A [Mirror] opened in the void above the Ancient Sea. Hundreds of Herta puppets carried a vermilion divine palanquin as they slowly stepped out. Mist swirled around them, curling like painted scrolls.
Dozens of instruments—ancient zithers, suonas, bronze bells—played in unison, singing Lingsha's praises. Across the entire Xianzhou Luofu, millions of Herta puppets appeared simultaneously.
From Starskiff Haven to the outskirts of the Divine Foresight, from the Divination Commission to the Shackling Prison—everywhere except the most mysterious restricted areas—the land was covered in an endless sea of Herta puppets.
In Changle, Guinaifen and Sushang stared wide-eyed at the spectacle, along with the other Xianzhou natives.
"Sushang, am I dreaming?!"
Guinaifen rapped Sushang on the head.
"Okay, not dreaming. Which makes this even more absurd."
"Sushang, is this an Abundance attack on the Luofu?!"
Sushang wiped her brow. Abundance remnants don't look like this.
"Probably not. These puppets look a bit like Madam Herta. But the numbers... truly terrifying."
Guinaifen searched her memory. Yes, they did resemble Herta.
Even Fu Xuan and Qingque, who had been performing their wedding rites at the Star-Gazing Terrace, were stunned.
It's already this late. Why are there suddenly so many Herta puppets? This is our home.
Qingque stammered, "Grand Diviner... what... what do we do now?"
Fu Xuan rapped her on the head. "Enough! I can see that. But we need to ask Madam Herta what's happening."
Qingque smiled sheepishly. "With all these puppets, we can't even find a way out."
Fu Xuan walked to the railing of the Star-Gazing Terrace and looked down at the Divination Commission and Changle. She gasped.
All Herta puppets? Ridiculous. Truly ridiculous. How can she be so indescribable? Unleashing millions of puppets onto the Luofu.
Qingque joked nervously, "Grand Diviner, with so many puppets, is Madam Herta trying to invade the Luofu?"
Fu Xuan glared at her. "Stop talking nonsense!"
---
At the Divine Foresight, several Cloud Knights reported the situation to Jing Yuan. Everywhere the light touched—except the mysterious Hall of Karma, the Divine Foresight itself, and the Shackling Prison—there were Herta puppets.
Yanqing lowered his head, a rare look of bewilderment on the young genius swordsman's face. Someone who could easily crush Hoolay and summon millions of puppets—if they truly wanted to attack the Luofu, the devastation would be even worse than Shuhu's invasion. They could turn the Luofu into another Cangcheng.
"General, is Madam Herta declaring war on us?"
Jing Yuan yawned lazily. Another Cloud Knight arrived with a message.
"General Jing Yuan, Herta #3156 requests an audience. She wishes to discuss important matters concerning the Xianzhou's future."
Yanqing frowned. At Fu Xuan and Qingque's wedding, Yunli had picked a fight with him for no reason. Later, he learned she was afraid Herta would send her to Herta City, so she used him as an excuse to escape.
He clenched his fist. "Where is Madam Herta herself? Why send Herta #3156 instead of coming herself? How arrogant."
The Cloud Knight looked uneasy. He was just a messenger. And Yanqing seemed particularly hostile toward Herta today.
"I don't know, sir."
Jing Yuan waved a hand, signaling the knight to bring Herta #3156 in. Yanqing turned to Jing Yuan, who sat calmly sipping tea as if millions of puppets appearing on the Luofu were nothing.
Yanqing's voice rose. "General, this is the Xianzhou. How dare she be so presumptuous? You should use the Lightning Lord to show her that there is always someone stronger."
Jing Yuan nearly choked on his tea. He opened his eyes and looked at Yanqing. Lightning Lord? Someone stronger? This disciple of his fears nothing.
Everyone knows Herta's personality. There's an unspoken rule among the Luofu Generals: don't provoke her. Even General Tengxiao, General Yueyu, the great Hua herself, and the elders of the Ten-Lords Commission—all of them give Herta some face. Because no one else has mastered space and time like she has.
"Yanqing, Madam Herta is an elder. Her personality is eccentric and difficult, everyone knows that. And if something goes wrong, she compensates—reasonably, appropriately, and beyond expectations."
Yanqing was silent for a moment. "General, even with the Lightning Lord, do you have no hope of defeating her?"
Jing Yuan smiled and said nothing. He stood and walked to the window, gazing at the distant Arbor. After a long pause, he spoke.
"Yanqing, your next lesson is not about the sword."
"Ah?! Not about the sword? General, I don't understand. Are you going to teach me how to use the Lightning Lord?!"
Jing Yuan's eye twitched. Even his only disciple wants the Lightning Lord? He sighed and shook his head with a wry smile.
"It's not about the Lightning Lord."
Yanqing's expression fell. He had no real interest in the Lightning Lord. His love was for martial arts, for the sword. But Fu Xuan wanted it so badly—if she could inherit it, why couldn't he? It was just youthful competitiveness. He didn't seriously expect to become General.
If, in a hundred years, the General insists on passing it to me, I'll accept the responsibility. Protecting the Luofu with the Lightning Lord would let me destroy more Abundance remnants. There's nothing wrong with that.
"Your disciple is foolish. Please enlighten me."
Jing Yuan's voice was calm. "The cosmos is not ruled solely by martial strength. There is also the matter of social grace."
Yanqing scratched his head, utterly lost.