Qingque sat on the ground, her bottom smarting slightly from the sharp stones in the woods. She looked up at the two women a few steps away, her mind still a little hazy.
The taller one, with gray hair and gray eyes, stood upright like a pine tree. Although she had just shattered the Sky-Covering Giant Sword with a single punch, her face was expressionless now. She simply "watched" her calmly, and that gaze... well, how should she put it? It didn't look like she was looking at a living person.
The shorter one, dressed in blue and white, held the Azure Flowing Longsword in her hand. She blinked her round eyes, examining Qingque from head to toe with immense curiosity. That gaze was so clear and direct it made Qingque a little embarrassed—after all, she was still wearing her home pajamas printed with abstract cartoon fish, her hair was a bird's nest, and her appearance was far from presentable.
The air was quiet, broken only by the rustling of bamboo leaves in the wind and the chirping of unknown insects in the distance.
Qingque cleared her throat, forced out what she thought was a friendly and harmless smile, and raised her hand in a wave:
"Uh... hello, everyone?"
Li Sushang tilted her head and took a small step closer. She was slightly taller (1.5 meters) than Qingque (1.4 meters). She leaned forward slightly, curiosity practically bubbling over: "Who are you? Why are you in Grand Master's Secret Realm? I didn't even notice when you arrived!"
Her voice was clear and crisp, holding no hostility, purely confusion.
"Me? My name is Qingque."
Qingque instinctively gave her name, then tried to stand up, patting the grass clippings and dirt off her pajamas. "As for how I got here... I'd like to know that too!"
She spread her hands, looking innocent and bewildered. "I just took a nap. I closed my eyes, opened them, and found myself at the foot of this mountain. I followed the steps up, and then I saw you two... uh, practicing?"
She carefully chose a word, glancing at the sword in Li Sushang's hand, and then at Fu Hua's seemingly ordinary, yet spine-chilling, fist.
"Sleeping? And waking up here?"
Li Sushang frowned, clearly finding the explanation too bizarre. "This is a pure land established by Grand Master using... well, Great Divine Power! Ordinary people can't get in at all! Did you use some kind of Escape Technique? Or are you carrying some powerful Magic Artifact?"
"Escape Technique? Magic Artifact?"
Qingque shook her head like a rattle-drum. "No, no, absolutely not! I'm just an ordinary civil servant on the Xianzhou Luofu, working nine-to-five... uh, sometimes slacking off, the kind who gets paid on time. How could I know any Escape Techniques? And forget Magic Artifacts, the most valuable thing I own is probably the limited edition Imperial Jade Tile set I saved up for..."
She rambled on, trying to lower her threat level through nonsense and self-deprecation.
"Xianzhou Luofu?"
The moment the silent Fu Hua focused her gaze on Qingque, some translucent text and information streams appeared in her vision, like a light screen materializing out of thin air.
The style was concise.
[Target Individual: Qingque]
[Species: Xianzhou Native]
[Affiliation: Xianzhou Alliance·Luofu]
[Occupation: Ordinary Diviner of the Divination Commission (Note: Skilled at slacking off, playing cards, and avoiding overtime)]
[Status: Consciousness Projection (Source: Special Medium Resonance; Stability: Low; Can be forcibly repatriated)]
[Associated Terms: Xianzhou, Abominations of Abundance, The Hunt, Predicament of Longevity...]
Fu Hua's gray eyes moved slightly.
(Xianzhou? Luofu? Was that the one from the last simulation?)
Before she could think further, the content on the light screen suddenly blurred and twisted, then refreshed:
[Role-playing Identity: "Immortal" of the Hidden Secret Realm (Reference Template: High-level figure conforming to expectations)]
[Guidance and Teaching for Target "Qingque" (Content self-determined, must conform to the tone of "Immortal Imparting Art")]
[Reward (Preview: Red Kite Immortal Martial Arts Insight *1)]
[Note: This target has a high probability of becoming a regular customer. Keep up the good work. — Black Herta]
Fu Hua: "..."
Her mouth twitched.
(Role-play an Immortal? Teach? The reward is... the Martial Arts Insight of the "me" outside? And a "regular customer"? This person... really knows how to arrange things.)
She instantly understood her situation and her mission.
Her gaze fell back on Qingque, who was currently flustered as she struggled to explain to Li Sushang "what exactly a Xianzhou is."
"It's just... a very, very big ship! The kind that flies between the stars!"
Qingque gestured wildly, trying to make Li Sushang understand. "Lots of people live on it, there are Generals, Cloud Knights, Merchant Ships, and our Divination Commission... anyway, it's just huge!"
Li Sushang was completely confused. "A ship? Flying between stars? Aren't stars hung up in the sky? How can anything fly to them? Also, what is the Universe?"
