"Master?! Dan… Heng?"
Seeing the two incredibly familiar figures, Jing Yuan initially thought he was dreaming. Yet, the lingering pain in his body told him this wasn't a dream, but stark reality. While they were still so familiar, compared to their past selves, they had changed significantly.
Jingliu, for example, now wore a black cloth blindfolding her eyes. And Dan Heng… although those imposing horns resembled the Imbibitor Lunae, Dan Feng, of yesteryear, Jing Yuan knew very well that the Dan Feng of the past was long gone.
Reacting to Jing Yuan's involuntary cry, Jingliu turned her head slightly, her sharp, displeased voice scolding him:
"Looking so disheveled, as a Xianzhou General, what kind of image is this?"
That familiar tone instantly gave Jing Yuan a jolt, as if he were back in the days of being lectured by Jingliu.
He gave a wry smile… These are two Lord Ravagers, and I'm old and not skilled in combat… Of course, Jing Yuan wouldn't dare say these words aloud. Even though he was now a Xianzhou General and Jingliu was merely a major Xianzhou fugitive afflicted with mara, the master-student bond from the past still echoed clearly.
"Master's teachings are absolutely right."
Not daring to talk back, Jing Yuan could only respond meekly, a sight that would have stunned onlookers.
The next moment, the silent Dan Heng tossed something towards Jing Yuan without a word.
Jing Yuan caught it and looked closely – it was a pill, purple in color.
"…"
Without hesitation, Jing Yuan swallowed it.
"Not going to ask about its effects?" Dan Heng asked, slightly surprised.
"...I trust that you and Master wouldn't harm me."
Facing Dan Heng's surprise, he laughed heartily.
"However… this medicine…"
Feeling the warmth spreading through his body, his wounds gradually healing… No, the most crucial part was the mara-struck state that had plagued Jing Yuan for years – an inevitable affliction for aging Xianzhou natives.
The continuous fierce battle had pushed him closer to the brink, but after taking this medicine, the nagging torment of the past affliction seemed to vanish…
"It's not mine. The Acting General of the Xianzhou gave it. Said it can suppress mara and heal injuries."
As Dan Heng spoke, Jing Yuan's expression shifted to astonishment and surprise, recalling events from several standard hours prior aboard the Astral Express.
---||---
"Pom~ The Luofu is under attack by the Legion and is temporarily locked down."
Himeko, the red-haired current navigator of the Astral Express, looked troubled by the situation.
Following the Astral Express's principle of helping those in need, they naturally wanted to lend the Xianzhou a hand if possible, especially since the Legion was a common enemy of the universe.
However, considering the Astral Express's current strength... it could only be said that it was an organization with a big name but lacking the power to match, at least now with only one train remaining.
Helping out a planet in distress was one thing, but participating in a war between two top-tier factions? That was practically suicide.
She looked at the young man in the carriage and asked:
"Dan Heng, do you want to check on March and the others?"
"...Yes."
Just as Dan Heng replied, a young woman's voice, tinged with laziness, suddenly sounded beside them:
"Perhaps, compared to the Luofu itself, the front lines might need you more."
"Wah? How did you get in here, Pom!"
Looking towards the voice, they saw a short, brown-haired girl who had appeared on the train at some unknown point, smiling. Pom-Pom, the conductor, looked surprised and displeased.
"Er… hmm, showing up here without permission does seem inappropriate. My apologies, my apologies~"
The girl touched her chin, pretending to ponder, then nodded and clasped her hands together in a mock 'begging for mercy' gesture.
"Couldn't help it! March and the others said the Astral Express conductor was incredibly cute, so I couldn't wait to sneak over and see for myself."
"Ahem… Well… Since you're an acquaintance of Passenger March 7th and the others, it's fine. But sneaking onto the Astral Express without permission is strictly forbidden! Don't let it happen again, Pom!"
Mr. Pom-Pom was apparently quite easy to appease.
However, Dan Heng wasn't so easily swayed. He asked:
"...You know March and the others?"
"Of course… Hmm, let me introduce myself first. My name is 'Qingque'… Right now, I'm probably the 'Acting General' responsible for guarding the Luofu and Yaoqing homelands."
