Chapter 43: Cloud-Gazing Mirror and the Emperor's Destiny Bow…
"Senior Brother, it's a promise, okay? Once the war is over, we'll travel across the Sea of the Stellar Abyss."
Fu Xuan murmured, pointing at the lantern drifting farther and farther away.
"Mm…"
You nodded.
You nodded, your heart hollow, pale, and numb.
You knew…
The future the girl imagined might be nothing more than an empty promise.
You had a faint premonition that your time was running out…
"Senior Brother has to leave. Take care of yourself while I'm away."
Aboard a star skiff on the Sea of the Stellar Abyss.
You were unusually serious, admonishing the girl standing before you, her eyes moist.
"Mm…"
A short, slightly nasal sound escaped her. Had it lasted any longer, the girl might have burst into tears.
She pouted, her face full of grievance.
The Grand Diviner, brimming with youthful charm, looked at you with an aggrieved expression.
You knew…
She was waiting for you—waiting for an answer…
Waiting for an answer to a question she had already asked, one that required only a nod or a shake of the head.
Honestly, you—who considered yourself rotten to the core—didn't want to lie.
But when you looked into those golden eyes, a string in your heart called "reason" began to loosen.
You reached out, taking the girl's slender shoulders.
Staring into her eyes, with an emotion you had never felt before…
Your face drew closer and closer, close enough to feel her suddenly quickened breath.
You could even feel the vigorous, pounding heart of a long-lived species…
Like a small deer trapped in a tiny enclosure, frantically撞ing against the walls.
Your gaze converged…
At this distance, only the girl's small palm could fit between you.
Her breathing grew more frantic; heat spread through her body…
Even so, she did not turn and run away.
You closed your eyes as well, and by her breathing you could sense the soft lips beneath her cute nose.
They pressed together gently…
Waiting for your arrival.
How long does a person of the Celestial Ark Yuque live? And how precious is their first kiss, over the span of their life…?
Because when recalling their long lives, they could always remember that unusual warmth when their lips met for the first time, at the dawn of love.
"It's better not to remember your senior brother…"
You leaned down and kissed the girl's forehead.
"Does Senior Brother not like Fu Xuan?"
You suddenly heard these words.
"How could that be? Junior Sister is gentle and cute; Senior Brother naturally likes her."
"Really?"
The girl opened her eyes and stared at you.
You nodded.
Suddenly, she reached out and wrapped her arms around your neck.
She kissed you of her own accord.
Then…
That bold act seemed to have exhausted all her courage.
"Senior Brother, have a safe journey. When you return to the Jade Pavilion, remember to tell Fu Xuan…"
Then she covered her face and ran off.
You watched the girl's retreating figure, touched your still-warm lips, and gave a wry smile…
Well…
Before reaching your destination, try to visit the Luofu a few more times to keep her company.
That's all you can do.
You boarded the star skiff and returned to the Jade Pavilion.
…
During the return journey, you began to wonder what that dream was trying to tell you…
Under the noses of The Hunt, claiming to be a believer of Abundance—could that really make The Hunt fire an arrow?
That would be underestimating the Aeons too much.
Aeons are impartial and would not act over such trivial matters.
But that dream…
You felt it wasn't so easy to explain; perhaps there was other information worth investigating?
The mirror that gazes upon clouds…
The prayer to the Rainbow Arbiter…
You had seen that mirror in the Divination Commission; it was the cloud-gazing mirror.
Silently, you made a decision: after returning to the Jade Pavilion, you would go see the Diviner Jing Tian.
And while you were there, learn…
How to use the mirror to observe the clouds.
You had a premonition that it was very important…
…
When the star skiff docked at the Celestial Ark Yuque, several more days had passed.
Back and forth for a few days, you had just used up that vacation period.
It was time to return to normal life.
Classes, meals…
And one more thing: bringing warmth to the Divination Commission.
You brought good wine and food and entered the Divination Commission again. Diviner Jing Tian was still the same.
Bearded, disheveled…
Fate was set; perhaps facing it in such a state was the Grand Diviner's final stubbornness.
That wasn't important.
"Master, would you like a drink?"
You asked politely.
Diviner Jing Tian looked at you, at the wine and food in your hands, then nodded.
"Your own cooking?"
Diviner Jing Tian asked.
You nodded. After so many years of cooking for yourself, your culinary skills were excellent.
"Extraordinary…"
With only one hand, Diviner Jing Tian's manner of eating wasn't very elegant.
With his remaining arm, he raised a cup of wine, gesturing for you to clink glasses with him.
You did as he asked.
After a cup of wine, Diviner Jing Tian spoke.
"You've aged…"
He looked at your slightly weathered face and uttered those three words.
"Yes, I've aged. Fate hasn't been kind to me."
You nodded, not avoiding the topic.
Diviner Jing Tian shook his head.
"Even now, I still can't see your path clearly. Your destiny seems to have no footnotes."
"Spend more time with your junior sister… Her future won't be easy…"
"I know. In the Celestial Ark Yuque, she's the only person you're closest to."
…
Conversations like these happened between the two of you from time to time.
Every few days, you would come to see this Grand Diviner, who would play an important role in your script.
All of this was merely a prelude…
Until one day, after several rounds of drinking and many dishes.
Using the alcohol as an excuse, you stood before that mirror.
Examining your slightly flushed cheeks.
And the few strands of white hair that had subtly reappeared.
"What is this for?"
You asked.
The slightly drunk Diviner Jing Tian, hearing your question, seemed in the mood to chat.
"You've been in the Celestial Ark Yuque for so long; you must have heard, 'The Divine Archer declares his will only with arrows of light'…"
"And this cloud-gazing mirror is used to capture the signals of light arrows. The Rainbow Arbiter Reign never speaks directly; he only sends signals to the Celestial Ark Yuque through the trajectories of light arrows."
You nodded in understanding.
The course of the Celestial Ark Yuque, military deployments…
Sometimes even the reasons were incomprehensible—yet they were there.
The instructions of The Hunt were accompanied by vengeance.
The Celestial Ark Yuque traversed the Sea of the Stellar Abyss, seemingly unrestrained, yet it still had to obey The Hunt…
Perhaps fate had only one path…
The shadow of The Hunt was more or less present in this declaration.
"Can this object communicate with the Divine Archer?"
You asked the question whose answer you wanted most.
"Hm?"
Diviner Jing Tian was a bit surprised.
"If I didn't know you inside and out, I'd suspect you were a spy sent by the Borisin."
"And I won't hide it from you—this object can send a light-arrow signal to the Divine Archer…"
"It will transmit a coordinate."
"Where the signal rises, there his luminous arrow will fall…"
"This is the agreement between the successive Marshals of the Celestial Ark Yuque and Him…"