Huanxi didn't understand why Stelle was laughing.
"Thank goodness the three of you are blessed by heaven. If anything had happened, this humble servant would have failed in her duty."
"Assassins?"
Dan Heng subtly shifted half a step, shielding Bailu behind him.
His gaze toward Huanxi carried a hint of suspicion.
"She never mentioned the danger being assassins. How did you know, Miss Huanxi?"
Huanxi's face stiffened for a moment before she quickly concealed it.
"Of course it's because… we were attacked once at the dock… I-I was panicked, afraid those people would strike at you again."
"But according to what you said—"
Bailu also raised a question at this point.
"The earlier assassins were only targeting Lord Dan Heng, but the ones we met in the ruins had me as their main target."
Her gaze toward Huanxi shifted from trust to doubt, and finally to confusion and heartbreak.
Being stared at by Bailu's eyes, the forced smile on Huanxi's face gradually faded.
"Sigh, the three of you never encountered any real trouble from beginning to end. If anything had happened, this maid would have truly failed."
Stelle wore an "as expected" expression and asked lazily with a smile:
"Since we've seen through you, you're done acting, right?"
Dan Heng's face turned slightly cold.
"So the Vidyadhara elders sent you to eliminate an unqualified High Elder in a place like this?"
Huanxi: "This matter is merely my own idea. How could it be the dragon masters' intention? Heh heh."
Stelle sneered. "Getting anxious already? Dan Heng asked about the elders, yet you confessed the dragon masters without even being pressed."
"Assassinating the Vidyadhara High Elder—committing treason. All those extra years you've lived compared to short-life species really went to the dogs."
Huanxi remained unfazed by Stelle's mockery.
"In my view, the Vidyadhara only need one useful High Elder."
"The weak and useless one who steals the great seat naturally needs to be removed."
Ripples surged through the surrounding space. More than a dozen figures stepped out, completely encircling them.
"Lady Bailu, the bond between master and servant ends here. Farewell."
Stelle folded her arms across her chest and let out a helpless sigh.
"Can I ask one question?"
"Heh, go ahead." Huanxi looked at Stelle as if she were already dead.
Stelle slowly curled her lips and tilted her head.
"I'm really curious—who exactly gave you the confidence and courage to think these people could deal with us?"
Huanxi returned the smile. "If you calculate the time, in ten more seconds, the poison you ingested on your way back should take effect."
As soon as those words left her mouth, Dan Heng's expression changed slightly.
Bailu immediately clutched the gourd at her waist.
Yet more than ten seconds passed, and all three of them still looked perfectly normal—no signs of poisoning whatsoever.
"…"
This time it was Huanxi's turn to frown.
But soon she decided to stop delaying and swung her arm.
"Kill them!"
The surrounding figures charged forward. Just as Stelle brought out her bat and Dan Heng began channeling power to counterattack—
A familiar-looking formation blade carrying lightning and overwhelming pressure descended from the sky, landing not far in front of the three.
Above, Jing Yuan's figure slowly descended, standing on one foot atop the blade's hilt.
"Looks like I'm not late, everyone."
"General!"
Joy appeared on Bailu's little face.
"Did you bring reinforcements for us?"
"Reinforcements? I am the reinforcements. Oh, and Brother Leon too—look, he's over there."
Jing Yuan pointed toward a high spot on the other side.
Everyone followed his gesture and saw Leon sitting at the very top of a structure.
Seeing all the eyes on him, he smiled and waved at his companions.
Stelle and Dan Heng immediately understood.
No wonder the poison Huanxi mentioned never took effect.
With a poison expert like Leon watching, the ones who should be worried about poisoning weren't them…
Sure enough, the very next second after the thought appeared—
All the ambushing assassins, including Huanxi, let out wails and collapsed on the spot.
From heaven straight to hell—Huanxi tried to hang herself but tragically discovered that only her mind still worked; her body refused to obey at all.
"Don't bother, kids. Without my antidote, even wanting to die is a luxury right now."
Leon's lazy voice drifted down from above.
Stelle gave him a big thumbs-up.
Nice one, Leon.
They finally caught some live ones. Next, it would be these guys—and the dragon masters behind the scenes—who'd be sweating bullets.
Huanxi barely managed to raise her gaze, glaring hatefully at Leon before letting out a miserable laugh.
"What a pity… hehe, just a little short."
"Let me correct you—"
Leon struck straight at the heart. He pinched a tiny gap between thumb and forefinger and smiled brightly.
"—You were short by a billion points. Your so-called meticulous plan was nothing more than child's play."
Jing Yuan folded his arms and looked down at Huanxi from on high.
"Do the dragon masters really think no one knows their little schemes?"
"Wake up. Laying a hand on the dragon girl only destroys what little prestige they have left."
Huanxi gritted her teeth. "The whole thing was planned by me alone. Please, General, do not falsely accuse…"
"Heh."
Jing Yuan chuckled softly.
"Save your strength. Once the Cloud Knights deliver you to the Ten-Lords Commission, the judges will know the truth with one trial."
"No! I'd rather enter extinction than go there!"
Hearing "Ten-Lords Commission" and seeing the Cloud Knights rushing over, genuine fear finally rose in Huanxi's eyes.
Stelle curled her lip. "As if you have a choice."
Once the group was fully taken away by the Cloud Knights, everyone's gaze simultaneously fell on Bailu.
Her mood was quite low.
"Sigh, I always knew that in the elders' eyes, I was an extra—an impostor dragon with no ability to inherit the High Elder's power."
"But only today did I confirm that to get rid of me, they would stoop to such methods."
Pity flashed in Jing Yuan's eyes as he comforted her:
"Not everyone in the Vidyadhara clan harbors ulterior motives. If you're worried, the Seat of Divine Foresight can make arrangements for you."
"Thank you for your concern, General. Can I speak with Dan Heng alone?"
Bailu nodded lightly and turned her gaze to Dan Heng.
"Of course. We'll wait near the dock."
Jing Yuan smiled and beckoned Leon and Stelle to leave first.
Bailu looked toward the sealed profound root.
"Vidyadhara have no parents or family. After birth, a mentor teaches the young Vidyadhara Cloudhymn arts and all sorts of life knowledge."
"…Dan Heng, did you have a mentor like that?"
Dan Heng: "If you're asking about Vidyadhara tradition, I never had such an experience."
"I am long since someone who cannot return home, wandering the stars with Trailblaze."
"But on my journey, I always meet people who can be called mentors."
Bailu nodded silently.
"Since I can remember, the dragon masters only ever ordered me to do this or that. Only the healers at the Alchemy Commission asked me to save lives."
"I never even knew if that counted as a mentor."
"You know, you really seem like the mentor I've been waiting for all this time."
"Past-life sage companion, next-life honored teacher—maybe in our previous lives, we were friends… or master and disciple?"
Dan Heng's gaze dropped. "Dan Feng's friend or beloved disciple… perhaps…"
…
No-prize guess: what is she doing?