Previously on…
…
Oh ho, what a scene to walk into.
Wu Tong watched the spectacle with a grin stretching across his face. Truly, every member of the group was a gem—entertaining and full of witty banter. No wonder he loved being part of it. With these lively pairs around, the group was a never-ending source of amusement.
Don't Bully the Poor Youth: Oh ho, just logged in and already caught a drama.
Don't Bully the Poor Youth: You really have a talent for stirring trouble, Chulan.
Don't Bully the Poor Youth: Alright, alright, stop nagging. I'm on my way back now. Just wait a bit—I'll pick up Xun'er and head over right after.
Truth-Seeker: On your way back? You're not at the Xiao Clan?
Wu Tong immediately zeroed in on the key detail in Xiao Yan's message.
Don't Bully the Poor Youth: Nope. My teacher's been supervising my training outside for the past few days, honing my combat skills. My strength has improved a lot, but my actual combat experience is still lacking.
Truth-Seeker: Ah, makes sense. Your performance in the last battle was… not great.
Truth-Seeker: By the way, our future Flame Emperor, is your big moment coming up soon? I'd love to witness the legendary "Thirty Years East of the River" scene in person.
Don't Bully the Poor Youth: …
Xiao Yan, sprinting back home, rolled his eyes hard at Wu Tong's words but replied anyway.
Don't Bully the Poor Youth: Not yet. The Xiao Clan's coming-of-age ceremony is still about a month away.
Don't Bully the Poor Youth: But as for that iconic scene… you probably won't get to see it, Tong-ge.
Slime King: Why???
Truth-Seeker: Why???
Dragon King Sprays Water: Why???
Fallen Lazy Angel: Why???
…
Seriously, were they all this bored? Did they have nothing better to do?
Xiao Yan suppressed the urge to facepalm and explained.
Don't Bully the Poor Youth: After the Luotian Grand Ritual, I plan to visit Nalan Yanran privately and annul our engagement.
Don't Bully the Poor Youth: I've been thinking—in the original story, her points weren't entirely wrong. She just went about it too aggressively. Since none of that's happened yet, there's no reason to hold a grudge.
Don't Bully the Poor Youth: At the end of the day, she's just a kid. With my current strength, I've got no reason to pick fights with children.
Xiao Yan flexed the power of a third-rank expert coursing through his veins, brimming with confidence.
He really didn't have time for games like the "three-year promise" with Nalan Yanran. Wouldn't it be better to focus on building his own strength and preparing to conquer other worlds?
(Stay tuned for the new iconic scene—Three-Year Promise: Nalan Yanran's "Thirty Years East of the River, Don't Bully the Poor Girl.")
No-Shamelessness: That's fair. Avoiding the whole divorce debacle saves face for both families and keeps relations from souring. The elders have a good relationship, after all.
No-Shamelessness: But aren't we getting off-topic? Shouldn't we be discussing who's coming to help me? Is everyone else ready?
Camera Princess: I'm ready, but I might be bringing a few extra people—Himeko, Mr. Yang, Dan Heng, Stelle, Ah Huan…
Truth-Seeker: ???
Truth-Seeker: You're bringing the whole crew? Who's guarding the Astral Express?
Camera Princess: Huh? Didn't I mention it?
Camera Princess: A few days ago, while Stelle and I were going through the Belobog storyline, I noticed my Martial Spirit—Astral Express—started resonating with the real Astral Express.
Camera Princess: After some research, I realized I can store the train inside my Martial Spirit. So we don't need to leave anyone behind this time. Plus, Pom-Pom can still enjoy the scenery through my eyes.
Camera Princess: So everyone's coming. Exploring another world is a journey worth remembering, after all.
Skybase King: That's possible? Martial Spirits really are full of surprises.
Dragon King Sprays Water: Right? The Astral Express's core is literally the heart of the Trailblaze Aeon. If even that can fuse with a Martial Spirit, the system's potential is insane.
Dragon King Sprays Water: As expected of a power tied to the "heart." Truly extraordinary.
Truth-Seeker: Wait a minute—I get the others, but who's this "Ah Huan"? Since when was she part of the crew?
Camera Princess: Oh, she's the one I mentioned before—Sampo's "aunt." Even though she's a Masked Fool, she's surprisingly decent.
Camera Princess: Thanks to her help, we breezed through Belobog's storyline. Though knowing the plot in advance helped too.
Camera Princess: After the Belobog arc, I invited Ah Huan to join the crew. Now she's an official Nameless!
Truth-Seeker: …
Wu Tong stared at March 7th's messages, a nagging sense of unease creeping up on him—though he couldn't pinpoint why.
Still, inviting a Masked Fool onto the Astral Express? March really had a knack for bold decisions. Had she already forgotten what happened the last time a follower of Elation boarded the train?
Truth-Seeker: Congrats on the new member, I guess.
Truth-Seeker: But Ah Huan's still a Masked Fool. Stay cautious, March. Remember what the last "joyful" passenger did.
Vermilion Bird Adeptus: Yeah, the Astral Express getting split in two by the Aeon of Elation should've been lesson enough. Better safe than sorry.
Camera Princess: Really? Ah Huan doesn't seem like that kind of person…
Fallen Lazy Angel: You never know what a Masked Fool might do—they probably don't either.
Leisurely Stroll in the Mortal World: Objectively speaking, caution is warranted. March, it's best to stay vigilant around such personalities.
…
Aboard the Astral Express.
March 7th glanced uneasily at Ah Huan, who was currently chasing Pom-Pom around the cabin.
Ah Huan noticed her gaze and turned, blinking innocently. "What's up, March? Something on my face?"
Meanwhile, she muttered internally: 'Did she figure it out? No way—I heard this March 7th isn't the sharpest tool in the shed.'
...
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(End of Chapter)