Chapter 714

「「Huh?? 」」 Yan Qing looked at Xing, face full of shock.

「「Not bad. 」」 Lingsha smiled and nodded, 「「As for these three, you must be guests from the Stellar Express, right? You saved Luofu from fire and water, truly admirable. 」」

March 7, embarrassed by the praise, said: 「「Hehe, not that impressive~」」

「「There's still time; why not take this opportunity to have a cup of tea at Dan Ding Si? Besides, I'd like to hear your suggestions on the reconstruction of Dan Ding Si. 」」

「「Then Yan Qing will simply obey. 」」

——

Crimson Eye

「「Condensed…… You're just saying Yan Qing is short, aren't you?! 」」

Najieta exhaled a deep smoke ring: 「「Not entirely, there's also praise for his swordsmanship—Yan Qing, though young, has come far in the sword way, having received Jingyuan's instruction and Jingliu's guidance, essentially condensing the essence of Luofu swordsmanship. 」」

「「Besides, that older sister Lingsha is pretty impressive and beautiful… she even has dragon scales on her legs—is she a Xianzhou person? 」」 Main asked curiously.

Chelsea's gaze sank slightly: 「「Yes, though it's the first time seeing a Xianzhou person with both hands and feet red. If the Dragonmasters of Luofu saw their own kin serving as one of the Six Sovereigns, they'd probably be so excited they couldn't sleep. This way, the current Dragon Sovereign of Luofu is in Dan Ding Si, and another Xianzhou person holds power over Dan Ding Si… thus the Xianzhou person's influence in the Six Sovereigns has greatly increased. 」」

Tazmi turned to look at Chelsea, puzzled: 「「Chelsea, do you think the Dragonmasters will seek some personal gain from this newly appointed Miss Dan Ding? 」」

Chelsea sneered: 「「Using power for personal gain—isn't that the classic maneuver of the big shots? Even if this Miss Dan Ding has no such intention, who can guarantee the Dragonmasters don't? 」」

Frankly, none of Luofu's Dragonmasters have left her a good impression; if not for the Dragonmasters scheming behind the Drink Moon Rebellion, a lot of trouble could have been avoided. Thereafter, their control over the Dragon Maiden has been the same—with these vermin around, how could the Xianzhou people's internal affairs be governed well?

——

「A few people arrived at Dan Ding Si by star barge; just stepping through the gate, Xing spotted Su Shang on duty in the distance. Upon seeing Xing, Su Shang's eyes lit up instantly. 」

「「Xing! You're back in Luofu! Why didn't you say anything in the group beforehand! 」」 Su Shang immediately lowered her voice, whispering: 「「I'm on duty; let's talk later. 」」

「Seeing her so serious, Xing couldn't resist making a funny face to tease her. 」

「「……」」

「Su Shang let out a 「pfft」, trying hard not to laugh, but the corners of her mouth couldn't be held down. 」

「「Pfft… I warn you, the post is sacred! Don't goofing around with me, it's annoying! Cough cough…」」

「Su Shang cleared her throat, solemnly: 「「If you have nothing else, don't loiter around here. 」」 After saying that, she quickly changed expression, speaking softly: 「「Let me finish my work in a few days, then call Xiao Guizi and Huohuo to go eat at Jinren Xiang together. It's been a while since we last gathered. 」」

「「Goodbye! 」」

「「Oh? I didn't expect the guests of the Stellar Express to have so many friends in Xianzhou—truly makes me envious. 」」 Lingsha chatted amiably with everyone along the way, only stopping when she reached a platform where the Divine Tree could be seen in the distance.

「「Over the years, the scenery of Luofu's Dan Ding Si remains unchanged. The ancient sea is eternal, tides come and go; for us Xianzhou people, there is no homeland more worthy of nostalgia than this. 」」

「「…Is Miss Lingsha a native of Luofu? 」」

「Lingsha withdrew her gaze from the distant Divine Tree, turned to the crowd: 「「Yes, I've grown up in Luofu since childhood, listening to these waves in Dan Ding Si, studying alchemy earnestly with my teachers and peers. How lamentable, the world's impermanence is strikingly similar. Like Mr. Danheng, I have traveled abroad. Now returning to see the old scenery, I can't help but feel some emotion. 」」

Yan Qing: 「「If there were no Divine Tree, the scenery here would probably be even better. 」」

