"Dan Heng, Luosha, let's move together. Make it quick—we'll clear them out and rescue the girl!"
Her voice was hushed yet firm. The girl gripping the greatsword—its weight almost a reflection of her burden—cast a glance at her two companions, her expression taut with tension. She raised the blade, fingers trembling ever so slightly.
"I thought I told you before, you can handle it without me," Luosha replied, a faint smile curling at the edges of his lips, his tone almost playful.
Sushang's eyes darted between them, a hint of desperation slipping through. "I—there's no way I can take on four people alone! After this is over, I'll give you both a 'Bravery Award,' okay?" She tried to mask her fear with humor, but her voice betrayed her, thin and strained.
But before anyone could move, the air erupted with a piercing scream.
"Uwaaaaaaaaaaa—!"
From above, Bailu clung tightly to Felicity, her tiny arms wrapped around the other's waist like a lifeline. Her tail shot straight, stiff as a rod, arcs of crackling purple electricity dancing across it in sharp bursts, flashing like restless fish leaping through water.
A few moments earlier—
"Sister Felicity! That judge is in trouble!"
Bailu's anxious voice had risen above the chaos, her small hands tugging at Felicity's sleeve. From a distance, they could see Xueyi besieged, the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus encircling her like a pack of hounds.
Felicity rubbed her chin thoughtfully, eyes narrowed in calculation. With this many foes, they could probably manage without resorting to their powers—but it wouldn't be easy. Still, those surrounded were Ten-Lords Commission judges; using her abilities openly to draw on the Blessing of Abundance here... not ideal.
If only she had a weapon at hand—
Her gaze fell, almost by accident, on Bailu's tail. The memory flashed: not long ago, at the Exalting Sanctum, that same tail had swatted a Mara-Struck soldier into the ground like it was nothing.
The idea formed in Felicity's mind, wild and reckless. She barely had time to voice it before Bailu recoiled in horror.
"I can't! I can't do that! I just can't!"
Her protests were swift and desperate, but Felicity had already scooped her up, ignoring her cries.
And so, the chaos unfolded.
"Spin! Spin, like this—"
"That's not how I use my tail!"
Bailu's wails rang out, her tail flailing in distress—yet with each wild arc, it struck the disciples like a whip, sending them flying, bodies tumbling through the air.
Once the immediate threat was cleared, Felicity finally set Bailu down. The little healer staggered, eyes glazed, her steps unsteady from the dizzying ride.
Then, as if on cue, an excited voice broke through.
"Wow! Heroes—no, ladies! What was that technique? Does it have a name? So cool!"
Sushang, bright-eyed and full of unrestrained energy, bounded over, her twin ponytails swaying as she skidded to a stop before Felicity and Bailu. She practically sparkled with admiration, her gaze darting between the pair.
She had barged through a dozen Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, scattering them like leaves, and now stood basking in her own feat—only to pause in confusion.
Wait—who had she just saved?
Her gaze landed on Xueyi.
—Ah, it's a puppet.
But Felicity wasn't looking at Sushang anymore. Her eyes drifted behind the girl, where two towering figures stood: Dan Heng, an old acquaintance, and a man she didn't recognize.
Long golden hair framed a face as striking as it was unfamiliar, and behind him loomed an enormous coffin—an ominous presence that seemed to follow him like a shadow. Yet what truly caught Felicity's attention was the aura surrounding him: a potent, almost suffocating energy radiating from the Blessing of Abundance.
This man... he was the strongest Pathstrider of Abundance she had ever encountered.
Could he be an Emanator? It was hard to say. Without crossing blades, there was no way to truly gauge his strength. Still, if the leader of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus wielded such power, it explained why they dared to challenge the Xianzhou Luofu.
Felicity narrowed her eyes, silent, calculating.
"Miss, do you have an opinion about me?"
The man's voice was smooth, laced with a gentle politeness that felt like silk over steel. He smiled at her with an air of quiet confidence, his manner almost aristocratic.
"No, nothing at all," Felicity replied with a measured smile, waving it off as if it were nothing, before turning her attention back to Dan Heng.
"Hey, Teacher Dan Heng, what brings you down here?"
"It's a long story. How's March 7th and the others?"
Dan Heng crossed his arms, nodding slightly, his voice calm as always.
"They're fine. They went to the Divination Commission."
His gaze shifted, falling on Bailu, who had all but collapsed into Felicity's side, her small form trembling with exhaustion.
"Bailu... the Healer Lady. Or, well, I'm not sure exactly who this child is, but she's adorable nonetheless."
Felicity muttered the words absently, as if trying to piece together an answer that eluded her.
"I—"
A voice, flat and devoid of emotion yet laced with the faintest trace of indignation, cut through the moment.
Everyone turned to find Xueyi still standing, rigid as before, her posture unchanged.
"Ah! Sorry, are you alright?"
Sushang rushed over in a panic, her words tumbling out as she fretted over the puppet.
"You know the answer, yet you ask."
Even a puppet like Xueyi, crafted with precision and devoid of true emotion, seemed to sigh—if only she were capable of such a thing.
"Ah... my bad."
Sushang scratched her head, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
"The exercise machine is broken and won't move," Xueyi added bluntly, lifting her head. Her red eyes, cold and mechanical, swept across Sushang.
"You're a Cloud Knight? Very well. Please escort me to the Realm-Keeping Commission."
"Wait—how did you know that...?"
Felicity's breath caught, her eyes widening. She studied Sushang up and down. The girl's cheerful little skirt and twin ponytails seemed completely at odds with the dignified silver armor and blue robes of the Cloud Knights.
"Ah, well..."
Sushang trailed off, awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck. She turned, offering an apologetic smile to Luosha and Dan Heng.
"Sorry for dragging you two along. I didn't expect to run into this kind of situation. Since she's a Judge of the Ten-Lords Commission, I have to follow her orders first... If I'd known, I wouldn't have brought you both here. You probably could've reached your destination faster without me."
Luosha remained unfazed, his demeanor serene. He stepped forward with an easy smile, his voice as gentle as ever.
"It's alright. I know a bit of medicine—let me see if I can help the girl."
He reached for a pendant at his chest, a small, ornate key glinting in the light as he approached Xueyi.
"Wait, she's a mechanical puppet. Regular treatment won't work," Sushang interjected, her mouth twitching as if holding back a grimace. "She's like... a machine. A part breaks, it's broken—there's no fixing it."
Luosha merely chuckled, waving a hand to dismiss her concern.
"Don't worry, Miss Sushang. Watch and see."
Felicity drew closer too, a spark of curiosity alight in her eyes. After all, it wouldn't hurt to learn what another healer of the Abundance Path might be capable of.
--+--
T/N: Changed the cover to Herta cause she's main girl in this story and good yaoshi fanarts are impossible to find.