Moonlit Storytelling and the Star Lord of Fate
Qian Jin and Ao Ming searched for a long time in the East China Sea and finally found an ideal place.
A relatively open body of water, with several huge, flat reefs jutting out of the water in the center, like a natural stage. Behind them stretches a long coral reef, which reflects a hazy, dreamlike glow under the moonlight.
For the next few days, Qian Jin practically lived here. She used all her decorating talents to meticulously transform this body of water into a warm and atmospheric "outdoor music hall".
She gathered many bioluminescent seaweeds and plants, adorning the edges of the reefs and coral branches like fallen stars. She also found some large, smooth seashells that reflected moonlight, arranging them half-buried in the sand to serve as natural reflectors and decorations. She even persuaded Ao Ming to procure some extremely soft, almost transparent mermaid silk, which she hung from high coral branches. When the night breeze swept across the sea, the silk would sway gently like ripples, adding to its ethereal and otherworldly charm.
Watching her bustling about, sometimes diving into the water to secure the seashell, sometimes surfacing to adjust the height of the mermaid silk, Ao Ming couldn't help but ask, "Is it really necessary to go through all this trouble? Wouldn't it be better to just find a quiet place to tell the story?"
Qian Jin popped her head out of the water, shook the water droplets off her hair, and said with bright eyes, "You just don't understand! Atmosphere! Atmosphere is very important! The same story, heard in a dark prison cell, and heard in such a beautiful place, will feel the same? The feeling is different, and the purity of the tears will definitely be different too! We are pursuing the highest quality 'neon tears,' so of course we have to provide the best 'production environment'!"
Ao Ming seemed to understand, but he still helped her without complaint.
Everything is ready.
That night, the sky was a deep blue, and a bright, clear moon hung above the sea, its gentle light casting a silvery glow across the vast expanse of blue. A light breeze carried the distinctive salty scent of the deep sea.
The merfolk were quietly brought to these waters. When they saw the scene before them, their numb eyes showed obvious astonishment and bewilderment for the first time.
There were no cold coral prisons, no crab generals wielding whips, only soft light, swaying gauze, and Qian Jin sitting on the largest central rock, smiling and waving at them. The surrounding seawater was warm and clean, filled with a comforting and pleasant scent.
Qian Jin wore a light-colored dress today, and sitting in the moonlight, she seemed to be enveloped in a soft glow. In front of her was a small table with several scrolls of bamboo slips and an open storybook on it.
Qian Jin even specially invited two musicians from the Dragon King. At this moment, one was holding a pipa and the other was holding a xiao (vertical bamboo flute), standing on either side.
The Dragon King, Dragon Queen, and Turtle Prime Minister were seated on a slightly higher rock with a superior view. The Dragon Queen looked at the arrangement before her, her eyes filled with amazement and amusement.
Seeing that everyone was in place, Qian Jin took a deep breath and nodded to the two musicians.
The musician's fingers lightly plucked the strings, and a clear, mournful sound flowed forth, like a stream under the moon, instantly captivating the hearts of all the mermaids. The xiao (vertical bamboo flute) joined in, its sound sobbing and low, like the sigh of the night wind.
The music spread across the tranquil sea, blending perfectly with the moonlight, the ripples, and the gentle breeze.
Qian Jin picked up the storybook and began to tell a carefully selected story about parting and longing in a clear and gentle voice.
Her voice, though not loud, was incredibly captivating. As the story unfolded, it was sometimes lighthearted, sometimes melancholic, as she eloquently recounted the joys and sorrows of the characters.
The moonlight was like water, the music was like a lament, and the story was like a weeping tale.
The merfolk immersed themselves in the cool seawater, looking up at the girl bathed in moonlight on the reef, listening to her gentle voice and mournful music, and feeling the sad atmosphere that permeated the air.
The story's plot, accompanied by music, easily opened their hearts. Recalling their own experiences, their yearning for freedom, their forced separation from loved ones, and the brief warmth Qian Jin brought... an indescribable sadness and emotion surged into their hearts like a tide.
