Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [220]

Indeed, Chen Lin stood near the dock, watching the others board the star skiff bound for the Linxuan Expanse. He, however, did not join them.

The reason lay in a single message on his phone—a message that convinced Fu Xuan to lead the group ahead while he headed elsewhere.

Jing Yuan: I’ve received Fu Xuan’s report. Brother, please take a star skiff and meet me at the Changle Sky District. I need your assistance.

Chen Lin chuckled as he put his phone away. Jing Yuan’s request didn’t disrupt his plans at all. According to the information Phantylia had shared, the Linxuan Expanse, where the Arbor was sealed, was riddled with barriers and restrictions. For humans to traverse such obstacles would require a monumental effort.

Phantylia, however, could bypass them with ease thanks to her spiritual nature.

Chen Lin also knew the Expanse’s unique design: its barriers were controlled by the Dragon Sovereigns of the Xianzhou’s past. Without the authority of a Sovereign, breaking through them was nearly impossible. Fu Xuan and the others likely didn’t even realize such a requirement existed. Charging ahead would only result in a wasted effort.

At that moment, Qingzu approached with a serious expression. "Lord Chen Lin, the star skiff you requested has been arranged and is docked at the pier. Shall I assign a pilot for you?"

"No need," Chen Lin replied, waving dismissively. "Just have Li Sushang meet me here."

"Understood."

A short while later, after finishing a battle that left her dirtied and disheveled once again, Li Sushang hurried over, panting.

"Master… did you call for me?"

"We’re taking the star skiff to Changle Sky District to pick someone up." Chen Lin pointed to the waiting barge. "And while we’re at it, I’ll introduce you to someone important. Whether I can officially take you on as my disciple depends on this person’s approval."

Though Li Sushang wasn’t well-read, she wasn’t foolish. The mention of "someone important" quickly brought a certain figure to mind. Her eyebrows twitched as she hesitantly asked, "Wait… don’t tell me it’s the General?"

Chen Lin grinned. "Well, you guessed right. Now go start up the star skiff."

"Ah… okay."

Having just witnessed her master’s overwhelming display of power in the earlier battle, Li Sushang had no desire to question his instructions. Her thoughts were now filled with, If Master says so, there must be a good reason.

Taking the permit for the star skiff, she climbed aboard.

Moments later, the barge roared to life, setting course for the Changle Sky District.

At the Changle Sky District dock, Jing Yuan leaned against a railing, his silver-gray hair sticking out in all directions from what appeared to be a nap. He occasionally scratched at his scalp, making his already messy hair even more unkempt.

If not for his position as the Xianzhou’s General, anyone seeing him like this would probably mistake him for a carefree drifter with no sense of self-presentation.

As the minutes dragged on, the faint hum of an approaching star skiff finally reached his ears. Jing Yuan opened his eyes and stretched, a smile forming on his lips as he strolled toward the pier.

As the barge docked, he waved at the young man onboard. Stepping aboard, he greeted him warmly, "The Alchemy Commission’s situation was resolved thanks to your efforts, dear brother. I had hoped to handle my current tasks alone, but I’ve miscalculated. I’ll have to trouble you once more."

"Brother, what are you saying?" Chen Lin gestured for Jing Yuan to take a seat. "The Xianzhou has treated me like family. Naturally, I see its concerns as my own. There’s no trouble at all. So… what’s the plan?"

Jing Yuan leaned back, a faint smile playing on his lips. "We’re going to meet someone. And while we’re at it, I need to drag a certain overly eager troublemaker back into line. The boy thinks he can solve every problem on his own, but with a mind that restless, he’ll never reach the title of Sword Champion."

"Yanqing, I assume?"

Jing Yuan nodded. "Exactly, my unruly disciple. He insists on proving he’s matured enough to shoulder my burdens. Yet here I am, chasing after him."

From what Chen Lin knew, there weren’t many in the Xianzhou obsessed with the title of Sword Champion—except for Jing Yuan’s apprentice, Yanqing. Unlike the average Cloud Knight, Yanqing wouldn’t settle for small victories against the cultists.

The boy likely had his sights set on taking down an opponent who could even trouble Jing Yuan himself, all to prove he was ready to stand on his own.