"After all, they are guests from the Astral Express, so one has to pay some attention, you know~"
"The Xianzhou's 'Acting General'?"
Hearing this title, the expressions of both Himeko and Dan Heng became somewhat complex.
Although they hadn't heard of an Acting General before, the title alone was enough to indicate the immense status of the seemingly peaceful young woman before them. As for whether she was an imposter or bluffing? Don't be ridiculous. Impersonating an important Xianzhou official on the Xianzhou Luofu, a major faction of the Hunt? That was asking for your entire lineage to be wiped out!
Even those troublemakers, the Masked Fools, probably wouldn't dare do such a thing…
Himeko and Dan Heng were initially inclined to believe her, but… their eyes caught the mask tied to the girl's waist.
With their keen sight, they instantly recognized it as belonging to the Mourning Actors… This child, could she actually be a Masked Fool?!
"Er… This mask seems to have caused some misunderstanding. No matter, this Luofu Seat of Divine Foresight Command Token should be sufficient proof of my identity, right?"
Himeko glanced at Dan Heng, who nodded slightly.
Both breathed a sigh of relief.
"May I ask what business Your Excellency, the Acting General, has aboard the Express?"
They didn't believe for a second that [Qingque] had truly come just to see Pom-Pom.
"Oh dear, can't I have genuinely come just to see your adorable conductor?"
"Of course~ Seeing this gentleman here is also part of the plan. After all, the former High-Cloud Quintet member, the Luofu's High Elder Imbibitor Lunae, is a household name on the Xianzhou."
"I am Dan Heng, not Dan Feng."
"Mm, according to Vidyadhara customs, that's correct… But, are you truly completely unrelated to Dan Feng now?" the girl asked with a smile.
[She] lightly flicked her index finger, and a surge of unrest disturbed Dan Heng's mind.
"This power of the Vidyadhara High Elder, it truly belongs to 'Dan Feng', doesn't it? This lingering regret for the past, isn't it also a part of Dan Feng?"
A troubled expression crossed Dan Heng's face.
Although he considered himself entirely separate from Dan Feng – the past was the past, the present is the present – he couldn't deny the parts of Dan Feng that still existed within him.
Because they undeniably belonged to Dan Feng.
However, these aspects couldn't be separated, at least not through normal means… Thus, this tangled conflict had always lurked deep within his heart.
"Miss Qingque, Dan Heng is now a member of the Express crew."
"Mm, I understand~"
"But Miss Himeko, the choice ultimately rests with the individual, doesn't it?"
"Let me offer you a choice."
"Right now, the Legion invades the Xianzhou, the front lines rage… Use this power belonging to Dan Feng to fight for the Xianzhou one last time. After that, you can truly bid farewell to Dan Feng and be yourself."
The girl casually tossed Dan Heng a box containing three pills.
They were blue, red, and purple, respectively.
"The blue one, you can try it. I used a bit of memory from the 'Garden of Recollection'. Its effect is simple: it will ignite the traces of 'Dan Feng' within you, using them as fuel, allowing you to briefly return to 'Dan Feng's peak' state."
"Though I suspect you probably don't care much for the former High Elder who caused you so much suffering, on the battlefield, extra power is always better. Besides… once you take it, when that fuel is completely burned away, it means you will have utterly severed ties with the past named 'Dan Feng'."
"As the legacy of Dan Feng, bring a perfect conclusion for him, for the High-Cloud Quintet. That is my only expectation of you."
"A hero shouldn't meet such an end."
"The choice is yours. I've said my piece. Which path you choose to walk must ultimately be decided by you."
Returning to the present – Dan Heng's appearance on the battlefield was, without doubt, the answer to that choice.
Although he harbored much resentment towards Dan Feng's past, he also believed that, whether as a Xianzhou native or to completely sever that part of Dan Feng, he had to contribute in this battle.
Besides, letting the 'traces' of Dan Feng protect the Xianzhou one last time… wasn't this also a form of atonement for the sins he committed in the past?
"Mmm~ All better now!"
Feixiao also stretched lazily, regaining her vigorous appearance. She swung her arms, looking extremely excited.
Of the three pills, the red one was undoubtedly the one [Qingque] had prepared for Feixiao.
And their source was precisely the 'Crimson Moon'.
