Honkai Star Rail: My Chat Group is Full of Broken Timelines — Chapter 22

Chapter 22: A Star-Slave to Three Masters

Who was Yanqing?

He was the youngest lieutenant in the history of the Cloud Knights, a prodigy who had slain the Borisin weapon-beast ‘Fangfeng’with a single strike on his very first foray onto the battlefield. He had marched alongside Jing Yuan to exterminate three Borisin’Nestfathers’, clashed fiercely with the Wingweavers, and sent the sky-blotting Nayun Ship plunging into the abyss.

It was staggering to think that Yanqing had accomplished all this before he was even considered a youth. In the game’s main storyline, he was at most fifteen years old—a mere child by the long-lived standards of a Xianzhou native.

Even Yunli, who was often compared to Yanqing in the game, had not yet reached the age of adulthood for a Xianzhou native, though her actual age was likely far greater than Kazuki’s.

Unlike Kazuki, a counterfeit prodigy coasting on future knowledge, Yanqing was the genuine article. He might be a running gag in the plot, constantly getting defeated, but his strength was more than enough to overwhelm ninety-nine percent of the Xianzhou’s population. His only misfortune was a recurring habit of provoking the one percent who could effortlessly put him in his place.

And this Yanqing, the one before him now, though not yet a lieutenant and only recently accepted as Jing Yuan’s disciple, was already a talent with a boundless future.

And he, a half-baked transmigrator, was supposed to fight him?

The idea was so absurd it was almost laughable—if it weren’t so terrifying.

A bead of cold sweat traced a path down Kazuki’s temple. He looked at Jing Yuan’s dead-serious expression and chose his words carefully.

“Great-Uncle… you’re joking, right?”

“I am, naturally, quite serious.” Jing Yuan set down his teacup, his fingertips tapping a light, rhythmic pattern on the table. “You wish to venture out into the galaxy. While I have granted you some power for self-defense, the old saying holds true: to forge iron, one must first be strong. If you lack the fundamental strength, how can I rest easy letting you go?”

He genuinely supported Kazuki’s desire to see the wider universe. A greenhouse could never nurture a pine or cypress capable of withstanding the storm. But support did not equate to negligence. The galaxy was not the serene Luofu. The paths were teeming with deviants, and to venture out without the ability to protect oneself was to serve oneself up as a meal.

“Though Yanqing is only eight years old, his skill has already surpassed more than half of the Cloud Knights on the Luofu,” Jing Yuan stated slowly, his gaze unwavering. “His current strength could be considered the bare minimum for a powerhouse in the galaxy. If you can defeat him, it will prove you have the foundation to travel alone. If not…”

The unspoken conclusion hung heavy in the air, its meaning perfectly clear:…then you will remain obediently on the Luofu until you have honed some real skill.

Kazuki nodded, a sense of helplessness washing over him. He couldn’t deny the logic. With his current abilities, venturing out would be a gross overestimation of his own capabilities. Jing Yuan’s concern was entirely justified.

“Since you’ve agreed, I’ll summon Yanqing now. Shall the two of you use the martial arts arena in the backyard to spar?” Jing Yuan rose as he spoke.

Kazuki stood as well, sighing internally. It seemed the day he finally left the Luofu would have to be postponed yet again.

He subconsciously opened the chat group, silently sending an apology to ‘Emperor the Third’, who was still languishing on his mute list.

‘Well,’he thought,’the plan to rescue Ms. Herta is on hold. Again.’He scrolled through the recent chat history. Firefly hadn’t been online, likely preoccupied with combat missions.’Fanfic Author’—Castorice—had shared a picture of a Chimera doll she had just finished sewing. She even mentioned wanting to make a custom Chimera doll for every member of the group.

Robin had praised Castorice’s impressive skill, which seemed to make the latter a bit embarrassed.

Kazuki decided to chime in, taking the opportunity to address the author herself.

