Fu Xuan ultimately informed Jing Yuan of everything that had happened, recounting every detail without leaving anything out.
After personally calling Lucian to verify the details, Jing Yuan reported the matter to Marshal Hua. Not long afterward, the Arbiter-Generals convened another group meeting to discuss the implications of everything that had just transpired.
[Hua: What do you all think about Lucian capturing Phantylia and taking her in as his maid?]
[Huaiyan: All this old man can do is look up at him in awe. Honestly, that's an achievement on a whole different level.]
[Jing Yuan: If you say that, then I can only kneel while looking up at him.]
[Teng Xiao: Lucian's my brother. My real bro.]
[Feixiao: Capturing a Lord Ravager alive is an extraordinary achievement for the Alliance. Shouldn't we celebrate it properly?]
[Yueyu: Capturing a Lord Ravager isn't that surprising with his abilities. I have a feeling he'll capture even more in the future.]
[Xuanquan: Of course you'd be showing off. He's your husband.]
[Yao Guang: Phantylia probably knows information about the other Lord Ravagers. I'd like him to hand her over to me so I can interrogate her.]
[Hua: But that depends on Lucian's wishes. If he refuses, none of you are to force him. He is one of the Alliance's finest talents. It is acceptable to grant him certain privileges.]
[Jing Yuan: I just received another piece of news. You should all prepare yourselves.]
[Youwu: Let's hear it.]
[Jing Yuan: Master Diviner Fu Xuan just informed me that Lucian has replaced Phantylia as an Emanator of Destruction.]
As soon as those words appeared in the chat, the lively discussion came to an abrupt halt.
An eerie silence instantly settled over the group.
Every Arbiter-General subconsciously rubbed their eyes before staring at the message again, then they reread it once... twice... and several more times, almost suspecting that they had misread it or that Jing Yuan had somehow sent the wrong message.
[Xuanquan: What? An Emanator of Destruction? Our Cangcheng General became a Lord Ravager?]
[Huaiyan: That really complicates things. This has never happened before. What about his loyalties?]
[Feixiao: No need to worry about that. I'll still vouch for him.]
[Yueyu: Same here.]
[Teng Xiao: Count me in too. My brother really is something else. He managed to pull off something this huge without making a sound.]
[Yao Guang: I understand him less and less. He was already mysterious, and now he keeps shocking me.]
[Jing Yuan: No need to worry about Lucian's loyalties. I can vouch for him as well.]
For someone as perceptive and cautious as Jing Yuan to openly stand behind Lucian was enough to demonstrate just how deeply he trusted him, even after Lucian had become an Emanator of Destruction.
More importantly, Jing Yuan's master, his closest friend, and one of his most trusted colleagues were all Lucian's wives. Looking at those relationships alone, it was difficult to imagine Lucian ever betraying the Xianzhou Alliance.
[Hua: Indeed. Lucian's wives are all from the Xianzhou, so he should have a strong sense of belonging to the Alliance.]
[Huaiyan: Can a relationship maintained by a few women really be that solid?]
[Xuanquan: Isn't that simple? If three or four marriages aren't enough, then get him even more. Ten or so. Let's see if the bond is still unstable.]
[Feixiao: That won't be necessary.]
[Teng Xiao: Hey, I think it's a good idea. If every Xianzhou formed a marriage alliance with my brother, wouldn't that make the relationship rock solid?]
Silence immediately filled the chat.
No one agreed with the proposal, yet no one rejected it either.
Yes, the idea sounded absurd at first glance, considering that no one throughout the Xianzhou Alliance's long history had ever formed marriage alliances with every Xianzhou.
However, the more they thought about it, the more strangely reasonable it became.
[Youwu: For now, we should focus on having Lucian inherit the Cangcheng's Spiritus.]
[Huaiyan: But he doesn't seem willing. We'll have to trouble Merlin's Claw to persuade him.]
[Feixiao: I'll give it a try, though I can't promise anything. I'll respect Lucian's wishes above all else.]
[Hua: Very well. We should at least make the attempt.]
In the end, no one could come up with a better solution, as their options were surprisingly limited.
Either Lucian would inherit the Cangcheng's Spiritus and become a true Arbiter-General, permanently tying his future to the Xianzhou Alliance, or the Alliance itself would gradually become filled with his wives, thereby forging an equally inseparable bond through marriage.
Beyond those two possibilities, none of them could think of anything valuable enough to tempt someone as extraordinary as Lucian.
