[Is the Host planning to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, playing the fisherman who catches both the snipe and the clam?]
Prometheus's cyber-loli voice rang in Fuli's mind.
As the saying goes, know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. She and Dr. MEI on the moon had always been studying the knowledge of the Current Era, so naturally, they knew this apt proverb.
Just simply watching the fun for a bit. The person in question shook his head slightly. I scanned them with the Hanchuan Yingyue just now. There isn't a single Critical-Class among them. They don't even have the qualifications to drain the stamina of Little Yunli and Yanqing. I'll have to step in personally later.
[The Host seems to know those two very well.]
Mhm.
Fuli nodded, naturally skipping the part about Yunli, and cast his gaze upon the handsome Sword Champion who remained elegant in the chaos, controlling his flying swords as easily as his own arms.
For certain reasons, in the previous loop, I carefully investigated Yanqing's intelligence. Simply put, that guy's whole life is lived quite awkwardly.
He paused, as if recalling some interesting past event, and spoke to Prometheus in a tone of sharing a secret: For example, I heard a rather interesting story from one of Yanqing's classmates at the Cloud Knight Military Academy.
In his retina, the virtual avatar resembling Bronya pricked up its ears.
Fuli gave the little AI an amused look and continued: Once, that classmate walked past Yanqing's dorm after taking a shower. The door wasn't closed tightly, and he accidentally caught a glimpse of Yanqing's computer screen playing some... well, mysterious videos not quite suitable for public discussion.
[Adult videos.]
Dr. MEI was concise and to the point.
Ahem! Pretty much. The big boy scratched his cheek. That classmate sighed, thinking that the seemingly serious little bro Yanqing had also reached this age. He was about to smile and walk away, but then he actually saw Yanqing fast-forward the video progress bar to the end, immediately close the window, open the folder, and start renaming the file.
This abnormal behavior piqued the classmate's curiosity. He knocked on the door, walked into the room, and curiously asked Yanqing what he was doing.
It turned out Yanqing explained very seriously that there was a welfare collection of cosplay resources. The person who posted the magnet link only indicated the date but didn't categorize them. He felt very troubled by this, so he clicked into them one by one, fast-forwarded a few seconds to see what clothes the cosplayer was wearing, and then relied on the knowledge he looked up online to fill in the work's title and character name, repackaged it, and posted it again.
That classmate was dumbfounded on the spot and asked Yanqing if he did this often. He quickly waved his hands saying no, that he only did it once or twice out of occasional interest. He even said that in the past when he had plenty of time, he would skim through every video, write a document marking the star recommendation and briefly describing the video's features, and then post it out...
The little AI's data stream seemed to stagnate for a moment. She was dumbfounded: [No, what is this guy aiming for?]
I don't know what he's aiming for either, which is why I said he lives awkwardly. Fuli spread his hands. Or perhaps it's a problem with General Jing Yuan's education? 'Divine Foresight, Divine Foresight'—naturally, he must see through all things and grasp all relevant intelligence.
Grasping all relevant intelligence... even adult videos must be grasped, right!
This is a psychopath!
Prometheus had an old complaint stuck in her throat that she couldn't spit out.
"Charge!"
While master and servant were chatting idly, the crowd in the plaza was still launching fierce attacks at Yunli and Yanqing.
Whether blinded by the reward or wanting to make a name for themselves through this, even if they simply wanted to test their own caliber, just by being able to step up and daring to step up, they were already outstanding among A-Ranks.
Regrettably, facing a storm-like offensive, the future Artisan and the future Sword Champion of back then might indeed have been flustered for a while.
However, the current them were both A-Rank Rule Breakers. Even if they suppressed their energy levels to the degree of fourteen or fifteen-year-olds, their combat experience and sword skills were far beyond what ordinary people could touch.
"Eleventh!"
The girl shouted delicately. Old Iron traced a heavy arc, smashing a burly Foxian man who tried to get close—along with his shield—flying out, turning him into a shooting star streaking across the sky.
Taking advantage of the momentum, Yunli thrust the greatsword into the ground. The flying rubble knocked back several people, and she looked provocatively at the other side of the scene: "Little bro Yanqing, how many on your side?"
"I yield. The twelfth."
The young Sword Champion's posture was agile. His six flying swords were like swimming dragons with lives of their own, weaving an airtight sword net around him.
Two of them crossed to block a heavy and powerful giant axe chop, the third precisely pierced the abdomen of a sneak attacker, and at the same time, the aftermath of the sword qi swept out, snapping the arm of a warlock in the distance who was brewing a Daoist spell.
"Now it's the thirteenth—Yunli! You!"
"Hehe."
The Artisan girl, who took the opportunity to snatch two flying swords from him, stuck out her tongue, resting one hand on her hip with absolute justification: "Don't forget, these guys are just extras for the competition!"
