Chat Group: Starting by Swapping Bodies with Elysia?

The Central Starskiff Haven was the nerve center of the Xianzhou Luofu. It connected to the Revolving Starport, which produced the Starskiffs essential for Xianzhou travel, and the Flowing Cloud Depot, the port where goods entered and exited the Xianzhou.

Aside from the Jadegate, the Central Starskiff Haven was arguably the most crucial line of defense for the Luofu.

Located here was the Sky-Faring Commission. Normally, their duties were limited to managing the Luofu's external trade. But once war broke out, the various flying vehicles and Skyfarers under their command became one of the Xianzhou's main forces against external threats.

Yet, now, the normally orderly Starskiffs were in complete disarray.

Though the Xianzhou Alliance had learned from the Mechanical Emperor's Wars and took great care with the use of automatons, dangerous combat automatons, like the Emperor remnant, were only deployed in sparsely populated areas and not on a large scale. Despite this, the Xianzhou saw the value in automatons and didn't completely abandon them.

As a result, smaller automatons—like Cycrane—were widely used within the Xianzhou. These networked automatons helped transport goods and, being non-threatening, were incredibly useful.

Unfortunately, the usually docile Cycranes were now acting as if they had gone berserk. Their mechanical eyes glowed an ominous red as they attacked pedestrians and Starskiffs without hesitation, as though driven by an insatiable thirst for blood.

Thankfully, due to their inherent design limitations, the chaos they caused didn't result in many casualties.

What gave Stewardess Yukong the biggest headache, however, were the Starskiffs in the air. These flying vehicles, unique to the Xianzhou, were a marvel of 'biological technology'—a countermeasure developed after the hard lessons learned during the Mechanical Emperor's Wars.

In recent years, increased interactions with the outside world—thanks to the Interastral Peace Corporation and the Genius Society—led to new innovations. Artisans from the Artisanship Commission, along with some inventive Xianzhou citizens, collaborated to create 'hybrid Starskiffs.'

These hybrid Starskiffs combined the best of both worlds: the organic adaptability of biological Starskiffs and the precision of mechanical advancements. They boasted features like auto-pilot and internal climate control, making them wildly popular among the Xianzhou people. For a time, they were the height of innovation and a symbol of progress.

The Xianzhou authorities, eager to embrace this forward-thinking design, integrated the hybrid concept into many flying vehicles.

But this decision came back to haunt them.

When faced with Irontomb's tech-focused special attack, these hybrid Starskiffs proved alarmingly vulnerable. The Xianzhou was caught completely off guard.

In just one hour, the number of 'traffic accidents' among the Starskiffs surpassed the total number of incidents recorded in the entire Luofu over the past thirty years.

"Watch out, Stewardess Yukong!"

The black-haired Foxian girl standing beside Yukong cried out in alarm. Yukong, ever vigilant, dodged backward just in time as a Starskiff, billowing black smoke, plummeted nearby.

Strangely, the Starskiff appeared to have suffered minimal damage. It was as though some unseen force had protected it.

From the wreckage emerged a petite girl in green robes, her expression thunderous.

"…You three!" she snapped.

"N-No, not us! Bailu was driving!" Guinaifen and Sushang, scrambling out of the Starskiff, quickly pointed at the unconscious Bailu they were carrying between them.

[Qingque] facepalmed.

Earlier, Jiang Qiao had entrusted these three with piloting the Starskiff, hoping to conserve his energy by drawing Imaginary Energy from the Path of Elation for the challenges ahead.

Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that this simple task would turn into such chaos. If not for his timely intervention, the Starskiff would have been reduced to a fiery wreck.

"M-Me? My piloting skills are usually top-notch!" Bailu stammered defensively after regaining consciousness. "The Foxian people always praise me, saying I must have been an outstanding Skyfarer in my past life! It's just that Little Guizi's Starskiff isn't user-friendly!"

The 'culprit' hurriedly deflected blame, pointing at Guinaifen, the owner of the Starskiff.

