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The scene depicted Fu Xuan's reaction upon hearing this revelation.
Su Qing spoke calmly, as if describing an inevitable destiny.
Fu Xuan went from curiosity to gradual disbelief, culminating in utter shock.
"...I, becoming the cause of my master's death? And it's...an unalterable fate?"
Qingque's response was akin to cognitive overload.
But for Fu Xuan at that moment, the impact was far greater.
***
During the fifth year at the Yuque Imperial Divination Bureau, as Fu Xuan described it, became a year of constant debates with her master.
Initially, she rarely contested anything, always adhering to Su Qing's teachings. However, this time, she felt compelled to argue.
"If we believe divinations dictate certain outcomes, doesn't choice become merely an illusion?" Fu Xuan argued. "Master, should a divination predict my imminent demise tomorrow, am I then obliged to end my own life? If so, what difference does it make whether I divine or not?"
Su Qing responded, "The difference lies in knowing that our actions align with the clear will of heaven."
"Even if the final outcome is predetermined, we still have the choice of how to traverse that path."
Fu Xuan remained silent, unable to accept—she simply couldn't. Her master's mastery of divination seemed insurmountably lofty.
Fu Xuan's admiration and affection for her master, in every aspect, had already reached their zenith.
Yet on this particular issue, Fu Xuan could not concur.
As diviners who foresaw the future, they bore more burdens than ordinary individuals. However, Fu Xuan found it incomprehensible that her master, as one who glimpsed fate, would willingly succumb to determinism and view it as inevitable.
Moreover, beyond the logical implications, Fu Xuan emotionally struggled with it even more profoundly, finding it utterly unacceptable.
Fate decreed...
Her master prophesied that his destiny was irrevocably bound to be severed by my hand...
This thought deeply troubled Fu Xuan.
Could it be that her master believed she would become a traitorous disciple, willing to murder him without hesitation just to ascend as the Grand Diviner?
[Sparkle: I'm confident Fu Xuan wouldn't betray her master; at most, maybe challenge him, but nothing worse.?]
[Fu Xuan: ...I truly appreciate your confidence.]
Beyond annoyance, Fu Xuan felt immense sorrow over this predicament.
Did her master take her as a disciple not because of her character, effort, or eagerness to learn, but solely to fulfill a prophecy?
Taking it further, all the care and kindness her master showed her—
Was it merely due to this prophecy? Were these gestures not genuine, but rather deceitful...?
Each time such thoughts surfaced, Fu Xuan experienced profound heartache, often feeling an overwhelming urge to shed tears.
Fu Xuan's arguments with her master continued over several instances.
Finally, one day, as their debate reached its peak, Fu Xuan could no longer suppress her emotions and inadvertently posed the question:
"Master, did you take me as your apprentice solely because of this prophecy?!"
Su Qing paused briefly before responding, "Indeed, that was the initial reason."
Fu Xuan clenched her fists, her delicate pink figure trembling slightly. "Then, were all the teachings and care you've given me also just because of this?"
"Certainly not," Su Qing replied firmly and earnestly. "The prophecy may have been the catalyst, but it is not the whole truth. I valued both your innate talent and character, which ultimately led me to accept you as my apprentice."
"Everything I've done for you since then has stemmed from my genuine intentions."
"As I mentioned earlier, even if the outcome is predetermined, we still have the choice of how to traverse that path." Su Qing looked at her intently. "Fu Xuan, perhaps the future is inevitable, and maybe the prophecy will indeed come true. But regardless, I have always considered you as my true disciple."
How did these words affect Fu Xuan at that moment?
Knowing that her master's feelings towards her were genuine, should she have felt joy?
No, upon learning that she would sever her master's destiny, any sense of happiness had completely vanished.
Perhaps if her master had admitted he took her as his apprentice solely because of the prophecy, claiming everything else was false, Fu Xuan might have found a sense of complete resignation and release.
[Seele: Ah, @Fu Xuan, would you truly feel relieved?]
[Fu Xuan: ...I don't know.]
[Stelle: Relief? More like darkening...]
Regardless, Su Qing's response stirred Fu Xuan emotionally.
After that moment, she couldn't fully absorb what her master continued to say.