"Tch!"
Yanqing clicked his tongue helplessly, not laughing.
"And don't get distracted, kid!"
Dodging a surging pillar of explosive fire, Yunli leaped gracefully like a white swan: "Don't tell me you didn't watch that video from Sapphire City earlier. That guy single-handedly took down over a hundred City Gods. If we can't even clean up this little scene neatly, it would be simply too embarrassing!"
"Of course!"
Hearing this, the Sword Champion's gaze turned sharp. He slid his fingers along the spine of the sharp blade in his palm. Azure halos flowed over it, and the sword's hum was clear and melodious.
Since that universe-shocking "Sapphire Hundred-Man Slash," the City Gods all over Shenzhou seemed to have been doused with a basin of magma, waking up completely.
Before that day, these geniuses originally thought: Below A-Rank I am invincible; at A-Rank I trade one for one.
The result was indeed one for one: He traded one slash for my one life.
This undoubtedly set off a cultivation frenzy within the Taixuan Front. Under this atmosphere, how could the young and vigorous Yunli and Yanqing be willing to fall behind others?
Ultimately, they were just young boys and girls. Even if they had achieved success and fame, they were only in their twenties.
—Give me a similar stage, and I can definitely do better!
And the plaza right now was undoubtedly similar to the battle situation back then.
As a famous prelude scene to the Luminary Wardance, countless hovering cameras had already been set up around the edges of the plaza, broadcasting the fierce battle live to major screens all over the Luofu.
Perhaps... perhaps that figure who created the legend is also watching here right now!
"Come on."
Driving the last busybody out of the venue, Yanqing looked at Yunli and muttered.
Sword qi soared to the sky, sword light sprinkled like rain, a magnificent ambition, incredibly beautiful!
"Come on!"
Old Iron was swung up single-handedly by the loudly shouting Yunli, carrying the momentum of collapsing mountains and cracking stones, slashing down at Yanqing's head from above!
Cutting the floating clouds above, severing the earth's discipline below.
—Let us decide right here, who is the most outstanding one!
And so, as if responding to their call, just at the instant the flying swords and the greatsword were about to crash together and set off earth-shattering waves...
A figure appeared without warning at that destructive convergence point of energy.
Whoosh—
Ideal fluids turned into a breeze resting on two fingers, casually and effortlessly clamping down.
The rapidly piercing flying sword was like being stuck in thick amber. The trembling sword tip was only inches away from the target's brow, emitting an unwilling hum!
Bang!
A pitch-black sun rose in his right hand, the gravitational tides swaying the stars distorting and spreading with his palm as the center.
That Old Iron smashing down with the weight of myriad jun was forcibly drawn and deflected by this invisible force. The heavy sword edge brushed past the hem of his clothes and smashed fiercely into the ground, and the flying rubble was also devoured!
"I'm here."
In the center of the storm, Fuli's clothes fluttered fiercely.
Yanqing remained silent, his gaze burning.
Yunli laughed loudly and closed in.
---||---
Exalting Sanctum, an area of special status among the many districts of the Luofu Xianzhou.
The reason was none other than the Seat of Divine Foresight, the General's residence, being located here.
Logically speaking, after Fu Xuan succeeded the position, the name of the residence should have been changed to "Miaojian," corresponding to her honorable title.
However, perhaps out of deep remembrance for the senior who had single-handedly promoted and taught her, the young General did not change the name, still using the words "Divine Foresight" as the designation for the residence.
Compared to its usual solemnity and dignity, the Seat of Divine Foresight tonight was bustling with voices.
Many invited journalists holding "long guns and short cannons" (cameras) crowded the audience seats. Pairs of eyes focused like searchlights on the empty rostrum, the air filled with the restless agitation of excitement and anticipation.
As a super grand event held once every few years, it was naturally reasonable for the Luofu officials to hold a press conference.
But being able to simultaneously interview the Heavenly Strike General renowned for her martial prowess, and the Flaming Heart General whose forging skills shook the Tree and Sea—that was a super rare occurrence.
At this moment, inside the independent lounge backstage of the press conference, the atmosphere formed a subtle contrast with the clamor outside.
A woman leaned diagonally against the cold wall, resting with her eyes closed. She was wrapped in an imperceptible aura of smoke and conquest, as if she had just returned from a distant battlefield.
She wore a rather dashing silver-patterned lapel modern trench coat, embroidered with auspicious clouds and cyan divine birds. Below that was a deep cyan inner garment decorated with golden bells, jade ornaments, Ruyi knots, and a sash, paired with slightly black shorts.
Her cyan-tinted waist-length white hair was simply tied into a ponytail convenient for movement. From time to time, a sense of ethereal clarity arose, like the hazy moonlight flowing in a dream.
