This feeling was so unique, so unique that even Feixiao didn't know how to describe it.
----------------------------------
With the great battle ending, Hoolay died.
On the Skysplitter, the final stage had arrived.
And the audience, took this moment to begin piecing together the whole chain of events.
...
: Looking at it now, Hoolay's death was almost inevitable.
: This guy made all the wrong choices in the most crucial judgments right from the start.
: That's right, even though the information Hoolay received was all "true," these "true" pieces of information were misleading and incomplete.
: And the one behind all of this was Jiaoqiu!
: Jiaoqiu is still incognito, damn!
: From the very beginning, we worried about the wrong person.
: Hoolay, though a villain and a war leader, was completely qualified, even respectable in his way.
: But in this game of chess within the Xianzhou, there was only one path left for Hoolay: death.
...
The comments scrolled by.
When everyone looked back at the earlier plot, many overlooked details suddenly surfaced.
And the one character that ran through it all was Jiaoqiu.
This guy's life or death is still unknown. Yet he influenced the entire storyline in another way.
One very important point was only realized by the audience after Feixiao defeated Hoolay.
That was, every one of Hoolay's decisions was based on the premise that he could turn Feixiao to his side.
And this premise came from the information he got from Jiaoqiu's mouth, leading to his judgments.
At that time, there was one crucial thing Jiaoqiu said that caused widespread doubt among viewers, even making some think it was a plot hole.
That was Feixiao's "Moon Rage."
From Jiaoqiu, Hoolay learned Feixiao had Moon Rage.
But he concluded: Feixiao's Moon Rage had only appeared recently, during that battle with the Borisin.
But in reality, Feixiao's Moon Rage had already manifested long before this great war.
This was even hinted at in the previous episode, during Jiaoqiu's casual chat with Feixiao.
This was a fatal point. Jiaoqiu did not refute anything, nor did he intentionally mislead Hoolay, he simply told him Feixiao had Moon Rage.
Then, through his own painful recollections, he described the cruel details of that Abundance War.
The Moon Rage was real. The painful memories of that war were also real.
These true thoughts and emotions pressed down heavily. So Hoolay made what seemed to be the correct judgment: Jiaoqiu was telling the truth.
Since the information was real enough, he could rely on it to make his plans.
From that moment on, Hoolay had already stepped onto the path of doom. Later, more information about Feixiao all tied back to the initial logic: Moon Rage.
As a war chief, Hoolay naturally knew how terrifying a Borisin's Moon Rage was for the Xianzhou on the battlefield.
And Feixiao, as a foxian accepted by the Xianzhou, if she went berserk in battle, even if she attacked the enemy, how could it not strike fear into the hearts of the Xianzhou people?
Piece by piece, these things accumulated, until Hoolay naturally concluded there was a fracture between Feixiao and the Xianzhou that could be exploited.
This wasn't mere speculation. It was simply human nature.
And this was Hoolay's greatest strength: he could always find the enemy's weakness, whether of the body or of the heart.
So Hoolay laughed, because he had already made his decision. From then on, every choice was made for one purpose, to turn Feixiao.
The Borisin' attack on the city, his deliberate entry into the Skysplitter, all of it was to force a meeting with Feixiao.
Finally, he triggered the Crimson Moon, planting a seed in Feixiao.
But unfortunately, the seed planted by Jiaoqiu was quicker, deeper!
Using the seed called Feixiao, combined with selective truths, Jiaoqiu let Hoolay water that seed himself, driving him onto the road of death.
Everything, long before Jiaoqiu even met Hoolay, was already prepared.
If only Hoolay had known that Feixiao's Moon Rage had long existed, and that she was a foxian who rose from the bottom to become a general while carrying it, then Hoolay would never have thought of turning her.
Because that would mean his assumption, that Feixiao would be confused by Moon Rage, and the Xianzhou would distrust her, was completely wrong!
And the final battle proved it: Feixiao's doubts had already been erased through following the path of hunt again and again.
It even strengthened her resolve, her path was to hunt down every last Borisin!
And this goal was exactly the same as the Xianzhou's creed.
Those so-called trust crises? Completely imaginary!
Unfortunately, by the time Hoolay realized it, it was already too late!
