"So, you all started liking me after seeing my four-instrument performance of Moonlit Ripples on the Jade Lake." Hearing the boy's explanation, Chu Lian suddenly understood. No wonder she had gained popularity even among North American fans—it all traced back to that world-famous song.
She had underestimated the impact of that piece—the song that had echoed across the globe for years, appearing time and again before the public without ever growing old or losing its charm.
Since the birth of Moonlit Ripples on the Jade Lake seven years ago, countless versions had emerged, bringing new vitality and audiences to the song. Yet the most beloved rendition had always been the original, performed by Chu Yan—the one that became her eternal masterpiece.
Unfortunately, ever since her passing, no one had been able to perfectly reproduce that piece… until Chu Lian appeared.
Her simplified guzheng version of Moonlit Ripples on the Jade Lake, along with her performance on the dizi, erhu, and pipa, had stunned countless listeners worldwide.
More importantly, her interpretation wasn't just a creative cover—it adhered closely to the original, recreating nearly eighty percent of its essence. That alone was enough to satisfy even the most devoted fans of the song.
In this era of global connectivity, where anything could spread instantly across the internet, Huaxia's role as a major cultural exporter naturally attracted worldwide attention.
Once Chu Lian's multiple renditions of Moonlit Ripples on the Jade Lake went viral online, fans of the song began spreading it themselves, eager to share it with everyone they knew.
Many of these "organic promoters" eventually became her fans. Even excluding those who merely listened without caring about the performer, the number of true supporters was still far from small.
Some might not call themselves her fans outright, but as they listened, they couldn't help but grow fond of her. That fondness alone ensured Chu Lian's lasting impression in their hearts.
The group of fans who came to greet her at the airport tonight were among them. Most were locals from Las Vegas, while others had traveled from across the United States and even from Canada.
Regardless of where they came from, their genuine affection for Chu Lian was undeniable.
"Never underestimate the power of fans"—that was the biggest lesson Chu Lian took away from this experience.
They had first fallen in love with Moonlit Ripples on the Jade Lake, then with her performance of it, and in turn, their admiration for her spread to others—creating a self-reinforcing circle of influence.
This chain of mutual connection and shared enthusiasm was a remarkably effective way to build fame, and as its beneficiary, Chu Lian couldn't help but acknowledge that truth.
Stretching lazily, she yawned, her eyes half-lidded as she asked softly, "So, do you have any more questions?"
"Ah, no, that's all. Sorry for bothering you. We'll head back now—see you tomorrow," Liu Changyun said quickly, noticing her tired expression. Tugging gently on Amber's sleeve, he gave her a look to keep quiet.
"Then everyone, go rest well. Tomorrow, I'll be counting on you to show me around this city," Chu Lian said with a sleepy smile, waving lightly.
"See you tomorrow, dear~" Amber chimed cheerfully. After Liu Changyun's subtle reminder, she knew better than to linger any longer. She had already gotten a signature, asked her questions, and that was enough for now.
"Oh, and be careful on your way back—it's quite late," Chu Lian added kindly as they turned to leave, her voice soft yet sincere.
"OK, no problem! We've already checked in here, so don't worry." Amber was the last to leave the room. Hearing Chu Lian's words, she turned back with a cheerful wink and said happily.
After that, she waved a quick "bye-bye" gesture and closed the door behind her.
With the fans gone, the room once again returned to quiet—just the girls together, and the atmosphere instantly became much calmer.
"Big Sis, they were really passionate, huh?" After the fans had left, the girls who had stayed inside finally came out. Chu Chu immediately jumped onto the sofa, resting her head on Chu Lian's lap and rubbing against her affectionately.
Stroking Chu Chu's silky hair, Chu Lian let out a soft laugh, the weariness on her face completely fading. "Actually, I could tell—their affection for me isn't that deep, at least not as deep as what I've felt from fans back home. Aside from a few Asian fans and Amber, most of them like me because of my four-instrument performance of Moonlit Ripples on the Jade Lake."
"If you call that enthusiasm, I'd say it's rather modest. Didn't you notice? Even though they waited so long to see me, only a few of them actually asked questions. The rest just watched quietly. They're still deciding whether I truly fit their tastes—whether I'm worth becoming a real fan of."
Chu Lian understood these things clearly. Those so-called "fans" weren't exactly fans yet—they were more like "enthusiasts," people who liked her work but hadn't necessarily become devoted supporters.
