The first person to react to Yaoguang's invitation was not Mobius, but Lingsha.
That was right—Lingsha panicked too.
She stepped forward at once, actually trying to snatch Mobius back out of Yaoguang's arms.
But Yaoguang was, after all, a Hunt Emanator. There was no way she would let Lingsha succeed.
Left with no choice, Lingsha could only say, "General Yaoguang, this is not appropriate."
"Not appropriate?" Yaoguang turned to look at her. "Would Miss Lingsha mind telling me exactly what part of what I'm doing is inappropriate?"
"All of it." Lingsha spoke more quickly than usual, as though if she talked too slowly, Mobius would be spirited away on the spot.
"But I'm only extending an invitation to Mobius," Yaoguang replied leisurely.
Lingsha's retort died in her throat, and her lips pressed into a thin line.
Because Yaoguang was right. She really was only making an invitation.
"General Yaoguang." At that moment, Taoran's voice sounded from behind them.
Lingsha froze slightly, clearly not expecting Taoran to speak up for her now of all times.
Taoran walked forward a few steps and stopped at Lingsha's side. His posture remained respectful, but the panic in his eyes from before had vanished.
"General Yaoguang, in my view, what you are doing now really is a bit coercive."
"Where Lady Mobius stays should be decided by her personally—not pushed upon her by others."
Lingsha shot him a sidelong glance.
She knew Taoran was no good person. The reason he was speaking up for her now probably had nothing to do with justice, and even less to do with any sense of camaraderie.
Most likely, he wanted Mobius to remain on the Luofu.
As long as Mobius stayed on the Luofu, the Luofu Vidyadhara would still have a chance. And as long as there was a chance, Taoran and those Preceptors could continue scheming slowly.
But right now, Lingsha found she had no bandwidth to care about any of that.
Because what Yaoguang wanted was not for "Mobius to stay in Yuque for a few days."
What Yaoguang wanted was Mobius herself.
And at the very least, Taoran's presence could buy her a little more time.
Yaoguang only smiled and said, "Preceptor Taoran, when you were kneeling there a moment ago, begging Miss Mobius to take charge of the Luofu Vidyadhara, why didn't you mention coercion then?"
Taoran's expression stiffened. He had no answer to that.
Yaoguang, meanwhile, turned back to Mobius. "Little Dragon Sovereign, have you given any more thought to what I just said?"
Mobius, however, felt a little dazed.
Yaoguang's words had genuinely left her at a loss.
To be honest, if anyone really asked for her opinion, then no—she absolutely did not want to go settle down on Yuque.
After all, every single one of her maxed-out identities was extremely important. Naturally, she could not just pile them all together in one place.
Seeing that Mobius still was not speaking, Yaoguang assumed she was hesitating, and her tone softened further.
"Little Dragon Sovereign, you don't need to decide right now. Once the Luofu's welcome celebration is over, you can think it through at your leisure."
She paused, as though remembering something.
"Oh, right. There's something you may not know yet."
Mobius lifted her gaze slightly and looked at Yaoguang.
Yaoguang spoke in her usual unhurried cadence. "This welcome celebration the Alliance is holding for you won't only take place on the Luofu."
"Not only on the Luofu?" Mobius blinked in surprise.
That was indeed news to her.
Yaoguang nodded. "That's right. The Luofu is only the first stop."
"Once the Luofu's celebration ends, the Yaoqing, Zhuming, Fanghu, Xuling... one by one, every Xianzhou ship will hold a welcome ceremony for you."
Mobius's pupils contracted slightly.
Good grief. Is the Xianzhou Alliance really this sentimental?
Originally, she had thought that the Luofu canceling the Wardance and holding a welcome celebration for her instead was already a huge sign of importance.
She had not expected that she had still underestimated just how seriously the Xianzhou Alliance took her—or how deeply they felt they owed her.
Yaoguang continued explaining, "This was a collective decision by the Alliance, not the opinion of any one person. The Xianzhou Cangcheng gave so much for the Alliance. The Alliance should respond in kind."
"And as the Cangcheng's sole survivor, Miss Mobius deserves to know that she is not alone. She has six Xianzhou ships as family, and the entire Alliance standing behind her."
Hearing it put that way, even Mobius found herself momentarily speechless.
So she asked, "And then? After every Xianzhou ship has welcomed me... where am I supposed to go?"
Yaoguang replied evenly, "Yuque is the final stop in the welcome tour. Once all the Xianzhou have welcomed you..."
"If Miss Mobius is willing, she can stay in Yuque directly."
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Lingsha's breathing hitched. She parted her lips, wanting to speak, but Yaoguang gave her no opening.
"Yuque may not be as lively as the Luofu, but it excels in tranquility."
