Chapter 125

The Xianzhou Jade Palace frequently organizes a lecture or meeting for the Divination Bureau of each ship to come to the Jade Palace. If it were something important, that would be fine, but the content of each lecture and meeting is nothing more than divination and predictions about the Xianzhou over the past hundred years and its planned direction.

Honestly, summoning all the oracles from each ship for such a trivial matter is a bit of an overreaction, since it's simply part of the Divination Bureau's duties. Besides, each oracle's time is extremely valuable, so there's no need to make a fuss about it.

As a pragmatist Fu Xuan had always disagreed with this approach. Fu Xuan had offered suggestions countless times when her master was still alive, but even then, they hadn't been effective, let alone now...

This time was no different. After finishing his lecture at the Jade Palace, Fu Xuan rushed back to Luofu without stopping.

The calamity fire that soared into the sky from Scalegorge Waterscape... This matter caused quite a stir. Fu Xuan heard about it on her way back to Luofu. However, like the ordinary people of Luofu, she was relieved to learn that the whole matter was under the control of the Shence Mansion and the Prison of Deep Seclusion. She had wanted to divine the cause and effect of the incident, but for some reason, this time she could only vaguely see the outcome and could not investigate the causes and effects of the events as she usually did.

This is indeed a strange occurrence, but the divination results are quite encouraging. As for the specific details and causes, we'll find out about it when we get back to the Divination Bureau.

When Fu Xuan arrived at the Starskiff Haven in Luofu, the setting sun was already hanging obliquely on the horizon.

Orange-yellow light slowly spread from the distant horizon, painting the entire sky a honey-like amber color like burning flames.

"Endless reference materials to read, reports to approve, and countless tedious tasks. Discussing auspicious dates for the trip with the Tianbo Division. Even with clever assistance and meticulously planned schedules, attending a lecture on business feels more like a vacation."

The daily divination by the Matrix of Prescience had been delayed for several days. The thought of returning to the Divination Bureau and facing countless tasks, coupled with the fatigue from the long journey, made even Fu Xuan feel somewhat overwhelmed.

However, Fu Xuan, who was standing alone at the Lingxing Gate of the Starskiff Haven Harbor, did not rush back to the Divination Bureau. Instead, he looked down at the time on the Jade Omen while glancing around, his eyes seemingly searching for someone.

"Tch... Where is Qing Que? Shouldn't I have informed her in advance?"

Fu Xuan wasn't one to make a big fuss. She had no intention of having a grand welcome upon returning from her business trip. The reason she was waiting here was simply because she had contacted Qing Que in advance yesterday to give this girl who liked to play tricks a good talking-to.

But now... there seems to be no trace of her anywhere nearby.

Normally, it was one thing for Qing Que to turn a blind eye to Qing Que's sneaky behavior, but this blatant act clearly challenged her prestige as the Grand Diviner, which made Fu Xuan furious. Her beautiful eyebrows furrowed slightly, and the aura of anger emanating from her body frightened the surrounding pedestrians into giving way.

Fu Xuan was a reasonable and good boss. She first informed Qing Que via the Jade Omen that she had arrived at Starskiff Haven Port, and then decided to patiently wait for Qing Que for another ten minutes. During the wait, she also took the time to perform a divination for herself. The fortune presented today seemed quite good. "The upper trigram is Xun, the lower trigram is Gen, and the second line is the hexagram Jian. The text of the second line reads: 'The wild goose gradually approaches the rock, eating and drinking with relish, auspicious.'"

--In layman's terms, it means encouraging people to eat.

Fu Xuan thought it was perfect. She had already arranged to meet the Alchemy Commission Dragon Lady of the Healer's Apothecary Department yesterday. If possible, it would be even better if she could also try the Dragon Girl's medicinal tea. It would surely relieve the fatigue brought on by the long journey!

Interestingly, Fu Xuan initially thought that the medicinal tea prepared by the Dragon Girl contained a secret ingredient to revitalize and relieve fatigue. It wasn't until much later that he realized Bailu had simply added more sugar to address the problem. The Dragon Girl was indeed a Dragon Girl; though she didn't say it, Fu Xuan actually adored this young High Elder. In private, the two chatted happily, and they even gradually started addressing each other by their real names instead of their official titles or ranks.

Having waited for a long time under the Lingxing Gate without seeing Qing Que, Fu Xuan's patience was completely exhausted. She sent a message to Qing Que, then put away the Jade Omen in a huff and left Starskiff Haven Port.

