In the cold void of space, a streak of light fled at near-mad speed.
It was a crimson star-skiff, exquisitely built—yet its once-lustrous hull was now scorched black in multiple places. It was already running on fumes.
Inside the cockpit, Tingyun bit her lower lip hard, both hands white-knuckled around the controls. In her eyes reflected the endless dark ahead and the sparse starlight beyond—yet far more oppressive was the Destruction aura behind her, trailing like a predator's breath.
"The signal's been… blocked…" she muttered.
War had erupted across fronts. As a representative of the Whistling Flames Merchant Guild, she'd volunteered to run supplies to Cloud Knights.
But this run had gone wrong.
Her convoy had run headlong into Phantylia, a Destruction Lord.
And now… she was the only survivor.
"I have to get outside the jamming radius and send her intel back to Xianzhou…"
Tingyun slammed a rapid sequence of inputs. The skiff lurched into a desperate evasive line, barely dodging a violet shockwave that burned the vacuum itself.
She could feel it—her pursuer wasn't rushing to kill her. This was play. A cat toying with a mouse.
The realization made her blood run cold… and lit the stubbornness in her fox-blood.
"I won't go down that easily!"
She forced the engine output into overload. The skiff screamed, acceleration spiking into a suicidal sprint.
Then—
A shadow wreathed in ominous yellow light appeared directly ahead, like a ghost stepping into the lane.
It blocked her path completely.
An elegant, grotesque figure formed—half rotted wood, half blooming flowers—wearing a smile that belonged in nightmares.
"Little fox," Phantylia's voice drifted through space as if it didn't need a medium, carrying a subtle lure that threatened to shake the mind apart. "The game ends here."
"Join my collection. Your shell will be… a perfect nursery."
Tingyun's heart sank.
Phantylia was done playing.
Was this… really where it ended?
"Bang!"
The crimson skiff took a casual, precise hit—like a finger flicked at an insect—and spiraled down into a barren, dead asteroid.
Phantylia descended with languid grace, landing at the crater's rim. She gazed down at the smoking wreck as if admiring a finished artwork.
"What a stubborn little life."
She raised a finger and gently tapped the air.
"Perfect—balanced between life and death. Best time to plant."
Invisible pressure tightened.
Inside the wreck, Tingyun coughed blood and tried to pull herself out of twisted metal. Her bones felt powdered. Her vision swam.
Phantylia's low murmurs pressed in, whispering at the edges of her thoughts.
"No… I can't…"
She bit her tongue until pain flared and forced clarity, then fumbled at her waist for an emergency jade signal—
Crack.
The jade had shattered in the crash.
Despair crept over her like frost.
Then—
"BOOM!"
An explosion rang out.
But not her death.
Tingyun forced her eyes open.
A face floated into her blurred vision—concerned, mischievous, irritatingly confident.
Silver-white hair, an aura that—against all reason—felt safe.
"Ahhh, look at this," a bright, teasing voice said. "Whose little fox is this, getting herself all roughed up?"
Baiheng had already lifted Tingyun out of the wreck and carried her to a safer distance.
Tingyun couldn't respond. She couldn't believe what she was seeing.
As a merchant who traveled widely, she knew that face.
The foxian ace who'd left Xianzhou long ago… and later became a Stellaron Hunter.
Why was she here?
Baiheng set Tingyun behind a slab of rock, patted her messy hair like she was a pet, and grinned.
"Stay put. Big sister's gonna go say hi to that flower-planting lunatic."
She straightened—and faced Phantylia across the crater.
Phantylia's playful smile vanished. What replaced it was displeasure… and a sharp, measuring scrutiny.
"Stellaron Hunter… Baiheng."
Her tone was cool enough to freeze a star.
"What an unexpected nuisance. Since when did Xianzhou Alliance cooperate with you?"
Baiheng planted her hands on her hips, totally unfazed.
"Listen to you talk like you know politics."
"Can't a girl see injustice and step in? Besides, this little fox is cute. You want her—did you ask my opinion?"
Phantylia laughed softly—cold and razor-edged.