Qingque was stumped. She scratched her head. "Huh? The Universe is... that really big place where everything is contained? Oh dear, how do I explain this to you..."
She was starting to feel frantic, like she was explaining Interstellar Travel to an ancient person.
"Xianzhou Luofu..."
Fu Hua spoke, her voice drawing both of their attention back.
Her tone carried a detachment that seemed to have settled over long ages. "I have heard a little about it. A massive vessel carrying the Long-Life People, traversing the path of The Hunt across the boundless Star Sea, and also... a place struggling for survival, trapped by the 'blessings' of Abundance."
Qingque's eyes lit up. "Yes, yes, exactly! Senior... uh, Senior? You know about it?"
She muttered internally that this "Immortal" was indeed knowledgeable, hitting the nail on the head regarding the Xianzhou's predicament.
Fu Hua did not delve deeper into the topic. Instead, she changed the subject, her gaze, deep as an ancient well, falling upon Qingque: "This is my Secret Realm for pure Cultivation, guarded by external Restrictions. You are a mere Mortal, without an ounce of Cultivation—how could you trespass without noticing? Furthermore, your form is ethereal, neither soul nor non-soul, neither dream nor non-dream."
Qingque was taken aback, and her internal self-comfort—that "this is probably a dream"—began to waver again.
She looked down at herself and pinched her arm—she felt something, but there was an indescribable sense of etherealness, unlike a solid, physical body.
"I... I don't know either."
She answered honestly, genuine confusion showing on her face. "It feels like a dream, but how can a dream be this clear, where even stones hurting my butt feels real? Senior, tell me, is this a dream or not?"
She asked the question instinctively, only to realize how silly it sounded afterward—asking a character inside a dream if this was a dream?
Fu Hua quickly weighed her options regarding the bewildered girl in front of her.
Expose her directly? Inappropriate.
Force her to become a disciple? Even more ridiculous.
The other party was clearly someone with a decent amount of caution.
Her expression remained serene. Following Qingque's words, she spoke in a slightly mystical tone: "Whether it is a dream or not depends on the heart. That you could arrive here is Fate. Observing your Aptitude..."
She paused, seemingly "examining" Qingque closely. "While you are not the best material for martial arts, your Spiritual Platform is clear, and your mind is quite clever."
Qingque blinked, not entirely following, but she understood the phrase "not the best material for martial arts." She quickly nodded: "Senior is wise! I've had poor athletic ability since childhood; I get winded after running two steps, and I've never won a fight! I'm only suited to sit in an office calculating divination... uh, handling documents!"
A flicker of helplessness crossed Fu Hua's eyes. She continued in the manner of an exalted master: "The Xianzhou lands appear peaceful, but the Lingering Calamity of Abundance has not been eliminated, and Mara is hidden. The Star Sea is also not eternally tranquil. Having an extra skill is never a bad thing. Even if you cannot fight on the battlefield, strengthening your body and providing slight self-protection in times of crisis is still worthwhile."
As she spoke, two options quietly appeared on the "System Light Screen" that only she could see:
[Yes: Guide her to attempt basic initiation] / [No: Repatriate her consciousness].
Fu Hua's mind settled slightly.
Now was clearly not the time for teaching; the other party's heart wasn't in it, and forcing her to stay would only be counterproductive.
She selected [No], but did not execute it immediately.
"I have said all I need to say. Connections Arise and Dissolve; they cannot be forced."
Fu Hua's voice softened, carrying a transcendent air of "letting go." "You must consider this yourself. If you feel this place is a dream, then you should return. If you feel there is Fate between us, perhaps we shall meet again another day."
Qingque listened, utterly bewildered, while the little abacus in her heart clattered loudly:
(Strengthening the body? Self-protection? That sounds exhausting... We have the Grand Diviner and the Generals; if the sky falls, the tall people will hold it up. I, this little Diviner, should stick to slacking off. But this Senior looks quite formidable, and her words are mystical. Maybe she really is some reclusive master? Forget it, forget it, too much trouble. I'll go back first! This place is creepy.)
A smile immediately plastered itself onto her face. She cupped her hands and bowed: "Thank you for your guidance, Senior! I feel that... the hour is getting late today, and I'm too muddled to learn anything. How about I... go back first? What do you think, Senior?"
Fu Hua gave her a deep look, a gaze that seemed to see through her eagerness to "make a quick escape," but she didn't expose her, merely nodding slightly: "You may."
Just as Qingque breathed a sigh of relief and the surrounding scenery began to slightly blur and dissipate like ink washed by water, Fu Hua's calm voice came again, clearly imprinted on her departing consciousness:
"Oh, right. My name is Hua."
...
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