As the Dragon Master's words fell, the others cast him strange looks. What was this guy saying? Have the Vidyadhara clan step up to help the Xianzhou through this crisis? Had this old man lost his mind?
In principle, as part of the Xianzhou, the Vidyadhara should naturally stand united against external threats.
But… who doesn't have a bit of self-interest? The Vidyadhara clan was small in number. Since the fall of the Aeon of Permanence and the Aeon of Abundance inheriting part of the concept of permanence, the Vidyadhara had lost their ability to reproduce.
Even with the power of rebirth, their population was slowly dwindling. If the status quo wasn't addressed, the Vidyadhara would one day vanish into the cosmic tides of history.
Seeing everyone's gazes, the Dragon Master who spoke cleared his throat and said slowly, "When the Xianzhou is in peril, our Vidyadhara clan cannot stand idly by. Why don't we temporarily return authority to the High Elder?"
"As the leader of the Vidyadhara, the High Elder is naturally the best representative for our clan. She is the most suitable to handle this matter. Furthermore, to show our resolve, why don't we temporarily leave the Xianzhou?"
Hearing this, the others' eyes lit up.
What a brilliant plan! Hand the mess over to Bailu, the new High Elder, and they could escape the Xianzhou to safety. Even if Dan Feng, the former High Elder, truly returned with ill intent, it would have nothing to do with them.
Besides, lately, Bailu had somehow acquired a treasure. Whenever the Vidyadhara tried to drag her back, she slipped away effortlessly, nearly driving the Dragon Masters to premature rebirth from frustration.
"This proposal is excellent. I agree." "Seconded, seconded." "Great, let's do it…"
— — — —
"This stance, and this aura of immortality… Could this be one of the former High-Cloud Quintet of the Xianzhou Luofu, the Vidyadhara High Elder, Imbibitor Lunae?!"
After clearly seeing Dan Heng's appearance—especially the distinctive pair of horns on his head—Uncle Liang couldn't help but gasp.
"Vidyadhara High Elder? What's that? But he looks so powerful…" The name Vidyadhara High Elder was unfamiliar to Sushang, who often napped through lessons, but that didn't stop her from sensing the strength of the man before her. This level of oppressive aura was something she had only felt from her own mother once—when she accidentally slapped her teacher's face after falling asleep in class…
"This stance… Not good! Everyone, retreat!" The leader of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, the Body-Forger, shrank his pupils upon seeing Dan Heng's appearance.
Before joining the Disciples, he had been a Cloud Knight undercover agent named "Zhixin." In his youth, during Cloud Knight training, he had read records about the Vidyadhara High Elder. Given the current situation, the man before him was undoubtedly the former High Elder!
"Hidden Scales—Manifest!"
With a deep-seated blood feud, Dan Heng, now in his High Elder form, would not let these Disciples escape before his eyes. With a flick of his wrist and an icy gaze, immense imaginary energy burst forth from the Abyssal Pearl. In the next moment, several water dragons surged forward, targeting the Disciples.
"Vidyadhara Dragon—Arghhh!!"
Amidst a chorus of screams, the dangerous elements of the Disciples were devoured by the dragon's roar. Moments later, as the scene settled, they had been pulverized by the High Elder's power.
"So… so amazing! Can you teach me that move?!" Having witnessed it all, Sushang's eyes sparkled with admiration as she hurriedly approached Dan Heng, asking eagerly.
"Uh…"
Faced with Sushang's enthusiastic demeanor, Dan Heng felt a bit overwhelmed. He instinctively stepped back, putting some distance between them.
"Um… uh, great hero…" Sushang was about to address him by name but awkwardly realized that, from the start, this hero hadn't mentioned his name.
"Dan Heng," Dan Heng responded expressionlessly.
"Great Hero Dan Heng, can you be my master?"
At Sushang's words, Dan Heng shook his head. "I cannot be your master, nor can I teach you that move. You are not of the Vidyadhara clan and lack the innate racial talent."
"Huh, Ru Fei? Who's that…?"
Sushang scratched her head. She understood the first half of Dan Heng's words, but the second half… Ru Fei? Who was Ru Fei?
"Ahem, Sushang, what the High Elder means is that it's something innate—you can't learn it," Uncle Liang said, his old face flushing. Sushang was great in every way, except for her tendency to slack off in class, so her cultural knowledge was a bit…
"Oh, oh, I get it now!" Sushang nodded in realization, then bowed to Dan Heng. "I was presumptuous. Please don't take offense, Lord Dan Heng."
It's overstepping, not being a loner…! Uncle Liang silently screamed in his heart.
…
"This shadow of the Yinglong soaring to the heavens… How nostalgic. What a Vidyadhara High Elder, Imbibitor Lunae."
Gazing at the distant shadow of the Yinglong dragon in the sky, Jing Yuan couldn't help but sigh. Since their parting five hundred years ago, when the High-Cloud Quintet fell apart, he had thought they would never reunite in this lifetime.
Yet, through this calamity, they had unexpectedly reunited. However… one of them was long gone. Whenever he recalled that lively Foxian woman, Jing Yuan felt a pang of regret.
"Baiheng, if you hadn't died back then, could our High-Cloud Quintet still gather as we once did, reciting poetry, drinking, and making merry?"
"What do you think, Jingliu?"
As Jing Yuan's words fell, the silver-haired woman who had appeared in Dan Heng's dream now suddenly stood behind him. Facing the Divine General's question, her face was as cold as ice, her voice devoid of emotion as she spoke.
"The past is gone, and there are no 'ifs' in this world. Just as a broken mirror cannot be made whole, she cannot return."
Hearing Jingliu's words, Jing Yuan fell silent for a moment. Then, turning to face the woman whose eyes were covered by black cloth, he said gravely, "Then why has someone who should be dead appeared on the Xianzhou again, my esteemed Master?"