Nuzzling against Chu Lian's hand like a lazy cat, Chu Chu closed her eyes contentedly. "Even so, they still like you, Big Sis. I just wonder who leaked our schedule. I bet from now on, we'll run into people like this at every stop. So troublesome…"
"Well, if liking my music counts as liking me, then I suppose there are quite a few," Chu Lian said with a light smile. She wasn't too concerned—after all, she was only at the beginning of her journey. The road to becoming a globally recognized star was still long, and she wasn't in any rush.
"My guess is that one of our classmates accidentally revealed our travel plans while chatting, or maybe someone from the school deliberately investigated and made it public. Either way, it seems the rest of our trip won't be very peaceful. I really don't like this kind of life… but there's no helping it."
Chu Lian didn't plan to dig into who exactly had leaked the itinerary. Rather than wasting time on meaningless speculation, she preferred to focus on how to handle what was coming next.
She hadn't forgotten—the Daughter of Fate mission had entered its final countdown. In just two days, the pursuer would appear.
She didn't know whether those enemies, injured yet still possessing Spirit-level peak strength, had changed in any way after all that had happened. But one thing was certain—as long as she remained here, they would come.
She couldn't predict how such ancient, otherworldly beings would operate in a modern society, nor how they would track her down—but she knew one thing for sure: she couldn't relax, not even for a moment.
Letting her guard down meant failure. And failure meant becoming the key that opened the gate between the Otherside and the real world—dooming this world to chaos.
The hand stroking Chu Chu's hair suddenly stopped. After a brief pause, Chu Chu lifted her head and looked up at her. Seeing the distant, unfocused look in Chu Lian's eyes, she instantly knew her Big Sis was thinking about something serious again.
It was probably something related to all of them—after all, Chu Chu still vividly remembered the words Chu Lian had said before they came to Japan.
"Mm… Big Sis, what are you thinking about now? You don't have to worry so much, you know? We're all here with you," Chu Chu said softly, shaking Chu Lian's arm to bring her back.
"This is dangerous. If we can't get through this… then we'll have no future," Chu Lian said with a bitter smile, finally deciding to share a bit of the truth.
"You all know this already—I saved Wang Tingsi about a year ago. After that, I was targeted by people from the Otherside. They believe I'm this generation's 'Daughter of Fate,' and they want to capture me, to use me as the key to unlock the seal between the Otherside and the real world."
Chu Lian paused to gather her thoughts before continuing, giving a brief summary of what had happened. "A few days ago, several of them came to my house to capture me. What they didn't expect was that I had some power of my own. Not only did they fail, but I also managed to capture them and hand them over to the Wang family to deal with."
Hearing this, Chu Chu's body trembled slightly. She didn't know how strong those enemies were—only that she hadn't been by her Big Sis's side when she needed help the most.
She knew very well that Chu Lian's strength came from that night when Mana Ouma's Apocalypse Virus awakened within her, enhancing her physique and granting her the power of the Void. Before that, she had indeed been as fragile as any ordinary girl—barely capable of defending herself.
So how had she dealt with such dangerous enemies possessing supernatural abilities? The very thought made Chu Chu's heart ache with fear.
"Just because they failed once doesn't mean they'll give up," Chu Lian continued quietly. "Soon after that, the Otherside paid a huge price to build a temporary space-time bridge and launched a massive invasion. If it weren't for an unexpected event—a powerful being who crushed their forces almost completely—I probably wouldn't even be here now."
Suddenly, a warm hand gently clasped hers. Chu Lian looked up and met Inori's wine-red eyes, filled with worry, and her heart softened.
The other girls, including Kurosaki Satsuki—who needed Inori to translate to understand—sat beside her, listening intently as Chu Lian continued.
"Even so, three powerful enemies escaped. Though they were gravely injured and their strength diminished to barely a tenth of their full power, they're still far beyond what we can handle."
"And they've been recuperating for nearly half a month now. I can feel it—they'll appear again soon. When that happens…"
Her voice trailed off, the meaning painfully clear to everyone.
"When that happens, we might not survive…"
Yes. What way was there to escape the pursuit of such powerful foes? With Ayase unable to intervene directly, the only ones they could rely on were themselves.
That was exactly why Chu Lian had chosen to tell them now—because knowing and preparing in advance was far better than being caught off guard when the danger struck.