"Hey hey hey, don't blame the tool, blame the fool!" Guinaifen retorted, her orange hair bouncing as she marched up to inspect her precious vehicle. "This Starskiff of mine is the latest model! I pinched pennies to buy it! It's a top-selling design from the Sky-Faring Commission, you know!"

After a tense moment, she sighed in relief upon confirming her Starskiff was relatively unharmed.

"Phew… thank goodness, thank goodness. Didn't crash too badly."

Xianzhou Starskiffs had some self-repair capability due to their biological design. However, Guinaifen's Starskiff was a 'hybrid' model she had painstakingly saved up for, and some of its mechanical components lacked the ability to self-repair.

"Hmph, it must be the ship's fault…" Bailu muttered, crossing her arms. "But honestly, it's that other Starskiff's pilot who's blind as a bat! If it weren't for my superb skills, we'd have crashed into them already!"

She then held up a mask, her cheeks puffing indignantly.

"Don't let me catch that zero-eyesight pilot! I'll definitely report them to the Sky-Faring Commission and get their pilot license revoked!"

"…"

Guinaifen and Bailu, one tall and one small, stood there bickering with their arms akimbo. Watching them, [Qingque] felt both amused and exasperated. Her attention shifted when she noticed the mask in Bailu's hand.

"Where did you get that mask?" [Qingque] asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Just now! It fell off when that Starskiff crashed into us—must've been an accident," Bailu huffed. "But that person was weird. All dressed in black, couldn't see their face. Piloting skills so bad… they must be a bad egg!"

She wrinkled her nose and tossed the mask into [Qingque]'s hands.

"If you want it, you can have it. This mask is ugly as sin."

Emerald eyes studied the mask carefully. As [Qingque] turned it over in her hands, it almost felt like the mask was chuckling at her… Was this thing more than it seemed?

While Jiang Qiao pondered this strange development, Sushang noticed a group of people approaching in the distance. Her face lit up as she recognized the figure leading them.

"Eh—Stewardess Yukong!"

Yukong was no stranger to Sushang. Though the latter was a simple Cloud Knight soldier, her unique family background and ties to the Yaoging Xianzhou had given her many opportunities to interact with Yukong. In fact, they had fought side by side more than once.

Yukong also had a soft spot for Sushang. The girl's personality reminded her of an old friend, and she had grown fond of her over time.

As for the 'Medicine-Wielding Dragon Girl' Bailu, her reputation preceded her. While she was known as a 'Vidyadhara Dragon Lord' in high circles, it was her extraordinary medical skills that made her a household name. Many of the Luofu's elite were frequent visitors to her clinic.

"Mm… and these two are?"

The unassuming [Qingque] and Guinaifen were unfamiliar to the high-ranking Yukong, sparking her curiosity.

"This is Guinaifen, from beyond the Xianzhou—my bestie. The shorter one is Qingque, a Diviner working at the Divination Commission."

"Guinaifen… that name sounds familiar." Yukong rested her chin on her hand, thinking for a moment. Suddenly, realization dawned on her. "Ah, you're the younger sister of that interstellar pirate, Lang Shile, aren't you?"

"Uh… hehe, yes, he's my older brother."

Guinaifen looked a little embarrassed. Her brother had caused a major stir when he crashed a Xianzhou Alliance merchant vessel. The matter had escalated so much that the Sky-Faring Commission had to intervene directly.

Yukong didn't linger on the topic. Instead, she turned her attention to [Qingque], her expression faintly skeptical.

"And you… a Diviner from the Divination Commission? What brings you here?"

It wasn't that Diviners couldn't visit the Starskiffs, but the Divination Commission was one of the busiest places in the Xianzhou. Even minor Diviners like [Qingque] rarely had time to breathe.

Now, with the Xianzhou in turmoil, their workload was surely heavier than ever. Seeing [Qingque] here at this moment made Yukong suspect she might be shirking her duties.

As the meticulous and serious Stewardess of the Sky-Faring Commission, Yukong found such behavior hard to approve.

"I'm wondering about that myself," [Qingque] said with a shrug. "Usually, I have to beg, plead, and rack my brains just to get a day off. But today, Grand Diviner Fu Xuan actually took the initiative to grant me one. Stewardess, don't you think it's strange?"