Before returning to the Divination Bureau, Fu Xuan needed to go to Bailu at the Alchemy Commission to ask her to check on the rejection status of his Dharma Eye and body.

"For some reason, my 'Omniscia's' rejection has been getting worse lately. I should ask the Dragon Girl what's going on as soon as possible..."

Fu Xuan gently stroked the Dharma Eye on her forehead, the faint pain seeming to constantly tug at her nerves.

The various indicators in the Xianzhou native maintain a strict innate balance. Invasive prosthetics and external forces such as hormones that interfere with this system will cause a strong backlash. The Dharma Eye on Fu Xuan's forehead, a treasure called "Omniscia", is essentially an invasive prosthetic.

This means that the eyes will be gradually rejected by the body, and the person will suffer great pain in the process.

Fu Xuan had long been aware of this, but over the years, the pain her body had endured was real. Whenever this happened, only Bailu was able to heal her and alleviate this pain that went deep into her soul. Therefore, their relationship was not only that of doctor and patient, but also that of close friends.

"My Lady Dragon Girl~ I'm so tired, I want some herbal tea..."

What happened next was exactly as before. Fu Xuan, with the same lazy attitude he used when he was with Bailu, pushed open the door with the wooden sign that read "Closed for the day, please come back tomorrow" while complaining. As a result, he was met with Bai Jun sitting in the lobby.

The atmosphere in the clinic became awkwardly tense for a while. Fu Xuan Bai Jun, blushed adorably. She had never expected Bai Jun to be there, let alone that he would see her embarrassing state.

Knowing that the blame lay with her, Fu Xuan had no chance to defend herself, nor could she give up and shift the responsibility onto Bai Jun. So, shyness overcame her chaotic emotions. She could almost hear the sound of her face boiling over. Her legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground, almost fainting.

Why has Lady Fu Xuan come here?

Faced with the chaotic scene that was about to spiral out of control, and Fu Xuan blushing so much that he seemed ready to spontaneously combust at any moment, Bai Jun, who had initially intended to watch the spectacle, temporarily lost interest in continuing his teasing. Although seeing a different side of Fu Xuan was quite interesting, it wouldn't be so fun if the joke went too far and caused the other party to give up and force a one-for-one exchange with him.

So Bai Jun took the initiative to change the subject and pretended not to have seen anything, lowering his head to drink his tea.

"I... I want to find Lady Dragon Girl... wait, no."

She was speechless for a while, and even the "this seat" she usually used to address herself was forgotten. It wasn't until her flushed face returned that Fu Xuan realized something was wrong and stared at Bai Jun with a resentful look.

"It's one thing to talk about others, but Bai Jun, you've been in Luofu for so long, didn't you realize I've been Luofu these past few days?"

She had been thinking about Bai Jun all along, and even after returning, she was still thinking about Bai Jun. She never imagined that Bai Jun wouldn't even notice her absence from Luofu during that time. Was it all just Fu Xuan's wishful thinking?

Upon hearing Fu Xuan's words, Bai Jun looked over with a mixture of surprise and confusion. He had indeed not noticed Fu Xuan leaving Luofu, and this look undoubtedly confirmed Fu Xuan's earlier question.

"Lady Fu Xuan, you've finally arrived! Please have a seat, and I'll prepare some invigorating herbal tea for you!"

Before Fu Xuan could complain, her voice was replaced by another soft, sweet voice. Bailu ran to her side with a cute smile, trying to shift Fu Xuan's attention to herself as if to excuse Bai Jun. She then pulled her to a seat and began mixing coffee, adding sugar to the cup.

Sensing Bailu's concern, Fu Xuan's expression softened considerably. The Lady Fu Xuan pondered for a moment, then suddenly glanced at Bai Jun, and for some reason seemed uneasy. After her gaze wandered for a while, her cheeks flushed, and she asked softly:

"Lady Dragon Girl, why didn't you tell me sooner that Bai Jun would be here too...?"

"Hehe, I remember that Lady Fu Xuan and A-Bai are very close, and A-Bai doesn't come here every day. For example, he can't come when the Alchemy Commission is busy, so I didn't mention it."

"Since that's the case, then there's nothing we can do... Wait, wait a minute, Lady Dragon Girl, are you saying that when the Alchemy Commission is busy, shouldn't it be the Earth-Balance Commission?"