"And Yuque's Dragon Sovereign, Lord Kun'gang, would also be delighted to welcome Miss Mobius."
At that, Mobius's brows twitched faintly.
Lord Kun'gang. The Dragon Sovereign of the Xianzhou Yuque.
The name was not unfamiliar to her. Though, now that she thought of it, she still had not met any of the other Dragon Sovereigns in person.
Still, for Yaoguang to deliberately bring up Lord Kun'gang at a moment like this definitely meant more than what appeared on the surface.
Sure enough, her next sentence plunged the entirety of Exalting Sanctum into silence.
"And..."
"At the moment, the Xianzhou Marshal is also on Yuque."
This time, not a single person spoke.
The Marshal of the Xianzhou Alliance.
That was the Alliance's supreme commander—the most powerful authority beneath the Reignbow Arbiter and above the six Xianzhou ships.
And her whereabouts were notoriously unpredictable. No one ever knew which Xianzhou ship she might appear on.
And now Yaoguang was telling them...
The Marshal was on Yuque.
At that point, Yaoguang had truly shown her hand.
"Little Dragon Sovereign, you don't need to rush to answer me. As for where you ultimately wish to stay, the Alliance intends to respect your choice."
"Once you've toured all the Xianzhou ships, you may settle wherever you like."
But after saying all that, Yaoguang suddenly leaned closer to Mobius's ear.
"Of course, before you decide, let me tell you one more thing."
Her voice dropped so low that only Mobius could hear it.
"Our Marshal and your master, General Chiyuan..."
"Not only do their names resemble each other, even their appearances are almost identical."
Mobius: "..."
What is this supposed to be? Some kind of psychological manipulation?
"In any case... I'll think about it carefully when the time comes," Mobius finally replied.
At that, Yaoguang lowered her head slightly and answered, "Good. No rush. Take your time, Little Dragon Sovereign. Think for as long as you like."
Only then did Mobius quietly breathe a sigh of relief.
In truth, there was no need for her to think at all, because she was not planning to settle anywhere.
But in front of so many people, she could hardly say outright, 'I don't intend to stay on any of your six Xianzhou ships.'
That would have been far too hurtful.
Yaoguang, seemingly oblivious to Mobius's private thoughts, continued holding the little Dragon Sovereign securely in her arms. Her tone was as casual as if she were commenting on the weather.
"Oh, right, Little Dragon Sovereign. How about coming out for a stroll with me?"
Mobius blinked.
Yaoguang went on, "Though I've visited Exalting Sanctum a few times, every visit has been rushed. I've never really taken the chance to walk around properly. Since I happen to have time today, and just so happen to have run into you..."
Her gaze swept the surroundings.
"It has to be better than staying here and being surrounded by a crowd, doesn't it?"
Mobius's mouth twitched slightly.
And just as she was about to refuse—
another figure appeared.
"General Yaoguang."
Jing Yuan had arrived.
"General Jing Yuan!"
"Lord Jing Yuan!"
Voices of greeting erupted all through Exalting Sanctum.
And Lingsha's reaction was the most obvious of all.
The tension in her shoulders, which had been taut all this time, loosened at once the moment she saw Jing Yuan.
Good. Their own general had arrived now. Surely Yaoguang could not keep stealing a march on them.
Jing Yuan glanced at Lingsha and gave a faint nod, but did not stop walking.
He went straight toward Yaoguang and halted three steps in front of her.
The two looked at one another for a brief instant.
A subtle tension spread through the air.
Yaoguang continued supporting Mobius one-handed, her posture easy and natural, the smile on her lips unchanged.
Jing Yuan stood facing her, hands clasped behind his back.
Neither one spoke first.
Meanwhile, tucked in Yaoguang's arms, Mobius looked at one, then the other, the corners of her lips lifting ever so slightly.
Well, well. Is it finally starting?
Xianzhou Alliance internal romance and rivalry?
"General Yaoguang," Jing Yuan finally said.
"Have you forgotten something?"
Yaoguang tilted her head, a faintly innocent look in her eyes. "Forgotten something? I haven't forgotten anything."
A vein at Jing Yuan's temple twitched.
"General Yaoguang, half an hour ago, at the meeting in the Seat of Divine Foresight, it was you who personally said..."
"That you would personally go and fetch Miss Mobius."
"That the Alliance had something important to discuss with her."
"And that you could go alone, without sending attendants, so as not to make too much fuss and frighten the child."
His voice grew deeper with each sentence, slower with each sentence, like he was reading aloud a formal indictment.
"At the time, I felt what you said made sense, so I agreed."
"And then?"
He lifted his eyes and fixed them directly on Yaoguang's face.
"I waited for half an hour and saw no sign of you bringing her back."
