"…
Such a major personnel change would have to be reported to the Supreme Commander of the Xianzhou Alliance, Marshal Hua, for a decision.
And the star skiff Xu Ling, where Marshal Hua resided, was also the political center of the Xianzhou Alliance.
After leaving the Divination Commission, you felt you had to request an audience with Marshal Hua.
The star skiff Xu Ling was your destination.
Time passed quickly, and you didn't know how much time you had to prepare, but…
It had to be as soon as possible.
After all, that war which would change destiny was about to begin.
That year…
You dissolved the Wuzhen Academy, declaring publicly that you were old, lacked strength, and were retiring to enjoy your remaining years.
To go to the star skiff Xu Ling still required approval from the Council of the Six Generals, and since Diviner Jing Tian was one of the Six Secretaries at the time…
You naturally told him your plan, saying that after being in the Xianzhou Alliance for so long, you wished to meet the Supreme Commander of the Alliance at least once in your life.
He didn't understand why, but still wrote letters for you to his fellow generals…
"It's difficult to gather the Six Generals; you'll need to persuade them one by one. As your master, I can only help you so far."
"Among the Six Generals, as long as half approve, you may go to the star skiff Xu Ling and meet Marshal Hua…"
Hearing Diviner Jing Tian's words, you formed some preliminary plans.
Yao Guang, Jing Yuan, Commander Yueyu…
Winning the approval of these three would count as a majority…
With some apprehension and curiosity, you entered Rong Tao Pavilion, where General Yao Guang resided.
With Diviner Jing Tian's letter of guarantee, you were not stopped.
After all, you were nominally a member of the Divination Commission.
General Rong Tao—this general who was said to always use strange divinations in her speech…
You weren't sure whether the I Ching you had studied on Blue Star would be sufficient.
"Why have you come, sir?"
Upon entering the mansion, you heard a sharp voice.
Yet you couldn't see where the speaker was.
The voice seemed to come from all directions.
"Su Xiaobai of the Divination Commission, wishing to meet Marshal Hua, humbly requests the consent of General Rong Tao…"
Suddenly, a screen of light appeared before you, displaying six hexagram lines. The upper and lower trigrams were identical; both represented Zhen, the trigrama of thunder.
Two Zhen trigrams stacked—its name was Zhen.
By chance, you recognized it…
You were about to ponder carefully the meaning of this Zhen hexagram…
When you heard that sharp, childlike voice speak again.
"What did you say… what did you say?"
A black line appeared on your forehead. Upper Zhen, lower Zhen—the hexagram of double thunder. Did that mean she was stunned?
"I said I want to meet Marshal Hua…"
"Hm… Fine. For Diviner Jing Tian's sake, I agree."
A document flew over, bearing a trigrama of three solid lines…
The trigrama Qian…
You were sent flying out of Rong Tao Pavilion by that strange formation, still dazed…
Holding the document, you felt that General Yao Guang seemed rather hasty…
But you didn't think much of it. After all, in the future you saw through Precognition, you successfully met Marshal Hua.
Yet for some unknown reason, in that future, "Hua" appeared pixelated…
Perhaps it was some high-level attribute inherent to the Xianzhou Marshal?
You shook your head. The next stop was Yaoqing Xianzhou. Commander General Yueyu had already visited the Jade Pavilion, and you had met her once…
She had also granted you the favor of instruction, but meeting the Xianzhou Marshal was no small matter; you didn't know what the outcome would be.
You boarded a star skiff bound for Yaoqing Xianzhou…
—
Inside Rong Tao Pavilion…
A figure appeared where you had stood before—wearing a gauze skirt, slender and seemingly fragile, yet with countless sparks of intelligence in her eyes and brows…
"Su Xiaobai? What nonsense is this?"
"Why can't I see anything?"
"But just now, when I thought of responding with the 'Kun' trigrama, I sensed a black aura on the verge of collapse—a sign of great calamity—which gave me a cold sweat…"
"What a strange fellow. Forget it—unknown origins and great combat power. Let Jing Yuan stop him…"
She delicately moved her fingers, and a mote of starlight drifted out and vanished into the void.
—
Inner Seat of Divine Foresight:
Jing Yuan received that information—dense with Kun trigrams—along with a photo of you.
Translated, it meant: Absolutely do not let this person pass…
(Qian is three solid lines; Kun is six broken lines. Here, they are simplified to mean "yes" and "no"… This is the author's private context and not worth examining too deeply.)
…
And you, of course, knew nothing of this.
A few days later, you arrived at Yaoqing Xianzhou, at the mansion of General Tianji…
As a Xianzhou diviner, Diviner Jing Tian's letter carried considerable weight, and usually no one would make things difficult for you.
Commander General Yueyu received you personally.
You noticed that beside her stood a fox-eared woman, with bright, energetic eyes.
Fei Xiao…
The future heir to the title of "Tianji".
"The visit of Mr. Su is truly an honor."
"My unworthy disciple, Fei Xiao—what do you think of her, sir?"
Commander General Yueyu pressed on, introducing Fei Xiao to you.
"Hello, Mr. Su."
Fei Xiao greeted you, and you returned the courtesy.
"Full of vitality, with limitless potential…"
"Thank you for your praise, sir."
Fei Xiao's face flushed slightly, embarrassed by such direct praise.
A trace of pride appeared in Commander Yueyu's eyes. Very pleased with your words, she smiled with narrowed eyes, gestured for someone to serve you tea, and then went straight to the point.
"Mr. Su would not come without reason; I assume you have something to ask of me."
You explained your purpose.
To meet the Xianzhou Marshal and request the consent of Commander General Yueyu, one of the Seven Generals.
"Oh?"
"Mr. Su, this matter is not trivial. I need a reason."
Commander General Yueyu was very serious, staring straight into your eyes.
"To save my junior sister and my master…"
"But neither of them knows."
You did not elaborate, but stated your purpose with a solemn expression.
"Mr. Su is a man of firm character. I do not believe he would use such a matter to deceive me…"
"Would Mr. Su be willing to swear that he bears no ill will toward the Xianzhou Marshal…?"
You nodded calmly, full of confidence. After all, you had no grudge against the Xianzhou Alliance, and you had lived within it for most of your life.
You had no desire to do anything harmful to the Alliance or pointless to yourself.
On the contrary, you genuinely admired Commander General Yueyu's approach to matters—
Serious. Cautious.
You raised one hand to the sky, recited the name of The Hunt, and swore an oath.
Everything you did was solely to save your master and your junior sister…
You had no intention of harming the Alliance. Let Heaven bear witness; let the Rainbow Arbiter be your proof…
If there were a single false word, you would suffer the pain of ten thousand arrows piercing your heart.
A look of astonishment appeared in Fei Xiao's eyes.
What a vicious oath.