The construction of the Heartbeat Temple is actually quite romantic. It is surrounded by native flowering iris trees of the Heartbeat Empire, with pink and purple petals clustered together in one clump after another, like a gradient waterfall.
The air was filled with the fragrance of the iris tree, and the petals danced in the wind.
The group arrived at the first large exchange building of the Heartbeat Temple, a wishing house with wind chimes hanging on it, next to which was only a lantern with a lit flame.
The wind chimes swayed alone in the wind, making a crisp sound. If it were accompanied by the sounds of children playing, lovers whispering sweet nothings, or couples talking, it would surely bring great comfort. Unfortunately, there was no one there.
Empress Ruoqiu introduced the place in a leisurely manner: "This used to be the most popular place in the Xinmeng Empire, the Fortune-Telling Hall. You only need to sincerely make a wish, and your own fortune will fly in. As for how to interpret the fortune, you have to ask the master. However... before that, we can also see if it is good or bad. Since we are here, why not give it a try?"
Quan Ji also found it interesting. She had heard that the fortune sticks drawn at the Heartbeat Temple were extremely effective, but she had never had the time. Now that she was here, although the atmosphere was a bit strange, it didn't have much of an impact.
"Give it a try."
The four people stood in front of the fortune-telling hall, their hands clasped together devoutly, making their own wishes.
Quan Ji silently asked herself: Can I know the truth about everything?
Her background, her father, and... the two attitudes of the gods towards her.
There are many suspicious things about her, and she wants to know why all of this happened.
After making a wish, a fortune stick fell from the wooden lantern next to the wind chime and slowly landed in Quan Ji's hand.
Quan Ji glanced at it.
A very auspicious sign.
Since destiny has been predetermined, everything has its reason.
Bearing the suffering of the mortal world, yet controlling the joy of emptiness.
Quan Ji is uneducated and can't understand it; she has to consult a master for interpretation.
The other three people around them also received their own slips of paper.
Jun Chenlan received a medium-sized lottery ticket, neither auspicious nor inauspicious.
Responding to the vastness of heaven and earth, we sing of the sorrow of dusk.
Jun Chenlan was also baffled by this sentence.
He frowned, his eyes filled with confusion.
Quan Ji asked him, "What are you asking for?"
Jun Chenlan spoke quietly: "It's a secret; it won't work if I tell you."
Quan Ji scoffed, "You're quite curious, but I don't care to ask."
Jun Chenlan nodded, obediently pierced a hole in the divination stick, materialized it with energy into a golden thread, and locked it around his waist.
He felt somewhat lost.
"Sister Quan, would you like to see my fortune too? I got the best fortune!"
Yan Xingchen chuckled and showed his signature to Quan Ji.
Quan Ji glanced at it and indeed it was an extremely auspicious sign.
Inheriting the legacy of the predecessors, it will be immortal for all ages.
Quan Ji raised an eyebrow, looking quite impressive.
What is your wish?
When Yan Xingchen was asked by Quan Ji, and Quan Ji's stunningly beautiful face appeared before her, she couldn't help but blush and whispered, "My wish is... I also want to become as amazing as Sister Quan, so I'm asking for the future."
Quan Ji smiled and said, "You can definitely do it."
She could tell that Yan Xingchen was a smart girl from a young age, and she could tell at a glance how capable she was.
Tsk tsk tsk, as expected of her.
However, at this moment, Empress Ruoqiu had a sullen face, her pupils dilated in shock, and she could not believe what she had received.
Quan Ji glanced at it and saw it was the worst possible outcome.
As if receiving Quan Ji's gaze, Empress Ruoqiu quickly pocketed her own signature.
Quan Ji noticed something amiss and frowned as she asked, "What kind of bad fortune did you draw?"
Empress Ruoqiu smiled and shook her head, though her face was slightly pale. She smiled and said, "It's just some trivial matter, nothing to worry about."
"Take it out."
Quan Ji narrowed her eyes, speaking in a commanding tone, her cold voice making it seem as if the person in front of her was not her friend at all.
This is the worst possible outcome, and yet it's still blocked. Who knows what Empress Ruoqiu is thinking?
Having learned from her past life, Quan Ji is extremely protective of her reputation and will never allow anyone to harm her.
She stared at Empress Ruoqiu with eyes like a piercing, cold light, not allowing the other party to delay even for a moment.
Yan Xingchen, standing nearby, panicked: "Young Miss, what are you doing? The Empress...!"
"Stars, no need to say more."
Empress Ruoqiu interrupted Yan Xingchen's words, knowing full well that Princess Quan had seen it and was determined to see the divination slip.
Although she wanted to keep it a secret, in this situation, she needed to show it to Quan Ji.
"I'll show you."
"What I'm asking for is a marriage."
As she spoke, she smiled and handed her worst possible fortune slip to Kwon Ji.
Quan Ji glanced at it, and the content did indeed resemble a marriage proposal:
The marriage was severed.
Just three words: the worst possible outcome.
Quan Ji didn't say anything more. Matters of marriage are a private matter for ordinary girls, let alone the Empress of the Xinmeng Empire.
In the Heart Dream Empire, where love reigns supreme, the Empress is someone without a path to marriage; that wouldn't sound very good if word got out.
Quan Ji's last remaining doubts were dispelled, and she apologized to Empress Ruoqiu.
"I'm sorry, I was just being paranoid."
"It's alright, let's go."
Empress Ruoqiu still wore that gentle smile.
The group paid little attention and continued deeper into the enchanting temple.
Empress Ruoqiu slowed down slightly. Behind the crowd, she raised her hand slightly, but the smile on her face changed from gentle to bitter.
She glanced at the "marriage fortune slip" again. The faint energy on it, almost imperceptible without close inspection, dissipated, and the contents on it changed.
She didn't say anything, but secretly pocketed it.
Immediately, she frowned, raised her hand to cover her lips, and caught a mouthful of blood with her palm, wiping it on the inside of her robe, carefully so that no one could see it.
This time, she, who was exhausted, overdrawn her own source energy in order to use an illusion.
Her gaze fell on Quan Ji, she clenched her fist slightly, and the area around her eyes suddenly turned red.
But she still didn't say anything.
I'm sorry... I tolerated her selfishness.
...
...
The group finally reached the deepest part of the enchanting temple, the Buddhist hall.
The doors of the Buddhist hall were wide open, and the sounds of wooden fish being struck and chanting sutras could be heard from inside, but there wasn't a single person in sight.
The statue enshrined on the lotus platform in the center of the Buddhist hall is not of Buddha, but of a woman whose face is obscured.
The woman stood there, as if gazing into the distance, exuding a dashing and heroic air. She wore exquisite robes that were incredibly lifelike. Although her face was not clearly visible, one could sense that this woman possessed a beauty that could topple kingdoms.
Just as Quan Ji was about to ask who was being worshipped there, a familiar female voice entered her ears in a strange tone.
"You've finally arrived! I've been waiting for you for a long time!"
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