"This time, the trailblazing journey will be undertaken by Yun Fan, March 7th, Dan Heng, and Stelle. Mr. Yang and I will remain on the train. As for the team leader for this mission, let's have Yun Fan take the role. How does that sound?" Himeko smiled as she looked at the four handsome men and beautiful women before her, announcing the arrangements for this expedition.
"I have no objections," Dan Heng replied impassively. He didn't particularly care about who the leader was.
"Mm, I agree too," March 7th nodded slightly. Though she hadn't seen Yun Fan in combat yet, she figured that someone who could casually gift away a divine artifact like the 'Reignbow's Arrow' must at least be on the level of the Antimatter Legion.
"Actually, I also wanted to—uh, I mean, I have no objections either," Stelle timidly raised her hand. She had been about to say, "Actually, I wanted to be the leader," but when she caught sight of Yun Fan's faintly amused expression, she suddenly shuddered and quickly changed her tune.
"Since that's settled, it's decided then," Himeko clapped her hands, finalizing the decision.
Sigh… Upon hearing this, our Mr. Welt let out a heavy sigh in his heart. He had already anticipated that he wouldn't be included in this trailblazing journey, but now that it was confirmed, he still felt a pang of disappointment.
———————————————————————————
Noon arrived.
The Xianzhou Luofu… Divination Commission…
In the Master Diviner's office, the originally cluttered desk had been meticulously cleared. The stacks of disorganized documents that once littered the table had now been replaced by an array of "delicious" dishes.
On either side of the desk, Fu Xuan and Qingque sat facing each other.
"Um… Master Diviner, are you sure this is what we're having for lunch?" Qingque stared despondently at the "delicacies" laid out on the table, feeling deeply let down. She had assumed that when the Master Diviner treated her to a meal, it would at least be some high-end Xianzhou cuisine or perhaps exotic dishes from beyond the stars—things she had never seen before.
But…
Looking at the Cosmic Fried Rice, Veggie Chicken Burger, and Immortal's Delight Tea now spread across the table, a thought crossed Qingque's mind: Is the Master Diviner trying to scam me?
"What, are you dissatisfied? These are all things this one enjoys. If it were anyone else, this one wouldn't even deign to share. Hmph!" Fu Xuan set down her Immortal's Delight Tea, pursed her lips, and tilted her head up with a light snort.
"Ah, my Master Diviner, please spare me the tsundere act! Just tell me why you called me to your office in the middle of the day," Qingque muttered helplessly.
"Tsundere?" Fu Xuan frowned slightly. As someone who rarely used a phone, she wasn't entirely familiar with the term, but judging by the sound of it, it probably wasn't a compliment.
I'll look up what this word means after she leaves.
Fu Xuan quietly noted this to herself, but her expression suddenly turned solemn. This abrupt shift made even Qingque straighten up in seriousness.
Come to think of it, if the Master Diviner had sought her out at this hour, it must be for something extremely important—likely a confidential matter too sensitive to discuss openly. Hence, the pretense of a "private chat" to summon her to the office.
But… if it really was something like that, she'd rather not be involved. After all… it sounded like way too much trouble.
"Qingque."
"Master Diviner, please go ahead."
"I'd like to ask you… did you really spend a passionate night with the 'Lord of Samsara'?"
Qingque: ???
Hearing Fu Xuan's words, our dear Qingque was utterly stunned. The three great existential questions of life echoed endlessly in her mind: Where did I come from? Who am I? Where am I going?
"G-Master Diviner, wh-why are you suddenly asking th-this…" Qingque, who had been lazy and composed just moments ago, was now overcome with embarrassment and awkwardness.
By Xianzhou standards, Qingque was still considered a young maiden. Being abruptly questioned about her private life naturally left her flustered.
"That day when this one paid you a visit, I noticed you had… injuries on your person, and your strength had skyrocketed to the level of an Emanator. Moreover… your 'Chastity Seal' seems to have vanished. Over the past few days, this one also observed your complexion becoming rosy, your spirit—"
"Waaah! Master Diviner, please stop talking!" Qingque leaped up from her seat, slamming her hands on the table with a distressed cry.
"So, this one's guess was correct?" Fu Xuan raised an eyebrow, pressing for confirmation.
"…Yeah." Our little Qingque slumped back into her chair as if resigned to her fate, muttering under her breath about how the Master Diviner could be so frigid as to ask such things with a straight face.
"Then, is Emanator Yun Fan… the 'Lord of Samsara' in the flesh?"
"You even figured that out?" Qingque was slightly startled, but she quickly pieced together the reasoning. It made sense—Yun Fan had been living in her home all this time. If anyone claimed there was nothing between them, no one would believe it.
Combined with her recent changes, deducing this wasn't all that difficult.
"Sigh…" Fu Xuan exhaled deeply.
"This one understands now." After confirming Yun Fan's identity, Fu Xuan's mind was truly thrown into disarray.
As for Qingque's newfound Emanator-level power, Fu Xuan would be lying if she said she wasn't tempted. In just a month or two, Qingque had gone from an ordinary Pathstrider to someone Fu Xuan herself had to look up to.
And the price she paid…
At this thought, Fu Xuan's expression flickered between uncertainty. Rationally speaking, Qingque's gains far outweighed her sacrifices—trading her body for power capable of annihilating an entire star system was an absolute bargain.
But emotionally… what she had given up was something priceless to a young woman. If she were to… This… is truly a difficult decision.
Fu Xuan shook her head vigorously, unable to settle her thoughts. She was an ambitious woman—otherwise, she wouldn't have been so fixated on Jing Yuan's position all this time.
"Ah, Qingque." Fu Xuan seemed to recall something. She stood up, walked to her desk drawer, and retrieved a document.
"Take a look at this."