As Scholar Song turned around unexpectedly, he found her standing there, amidst the flickering lights.
In the eyes of diviners, the future is always like viewing flowers through fog—filled with mysteries and uncertainties.
However, in the perspective of a "very famous" diviner, the future branches out into countless paths based on different choices people make. But regardless of the choice made, none of it is truly random.
Because in this world, nothing is a coincidence; there is only inevitability.
Even if two people appear to meet by chance, it is, in fact, something that was meant to happen. One inevitable event after another propels the wheel of history forward, leading to various predetermined futures!
All of this boils down to a single point—diviners never get it wrong. Even if they do seem to be wrong, it merely indicates that what they divined points to a parallel world's inevitable future. You simply followed a different path to arrive at another inevitable outcome.
Thus, it is not the diviner who is at fault, but the world itself!
The above words are the earnest declaration of a diviner who has calculated countless omens yet has never been accurate—a rather infamous one at that. You've probably guessed it by now; yes, this diviner is none other than the Master Diviner of the Copper Hexagram in the Ninefold Land group.
Although he's a rather unreliable diviner, his words carry a certain twisted logic.
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...
Scholar Song never expected to run into that beautiful girl with long black hair and legs for days; after all, the world is so vast, where could all these coincidences come from?
Yet, he didn't anticipate that after wandering around for a bit, he would cross paths with her again.
As he stepped out of the Glory Beef Shop, carrying a large bag filled with the shop's specialties for his roommate, he spotted the black-haired beauty striding towards him, dragging a gigantic suitcase behind her.
In that moment, Scholar Song truly witnessed the impressive speed of someone with long legs. What had seemed like a considerable distance was crossed in the blink of an eye, and she was right in front of him.
He instinctively stepped aside to let her pass, making it easier for her to maneuver her massive suitcase through the narrow space.
"Thank you," the black-haired beauty said softly, her voice sweet and somewhat shy.
With that, she disappeared into a small shop behind her.
Scholar Song nodded slightly, glancing at the time. It seemed about right for him to head back to the dorm.
However, just as he took a couple of steps, he noticed that the black-haired girl had quickly finished her business inside the shop and was now asking the shopkeeper something. Scholar Song didn't mean to eavesdrop on her conversation, but he couldn't help but overhear her question.
And that question made him freeze mid-step…
"Excuse me, do you know if there's a temple called 'Ghost Lantern Temple' near the Luoxin District?"
The shopkeeper thought for a moment before shaking his head, "Ghost Lantern Temple? Never heard of it. But I've only moved here two years ago, so I'm not familiar with many places. You might want to ask some of the older shopkeepers; they've been in the Luoxin District longer and would likely know more."
The shopkeeper was clearly a friendly person, eager to help; perhaps it was the girl's natural charm that made her seem so likable.
Ghost Lantern Temple, Luoxin District?
Scholar Song immediately thought of the girl in their group known as Fay Yu from Lingdie Island.
Did I hear that right?
With this thought, Scholar Song pulled out his large phone, swiping to unlock it. He quickly opened the chat app and accessed the Ninefold Land group.
After he left, there were indeed several new messages in the group chat.
First, there was a message from Fay Yu sent over two hours ago.
She mentioned that she hadn't been able to gather information about Ghost Lantern Temple, but she had taken a taxi directly to the Luoxin District and was planning to ask the local residents directly.
Then, there was another message from her sent twenty minutes ago.
Fay Yu wrote: "I've successfully arrived at the Luoxin District. There are so many people here, it's bustling with activity, completely different from what I imagined! This place is a food street, and I've seen so many delicious foods along the way."
It was clear that she was in a good mood, partly because she had 'successfully' found the Luoxin District, and partly because of all the tasty food available.
"From the Jiangnan region airport, it takes about two hours by car; and now there's this food street in Luoxin District?" Scholar Song rubbed his face in disbelief.
From Jiangnan Airport, even speeding wouldn't get you to J City in just two hours, would it?
Based on the taxi travel time and Fay Yu's description of the destination, it was highly likely that she had gone to the wrong place—she hadn't reached the Luoxin District of J City at all. Instead, she had ended up near the Jiangnan University Town, the paradise for foodies.
And if this wasn't just a coincidence, then the long-legged black-haired beauty behind him might very well be Fay Yu?
