Honkai Star Rail: I Played the Villain, Now the Heroines Want Revenge — Chapter 220

Chapter 220: The Immortal Boat Alliance, In Name Only

“What?!”

Huaiyan’s reaction was honed by centuries of warfare. He didn’t question, he moved. His aged body flickered with the last vestiges of his Candlevine power, dodging the fatal blow by a hair’s breadth. The strike, aimed at his heart, tore through his opulent robes.

He stumbled back, his eyes wide not with fear, but with utter disbelief, his gaze fixed on the attacker.

“…Jiang Xuan, what are you doing?!”

The old general looked at you in surprise, his voice a low growl of confusion and betrayal. “I brought you here in good faith!”

You didn’t answer. You simply reset your stance, your blade humming softly, and advanced again. Your silence was more terrifying than any war cry.

At the same time, the figure of “Fu Xuan” rippled. The Master Diviner’s small, stern form dissolved like water, replaced by the towering, terrifying, and beautiful grace of Phantylia.

She tore off the illusion as if it were a suffocating mask, her true, mocking voice echoing in the grand negotiation chamber. “Old man, die!”

[Inorin’s Note: Phantylia is an Emanator of Destruction, a being gifted with immense power by Nanook, the Aeon of Destruction. She is a primary antagonist who infiltrated the Xianzhou Luofu.]

“?!”

Huaiyan was greatly alarmed. This wasn’t the Luofu’s diviner; this was a monster, an Emanator! The aura of pure Destruction washing over him was unmistakable.

He wanted to counterattack, to bring his flaming power to bear, but he was attacked from both front and back. Your blade, guided by your Mystic Eyes, was already moving, severing the lines of power in his arms before he could even form a proper strike.

“Damn it…”

The old general roared, not in fury, but in desperation. He fought and retreated as his personal guards, loyal to the last, burst into the room, alerted by the commotion.

“Protect the General!”

They stepped forward to block, but they were no match. They were easily, almost casually, killed by you and Phantylia. Phantylia’s movements were pure, chaotic force, tendrils of destructive energy impaling three guards at once. You were the opposite: a shadow of precise, economical movements. Your blade flashed once, twice, and two more guards fell, their throats cut on the ‘death lines’ you perceived.

[Inorin’s Note: The “Mystic Eyes” are a special ability allowing the user to perceive the ‘death lines’ or ‘lines of fate’ on objects and people. Cutting these lines causes irreversible destruction.]

“Bastard!”

Finally cornered, Huaiyan roared, and his body burst into superheated flames. As Zhuming’s Candlevine General, his strength was not to be underestimated.

Even though he was old and his combat power was no longer at its peak, a starved camel was still bigger than a horse. His millennia of experience were still dangerous.

The flames transformed into a giant, roaring dragon, coiling around him defensively before lashing out. The sheer heat warped the air, forcing you to temporarily avoid its edge, the air cracking with its power.

“Still got some moves, huh?” Phantylia chuckled, her voice dripping with condescension. She raised a hand, and a wave of destructive energy met the flame dragon, causing a deafening explosion that shook the hall to its foundations. “A fittingly flashy final display for a dying relic.”

Next, it was an earth-shattering, yet tragically one-sided, battle.

Huaiyan was indeed a seasoned veteran. His moves were cunning, his experience rich. He anticipated Phantylia’s brutal, wide attacks, using the debris of the hall as cover, his flame dragon striking like a serpent.

But time spares no one.

His speed, once able to outpace Mara-Struck, could no longer keep up with his youth. His stamina, which could fuel a battle for days, was now draining with every passing second.

And his opponents were a nightmare. Phantylia, as a newly ascended Destruction Emanator, was at the absolute peak of her power, her energy endless and her attacks overwhelming.

Worse still, there was you. You didn’t need to match his power. Your Mystic Eyes saw everything. You didn’t just see Huaiyan; you saw the lines of his death. You saw his feints, his desperate gambits, every path he could have taken to survive.

