Chapter 88: with translation of chapter title

""Refusal?!" Xing stared at her in disbelief."

""Just a star core—nothing more. The Alliance has long known of this and has its own ways to deal with it. The Celestial Vessel has sailed for eight thousand years, accustomed to life-and-death crises." Yu Kong said calmly, "Although the disaster looms fierce, the Celestial Vessel still has the means to handle it; there's no need to rely on outsiders' power to quell the crisis.""

""You honored guests have come from afar; there's no reason for you to get involved in this—do you understand what I mean?""

Soul World, Pure Spirit Court.

In the Guard Court Thirteen Division meeting room, A San Jing Lian Ci, the vice captain of the Six Division, let out a slight displeased 'tsk'.

""That said… the Celestial Vessel people are really too arrogant, aren't they?!""

In the meeting room were captain- and vice-captain-level figures, separated by a door; aside from the third seat, all other Shinigami sat outside. Lian Ci's remarks drew murmurs of agreement from outside the door.

""Arrogance? That doesn't count." Byakuya Kuchiki glanced sideways at Renji behind him, speaking in a calm tone: "You haven't forgotten, have you? The Celestial Vessel is a faction directly blessed by the Hunt Star God, similar to Jing Yuan, an envoy-level figure, plus five generals and one marshal.""

""Bei Luo Bo Ge lacks a guardian envoy, so not being able to handle a star core is understandable. But the Celestial Vessel has seven guardian envoys stationed yet cannot handle a one star core—that's incomprehensible, right?""

Byakuya Kuchiki's words were reasonable and well-founded, immediately silencing the murmurs outside.

""If we truly follow Yu Kong's words—that the Celestial Vessel has sailed for eight thousand years—then a one star core could destroy them; the Celestial Vessel Alliance would never have made it to today.""

Now, Kyoraku Shunsui, seated with his chin resting on one hand at the captain-commander's seat, affirmed Byakuya's words but also had another concern.

""The Celestial Vessel aims to hunt Abundance, yet now Destruction has butted in— in other words, the Celestial Vessel has become a battleground where three Star Gods' forces vie for control, making the situation unpredictable.""

""This isn't like Bei Luo Bo Ge—on that ice sphere, everyone just needed to focus on dealing with Cocolia and the star core; now, in the Celestial Vessel, the stances of friends and foes could shift at any moment.""

After Kyoraku Shunsui finished speaking, a faint cough suddenly came from the captains' bench—it was the Ten Division's Hitsugaya Toshiro.

""Captain-Commander, I have another view.""

Toshiro cleared his throat and said solemnly: "Whether it's the Star Gods' forces or the train crew, after all, those are matters of another world. Although some of them can sense our existence, at least in the short term they won't threaten the Soul World, right?"

Toshiro's words immediately made everyone think of Sang Bo, and a cold sweat broke out on their spines—that man whose intentions are inscrutable, with just a few remarks, had stirred a great upheaval in the Soul World.

Kyoraku Shunsui also repeatedly tried to guess that man's thoughts, but each attempt left him feeling as if he were continually falling into a spiderweb, uncomfortable.

He is both righteous and wicked, friend and foe…… Considering that he has temporarily done nothing that could significantly affect the Soul World, the captains all relaxed their guard against him.

""Most likely… yes." Kyoraku Shunsui nodded.

Hitsugaya Toshiro lifted his teacup, watching the tender leaves slowly sink to the bottom, his eyes gradually narrowing.

""You've all witnessed their swordsmanship, right? What do you think?""

Toshiro lifted his gaze, sweeping over the several captains present—they had all witnessed the battle between Jing Liu and Jing Yuan; even a simple recollection made them tremble with excitement.

Especially Zaraki Kenpachi, who slammed the table and burst into loud laughter: "That's certainly exhilarating!"

""Yeah, at least in swordsmanship, that fight… I can't match it." Toshiro's eyes slightly narrowed as he drew his zanpakuto from behind and gripped it tightly.

""The Celestial Vessel's swordsmanship is quite exquisite, a heritage spanning over a thousand years. In my view, if the opportunity arises, we must master it—this is also the most important task at present.""

""If we master such swordsmanship, should that man named Sang Bo suddenly turn hostile and threaten the Soul World someday, we would have an additional means of response.""

The remaining captains also agreed with Toshiro's view, but they still had doubts: "If the woman named Jing Liu is indeed dead, and her swordsmanship has been passed to Jing Yuan, then if Jing Yuan doesn't act… we might find it hard to learn it ourselves."

""But Jing Yuan also passed his swordsmanship to Yan Qing.""

""In the days ahead we can focus on that young brother." Toshiro said, "With such a legendary master, it's hard to teach a mediocre disciple. I have a feeling… that young brother's attainment in swordsmanship is also quite extraordinary."

——

""No matter how Walter explains it, Yu Kong's attitude remains unchanged; her meaning is also the Celestial Vessel's final decision, which cannot be altered.""

""Since she has made her stance clear, San Yue Qi also doesn't want to wade into this muddy water. But if she wants to leave, Yu Kong's expression turns stern, indicating that they cannot go.""

""Hey, you're being a bit over the top." San Yue Qi is already a little angry."

""Just several days after the star core was discovered on Luo Fu, the Star Rail Sea was completely sealed off, with no one allowed to leave—how could you all have foreseen this, and how could you determine that all this is related to the star core?""

""I retrieved the entry and exit logs of the Star Rail Sea; not long ago, someone hacked the system, opened the Jade Realm Gate, and guided a one warship into port—that's you: the Star Rail.""

""The hacker's methods were superb, and they left a one mark, almost as a provocation—'Silver Wolf', a member of the Star Core Hunters.""

""Yu Kong's voice was colder than deep winter snow: "What's your explanation for this?""

""We were commissioned by the Star Core Hunters!" Xing hurriedly defended."

""But Yu Kong wouldn't hear any of it, simply stating sternly: "Before the aforementioned doubts are cleared up, you may not leave the Heavenly Shipping Bureau.""

""Before his words even faded, Yu Kong glanced aside, and then a hearty laugh came from not far away, causing several people to involuntarily turn their heads.""

""All that could be seen was a blue projection slowly approaching the crowd, and the identity of that projection…… was none other than General Jing Yuan."""

""Yu Kong, don't be so fierce—if word got out, wouldn't the galaxy laugh at the Celestial Vessel Alliance for lacking hospitality?""

""Hmm, quite a familiar routine.""

Inside the Jade Pavilion, Ning Guang lay back on the couch, leaning on the soft silk cushion, the corners of her mouth lifting in a familiar smile.

The little secretary, Bai Wen, still didn't understand: "Lady Ning Guang…… what routine is there?"

""One plays the good cop, the other the bad cop.""

Ningguang explained unhurriedly, "First, let a minor leader play the bad cop, deny the threat, then have the senior leader step in to play the good cop, to ease things—actually it's just a method the senior leader uses to win people's trust, nothing new."

Baiwen, think carefully, if at this moment you are the members of the train troupe, would you rather trust Yukuang a bit more, or General Jingyuan a bit more?