[Since you're here, aren't you going to marry Fu Xuan before you leave?]
[Hang in there! Fu Xuan Wife is still waiting for you! You bad guy!]
Inside a martial arts school in Huashifu, Xianzhou Luofu.
"Bang!"
Jiang Ran took a powerful, heavy punch from Li Xiao and felt his internal organs shift, a bitter taste rising in his mouth.
His legs gave out, and he was about to collapse onto the floor, but Li Xiao had no intention of letting him off that easily.
"Tch, Jiang Ran is such trash. He's been training for five years, and he's still this pathetic."
The fellow disciples watching nearby openly mocked Jiang Ran.
"Junior Brother Jiang, this won't do. If you can't even handle this level of sparring, then you don't need to bother going to the Cloud Knights Martial Trial tomorrow."
Li Xiao said this while grabbing Jiang Ran's collar and hoisting him up.
"Come on, let me practice with you some more."
According to the rules of sparring, the match should end once one person falls.
But clearly, Li Xiao wanted to continue.
Jiang Ran turned his head to look at the master of the martial arts school sitting quietly nearby.
The old man's eyes were tightly shut, pretending not to notice what was happening.
Jiang Ran knew that Li Xiao was the master's favorite disciple, while he was just an ordinary, registered student with mediocre talent. It was normal for the master to look down on him.
However, Jiang Ran hadn't expected the master to indulge Li Xiao to this extent.
Relying on others was useless; Jiang Ran's heart burned with rage, and he raised his hand and smashed a punch into Li Xiao's face.
Jiang Ran put all his strength into that blow, turning one of Li Xiao's eyes black and blue.
Although this strike allowed Jiang Ran to regain some face, it completely enraged Li Xiao.
Li Xiao clutched his face and let out a shrill howl, "You bastard! How dare you! How dare you..."
Saying this, he prepared to strike again.
But a figure blocked him.
"Senior Brother Li, since this is sparring, let's stop before someone gets seriously hurt. Otherwise, allow me to spar with you," Luo Yu said calmly.
In this martial arts school, no one's strength could match Luo Yu's. Since he had spoken up, Li Xiao, who wasn't confident he could win against him, didn't dare to push the matter.
He rolled his eyes and glanced at Luo Yu. "Heh, fine. Then I wish both of you Junior Brothers success tomorrow in the Cloud Knights entrance exam, so you can serve the Xianzhou Alliance soon."
Watching Li Xiao's retreating figure, Jiang Ran's tightly strung nerves relaxed, and he collapsed onto the floor.
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it. Just treat me to a big cup of Immortal's Delight Tea later."
Luo Yu said this while pulling Jiang Ran up from the ground.
Accidentally tugging at his wound, Jiang Ran winced in pain. "You really aren't polite... Hiss... Be gentle!"
Luo Yu helped Jiang Ran walk outside the martial arts school and sat him down on a wooden crate at the alley entrance to treat his wounds.
The medicinal wine felt scalding hot like charcoal on the wound, making Jiang Ran clench his jaw, his gaze toward the martial arts school filled with anger.
That bastard Li Xiao truly intended to kill him.
"Right, what time is it now?"
Jiang Ran asked Luo Yu while peering down the street.
Luo Yu saw his look and shook his head, "Stop looking. The hour of Mao (5-7 AM) passed a while ago. I just saw her; Lord Taibu left already."
"Don't talk nonsense. I wasn't looking for... Hiss..."
Just as Jiang Ran was about to argue, Luo Yu raised an eyebrow and, using the finger dipped in medicine, pressed slightly harder on his wound.
This instantly silenced Jiang Ran.
Luo Yu thought, *As if I don't know what you're thinking, kid?*
But Lord Taibu is one of the Six Companions of the Luofu. Out of everyone you could like, why her?
The gap in status is too vast; it's simply impossible.
"Stop thinking about useless things. What are you going to do about the Cloud Knights Martial Trial tomorrow? If you fail again this time, you'll be kicked out of the martial arts school," Luo Yu said worriedly.
Jiang Ran, suffering both physically and mentally, sounded muffled, "I'm worried too. The Cloud Knights Martial Trial isn't easy. In the whole school, probably only you and Li Xiao are guaranteed to pass."