The thought of a modern, stylish beauty possibly being a character from a Xianxia fantasy made Scholar Song feel a strange twist in his heart.
However… even with all these clues, he couldn't yet confirm that the black-haired beauty was indeed Fay Yu.
There was still a possibility that there was some special event happening at Ghost Lantern Temple in the Luoxin District, causing many people to flock there. Hence, it was entirely possible that others, like Fay Yu in the group, had also gone to the wrong location.
Though this scenario seemed unlikely, it wasn't out of the question.
Scholar Song continued swiping through the chat on his phone, but there were no new messages. The Hermit of North River wasn't online either; perhaps he was off helping to inquire about Ghost Lantern Temple?
Just as he was scrolling, Fay Yu's voice message popped up in the group chat.
Without thinking, Scholar Song clicked on it.
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...
Fay Yu, feeling exhausted, dragged her suitcase out of the twelfth shop, a hint of disappointment evident on her face.
This was already the twelfth shop she had visited. The shopkeeper's suggestion was good, but no matter how many places she asked—both old and new shops—none had any information about Ghost Lantern Temple.
Sighing, she pulled out her phone, her thumb deftly swiping to open the chat app. She clicked on the Ninefold Land group chat window.
She still hadn't received a reply from the Hermit of North River, whom she had been eagerly waiting for.
Since it was inconvenient to type with one hand, she opted for the voice message feature, her soft voice conveying her hope. "Hermit of North River, do you have any news about Ghost Lantern Temple? I've asked many shops here in the Luoxin District, but no one seems to know anything about it. Please reply when you receive this."
Releasing her thumb, she successfully sent the voice message.
Putting her phone away, she resolved to keep asking shopkeepers in the Luoxin District about Ghost Lantern Temple; she couldn't give up just yet!
As she approached the entrance of a shop, she noticed the boy who had previously made way for her still standing by the roadside, engrossed in his phone, seemingly unaware of what he was doing.
Fay Yu didn't pay him much mind and continued on her way.
Just then… a familiar sound rang out from the boy's phone.
"Hermit of North River, do you have any news about Ghost Lantern Temple? I've asked many shops here in the Luoxin District, but no one seems to know anything about it. Please reply when you receive this."
This… isn't that my voice?
Wait, that's the voice message I just sent!
Fay Yu froze for a moment, and then an indescribable joy surged from her heart—this boy in front of her was actually a senior from the Ninefold Land group!
Feeling like she had grabbed hold of a lifeline amidst her frustration, she quickly closed the distance, taking two steps to stand beside this 'senior.'
...
...
Scholar Song had just clicked on the voice message from Fay Yu, her soft and melodious voice truly delightful to hear. Just then, he felt someone approach from behind him.
A fragrant breeze wafted into his nose, a subtle floral scent mingled with a hint of feminine allure.
Turning his head, he saw the long-legged black-haired beauty standing behind him, her expression filled with joy as she gazed at her own phone.
"Ninefold Land group?" The black-haired girl's gentle voice brimmed with the delight of reuniting with an acquaintance in a foreign land.
At that moment, Scholar Song was at a loss for how to respond to her.
He didn't need her to introduce herself; at this point, if he couldn't guess who she was, he might as well go buy some tofu and end it all.
"Fay Yu from Lingdie Island?" Scholar Song's voice came out awkwardly, laced with an undeniable sense of discomfort.
"That's me! May I ask for your Immortal Name?" Fay Yu finally managed to calm down a bit, carefully sizing up this 'senior.'
In her memory, every friend in the Ninefold Land group, except for Sable Sixteen of the Su Clan who had crossed tribulations yesterday, was considered a senior.
The senior in front of her looked about eighteen or nineteen years old, but surely that wasn't his true age? He stood around 1.75 meters tall, with a kind face that made him seem approachable.
Kind-faced… which simply meant he had a face that gave off good vibes, the kind that easily earned him the "nice guy" label.
Moreover, she couldn't sense any aura of cultivation from him—it appeared that his presence was entirely retracted, as if he had blended into the world of ordinary people. He had presumably reached a state of returning to simplicity, akin to a father figure. That's how Fay Yu perceived it.
Senior?! Just that title alone made Scholar Song's heart feel a twinge of discomfort.