Chapter 46: Jing Yuan Wept
To deceive Fu Xuan, you meticulously tampered with the birdcage and delivered your message to Jing Yuan.
Paper cannot wrap fire; Fu Xuan might find out in the future—but not now.
Seeing the joy on her face, you could not help but breathe a sigh of relief. Your junior sister, whom you had raised yourself, had no defenses at all against you…
"Elder Brother, General Jing Yuan seems to really like that little crested sparrow," Fu Xuan said after leaving the Seat of Divine Foresight.
"Of course. After all, I was merely playing to his preferences."
You relaxed, gently touching a small note hidden inside your sleeve.
Written on it were the time and place Jing Yuan had given you.
Like two fishing enthusiasts sneaking out to fish without their families knowing.
Fishermen never return empty-handed.
So tonight, no matter what, you had to get Jing Yuan to agree to let you meet Marshal Hua…
You pondered silently.
"Elder Brother~ Is something on your mind?"
"No. It's just that dissolving the academy has left me a bit unaccustomed."
"Elder Brother, do you suddenly feel lonely without those children around?"
"Don't worry, Elder Brother! You still have me! Tell me a story!"
The girl clung to you; someone nearly thirty years old still retained a somewhat innocent disposition…
Naturally, you nodded and agreed.
Back in the small courtyard once more…
You personally prepared a few simple dishes and set out a pot of fine wine.
While savoring life, you also harbored the thought of getting your junior sister drunk.
Fu Xuan looked at the pot of wine that had suddenly appeared on the dining table. Her face grew even redder, as if she had thought of something…
Elder Brother couldn't possibly be…
Thinking of getting me drunk and then…
Oh heavens…
You looked at the girl in shock, as faint white mist began to rise from her head…
It seemed she had caught up on quite a lot of matters concerning the Xianzhou Luofu.
You smiled faintly, not exposing the girl's thoughts.
You simply ate and drank a little, as usual.
The fine wine of the long-lived species seemed to have an excellent effect on Fu Xuan. After just one cup, her speech was already slurred.
"Elder Brother… hic…"
The dazed girl's eyes spun like mosquito coils.
This was fine as well…
The life of a long-lived species is like a bright moon—fewer attachments mean fewer worries… Junior Sister.
An elder brother's life, no matter how long, is no more than a hundred years…
I cannot accompany you for much longer…
"Elder Brother~"
Unable to handle the liquor, the girl leaned against you and soon fell asleep again.
You gently touched her smooth forehead.
It was a little warm…
The girl, inexperienced with alcohol, soon fell into a deep sleep.
Night gradually fell, and a cool breeze swept through the courtyard.
You carefully picked her up and carried her into the bedroom.
You placed her on the bed, which somehow had grown a little larger.
Then you left and closed the door behind you.
Everything had gone according to your will, without any unexpected changes.
Perhaps it was fortunate…
You went alone to the Seat of Divine Foresight.
Jing Yuan was already waiting for you there as promised; the Seat of Divine Foresight was empty except for him.
"Mr. Su, speak. What is this urgent matter?"
Jing Yuan went straight to the point. He had a good impression of you, which was why he was waiting here.
"I wish to go to the Xuling Xianzhou to meet Marshal Hua."
Your reply was equally direct, without any concealment.
"I earnestly request General Jing Yuan's support. These are the documents from Commander General Yueyu and General Tianji."
Jing Yuan's expression grew several shades more serious.
The Marshal of Xianzhou…
There is only one in all of Xianzhou; she is the leader and cannot be lost.
Jing Yuan first examined Commander Yueyu's document, which bore the seal of the General Tianji's residence and therefore could not be forged.
But when he opened the "Kun" hexagram from the Diviner General Jing Tian, Jing Yuan suddenly understood that the entire page of "Kun" hexagrams meant that he should stop you.
He froze on the spot.
You looked at Jing Yuan, who had suddenly furrowed his brow deeply, not knowing what had happened and only assuming he was thinking.
You did not interrupt him.
Jing Yuan's thoughts fell into sudden chaos. According to Xianzhou law, to meet the Marshal of Xianzhou, at least half of the six Celestial Generals had to give their approval…
Only then could one enter Xuling Xianzhou.
And at that moment, the Diviner Jing Tian and General Tianji had already given their consent.
He had become the most crucial vote.
If he agreed, you could go to Xuling Xianzhou without issue…
If he did not, you would remain here, or could only visit the other Celestial Generals.
"Mr. Su…"
"I will be honest with you. I have a colleague who wishes me to stop you."
"But I understand the kind of life you have lived, and you would never overstep your bounds. Therefore, I do not wish to obstruct you here."
After long deliberation, Jing Yuan finally returned the question to you.
"Thus, I need to know, Mr. Su—what is your purpose in meeting the Marshal?"
"Do not worry. If Mr. Su does not wish anyone else to know, Jing Yuan will keep it secret."
You fell silent…
I am not quite sure how to begin…
To openly discuss Xianzhou's unfavorable wartime situation before a Celestial General, and to say that the Light Arrow of the Arbiter of the Rainbow Realm was necessary to turn the tide…
This implied disrespect toward the Celestial Generals.
After a long time…
Having chosen your words, you slowly began to speak.
"My Master once said that I would die at Fu Xuan's hands. My junior sister was young and ignorant, and she was terrified upon hearing this…"
"That is why I came to Luofu—to avoid the single fate my Master spoke of."
Jing Yuan paused slightly.
"What the Grand Diviner said… I have long known that there is only one path toward destiny…"
He rested one hand on his chin and spoke softly.
"General, you must know that I am a short-lived species. If I become the Diviner of Xianzhou, and my Master, Diviner Jing Tian, does not die, then my junior sister Fu Xuan will not bear the name of a master-slayer…"
"And perhaps, by that predestined time, my life will already have come to an end…"
You did not continue; the meaning had already been made very clear.
Jing Yuan's expression suddenly softened. Not only that—this general, who had lived for an indeterminate number of years, suddenly turned away.
There was a nasal tone in his voice…
"Mr. Su… forgive my rudeness. I was merely thinking of an old friend…"
He seemed to recall the foxian girl who had perished alongside Shuhu.
You did not speak. People's joys and sorrows are not interconnected, but at that moment, you still felt that lingering sadness…
"I now understand Mr. Su's request. I agree to allow you to meet Marshal Hua."
"If only back then, I too had possessed Mr. Su's ability—to die in another's place…"
Jing Yuan did not continue.
But you remembered those words for a long time—so long that later, when you raised that black hole and charged toward Shuhu, you could still clearly recall this very day, and the sight of General Jing Yuan, who usually showed no emotion, suddenly hunching his powerful body…
That is a story for another time…
You successfully obtained the guarantee to go to Xuling Xianzhou.
With the joint endorsement of three generals, you now held the legitimate status to meet Marshal Hua…
You bid farewell to Jing Yuan and returned to the small courtyard.
All that remained was to arrange the itinerary and set off for Xuling Xianzhou.
You still had not figured out how to tell Fu Xuan.
After all, the journey to Xuling Xianzhou was long…
It would take a considerable amount of time.