Chenyu Vale.
Soft moonlight spilled across the ancient tea tree.
Fujin sat on the trunk, plucked a fresh green leaf from a branch within reach, and slipped it between her lips.
A few chews later, the bitterness seeped out, coating her tongue and jolting her awake.
Moments after, the bitterness faded, replaced by a gentle, lingering sweetness that blossomed in her mouth.
Fujin closed her eyes, savoring the familiar taste.
Hundreds of years had passed.
The tea tree she'd planted herself on Lingyuan's mountain peak had grown old and heavy with time.
But its core remained untouched, and the leaves it produced still tasted exactly the way she remembered.
"Lingyuan keeps grumbling about how she hates humans and hates me, but she's been taking good care of this tree all these years."
Fujin opened her eyes and smiled faintly to herself.
"This kind of behavior has a name… what was it? Oh right—someone in the group chat said this is called a tsundere."
The leaf in her mouth was gone.
Fujin reached out and plucked another tender green leaf.
"Speaking of which, I've been out of the water for two or three days now. Has Lingyuan really not sensed my aura yet? She should've crawled out of her little cave to see me by now, right?"
The leaf burst with juice as she bit down.
Fujin glanced around, but there was no sign of her anywhere.
"Don't tell me she went off traveling like Cloud Retainer and the others…"
Shaking her head, Fujin tilted her face toward the moon.
"When I was stuck underwater I could handle the loneliness, but now that I can leave, I'm getting restless… I heard there's a strange tea tree planted at that school Mr. Xia and the Rex Lapis built together. I wonder what the leaves there taste like… Hm? My phone?"
Curious, Fujin checked the screen.
It was Cloud Retainer calling.
She tapped to answer.
"Hello? It's me. What's up?"
"Huh? You're inviting me to play in the dream? Right now?"
"Okay okay okay! I'll be right there!"
She hung up, a nostalgic warmth flickering across her face.
Dreams were widely known to be the domain of the Dendro Archon, but the god Fujin once served had possessed a similar authority.
But that was ancient history now—far out of reach.
Fujin let out a small sigh. She rose gracefully from the tree and slid into the water.
A short while later—A beautiful young suanni beast appeared nearby.
She looked at the old tea tree…
Then at the rippling surface of the water…
And fell into utter confusion.
---
Cloud Retainer finished the call and returned to the dream world.
She appeared directly inside the small room this time.
"I already told Fujin. She said she'll sleep right away!"
Xia Zhi nodded. "Good. I'll pull her in once she's fully out."
"Mhm!"
Cloud Retainer's expression brightened. Fujin was an old friend, after all.
Meeting again after so long—what could be better?
She looked toward Ping, only to notice something odd.
Her friend wasn't excited at all.
Instead, she kept staring gloomily at the guqin resting on Xia Ying's lap.
Cloud Retainer leaned in. "Ping?"
"Hm?"
"What's wrong?"
"…Nothing."
"Fujin's coming any minute now."
"Oh."
"You were the one rushing earlier."
Ping paused before replying, "I listened to the guqin for a bit. My mood's calmed down."
"Ah…"
Cloud Retainer glanced toward Xia Ying, who was quietly tuning the strings, producing a gentle melody.
Being someone who specialized in mechanisms, Cloud Retainer could only enjoy the music on the surface; she couldn't tell if anything was off about Xia Ying's playing.
But the mention of guqin music made her think back to that beautiful piece Xia Zhi had played for her last time.
Afterward, Ping had traded her Seed Dispensary just to hear it again.
Cloud Retainer hadn't been there then. She only heard Xia Zhi describe how dazed Ping had been while listening, and she regretted missing it.
But wasn't this another chance?
She looked at her distracted friend and smiled playfully.
No need to hurry. Better to wait.
And once Fujin arrived, she'd let her listen too.
I finally managed to find myself a truly excellent man.
If I don't let these old friends—who used to tease me for obsessing over mechanisms see it with their own eyes, wouldn't that be like wearing fine clothes in the dark?
Xia Ying lifted her head, catching Cloud Retainer holding back laughter for some unknown reason, but she didn't think much of it. She simply kept practicing the piece she'd just learned.
After a while, Xia Zhi used the dream authority he'd learned from his cousin again.
He locked onto Fujin through her phone.
Her device wasn't some ordinary gadget—its server was Azhdaha's dream realm itself, so it naturally carried dream resonance.
This time, Fujin had already fallen asleep.
Pulling her in was easy.
In the blink of an eye, Fujin appeared in the small room.
She still wore her elegant embroidered robes, and in Xia Zhi's vision, a platinum progress bar hung above her head.
Cloud Retainer called out immediately, "Fujin!"
The sudden entry made Fujin a little dazed, but Cloud Retainer's shout brought her back. She greeted everyone one by one: "Cloud Retainer! Ping! Mr. Xia! And this is…"
Her gaze landed on Xia Ying. She hesitated.
Xia Ying smiled gently. "Just call me Xia Ying."
Fujin inclined her head politely. "Oh—Miss Xia Ying. It's a pleasure."
"Likewise," Xia Ying replied, though inwardly she was thinking:
Alright, she's here.
You three lightbulbs can leave now, right?
Xia Zhi said to Fujin, "Adeptus Fujin, I've already set things up. From now on, you can enter the dream directly."
Fujin quickly thanked him. "Thank you, Mr. Xia."
"No need. Everyone else is gaming outsi..."
Cloud Retainer suddenly cleared her throat loudly, cutting him off.
Xia Zhi blinked at her, confused.
So did everyone else.
Cloud Retainer looked a little embarrassed, but she still kept her tone casual.
"Um, Mr. Xia… can you play that piece again?"
"That piece?"
Xia Zhi paused.
"You mean that one?"
She nodded eagerly. "Yes! I want to hear it again."
He chuckled. "Sure."
He understood well enough.
Showing off a little in front of friends—the least he could do.
It had nothing to do with Fujin's progress bar.
"Cousin, pass me the guqin."
"Alright."
Xia Zhi sat down, placed the guqin across his lap, and let his fingers rest lightly on the strings.
The familiar prelude began.
Ping's eyes shifted, darkening slightly.
Xia Ying's expression softened too.
This was the same piece they'd heard beneath the Sacred Sakura Tree that night.
Fujin still didn't realize the gravity of the situation. She simply watched Xia Zhi play, thinking....
Hmm.
Sounds nice.
As the music flowed, something in Fujin's gaze shifted.
Her heartbeat quickened.
When the piece ended, Xia Zhi lifted his head. "Just a little performance."
Fujin snapped out of her trance and blurted, "No, no, it was beautiful! Mr. Xia plays wonderfully!"
He smiled. "Thank you for the praise, Adeptus Fujin."
Ping still hadn't recovered.
Cloud Retainer's eyes had gone slightly misty, but she held herself together.
She grabbed Fujin and Ping by the sleeves, pulling them toward the door.
"Fujin, let's go game. Oh, before that, let me introduce you to Rex Lapis"
"Oh… okay…"
At the doorway, both Fujin and Ping turned back at the exact same moment, eyes landing on Xia Zhi.
Then they realized the other had done the same.
They froze, met each other's gaze for half a second and calmly looked away like nothing happened.
The door closed softly behind them.
Xia Ying's eyes followed that motion.
She'd seen both adepti glance back.
Her brows furrowed slightly.
She was thinking.
Xia Zhi passed her the guqin. "Let's keep practicing."
Xia Ying turned back to him with a bright, sweet smile. "Alright, cousin."
There might have been a few unexpected developments tonight, but at least those three walking lightbulbs finally left.
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