Chapter 141: How Could Someone Who Looks Like That Be a Good Person?
It was the Foxian maiden who longed for freedom, who forsook her dream of becoming a Trailblazer for the sake of responsibility. She became a genius pilot, a legend traversing the battlefield, only to finally raise a scorching sun and perish alongside her enemies, leaving not even a corpse behind…
It was the aloof Dragon Lord, who slowly lowered his guard amidst the laughter of his companions, only to witness them bleed out on the field. He stubbornly sought to resurrect his closest friend, and in doing so, unleashed a great disaster…
It was the brilliant short-lived artisan, who believed he would enjoy decades of glory, yet became tainted by the flesh and blood of an Abomination of Abundance, twisting into the very immortal monster he hated most…
It was the Swordmaster of the Luofu, a peerless warrior with the greatest martial prowess, who slew countless foes on the battlefield yet was forced to watch as souls were desecrated, compelled to personally execute those who had fallen to the Mara…
It was the youngest, most optimistic of them all, a youth who should have become a knight-errant roaming the star seas. But in a time of great peril, he shouldered the responsibility of his nation and family alone, becoming the Luofu's unrivaled general, a master of strategy who had long since lost the spirited heart of his youth.
After listening to Yanqing recount these tales, Jing Yuan, too, fell silent.
Within the Seat of Divine Foresight, a deep quiet settled, broken only by the soundless curling of incense smoke.
After a long while, a soft, dry laugh escaped Jing Yuan's lips. No wonder Jingliu was teetering on the edge of becoming Mara-struck… He almost wanted to find her and give her a good thrashing for it.
Some things, some matters, perhaps didn't hurt so much if they remained unspoken.
But once voiced aloud, the feelings of those involved were dredged up, raw and deep.
A dark, mischievous thought suddenly crossed Jing Yuan's mind. He felt an urge to capture Blade, record this entire monologue, and play it on a loop right next to the man's ear.
"That Trailblazer… if his strength isn't enough, he'll definitely be cut down by her, won't he?"
Jing Yuan lifted his head, his gaze drifting out the window toward the distant sky.
Soon, everyone had followed Tingyun aboard the starskiff and arrived at an unfamiliar port.
"Benefactors, please disembark here," Tingyun said warmly, her smile as pleasant as ever.
"Though I usually keep to myself, I still know where the Divination Commission is located." Fu Xuan surveyed their surroundings, her expression turning serious. "What route did you take? This isn't the Divination Commission."
"Oh, my dear Grand Diviner, please calm your anger!" Tingyun quickly offered a placating smile. "The Celestial Sphere suddenly malfunctioned, making it truly difficult to pinpoint the correct Heavenly Abode entrance. This humble girl also wished to handle things more efficiently, but this is the only place we can dock the starskiff right now."
She gestured gracefully. "Look, the Exalting Sanctum is clearly a peaceful area. For the rest of the journey, let's just walk a few extra steps and treat it as sightseeing."
"Hmph… Fine. I won't make things difficult for you. I must return to the Divination Commission first to prepare the Matrix of Prescience," Fu Xuan conceded, clearly not wanting to press the matter further.
"Yes, it seems the Divination Commission cannot operate for a single day without the Lord Diviner overseeing it," Tingyun echoed with a beaming smile.
"Then you should establish proper succession planning," March 7th remarked casually. "If Fu Xuan needs to take leave or something, the Divination Commission won't be able to function. That would be troublesome."
Fu Xuan's expression darkened slightly, but she didn't dwell on it. "I will excuse your hasty remark, assuming you are unaware of our internal affairs. I shall take my leave first."
"Is there anything we can help with?" Caelus asked eagerly.
"You all?" Fu Xuan chuckled, her tone faintly teasing. "Such kind hearts. No wonder General Jing Yuan said you could be 'freely dispatched'."
