The frolicking sounds of the Star Beasts dispelled the stillness of the night. Jing Liuli sat on the steps holding Mo Ying, feeding the little fellow sweets while watching the Spirit Fox and the Strear Bird chase each other in play.
A Jellyfish Star Beast drifted beside Caroline, its pale blue glow making her features appear increasingly gentle.
Not far away, Tendo leaned against the railing, his gaze lingering on Yun ng. He suddenly spoke: "Sister Yun, people from the Association ntioned earlier that your Star Power fluctuations are very peculiar. Their scanners couldn't identify your identity profile."
As soon as he said this, the rowdy Star Beasts seed to sense a shift in the atmosphere and gradually quieted down. Little Jin raised its head, its golden pupils fixed on Yun ng with a touch of reliance.
Yun ng's fingertips gently combed through Little Jin's fur. Her tone was flat, as if she were telling soone else's story.
"That's normal. I was struck from the Star Envoy Association's records twenty years ago."
"Struck from the records?" Jing Liuli looked up, her face full of surprise. "Instructor, were you part of the Association before?"
In her mory, Yun ng had always been the instructor of the Ember Base—mysterious and powerful. She had never heard of any connection between her and the Association.
Surprised alongside her were the dinsional viewers on Station 13.
"!!! Struck from the records? Instructor Yun ng has a past like that?"
"Sothing from twenty years ago... the Instructor must have been very young then, right?"
"I sll a plot twist!"
The cara focused on Yun ng.
Facing Jing Liuli's inquiry, Yun ng nodded. She gazed at the distant night sky, a deep and complex look flitting through her eyes. Suddenly, a badge appeared in her hand. The center still held the faint imprint of her Star Power from years ago, but the edges were covered in scratches from years of friction and the impact of battles.
It was the exclusive dal the Association awarded to "Distinguished Star Envoys" in those days.
Playing with the badge, Yun ng spoke calmly: "In my early years, I was specially recruited into the Association Headquarters at the age of fourteen. I was the youngest entrant of that ti."
"Relying on the prototype of the 'Dream in the Clouds' Star Source, I rose to the rank of High Star Envoy in less than three years. At eighteen, I broke through to the Third-Grade Perfection rank. Along with Ling Feng, Su Qing, and a few others from the sa period, we were known as the 'Seven Heroes of the Association.'"
"Don't look down on that title. At that ti, the only people above the seven of us were the three disciples of the Grand President, who were hailed as the Three Elites of the New Era."
Yun ng paused, her tone carrying a rare hint of reminiscence.
"Back then, the Association placed high hopes on . They gave access to top-tier resources and the most classified Star Beast research data. Everyone thought I would be one of the pillars of the Association's future."
Just then, Caroline put down her tablet, her green pupils filled with curiosity. "Since you were a genius of the Association back then, why were you struck from the records afterward?"
In the world of Star Envoys, the Association was the highest authority. Becoming one of its recognized geniuses was the dream of countless envoys; no one would give up such a status lightly.
Hearing this, Yun ng said calmly: "So people chose to compromise, but I was born with a stubborn streak. What I dislike most is compromising."
Although Yun ng did not explicitly state what those differing paths were, Caroline and Jing Liuli understood a few of the hidden implications.
As if she had opened a floodgate of words, or perhaps feeling that Tendo and the others finally had the right to know these things, Yun ng took the opportunity to explain the general situation from back then.
"I can't go into specific details because there are too many things involved. You only need to know that the situation back then was such that even the Grand President found it difficult to make a choice."
"Therefore, twenty years ago, serious internal divisions actually arose within the Association."
"One group felt we should use temporary forbearance to trade for more ti, thereby gaining a higher chance of victory. Another group felt that forbearance would only throw away our hard-won advantages and that we had to press the attack while the iron was hot."
At this point, Yun ng shrugged. "Well, the Doctor and I chose the latter."
Hearing this, Tendo beca lost in thought. He had seen scattered records of the "Twenty-Year Upheaval" in the Doctor's old files, and he understood that the complexity of the situation was far greater than the casual way Yun ng described it.
Because back then, the situation had dragged in the Star Envoy Association as well as the Four Great Families of the New Federation. Although Yun ng already possessed impressive strength at the ti, in the midst of that calamity-level upheaval, her status as one of the "Seven Heroes" couldn't really make much of a splash.
As if knowing what Tendo was thinking, Yun ng smiled and said: "Little Tendo, don't think I don't know what's on your mind. It's true; although I made a choice back then, with my ager strength and authority, I had absolutely no influence on the big picture. I was even imprisoned in the Confinent Tower by the Association."
"The Confinent Tower? Isn't that where the Association holds major criminals and stores secrets? Its defenses are said to be impregnable. How did you get out?" Jing Liuli cried out in surprise. She had seen it ntioned in the Association's historical archives.
The outer layer of the tower had three Calamity-level Star Power barriers, and the inner layer was guarded by dozens of top-tier Star Envoys.
