Saga of Primaveral Blade/Swordart Escapades

==Ghosts, Ghouls, Wraiths, and Wights==
;(4 days until Second Sword Trial)
:March 7th is frustrated about how to improve her swordplay, but then encountered a familiar figure...
;(Go to the Escapade location)
:Huohuo: Long time no see, (Trailblazer) and Miss March 7th!
: Long time, still busy busting ghosts recently?
::Huohuo: There are fewer heliobus-related jobs than before, though they've been replaced with other matters...
: Huohuo, hurry up and save the possessed March 7th!
::Huohuo: Ah, ahhhh! Hang in there Miss March, I'll get the talisman out right now...!
::March 7th: Don't worry Huohuo, I'm not possessed, 's just pulling your leg.
:March 7th: It's been a while! What're you doing here?
:Huohuo: I—I'm taking a break at Starskiff Haven. Just watching the starskiffs sail one by one, it's really relaxing.
:March 7th: Being a Ten-Lords Commission judge is pretty stressful too, I bet.
:Huohuo: Too...? Have you run into something that's been weighing heavily on your mind, Miss March 7th?
:March 7th: I've started picking up Xianzhou swordplay, so there's been some academic stress, and... social stress.
:
:Huohuo: I—I think I get the gist of it. It's not easy trying to master a school's swordplay in such a short time, no wonder Miss March 7th is stressed out. I know some evil-warding swordplay, so if you need some help...
:Tail: Hah, you can't even hold your sword steady. Don't you think you're overestimating your skills?
:Huohuo: ...S—Sure, I can't hold it steady. But I'm better than you — you don't even have hands!
:Tail: Ooh... The timid fry's got a sharp tongue. If you were in the Wardance ring and I possessed you, you'd have to try really hard to lose to that brat from the Seat of Divine Foresight!
:March 7th: Master Yanqing is really powerful. You sure you aren't just blowing smoke, Mr. Tail?
:Tail: Hmph, as long as I possess someone of extraordinary caliber and absorb that person's memories and emotions, I can master the exact same technique! Isn't that the fastest way to do it if you want to learn that brat's swordplay?
:Huohuo: No no no, I won't undo the seal!
:Tail: Tsk tsk, I guess your desire to help your friend is only worth this much, eh?
:Huohuo: ...
:March 7th: Thank you both for looking out for me. (Trailblazer), I wonder what you think about this shortcut?
: Time is tight, it's a good idea to borrow a save file.
::March 7th: S—Save file? When you put it this way, it does sound like asking to borrow a hardcore player's save file. But once Mr. Tail leaves, I'd still be left empty-handed.
: There are no shortcuts when it comes to learning!
::March 7th: That's our tutor for you! You're spot on, when Mr. Tail leaves me, I'll be left with nothing. That goes against the fundamentals of swordplay training.
:Huohuo: You also think it's a bad idea, right Miss March?
:Tail: Bah, and here I was trying to be nice! Even if you wanted it, I wouldn't help you now!
:Huohuo: ...Ah! Madam Hanya just sent over a zombie case, looks like break time's over. We'll talk again, Miss March!
:March 7th: Catch you later!
:
:March 7th: After giving it some thought, I think there's something to be gleaned from Mr. Tail's suggestion. When I 
----
;(2 days until Second Sword Trial)
:March 7th gave up on letting the heliobus absorb emotions in exchange for sword skills. Just then, Huohuo was leaving because of a certain "zombie" related case...
;(Go to the Escapade location)
:Huohuo: Ah... It's (Trailblazer), and Miss March 7th too!
:March 7th: Huohuo, why do you look so dazed?
:Huohuo: Mm, we found two zombies near Fyxestroll Garden recently. Well, "zombie" might not be the right word... The victims had no heliobus traces on them, nor obvious external injuries, but they kept repeating some strange behavior.
:March 7th: How interesting!
:Huohuo: Miss March 7th, please don't patronize me...
: Must be a side effect from being scared silly.
::Huohuo: ...That's entirely possible! But have I ever acted so strangely?
::Tail: You run super fast. This matter's probably not that simple.
: That could only mean that it's a cyber-zombie.
::March 7th: Not everything will suddenly make sense just because you tack the word "cyber" in front of it.
::Tail: The person's still alive, so it's not very nice to call them a zombie.
