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After Fu Xuan's words, another stillness descended upon them.
Observing Fu Xuan's expression, Qingque hesitated briefly before carefully asking, "Um, Grand Diviner, did something unexpected happen afterward?"
Fu Xuan seemed at a loss to continue. "...I'm sorry, Qingque, let's leave it here for today."
As she recounted these memories, Fu Xuan relived those festival moments twice—times when she and her master had shared their happiest days together.
It was akin to narrating stories from the peak of affection levels just now.
To have Fu Xuan continue with events following tonight...
The stark contrast was too great; emotionally, Fu Xuan genuinely could not bear to proceed further.
Feeling dispirited and without much inclination to converse, Fu Xuan left ahead of time.
She left behind Qingque, who remained rooted in place, savoring the tale she had just heard.
Earlier, Fu Xuan had selectively shared her experiences.
For instance, during the Lantern Festival tale, she mentioned encountering a group of wealthy young ladies but omitted how, when they teased her, even her master joined in by complimenting her cuteness.
Similarly, while briefly discussing Qixi, she only touched upon comparing hand sizes with her master, completely leaving out the subtle intertwining of their fingers and her subsequent playful pleading for forgiveness.
[Qingque: Why do I keep getting the abridged version?!?]
[Qingque: And missing such crucial moments again!]
[Seele: Yay, this just highlights the benefits of watching simulations! You get to see so much interesting content!]
[Bronya: Indeed.]
[Silver Wolf: "Interesting content"? "Indeed"?]
[Silver Wolf: Those who haven't watched their own simulations won't understand the shame of seeing their dark past!]
[Firefly: Exactly!]
[Kafka and others, having already experienced their simulations, expressed strong agreement.]
[Fu Xuan (also sending a comment): Rarely do I agree with the Stellaron Hunters...]
[Silver Wolf: So, nobody in this live stream is getting away! Those who've witnessed our dark pasts must pay us back!]
[Silver Wolf: @Seele, @Bronya, you two included!]
[Seele: ???, huh?]
[Bronya (somewhat panicked): N-no... surely not? We're just supposed to be viewers, right? There shouldn't be any past or simulations for us to see.]
[Stelle: ?? But they were laughing just now.]
[March 7th: Ha ha ha ha! That's one swift boomerang!]
[Silver Wolf: @Stelle, @March 7th, neither of you can escape either!]
[Stelle, March 7th: ???]
[Ruan Mei: Speaking of which, I do have some interest in observing the star nucleus essence's simulation.]
[Silver Wolf: @Ruan Mei, @Herta, even the Genius Society members?!]
[Ruan Mei: ?]
[Herta: ?]
[Firefly: ?? Haha, dying from laughter—Silver Wolf says: "I'm going all out now! Unleashing 360-degree indiscriminate fire, taking down anyone in sight with every 'BIU'!"]
[Herta: Tough spot here, I haven't even had a chance to speak yet! Are you sure Silver Wolf isn't settling personal scores?]
[Black Swan (laughs): Wondering how many of little Silver Wolf's predictions will come true.]
[Silver Wolf: @Black Swan, you too! Just realized, weren't you the one comfortably observing from afar, always watching the drama unfold?!]
[Stelle: ...Wow! That's actually true!]
[Himeko: Huh? Now that you mention it, indeed.]
[Kafka: Black Swan has consistently remained in a blind spot. Though claiming neutrality, she was truly the most detached observer.]
[Black Swan: ...?]
[Sparkle: Hahahaha (laughing heartily), looks like Silver Wolf can occasionally rise to the occasion! This barrage is intense—aimed directly at the event organizers themselves!?!]
[After some thought, Black Swan realized that for the sake of fairness, her own simulated memories were sealed with the strongest safeguards.]
[Intrigued despite herself, Black Swan began to wonder.]
[Would there be a simulation for me? If so, what might it entail?]
[The mature and elegant Memokeeper, who had indeed been observing from afar like a spectator, now couldn't help but feel a hint of nervous anticipation.]
[After all, previous simulations contained numerous embarrassing moments. If it were her own, would there be such instances...?]
***
Having listened to the stories of yuanxiao and Qi Xi, Qingque fell into a brief reverie, mulling over what she'd just heard.
During the yuanxiao festival's night of dancing dragons and fish lanterns, whether amidst the bustling crowd or in quiet solitude, the Grand Diviner and her master found joy and contentment together.
