[ I'd like to hear their explanations. ]
In the Scalegorge Waterscape, Lingsha and Dan Heng arrived, preparing to meet with the Vidyadhara High Elder.
[ Welcome, Miss Lingsha. I am Preceptor Taoran. ]
The two reached the appointed place, and the Vidyadhara High Elder had been waiting there for a long time.
[ Greetings, my honored Preceptor. It's been a while since we last touched base. I've brought a friend with me today. I believe you're already familiar with each other. ]
Lingsha bowed to High Elder Taoran.
[ TTaoran... Elder Taoran? I remember when I was exiled, you were on the verge of passing on. What's with this new look? ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
March 7th: "Wait, what was written on the video just now?"
March 7th: "Jiaoqiu is actually miraculously alive??"
Stelle: "It's a dying state, but it seems he really is alive."
Stelle: "Damn, Jiaoqiu, you've got some tough luck!"
Furina de Fontaine: "But Jiaoqiudrank a massive amount of Tumbledust, and had so much blood sucked by Hoolay."
Furina de Fontaine: "Can he still be saved?"
Stelle: "Hard to say."
Stelle: "But if Bailu is allowed to save him, with her miraculous medical skills, she might be able to save him."
Bailu: "If there's still a breath left, I can give it a try."
Jiaoqiu: "Good grief, I thought I was already a goner."
Hu Tao: "In Jiaoqiu's state, I estimate that if Stelle and Moze had gone any later, he would have truly been gone."
Qingque: "The hunt has concluded successfully; now it's time to go look for trouble with the High Elder?"
Paimon: "Hmm, why does this High Elder look so strange?"
Paimon: "Branches growing out of his head… his arms aren't normal either…"
Stelle: "Audacious High Elder! I could tell at a glance he isn't human!"
Stelle: "The way he looks, it's obvious he has ties to the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus."
Dan Heng: "Sigh, I really didn't expect that the High Elder of the past would become like this."
Lingsha: "He doesn't even shy away from others seeing him in this appearance."
Lingsha: "Heh, it seems he has already made preparations."
....
『 [ All of this is thanks to your past life. Had you not been so rash, I wouldn't have had to walk such a dangerous road to free our clan, becoming this specter of my former self. ]
High Elder Taoran glanced at Dan Heng, sneering.
Hearing this, Dan Heng said nothing.
[ Dan Heng, you've returned twice, but it seems that meeting us fossils wasn't on your agenda. Regrettable, indeed. Now here you are to meet me anyway — life does love its ironies, doesn't it?. ]
High Elder Taoran shook his head, seeming somewhat emotional.
[ I didn't come here with Miss Lingsha today to reminisce. ]
Dan Heng explained.
[ Indeed. When the Cauldron Master extends an invitation, it's only proper for the Preceptors to attend. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "This old guy talks in such a cryptic, mocking way."
Dan Heng: "He holds resentment in his heart; naturally, he cannot speak kindly."
Amber: "Is this person really very old?"
Amber: "But he looks so young…"
March 7th: "He's already at the level of a Vidyadhara Elder, so he's probably a real old-timer."
March 7th: "Maybe someone from the generation of Dan Heng's past life."
March 7th: "Maybe even older than General Jing Yuan."
Fu Xuan: "Logically speaking, he has reached the end of his lifespan. According to Vidyadhara rules, he should have reincarnated."
Fu Xuan: "But looking at his current state, he has clearly used a forbidden art of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus to extend his lifespan!"
Fu Xuan: "This alone is a grave taboo!"
Lingsha: "Sigh, I didn't expect that a Vidyadhara High Elder would truly fall this far."
Lingsha: "No matter the reason, he shouldn't have done this!"
....
『 [ As the newly appointed Cauldron Master, there's been much to take care of within the Alchemy Commission. It's only now that I've had the chance to speak with you. Please forgive the delay, Elder. ]
[ I sent over some evidence regarding the prison break in The Shackling Prison. I trust you've already looked it over. ]
Lingsha was direct, cutting straight to the point.
[ Yes, you sent us the remains of mara-struck soldiers, a map of The Shackling Prison, and a Semblance Reversion Essence pill. ]
High Elder Taoran nodded, indicating he had already seen these items.
[ These are the remains of assassins who used cloudhymn magic to conceal their tracks. They aided in the borisin's escape, allowing them unimpeded passage through The Shackling Prison.]
[ That marked-up map is a map of prisoners' escape routes. Vidyadhara craftsmen once made blueprints for the prison's construction, so I imagine, Mr. Taoran, you have a similar map in your possession. This pill— ]
Before Lingsha could finish, High Elder Taoran took over the conversation.
[Is Semblance Reversion Essence. Indeed, I helped plot the prison break in The Shackling Prison. ]
High Elder Taoran admitted it cleanly and neatly.
[ So the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus joining forces with the Lord Ravager to stir up trouble in the Alchemy Commission, the introduction of the Stellaron, and the Ambrosial Arbor's resurrection — all have something to do with the Vidyadhara? ]
Lingsha continued to question.
