The Xianzhou Luofu had indeed found itself entangled in trouble, and the Astral Express had arrived just in time to intervene. Jing Yuan's tranquil smile held an unspoken gravity, as if the weight of the cosmos lingered behind his calm words.
"I suppose the Express must have caught wind of something… peculiar, yes?"
His gaze never left Felicity. It wasn't quite focused, not in a way that revealed intent, yet those seemingly aimless eyes gave off a subtle sharpness—an unshakable presence that cut through the air like a blade barely sheathed.
Felicity instinctively stepped back, placing herself protectively in front of March 7th and Stelle, as if shielding them from an unseen force.
"Yes," Welt answered without hesitation, voice firm as steel. "Just a day ago, the Stellaron Hunters hacked into the Express's communications. They sent us a message—there's a Stellaron on the Xianzhou Luofu."
There was no room for riddles. Welt laid it all bare.
Jing Yuan's expression didn't falter. His smile lingered, yet there was an unmistakable finality as he shook his head gently.
"Ah… I'm afraid I must decline your kind offer. The Stellaron is indeed here on the Luofu, but this is a matter the Xianzhou must resolve on its own."
But then, as if the refusal were no more than a passing breeze, he shifted the conversation with effortless grace.
"—However, since fate has brought you to our doorstep, it wouldn't be right to let you leave empty-handed. While we cannot accept the Express's aid regarding the Stellaron, there is… another matter I must trouble you with. Please."
Jing Yuan's hand rose in a graceful gesture, a quiet command that brooked no argument.
Yukong frowned subtly, her lips parting as if to speak, yet after a moment of hesitation, she said nothing and simply lowered her gaze.
The members of the Express followed Jing Yuan through the winding corridors of the Palace of Astrum, their steps echoing faintly in the quiet air.
Felicity glanced back at Yukong, a faint crease of doubt marking her brow. She didn't join the others but instead drifted toward Tingyun, bumping her elbow gently against the fox's arm and lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper.
"Is it a rule here on the Xianzhou that subordinates aren't allowed to kiss their superiors?"
Tingyun stiffened, ears perking up sharply.
"What do you mean, subordinates aren't allowed to… Benefactor?!"
Her voice caught in her throat, realization striking her like a bolt of lightning. She turned her head, and when she saw Felicity's face so close, she flinched as if struck, her body tensing and even her tail fluffing up in alarm.
"Yes. It's me," Felicity answered seriously, her tone low and steady.
Welt would handle the negotiations with Jing Yuan. Felicity had her own priorities—starting with Tingyun. After all, Tingyun had been possessed by Phantylia not long ago. Felicity needed to know if there were any lingering aftereffects.
Neither the Blessing of Destruction nor the Gift of Abundance left without a price.
"Ahaha… I'm not sure what you mean by not kissing superiors, but if you have any questions, I'll do my best to answer." Tingyun forced a strained laugh, her voice wavering. She tried to compose herself, but an inexplicable fear coiled in her chest whenever she faced Felicity—an instinctive dread she couldn't suppress.
Felicity noticed it, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Phantylia's influence, perhaps? That lingering shadow couldn't be ignored—but how to cleanse it, she wasn't sure. She paused, then asked gently, "Are you feeling unwell?"
"…A little."
Tingyun blinked, puzzled by the sudden shift from questions to what sounded like a health check, but she nodded obediently. Truth be told, she had felt strange ever since Felicity approached.
Felicity's gaze sharpened, studying Tingyun's features intently. "Your forehead's dark, and your lips are dry… Looks like you haven't fully recovered from the internal damage. Here, give me your hand—I'll check your pulse."
"Eh?"
Tingyun lifted her hand, a bit dazed, a flicker of suspicion rising. Was this some strange con?
Felicity took her hand firmly, her fingers brushing Tingyun's wrist. The fox's skin was warm, soft beneath her touch—Felicity felt a slight shiver run down her spine.
Ahem. Focus.
Her senses probed deeper, and sure enough, faint remnants of "Destruction" lingered in Tingyun's body. Not strong, but still there. Felicity didn't rush to cleanse it outright; this wasn't the place. Instead, she reached into her pocket, retrieved a few candy-like beads, and placed them gently into Tingyun's palm.
"This is a secret medicine from my hometown," she said solemnly. "It's good for clearing internal heat. Take these, and later, go to a proper clinic in Xianzhou to get checked out."
Unleashing the Gift of Abundance in the heart of the Luofu would be foolish—and unnecessary. The corruption wasn't strong enough to warrant it, and Xianzhou likely had its own means of handling it.
"? Thank you… I think?"
Tingyun stared at the candy, a giant question mark practically hovering over her head. She unwrapped one and cautiously placed it on her tongue.
…Sweet. A bright, citrusy tang.
Was this really medicine?
She tucked the remaining candies into her pocket, carefully wrapping them as if they were precious treasures, before glancing back at Felicity, who seemed to have more to say.
But before Felicity could speak, Welt's voice rang out.
"Felicity, someone's looking for you."
Her breath caught. She turned—and there was Jing Yuan, watching her with a soft, enigmatic smile.
Her body tensed instinctively, a chill running down her spine.
Tingyun, observing from the side, suddenly found it amusing.
Ah, the food chain.
Felicity forced a smile onto her face as she approached the general.
"I've reached an agreement with Welt," Jing Yuan said smoothly. "But… there's one more thing I'd like to discuss with you privately. Would that be all right, Felicity?"
He even knew her name.
Felicity glanced at Welt—he gave a slight nod of reassurance—and only then did she exhale and nod.
"Don't worry," Jing Yuan added, his voice low and warm. "It's nothing too grave. It's just… a friend of mine, a skilled diviner, has found something unusual. Her readings don't seem to include you, and she's concerned there may be a mistake. She'd like to invite you to participate in another plan."
"…Another plan?"
Felicity's guard snapped up in an instant.
What, were they planning to throw her into a dungeon and interrogate her for fun?
She shot a sharp glance toward Welt, silently screaming: If they try anything funny, I swear I'll make a scene!
"Uncle Yang!"
March 7th tugged nervously at Welt's sleeve, while with her other hand, she restrained Stelle, who looked all too ready to swing her baseball bat.
"Haha, don't worry," Jing Yuan reassured them with a soft chuckle. "I swear, on my honor as Arbiter-General, the Xianzhou has no ill intent toward you. Look, my friend is here now."
Even as he spoke, the doors creaked open.
Felicity's eyes darted toward the entrance—and there, stepping into view, was a small girl with flowing pink hair, as delicate and radiant as porcelain. Her face held a composed, almost stoic expression, like a child pretending to be an adult, yet it couldn't mask the seriousness in her gaze.
Most striking of all was the gem embedded between her brows, glowing faintly like an eye—an unblinking gaze that seemed to pierce through everything.
Her sharp eyes met Felicity's directly.
"One of the Six Charioteers of the Xianzhou Luofu, the Master Diviner—Fu Xuan."
She nodded, just slightly, in greeting.
"…"
Despair flickered across Felicity's face.
She couldn't shake the feeling.
They were definitely targeting her.
--+--
T/N: Enjoy. Also, tell me if you think the quality of the translation is lacking or not. Rather not make a mistake and feel like a clown.