At this point, Jiaoqiu's entire scheme stood out with perfect clarity.
And the most ruthless part was, did Hoolay have a way out? He didn't! Hoolay had no way at all!
Because after being imprisoned for seven hundred years, the information gap forced him to gather every bit of intel he could.
And at that very moment, the person beside him wasn't a Xianzhou native, wasn't a Vidyadhara, wasn't an ordinary foxian.
By chance, it was Jiaoqiu. So naturally, all the information Hoolay obtained pointed toward Feixiao.
After the audience pieced together this truth through the bullet comments, countless people sighed.
...
: Jiaoqiu, that kid, is terrifying.
: Step by step, with pure calculation, he forced Hoolay to his death.
: Worthy of being called a strategist...
: See? When it comes to pulling off big things, it's always the ones with medical training.
: So, when Jiaoqiu discovered traces of the Borisin at Cloudford Port, did he already guess what would happen next?
: Seems so! Because in the last episode, many of Jiaoqiu's actions looked almost suicidal.
: And his gaze toward Hoolay was very strange.
: Because Jiaoqiu wanted to cure Feixiao, and the best chance lay in Hoolay's secrets. He treated Hoolay like a great medicine, and fed him to Feixiao.
: And he actually succeeded, Feixiao swallowed the Crimson Moon, and Moon Rage basically stopped being an issue!
: The most interesting part is, in the end, things clearly went beyond Jiaoqiu's expectations, because Lan intervened!
...
As the comments discussion deepened, the scene returned once more to Feixiao and Hoolay's final battle.
After Jiaoqiu successfully delivered Hoolay into Feixiao's hands, things went just as Jiaoqiu had intended, Feixiao swallowed the Crimson Moon.
But after this, a very subtle question arose.
Could the Xianzhou tolerate a general who had actively swallowed the Abundance's gift? Most people probably think the same way, that is, they can't really stand it.
This has nothing to do with occupation, race, or faction. It's the most fundamental logical contradiction of the Xianzhou.
All the great wars and casualties were brought about by Abundance.
Even though the Xianzhou itself possesses many blessings, as well as blessings seized from defeated enemies, they've never been seen using them, on the contrary, they strictly guard them.
Even someone like Jingliu, who rendered such great service, was ultimately unable to escape her fate.
As soon as one falls into Mara, one must still be executed. From this, we can see the Xianzhou's attitude toward such matters.
Feixiao probably won't be an exception either, even if she belongs to the Xianzhou Yaoqing, even if swallowing the Crimson Moon could cure Moon Rage.
In short, perhaps because of her status as a general, this rift won't immediately show.
But this suspicion and rejection will definitely trigger a deeper crisis of trust between Feixiao and the Xianzhou.
No matter how calm and rational both sides are, time is the greatest enemy; even the smallest crack will, over time, grow until it reaches an irreversible breaking point.
The story of the Cloud High Quintet is the best proof.
It might even be, as Hoolay thought, that in the end Feixiao will return to the Borisin, even if that happens many years later.
This point, Hoolay had already realized in advance. If nothing unexpected happens, that's probably how things will go.
Even Jiaoqiu wouldn't have foreseen this day arriving.
But nobody expected, the big boss to make a move.
That meteor, and the bestowed axe, completely wiped away all the hidden dangers caused by Feixiao swallowing the Crimson Moon!
The Hunt's gaze and blessing now press firmly in support of Feixiao!
Who dares to doubt Feixiao now? Even Brother Lan gave an OK.
You still object? Hmm? Want to eat a Lux Arrow now?
With the power of the Crimson Moon fully mastered, Feixiao will completely gain the Alliance's trust.
The blessing of Abundance will, on the path of the Hunt's pursuit of Abundance, deliver a heavy blow to Abundance.
Hmm… A bit of dark humor.
...
: Feixiao is now completely safe; not only fully recovered from her illness, but also recognized by the Hunt.
: Now Feixiao is going to become the strictest mother of the people of Abundance.
: Hoolay never imagined the Hunt would turn its gaze toward Feixiao.
: Pfft… so when the meteor fell, do you think Hoolay froze because he couldn't hold it in anymore?
: Even the last desperate try couldn't take root, a donkey at the end of its rope indeed.
