Seeing Dan Feng suddenly wanting to join the Heavenly Ascendant, just like Teng Xiao, Jing Yuan was also dumbfounded.
As Imbibitor Lunae, Dan Feng was a figure admired by countless people, yet he was now willing to join another group and become someone else's subordinate?
In the next moment, however, Jing Yuan seemed to have thought of something and began to lose himself in thought.
"Heavenly Ascendant is just something I casually formed with my disciple." Lucian said calmly, his expression remaining calm and unreadable. "Besides, Heavenly Ascendant is not something you can join just because you want to."
"In that case... please accept me as your student." Dan Feng's gaze was firm. "As long as I can occasionally receive your little guidance, that would be enough."
No matter what, he had to learn something from Lucian.
"General, this is actually a good thing." Jing Yuan tugged on Teng Xiao's arm and whispered quietly. "Just think, with this connection, whenever the Luofu needs the Heavenly Ascendant's help, there will be a discount."
Upon hearing this, Teng Xiao's eyes instantly lit up.
Yes, as he thought about it more carefully, not only would that save a lot of money, but it would also bring him closer to Lucian!
"Brother, I have a favor to ask." Teng Xiao approached Lucian and patted his shoulder. "Take two people for me, alright? Just treat them as your students, not formal disciples. Every year, we'll pay you teaching fees."
If he weren't an Arbiter-General, he honestly would have also wanted to become Lucian's student and learn his bizarre ability.
Hearing Teng Xiao's request, Lucian had to admit this man was always breaking his expectations.
Outsiders said Teng Xiao was brave and invincible, able to suppress abominations and cut down an Emanator of Abundance, but look at what he was doing in private—so many little schemes.
"Let me guess, you want me to teach Jing Yuan as well?" Lucian asked with raised eyebrows.
"Well, I'd like to see him get stronger, too." Teng Xiao chuckled. "You taught Jingliu, and she became an incredible swordswoman. Teaching Jing Yuan should be easy for you, yeah?"
"It's because Jingliu had great talent." Lucian softly shook his head. "In fact, I didn't teach her at all."
"C'mon, don't be modest, Brother." Teng Xiao waved his hand. "Two people, twenty percent of the Luofu's profit each year, consider it tuition."
Lucian didn't know how to respond since he really didn't know how to teach someone, but seeing Teng Xiao's persistence, he couldn't refuse.
"Fine, since you treat me like your brother, what else can I say?" Lucian sighed helplessly. "Jing Yuan and Dan Feng can be my students and join the Heavenly Ascendant. Also, forget about the tuition."
He honestly felt embarrassed to ask for tuition for this trivial thing.
A trip to the Xianzhou Luofu, and he somehow ended up taking in two students—two members of the High-Cloud Quintet, no less.
"Alright, it's settled!" Teng Xiao grinned broadly. "Guhahaha! Jing Yuan, High Elder, from now on, you two are his students. Learn well!"
Jing Yuan and Dan Feng immediately stepped forward and bowed their heads toward Lucian.
"Jing Yuan pays respects to Teacher."
"Dan Feng pays respects to Teacher."
At this, Lucian's face stayed calm, but inside, he was rather pleased, for the future Xianzhou Luofu's Arbiter-General and this era's Imbibitor Lunae were now his students.
Just then, Yingxing, who had stayed silent from the beginning, suddenly walked up and bowed his head toward Lucian.
"Brother Lucian, I also wish to become your student and join the Heavenly Ascendant."
Yingxing was indeed gifted, but as a short-lived species, his lifespan was unfortunately too brief, which was why many in the Xianzhou Zhuming refused to let him formally lead the Artisanship Commission.
However, he always wanted a place where he could shine, and at this moment, that place was only by Lucian's side.
Seeing others become Lucian's students and also join the Heavenly Ascendant, he naturally wanted to seize the opportunity.
Lucian had just been wondering whether gathering the entire High-Cloud Quintet might be a condition for completing the script, and here Yingxing came on his own.
"Very well." Lucian smiled and nodded calmly.
Yingxing's eyes widened, and then he broke into a big smile before bowing his head again.
"Yingxing pays respects to Teacher!"
Now the High-Cloud Quintet was complete.
Jingliu as a disciple, Baiheng as a close friend, Jing Yuan, Dan Feng, and Yingxing as students.
