Chapter 238: Guinaifen: Accidentally Intruding into a Celestial Banquet
A subtle ripple distorted the air inside the parlor car, and in the blink of an eye, Leon materialized on the plush carpet of the Astral Express.
"Leon, why are you back again so soon?" Himeko stood near the window, a steaming cup of freshly brewed coffee resting delicately in her hand. Seeing him appear out of thin air, her elegant eyes curved into a knowing smile, long since immune to his sudden arrivals.
The Astral Express was naturally equipped with Space Anchors, making it effortless for the crew to return whenever they pleased. However, the Trailblazers rarely came back to sleep on the train every single night—that would be far too rigid and 'un-Trailblaze-like' for their adventurous spirits., Leon was a unique anomaly. His teleportation never relied on the established network of Space Anchors; he simply bent the fabric of space to his whims, arriving exactly wherever he desired.
"Just came back to rest my eyes for a bit," Leon replied with a breezy smile, stepping further into the cabin. "And, more, to invite you to a banquet on the Xianzhou Luofu."
"A banquet?" Himeko paused, the porcelain cup pausing halfway to her lips.
"Yep. I invited a few friends I made on the Luofu for a small, casual gathering, and I wanted you to come along," Leon said naturally, slipping his hands into his pockets.
This 'thank-you banquet' was originally supposed to be hosted by Yukong, but Leon had shamelessly expanded the guest list to a ridiculous degree. Naturally understanding the social faux pas of bringing a horde of uninvited friends to someone else's dime, he had already informed the Helm Master that he would be footing the bill for the entire evening.
"I..." Himeko smiled softly, preparing to politely decline. If she left, only Pom-Pom would remain behind to watch over the empty train.
"Ah, don't rush to say no," Leon interrupted smoothly, instantly reading her hesitation. "If you refuse, Stelle and Caelus are probably going to come sprinting back here later just to beg you to go with them." He paused, his gaze shifting downward toward a certain fluffy figure. "Or... are you just worried that Pom-Pom will be lonely all by themselves?"
Himeko's gaze softened. It was an unspoken rule on the Express. For reasons unknown to most, their beloved Conductor was physically bound to the train, utterly incapable of disembarking.
"Don't worry about me, Pom!" Pom-Pom suddenly puffed out their little chest, their long ears twitching as they tried to sound incredibly brave and relaxed. "The Conductor won't be scared alone on the train, Pom!"
"What's the big deal? If Pom-Pom wants to go, then Pom-Pom is coming along," Leon's smile widened into a mischievous grin.
He had long since perceived the deep, conceptual tether binding Pom-Pom to the Astral Express. If he didn't intervene, the Conductor truly couldn't take a single step off the boarding ramp. But now... he was here. And the rules of the universe were merely suggestions to him.
Leon simply raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
Snap.
A faint, imperceptible wave of energy washed over the parlor car. The next second, Pom-Pom suddenly froze stiff. The Conductor's small, fluffy body began to visibly tremble.
"Leon, you might not know this, but Pom-Pom actually can't—"
Before Himeko could finish her gentle explanation, she watched in astonishment as Pom-Pom's large, round eyes widened to the size of saucers.
"P-Passenger Leon... what did you just do, Pom?!" Pom-Pom squeaked, their voice trembling with absolute disbelief as they looked down at their paws. "Pom-Pom feels... Pom-Pom feels like it can leave the train now, Pom!"
How was this even possible? This was a fundamental restriction that not even Akivili, the Trailblaze, could easily undo! Pom-Pom's little brain felt like an overheating CPU, practically smoking from the sheer impossibility of the situation.
"So, can we all go now?" Leon clapped his hands together, his smile radiant. "Surely no one would be foolish enough to target the Astral Express right at this exact moment, right?"
"Alright, you win. Let's all go together," Himeko conceded with a helpless, yet genuinely happy sigh. "But I haven't activated any Space Anchors on the Xianzhou yet..."
"Not a problem. I'll take you there directly, and we can unlock the anchor while we're at it," Leon said casually, as if bending space across lightyears was as easy as opening a door.
With that, Himeko set her coffee down, no longer finding any reason to decline.
"Nyamo... nyamo..."
Seeing that the entire crew was preparing to leave, a cluster of soft, squishy Cat Cakes suddenly bounced over, gathering around Leon's ankles. They tilted their little pastry-like heads up, their large eyes shimmering with hopeful, pleading light.
"You little guys want to go play too? Fine, come along!" Leon laughed, waving his hand cheerfully. Bringing one was the same as bringing a dozen.
Yukong had arranged the banquet in an incredibly elegant, open-air pavilion situated near the Sky-Faring Commission. Beyond the carefully carved wooden windows, the twinkling, golden lights of Starskiff Haven stretched out like a river of stars, providing a stunning backdrop.
The dishes laid across the massive table were nothing short of exquisite, blending traditional Xianzhou culinary arts with clever, modern touches that showcased the host's immense thoughtfulness.
And the guests... were far more numerous than anyone had anticipated.
The Astral Express Crew, the legendary High-Cloud Quintet, Yanqing, Kafka, Qingque, Fu Xuan, Ruan Mei, Sushang, and Guinaifen—every single one of them had been dragged into Leon's chaotic orbit and placed on the invitation list.