"I felt something was off, so I came out to look."
"And instead, I found you here, planning to take Miss Mobius out for a leisurely stroll?"
At last, Yaoguang's smile showed the faintest hint of strain.
"General Jing Yuan, that's not quite fair. I was only—"
"Only what?" Jing Yuan cut her off.
"Only planning to let the Little Dragon Sovereign enjoy some Exalting Sanctum scenery on the way back to the Seat of Divine Foresight?"
Seeing that her intentions had been exposed, Yaoguang stopped pretending.
"It's just that the IPC has arrived. Those people are probably only anxious to discuss an alliance and, incidentally, to have a look at our Little Dragon Sovereign. What is there to hurry about?"
"General Jing Yuan, it's not as if you don't know the IPC's style. They speak of a 'Coalition Against the Void Witch,' but we both know exactly what sort of calculations they're making underneath."
Oh? The IPC is already here?
That did catch Mobius's attention.
Although, with Kallen and Cecilia keeping watch, she had already known the IPC was coming.
She had simply not expected them to be in such a hurry.
Which meant Kallen's side was about to make its move too.
With that thought in mind, Mobius refocused her attention on the two generals before her.
Jing Yuan's brows were still furrowed, yet the corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.
He could not deny that the Xianzhou Alliance had suffered through the IPC's methods more than once.
But this time was indeed different.
"General Yaoguang, this time it's not the same. The IPC says they've obtained intelligence regarding the Void Witch."
Half a quarter-hour later, inside the Seat of Divine Foresight.
Once the three of them arrived, Jing Yuan immediately reclaimed the seat of honor.
Yaoguang, however, showed no politeness at all. She simply carried Mobius along and took a seat wherever she pleased.
Mobius herself did not mind.
She lifted her head and began surveying the people in the hall.
This really did look important.
On the Xianzhou side alone, all four generals currently present on the Luofu had come in person.
She turned her gaze toward the IPC side.
Oh. All familiar faces there as well.
Diamond. Jade. Aventurine.
Huh. Still using the old guard, I see.
Then again, though it was an "old guard" lineup, it also showed how seriously the IPC took this meeting.
After all, Diamond was not what he had once been.
With Oswaldo already stabbed to death by Kallen, and his rival gone, Diamond had naturally seized the last seat on the IPC Board and risen directly to P48.
And sending a P48 executive, along with his subordinates, to negotiate cooperation with the Xianzhou Alliance certainly carried enough weight.
"General Jing Yuan, thank you for taking the time to meet with us," Diamond said at last.
Jing Yuan gave a small nod, offering no extra pleasantries.
Diamond did not mind and continued smoothly, "I know the Xianzhou Alliance is extraordinarily busy at the moment. As for the matter of the Cangcheng... we all saw it."
"General Chiyuan and everyone aboard the Cangcheng—their sacrifice will not be forgotten by the galaxy."
"And this, I assume, is the Cangcheng's Dragon Sovereign, Lady Mobius, the Jade Sovereign?"
Diamond's gaze shifted suddenly to Mobius, and a gleam flashed in his eyes.
"Lady Mobius. I have long looked forward to meeting you."
Mobius merely gave him a mild nod.
But Diamond kept going.
"I am Diamond, Head of Strategic Investment for the Interastral Peace Corporation. My visit to the Luofu today is not only to discuss alliance matters with the Xianzhou Alliance, but also to fulfill one very important mission..."
He paused, eyes locked directly on Mobius.
"On behalf of the Interastral Peace Corporation, I wish to convey the highest respect to the Cangcheng's Jade Sovereign, the disciple of General Chiyuan, the sole inheritor of the Six Dragon Veins."
"The IPC witnessed the Cangcheng's sacrifice. The IPC remembers General Chiyuan's deeds."
"And so..."
He turned to look at Jade beside him.
Jade understood immediately. She rose from her seat with a graceful nod.
Then she walked to the center of the hall, and at some point, an exquisitely crafted box had appeared in her hands.
Holding the box, she advanced one step at a time toward Mobius.
The other generals all wore odd expressions, but none of them intervened.
Thus, under their tacit permission, Jade stopped in front of Mobius.
She bent at the waist ever so slightly and extended the black box with both hands, respectful, yet not servile.
"Lady Mobius, this is a small token of the IPC's sincerity."
Mobius lowered her gaze to the box.
Oh ho. Coming to a meeting and getting gifts too?
That genuinely surprised her.
Though she had no idea what the IPC could possibly offer that would actually interest her.
Still—free stuff was free stuff.
Naturally, she accepted it without hesitation.
So Mobius directly opened the box.
Inside was a card.
Mobius: "..."
Is throwing money at people the only thing your IPC knows how to do? Could you please go die somewhere?