First, the little merman who was closest to Qian Jin let out a low sob. Then, as if in a chain reaction, one merman after another began to shed tears. The low sobs spread across the sea.
The colorful teardrops, like pearls from a broken string, fell into the sea with a clattering sound, sinking to the bottom of the fine white sand. Soon, a thin layer accumulated, refracting iridescent light under the moonlight, a breathtakingly beautiful sight.
The entire area was immersed in an ultimate, pure emotion. Even the Dragon King and Dragon Queen, seated high above, were moved; the Dragon Queen even picked up a silk handkerchief and gently touched the corner of her eye. The Turtle Prime Minister was also stunned, forgetting to do anything.
The song ended, and the story was finished.
The music faded, but the sorrow on the sea lingered. The merfolk remained immersed in the story, sobbing softly, tears streaming down their faces.
Qian Jin's eyes also reddened. She put down the storybook and looked at the weeping mermaids and the dazzling rainbow teardrops in the sea. She felt a sense of accomplishment and a touch of sadness.
After a long while, the Dragon King slowly exhaled, clapped his hands in praise, and his voice broke the silence: "Tonight is truly wonderful!"
The Dragon Queen nodded in agreement, her tone gratified: "Yes, it was an unforgettable night."
The Turtle Prime Minister nodded slowly and said leisurely, "This old minister... believes... that this activity... could be added... to... the Dragon Palace's... daily routine..."
Upon hearing this, Qian Jin immediately seized the opportunity, stepped forward, and bowed to the Dragon King and his wife: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, why not officially designate this body of water as a new rest and... well, 'work' area for the mermaids? The environment here is open and the scenery is beautiful. Far away from the original oppressive prison, it will surely make them feel more relaxed and produce a stable and high-quality Neon Tears."
The Dragon King was in a very good mood and readily agreed: "Granted! You, Qian, will be in charge of arranging this matter! If you need anything, just tell the Turtle Prime Minister!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Qian Jin was overjoyed.
The mermaids in the water seemed to understand the meaning of this conversation.
They looked at each other, their eyes filled with unbelievable surprise and cautious anticipation.
The boldest little mermaid even tentatively and very gently touched the swaying, glowing seaweed beside her with her fingertips, then quickly withdrew her hand, as if afraid of shattering this beautiful dream.
Then, he raised his head and looked at Qian Jin and the Dragon King on the reef. His eyes filled with new tears, but these tears shimmered with gratitude and hope. He and the other merfolk made soft and melodious sounds, like the low murmur of the waves. Their tails swayed gently, creating ripples on the water, as if they were expressing their silent gratitude and joy in their own unique way.
Ao Ming also had a relaxed smile on his face: "That's good, the problem is finally solved."
However, the joy on Qian Jin's face slowly faded, and she gently shook her head.
"This only solves the immediate problem." Her tone carried a hint of worry for the future. "This method will probably get boring sooner or later. Just like the storybooks from before, it's not a long-term solution."
The smile on Ao Ming's face faded, and his brows furrowed: "Then what should we do?"
The two looked at each other and saw the same sorrow in each other's eyes.
After a moment of silence, Ao Ming's eyes suddenly lit up, and he looked at Qian Jin with excitement in his voice: "I have an idea!"
"Hmm?" Qian Jin looked up at him.
“You come from the mortal realm, you understand the mortal realm. You’ve witnessed so many strange and wondrous things in the Three Realms, what stories can move people the most, what stories resonate with them the most! You are the one who understands these things the most! Why don’t you write the stories, specifically for the merfolk! I can be responsible for telling them to them like a storyteller!” Ao Ming thought it was more and more feasible as he spoke, “Why don’t you write the stories! Write them specifically for the merfolk! I can be responsible for telling them to them like a storyteller!”
Qian Jin was stunned, pointing at herself: "Me? Write storybooks? But I've never written any!"
"What's the big deal?" Ao Ming said eagerly. "If you don't know how, you can learn! I can take you to visit the most skilled storyteller in the Three Realms! You can learn from him!"