Su Qing observed her, stopping mid-sentence. He reached out, intending to comfort his disciple.
In the past, Fu Xuan would willingly cooperate.
This time, however, she stepped back, avoiding the comforting touch on her head.
Looking at her master, Fu Xuan felt her blood boiling, her voice trembling along with her body. "Master, you jerk, I...I hate you!"
At that instant, Fu Xuan experienced an overwhelming mix of emotions: anger, heartbreak, sorrow, and an unwillingness to believe.
Hidden beneath it all, yet most profound and intense, was fear. This fear manifested externally as rage.
Later, there came a day when Fu Xuan saw her master but hesitated, afraid to approach him.
She realized then just how deep this fear ran.
Though Fu Xuan claimed not to endorse her master's belief in fate or trust his prophecies, her admiration for his divination prowess was deeply ingrained within her heart.
Inevitably, Fu Xuan couldn't help but wonder:
If this prophecy truly comes to pass...
And if my conversation with Master serves as the catalyst...
So, when she regained her composure, Fu Xuan fled.
Once proud of becoming Grand Diviner Tai's apprentice and treasuring every day spent with him, Fu Xuan now disregarded her family's pleas and all obstacles in her path. In what felt like self-imposed exile, she escaped from the Jade Tower Immortal Ship.
She sought refuge at Luofu's more liberal Divination Division, immersing herself in divination practices.
Fu Xuan not only aimed to distance herself from the Jade Tower Immortal Ship but also resolved to actively prove that her master's prophecy would never come true.
***
Present Time
Fu Xuan continued recounting her story: "...and after that, I ran away."
"After saying harsh words to my master, it was as if I fled from his side.
[Seele: Harsh words?]
[Seele: From what I've been reading, it seemed pretty mild. Which part was harsh?]
[Bronya: The only line might have been: "Master, you jerk, I hate you!"]
[Seele: Ah? Is that considered harsh??]
[Sparkle: Assessment: Needs improvement in aggressiveness.]
[Silver Wolf: How about: "Master, you scoundrel, I despise you!"?]
[Stelle: That's more like it!]
[Stelle: But still, uh, can't really be considered harsh, right?]
[Kafka: I understand what they mean here. The emphasis isn't on the first part but rather the latter.]
[Kafka: For Fu Xuan, saying she despises her master indeed counts as harsh words.]
[Fu Xuan: ...]
[Kafka hit the nail on the head.]
[Fine, Fu Xuan had to admit that between herself and Kafka—as mentor and daughter, respectively—there were indeed some similarities, at least to a certain extent.]
As Fu Xuan recounted this, Qingque involuntarily fanned herself with more vigor.
Qingque remarked, "On such a lovely day, discussing these matters feels somewhat gloomy..." She continued, "So, what happened next? Surely, you must have reconciled with your master eventually?"
Qingque hoped for a happy ending.
However, Fu Xuan sighed softly and said, "Afterward, I stayed at Luofu for a hundred years without returning to Yu Que until my master's passing."
Qingque was utterly stunned. "What?!?"
Just as Fu Xuan described...
Upon fleeing from Yu Que to Luofu, she immersed herself in divination.
Eternal life beings inherently had a more fluid sense of time. Moreover, Fu Xuan's personality was such that once immersed in study or work, she could forget both time and her worries.
Thus, those hundred years quietly slipped by amidst divinations and evasion.
Then, war erupted anew.
For the third time, the vast armies of Abundance assembled for a surprise attack on the immortal ship Fanghu.
Yu Que and Luofu were not far from Fanghu, making it their duty to provide aid. By then, Fu Xuan had become a diviner and received orders to perform relentless calculations.
Her divination revealed that if they engaged fully, any participating Xianzhou forces would face a devastating defeat. However, maintaining a defensive stance might allow room for a turnaround.
Fu Xuan laid out these risks and benefits in writing, presenting the divination results to the Seat of Divine Foresight. Yet despite this, the Arbiter-Generals collectively decided that confrontation was necessary.
[Fu Xuan: At the time, I couldn't comprehend why engage when the omens were so dire? But now, as Grand Diviner, I understand—numerous factors influence decisions in reality; divination is merely one aspect...]
The extent of what a diviner could achieve ended there.
