"Without a doubt, Master Diviner's luck is unparalleled."
Sylvester smiled at Fu Xuan. "This scroll is called a [Teleportation Scroll]. It can instantly transport up to twenty-four people to any location you can envision, with no distance limit. But… it can only be used once."
"Teleportation Scroll…"
Fu Xuan narrowed her eyes. This Curio drew her into deep thought, stirring not just contemplation but sorrow as well.
Her thoughts raced back a century, to the Shuhu Upheaval.
The Emanator of Abundance, Shuhu, had besieged the Xianzhou Yuque, and even the Five Cloud Knights could not withstand it.
In that desperate hour, the fox pilot Baiheng drove her starskiff like an arrow, colliding headlong with the enormous flesh-and-blood of the Emanator.
The young girl raised her sun of absolute darkness high—both the arrogant Emanator of the Aeon of Abundance and the girl herself were ground into the finest powder.
Once, those five gallant knights had drunk together in the lofty skies of the Exalting Sanctum, believing that following the light of the Hunt's arrows was like the Ambrosial Arbor standing firm between heaven and earth—everlasting. Yet they had not realized they were but a tragic ballad in the vast cosmos, blazing with a cry of sorrow, only to fall silent just as quickly.
If Baiheng had held such a treasure then… could she have escaped in the instant after slaying Shuhu?
Fu Xuan did not know. Just as she did not know how to free herself from the peculiar arithmetic of fate within the Matrix of Prescience Ultima.
In her trance, she saw her master—the Diviner of Yuque.
"Do you know? When I cast the divination 'Ten Lights Reflect the Dharma Realm,' interpreting the omen, I became certain that my fate would end by your hand. And yet, I still took you as my disciple, waiting for you to replace me as Diviner of Yuque. Because this too is destiny."
Destiny? Spoken as though it were still the Era of Three Calamities. Spoken as though she were some treacherous disciple, hungry for the Diviner's seat and willing to slay her teacher to seize it. That wretched old man!
Refusing to sink into fatalism, Fu Xuan fled Yuque in self-imposed exile, throwing herself into the Divination Commission of the Luofu.
A hundred years slipped by, and war came again.
The Legion of Abundance launched a surprise assault on the Xianzhou Fanghu. The Borisin brought with them the Living Planet, Ketu Mirage, and that abomination fell toward Fanghu, ready to bring extinction to all aboard—a replay of Xianzhou Cangcheng's annihilation.
Fu Xuan met with Jing Yuan, proposing to use the Yuque's first divine instrument, the Cloudpeer Telescope, to summon the Reignbow Arbiter's Lux Arrows and save the vessel. Yet as the signal sender, her death would be inevitable.
But death did not fall on her. Only then did she realize: the sole one with the right to wield the Cloudpeer Telescope and interpret the Reignbow Arbiter's decree was none other than the Diviner of Yuque himself—her master.
"Do you know? When I cast the divination 'Ten Lights Reflect the Dharma Realm,' interpreting the omen, I became certain that my fate would end by your hand."
Her last encounter with her master, and that final line, still haunted her countless days and nights.
If she had possessed such a scroll then… could she still be grumbling at that old man's stubbornness now, mocking his fatalism with no burden in her heart?
No. Never again.
Fu Xuan would not drown herself in what-ifs, but she understood the meaning of this thing.
The battle against the Denizens of Abundance was never-ending. Perhaps, amidst the countless tragedies, there could be a few rewritten into the cliché of survival?
In the cold expanse of the cosmos, it might seem trivial—but for an individual Xianzhou denizen, it was life and death, real and tangible.
"Huh~" Fu Xuan exhaled heavily.
In this moment, all of Sylvester's earlier impolite behavior was cast aside. She even felt an impulse—to offer him a formal word of thanks.
Even if, strictly speaking, this was but a transaction.
Sylvester saw the play of remembrance, sorrow, and hope across her face, and thought of all the stories he had read of her countless times before he crossed over.
