thefictionvixens Chapter 33 Time is still leisurely
Chapter 33 Time is still leisurely
Inside the Taibu Si (a place name), the diviners who had been walking hurriedly slowed down, their gazes involuntarily turning towards the quiet room.
Qingque was gently patting Fu Xuan's back and whispering something.
The usually dignified and imposing Grand Diviner was now unusually tired, resting his forehead on Qingque's shoulder and letting the other comfort him.
Isn't this scene a bit too blatant?
The crowd exchanged glances, their curiosity burning brightly, and finally turned their inquisitive gazes to Huixing, who seemed to know the truth.
"Lord Huixing," someone leaned closer and whispered, "Lord Fuxuan and Senior Qingque, could you... reveal some inside information?"
Huixing was facing an encrypted dossier with a headache. Upon hearing this, she didn't even look up and waved her hand impatiently: "It's not what you think."
Knowing too much won't do you any good; just go do what you're supposed to do.
"Hmm~" The crowd sighed meaningfully, but no one dared to ask any further questions.
Everyone knows that just a few days ago, Huixing said that the sky had fallen on Xianzhou, the world was too dark, and he was doomed.
Recently, however, he has been entrusted with important tasks one after another. If he said he hadn't been exposed to some core secrets, who would believe it?
But then I thought about Qingque's communication with Marshal Hua directly... never mind, we don't know anything.
Just then, Huixing's encrypted jade artifact began to vibrate rapidly.
After she answered the call, Jing Yuan's calm yet unquestionable voice came from the other end.
Moments later, Huixing's face fell visibly, and her voice rose several decibels: "What?!"
I'm being asked to go to the Jade Palace in six days to preside over the debate on the "New Families of the Vidyadharas"?!
"General, how did this kind of task, which involves so many parties and is so fraught with conflict, end up on my shoulders? How did you... accept it?"
On Yu Zhao's end, Jing Yuan's voice carried a hint of helpless laughter, yet it was also resolute:
This matter involves intertwined interests and intense competition among various parties.
You are meticulous and have a relatively neutral stance. You can keep the situation stable and prevent major chaos, while also preventing some people from thinking that they can take advantage of the situation and play some clever tricks without anyone noticing.
Moreover, you yourself belong to the Vidyadhara clan, making you the most suitable candidate at this time, both morally and logically.
"No, General!" Huixing was almost in tears. "You want me to preside over that kind of event?"
"If, just if, something goes wrong, or if I get caught up in some old fox's scheme, those Vidyadharas who go crazy at the mere mention of new relatives will tear me apart!"
"I'm afraid there's no way to refuse," Jing Yuan's voice was gentle but left no room for negotiation. "The list has been finalized, and the process has been submitted to the Marshal for his review."
"Huixing, practice a lot. When the time comes, I'll have Suchang... um, send some capable people to assist you."
The call ended. Huixing, clutching the jade tablet, stood there, her pretty face contorted in a bitter expression.
She knew all too well how the inner group of dragon masters had harassed her ever since Qingque was targeted, hoping to make her an inside agent.
Fortunately, it wasn't Tai Bu and the others who always kept Qing Que by their side while working, so they could have an excuse for not knowing where to start. What should they do now?
Her colleagues from the Bureau of Apostles, observing her as if "a great responsibility has been bestowed upon her, but she only wants to run away," couldn't help but murmur among themselves:
Keep pretending, then.
This is a great opportunity to gain exposure and experience, something others would kill for, and you're still looking miserable.
---
The debate on the "new followers of the Vidyadhara" was not a matter of a day or two, but a long and complex series of debates and negotiations.
The initial debate aimed to gather opinions and concerns from within the Immortal Boat Alliance—primarily from the three major ethnic groups: the Wisdom-Holder, the Celestial Race, and the Fox-People.
Marshal Hua did not pre-determine a specific debate topic, demonstrating an open attitude.
But this by no means means the first debate will be easy.
On the contrary, precisely because there are no framework restrictions and it involves core interests such as the future balance of power among ethnic groups and the allocation of resources, the debate is destined to be fierce.
To prevent the Vidyadharas from taking advantage of the "Dragon Transformation" to excessively expand their power.
Representatives from both the Celestials and the Fox People will inevitably raise as many questions and obstacles as possible from various angles.
As for whether the Celestials and Fox-people themselves also want to "transform into dragons"?
