In the Exalting Sanctum, in the simplest corners of the Synwood Pavilion, two friends chatted;
"Hmph, General Jing Yuan sure looks gloomy lately - have you noticed?" One casually added the topic in their idle conversation with a shrug, taking a swig of his cup of tea.
"Oh, please. Someone like the General has more than time to enjoy some mundane pleasures in this long life of his." The other scoffed with little care, watching the scenery that the Court of Tranquility offered.
"Well, maybe you are right... is just that by lately, I meant... these past centuries. Sigh, whenever I see his face or even think about him, it makes me gloomy myself. Perhaps the General has gone through much more than we know." The first man who spoke replied, brows crafting an atlas of contemplation upon his forehead.
"Oh, you worry too much, lǎo tiě. Even got the General's feelings on you?" The older man jokes, his wandering gaze stopping at the younger one with his silence.
"Eh, I was just joking. ... you know, my son is saying the same thing. He admires that damned General more than his own father..." He continues with a bitter smile, shaking his head in displeasure.
"Lee gēgē..." The younger man trails off, interrupted by the raise of Lee's hand.
"Maybe you are right. The General seems gloomy lately."
"Time is not kind to anyone."
[In the Seat Of The Divine Foresight]
“If your gaze acted as weapons against me, I certainly would be in quite a ferocious battle with you, Qingzu,” with a guilt and awareness creeping up and up from his stomach, he avoids a death stare from his counselor's direction, knowing or unknowing about what she has to say about him time.
“The Seat of Divine Foresight deals with high-level military secrets, and maintenance towards those who strive against the Abundance.” Qingzu reminds, again, the hint of passive aggression in her voice doesn't go unnoticed, but what can he do from the rock solid, (and unpleasant) reminding of a truth laid bare for him at this moment?
“General Jing Yuan,” the counselor voices with an almost cold-like tone, the specks of professionalism cracking bit by bit from her. “You are aware of the impact you hold in all of the Luofu, not just in militia affair, nor holding the will of the Hunt.”
“More than, of c-” he'd retort, but he shrinks down, blending to his seat, the sight of his advisor and her bow-like hairdo walking towards infront of his desk, sending him into a slight disarray. Only slightly, of cours—“Then, surely that involves being aware to the public masses of civilians, let alone the prying Luofu press, as well?” He freezes, all in one, golden irises slowly moving away even further from her direction.
“Perhaps you should attend the Xianzhou's festivities this year,” she adds with a heavy, throaty sigh, fingers rubbing between her nose bridge. “Your position continues to stand tall, endless with vigor, as like the Reignbow Arbiter's surefire, and unending will.”
The General responses with an exhale through his nose, elbows pillared atop his desk, hands and fingers crossed together with his lips touching the base of his thumbs.
He knows, and knows it full well. “It hadn't occured, since, only those who pursue me, and against me is from the continuous ravages of the abundance.” A fault, an easy unmistakable one that slipped by his busy, busy radar.
“You have my thanks, Qingzu.”