Wealth, authority, status, and influence—he already possessed all of them, so the Alliance simply had very little left that could genuinely move a man of his caliber.
While the Xianzhou Alliance's highest-ranking officials were still racking their brains over how to secure Lucian's future allegiance, the Stellaron Hunters found themselves dealing with worries of their own.
Compared to the Alliance, however, the Stellaron Hunters' concerns were far more immediate. Lucian's unexpected rise had completely disrupted the balance they had anticipated, forcing them to reconsider the situation from the ground up.
===
"Because there were some unexpected twists in the Jarilo-VI script, before we move on to the next one, we need to investigate whether anything has gone wrong."
Elio spoke calmly, his expression noticeably more serious than usual.
"According to the information Kafka brought back last time, Lucian also got involved on the Xianzhou Luofu."
"We don't know how much he's changed, or how much he's altered the course of events, so before the Luofu script begins, we need to understand the current situation."
As his words fell, another voice chimed in.
"We definitely gotta check first."
Curled up on the nearby sofa with a headset resting over her ears, Silver Wolf continued furiously mashing the buttons on her game console and casually joined the conversation without even looking up from the screen.
"What happened on Herta Space Station totally threw me off, and Jarilo was even worse."
"Kafka even used me as part of a bet, and I kept losing every single match because of it."
Meanwhile, holding a glass of red wine in one hand, Kafka leaned elegantly against the window and quietly admired the endless sea of stars stretching beyond the glass.
A faint smile lingered on her lips before she finally spoke.
"Elio, weren't your eyes supposed to be the ruler that measures destiny?"
At that, Elio simply shook his head.
"Not anymore. Lucian is my ruler now."
As he spoke those words, his tone carried unmistakable resignation.
Before Lucian had entered the picture, his observations had never once been wrong.
Every beginning, every process, and every outcome always followed an inevitable framework of destiny. While the finer details occasionally differed, those minor deviations were insignificant and never altered fate's overall direction.
However, ever since Lucian appeared, even destiny's framework itself had begun to shift. Elio could no longer see where destiny was heading, nor could he understand how it had changed.
For the first time in his life, Elio felt as though he had gone completely blind, forced to navigate a future that had become shrouded in darkness.
"Silver Wolf, you were the first to get to know Lucian, so contact him and ask about the situation on the Xianzhou Luofu. How many things has he changed? Can Stelle still benefit from the script?"
After a brief pause, Elio deliberately added another reminder.
"...And remember to be polite. Watch your attitude. We're the ones asking for help now."
"I know, I know. Lucian and I are really close. Chill out, Elio."
For some inexplicable reason, Silver Wolf felt a strange sense of pride. It was almost as though Lucian's growing reputation reflected positively on her as well, simply because she had known him before everyone else.
Setting her game console aside, Silver Wolf swiftly pulled out her phone and initiated a video call with Lucian.
Kafka immediately walked over and stood behind Silver Wolf, watching the screen with quiet interest.
Firefly, meanwhile, remained seated across from Silver Wolf and showed no intention of joining the video call, silently observing from where she was.
Blade, on the other hand, quietly perked up his ears.
Although he remained as expressionless as ever, he was equally interested in learning what had been happening on the Xianzhou Luofu recently. More than anything else, he hoped there would be news about Dan Heng.
A moment later, the video call finally connected.
As the screen lit up, the first thing they saw was an elegant courtyard bathed in soft, gentle light.
Moments later, Lucian's extraordinarily handsome face appeared on the display. He was reclining comfortably on a lounge chair in the shade, looking completely relaxed, as though he were enjoying a leisurely afternoon with not a single worry on his mind.
[Silver Wolf? What's up? Why're you calling me?]
Lucian greeted Silver Wolf casually, an easygoing smile spreading across his face.
"Elio wanted me to ask how things are going on the Luofu. Did it really change the script that much? He's worried you're gonna embarrass him again."
Silver Wolf skipped the pleasantries altogether and got straight to the point.
"We're very curious about just how far you've gone," Kafka added with a faint smile. "More importantly, Stelle needs the Xianzhou Alliance on her side. Does she still have a chance?"
Hearing that, Lucian casually adjusted his position on the lounge chair, making himself even more comfortable before answering with complete confidence.
[Of course she does. Having me as her godfather is the greatest thing that could've ever happened to her, after all.]
===
[A bonus chapter for reaching 400 Power Stones]
[Support and get early access to upcoming chapters at: patreon.com/VALRRR]