Putting aside the lack of core technology support from the "Dragon Transformation Formation" and the absurdly low success rate of the "Meng Yin Body" secret technique.
The very fact that it is impossible to tamper with the memories and ensure their transmission is enough to deter most people in high positions of power.
For the executives of Xianzhou, who pursue immortality and inheritance, the value of "new life" that cannot retain memories is greatly diminished.
Therefore, this debate was destined to be a protracted and nerve-wracking battle from the very beginning.
---
On the starship heading to the Fanghu Immortal Ship, Bailu was somewhat restless. She tugged at Lingsha's sleeve and asked, "Lingsha, what should I do when we get there? Do I need to say a lot?"
Ling Sha smiled slightly and patted the back of the little dragon's hand reassuringly: "Dragon Lord, there's no need to be nervous."
The essence of debate lies in 'reasoning' and 'magnanimity.' You only need to sit upright in the main seat, with a dignified demeanor, reflecting my enlightened style."
She blinked and lowered her voice, "If you encounter a difficult problem, or don't know how to respond, just leave everything to 'that' inside you."
Bai Heng's illusory figure appeared in the cabin at just the right moment, hands on hips, with a magnanimous look that said, "Leave it to me."
Don't worry, Little White Dew! I'm a master at debating and arguing! Back in Yaoqing, I never lost an argument with those old fogies!
"Maybe I can use your words to help Yin Yue fulfill his wish from back then!"
After she finished speaking with great interest, she remembered something and asked, "By the way, Danfeng... oh, I mean, his reincarnation, is he really not coming this time?"
Shouldn't he show up on this occasion?
Ling Sha gently shook her head: "The Danheng passenger now considers himself an anonymous guest and is unwilling to get too involved in the internal affairs of the Immortal Ship."
However, I think he will pay attention to the news broadcast after the debate.
---
Inside the cabin of another starship, which was of a higher standard and more heavily guarded, Qingyuan was experiencing one of the most boring times of her life.
She rolled around on the carpet without any regard for her image, wailing, "Why couldn't I just use the Boundary Anchor to get there?!"
I clearly activated the anchor point in Fanghu! This is way too slow!
Jing Yuan sat to the side, leisurely pouring tea. Upon hearing this, he smiled and said, "This is something we had no choice but to do."
Miss Qingyuan, the number of people eyeing you now far exceeds your imagination.
Just before we boarded the ship, members of the Vidyad clan attempted to infiltrate, with a clear objective—to collect any hair or dander you left behind.
If you were to act alone, you would likely be "warmly received" by the inescapable net laid by various forces in an instant.
If a conflict were to break out, the situation would be difficult to manage, and it would be unpleasant for everyone, wouldn't it?
Well, it seems I'm destined to get moldy in this luxurious but isolated cabin today.
Due to its extremely high level of secrecy, the starship's internal network is completely shielded, and even the Jade Emperor can only be used as a brick.
The single-player games that Qingyuan brought me have long since become boring.
Ultimately, she decided to revisit the "traditional arts" that Hoshino loved on the train.
She adjusted her breathing, her eyes glazed over, and then began to roll rhythmically on the carpet, muttering, "Gurgle...gurgle...gurgle gurgle...gurgle gurgle..."
Jing Yuan held his teacup, silently watching Qing Yuan roll on the floor, turning into a streak of blue light, his eyes twitching slightly.
The other party had confidently claimed that this was "Starry Sky Train Intangible Cultural Heritage" and showed videos supposedly depicting the daily life of the train's trio (Qingyuan, Sanyueqi, and Xing) as evidence.
But no matter how Jingyuan looked at it, it seemed more like some kind of unconventional performance art.
After all, if it were truly a train tradition, Dan Heng in the video wouldn't have declined so many times.
---
Meanwhile, in another inconspicuous area of the starship, Silver Wolf was unusually not working overtime.
Blade and Kafka quietly approached a specific hatch.
"You only have two minutes." Kaffa's voice was calm and even, but her crimson eyes held a reassuring power.
"With my 'Word of Power' suppressing it, you can go in without worry. We'll leave as soon as the time is up."
Blade nodded and pushed open the hatch without expression.
Inside the door, two figures instantly became alert.
The floating element instantly materialized and hurtled straight towards them!