"Fu Xuan… granted you leave?" Yukong raised an eyebrow, surprised.

As one of the Xianzhou's Six Charioteers, Fu Xuan's responsibilities often overlapped with Yukong's. Yukong knew the Grand Diviner's personality all too well—strict, demanding, and utterly unyielding.

For someone like Fu Xuan to willingly give [Qingque] time off…

Perhaps Fu Xuan had softened over time? Or was there something else behind this unusual gesture?

...

At this time, within the Divine Strategists' Office, Jing Yuan felt a splitting headache coming on.

He had just been thinking about heading to the Alchemy Commission for some much-needed rest after the recent battle. But before he could even take a step, Qingzu brought him some 'good news.'

"General, the Medicine Bureau… has collapsed."

Jing Yuan froze. For a moment, he thought he had misheard.

"The Medicine Bureau collapsed?" He repeated, his voice carrying a tinge of disbelief.

Qingzu nodded solemnly.

The Medicine Bureau was a cornerstone of the Alchemy Commission, the medical backbone of the Xianzhou. Its sudden collapse wasn't just a minor issue. While terraforming technology meant repairs weren't impossible, the timing couldn't have been worse.

With the Xianzhou ambushed by the Anti-Matter Legion, every resource mattered, and losing the Medicine Bureau at such a critical moment felt like the heavens themselves were conspiring against them.

"It truly is adding insult to injury," Jing Yuan muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"What about casualties?" he asked, trying to focus on the immediate concern.

Qingzu hesitated before responding. "It's still unclear. But… the casualty issue isn't the most pressing problem."

Jing Yuan frowned, puzzled. "Then what is?"

Qingzu sighed. "The more serious problem is actually… with the Ten-Lords Commission."

Jing Yuan blinked, utterly bewildered. "The Ten-Lords Commission? What do they have to do with this?"

Qingzu's expression turned grim. "It seems the Medicine Bureau collapsed… right on top of the Ten-Lords Commission's headquarters."

Jing Yuan's jaw dropped. For a moment, words failed him.

What the heck? Was the Medicine Bureau literally falling on the Ten-Lords Commission's heads now?

"The Ten-Lords Commission discovered a large number of Mara-Struck individuals hidden within the Alchemy Commission," Qingzu reported, her tone heavy. "They were disguised using medicinal methods… And beneath the collapsed area of the Medicine Bureau, they found what appeared to be a secret delve. It's already caved in, but it seems to have belonged to the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus."

Jing Yuan froze, the weight of the revelation hitting him like a falling star.

At this moment, despair flooded his mind.

Just destroy it all already.

What in the world was going on?

The Anti-Matter Legion had ambushed the Xianzhou, the Medicine Bureau—a cornerstone of the Alchemy Commission and one of the Six Commissions—was harboring Mara-Struck individuals. And now, to top it off, a collapsed Sanctus Medicus delve lay hidden beneath the ruins.

Those Sanctus Medicus remnants…

Jing Yuan clenched his fists, the urge to summon the Lightning Lord and cut those schemers into mincemeat almost overwhelming.

He hadn't taken the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus seriously before. Why would he? They were little more than a running joke—a group of fools playing at rebellion.

Planting people in the Divine Strategists' Office? Staging laughable 'assassination attempts' against him? Sneaky? No, it was more like they were volunteering for execution.

Honestly, sometimes even Jing Yuan had to admit their antics amused him.

Is this an assassination or a comedy act?

The only reason he hadn't wiped them out yet was to avoid alerting the snake before the mastermind behind them revealed themselves. He had been biding his time, watching their ridiculous moves, waiting for the right moment to strike.

But now…

Now, those so-called clowns had dealt a blow that was no laughing matter.

It turned out that when the Sanctus Medicus remnants finally acted, they aimed to bring the house down. Literally.

"Has it been investigated who did this?"

Jing Yuan rubbed his forehead, his tone low and heavy, exuding a faint pressure.

The Disciples of Sanctus Medicus absolutely needed to be dealt with. That much was clear.