「「Really? I think the Divine Tree adds a nice touch there, quite impressive. 」」

「「No matter how impressive, it's still the Shou Wen Hui Ji. Xianzhou has been fighting fiends for thousands of years; seeing the Divine Tree rise again, everyone inevitably feels a hidden unease. 」」

——

Naruto

「「Isn't discussing this a bit too sensitive? 」」

Yashidou withdrew his gaze from the heavens, looking through the pale green liquid in the culture tank at Orochimaru opposite, saying, 「「I think little brother Yan Qing's complexion is about to change. 」」

Orochimaru stretched out his long tongue, licking the corner of his mouth, his lips curling into a strange arc: 「「Heheh… Anyway, the last guy who praised the Divine Tree's impressiveness had his neck twisted backward. 」」

「「Do you doubt his identity? Think she's the same as Phantylia? Both are members of the Anti-Matter Legion? 」」

「「No. 」」 Orochimaru slowly shook his head, his golden vertical pupils constricting in the dim light, 「「She's not a bad person; she's just more open-minded about the taboo of Shou Wen Hui Ji than the Xianzhou people of Luofu. However, as the Grand Alchemist of Dan Ding Si, her research on Shou Wen Hui Ji is surely among the top in the Xianzhou League. 」」

「「The more one knows about Abundance, the less natural reverence there is; only those lacking understanding of Abundance fear it like a tiger. 」」

「「Hehe… If you were in Luofu, you'd definitely be considered a heretic. 」」 Yashidou chuckled lightly.

「「In this repressive system, any curiosity about taboos is heretical. 」」 Orochimaru turned and walked toward the lab bench, 「「But history is often driven by heretics—though… most heretics die before they can push history forward. 」」

——

「「Once a seed is buried, no matter how you impede its growth, it will eventually sprout and bear fruit. In my humble opinion, the rebirth of the Divine Tree is precisely like the reappearance of the Divine Physician's Secret Transmission—it is inevitable. This seed was buried as early as when the Xianzhou ancestors sought immortality. 」」

Xing felt sweat about to break out, quickly saying, 「「Wasn't it supposed to be tea? Where's the tea? 」」

Lingsha chuckled: 「「It was my rashness; Mr. Danheng and Yan Qing Xiaowei are the ones who personally experienced this Divine Tree calamity, so I wish to discuss a few matters with the two of you. 」」

「「What does Miss Lingsha want to ask? 」」

「「I have the honor of being commissioned by the League to cleanse the accumulated grime of Dan Ding Si. However, Luofu's Dan Ding Si is riddled with wounds, already past the point of no return. I wish to propose a Healing Prescription, but I don't know what insights you two have. 」」

Yan Qing doesn't understand state affairs, so he can only recommend she consult General Jingyuan. Although Danheng is a Xianzhou person, like Xing and March 7 he is an outsider and cannot comment on Luofu's internal affairs. But since Lingsha has spoken, he is still willing to give her a piece of advice.

「「For a long time, the Luofu Xianzhou people and Dan Ding Si have been intertwined with countless connections; if Miss Lingsha cannot remain aloof and wishes to change Dan Ding Si's situation, it will likely be difficult. 」」

「「Understood, thank you for your teachings, Lingsha here expresses gratitude. The Divine Bow's light arrow is unmatched in power—it can cleave the Divine Tree, but cannot sever the mortal yearning to persist. Like the Cloud Rider, though it can purge the remnants of the Divine Physician's Secret Transmission's rebels, it cannot soothe the hearts of Dan Ding Si. 」」

Lingsha lifted her gaze toward the Divine Tree in the depths of the Ancient Sea: 「「The Xianzhou ancestors fully understood this, which is why they entrusted the duty of guarding the Divine Tree's mysterious root to the Xianzhou people. But the Xianzhou are merely mortals. As early as thirty years ago, my mentor, who was also the Grand Alchemist of Luofu's Dan Ding Si, had already sensed the undercurrents here, intending to return to the origin and purge the false. 」」

Lingsha lowered her brows slightly: 「「It's a pity that, while she is skilled in medicine, she doesn't understand people's hearts, completely unaware of how to excise the malignant tumor lurking deep within Dan Ding Si. In the end, her mentor was framed and exiled to the Vermilion Bright Xianzhou, and I, too, was implicated and had to leave Luofu. 」」

Everyone gasped, not expecting that Dan Ding Si thirty years ago still had such a past.

「However, the next second, Lingsha continued with shocking words. 」

「「And the one who was responsible for mediating this matter, approving the exile order… was none other than General Jingyuan himself. 」」