Chat Group: Starting by Swapping Bodies with Elysia?

Manufacturing Six Dust Smoke was a complicated and costly affair. To make matters worse, many of the ingredients were expressly forbidden by the Xianzhou authorities.

Even with the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus infiltrating and controlling a significant portion of the Alchemy Commission, acquiring those materials was incredibly arduous.

The process drained them of an immeasurable fortune.

This warehouse full of Six Dust Smoke wasn't just the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus's trump card against the Cloud Knight Hounds—it was also their life savings, painstakingly accumulated over the years.

Zigui, a long-lived Xianzhou native, had personally watched as they filled this entire warehouse, bit by bit. Recalling the hardships they had endured, she couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with emotion.

But it was all worth it.

According to Master Dan Shu, the time to welcome the Merciful Medicus's divine miracle and its rebirth was in the not-too-distant future.

Whenever she thought about it, she felt that these bitter days—days that felt anything but short, even for someone of her long-lived race—were indeed worthwhile.

"Lord Zigui, the Ten-Lords Commission has sent people to the Hall of Healing!"

Before she could dwell on Qinglan's words, "That's just great," a guard rushed in, his voice filled with urgency.

The sudden interruption snapped Zigui out of her thoughts. Her face shifted, a flicker of annoyance crossing her features.

"The Ten-Lords Commission? What in the world are those troublemakers doing at the Hall of Healing of all places?!"

The name "Ten-Lords Commission" was nothing short of a nightmare for the Xianzhou people. For the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, it posed an even greater threat.

After all, the Ten-Lords Commission was specifically tasked with apprehending Xianzhou natives who had fallen to Mara-struck. And the followers of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus?

Every single one of them was Mara-struck, having consumed special medicines in their relentless pursuit of power.

The Hall of Healing, a place dedicated to treating patients, was naturally a hotspot for Mara-struck incidents. The Ten-Lords Commission was a regular visitor to such areas, often frequenting medical markets or other divisions of the Alchemy Commission.

However, the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus had taken great pains to keep their underground operations within the Hall of Healing a closely guarded secret. The place was meticulously controlled to ensure it wouldn't even register as a blip on the Ten-Lords Commission's radar.

Ostensibly, this facility barely saw any Mara-struck cases—a carefully engineered illusion to keep those unlucky stars from sniffing out anything fishy.

It was a bit of a headache, but Zigui wasn't overly panicked. They had made this place a fortress of secrecy. Even the Ten-Lords Commission, thorough as they were, wouldn't be able to uncover their hidden operations right away.

What mattered now was removing those pests before they had a chance to dig too deep.

Thinking this, Zigui turned to Qingque with a friendly smile.

"Lord Qinglan, I'll go upstairs and have a word with those Ten-Lords Commission hounds. Please, feel free to look around here. If you notice anything amiss, I'll trouble you to take charge and make arrangements."

Although Zigui wasn't entirely sure of her exact capabilities, anyone who could become Master Dan Shu's confidante had to be someone whose loyalty and competence were beyond question.

"Rest assured, I will not fail your trust," [Qingque] replied, her tone calm and assured.

Hearing this, Zigui left, feeling reassured.

The moment he was gone, Guinaifen turned to [Qingque] with a grin. "So, Sparrow, what should we do now?"

"What else? Obviously, we destroy these tools these guys use to harm people!"

Sushang, ever impulsive, was already fired up. She raised her hand theatrically. "Watch me burn this whole warehouse down!"

Before she could take a single step, the slightly taller [Qingque] reached up and delivered a sharp chop to her head.

Clutching her now-throbbing forehead, Sushang squatted down, tears welling up in her eyes. "Ow—ow-ow! Qingque! Why'd you hit me?!"

"Did you want to make us all take a hit of Six Dust Smoke?" [Qingque] shot her a withering glare, her face a mask of exasperation. "Who in their right mind uses fire to neutralize poison, anyway?"

Sushang froze, realizing her mistake. Although this was a Delve, preventing the spread to the outside world, setting fire to this place would be an absolute disaster. Sure, the Six Dust Smoke would burn away—but everyone here would inhale it, become Mara-struck, and be hauled off by the Ten-Lords Commission.

Shrinking back, Sushang finally shut up and deliberately moved further from the warehouse. She muttered under her breath, "Alright, alright. No fire. Got it."

Though she had prepared herself to possibly die on the battlefield when she joined the Cloud Knights, she didn't want to go out like this. She was still young and hadn't even accomplished anything yet!