That day, through a projected sand table, Fu Xuan witnessed the crushing defeat of the alliance's relief forces.
Buli Ren not only brought forth a fleet and mechanical beasts that blotted out the sky but also awakened "Rahu's Mirage," a living constellation from ancient legends.
As this malevolent entity descended upon Fanghu, it threatened to bring calamity to all life aboard, reenacting the tragic destruction of Cang City.
Is what diviners can achieve truly limited to this extent?
Amidst her anxiety and contemplation, Fu Xuan conceived an extraordinarily bold idea. Without delay, she set off for the Seat of Divine Foresight.
The next figure to appear in the vision was a familiar face:
Qingque: Whoa! General Jing Yuan!
Stelle: There he is—the legendary stress-resistant hero of the Xianzhou—Jing Yuan!
After meeting with the general, Fu Xuan shared her plan.
Given the current situation, victory seemed impossible. Their only hope lay in invoking the Imperial Bow's divine manifestation. Surprisingly, despite proposing such a blasphemous and absurd notion, the weary Jing Yuan did not display any hint of mockery. Instead, he nodded and asked, "What do you propose we do?"
Fu Xuan elaborated on her idea, "The Jade Tower Immortal Ship possesses the Alliance's foremost celestial instrument, the Mirror of Cloud Observation."
"The Mirror of Cloud Observation can not only observe but also transmit messages outward. My suggestion is to transport the mirror to Fang Huo and seek aid from the last known location of the Imperial Bow's light arrow. If we act swiftly, there may still be a chance for reversal."
Jing Yuan pondered briefly before responding, "The Imperial Bow communicates its divine edicts solely through its light arrows. You are well aware...of the sole sign heralding the Imperial Bow's descent upon the mortal realm, as well as its consequences, correct?"
Often, the salvation brought by The Hunt was indistinguishable from destruction.
When the Imperial Bow unleashed its light arrow, it not only signaled immense devastation for Fang Huo, but also ensured that anyone undertaking this mission would have no possibility of survival.
Fu Xuan's expression turned grave. "Yes, as the one proposing this plan, I am willing to personally venture onto the battlefield and execute this task."
However, Jing Yuan shook his head. "Thank you for your suggestion, but during times of crisis, it is appropriate for the six administrations to confront the danger diligently. Moreover, you do not possess the authority to operate the Mirror of Cloud Observation."
"Additionally, should events spiral out of control due to this course of action, as the proposer of these recommendations, I will bear all the consequences. There is no need for concern on your part."
[Stelle: Shocked! Even here, Jing Yuan steps up under pressure! He takes full responsibility!]
As Fu Xuan watched the general's departing figure, realization dawned on her—the true significance behind "six administrations diligently face calamity." Only one with authority to fully utilize the Mirror of Cloud Observation and send signals using the Imperial Bow's harmonious language could fulfill this role...
Within the entire Xianzhou Alliance...it seemed that only the Head of the Jade Oracle Division himself was qualified.
At that moment, Fu Xuan felt as if she had plunged into an icy abyss. The shadow of fate transformed into menacing hands, rising from the ground to seize her firmly. A chill spread from her feet throughout her entire body.
She thought she had escaped it. She believed she had rewritten her destiny.
During her hundred years at Luofu, Fu Xuan even suppressed her longing, daring not to contact her master, all to prevent the prophecy from coming true. Yet despite her efforts—after fleeing for a century, circling round and round—
Fu Xuan realized that fate had been waiting for her at the end all along.
***
***
By this point in the story, both Fu Xuan and Qingque fell silent.
[The live stream chat also went quiet.]
[After a long pause, someone finally posted a comment.]
[Sushang: Ah, this...]
[Sushang: In the end, doesn't it still mean Fu Xuan's suggestion ultimately led to her master's demise??]
[Qingque: Yes, the prophecy came true after all.?]
[Firefly: Watching this feels so distressing...]
[Firefly: Fate is like an inescapable net; Fu Xuan thought she was fleeing from it, unaware that each step she took only drew closer to the final tragedy.]
[March 7th: Sigh, how did it turn out this way? ??]
[March 7th: Was there any chance to avoid it?]
[March 7th: If Su Qing hadn't revealed the truth when Fu Xuan asked back then, would things have been different? Could the outcome have changed?]
