You Just Call People, This Seat Won't Even Blink

"General, this is the maximum safe distance calculated by the Divination Commission."

Aboard the Bixuan Guard's Cloud Knight command ship, Fu Xuan's image, transmitted from the Xianzhou Divination Commission, spoke with considerable gravity. "Based on the last information sent by the Yaoqing via the Huangzhong System, and the results from scout ship probes..."

"Any further forward, and the Tunyu Yinghuo's planetary field will trigger the resurgence of Abundance abominations, cut off communications, suppress propulsion systems, and simultaneously, the probability of long-life species succumbing to mara will increase exponentially. Formally, it closely resembles the 'Blood-Soaked Hell' recorded in history, associated with Shuhu."

"Blood-Soaked Hell..." Hearing this familiar term, Jing Yuan felt a flicker of reminiscence. As someone who personally experienced that battle, he was certainly no stranger to it.

It represented the most difficult opponent the Xianzhou Alliance had ever faced. Simply being within it induced mara-struck states, and even the Vidyadhara would fall into draconic madness.

If not for Baiheng wielding the power of the Black Sun and plunging into the fray alone, the Xianzhou might not have survived that ordeal.

"Are you certain it's the Blood-Soaked Hell?"

"Not entirely. At least, compared to the Alliance's records of the original Blood-Soaked Hell, there are differences. The effects aren't as intense, but similarly, Vidyadhara power can suppress and mitigate it to some extent."

"What is the attitude of the Vidyadhara Dragon Masters regarding this?"

"...Those fellows refuse to join the battle. They claim the current Luofu Vidyadhara lack anyone capable of sustaining a Cloudhymn resonance of that scale anymore," Fu Xuan reported, cheeks puffed out, clearly furious.

"...We can't blame them. That is indeed the truth." Jing Yuan sighed.

Only elite Vidyadhara could support the Cloud Knights within a domain like the Blood-Soaked Hell. With the Luofu's Vidyadhara Dragon High Elder position effectively vacant, even if some capable individuals remained among the Vidyadhara, they were the last remnants of their core strength.

How could they possibly allow their precious kin to aid the Cloud Knights and charge into what might be another Blood-Soaked Hell?

He murmured softly, "Dan Feng..." If my old friend were still here, would things have come to this?

"General?"

"Ah, I'm fine..." Jing Yuan collected himself. "Since the Luofu's Vidyadhara are unavailable, can the Fanghu provide some assistance?" He pinned his hopes on the nearby, retreating Xianzhou Fanghu, a ship populated almost entirely by Vidyadhara.

Just then, Yukong, Helm Master of the Sky-Faring Commission, interjected, her virtual projection tinged with deep anger and fatigue. "General, traces of Denizens of Abundance have appeared in the Fanghu's direction."

"Furthermore, Denizens of Abundance are also approaching the Luofu. According to news from the Yuque, it seems the Yuque has also engaged the enemy."

"I'm afraid we won't be getting any reinforcements..."

"..." Jing Yuan's smile froze slightly.

According to prior assessments, the Denizens of Abundance should currently be fragmented and fighting independently, incapable of gathering for a major offensive so quickly. But thinking about it, perhaps it wasn't so strange.

After all, the sudden appearance of a living planet was clearly related to the Denizens of Abundance. Even if it wasn't directly related, seeing the Xianzhou, who had been constantly beating them down, run into trouble?

Given the Denizens' nature, they absolutely wouldn't mind kicking the Xianzhou while they were down.

Simultaneously... there was even worse news. Living planets didn't just sit still.

With the Xianzhou Yaoqing currently caught in Tunyu Yinghuo's field, its propulsion drastically weakened, the distance between them would undoubtedly shrink rapidly.

Soon, perhaps, this flagship renowned throughout the Alliance for great victories would suffer the same fate as the Cangcheng Xianzhou long ago.

"General, what should we do next?" Fu Xuan asked anxiously, desperately seeking a solution from her General.

As for relying on the Cloud-Piercer like during the Third Abundance War? That was the Alliance's primary strategic weapon, the compass used by the navigation flagship Xianzhou Yuque to guide all Xianzhou ships along ancient routes. It was currently still aboard the Yuque.

Besides... using the Cloud-Piercer to launch 'arrows' was fundamentally a desperate measure, killing a thousand enemies while losing eight hundred allies.

The essence of the Cloud-Piercer launch was providing the Reignbow Arbiter with a coordinate. Her own master, Jingtian, was sent off along with the target by one such 'arrow.'

