"So this is the General's secret to longevity? Hahaha..."
Truth be told, having held the position of General for so long, Jing Yuan truly had some tricks up his sleeve.
At the very least, with just a few words exchanged between them, he'd managed to liven up the atmosphere considerably.
"But if that's the case, I imagine Master Diviner Fu Xuan must have her hands full as the General's aide."
"Ah—not at all, not at all. It's all necessary tempering."
Jing Yuan waved a hand dismissively on Fu Xuan's behalf with great magnanimity.
"If Lady Fu wishes to succeed me, she needs ample experience to build her reputation and refine her methods for handling affairs."
"Moreover, my beloved disciple Yanqing has recently reached the age for 'testing his blade.' Young and brimming with ambition, I believe he should be able to alleviate many of Lady Fu's troubles."
"It seems General Jing Yuan has been meticulously diligent in nurturing Master Diviner Fu Xuan's growth."
Lynelle chuckled. "I heard while traveling here that regarding the Xianzhou's current situation, some say even if the heavens were to fall, the Master Diviner would be the one to hold them up. It appears the Master Diviner's capabilities are deeply recognized throughout the Luofu."
"Indeed, Lady Fu has long been capable of standing on her own. Of course, only in one aspect."
Mentioning Fu Xuan, Jing Yuan couldn't resist making another light jest.
"After all, given Lady Fu's height, if the heavens truly fell and it came her turn to hold them up, many other Xianzhou natives might already be crushed."
"However... it seems I previously underestimated you, Miss Lynelle. I never imagined that the person aboard the Express who knows the Luofu best would actually be you?"
"Ha..."
A slight smile played on Lynelle's lips.
While she wasn't sure what Jing Yuan was trying to probe by seeking her out, she clearly grasped the underlying meaning in his words.
This guy was sounding out how much she knew about the events of those years.
After all, if Lynelle was aware of Jing Yuan and Dan Heng's past as part of the legendary Cloud Quintet, then there would be no need for Jing Yuan to keep up appearances—they could speak plainly.
If she didn't know, at least Jing Yuan could take the opportunity to learn just how she had gathered so much information.
"I wouldn't go that far. There is, after all, a person with Xianzhou origins aboard the train. However..."
Lynelle's tone shifted. "I did happen to hear an old, amusing tale about the Xianzhou Luofu once upon a time. Would the General be interested in hearing it?"
"Oh? I'm all ears."
Jing Yuan picked up his teacup, an expression of keen interest on his face.
"This tale is actually related to the once-renowned Cloud Quintet of the Luofu."
Lynelle's very first sentence caused Jing Yuan's hand, holding the teacup, to tighten almost imperceptibly.
"Back then, the Cloud Quintet encountered a fortune-teller, who declared: 'Among you five, one's life will be cut short.' Yingxing smiled wryly."
"'One is caught in an endless cycle of rebirth, life unceasing.' Dan Feng remained indifferent."
"'One will journey far from the Alliance, hunting across the starry seas.' Jing Yuan looked expectant."
"'One will rise to become a General-Arbiter, shielding the Xianzhou.' Jingliu received the others' congratulations."
"'One will board the Express, traveling the wide universe.' Baiheng leapt with joy."
"General Jing Yuan, I wonder... is there any truth to this rumor?"
"..."
Jing Yuan was silent for a moment, then offered a bitter smile. "If such a thing truly occurred, then... this fortune-teller certainly had some skill. A pity fate enjoys its little jokes."
"But... it seems I was somewhat arrogant earlier. I hadn't realized Miss Lynelle was the one who had a clear understanding of everything from the start, while I was the one still lost in the fog."
"You flatter me, General. I merely had some convenient means at my disposal, nothing worth mentioning."
Lynelle drained the tea in her cup. "So, now that we're here, have you achieved your goal in inviting me to this meal, General?"
"I'd consider it an overachievement."
Jing Yuan proactively refilled Lynelle's teacup.
"After all, in the current chaotic situation, any unknown individual wielding the power of an Emanator could potentially impact the already fragile state of affairs."
"Confirming that Miss Lynelle is not aligned with the one who brought the Stellaron into the Xianzhou has set my mind at ease."
"Brought the Stellaron..."
As if recalling something, Lynelle couldn't help but show a flicker of amusement. "In a certain sense, that statement isn't wrong."
"Forgive my bluntness, but Miss Stelle is far more interesting than any Stellaron."
Jing Yuan cleared his throat. "Moreover, since Miss Lynelle is fully aware of the events of the past, there's no need for me to beat around the bush any longer. I wish to know... why have you chosen not to act together with the other members of the Express?"
"One reason is that we are all companions of the Express group. It wouldn't be good to play favorites and let one companion act alone."
Lynelle's voice took on a meaningful tone. "And as for the other aspect... I don't know if it's just my imagination, but being within the Luofu's borders gives me a certain... feeling of discomfort."
"Discomfort? Could it be the climate doesn't agree with you?"
Jing Yuan was taken aback.
"Not that kind of discomfort."
Lynelle shook her head slightly. "I once received a glance from the Ruin Author, so I'm somewhat sensitive to the power of Destruction. Currently, there seems to be a hint of such an aura within the Luofu. I wonder if it's due to the Stellaron."
"Destruction, Destruction..."
Jing Yuan pondered the word, his eyes suddenly lighting up.
"I see... Miss Lynelle, you have been a tremendous help."
Jing Yuan stood up and cupped his hands in a formal salute.
"Although I will still need to cross-reference this with other plans... the intelligence you've provided has indeed given me much to consider. Thank you."
Seeing Jing Yuan seemed about to leave, Lynelle quickly asked, "General Jing Yuan, you aren't planning to..."
"Rest assured, Miss Lynelle. I have my own arrangements for matters on the Luofu."
Jing Yuan smiled faintly. "Some of the ailments within the Luofu have festered too deeply. We need to introduce some external force…"
"Then, whether we tear them out by the roots or break everything to rebuild, it might not be a bad thing for the future Fu Xuan and Yanqing. The only difference lies in the cost for me."
"And as for me... Well, I've already sat in this General's seat for so many years. Reaching my age, I've naturally started daring to try ideas I previously held back. Besides, if the heavens truly fall, I can still hold them up for a while."
"As for you, Miss Lynelle... I have already instructed Yukong. Within the Luofu's territory, you may act as you see fit."
--+--
"Dan Heng."
"Hm?"
Dan Heng turned to look at the projected image of Lynelle who had spoken abruptly.
"Nothing. I was just reflecting that General Jing Yuan... truly exemplifies 'spending himself in service until his dying day.'"
"You didn't cause some trouble over there again, did you?"
"Not at all. I just had a little chat with a certain old man. The overall impact, aside from an increase in Jing Yuan's favorability towards me, should be minimal?"
"Uh..."
Dan Heng fell silent for a moment, deciding it was better not to ask what exactly Lynelle had discussed, lest he give the young woman another opportunity to tease him.
"Hey, you two over there!"
Just then, a brown-haired girl holding a sword not far away waved at them, calling out.
"Are you civilians who haven't evacuated yet? Hurry over here, it's dangerous over there!"
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.