Memories of the past still haunted Mr. Yang.
He briefly set aside his wariness of Noldrei, deciding to try and get to know this 'Kevin' from another world.
Mr. Yang informed Himeko of his decision and the outcome of their discussion.
Joining the Express wasn't a simple affair; new members were typically accepted only after fighting alongside the crew. Someone like Noldrei, joining due to circumstance and a transactional agreement, was a genuine exception.
Himeko hadn't expected the Xianzhou to have faced a crisis of such magnitude, much less that the Stellaron Hunters truly bore the Astral Express crew no ill will.
After hearing Mr. Yang's account, she hesitated for only a moment before agreeing to let Noldrei stay.
"Then let him stay," she said. "We can deal with any problems if and when they arise. Besides, if he's willing to follow the rules of the Astral Express as we explore the universe, then he's welcome… Although, do we have any particularly special rules?"
Himeko thought about it for a moment and realized the Astral Express didn't really have many rules to speak of.
Mr. Yang cleared his throat. "For example, no prying into others' secrets, no starting conflicts with the locals, and no disregarding Conductor Pom-Pom's authority... Hmm. Now that you mention it, I suppose we really don't have many other rules."
"See? You think so too," Himeko said with a laugh. "I'm sure a man like that knows his limits. And from what you've said, he's both powerful and intelligent. I doubt he'll cause any trouble. I choose to trust your judgment. Let him come aboard."
Mr. Yang paused for a moment, then pushed up his glasses. "Thank you for your generosity, Himeko. To be honest, there are some things I want to learn from him as well. Inviting him aboard serves a small personal motive of my own."
"That's fine..." Himeko replied, unperturbed. "Everyone has their reasons. It's perfectly understandable."
Just as they agreed, a voice Mr. Yang found quite familiar called out from outside.
"Is anyone from the Astral Express here? Jing Yuan, a friend from the Xianzhou, has come to visit."
Jing Yuan's call echoed from outside.
Since Jing Yuan was visiting in a personal capacity, Himeko and Mr. Yang didn't stand on ceremony and invited him aboard to talk.
Jing Yuan's smile was a bit awkward. "My apologies for the sudden intrusion," he explained quickly. "I just heard about Noldrei wanting to join the Astral Express, so I rushed over."
Mr. Yang and Himeko exchanged a look, surprised that Jing Yuan was so deeply invested in the matter.
Mr. Yang had already told Himeko about the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, but she had assumed it was a simple matter of faith. She hadn't realized Jing Yuan placed such importance on this Noldrei character—so much so that he would come to see them alone.
Mr. Yang said awkwardly, "But we didn't really accomplish much on the Xianzhou. Most of it was resolved by the Xianzhou people themselves."
"No, that's not true," Jing Yuan said seriously. "Dan Shu was persuaded to give up of her own volition. Look, this is the new Ambrosial Arbor I brought out."
He pointed to a glass pendant on his chest. Inside was a small, exquisitely beautiful tree.
Mr. Yang's hand tightened on his cane, and a cold sweat broke out on his back. This was the divine tree that could have crippled the Luofu, and Jing Yuan was carrying it around his neck?
"I came to discuss something else..." Jing Yuan said, looking helpless about the turn of events. "I just learned about Noldrei's situation, and as you saw, Mr. Yang, it all stemmed from the influence his 'Pure Land Theory' had on the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus."
"He didn't just influence them; he's even influenced our Luofu's Master Diviner. You know of her, yes? The highest leader in charge of divining all matters for the Xianzhou."
"She's now doubting her own divination abilities and suspects she might have some connection to the Abundance. She feels responsible and even wants to truly achieve the goals laid out in his Pure Land Theory."
Mr. Yang's brow furrowed. "What goal is that?"
"To resolve the suffering of the Xianzhou people caused by their long life, the Mara-Struck condition, and other related issues," Jing Yuan explained.
"Isn't that a good thing?" Mr. Yang asked, puzzled.
Jing Yuan shook his head. "It's not that simple. Fu Xuan has been on the Luofu for a long time. We all know her. She has an immense sense of responsibility; otherwise, she wouldn't be alternating between the Paths of Erudition and Preservation."
He continued gravely, "Responsibility gives one strength, but it also brings pain. If Fu Xuan's sense of responsibility deepens because of this, the pain she feels will only push her closer to the core of the Pure Land Theory. At that point, she truly will become a Disciple of the Abundance."
Mr. Yang felt helpless. "But this is something the Astral Express can't handle."
Jing Yuan knew their predicament but made his plea. "I understand your difficulty, which is why I've come to ask a favor. I'd like to ask you to get to know Noldrei better, to see if he might be persuaded to come and talk some sense into Fu Xuan. It would benefit him, Fu Xuan, and the Xianzhou. If it's not possible, then please don't feel troubled, my friends on the Express."
"I have already prepared gifts of thanks for you. This is a request from a friend, after all. I don't wish to see Fu Xuan backed into a corner."
"An Aeon was involved in this recent invasion, and we followers who are so closely tied to them are inevitably drawn into these conflicts. If another crisis of faith were to occur, leading to internal strife..."
"Alas..."
Jing Yuan looked deeply troubled. He had brought many gifts, including a Jade Abacus symbolizing the Xianzhou's friendship.
The Divine Foresight General had clearly exhausted every ounce of his energy to see Noldrei off.
From the very beginning of the conversation, the possibility of Noldrei not joining was never even discussed. Jing Yuan's entire argument was built on the premise that Noldrei was already set to leave with them. Every action he took was another weight on the scale, meant to hasten Noldrei's departure.
And this approach hit its mark perfectly, striking a chord with soft-hearted people like Mr. Yang and Himeko. By framing his plea as a conversation between friends, Jing Yuan made it much harder for them to refuse.
Just as Jing Yuan had anticipated, Mr. Yang had no reason to say no. He hesitated for only a moment before agreeing.
"I understand. We will speak with him about... Noldrei's relationship with the Master Diviner when the time is right. It would be a fine thing if we can help our friends on the Xianzhou, but if it proves impossible... then there is little more we can do."
A happy expression spread across Jing Yuan's face, as if he were genuinely worried about Master Diviner Fu.
"Thank you, thank you. Your willingness is enough. And when it comes to these thorny matters of conflicting faiths, it's good if he has a reason to think of Fu Xuan more often. The Master Diviner of the Divination Commission also serving as the Head of the Alchemy Commission... Lady Fu... she truly has it hard."
Sighing and shaking his head, Jing Yuan immediately contacted the Cloud Knights waiting outside, instructing them to bring the prepared gifts aboard the Astral Express one by one, as if he were presenting Noldrei's dowry.