Lucian couldn't help but wish that if reality were like this, it would be amazing.
Later, when he visited the Xianzhou Luofu in reality, even its Arbiter-General would have to respectfully call him teacher.
===
In the following decade or so, Lucian often led the Heavenly Ascendant to fight and grow stronger, achieving many remarkable feats.
For example, driving away the borisin fleet that invaded Thalassa, breaking the alliance between the houyhnhnms and the wingweavers, rescuing the Cloud Knights controlled by the puppeteer jellyfish, annihilating millions of voidrangers—their accomplishments were endless, causing the Heavenly Ascendant's fame to reach its peak.
In this history, there would be no High-Cloud Quintet, only the legend of Heavenly Ascendant.
===
Year 7378 Star Calendar, Xianzhou Cangcheng, Jingliu's Residence.
At this moment, five people sat around a round table, drinking and chatting with each other in a festive atmosphere.
Lucian sat at the head of the table, Jingliu beside him, while Jing Yuan, Dan Feng, and Yingxing naturally took the seats opposite them.
Jing Yuan and the other two men were not fools—they could clearly see that Jingliu's relationship with their teacher was unusual.
Of course, they were also aware that Baiheng's relationship with their teacher was just as unusual.
"Why isn't Baiheng back from shopping yet?" Jingliu asked with concern.
Just as these words fell, Baiheng soon appeared at the doorway with her usual cheerful smile.
"Sorry, I stopped to draw a career fortune, so it delayed me. I'll punish myself with three cups!"
Baiheng was as straightforward as always—she immediately downed three cups of wine in quick succession.
"Seeing you so happy, was it good fortune?" Jing Yuan asked with a smile.
"Yep! But no reward for guessing!" Baiheng said while giggling.
Meanwhile, watching the five gathered together, chatting so happily, Lucian couldn't help but remember the original story.
"Seeing you all together like this fulfills a dream of mine..." Lucian remarked, then sighed in pity.
Upon hearing this, Jing Yuan paused, then fixed his eyes on Lucian.
"What do you mean, Teacher?" Jing Yuan asked seriously. "You were acting as if we were going to break apart someday."
Through the years together, Lucian had always solved every problem with various mysterious means, so Jing Yuan often observed him and pondered his words seriously, trying to catch the hidden meaning behind them.
"You kid, always catching my words." Lucian chuckled lightly. "You were not wrong, though. In my dream, you five did indeed break apart."
"Why, though?" Jing Yuan asked with a frown.
"Well, since you're curious, let me tell you my dream." Lucian drained his cup, then continued. "Among you five, one's life will be short."
Everyone immediately looked at Yingxing because they knew that he belonged to a short-life species.
"I don't really mind it." Yingxing gave a wry smile. "Honestly, I'm already content with my life."
"One will have an immortal life." Lucian continued.
"Not surprising." Dan Feng calmly raised his cup, for he was an immortal vidyadhara, destined to reincarnate endlessly.
"One will board the Astral Express and travel the galaxies." Lucian continued.
"Ah, that's my dream!" Baiheng laughed cheerfully, raising her cup.
Boarding the Astral Express had been her dream since childhood, after all.
"One will inherit a legacy and protect one of the Xianzhou ships." Lucian continued.
Jingliu felt her master was speaking of her because she was, after all, his successor and the protector of the Xianzhou Cangcheng.
"Lastly, one will leave the Xianzhou Alliance and then scheme against Yaoshi." Lucian continued.
As soon as the word 'scheme' was mentioned, everyone knew it was Jing Yuan, since he was known as a good strategist with a sharp mind.
It was just that no one expected that one day he would even dare to plot against an Aeon—truly impressive.
At this point, Jing Yuan couldn't help but ask again.
"Isn't it just a dream about our future? Why would we ever break apart?"
Evidently, they thought Lucian's words about them breaking apart were just a mere joke, so no one took it seriously.
Each had achieved their dreams, and with Lucian bringing them together, how could they break apart?
"Why, huh..."
Lucian shook his head, then his expression turned tranquil.
"What if everything turns out differently than you expect?"
"Let's make it clearer—the one whose life is short is Baiheng, the immortal one is Yingxing, the one who boards the Astral Express is Dan Feng, the one who inherits the legacy is Jing Yuan, and the one who leaves the Xianzhou Alliance is Jingliu."
===
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