[Cliffhanger King: The Chimera doll Butterfly Baby made is absolutely adorable. I’m looking forward to seeing the ones you make for the rest of us.]

With that sent, he also tagged the muted Herta.

[Cliffhanger King: @Emperor the Third, my apologies, Ms. Herta. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, I can’t go find the version of you in my world just yet. My plan might be delayed, so please hang in there for a little while longer.]

Just then, Robin sent a new message.

[Pure Beauty Knight: Unforeseen circumstances? Is there anything we can do to help?]

The little songbird, despite her mischievous streak, was genuinely kind-hearted. Hearing that Kazuki was in trouble, she was immediately ready to offer her support.

[Cliffhanger King: It’s nothing too serious, really. My Great-Uncle is just worried it’s unsafe for me to travel, so he’s decided to give me some ‘special training’. I’ll probably be able to leave once the chicken pecks up all the rice, the dog licks up all the flour, and the fire burns through the iron lock!]

Kazuki punctuated the message with a crying emoji.

[Pure Beauty Knight: Oh… my condolences? No, I mean, good luck! May you grow stronger soon!]

[Fanfic Author: Lord Kazuki, I’ve uploaded an ability. I hope it can be of some help to you.]

[‘Fanfic Author’has uploaded’Golden Kin Constitution’]

[Cliffhanger King: You can do that?! Butterfly Baby, does uploading this have any negative effect on you?]

Kazuki felt a flash of indignation. Whether it was becoming the Group Owner or being the first to use its functions, he was clearly the one who came first!

[Fanfic Author: Butter… Butterfly Baby? Um, Lord Kazuki, I don’t feel any discomfort at the moment.]

At that very moment in Okhema, the light in the attic remained dim. Castorice stared at the nickname that had slipped out on the screen, her pointed ears quietly flushing a deep crimson.

That name… only Amphoreus had ever called her that. Was Lord Kazuki… as unguardedly familiar as Amphoreus had been?

Kazuki hadn’t even noticed his subconscious slip-up when he sent the message. It was only after seeing Castorice’s reply that he realized what his fingers had typed on autopilot.

He was just about to type out an explanation when another name popped up in the chat.

[Titania II: Butterfly Baby?]

Firefly’s sudden appearance was like pouring oil on the fire. Fortunately, the abrupt silence that fell over the group seemed to spook her, and she immediately went back to lurking.

Kazuki let out a long, slow breath of relief and decided to play dead for the time being. He clicked on the ‘Golden Kin Constitution’ file, his expression growing more and more complex as he read.

Setting aside the fact that the Chrysos Heir originated from a world simulated by the Emperor’s Scepter, they were a race in no way inferior to the Xianzhou natives. In terms of raw combat power, they were arguably even stronger.

After all, the origin of the Golden Blood was a tale of cosmic horror: a progenitor entity, in the midst of devouring its own kind, had drawn the gaze of Nanook. That single glance transformed the scepter that birthed the iron curtain, forging it into a Lord Ravager.

The Chrysos Heir were the most orthodox descendants of Destruction in the galaxy.

Though they had not formally stepped upon the Path of Destruction, they were, by their very nature, Pathstriders of Destruction.

The principle was identical to the Iron Cavalry being Pathstriders of The Propagation, the Xianzhou people being Pathstriders of Abundance, and the Vidyadhara being Pathstriders of Permanence.

In other words… if he were to merge with this Golden Kin Constitution, what would that make him?

A Xianzhou native, bearing the mark of the Path of Abundance; once blessed by the Reignbow Arbiter of the Hunt; and now, potentially adding the bloodline of Destruction’s Chrysos Heir…

The Abundance, the Hunt, and Destruction… Yaoshi, Lan, and Nanook…

‘A star-slave to three masters?’ he thought, a wave of dizziness washing over him.

Great. Just great. So now I’m supposed to start collecting powers like some kind of cosmic hoarder?