"Ever since Tingyun followed us to shut down the furnaces, something felt off to me. And earlier, she even talked with Stelle about immortality…"
"I never expected the lord ravager who never showed herself would be right beside us the whole time."
"Yeah. Nanook's very own 'VTuber-with-a-skin'. Seriously, she really knows how to play."
"'Skin-suit streamer'… that description is disturbingly accurate."
Fu Xuan clicked her tongue.
Traveling with a lord ravager all this time — this guy really had nerves of steel.
She'd even asked Xun yu earlier, and he claimed he didn't know.
Didn't he clearly know from the very beginning?
Or was everything already under his control?
Yet from phantylia's appearance to her retreat, Xun yu never lifted a finger…
"Then why didn't any of the people familiar with Tingyun notice anything wrong?"
March scratched her head, completely puzzled.
"Perhaps phantylia perfectly mimicked the real Miss Tingyun?"
Welt offered his hypothesis.
"Then… where is the real Miss Tingyun?"
"No idea. But I'm afraid her chances aren't good…"
Silence fell.
When an ordinary person encounters a lord ravager, survival is almost nonexistent.
"Uh… she's actually still alive."
"Hey— don't look at me like that. The aeon of Elation just told me."
Ah yes. When in doubt, blame the aeon of Elation.
A truly versatile excuse.
"She was rescued by some important figure. As for when she'll return — that's uncertain."
Xun yu spread his hands, indicating that was all he knew.
"Oh… I see. But then, Xun yu — why didn't you step in and stop her?"
"She's an Emanator. You're an Emanator too."
Because I wanted to slack off, and insta-killing her would've been boring…
That was what Xun yu thought, but obviously he couldn't say that out loud.
"There are differences even among Emanators. Don't be fooled — I may be an Emanator of Elation, but I'm actually really weak."
"Look, if I stepped in and failed to stop her — or worse, provoked her — I could run away, sure. But you'd all be stuck here in the Alchemy Commission's domain suffering the consequences."
"Her real target is the Ambrosial Arbor. As long as we gather the top-tier fighters and jump her— cough— engage in a decisive battle, it'll be fine."
"If we win, no problem. If we lose… the Luofu crashes."
As he finished speaking, Xun yu suddenly slid on his knees toward Fu Xuan.
But she had clearly anticipated this and sidestepped smoothly—
Xun yu stood back up immediately, face unflushed, heart unperturbed.
"Though I'm not good at fighting, contributing a billionth of my 'meager strength' is still doable."
He winked at Fu Xuan as he said this.
"Then… I suppose I should thank you?"
Her lips twitched. She truly didn't know what to do with this abstract creature.
Fu Xuan really wanted to kick him, but doing so in public might cause another misunderstanding like last time.
"No need. Just pay me afterward."
Xun yu grinned and handed over a slip of paper.
"Here — the Express crew's account number~"
The other three members of the Express all smacked their foreheads in unison.
They were honestly stunned by this maneuver.
But compared to the stuff he'd pulled before…
This was oddly acceptable.
"…Ahem! Rest assured. You've helped the Luofu greatly — the Alliance will remember your contributions."
"Come. I'll take you to the domain where the Ambrosial Arbor lies."
On the way, Fu Xuan explained the situation of the Arbor's domain.
"That domain was once managed by the Vidyadhara. It is said to be an ancient seascape transplanted from their homeworld."
"After the Ambrosial Arbor was felled during the great war, its roots spread wildly and never truly died."
"The Alliance resolved to seal it within the Scalegorge Waterscape and entrusted the Vidyadhara High Elders to guard it generation after generation, hoping to suppress it using draconic power."
"After the General finished observing the grand formation and contacted me, he disappeared. He said there was a 'fated and crucial matter' he must attend to personally."
A fated matter…
Yeah. Dan Heng is about to meet Blade.
As the skiff approached the Scalegorge Waterscape, no one noticed that something was off about Xun yu.
His true self had already rushed ahead to Dan Heng's storyline.
What remained behind was merely an illusion — real enough to fool anyone.
Meanwhile…
After parting ways with Sushang and Luocha, Dan Heng followed the traces left by his companions and arrived at the Alchemy Commission.
Perhaps due to worsening Stellaron corruption, Vidyadhara mirages appeared here — shadows of the past.
Countless memories surged into his mind. Dan Heng instinctively clutched his head.
"No… these things have nothing to do with me anymore…"
"I was exiled from the Xianzhou long ago. I am no longer a dragon scion of the 'Permanence.'"
He shook his head gently, eyes flickering as he stared at the turbulent sea.
A ship was docked nearby.
"This surging power… You— you are… the High Elder has returned."
"Terrible things are happening in the Scalegorge Waterscape. Please do not proceed further. Your enemy… your enemy is waiting for you."
This Vidyadhara mirage was different from the others — it seemed to possess a fragment of awareness.
Dan Heng's expression was conflicted, but the resolve in his eyes never wavered.
"I'm sorry. I can't stop here. My friends have already gone ahead. I must catch up."
"You are still as stubborn as ever… just like back then."
"Then the ship to the Scalegorge Waterscape awaits you at the shore. Please board it."
The mirage spoke with helplessness, knowing it couldn't dissuade him.
Dan Heng gave it one final look, stepped onto the ship, and departed.
Standing at the bow, he watched the Scalegorge Waterscape draw closer, emotions swirling in his chest.
Before long, he set foot on its shore.
And there, Kafka and Blade had already been waiting.
"He's here."
"Mm. Perfect timing."
Kafka crossed her arms and replied calmly.
"The emotions are surfacing again, Kafka. I can feel it — that feeling again! This feeling…"
Blade clutched his head as unbearable memories flooded back, savage intent rising in his heart.
"Then release it… the mara-struck state."
And at that very moment, Dan Heng arrived.
"You're here."
"It's time to pay the price! The time has come!"
"You think changing your appearance lets you escape?! Escape…?!"
Facing Blade's hoarse roar, Dan Heng took a deep breath.
"I've told you — and that woman — countless times already. I am Dan Heng. I have nothing to do with your past."
Heh… hehehe…
Blade let out a chilling laugh, slowly drawing the Shattered Blade.
"Dan Heng… you think changing your face and identity erases your sins? You… you haven't even experienced 'death'…"
"I'll make you feel that pain. Dan Heng — I'll show you what 'death' truly feels like!"
"Heh. That won't do."
"Today, you're killing no one, wanted criminal — because you're coming with me."
An untimely voice rang out.
Appearing alongside it was the man netizens affectionately called the 'Legendary Damage Sponge King' — Yanqing.
[TL note: I don't even want to translate that part if that part was actually accurate LOL]
Earlier, while Welt and the others were chasing Kafka, Yanqing had independently pursued Blade.
Along the way, he encountered a white-haired woman whose eyes were obscured.
Her true identity was none other than Jingliu, the former Sword Champion of the Luofu.
At the time, she nearly lost control of her mara while slaughtering abominations.
Fortunately, Yanqing's status as Jing Yuan's disciple made her hold back — otherwise, that strike might have left him scattered in pieces.
That was Yanqing's first true setback.
He'd even tasted death that day.
Surviving that single sword strike took him a long time to recover…
But clearly, Xun yu's attention was elsewhere entirely.