Hearing Fu Xuan's words, Yu Xian couldn't help but be stunned.
What?
Fu Xuan actually intended to pass the position of Master Diviner to him?
That statement jolted him awake more effectively than any coffee ever could.
"I… I'm deeply honored by your trust, Master Diviner," he began carefully. "However…"
A thought gnawed at him.
"I've always known that you aspire to become the General. But if you really hand over your current position to me, wouldn't that mean giving up at the peak of your success? Without the authority and influence of the Master Diviner, wouldn't it become harder for you to even qualify to compete for the title of General?"
It was a fair question. If Fu Xuan no longer held the title, her power and visibility would decline drastically—making her path toward the General's seat nearly impossible.
So why would she willingly weaken her own position?
Fu Xuan, however, showed no hesitation. She waved a hand dismissively and said,
"The position of Master Diviner carries great responsibility. It should belong to the most capable, not the one who merely wants it. If transferring it benefits the Luofu, I will not cling to it. Whether I am Master Diviner or General… it no longer matters to me."
Her tone was calm, almost detached—but then her eyes flickered with a strange expression.
"Besides, if it's you..."
Yu Xian blinked. "If it's me, then what?"
Fu Xuan smirked slightly.
"When you grow old and retire, I can simply take the position back," she said with a faint snort. "A few decades isn't that long. I can afford to wait."
"..."
Yu Xian fell silent.
So that's what it was. Another reminder of the sheer difference in lifespan.
A short-lived outsider like him might serve a few decades at best—while Fu Xuan could simply wait him out, reclaiming her position when his mortal years ran dry.
Classic Xianzhou logic.
"Speaking of which, Master Diviner," Yu Xian said suddenly, glancing toward the door, "there's one more thing…"
Fu Xuan tilted her head. "What is it?"
"The door… it's not closed."
A trivial detail, perhaps—but both turned their heads toward the doorway.
And froze.
Outside stood a crowd of diviners—some leaning in, some on tiptoe—all eavesdropping.
Fu Xuan's face shifted from pale to pink to completely neutral again in the span of a heartbeat.
Then—
"What are you all looking at!? Get back to work!"
Her shout thundered through the hallway.
The crowd scattered instantly, but by then, the damage was done.
---
Rumors spread like wildfire.
"Have you heard? The Master Diviner plans to pass her position to that outsider, Yu Xian!"
"An outsider? You mean those short-lived species who barely live a hundred years? Shorter-lived than the cats and dogs on the Luofu?"
"Exactly! I don't understand why the Master Diviner thinks so highly of him."
"What can you possibly master in a hundred years? I've studied divination for five centuries and still wouldn't dare call myself a master. That outsider probably doesn't even understand the fundamentals!"
"Right! Every outsider who comes to the Luofu is the same—good-for-nothings who rely on luck and charm. Maybe Yu Xian seduced the Master Diviner and clouded her judgment."
"Careful! Keep your voice down… but now that you mention it, he's been getting close with Qingque too—someone the Master Diviner personally trained. Don't tell me…"
"You mean… both of them—?"
"Ah—!"
---
Yu Xian exhaled heavily, shaking his head.
He ignored the gossiping voices and pushed through the crowd, slipping quietly back into his office and locking the door behind him.
These past few days, the Divination Commission had been filled with nothing but whispers. Most couldn't accept the idea that Fu Xuan would choose an outsider like him as her successor.
And among those few who could accept it, even fewer stayed silent.
The rest? They twisted the story into every scandal imaginable, channeling their own frustrations into slander—convincing themselves that every missed promotion or hardship was somehow Yu Xian's fault.
Disgusting.
And dangerous.
Who knew what these people might do if their jealousy kept festering?
Yu Xian sighed and ran a hand across the Jade Tablet on his desk.
"If this were a peaceful era, maybe it wouldn't matter…" he muttered. "But right now…"
The Luofu was anything but stable.
Racial tension, class divides, and growing inequality were the least of their problems. The Interastral Peace Corporation continued tightening its grip, the Denizens of Abundance had begun resurfacing, the Antimatter Legion stirred once more, and even the Dragonfolk were showing worrying signs of unrest.
Crisis after crisis—every corner of the Luofu felt like a ticking bomb.
And in the middle of it all, his private conversation with Fu Xuan had leaked, thrusting him into the spotlight.
To make matters worse, Qingque—who Fu Xuan had repeatedly mentioned that day—had also drawn unwanted attention.
To some, Yu Xian's short lifespan made him a temporary nuisance. But Qingque, with her centuries-long potential, might seem a far greater threat.
Now both of them were targets.
Wonderful.
Yu Xian could only shake his head and sigh again.
Still, not everything in recent days had been grim. There was at least one piece of "good news."
---
Bam!
The door burst open, breaking the silence.
Qingque strode in, clutching a Jade Tile in both hands.
Though she walked boldly, there was a faint limp in her step—and her legs were pressed rather tightly together.
Yu Xian looked up, the corners of his lips curving into a knowing smile—the unmistakable expression of someone who knew exactly what had caused that limp.
Qingque's cheeks flushed bright red as she glared at him.
"And whose fault do you think this is? If you hadn't been so dead set on 'getting revenge' the other night—using the Path of Elation's power to cheat, no less—I wouldn't be in this state!"
"Alright, alright, that's enough," Yu Xian said, raising a hand with a grin. "Let's save that kind of talk for tonight."
-------
A/n: While I am a new translator, I have a Patreon! While it may be a bit empty right now both this and the other book on my page has advanced chapters posted on patreon.
patreon.com/deadlygoober