Still, Chen Lin didn’t see the cultists as anything more than disposable pawns in the grander schemes of figures like Phantylia.

"If he’s drawn to opponents like those," Chen Lin mused, "then he’s probably chasing after something far more dangerous—like Phantylia, the Stellaron Hunters, or even the enigmatic former Sword Champion, Jingliu."

A boy barely out of apprenticeship, daring to meddle in such matters? The sheer audacity…

"Still," Chen Lin added thoughtfully, "this might not be a bad thing for him. The sword unsheathed must not be overly sharp, lest it break. Nor should it be too dull, for then it lacks the courage to press forward. A little hardship now might temper his mind and make him stronger."

These weren’t empty words. Chen Lin had lived through similar trials himself. In his past life, he’d enjoyed the safety of a harmonious society where ambition meant improving his own life. But in this universe, he’d been forced to adapt.

Facing constant dangers, he’d learned the value of caution and preparation. It was exhausting, yes, but far better than succumbing to arrogance and meeting a premature end.

Chen Lin had spent countless hours reflecting on his weaknesses, recognizing his limits, and acknowledging his vulnerabilities. Such self-awareness was the hardest—and most valuable—lesson of all.

Yanqing, however, reminded him of a flower raised in a greenhouse. Without exposure to adversity, it would wilt the moment it faced the harshness of the outside world.

Understanding Jing Yuan’s concerns, Chen Lin said, "I see where you’re coming from, Brother. You’re worried he’ll snap under the weight of his own expectations."

"You, dear brother, are the only one who truly understands me," Jing Yuan sighed heavily. "And that both pleases and frustrates me to no end."

He looked up at the clear, blue sky, his expression softening. "I intend to use the Stellaron Hunters to blunt the boy’s edge. Perhaps this will be for the best."

"And the person we’re meeting?" Chen Lin asked.

Jing Yuan stretched lazily. "An old friend. A former Dragon Sovereign who I personally sentenced during the Ten Lords Commission trials."

Chen Lin’s brow furrowed. "The Ten Lords Commission? What did they do?"

Jing Yuan’s eyes darkened briefly with pain. "He was the mastermind behind the Moonfall Rebellion. The verdict was ‘exile beyond the Xianzhou’s jurisdiction, never to set foot on its lands again.’ I’ve heard rumors he’s returned. Without his authority as a Sovereign, accessing the Arbor’s seal in the Linxuan Expanse would be nearly impossible."

Chen Lin recalled the sparse records he’d read about the Moonfall Rebellion, noting how the event had been described in remarkably concise terms. And if Xianzhou historians shared one thing in common with Earth’s ancient scribes, it was that fewer words often meant greater gravity.

"Are you going to fight him, Brother?"

"No," Jing Yuan replied, shaking his head. "He won’t raise a hand against me, nor will I against him. This is just a conversation between old acquaintances."

"Then… what am I here for?" Chen Lin asked, puzzled. "Am I just a bystander to your reunion?"

Jing Yuan smiled cryptically. "Brother, your presence alone is enough to ensure this matter resolves favorably."

Chen Lin blinked, baffled. Since when did I have that much influence?

“Hahaha! It seems you truly don’t know yet, brother. No matter, when the time comes, you will understand.”

Jing Yuan laughed heartily, lounging lazily in his seat. “I heard from Fu Xuan that you’ve taken a disciple from the Cloud Knights?”

At this remark, Li Sushang, who had been standing at the control console of the star skiff, froze. Her head turned toward them, unsure if she should speak without her master’s signal.

“You’re not upset about me poaching someone, are you, brother?” Chen Lin asked with a smirk.

“Of course not,” Jing Yuan replied with a smile. “If a talent from the Cloud Knights has caught your eye, doesn’t that simply prove the bond between the Xianzhou and your empire? Psionics are mysterious and unpredictable, reliant more on innate gifts than effort. If someone from the Xianzhou aligns with such a path, you have my blessing to teach them. I won’t cling tightly to a few people, unwilling to let them go.”

As he spoke, Jing Yuan’s gaze drifted toward the young woman at the front of the star skiff. “I assume this must be the girl in question?”

“Sushang, introduce yourself to my brother,” Chen Lin said with a slight nod in her direction.

