Chapter 455: The General's Duty

Inside the Shen Ce Fu, the usual leisurely yet steady atmosphere was now replaced by an invisible tension.

Carved windows sliced the slightly scorching afternoon sun into orderly patches of light, casting them onto the mirror‑smooth black jade stone floor, yet could not dispel the gloom clouding the brows of those in the hall.

The head of the Tai Bu Si, Fu Xuan, stood in the center of the great hall.

She wore a pink‑and‑white ensemble, her long pink hair meticulously arranged, and now her suddenly widened eyes gave her a somewhat fierce aura.

She looked at the dragon girl before her, who was scratching her cheek.

"Bai Lu."

Fu Xuan's voice was not loud, but clear and weighty: "You, say it again?"

Bai Lu shook her head, her crisp voice tinged with helplessness: "Divination Master Fu, please don't glare at me… I'm telling the truth. General Jingyuan… all his bodily functions are perfectly normal, his breath steady, pulse gentle, internal balance well maintained, even better than when he overexerts himself. Yet… his consciousness is in a deep slumber; no matter what method we use—celestial arts, pharmacology, even the techniques supplied by the Tai Bu Si… nothing works. He cannot be awakened, no matter what."

She spread her small hands and added, "It's like… the spirit suddenly leaves the body and wanders the clouds, leaving only an intact empty shell here. Such a case is rare even in the records of the Dan Ding Office."

"Spirit out of the body? Wandering the clouds?"

Fu Xuan's brows furrowed even tighter.

Her surrounding aura unintentionally condensed, an invisible pressure making the already quiet hall feel even heavier, as if the air itself had become slightly viscous.

Standing behind Fu Xuan's side, Qingque, who was trying to lower her presence, couldn't help tucking her neck in and quietly shifting a small half‑step to the side.

(Sss… Lady Fu Xuan's low pressure is terrifying… this really spells big trouble!)

Around Fu Xuan and Bai Lu stood several senior officials of the Six Departments and high‑ranking strategists of the Shen Ce Fu.

They exchanged glances, each seeing gravity in the other's eyes.

One of the more senior strategists stepped forward, cupped his hands toward Fu Xuan, his voice steady yet urgent:

"Divination Master Fu, the situation is now clear. The General's condition is not an ordinary injury or illness; it may involve the mysterious fate of the mortal path or… unspeakable secrets. We have, according to protocol, urgently reported to the Yaoqing Xianzhou and the Alliance headquarters. Reply: before the cause is identified and a method to awaken the General is found, Luofu cannot be without a person in charge for even a day. After the elders' consensus, and considering the Tai Bu Si's responsibility for forecasting and perceiving opportunities, as well as your past experience co‑managing affairs and making swift judgments, we hereby request Divination Master Fu to temporarily assume the General's position, overseeing all Luofu affairs to stabilize the situation."

He paused, his gaze sweeping the assembled crowd, and continued: "As for the General, elite troops will be drawn from the Dan Ding Office and the Cloud Cavalry for close guardianship, and renowned physicians and specialists from Xianzhou and even across the stars will be invited to consult on his treatment. This is an extraordinary measure for extraordinary times; we earnestly hope Divination Master Fu will place the people of Luofu above all else and not decline."

As his words fell, the gazes in the hall instantly focused on Fu Xuan.

Those looks held hope, scrutiny, and a subtle, hard‑to‑detect complexity—after all, temporarily assuming the General's seat, with its heavy authority and massive responsibility, is no small matter.

Fu Xuan fell silent.

She lowered her eyes, her long lashes casting a faint shadow beneath her lids.

(Temporarily… the General's post?)

(Sitting in that position… issuing orders… overseeing the whole situation…)

(Is this… an opportunity?)

A wave of indescribable surge rushed through her heart, nearly pulling her smile away.

How many years has it been?

She employed the Exhaustive Observation Formation to model all things, and with her insightful eye foresaw opportunities, painstakingly assisting at the side, all so that one day she could truly stand at a higher position and better enact her ideals; now this chance, arriving in such an unexpected, sudden manner, has slammed before her.