"Alright, stop moping. Let's practice again; I'll teach you a few more moves."
"Okay."
Jiang Ran forced himself to stand up, his newly medicated wounds stinging fiercely.
The assessment was tomorrow; practicing today would actually have very little effect.
Right now, he was just making last-minute efforts.
Jiang Ran sighed internally, *It's truly hard to live, no matter which world you're in.*
In his previous life, he was a person from Blue Star. After a stroke of luck, he was reborn on the Xianzhou Luofu, and twenty-five years have passed since then.
Unfortunately, Jiang Ran wasn't like his transmigrator predecessors who could instantly conquer everything.
He had mediocre talent. After passing the adult qualification exam for the Department of Balance at age twenty, he trained at this martial arts school for five years without achieving anything notable, and he failed the Cloud Knights entrance exam several times.
Fate truly plays tricks on people... Inside the Divination Commission.
A group of Diviners was gathered around the Matrix of Prescience, divining fortunes and misfortunes.
Suddenly, the Matrix of Prescience burst into light, displaying frequent anomalies, and the symbols of calculation and deduction were dazzling to the eye.
Divination Official Huixing quickly copied down the hexagram, but after just one look, his small face instantly turned pale.
Cold sweat instantly covered his forehead, and the shock in his heart was immense.
He served as a Divination Official in the Divination Commission, responsible for managing the Grand Matrix of Prescience. Over the years, he had seen all manner of ominous hexagrams, but this one directly surpassed his understanding.
"Lord Taibu! The Matrix of Prescience has produced a result!"
"This hexagram indicates... a great catastrophe capable of destroying the entire Xianzhou Alliance!"
Terrified, Huixing didn't bother wiping the cold sweat from his face. He rushed over to Grand Oracle Fu Xuan and presented the hexagram.
Hearing this, the previously quiet Divination Commission instantly fell into chaos, and the Diviners began discussing anxiously.
"A great catastrophe has descended?"
"The Xianzhou will be fine, right..."
"Where is the General! Quickly go notify the General!"
Some young Diviners were scared pale and utterly distraught.
If anyone else had told them the Xianzhou was facing disaster, they probably would have scoffed and advised that person to eat and sleep normally.
But this was the Divination Commission, and the hexagram was produced by the infallible Matrix of Prescience.
They had no choice but to believe it.
"Silence! No shouting is allowed within the Department!"
Grand Oracle Fu Xuan stood up from behind her desk, her Dharma Eye shining brightly on her forehead, her expression unchanged.
Fu Xuan calmly issued the command, "Everyone, attend to your duties. Do not panic."
Her voice was soft, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears.
When Fu Xuan spoke, everyone felt as if they had taken a calming pill, suppressing their panic and returning to their posts.
The Divination Commission regained its calm.
To borrow a famous saying from an unnamed Diviner in the Divination Commission: Even if the sky falls on the Divination Commission, Lord Taibu will hold it up. Although she may be short, her ability is heaven-piercing.
Yet, when the heaven-piercingly capable Fu Xuan received the hexagram, her brow was also deeply furrowed.
Just as she was pondering, Luofu General Jing Yuan arrived at the Divination Commission.
"Fu Xuan / Minister Fu, what has happened?"
"The hexagram shows 'Thunder above Water,' danger leading to action, and action leading to the avoidance of danger," Fu Xuan replied, knitting her brows.
"Fu Xuan / Minister Fu..." Seeing her immersed in her own thoughts, Jing Yuan had to remind her helplessly.
Fu Xuan looked at the Matrix of Prescience and explained, "That is to say, a great catastrophe is approaching, but there is still a point of reversal. As long as we find this crucial point, we can turn danger into safety."
Hearing that there was a way to resolve the catastrophe, Jing Yuan did not hold back his praise. "Truly worthy of Fu Xuan / Minister Fu. Can Fu Xuan / Minister Fu calculate what this crucial point is?"
"That requires the aid of the Matrix of Prescience."
Fu Xuan wasted no time. She walked straight onto the platform of the Matrix of Prescience, activated it, and began the deduction.
The many Diviners gathered together, placing the hope of saving the Xianzhou entirely on her.
"With Lord Taibu taking action, we are safe!"
