Star Iron: I, who forged my own armor by hand, ascended to the cycle of reincarnation.

Although Yan Qing was terrified and completely baffled, she obediently walked quickly to Chen Jie and resumed her role as the guide.

Liu Ying, who realized that Chen Jie was just trying to scare Yan Qing, found it somewhat amusing. Why would A Jie bully a little child?

She gently squeezed Chen Jie's palm, and received a slow nod in response, which left Liu Ying puzzled.

Why is Ah Jie nodding?

Yanqing felt increasingly uneasy, and her curiosity about Chen Jie's identity reached its peak.

"Guests, we have arrived. The general is waiting in the hall. Please follow me."

Chen Jie, holding Liu Ying's hand, followed Yan Qing into the main hall of the General's Mansion. There, they saw Jing Yuan sitting at the head of the table, playing chess at a virtual chessboard.

Seeing this scene, Liu Ying was a little curious. To be honest, she was also quite curious about how the general of the Immortal Boat Alliance handled political affairs, but now that she saw it, why did it not match her expectations?

The sheer volume of documents piled up behind this general makes him seem less like a diligent official.

Seeing the general playing chess, Yanqing felt a sense of relief and consciously walked to the side, saying, "General, the person has been brought."

"Okay, I understand. Yanqing, you can go now."

Yanqing nodded to herself, "Yes, please come with me."

"Huh?" Blinking, Yanqing looked at Jingyuan with a slightly surprised expression, realizing what he meant.

Jing Yuan smiled and said, "Yan Qing, you heard me right. You may leave now."

If I don't properly address your anxiety, the suffering you'll endure will likely exceed all the hardships you've experienced since you started practicing swordsmanship. Yanqing, please don't blame me.

At this moment, Yanqing's eyes were filled with confusion and doubt. Wasn't this supposed to be about discussing the Star Core Hunter? Why was I dismissed for something like this? General, didn't you say I was your closest and most trusted person?

Yan Qing's thoughts were practically screaming, "Does the General not trust Yan Qing?" Jing Yuan and Chen Jie saw it all clearly.

Jing Yuan shook his head and smiled wryly: "Yan Qing, don't overthink it. But what's coming next shouldn't be spread. I need you to take precautions."

"I will explain the whole process to you in detail afterwards."

Upon hearing this, Yanqing's boyish face, which had almost collapsed, began to improve.

"Then I shall take my leave."

Yanqing turned and slowly left, then, just as Jingyuan had said, went to guard the gate.

After Yanqing left, the hall fell silent. Jingyuan stared at the chessboard with a furrowed brow, seemingly lost in thought.

However, the more this happened, the more flustered Liu Ying became. She gripped Chen Jie's hand, and her sweat increased. If it weren't for Chen Jie constantly comforting her...

She even suspected her identity had been exposed and was ready to transform and fight at any moment.

After a long while, Jing Yuan finally shifted his attention from the chessboard and looked over, or rather, looked at Liu Ying, which made Liu Ying's heart tighten.

"Just last night, as I was about to rest, the Sky Commander sent an urgent report that there might not be two Star Core Hunters who had smuggled in; there was another one who had followed them in."

"However, it turned out that the two Star Core Hunters seemed unaware that they were being followed, which was different from the rumors. Therefore, Yu Kong concluded that the person following them was an accomplice of the two Star Core Hunters, but he didn't know why they needed to follow them secretly."

"Alphs Dust, do you know who that Star Core Hunter is? Or do you know the identity of the girl beside you?"

Liu Ying's pupils suddenly contracted; this General Shence really knew!

"Ah Jie, you go first, I'll give it to you!"

With a soft click, Liu Ying, who had just taken out her transformation device and was preparing to transform, was startled by the flick on her forehead.

She looked up in confusion and saw Chen Jie's face full of helplessness.

"Look at the way he's talking, does he look like he's going to arrest you? And I'm right here, why does he lack confidence in himself?"

Liu Ying panicked: "No, it wasn't me, A-Jie, I just didn't want you to get hurt."