"Hmm? I wasn't wrong. A-Bai is now the Cauldron Master of the Alchemy Commission, no, he should be the Acting Cauldron Master of the Alchemy Commission."

"Eh? The Cauldron Master of the Alchemy Commission..."

Bailu put her hands on her hips, her cute smile tinged with pride. Her tone, which didn't sound like a joke at all, Fu Xuan's brain to briefly freeze. She recognized every single word in the sentence, but why did they sound so unfamiliar when put together?

The Cauldron Master of the Luofu Alchemy Commission, and it's Bai Jun?

Even Fu Xuan, with his vast knowledge and extensive reading, had never imagined such a path. Putting aside whether Bai Jun actually had the ability to serve as the Cauldron Master of the Alchemy Commission, Bai Jun's lazy and irresponsible attitude, which was almost as bad as Qing Que's, made it almost impossible. It was even more believable that Bai Jun would succeed as a general.

Fu Xuan pinched his cheek hard, as if wondering if he had fallen into someone's illusion, but the clear pain on his face seemed to silently and vehemently deny it.

"What on earth is going on?! He was supposed to succeed the Grand Diviner!!"

"As expected, it turned out this way. Also, I've never granted you that kind of request..."

Hearing Fu Xuan's mournful cries, which were already somewhat delirious, Bai Jun thought to himself, "Just as I thought," and took a sip of hot tea, his expression somewhat helpless.

Meanwhile, on the other side, at the Lingxing Gate of Starskiff Haven Port—

"Congratulations to Lady Fu Xuan on his outstanding performance and courageous struggle in the Xianzhou Jade Palace! Therefore, we warmly celebrate the triumphant return Divination Bureau Xianzhou Luofu, the sole ray of light of the Lord Diviner Boat Luofu General of Divine Strategy and candidate for Lady Fu Xuan of the Xianzhou Luofu Divine Strategy!!!"

A brown-haired girl with a headscarf bearing the words "Lady Fu Xuan" tied around her forehead held up glow sticks in both hands. Amidst the astonished gazes of passersby, she muttered to herself in an empty space. Whenever a new wave of ships arrived at the port, she would frequently scan the crowds disembarking, as if searching for the figure of some important person.

"Sigh, why hasn't Lady Fu Xuan arrived yet? I remember she said yesterday that it should be around now."

Qing Que's hands, which had been holding up glow sticks, fell limply to her sides, and she had sighed countless times over the past few days.

Lady Fu Xuan's business trip should have been a good thing, as it usually meant that Qing Que could have a short period of free time, slacking off as she pleased or playing cards as she pleased, without having to worry about being caught by Lady Fu Xuan. However, this time was an exception.

For some reason, Fu Xuan has been using his Dharma Eye to monitor her location frequently these past few days. Whenever Qing Que tries to slack off, she gets bombarded with phone calls from Fu Xuan, causing her workload to not decrease but instead become increasingly heavy.

Work was a small matter, but the fact that she couldn't see Bai Jun these past few days was a big deal. Qing Que had already made up her mind that once Fu Xuan returned, she would definitely take two days off to see Bai Jun, lest he be snatched away by another woman.

"That can't be, the time the Lord Diviner mentioned is now... Could it be that I missed it?"

After standing there dumbfounded for another ten minutes, Qing Que finally realized something was wrong. She quickly took out her Jade Omen, only to find that it had been muted at some point, and there were already several messages from Fu Xuan on it.

"Heartless Divination Machine: Qing Que, I have arrived at the Lingxing Gate at the western port of the Starskiff Haven. Where are you?"

"Heartless Divination Machine: I recall notifying you yesterday, but considering any unforeseen circumstances on your end, I'm granting you ten minutes. If you fail to respond and I cannot see you in person... you will bear the consequences."

"Heartless Divination Machine: You, Qing Que, it's only been a few days, and you already dare to disregard my orders! You'd better have really done something wrong, otherwise I will punish you by making you guard the gates of the Divination Bureau for half a year!"

We're doomed!!!

Qing Que's face turned deathly pale instantly. She looked up at the Lingxing Gate above her head and realized that she was at the East Port of the Starskiff Haven. In other words, she had come to the wrong place!

It was too late to say anything now, so Qing Que could only quickly type on the Jade Omen tablet to explain to Fu Xuan.

The glow of the setting sun gradually faded, and the color of the sky changed from orange-red to deep purple. The setting sun shone directly on Qing Que's face, and the bright light made her squint slightly. But just then, a shadow suddenly blocked the light in front of Qing Que.

