What's the best way to teach someone a lesson?
A direct fight was out of the question. After all, combat wasn't her forte, and there was no way she could beat that guy. She'd just end up getting beaten black and blue, crying for her mommy and daddy.
But that bastard had screwed her over so royally; if she didn't teach him a proper lesson, she'd never be able to live with herself.
So, the brilliant Miss Qingque changed her approach. As long as she found the right method, there was no fear she couldn't handle that man surnamed Jiang.
And the direction she looked was, without a doubt, the chat group.
To defeat an enemy, you must first know them inside and out. As the saying goes, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated."
Having found the right path, Miss Qingque quietly snuck into the channel for "Victims of a Certain Mr. Jiang." Through subtle inquiries and lurking, she found the perfect method.
Seduce him!
Although the man was virtually flawless, with no obvious weaknesses—or at least, no weaknesses that could be used against him—according to some authoritative sources...
...if the battlefield was moved to the bedroom, everything would become much simpler.
Miss Qingque thought this made perfect sense.
After all, there was an old Xianzhou saying: "There's only an ox that works itself to death, never a field that's been overworked."
As a top student, Miss Qingque was exceptionally confident in her own hardware.
You've got to be kidding. I, Qingque, am a field that can't be overworked! And I'm a Xianzhou native! Do you even know what that means? We're the kind of people who can just reattach our heads if they fall off! A mere battle in bed? Even for an innocent maiden like me, there's nothing to be afraid of!
What's more, that bastard had left her with this Emanator-level power.
Although the thirteen-Path form, which drew on multiple Paths, was just a fleeting moment for "Qingque"—a moment she barely experienced and would likely never replicate—wielding that power had still elevated her body's strength to an unprecedented level.
It even surpassed the celestial beings of the Xianzhou's peak era, reaching a level comparable to an Emanator of Propagation.
"Thanks to this, I can now work overtime forever without any rest..." Heheheh, leaving me such a grand gift... If I don't use it to properly repay you today, I'll never be able to vent this frustration!
And so, to summarize—
She could use the very thing he gave her to teach him a harsh lesson and let off some steam.
And the act itself was a great stress reliever, a way to ease her own pent-up, frustrated mood.
What more was there to say?
It's time to take him down!
Ever prudent, the confident Miss Qingque even downloaded a guide on him from the chat group beforehand. Tips like "How to Quickly Defeat a Certain Someone," generously shared by enthusiastic group members, filled the void in her completely blank knowledge as an innocent maiden.
It was all a bit embarrassing, of course; even someone as calm as Miss Qingque couldn't help but blush a little. But thinking about how it would help her deal with Mr. Jiang, she studied it with immense seriousness. Qingque would bet she'd never been this focused, not even in her school days.
With everything prepared, Miss Qingque unhesitatingly used the chat group to lure a certain someone to her room and then... sprung the trap!
But...
The result wasn't quite what she had imagined.
At first, it was pretty great. The thrill was like a flavor that just wouldn't quit, making Qingque feel like she had opened the door to a whole new world—this was way more fun than Celestial Jade.
But...
"Finally got you where I want you, huh?"
"Take this!"
"Repent! You'll pay for all the terrible things you've done to me! Today, I'll make you pay it all back and finally get my revenge!"
"Hehe, this actually feels pretty good... Let me try this..."
Miss Qingque was starting to get excited.
A moment later.
"Wait... how are you not... done yet?"
"Hold on, what are you trying to do?"
"Hey, hey, hey, don't... Bro, bro, bro! Listen, this is all a misunderstanding, mmph...!"
Realizing something was terribly wrong, Miss Qingque tried to beg for mercy, reaching out a hand to crawl away. But in the next second, with a soft thud, all that remained were her unbearable wails.
A long time later, the commotion in the room finally subsided. With a calm expression, Jiang Qiao buttoned up his clothes, walked out of Qingque's room, and shut the door behind him.
He came face-to-face with a familiar figure.
"Guinaifen?"
"Huh? Fam, it's you!"
"Yeah... What's that?" Jiang Qiao's gaze fell on the clothes Guinaifen was holding.
"Oh, it's little Qingque's ceremonial uniform."
"You should know by now, our little Qingque is about to become the Cloud Knight Marshal!"
"...Li Sushang told you, didn't she?"
"Whoa, how did you know?"
"While it's not a secret to the higher-ups, you don't exactly have any other channels besides Li Sushang, do you?"
"I feel like you're underestimating me... but whatever, it's true, Sushang told me."
"I was so shocked when I heard! That little Qingque is actually becoming the Marshal... Well, thinking about it, it's not that strange. She might seem a bit lazy, but she's incredibly reliable when it counts. Choosing our little Qingque just goes to show that Marshal Hua has a great eye for talent!"
