Jing Yuan, fourteen (claiming nineteen).
"Yo, Valiant Jing Yuan!"
"Greetings, Valiant Jing Yuan!"
"Paying respects to Valiant Jing Yuan."
…
In the military camp, numerous Cloud Knights saluted Jing Yuan respectfully as he passed. Though some were centuries-old veterans, they genuinely admired this young man who had been in the camp for just a year.
In only one year, he had topped every rookie test in the various camps, excelling in strength and speed, unmatched by his peers. Though his effect resistance was slightly lacking, he was otherwise peerless.
Some sharp-eyed Cloud Knights had already judged: this boy's talent was terrifying, destined for greatness!
Jing Yuan walked through the crowd's gazes with neither arrogance nor inferiority, full of youthful vigor. He approached Jingliu, bowing respectfully. "Your disciple Jing Yuan pays respects to Master!"
This was a rule set by nighttime Jingliu: greeting the master properly was basic etiquette.
"Oh… Jing Yuan? You're here?"
After a year, Jingliu was still as scatterbrained as ever. Seeing Jing Yuan, she smiled faintly. "I told you, no need to be so formal…"
Jing Yuan nodded on the surface, but inwardly, he was already grumbling: Old hag, I'm not falling for that!
He knew her too well—different personas by day and night.
"Oh… right, I forgot to mention," Jingliu suddenly remembered, hurriedly saying, "Tomorrow, the Luofu is holding the Martial Exhibition Ceremony. Did you know?"
Jing Yuan nodded. "Of course. It was announced two months ago."
Jingliu blinked blankly. "Really? How did I only hear about it today…"
"Not only that, but guests from the Zhuming and Yaoqing Xianzhou are visiting today. Did you know?" Jing Yuan countered.
Jingliu: …
"Ehe, I forgot."
—Useless old hag! Jing Yuan grumbled inwardly.
"But you've got everything prepared, right?" Jingliu placed a hand on Jing Yuan's shoulder, looking expectant.
With Jing Yuan, her handy know-it-all disciple, around this past year, even if she was as forgetful as ever, Jing Yuan had her back.
Thus, Jingliu had grown used to letting Jing Yuan handle her schedule. Her limited brain capacity only needed to focus on execution.
Jing Yuan sighed helplessly. "Of course."
…
"Wait, I have a question."
Bailu raised her hand, signaling she had something to say.
"What's that?"
"Well, your master sounds…" Bailu racked her brains, digging through her entire vocabulary to find a descriptor. "She sounds a bit… dimwitted, doesn't she?"
Jing Yuan: …
He fell silent. The issue was complex, and Bailu's remark had so many points to address that he didn't know where to start.
Bailu continued, "Normally, unless someone's born with a mental disability, no matter how slow they are, they should get smarter over time, right? Why does your master, after over a thousand years, seem less sharp than me?"
Jing Yuan scratched his head. "Well… according to her own words back then, when she was young, her mother woke her before dawn every day to practice swordsmanship. She was severely sleep-deprived and often dozed off in class."
"Over time, she became… 'clear-minded,' let's say. As for why she's still like this after a thousand years… probably because her brain's already set and can't develop further."
"Huh?" Bailu's face turned pale with horror. "No way! How many hours did she sleep to end up that dim?"
"Uh… about six hours?"
Bailu: ???
Jing Yuan cleared his throat, ignoring Bailu's shocked expression, and continued:
"When friends come from afar, is it not a joy? Dear friends from the Yaoqing and Zhuming Xianzhou, I, Jing Yuan, on behalf of the Luofu, warmly welcome you. I hope that during the upcoming Martial Exhibition Ceremony, we can bond through martial arts and toast to our friendship!"
Clap clap clap clap clap— (The crowd applauds.)
…
After the simple welcome ceremony, Jing Yuan led Jingliu to the VIP room. He had heard that the leaders from the other two Xianzhou were big shots, and they needed to treat them with the utmost respect.
First was the Zhuming Xianzhou. Rumor had it their delegation was led by the thrice-retired former Zhuming General, Huaiyan.
However, as they approached the Zhuming delegation's reception room, they unexpectedly heard all sorts of noises coming from inside—
(Sounds of metal pipes falling, glass shattering, collisions, screams…)
Jing Yuan: ?
He'd heard the Zhuming Xianzhou was a craftsmen's ship with a bold and rugged culture, but he didn't expect them to be this rugged.
What was going on in there?
"…Yingxing, you're aiming for my cane? Don't run!"
"Wait, Master, I don't get it. Why do you still make me train like this even after we've arrived at the Luofu?!"
"Sigh, you child. The Martial Exhibition Ceremony is upon us. As the saying goes, 'sharpening your blade before battle may not be quick, but it shines.' How can we waste this precious training time?"
"But… but I signed up for the craftsmen's competition! Is combat training really necessary?"
"Sigh, this is for your own good!"
"…What's with that look? And what's with the tears? Can your tears defeat opponents or melt steel? Can they win the Martial Exhibition Ceremony and bring glory to the Zhuming?"
"No, Master!"
Bang!
The reception room door was suddenly flung open from the inside. A white-haired youth, covering his face, fled without looking back.
Jing Yuan's hand, which had been reaching for the doorknob, froze mid-air…
Thud, thud, thud.
"Yingxing! Don't run!"
A burly, two-meter-tall muscular old man chased after the youth in the direction he fled.
Jing Yuan: …
A bead of cold sweat slid down the back of his head. He exchanged a glance with Jingliu, both seeing the same bewildered look in each other's eyes.
"Haha, looks like the Zhuming guests ran into a little hiccup. Let's check on the Yaoqing guests first."
Jingliu said nothing, silently following Jing Yuan.
"Baiheng, I heard the Luofu has the most geniuses among the Xianzhou. Is that true?"
"Baiheng, I heard a young genius valiant recently emerged on the Luofu. Do you think you could beat her?"
"Baiheng, the Luofu's representatives are coming soon…"
…
The Yaoqing delegation seemed relatively normal, Jing Yuan thought.
—"Ahem, everyone, please listen to me for a moment."
A spirited voice rang out from inside. "I, Baiheng, the Galactic Starskiff Hero, the embodiment of speed, the young representative of the Yaoqing Foxians, make this vow here!"
"I came to the Luofu for only three things!"
"Beauties! Beauties!! And more damn beauties!!!"