[Himeko (sighs): Destiny, if easily broken, wouldn't be called destiny at all.]
[Silver Wolf: And by keeping it hidden all along, only to drop such a massive revelation at the last moment—]
[Silver Wolf: In just five years, Fu Xuan's favorability reached its peak. Imagine if, after staying together for a hundred years, she discovered it was her own hand that killed her master...]
[Stelle: Fu Xuan might have hastily embraced the Demonic Yin Body right then.]
[Silver Wolf: Indeed.]
[March 7th: Oh no, you're right.?]
[Black Swan: This truly is a perplexing riddle.]
[Black Swan: Since the prophecy involves an Aeon Star, even for Su Qing, it likely only revealed the outcome, unable to fully dispel the fog and grasp the entire sequence of events.]
[Black Swan: Therefore, choosing not to bring it up unless asked by the disciple and providing honest answers when questioned—going with the flow—is already an excellent course of action.]
[Black Swan: One can only say, fate indeed plays cruel tricks; everything unfolds according to some unseen plan.]
[Stelle: Speaking of which, Black Swan, as both a Memokeeper and a diviner, aren't you somewhat akin to Su Qing?]
[Qingque: That's true! No wonder your analysis makes so much sense!]
[Stelle: Wait, but shouldn't you be considered his exact counterpart, Qingque??]
[Qingque: I feel equally distressed watching this; I can't even analyze it seriously anymore. ??]
[Black Swan: What also surprised me was Fu Xuan... When being affectionate like that pink kitten, she seemed so close, but upon learning about this prophecy, she fled immediately—vanishing for a whole century.]
[Topaz: Isn't that just typical cat behavior?! They're incredibly clingy when feeling affectionate, but once spooked for any reason, they instantly run as far away as possible!]
[Black Swan: Hmm? Topaz makes a valid point. I must admit, my understanding of such matters is limited...]
[Seele: It's quite similar to what happened with Silver Wolf, isn't it? When she found out Su Qing planned to leave Punklorde, she ran off right away too.]
[Sparkle: Sigh, are all you lolicon groups this fragile?]
[Silver Wolf: ?? You might want to check yourself in the mirror first before saying that!]
Fu Xuan remained immersed in her emotions from that time, not contributing to the chat.
Kafka stayed silent as well, momentarily.
Her situation mirrored Fu Xuan's. Kafka pondered what she herself would have done faced with such circumstances.
["...Perhaps, like Fu Xuan, she would simply run away as well. The deeper the emotions, the longer one might flee."]
["Kafka could even understand why Fu Xuan hadn't dared to contact Su Qing at all during these hundred years."]
["With a soft sigh, Kafka sent another comment."]
[Kafka: @Fu Xuan, don't dwell on it too much; it's not your fault.]
[Fu Xuan: ...Thank you.]
[These two messages stunned everyone who saw them.]
[Stelle: What?! Kafka is actually comforting Fu Xuan?!]
[Seele: Am I seeing things???]
[Firefly: Is this a dream???]
[Silver Wolf: Does Kafka have some indirect strategy or hidden agenda??]
[Himeko: ...Is it to lower Fu Xuan's guard?]
[Sparkle: ?? These are the most genuine thoughts from two people who've been tricked by Kafka before.]
[Black Swan: (laughs) Have Kafka and Fu Xuan reached a sort of reconciliation?]
[Seele: How long will this reconciliation last?]
[Silver Wolf: I bet, at most, until the end of this multiplayer simulation!]
[Sparkle: I wager, at most, until they meet in reality.]
This time, as Black Swan waved her fan, it was not to cool herself physically but to alleviate the emotions stirred by these revelations.
Qingque softly asked, "So ultimately, just as your master's divination predicted... Ah, before that, did your master accept this proposal?"
"Mm-hmm, he did," Fu Xuan replied with her head bowed. "Given my master, I knew he would surely accept."
"And once I realized the true implications of my suggestion, I understood—the prophecy had indeed come true..."
Fu Xuan continued recounting events from her perspective.
However, for now, the live stream shifted its focus to Su Qing.
It was also the first time Fu Xuan witnessed her master's reaction upon learning about this news and discovering she proposed the idea.