On the auspicious day of Qi Xi, the Grand Diviner genuinely pledged to remain by his side forever.
What kind of future could have prevented Fu Xuan from fulfilling this promise? Qingque was utterly curious.
However, after recounting the tales of yuanxiao and Qi Xi, Fu Xuan seemed noticeably dispirited, making it difficult for her to press him further.
"Ugh..." Qingque anxiously ran her fingers through her hair.
She never anticipated that during her visit to Yu Que, the most tormenting aspect wouldn't be the work itself, but rather, not being able to hear the continuation of the Grand Diviner and her master's story!
She had heard only the abridged version, but it was still narrated by Fu Xuan himself. The emotions—joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness—all conveyed clearly through his expressions and tone as he spoke.
Moreover, there was an added element to this tale. Fu Xuan was Qingque's esteemed superior, while Su Qing was Fu Xuan's deeply revered master. With these two layers combined, Qingque couldn't help but feel immense admiration and longing for the master described by Fu Xuan—a diviner unparalleled in skill, yet incredibly gentle in everyday matters.
[Sparkle: Wait, so did Fu Xuan inadvertently win over Qingque with that story about Su Qing?]
[Qingque: What?! Absolutely not! You mustn't say such things!]
[Qingque: I just naturally became curious after hearing the Grand Diviner's account, that's all!]
[Firefly: "I just...whatever," sounds awfully familiar, doesn't it?]
[Jingliu: ...Is there something you need from me?]
[Firefly: Oh right!]
[Ahhh! This live stream has too many boomerang phrases! I accidentally fell into one without realizing!]
[Qingque]
[Stelle: Laughing to death.]
[March 7th: The Grand Diviner Su Qing and his slacking disciple, Qingque!]
[Bronya: Ha ha ha, this duo seems ripe for many intriguing tales.]
[Fu Xuan: Naturally, these are merely Qingque's assumptions.]
[Stelle: Look, Fu Xuan doesn't seem too pleased: Su Qing is my master! Only mine!]
[Qingque: I told you not to exaggerate! The Grand Diviner won't be happy.?]
[Fu Xuan: ...I am not displeased.]
At this point in the story,
Qingque was utterly captivated.
She couldn't wait to find out what exactly transpired between Fu Xuan and her Master afterward.
Leaning back, she exclaimed, "Noooohhh!! Grand Diviner, how could you leave us hanging?! I must know what happens next!"
Little did Fu Xuan anticipate that reminiscing about her past with her master would so deeply intrigue a young bird like Qingque.
***
Over the following days, as agreed, they took time off for leisure. During their break, Fu Xuan occasionally guided Qingque around some notable sights of Yu Que. While Qingque found these places interesting, her primary concern lay elsewhere.
During her leisure time, Fu Xuan took Qingque on a tour of several notable spots within Yu Que.
While Qingque did find some interest in the fun places aboard the Jade Tower Immortal Ship, her current concern lay elsewhere.
After attempting to broach the topic multiple times, she noticed Fu Xuan's expression turning slightly despondent each instance. Qingque opened her mouth but couldn't bring herself to press further.
Qingque felt that earlier, when the Grand Diviner had dismissed the significance of those five years as brief and inconsequential...
It was now clear just how deeply it had affected her...
[Stelle: Wow, swift! This time, Fu Xuan's boomerang returned rather quickly!]
[Sparkle: On the surface, it seems like a typical boomerang.]
[Sparkle: But perhaps from the start, Fu Xuan's stance has been: "Just five years, I'm unaffected... right?"?]
[March 7th: That hits the mark!!!]
[Seele: It all makes sense now.]
[Sushang: Now it does indeed.]
[Stelle: The expression is truly the pièce de résistance—it clarifies everything at once. ??]
[Firefly: Did someone steal my signature emoji?!]
[Silver Wolf: Indeed, Stelle. Personally, I feel this expression suits Firefly best.]
[Seele: @Firefly, you want this to be your exclusive emoji? Isn't that a bit sad?!]
[Firefly: Huh? Oh, y-yeah...you're right...]
[Fu Xuan: Everyone, I'm just feeling slightly down; there's no need for such harsh words.]
[Silver Wolf: Alright, it seems we haven't reached the ? stage yet, still lingering at ??.]
[Fu Xuan: ...]
[Sparkle: Enjoyable.]
***
Several days later...
As Fu Xuan had mentioned, the day of Qixi Festival arrived once more.