Could they even send the Cloud-Piercer onto the living planet? Setting aside whether it could function properly under the influence of a near-Blood-Soaked Hell environment, given the living planet's indiscriminate appetite, throwing it over would likely just result in it being swallowed.

"...Lady Fu, you are the Master Diviner of the Divination Commission," Jing Yuan reminded her with a wry smile.

The Divination Commission was effectively the brain of a Xianzhou ship. When facing difficulties, one consulted the Master Diviner. Why was she asking him now?

Looking at Fu Xuan, who resembled an anxious young girl (and indeed, by Xianzhou lifespan standards, she wasn't that old), he sighed, feeling somewhat helpless. How can I entrust the General's position to you like this... my dear Lady Fu...

"Ah! Right, I am the Master Diviner..." Fu Xuan suddenly realized, then cleared her throat twice, her expression turning serious. "Ahem, facing a great enemy, this Seat lost composure due to nervousness. General, please excuse my breach of etiquette."

"In that case, Lady Fu, do you have a countermeasure?" This time, Jing Yuan wasn't trying to deflect; he asked sincerely. He was genuinely out of ideas.

While the Luofu still had many Cloud Knight fleets, sending them into something like the Blood-Soaked Hell meant sending them to their deaths—a one-way trip.

As for the Lightning Lord... Jing Yuan himself didn't dare advance much further. Not out of fear of death, but because he knew his own situation clearly.

As an old man over a thousand years old, by normal Xianzhou standards, he should have succumbed to mara and been taken away by the Ten-Lords Commission long ago.

That he was still holding on was due to his excellent mental fortitude, making him a 'durability king' among the Xianzhou.

But charging into a domain that induced mara? That wasn't just seeking death; it was practically volunteering for it.

The power of the Hunt couldn't protect him from mara; otherwise, why would Xianzhou Generals ever need to report to the Ten-Lords Commission?!

Remembering Fu Xuan's clever maneuvering during the Third Abundance War, Jing Yuan, who initially hadn't thought highly of her, now felt a glimmer of hope.

"This Seat's insight surveys the cosmos. This small problem naturally cannot stump this Seat."

"The result given by the Qiongguan Matrix is: inaction is better than action. Wait." Having said this, Fu Xuan's expression turned somewhat peculiar.

Jing Yuan was stunned. "Wait?" He was completely confused.

True, the Third Abundance War seemed to have had a similar result—if the Xianzhou attacked proactively, defeat was certain; only by holding a defensive posture could they turn the tide.

And indeed, Fu Xuan had sacrificed a master (literally) to achieve that comeback.

But now...

"Lady Fu, please don't joke." Jing Yuan glanced at the observation platform, estimating the closing distance between the Yaoqing and Tunyu Yinghuo, feeling helpless.

Does this look like a situation where we can wait? If they waited any longer, that living planet would probably gobble up the Yaoqing like a snack, and it still wouldn't be enough to fill the gaps between its teeth!

Or was she hoping to replicate the 'master sacrifice' tactic? Fu Xuan didn't have a master to sacrifice anymore... As for himself, although it was risky... Jing Yuan thought, If you can really use my sacrifice to solve this, then maybe it's not out of the question. Jing Yuan was willing to die for the cause.

But could he really ride the Lightning Lord in, then somehow scoop the Yaoqing out of Yinghuo's belly?

"I am not joking." Fu Xuan looked annoyed, irritated, but also clearly puzzled herself. Even she, with years of divination study, couldn't understand this divination sign.

What does 'persist in waiting, and good things will happen' mean?

And what's with this random personal fortune? 'Career stable as Mount Tai'... To others, this would be a great sign, but to Fu Xuan? Bah! Isn't this just cursing me to be Master Diviner for life?!

Pah pah pah! This Master Diviner's ambition is to be the Xianzhou General!

Besides, she was using the Great Divination Matrix Array, probing the fortune and misfortune of the Xianzhou! What was the meaning of a personal fortune suddenly popping up?

"Strange, could the Qiongguan Matrix be malfunctioning..." she muttered, confused.

"Qingque... Qingque!" Subconsciously, Fu Xuan called out for a new diviner who had recently joined the commission. She held high hopes for that child.

She remembered the girl seemed to be on duty in this area. The only headache was Qingque's incredibly lazy disposition. Fu Xuan planned to rigorously temper her character, preparing an excellent successor for the Master Diviner position that would be vacant after she became General.