Without even raising his eyes, Ren casually parried and deflected the attack with his fragmented sword.
"Wait! She's here to see me!" Bai Heng's phantom quickly appeared, blocking Ling Sha's path.
Ling Sha's eyes were wary. She glanced at Kafka, who was leaning against the door frame with a relaxed posture, and then at Blade.
"I know, after all, I treated this patient before."
In the end, she chose to hold the somewhat bewildered Bailu in her arms and retreat to a corner of the cabin.
"Ying Xing..." Bai Heng's illusory figure floated in front of the blade, his voice filled with complex emotions, "I heard that you now possess an immortal body..."
"He's nothing but a walking corpse cursed by 'Abundance' and unable to find peace."
The blade's voice was hoarse and dry, like rusted iron scraping against each other: "This body is still alive, and I only seek death."
Bai Heng remained silent for a moment, and the light of the illusory figure seemed to dim slightly.
Thus, one was as solid as life yet unable to die, the other as ethereal as illusion yet still bound by attachment.
The two then began to chat idly, engaging in a fragmented exchange that was difficult for others to fully comprehend.
The rhythmic sound of footsteps approached from afar, echoing through the corridor.
"Blade, time's up." Kafka's voice came clearly.
Without hesitation, Ren sheathed his sword and turned around. The two figures flashed and disappeared through the emergency exit on the other side.
Almost simultaneously, the hatch was pushed open again. A short, elderly man with a stern face walked in, leaning on a cane, his eyes sweeping across the cabin like lightning.
Seeing only the phantom images of Ling Sha, Bai Lu, and Bai Heng, a barely perceptible hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes.
In the end, he just sighed deeply, said nothing, and slowly withdrew.
Why won't you come to see me? Yingxing...
---
Kafka and Blade didn't go far. Following a pre-planned, clandestine path, they quickly arrived at a command room outside the core area of the starship. The door was unlocked, and the two pushed it open and entered.
Inside, Marshal Hua was bent over his desk reviewing piles of documents, not even looking up, as if he was not surprised at all by their arrival.
"Xianzhou will follow its own path."
Hua spoke first, his voice calm, "As for your choices, that's up to you."
"We want to say that, at the very least, hunting shouldn't be the only winner."
"Heh, to be honest, I'm probably not as fanatical as you Star Core Hunters think." Hua finally stopped writing, raised his eyes, his gaze calm yet incredibly penetrating.
But at least you should have told me.
In the inevitable conflict of the future, what kind of relationship will "she" have with the Interstellar Peace Corporation?
Kafka shook her head regretfully: "I'm sorry, Marshal."
Even Eriol could only see her future.
She changed the subject, "But if it's really because her future is left in the past..."
"If the last king intervenes, he can expose it; even the worst-case scenario can be revealed."
Hua seemed unsurprised by the answer, simply waving his hand dismissively: "Isn't it too early to discuss these things now?"
Her gaze swept across the deep starry sky outside the porthole. "If you don't leave soon, the elite Cloud Cavalry sent on patrol will 'just happen' to pass by this place."
Faced with this subtle yet clear order to leave, Kafka could only bow gracefully, her blade as silent as a mountain, and quietly disappear into the shadows of the command room.
---
"What a peaceful scene. It's hard to imagine the devastation they must have endured." Silver Wolf sighed as he looked at the bustling scene at the company headquarters.
"Six out of seven parts of the company were destroyed, and the custody order collapsed directly after witnessing such a tragic situation."
Perhaps... she will realize that sacrificing one person for a happy ending is such a trivial price to pay.
"Even though it's too cruel for one person," Kafka lamented.
"Speaking of which, will she really believe the message we left her?" Silver Wolf asked doubtfully. "Can't she guess that the Star Core Hunter did it on purpose?"
"Of course she could guess it, but that doesn't matter."
All we need to do is convey the message that we should integrate the prismatic base stone as soon as possible.
Following the successor of the Amber King's legacy, she founded A20, establishing a new order that protects all living beings.
Will she comply?
"That doesn't matter. When the Amber King falls, she will still repeat this trajectory."
Choosing the path we provide is merely to allow her to eliminate some of her enemies ahead of time.
It's just a matter of gaining a first-mover advantage, Miss Topa, I think you're listening.
I heard you're very busy with official duties, but I want to tell everyone something—enjoy life; there's still plenty of time to relax.