:March 7th: Just like when you and (Trailblazer) formed the ghost-hunting squad, let's analyze this together! Next up, let's have resident expert Huohuo introduce the case.
:Huohuo: Okay, okay. Something might click if we put our brains together!
:Huohuo: The first victim is a Wardance combat registrant. Their muscles were rigid when they were discovered, their arms were stretched out in front of them, and they were muttering all sorts of exercise rhymes.
:Huohuo: The second victim is also a Wardance combat registrant. He is a former Cloud Knight proficient at the spear. He was discovered practicing pole-vaulting with his spear.
:March 7th: Mm, the victims have something in common — they're both Wardance contestants. It appears the culprit is expressly choosing Wardance contestants as their targets!
: March 7th, you're a participant too.
::March 7th: So? I'll be the next target then?
: It's a mistake to look for similarities on the victims.
::March 7th: That's right, we have too few victims. This similarity isn't convincing enough.
:Tail: You should give the analysis a rest first and let us finish talking.
:Tail: Besides the fact that they were participants, they also had a similar characteristic — they're both fools who went to Fyxestroll Garden to poke around after reading the messages on the Luofu's Ghostly Grove.
:Tail: These victims believed that Fyxestroll Garden's vengeful gloom would temper their skills, and decided to train here before their matches started, in some attempt to harness the worldly energies absorbed here... People still believe this mumbo-jumbo in this day and age?
:Tail: Finally, these two were shooed home by the Ten-Lords Commission spiritfarer-on-duty, Uncle Jiu. They started acting funny the following day.
: Mystery solved! Uncle Jiu is the murderer!
::Huohuo: He's a member of our staff...
: Mystery solved! It must be a heliobus!
::Huohuo: I'm also guessing it's an escaped heliobus that's up to no good.
:March 7th: I think I've seen a similar story in a Xianzhou immersia! Does this Uncle Jiu have two disciples, and one of them got bitten by a zombie, and the other got charmed by a female ghost...
:Huohuo: Our Uncle Jiu... has no disciples.
:Tail: Cut down on your immersia addiction and touch some grass!
:Huohuo: But since you want to join the Wardance, you must be careful! Don't forget to contact me if anything happens!
:March 7th: Good luck, Huohuo! Hope you catch the culprit and close the case soon!
:Huohuo: Goodbye!
:
:March 7th: If that heliobus targets Wardance contenders on purpose... (Trailblazer), how about we try our luck at Fyxestroll Garden when we've got time? We might be able to help Huohuo.
----
;(4 days until Final Sword Trial)
:After helping Huohuo gather evidence related to the "zombie" case, March 7th thinks the culprit is hidden in the Fyxestroll Garden... 
;(Go to the Escapade location)
:
:
:???: Woah! This is amazing, you've got a spiritual light gushing out of your crown. To have the physique of a martial prodigy at such a young age, you're a martial genius who only appears once in a century!
: Careful, it's that escaped heliobus!
::March 7th: Okay, I'm on high alert right now!
: You should stop lavishing your praises on March 7th, she might actually believe you.
::March 7th: What'd you mean, huh? I'm a born martial genius.
:???: As long as you let me attach on to you, your core meridians will be instantly activated, allowing you to attain a century's worth of effort in no time. Victory at the Wardance will be a cakewalk!
:March 7th: Heh-heh, trying to appeal to my competitive spirit? No can do! Stop cowering in the shadows and show yourself!
:???: Fine, you got me. Honestly though, I'm a master of all the martial arts across all schools. Just let me touch your head, and I'll be able to impart all my skills to you in the blink of an eye.
:March 7th: At what price? I don't suppose it's becoming a zombie and sputtering gibberish, is it? Forget it, I'm not learning any of that.
:???: You don't want to?... I'm afraid that's not up to you! I give my lessons free of charge, you have no choice but to learn them!
:All March 7th can see before her is darkness, countless martial arts of myriad unarmed styles all surging into her mind.
:Unfortunately, though, not a single move is related to swordplay.
:March 7th: Ahhhh!!!
:Huohuo: Fear not, Miss March! Here I come!
:Huohuo: I—I was almost too late.
:March 7th: Thank goodness you were here, Huohuo. Has that overly enthusiastic heliobus been subdued?