Even while furiously mocking them inside her head, Mobius quietly pocketed the card.
Diamond continued, "Lady Mobius, this is no ordinary credit chip."
"This is the highest-tier Amber Commemorative Card issued by the Interastral Peace Corporation. Fewer than twenty exist in the entire galaxy."
He paused, glancing over the black card's polished surface, and his tone grew more solemn.
"With this card, you may enjoy the highest level of treatment in every IPC-controlled territory. Security, medical services, residence, intelligence support—whatever you require, the IPC will respond immediately."
"And furthermore..."
Diamond's gaze sharpened slightly as it landed on Mobius's face.
"This card has no limit. You may withdraw credits without restriction, anytime you need them, anywhere."
So what did Mobius feel after accepting the gift and hearing Diamond's explanation?
Heh. Do these IPC people really think this card can buy me over?
Absolutely insane.
Those four words perfectly summed up her mood.
Diamond truly was something else. Even his bluffing came in layers.
If her "other self" did not hold a high-ranking position in the IPC already, Mobius might actually have been fooled.
Unlimited withdrawals. Infinite credit ceiling?
Yeah, right.
Did they really think she didn't know?
A top-tier Amber card might proclaim "unlimited spending" in public, but in reality, its true cap was only ten billion.
And what happened once you exceeded ten billion?
A direct call would be made to the IPC, and they would immediately contact the person who had issued the card.
Absolutely incredible.
Mobius mocked them again in silence.
A measly ten billion? The bounty on my other maxed-out identity—Kallen—even the spare change on that bounty is worth more than this.
Keeping a blank face, Mobius tucked away the so-called "Amber Commemorative Card."
Then Diamond shifted his eyes from her and looked once more toward Jing Yuan at the head of the hall.
"General Jing Yuan, the entire galaxy has seen what happened to the Cangcheng. The IPC offers its deepest respect and fully understands the Xianzhou Alliance's current state of mind."
"But the threat posed by the Void Witch is equally pressing."
"Six hundred years ago, she nearly wiped out the Xianzhou Alliance. Now she has resurfaced. Not only has she struck at the IPC, she has even left a Void imprint on the Amber Lord."
"The Alliance's fury is something the IPC deeply shares. But fury alone solves nothing. We need action."
Diamond lifted his chin, looking straight at Jing Yuan.
"So the most important purpose of my visit today is to ask the Alliance this—what is your current position on forming a coalition against the Void Witch?"
The Seat of Divine Foresight fell silent.
After a moment, as host, Jing Yuan finally answered.
"Mr. Diamond, the Alliance has received the IPC's invitation."
"But I imagine the IPC should also understand what is most important to the Alliance at this moment."
One of Diamond's brows twitched faintly, but he said nothing.
Jing Yuan continued, "The matter of the Cangcheng... the Alliance owes too much. General Chiyuan paid with five hundred and ninety-three years of waiting, with the destruction of an entire Xianzhou ship, so that the other six could survive."
"The Alliance will not forget such a debt. Nor can it forget."
He paused, his gaze leaving Diamond and falling upon the small figure seated in a corner of the great hall.
"Lady Mobius is the Cangcheng's sole survivor. She is living proof that the Cangcheng once existed."
"The Alliance has already decided to hold a welcome celebration for her."
"The Luofu, the Yaoqing, the Zhuming, the Fanghu, the Xuling, the Yuque... every one of the six Xianzhou ships will offer her the grandest of welcomes."
"So as for the matter of a coalition against the Void Witch, the Alliance's position is that it can be discussed after the welcome celebrations conclude."
Diamond's lips tightened slightly, but he quickly resumed his usual composed demeanor.
"General Jing Yuan, I understand the Alliance's feelings and respect its decision."
"The Cangcheng's sacrifice deserves to be remembered by the entire galaxy, and Lady Mobius's identity deserves the highest honors the Alliance can bestow."
He inclined himself slightly.
"The IPC is willing to wait."
"We will wait for the Alliance to complete Lady Mobius's welcome celebrations, and to settle its internal affairs. Then we can sit down and discuss the alliance properly."
Jing Yuan gave the barest nod.
But Diamond was not done.
He raised his eyes again, and his gaze sharpened.
"General Jing Yuan, if the matter of the alliance can wait, then there is one other matter..."
"I hope the Alliance can give me an answer now."
A slight movement passed through Jing Yuan's brow. "What matter?"
"Intelligence regarding the Void Witch."
"In the IPC's invitation to the Alliance, we clearly stated that we possess critical information regarding Kallen Kaslana."
"This intelligence concerns the safety of the entire galaxy. It concerns the fate of every world that might yet be swallowed by Void."
Join here to read ahead.
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