"What is going on..."
Looking at the strange scene unfolding around the Observation Array and the bizarre behavior of the Divination Commission staff, Qingque couldn't help but frown.
Huohuo shrank behind Nero and Qingque. "S-stay closer to me. I-I'm a little scared..."
"You're a judge of the Ten Lords Commission, yet you're the biggest scaredy-cat here! Isn't this supposed to be your area of expertise?" Tail said in disappointment.
"Waa..."
No one rashly moved too close and kept some distance.
"So what are they doing?" Sushang asked.
Qingque looked up at the constantly twitching, multi-ring structure of the Great Derivation Observation Array.
It looked like a blood-red eye floating above the Divination Commission. Somewhat worried, she called out to the diviners, "Everyone... are you alright?"
There was no response, but everyone saw the diviners' lips moving as though they were muttering something.
So they moved a little closer and heard the delirious whispers coming from them, "There has always only been one path..."
"Divination is meaningless..."
"This is way too strange. Everyone wasn't like this when I first got here, and when did the Observation Array become like this?" Qingque narrowed her eyes.
"Look, Master Diviner Fu is standing at the center of the array," Huohuo suddenly said. "What is she doing?"
"Judging by how she's muttering to herself, she should be calculating routes or the future like before..." Qingque hesitated before speaking.
"But everyone, including the Master Diviner, is acting strangely right now, and the array hasn't moved at all. It's just twitching above like a malfunctioning machine...
"Something's wrong. Very wrong."
"I think she's already been possessed by Xiyan." Fuyan said from the side with a half-smile.
"So the danger you mentioned really is a heliobus..." Qingque murmured.
"But... I've read in books that heliobi are starfire spirits that can freely change form and like to manipulate the thoughts and desires of mortals...
"But Master Diviner Fu is extremely capable. Leaving aside the Eye bestowed by the Omniscient Heavenly Lord, she's usually strict and rigid.
"Would any heliobus really want to possess her?"
"Fu Xuan is straightforward and maybe a little rigid, but she's not boring enough that nobody would want her around, right?" March said from the side.
"Qingque, have you been caught slacking off so many times that you've started thinking like this?"
Qingque merely shrugged and asked, "How do we wake her up?"
"Perhaps we can shake the Concentric Fire Bell," Huohuo said. "We're close enough to Master Diviner Fu now. We should be able to enter the shared dreamscape between her and the heliobus."
"Then let's shake it," Nero said.
With that, he took the Concentric Fire Bell from Huohuo and casually tossed it into the air. A certain weapon forged from the Stellaron and the blood, sweat, hope, and dreams of its craftsman suddenly activated and exerted its influence on the bell.
The next moment, the bell rapidly grew larger. Then it sprouted limbs and became a muscular bell-man, just like the animated Moon-Seizing Gourd.
"Wow... this again. Nero, doesn't your Black Cleaver have any other forms when it animates things?" March's eyelids twitched.
"It does, but this one is convenient. Not only can it activate its own abilities, but if enemies get close, it can hit back with its arms and legs. Doesn't it look really powerful this way?"
"Uh..." March opened her mouth, not knowing what to say.
On the contrary, Qingque thought this kind of animation was pretty good. If it could be taught how to play Celestial Jade, then she would never have to worry about not finding someone to play with.
After the bell was animated, it swaggered forward another two steps, then lowered itself into a horse stance and planted its feet firmly.
Its golden, heavily muscled arms rose up, and with both hands pressing against its body, which was also its head, namely the bell itself, it began shaking with all its might.
A crisp sound rang out, yet it somehow carried a heavy feeling.
People could almost see wave after wave of sound spreading outward like ripples on water, yet they felt incomparably sticky, as though sinking into a pool of asphalt.
The next moment, Fu Xuan suddenly turned around, glaring angrily at everyone as she rebuked them.
"Silence! No noisy disturbances are allowed within the Divination Commission!"
After speaking, her gaze landed on the Concentric Fire Bell that was desperately shaking itself. She froze at once and cried out in alarm.
"What kind of bizarre creature is this!?"
Qingque blinked and saw Fu Xuan walking over. Delighted, she said, "You're awake, Master Fu Xuan!"
Huohuo narrowed her eyes. "Or should we be calling you Xiyan right now..."
Fu Xuan shook her head.
"What you call me is unimportant. Whether Fu Xuan or Xiyan, both are the sole master of this Divination Commission.
"The divination work is currently at a critical stage. I will not allow anyone to interfere. Even if it's a judge of the Ten Lords Commission, guests of the Astral Express, or even you, Nero, none of you may behave recklessly here!"
"Whoa, so fierce!" Nero blinked and exchanged looks with Qingque. "I'm guessing she's fake."
Qingque looked at Nero and nodded.
Seeing this, Fu Xuan narrowed her eyes and glanced at Nero. For some reason, as though she had thought of or seen something, she immediately shifted her gaze to Qingque.
Noticing Fu Xuan's stare, Qingque turned around with an unusually blank expression and stared dumbly at the Master Diviner.
Then she heard Fu Xuan snort coldly, "Qingque! It's you again. Were you the one who brought these outsiders into the commission? You treated the rules I established as... tch, can you stop shaking already?!"
Halfway through speaking, Fu Xuan turned and shouted at the hard-working Concentric Fire Bell.
The Concentric Fire Bell trembled slightly, then straightened up and scratched its head uneasily. At last, it stopped making noise.
Only then did the Master Diviner let out a breath and continue.
"Have you treated all the rules I set on ordinary days as nothing?"
Hearing Fu Xuan's words, Qingque first froze in surprise, then showed an awkward expression.
Seeing this, Fu Xuan gritted her teeth, her brows knitting tighter as she sternly declared, "Qingque, you're fired!"
For a moment, everyone except Nero was stunned.
After hearing the news, Qingque herself became dazed.
"Huh? I... th-this... this is..."
The others looked at Qingque with some sympathy. After all, suddenly losing one's job was... wait...
The one who lost her job seemed to be Qingque...?
As if suddenly realizing something, the expressions of March and Huohuo became complicated.
Meanwhile, Sushang was still indignant and said, "Darn it... we lost one member just like that!"
However, as soon as Sushang finished speaking, she saw an excited flush appear on Qingque's face. Her eyes were full of joy, and she was smiling so widely that she couldn't close her mouth.
"...This is amazing!"