Chapter 221: Yunli vs. Yanqing — Yunli, Beat Him Up!

With Yanqing and Yunli having agreed to settle things through a duel, Evan immediately followed the two youngsters.

The moment he left, March 7th hurried after him as well.

As for Dan Heng and Stelle...

The two of them stayed behind as witnesses.

Huaiyan smiled as he studied the chain in his hand.

Over the course of his life, he had forged countless weapons and artifacts.

Yet never before had he encountered something like this.

A chain that seemed as though it had been born naturally...

Without the slightest trace of craftsmanship.

And yet...

The instant he allowed even the tiniest hint of an Emanator’s power to surface...

The chain immediately reacted, seeking to bind him.

"Curious..."

"What a peculiar artifact."

"But the universe is vast."

"There are countless worlds unknown to us."

"It isn’t impossible for something like this to exist."

"So..."

"It exists solely to restrain Divinity?"

"For ordinary people..."

"Those who walk the Paths are gods."

"To Pathstriders..."

"Emanators are gods."

"But to an Emanator..."

"Only an actual Aeon..."

"Can truly be called a god."

"’Chains of Heaven’..."

"So that’s what the name signifies."

"...Interesting."

Huaiyan chuckled softly before shaking his head.

Rather than following everyone else...

He leisurely returned to stand beside Jing Yuan and Feixiao.

Content to remain an observer.

Just as he had promised.

He had merely been dispatched by the Marshal to watch.

Nothing more.

He had no intention of interfering in the Alliance’s investigation of Jing Yuan.

After living for thousands of years...

There was little within the Alliance he didn’t already know.

Certain parasites had risen to positions of great authority...

Only to gnaw away at the foundations of the Xianzhou like vermin.

Had the Foxians...

And the Vidyadhara...

Not joined the Alliance all those years ago...

The Alliance itself might have collapsed long ago beneath the weight of its own internal conflicts.

And now...

Those same lofty officials...

Dared set their sights upon the Marshal’s own generals.

Had what happened to Imbibitor Lunae...

Not been enough?

Honestly...

It was ridiculous.

Inside the Seat of Divine Foresight...

Feixiao’s questioning had concluded.

Neither Dan Heng’s nor Stelle’s answers revealed any obvious problems.

Yet just as she had said earlier...

She hadn’t come here to represent herself.

She represented the upper ranks of the Alliance.

"Very well."

"Based on your answers..."

"My questions have been satisfactorily addressed."

"My inquiry ends here."

Huaiyan clasped his hands behind his back.

His eyes slowly closed once more.

Anyone familiar with the old general knew...

Whenever Huaiyan closed his eyes...

It meant he believed matters had been resolved.

From Feixiao’s questioning alone...

He had already obtained the answers he sought.

The Feixiao before him...

Wasn’t someone who enjoyed political interrogations.

These questions...

Were undoubtedly the Ten Lords Commission’s concerns.

"The Nameless have answered honestly."

"Some details remain difficult to explain..."

"But my instincts tell me..."

"Nothing is amiss."

"However..."

"The three questions I raised..."

"Weren’t directed solely at these two Nameless."

"They were also intended to convey certain voices..."

"To General Jing Yuan."

"First."

"The Disciples of Sanctus Medicus expanded unchecked within the Luofu..."

"While the Six Charioteers remained unaware."

"Allowing them to grow unchecked..."

"Is negligence."

"Second."

"You placed your trust in the Stellaron Hunters’ words..."

"And entrusted outsiders with resolving the crisis."

"Allowing them access to the traces of Yaoshi..."

"Is dereliction of duty."

"Third."

"Immediately after the Ambrosial Arbor disaster..."

"You insisted upon holding the Wardance Ceremony."

"Drawing the eyes of the universe once more toward the Luofu."

"That..."

"Is poor judgment."

Huaiyan smiled faintly.

Then slowly asked,

"General Feixiao..."

"Are those your own opinions..."