Chen Jie gently pinched Liu Ying's cheek, then gave Jing Yuan a fierce look: "Look at that person, does he look like he's going to take us? If he really wanted to take us, he could have done it the moment he brought us into the General's Mansion."

"For example, if eight hundred Cloud Cavalry soldiers were hiding outside the mansion, they could block his retreat as soon as they entered, and then he could lead the soldiers inside the mansion to capture him personally. Wouldn't that be better than this scene of him fighting alone?"

Liu Ying froze, preoccupied with the thought that her exposed identity would implicate the mortal tribulation, and hadn't had time to consider all that.

Sitting there, Jing Yuan ignored the glances Chen Jie cast his way, instead smiling meaningfully with a hint of reminiscence in his eyes. Suddenly, for some reason, he began to wail.

"You're quite something, aren't you? You've been away from the Immortal Ship for so long, and now, although you've brought your other half back to see your old friend, this person still has some inexplicable connection to the Immortal Ship's recent disaster."

"Dust Calamity, you've put me in a very difficult position."

Firefly: ?!

Old friend?? Are A-Jie and this Shence General old friends?

But didn't A-Jie only go to Yaoqing Immortal Ship? How did he become old friends with General Jingyuan? Besides, isn't my A-Jie only good at studying and doing research, and not even good at fighting?

I had heard that this General Shence was a renowned strategist among the Seven Heavenly Generals on the Hunting Campaign, but in actual combat, he was no match for the other six.

Is this what they call "misery loves company"?

Chapter 87 Danheng is feasible

"Hidden from you? When did I hide anything from you? Didn't you already have a suspicion from the beginning? Didn't you call me here this time to confirm it?"

"And speaking of old friends, you don't need to address me like that. Your old friends have indeed all gathered in Luofu."

Jing Yuan frowned slightly, as if he was thinking about something troubling him.

Now, Liu Ying realized that Chen Jie did indeed know Jing Yuan, and it seemed that their relationship was quite good.

"Alright, what's the matter that you had that kid call me over for—something you want me to help you with?"

"Teach him how to practice swordsmanship?"

Jing Yuan nodded, then shook his head.

"I guess so, but not entirely," Jing Yuan said, glancing at Liu Ying.

"Since you believe this wasn't the work of the Star Core Hunters, then who could it be? Do you have any clues?"

"A clue?" Chen Jie muttered to himself, then sneered.

"The Ancestor of Ember Destruction is now connected to the Star Core. Anyone who blindly follows him is the Ancestor of Ember Destruction; just keep an eye on his pawns and you can't go wrong."

Upon hearing this, Jing Yuan took a deep breath. Chen Jie was still the same as before. He had heard Fei Xiao mention Chen Jie before; she was someone who treated her enemies no differently than she had.

After quickly identifying the target, they swiftly and forcibly removed it.

If he hadn't insisted on wearing standard armor and going to the battlefield to hone his martial arts skills simply because he was a short-lived race and hadn't been recommended by Fei Xiao as a prospective Sky Strike General, he probably would have already become famous throughout the world.

At the same time, he was both very curious and disappointed as to why Chen Jie had broken ties with Fei Xiao and severed relations with Yao Qing Immortal Boat to leave, after all, it was rare to have such a compatible friend.

But now is not the time to ask those questions. The most important thing right now is to get through this crisis caused by the star core.

Thinking of this, Jing Yuan smiled with a slightly relaxed expression: "Regardless of the reason, I have to thank you for being willing to board the Star Train to help 'Luofu', no matter how you look at it."

"At the same time, your arrival has put my mind at ease considerably."

Chen Jie nodded slightly, then found a chair for Liu Ying to sit down. Just as he was about to walk forward, Liu Ying suddenly grabbed his hand.

Turning his head and seeing the worried look in the other person's eyes, Chen Jie chuckled and explained, "Don't worry, things aren't as bad as you think. On the contrary, since I've appeared, he won't doubt Kafka and Ren's intentions to harm the Immortal Ship."

Because of A-Jie's appearance, Kafka and A-Ren were directly ruled out as suspects.

