"You certainly have a way with words," Stelle said, nodding with a hint of a smile. The praise was clearly welcome. "I think we can help. What do you guys think?"
"If you can assist me in capturing the Stellaron Hunters, it would be a tremendous favor to the Xianzhou," Jing Yuan replied, his tone growing solemn. "Since you treat us with such sincerity, the Luofu will surely repay your kindness in kind."
"...Alright." Welt pondered the offer for a moment before finally giving a firm nod.
"Splendid. It's a deal, then." Jing Yuan clapped his hands together, a warm smile returning to his face. "I will immediately issue orders for Helm Master Yukong to share all relevant intelligence with you and allocate elite personnel to assist in the search. During your stay, should you have any need for the Sky-Faring Commission or the Cloud Knights, please do not hesitate to ask."
He paused, the smile fading as his expression turned serious. It was time to get down to business.
"As for the second matter... just a short while ago, strange rumors regarding the 'Reignbow Arbiter'and the'Plague-Bearer' have begun to spread throughout the Luofu, seemingly from nowhere."
Jing Yuan rubbed his temples, a rare look of helplessness and gravity clouding his features. Even he, the General of the Cloud Knights, couldn't fathom where these whispers had originated.
Could some Masked Fools or perhaps even the Fictional Historians have infiltrated the Luofu?
Truly, these were turbulent times. First, the Stellaron had flared to life, then the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus began stirring in the shadows. He had even suspected the Antimatter Legion was watching from the darkness. Now, it seemed the waters were far deeper and murkier than he had ever imagined.
"'Reignbow Arbiter'? 'Plague-Bearer'?" Serval repeated the titles with a curious tilt of her head.
"Those are specific titles the Xianzhou people use for the Aeons," Welt explained in a low voice. "The Xianzhou Alliance adheres to tradition: benevolent Aeons are honored as 'Arbiters,'neutral ones as'Lords,'and hostile ones are disparaged as'Scourges.'"
He glanced at Jing Yuan before continuing, "The 'Reignbow Arbiter'refers to Lan, the Aeon of the Hunt, while the'Plague-Bearer'... is a derogatory name for Yaoshi, the Aeon of Abundance."
Stelle and Caelus nodded in unison, their expressions showing they had just learned something new. The titles sounded both elegant and ancient, carrying a certain majesty—just as one would expect from the Xianzhou Luofu.
"And the content of these rumors...?" Welt pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, an ominous feeling inexplicably rising in his heart.
"Oh, the content is right here." Jing Yuan gestured for Yukong to hand a data slip to the Astral Express crew.
"General..." Yukong hesitated, her expression tight.
"This matter has already spread throughout the Luofu in a most peculiar fashion. Even if we don't tell them now, they will find out the moment they step outside the Sky-Faring Commission," Jing Yuan said, shaking his head gently.
Under normal circumstances, the Xianzhou was simply too vast. Without using the official network, news couldn't possibly propagate so quickly. Someone had to be pushing this from behind the scenes. He was almost certain of it: either the Masked Fools or the Fictional Historians—or perhaps both—had slipped onto the ship.
Hearing this, Yukong finally relented and handed the data slip over.
Welt took it, and the rest of the Astral Express crew huddled around to get a closer look.
"Wait a minute... why does this opening look so familiar?" March 7th's eyes widened from the very first line. As she continued to read, she felt a part of her soul begin to wither and die.
Wasn't this the exact "story" Leon had told them back on the Express?
"Holy crap—"
Caelus was about to shout, but Welt swiftly clamped a hand over his mouth, a single drop of cold sweat trickling down his forehead. They were already on thin ice with Yukong. If they were confirmed to be the source of these rumors, their situation would become exponentially worse.
"Inside the Xianzhou Luofu... do not shout," Welt warned solemnly through gritted teeth, clearing his throat before finally letting go.
Fortunately, while they were absorbed in reading, Jing Yuan's projection and Yukong had maintained a polite distance.
"Could it be... that Big Bro is the one spreading these rumors?" Stelle guessed in a hushed whisper.
"Hmm... the timing might not work out," Serval mused, her brow furrowed in thought. "He only just got off the Express a short while ago. How could the news have spread everywhere so fast? But... this is just too much of a coincidence."
"Haha, it's definitely not him..." March 7th managed a dry, hollow laugh, trying her best to defuse the mounting tension.
"Everyone, are you finished reading?"
Jing Yuan's projection and Yukong walked back over, their expressions unreadable.
"Ahem, yes, we're finished..." Welt coughed twice, composing himself. "Finished. This story is obviously a fabrication. It's most likely the work of the Masked Fools or the Fictional Historians."
He swiftly distanced the crew from the matter, pinning the blame squarely on the two most likely culprits.
"Indeed, that is my assessment as well," Jing Yuan nodded slightly. "However, the mastermind is hidden very deep, and we have yet to find a single trace of them. This... is the second matter I hope the Astral Express can assist with."
He looked at the crew, his gaze calm and penetrating. Welt's momentary flash of awkwardness had not escaped his notice. But some things, even when seen through, were better left unsaid.
The Astral Express crew exchanged panicked glances. So... we have to investigate ourselves?
In a secret chamber deep within the Exalting Sanctum, Dan Shu, the leader of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, also received a copy of the rumors.
Her fingers dug so deep into her palms that they left angry red marks on her pale skin.
"...It is said... that Lan, the Reignbow Arbiter, once deeply admired another Aeon."
"...At that time, Lan was but a mortal..."
"...Since then, He has been searching the universe day after day, seeking the traces of His beloved..."
"...The Aeon that Lan so cherished... was, of course... the one who shows mercy to all living beings and sows the seeds of life, the Aeon of Abundance, Yaoshi."
"Who spread this? Is it one of my own people?" Dan Shu's brow furrowed, her voice a low growl as she questioned her subordinates.
The candlelight flickered, casting dancing shadows on the sigil of the Aeon of Abundance emblazoned on the wall. This story seemed to be disparaging the Demon Bow, Lan, but by linking Him with her Lord Yaoshi, it also filled Dan Shu with deep displeasure.
Simply put... it offended both sides.
"Such blasphemous words defile the supreme mercy of our Lord Yaoshi, forcibly entangling Him with that Demon Bow... This is a provocation aimed at our Disciples of Sanctus Medicus."
A trusted subordinate, dressed as a common alchemist, knelt before her. "Chief, please calm your anger. The rumors are spreading with extreme speed through mysterious methods, far beyond mere street gossip."
"The Sky-Faring Commission and the Divination Commission are investigating but have found no leads. Even within the Cloud Knights... there seem to be private discussions."
Dan Shu closed her eyes, taking a deep, shuddering breath to suppress the fury rising within her.
How would Jing Yuan respond to this? Would he go with the flow and use this incident to further vilify the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus? Or... was even that brilliant General feeling just as confused as she was right now?
"To be able to so accurately undermine the very foundation of the Xianzhou people's faith in the Aeons... this is the work of no ordinary person," she murmured, opening her eyes again. Her gaze was once more cold and sharp as shards of ice. "The Masked Fools enjoy the farce of collapsing faith, while the Fictional Historians are obsessed with the madness of altering truth... either is possible."
"Find them. Find the person responsible and capture them!"
"...Wow, handsome, your pectoral muscles are huge! How did you train them?"
A bright, carefree smile stretched across Leon's face as he watched yet another Xianzhou local try to get a very muscular man's contact information, comparing his physique to the great Aeon Qlipoth.
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