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"Has something happened to him...? Cloudford is indeed very dangerous," Sushang murmured.
Unwilling to accept this possibility, Banxia replied, "No...no way. Liang Mu must still be here; we just haven't found him yet. He's always been clever; surely he's hidden himself well."
Although Big Pillow Li appeared somewhat naive...
Still, he understood that it wasn't the right moment to shatter Banxia's hopeful illusion.
So, Sushang shifted the topic. "Um...why does Liang Mu need to avoid the Ten-Lords Commission?"
"Because he's an Elixir Seeker," Banxia explained.
These details were written in the notes Liang Mu had left behind. Unfortunately, Sushang's literacy was limited, and she struggled to comprehend many words. She also didn't feel inclined to delve deeper into them.
As for what Elixir Seekers were, neither Stelle, Bochang, nor March 7th had much clarity on the matter.
If Welt Yang were here, he would undoubtedly provide answers.
Unfortunately, Uncle Yang was not around.
Luckily, they did have the genius mahjong girl from the Divination Commission with them.
"Elixir Seekers," Qingque explained, "are those who pray to the Plagues Author for eternal life. Long ago...the people of Xianzhou themselves were considered Elixir Seekers. Nowadays...Elixir Seekers are deeply disfavored within Xianzhou."
"Upon discovery, they're typically expelled immediately. That's likely why Liang Mu is hiding at Cloudford." The mahjong prodigy spoke confidently.
Sushang nodded thoughtfully. "I see, so if I understand correctly...as a new cloud knight, shouldn't I apprehend him?"
"Yes, but first we need to find him and treat his illness..." Qingque extended her hand.
After all, Bailu had already agreed to help Banxia with his ailment.
Bochang interjected, "Let's focus less on chatting. Another rift creature has appeared up ahead. If you two don't engage, leave it to me."
"Leave it to this maiden!" March 7th swiftly drew her bow and fired an arrow towards the Digital Leaf Weaver.
This single shot proved unsuccessful.
However, March 7th didn't stop at one arrow; four or five more swiftly followed, instantly dispatching the creature.
Sushang clapped and exclaimed, "Impressive!"
"It's just average," March 7th replied with a modest smile.
After searching Cloudford again, Bochang and his group still found no trace of Liang Mu. It was unclear where that fellow had disappeared to.
"Banxia, when was the last time you contacted Liang Mu?" Bochang couldn't help but ask.
The anxious Banxia pondered for a moment. "It was several days ago. Ever since the Stellaron Crisis began, I've had great difficulty reaching him."
"Now that the crisis is resolved, although this area is still affected by rift anomalies, there might be a chance to establish contact... Why don't you try again?" Bochang gently shook his head. "If we can't reach him, we'll have to leave soon. Time is precious, and I don't want to waste any more on this fruitless search. Do you understand, Banxia?"
They had spent considerable time wandering around Cloudford without accomplishing much, aside from eliminating numerous monsters. In a way, it could be seen as assisting Xianzhou Luofu.
Qingque diligently noted all these events in her little notebook, intending to report them upon return.
Upon returning, they would undoubtedly report this to Master Diviner.
"I...I'll try contacting Liang Mu right now. He must be hiding somewhere, he definitely is..." Banxia attempted to reach out to her "beloved."
Once again, there was no response.
With no choice left, everyone decided to head back.
Seeing Banxia's dejected state, Lady Bai Lu couldn't help but console her, "That Elixir Seeker is from a short-lived species... Banxia, is he truly worth such devotion?"
"Lady Bai Lu, you wouldn't understand..."
Despite searching relentlessly, Banxia found no trace of Liang Mu and didn't persist futilely.
Sushang remarked, "This must be the power of love. An eternal life being falling for a short-lived one—it's indeed a tragedy, something perhaps only seen in books."
The conversation took on a somber tone.
When Bai Lu and Sushang referred to short-lived species, it included Bochang, possibly even Stelle and March 7th, among others.
Of course...
Whether Stelle and March 7th were truly short-lived or not remained unclear. No one could definitively say, as none understood their own origins fully. Stelle had no memories, nor did March 7th. However, Bochang confirmed himself to be of a short-lived species.
However...
Bailu might not even consider himself short-lived, given his strong dragon aura.
Moreover, once Bochang obtains the Dog Talisman, he too could claim to be an eternal life being.
"Speaking of lifespans... I don't know how long I'll live yet..." March 7th sighed wistfully.
Stelle nodded in agreement.
Bochang had no intention of delving deeper into this topic. "The Astral Express docking station is just ahead. I'm going to find Himeko and have a chat with her. Anyone care to join me?" Bochang turned, looking at the girls beside him.
Bailu raised her hand eagerly, saying, "Me, me, me!"
"Count me in as well; it'd be nice to take a seat on the Astral Express," Qingque stepped closer to Bochang.
March 7th, holding Stelle's hand, suggested, "We'll stay with Sushang, fight some monsters nearby, and also deliver Banxia to the Cloud Knights."
As a member of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus,
Banxia was undoubtedly headed for imprisonment next.
Bailu's assistance had merely been out of kindness.
After a brief exchange, Bochang's group split into two parties.
March 7th, Stelle, Sushang, and Banxia went one way.
Bochang, Bailu, and Qingque took the other route.
Not long after walking, Bochang arrived at the Astral Express.
With a shout, the train doors slowly opened.
Pom-Pom stood by the entrance, greeting them, "Passenger Bochang, welcome back! How was your time outside?"
"Not bad," Bochang replied casually.
Bochang responded casually.
Pom-Pom's gaze shifted to Bailu and Qingque.
"These two are..."
"They're friends I met on Xianzhou Luofu. This is Bailu from the Alchemy Commission, and this is Qingque from the Divination Commission. During my time there, they took great care of me," Bochang introduced them with a wave of his hand.
Seeing the standing lop-eared rabbit, Bailu looked astonished.
"Pom-Pom, is this the conductor? How adorable it looks!"
"It seems like a giant stuffed toy." Qingque stared at Pom-Pom intently.
Unfazed by their reactions, Pom-Pom glanced briefly at Qingque and Bailu before turning his attention back to Bochang.
"Himeko has been waiting for you quite some time."
"I'll go see her right away," Bochang replied.
With that...
Bochang stepped onto the Astral Express first, followed closely by Qingque and Bailu, who curiously observed everything around them.
From the outside alone, the Astral Express appeared relatively small. However, once inside, the available space seemed to expand exponentially. The train itself utilized spatial folding technology, resulting in a vast discrepancy between its external size and internal capacity.
Himeko was seated in the main hall of the train, holding a cup of hot coffee while reading the newspaper leisurely.
Even from a distance, Bochang could sense her powerful aura.
"How remarkable... She drinks that intense coffee without batting an eyelid..."