"This might not be pleasant to hear, but the General promised that we must also be present during Kafka's interrogation," March 7th insisted, crossing her arms.
"You underestimate me. My promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold; even if the Heavenly Abode collapses, I will keep my word—though the probability of that is certainly not zero," Fu Xuan stated solemnly. "To make this criminal speak, the Divination Commission must employ special means. This involves a secret technique and cannot be made public, so please forgive me."
She raised a hand to forestall any further argument. "But I swear: even when all preparations are complete, the interrogation will not begin until you all arrive. I have already assigned a disciple to wait in the Exalting Sanctum plaza. Once our internal matters are sorted, a command will be sent for the guide to bring you to the Divination Commission. Please… wait patiently."
Having finished speaking, she turned and left with a brisk, purposeful stride.
"Hmph, she's the Grand Diviner of the Divination Commission, yet she's not as steady as our Mr. Yang," March 7th muttered, watching Fu Xuan's hasty retreat.
"Exactly, exactly," Stelle and Caelus nodded in perfect sync.
"Oh, my. Don't let the Lord Diviner hear that, or she'll surely get angry," Tingyun said, covering her mouth with her sleeve as she chuckled, her foxy eyes sparkling with amusement.
"You three…" Welt shook his head, a helpless but fond smile touching the corner of his mouth. He casually took out his jade abacus, preparing to check his messages… but his hand suddenly froze.
A message from Leon?
Welt tapped open the chat window, and an image instantly loaded onto the screen.
The next second, his pupils contracted into pinpricks.
The hand gripping the jade abacus tightened abruptly, his knuckles turning bone-white. He scrubbed at his eyes with his free hand, as if refusing to believe what he was seeing.
Mr. Yang's face became an indescribable mask of shock, disbelief, and a dawning, terrible recognition. His breathing grew ragged and quick.
This person?
This person…
This person!
The resemblance… it was too striking. It was impossible.
Welt's carefully maintained composure shattered. He directly pulled up the picture Leon had sent—a photo of Luocha—and enlarged it to life-size, the glowing projection hovering in the air before him.
"Mr. Yang… W-what's wrong?" March 7th immediately noticed his distress. She had never seen him display such… raw, almost uncontrolled emotion.
"What is it? What did Big Brother Leon send?" Stelle asked, leaning over curiously.
"Who is this person? A photo sent by Big Brother?" Caelus's gaze fell on the screen, examining the golden-haired figure carrying a huge, ornate coffin. "The style is quite… distinctive."
Welt did not reply.
'Calm down,'he told himself.'Calm down. Maybe they just look alike?'
He took two deep, shuddering breaths.
After repeatedly confirming that his eyes were not deceiving him, his fingers trembled as he quickly dialed Leon's number.
Calm? Calm my ass!
How could someone with that face possibly be a good person?
'Answer the phone! Quick! Answer the damn phone!'
"…Why are you following me?"
Jingliu stopped, turning her head to glare coldly at Leon, who trailed just a few paces behind her. If not for this man, she never would have caused such a commotion back there, nearly revealing her presence.
"Hey, isn't it because I'm new here and unfamiliar with the area?" Leon chuckled, his tone as casual as if they were discussing the weather. "I have nowhere else to go. Besides, I thought for sure you'd stay there, waiting to be 'invited' to the Shackling Prison by the Cloud Knights."
"You know our purpose?" Jingliu's eyes narrowed dangerously. The moment the words left her mouth, she recalled the vision she had witnessed when she'd put on that strange blindfold… herself, wreathed in an ominous aura, standing before the Divine General's avatar as it billowed black smoke.
"…That was a foolish question," she corrected herself, her voice low. "You must… see everything about this matter clearly."
Her appearance in that state… what exactly was that?
Was it the future?
Did her future self succeed?
"That's not the future. Or rather, it's not only the future," Leon said, seeming to read her mind. His faint smile never wavered. "That is merely… one of countless possibilities."
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