[ That's right. ]
High Elder Taoran still admitted it without hesitation.
[ So you admit it? ]
Regarding Taoran's attitude, Dan Heng was somewhat surprised.
[ Are you surprised? ]
[ After all, both of you were sent here by the Seat of Divine Foresight as messengers, to hear my confession, weren't you? ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Mualani: "Ah… he admitted it so readily."
Mualani: "Is he not planning to resist?"
March 7th: "Huh? Even Phantylia causing chaos on the Luofu, and the rebirth of the Ambrosial Arbor, were all things he secretly assisted with?"
March 7th: "My god, how could he do such things?!"
Stelle: "Sigh, no wonder Phantylia could blend in so easily, and easily enter the sealed Ambrosial Arbor."
Stelle: "Turns out there was an inside man."
Stelle: "Damn, he's really not a human!"
Lingsha: "Too disappointing."
Lingsha: "Repeatedly putting the Luofu in danger!"
Lingsha: "He is not fit to be a Vidyadhara High Elder!"
Lumine: "But what is his reason for doing this?"
Lumine: "What benefit could he possibly gain from the Luofu Xianzhou falling into chaos?"
....
『 [ Ever since the Sedition of Imbibitor Lunae, the population of the Vidyadhara has dwindled. With the high elder exiled, a few of us Preceptors had to do what we could to turn the tide. My methods might have been drastic, perhaps even incomprehensible, but it was all for one cause — the survival of the Vidyadhara. ]
[ Yet, the Xianzhou natives zealously forbid any plaguemarks and did nothing while the Vidyadhara suffered. Dan Heng, Lingsha, as Vidyadhara, you should understand the desperation behind my actions. All I've tried to do is to ensure our survival.]
High Elder Taoran put on an act as if all of this was done out of hidden hardships, attempting to persuade Lingsha and Dan Heng.
[ I'm well aware of the challenges the Vidyadhara face. Fighting for survival isn't a sin. ]
[ But Elder, your actions have gone beyond mere survival... You've become a beast driven solely by the Propagation, devoid of even a hint of empathy. ]
Lingsha could not accept Taoran's actions.
[ Oh? Despite calling ourselves a "noble draconic bloodline," at our core, we're merely bipedal beasts. The survival of our kind is paramount. If I hadn't resorted to beastly actions, the Vidyadhara might not even exist! ]
[ The sages show no mercy, as the old wisdom goes. When the high elder abandoned our people's survival, I had to shoulder the world's sins alone! ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Qingque: "Oh, what a self-righteous statement!"
Qingque: "Making it sound like he's quite proud of himself."
Paimon: "Paimon doesn't understand; how do these things relate to the Vidyadhara's racial survival?"
Lumine: "He just mentioned that the Vidyadhara population is dwindling?"
Stelle: "You guys don't know."
Stelle: "The Vidyadhara race is very special."
Stelle: "They cannot reproduce."
Stelle: "They can only constantly molt and be reborn."
Stelle: "In other words, for every Vidyadhara person lost, that's one truly gone!"
Xilonen: "What?"
Xilonen: "Cannot reproduce?"
Xilonen: "There's such a strange thing?"
Ruan Mei: "As descendants of the Permanence, the Vidyadhara race should have been able to reproduce in the beginning."
Ruan Mei: "However, the birth of the Propagation deprived them of this ability."
Furina de Fontaine: "Why is that??"
Madam Herta: "The reason is simple."
Madam Herta: "The Propagation split off from the Permanence."
Madam Herta: "The descendants of the Permanence who lost the concept of propagation naturally can no longer propagate."
Welt Yang: "But they continued to retain some characteristics of the Permanence."
Welt Yang: "This infinite molting and reincarnation should be the manifestation of that."
Hu Tao: "So that's how it is… I didn't expect there to be such a reason…"
Lumine: "In that case, won't the Vidyadhara race go extinct sooner or later?"
Lumine: "Is there no solution?"
Dan Heng: "According to the memories of my past life, Imbibitor Lunae tried to find a way."
Dan Heng: "But in the end… it only led to the Great Rebellion of Imbibitor Lunae."
Stelle: "There must be a way, just hard to find!"
Stelle: "But this method is definitely not like this High Elder, directly defecting to the power of the Abundance!"
March 7th: "Reasonably speaking, even if he really wanted to defect, shouldn't he defect to the Propagation?"
Lingsha: "Defecting to either of these powers is not advisable."
Lingsha: "The future of the Vidyadhara race should not be pinned on these things!"
Silver Wolf: "Although this High Elder speaks in such a high-sounding way."
Silver Wolf: "Is it possible that these are all just his excuses?"
Silver Wolf: "Is his true purpose actually to seize power on the Luofu?"
Boothill: "Muddle-fudger, that's not impossible!"
Boothill: "No matter what, I hate these kinds of two-faced little cuties the most!"
....
