Chapter 96 - 95: A New Storm Emerges: Alchemy Commission Faces Off Against Dan Shu!

"Hello everyone, welcome to Little Gui's live stream!" "A new main quest has arisen; we cannot stand still!" "Join me as we follow the Astral Express Crew towards the Alchemy Commission!" Excitedly, Guinaifen began narrating her experience within the stream. The Alchemy Commission was known as a coastal blessed land, and Guinaifen had heard much about it beforehand. However, she never had the opportunity to visit until now. Through the lens of the game, she could finally witness its scenery firsthand. Her mood was exceptionally high as soon as she arrived on this map, greeted by the sounds of waves crashing against the shore and seagulls calling out. Closing her eyes, she could almost feel the refreshing sea breeze. As Guinaifen continued exploring the map, something unexpected occurred. A corpse suddenly appeared on the ground before her. Yes! Out of nowhere, a Mara-Struck body lay sprawled across her path. She proceeded further. More diverse corpses emerged—some strewn across steps, others blocking the road. "This, this..." "Who's so disrespectful, just littering with bodies everywhere..." Her initial excitement for sightseeing vanished instantly! I'm not here to take photos and check off locations; I'm here to complete the main quest! Guinaifen reminded herself. In the previous storyline, the Roaming Cloud Riders had engaged directly with the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus. It seemed that the primary battlefield was within the Alchemy Commission itself. "So many Cloud Knights have fallen." "The intensity depicted in the game is probably only one-tenth of what it would be in reality." "Thankfully, this game exposed Ruo Fu's vulnerabilities beforehand, allowing the Cloud Knights to launch a devastating surprise attack on Medicine King's Secrets. Otherwise, this grim scenario might have become true!" "Gratitude to the developers, Feathered Spirit!" "This game's significance goes beyond just entertainment! I feel it could bring peace to the universe!" "A bit dramatic, mate, but I'm proud to be a Stellar Jade player!" As the Astral Express Crew marveled at the enormity of the scene, Tingyun remarked, "Benefactor, you exaggerate; this hardly counts as significant..." "Centuries ago, an Emanator from [Abundance], seeking to seize the Tree of Foundation, led an invasion on Luofu. They nearly destroyed half of the celestial abodes and decimated the Cloud Knights, leaving barely one in ten survivors." "For eternal life beings, such past events scarcely qualify as history—it might as well be 'yesterday.' Compared to that, what we see here today is merely a minor skirmish." Guinaifen couldn't help but comment, "Tingyun has quite the composure, remaining so unruffled amidst all these corpses. Even March struggles to crack jokes here." The crew took a tour around the encampment. They encountered shaken Cloud Knight soldiers alongside captured, frenzied disciples. Overall, the current battle situation was far from optimistic. Rumors suggested that the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus employed a bewitching technique capable of disturbing minds, even transforming the Cloud Knights into Mara-stricken states, forcing them to turn against each other! Upon Fu Xuan's return, she reported her observations of the enemy situation one by one. It turned out that deep within the Alchemy Commission, numerous pill furnaces had been erected by the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus. Currently, the smoke emanating from these vats rapidly induced eternal life beings into Mara-Stricken states. To dismantle these pill furnaces, they could only rely on members of the short-lived race—the Astral Express Crew! "Alright, alright, looks like we're stepping up as surprise reinforcements once again," Guinaifen remarked, nearly accustomed to this role by now. After several battles and shutting down three small pill furnaces, it was time to head for the Aureate Elixir Furnace and confront the Archon, the ultimate boss of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus! "The vats...have been extinguished," murmured the leader of the Disciples before a massive pill furnace. "No matter; what must come has finally arrived." Welt, March 7th, Stelle, Tingyun, and Fu Xuan approached together. "Dan Shu, meeting you again so soon." Guinaifen greeted her warmly. During their earlier side quest with the Disciples, this leader had left a deep impression on Guinaifen. Despite being born blind, she had dedicated herself to medicine, healing others, and even supported young girls who shared similar fates. Yet such a person turned out to be the leader of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus—betraying Xianzhou and orchestrating this grand-scale conflict. "Back then, the Tree of Foundation enveloped the Roaming Immortal Ark like a living entity. Our clan dominated the star seas, unmatched and invincible. Every individual could attain immortality, freely transcending their form. The Miracle of Abundance descended upon all nine arkships—a truly glorious era..." Dan Shu sighed wistfully. "But look at us now—how far has the ark fallen?! Subjugated by demonic bows, suffering under the tyranny of Abundance, even forced to forsake longevity by the Ten-Lords Commission..." "A lament indeed. I do not blame you for your ignorance; we were not born during the time when the Tree first descended, witnessing those wonders firsthand. However, today, there remains a chance to restore ancient traditions..." Dan Shu continued mournfully. Fu Xuan stepped forward, interjecting, "I thought you might offer some profound insight, but it's merely the tired old rhetoric about seeking power at any cost, abandoning our humanity." "The ancestors of Xianzhou fought alongside the Arbiter, destroyed the Tree of Foundation, established the Ten-Lords Commission to govern life and death—all to reclaim human existence anew." "As for Adepts? There are no such beings on this ark. What 'Miracle of Abundance,' what manipulation of life and death? Your actions are nothing more than monstrous depravity!" "Well said, Lord Fu Xuan!" "Dan Shu, this time, you won't escape again!" "Trading others' lives for your own immortality—truly laughable!" "He's getting fired up! Quick, play 'Wildfire'!" "For the Arbiter!" "We'll grant you release right now!" Guinaifen's gaze turned serious—she was fully committed to this battle now! On the opposing side stood the newly introduced enemy type, "Disciple Leader of Sanctus Medicus," following the game update. Unfamiliar with their abilities, she immediately brought March 7th and Natasha, two survival-focused characters! For support, she chose Tingyun. Jing Yuan, as the sole main DPS, would lead the charge—a three-support-one strategy! It proved that Guinaifen's choice was spot-on. The opponent had weaknesses against Physical, Ice, and Lightning attributes, making her team nearly perfectly suited to counter them! March 7th's shield and Natasha's Skill could also dispel the enemy's petrification effects. After almost ten minutes of intense combat, they finally reduced the Disciple Leader of Sanctus Medicus to just 2% health! Their own characters' HP fluctuated wildly throughout, but thankfully, they all survived. Now, it only awaited Jing Yuan's Divine Monarch strike to finish off the leader of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus! "Goodbye, Dan Shu!" Guinaifen made a downward motion, as if controlling the Divine Monarch herself at that moment. "Woosh!" "I've taken down the Disciple Leader of Sanctus Medicus!" A flush of excitement appeared on her face. Who said turn-based games couldn't be immersive?! However, the battle wasn't over yet! Dan Shu gasped for breath, barely managing to speak, "Why... Why is it? She clearly stated..." "The descent of the Tree of Foundation... would grant us immortal celestial bodies—" "So the one who bestowed upon us the Stellaron... this means..." Guinaifen's excitement evaporated entirely as she focused intently on every word Dan Shu uttered. On her deathbed, Dan Shu was revealing astonishing secrets! "Phantylia... The Disciples of Sanctus Medicus have succeeded..." "It's time for Lord Ravager to fulfill his promise... Quickly! Now is the moment!" Dan Shu's gaze shifted towards someone standing behind the protagonist group, observing the battle all along. "Tsk tsk, why force me to intervene personally? It goes against my aesthetic of Destruction... little pawn," Tingyun said with a resigned and indifferent tone. Guinaifen was utterly dumbfounded, scarcely believing her eyes! In the live stream chat, question marks flooded the screen: "???????"