But right now, his mind was focused on the delve incident.

Delves didn't just collapse on their own. Something—or someone—had to be responsible.

Unless there was some secret method to trigger it, the notion that the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus had collapsed their own delve was… ridiculous. It made no sense.

Destroying something they'd built with painstaking effort? What would they even gain? All it did was attract the attention of the Luofu authorities. And worse, this attention was the equivalent of signing their own death warrant.

No, this didn't add up.

If it wasn't an intentional collapse, that left one possibility—a dangerous one. Someone capable of taking down an entire delve single-handedly had infiltrated the Luofu.

Someone at least on the level of an Emanator.

The thought sent a chill down Jing Yuan's spine. The mere idea of a foreign Emanator moving freely in their home base was enough to make his scalp tingle. Even if the figure's intentions were friendly, it didn't make the situation any less alarming.

What was the Sky-Faring Commission doing? Wasn't Diting in charge of screening and security? How had they let someone so dangerous slip through the cracks?

"No, this is too much," Jing Yuan muttered, leaning back in his chair.

The weight of it all pressed down on him. The Anti-Matter Legion, the Medicine Bureau collapse, the Sanctus Medicus remnants, a potentially rogue Emanator—Jing Yuan felt like he was being pulled in too many directions.

If one more problem landed on his plate, he might truly lose his mind and go Mara-Struck for real.

But he couldn't afford to give in, not now.

Taking a deep breath, Jing Yuan forced himself back to his desk. His thoughts swirled with frustration and exhaustion, but he knew there was no choice.

He had to bite the bullet and think of a solution.

...

Half an hour later.

"Fu Xuan, you've arrived."

Jing Yuan watched as the petite figure hurried into the Divine Strategists' Office. He wore his usual calm and collected expression.

Although many in the Xianzhou believed their "Blindfolded General" was relaxed and carefree, it was nothing more than a facade.

No matter when or where, he had to project confidence, to pretend everything was under control. As the pillar of strength for the Luofu, showing weakness was not an option.

The Xianzhou General must never falter.

"General, do you have any leads on this turmoil?" Fu Xuan asked, her voice steady.

Jing Yuan let out a soft chuckle. "Haha, to be honest, Fu Xuan, things happened so suddenly, I myself have no clue. But you—" He raised an eyebrow. "It seems like you've made some progress?"

Fu Xuan straightened, a smug smile playing on her lips. "As the Grand Diviner of the Divination Commission, it is my duty. Naturally, I have."

Her tone was deliberate, a subtle hint of pride slipping through. "After gaining some leads, I came here immediately—as I expected, General, in this round, I am one step ahead."

Jing Yuan chuckled again, unruffled. "Mm, Grand Diviner Fu Xuan is indeed divinely insightful, both talented and virtuous. Well said…" He paused briefly, his tone turning casual. "I've long been planning to report to the higher-ups and recommend you for promotion. But right now, with the chaos at hand, everything should be put on hold and reassessed later."

Fu Xuan gave a small nod, her smugness easing. Although she was eager to ascend to the General's seat, she understood the urgency of stabilizing the Luofu first.

Still, Jing Yuan's words lingered in her mind, stirring a quiet thrill.

It seemed her long-cherished goal of becoming the Xianzhou General was finally within reach.

Fu Xuan, who had been tirelessly working toward her goal despite being teased countless times, was thrilled. Amidst the rare chaos engulfing the Luofu, the possibility of becoming the Xianzhou General felt closer than ever.

As long as I make significant contributions… it's possible. Very possible!

Yet, concerns lingered in the back of her mind.

Within the Divination Commission, there wasn't a single suitable successor to inherit her position as Grand Diviner. Mingyue, Huixing, and Jingzhai all had mediocre talents, and Qingque…

The thought of 'Super-grind Qingque' made Fu Xuan pause. At first, she felt worried, but the memory of Qingque's recent transformation made her laugh out loud.

This must be the heavens helping me!

She had been concerned there wouldn't be enough time to straighten out Qingque—her good-for-nothing, slacker subordinate—and prepare her to take on the mantle of Grand Diviner. But out of nowhere, Qingque had changed her ways. She was no longer aimless but driven and ambitious.