Liu Ying was somewhat lost in thought, and subconsciously asked, "Why?"

Jing Yuan simply watched this scene with amusement.

He knew what had happened to Chen Jie and Yao Qing, but neither Chen Jie nor Fei Xiao were willing to talk about it, so no one would ask.

But if it were said that Chen Jie betrayed the Immortal Ship Alliance and colluded with the Star Core Hunters to fall into the hands of the "Luofu" Immortal Ship, at least Jing Yuan wouldn't believe it.

Chen Jie didn't answer Liu Ying's question, but just smiled and shook his head. He then walked straight to Jing Yuan and sat down. When he saw that there was a small shogi piece next to Jing Yuan's piece on the chessboard, he raised an eyebrow.

"You wanted me to come here, besides teaching Yanqing swordsmanship? Just to show me this chess game?"

"I'm no longer a member of Yaoqing; it's best to drop the 'general' part."

Faced with these seemingly heartless words, Jing Yuan didn't care. "Eh, how can that be?"

"Since you say it's the Ancestor of Annihilation, I think you must have discovered some clues?"

After Jing Yuan finished speaking, he stared intently at Chen Jie. Then, when he noticed Chen Jie's face gradually darkening, he felt a sense of foreboding.

"A clue? Before I get to that, I have a few questions. Why is the Medicine King's secret manual still alive? Was my suggestion to you hindered, or is there some other reason?"

"The important question is, when will the practitioners of the Medicine King's secret method of body refinement acquire the means to absorb the Cloud Cavalry soldiers trapped in the Demonic Yin Body and nourish themselves?"

Instantly, Jing Yuan's expression turned serious, and he took a deep breath: "I've done everything you said, but all I've caught are some small to medium-sized insects, and they're found in all six realms."

"Secondly, regarding the situation of the Shape Refiners you mentioned, they only appeared shortly before the eruption of the Luo Fu Star Core, and we still have no clue about them."

Chen Jie pondered for a moment and continued, "Let's put all that aside for now. The difficulty lies in the star core. This thing appeared on the immortal ship. Who do you think could bring it in?"

"It must be someone connected to Luofu, perhaps even someone closely connected. We are investigating this point by point, and we have already made some progress."

"Regarding your statement that this matter must be related to the Ancestor of Destruction, this is no small matter. It's not only those who are 'Destroyers' who can take away the Star Core. You understand this better than I do. How did you make that judgment?"

Chen Jie didn't answer, but looked at Jing Yuan: "Are you pretending to be ignorant when you know the truth?"

Jing Yuan was taken aback, then shook his head and smiled wryly before his expression turned serious.

"Alright, let's skip that topic for now and get straight to the point. Right now, what do you think is the best way to help 'Luofu' weather this crisis with minimal losses?"

Dust Calamity's pupils contracted slightly, and he remained silent in deep thought.

When Jing Yuan asked this question, it was clear that he meant more than just that. As a general, he was responsible not only for the immortal ships under his command but also for the people of those ships.

"A Lord of Destruction?"

Faced with the question, Chen Jie nodded silently, but Jing Yuan breathed a sigh of relief.

"If you hadn't come, I would have been a little worried, but if that's all, I'm much more at ease."

Dust Calamity sneered: "You're only talking about the big ones, what about the small ones? When I came here, I saw that the people who passed down the secret teachings of the Medicine King had a way to make the Cloud Cavalry soldiers fall into the demonic body on the spot, and even directly absorb the opponent to nourish themselves!"

"I ask you, what if these wicked creatures were to lay their hands on ordinary, immortal beings who know nothing of martial arts?"

"No immortal ship could withstand such a terrible punishment!"

Jing Yuan paused for a moment, then probed, "You know the train crew better than I do. Among those who came, is there anyone who can act as an undercover agent, capable of dismantling the enemy from within and obtaining information about their superiors while ensuring their own safety?"

After a moment's thought, Chen Jie began to consider the candidates.

March 7th is a no-go. As for Welt, forget it; he has other uses. It might be dangerous for Xing to go alone now.