Chapter 101: The High-Cloud Quintet — Jing Yuan II
[ Honkai Impact 3rd-Kallen (Resurrected): Haha, Mr. Jing Yuan, from now on, you and your apprentice handle your relationship separately. He calls you Master, you call him Uncle-Master. ]
[ Honkai: Star Rail-Jing Yuan: Uh… ]
[ Genshin Impact-Xianyun: Can it really be like this? ]
[ Honkai: Star Rail-Yanqing: But if Big Sister is actually Master's Master, shouldn't I call her Grandmaster? ]
[ Honkai: Star Rail-Xuanyong: Let me tell you all, 700 years ago, when Jing Yuan was still a child, Jingliu already looked like this. ]
[ Genshin Impact-Venti: She already looked like this 700 years ago? Then this Ms. Jingliu must be nearly 1, 000 years old, maybe even older? ]
At this moment, the seven gods of Teyvat were all surprised. After all, in their world, aside from the gods themselves, only those at the level of a demon god's familiar possessed eternal life.
[ Honkai: Star Rail-Jingliu: Aeon of Destiny, I hope you will not speak of this again. ]
Jingliu's expression darkened as she read Xuanyong's message. She remembered meeting this Aeon when she was still young; he had been just as carefree and reckless back then. She hadn't expected that after hundreds of years, he remained unchanged.
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"As a famous legend in the history of the Xianzhou, the five heroes from the Cloud Knights gathered to fight together, collectively known as the High-Cloud Quintet."
"Led by these five, their achievements are written in history books that never end: driving away the Borisin fleet that invaded Thalassa; destroying the alliance between the Huiyan and the Wingweavers within the Abundance coalition; and even relieving the siege of the Yuque, defeating the living planet—Ketujinglou, preserving the eyes with which the Alliance gazes upon the sea of stars."
"However, all these accumulated merits could not withstand a light flick of time. The High-Cloud Quintet fell apart after less than a hundred years of brief gathering."
"As the wars diminished, the major Xianzhou ships followed their own paths. The Luofu began patrolling the trade routes of the galaxy, seeking supplies and allies for the Alliance. Old friends and acquaintances scattered like wind and clouds, no longer existing; old enemies were either dead or captured, leaving only memories."
"The fallen general does not need to endure such torment, but the surviving general must face everything: no matter how magnificent the vision once dreamt of, no matter how many god-like powerful enemies once defeated, time always plucks away your claws and fangs one by one without killing you, leaving you to linger in a corner, hating your own powerlessness. Only the truly wise can stand proudly before Time, that undefeated opponent."
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[ Honkai Impact 3rd-Rita: A hundred years and they fell apart? What on earth happened to them? How could they fall apart in just a short hundred years? ]
[ Honkai: Star Rail-Shuhu: Hahahaha, this is where I come in. ]
[ Honkai: Star Rail-Jingliu: One day, I will make you truly die! ]
[ Genshin Impact-Baizhu: Eternal lifespan. ]
...
"Since his youth, Jing Yuan grew up under the guidance of the Luofu Sword Champion, Jingliu, upholding the belief of the Cloud Knights—to shield the Xianzhou like clouds obscuring the sky."
"Later, while fighting against the Mara-Struck, he was warned by his master, Jingliu, that the final fate of the long-lived species is to fall into the Mara-Struck state. If one day she were to fall into the Mara-Struck state, he must show no mercy."
"In Star Calendar 7380, the former Luofu Sword Champion, Jingliu, fell into the Mara-Struck state and was arrested by the Ten-Lords Commission. The world was turned upside down, and human ethics were lost. Jing Yuan wanted to visit his master, but was blocked outside. Later, Jingliu escaped for some reason."
"Jing Yuan led the Cloud Knights to Stargazer Navalia to encircle and suppress the Mara-Struck Jingliu. The moment the master and apprentice met, Jingliu launched a fierce attack first, intending to kill Jing Yuan. This left Jing Yuan incredulous and surprised; throughout the encounter, he was forced to defend."
