Chapter 837: Midnight Martial Competition: Testing the Edge (92)

"But just killing a few Extinction Overlords only treats the symptom, not the cause…" Ya Yi frowned slightly, "As long as Na Nu Ke exists for a day, it can continuously promote those walking the path of Destruction into Extinction Overlords. To this day, we still cannot grasp what chasm exists between the Star God and the Envoy… even the power gap between Envoys is huge."

Even now, with only Huan Long as an Extinction Overlord, the situation is already so thorny, let alone the other Extinction Overlords. If they were to join forces, the Celestial Vessel Alliance could be destroyed in an instant.

What worries Ya Yi even more is that Hei Ta, also an Intellectual Envoy, does not get along with the Original Doctor. Even if Star Rail wants to find allies to aid the Celestial Vessel Alliance, the only ones likely to step forward are Ms. Hei Ta and that missing "Self" whose whereabouts are unknown.

——

Deep within the Jade Gate Celestial Vessel, an ancient Bell was struck. Its rippling afterglow slid over the valleys of gravity. Then light burst from the intersecting lines of the board, weaving the seal that represents General Rongtao.

"Everyone, long time no see! It's been over thirty years since the last attended meeting, and during that time I have been thinking of the generals day and night."

Feixiao couldn't help but laugh, "Is General Rongtao reminiscing about us, or 'reciting' the fate paths of us?"

The seal emitted Yao Guang's light, a brisk laugh: "Haha, General Tianji is still so quick‑witted, isn't that delightful?"

"Earlier Mr. Jingyuan said, 'Fortunately I'm the one who came; if it were General Rongtao, the questioning might not have been so friendly.' — I saw it all clearly; I wonder whether that conversation actually came true?"

Jingyuan laughed, "I've never heard anyone say that the Ten Directions Light‑Reflecting Dharma Realm can even calculate the minutiae of whispered talks. It seems the Marshal not only sent two generals to Luofu for the ceremony, but also a third uninvited guest."

Yao Guang's words carried a hint of amusement: "After all, someone in the Alliance always says Mr. Jingyuan's 'Intellectual Light shines brightly, not inferior to Rongtao.' With Luofu suffering this calamity, the Jade Gate Celestial Vessel will not stand by idly."

——

Gintama.

"Wait…! How can she calculate exactly what Jingyuan will say in the future? That's totally cheating!"

Gintoki stared blankly for a moment, then realized that Yao Guang wasn't eavesdropping on the Divine Strategy Office, but had pre‑computed Jingyuan's future words, and they had come true!

"Is the Ten Directions Light‑Reflecting Dharma Realm something like the Exhaustive Observation Array? It sounds even more powerful, calculating what someone will say in the future—it's basically a supercomputer that can endlessly simulate the future!"

"So that means…" Xin Ba Ji swallowed, "In theory General Yao Guang could even extrapolate the words we will say in the future… if she wishes to."

"Hmm…" Gintoki's dead‑fish eyes narrowed slightly, then he hoisted his voice to the ceiling, "I want mayo! I want ten bowls of special earth‑style rice bowls drenched in chili oil! I want pickled kelp! I hate strawberry milk the most—!"

Xin Ba Ji: "…What nonsense are you spouting?!"

"I'm just trying to see whether the Ten Directions Light‑Reflecting Dharma Realm could predict these absurd statements of mine, even if it's the cosmic supercomputer inside the Celestial Vessel; it probably can't foresee whether I'll pick my left nostril or right nostril next second."

…

Kagura watched Gintoki's index finger flick between his nostrils, repeatedly indecisive, and, suppressing the urge to poke his finger in, said, "Gintoki, even if that Dharma Realm could compute which nostril your finger will pick, focusing on you is just wasting its processing power, isn't it?"

——

"General Rongtao, the Yellow Bell System can only operate for a limited time. Let's keep it brief." General Huaiyan reminded from the side.

"Fine. Thanks to Mr. Jingyuan, those two prisoners have been interrogated by Jade Gate." Yao Guang said, "Among the crimes they claim, 'Sending the star core into Luofu' matches Jingyuan's speculation, but it's a baseless, self‑fabricated ruse."

"The real goal… is to use this as a chance to meet the Marshal and present their devised 'Strategy to Contend with the Gods' — that is absolutely certain."

Jingyuan couldn't hide his curiosity, "What strategy did Jingliu and that foreigner offer?"

"It can be described as an indescribable, magnificently unparalleled scene. The mystery lies in the blond foreigner's coffin…" Yao Guang paused, inhaled deeply, "…it is actually a remnant of Breeding."

Feixiao was stunned, "The remains of the Plague Ancestor of Moths and Locusts?"

"Precisely, it is a part of its divine body. In the future depicted by the two prisoners, it serves as the nail that firmly pins the Longevity Plague Ancestor onto the path of the apocalypse."

"Before that—contending with the gods requires a larger Alliance. For this, they introduced an ally to the Celestial Vessel. Surely you have all heard of Genius Club #81 Ruan Mei's name? The Eye of Jade Gate saw, and this uninvited guest has already arrived at Luofu Celestial Vessel."

"…Three, two, one. Perfect timing! As for how to receive this distinguished guest… allow me to toss this hot‑potato to everyone."

…

In the darkness, Ruan Mei's cold voice suddenly rang out.

"Do you still remember your own name?"

"…"

"I, a modest lady… am called Tingyun, and I am the ferry envoy of Luofu Celestial Vessel's 'Minghuo' merchant group…"

——

Chainsaw Man.

"Miss Tingyun!! Ahhh I missed you!!"

Dian Ci covered his "dong‑dong" thudding chest, his whole body seemed to collapse onto the sofa, his face a lovesick expression that reminded one of melting butter… but to Pawa, Dian Ci was just a piece of butter covered in mold.

Now his face held only a pure, goofy grin of obsession.

"Tingyun actually survived the hands of Huan Long… could Ruan Mei have saved her?"

Compared with Dian Ci's ecstatic joy, Hayakawa Akiyu was also surprised by Tingyun's revival, but was even more amazed by Ruan Mei's technique. Recalling the various stories about Ruan Mei, aside from her experiment reviving the King Worm and the few dialogues about the simulated universe, he realized he knew little about this genius.

Huan Long was clearly not the type to show mercy; he likely killed Tingyun, after which Ruan Mei resurrected her, but pulling someone back from death… that method is undeniably a divine technique.