"So, are you two officially a couple now?"
Jiaoqiu asked, looking at Fei Xiao and Aether, both of whom were keeping their heads down in silence.
"Uh… no, not at all," Aether replied awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.
"Then what was that just now?" Jiaoqiu narrowed his eyes, his face full of gossip-driven curiosity.
"It… it was her coercing me. It's really not my fault," Aether said, pointing at Fei Xiao and unhesitatingly throwing her under the bus.
"Ahem."
Fei Xiao shot Aether a glance, coughed lightly twice, and said, "You go back first. I still have things to deal with. Contact me if anything comes up."
"Ah? Oh."
Realizing he had been given an escape route, Aether fled immediately, afraid that if he hesitated for even a moment, Fei Xiao might keep him there to bite his neck again.
After Aether left, Fei Xiao stood up and put on her trench coat. She looked at Jiaoqiu seriously and said, "My body seems to be undergoing some strange changes. Let's go back and get it checked. I'll explain the details on the way."
Hearing that it concerned Fei Xiao's health, Jiaoqiu immediately became serious. Moze sheathed his short blades and followed behind them like a shadow, remaining alert to their surroundings.
On the way back, Fei Xiao carefully explained everything to Jiaoqiu.
"Ever since I inhaled that reagent, the after-effects of my Moon Frenzy disappeared. I thought nothing serious would happen until today, when I realized I have an inexplicable craving for Aether," Fei Xiao said gravely.
"A craving?" Jiaoqiu frowned slightly. "What exactly does that mean?"
Fei Xiao thought for a moment before replying, "Every time I see Aether's neck, I feel an overwhelming urge to bite him and drink his blood. The crucial part is that the urge is extremely difficult to resist and makes me lose my rationality."
"It's only after I bite him that I realize something is wrong. This situation is beyond my control."
Jiaoqiu fell silent for a moment, then said seriously, "We still need to examine you thoroughly. My instincts tell me this is not a good sign."
They returned quickly, and Jiaoqiu immediately began a comprehensive examination of Fei Xiao.
When the final results came out, Jiaoqiu's expression was grim. He handed the report to Fei Xiao and said heavily, "General, I have good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?"
"Oh? There's actually good news?" Fei Xiao was surprised. "Then tell me the good news first."
Jiaoqiu sighed softly. "The good news is that your body has adapted to Moon Frenzy. Even if it flares up, you can remain conscious, and the after-effects are almost completely eliminated. You will no longer suffer from the debilitating consequences of Moon Frenzy."
"That does sound good. What's the bad news?" Fei Xiao asked without hesitation.
Jiaoqiu's voice lowered. "The bad news is that the Borisin bloodline within you has further integrated with your body. While this allows you to adapt to Moon Frenzy, it also affects your mind, making your innate thought patterns closer to those of the Borisin."
"If this continues, I'm afraid you will consciously degenerate into… an anomalous Buli person."
"So that means I won't lose my mind like during a Moon Frenzy episode, but my entire way of thinking will gradually transform into that of a Buli person, including my behavior and instincts?" Fei Xiao asked after a moment of thought.
"Yes," Jiaoqiu nodded. "That's correct."
His expression was deeply troubled. He had hoped to cure Fei Xiao's Moon Frenzy, but instead, things had worsened.
"Then what about my fixation on Aether?" Fei Xiao asked.
Jiaoqiu pondered briefly before answering, "That is most likely caused by the Borisin bloodline. General, you probably perceive him as prey."
"The Borisin retain extremely primal hunting instincts. Combined with your examination results, it's highly likely that these instincts are influencing you, causing you to see him as a target."
"Hiss… If this continues, will I… eat him?" Fei Xiao asked thoughtfully, stroking her chin.
Jiaoqiu hesitated. "Possibly… yes. Humans are part of the Borisin diet, after all."
"That won't do. I can't hurt him anymore," Fei Xiao said firmly. If this could endanger Aether's life, she would rather sever contact with him entirely.
"This is still only a hypothesis," Jiaoqiu explained. "We need further testing to confirm anything. Tomorrow, I'll go with you to see him. We'll take some of his blood for analysis. It may be related to what's happening to you."
"At this point, that's all we can do."
---
Meanwhile, at Aether's home.
"It's finally rebuilt. I'm exhausted," Aether said, wiping sweat from his forehead before taking a sip of tea.
In front of him, three subordinates were busy rebuilding the house. Meanwhile, Aether lounged nearby on a chair, drinking iced tea with a relaxed expression.
Why wasn't he helping?
Nonsense. With subordinates available, why would he do it himself? His job was to supervise. Otherwise, what was the point of having subordinates?
"Hey! Install my front door properly. Don't put it on crooked!" Aether reminded them while pulling his parasol closer.
"Understood, sir."
As Aether enjoyed himself, he suddenly remembered that he was supposed to sell goods today.
Life was meant to be enjoyed, of course, but running a stall and selling curios was also one of Aether's retirement hobbies.
Seeing that it was still early, Aether got up, packed the surviving goods from before along with the new items his subordinates had brought today, and headed for the market.
After setting up his stall as usual, he was about to lie down and scroll on his phone when a young man in a green robe with yellow hair stopped in front of the stall and began inspecting the items.
Seeing a customer, Aether immediately put his phone away and looked up, only to realize it was an acquaintance.
The young man was none other than Yanqing, currently the strongest of the younger generation in the Xianzhou Luofu and the future Sword Master.
Of course, he was also famously known for being the most underwhelming permanent character since launch. Even his exclusive Light Cone had an awkward design, weaker than four-star options, with no standout qualities beyond aesthetics.
More importantly, unlike other permanent characters who at least had niche uses early on, Yanqing stood out as the exception. Even new players had little reason to rely on him.
To make matters worse, his story portrayal was equally frustrating. Because no one his age could challenge him, he grew arrogant, constantly seeking fights with stronger opponents, only to be beaten repeatedly and reduced to a perpetual punching bag.