Her feelings were crystal clear to him. But he disliked overly serious moods.
Before Fu Xuan could speak, he picked up the pill and leaned toward her, whispering with a conspiratorial air.
"Master Diviner, I wonder… are you dissatisfied with your physical condition?"
"My… physical condition?" Fu Xuan was puzzled.
What did he mean? She was perfectly healthy.
Sylvester waggled his brows. "I mean… mm, do you ever get annoyed that when you look down, you can immediately see your feet?"
"See my feet?" Fu Xuan looked down, baffled. "And what of it?"
"Aiya…" Sylvester struggled to explain the pill's effect. "I mean… when you stand beside General Yukong, don't you feel the tiniest bit—just the tiniest bit—inferior? Uh, just a little. In my heart, you and General Yukong are equally broad of heart."
"And this pill can make your heart one size broader still."
He finished solemnly, nodding with great seriousness.
How could Fu Xuan not understand? Being looked down upon by everyone—and having a broad heart—were both unspoken thorns in her side.
She bristled instantly.
"You! How can you be so shameless with your words!"
Hands on her hips, cheeks puffed, she sputtered for a retort. Even her twin tails seemed to twitch upward in anger.
This man was too much. Just when she had gained a sliver of respect for him, he managed to topple her from her moment of emotion.
And those earlier antics—what went through his head all day?!
"Hmph! This seat is still young. Why would I need such external aids?"
Fu Xuan huffed, turning her head away in prideful defiance.
Sylvester chuckled mischievously. "If that's the case, I'll just keep it for myself then."
He made to stow it away.
"Stop right there!" Fu Xuan barked in a panic, cursing him in her heart.
This scoundrel!
Sylvester glanced back at her with a raised brow. "If it's useless, why not leave it with me?"
"Ahem." Fu Xuan cleared her throat, calming herself. "Even if it has no use, it is still something this seat obtained from the trash can. Useful or not, it is fate. This seat does not force the matter."
Well said. Sylvester praised her silently.
His aim of shifting her mood was accomplished—any further would truly be impolite.
He offered her the [Fenglong Pill]. "In that case, congratulations, Master Diviner."
"This—this seat has no need for such medicine!" Fu Xuan's gaze wavered, but her hands swiftly tucked the vial into the safest place on her person.
Would it really work? Surely it would. After all, that pistol's time-bending power had proven real.
A small pill shouldn't falter.
To say she didn't care—how could that be true? After all, the Master Diviner was still a woman.
Her mind had matured, but her body had not kept pace. Even when praised for her ability, there were always eyes that looked at her figure with regret.
Especially Qingque. The memory of her words still set Fu Xuan fuming: "I used to worry about those things too. But hey, Master Diviner isn't much better than me. If I were too well-endowed, wouldn't that hurt her pride?"
That night, Qingque worked overtime until dawn.
But now—Fu Xuan would never need to dwell on such things again. She could stand tall and proud.
Her heart leapt, though she tried her best to keep her face straight.
Sylvester noticed her poorly hidden joy and smiled inwardly.
Yes—this look was far cuter than that heavy expression.
But seeing his unmasked amusement, Fu Xuan felt a twinge of suspicion.
What strange thoughts was he having this time?
His endless teasing had left her wary.
But then it struck her—wasn't she supposed to be thinking about the Teleportation Scroll?
Could it be… he was deliberately fooling around, to shift her attention? To keep her from sinking too deep into grief?
Her eyes sharpened at once, studying his expression.
Uh oh.
Sylvester rubbed his nose awkwardly. This little loli was far too sharp.
But fortunately, his skin was thick enough. He picked up the last item Fu Xuan had drawn.
Solemnly, he said, "Master Diviner. I told you, these cans contain treasures beyond even an Aeon's gaze. And your luck is remarkable indeed. This one… may directly change the fate of the Xianzhou Alliance."