"Overestimating yourself. You think you can take someone from my hands?"
She was a Destruction Emanator. Not weak.
Baiheng's recent notoriety didn't change the hierarchy.
Emanators were Emanators.
Below that line, the universe was strict.
"You wanna find out?" Baiheng raised a brow. A pair of oddly-designed short pistols slid into her hands, muzzle-light glinting.
Phantylia narrowed her eyes.
And something strange happened.
The violence in the air… settled.
The crushing aura eased. The mind-warping whispers withdrew.
Baiheng blinked, surprised.
"Oh? Lady Phantylia—what's this? Deciding to make peace out of respect for the Stellaron Hunters?"
"The Stellaron Hunters' 'respect' isn't worth much," Phantylia said flatly. "But…"
Her gaze sharpened.
"Qingzhou has joined you. His face is worth weighing."
So that was it.
Phantylia didn't fear Baiheng.
She feared the shadow behind Baiheng—Qingzhou.
Eight hundred years had passed, but the imprint he'd left on her instinct hadn't faded.
She'd seen the kind of "impossible" he did casually.
As for the Alliance's story of "Jing Yuan drove Qingzhou off"…
Phantylia's eyes held a silent mockery.
Lie to yourselves.
She lifted her hand. The yellow light around her fingers withdrew. The suffocating pressure thinned.
"Seems this little fox is lucky," Phantylia said, voice turning faintly amused again. "She has a compatriot willing to step out for her."
Baiheng's grin widened.
"Oh, so Qingzhou's name really works like that?"
"I should've printed it on my business cards. Hand them out everywhere. We'd walk the galaxy sideways."
Phantylia didn't answer.
She turned—already preparing to leave.
"Wait!" Baiheng called, suddenly bright-eyed. "I've got a question."
Phantylia paused mid-air and reformed, looking back with unmistakable impatience.
"Oh? Stellaron Hunters are a bit too curious."
Baiheng ignored the chill.
"Those 'living planets' that popped up at Fanghu and Yuque—your handiwork?"
"Legion making another move on the Alliance?"
Phantylia's laugh returned, lazy and dangerous.
"So that's what this is about."
"Alliance can't find the thread, so they're begging you lot now?"
"Answer," Baiheng pressed. "Was it you?"
"Whether it was or wasn't—what of it?" Phantylia idly twirled a strand of hair.
"The universe will end regardless. We merely add a few bold strokes to the final painting."
"And I have no obligation to answer you."
"I spared you once for Qingzhou's sake. Don't mistake that for permission to push."
Tingyun's heart tightened behind the rock.
Baiheng, on the other hand, looked like she'd been waiting for this.
"If you won't talk…" she shrugged. "I'll just beat it out of you."
Phantylia went quiet.
Then her gaze became sharp enough to cut.
"Seems I was too merciful."
A sickly green, decayed-wood spear erupted from nowhere and stabbed for Baiheng.
Baiheng dodged by a hair, whistling theatrically.
"Whew—close! What, did I hit the truth and you got embarrassed?"
Phantylia's expression dropped into cold fury—the fury of a godlike being mocked by a bug.
She moved to seize both foxes.
Then—
A voice drifted in from behind her neck, relaxed and almost bored.
"Maybe check behind you first?"
Phantylia's pupils snapped wide.
That voice was too close.
Close enough that her skin remembered it before her brain did.
She whirled—petals and rot swirling—and retreated several meters in a reflexive burst.
Only then did she see him.
And the fear she hadn't felt in eight hundred years crawled up her spine like ice.
"You…!"
That face. That aura.
No mistake.
Even if she tried to convince herself.
"Qingzhou."
Her voice shook, almost imperceptibly.
Wei Qing—no longer "Yi Qing"—smiled.
"Long time no see, Phantylia."
"Looks like you haven't forgotten me."
Phantylia's expression fluctuated between anger, disbelief, and something close to instinctive dread. She forced a smile—thin, controlled.
"Lord Qingzhou… you joke. Someone like you is unforgettable."