After obtaining the Crimson Moon, Jiang Qiao hadn't chosen to have Jing Yuan deliver it to Feixiao, because their battle lines were opposite, and it was also very insecure and inefficient.
One Crimson Moon could at best help Feixiao rally, but refining it into a pill, removing the harmful parts, could achieve a much greater effect.
To this end, [Qingque] had to find time to visit the Abode of Permanence, using the great cauldron there to experimentally create these three prototypes.
Dan Heng's pill helped stimulate and burn his power, briefly returning him to the past.
Jing Yuan's pill helped suppress his mara.
Feixiao's pill cured her lunacy syndrome.
"And me, what about me!"
An incredibly lively young girl's voice rang out just as Jing Yuan and the others were regrouping, causing Jingliu's figure to tremble.
Jing Yuan also bit his lip tightly, his face filled with disbelief.
There, in the starry void, atop a starfighter-like starskiff streaking like an arrow, a white-haired girl traced a long, thin white line.
"Is this… that child, Bailu?"
Seeing the suddenly mature-looking blue-and-white-haired, horned dragon girl, Jing Yuan was astonished.
Those dragon horns and tail were undoubtedly Bailu's symbols.
Because she had used Cloudhymn during the previous battle against Iron Tomb, she had left a very deep impression on him.
"Can't leave me out at a time like this."
"Dan Feng, Jingliu, and Jing Yuan… Long time no see."
The girl held a longbow, standing on the starskiff, revealing a smile that stunned the three onlookers.
It's Baiheng! This feeling… It's definitely Baiheng!
They were utterly certain. The girl before them, though resembling a grown-up Bailu, possessed that familiar feeling belonging to their companion from five hundred years ago.
"Baiheng… you…"
Utterly certain, yet finding it hard to believe, conflicting emotions filled Jing Yuan with confusion.
"Sorry, my time is limited…"
"But, I think… this might be our last chance to fight side-by-side. Dan Feng, Jingliu, and… Jing Yuan."
Her apologetic words already conveyed too much information.
"...In that case, no more words are needed."
Jingliu's voice was incredibly cold, yet carried a rare sense of peace.
"A pity… Yingxing isn't here."
"He came too," the girl shook her head.
"But he has his own battlefield."
It should be noted that among the former High-Cloud Quintet, Yingxing wasn't actually known for his combat prowess.
On the contrary, his fighting skills could only be described as quite clumsy.
Now, although various reasons had transformed the former High-Cloud Quintet member into the current Blade, there were still things Blade could achieve in this battle situation.
"Alright, this is a battlefield… Although I understand you old-timers probably have a lot to catch up on, the enemy won't wait for you!"
Feixiao pouted, slightly annoyed, then her expression turned fierce with fighting spirit, a wild smile spreading across her face:
"I'm going first!"
"Leave the toughest one for me! The other one, and the main Cloud Knight front, I leave to you!"
Feixiao's urging made the four exchange glances, then plunge back into the battlefield.
Although over seven hundred years had passed, the tale of the High-Cloud Quintet had always been sung and spread. Even though only four of the five seemed present now, their appearance ignited incredibly fierce morale along the somewhat weary Yaoqing battle line.
Jingliu led the Cloud Knights, Baiheng led the Foxian flyers, and under the melodious Vidyadhara Cloudhymn, they were immediately stacked with buffs.
The Antimatter Legion, which had previously held the upper hand, was nearly pierced through by this sharp arrowhead.
And the two Lord Ravagers, who had previously held the advantage, were now fiercely engaged by the recovered Xianzhou Generals.
Freed from the influence of the mara-struck state, even if Jing Yuan wasn't a martial arts expert – a statement that really only applied when compared to Jingliu or other super-fighters; at the Emanator level, it wasn't a major handicap – he fought with renewed vigor.
And Feixiao, freed from the threat of the lunacy syndrome, erupted with power formidable enough to potentially take on both opponents herself.
This gradually overwhelming situation, however, did not cause the two Lord Ravagers any panic.
Celenova smiled.
"Hehe… The Xianzhou Generals are truly valiant. We are impressed."
"However…"
"I wonder if the other Xianzhou front line also has such a capable Xianzhou General holding the line?"