Why Is the One Being Pursued Me?

"Thank you... thank you..."

Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz. After hurriedly accepting the handkerchief, she anxiously lowered her face again, her slender fingers nervously fidgeting with the hem of her clothes.

Tail looked at Bai Jun, who was making an "OK" gesture at it, and slowly revealed a smile.

This kid really knew his way around women...

But after a while, it realized that Bai Jun was still making the "OK" gesture at it, and his lips seemed to be saying something.

Tail watched carefully and realized he was saying—your turn to step in.

It clicked its tongue in extreme displeasure. Its blue flames flickered several times before it reluctantly drifted over to Huo Huo's side. After hesitating for a moment, it gently patted her hair with a flame and awkwardly comforted her.

"Did you hear that? Stop crying. You're useful—more useful than anyone. The paper dolls you usually fold are impressive too. They always help me out a lot in battle."

"Taaail~"

Moved, Huo Huo tightly hugged Tail in her arms. The sobbing edge in her voice made the blue flames instantly tremble.

"Hey, hey, hey! Back off, back off! I'm not your pillow!"

Though it spoke fiercely, it only struggled symbolically twice before letting Huo Huo continue holding it. That was, until it noticed Bai Jun's teasing look from the side and instantly bristled again.

"W-What are you looking at?! You white-haired brat!"

"What? Aren't you two getting along pretty well?"

"What the hell do you know?! We... we... tch. Anyway, I'll definitely take over this scaredy-cat's body someday."

Bai Jun cheerfully teased the snarling Tail, though he had not forgotten their earlier agreement. Only after seeing that Huo Huo was in better spirits did he grab Tail and ask, "All right, what did you mean by what you said earlier?"

"What did I say? I don't remem—remember, remember! I was just joking. Don't get mad!"

Tail tried to muddle through while whistling and quietly shifting its gaze away, but when it noticed Bai Jun's expression gradually turning dangerous, its survival instincts immediately made it change its tune.

Only then did Bai Jun's expression return to normal. "Quit wasting time and tell me. I want to get back and sleep early."

"Didn't you say the Flint Emperor nearly killed you? Yet you're still alive and well, and you haven't lost your will. That is precisely proof that the Flint Emperor has acknowledged you. Otherwise, ordinary people would have been burned to death the instant they came into contact with the Flint Emperor. Did you think the Flint Emperor, like ordinary Suiyang such as us, was so eager to consume your emotions?"

Tail sighed and slowly floated above Huo Huo's head, explaining to Bai Jun at an unhurried pace.

"You should know this already. Suiyang originally had neither emotions nor consciousness. At first, we merely drifted aimlessly through the galaxy around the Flint Emperor. Only after encountering the Nameless who traveled freely across the galaxy did the Suiyang that came into contact with people gain human emotions and consciousness. Then, through the Flint Emperor, that small portion of Suiyang quickly spread those things among all Suiyang."

"And the Flint Emperor is the first stellar spirit flame. It is our origin, and we are also part of it. In other words, the Flint Emperor is actually the collective will of all Suiyang. It possesses independent thoughts of its own, but in the end, it is still the aggregate of all Suiyang thoughts and wills."

"So do you understand now? The Flint Emperor itself is not an ordinary Suiyang. It has no interest in your emotions and does not want to seize your body. The fact that you survived already means it has acknowledged you, and that feeling naturally spread through all Suiyang... Come to think of it, haven't you noticed that every Suiyang has treated you pretty well?"

After hearing that, Bai Jun realized it really did seem to be the case. The Suiyang he had encountered in the past had all been at least friendly toward him. So far, he had never seen a Suiyang actively attack him.

Yet it still felt strange. Back at the Furnace of Creation, whenever the mechanism was used to remove the barrier blocking the Flint Emperor, it would bewilder the people in the hall and recreate the scenes of the Flame War. And if it had already acknowledged him, why did using its power burn through his life force every time...? The old man possessed the Flint Emperor's power too, yet he used it with effortless ease.

"I know what you want to ask. Simply put, the Flint Emperor is both an individual and a collective, so when it speaks with outsiders, it often manifests itself through Suiyang similar to that person. It's normal for you to think its changes are drastic. Even I've only seen the Flint Emperor's individual consciousness a few times. As for it taking half your life... that's because your constitution can't withstand it, isn't it? And I don't know whether it's just my imagination, but are you really an Xianzhou native?"