Wanting to send that unproductive subordinate to check the Qiongguan Matrix, she called out several times but found no one around, irritating Fu Xuan greatly.

At such a critical moment, that useless girl dared to abandon her post?... Hmph, after this crisis passes, this Seat will definitely correct that rotten attitude!

"...General, has something happened on your end?" Suddenly, Fu Xuan noticed some commotion near the Dansong Guard fleet. Then, seeing a somewhat familiar figure, she blurted out instinctively, "Qingque?!"

"Don't think wearing that stupid mask means this Seat won't recognize you! As a diviner of the Divination Commission, how dare you abandon your post at such a critical time! After this matter is concluded, this Seat will discipline you severely!" she berated loudly and angrily.

This made Jing Yuan, who had been wary of the unidentified girl in green suddenly appearing on his command ship, pause. He looked closely at the brown-haired girl wearing a mask, seemingly carrying something on her shoulder. The attire was indeed Xianzhou style.

"...Lady Fu, this is one of your Divination Commission people?"

"Indeed. A newly recruited diviner... This Seat wondered where she had slacked off to..." Complaining, Fu Xuan suddenly froze. The place Jing Yuan was currently located... wasn't that the Dansong Guard command ship, right on the front lines? How did Qingque, a minor diviner, get there?

"...Why if it isn't the esteemed Master Diviner herself. Looks like I came at a bad time," came the familiar lazy tone that drove Fu Xuan mad with its lack of drive. [Qingque] scratched the back of her head, looking troubled and helpless.

Fu Xuan felt both annoyed and worried. "Qingque, what do you think you're doing in a place like that?" That's the frontline!

Wait... what was that on her shoulder? "And, that thing on your shoulder..."

Her gaze, along with Jing Yuan's, fell upon the 'object' slung over [Qingque]'s shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

It seemed to be a person, a Foxian woman, but battered and covered in wounds, as if having gone through a major battle.

Looking closely, [Qingque] also bore numerous marks, especially the mask, which looked like something had clawed it, shattering a piece.

"Ah? Oh, this? Figured the Xianzhou side would be worried about her, so I hauled her back." Casually, [Qingque] unloaded the 'cargo,' dropping it onto the floor with a thud that made Jing Yuan wince.

Recognizing the face sent Jing Yuan's mind blank. "The Sky-Striking General of the Yaoqing?!" he exclaimed.

Looking at that delicate face, sleeping soundly like a baby, how could Jing Yuan not recognize his colleague, another of the Seven Arbiter-Generals?

"Saw her when she was having a Moon Rage episode. Took me quite a bit of effort to calm her down. Even broke my mask."

The casual words sounded like a horror story to those in the know. After all, the Yaoqing's Sky-Striking General Feixiao, even among the Seven Arbiter-Generals, was second only to Marshal Hua in martial prowess, famous for her ferocity.

During a Moon Rage episode, Feixiao's combat power would only become more terrifying.

And yet... You subdued her? While she was in a Moon Rage? Jing Yuan felt like he was listening to some ghost story.

Perhaps because seeing the missing Feixiao reappear before him was too shocking, he hadn't fully recovered from his stupor.

"Alright, no need to worry. The Yaoqing General is fine. Just have the Alchemy Commission prescribe something later, let her recuperate."

"..."

"Your Excellency..." Coming back to his senses, Jing Yuan looked at [Qingque], instinctively wanting to say something, but faltered at the address.

Logically, rescuing an Arbiter-General was an act worthy of immense gratitude. However... remembering the person was a Xianzhou native, a diviner under the Divination Commission, he hesitated.

Saying 'Your Excellency' felt too formal, too distant. If she were an outsider, pleasantries would be easy. But this was clearly one of their own, a colleague...

A minor diviner performing such a great service? Even with Jing Yuan's vast experience, finding an appropriate address felt awkward. Too distant might push her away. Too familiar, yet he didn't know her attitude towards the Xianzhou.

"Alright, General, look, I'm just a humble little diviner under the Master Diviner. No need for formalities. If you like, just call me Qingque like the Master Diviner does. Little Sparrow works too, my colleagues in the Divination Commission like calling me that. Whatever's comfortable, I'm fine with it."

The lazy, utterly authentic voice made Jing Yuan feel a sense of warmth. His initial wariness gradually dissolved, especially with the casual, unpretentious manner of address.

Her way of handling things, somehow, reminded him of his former friend, Baiheng—she too was so carefree and unrestrained. Influenced by her, his own style of dealing with people became similar...