Besides, she'd seen what happened to Mara-struck people. Covered in gingko leaves, they looked more like vegetables than humans.

And then there was her mom.

If her mother heard she'd become Mara-struck, she'd probably grab her sword, storm over from Yaoqing, and personally execute her—staging a real-life scene of "righteous self-sacrifice." Just thinking about it made Sushang shudder.

"Then how are we supposed to deal with it?"

Guinaifen's unease was clear. Mara-struck was no joke, and it wasn't just Xianzhou natives who were at risk. Outsiders who accidentally inhaled Six Dust Smoke could succumb just as easily.

The power of the Lord of Halberds of Pestilence (they call Yaoshi that) didn't discriminate. It didn't matter if you were a Xianzhou native or not—if you were exposed, you'd fall all the same. The Astral Express crew could storm into the Supreme Alchemy Cauldron Chamber only because they had the power of the Trailblaze to protect them.

Untying the ropes binding her hands, Bailu muttered, "Ancient Sea water could destroy it, but there's no Ancient Sea water in this Delve."

Ancient Sea water, brought from the Vidyadhara's homeworld, was renowned for its ability to cleanse all things. But it seemed the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus had anticipated this weakness.

When they constructed this Delve, they ensured no trace of Ancient Sea water could be found. While the roots of the Ambrosial Arbor—a key ingredient of Six Dust Smoke—were visible, there wasn't a single drop of the water nearby. It was clear they had gone to great lengths to keep it completely separate.

Bailu sighed, her tail swishing in mild frustration. "I could use medicine to neutralize and destroy the Six Dust Smoke, but this place isn't equipped for that either."

The group had the means to deal with the poison, but they were stranded in a deliberately hostile environment with none of the tools they needed.

[Qingque], however, seemed thoughtful, her tone casual as she asked, "Is the Alchemy Commission built on Ancient Sea water?"

"Definitely, yeah," Bailu replied with confidence. "The Dragon Masters in my clan told me that the entire Xianzhou Luofu is built on a foundation of Ancient Sea water. The Alchemy Commission is just sitting on top of it."

"Which means…"

"As long as we break open this Delve, we can let the Ancient Sea water flood in, right?"

Before anyone could respond, Sushang, ever so pure and innocent, shook her head vigorously, waving her hands in protest.

"That's impossible, okay? Delves are the pinnacle of the Xianzhou Alliance's space-folding technology. Their stability is insane! Even if my mom personally took action—using all her strength—she probably couldn't even crack a corner of one!"

She crossed her arms for emphasis, as if to hammer home just how absurd the idea was. "The only ones who could really pull that off are probably the Seven Arbiter-Generals under the command of the Divine Bow Empyrean."

"Uh…" Sushang paused, noticing [Qingque]'s gaze lingering on her. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

[Qingque] didn't reply, her eyes calm but unrelenting, as though Sushang might somehow provide a miracle solution if stared at long enough.

Sushang blinked, completely bewildered. "Even if you keep staring, I can't just conjure up a Seven Arbiter-General for you!"

Her voice cracked slightly as she spoke, and she took a step back, suddenly feeling the weight of the room's expectations—or maybe just [Qingque]'s unnerving gaze.

...

The Hall of Healing was bustling with activity.

Back on the surface, Zigui hastily concealed the entrance to the underground Delve again. He grumbled under his breath, irritated at the carelessness of the confidante Master Dan Shu had sent. She hadn't even properly hidden the entrance when they came in! Even if most people in the Alchemy Commission were brothers and sisters in the organization, they couldn't afford to be this lax.

Zigui's position in the Alchemy Commission was that of Medical Assistant Overseer, a step above ordinary alchemists. It was the fourth rank in the Alchemy Commission's hierarchy—a minor leadership role, but one that carried responsibility. Usually, when Master Dan Shu was absent, Zigui was tasked with overseeing the overall situation.

As he approached the Hall of Healing's entrance, his gaze fell on the central courtyard tree. Standing beneath it were officers from the Ten-Lords Commission.

Seeing the grim-faced wardens, a knot of fear tightened in Zigui's stomach. Most of the Ten-Lords Commission jailers were mechanical puppets, unlike the flesh-and-blood Cloud Knight Hounds. There was something unnerving about their cold, unfeeling presence.

His eyes landed on the two figures standing at the forefront.

One of them was Xueyi—a judge of the Ten-Lords Commission on the Xianzhou Luofu. She was responsible for Detention, one of the commission's four duties: arrest, imprisonment, interrogation, and judgment. Zigui recognized her immediately; he'd seen her at the medical market several times, flanked by other judges.