Reason String told her that she should now display sufficient difficulty.

So she lifted her eyelids, her eyes filled with just the right gravity, and her voice took on a hint of melancholy:

"This matter… concerns great importance. The General is a pillar of Luofu; his sudden slumber has set our hearts ablaze with worry. The Acting General's seat carries authority as heavy as a mountain; Fu Xuan's talent is shallow, her learning thin, her experience still limited, and she fears she cannot bear this heavy duty, letting down the Alliance's trust and the expectations of Luofu's people…"

Before she could finish, Yukong, who stood below, immediately spoke, his tone decisive: "Divination Master Fu is being overly modest! What Luofu needs now is a helmsman who can perceive opportunities and discern right from wrong; Divination Master Fu could not be more suitable!"

Another representative from the Earth Balance Department quickly echoed: "Exactly! Divination Master Fu heads the Tai Bu Si, foreseeing fortune and disaster, perceiving mysteries, precisely fitting the need to steady hearts and handle the changing situation now!"

The other departmental officials and strategists also voiced their support, their words earnest and reasons ample, the core sentiment uniformly: this task can only be done by you, Fu Xuan; don't refuse, agree quickly, Luofu cannot wait!

Watching the people below exchanging words back and forth, she felt as if Luofu would collapse the next second should she not agree, and the pretense of composure in Fu Xuan's heart was nearly unable to suppress the rising smile.

Fortunately, years of steadiness remained; she forced her facial muscles under control, yet a flash of brilliance flickered deep within her eyes, too swift for anyone to notice.

She slightly furrowed her brows, as if after an extremely arduous mental struggle, she finally let out a sigh.

She straightened her already upright spine, her pink hair swaying lightly at her shoulders, her face adopting a solemn expression of "who else but me, the heavy burden upon my shoulders."

"You all…"

She shook her head, her tone tinged with helplessness: "Really… you've made my life difficult."

She turned, her gaze fixed on the foremost seat, perched several steps up, symbolizing Luofu's highest authority.

The chair was broad and heavy, its armrests inlaid with the Patrol Hunt emblem.

Usually, General Jingyuan sat there in a lazy posture, but now it was empty.

Fu Xuan ascended the steps one by one.

Her steps were steady, but the observant Qingque seemed to notice that as Fu Xuan stepped onto the final stair, her toe caught slightly, causing a brief wobble.

(Ah!)

Qingque's heart tightened.

Fortunately, Fu Xuan reacted extremely quickly, adjusting her balance in an instant and standing firmly.

Yet this tiny mishap still caught the eyes of some sharp observers below, and the atmosphere instantly acquired a hint of… awkwardness.

At that moment, Qingque's emotional intelligence and reaction speed, honed over years of "slacking off" and akin to survival in dire straits, came into play.

She immediately stepped half a pace forward, her face beaming with admiration and sudden realization, her crisp voice breaking the silence:

"Lady Fu Xuan must be deeply concerned for the General's safety, feeling the weight of great responsibility, causing her spirit to surge! Such loyal dedication is truly a model for us!"

That exclamation instantly provided a dazzling justification for Fu Xuan's minor slip.

The audience below, hearing this, immediately showed expressions of "so that's why" and "the noble virtue of the lady," nodding, and the earlier awkwardness vanished in an instant.

"Qingque is right!"

"Divination Master Fu… no, General Fu, heavy on sentiment and righteousness, truly admirable!"

"We still ask General Fu to take care of your health, please stay safe!"

Some even spontaneously began calling her "General Fu."

Hearing the title "General Fu," Fu Xuan, who had just settled into the chair and was secretly sighing in relief, almost lost her seat again.

A rush of shy, complex emotion surged straight to the crown of her head, making the skin behind her ears warm.

She quickly pressed a clenched fist to her lips, feigned a light cough, using it to steady her mood while pulling everyone's attention back to the main point.

"Alright."