Lingsha looked at the flock of Dragon Masters in front of her with a dumbfounded expression. Counting them up, there were at least forty Dragon Masters!
Had every single Dragon Master of the Luofu Vidyadhara come here?
While she was still stunned by this, the group of Dragon Masters surged forward, squeezing her—the nominal master of the Alchemy Commission—to the side, completely surrounding Fu Zhu.
Lingsha's face twitched as she watched these Dragon Masters, who usually wore stern faces and acted as if they were the most important people in the Vidyadhara race. At this moment, their wrinkled old faces were squeezed into smiles that looked like blooming chrysanthemums, showering Fu Zhu with all sorts of solicitous greetings.
"Oh my, Lord Fu Zhu! This old man heard previously that those people from The Family actually plotted against you in Penacony. I was so anxious back then! We even discussed petitioning General Jing Yuan to let the Xianzhou fleet ride to your rescue, Lord Fu Zhu! But who would have thought that Your Lordship is so divinely martial? You cleaned up that Family bunch in just two or three moves! It was truly gratifying!"
"Yes, yes! Lord Fu Zhu is simply too formidable! You are truly the model for our Vidyadhara race!"
Fu Zhu sat upright in his chair, listening to the Dragon Masters' flattery while calmly drinking his tea.
He had anticipated this scene the moment he saw the Dragon Masters rushing in, so he was unmoved by their praise.
The reason these Dragon Masters were blowing smoke up his ass right now was simply that they wanted to get close to him, hoping he would help solve the issue of the Vidyadhara's lack of new births.
Sorry, but as a Steve, I believe in pragmatism.
Just flattery? If you don't bring anything substantial to move me, why should I help?
Even the IPC knew to trade with him rather than trying to get something for nothing. On this point, the Dragon Masters of the Vidyadhara were far inferior to the people of the Company.
Meanwhile, Lingsha, who had been shoved aside and couldn't even sit in the seat that rightfully belonged to her next to Fu Zhu, forced a stiff smile onto the corner of her lips, though veins were throbbing on her forehead.
Why does it feel like Fu Zhu is the Cauldron Master of the Alchemy Commission, and I'm just a maid?
Lingsha took several deep breaths in succession, endlessly telling herself in her heart not to get angry, not to get angry. Only then did her wrathful mood gradually subside.
"Ahem."
Lingsha coughed lightly twice, trying to attract the attention of these Dragon Masters. But who knew the Dragon Masters would completely ignore her coughing, continuing to fawn over Fu Zhu on their own accord.
This caused the anger Lingsha had barely managed to suppress to surge up once more, and her voice rose a few notches as a result.
"Everyone!"
The noisy Dragon Masters finally quieted down. The lead Dragon Master turned his head, saw Lingsha standing behind him, and couldn't help but reveal a look of blame.
"Cauldron Master, why are you still here? As the newly appointed Cauldron Master, shouldn't there be many matters in the Alchemy Commission requiring your attention?"
Lingsha narrowed her eyes, her tone somewhat icy.
"This is the Alchemy Commission, not the Scalegorge Waterscape. Unrelated personnel please remain quiet. Furthermore, Mr. Fu Zhu is my guest!"
"Cauldron Master, what kind of talk is that?"
Lingsha's words immediately sparked dissatisfaction among some of the Dragon Masters, and someone spoke up to refute her right away.
"Lord Fu Zhu is the Benefactor of the entire Luofu! How could he be a guest belonging solely to your Alchemy Commission?! Moreover, as a Vidyadhara yourself, you should know that the most important matter right now is—!"
Lingsha's eyebrows jumped. Before she had even received the order to take up the post of Cauldron Master on the Luofu while still on the Xianzhou Zhuming, she had already heard from the Vidyadhara population there that Fu Zhu could enable the Vidyadhara to produce offspring.
Although she hadn't seen a newly born Vidyadhara herself, since the news had spread, it indirectly verified that these rumors held a certain degree of truth.
If it was because of the newborns, she could understand why these old fogies of the Vidyadhara were so agitated. But... she just felt inexplicably aggrieved!
Seeing Lingsha fall silent, the Dragon Masters let out a cold snort, flung their sleeves, and turned back around, putting their smiles back on to face Fu Zhu.
"Lord Fu Zhu, apologies for letting you see something laughable. This newly appointed Cauldron Master is a compatriot of our clan."
Fu Zhu put down the teacup in his hand and glanced at them. "I think what she said wasn't wrong. I am currently a guest at the Alchemy Commission, not a guest at the Scalegorge Waterscape. If the Vidyadhara truly want my help, shouldn't you at least display some sincerity?"
"Otherwise, stay quiet for now and wait until we finish talking before we chat."
Fu Zhu was also getting a bit annoyed listening to them. He just wanted to know the attitude of the Xianzhou Zhuming and Xianzhou Yaoqing right now, but this bunch of Dragon Masters had popped out to disrupt the situation...