Tail curiously floated over to Bai Jun and sniffed hard. The faint yet intense scent of the Abundance around him was something almost only fellow Xianzhou natives possessed. If he belonged to another species, he could not possibly have that scent. So... it was probably just Tail's imagination?

Bai Jun gently pushed Tail away from his face and nodded thoughtfully. "I understand... Thank you for clearing that up."

"No need to thank me. Use the Flint Emperor's power enough, and you'll find out sooner or later... I'm tired. Scaredy-cat, hurry up and take me back." Tail huffed arrogantly, shook its blue flames, and instantly burrowed back into Huo Huo's tail.

The area fell silent again, leaving only Bai Jun and Huo Huo.

"Hm? Is something wrong?"

Still absorbed in the information Tail had revealed, Bai Jun suddenly noticed an unmistakable gaze fixed on his face. He lowered his head and met Huo Huo's blankly staring eyes.

"Huh? Ugh, um... I-I'm... I'm fine..."

Huo Huo's face abruptly turned as red as an apple. She shyly lowered her head, then stiffly and slowly stood up before saying without looking back.

"S-Sorry, I still have things to do, so I'll be leaving first. And thank you, truly, truly, thank you..."

Without daring to hear Bai Jun's reply, she turned and ran into the distance like a gust of wind. Her speed was faster than that of most thoroughly trained Cloud Cavalry soldiers.

"Is she secretly a rabbit or something?"

Bai Jun watched Huo Huo disappear from sight in the blink of an eye and clicked his tongue in amazement.

"Ugh, s-so tired..."

"You're tired now? You sure looked pretty lively when you were running earlier."

After running all the way to the entrance of Prison of Deep Seclusion, Huo Huo gradually slowed down, earning Tail's merciless mockery.

"I-It was all because of you! You suddenly disappeared, so y-you left me alone with Lord Bai Jun!" After checking once more that the gifts for Lady Xue Yi and Lady Hanya had not been mixed up, she headed through the gates.

"At first, he was 'that guy.' How did he become Lord Bai Jun so quickly? Lord Bai Jun~ Aren't you embarrassed?"

Tail suddenly popped out, grinning wickedly as it poked her slightly red cheek.

"That's not it! Because, because... I'm ignoring you!"

"You're smiling as brightly as a flower. I can't be bothered looking at that stupid expression of yours."

Huo Huo's face grew even redder. She huffed, turned her head away, and ignored Tail. Looking at the handkerchief she had kept tightly clenched in her palm, Lord Tail merely snorted, muttered something casually, and burrowed back inside.

Huo Huo touched her own cheek, but she could not feel anything different. She did not think her smile had changed from usual at all.

Only, her steps had become a little lighter. Then, very soon, her smile froze.

At the end of her vision, Lady Xue Yi stood expressionlessly watching her, as though she wanted to bore a hole through her face. For some reason, it made cold sweat break out across Huo Huo's body. After forcing out an awkward smile and fumbling helplessly for a moment, she tremblingly asked.

"Lady Xue Yi, why have you been staring at me...?"

"I feel a strange aura... No, it is nothing. Thank you for your trouble."

The hesitation on Xue Yi's face lasted only an instant before her expression returned to normal. She accepted the storage box Huo Huo handed over and, as usual, reached out to gently ruffle her hair.

This time, however, Huo Huo subconsciously leaned back. She quickly explained, "Ugh, n-no, sorry, Lady Xue Yi. I'm just a little tired."

"Is that so? Remember to rest well."

Xue Yi did not think much of it. Carefully holding the storage box, she quickly headed somewhere quiet.

Seeing that, Huo Huo finally let out a relieved breath. Then she took out her notebook and headed toward Lady Hanya's room.

Behind her, Tail sighed emotionally in a voice Huo Huo could not hear.

"Tsk, tsk. This scaredy-cat has quite a few rivals. Looks like the road ahead will be especially bumpy for her~"

PS:

If you cannot understand what exactly the Flint Emperor is, you can refer to the relationship between the Demon God Pillars and Goetia in FGO.

Note: Goetia is the aggregate of the seventy-two Demon God Pillars, yet he still possesses independent thoughts. However, since he is ultimately the aggregate of the seventy-two Demon God Pillars, Goetia has as many as seventy-two personalities and natures. Since Goetia is both an individual and a collective, when speaking to outsiders, he often manifests through "Demon God Pillars" similar to that person. Thus, Goetia is described as a "mirror."

