Fu Xuan snapped her head around, glaring at Qingque. "You know her?"
Feeling a bit guilty under that gaze, Qingque stammered, "I... I don't..."
Fu Xuan sighed. Looking at Qingque, it was normal that she didn't know. This person's records had been erased by the Xianzhou; she was a "traitor" whose very name had been scrubbed. Fu Xuan hadn't lived through that era either.
However, because of her unique status and her daily duties in calculation and investigating the past to know the future, she inevitably stumbled upon some sealed secrets. That was how she knew of Jingliu's existence and the identity that the name represented.
They continued watching.
Jingliu's expression suddenly shifted. The dangerous smile vanished, and the sinister aura dissipated. Her eyes became as clear and bright as red agates.
"Heed my word: Tenacious as the Cloud Knights, we shall shield the Xianzhou like a cloud of arrows."
"Draw your sword!"
In front of a group of Cloud Knights, the young Jingliu was full of sharp spirita true heroine! The boy she had ordered to draw his sword responded immediately.
"Yes! Master!"
Seeing the boy's appearance, Qingque laughed. "Ha! This kid looks just like General Jing Yuan. Could he be the old man's secret son?"
The next second, she met the Master Diviner's gaze, which looked at her as if she were an idiot.
Qingque realized she had misspoke and asked tentatively, "Is this... General Jing Yuan when he was a child?"
"And the woman beside him is Jingliu? She was General Jing Yuan's master?"
"I see you still have some brains left," Fu Xuan replied curtly.
As Fu Xuan's voice fell, the two figures on screen began an intense battle. Jingliu's attacks were lightning-fast and lethal; Jing Yuan could barely manage to parry them.
In a flash, the scene shifted back to the even more distant past.
A young Jing Yuan was swinging a longsword repeatedly. He was drenched in sweat, his mouth hanging open as he panted heavily. Meanwhile, the master beside him remained strict and demanding.
"Grip it tighter!"
"As a Cloud Knight, you must never let your weapon leave your hand, nor let your form falter."
"Yes! Master!"
Hum!
The scene changed again. Amidst the flames stood a soldier who had already succumbed to the Mara-struck state.
"Master..."
"He doesn't recognize us anymore..."
The young Jing Yuan seemed to be facing this situation for the first time. Confronting a former ally, he hesitated to strike. Jingliu remained expressionless behind him as she drew her weapon.
"Such is the fate of those who fall to Mara."
A cold flash of light, and the opponent was cut down.
"Mara is the destiny of the long-life species."
"If there comes a day when I fall to Mara, you must show no mercy."
"Yes... Master..."
Those words felt like a dark prophecy. The scene that followed showed Jingliu kneeling on the freezing ground, her body curled up and trembling as she let out pained whimpers. It was a stark contrast to the decisive and sharp swordswoman from before!
Meanwhile, Jing Yuan stood outside a cage, watching the scene powerlessly.
"Those struck by Mara suffer the Six Dusts of Delusion; their humanity is utterly lost."
"Go back, Jing Yuan."
"Jingliu is gone."
Bang!
The memories of the past were suddenly shattered by countless icy blades. Jing Yuan was sent flying, sliding back dozens of feet across the ground. The fallen Jingliu continued to walk toward him, her face devoid of emotion.
Within Jing Yuan's golden eyes, a faint shimmer of moisture could be seen.
Fu Xuan and Qingque were both stunned! For as long as they could remember, General Jing Yuan had always been mature and steady. They had never seen him look so heartbroken!
Before seeing this short film, if anyone had said that General Jing Yuan could feel such pain, such hesitation, or be driven to such a desperate corner, they would never have believed it!
Only after seeing this video did they realize: no one is born a leader! No one is born capable of holding the position of General perfectly! The process must have involved pain and struggle beyond common imagination!
On the screen, Jing Yuan's gaze gradually turned resolute, as if he had made a final decision. The hand gripping his weapon began to emit streaks of golden aura. His entire body seemed bathed in golden flames. A massive golden phantom was forming behind him.
"Farewell, Master."
"Allow your disciple to use this move..."
"...To repay the debt of your teachings!"
He swung his weapon. The Lightning-Lord behind him simultaneously swung its massive golden blade. Amidst the sun-like golden radiance, Jingliu's figure slowly vanished.
Fu Xuan and Qingque stared with wide mouths. In just a few minutes, the film had vividly portrayed the helplessness and cruelty of the Mara-struck state and the complicated history between Jing Yuan and Jingliu.
Just as Fu Xuan was about to say something, the scene shifted again. The art style became bright and sunny.
"Nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight..."
"Nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine..."
"Ten thousand!"
It was a familiar environment and familiar teachings. However, the master and disciple had changed from Jingliu and young Jing Yuan to Jing Yuan and young Yanqing.
Jing Yuan said in a deep voice, "As a Cloud Knight, you must never let your weapon leave your hand, nor let your form falter."
"Yes!"
Jing Yuan smiled slightly, his tone becoming somewhat lazy. "But you're still too small; you can't be called a Cloud Knight just yet."
"I want to be like the General! In the future, I'll become a legend whose name is etched into the Xianzhou's history!"
"What's so good about that? The path to getting here wasn't easy," Jing Yuan said plainly.
"But didn't the General make it here step by step?" Yanqing argued. His eyes were filled with the stubbornness and longing of youth.
After a moment of silence, Jing Yuan frowned and pursed his lips meaningfully. Then he suddenly laughed. "Since you have so much fighting spirit, how about we spar?"
"Alright!"
"I won't go easy on you!"
With that, the short film officially ended. Silence filled the office of the Divination Commission. The two women were still immersed in the emotions of the clip.
A moment later, Qingque was the first to sigh. "General Jing Yuan... it really wasn't easy for him!"
"Looking at Jing Yuan and Jingliu then, and comparing them to Jing Yuan and Yanqing now... it feels like a lifetime has passed."
"In the future, is Yanqing going to say, 'General... allow me to use this move... to repay the debt of your teachings'?"
Fu Xuan sighed. "Qingque, if you have nothing worthwhile to say, it's best if you don't speak at all."
"Understood, Master Diviner."
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