Chapter 233: March 7th: You Found Tingyun's Body So Quickly?
"I was never Helm Master material. I am not good at managing trivial affairs. Tingyun, however, was a born business talent. Though she was my subordinate, she often discussed commerce with me and offered very useful suggestions. She never stood beside me on the battlefield, but she was my comrade-in-arms in an entirely different sense."
"Without the support of Tingyun and the various trade guilds, the Luofu could not have regained its vitality in just these short thirty years."
"I once thought... times had changed, and the Xianzhou had changed alongside them. People like Tingyun are the future of the Sky-Faring Commission. She can bring prosperity, while I... am only familiar with the path of blood and fire."
She slowly closed her eyes. When her lashes parted again, the depths of her gaze reflected the flowing neon lights of Starskiff Haven and the deep, endless expanse of the distant sky.
"I was wrong. Before the pawns of the Antimatter Legion are completely wiped out, the Xianzhou... still needs people like me."
"It still needs those who run through the sky for the sake of blood and fire."
Yukong took a deep breath, forcing a faint, melancholic smile onto her lips. "The starships prepared for the ceremony are ready. Everyone... place Tingyun's mementos upon them."
Footsteps approached the gathering area. Fu Xuan arrived, leading Leon and his companions into the solemn venue.
"It seems I didn't miss the scheduled time," Leon said, a relaxed smile resting on his face.
"Leon? This is..."
"Miss Ruan Mei is here too!" March 7th blinked, her gaze darting curiously between Leon and the elegant scholar standing beside him.
Did Tingyun's Consolation Ceremony truly warrant such a grand lineup? Even the Master Diviner and a legendary Genius Society member had made an appearance.
"Mr. Leon. Master Diviner," Yukong greeted them, bowing her head respectfully.
If the Sky-Faring Commission hadn't been buried under a mountain of post-crisis affairs these past few days, she would have hosted a grand banquet to thank Leon for resolving the bitter knot between her and Qingni.
"Helm Master Yukong, allow me to introduce the 81st member of the Genius Society—Ruan Mei," Fu Xuan announced.
"Yukong greets Miss Ruan Mei." Yukong bowed deeply, her posture rigid with solemn respect. She naturally understood the immense weight carried by the title of 'Genius Society'.
"Just continue as you were. Act as if I am not here," Leon said softly, waving a hand to dismiss the formalities.
"Of the items we have on hand, which ones should we pick to put on the starship?" March 7th asked, looking over the small collection of belongings.
"Put them all on," Stelle replied, her voice unusually low and serious.
Tingyun was already gone. Let everything of hers be returned to the sea of stars.
"Yes, put them all on. Leave nothing behind," Caelus nodded, his jaw set.
For once, the two Trailblazers set aside their usual chaotic, playful demeanors.
Tingyun's departure left a heavy weight in their chests, but the grief was tangled in a messy web of contradictions. Phantylia was the one who had received them from the very beginning. The real Tingyun might not even know who they were. This realization made the whole situation incredibly difficult to process.
Phantylia was a sworn enemy, a Lord Ravager, yet while wearing Tingyun's skin, she had guided them, joked with them, and forced an involuntary sense of closeness. The real Tingyun was a stranger they had never truly met, yet because a monster had stolen her face and personality, their affection felt entirely real, yet utterly absurd.
'What kind of twisted plot is this?'Caelus thought, his brow twitching slightly.'I've dug through countless trash cans across the galaxy and read every bizarre light novel on the Express, but even the most unhinged NTR stories don't mess with your head quite like this.'
"Thank you for everything you have done for the Sky-Faring Commission and the Luofu."
Yukong stepped forward, holding a small, complex object. "This small seal is the keystone of the Xianzhou's prosperity. Tingyun, the Sky-Faring Commission will not forget you. I will uncover the truth."
Her grip tightened around the seal for a fraction of a second before she gently placed it upon the starship. "If you have already perished, I will surely avenge you."
Her words hung in the air, ringing like a solemn vow forged in steel.
"The hour has come. It is time to hold the Consolation Ceremony."
"Everyone, let us meet at the Kunyu Terrace in Starskiff Haven."
Starskiff Haven, Kunyu Terrace.
As the group arrived one after another, Jing Yuan was already waiting at the edge of the platform, the wind gently catching his white hair.
"Miss Ruan Mei, welcome to the Xianzhou Luofu."
Jing Yuan nodded slightly, his tone gentle and perfectly composed. Beneath his polite exterior, a flicker of surprise crossed his mind. He had not sent any formal invitation to this Genius Society member, nor did he know the purpose of her sudden visit.
Could it be... she was drawn here by the lingering presence of the Aeons who had recently graced the Luofu?
"It is of no matter," Ruan Mei replied, returning a slight nod.
