The folks on the train were easy to get along with.
And as it turned out, there were some matters that required Noldrei's help.
It wasn't for any grand reason, but simply because Noldrei's relationships on the Xianzhou were so significant that most people didn't dare to provoke him.
In Elio's original script, the Astral Express was supposed to solve the Xianzhou's problems and earn its friendship.
But the actual result was that the Xianzhou's faith had been thrown into utter chaos, and the Master Diviner of the Divination Commission had even been forced to take over the Alchemy Commission.
A fortune-teller had ended up as the head of the alchemists.
One could only imagine how passive the faith-based crisis Noldrei had instigated had made the Xianzhou, to the point where they had no choice but to push Fu Xuan into that position.
It was precisely because Dan Heng knew the troubles behind the Xianzhou's internal arrangements that he understood just how immense Noldrei's influence was on their power structure.
He couldn't say for sure if others liked Noldrei, but he was certain they feared him.
This fear was different from the fear one felt when facing an enemy. The Xianzhou people weren't afraid of external foes who would hold them down and inflict violence upon them. To them, such enemies were just another battle to be fought, another life-or-death struggle.
But it was impossible for them not to be wary of someone who understood the Xianzhou so intimately, especially when that person held a certain degree of power and influence within it.
Dan Heng knew in his heart that even the Preceptors of the Vidyadhara wouldn't dare to obstruct Noldrei's actions.
Now that Noldrei was on the train, Dan Heng decided to try and explain the situation within the Vidyadhara to him. He wanted to properly hand over the duties of the High Elder to the next Imbibitor Lunae; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to leave with a clear conscience.
"So, you want to deal with the loose ends left behind on the Xianzhou?"
Noldrei didn't actually know what the High Elder's job entailed, only that the position was primarily responsible for guarding the seal on the Ambrosial Arbor.
Dan Heng said calmly, "That's right. I want to clarify the current handover situation and the state of the current Imbibitor Lunae. Now that the Ambrosial Arbor is gone, there's no reason to continue having a High Elder to guard it. Without the Arbor, a great burden has been lifted from the Vidyadhara's shoulders."
The Ambrosial Arbor had been tampered with by Dan Shu. Jing Yuan was now practically sleeping with it every night, terrified that some fool would come looking for trouble.
Jing Yuan no longer trusted anyone to guard the Arbor.
Think about it: the seal left by the High Elder had been unmanaged for decades, and the Preceptors hadn't even bothered to maintain it.
The Vidyadhara had even provided Dan Shu with excellent conditions, all in the hopes that she would succeed in getting rid of the Arbor.
It would be truly bizarre if Jing Yuan still dared to entrust the Arbor to the Vidyadhara.
And without the responsibility of guarding the Arbor, there was theoretically no longer a need for an Imbibitor Lunae to bear that burden.
The trouble Dan Heng wanted to handle was the aftermath of these changes.
"Because you had a... rather close relationship with the current Head of the Alchemy Commission, Fu Xuan, I've come to ask for your help. If it's too much trouble, please don't worry about it. I'll find another way."
Dan Heng's request was indeed troublesome. Wasn't he just asking Noldrei to go see Fu Xuan again?
As the leader of two of the Six Charioteers, who knew if the current Fu Xuan was still walking on thin ice?
"Let me change my appearance."
Without another word, Noldrei transformed into a Vidyadhara. He had used this guise to fool Fu Xuan before, though he didn't know if she had used her divination to see through it afterward.
This was the first time Dan Heng had seen such a thing. He stared in astonishment as Noldrei suddenly transformed, his brain unable to process what was happening.
Noldrei explained calmly, "It's a small matter. Dan Shu just injected me with a bit of Vidyadhara marrow back then. It's understandable to gain a little transformation ability after an injection like that, right?"
"Uh, well… I'm not sure… I suppose it's possible…?"
Dan Heng's mind was full of question marks. He was starting to wonder if there was really a way to increase the Vidyadhara population like this.
If the Vidyadhara truly had such a method, they would have started randomly injecting passersby with marrow long ago. It was obvious that Noldrei's appearance was only superficial; Dan Heng didn't feel the power of their kin, the power left by the Permanence, from him.
"It's not a big problem. I'll just go with you looking like this. We'll see if I can help you deal with those troubles then."
Noldrei tried to sound as confident as possible.
This, however, made Dan Heng a little worried. He had only intended to borrow Noldrei's intimidating presence; he didn't dare to actually let him handle the situation.
"It's not about dealing with trouble," he explained immediately. "I just want to meet with the current Imbibitor Lunae and see the internal situation of the Vidyadhara. It's just..."
"Consider it tying up some loose ends from Dan Feng's past."
Noldrei understood Dan Heng's intention and dropped the idea of helping to "solve" the problem.
After letting the others on the train know, the two of them headed for—the Alchemy Commission.
Dan Heng had reverted to his Vidyadhara form, but as the two of them walked down the street, they still couldn't help but attract the gazes of the Xianzhou natives.
These gazes weren't entirely benevolent; one could say they held a fair bit of malice.
Dan Heng frowned, sensing that something was wrong.
"In the alchemical recipes that Dan Shu published, the ingredients related to the Ambrosial Arbor were mostly destroyed by her. The only thing left that can solve the Mara-Struck condition is Vidyadhara marrow. Sometimes, just one or two drops can have a very powerful effect."
"The power of the Permanence within the Vidyadhara is the key to breaking the Mara-Struck condition. The safest place for the Vidyadhara right now..."
"...is the Alchemy Commission."
Noldrei simply explained the source of the "gazes" they were receiving.
Now, Dan Heng understood even more why Jing Yuan was so desperate for Noldrei to leave.
Dan Heng nodded. "I see. I never thought Dan Shu would go to such lengths. In a sense, she has driven a nail deep into the alliance between the Xianzhou and the Vidyadhara, one that will be difficult to remove."
"The best and only way to remove this nail is to prevent the Xianzhou people from being affected by the Mara-Struck condition. Otherwise, this nail will sooner or later become a real bomb."
"Alas..."
Dan Heng sighed helplessly, his worries for the future of the Xianzhou growing.
Noldrei patted his shoulder and said with a smile, "Don't worry. Without an internal crisis, these Xianzhou people won't think to solve these problems on their own. It's better for it to be exposed now than to be exploited by outsiders later."
"Look at Dan Shu. Wasn't she taken advantage of by the Antimatter Legion?"
Dan Heng was exasperated.
'Weren't you the one who took advantage of her?'