"Good fortune always comes with trials, as the spring blossoms fade into dust."
A serene yet mysterious voice echoed softly within the walls of the Red Pavilion, resonating in the ears of Lucian and Lin Daiyu.
Lucian turned his gaze to the young woman seated across from him. She was adorned in a brilliant phoenix crown and crimson bridal attire, her beauty exuding an ethereal charm.
"Qin Keqing…" Lucian murmured, recognizing her name instantly.
In the annals of the fabled Dream of the Red Chamber, Qin Keqing was a figure shrouded in tragedy. Her early demise and the scandal surrounding her family left a lasting mark on the tale.
Yet, the woman before him looked nothing like the frail and sorrowful character from those stories. She appeared no older than seventeen, her features finely sculpted, with radiant eyes and soft lips tinted a delicate shade of pink.
There was a trace of astonishment and confusion in her gaze as if she were absorbing the flood of memories and knowledge that came with her summoning.
"She must be processing the information," Lucian thought, opening her hero status panel to inspect her abilities.
[Qin Keqing]
Class: Legendary Hero
Race: Human
Quality: Gold
Level: 1 (0/200)
Bloodline: [Fairy of the Ethereal Void]
Effect: Significantly increases stamina regeneration, and boosts both physique and mental attributes.
Description: A fairy from the mystical Ethereal Void, imbued with celestial grace.
Talent: [Moonlit Blade]
Quality: Gold
Effect: Identifies an enemy's weakness and deals amplified damage when striking vulnerable points. Can evolve.
Description: A celestial artifact transformed into an innate gift.
Bond: [The Twelve Beauties of Jinling]
Quality: Blue
Effect: For every heroine of the Twelve Beauties present, gain +10 Physique, +10 Spirit, and +1 Luck.
Current Bond Bonus: +10 Physique, +10 Spirit, +1 Luck.
Attributes:
Physique: 110 (Base 10 × 1000% multiplier)
Spirit: 110 (Base 10 × 1000% multiplier)
Additional Bonuses: +10 Physique, +10 Spirit (Bond).
Lucian's breath hitched as he read through her abilities.
"Another legendary hero," he murmured, barely containing his excitement.
While Qin Keqing's attributes were comparable to Lin Daiyu's, her strengths were more subtle. Lin Daiyu excelled in raw, overwhelming force, while Qin Keqing's Moonlit Blade made her a precise and deadly support fighter.
"Striking weaknesses…" Lucian mused, recalling his academy lessons. Talents like this were invaluable when paired with ranged fighters.
But it wasn't just her combat prowess that thrilled him.
Her presence also activated the Jinling Bond, granting both heroines a stat boost and, more importantly, a single point of Luck.
"Luck," Lucian thought, recalling a professor's lecture.
Luck wasn't just a number—it was a force that bent the odds in one's favor. While others relied on chance, those with high luck seemed to defy logic, encountering fortuitous events and avoiding catastrophes.
Lucian remembered a story from his academy days about a struggling novice lord. Against all odds, the novice survived his trial and earned great rewards because his enemies' abilities were inexplicably weakened during critical battles.
"Never underestimate the power of luck," the professor had said. "It can turn the tide of fate itself."
Lucian couldn't help but grin as he thought about the implications of his growing Jinling Beauties roster.
"That's two," he thought, glancing at Lin Daiyu and Qin Keqing. "Just ten more to go."
As Qin Keqing regained her composure, her voice, soft and melodious, interrupted his musings.
"Master…?" she asked tentatively, her expression a mixture of confusion and hesitation.
Lucian smiled. "You've already received the basic information, right? And you can call me Lucian."
"Lucian…" Qin Keqing repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.
For a moment, she seemed lost in thought, murmuring to herself. "A world within a world. Fiction merging with reality…"
Unlike Lin Daiyu, who had adjusted to her new reality with remarkable grace, Qin Keqing appeared slightly disoriented, as if grappling with the concept of her existence being tied to a lord from another dimension.
"Do you remember what you were doing before you came here?" Lucian asked curiously.
Qin Keqing blinked, a shadow passing over her face. "I was in the bridal chamber…"
Her delicate hands clenched the fabric of her wedding dress. "It was supposed to be my wedding day, yet… I didn't want to be there."
Her voice trailed off, her expression unreadable.