The Heavenly Strike General—Feixiao.
"The Great Victorious General Shoots Down Borisin Warships with Pebbles", "The Three-No General Casts Ground-Shrinking Magic", "Feixiao Settles the Universe Among the Clouds", "The Story of the Three-No General Riding the Wind", "The General Cleverly Uses Blitzkrieg to Crush the Borisin in One Week", "The Heavenly God Feixiao Tames the Borisin"...
Her legend was beyond doubt; she was the very definition of the word "legend."
So much so that even Fuli, who had heard of her deeds in the previous loop, carried a trace of admiration for her. Back when he fought the Herrscher of Thunder, when shaping his form wearing the God-King mask, his design deliberately referenced this General's demeanor.
"Ho ho ho, it's been a long time, General Feixiao."
An old but resonant voice broke the tranquility of the lounge.
The woman opened her eyes that flashed with sharp light, a smile rippling on her lips.
She raised her hand heartily: "It's been a while, Old Master Huaiyan. You are as energetic as ever."
"General Feixiao's demeanor surpasses the past even more."
The Flaming Heart General Huaiyan of the Zhuming responded with a chuckle. He looked no different from a kind little old man next door, with a flowing long beard and a slightly stooped figure. He wore a simple white bamboo hat on his head, with a crimson lotus symbolizing the Zhuming embroidered in the center.
Only those distinctly yellow eyes were bright, sharp, and full of wisdom, as if they could see through everything.
Carrying a thermos flask, he slowly paced over to Feixiao: "News of the great victory at the Sajin Summer Capital just arrived from the Yaoqing front lines. This old man congratulates the General on a successful start right here!"
Feixiao responded: "That this battle could be won so quickly is also thanks to the continuous supply of excellent equipment and logistical support from the Zhuming's Thousand-Star Forges."
Within the Taixuan Front, the Zhuming had always been known for its precision casting and energy technology.
As the undisputed military-industrial core of the Alliance, the standard weapons produced by its Artisanship Commission accounted for sixty to seventy percent of the Front's armaments. Its handicraft and forging technologies, famous across the Tree and Sea, attracted a large number of outworlders to come and learn.
"General Feixiao is too modest." Huaiyan waved his hand, his tone full of admiration. "Even without the blessing of these external items, with the General's martial prowess, those jumping clowns are nothing but clay chickens and pottery dogs."
He sighed with some emotion: "However, after this battle, the Alliance should be able to enjoy a lot of peace recently."
The Sea of Quanta was vast and boundless. Not only did bizarre anomalies be born within it, but different types of civilizations also existed.
And because the scouring of the Quantum Tides would persistently erode the Bubble Worlds, many civilizations were forced to continuously expand and plunder, using the looted resources to fill the deficits of their own worlds to maintain survival.
The original intention might have been forced by survival, but after tasting the sweetness too much, the core of certain civilizations gradually transformed, reducing them to barbaric tribes that existed only for killing and plundering.
The reason the various Xianzhou ships huddled together for warmth and jointly formed the Taixuan Front was also partly to deal with these plunderers.
"Who knows? Over the sea, there is never a shortage of new enemies." Feixiao shrugged, feeling a bit curious. "Speaking of which, Old Master, I patrol and hunt outside all year round and don't know much about the Alliance's internal affairs. Is there any fresh news worth noting recently?"
"Oh, there's entirely too much." Huaiyan stroked his beard and sighed, then suddenly winked. "But what interests this old man the most is the report on the Yuedan Evaluation, saying the General recently has the intention of seeking a good match? Is this true?"
"It is true." Feixiao wasn't shy at all, answering generously: "Between year-round warfare and the Foxian longevity limit, my lifespan doesn't have much left anyway. At the end of life, while this skin can still maintain a youthful appearance due to racial talents, what's wrong with having a vigorous and passionate romance?"
Just like the Saiyans as a warrior race, after reaching adulthood, the appearance and bodies of the Foxian race stop aging, only rapidly aging when their end is approaching.
"Ho ho." The fire of gossip in Huaiyan's eyes burned brighter, and he couldn't wait to ask: "Then does General Feixiao have a rough standard for choosing a mate in mind?"
"Well..."
Feixiao brushed the silver hair hanging in front of her forehead, just about to speak at length about it.
"You two General adults!" Qingque's voice, accompanied by hurried footsteps, came from far to near. "The press conference is about to begin. Please move to the front stage, you two!"
"Alright! Coming right now!" Feixiao responded loudly, putting away the relaxation of the idle chat. That sharp aura belonging to the Heavenly Strike General surfaced once again. "Old Master, shall we go?"
"Good, good."
Huaiyan smacked his lips with a hint of regret, and his expression quickly turned solemn.
He took steady strides, and together with his colleague, walked toward the bustling front stage.