The Divination Commission.
Sunlight streamed through the window lattices. Wisps of purple smoke rose from the incense burner, shimmering alongside the pinkish-purple light of the divination matrix. The attic was serene and tranquil, imbued with a mysterious, profound stillness.
A sharp cry shattered the peace.
"Don't even think about it!"
Fu Xuan, her golden hairpin making her look noble and magnificent, seemed petite yet radiated the authority of a great figure. She possessed an air of majesty that required no anger to be felt.
The Grand Diviner stared coldly at her subordinate. "Qingque, do you truly believe that after doing those... things to this seat, I would simply let you off the hook?!"
Qingque threw her hands up. "I don't really care; I'm just a nobody. But Lord Diviner, you are a household name on the Xianzhou. Your excellent reputation extends beyond the Luofu to the other ships. If... hehehe," Qingque gave a sly chuckle, rubbing her hands together, "Lord Diviner wouldn't want others to learn of your unseemly state... and just how utterly improper it was, would you?"
"Are you threatening this seat? Do you think a petty miscreant like you could coerce me?"
"No, no." Qingque put on a fawning smile. "How would I dare threaten Lord Diviner? We spring from the same root, why be so eager to torment one another?"
"?" Fu Xuan paused. Why did that phrase sound so strange coming from Qingque's mouth?
She watched as Qingque rubbed her lower abdomen, from which a crimson glow emanated. At the same time, Fu Xuan's own fair neck seemed to resonate with a certain frequency. A crimson pattern manifested, encircling her throat like a pet's collar.
This was Ye Feng's reward to Qingque, so she wouldn't lose too badly.
Fu Xuan was instantly alarmed. Without needing to look, she could deeply feel the abnormality on her neck. Her pale fingers touched the skin of her throat, and a gentle rub sent waves of a strange, burning heat... The demonic patterns were complex and twisted, sketching the shape of a pet collar on her neck.
How could the Grand Diviner, one of the Six Charioteers of the Luofu, show her face in public like this? She couldn't possibly wear a scarf all year round. Besides, whether a scarf could even conceal this brilliant, hidden glow was another matter entirely.
Qingque said, "The mark on Lord Diviner's neck and the one on my abdomen are the same style of [Contract]. Together, they are called the 'Twin Lotus.' When one manifests, the other is reflected. Of course, these patterns usually stay hidden. They only shine brilliantly during moments of intense emotion—for example... when I feel scared or terrified."
Qingque was just making up the last part, but it was effective.
Fu Xuan's expression was stormy. Light swirled in her third eye as she clearly exerted her full power to calculate the truth of Qingque's words and search for a way to break the mark.
The feedback she received was "null."
Yes, a direct and explicit blank. She could calculate nothing. Just like before, whenever it involved "that world," any attempt at divination resulted in a complete void. There wasn't even a "mist."
"Wow, Lord Diviner, you look so scary right now. I'm so frightened." Qingque shrank back, hugging her shoulders, and the pattern on her abdomen flashed even more intensely.
Fu Xuan narrowed her eyes, her small, pink fists clenching tightly. For now, she truly couldn't afford to have a complete falling out with her. She would wait until tonight to ask Lord Ye Feng for a solution, and then she would properly "educate" this insubordinate little Qingque.
Fu Xuan exhaled. She stared down at Qingque for a long moment before finally speaking slowly, "You may leave. This seat is feeling weary."
The tension in Qingque's heart eased. She knew she had survived the crisis, for now. And it was highly probable that she wouldn't be dealing with sudden overtime requests anytime soon.
Heeyah, thinking about it that way, that bastard Ye Feng isn't so bad after all.
"Oh, by the way, Lord Diviner, about that Qiongshi Bird Skewer, would you like to—"
"Get out!"
"You got it."
---o---
Fu Xuan's small mouth was fragrant, sweet, and exceptionally soft; a single kiss was enough to be addictive.
Ye Feng drew closer to the NPC version of Fu Xuan. People said Fu Xuan's white-stockinged lotus legs were a treasure, but the Grand Diviner's cherry lips were even more exquisite. Like a hidden treasure discovered by Ye Feng the explorer.
"But kissing an NPC doesn't feel the same. Something is missing..."
In fact, it wasn't just Fu Xuan; Elysia was the same. When he kissed her, it was as if he could taste the fragrance of flowers, as mellow as fine wine, utterly intoxicating. Did all pink-haired beautiful girls share this trait? Their mouths were moist, clear, and sweet. It was all too easy to become lost in them.
As the saying goes, "My quest will be to search high and low, I'll have no regrets, though I die nine times"—this was probably what it referred to.
"Feng-kun!"
Mei suddenly appeared in the elegant, classical lakeside pavilion. The girl was lucky this time; the moment she opened her eyes, she saw Ye Feng by the pavilion.
"Good evening, Mei." Ye Feng turned around. Bathed in starlight, his entire being seemed to glow, possessed of a clear, transparent aura.
Mei walked forward. Her gaze paused for a moment when she saw the pink-haired, white-stockinged girl in an ancient dress behind Ye Feng.
"Ah, she's Fu Xuan, the Grand Diviner of the Xianzhou Luofu. Perhaps you two will meet in the distant sea of stars someday."
"O-oh, really..." Since Ye Feng took the initiative to introduce her, Mei didn't concern herself further. She grabbed his hand and said, "Feng-kun, may I ask—"
Before Mei could finish, Ye Feng's index finger gently pressed against her soft, moist cherry lips.
"Not so fast, Mei."
"?" Mei tilted her head in confusion, her bright eyes wide, her smooth hair swaying gently.
"Before asking a question, you have to give me a kiss first."
"..." Mei shot Ye Feng a shy glance. It was a look that mixed reproach with resentment, yet was also filled with deep affection—the kind that would make Kiana want to punch him.
But Mei needed no further convincing. Her heart pounded like a startled fawn, her eyes darting about nervously. She carefully looked left and right, then timidly stood on her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and offered him a fragrant kiss.
"You villain, are you satisfied now?" Mei's breathing was ragged, her eyes hazy.
"Mei's little mouth is very sweet, too." Ye Feng suddenly seemed to remember something and smiled. "By the way, let's play cosplay again."
"Cos?"
"Mhm. Here, this is for you." Ye Feng raised his hand, and a translucent, glowing tachi that shone with purple lightning appeared in his palm.
"!!" The moment Mei saw the blade, she fell in love with it, her eyes widening. "What kind of sword is this?"
"Its name is 'Musou Isshin'."
"...Musou... Isshin..." Raiden Mei took the translucent tachi, which glowed with purple lightning. Her slender, pale fingers traced the length of the blade, from the end of the hilt to the tip. She seemed to feel a resonance, as if with her own blood.
Seeing how the girl couldn't bear to part with it, Ye Feng slowly explained, "This body is the most sublime and noble in all the mortal world; it should hold the power over all under heaven. This body promises its subjects a single dream: an unchanging and unmoving eternity for a thousand generations. This is the [Musou Isshin].