T/N: Heya~ Huge shoutout and thank you to Hunter1, Vester 1 and Avelino Favela for your support~ I really appreciate it, you guys are the best 💕
Chapter 51
Jingliu spotted an opening, dropped low, and swung her wooden sword in a sweeping arc toward Tomomu Kanzaki's calf.
His own wooden sword dipped smoothly, intercepting the strike with perfect timing.
Jingliu flowed with the momentum, shifting from the sweep into an upward slash aimed straight at his wrist. He evaded it just as cleanly.
She pressed on without pause, hunting for any exploitable weakness.
Even though she knew every opening had been left there on purpose, Tomomu Kanzaki always resolved them at the final instant.
Not by blocking, but by evading.
His movements stayed minimal, a slight tilt of the head, a shift of the body, or a single step, yet each time the wooden sword barely grazed past him.
More than two minutes passed, and Jingliu had not even brushed the edge of his clothing.
Fine beads of sweat formed on her forehead. Her breathing grew rapid.
Nearly three minutes. Jingliu kept careful track of the time. Her eyes flickered. She deliberately changed her rhythm, exposing a clear opening while making her next thrust half a beat slower.
Tomomu Kanzaki's eyes narrowed. He stepped forward and seized her wrist in one fluid motion.
It was a trap.
Jingliu released her sword instantly, dropped into a crouch, caught the falling blade in her left hand, and swept it upward in a reverse cut.
Her target was not his body. It was the helmet he wore.
The change came too suddenly. Gasps rose from the watching crowd. Many believed Tomomu Kanzaki was about to lose.
His expression never changed. Not a trace of surprise appeared in his eyes.
His empty right hand pressed down. Two fingers flicked the wooden sword in her grip with pinpoint precision.
Pain flared through the web between Jingliu's thumb and forefinger. The sword flew from her hand.
At the same moment, Tomomu Kanzaki's palm came to rest on her shoulder. There was no force behind it, yet Jingliu froze completely.
"A good trap."
Tomomu Kanzaki gave a small nod.
"But releasing your sword is far too risky. Against an opponent of equal strength, it can easily become a real weakness."
Three minutes had passed.
Tomomu Kanzaki curled his fingers in a gentle guiding motion. The wooden sword that had flown several steps away seemed drawn by an invisible force, returning smoothly to his hand. He offered it back to her.
Jingliu accepted the blade as if she had gained some quiet insight.
A flicker of longing crossed her face, only to turn into quiet sadness the next instant.
Tomomu Kanzaki noticed, but he said nothing.
Becoming a Cloud Knight was never an easy path.
Though the future Yu Huai had arranged for her might not be what she truly wanted, it would at least be stable and peaceful.
The wind grew restless.
The first drop of rain struck the high platform, leaving a dark water stain and dampening Jingliu's long hair and shoulders.
"Thank you for your guidance, Marshal Kanzaki."
"You performed well. If you have the will and the opportunity in the future, continue to improve."
Tomomu Kanzaki acknowledged her with a nod and watched her leave the stage.
He then contacted the Department of Terrestrial Surveys and instructed the staff to restore the simulated climate in the area to clear skies.
The challenge tournament continued at full pace. More young talents soon emerged, each capable of defeating one to three Cloud Knights through skill, experience, and personal ability.
Perhaps because Jingliu had set the precedent, and because Tomomu Kanzaki maintained a defensive, guiding stance, more students gradually chose to challenge him directly.
By the end of the two-day tournament, fifteen registered participants had managed to strike the helmets of the Cloud Knight Vanguards.
Among those fifteen, three had defeated multiple Vanguards, a result that satisfied every Cloud Knight department.
This year's Cloud Knight military camp tour concluded successfully. Just two days after the last students departed, the expeditionary force sent to eliminate abominations returned in victory.
In every campaign, some comrades remained on the battlefield forever.
The highest tribute the living could offer them was to honor their memory with the blood and heads of the abominations.