So, in a way, seeing [Qingque], he felt like he was seeing a version of himself before becoming the mature General. This sense of déjà vu left Jing Yuan momentarily dazed.

The next moment, the flagship navigation officer reported urgently, "General, the Xianzhou Yaoqing is back online!"

"?" Jing Yuan froze. Weren't they trapped by the field's influence, communications cut off?

"Oh, that... I asked someone to help toss that affected Xianzhou ship and those Cloud Knight fleets out of the field."

"See, I brought the Yaoqing General back here too. Now, could you trouble the General to have our Luofu Cloud Knight fleets clear some space for me?"

"This..." The rapid turn of events left even Jing Yuan baffled, unable to react for a moment. He completely failed to understand the request to 'clear space.'

"Mainly 'cause that person doesn't really hold back when they fight. And this big fella here is kinda special... If you don't want to get caught in the crossfire, it's best to get far away from here."

Hearing the girl's lazy words, Fu Xuan, back in the Divination Commission, was speechless. What the? No holding back? Caught in the crossfire?

Fine, I get it! You mean you want to one-shot that living planet and you're worried about hitting the Xianzhou fleets on the edge, right?

Realizing this, Fu Xuan almost laughed out loud. She retorted, half-angry, half-amused, "Qingque, are you in your right mind?"

Child, do you even see what that thing is? A living planet! A living Planet recorded by the Xianzhou!

This thing, according to Xianzhou records, has vitality rivaling Shuhu! Even if the Lightning Lord skewered it, it would still be munching away happily! And you want to one-shot it?

Don't kid me! Even if Marshal Hua herself were here, facing that thing, she could only stare helplessly!

"Hey now, I never said I was gonna do it... That'd be pretty troublesome. But the person I called over has been waiting for a while... I'm worried they might lose patience and leave," [Qingque] shrugged helplessly.

"Huh?" Calling someone? Fu Xuan was speechless again.

She believed Qingque was probably hiding some secrets—just seeing that mask had already sparked certain ideas in her mind. Masked Fools. After all, masks were standard issue for the Mourning Actors. Those clowns at the Tavern loved stealing masks from the Mourning Actors.

But so what if you're a Masked Fool? What are you gonna do, summon Aha here?

"Eh, Lady Fu, since the Xianzhou Yaoqing is now safe, what harm is there in waiting a little longer?" Jing Yuan interjected, trying to smooth things over.

The improved situation had lifted his mood considerably, and somehow, he felt like something incredible was about to happen if things continued this way.

Though it felt utterly bizarre, he decided to trust [Qingque] for a bit longer.

However, this only fueled Fu Xuan's competitive spirit. She retorted dissatisfiedly, "General, troop deployment is a serious military matter! How can we arbitrarily change plans based on mere baseless claims?"

Seriously? If it ends just like this, won't I lose face completely? Although she found [Qingque]'s performance 'beyond expectations,' it was precisely because of this that Fu Xuan, who prided herself on her sharp insight and knowledge of the Divination Commission, felt indignant about misjudging this Qingque person.

Master Diviner Fu, with her peculiar sense of pride, felt she absolutely had to put this hidden sparrow in her place now, otherwise, she, as the Master Diviner, would be utterly disgraced.

"Where is this person you called? Tell them to come over! This Seat wants to see exactly what kind of divine being you've invited, daring to boast about obliterating a living planet in one strike!"

"Uh... Are you sure? THEY doesn't really like meeting people..."

"And seeing THEM will be very troublesome."

"Hmph, this Seat thinks you can't call anyone."

"...Do you really want me to call?"

"Call! This Seat tells you to call, so call!"

"No matter who it is, this Seat will face them equally!" Fu Xuan declared proudly, arms crossed. "But if they dare not show themselves, this Seat understands. Cowards hiding in the shadows are all like that."

Laughable! Since the day this Seat became a diviner, I received the blessing of discerning heaven's will! Is there anything I wouldn't dare to face? If this Seat even blinks upon seeing that person, this Seat will personally serve you tea from now on!

Seeing this, [Qingque] sighed, seemingly communicating with something. "She insists on seeing you."

"Then just make a trip. It's no big deal anyway."

Jing Yuan shook his head, thinking Fu Xuan was being too emotional for a Master Diviner. He planned to play peacemaker again, intending to invoke the 'I am the General' skill to forcibly end the matter.

Until the next moment—

An utterly immense power descended.