The Divine Foresight General had always handled matters carefully.
Whenever he encountered a problem, he would find the most perfect solution.
One that achieved his goal while also gaining the approval of every side involved.
The man before him had agreed far too readily.
Things had developed completely beyond Jing Yuan's expectations.
The man in front of him simply refused to follow the usual process.
No bargaining, no negotiation... none of it.
Jing Yuan had thought that getting a few pieces of information out of him and reducing casualties would already be enough.
But what happened?
The man directly handed over the "Water of the Zimu River."
Jing Yuan looked at the teapot on the table.
He had no idea where the man had taken it from.
Drinking it could create new life?
That was only the other party's claim. Verifying whether it was true would take quite a bit of time.
As Jing Yuan pondered, he noticed the almost tangible gazes lingering on the few of them.
They belonged to the three Aeons who had deliberately stayed away and were waiting for the man before him.
The speech Jing Yuan had prepared in advance became completely useless.
It was true that the other party valued his relationships.
But if he kept pressing...
That would be pushing his luck.
Zero met Akivili's gaze and smiled at the Aeon.
"Akivili, do you want... to meet the Pom-Pom here one more time before saying goodbye?"
Akivili nodded hard.
Seeing this, Jingliu lowered her head and packed away the books and snacks.
After Zero put them into his system storage, he stood up and bid Jing Yuan farewell.
"We won't trouble you any longer."
Jing Yuan stood up as well.
As the host, he politely urged them to stay, saying he wanted to treat them to a banquet.
Zero could tell it was only courtesy and did not accept.
Jing Yuan sighed as though regretful, then said he would personally see them off.
Zero knew the man was still wary of them.
If it were him, he wouldn't be able to tolerate outsiders either.
Only by watching them leave with his own eyes would Jing Yuan be at ease.
This time, Zero did not refuse.
Jing Yuan smiled brightly, and before leaving, he did not forget to take the teapot with him.
He had already decided that once they left, he would hand it over to the Alchemy Commission for examination.
Jing Yuan, Zero, and Jingliu walked side by side in front.
The Aeons jostled and pulled at each other as they slowly followed behind.
Jing Yuan noticed that the Master from the other world was still as quiet as ever, always staying beside Zero in the role of protector, like a ferocious beast that had temporarily put away its claws and fangs, ready to tear into an enemy's throat the moment anything unusual happened.
Meanwhile, Zero was discussing the Vidyadhara with Jing Yuan.
If the water in that pot could truly restore the Vidyadhara's vitality and allow them to reproduce once more...
Then it was no longer something Jing Yuan alone could decide.
"How exactly to use it depends on your superior."
As though thinking of the Xianzhou Marshal from the other world, Zero smiled and said, "If it's her... she'll definitely make the most appropriate choice."
Jing Yuan nodded.
"Alright."
The man beside him seemed to be in a very good mood. Or perhaps because of the other world, he had come to like the Jing Yuan and the Xianzhou here. In a gentle tone, he said to Jing Yuan, "This isn't sympathy, nor is it pity."
"It's for my own selfish reasons."
"And even more... it's for the Xianzhou, for our allies."
"You're not the close friends I know."
"But that doesn't matter."
Zero lowered his head, his bangs falling over his forehead. When he looked up again, his eyes curved with a smile.
He softly said, "Just think of me as a control freak."
Akivili and Bacchus, a few meters behind them: "..."
The corner of Akivili's mouth twitched as They turned to look at Bacchus.
They had expected the Aeon to jump in and tear down their close friend's words with, "Aren't you one already?"
Instead, the Aeon didn't say a word.
When Aha is quiet, They're definitely up to something.
'When did it start?'
Akivili thought back.
It seemed... after their close friend learned that the Reignbow Arbiter had destroyed one-third of the Delves, Aha had stopped causing trouble.
The Aeon couldn't figure it out, so They simply wrapped an arm around the other Aha's shoulders and started fooling around.
A breeze swept by, rustling the shadows of the trees, with the occasional streak of scattered light falling through.
Just as Zero and Jing Yuan were about to part, Zero softly said, "If it were Dan Feng, he'd tell you..."
"You've done well."
He and Jing Yuan were strangers. He wasn't in any position to praise him.
Times had changed. Jing Yuan had long since walked out of the shadows of the past and become the Luofu's General, capable of standing on his own.
After thinking it over, Zero could only bring up Dan Feng.
Jing Yuan had always regarded Dan Feng as a role model.
Perhaps it would offer some comfort?
Jing Yuan looked into Zero's eyes and thought, Are you trying to coax a child?
Imbibitor Lunae Dan Feng could never say something that sentimental.
The High Elder would only hide the emotions in his eyes, give Jing Yuan a slight nod, and say, "Well done."
Like that old friend who excelled on the battlefield, Jing Yuan used the act of closing his eyes to conceal the countless emotions within him.
He skipped over the topic on his own and continued with the line he always used.
"You and I meeting today is fate..."
After this parting, they would never meet again.
No matter what, his grandmaster should at least leave him with something special, right?
Before he had even finished speaking, Zero had already seen through Jing Yuan's thoughts.
He took out several talismans and held them out to Jing Yuan.
"Here."
Jing Yuan blinked, stared at the talismans for a moment, then said with a smile, "I wasn't finished yet."
He reached out to accept them and casually asked, "What about him? Does he have one too?"
Zero smiled along with him.
"Of course."
"He even spent one xundi for it."
Jing Yuan's fingers curled, instinctively tightening around the talismans.
Very soon, he relaxed his grip and quickly lowered his head to check.
Whatever kind of paper Zero had used, not even Jing Yuan had managed to leave a single crease on it.
They were obviously just a few thin sheets of paper.
So why did they feel as heavy as a thousand pounds?
Jing Yuan fell silent for a moment before shaking his head with a smile.
"I really..."
"Got quite a bargain."
Jing Yuan carefully counted them.
Exactly four.
As for Zero's fifth talisman... the Nameless would probably pass it on to Dan Heng.
Jing Yuan smiled and bid everyone farewell, watching them leave.
Even after they disappeared from sight, his gaze remained fixed on the Astral Express.
The next moment, a jumble of hurried footsteps sounded behind him.
Then came his subordinates' voices.
"General..."
"General Jing Yuan..."
"General."
One after another, the people behind him called out to him, their eyes firmly fixed on Jing Yuan.
Jing Yuan instinctively smiled.
He quickly hid the smile, turned around, sighed helplessly on purpose, then called each subordinate by name, reassuring them one by one with practiced ease.
Meeting their worried gazes, Jing Yuan answered them with a smile.
Their concern was no lighter than the talismans in his hand.
Jing Yuan thought, 'So what if they're duckweed?'
Even if floodwaters covered the heavens, they still wouldn't drown.
Surrounded by the crowd, Jing Yuan did not look back.
He looked straight ahead and walked forward.