For reasons unknown, on that night, she ascended to the second-floor corridor of her residence.
The tradition of releasing sky lanterns from centuries ago appeared to have remained popular and was carried forward each year since.
A hundred years later, Fu Xuan stood atop her residence, watching countless twinkling lights rise into the night sky, creating a sea of glowing lanterns.
However, this time,
she didn't have her master by her side, nor did she hold a round fan in her hand.
Fu Xuan leaned against the railing, feeling as if everything were strangely familiar.
To an eternal life being, a century is neither exceptionally long nor particularly short—a span filled with both change and constancy.
What had truly changed, and what remained the same... If she had made different choices back then, would the outcome have been altered? And how might her present self be now...
As Fu Xuan gazed at the sky filled with lights, lost in memories, footsteps approached from behind.
Past and present seemed to overlap momentarily.
Distracted, Fu Xuan turned around.
Qingque ascended the second floor. "Oh! I've been searching for ages; turns out you were here all along!" Pausing briefly, Qingque exclaimed, "...Grand Diviner, why do you look so suddenly disappointed?! Are you that unhappy to see me?!"
[Stelle: She's joyful.]
[Sparkle: Absolutely ecstatic.]
[March 7th: Ha ha, Qingque sure knows how to liven things up.]
Realizing her momentary lapse, Fu Xuan cleared her throat to mask her embarrassment. "Ahem, it's nothing. Um... Qingque, what brings you here?"
"Oh, I just met your mother downstairs. She said today is quite hot, so if I found you, I should give you one of these fans." Qingque handed one of the two round fans she held to Fu Xuan.
Accepting it, Fu Xuan felt a wave of nostalgia looking at the simple elegance of the fan in her hand.
After a brief moment, she snapped back to reality. Fu Xuan's thoughts swirled, surprised by how deeply past events were affecting her now...
"Qingque, weren't you always curious about what happened between my master and me later on?" Fu Xuan sat down on the long bench in the corridor. "Today, I'll tell you."
Qingque promptly joined her. "Ah, is it really okay? It's Qixi Festival today—a day of such joy. To recount...uh, something that brings you little happiness, are you sure?"
"It doesn't matter." Fu Xuan gazed at the fan in her hand but felt no inclination to use it. "On days like these, perhaps reminiscing about the past is most fitting."
"Is that so?"
Seeing Fu Xuan's resolve, Qingque let go of her concerns; she had been eager to hear the rest of the story for quite some time.
She also took a seat on the bench, casually fanning herself and feeling instantly cooler. "So, what exactly happened? You said you wanted to stay by your master's side forever, but why were you unable to?"
Fu Xuan stared at the fan once more before diving straight into her tale. "Because Master believed I was destined to bring about his death."
With just this opening line, Qingque was utterly bewildered. "Huh?"
Fu Xuan continued, "And precisely because of that, he took me as his disciple."
This second sentence left Qingque even more confused. "What?!?"
She pondered briefly.
Lady Fuxuan was destined to cause her master's demise, yet her master accepted Fu Xuan as his apprentice specifically for this reason???
The information overload was too much; after briefly pondering, Qingque simply gave up thinking.
[Stelle: Qingque's mom birthed her.]
[Sparkle: Enjoying this!]
[March 7th: Little Sparrow is overloaded!]
[Sushang: Me too—overloaded!]
[Seele: So what exactly is going on?!]
Fu Xuan asked, "Qingque, do you remember when our master took me as his disciple? He mentioned something then that I didn't fully understand at the time."
Qingque thought for a moment. "What did he say?"
"Master once told me," Fu Xuan began, "that both a calamity of Xianzhou and a troubling issue for him would ultimately fall upon my shoulders."
Recalling these past events filled Fu Xuan with a sense of melancholy, making her want to avoid discussing it. Nevertheless, she continued:
"This venerable one has an exceptional memory, particularly when it comes to matters related to divination and learning. One day, remembering those words, I sought clarification from Master, asking about their meaning.
"I believed they might contain some profound divinatory insights.
"In truth, they indeed did...
"But never, not even in my wildest dreams, could I have imagined the true significance behind Master's words.
"He revealed to me that through divination, he foresaw my future role in averting a great calamity of Xianzhou.
"At the same time, I..."
At this point, Fu Xuan closed her eyes. "...I would also become the cause of my master's death and succeed him as Grand Diviner."