However, upon hearing Fu Zhu's slightly unfriendly words, not only did the group of Dragon Masters not get angry, but they actually looked exhilarated.
Lord Fu Zhu's underlying meaning is... he is willing to help?!
We aren't afraid of Lord Fu Zhu raising conditions; we're afraid of Lord Fu Zhu refusing to open his mouth!
When Lord Fu Zhu was on the Luofu previously, his attitude was incredibly elusive. Although he didn't explicitly refuse, he also never gave them any opportunity to curry favor or build a relationship, let alone agree to anything.
Immediately, several Dragon Masters exchanged glances, turned around in unison, and bowed respectfully to Lingsha to apologize.
"Cauldron Master, we apologize for being too noisy. Please forgive us!"
Lingsha was startled by the Dragon Masters' sudden change in attitude. Is this still that bunch of stubborn old fogies?
They would actually apologize to a junior like me?
Although somewhat surprised, Lingsha nodded and accepted it.
"As long as you don't disturb my discussion with Mr. Fu Zhu, it is fine."
"Certainly!"
Several obviously higher-ranking Dragon Masters waved their hands immediately, making the rest of the Dragon Masters retreat from the Alchemy Commission, leaving only a few of them standing quietly to the side, looking for all the world like Fu Zhu's personal bodyguards.
Although a few Dragon Masters remained, Lingsha was already quite satisfied. she quickly returned to Fu Zhu's side, sat down on the seat separated by a small tea table, and cast a grateful glance at Fu Zhu.
"Many thanks, Mr. Fu Zhu."
Fu Zhu shook his head and went straight to the main topic: "Miss Lingsha, let's speak of business directly. What was the reason you specifically invited us to the Alchemy Commission?"
Lingsha hesitated slightly, then spoke: "Actually, I am fortunate to have received the Alliance's appointment to come and sweep away the 'accumulated dust' in this Alchemy Commission. Although I have a plan in my heart, I am unsure if it will be effective for the current Alchemy Commission, so I hoped to get some suggestions from Mr. Fu Zhu and everyone here."
"Suggestions?" Fu Zhu shook his head with some confusion. He wasn't someone skilled in administration and couldn't offer any advice on such matters. "As you can see, Miss Lingsha, although we have a good relationship with the Luofu, we are ultimately outsiders. The Astral Express cannot intervene."
"Is that so..."
Lingsha sighed silently, then turned her gaze to the only Vidyadhara in the Astral Express crew, Dan Heng. Dan Heng, who had remained quiet the whole time, noticed her gaze and shook his head as well.
"Miss Lingsha, my partners have already made it very clear. Although I am a Vidyadhara, I am likewise an outsider. However, I have a word of advice. I hope Miss Lingsha will listen."
As he said this, Dan Heng glanced at the few Dragon Masters guarding the perimeter, then looked back at Fu Zhu, seemingly asking him.
Fu Zhu cast a reassuring look at Dan Heng, and only then did Dan Heng speak the rest of his thought.
"For a long time, the Luofu Vidyadhara and the Alchemy Commission have been inextricably linked. If Miss Lingsha cannot position herself outside of it, wanting to change the situation of the Alchemy Commission will likely be very difficult."
The moment Dan Heng said this, the expressions on the faces of those few Dragon Masters instantly changed. Just as they were about to flare up, Fu Zhu at the side immediately swept his gaze over them. They had no choice but to obediently shut their mouths.
Lingsha noticed the reaction of these Dragon Masters and immediately understood that Dan Heng's words were true. This indeed gave her, a person who hadn't returned to the Luofu in a long time, a bit of advice.
"Many thanks to everyone from the Astral Express. This humble one is endlessly grateful."
"Then now it's my turn to ask you, Miss Lingsha," Fu Zhu suddenly asked. "Since you received the Alliance's appointment, you should also know some other things. I want to know the Xianzhou Alliance's attitude toward me and the Luofu right now."
Knowing the Xianzhou Alliance's attitude beforehand would allow Fu Zhu to face upcoming events properly; he didn't want to be caught off guard.
Upon hearing Fu Zhu ask about this, the corners of Lingsha's mouth instantly hooked up into a smile.
"Although this humble one does not know much, what I do know is that the Xianzhou Alliance has not placed you in the position of an enemy. The reason the Xianzhou Alliance sent two envoys this time is merely to confirm whether your actions on the Luofu are true."
"And if they aren't true?"
Lingsha shook her head: "You should know there is no such possibility. What is real will always be real."
Fu Zhu was a bit speechless. Isn't this basically saying nothing?
At this moment, the Dragon Masters who had just quieted down suddenly spoke up.
"Lord Fu Zhu, please rest assured! Within the Xianzhou Alliance, the Vidyadhara will always stand on your side! Including High Elder Hanyuan-jun; she is also a general [Tianjiang], so you really do not need to worry too much!"
