Under Jing Yuan's lead, Dan Heng arrived before the Dragonvista Rain Hall.
At this moment,
the Express crew and the Cloud Knights led by Fu Xuan were locked in battle with the Antimatter Legion's minions.
Suddenly, everyone froze in place as a water dragon swept away all the Legion's forces.
Fu Xuan looked toward the palace entrance and saw Jing Yuan's figure.
For the first time, she found herself wishing Jing Yuan had stayed in the general's seat a little longer.
"Jing Yuan! You're finally here!"
Jing Yuan smiled faintly, appearing completely unruffled. "Haha, my apologies for the delay. I've relied on your support all this way, Fu Qing. I've received the battle reports from the Seat of Divine Foresight. As for Phantylia's plan…"
"The Ambrosial Arbor—the greatest anomaly lies there." Fu Xuan's gaze settled on a point on the sea's surface.
"They say the Emanator of Destruction, Phantylia, specializes in making things collapse from within. She must be seeking to seize the Arbor and spread the Abundance's curse… turning the Luofu into a hellscape teeming with immortal abominations."
"Hm, I've already deduced as much." Jing Yuan nodded, then turned his attention to the three Express members beside him. "Members of the Express, I've brought someone I believe you'll be eager to meet."
Before his words faded,
Dan Heng stepped forward from behind him.
"You… you're… Dan Heng?! No way…" March 7th's eyes darted over Dan Heng's form, growing more familiar the longer she stared at his appearance.
"You… are Dan Heng, right? What's with the horns on your head…?"
"It's a long story, March. But yes, it's me." Dan Heng remained calm.
March 7th, having received confirmation, blurted out, "Wait, so you actually had hidden powers this whole time?!"
[Hahaha, you didn't know?]
[That's right. As everyone knows, Elio's nickname is 'March 7th Jr.']
[The Astral Express doesn't raise freeloaders—Caelus is a Stellaron vessel, Welt Yang's backstory is no joke, Himeko's coffee is invincible, Dan Heng is the Vidyadhara's High Elder… so March 7th… probably has some insane power too.]
——
"Alright, let's set aside the reunion for now." Jing Yuan stepped forward, cutting off the Express crew's conversation.
He then sincerely apologized for his earlier distrust of the Express.
After extending courtesy before making demands, Jing Yuan proposed his request to borrow Dan Heng's power.
Welt Yang, a seasoned veteran, stated that they wouldn't stand idly by in a crisis.
However, as Nameless, their destination should be their own choice—so he let the three youngsters vote on the decision.
[Wait, what? I don't get it.]
[Welt knows a bit of Dan Heng's past, so he's protecting him. He doesn't want Dan Heng forced into something he dislikes, got it?]
[Ohhh, so that's it? Welt's actually really kind!]
[Honestly, Welt's kinda like a dad, Himeko's like a mom—there's a parental vibe, while the three kids are just chaotic gremlins.]
[LMAO, that's so accurate.]
——
Caelus and March 7th silently approached Imbibitor Lunae and extended their hands.
"Dan Heng, you…"
Dan Heng met their gazes, then reached out as well.
Seeing this, Jing Yuan visibly relaxed. "Thank you, Dan Heng."
Dan Heng clasped his hands before his chest. He knew he had no real choice—he had to help.
"I do not stand here as a Nameless. My coming and going are not my own… I am bound by forces beyond my control.
But as a descendant of the Vidyadhara, I will fulfill my duty to the Luofu."
Then, Jing Yuan led the group to a statue bearing an uncanny resemblance to Dan Heng.
He recounted the tale of Yubie from the High-Cloud Quintet's cinematic.
However, one person seemed entirely uninterested in the story.
March 7th stared fixedly at the statue.
"This statue looks just like Dan Heng… Could it be…?"
With utmost seriousness, she declared to Dan Heng, "The person in that statue must be… Dan Heng's brother!"
