It paused for a moment. Beneath the tall top hat, the head of the snow owl slightly turned, its clear voice carrying just the right amount of solemnity,
"First, presiding over this Luminary Wardance Ceremony on behalf of the Xianzhou Luofu, the Divine Strategist General, Jing Yuan!"
"Let me read a poem in his praise"
"Eyes closed, sitting still within the formation,
Unmoved by fleeting fame and empty titles.
Raising his head, his blade shifts like lightning,
Chasing demons, sweeping filth, honoring the Reignbow Arbiter."
Before the words even fell, Jing Yuan had already appeared, walking slowly onto the high platform.
He smiled wordlessly at the crowd below and gave a small wave, then took his seat among the honored guests.
The moment he sat down, the cheers surged like crashing waves,
"Ahhhhh, it's General Jing Yuan, General Jing Yuan smiled at me, ahhh, I can die without regrets now!!!"
"General Jing Yuan, take my life! Please, just look at me once more!"
"I'm General Jing Yuan's dog!!!"
"..."
Fu Lin glanced at the flushed faces of the nearby spectators, the corner of his mouth twitching,
"How… passionate."
The heat of the scene made Owlbert subconsciously wipe imaginary sweat from his forehead. He quickly raised his voice to steady the crowd,
"Second, from the Xianzhou Zhuming, holding the triple mantle of Military Commander, Swordsmith Grandmaster, and Technological Leader, the Flame General, Huaiyan!"
"We pay respects to Elder Flame General!" ×∞
The chorus of greetings rang out in unison, echoing in layers throughout the dueling ship.
Huaiyan stood tall upon the platform, his silver-white beard dazzling under the light. He nodded with satisfaction toward the crowd before turning to take his seat.
Finally, Owlbert continued,
"Third, from the Xianzhou Yaoqing, who has led the Cloud Knights Army to victory after victory, with her triumphs spread across the Xianzhou, known as the 'Victory General', the Vanquishing General, Feixiao!"
Unlike the previous two, Feixiao descended boldly from the air, landing on the railing of the high platform. After scanning the audience with sharp eyes, her lips curled into a grin as she raised her hand in greeting.
The very next second, the chant of "Victory! Victory! Victory!" thundered like rolling storms, for a moment even drowning out the earlier frenzy of Jing Yuan's supporters.
Arguments immediately broke out among the audience, "Do you Yaoqing people only know how to shout 'Victory'? Same words over and over, can't you think of something new?"
"That's still better than you Luofu people going insane over General Jing Yuan. You're screaming your throats raw, desperate for everyone to know you're fangirls or something."
"What do you mean insane! That's our true love for General Jing Yuan, who are you to mock it?"
Fu Lin, sitting in the back, quickly raised a hand to smooth things over, "Now, now, brothers, calm down, we're all here for the Luminary Wardance, let's not hurt the harmony~"
Unexpectedly, both turned their heads at the same time, glaring at him with equal disdain, "Tch! You, sitting there with one on your right, another on your left, and a third in your arms, you have no right to break up fights!"
Fu Lin froze, glanced at Kiana☆ perched on his right shoulder, then at Elysia smiling sweetly on his left, and finally at Sirin in his arms. He could only shut his mouth in silence.
On the high platform, Jing Yuan shook his head with a smile, fingers tapping lightly on the armrest, "Young people truly are energetic, their entrances are all so different from ours."
Huaiyan stroked his silver beard, his gaze resting on Feixiao's upright figure. His voice carried the indulgence of an elder toward the younger generation, "This little girl of Yaoqing is still as flamboyant as ever. But this flamboyance, well, it suits her title of 'Great Victory General.'"
Turning to the still-smiling Jing Yuan, he nodded slightly, "Your Luofu's audience is fervent, and Yaoqing's is no less. With the vitality of these youths, this exhibition is livelier than ever before."
Feixiao leapt lightly from the railing and landed smoothly in her seat among the honored guests.
With her return, the Luminary Wardance Ceremony officially began.
The first match, between Luka and Sushang, ended with Luka taking the victory.
Immediately after, the second pair of contestants appeared.
Fu Shi and Raiden Mei☆ stepped onto the stage at the same time. Their eyes met, both stunned, locking into a brief deadlock.
Fu Shi was the first to break the silence, one hand on her hip, her face full of surprise,
"How could it be you?"
"Didn't expect to face you right away. Luck really isn't on my side." Raiden Mei☆ rubbed her forehead helplessly, but her tone soon grew firm as she drew her weapon, "Come then, Fu Shi, I've been growing stronger all this time!"
The host Owlbert's timely voice broke the tension, "Looks like these two contestants know each other! And it doesn't seem to be a very friendly relationship, either."
"But allow me to give them a proper introduction, this match's contenders are, from Earth, the 'Herrscher of Sentience,' Fu Shi! And the other, also from Earth, the 'Herrscher of Thunder,' Raiden Mei!"
Then he scratched his head in puzzlement, "Hmm? What's Earth? Never heard of it… oh well, not important! Which side will claim victory in the end? Let's wait and see!"
In the guest seats, Fu Lin watched with amusement, "To think they'd meet in the very first match! Didn't anyone plan to save the highlight for later?!"
As he spoke, Stelle crept behind him and whispered in his ear, "Dad, this is just a Knock Test match, it doesn't affect the overall outcome. But between Mom and Thunder-Mom, who's actually stronger?"
Fu Lin raised a brow, "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be coaching that 'Iron Arm'? And why are you asking that?"
Stelle's eyes darted nervously, her tone a little guilty, "Luka's resting in the lounge right now, and I… I just came over to ask casually."
Fu Lin replied evenly, "Oh? If we're talking pure strength, Fu Shi is stronger."
Hearing this, Stelle's eyes lit up. She clenched her fist and hurried off toward the betting stand set up by the Interastral Peace Corporation.
With a loud slap, she placed her phone on the counter, "Betting! Thirty million credits, everything on the 'Herrscher of Sentience,' Fu Shi!"
Her words froze the entire area. Gasps filled the air as everyone turned their eyes to Stelle.
That "thirty million credits" landed like a thunderclap, leaving people utterly stunned.
The once-rowdy betting zone fell silent for half a second, before erupting in sharp intakes of breath.
Even the clerk registering the bets froze mid-pen stroke, staring blankly at her.
"Since there's no available data on either contestant, the odds are currently set at 1 to 2 for both… are you sure you want to wager thirty million credits?"
Someone couldn't help but raise their voice, incredulous, "Miss, gambling in moderation is for fun, but big bets ruin lives! Did you say the wrong number? That's not three thousand credits!"
Stelle ignored the shock around her. Pulling up her credit balance screen, she lifted her chin and said firmly, "No mistake. It's thirty million. Hurry up and register it, I don't want to miss the match."
Her unwavering confidence only fueled the surrounding whispers.
Some muttered among themselves, "I saw her hesitating earlier over who to bet on. She suddenly looks so sure, does she have inside information?"
Others chimed in, "She's so generous… thirty million just like that. Should we follow her lead?"
Others shook their heads and sighed, "She's probably just some reckless rookie."
All the chatter reached Stelle's ears, tugging the corners of her lips upward.
In her mind, she was already imagining, once Mom won and she walked away with ninety million, these people would regret it so badly!
She pressed her lips tight to hide her smile, "No, not yet. I can't laugh. I'll wait. Once Mom wins, they'll all be green with envy!"
Only after confirming her bet was registered did Stelle turn and run back to the stands, cheering for Fu Shi from the railing.
Thanks to Stelle's move, Fu Shi's odds instantly dropped to 1: 1.2, while Raiden Mei☆'s rose to 1: 3.