And now, the Luofu's current crisis had provided the perfect opportunity for Qingque to prove herself further.

This is too perfect! Emperor Lan above, could this be your blessing?

Fu Xuan couldn't help but grin. With a suitable heir in place and the General himself willing to step down in favor of someone more capable, her dream seat as the Xianzhou General felt inevitable after this crisis was resolved.

Time to reward Qingque.

The thought brought Fu Xuan genuine satisfaction. 'Super-grinder' Qingque had finally earned her approval and was clearly capable of inheriting the position of Grand Diviner. However, there was still the matter of perception within the Divination Commission.

After all, Qingque's track record as a former slacker had nearly gotten her demoted to a door-keeper attendant.

How can someone go from door-keeper to Grand Diviner in one leap? Fu Xuan thought with a smirk. That would never convince the masses.

She quickly made a decision.

Once this was over, she would return to the Divination Commission and promote Qingque to the position of Diviner.

It was the perfect solution—an earned promotion with enough seniority to smooth over any objections.

And just like that, the Grand Diviner's path to her dream role became even clearer.

Mission accomplished. After calculating everything, all that was left was to rack up achievements. Thinking of this, Fu Xuan allowed herself a rare change from her usual serious demeanor. She smiled brightly at Jing Yuan:

"General, I've pulled some strings and gleaned a lead on this chaos from the Grand Prognostication Array—it all points straight to the Alchemy Commission!"

She paused dramatically, savoring the moment.

"As long as we thoroughly dig into the Alchemy Commission, the truth will come to light!"

"..."

Jing Yuan remained silent.

Seeing his lack of response, Fu Xuan grew even more smug. This lead was the result of exhausting the Grand Prognostication Array at full power, with her Third Eye wide open.

When this is over, the credit for this discovery will be mine!

She studied the General's silent expression, a faint delight bubbling within her. On normal days, this "bad egg" of a General always acted as though he had everything under control, teasing her at every turn.

But now—you're no match for me, Jing Yuan. Do you even understand the sheer brilliance of being the Grand Diviner of the Divination Commission?

You old fogey!

Her thoughts were practically written all over her face, and Jing Yuan, watching her closely, found her expression amusing. Still, he sighed and patiently responded:

"To be honest, Fu Xuan, half a system-hour ago, the Medicine Bureau of the Alchemy Commission collapsed and sunk for unknown reasons.

The Ten-Lords Commission, as a matter of routine, investigated the area and found a group of Mara-Struck monstrosities inside. What's worse, hidden beneath it was an underground delve belonging to the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus—it, too, had already collapsed."

Silence.

The smile vanished from Fu Xuan's face, her smug confidence crumbling in an instant.

The room was thick with an awkward atmosphere, the kind that made even the divine feel human.

Recalling her earlier boastful words and self-satisfied grin, Fu Xuan suddenly felt like the Joker in a deck of poker cards.

Looking at the stunned Fu Xuan, Jing Yuan, knowing her personality, quickly reassured her:

"Things happened so suddenly. With the current chaotic situation in Luofu, coupled with each Commission acting independently and being preoccupied with their own affairs, it's no surprise you're in the dark, Fu Xuan."

He paused before adding, "Do you have any other leads, Fu Xian?"

The Divination Commission held an extremely vital role in the Xianzhou. Relying on their star charts and divination, the Xianzhou could remain invincible in battle.

Strategic thinking, at its core, was the art of mastering information—both the known and the unknown. Without knowledge, even someone as wise as Zhuge Kongming would fumble in the dark.

Jing Yuan, renowned as the Divine Strategist General among the Seven Arbiter-Generals of the Hunt, was no exception.

He wasn't the strongest fighter among the Seven Arbiter-Generals, but he was undoubtedly the most resourceful. For this reason, the information gathered by the Divination Commission was crucial to him.

Even in the later 'Ambrosial Arbor resurgence,' Jing Yuan had relied on the Grand Prognostication Array to gain the upper hand.

