Chapter 43: Chapter 42: Qingque: Failed Braking on Flat Ground!
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The sky was crisp and chilly as dawn broke.
The diviners of the Divination Commission had yet to begin work, leaving only Su Jinyan and Fu Xuan standing before the Matrix of Prescience Ultima.
Su Jinyan, with his straightforward demeanor, held no fear of Fu Xuan glimpsing his future. He always focused on achieving results rather than dwelling on the process; as long as the outcome was favorable, why worry about the steps taken along the way?
On that note, if Fu Xuan could truly understand his well-intentioned efforts through the Endseeker Array, might she be moved enough to give him a kiss? Ah, sometimes being overly charming can indeed be a burden.
What would I do if Lady Fu Xuan decides to vie for my attention like Tingyun and Qingque? Whom should I favor then?
Fu Xuan, clearly exasperated, snapped, "Put away those frivolous thoughts; this venerable one can discern them even now. However, there is something I must address—you really ought to curb your narcissistic tendencies."
Su Jinyan remained silent, momentarily speechless.
The amethyst glow intensified, enveloping Su Jinyan's body and gently lifting him off the ground.
With a solemn expression, Fu Xuan raised her delicate, pale hand slowly. "Let this venerable one see... what lies in your future..."
Scenes from the future flashed before Fu Xuan's mystical gaze. Initially, she paid little heed, her finely featured face only slightly flushed. But gradually, her pink lips parted wider, unable to close in disbelief.
"This, this..." She stammered, "Unbelievable, simply unbelievable!"
"This-this venerable one, how could it be? Could the Endseeker Array have malfunctioned?"
"No, no, the Endseeker Array cannot err," Fu Xuan corrected herself.
Curiosity piqued, Su Jinyan asked, "Lady Fu Xuan, what did you see?"
With great effort, Fu Xuan composed herself and sighed deeply. "Forget it. From now on, please don't address this venerable one as 'Lady Fu Xuan.' It sounds too distant."
Su Jinyan pondered for a moment before tentatively trying another name, "Shizun?"
Fu Xuan stamped her foot, flustered, "Don't use that either!"
Now even more intrigued, Su Jinyan pressed, "What exactly did you witness?"
Fu Xuan covered her face with a sweep of her sleeve and mumbled, "This venerable one saw your sword directed towards Tingyun."
Taken aback, Su Jinyan protested, "No, that can't be possible! Why would I ever harm Tingyun? Are you sure you didn't misinterpret something?"
A subtle smile tugged at the corners of Fu Xuan's lips. "This venerable one also foresaw several young women brutally hacking you to death for abandoning them after seduction."
"Observed a towering, indistinct figure crushing you underfoot."
"Saw you imprisoned by the Ten-Lords Commission in The Shackling Prison, where you ultimately perished in despair."
"Witnessed you joining the Stellaron Hunters, becoming a wanted criminal sought by the Interastral Peace Corporation."
"And glimpsed your demise while rummaging through trash, struck dead by a baseball bat."
Realizing the jest, Su Jinyan glared at her disapprovingly.
"May I ask, Lady Fu Xuan, just how many times can I die?"
"And seriously, who gets bludgeoned to death with a bat while rummaging through trash?!"
He never expected Fu Xuan to joke with him like this.
Fu Xuan pursed her lips, a hint of sorrow in her gaze. "This venerable one is not jesting with you."
"What this venerable one sees are myriad possible futures, fragmented into various visions."
"Each outcome truly exists."
"In your case, these futures cannot converge; any of them might come to pass."
"Do you understand what this venerable one means?"
Su Jinyan shook his head. "No, I don't."
With flushed cheeks, Fu Xuan gritted her teeth and asked, "Must this venerable one spell it out so plainly?"
"If there are both disastrous outcomes and favorable ones,
then it lies within our power to Avoid Calamity and Seek Fortune."
"In simpler terms, strive to avoid making poor choices that lead to the worst-case scenarios."
"To prevent tragedies from unfolding, do your utmost to stay away from Tingyun and the others."
"From now on, curb those ill intentions and serve under this venerable one instead."
