Light golden eyes, like amber.
She wore ornate clothing—a short skirt woven in shades of purple and white. A violet astrolabe hung before her chest. White tights wrapped around her legs, and black ankle boots encased her feet.
Her fluffy pink hair was fastened with a hairpin, and between the strands, a faint glimmer of golden earrings could be seen.
Though she appeared young, there was an aura of authority between her brows. The surrounding Cloud Knights stood respectfully in two lines at her sides. Accompanied by the crisp sound of boots striking the ground, the girl strode into the group's line of sight.
"The Alchemy Commission is currently under lockdown. Outsiders are not permitted to enter."
Seeing this, Stelle hurriedly spoke up. "We're not outsiders, Master Diviner. We met not long ago."
"I know," the girl addressed as the Master Diviner nodded. "The Trailblazer of the Astral Express and the Chief Alchemist of the Alchemy Commission—I recognize both of you. But..."
Her gaze shifted to Elysia.
"Who is this person?"
Elysia did not answer. She merely observed the girl before her with curiosity.
As the other moved, her fluffy hair swayed gently, revealing a smooth expanse of bare back.
Her skin looked flawless—so smooth it tempted one to reach out and lightly trace it, to slip through the narrow gap between fabric and flesh and perhaps brush against the tender curves concealed beneath the astrolabe.
Elysia's eyes narrowed slightly as she regarded her with interest.
The girl known as the Master Diviner frowned faintly. For some reason, a chill crept up her spine.
When her gaze met Elysia's, she immediately understood where that sense of danger came from. She unconsciously took two steps back, widening the distance between them.
"I believe... that before asking someone else's name, one should first offer their own. Wouldn't you agree, Master Diviner?" Elysia smiled at her.
"I am the current Master Diviner of the Divination Commission—Fu Xuan."
Her voice was ethereal and cool. Though she was introducing herself, it sounded more like an interrogation.
"The Divination Commission is responsible for foretelling fortune and misfortune for the people," Stelle leaned closer to Elysia and whispered softly in explanation. "Many matters concerning the Luofu's future are calculated and predicted by them. Fu Xuan oversees the entire Divination Commission. She holds a very high position on the Xianzhou Luofu, so you probably shouldn't contradict her, Ely."
Elysia had no intention of contradicting her. Still, she was somewhat surprised that someone who looked so young held such a high-ranking position on the Luofu. A figure so full of authority seemed like she would be quite interesting.
With that thought, Elysia gave a slight bow.
"My name is Elysia. I am currently residing temporarily on the Luofu. My registration should be with the Realm-Keeping Commission—ah, yes, they should have my information on file. I registered there earlier. As for my current occupation, I'm a streamer. You can also find my information on Ghostly Grove."
Fu Xuan fell silent for a moment, then nodded lightly as if recalling something.
"If the Realm-Keeping Commission has your records, then temporary residence on the Luofu is permissible. However, the Alchemy Commission is presently under lockdown. Members of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus are still at large. I advise you to return as soon as possible."
After Fu Xuan finished speaking, Dan Shu, who had remained silent until now, finally stepped forward.
"Master Diviner, we are only here to retrieve medicine. Once we have it, we will leave immediately. This medicine concerns a Cloud Knight suffering from mara. I hope you can make an exception."
The surrounding Cloud Knights exchanged awkward glances. After all, one day, each of them would inevitably suffer from mara as well. On the Luofu, it was an unchangeable law.
"All Xianzhou natives cursed by the Abundance are unable to escape this fate," Fu Xuan said calmly. "I understand your intentions. You act out of kindness. If even that kindness were denied, it would make me seem overly cold-hearted."
"However, I must still remind you that there are an unknown number of Disciples of Sanctus Medicus hiding within the Alchemy Commission. If you wish, I can assign two Cloud Knights to accompany you."
As she spoke, Fu Xuan looked at Elysia.
"And allowing an ordinary person to walk into danger is not a tradition of the Luofu."
Before anyone could respond, a Cloud Knight hurried over and whispered a few words into Fu Xuan's ear. The icy expression on her face shifted several times in quick succession.
In the end, Fu Xuan coughed lightly, forcing herself to remain composed. She turned and shot the Cloud Knight a sharp glare.
"During such an important mission, you were hiding off to the side browsing Ghostly Grove. I will deal with you after we return."
Fu Xuan studied Elysia closely. The Cloud Knight had just informed her about the video currently ranked first on Ghostly Grove.
She had not expected that an ordinary person like Elysia would be able to subdue a Cloud Knight in the midst of a mara episode. Cloud Knights were rigorously trained. Even in a mentally unstable state, they were not easily restrained by common people.
Although Elysia claimed to be a streamer, she clearly possessed some hidden identity.
It seemed that after these matters were resolved, Fu Xuan would need to personally visit the Realm-Keeping Commission to examine her records.
Finally, Fu Xuan addressed them again.
"Be mindful of your safety within the Alchemy Commission. If you encounter members of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, do not engage them in combat. Immediately proceed to a secure area and take cover. Nearby Cloud Knights will handle the situation."
Fu Xuan no longer obstructed them. For the group, that was good news.
But as they left, Elysia cast a somewhat regretful glance back.
Noticing Elysia's gaze, Fu Xuan hastily stepped back several paces, maintaining a safe distance.
Perhaps it was the intuition of a diviner, but Fu Xuan felt that Elysia's gaze was extremely invasive—dangerous, even.
Watching Elysia's retreating figure, Fu Xuan narrowed her eyes slightly. The celestial eye upon her forehead emitted a faint glow.
Although she could not personally go to the Realm-Keeping Commission at the moment, using her celestial eye to divine Elysia's background posed no problem.
As the Master Diviner of the Divination Commission, relying solely on her own divination abilities, obtaining information should have been simple.
Yet this time, something went wrong.
Vaguely, Fu Xuan felt as though crystalline ice bloomed around her. The surrounding environment shifted. A tall figure sat in meditation at the center of a pure land, silently observing everything.
"My divinations concerning the Luofu showed no abnormalities," Fu Xuan muttered, wiping sweat from her brow with effort. "But when I attempt to divine matters related to her, it feels like flipping through a massive ancient tome. After glimpsing only a few fragmented lines, the obscure contents force me to retreat."
"And that figure... it was clearly the Aeon of Remembrance... Could she be affiliated with the Garden of Recollection?"
"This person's identity grows more and more elusive. But as long as she has no connection to the Abundance... I will allow her to stay for now."
Staring at Elysia's departing back, Fu Xuan raised a hand to rub at her throbbing temples.