"Himeko! You actually came—I missed you so much!" Stelle practically tackled the navigator the moment she walked through the pavilion doors, wrapping her in a tight hug.
"Yes, yes. How could I not come when Leon said there was a gathering?" Himeko chuckled warmly, gently ruffling the gray-haired girl's hair.
"Oh my gosh! Pom-Pom! Weren't you unable to disembark? How are you here?!" March 7th gasped, her hands flying to her cheeks as she stared at the Conductor in sheer disbelief.
"Well... anyway, I can disembark now, Pom..." Pom-Pom stammered, their ears flushing red. They had absolutely no idea how to explain the cosmic mechanics behind Leon's finger snap, so they simply chose not to.
"Wow! Trash Cake, you came too!" Caelus cheered, immediately scooping up the gray, slightly grumpy-looking Cat Cake and proudly placing it squarely on top of his head.
"Nyamo, nyamo~" Trash Cake wriggled happily, settling into Caelus's hair like a soft crown.
The rest of the Cat Cakes quickly scattered across the room, finding their respective 'owners' and affectionately rubbing their squishy cheeks against legs and arms.
Leon took the lead, calmly and smoothly introducing the Luofu locals to Himeko, and vice versa, bridging the gap between the two distinct groups.
Meanwhile, tucked away near the edge of the table, Guinaifen quietly tugged at Sushang's sleeve, her voice dropping to a frantic whisper. "Oh my gosh, Shangshang... is this a gathering I can actually attend without getting arrested?"
She swallowed hard, her eyes darting around the room. Look at the sheer concentration of power in this single pavilion! The Trailblazers of the Astral Express were one thing, but sitting right across from her was General Jing Yuan, Master Diviner Fu Xuan, and Helm Master Yukong. These were the absolute titans of the Luofu!
Guinaifen sat rigidly in her chair, feeling exactly like a lowly mortal who had accidentally stumbled into a divine banquet of the gods. She didn't even know where to rest her hands, terrified that breathing too loudly might offend a VIP.
Accidentally intruding into a celestial banquet, advised to let go of the sand in hand...
Suddenly, a strange, ethereal melody carrying those exact lyrics drifted directly into her mind, echoing with dramatic flair.
Guinaifen stiffened, her eyes going wide. What on earth was that song? She had never heard it before in her life! Why was it suddenly playing like a soundtrack inside her own head?!
Across the table, Leon took a sip of his tea, a sly smirk playing on his lips. Ahaha, no need to thank me, Little Gui~ Isn't the background music fitting?
"These dumplings are amazing! Little Gui, why aren't you eating?" Sushang mumbled around a mouthful of food. She looked up, noticing her friend staring blankly at the wall, and nudged her with an elbow.
Guinaifen's mouth twitched slightly. Her best friend truly had a heart as wide and carefree as the ocean.
Taking a deep breath, Guinaifen decided to follow Sushang's lead. She was a street performer, after all! If someone invited her to a free meal, she was going to eat. The food on the table smelled absolutely divine, and her stomach was already rumbling. She was the type of girl who never internalized stress anyway.
(Leon, watching her dig in: You even understand the concept of internalized stress? Impressive.)
After the initial waves of awkwardness passed, Guinaifen gradually relaxed. Her stiff posture melted away, and her demeanor returned to its usual loud, straightforward, and carefree self, happily chatting with the Express crew. She simply wasn't the type to dwell on things that were out of her control.
As the banquet progressed into the late hours, the conversation naturally shifted.
"Are you all really leaving so soon?"
At the center of the table, the Astral Express Crew had just mentioned their plans to depart from the Luofu in the coming days.
"This time, I originally wanted to share the General's burden, but I ended up being a hindrance instead..." Yanqing set his chopsticks down on his porcelain rest. The young lieutenant's expression grew incredibly earnest, the usual pride stripped from his voice. "I didn't think things through properly. I need to reflect on my actions seriously."
He turned his gaze toward Dan Heng. The young boy's eyes burned with the unique, unyielding determination of youth. "Also... Yanqing has an unreasonable request. After sparring with you, Mr. Dan Heng, I realize my swordsmanship is still severely lacking. If you have time in the future, could you... perhaps give me some guidance?"
"...Alright," Dan Heng replied softly. He found the prospect slightly troublesome, but seeing the raw sincerity in the boy's eyes, he gave a small, respectful nod.
"How nice. beginning a new journey again..."
Sitting a few seats away, Bailu rested her chin in her small hands, her dragon tail swishing lazily beneath her chair. Her large eyes were filled with a faint, unmistakable envy. "When will I ever be able to leave this place and travel like that?"
Suddenly, her ears perked up. Her eyes lit up with a mischievous spark, and she leaned over, whispering conspiratorially to Leon. "By the way, you're definitely coming back in the future, right? When you do, you absolutely have to come find me to play! We can sneak out together..."
She lowered her voice even further, treating it like the heist of the century.
"I've already thought it all through! If we sneak out past the guards, we'll go straight to Aurum Alley—the berrypheasant skewers and snacks there are so fragrant!"
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