Like the stretched strings of a harp by the setting sun, accompanied by the gentle breeze of spring, carrying a touch of warmth, slowly brushing past the ears.

"Excuse me, but I noticed you're wearing Lady Fu Xuan's headscarf. I assume you must be a diviner from the Divination Bureau Shence Mansion? I'm new to Luofu, may I ask you for directions to the Shence Mansion?"

"Who are you..."

The voice was neither high-pitched nor low-pitched, but just right, as if mixed with a faint floral fragrance. Qing Que looked towards the direction of the setting sun, and the other person's figure was tinged with a warm orange-red, while those slender pointed ears undoubtedly announced her race.

"What a beautiful sister Vidyadhara..." Qing Que couldn't help but think.

Her long, jet-black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, swaying gently in the breeze. Occasionally, a few strands brushed against her jade-like cheeks, making her skin appear even whiter and more translucent. Her figure was slender and elegant, but her arms and calves were a striking crimson color, quite different from her fair skin, adding a touch of allure without being seductive.

Moreover, she smelled wonderful. It wasn't a cheap perfume with heavy makeup, but a gentle and elegant fragrance that combined lavender and herbal scent with her natural body odor. Even Qing Que couldn't help but take a few more sniffs of the fragrance, and her tense nerves unconsciously relaxed.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Lingsha. I returned from my studies in Zhuming and now serve as the Cauldron Master Alchemy Commission Luofu Alchemy. If you are feeling unwell, please feel free to come and see me anytime."

Lingsha explained to Qing Que in a gentle tone.

PS:

I've had a fever for the past two days and haven't been feeling well. I'll make up for the missed update yesterday once I feel better.

Chapter 155: Inviting a Wolf into the House is Like This

"So... before the Xianzhou selects the next Chief Cauldron Master, you've only been temporarily brought in by Jing Yuan Cauldron Master fill the position and handle the affairs of the Alchemy Commission?"

"Otherwise, how could I possibly get involved with a job as completely unrelated as Cauldron Master?"

In the spacious little clinic, the silent second hand vibrated through the air.

After spending some time explaining, Bai Jun told Fu Xuan didn't know, including Buli person's prison break, the turmoil of the Medicine King's Legacy teachings, the defection of the Vidyadhara, and the truth about the battle. Of course, Bai Jun deliberately concealed some things about Feixiao and didn't tell Fu Xuan everything.

"That's good, I understand what you mean."

Having finally grasped the situation, Fu Xuan breathed a sigh of relief upon learning that Fu Xuan Bai Jun was only temporarily serving as the acting head of the Pill Cauldron Master Department. Since he hadn't truly become the Cauldron Master of the Alchemy Commission, the matter of poaching him seemed negotiable. Moreover, considering that Bai Jun had managed to handle the mess in the Alchemy Commission so well, didn't that precisely prove his ability and Fu Xuan's foresight?

Once she succeeds Jing Yuan as general, the position of Grand Diviner will be filled, and I won't have to worry about having no successor.

"But... so many things have happened in the few days I was away. Why couldn't my divination before I left have predicted any of them?"

Long, slender legs in white pantyhose were crossed, and Fu Xuan, sitting next to Bai Jun, rested his left hand on his fair chin, lost in thought for a moment.

The job of the Grand Diviner was to handle many matters of the Divination Bureau every day, calculate and predict the fortunes of the Xianzhou, and the essence of divination was to "learn from the past to know the future".

Humans walk the path of Path, stars move in the sky, and by observing their trends, one can know the future. All of this, or rather the past, is based on the fact that the present moment is constantly becoming the past, and is built upon the situation where the "elements" are in the hands of the diviner. Many people believe that humans can use their own power to influence and even choose the future. However, for Fu Xuan, the past, present, and future do not exist chronologically, but synchronically.

From the very beginning of creation, every moment in the universe was predetermined, and this was already proven by Fu Xuan's master, Jing Jingtian, just as Fu Xuan would cast a dozen or so divinations every day for everyday problems, and the results were often accurate.

However, this time Fu Xuan was unable to deduce the process through divination; he only vaguely saw the ending. Such a situation was extremely rare since Fu Xuan became a diviner, and it could even be said that there was almost no precedent for it.