"As expected of Lord Taibu!"
But after the deduction finished, Fu Xuan wore a bizarre and incredulous expression.
"How is this possible? How can this be! Something must be wrong!"
"Fu Xuan / Minister Fu..."
"No, calculate it again!"
... Fu Xuan calculated three times in a row, and her expression grew worse each time. "How could this happen..."
The other Diviners in the Divination Commission were stunned. In their memory, although Lord Taibu was small, she always carried an air of composure, as if everything was under her control.
She had always been calm and still as ancient water.
Why was she so agitated today?
Jing Yuan, standing nearby, truly couldn't stand it anymore and spoke up, "Fu Xuan / Minister Fu, what does the hexagram show? Where exactly is the crucial point to resolve the great catastrophe?"
Fu Xuan's body swayed twice, as if she could barely bear the result of the divination.
"The hexagram shows that for the Xianzhou Alliance to turn danger into safety, it requires... requires me..."
"Requires Fu Xuan / Minister Fu to do what?"
A bad premonition rose in Jing Yuan's heart. The Grand Diviner holds grave responsibilities and is an indispensable part of the Xianzhou's stability, and Grand Oracle Fu Xuan is a rare Diviner.
If saving the Xianzhou Alliance required her sacrifice... Jing Yuan dared not think further.
But as the General of the Xianzhou Luofu, he had to steel his heart and make a decision.
However, before he could speak, Fu Xuan's voice, as faint as a mosquito's buzz, drifted over.
"If we are to ensure the Xianzhou's safety, it requires me... requires me... to marry someone..."
Marry?
Jing Yuan suspected he had misheard and asked again, "Fu Xuan / Minister Fu, what did you say?"
"It requires me to marry someone! This is the only way to seek fortune, avoid disaster, and resolve the great catastrophe!"
Fu Xuan's beautiful face was flushed red. Suppressing the shyness in her heart, she shouted it out loudly, as if giving up all restraint.
At this moment, turbulent waves surged in her heart. She couldn't understand why the calculation yielded this result.
After hearing her words, the Divination Commission suddenly fell silent, quiet as a tomb.
Fu Xuan secretly gritted her teeth, thinking, *Is this damned Matrix of Prescience malfunctioning due to age and disrepair?*
How is this the key to reversing the entire situation?
Marriage?
Me? Grand Oracle Fu Xuan, marrying an unknown nobody?
How could you even think of that!
Just as Fu Xuan was still doubting the divination result from the Matrix of Prescience, a snicker suddenly came from the corner.
Influenced by that laughter, everyone else burst into laughter too.
At this point, even Fu Xuan couldn't stop them.
Jing Yuan turned around, paused for a moment, and gave himself a mental pep talk: *I have specialized training; I won't laugh unless absolutely necessary.*
He then slowly turned back around.
But when he saw Fu Xuan's bright red face, he couldn't hold back anymore and burst into loud laughter.
"Hahaha, Fu Xuan / Minister Fu, it looks like the Xianzhou is about to have a joyous occasion! I can be your witness!"
"General!"
Fu Xuan glared at Jing Yuan.
But he was the Luofu General, her superior, and Fu Xuan couldn't do anything about him.
However, Qingque, who started the laughter, wasn't so lucky.
Fu Xuan turned and stared at her, her Dharma Eye shining brightly. "Qingque, starting today, you are to manage the library for me!"
Qingque wanted very much to force a look of dejection, but her laughter hadn't stopped since she heard the divination result.
She laughed until she was breathless and her stomach started to hurt.
"Yes, hahaha, Lord Taibu, haha, I'm going right now, hahaha, but... I'll definitely attend your wedding, hahaha..."
The Divination Commission, usually so quiet, was filled with laughter and joy.
"Yanqing, take a squad of Cloud Knights and invite our Lord Taibu's husband here."
"Remember, his name is Jiang Ran. Be polite."
Jing Yuan, having finally finished his laugh, issued the order... On the other side.
A Foxian girl poked her head out from the entrance of the martial arts school and called Luo Yu's name.
"Oh dear, I forgot. I have an appointment today, so I'm leaving first. You should go back and rest," Luo Yu said, abandoning Jiang Ran decisively.
Watching the affectionate young couple at the entrance, Jiang Ran felt a pang of envy.