"…"

Fu Xuan twitched the corner of her mouth.

What other information did she have, indeed?

Although the Divination Commission's Grand Prognostication Array was indeed powerful, it couldn't conjure something out of thin air, could it?

In a situation where she knew nothing, Fu Xuan wasn't much better off than Jing Yuan. Perhaps, she was even worse—her lack of power, experience, and differing concepts set her at a disadvantage.

This was one of the reasons Jing Yuan still had concerns about her inheriting the General's seat.

"Since that's the case, we can only start investigating from the leads of the Alchemy Commission…"

"…Alchemy Commission?"

Fu Xuan's initial excitement deflated. She had hoped for greater gains, but instead, she fell flat.

However, as she reflected, a memory surfaced—one she had almost overlooked. While reviewing 'Super-Worker' Qingque's work, she had accidentally come across a scroll of files.

[September 6th Divination Result Report] (whatever Space Gregorian date) 

[Subject: The Xianzhou's Past and Present]

Today, I attempted to divine the heavenly timing and human advantage using the Xianzhou's past and present as the subject.

During the divination process, the array matrix became disordered, and the hexagram alternated between Gen (Mountain) and Kan (Water), indicating an ominous omen.

Another divination result is attached below:

[Grand Prognostication Array: Divination Results & Recommended Strategies]

1. Send a letter to the Alchemy Commission. Conduct a thorough investigation of personnel, from top to bottom.

2. Send letters to the Ten-Lords Commission and the Artisanship Commission. Be cautious of automaton-related dangers.

3. Send letters to the Cloud Knights and the Sky-Faring Commission. Be wary of the Destruction's harm.

4. Strengthen defenses in the southeast direction. An ominous sign has been detected, though the cause is unknown.

Diviner on Duty: Qingque

Fu Xuan recalled how this report had been swiftly dismissed.

Without a specific timeframe or the ability to reproduce the divination, it was relegated to the archives, deemed unreliable.

In fact, its evaluation was even worse than Ruoyue's previous divination—because Ruoyue's efforts had only called for the mobilization of three Commissions.

But Qingque's divination?

Good heavens.

It didn't just mobilize six Commissions—it dragged in the Ten-Lords Commission, which operated outside the Six Commissions entirely.

And if that wasn't enough, there was a bizarre, ominous omen attached to it.

There was no way this would pass the Diviner's review. Mobilizing seven Commissions? Even the Xianzhou General didn't have that kind of authority.

At the time, Fu Xuan hadn't paid it much attention. She'd assumed it was just another error caused by an overwhelming workload. This kind of slip-up wasn't unusual in the Divination Commission—it was practically routine.

But now, as she looked back on it…

Good heavens.

It was all correct.

The Disciples of Sanctus Medicus had infiltrated the Alchemy Commission. Worse still, there was an underground delve—Dongtian—hidden beneath it.

The implications were terrifying.

This wasn't just a case of low-level spies sneaking in. The evidence pointed to high-ranking individuals within the Alchemy Commission betraying them.

And the Artisanship Commission? They were entangled too.

Even the Ten-Lords Commission wasn't spared.

Both the Ten-Lords Commission and the Artisanship Commission had been affected by the Destruction. According to Jing Yuan's intelligence, the Ten-Lords Commission, despite their preparations, still suffered significant losses from the chaos.

As for the Cloud Knights and the Sky-Faring Commission, it went without saying—they were still busy clearing out the Anti-Matter Legion soldiers scattered throughout the Xianzhou.

The only thing left to address was the southeast direction…

After some thought, Fu Xuan decided to inform Jing Yuan about this matter.

Jing Yuan, though surprised, became quite intrigued by the diviner Qingque. He made a mental note to meet her at some point in the future.

But for now, his focus remained firmly on the current situation.

Tap, tap, tap…

Both Jing Yuan and Fu Xuan chewed over the divination, lost in thought.

Where would the last ominous sign manifest?

The answer eluded them for a moment—until clarity struck.

Their eyes met, a shared realization dawning upon them.

In unison, they exclaimed, their voices heavy with shock:

"——The Shackling Prison!"