She had always planned to visit the Luofu, but her original itinerary was far more leisurely. Leon's sudden intervention had simply moved her schedule forward by a considerable margin.
The Consolation Ceremony officially commenced.
Thousands of miniature starships rose into the air one by one. They drifted upward like a rain of starlight flowing in reverse, quietly merging into the vast, dark canopy of the heavens. They carried the belongings of all the fallen soldiers and civilians, sailing toward deep space, destined to fall silent alongside the ancient stars.
The glowing specks of light drifted further and further away, finally melting into the infinite, inky background of the cosmos. They looked like departed souls finally returning to the embrace of eternity.
A solemn, heavy silence spread across the Kunyu Terrace.
Jing Yuan stood with his hands resting behind his back. His gaze was calm and deep, as if he were looking toward a future even more distant than the sea of stars above.
Fu Xuan kept her hands tucked lightly inside her sleeves. The Master Diviner, who was so accustomed to coldly peeking into the absolute secrets of heaven, had a bit less sharpness in her eyes today, replaced by a rare, quiet sentiment for mortal affairs.
March 7th rubbed her slightly red eyes. The expressions on Stelle and Caelus's faces remained exceptionally grave. They were saying goodbye to a friend they had never truly known, yet who had already quietly carved a lasting impression into their hearts.
Yukong kept her back rigidly straight until the very last speck of light completely vanished into the horizon. Only then did her shoulders drop a fraction of an inch, as if she had finally unloaded a crushing burden, only to resolutely shoulder an even heavier responsibility in its place.
She turned around to face the gathered crowd. When she spoke, her voice had regained the unshakable stability expected of the Helm Master.
"The Consolation Ceremony is complete. Thank you all for coming, and thank you... for everything you have done for the Luofu."
Her gaze swept across the members of the Astral Express Crew, finally landing on Leon and Ruan Mei, offering them a deep, respectful nod.
"Although the crisis of the Luofu has temporarily concluded, the aftershocks remain. The subsequent cleanup and reconstruction will still take considerable time."
Jing Yuan withdrew his distant gaze, his voice gentle yet clear enough to carry over the wind. "Also, please rest assured, members of the Astral Express Crew. The Luofu will never give up investigating the truth regarding Miss Tingyun's disappearance. Though Phantylia has retreated, the mist she left behind... will eventually dissipate."
"As for Ms. Ruan Mei..." He turned his attention to the elegant scholar standing quietly to the side. "I wonder if your visit to the Luofu this time involves other matters besides attending the ceremony? If there is any need, the Seat of Divine Foresight is willing to offer its humble assistance."
Everyone's gaze naturally shifted toward Ruan Mei.
The sudden arrival of a Genius Society member at a funeral ceremony was indeed a mystery that demanded answers.
Ruan Mei's gaze slowly drifted back from the endless sea of stars. "My coming to the Xianzhou Luofu this time was indeed because I was entrusted by someone..."
She raised a slender finger, pointing toward the large, metallic nutrient pod resting quietly beside her.
Everyone's attention immediately locked onto the strange device.
"What is this thing? It looks an awful lot like those weird experimental instruments from the space station," Stelle spoke up, her curiosity finally breaking through her solemn demeanor.
In truth, the entire crew had been eyeing the device for quite some time.
The nutrient pod was constructed from an opaque, heavy alloy, completely hiding whatever lay inside.
For some inexplicable reason, its shape and size gave off a similar ominous vibe to the heavy coffin Luocha had been lugging around earlier.
"This is a nutrient pod," Leon took over the conversation, stepping forward with a calm, unbothered stride.
He raised a hand, his index finger lightly tapping the cold surface of the metallic tank.
Instantly, the opaque outer shell shimmered, turning completely transparent and clearly revealing the scene hidden within.
A Foxian woman was sleeping quietly suspended in the fluid. Her expression was incredibly peaceful, as if she had simply fallen into a long, deep, and undisturbed dream.
Yukong's pupils contracted to the size of pinpricks.
Fu Xuan's breath hitched, catching in her throat.
Even on Jing Yuan's usually unflappable, composed face, an extremely hard-to-detect ripple of absolute shock passed through his eyes.
"Tingyun?! You... you found her... body so quickly?!" March 7th cried out, her hands flying up to cover her mouth in sheer disbelief.
The person resting inside the tank was indeed the Amicassador of the Sky-Faring Commission, the very woman everyone believed had long since turned to dust—Tingyun.
[Inorin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me and keeps these daily updates flowing!
Want to read 50 chapters ahead or just want to help keep a shameless translator alive? (My livelihood actually depends on this, haha 😭). You can support me directly here:
(P.S. Just remove the brackets and replace the [.] with a regular dot . to use the links!)
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters): patreon[.]com/InorinTL
☕ Ko-fi (Support / Sponsor): ko-fi[.]com/InorinTL
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]