"Or the opinions of the Ten Lords?"

Feixiao rested a hand upon her hip.

A confident smile spread across her face.

"I believe..."

"I already made that clear when I entered."

"The questions I ask..."

"Are not necessarily what I myself believe."

After a long silence...

Jing Yuan finally spoke.

"The Disciples of Sanctus Medicus had deep roots."

"They plotted for many years."

"My failure to detect them..."

"Was indeed my oversight."

"As for the Stellaron Hunters..."

"I wouldn’t say I fully trusted their prophecies."

"But by responding to events as they unfolded..."

"The Luofu survived the Ambrosial Arbor disaster."

"That alone demonstrates..."

"That Elio’s predictions possess remarkable accuracy."

"Besides..."

"There was also Mr. Evan’s unexpected arrival..."

"As for the Wardance Ceremony..."

"Do you truly believe I failed to recognize the risks of inviting trouble through my own gates?"

"But risk..."

"Also presents opportunity."

"The Luofu’s stagnant waters have remained undisturbed for far too long."

"It’s time to stir them."

"Let the mud rise to the surface..."

"So the filth may finally be washed away."

"Tch."

Even Feixiao couldn’t help but admire him.

They were both Arbiter-Generals.

So why...

Couldn’t she ever speak with such elegance?

Unfortunately...

"The Divine Foresight General truly lives up to his reputation."

"A few sentences from you..."

"Contain enough idioms to fill an entire Xianzhou dictionary."

"I like that."

"But unfortunately..."

"Ever since your report reached the Alliance..."

"Rumors and speculation have spread everywhere."

"Even within the Luofu..."

"Officials have submitted memorials accusing you of neglecting your duties."

"They claim you allowed the Ambrosial Arbor to revive."

"So then..."

"What does General Feixiao herself think?"

Jing Yuan asked calmly.

Feixiao smiled.

"You and I both sit upon the same seat."

"We understand the burden carried by an Arbiter-General."

"As far as I’m concerned..."

"All those rumors..."

"Are nothing more than the meaningless buzzing of flies."

"Separated by an ocean of stars..."

"No one understands what truly occurred on the Luofu better than the Divine Foresight General himself."

"Just as..."

"The Yaoqing has recently encountered its own troubles."

"You mean..."

"The Yaoqing as well?"

Jing Yuan looked at her in surprise.

Feixiao nodded.

"The Qingqiu Army’s scouts have returned."

"The Borisin are stirring once again."

"What were once scattered hunting packs..."

"Have begun conquering one another..."

"Merging into ever larger warbands."

"And behind them..."

"There is something..."

"Called Manggusi."

"Our scouts report..."

"It isn’t a Borisin."

"It is a woman..."

"Who claims to be an emissary of the Plagues Author."

"She possesses twelve faces..."

"Twelve rows of fangs..."

"Cruel as deadly poison."

"And as ever-changing as flowing sand."

"The Borisin believe..."

"She will lead them toward the resurgence of their race."

"Phantylia..."

"The Lord Ravager..."

Jing Yuan narrowed his eyes.

"So..."

"It truly is exactly as Mr. Evan told me when we first met."

"Everything happening behind the scenes..."

"Still traces back to Phantylia."

"Evan?"

Feixiao blinked.

"Speaking of him..."

"Where did he go?"

Only then did she realize...

Evan and March 7th had disappeared.

So had the young Cloud Knight...

Yanqing.

And Huaiyan’s granddaughter.

At the Artisanship Commission...

Near the Creation Furnace.

This place lay closest to the Ancient Sea.

It was also...

The very location where Jingliu had once left a lasting shadow upon Yanqing’s heart.

Fortunately...

That shadow had long since vanished.

Now...

Standing before him...

Was the young sword prodigy from the Xianzhou Zhuming.

Yunli.

Facing her...

A sword-wielding youth floated lightly upon the wind.

Standing atop the highest platform...

Silently gazing toward his opponent.

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