But the green-haired fox-girl beside her was unfamiliar. Her striking hair and attire marked her as another judge, but Zigui couldn't recall seeing her before. She carried herself with a quiet confidence that hinted at her rank and authority.

While he was sizing them up, Zigui's gaze returned to Xueyi.

Forcing a hearty laugh, he put on a friendly face and said, "Judge Xueyi, to what do we owe the pleasure? Forgive my poor welcome! Truly, forgive my rudeness!"

As a Disciple of Sanctus Medicus, he and the Ten-Lords Commission—specialists in apprehending Mara-struck individuals—were natural enemies. If he had his way, he'd love nothing more than to tear these Ten-Lords Commission hounds to shreds.

But for the sake of Master Dan Shu's grand plan, he had no choice but to endure. Smothering his hatred, he plastered on a smile and greeted them with feigned warmth.

"Spare the pleasantries." Xueyi's tone was stern and humorless, her expression unyielding. "The Ten-Lords Commission received a report that the Hall of Healing is harboring Mara-struck individuals. I am here under orders to search the premises!"

Her concise words hit Zigui like a bolt of lightning, and his expression subtly shifted. A deep sense of foreboding washed over him.

Damn it. It must be those hounds from the Divine Foresight Commission who infiltrated us… But why were people from the Ten-Lords Commission the first to arrive? Zigui was completely baffled.

Logically, even if the report was accurate, the Cloud Knights should have been the first to show up. Standard protocol dictated that only after investigation and confirmation would the case be handed over to the Ten-Lords Commission.

If that had happened, their informants within the Cloud Knights would have provided an advance warning, giving them enough time to prepare.

But the Ten-Lords Commission? Most people on the Xianzhou didn't even know where the Ten-Lords Commission operated from. Even Zigui, a Medical Assistant Overseer of the Alchemy Commission, knew very little about them—let alone having informants planted within their ranks.

Laughable. He gritted his teeth internally. Disciples of Sanctus Medicus standing before the Ten-Lords Commission were as good as caught—those wardens could sniff out a Mara-struck person a mile away!

As the department responsible for investigating Mara-struck cases, the Ten-Lords Commission had the means to distinguish between Mara-struck individuals and ordinary Xianzhou natives.

It was precisely because he knew this that Zigui broke out in a cold sweat.

The followers of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus were deeply entwined with the Merciful Medicus's so-called "compassion." In layman's terms, many were already Mara-struck—or dangerously close, thanks to their dependence on the drugs.

To face a sudden investigation by the Ten-Lords Commission, with no warning…

Damn it all! Zigui cursed internally. If he found out which bastard reported them, he'd skin them alive!

"May I ask who made this report?"

A gentle voice interrupted his spiraling thoughts, momentarily easing the tension in his chest. Zigui turned toward the source of the voice and let out a quiet sigh of relief. It was his boss—Dan Shu herself.

The head of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, Dan Shu, had arrived.

With the position of Alchemy Commission Director vacant and a break in the line of Medical Chiefs, Dan Shu was now one of the most influential figures in the department. Her presence was a lifeline.

"Ten-Lords Commission business. No comment," Xueyi replied coldly, her tone unwavering. She showed no hint of deference, even in the presence of someone as powerful as Dan Shu.

On this Xianzhou, only the higher-ups of the Ten-Lords Commission or the Xianzhou General could make Xueyi lower her stance.

"My apologies for being presumptuous," Dan Shu said, her expression calm and composed.

"Very well then. If that's the case, please proceed," she added, gesturing with a graceful wave of her hand. Her demeanor remained unshaken, as if the intrusion of the Ten-Lords Commission was a mere inconvenience.

Zigui's heart, however, sank further. He stepped forward hesitantly. "Medical Chief…"

But Dan Shu silenced him with a subtle glance. Without another word, she stepped aside, allowing Xueyi and her team to proceed into the Hall of Healing.

"Is this really alright? We have many brothers and sisters…" Zigui whispered as he moved closer to Dan Shu.

If the Ten-Lords Commission began a full investigation, their Disciples of Sanctus Medicus members hidden within the Hall of Healing would almost certainly be exposed.

"…Let fate decide," Dan Shu replied, shaking her head with a sigh.

There was little she could do in this situation. Her only hope lay in the Dust-Returning Beauty Pill, a concoction meant to help those on the verge of becoming Mara-struck mask their symptoms. It might fool the authorities—if luck was on their side.