Fu Zhu nodded to the Dragon Master. This was actually good news. It indirectly verified that the Xianzhou Alliance's attitude toward himself and the Luofu was relatively safe.
Having finished asking what he wanted to ask, just as Fu Zhu was planning to take his companions and leave, the sound of footsteps rang out again from outside the Alchemy Commission.
Following that, a petite figure flew in quickly from the outside, and then, under everyone's astonished gazes, threw herself into Fu Zhu's arms.
"Big Brother Fu Zhu!"
Fu Zhu lowered his head to look at Bailu who had thrown herself into his arms, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his face. "Bailu? Why did you come?"
Bailu lifted her head from Fu Zhu's arms and grinned at him.
"I heard you came back to the Luofu, so I took advantage of the medical center closing to come find you immediately!"
"Then how did you know I was at the Alchemy Commission?"
Fu Zhu was somewhat curious. His invitation to the Alchemy Commission was Lingsha's spur-of-the-moment idea; even Jing Yuan wouldn't know about this.
"A kind Big Sister told me! By the way, she seems to be here to seek Big Brother Fu Zhu for medical treatment too!"
"Me?"
Just as Fu Zhu frowned in confusion, curious about who the kind Big Sister Bailu mentioned was, Feixiao walked in leading two men.
"We meet again, Fu Zhu."
As soon as Feixiao walked in, Lingsha and Yanqing immediately stood up, and the surrounding Dragon Masters bowed along with them.
"Greetings, General Merlin's Claw [Tianji]."
Feixiao waved her hand casually: "Let's dispense with the red tape. Right now, I am nothing more than an ordinary customer seeking a doctor. By the way, can unrelated personnel make a little room? Give this patient of mine a bit of personal space?"
As she spoke, Feixiao looked at those Dragon Masters with a faint smile, causing their faces to turn ashen one by one.
She just said she was just an ordinary customer, and in the next breath she's chasing us out...
But there was no helping it; Feixiao's prestige forced them to bow their heads. The Dragon Masters bowed respectfully to Fu Zhu once more.
"Lord Fu Zhu, we will wait for you at the entrance."
After saying this, the group of Dragon Masters finally left the Alchemy Commission, leaving only Fu Zhu's group, Lingsha, Bailu, and Feixiao's trio on the scene.
Fu Zhu casually picked up Bailu from his arms and passed her to March 7th at his side. March 7th took Bailu, and together with Xing, began to tease and play with her.
Fu Zhu looked at Feixiao, raising an eyebrow as he sized her up.
"You are that kind Big Sister Bailu mentioned who came to find me for treatment?"
Feixiao nodded with a smile, then took a seat at the side under Lingsha's greeting.
"That's right. Originally, I only planned to seek out the Healer Lady of the Vidyadhara, but after contact, the Lady Dragon Healer could not help treat me."
At this, Bailu, who was having her cheeks pinched by Xing and March 7th, muttered a sentence.
"For your illness, whether it's me or anyone else, we can only let you eat a bit better in the remaining time. At least you won't walk that path so painfully. If anyone in this world can cure you, it definitely has to be Big Brother Fu Zhu and [The Abundance]."
Feixiao spread her hands at Fu Zhu with a grin, wearing an expression that said 'See, that's how it is'. "As a General of the Xianzhou Alliance, I naturally cannot go seek [The Abundance] for salvation. So, I can only come to find you, Fu Zhu."
Fu Zhu glanced at Feixiao's status bar and immediately saw a status different from everyone else on the scene.
[Moon Rage]
"The affliction of Moon Rage?"
Upon hearing that Fu Zhu identified the symptoms on her body at a glance, Feixiao and the two people beside her couldn't help but get agitated.
One had to know that previously Fu Zhu had only met Feixiao briefly. He couldn't have had the chance to carefully examine the illness on her body. Since he could now see the illness on her body with a single glance, that meant Fu Zhu's medical skills were absolutely superb!
Among them, the pink-haired Foxian beside Feixiao stepped forward with some excitement.
"Mr. Fu Zhu, can you cure Moon Rage?"
"Not clear."
Fu Zhu shook his head. He didn't know exactly what kind of pathology this Moon Rage was, so naturally, he wouldn't dare to make any guarantees. Moreover...
Fu Zhu stared at Feixiao with a faint smile and said, "General Feixiao, right now I am the subject of your investigation. Furthermore, I have no relationship with the Xianzhou Yaoqing. I have no reason to act, right?"
The pink-haired Foxian instantly became anxious.
"But, aren't you a healer?!"
Feixiao immediately reached out and pressed down on his shoulder, staring at him with slight displeasure: "Jiaoqiu! You cannot speak like that!"
Only then did Jiaoqiu realize he had missoken, and he bowed apologetically to Fu Zhu.
"Apologies, Mr. Fu Zhu. It was Jiaoqiu who spoke out of turn in a moment of impatience. Please forgive me."