:Huohuo: Yes, I've subdued that vagrant heliobus in the Lunaumbra Gourd.
:March 7th: Ugh, I suddenly can't move my arms and legs...
:Huohuo: I'll apply a talisman on you, and then you need to have a good rest...
:
:Huohuo: I think I've gotten to the bottom of this zombie mystery. This heliobus preyed on the competitive will of contenders to channel all its martial mantras into their minds.
:Huohuo: How to raise your arms and legs, how to move your body, infinite information surging into your mind non-stop... A pity we're not like heliobi — such a massive magnitude of information will only overload our minds and render us immobile.
: The body can't keep up with the mind!
::March 7th: While it was just for a short time, I felt like I could see everything, hear everything, but I couldn't do a single thing.
::March 7th: So this is what it means when the body can't keep up with the mind?
: The path of learning isn't a one-way street.
::March 7th: I've personally learned that painful lesson. What happened was not learning at all, it was nothing more than sheer mind shock.
:Huohuo: Now that you've recovered, I should be getting back to seal this heliobus. We'll meet again!
:March 7th: Goodbye Huohuo!
:
:March 7th: I was thinking about spending some time with Huohuo today, but she's got stuff to do. Let's chat again next time.
:March 7th: It's draining being possessed by a heliobus, (Trailblazer). Let's go grab something tasty to eat.
----
;(2 days until Final Sword Trial)
:March 7th was possessed and paralyzed by a heliobus that liked to teach people. Thankfully, Huohuo arrived to save her... 
;(Go to the Escapade location)
:Huohuo: The Ten-Lords Commission has sealed away that heliobus who's always eager to act as a tutor. It won't be harming anyone anymore. The Wardance participants who fell to its antics are also slowly recovering their senses.
:Huohuo: It's all thanks to you and (Trailblazer) that this mini Heliobi Wars has been quelled.
:March 7th: Thanks to you too, Huohuo. No wonder you're a Ten-Lords Commission Judge.
:Huohuo: You had something you wished to say last time...
:March 7th: It's about when Mr. Tail said that the memories of swordplay practice could be channeled into me — I have to admit that I was the teeniest bit tempted. Just a tiny bit!
:Tail: My idea's pretty decent, eh?
:March 7th: I wanted to have Mr. Tail help me out then, to at least learn a move or two. But I was too embarrassed to admit it...
: No one can withstand the temptation of a shortcut.
::March 7th: That's not really true. I mean, I still resisted it in the end.
: You also rejected "industrial learning."
::March 7th: It'd be great if you could stop coming up with such fresh new terms.
: Luckily Huohuo was too busy to let you have your way.
::March 7th: You can rephrase that to "March 7th's willpower far surpasses ordinary people."
:March 7th: If I hadn't run into that heliobus, I wouldn't have understood the sheer distance between my knowledge and mastery of swordplay. That's not a shortcut to learning swordplay at all.
:Huohuo: I very much agree with Miss March 7th on this.
:Tail: Though I've heard of a much milder and safer method that the Garden's messengers have, that can shove non-existent swordplay memories into your mind... In that case, would you still refuse?
:March 7th: ...
:March 7th: I might still have to decline.
:March 7th: I think that I have to put my own thought into it, and experience it myself to eventually turn "Master Yanqing's Sword" and "Master Yunli's Sword" into "March 7th's Sword."
:Tail: You make a good point there, girlie.
:March 7th: If my journey was nothing more than a copy-and-paste process, I'd never be able to surpass the two masters.
: Sounds like you've had quite an epiphany.
::March 7th: For me to be waxing philosophical pearls of wisdom, that should mean I've attained new heights with my swordplay, am I right?
::Tail: Spouting passages from a self-help book makes you all enlightened now? If you really think you're all that, you should be training even harder on your swordplay!
: There is a shortcut to learning, but it's not here.
::March 7th: That's right! There are many ways to increase learning efficiency. I'm super smart!
:Huohuo: I've got a block of free time after attending to this matter. Miss March 7th, if you need help taking on Skott, come see me anytime. Mr. Tail and I will definitely help you out.
:March 7th: Sure, thanks Huohuo and Mr. Tail!
==Codex Mystique==
;(4 days until First Sword Trial)
:March 7th is frustrated about how to improve her swordplay, but the Divination Commission's repository might have some texts that can help her... 