But if not, sacrifices would have to be made. Pawns would be given up to protect the king.

"Aaaargh—!"

A blood-curdling scream erupted from within the Hall of Healing, followed by terrified roars.

Dan Shu and Zigui exchanged glances but remained composed. They were no strangers to such sounds; the telltale signs of "Mara-struck" symptoms manifesting were all too familiar.

The Dust-Returning Beauty Pills might be effective against the scrutiny of the Cloud Knights, but they were utterly useless against the Ten-Lords Commission. Those wardens specialized in identifying Mara-struck individuals and could see through such disguises with ease.

Fortunately, most Disciples of Sanctus Medicus hadn't yet reached the stage of being fully Mara-struck. Even under investigation, the losses this time could be minimized.

Still, the consequences loomed.

Even if Dan Shu crafted a flawless explanation, the presence of Mara-struck individuals within the Hall of Healing would inevitably raise alarms within the Divine Foresight Commission. Increased scrutiny was a certainty.

The Hall of Healing had long served as the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus's secret base, thanks to its unique nature. But after this, relocation would be unavoidable. Immediate retaliation had to be avoided at all costs.

Dan Shu's thoughts were interrupted as she turned to Zigui.

"Zigui, how are our years of accumulated assets?" she asked, her tone calm but edged with a hint of urgency.

Although they had lost some members, the true strength of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus—what mattered most to _her_—was the base they had painstakingly built over the years. That was their real weapon in the fight against the Lord Ravager's hounds (The Hunt).

"Everything is as usual…" Zigui reported honestly. Then, with a hint of confusion, he added, "Speaking of which, Master Dan Shu, since you've already sent a confidante to inspect, why ask?"

Dan Shu's expression didn't shift, but her voice grew colder.

"Confidante?" she repeated.

"When did I send a confidante?"

Zigui blinked, caught off guard. "Just now. Didn't you send Qinglan, Chenggui, and Sushang to escort the Dragon Lady here?" His tone was careful, as if trying to jog her memory. "I figured you were just too busy to remember…"

Dan Shu's silence stretched, the weight of it heavy.

"…"

Her gaze sharpened, and her lips pressed into a thin line.

"Wait," Zigui stammered, his voice faltering as he processed her expression. "Are you saying… you didn't send a confidante?"

The silence was answer enough.

"Oh no—!!!"

Their cries overlapped, the realization hitting both of them like a crashing wave.

But before they could act—

"BOOM—!!!!!"

A deafening explosion tore through the Divination Commission, the sound reverberating like thunder.

At the same time, the entire Alchemy Commission shook violently, as if struck by an earthquake of catastrophic magnitude.

Merchants from across the universe, seeking medicine at the trading market, tumbled to the ground in confusion. Many wondered how there could be an earthquake on the Xianzhou Luofu.

The ground in the Hall of Healing cracked and sank at a visible rate.

From high above, one could see that, centered on the Hall of Healing within the Alchemy Commission, the Ancient Sea water from all directions was converging towards the center at a terrifying speed, forming a massive whirlpool.

If not for the special structure of the Alchemy Commission, it would have already been swallowed whole.

—Perspective shift to the underground Delve.

The girl gazed at the Imaginary energy block in her hand. This was a 'souvenir' Jiang Qiao had swiped using the white-haired kid's body – a fragment of Imaginary Authority.

Unfortunately, as a civilization capable of interstellar travel, the Xianzhou Alliance's 'Delve' technology was simply too advanced.

This Authority, which could easily bore holes in the worlds ravaged by the Honkai, struggled to even shake the spatial layers of the Delve. Of course, the biggest reason was that this Authority was incomplete.

If she were using the [Kiana] body, spending a large amount of Honkai energy and some time, she could still carve out a hole.

But Jiang Qiao's goal was clearly not as simple as just 'making a hole.'

This underground Delve not only contained a large amount of Six Dust Smoke, but also the battle beasts and Abundance abominations created in the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus's secret labs. She certainly couldn't ignore the latter.

If they were allowed to escape, even if they weren't as lethal as Six Dust Smoke, they would still bring considerable chaos and casualties to the Luofu.

Therefore, [Qingque] had come up with a plan to 'destroy the entire Delve'.

"Destroy the Delve? That's impossible!"

After hearing [Qingque]'s audacious idea, even Bailu thought it was ridiculous.

But the girl just smiled confidently and declared, "If I want to, I can."

"…"

Needless to say, the three present were thoroughly impressed by her coolness.