[She's so pretty.]
[Is she… actually a genius?]
[Congrats, March 7th! You're officially discharged!]
[March 7th has a unique beauty—untainted by knowledge.]
[I'm not even surprised. I knew March was gonna drop a bombshell.]
[It's fine, a silly wife is easier to take care of, hehehe.]
——
Jing Yuan chuckled and took over. "Hah, just a passing resemblance. That was long ago.
Truthfully, each generation's High Elder shares a similar appearance—this one excepted.
The current successor is but a child inheriting the title, lacking the full power of the lineage."
His gaze shifted to Dan Heng. "Dan Heng, do you understand? After Dan Feng's death, the Luofu's Vidyadhara have no one left who can accomplish this.
You, who once guarded the Arbor, can open the path to it for us.
The rest… is up to you."
Dan Heng nodded, acknowledging the mission.
Jing Yuan glanced at the Express trio. "I'll wait ahead. It seems you and your friends have much to discuss.
But time is of the essence—the Emanator of Destruction still lurks here."
With a final smile at the crew, Jing Yuan strode forward.
And at that moment,
a song began to play faintly in the background, its lyrics just barely audible.
[What's with the background music?]
[I have this crazy sense of déjà vu—where have I heard this before?]
[The Season 1 finale did this too—played a song, then Season 2 had that banger against Cocolia!]
[Wait… are we getting another hype moment?!]
——
Once Jing Yuan left, March 7th sidled up to Dan Heng.
"You really scared me! I thought you'd gotten into trouble and the general caught you! I was even planning how to rescue you, but turns out you two knew each other all along.
Oh yeah, I wanted to ask—why'd you suddenly leave the Express and come here?"
"..."
"Got it, got it. No need to explain if it's hard to talk about. Everyone's got their secrets. Besides, now's not the time to pry."
March 7th's eyes shone with gratitude. "Dan Heng… I'm really glad you came!"
[March's line here is so heartwarming.]
[First Welt not forcing Dan Heng, now March being so supportive—I love the Express's dynamic.]
[So wholesome. I adore them.]
"I knew you'd come. When we spoke of the Xianzhou, your eyes carried deep sorrow." Welt Yang added. "They exiled you, but the Luofu is still your home."
"Thank you… for everything."
"You're part of the Express, Dan Heng. Let's settle this quickly—we still have a journey ahead."
Dan Heng and Caelus exchanged a silent smile, understanding passing wordlessly between them.
Welt Yang patted Dan Heng's shoulder. "Go on. The Luofu's general is waiting."
The scene shifted to Imbibitor Lunae joining Jing Yuan by the shore.
Jing Yuan gazed at the boundless sea. "Lift the seal. The power you carry is the key to the Arbor's path."
Suddenly, the music swelled, the lyrics now crystal clear:
"Beneath my skin, fate intertwines,"
"Rooted deep in a dragon's heart aflame,"
"Tempered stone forms my frame,"
"Unleashed winds scream my name."
——
Dan Heng approached the weathered stone effigy of the High Elder. At its base was an inscription:
"To halt the Arbor's revival and the scourge's advance, I pray for the ancient tides to rise and drown this realm, quelling the root. Let this stone stand as warning—heed it well, disturb it not…"
A close-up showed Dan Heng closing his eyes, attuning to the land's power.
A blue lotus bloomed beneath his feet, lifting him into the air.
Text appeared on-screen, mirroring the song's crescendo:
"Beneath the churning waves, the Arbor's ancient roots stir like a beast rousing from millennial slumber."
"The seals woven by generations of High Elders—the bindings meant to tame and scatter its might—now fray like a rotting net, on the verge of snapping."
"Memories of the past surge from the dark, gripping you tight—"
"Legends remake me, agony reshapes me,"
The music cut abruptly—the screen went black.
Then, before the image returned, a soaring voice cried out:
"Rend the flesh, be free!"