;(Go to the Escapade location)
:March 7th: Is that you, Qingque? I don't think I've ever seen you taking your work seriously before!
:Qingque: It seems you have greatly misunderstood me. I'll have you know that I have always taken my job extremely seriously. I just happen to slack off for a few hours every now and then...
:Qingque: ...Are you here at the Divination Commission to see the Master Diviner?
: We're here to see Master Fu Xuan.
::Qingque: What a shame. The Master Diviner is currently on a business trip to the Yuque Xianzhou.
::March 7th: The Divination Commission seems so lonely without the Master Diviner around.
::Qingque: I'm not lonely. Look at all this never-ending work I have to keep me company...
: We're here to see you, of course!
::Qingque: To see me? Let me be clear, I will happily chat, but if you've come to me with work...
::March 7th: Out of the question.
::Qingque: You really do understand me.
:Qingque: Wait, you're not planning on kicking back and drinking startaro bubble tea while you watch us diviners work ourselves to the bone, are you? Then you'd make some ridiculous social media post about this being "just another day on the Xianzhou Luofu" or something, right?
:March 7th: You've gotten the wrong idea, Miss Qingque! I came to the Divination Commission repository in search of an ultimate sword technique.
:Qingque: You're looking for a sword technique? I don't know what you mean...
:
:Qingque: I don't know a thing about swordfighting, but if it's a book you're after, I can be of some assistance.
: I'm counting on you, Qingque.
::Qingque: Hold on. You know the rules.
: You mean... You want us to help you with something?
::Qingque: Precisely, I knew you knew how this works.
:Qingque: The Master Diviner has gone to the Yuque Xianzhou to meet with General Yaoguang face-to-face. However, she has already pre-planned our daily workload for the entire next month thanks to her "planning for every scenario."
:Qingque: As if that wasn't bad enough... You know the Alchemy Commission's new Cauldron Master, don't you? As soon as she started her position, she waved her hand and ordered that the forbidden books confiscated from the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus were to be brought to the Divination Commission repository for sealing... Before I knew it, I was absolutely buried in work.
:March 7th: I get the feeling all these jobs have something to do with books...
:Qingque: That's right. Our smart little March 7th has already figured it out, I see. You have come to the Divination Commission in search of a book, and I am in the process of organizing books here. Isn't that just perfect? It's almost as if I'm getting fre— I mean, we'll be the best partners the Cosmos has ever seen!
: You get paid to work. We don't...
: March 7th, are you looking for a new job?
: You were going to say free labor, weren't you?
::Qingque: Ah, we've known each other so long, and you still treat me like a stranger?
:Qingque: As if I could make a visitor work for me! You two would be here on an undercover visit to experience the daily life of the Divination Commission~
:March 7th: (Trailblazer), let's go. We can ask another diviner.
:Qingque: Wait! Of course I would not just take advantage of you two like that! Rest assured that if you come and help me arrange these books, then you will be given permission to look at all the volumes kept in the Divination Commission. There! If you happen to come across a book recording secret sword techniques, that's a win for you as well.
:March 7th: Well, when you put it like that... There's no time to waste!
:Qingque: Wait, let's leave it here for now, it's time for me to finish work.
:March 7th: But...
:Qingque: It doesn't matter if the Master Diviner is here or not, we cannot have rumors about the Divination Commission using "exploited labor" getting out! Next time, remember to find me during work hours!
:
:March 7th: ...She must be going to play celestial jade.... 
----
;(2 days until First Sword Trial)
:Qingque put forth an offer of mutual aid to March 7th, allowing March free access to the book repository... 
;(Go to the Escapade location)
:The Divination Commission repository holds many sole copies and fragmented records on Cloud Knights martial arts techniques covering all sorts of topics.
:March 7th browsed the materials intently and after a long period of searching, found something that could be of some use.
:Qingque: Let me see, what have you found there?
:March 7th: Look at this... Demon-Binding Blade Technique. It looks like some of this book is missing, but it's clearly some kind of super-powerful secret text!
:Qingque: Take a look at what it says at the beginning of this Demon-Binding Blade Technique. Does it say something like "If you wish to master this art, you must use your blade to take your own life"?
:March 7th: It does, what does that mean?
:Qingque: It means that if you want to learn this school of swordsmanship, you have to harm your own body. Otherwise, learning this type of sword skill will cause you harm...