『 [ Lingsha, Dan Heng, the past is behind us, but the future of the Vidyadhara still lies within your grasp. The situation on the Xianzhou Luofu has changed rapidly. As Vidyadhara, we must unite in purpose and avoid the mistakes of the previous Imbibitor Lunae. ]
Taoran earnestly tried to persuade Lingsha and Dan Heng.
[ I was initially skeptical about the Vidyadhara's betrayal of the Alliance... But after hearing your confession, I realize that there is no point in talking about trust. ]
[ Violating the heaven-sent laws of the Alliance will bring the disaster of war to the entire Vidyadhara race. ]
[ Even if the possibility of reproduction is regained, so what? ]
Lingsha was unmoved, still not accepting Taoran's rhetoric.
[ On the contrary, once what I am doing succeeds, the Alliance will view the Vidyadhara as saviors. ]
[ Because the ultimate interests of the Alliance and the Vidyadhara are the same. ]
Taoran began to explain.
[ Oh? ]
[ After failing to talk about survival, is the Elder going to talk about interests now? ]
Lingsha raised an eyebrow.
[ The Alliance has been in a bloody war with the Abundance for thousands of years, but never decided a winner. Have you considered why? ]
[ Because if the Alliance wins, it will inevitably become the next Abundance. ]
[ If the war fails, the Alliance will face extinction. ]
[ Therefore, for a long time, the Alliance has hypocritically maintained this precarious balance. ]
[ But I have a way to transcend this deadlock. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "Laughing to death!"
Stelle: "Where on earth does he get his confidence?"
March 7th: "It's over, I think he's already gone mad."
March 7th: "Also, looking at his appearance, it's not much different from the Mara-Struck."
March 7th: "It's normal to be insane."
Li Sushang: "After the Alliance wins, it will become the next Abundance?"
Li Sushang: "I've grown up, and this is the first time I've heard such a viewpoint."
Stelle: "Pardon my bluntness, if the Alliance becomes the Abundance, without anyone else making a move, the Aeon of the Hunt would definitely be the first to stand up and clean house."
Stelle: "So, this is absolutely impossible!"
Yunli: "Why talk so much to him?"
Yunli: "Just hurry up and lock him in the Shackling Prison."
Yanqing: "It's probably not that simple."
Yanqing: "The Vidyadhara High Elder has a high status; it's not easy to convict him."
Stelle: "Then let Bailu do it!"
Stelle: "Use the authority of the High Elder to convict him!"
Bailu: "Forget it. I'll be lucky if he doesn't lock me up."
Paimon: "Oh my god, is Miss Bailu, as the current High Elder, living so miserably?"
Paimon: "She would actually get locked up?"
Silver Wolf: "Milk Dragon is like that."
Bailu: "I can't help it, I can't beat the High Elder."
Lingsha: "Don't be afraid, Lady Bailu. When I reach the Luofu, I will definitely discuss with General Jing Yuan to save you from this plight!"
Bailu: "Really?"
Bailu: "Then you must come quickly!"
....
『 [ The Alliance's path to salvation lies within the secret of dragon transmutation! ]
[ Imagine if there were a way to transform other life forms into Vidyadhara. The Alliance would then possess an endless stream of soldiers and would not need to worry about casualties. ]
[ Once the war ended, these soldiers would cease reproduction, eliminating concerns of overpopulation. This is the way to salvation for the Xianzhou Alliance, the ultimate path to end the universe's suffering under the immortality plague. Only we, the Vidyadhara, can achieve this! ]
Taoran stated his thoughts, hoping to move Dan Heng and Lingsha.
[ So, you relied on this rhetoric to manipulate the ignorant members of the Vidyadhara into serving you? ]
[ I am deeply disappointed in you, Elder. Your thoughts and intentions are completely devoid of empathy. Cloud Knights! ]
Lingsha shouted coldly, wanting the Cloud Knights following behind to capture Taoran!
[ Hold it! ]
Taoran stopped Lingsha's movement, then called his subordinates to bring someone up.
[ Miss Bailu! ]
The person brought up by the two Mara-Struck was none other than Bailu; this scene made Dan Heng look anxious.
[ Mr. Dan Heng, and Sister Lingsha! Everyone's... here? ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "DAMN!! DESPICABLE!!"
Stelle: "Actually holding Bailu hostage!"
Stelle: "What kind of shitty High Elder is this!"
March 7th: "Too evil, too evil!"
March 7th: "Actually using his own High Elder as a hostage, what kind of beastly behavior is this!"
Furina de Fontaine: "I didn't expect that the first time I saw Miss Bailu, it would be in such a scene…"
Paimon: "Miss Bailu is actually this small!"
Paimon: "Much smaller than I imagined."
Hu Tao: "Bullying a young High Elder, what kind of hero is that?"
Hu Tao: "If these High Elders have the ability, go trade blows with the Generals!"
Qingque: "If they really had that kind of ability, they wouldn't be holding Lady Bailu hostage."
....