"At a time like this, as part of her entourage, I can't just stand by and watch! While I probably can't help her with much, I can at least play the part of a handmaiden for a bit, help her get dressed, deliver her clothes... I'm confident in that, at least! Hehe, plus, I can ride on her coattails a bit. Once she's the Marshal, I'll put up a sign on my livestream: 'Bestie & Personal Stylist to the Current Cloud Knight Marshal.' It's guaranteed to go viral!"
Jiang Qiao smiled at the cheerful, orange-haired girl. He suddenly recalled seeing some files and documents related to her while helping Firefly with some paperwork earlier.
"Do you remember Camelot?"
"...Huh? Fam, why are you suddenly bringing that up?"
"It's nothing. A friend of mine just told me that the planet, which was invaded by the Legion, has been reclaimed by Glamoth."
"People from the Garden of Recollection seem to have appeared there too."
"I remember that's your homeworld. Maybe you and your brother could go back and visit when you have the time."
"...Glamoth...?!"
Stunned, Guinaifen stared blankly for a long moment before a mix of complex emotions and excitement filled her voice. She managed a thank you.
"Is that so... Thanks, fam!"
"Ah, the Luminary Wardance Ceremony is about to start! I've gotta go, fam! I still need to give these ceremonial robes to little Qingque!"
Remembering her urgent task, she hurried away, rushing towards Qingque's room before Jiang Qiao could say another word.
A peculiar expression appeared on his face.
Just as expected, a moment later—
"Little Qingque, I'm here with your clothes..."
"Ah, Qingque! What happened to you?!"
Guinaifen's cry of alarm was clearly audible.
Meanwhile, the culprit, Mr. Jiang Qiao, had already returned to the main venue.
Tourists from all over the universe were now taking their seats under the guidance of the Cloud Knights.
In addition to the bustling open-air seats in the lower section, there were also special, sphere-like private suites designed for privacy.
He could see people from the Corporation... Diamond and his Ten Stonehearts were present.
Although the Corporation had become a vassal of Glamoth, as a major power in the universe, they would still send representatives to show their support.
There were also people from the Family...
"Qiao, you're here."
Dressed in a black evening gown, Eden still spoke in her usual languid tone, but a faint smile graced her lips when she saw Jiang Qiao.
"Yeah, well, it's about to start."
"It is... Qiao, let me introduce you. This is a new friend I've made recently, a partner in a sense."
Before Eden needed to elaborate, he understood at a glance.
"A superstar known throughout the universe. Even with a mask on, it's hard to hide that charm—"
"Isn't that right, Miss Robin?"
"Ah... you saw through my disguise. Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you. Please, forget about the 'superstar' title. As dazzling as it is, it can also be quite a nuisance. Right now, I am merely a representative of the Family, a songstress from the Family."
"Then I'll just call you Robin."
"Of course, that's perfectly fine."
"Miss Eden has mentioned you to me many times. I'm quite interested in you~ Please, don't be so formal."
Robin's eyes were fixed on the man before her as she spoke with grace and courtesy.
As if sensing the meaning behind her gaze, he smiled.
"Very interested?"
"...Yes. Although Harmony is infinitely merciful and benevolent, this is the first time I've felt something like this."
As a Harmonizer of the highest order, one of those with the deepest connection to Xipe, Robin could see the man before her more clearly than others.
"Speaking of which, my brother has also admired you for a long time..."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. After all, the emergence of Glamoth has truly changed so many things, including a long-held wish of my brother and I. How could we not be interested in you, the one so closely tied to it all?"
"...The power of Harmony is certainly convenient."
"There will be a chance."
"Then, my brother and I will be in Penacony, awaiting your visit."
As they chatted, the majestic sound of horns and Xianzhou instruments filled the air. The Luminary Wardance Ceremony, organized jointly by the six ships of the Xianzhou Alliance...
No, it had now been promoted to the Luminary Wardance Ceremony.
Its purpose was to announce to the universe everything that was about to happen.
If the Luminary Wardance Ceremony had its limits—being essentially an entertainment event designed to train the younger generation—
Then the Luminary Wardance Ceremony was entirely different.
Because—
"Everyone, the intensity of this Luminary Wardance Ceremony will far exceed any previous one. In addition to the young participants, Emanators may also stand on this stage."
Hua, in a rare appearance, stood on the high platform as the host, announcing loudly, "And the defender of this arena will be the one whom I, and the rest of the Xianzhou high command, have unanimously decided upon and chosen as the next Cloud Knight Marshal!"