If Fu Xuan had to give a conclusion, the reason could only lie with Bai Jun. As the only person Fu Xuan could not understand in his career as a diviner, Bai Jun was the one. He could not see the various phantoms of possible differentiation or the flow that a person should have in their Path. Moreover, he was not a higher-level Emanator.

Whether this proves there's a flaw in "fate" remains to be seen, but one thing is certain— Bai Jun might hold the answer Bai Jun Fu Xuan has been yearning for, which is why she's never willing to let him go. She wants to witness whether the path of fate truly has only one predetermined one.

"Lady Fu Xuan, remember to drink your medicinal tea quickly, otherwise it won't taste good when it gets cold."

Following Fu Xuan's usual habit, Bailu added sugar to the coffee spoonful by spoonful until the fine white sugar granules piled up in the black liquid. Only then did Fu Xuan snap out of her reverie. She thanked Bailu while stirring the sugar-coated coffee evenly with a teaspoon, turning it into a warm, sweet cup.

The invigorating coffee, paired with eye-brightening powdered sugar, was taken in a steaming sip. An indescribable sense of satisfaction instantly dispelled Fu Xuan's mental fatigue, melting her cold expression and revealing a long-lost happy smile on her face.

Realizing that Bai Jun was also beside him, Fu Xuan quickly sat up straight with a slight blush on his cheeks, pretending that nothing had happened.

"Ahem, drink your tea, don't look at me... no, you're not allowed to look at me."

Her expression was like that of a puppy whose Tail had been stepped on, frowning and whimpering as if trying to be serious, but her blushing cheeks betrayed her true feelings.

Bai Jun suddenly realized that Fu Xuan was actually quite cute.

Previously, Bai Jun wasn't very good at getting along with geniuses like Fu Xuan, but this improved somewhat with his interactions with Herta. He remembered that when they first met, Bai Jun avoided her like the plague, and could even be described as annoyed.

Although they had only known each other for a short time, her attitude was inexplicably arrogant, and she liked to ramble on and on. Bai Jun knew a woman similar to her, but this woman named Fu Xuan was obviously much more talkative than her, and she had a habit of quoting classical texts, which often made it difficult for people to understand her true meaning.

However, this has improved in her interactions with Bai Jun. At least when she speaks to Bai Jun, her tone is more conversational and everyday, unlike before when there was an obvious sense of distance between her words.

Seeing the gentle smile spreading across the young man's handsome face, Fu Xuan was somewhat lost in thought.

For some reason, she felt that Bai Jun had changed a lot since they last saw each other. It was as if Bai Jun used to deliberately avoid her, but now he seemed to have let go of some worries and gotten rid of his anxiety. His demeanor and behavior had become more relaxed and natural.

Her unwavering gaze puzzled Bai Jun; rather, given the situation, he couldn't ignore it even if Bai Jun wanted to.

"Is there anything you didn't understand, Master Diviner Fu?"

"N-nothing..."

Feeling Bai Jun's gaze, Fu Xuan's face flushed again, and he felt ashamed of himself. It took him some time to regain his composure, and Fu Xuan stammered as he began to defend himself:

"Bai Jun, it wasn't easy for you to get the position of acting Director of the Cauldron Master Alchemy Commission. So many seemingly kind old men in the Cauldron Master have been eyeing the position for years, and I'm quite curious how you managed to earn their respect."

"I didn't do anything," Bai Jun said, picking up his hot tea and shaking his head.

In reality, it's not that they did nothing, but rather that they didn't need to do anything. Anyone who witnessed the scenes of the Prison of Deep Seclusion and the Scalegorge Waterscape would never have the thought of resistance. The tragic scenes were beyond the reach of ordinary people. The longer one experiences, the more deeply one will understand this.

Even the Vanguard of the Shence Mansion and the judges of the Ten Lords Bureau were terrified by that extreme power, let alone the cowardly old guys in the Alchemy Commission. They had no reason to break their skin and oppose a monster for the sake of a mere acting position in the Pill Cauldron Master Division. All they needed to do was quietly wait for this terrifying guy to leave the Alchemy Commission.

I've been hoping for the position of Cauldron Master for so many years, so what's a little more time?

Based on their judgment, the hot potato of the position of Cauldron Master in Luofu would not fall into the hands of others so easily. As long as the position of Cauldron Master vacant, they could rely on their accumulated power to slowly maneuver around the position until the acting Cauldron Master left and the real Cauldron Master arrived. Then they would use all their resources to sideline the other party.