Chapter 751: First Blossom's Sword Practice Record (25)

San Yue, can you travel back in time?

"If I had that ability, I wouldn't be standing here." San Yue Qi asked, a bit confused, "Why does the Sword Demon, despite mastering great skills, fail to obtain satisfying happiness?"

Qing Que: "San Yue Xiaojie, you still remember the illusion stories we discussed, right? Those stories always have 'fortune and misfortune intertwined', using later 'happiness' to compensate earlier misfortune, as if 'positive and negative sum to zero'. Yet we all know such thinking is merely wishful…"

"Happiness is real, and misfortune is real."

"That's right; even if the Sword Demon has astonishing techniques, it won't change past regrets." Qing Que turned her face, eyes fixed on the myriad lights outside the Divination Office, "Compared to stories like 'losing an arm and then learning invincible swordsmanship before the Sword Tomb', I prefer the story of 'living a plain, uneventful life'."

"As a character within the book, his story has already been written and cannot be changed. Fortunately, that's not fate, just the book itself," Qing Que said. "The author can't control the reader's reading order—San Yue Xiaojie, I know where the other half of the book is; if you read it backward, that's the second half of the story!"

——

Zero Zone.

"Miss Qing Que sees through her own life, huh~"

Inside Ka Lu Dong's son's camp, Pai Pai stretched lazily, patted the soft blanket on the sofa, and reclined leisurely. Unexpectedly, the Qing Que from Celestial Vessel not only had a height similar to hers, but even her outlook on life was quite in sync~

Temporary work is for long-term rest. Of course, it would be even better if one could forever avoid effort and live a carefree, unearned life... Miss Qing Que probably thinks the same, right?

"Qing Que is so clever and eloquent, yet she's only content to be an ordinary diviner in the Divination Office?" To Lucy, this is incomprehensible; a smart person should occupy a 'smart' position. "Doesn't she want to compete for the Divination Officer role? When Fu Xuan eventually becomes a general, she'll be one of the most powerful people in Luofu."

"Lucy, not everyone is like you, and once a girl like her sits in a high position, how much effort she'll spend promoting that... whatever 'Imperial Enclosure'... what card, compared to being a diviner, being a card‑house owner is more suitable."

Caesar briefly imagined Qing Que as a Divination Officer, feeling that the card tables in the Divination Office couldn't even accommodate a simple formation. Compared to becoming a high‑ranking heavyweight, being a little sparrow perched on a branch seems cuter.

——

Xing: "What a cunning and casual explanation…"

After finding a way to solve the problem, San Yue Qi began reading the Forbidden Book backward from its ending. Although Xing didn't understand the visions in the book, they must be the story of a peerless master gradually relinquishing all his abilities.

After a while, San Yue Qi woke up; the "Lonely Shadow Sword Manual" had silently turned into completely blank pages.

San Yue Qi was thrilled: "The Forbidden Book changed! Qing Que's clever argument succeeded! The Sword Demon… no, that ordinary person wanted exactly this ending."

Qing Que smiled faintly: "Oh, not at all, this shows the Sword Demon's heart is really just that of an ordinary citizen."

"Unfortunately, the skills I had mastered in the Sword Manual were all returned during the reading, leaving nothing behind," San Yue Qi said regretfully.

Although reading a book from start to finish and then from end to start seemed to give San Yue Qi nothing, during the process she realized she was not the type who blindly pursues power, and she now has different thoughts about the upcoming sword duel with Si Ke Te.

Of course, putting this idea into practice still requires Qing Que's help.

Qing Que reminded: "Helping is fine, but I must stress, I'm not skilled in any sword dueling!"

"Don't worry, Miss Qing Que knows so many twisted arguments, she'll surely help me."

……

The next day, San Yue Qi invited Qing Que to her sword‑training spot to discuss how to deal with Si Ke Te.

San Yue Qi: "I'm about to duel Si Ke Te, Qing Que, do you know why I came to you?"

"Here we have you, me, and Xing; isn't that obvious?"

Xing smiled meaningfully: "Of course it's the Earth Enclosure Jade Card missing one!"

"Right!" Qing Que realized, "I think San Yue Qi, you're just nervous before the duel; playing two rounds of cards will relax you."

"Wait! Haven't I been playing with you often lately, beating Si Ke Te many times? Actually I've gathered a lot of insights. For example, I've been thinking recently that merely defeating Si Ke Te with a sword isn't enough—"

"You? Recently? All this time? Thinking?"

Xing looked at San Yue Qi with a gaze never so unfamiliar.

"... Right." San Yue Qi quickly caught on, huffed in displeasure, "You don't really think I've become a fool, do you?"

——

Blessings for a wonderful world.

"It's fine, you just be cute enough!"

He Zhen couldn't help but give a thumbs‑up; being clueless is a plus for a beautiful girl!

"Actually, I also think San Yue Qi can be clueless at times," A Ku Ya echoed, not noticing the puzzled expression He Zhen gave her.

That expression seemed to say, "How can you claim the right to judge others?"

"Wha—what... looking at me with that expression? Does San Yue Qi usually act smart?"

"No, not at all; I just think anyone can call Little San Yue foolish, but you, the idiot goddess, have no right." He Zhen tugged his ear and said word for word, "Even San Yue Qi should be at least ten times smarter than you, idiot goddess."

"... Eh?"

A Ku Ya's smile froze instantly.

"You, you what are you saying—! Are you an idiot? Comparing me to San Yue Qi! I'm a goddess! The supreme ruler of water! My wisdom is as deep as the ocean!" A Ku Ya was so angry her hair seemed to stand up, and in her aqua eyes flames flickered.

"Is that so?" He Zhen pointed at the shallow half‑drunk mug of wheat beer, "Then perhaps your ocean is as shallow as this beer. If you had drunk less last night, maybe your wisdom would be deeper today!"