Before the crews could even catch their breath, fresh enemy intelligence arrived.
Based on the Xianzhou's current primary navigation route, the Divination Commission and Sky-Faring Commission reached the same conclusion.
In roughly half a year, the Cangcheng would enter a star system known for abomination activity.
Because of the extreme distance, more detailed information could not be obtained yet.
Someone in the Divination Commission suggested altering the route to avoid the unknown risk, but that created another problem.
Most interstellar travel across the galaxy, including routes used by the Interstellar Peace Corporation, depended on the Silver Rails left by the Trailblaze for maximum safety.
Venturing into uncharted space without navigation records would overwhelm the already burdened staff of both the Divination Commission and Sky-Faring Commission.
Planetary gravity fields, massive red giants, quantum entanglement zones, cosmic imaginary storms, and countless other unknown dangers could destroy a ship and everyone aboard in an instant.
Those were only a fraction of the threats in interstellar travel.
In short, choosing a safe detour would force the Xianzhou to turn back for at least a full year.
Such a delay would cost both time and energy on a massive scale.
For an interstellar vessel carrying hundreds of billions of lives, the impact on commerce, social balance, and daily life would be enormous.
After weighing every factor, the Sky-Faring Commission advised against changing course.
Most merchant guilds handling external trade fell under the Sky-Faring Commission. A major route change would disrupt the livelihoods of countless people.
The department heads already had headaches. General Teng Xiao's headache was even worse.
For an issue of this magnitude, the General did not hold sole authority. It required joint deliberation by the Six Sovereigns.
Yet as General, his opinion carried the greatest weight.
Given the gravity of the situation, Teng Xiao formally convened the Six Chariots Council.
The Six Chariots Council consisted of the Cloud Knights General and the leaders of the Divination Commission, Department of Craftsmanship, Sky-Faring Commission, Alchemy Commission, and Department of Terrestrial Surveys.
It was never summoned lightly.
Once the meeting began, no one was permitted to disturb the proceedings.
Tomomu Kanzaki and the other Vanguards and strategists withdrew from the hall.
"On one side we face an enemy like Shuhu watching from the shadows, and on the other the abominations of abundance never end. It truly is a headache."
"It is hard to imagine how much worse the Xianzhou Alliance's situation would be today if the Reignbow Arbiter had not kept hunting those abominations without rest."
"Hey, do you think they will change the route?"
As they left the council hall, the Cloud Knight Vanguards could not help but discuss the matter.
"Changing the route would cause massive disruption. I know someone who works in foreign trade for a guild under the Sky-Faring Commission. Their cargo cycles usually run on a seven-system-month schedule. Altering the route would throw everything into chaos."
"Who told our Cangcheng to be the most prosperous trading hub among the seven Xianzhou ships…"
"Damn abominations. Damn Emanators of Longevity. They have not stopped for thousands of years."
"I wish we could catch Shuhu and end it once and for all. Without the Emanators of Longevity rallying them, those abominations of abundance would at least be far easier to handle."
"Killing Shuhu? You really are dreaming. It would probably take the Marshal himself to have any chance."
"But the Marshal must remain stationed on the Xianzhou flagship Luofu to guard against Shuhu's feint attacks on the Ambrosial Arbor. He cannot easily join expeditions, unless Shuhu comes to him."
"That is unrealistic. General Teng Xiao has already defeated Shuhu twice. The real problem with that creature is how difficult it is to catch and truly kill. How could it ever have the courage to challenge the Marshal?"
"Changing the route involves too many factors. It will probably prove impossible. What does Marshal Kanzaki think?"
With that, Mo Tingquan turned to look at Tomomu Kanzaki.
"Overthinking is pointless. Focus on your training and stay ready to deploy for battle at any moment."
Tomomu Kanzaki offered no lengthy analysis. His face remained calm.
"Behind us stands our home. We have nowhere to retreat."