Attempting to change the subject, Su Jinyan suggested, "Why don't we talk about something else?
"Can I go undercover among the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus?"
Fu Xuan nodded lightly. "Agreed, this venerable one will seal your records."
"Only this venerable one and the general know about your undercover status; fewer people knowing is for the best." She added sternly, "You must not reveal it to anyone, understood? Not even Qingque, Tingyun, or any others."
Su Jinyan responded seriously, "Understood."
Just then, hurried footsteps echoed from nearby.
Qingque stumbled as she ran over, gasping breathlessly, "B-bad news, Lady Fu Xuan! Something happened—something serious..."
Unable to bear witnessing the impending disaster, Fu Xuan discreetly took a step back.
"Aiya—!"
In her panic, Qingque momentarily lost her footing, accidentally tripping herself by stepping on her own foot.
As Qingque teetered on the brink of falling, poised for a classic faceplant—a hallmark of flat-chested beauties—
Su Jinyan, standing several meters away, instantly appeared before her and caught her securely in his arms.
Relieved, Qingque sighed, "I almost thought I was going to trip. Thanks, A-Yan."
Fu Xuan pursed her lips, deep in thought. The future visions involving Su Jinyan had indeed diverged significantly.
In one scenario, Su Jinyan proactively stepped forward to catch Qingque just as she was about to fall.
In the second scenario, Su Jinyan stood silently by as Qingque stumbled, letting her slide several meters before pulling her up and mocking her.
Both were potential futures represented by diverging shadows. However, if relying on the Endseeker Array for divination, it should only reveal the definitive future shadow that is bound to occur.
This was truly peculiar—why was Su Jinyan's future filled with such uncertainty?
Su Jinyan teased, "Eager to fall into my arms, little sparrow?"
Qingque instinctively pouted, then hastily replied, "No time for jokes, I just received news.
"Did you know? Last night, Miss Tingyun encountered another incident."
"She was once again targeted by assassins from the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus."
Su Jinyan nodded gently. "What was the outcome for the rogue Disciples?"
Qingque's charming face showed surprise. "Shouldn't you be asking about Miss Tingyun's well-being instead?"
Fu Xuan responded mildly, "If harm had befallen Tingyun,
"your reaction would have been different, Qingque."
Qingque scratched her head, breaking into a sheepish grin. "Heh, guess you're right."
"No one could've anticipated that during the attack, a patrol of Cloud Knights happened to be nearby."
"Miss Tingyun suffered no harm; instead, it was those Disciples of Sanctus Medicus who met their deaths or sustained injuries."
"Only one demonic entity, clad in armor and wielding a long spear, managed to evade capture."
Su Jinyan had anticipated this outcome. After all, he had spent some time among the ranks of Sanctus Medicus.
The cultivators there could aptly be described as such:
They were akin to rats hiding in gutters—though incapable of causing significant harm to others, they were undeniably repulsive.
For the elite Cloud Knights, even vast numbers of ordinary cultivators would ultimately succumb without resistance. The ones truly posing challenges were the Mara-Struck immortal warriors, mostly defectors from the Cloud Knights themselves.
In everyday life, these cultivators used Dust Return Form Locking Pills to disguise their appearances, appearing indistinguishable from common folk. They also regularly consumed Dragon's Coiling Leap elixirs to stabilize and enhance their cultivation realms.
Although the power gained by such cultivators far surpassed that of typical Cloud Knight elites, their numbers remained limited, making them the cream of the crop among cultivators. Losing any of these elite members would deeply pain the black-robed figure. Consequently, only during crucial missions were these cultivators deployed.
"I need to attend to something urgently. Little sparrow, would you like to come along?" Su Jinyan asked.
"Sure thing, let's go together!"
"Lady Fu Xuan, can I take leave for now?" Qingque cheerfully waved at Fu Xuan.
Fu Xuan replied mildly, "He is visiting Tingyun; this venerable one will turn a blind eye."
"Qingque... if you're just going to play cards again, stay here! Otherwise, don't expect your salary this month."
Tears streamed down Qingque's face. "Unfair! Lady Fu Xuan is so biased."
"A-Yan, you go ahead; I can't take time off right now."
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