Yun ng shrugged. "How else? Soone rescued ."
Jing Liuli's eyes sparkled. Without a doubt, the one who rescued Yun ng must have been the Doctor. At this thought, Jing Liuli's grip on Mo Ying tightened. In her mind, the Doctor's image instantly grew even more legendary.
"After that, the Doctor took and left the Headquarters. A faction within the Association imdiately announced I was struck from the records and even issued a massive bounty, hunting us for a full six months."
Yun ng's tone returned to its usual flatness, as if those days of displacent were not worth ntioning. "It was during that flight that the 'Dream in the Clouds' Star Source fully awakened. I was able to establish a deeper contract link with Star Beasts, sharing attributes and perceptions. That was how the Kingdom Above the Clouds ca to be."
As she spoke, Yun ng waved her hand, and the light portal to the Kingdom Above the Clouds erged once more. Behind the gate, the silhouettes of even more Star Beasts were faintly visible.
"So that's how the Kingdom Above the Clouds ca about! The Instructor is so gentle."
"Giving up a future in the Association to protect Star Beasts with the Doctor... that is what a true powerhouse looks like."
"No wonder the Instructor treats Star Beasts so well. To think she had such a past; my heart aches for her."
Jing Liuli held Mo Ying and gently patted its head. She suddenly understood why Yun ng was always exceptionally tender toward Star Beasts and why she was so resistant to certain Association practices. Sensing her emotions, Mo Ying rubbed its head against her chin and let out a submissive whimper.
"So, how did the upheaval end back then?" Caroline followed up curiously. She had consulted countless files but knew nothing about the conclusion of that conflict, as if the traces had been deliberately erased.
Yun ng's gaze turned a few degrees colder. "It didn't truly end; it was only suppressed temporarily."
Sensing danger, Little Jin let out a low growl. Its body grew large once more as it stood in front of Yun ng. Mo Ying also raised its head from Jing Liuli's arms, staring warily at their surroundings. The Spirit Fox and Strear Bird also gathered, forming a small protective circle around everyone.
Seeing everyone's nervous expressions, Yun ng smiled and said: "Don't be tense. They couldn't stop us back then, and it's even more impossible now."
"After all, you don't really think that relying on Dragón alone would have been enough to let out of the Confinent Tower, do you?"
"That was because soone felt that instead of putting all the eggs in one basket, it was better to let multiple flowers bloom. Having one more choice ans having one more way out."
Though Yun ng didn't explicitly say who this person was, even soone as slow as Jing Liuli thought of the answer instantly.
It was the strongest person in the Association—Grand President Enite.
After saying this, Yun ng looked at the people and Star Beasts before her, a gentle yet determined smile hooking the corner of her mouth. She reached out; the Spirit Fox leaped onto her shoulder, the Strear Bird landed on her fingertip, and the Jellyfish Star Beast drifted around her.
Little Jin leaned docilely at her feet. The power of all the Star Beasts gathered together through the contract link, forming a brilliant do of light.
"Let's go. It's ti to head ho and take a look," Yun ng's voice carried a power that brooked no argunt. "The Doctor is still waiting for us. It's ti you all knew the full truth about so things."
In the night, the figures of the group and the beasts gradually receded. The light portal to the Kingdom Above the Clouds slowly closed, leaving behind only the gentle starlight on the ground. A grudge spanning twenty years was about to officially begin its final act at the Ember Base.
The group boarded the aircraft bound for the Ember Base. No sooner had they sat down than the Star Beasts broke the heavy atmosphere with their cute antics.
Little Jin transford into a small magic dragon about the size of a husky. It insisted on squeezing in next to Jing Liuli, its golden beast eyes staring straight at the trophy in her arms, curious about what this shiny object was. It tentatively touched the cup with its nose, jerked its head back in surprise at the cold sensation, and then stubbornly rubbed against Jing Liuli's arm like a puppy begging for a toy.
"Hahaha, Little Jin thinks the trophy is a toy! The curiosity of a Calamity-level Star Beast is so cute."
"Just a mont ago it was a vigilant guardian, now it's a curious baby."
Jing Liuli laughed and held the trophy out to it. "This is a charity trophy, not a toy."
Little Jin seed to half-understand. It lightly licked the rim of the cup, and seeing it had no taste, it let its head hang in disappointnt. It then turned its attention to a candy wrapper peeking out of Jing Liuli's pocket. Compared to a shiny cup, sweets were much more attractive.
Mo Ying, curled up on Jing Liuli's lap, had already spotted that bag of candy. Taking advantage of the mont Little Jin poked its head forward, it swiftly snatched the bag with its beak and retreated into Jing Liuli's arms. It even blocked the bag with its tail, as if declaring its sovereignty.
Seeing this, Little Jin let out a low howl and leaned over, wanting to get one from its mouth. Mo Ying refused to let go, biting the bag firmly. The two little beasts pulled the bag back and forth; they didn't dare use force for fear of breaking the bag, yet neither would back down. It was a hilarious sight.