Curious, she pressed on, "Who is the most skilled storyteller in the Three Realms?"
"Come with me!" Ao Ming took her hand, his body enveloped in mist, and cast a spell.
The next moment, the two stood directly before a fairyland palace shrouded in mist. The vermilion palace gates stood tall, and above the gate hung a jade plaque with three ancient characters written on it: "The Palace of Fate".
Qian Jin looked up at the plaque and suddenly realized: "The Star Lord of Destiny? The Star Lord of Destiny who governs the fate of mortals and writes the chapters of destiny?!"
She clapped her hands excitedly, "That's right! The joys and sorrows, the ups and downs of fate of everyone in the mortal world are all under his control! He really is the best storyteller in the entire Three Realms!"
Ao Ming nodded: "That's right. Let's go and pay our respects to the Star Lord now."
After the two announced their arrival, they were led inside by the fairy boy.
Unlike the mundane atmosphere of the Matchmaker's Mansion, the mansion was filled with towering jade bookshelves piled high with countless scrolls and books. The air was permeated with a faint scent of ink and a mysterious aura of destiny.
The Star Lord of Destiny, who looked quite young, smiled upon hearing their purpose and said, "Excellent! Using stories to evoke deep emotions is a wonderful method!"
Qian Jin and Ao Ming were overjoyed upon hearing this, but then they saw Si Ming Xing Jun change the subject and show a hint of difficulty on his face.
"However... this matter is good, but there are difficulties..." Si Ming Xing Jun stroked his beard and pondered.
Seeing the two looking puzzled, Si Ming Xing Jun smiled slightly and gestured for them to follow him. He led Qian Jin and Ao Ming to a row of jade slip bookshelves that seemed no different from the others, and casually picked up a scroll that emitted a soft white light.
“Writing destiny may seem like weaving stories, but in reality it is following the trajectory of the Heavenly Way and recording the myriad aspects of life.” The Star Lord spoke gently, yet with a profound understanding of the world. “The vast archives in my Destiny Palace do not record fabricated stories, but rather the real lives of countless beings in the Three Realms and Six Paths.”
He slowly unfurled the scroll in his hand. There were no words on it, only shimmering, flowing mist, and vaguely visible figures, scenes of joy and sorrow, flashing by like reflections in water.
“Look,” Xingjun lightly tapped one of the wisps of mist with his fingertip, “this may be the life of an ordinary woodcutter, plain yet resilient and warm; that one,” he pointed to another, “may be the military career of a general, heroic yet helpless and desolate.”
He closed the scroll, put it back in its place, and looked at Qian Jin and Ao Ming: "If you want to learn the art of moving people's hearts and arousing deep emotions, the core is not technique, but 'authenticity.' Only the joys and sorrows, loves and hates, and obsessions derived from reality can have the power to touch the soul. Everyone's life, whether long or short, ordinary or dramatic, is essentially a unique story full of deep emotions. Because it is real, it can move people's hearts."
Qian Jin nodded thoughtfully, as if she had grasped something key: "Does Xingjun mean... that we should find inspiration and strength from these real-life experiences?"
“That is indeed the case.” The Star Lord of Destiny nodded approvingly. “Why don’t you stay in my manor for a while longer and randomly flip through these scrolls of destiny that record the lives of mortals? You don’t need to use your divine power to see everything. Just calmly feel one or a few key emotional turning points and moments of fate. Try to extract and condense the ‘truth’ you feel and write them into short stories in your own words.”
He paused, then gave more specific guidance: "After you finish writing, you can bring it to me for a look. If I feel that it has captured the essence of 'truth,' is rich and natural in emotion, and can resonate with people, then you have entered the door. With repeated practice, although you will not learn the core skills of my Mansion of Fate in controlling heavenly secrets and weaving destiny, it will be more than enough to create successful storybooks, sufficient to meet the needs of the mermaids."
Upon hearing this, the two men's eyes lit up. They found the method both novel and reliable, and quickly cupped their hands in thanks: "Thank you for your guidance, Star Lord! This method is excellent!"
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