(Of course, the Flint Emperor here is a fan-made setting. It provides a good explanation for why the Flint Emperor is so powerful yet still cannot independently become the master of a Path. It is because Suiyang themselves have no thoughts, and the emotions they consume are all chaotic and varied. Since they have no intense desire for any one path, they naturally cannot independently become a Path. But if the official material retcons this later, there's nothing I can do about it. (￣▽￣)~*)

Was Something Wrong With Living Together With a Superstar?

Life over the past few days seemed to have returned to its previous, peaceful two-point routine.

Work, slack off, get off work.

Still, compared to before, there were changes that could be called significant.

For example, every morning Sushang would drag him out for morning training. Sometimes they would run into the lively and cheerful Guinaifen on the road. Tingyun would always force him to work at the Tianbo Division for one reason or another. Qing Que no longer dragged him off to play Imperial Jade Card Game whenever she saw him, instead merely exchanging a few greetings before hurriedly leaving...

At night, Huo Huo would occasionally invite him to help exorcise evil spirits, claiming it was to supervise her as she learned not to rely on Tail's strength and faced evil spirits alone to build her courage. Yet in the end, either Tail had to save the situation or Bai Jun had to step in.

"Scrub, scrub, scrub..."

He was diligently washing the collar of his shirt by hand. Wearing a black apron, he frowned over the stubborn stain.

Although he had soaked it in detergent overnight, the blood splashed from that evil spirit was far too stubborn. A faint brownish mark still remained.

"Ugh, this shirt was pretty expensive. Throwing it away like this would be such a waste."

He sighed worriedly. Then the radio sitting on top of the washing machine suddenly crackled before promptly beginning the Luofu morning news broadcast.

This is the Luofu Morning News. Good morning, viewers. Next, we bring you today's latest headlines.

First, today's main story: the date of the Universal Tour Concert has arrived as scheduled. As a long-standing tradition for followers of Harmony to spread its radiance, this concert tour spans the entire universe. All proceeds from the concert will be publicly accounted for and donated in full to people in war-torn regions, praying for a better future for the universe.

The most eye-catching performer, the renowned universal singer and galaxy-famous superstar who has won numerous top honors, Miss Guinaifen, whose heavenly voice has spread across countless worlds, will also arrive at the Xianzhou Luofu today. She will sing hymns at the Universal Tour Concert the day after tomorrow.

The Luofu Tianbo Division will broadcast the entire tour, sending its music and beautiful blessings to the countless stars of the universe.

Bai Jun's Jade Omen suddenly chimed. His expression did not change as he washed his clothes. He merely slowly stood up, leisurely wiped his hands on a towel that was obviously several sizes too large, removed his apron, set everything aside, then turned and clicked off the radio.

The room immediately fell silent, leaving only the Jade Omen's continuing ringtone.

He picked up the Jade Omen and glanced at it. The message at the top had been sent at four in the morning, and it was from Huo Huo.

Little Nether Messenger: Sorry. I clearly made up my mind last night that I would handle that evil spirit myself, but in the end, I got so nervous that my hands shook and I messed it up like always...

Little Nether Messenger: But I still have to thank Lord Bai Jun for helping out last night! I've really troubled you a lot these past few days!

Little Nether Messenger: (*////▽////*)

Did she not sleep at night? No wonder her dark circles were always so bad.

Bai Jun silently came to that conclusion and planned to find a suitable opportunity to advise her to stay up less late and take proper care of herself. Otherwise, if it went on for too long, it would eventually become a serious condition that would not improve without a hundred years or so of treatment.

The messages below were much more straightforward. The sender's conspicuous name already revealed quite a lot.

Real-Name Internet User (Not Jing Yuan): Miss Guinaifen is expected to arrive at the Luofu around nine this morning. At that time, I will go with Division Master Yukong to welcome her. Afterward, we still have many concert-related matters to discuss, so you need not come greet her. Go submit your leave request at the Earth-Balance Commission ahead of time. I will notify you to meet her in the afternoon or evening.

Real-Name Internet User (Not Jing Yuan): Oh, of course, if you cannot restrain yourself and want to meet this superstar early, I can understand that too. Remember to come to Reception Room C3 on the third floor of Shence Mansion. You know the rules~

"She's arriving today? These past few days went by so fast..."

Bai Jun irritably closed the Jade Omen, reflected on the passage of time, and unhurriedly walked over to the window. He opened it, and dazzling sunlight streamed straight into the room.

The sky was cloudless that day.