Li Sushang immediately straightened her posture, her voice slightly nervous as she stammered, “G-General! I’m Li Sushang, recently transferred from Yaoqing. I haven’t been in the ranks for long. Y-you can just call me Sushang!”

“I’ve read your file,” Jing Yuan said warmly. “Born into a military family, a commendable lineage. I’ve also heard you’re known for your helpful and upright character—a promising trait. If you continue to refine your martial skills, you’ll go far. But let me give you some advice, young lady. The techniques your master practices differ greatly from the Xianzhou’s traditions. Once you’ve made your decision, don’t waver. Commit fully to the path.”

“Yes, General!” Sushang shouted, her voice tinged with nervous energy. “I won’t disgrace the Xianzhou!”

“No need to call me General. As my brother’s disciple, you can call me Shibo [Martial Uncle],” Jing Yuan said, waving off her formality. He ignored the way Sushang frantically shook her head in disbelief and turned to Chen Lin. “Brother, what plans do you have for this girl?”

“For now, I’ll have her continue training with the Cloud Knights. When the time is right, I’ll take her out to broaden her horizons.”

“An excellent plan,” Jing Yuan said with a laugh. “For a moment, I feared you might demand she renounce her Xianzhou citizenship to join your empire.”

“I wouldn’t go that far…” Chen Lin chuckled.

The two brothers continued their discussion, transitioning from idle chatter to matters of state. Occasionally, Sushang would glance back at her master and—her newly designated Shibo.

She had seen Jing Yuan from afar a few times before. When she first joined the Cloud Knights, she had expected the General’s speeches to be grandiose and authoritative. Instead, he had simply introduced himself and dismissed the new recruits in a few short sentences.

At the time, she had thought the General seemed oddly unreliable.

But now, overhearing his conversation with her master, she realized he was far more thoughtful than she had given him credit for. He was simply… a little too laid-back.

“G-General—uh, I mean, Shibo, where should we go next?” Sushang asked hesitantly as she guided the star skiff to another stop.

About ten minutes earlier, they had passed several squads of Cloud Knights heading toward the Linxuan Expanse. This area was so remote that even seasoned soldiers who had served for centuries rarely ventured here, let alone a newcomer like her.

Jing Yuan glanced up, pointing northwest. “See that dock over there? Where the two civilian star skiffs are moored—that’s our destination.”

“Why would there be civilian barges at the Linxuan Expanse?” Chen Lin asked, his brow furrowing. “Are they your old friend’s transport?”

From the moment he’d learned Jing Yuan’s destination was the Linxuan Expanse, Chen Lin had known they weren’t heading to the same place as the Cloud Knights. Instead, Jing Yuan’s route veered toward a completely separate dock.

“If my guess is correct, yes,” Jing Yuan replied. “I wasn’t entirely certain until I saw those barges. Now it seems clear—Yanqing and our mutual acquaintance must already be there. Brother, I’ll need you to go in first.”

Leaning back against the side of the barge, Jing Yuan smiled slyly. “If I were to show up, it would defeat the purpose. There would be no lesson in it for him.”

“And what exactly do you want me to do?” Chen Lin asked, puzzled. “Protect Yanqing? You could handle that yourself. Don’t tell me you’re just trying to slack off…”

His expression clearly conveyed his suspicion: Don’t you dare make me your errand boy.

“No.”

Jing Yuan shook his head, his grin turning mischievous. “I want you to show my headstrong apprentice just how dangerous the outside world really is. Make him understand that with his current half-baked skills, he’s still leagues away from being ready. He’ll need another few decades of hard training at the Divine Strategy Mansion.”

“So I’m allowed to… use force if necessary?”

“By all means. Just don’t kill him,” Jing Yuan said with a shrug. “A little pain is nothing for someone from the Xianzhou. It might even do him some good.”

After a pause, Jing Yuan added, “By the way, you were curious earlier about why I said your presence alone would be enough to help with my old friend. The answer lies within what’s to come. I must apologize in advance. Once you learn everything, if you can still forgive me for being such an unworthy elder brother… that would mean a great deal to me.”

---

This is a fan translation of 在星穹铁道点群星科技树真的没问题吗? by 杏雨诗韵 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!