You simply moved to where he would be. Your blade severed the ‘lines’ on his flaming attacks, causing them to dissipate harmlessly. You were his executioner, simply waiting for the opening Phantylia would inevitably create.

Soon, Huaiyan fell into a disadvantage. His movements became sluggish, his breaths ragged and desperate. He saw a momentary opening, a chance to blast through a collapsing wall—

Pfft!

He didn’t even see Phantylia move. Her palm, glowing with the dark energy of Destruction, pierced through Huaiyan’s chest from the front, shattering his sternum and vaporizing his heart.

“You, why…”

Huaiyan’s eyes widened, blood gushing from his mouth as he looked down at the hand protruding from his chest.

“For destruction,” Phantylia smiled, twisting her hand for good measure before pulling it free. “And for revenge. A lovely, chaotic revenge.”

She looked at you, who was now standing calmly behind the old general. “Well done, my little accomplice. Your eyes are truly a gift.”

Huaiyan’s fading gaze fell on you, his eyes filled not with shock, but with a deep, burning anger and a profound sense of betrayal.

“Jiang Xuan… I trusted you… I saw you as the future… why?”

You looked at him, your gaze as cold and empty as the void.

“If you want to blame someone, blame your gods.”

You sheathed your blade, the sound echoing in the sudden silence. “It was he who destroyed everything. It was his ‘hunt’ that lit the fire. We are merely fanning the flames.”

Huaiyan wanted to say something, to curse the Reignbow, to curse you… but his life was already fading.

Zhuming’s Candlevine General thus fell, not on a battlefield against monsters, but in a dark room, betrayed.

The news, “leaked” by Phantylia’s own agents posing as fleeing survivors, spread like wildfire: General Huaiyan was assassinated by the Luofu General during peaceful negotiations!

Zhuming instantly exploded. The entire Celestial Ark, a world of artisans and warriors, was consumed by a tidal wave of rage.

“Luofu is despicable and shameless! They talk of peace while hiding a dagger!”

“Treachery! We must avenge the General! To arms!”

But they had no time for grief and indignation. They had no time to even mourn their leader or organize a new command.

Because the moment the news broke, Luofu’s army, which had been pre-positioned on the border, launched a full-scale attack. The well-prepared fleet, bristling with weapons, descended upon a leaderless and shocked Zhuming.

Star-skiffs streamed from Luofu’s docks, overwhelming Zhuming’s unprepared defenses.

Just as the two Xianzhou flagships clashed in earnest, a third fleet, battered and desperate, warped into the fray from a chaotic jump point.

“Kill!”

The ambush of the Yuque Celestial Ark had finally arrived!

They had originally planned to launch a desperate sneak attack on both sides during the negotiations, hoping to cripple the two giants while they were distracted. They never expected Luofu to strike first with such brutal finality.

“The fisherman profits!” the Yuque commander roared, his eyes gleaming with mad opportunism. “They are engaged! Attack! Strike the Luofu flank! Seize Zhuming’s supplies!”

The three parties once again engaged in a chaotic, three-way battle in the void between worlds. Star-skiffs from all three arks clashed, lasers and missiles painting the darkness.

But this time, Luofu held all the advantages.

Phantylia’s plan had been meticulous. Not only were Luofu’s Cloud Knights well-prepared and filled with righteous fury (believing Zhuming had betrayed them first), but you had also, during your “diplomatic” mission, seized a key part of Zhuming’s armory.

Those latest, devastating star-destroying cannons and newly developed anti-matter bombs, designed by Zhuming’s own artisans, were now mounted on Luofu star-skiffs.

A Yuque cruiser lined up a bombing run, only to be vaporized by a beam of white-hot energy… fired from a Luofu destroyer. It was Zhuming’s own experimental cannon, turned against its neighbors.

“Retreat! Quick, retreat! It’s a trap!”