Scattered white clouds drifted through the sky like fruit pits. They floated much higher than summer clouds and were far smaller in volume. Beneath that crisp, clear blue sky, gusts of wind swept past.

It was undoubtedly bright, comfortable weather. Bai Jun quickly changed clothes, wrote a week-long leave request, and left home.

Some time later, he entered the Public Office of the Earth-Balance Commission and handed his written leave request to Da Hao, who was seated at his desk. Jing Yuan had presumably cleared things with everyone beforehand, so Da Hao was not overly surprised. He only told Bai Jun to take care before casually slipping the request into a drawer.

Thinking back on their interactions over the past years, Da Hao had not failed to notice things. He had long formed an entirely new understanding of the man named Bai Jun. His work efficiency alone showed that his identity could not possibly be as simple as it appeared.

He must have had some special mission, perhaps as someone who ordinarily blended in among the crowds. Maybe he was a Vanguard from Shence Mansion? Or perhaps he had some other formidable identity Da Hao did not know about? In any case, someone like him could not possibly be content with being an ordinary clerk.

After saying goodbye to his colleagues, Bai Jun left the Public Office. Following the principle of having nothing to do but listen to music at the teahouse, he stopped by the Sanyu Bookstore to browse newly arrived newspapers and novels. Then he planned to drink tea at Buye Hou, but found himself unable to muster much interest.

So he wandered aimlessly through the streets of Exalting Sanctum. Before long, however, he was surprised to discover that Exalting Sanctum seemed to be hosting some sort of festival that day, because it was far more lively than usual.

The markets of Exalting Sanctum were not normally so bustling.

Centered around the main southern avenue, the area was packed with people and countless agricultural products. Wooden crates held heaps of golden wheat, brightly colored berries and apples, enormous pumpkins, and all kinds of other produce.

These crops, symbols of Abundance's generosity, looked more gorgeous and alluring than jewels in a treasure chest. Yet there were no clerks beside the crates to sell them, making it seem as though they were merely displays. Passersby casually picked up fruit, bit into it with relish, and ate heartily, while no one stepped forward to stop them.

Meanwhile, the northern street on the other end was packed with vendors loudly hawking small items such as figurines and music cards. The largest crowd had gathered around a stall auctioning autographs, where loud cries of sale could faintly be heard.

"Miss Guinaifen's handwritten autograph! This is a rare item that money can't buy! Its previous owner passed away, but before dying, specifically asked for it to be given to another fan of Miss Guinaifen, which is why it's being auctioned now!"

The sight before him gradually made Bai Jun realize that this must be the effect of the tour concert. He had not expected its influence to be so widespread. It seemed he really had underestimated this concert.

He spent the day wandering around with nothing to do. While rosy clouds still lingered in the western sky, night had already quietly descended from the east.

As though urged on by the coming darkness, the streets of Exalting Sanctum lit one lamp after another.

After dinner, Bai Jun saw that it was about time and headed toward Shence Mansion.

Since he had visited too many times, the Cloud Cavalry guards at the entrance let him through immediately when they saw him. He walked straight inside, familiarly circled past the covered corridor crossing the courtyard, and, rather than entering through the main doors, opened a small side door.

It was not that the main entrance had a sign saying this side could not be used, nor was he trying to do anything sneaky. This way simply allowed him to reach Room C3 faster while avoiding the attention of the many Cloud Cavalry soldiers in the main hall. He had no habit of being watched by a crowd while climbing the stairs.

The lights in the reception room were bright, and faint voices could be heard inside. The meeting presumably had not ended yet.

Bai Jun silently complained that he might have arrived too early, but leaving now would be troublesome. So he found a secluded spot to sit down and prayed that the boring meeting would end quickly.

Suddenly, while idly fiddling with his fingers, Bai Jun noticed the opposite corridor.

A group of men and women in suits, dressed differently from the Cloud Cavalry, stood there. Most had their hands folded in front of their abdomens and stood solemnly by the wall. The faint smell of gunpowder and blood coming from them made it clear that they were probably Guinaifen's security team.

At the front of the group stood a middle-aged woman who looked like a manager. She wore a clearly tailored professional suit. Its style seemed ordinary at first glance, but its material was high-end and clearly expensive. Her black hair had been dyed glossy and sleek, though wrinkles remained visible on her face. Her figure, however, had not gone out of shape, and even showed faint signs of exercise.

Both her posture and expression showed that she was a poised, cultured professional. She was likely the leader of this team.