[Erudition] [Abundance] [Hunt]
The convergence of three Paths descended simultaneously. Mara memes inverted, Paths reconstructed.
Even Hoolay, newly freed in the Shackling Prison, felt his pupils constrict.
"Fools!! What kind of beings did you provoke with this operation?!"
"Lord Hoolay, we... we don't know either. We just felt the power of Erudition on the Luofu today was exceptionally terrifying."
"You're all fools! The Hunt's arrows haven't even arrived, and Erudition's divine punishment has already marked us for death."
Hoolay swept his hand. A wave of borisin fell.
---
"Grand Diviner? Grand Diviner!!"
In the hazy fog of her consciousness, Fu Xuan slowly regained awareness.
Who's calling me? So cold. Her eyelids were so heavy.
"You're not doing it right. Let me."
That cold, composed voice suddenly appeared.
"Short pink-haired girl! Little Xuanzi! Wake up!!"
"Not waking up? Heh. You'll face the consequences."
Just as the magic key began converging its absolute power of Erudition, that gentle, elegant voice interrupted.
"Let me."
"Fu Xuan. Are you alright?"
The familiar healing presence emerged amidst the cold plum blossoms.
Fu Xuan slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was that exquisitely beautiful, time-honored face, smiling gently.
"Are you alright?"
"Madam Ruan Mei?"
"Yes."
Herta stepped forward, snatched Fu Xuan from Ruan Mei's arms, and tossed her to Qingque.
"You! Your resolve shatters that easily, and you want to be General? Get up."
Qingque blinked. Fu Xuan snapped back to reality, quickly rising and feigning composure with a cough.
"I... what just happened?"
Herta closed her eyes and crossed her arms.
"What else? Just a Xianzhou native falling to Mara."
Fu Xuan froze, terrified.
"What?! I fell to Mara?! Impossible! You must be deceiving me!"
"Besides, I'm only a few hundred years old! How could I fall to Mara so young?!"
Herta opened her mouth to retort, but a single glance from Ruan Mei silenced her. She could only give a light snort.
Qingque scratched her head.
"Grand Diviner... maybe calm down and think rationally?"
Fu Xuan shot her a cold glance.
"And you! Playing the fool beside me all this time?!"
"Ah?! Grand Diviner, don't misunderstand! I just genuinely like slacking off!"
"Did I really fall to Mara?"
"No, absolutely not! Ask Madam Ruan Mei if you don't believe me."
Fu Xuan turned to Ruan Mei.
Ruan Mei's expression remained calm, her voice gentle.
"Fu Xuan. You were merely momentarily consumed by negative emotions. You're tired."
"You haven't fallen to Mara. You're not in danger."
Herta blinked. Fu Xuan brightened.
"Exactly! I'm only a few hundred years old! This so-called Herta must be trying to scare me!"
Herta retorted.
"You! Who's trying to scare you?! I'll show you proof that you fell to Mara!"
Herta summoned her magic key, ready to show Fu Xuan everything the [mirror] had recorded.
But Ruan Mei interrupted, taking her hand and leading her away from the Star-Gazing Terrace.
"Please talk alone."
"You all, follow me."
The cat-cakes nodded and trailed behind Ruan Mei, leaving only Qingque and Fu Xuan.
"Grand Diviner, I—"
"Qingque. Explain yourself properly. Also... do you want to marry me? Ah-choo!!"
Fu Xuan sneezed, cutting herself off mid-sentence.
Qingque's eyes went wide. Shock, joy, and anticipation flickered within them.
"Grand Diviner... what did you just say?"
Fu Xuan adjusted her hair ornaments. Seeing Qingque sitting ramrod straight,
"Ahem. Don't misunderstand. I meant 'take my place.' No—'take my place' as Grand Diviner."
Qingque blinked, utterly bewildered. The joy and anticipation in her eyes faded.
"Grand Diviner... I don't quite understand."
Fu Xuan stared at her intently.
"Still playing dumb in front of me? Speak. Do you want to take my place and become the next Luofu General?"
"Ah?! But Grand Diviner, isn't General Jing Yuan the current Luofu General?"
Fu Xuan rapped Qingque on the head, her expression proud and aloof.
"I said next Luofu General!"
---
In Changle, within the Ruomu Pavilion, Ruan Mei was playing her ancient lute.
"Ruan Mei. Why didn't you tell that short pink-haired girl the truth?"
"I already examined Fu Xuan. She merely fell into momentary confusion. She hasn't truly fallen to Mara."
Herta offered a pastry to Ruan Mei Cake.
"You mean she's still young? Falling to Mara is still far off?"
Ruan Mei nodded slightly.
"I studied Mara extensively on the Xianzhou long ago."
"Outsiders see it as a blessing. But to most Xianzhou natives themselves, it's a curse."
Herta gently stroked Ruan Mei Cake's head.
"Everyone's concept of longevity is different."
"At least my longevity comes from myself. I've never begged any Aeon for it."
"At least that Machine Head never gave me the answers I sought."
The music stopped. Ruan Mei gathered Ruan Mei Cake into her arms. Herta gritted her teeth but didn't block, feigning calm.
"If I one day asked Yaoshi... I imagine the answer would be the same as Machine Head's."
Ruan Mei nodded indifferently.
"Perhaps."
"Oh, Ruan Mei Cake. Where's Wisteria Cake? What did you two do today?"
Ruan Mei Cake lowered her head weakly.
"We went out today. Wisteria Cake took me to all kinds of snack shops and dessert shops."
"Then she wanted to go to the Scalegorge Waterscape to see the view. On the way, we passed the Alchemy Commission and met a Vidyadhara named Lingsha."
Herta's brow furrowed. Visible cracks spiderwebbed across the teacup in her hand.
"She bullied Wisteria Cake the moment she saw her, didn't she?! I knew she was trouble. I'm going right now."
Ruan Mei Cake quickly shook her head to stop Herta.
"She was very kind. She prepared tea and pastries for us. But Wisteria Cake told me she still doesn't like Lingsha."
"Just as we were leaving, Lingsha had a dream mazulu take us to explore other places."
Herta frowned. A perfectly good cat-cake date, ruined by a dream mazulu?!
"And then?"
"Then, as we wandered, the mazulu and Wisteria Cake kept arguing... over me, I think."
"Finally, at the Scalegorge Waterscape, Wisteria Cake told me to come back first. They had to settle things... with a duel."
Herta gritted her teeth. That Lingsha has gone too far.
"I'm going to settle things with that Lingsha right now!"
Ruan Mei grabbed her arm. Herta blinked.
"Ruan Mei. Don't stop me."
"Wisteria Cake is back."
Herta looked up. Wisteria Cake was limping toward them, battered and bruised—yet still wearing a triumphant expression.
"Meowmu. I'm back."
Ruan Mei gathered Wisteria Cake into her arms and applied a small dose of healing.
Herta asked directly.
"You won?"
"Won. Didn't embarrass us."
---
Elsewhere, back at the Alchemy Commission.
The dream mazulu limped back to Lingsha, likewise battered and bruised.
Lingsha carefully treated its wounds.
"How did it go?"
"Victorious. Didn't embarrass mazulu-kind."