"Mo Ying is such a food hoarder! Truly a foodie beast."
"Two cuties fighting over candy; Liuli, do sothing!"
Yun ng leaned against the window and flicked her finger. A wisp of Star Power lifted the candy bag and precisely divided it into two portions. One landed by Little Jin's mouth, and the other was handed to Mo Ying. "Eat peacefully. Don't break Liuli's things."
Mo Ying imdiately took its share of the candy and curled back into its corner to nibble obediently, not forgetting to glare at Little Jin as if to say, "This is mine." Little Jin swallowed the candy chunks in big gulps, then nudged Yun ng's hand with its head to act spoiled. It was incredibly well-behaved.
On the other side, the Spirit Fox leaped onto Caroline's shoulder, using its fluffy tail to sweep across the route map on her tablet, as if checking if the path was safe.
Caroline smiled and rubbed its head. "Don't worry, the route avoids all dangerous areas."
The Spirit Fox seed to understand. It gave a low cry at the tablet and then leaped to the top of the aircraft, crouching by the vent to keep a vigilant watch out the window. It managed both guard duty and observing the outside world—very clever indeed.
The Strear Bird circled around the aircraft's lamps, its wings reflecting tiny shards of light. Occasionally, it landed on Tendo's shoulder and lightly pecked his collar with its beak, as if reminding him to keep an eye on the other Star Beasts. Tendo helplessly raised his hand, condensing a weak vector force field to hold the bird in his palm.
Just as Tendo was about to tell it to behave, the bird suddenly flapped its wings and flew toward the rear of the aircraft, chirping incessantly at the storage hold.
"What did the bird find? Is there an anomaly?"
Caroline imdiately pulled up the storage hold monitor, but the hold was empty except for a few empty boxes. Just as everyone was confused, Mo Ying ran to the storage hold door with a candy in its mouth, chirping at a corner.
It turned out that while no one was paying attention, it had moved an entire box of mango gummies that Jing Liuli had hidden to the corner of the hold, trying to cover it with empty boxes. It thought it had hidden them well, but the keen sense of sll of the Strear Bird had found it.
"Well now, so you were hiding secret stock here!"
Just as Jing Liuli was about to grab the candy box, Yun ng beat her to it, lifting the box with Star Power and speaking in a teasing tone.
"No wonder you were so eager to grab the candy just now; you had a stash hidden. Liuli, eat fewer sweets. You're a big star; you need to maintain your figure."
Jing Liuli's face instantly fell. She grabbed Yun ng's arm to plead: "Just two pieces! Mo Ying and Little Jin want so too!"
Mo Ying and Little Jin imdiately huddled closer, rubbing against Yun ng's ankles. Their golden and black pupils were full of entreaty. The Spirit Fox also jumped down from the top, sweeping its tail across the back of Yun ng's hand as if to back them up. The Strear Bird landed on the candy box and pecked it lightly, as if saying, "I want a taste too."
"Hahaha, the whole squad is pleading! Instructor Yun ng can't hold out against this."
"The Star Beasts are too smart! They know how to team up to ask for snacks."
Looking at the one person and four beasts surrounding her, Yun ng shook her head helplessly. She opened the box and gave each of them two pieces. "Only two. Eat the rest when we get to the base."
Jing Liuli's face lit up imdiately. She took the candy and gave one to Mo Ying. Little Jin took the candy and chewed it carefully, afraid of crushing it too quickly. The Spirit Fox elegantly pressed the candy down with its paw and licked it slowly; the Strear Bird held the candy in its beak and perched by the lamp, enjoying the view while it ate. Each had its own way of eating.
As the aircraft passed through the clouds, a few fragnts of stardust suddenly flitted by outside. The Spirit Fox instantly bristled its fur and barked at the window. Little Jin also stood up imdiately, blocking the front of the group as a faint fla Star Power surged around it. Mo Ying and the Strear Bird also gathered, looking ready for battle.
But after waiting a mont, they realized it was just ordinary stardust and there was no danger. Little Jin sat back down in disappointnt, licking its paw as if embarrassed by its overreaction.
"The Spirit Fox's vigilance is so high! Truly a reliable sentry."
"Little Jin is too cute! Tense for ages only to realize it was a false alarm."
Caroline smiled and comforted the fox: "It's fine, just stardust." The Spirit Fox rubbed its head against her palm before jumping back to the top to continue its watch. Mo Ying, holding an unfinished candy, moved closer to Little Jin and offered the candy to its mouth as if to comfort it. Little Jin froze for a mont then took the candy. The two little beasts leaned against each other, quietly munching on their sweets. The atmosphere was warm and healing.
Looking at the harmonious scene of humans and Star Beasts, Yun ng's eyes were full of tenderness. She knew that this grudge spanning twenty years was destined to be difficult, but with these cute and clever Star Beast partners who shared their hearts, they could shoulder any crisis together.
The aircraft sped toward the Ember Base. The warmth and charm inside the cabin beca their most solid foundation against the unknown dangers ahead.
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