The audience immediately sensed something was off.
[Only one episode left? How is that possible?]
[Watching episode by episode, I got so immersed I forgot the count—though Season 3's episodes have been shorter on average.]
[No way... miHoYo's really going all out, huh?]
[A single episode can't possibly cover this—too many unresolved plot threads. Where's the internal strife? The external threats? No Dan Heng storyline? No final boss? It can't just end like this!]
[Bro, the more you talk, the more nervous I get. One Hunter x Hunter hiatus in my lifetime is enough—don't add Honkai: Star Rail to that list!]
Though the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus member had boasted arrogantly, her skills didn't match her words. After March 7th froze her with Six-Phase Ice, Caelus promptly sent her to meet Yaoshi in person.
The group turned their attention to the Cloud Knight who had succumbed to mara.
"Hang in there! We'll find someone to help you..." March 7th tried to comfort him.
"Don't... waste your time. That woman already... 'converted' me. It won't be long now... Just go... The Master Diviner's troops are ahead..."
He fell silent, as if exhausted—or perhaps waiting for Caelus' group to leave.
[Sigh, getting too old for these emotional moments.]
[Cloud Knights are truly admirable—always prioritizing civilians' safety.]
[Well, duh—just look at which nation the Xianzhou is based on. This is how they should be.]
[His pained expression hurts to see. Even for a minor character, it's hard not to empathize. Just put him out of his misery...]
"Let's go." With Welt Yang's sigh of regret, the group pressed forward.
The path was far from easy—littered with corpses of both Cloud Knights and Abundance followers. Yet this was merely a minor skirmish in the Xianzhou's millennia-long history.
According to survivors, Master Diviner Fu Xuan had already led troops to engage the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus traitors. Their priority now was to regroup with the Cloud Knights' main force.
Soon,
the four arrived at a checkpoint guarded by Cloud Knights.
"Halt! State your business!"
The gatekeeper tightened his grip on his blade—then relaxed upon recognizing them.
"Wait—it's you all! Come in quickly, it's dangerous outside."
March 7th pointed at herself. "You know us?"
"Aren't you the general's honored guests? The Master Diviner foresaw your arrival. She ordered us to wait for you."
From the knight, they learned Fu Xuan had left with scouts to investigate, while the main force rested here.
Welt Yang analyzed the situation. "The Stellaron did trigger Abundance-related anomalies, but would the Disciples abandon their secrecy so easily? The Cloud Knights' main force remains intact... Something else must have happened. Without the Master Diviner here, let's gather intel from the troops."
With no better options, they explored the makeshift camp market while awaiting Fu Xuan's return.
Through Caelus' perspective, they gained clearer insight into the Cloud Knights' status—and even spoke with a captured Disciples member.
While the Disciples admitted to catalyzing the Arbor's resurgence, they refused to reveal how they obtained the Stellaron or their plans—instead incessantly tempting Caelus to join their ranks of long-life species.
"The Master Diviner has returned!" shouts erupted among the knights.
The Express trio approached as a petite pink-haired figure emerged from the crowd.
"My apologies for the wait. I've uncovered the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus' schemes."
Caelus crossed his arms. "Why keep us in the dark about them earlier?"
"Classified intelligence. Only General Jing Yuan and I were privy—they're a shadow organization plotting to overthrow the Alliance. The Stellaron crisis finally forced them into the open, and they're deeply involved in this disaster."
Welt Yang nodded approvingly. "Despite unfavorable odds, the Master Diviner personally scouts enemy lines—commendable dedication."
Fu Xuan's lips twitched upward, visibly pleased. "W-well, it's nothing! Divination requires firsthand observation for accurate results..."
[PFFT—Fu Xuan can't hide her smile after being praised!]
[Was she about to say "Of course"?]
[OMG the Master Diviner's reaction is SO CUTE hahaha!]
[Fu Xuan thrives on compliments.]
Suddenly, she snapped back to focus. "Wait—who said the battle was unfavorable? The Disciples are formidable, but we're hardly losing!"
Caelus blurted out, "You waited for us because you need something, don't you?"
Fu Xuan smiled. "You catch on quickly."
March 7th adopted a theatrical tone. "Ahem! When we first met your Madame Yukong, she said—'This is Xianzhou internal affairs, no need for outsiders' concern.'"
Her imitation was pitch-perfect.
Then she reverted to her usual self. "Now suddenly we're doing all your dirty work? Even the IPC doesn't delegate this efficiently! So what's the mission—leading the charge with your knights? Hard pass! I get queasy in big battles!"
Fu Xuan chuckled. "Who said anything about the frontline? Please follow me."
She led them to a massive alchemy furnace billowing smoke.
Fu Xuan explained the Disciples had laced the fumes with mara-inducing elixirs—effectively cutting off the long-life species' advance.
While she engaged the Disciples head-on, the Express team would infiltrate and shut down the furnace.
Welt Yang shook his head wryly. "So this is General Jing Yuan's 'unconventional strategy'?"
"I wouldn't presume. But Kafka's prophecy proved more accurate than my divinations—her desired future unfolds as we speak."
"Leaving us no choice..."
Fu Xuan's voice turned self-deprecating. "No choice but the least catastrophic path. No one leaps off a cliff willingly. As Master Diviner, my duty is to avert calamity—I won't let my choices doom the Luofu."
"To the point—only you can extinguish the furnace unharmed. Your thoughts?"
March 7th shrugged. "Well, she didn't say 'please' this time, but since we're the only ones who can help... Right, Caelus? Mr. Yang?"
Caelus and Welt nodded.
As they prepared to depart, Fu Xuan suddenly inhaled deeply, puffing her cheeks like a hamster.
Caelus smirked and approached her.
"Ahem. It's not too late to practice breath-holding..."
He teased, "You look fine—why the deep breaths?"
"The furnace is still far! While I'm no pharmacologist, I know toxicity depends on dosage..." Fu Xuan exhaled dramatically, her tone tsundere.
"Hmph! That said... I'm absolutely terrified! I'm too young for mara-struck degeneration!"
"What if you suddenly—"
"Don't jinx it!!"
Caelus tapped his chin. "So the fumes are harmless to us?"
Fu Xuan instantly bristled. "You doubt me?! What if I said 'I don't know'—would you quit right here?!"
[PFFT—Fu Xuan's emotions are an open book!]
[Is teasing the Master Diviner fun? I'm loving her character more by the minute.]
[The gap moe is REAL. Kawaii Fu Xuan~]
"You mean you're not certain?!"
"Nonsense! I'm completely confident! No issues whatsoever!"
Fu Xuan then elaborated how accumulated memories were theorized as the root cause of mara.
March 7th sighed in relief. "Oh good! I don't remember anything anyway."
[Wait—March's reply just broke me.]
[That casually dropped trauma...]
[What about Jing Yuan though? Is he still holding up?]
[Seriously, his mental fortitude is insane—no signs of mara yet. What if he succumbs?]