Sparrow, you're so awesome.

But even if you said it so coolly, with just the four of us… excluding Bailu, even just the three of us, how could we possibly blow up a Delve that even someone at the level of a Seven Arbiter-General would be needed to destroy?

Jiang Qiao, of course, had already prepared a foolproof plan.

—First, as [Qingque], she briefly drew a large amount of [Elation] Pathstrider Imaginary energy and used this power to replace Honkai energy to drive the 'partial Imaginary Authority.'

Honkai energy and Pathstrider energy, both fundamentally Imaginary energy, could be converted between each other.

Jiang Qiao poured all this power into it, using it to lock onto and, to some extent, weaken the defensive layers of the entire Delve's 'core point.'

And what followed was Sushang and Bailu's part!

"Me/Me?"

Bailu and Sushang questioned simultaneously, pointing at themselves, completely dumbfounded.

They originally thought they wouldn't have any part to play at all.

After all, Bailu was just a medic. Logically, after 'leading the way' and 'faking surrender,' she'd be useless. Bailu herself didn't think she had any role to play – it's not like she could heal the enemies, right?

And Sushang, needless to say, while she felt her martial arts were decent, even she couldn't compare to her own mother! How could she possibly do something even her mom couldn't?

And yet, here it was – You guys, blow up this Delve with me.

Are you kidding me, Sparrow?!

Both of them had that exact expression.

But [Qingque]'s expression was incredibly serious, even activating her 'Soup Power'— I believe you can definitely do it.

Bailu and Sushang were practically moved to tears.

Sparrow, please, don't believe in us so much.

We really can't do it!

However, under 'General Sparrow's' authority, they could only silently choose to obey.

Guinaifen on the side was initially relieved, thinking she wouldn't be involved in something so outrageous. But 'General Sparrow' had no room for slackers. Guinaifen, who tried to coast and win by doing nothing, was directly assigned the task of 'retrieving the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus roster hidden in the Delve.'

Although it wasn't a complete list, if they got their hands on it, most of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus would be finished.

Incidentally, this was a timed mission—

After all, they were racing against time.

If Guinaifen couldn't find it and return to Jiang Qiao quickly, 'General Sparrow' couldn't guarantee whether Guinaifen would get a limited-time experience of the Ancient Sea's underwater scenery.

Fortunately, Guinaifen, relying on her rich experience, found the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus roster within the time limit, along with a bunch of important Disciples of Sanctus Medicus documents—this was actually in the area Mr. Zigui had shown them, he just hadn't elaborated on it.

"Then, let's begin."

[Qingque] placed a hand on both Bailu and Sushang simultaneously.

"Can we really do this?" Sushang was still a little apprehensive.

"Enough nonsense, clear your minds."

"Okay…"

"…"

The next moment, the vermilion hairpin in the girl's hair flashed brightly—the Eighth Divine Key, Fenghuang Down, this was what Jiang Qiao had brought back from the Previous Era and had always kept with her. After switching to this account, she had [Qingque] send it over.

And its effect was to assist Jiang Qiao in performing a technique from 'Elysia's' memories—

—Mental Synchronization.

This technique allowed the user to link their mind with another person's. If the linked person was unconscious, they could even control their body. It was a classic move for mental perception-type Fusion Warriors in the Previous Era.

Later, the 'Wall of China' also used this technique to help the white-haired Tuna fight Little Senti. 

In Elysia's memories, she once thought this move was very interesting, so even though she wasn't a mental perception-type warrior, she specifically asked Aponia, the strongest mental perception-type MANTIS Warrior, for guidance.

Although it was rarely used later, because there were other mental perception-type MANTIS Warriors in the team—and if they really needed to use it, they could borrow the Fenghuang Down from Hua, which was simpler and more convenient than this method.

And now, Jiang Qiao was using this technique as well.

And even more elaborate than Su and the others had ever done—she had to maintain her own consciousness while simultaneously controlling the bodies of 'Bailu' and 'Sushang.'

Bailu's body possessed multiple Pathstrider powers, and the Vidyadhara Dragon Lord's power allowed her to command the Ancient Sea's power. But this child simply didn't know how to use it.

And Sushang—because the [Qingque] body itself had already used all of its 'Elation' power to lock onto and weaken the Delve's defensive layers, it had no energy left to be the main attacker.

Therefore, she could only borrow Sushang's body to have the remaining power to use that move from her memories!

(T/L: similar to the scene where Naruto and 2 toads destroy the crystal dome)