Baiheng slid to Wei Qing's side and elbowed him.
"Hey. Your timing sucks. I was this close to being turned into a houseplant."
Wei Qing glanced at her.
"You looked like you were having fun."
"What?!" Baiheng threw her hands up dramatically. "I was buying you time to get answers!"
Their banter was casual—almost rude.
As if the Destruction Lord in front of them was background noise.
Phantylia's face tightened, but she held her anger down.
She wanted to run.
She also knew she couldn't.
"So," Wei Qing finally focused on her, voice even. "Those two meat-planets—yours?"
Phantylia paused, then laughed softly.
"If I say no… will you believe me?"
"No," Wei Qing answered instantly.
Phantylia: "..."
Silence.
Wei Qing continued, almost conversational.
"Go on. Say it. We're colleagues, aren't we?"
"As the Destruction Lord assigned to mirror the Hunt, hitting Xianzhou is 'reasonable.' Tell the truth. I won't do anything."
Phantylia's smile looked painful.
Under that kind of pressure, lying was pointless.
Finally, she exhaled.
"…Yes."
"Those 'seeds' passed through my hands. I injected Destruction into them."
"But I didn't originate them."
"It was the Abundance spawn. They obtained fragments—something like residual leaves of the Arbor."
"They came to me with half the fragments as tribute, and… billions of living sacrifices, begging for a weapon that could tear open Xianzhou's defenses."
"I merely… indulged their yearning for ruin."
"I gave those crude blood-constructs a purer core—so they could touch Destruction's authority."
Wei Qing listened without expression.
Then his gaze dropped to Phantylia's current body.
"So this shell of yours—built from those Arbor remnants?"
"Looks like you benefited from the offering."
Phantylia's tone turned faintly proud.
"Abundance has its merits. This body… suits me far better than the last."
Baiheng clicked her tongue.
"So that's why you're so cocky. New shell."
Phantylia ignored her and looked at Wei Qing, careful.
"If Lord Qingzhou is interested… I still have some remnants. Perhaps—"
"No," Wei Qing cut her off. "I'm not."
Phantylia froze.
His refusal wasn't reassuring.
It was worse.
She'd been trying to buy safety with "value."
He didn't need it.
Her thoughts turned dark.
Is he going to purge me anyway? Because of Xianzhou? Because I'm 'too noisy' near his 'useful pieces' now?
Phantylia braced herself.
Then Wei Qing waved a hand as if shooing a fly.
"Forget it. You can go."
Phantylia blinked—genuinely stunned.
"…Pardon?"
Wei Qing raised a brow.
"Do you not want to?"
"I—I wouldn't dare," Phantylia stammered. "Then… Phantylia takes her leave."
She stared at him once more—eyes full of disbelief, suspicion, and the unmistakable relief of someone who'd just walked away from a guillotine.
Then she dispersed into a floral shadow and vanished into the star-dark.
Baiheng stared after her, disappointed.
"You just let her walk? I was hoping for a show."
Wei Qing looked at her.
"What show?"
"Like you ripping the new shell off her, obviously." Baiheng leaned in, grinning. "Be honest—if you wanted to keep her, what odds?"
"Ten out of ten," Wei Qing answered, not hesitating.
Baiheng's eyes lit up.
"Then why let her go?"
Wei Qing flicked her forehead.
"Because you forget what I am too."
"I'm a Destruction Lord."
"She's effectively my subordinate on the board. And the future script still needs her."
Baiheng rubbed her forehead, pouting.
"…Right. I keep forgetting you're a three-paycheck menace."
Wei Qing's expression darkened.
"Stop calling it that."
Baiheng whined loudly.
"Ow! Truth hurts!"
Wei Qing ignored her and turned toward the rock where Tingyun hid.
Tingyun watched the exchange, then saw Qingzhou walking toward her.
Her ears snapped upright in terror. She instinctively recoiled.
"Relax, kid." Baiheng squatted beside her first, checking her injuries. "He's a bastard, sure, but he doesn't stab wounded civilians."
"Now, let big sis see—where's it hurt?"