He thought, *If I could marry Lord Taibu, I would even be willing to pass the Cloud Knights entrance exam and eventually become a General!*
Just as Jiang Ran was lost in wild thoughts, Luo Yu returned.
"I guess you still have some conscience, kid. Are you planning to come back and keep practicing with me?"
Luo Yu waved his hand. "Someone is looking for you."
Then he leaned close to Jiang Ran's ear and whispered, "It's the Cloud Knights. You haven't done anything illegal, have you?"
The Cloud Knights? Why would they be looking for him?
I've always been a law-abiding citizen of the Luofu.
Jiang Ran thought this as he walked out of the martial arts school, where he saw a squad of fully armed Cloud Knights standing silently at the entrance.
The one leading them was none other than the General's disciple, the Cloud Knights Vanguard, Yanqing.
Everyone on the Xianzhou Luofu knew that although Yanqing was young, he was highly capable. If he was sent personally, it definitely wasn't a minor matter.
Jiang Ran felt a little nervous.
Yanqing stepped out of the formation and asked, "Are you Jiang Ran?"
"Yes... What is this about..." Jiang Ran replied, somewhat bewildered.
Yanqing looked Jiang Ran up and down, feeling strange. This person looked like nothing more than an ordinary man.
With his martial artist's eye, he could easily tell that Jiang Ran's martial arts hadn't even reached the introductory level.
He was worse than the most common Cloud Knights soldier.
Yet the divination result from the Matrix of Prescience was for him to marry Lord Taibu.
Although this fact struck Yanqing as utterly ridiculous, the matter was too important, and the General had given the order. He only needed to bring the person over.
Seeing Yanqing stare at him without speaking, Jiang Ran's heart tightened.
He thought, *Could they have found out I'm a transmigrator?*
No way. I was reborn here; all my paperwork is complete, legal, and compliant. My body grew naturally, and my parents are still alive.
It couldn't be that the Cloud Knights found out I harbored improper thoughts about Lord Taibu, could it?
Although Lord Taibu is small and cute, I only looked! They can't possibly charge me for that, right?
Just as these few people remained silent, Li Xiao and his hangers-on, assuming Jiang Ran had committed some offense, came over to mock him.
"Junior Brother Jiang, remember: resistance means severe punishment, confession means leniency! Just admit whatever you did."
Saying this, one of Li Xiao's lackeys reached out to grab Jiang Ran.
Seeing this person's action, Yanqing was startled. The General's order was to politely invite him over. If anything went wrong, wouldn't the General think he was incompetent?
Thinking of this, Yanqing decisively made his move!
"This gentleman is a distinguished guest of the General and Fu Xuan. Please do not make things difficult for me."
Yanqing squeezed the man's wrist, and with a slight increase in pressure, the man winced in pain.
Luo Yu watched from the side, clicking his tongue in wonder, and whispered, "Why didn't you tell me you knew the General and Lord Taibu? We're buddies; why keep secrets?"
Jiang Ran gave a wry smile. "I know the General and the Grand Diviner, but they don't know me! I don't even know what's going on."
With his lackey restrained by Yanqing, Li Xiao's face alternated between green and white. But facing the Cloud Knights and Yanqing, he dared not act out and could only swallow his bitterness.
The General and the Grand Diviner were figures looked up to across the entire Luofu. The fact that this kid Jiang Ran could become their distinguished guest naturally drove Li Xiao mad with jealousy.
However, he didn't dare to say anything nasty now. He offered a forced smile and said, "Yes, yes, yes, we absolutely will not interfere with the Cloud Knights performing their duties."
After speaking, he kicked his lackey and cursed, "You shameful piece of garbage, hurry up and get lost."
"Wait, apologize for what you just said," Jiang Ran commanded.
He didn't care what was happening; he might as well use this opportunity to wield borrowed influence and regain his dignity first.
Li Xiao looked like he had swallowed a fly, but seeing the Cloud Knights outside, he could only obediently bow his head and, along with his lackeys, offer an apology.
"Fine, I'm a man of great tolerance; I won't hold it against you," Jiang Ran said, feeling much better.
"Please come with me. Don't keep the General and Lord Taibu waiting," Yanqing said.