Runeterra——
Zaun.
"This kind of thing… shouldn't they at least ask Bailu's opinion?" Jinx sneered coldly. "This Dragon Sovereign… what a joke."
Silco gently swirled the amber liquor in his hand, his mechanical eye glinting through the ice cubes in the glass, reflecting Zaun's misty "sky."
"Power is like this liquor. The title of Dragon Sovereign is just the ice cube—pretty to look at, nothing more…" Silco took a sip, savoring it before murmuring, "…What truly intoxicates is what's inside."
"Without power, she's just a doll to be toyed with at will. Those who bow to her aren't respecting her, but the words 'Dragon Sovereign.'"
Jinx tilted her head, lazily swinging her long braid, which was as tall as a person. "But I bet those Dragon Masters really don't want to see Dan Heng right now. All Dan Heng needs to do is snap his fingers—"
She paused mid-sentence, her purple eyes lighting up as she threw her hands in the air. "—and boom! He could blast all the water in Scalegorge Waterscape into the sky! Hahaha! Dan Heng could give those Dragon Masters a 'surprise' anytime, anywhere!"
"Indeed. When the hollow title of Dragon Sovereign turns into real, tangible power, it's hardly good news for those power-hungry Dragon Masters."
——
[Speaking of Bailu, a trace of sadness flickered in Huanxi's eyes. She had been chosen as a maid twelve years ago and had witnessed countless times when Bailu tried to escape, only to be dragged back unwillingly each time.]
[In her eyes, though Bailu held the esteemed title of Dragon Sovereign, she was weighed down by it, heavily restricted, and far less happy than an ordinary Xianzhou child.]
[Thus, she dared to hope that Dan Heng would consider Bailu's situation.]
[After saying this, Huanxi excused herself, leaving Dan Heng and Stelle staring at each other.]
[Dan Heng explained that the power he now wielded came from Danfeng, making him the culprit who had tampered with the Dragon Sovereign's succession. According to the physiology of the Vidyadhara's cycle of reincarnation, Dan Heng's past sins should have been wiped clean, but in reality, he had been imprisoned in The Shackling Prison from the moment of his birth. Even after his release, Blade followed him like a relentless murderer.]
[Thus, he planned to use the repair of the Ambrosial Arbor's seal as leverage to meet the Dragon Sovereign and see what he could do.]
[But unexpectedly, as the two prepared to board a starskiff, a Vidyadhara alchemist blocked their path.]
[The alchemist was aggressive, offering a so-called "warning" in a far-from-friendly tone: "I advise you to leave this place of trouble immediately. Go back to being a Nameless and stop stirring the murky waters of the Dragon Sovereign's succession."]
["The Luofu Vidyadhara have finally recovered from Danfeng's sins and now have a kind and benevolent Dragon Sovereign like Bailu. Your return not only helps nothing but also reignites the Dragon Masters' ambitions for power."]
["I have no intention of undermining Bailu's position," Dan Heng replied coldly.]
["Even if your conscience is clear, as long as you remain on the Luofu, you'll be swept up by unseen forces. Leaving is the best choice for everyone."]
——
Teyvat.
"Ugh, that guy's words are so infuriating!"
Paimon crossed her arms, her face puffed up with anger. "Why is he acting like Dan Heng's the one at fault, warning him like that? And saying… it's no help at all? If Dan Heng hadn't been on the Xianzhou, the entire Luofu would probably be in Phantylia's grasp by now!"
"As an alchemist from the Alchemy Commission who survived this crisis, shouldn't he be the one thanking Dan Heng?!"
"Alright, Paimon, calm down," Lumine said with a gentle smile. "Dan Heng isn't the type to be easily swayed by words like that. And while that guy's words were harsh, at least he didn't mean any harm."
"Okay, fine, I got a bit carried away… I was lumping him in with those Vidyadhara Dragon Masters."
Paimon scratched her head sheepishly. "But seriously, aren't the Vidyadhara Dragon Masters a bit too awful? They don't give Bailu any freedom, manipulating and using her. They're exactly like… um… those selfish old geezers from noble clans in light novels! Yeah, totally that vibe!"
"I really want to see Dan Heng take them all down! Though it's probably unlikely… but I still want to see it!"
——
[After the man left, Dan Heng and Stelle successfully boarded a starskiff to the Alchemy Commission. There, they immediately ran into an old acquaintance… General Jing Yuan.]
[Though his injuries had healed considerably, the general was nominally still in recovery… though it wasn't entirely impossible that he was just slacking off, dumping all his work on a certain pink-haired shorty.]
[After an enthusiastic greeting, Dan Heng looked puzzled. "Is the general also here to dissuade me from meeting the Dragon Sovereign?"]
["Heh, what does that have to do with me? I'm under the care of the Dragon Lady, recovering at the Alchemy Commission, and just happened to run into you two," Jing Yuan said, intrigued by Dan Heng's question. "Since you're asking, it seems someone already approached you before you set out?"]
["Oh, yeah, and not just one group, all with their own agendas," Stelle said, hand on her hip.]
["When it comes to the rise and fall of the Vidyadhara, those with ambitions naturally want to influence it. Danfeng was like that, the Dragon Masters are like that, and even the Alchemy Commission, which nurtures the Dragon Lady, is no exception."]
[Dan Heng's gaze sharpened. "The general's recovering here, yet he seems to know exactly who we've met."]
[Facing Dan Heng's probing, Jing Yuan only smiled meaningfully, not answering directly, merely suggesting they could ponder the intentions of those who approached them.]
[Regarding the Vidyadhara elders' desire to choose a new Dragon Sovereign, Jing Yuan explained calmly, "Heh, the power struggle between the Dragon Masters and the Dragon Sovereign has been ongoing since ancient times. By Danfeng's time, as domineering as he was, he completely broke free from the elders' control, leaving them furious but powerless."]
["Originally, the elders still had a say in the Dragon Sovereign's successor, but Danfeng arbitrarily chose his own, and with the matter settled, they had no choice but to accept it."]
["Now that Dan Heng has returned, the elders see another opportunity. How could they let it slip?"]
——
Bleach——
"This Danfeng… he comes off as quite the powerhouse," Shunsui Kyōraku said, lightly lifting the edge of his straw hat. "But this authoritarian style… it's a mixed bag. If the Vidyadhara needed a bold, sweeping reform, someone like him would be perfect for the job."
Shunsui leaned leisurely against a corridor pillar, swirling a flask of warm sake, and offered a cup to Tōshirō Hitsugaya. "Care to join? Serious topics like this are best discussed over a drink."
"No thanks, I have training later," Tōshirō Hitsugaya replied with a cold huff, arms crossed. "Also, are you implying something about yourself? You don't exactly strike me as the reformist type."
"Haha, I don't have Danfeng's dominance or Captain-Commander Yamamoto's resolve…" Shunsui chuckled softly. "My job's much easier than theirs—just keeping the balance between the Soul Society and the human world in check."