: With the Hunt's gaze, plus the Crimson Moon, Feixiao will only grow stronger and stronger from now on.
: Hard to say, I think she will, after all the Crimson Moon evolves together with its host!
: But General Feixiao probably won't eat it directly like those warlords; the Xianzhou will probably test the Crimson Moon's evolution level in another way.
: In short, this is all benefit without harm!
: Thanks to Brother Lan! When there's something, he really makes a move!
...
The comments scrolled by.
And the ending scene of this episode also began.
In the Scalegorge Waterscape.
Dan Heng and Lingsha walked together, under the escort of the Cloud Knights, along a bluestone road.
After climbing several flights of stairs, beneath the familiar High Elder statue, a man of extraordinary beauty sat solemnly.
Only, the horn atop this man's head was extremely strange.
Not only did he have just one, it was also twisted, looking less like a horn and more like an old tree branch.
This appearance, had only been seen before on those in the Marastruck state.
This Vidyadhara named Taoran fellow seemed to have used some secret art to forcibly extend his life.
And this secret art likely had something to do with the Disciples of the Medicus Sanctus.
Seeing Lingsha arrive, he smiled faintly and said: "Preceptor Taoran, here to greet you."
"Lingsha pays respect to Elder Preceptor."
Lingsha politely responded, then said: "This time I've brought a friend as well; speaking of which, he shouldn't count as an outsider."
Taoran's smiling expression immediately fell when he saw Dan Heng.
But Dan Heng stared at Taoran, frowning: "Elder Taoran…? When I was exiled, you were already near the limit of your reincarnation lifespan, but… now you, how did you become like this?"
Taoran narrowed his eyes, coldly: "All of this is thanks to your previous incarnation. If not for your reckless actions back then, why would I have had to shoulder the path of salvation for our entire clan and turn myself into this?"
Before Dan Heng could speak,
Taoran said again: "Mr. Dan Heng, you've returned twice, yet always refused to meet us old folks. Truly a pity. This meeting, what a twist of fate."
Dan Heng said coolly: "I came with Miss Lingsha today, not for reminiscing."
"Indeed."
Taoran sneered: "When the Cauldron Master of the Alchemy Commission sends an invitation, how could a Preceptor refuse?"
Lingsha's expression didn't change at all, not angered by Taoran's sarcasm.
She only smiled: "I've found some material evidence regarding the Shackling Prison breakout,I hope the Preceptor has already examined it."
"Hmm."
Taoran nodded: "You delivered the Marastruck's remains, the Shackling Prison map, and a Transforming Pill."
"The remains were of an assassin using Cloud Chanting Art."
"And the map of the escape route, a craftsman of the Vidyadhara once advised on building the Shackling Prison; this looks like the same pattern, right?"
"As for that pill…" Lingsha didn't bother with politeness, firing off questions one after another.
Who would have thought, Taoran crossed his arms and calmly nodded: "That's right, it's all me."
"So, the appearance of the Disciples of the Medicus Sanctus and the Emanator within the Alchemy Commission, the chaos they caused, the Stellaron brought in, making the Ambrosial Arbor regenerate, even this Shackling Prison breakout all ties back to the Vidyadhara?"
Lingsha asked again.
Taoran actually nodded, bluntly: "That's right."
Dan Heng and Lingsha were both stunned.
"Surprised?"
"Heh, you came from the Divination Commission just to make me confess, didn't you?"
"Since the Sedition of Imbibitor Lunae turmoil, our Vidyadhara numbers have dwindled. The High Elder was exiled, I and several Preceptors had to hold on with difficulty, struggling against the tide. My methods may be radical, but in the end it's all because of one thing, "
"The survival of the Vidyadhara!"
"Yet the Xianzhou insists on banning the Plaguemarks, indifferent to our suffering. Dan Heng! Lingsha! As fellow Vidyadhara, you should understand my intentions!"
"What I did was nothing but survival!"
This top-tier shameless righteous rhetoric from Taoran made even Dan Heng frown.
Lingsha was speechless to the extreme. 'This guy is really sick, isn't he?'
Activating a Plaguemark, did he really think he could avoid facing the consequences and limits of such a thing?