Chapter 39

Chapter 39: The Hope for Cangcheng's Revered Spirit

Jingliu couldn't help grumbling to herself. Before, the house wouldn't see a familiar face for a year and a half. But ever since that indecent little Wangshu showed up, the place had become a revolving door.

If it wasn't some sketchy bad woman, it was a critically wounded soldier crashing into the yard at midnight. And now even the general was paying a personal visit! The foot traffic in this house was getting frankly ridiculous...

Did this count as bringing good fortune? The thought suddenly popped into little Jingliu's head.

Today's visitor, of course, wasn't some girl. Jingliu listlessly opened the courtyard gate — though before she opened it, she'd already spotted the general standing outside, since the courtyard wall wasn't exactly tall enough to block the view.

"Apologies for the intrusion, young... miss."

The general at the door wore civilian clothes, his tone warm, even carrying a touch of elder-like affability — a completely different person from the grim, severe figure at the Alchemy Commission last night.

"I'm eighteen this year."

Jingliu stressed the point. She was not a child. If she studied hard and prepped for the exam, she might be able to pass the coming-of-age certification by the second half of this year.

The general's smile seemed to deepen at that, his tone still gentle: "I'm three hundred and eighty this year."

Those who climbed to the top in Cangcheng — beyond raw strength — were mostly smooth operators who excelled at networking across every circle.

The years had given them not just power but perception and polish... probably? After all, the future wasn't exactly devoid of hotheads.

Jingliu was silent for a moment, then wisely amended: "Then I'm definitely a child."

She then hollered toward the house: "Little Wangshu, someone's here! Looking for you!"

Wangshu was deftly clearing dishes. He'd been here less than a week — who would possibly come looking for him?

"Who is it?"

He dried his hands and stepped out. Seeing the visitor, he paused briefly, but wasn't surprised.

What had to come would come. The Xianzhou was people-first in principle, but in wartime, if a strong outsider was living in your city, not reaching out would be unthinkable.

What happened next, however, completely exceeded Wangshu's expectations.

The moment the stern-faced, gravitas-heavy general laid eyes on Wangshu, his expression lit up. He surged forward and seized Wangshu's still-damp, slightly cool hands in a fervent double grip. His voice boomed with a... somewhat theatrical sincerity:

"What an honor! I've long heard of the young proprietor of Homeworld Select, that Thousand-Year Heritage establishment — not only a master of his craft, but handsome and possessed of extraordinary bearing! Seeing you today, the legends prove true! Truly a hero among the young — no, a hero whose brilliance shone even in his youth!"

Wangshu: ...

General, have you been in your high position so long that you've forgotten how to compliment people? That was painfully stiff. Did you copy that from a storybook?

Little Jingliu stuck close, her small face on full alert. She was terrified that the general would sweet-talk little Wangshu into a Cloud Knight division and ship him to the front lines.

Of course, with great power came great responsibility — Jingliu knew that. She wanted Cangcheng to thrive too. But she truly, genuinely hated war. War took the people who mattered and left behind nothing but cold, empty rooms.

"I'm seventeen, General."

Wangshu's tone was delicate.

Now it was the general's turn to freeze. You're how old?

"...Seventeen?"

He repeated it under his breath, silent for a beat, as if waging an intense internal battle.

Then he nodded firmly, seemingly convincing himself: "Indeed! Such courage and strength at seventeen! A hero among the young! Yes — a hero of youth, without doubt!"

The two looked at each other in silence. Wangshu didn't know what to say. The general was lost too — wasn't this the part where you invite me inside?

Oh wait — he was seventeen!

"Ahem, last night — thank you, young hero, for stepping in and rescuing one of my personal guards from those Abundance abominations. The situation was urgent and the wounded needed immediate treatment, so there was no chance to thank you in person."

As for whether that Cloud Knight was actually a personal guard? He was now. A scout who'd overperformed deserved a promotion.

He paused, his gaze sweeping the courtyard — disheveled but clearly cleaned with care — and softened his tone: "Fortunately, I made it in time today. Any later and I'd be interrupting your business hours."

Wangshu: ...

He briefly wanted to open the group chat and ask Senior Jingliu: is your general reliable?

The man had the face of a powerhouse but the patter of a used-car salesman. After a moment's silence, Wangshu stepped aside.

"You're too kind, General. Please, come in and sit."

The house was clean — they'd tidied up just days ago. Little Jingliu's tendency to run around post-bath, leaving damp footprints while rummaging through things, notwithstanding, the rooms were presentable. Warm, even.

Wangshu followed behind. Little Jingliu's footsteps pattered along too. Until the general stopped before a family portrait on the living room wall — the Amber Palace in the background.

"Cangcheng is truly beautiful."

He gazed at the portrait — which didn't include Wangshu — lost in thought.

Wangshu walked to his side and nodded sincerely: "It really is. I never imagined that in Star Calendar Year 6299, the Xianzhou Alliance would still have a haven like this."

The commercial prosperity here depended on the other Xianzhou's military might. But for ordinary people, it was genuinely safe and orderly. A good place to live.

Though saying so felt a touch like dodging responsibility... Wangshu sighed.

The general didn't turn around, speaking as if to himself: "Why do you suppose there are always those who want to destroy this peace?"

Wangshu: ...

His emotional immersion evaporated. Shouldn't you be asking the other Xianzhou that question? If he remembered the lore correctly, after the Reignbow Arbiter's descent, the Xianzhou had collectively decided to go all out — revenge! An eternal war of extermination against those Abundance abominations!

Ahem. Wangshu collected himself: "There are always those who profit from chaos. Order is an eyesore to them. For people like that, trampling the rules is the easiest path to serving their own interests."

Then he thought of his own nation's century of humiliation before transmigrating, and the empathy surged back. His tone dropped lower: "There are always those who can't bear to see another's home prosper in lasting peace."

Even though his own nation had been dominant for millennia—

"Indeed. There are always those who resent the Xianzhou's peace and rule of law. Plots against Cangcheng never cease."

After a pause, the general's expression shifted to frank earnestness: "I am no Emanator. When the Reignbow Arbiter descended in grace and bestowed Revered Spirit vestiges upon the Xianzhou, Cangcheng received precious little of that blessing."

"The past cannot be undone. But I was born on this soil, and I sincerely wish for my homeland to grow ever stronger. I will not allow a single enemy to set foot here."

The Reignbow Arbiter had been generous. A mere few centuries of campaigning, and the Xianzhou had received divine Revered Spirits. Even when Fanghu transitioned to Vidyadhara self-governance, the Revered Spirits remained.

But the Hunt Path ultimately demanded conviction — a spirit attuned to the hunt across the stars, even the relentless desire for vengeance. Perhaps Cangcheng would one day have its own Revered Spirit. But Cangcheng needed to show its resolve... or perhaps, more simply, its strength.

The Hunt was not Abundance. It could not unconditionally support the Xianzhou. After all, centuries separated the Reignbow Arbiter's ascension from the bestowal of blessings.

"Mr. Wangshu..."

"I, the Defender of Cangcheng, humbly ask you—"

"Lend me your strength, to protect this homeland. Will you?"