"So, what in the world is going on!!!"
Bailu, who had just finished checking the pulse of the soundly sleeping little Wende, looked at the large group of people standing at her door. She hugged her large tail in a panic, looking completely startled.
What was this situation? Why was that powerful General sitting in a wheelchair! And this fierce-looking man who smelled like a bad guy… And the big sister in the arms of this ice-cold big sister… This… doesn't she look like Sister Tingyun? But Sister Tingyun's hair isn't white, is it?
"Er… Bailu, how is Wende's condition right now?"
Jing Yuan gave an awkward smile, then, under Bailu's shocked gaze, stood up from the wheelchair.
"Ah, well, he just fell asleep… is there a problem?"
Bailu tilted her head, completely baffled.
"He's asleep? Then that's perfect. Leave the rest to me."
Jingliu nodded with a blank expression, then walked into Wende's room carrying Tingyun, who was radiating a shocking amount of heat. She then locked the door behind her.
"Hiss… Miss Tingyun? She'll be alright, won't she?" March covered her mouth, her face full of worry.
"…"
Watching Jingliu carry Tingyun inside, Welt silently pushed up his glasses.
He should probably prepare for two new members on the Express… Sigh, he hoped Himeko would be able to listen to his report calmly when the time came…
He glanced up at Jing Yuan, who was faking an injury to trick Fu Xuan into working overtime, and couldn't help but shake his head.
According to Miss Jingliu, the only way to save Miss Tingyun was with Wende's help. And this Jingliu… a former member of the High-Cloud Quintet, the Sword Champion of the Xianzhou, the General's revered teacher and Wende's sword master, a sinner deeply afflicted by the Mara-Struck…
"Sigh, it's best to wait for Wende to wake up and let him make the judgment himself," Welt thought, feeling a wave of exhaustion.
"Hmph. If there's nothing else, I'm leaving."
Blade took one last, deep look at Dan Heng beside him, then turned to leave.
"General!"
Yanqing was about to step forward and stop the criminal but was held back by Jing Yuan's hand.
"Yanqing, let him go."
Jing Yuan shook his head silently, looking at Blade without a word.
"Hmph. Remember to tell that madwoman she still owes me a sword strike."
Remembering Jingliu's perfunctory attitude from before, Blade couldn't help but feel his teeth itch.
"Don't worry, I'll pass on the message."
"I hope so."
Leaving behind those cold words, Blade's figure leaped out of the courtyard. In a few bounds, he was beyond the Cloud Knights' containment range, vanishing among the buildings of the street.
Yanqing, held back by Jing Yuan, looked at his General with indignation. But when he saw the flicker of loss that inadvertently crossed Jing Yuan's eyes, his anger dissipated, and he simply stood by his side.
"Yanqing, come with me to the Shackling Prison. There's a 'prisoner' waiting for us."
"General?" Yanqing looked at Jing Yuan, confused.
"Let's go. Fu Xuan will take care of things here. Sigh… I'm really getting old. After cleaning up this mess, I need to go and relax properly."
Jing Yuan chuckled and ruffled Yanqing's hair. He then sat back down in the wheelchair and had Yanqing push him out of the courtyard.
"General, is it really okay for us to trick Master Diviner Fu like this?" Yanqing asked, his conscience a little troubled as he looked at Jing Yuan, who was the very picture of smug satisfaction.
"Aiya! Yanqing, what are you saying? Fu Xuan is probably hoping I'll let her stay in the General's seat for a few more days!"
"Well… even though I know this General is actually a very reliable person, right now I'm starting to think he's very unreliable," March said with a helpless shrug.
"Maybe this is the highest level of slacking off?" Stelle scratched her head, guessing.
---o---
Turning back the clock…
Just after shattering Phantylia's physical body and temporarily resolving the Xianzhou's crisis, the four of them had, for some reason, inexplicably fallen into another standoff.
Blade pointed his sword at Jingliu, while Dan Heng aimed his spear at Blade.
Jing Yuan said nothing, merely looking at the two with a sense of helplessness. Jingliu, on the other hand, completely ignored Blade. She walked over to March, took the heat-radiating Tingyun from her arms, and looked at the white hair caused by the excess of Yang energy. She lovingly stroked her head, a hint of reminiscence in her eyes.
"Jingliu, you owe me. It's time to pay up!" Blade's tone was grim, filled with killing intent.
"Next time for sure."
Jingliu walked towards the star-harbor, carrying Tingyun. Without looking back, she left behind a single, cold sentence.
"…"
Blade's expression instantly twisted.
Seeing Blade's ferocious look, Dan Heng silently skirted around him and went to the side of the Express crew.
"March, Stelle, and Mr. Yang, are you all okay?" Dan Heng asked the three with concern.
"We're fine, it's just Miss Tingyun…" March looked worriedly at Jingliu, who was carrying Tingyun away. For some reason, she felt that the cold figure looked a little lonely…
"Everyone, thank you for your assistance this time."
Jing Yuan also silently bypassed the怨氣-radiating Blade and thanked the Express crew with a smile.
"General Jing Yuan, we didn't provide much help in this battle," Welt said, shaking his head.
They were all old foxes. Jing Yuan gave Welt a meaningful smile and then made his promise.
Once Wende had recovered, they would announce the Astral Express's deeds to all the Xianzhou ships. By then, the Astral Express would be heroes in the eyes of all Xianzhou citizens.
After all, the feat of saving a Xianzhou ship was something that would astound any world connected by the Star Rail across the galaxy.
But this also meant… the Astral Express and the Xianzhou were now thoroughly tied together. To an extent that even exceeded the Stellaron Hunters' original expectations…
"In that case, let's head back to the Alchemy Commission first. We can talk on the way."
Watching the group depart, Blade's face darkened. He snorted lightly and then followed them.
---o---
After removing Tingyun's clothes, Jingliu placed her next to Wende. Watching the almost-tangible Yang energy slowly flow into Wende's body, she silently lay down on his other side.
The Yin energy unique to the Mara-Struck and the Yang energy from Tingyun's body intermingled, both flowing together to replenish Wende's body…
Tingyun was Yang, Jingliu was Yin. One Yang and one Yin, on either side of Wende, they formed a state of [Equilibrium]…