The Yuque army, already weakened from previous engagements, was routed. Their fleet disintegrated under their own stolen technology.

And Zhuming, after losing its general and facing a prepared, superior enemy, completely collapsed. Their morale shattered. Their command structure was in chaos.

In less than three days, the entire Zhuming Celestial Ark was occupied by Luofu.

Luofu, having swallowed its powerful neighbor whole, instantly became the most powerful and feared force in the Xianzhou civil war.

Several days later, you arrived on the Fanghu. You moved under a new identity—a simple merchant displaced by the war, seeking refuge on the last neutral Celestial Ark.

The Fanghu was beautiful, a world of serene waters and ancient, sculpted landscapes, a stark contrast to the forge-world of Zhuming. This time, your target was the leader of the Vidyadhara, the Dragon Lord Xuanquan.

[Inorin’s Note: The Vidyadhara are a long-lived, draconic species residing on the Xianzhou. Their leader holds the title of Dragon Lord, or High Elder. Xuanquan is the current High Elder of the Fanghu.]

Although the Vidyadhara race was powerful, ancient, and wise, they had a fatal weakness you intended to exploit: internal power struggles.

In the Dragon Master Council, there were always those who chafed under Xuanquan’s leadership. These radicals were deeply dissatisfied with her loyal submission to the Xianzhou Alliance, believing the Vidyadhara should be independent, beholden to no one.

You found them easily. You moved through the tea houses and quiet pavilions, a whisper in the shadows, fanning the flames of their discontent.

“Fellow Dragon Masters,” you said, meeting three of the most ambitious elders in a secluded grotto. “You speak of pride, of returning the Vidyadhara to their former glory. But these are just words, spoken in whispers while Xuanquan bows to the corpse of the Alliance.”

“Watch your tongue, outsider,” one elder hissed. “Xuanquan is strong. And the Alliance, even weakened, still has Lan’s protection.”

You let out a soft, mocking laugh. “Lan? The Reignbow? Where was he when Yaoguang fell? Where was he when Jing Yuan was betrayed? Where was he when Huaiyan was assassinated by his own allies?”

You leaned forward, your voice dropping. “The Xianzhou Alliance is already falling apart. It cannot protect itself, let alone offer Xuanquan support. She is isolated.”

“Now,” you said, your voice full of persuasive power, “is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This is the best time for your immortal race to regain power and break free from the shackles of the Xianzhou!”

The Dragon Masters looked at each other, greed and ambition warring with their fear.

“But… Xuanquan’s strength… She is the High Elder. We cannot defeat her alone.”

You sneered. “No matter how strong she is, she’s just one person. And she cannot fight a war on two fronts.”

You placed a heavy, ornate container on the table. “I’ve already prepared everything for you.”

You opened it. Inside, pulsating with a sickening, mesmerizing golden light, was the Stellaron. This was the same one Phantylia had brought to the Luofu, the one Feixiao had sealed, and the one she had ultimately handed over to you.

[Inorin’s Note: A Stellaron, known as the “Cancer of All Worlds,” is a mysterious object that appears on planets and causes massive disasters by warping reality.]

“This… is a Stellaron!” one elder gasped, recoiling.

“It is your helper,” you corrected him. “When the time is right, unleash it in the central square. It will create… a distraction. A chaos that even Xuanquan cannot ignore. And in that chaos, you will strike.”

A few days later, Fanghu’s Dragon Master Council held an emergency meeting.

Xuanquan still sat majestically in the main seat, her presence filling the hall.

But she didn’t notice the changed eyes of the radical Dragon Masters below her. She didn’t see the container hidden beneath their robes.

“Everyone, regarding whether to participate in the civil war…”

Xuanquan had just opened her mouth when suddenly—

Boom!

The entire council hall shook violently! An unearthly, golden light erupted from the city center, and a wave of pure chaos washed over the ark.

“What’s going on?!”