Wei Qing stopped a few steps away, leaning against another rock with folded arms—choosing not to approach further.
Baiheng's hands moved quickly and expertly.
"…Damn, you're pretty busted. Several ribs, internal shock. Phantylia plays dirty."
She pulled out supplies—medicine, bandages—then a soft glow of Abundance gathered around her fingers.
"Good thing I pack the good stuff."
"T-thank you… benefactor," Tingyun whispered.
"Call me Sister Baiheng." Baiheng smiled. "As for that one…"
"Treat him like background scenery."
Wei Qing let out a short, humorless laugh and didn't argue.
Baiheng kept working.
"Other than the injuries—do you feel anything 'off'?"
"That woman likes to twist the mind. Did she leave anything in you?"
Tingyun focused, then shook her head.
"I… I'm alright. Exhausted, shaken, but still clear."
She sneaked a glance at Wei Qing and lowered her voice.
"Sister Baiheng… is he really… the traitor-general from Luofu? Qingzhou?"
"As real as it gets," Wei Qing answered himself, casually.
Tingyun flinched so hard she nearly choked.
She'd grown up on Luofu. Even if the name was taboo now, she'd heard the stories.
Lady Yukong… I might never get home…
Wei Qing watched her panic and felt a headache coming on.
"You're worried I'll hurt you?"
"Worry about the one next to you." He pointed with his chin at Baiheng.
"By foxian age standards, you should be calling her Grandma Baiheng."
Baiheng: "...?"
She exploded instantly.
"What did you say?! Who's a grandma?!"
She turned on Tingyun, pointing at her own face.
"Look at me! This face—this figure—where do you see 'grandma'?!"
Tingyun offered a strained, diplomatic smile and chose silence.
After Baiheng finished stabilizing her, Tingyun stood carefully and bowed deeply.
"My name is Tingyun. Thank you both for saving me."
"If not for you… I would not have survived."
Her gratitude was sincere—even if the two "saviors" were, by Xianzhou's standards, the worst kind of people to owe anything to.
And there was a bigger problem:
Her convoy was gone. Her comms were gone. She was stranded on a dead rock.
Which meant…
She probably needed these two to help her get home.
Baiheng waved it off.
"Don't mention it. Foxians don't let foxians get turned into flowerpots."
Then she glared at Wei Qing.
"Unlike some people who stood around enjoying the show."
Wei Qing shrugged.
"You were handling it fine."
He looked at Tingyun.
"How bad is it?"
Tingyun answered quickly.
"I'm… okay. Thanks to Sister Baiheng."
She hesitated, then carefully chose "sister."
Baiheng lifted her chin triumphantly at Wei Qing.
"See? Correct title."
Wei Qing didn't engage. He asked the practical question.
"Your ship's wrecked. What now?"
Tingyun's expression dimmed.
"I… don't know. The convoy is gone. My equipment is destroyed, and I…"
Baiheng clapped her shoulder.
"Relax. We saved you, we'll finish the job. Right, Wei Qing?"
Wei Qing looked at Tingyun and nodded slowly.
"Sure."
"But we charge interest."
Tingyun: "...?"
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 165)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter220)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter125)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter250)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 220
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 185
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 248
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 230
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/40
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 125
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 145
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 120
I Can Copy Unique Skills 115
Summoning an Evil God, but the 75
Supernatural Multiverse 110
My Harem Is Indescribable 100
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 105
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 67
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 105
Still playing traditional Honk 80
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 85
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 78
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 80
Checking In in Demon Slayer 85
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 100
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 85
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 80
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 90
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 75
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 80
Why did they assign me to Uma 75
MYGO Beauties 70
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 70
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 80
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 80
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 57
The Uma Musume Who Became 55
I'm Definitely Not the King of 60
After Maxing Out Every Class 45
Naruto: I'm Konoha's Local Men 35
Honkai: World Modulation Mode 34
I, the Elden Sword Saint 27
Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 24
No One Knows Pokémon Better 18
I, Sakazuki, Won't Go Down Tha 20
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