"Hesitating because he could not bear to strike at his master, he was almost killed by Jingliu. It was only after Jing Yuan was knocked flying that, harboring infinite love and respect for his master, he finally summoned the Lightning-Lord to defeat Jingliu."
"The flow of time between heaven and earth is vast and mighty. The confrontation with his master was an event from over seven hundred years ago, yet it felt as if it were yesterday. Time passed like a steel blade scraping bones and piercing through intestines, yet everything remained the same."
"In Star Calendar 8096, at the Divine Foresight's martial arts examination, the soldier Yanqing took first place and was promoted to Cloud Knight Lieutenant. When Jing Yuan met the child before him, he took him as his disciple."
...
[ Genshin Impact-Yaoyao: What exactly is the Mara-Struck state? Why must they be killed? Can't they be cured? ]
[ Honkai: Star Rail-Bailu: The Mara-Struck is the fate of the long-lived species. When the Mara-Struck state erupts, people turn into a kind of monster that is neither human nor ghost. They will indiscriminately attack the people and things around them, becoming terrifying creatures that everyone fears. At that time, they must be killed by the Cloud Knights. ]
[ Honkai Impact 3rd-Tesla: But looking at this Ms. Jingliu, she doesn't seem like a monster. ]
[ Honkai: Star Rail-Bailu: I'm not sure about that, but Ms. Jingliu, as the General's master, you can come to me. I might be able to help you suppress the Mara-Struck state. ]
[ Honkai: Star Rail-Jingliu: Thank you for your care, Dragon Lady, but I don't need it. After all, I am already a monster who has fallen into the Mara-Struck. ]
[ Honkai: Star Rail-Blade: Jingliu… ]
...
"As an Emanator of the Aeon of Destruction, Phantylia was able to bring the Stellaron into the Luofu unnoticed under the protection of the Reignbow Arbiter. As the Stellaron eroded various places, it bypassed the Divine Foresight and the Shackling Prison."
"Jing Yuan deduced that the enemy, planning in such a way, must have grasped intelligence from within the Luofu. Counting from the time of the Stellaron's erosion, no one from the Alchemy Commission had reported back, so he concluded that there was an internal threat from the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus within the Alchemy Commission, and that there must also be an external threat for the Stellaron to evade his notice."
"At the same time, the Stellaron Hunters infiltrated the Luofu. Blade was arrested by the Cloud Knights for intentionally trespassing into forbidden areas of the Xianzhou. After being locked in the Shackling Prison, Jing Yuan was responsible for the interrogation. Although Jing Yuan initially suspected that Blade had other motives, after hearing what Blade said, he understood that Blade was not an enemy of the Xianzhou, so he intentionally let Blade go and privately reached a cooperation. However, the actions of the Stellaron Hunters infiltrating the Luofu still left Jing Yuan feeling deeply puzzled."
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[ Honkai: Star Rail-Fu Xuan: Jing Yuan, what are you doing? Dealing with a cosmic wanted criminal like a Stellaron Hunter, you actually helped him escape? What exactly are you trying to do? ]
[ Honkai: Star Rail-Jing Yuan: Lady Fu, I have my own discretion. You don't need to worry. I think carefully before doing anything. ]
[ Genshin Impact-Alhaitham: Why did General Jing Yuan choose to trust this Stellaron Hunter—Blade so easily? Could it be that you know each other? ]
[ Honkai Impact 3rd-Kiana: Eh, why would you say that? ]
[ Genshin Impact-Alhaitham: As the General of the Xianzhou Luofu, Mr. Jing Yuan shouldn't be so arbitrary. Yet he still chose to believe the words of the Stellaron Hunter—Blade. And in the footage just provided by the streaming room, I saw some inexplicable emotions in Mr. Jing Yuan's eyes. Therefore, to summarize, either they are very close friends, or the Stellaron Hunter—Blade is one of the High-Cloud Quintet. ]
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