The group soon arrived at the Seat of Divine Foresight.
This epic meeting between Huai Yan, Jing Yuan, the Astral Express Crew, and the future pillars of two Xianzhou ships was summarized by Bai Luan into the following key points:
First, the internal reaction within the Xianzhou Alliance regarding the rebirth of the Ambrosial Arbor was significant; many suspected Jing Yuan, which is why Feixiao and Huai Yan had come.
Second, Old General Huai Yan felt those people were idiots, and he sided with Jing Yuan.
Third, Feixiao was responsible for the questioning, while Huai Yan was there to observe.
Finally, while they were discussing these matters, Bai Luan had been observing from the sidelines.
After all, the topics they discussed were either the glorious past of jumping Phantylia or the internal intrigues and power struggles within the Xianzhou.
These matters either had nothing to do with Bai Luan or he hadn't been involved; since he wasn't very interested, he simply chose to stay beautifully invisible.
It was like a white garlic squeezing into an orange; no matter how hard ones tried, it remained out of palace...
"Speaking of which, I have brought a gift for the Martial Arts Ceremony upon my arrival at the Xianzhou Luofu."
Having clarified his intentions, Huai Yan steered the conversation toward the Martial Arts Ceremony.
Everyone looked into the distance, where a sword case was lying.
The casket emitted a dull glow, crafted from a material that was neither wood nor metal.
The surface was inlaid with metal threads using exquisite techniques, outlining a lotus pattern.
This case... Bai Luan scrutinized at it, feeling that the material and pattern style gave him a strange sense of déjà vu, as if someone had stolen and modified a certain retired Rock God's stone pillar.
"Yes, that is the case."
Seeing everyone's gaze fixed on the casket, Huai Yan stroked his beard and said:
"The most important part of the Martial Arts Ceremony is the 'Arena Challenge.' The host must field highly skilled warriors to defend the ring against all challengers, showcasing the martial prowess of the Xianzhou."
At this point, Huai Yan's gaze drifted seemingly unintentionally toward Dan Heng, who had been listening quietly, and his tone took on a hint of testing:
"When I heard you mention that the Astral Express would be attending, I thought the one defending the ring this time would be the High Elder of the Luofu..."
Jing Yuan chuckled upon hearing this and naturally took over the conversation, his tone relaxed yet impeccable:
"Old Yan, you must be joking. The Lady Dragon is still young and knows nothing of martial affairs. How could we let her defend the ring?"
Huai Yan looked at Jing Yuan with a hint of a smile:
"When it comes to the ability to joke, I am still no match for you."
The above was one of the Xianzhou's intangible cultural heritages: social maneuvering, the art of language, and the skill of reading people.
『Wh-Who put this piece of joke into my thesis?』
So you admit this is your thesis then?
March 7th looked at the sword casket curiously; if others hadn't been present, she would have already gone up to give it a knock.
"What is this case for? General Huai Yan, why don't you open it?"
"This is the sword case I prepared for the Martial Arts Ceremony. It is currently empty, but in a few days, a sword will arrive here to be housed within it."
Huai Yan explained unhurriedly:
"Not to boast, but this sword is the pinnacle of the Zhu Ming Xianzhou's Artisanship. It once wandered to distant lands, leaving behind all sorts of heroic legends..."
As Huai Yan introduced the origins of the prize, Bai Luan, who had been in a state of 'sideline-watching' and daydreaming, finally perked up a bit.
Of course, he didn't perk up because he was particularly interested in the so called legendary sword, but because he keenly sensed that—the boomerang is incoming!
As a veteran who was frequently hit by the Consequence of his own unintentional words, one of Bai Luan's greatest pleasures in life was witnessing someone else get accurately struck by a boomerang.
[T/N: Keep Coping...]
After all... I can't be the only one constantly eating boomerangs, right?
Yanqing and Yunli clearly held different views on who would eventually claim the sword.
The state of these two hissing at each other whenever they met had lasted for a long time, so long that even March 7th couldn't help but remark:
"I don't want to be rude... but after watching this soap opera for so long, I really want to see which of them actually wins."
Huai Yan spoke up to mediate their dispute.
"Although you both have the confidence not to lose to the other, the duel always results in one winner and one loser, which inevitably harms harmony. I have an idea—"
Great, the Xianzhou's veteran artist and 'Idea King' was going to work.
"Though the victor has yet to be revealed, and it may not even be either of you, if you wish to obtain this prize, I want you to join forces to teach an apprentice and have them enter the Martial Arts Ceremony to win at least one victory."
To this, Yanqing and Yunli said in unison:
"Where is the logic in that?"
Jing Yuan nodded and said:
"General Yan's idea is indeed interesting. Passing on one's skills shows the spirit of cooperation. This way, the winner gains something, and the loser doesn't walk away empty-handed. Only... who should they take as their apprentice?"
At that moment, everyone's eyes turned toward March 7th. March 7th looked left and right with a face full of confusion.
"Huh? Who? Me? Me?!"
General Huai Yan nodded and said:
"Just now, I saw that Miss March was quite invested in your arena sword duel. Why don't you two teach her the basics of swordplay?"
"...Eh, eh! You guys can't be serious, right?"
Seeing March 7th's panicked expression—the look of someone standing on the sidelines only for disaster to fall from the sky, turning from a spectator into the spectacle—Bai Luan finally couldn't help it. The corners of his mouth curled up into a brilliant smile, radiating the light of a true mischief-lover.
Yes, exactly right.
I, Bai Luan, officially love to see this.
...
Meanwhile, at the Space Station.
As everyone knows, some time ago, Bai Luan entrusted a Caterpie to Inspiration Mushroom, letting Mushroom raise it.
Inspiration Mushroom named it Vey.
And now, Inspiration Mushroom felt that something was slightly wrong with Vey.
After all... Vey was flying now.
Inspiration Mushroom watched Vey darting around in the sky while it hovered in place, unable to help letting out a confused sound:
"shroom...?"
HooH: ?
How did Vey start flying?
Should it be able to fly?
Watching Vey flying in the air, Inspiration Mushroom asked Chizuru, the Paper Crane flapping its wings beside it:
"Chizuru, don't you think Vey's appearance is a bit strange, and it seems a little different from other Caterpies, shroom."
Chizuru nodded its little head, confirming that Inspiration Mushroom's thoughts were not a delusion.
After all, the Caterpie's appearance had already undergone subtle changes.
Its body had moved away from a pure insect shape, showing the prototype of a dragon form.
The torso had lengthened and developed a segmented dragon-scale texture; the original red antennae on its head had fallen off, replaced by pointed ear-like protrusions.
Its snout extended slightly forward, red spine-like fins grew on its back, forelimbs emerged, and the outlines of dragon claws began to appear...
Vey had suddenly become like this, and Inspiration Mushroom hadn't managed to see the moment it evolved.
Inspiration Mushroom originally thought this was a normal growth stage for a Caterpie and that Vey was just growing up, so it hadn't cared much.
But recently, other Pokémon on the Space Station had also been growing, including other Caterpies... but everyone else's second stage was a cocoon, shroom... Why did the one this mushroom is raising start flying, shroom? Could there be a problem with this mushroom's educational methods, shroom?
Inspiration Mushroom fell into self-doubt.
Shroom... I don't get it anymore, shroom.
I'll go ask someone else, shroom.