Returning to his residence in Hongzhen, Lucian found that Rover still hadn't woken up.
Perhaps she had been truly exhausted these past few days.
Lucian strolled around Hongzhen.
No matter how many times he saw it, Hongzhen remained a delightful place.
The elegant architecture stood amidst red leaves and white snow, serene and beautiful.
Before long, Lucian noticed a commotion up ahead, with many of Hongzhen's residents gathered around.
Curious, he moved closer.
An elderly man with graying hair was speaking to the crowd.
"...Seeing the scattered chess pieces, the old man wasn't angered. Instead, he kindly said to the woodcutter, 'It's getting late, good sir. Shouldn't you be heading down the mountain?'"
"The woodcutter looked up at the sky, thinking to himself that he had only been watching the game for less than an hour. How could it already be late? The old man must have felt he was disturbing their refined pastime, so the woodcutter prepared to apologize and leave."
"—But when he turned around, he was so frightened that he nearly lost his wits. There were no reclusive masters drinking tea over a game of chess—only a broken board and a set of decayed bones before him."
"Terrified, the woodcutter dropped his bamboo basket and fled down the mountain without looking back."
"Yet when he returned to the foot of the mountain, everything had changed. The small village had become a town, the thatched huts replaced by sturdy brick houses. His former home was now nothing but barren land."
"The year on the calendar was one he had never seen before. Stricken with panic, he grabbed a passerby and asked, 'What year is it now?'"
"The answer he received made his legs give way—not only had the era changed, but over a hundred years had passed. His family, his friends—all had long turned to dust, forgotten by time."
Lucian found it odd. Wasn't this just the tale of Rotten Axe Handle?
He remembered Changli mentioning it briefly before they entered Mt. Firmament.
But the listeners around him seemed unfamiliar with the story.
Someone quickly asked, "If he left Mt. Firmament, wouldn't the accumulated hundred years weigh on him? How could he still be alive and well?"
Another chimed in, "Exactly! This story of yours… seems a bit too embellished, doesn't it? If we weren't locals of Hongzhen, we might've actually believed it."
The old man wore an expression that suggested they simply didn't understand. "...Ah! That's precisely the point. There's naturally an explanation for how it all came to be."
"This brings us to another legend of Mt. Firmament—hidden within its sacred grounds lies the true 'Secret of Immortality'!"
Lucian: "..."
Lucian was speechless. Anything involving words like "immortality" was almost certainly fictional.
After all, Solaris wasn't some xianxia fantasy world.
Though there were Resonators on Solaris, even beings like Jué—the Sentinel who had existed as long as the heavens—might one day fall due to various interventions.
That said, the system shop did carry items from other worlds, such as...
[Dewdrop of the Sacred Spring: Grants eternal youth.]
As everyone knew, the shorter the description, the more significant the matter.
Lucian was inclined to believe it was real. After all, system products were guaranteed to be top-tier!
But the astronomical number of points required for it was beyond counting.
The old man continued, "Everyone knows Mt. Firmament is the dwelling of the Sentinel. Over countless millennia, it has gathered the essence of heaven and earth, and its landscapes have been sculpted by time to resemble the Sentinel itself."
Lucian: "...What 'spiritual energy resurgence'?"
Old man: "Thus, prolonged residence on the mountain, breathing its air and drinking its dew, is enough to prolong one's life."
"And the game of chess the woodcutter stumbled upon was the secret to his unchanging appearance... Alas, the true mystery of it has long been lost."
"Come, come, let me elaborate further."
The onlookers eagerly stepped forward, eager to hear more about "immortality."
But Lucian wasn't interested—he hadn't believed it in the first place.
As a modern young man who had spent his past life immersed in the internet, what hadn't he seen before?
Immortality? Pah!
Just then, Lucian noticed that aside from himself, one other person hadn't moved closer. Turning, he saw it was none other than Changli.
"...Changli? What are you doing here?"
They had met just yesterday at the City Hall. He hadn't expected to see her at Mt. Firmament today.
Was she here on official business, like Sanhua?
Changli smiled softly, like a winter blossom against the falling snow, forming a picturesque scene.
She raised a slender finger to her lips. "Shh—"
Lucian immediately fell silent. Changli stepped toward him, her golden eyes locking onto his, their faces now barely a fist's width apart.
He didn't know how to describe her gaze—scrutinizing, curious, delighted...
He could even feel the unusual warmth radiating from her—comforting, like a gentle embrace.
He had wondered before why Changli's body temperature was different.
Lucian guessed it was due to her Resonance abilities. Many Resonators developed unique traits after awakening, and the feather-like ends of Changli's hair might be one of hers. As a Fusion (Fire) Resonator, perhaps her elevated body heat was another manifestation.
"...Isn't this a bit too close?" Lucian whispered.
Changli's warm breath brushed against his neck, sending a ticklish shiver through him.
The faint blush on her cheeks added a touch of allure, yet her eyes remained pure, like those of a maiden experiencing first love.
She took Lucian's right hand and placed a delicate envelope in his palm—though the letter inside had already been removed.
"...Reunion."
Her voice was light, carrying a playful note.
Lucian looked up sharply, but Changli was already gone.
Lucian: "..."
So now I'm the protagonist of Rotten Axe Handle?
But then Abby's voice snapped him out of it.
"Lucian—"
Rover and Abby approached.
"You're awake?"
"...Where's Jiao-Jiao?"
Rover explained, "Didn't you treat her injuries this morning? She said she made some progress and needed to rest, so she stayed in today."
Lucian nodded slightly. "I see."
Rover glanced at the envelope in his hand. "What's this?"
Lucian: "Just now—"
Before he could explain, Abby snatched the envelope and examined it. "Let me see!"
Abby read aloud, word by word:
"Behold Hongzhen in its entirety, next to a ring and hanging eaves.
When eternal snow thaw into flowing streams, let us reconvene"
Rover frowned. "Who gave this to you?"
Lucian: "...Changli."
Rover raised an eyebrow. "Changli?"
Judging by the letter's contents, it seemed Changli wanted to meet Lucian?
Rover narrowed her eyes, staring at him. Lucian knew exactly what she was thinking and quickly explained what had just happened.
Rover: "So she's asking you out?"
Lucian: "..."