“This is bad!” A Cloud Knight, his face pale with terror, burst into the hall. “Stellaron! Stellaron contamination has appeared in Fanghu! The downtown area is… it’s warping!”

Xuanquan’s expression changed instantly. This was the worst possible scenario. She immediately got up, preparing to fly to the city center and suppress the disaster.

Just as she turned—

“Xuanquan!”

Several Dragon Masters, the very radicals you had met, suddenly attacked! Spears of water and bolts of lightning struck her from behind!

“You’ve ruled Fanghu for too long!”

“It’s time to step down! For the future of the Vidyadhara!”

Internal strife erupted in Fanghu at its most vulnerable moment!

Although Xuanquan was strong, she was caught between the rampaging Stellaron contamination outside and the treacherous attack from within. She fought back, her power as the Dragon Lord evident, but she was attacked from both front and back.

And just at Fanghu’s most chaotic moment, as the ark’s own defenses turned on each other… Luofu’s fleet arrived.

The Luofu army, fresh from their victory and annexation of Zhuming, was well-equipped and brimming with morale. They poured into the undefended Fanghu.

Fanghu, beset by internal and external troubles, was simply unable to resist.

Xuanquan, fighting both her own people and the Stellaron’s monsters, finally exhausted herself and was captured, bound in chains forged by her own subjects.

Those treacherous Dragon Masters thought they could seize power, that they could negotiate with the “new” Luofu. They approached Phantylia, who had arrived with the main fleet, ready to claim their reward.

Phantylia simply smiled at them. “You have served your purpose.”

And her power washed over them, leaving only dust.

Fanghu, fallen.

Thus, four of the previous Seven Arbiter-Generals of the Alliance were gone.

Jing Yuan of the Luofu was dead.

Yaoguang of the Yuque was killed by her own people.

Huaiyan of the Zhuming had fallen in a treacherous ambush.

Xuanquan of the Fanghu was captured.

Only General Feixiao of the Yaoqing was still fighting a losing battle, while the Dust-Sealed General of the Xuling and the Marshal of the Alliance, Hua, were nowhere to be found.

The Xianzhou Alliance, the glorious armada that had sailed the stars for millennia under the banner of The Hunt, existed in name only.

…

Xianzhou “Yuque.”

Ruins were everywhere. The once-prosperous ark, which had been the first to fall to civil strife, was now a hollow shell. Wails echoed endlessly through the crumbling walls of its great cities. The air smelled of ozone and dust.

An old woman knelt before a pile of rubble that was once her home, weeping bitterly.

“Why… why did it turn out like this…”

Not far away, a few remaining Cloud Knights, their armor dented and stained, were clearing the battlefield. They moved like automatons, their faces expressionless, their eyes numb.

“Where is the Reignbow?” a young Cloud Knight suddenly spoke, his voice cracking.

[Inorin’s Note: “Reignbow” is a title for Lan, the Aeon of The Hunt, who is worshipped as the primary deity of the Xianzhou Alliance.]

“Why doesn’t he care about us?”

“Shut up, don’t say such things!” The captain reprimanded, but his own voice was shaky, choked with dust and doubt.

Yes, where was the Reignbow?

The Aeon they had believed in for thousands of years was nowhere to be seen when they needed him most. The generals, his most fervent followers, killed each other. Their compatriots’ blood flowed like rivers.

And that high and mighty god, their protector… just watched coldly from the void.

“To hell with the Reignbow!”

Finally, someone erupted.

An old Cloud Knight, his face streaked with tears and soot, tore the medal of The Hunt from his chest. He threw it heavily on the ground, shattering it.

“I don’t believe anymore!”

“What’s the use of believing in him? Has he ever saved us? Has he ever stopped this madness?”

“My brothers are all dead! My children are dead! Died by our own people’s hands!”

More and more people began to agree.

They tore up their beliefs and smashed the idols.

The once sacred Reignbow was now an object of their scorn.