The golden hall was solemn and majestic, with statues of the Three Pure Ones Patriarchs standing at its center.
Perfected Person Xuanji took off her Veil Hat and approached the patriarchs' statues with the Empress Dowager. Despite her easygoing nature, she behaved properly before the patriarchs, even leaving her Wine Gourd outside. She fetched some incense and offered a stick, then silently admitted her mistakes, hoping the patriarchs would not blame her.
The Empress Dowager stood beside her holding incense, silently thanking Heaven for its protection over the past few years and wishing Ye Jingtang peace and safety in the days ahead.
After offering incense, the three did not leave immediately.
Hongyu glanced around and noticed a table by the entrance with a divination-stick holder on it. They could draw fortunes, so she said:
"Your Highness, shall we draw a fortune?"
Without waiting for the Empress Dowager to speak, Perfected Person Xuanji went behind the little table and sat down, assuming Half-Immortal Lu's manner as she crooked a finger.
"Come here, Huaiyan. This Daoist will tell your fortune."
To be honest, the Empress Dowager had no faith whatsoever in Shui'er's cultivation. But divination involved prying into Heaven's secrets; even Lü Taiqing would not necessarily get it right. Since they were already here, she went over and sat before the small table.
"What are we divining?"
Perfected Person Xuanji sat upright behind the table in her white dress, looking rather like an ethereal immortal. She picked up the stick holder and handed it to the Empress Dowager.
"That depends on you. What do you want to divine?"
The Empress Dowager actually wanted to ask when she could openly and honorably marry Ye Jingtang, but that was clearly not something she could tell Shui'er. After a moment's thought, she said:
"When Hongyu