:Qingque: In other words it's like work. As long as you are involved in it, it will harm your body.
: Would such an evil sword art be strong?
::Qingque: According to Mr. Xiyan, it's very strong.
::March 7th: What has a Cloud Knight sword technique got to do with Mr. Xiyan the storyteller?
::Qingque: Well, doesn't that mean that it is so dangerous that word of it has become legend?
: I feel like the scroll writer has bad intentions...
::Qingque: Not necessarily.
:March 7th: Well, what about this Ninety-Nine Yang Incantation?
:Qingque: Oh... I've heard about that one. Just from the name, you can tell that this technique is the pinnacle of the Yang techniques. Using it grants the user amazing muscle development. Their height shoots to eight feet, their waist also grows to eight feet and their arm circumference does, too. No one can withstand a single blow from such a powerful physique.
:March 7th: Uhh... So, are you still human after you master this?
:Qingque: This is martial arts... All that matters is subduing the enemy and taking victory. Who cares if you're still human-shaped afterward?
: Naturally all powerful techniques come with a cost.
::Qingque: ...I've always wanted to ask, who is it that sets these costs?
: Is there no such thing as a safe and powerful sword technique?
::Qingque: ...Well, if it has no cost, it sounds like it will be pretty worthless?
:Qingque: The majority of the incomplete texts in the repository are failed examples of martial research and development. Not only do they require combinations with forbidden potions like those found in the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, some of them even require all sorts of dangerous weapons.
:Qingque: Of course, the martial research of our ancestors was always making progress, look at this note here...
:Qingque: "It is possible to master the Ninety-Nine Yang Incantation whilst still maintaining your human form..."
:March 7th: It's possible!? I want to see what this master has to say!
:Qingque: "I have indeed discovered a fascinating method. Unfortunately, I do not have enough space left on this paper, and it will not fit."
: Sounds like this technique is going to be a whole essay!
: Hmph. Then why write it in the first place? What a con!
:March 7th: Ah, looks like finding a suitable ultimate sword technique for me is not going to be easy...
:Qingque: It is clear to me that you wish to subdue your enemies and take victory, yet you are scared to take on the risks of mastering a martial art... If you ask me, I don't think you absolutely have to accept these risks. After all, most people only fight to win an argument, I don't think that requires a huge cost?
:Qingque: The heroes of immersia stories always rely on only intense training and great skills to defeat their enemies, then their stories end happily ever after. Since when was reality ever that simple?
:March 7th: Is that not realistic?
:Qingque: Vengeance, grievances, envy, shame... Humans have many complicated emotions. Do you really think things in the real world are as simple as "I defeat you, you defeat me"? If "fighting" could resolve everything, there would be nowhere near as many worries in the real world.
:March 7th: ...Reality is so complicated.
:Qingque: I am a diviner after all, I have never believed that "winning a battle means that a problem is solved."
:Qingque: It's getting late, let's leave it here for today. It's time to clock out! Good work you two, let's see if we can find someone to join us for a game of jade!
:March 7th: Ah, looks like we made no progress again today. 
----
;(4 days until Second Sword Trial)
:The price of mastering the blade is far more complex than success or failure. Just then, Lingsha also arrived at the Divination Commission... 
;(Go to the Escapade location)
:Lingsha: Oh, if it isn't the little sparrow's two little assistants?
:March 7th: What are you doing here, Master Lingsha?
:Lingsha: I previously learned from Chief Alchemist Yuluo that many forbidden texts were lost during the Ambrosial Arbor disaster, and it took a lot of work to recover them. The Alchemy Commission is not an organization that should be used to store forbidden texts, so I came to discuss with the Master Diviner...
: I think I helped recover a few of these texts...
::March 7th: I have heard you mention them before... I remember you were saying that some of them were quite dangerous and mysterious?
: What kind of books are these Alchemy Commission forbidden texts?
::Lingsha: They are remarkable texts that never should have existed in this world. Not only do they contain madness and fear, they also hold blessings and power.
:March 7th: They sound like the "ultimate sword techniques" that we were talking about earlier.
:Lingsha: I'm not the kind to let others do all the work. I have caused you a lot of trouble, little sparrow, let me help you with the organizing.
:Qingque: Wow! Thank you, Master Lingsha! If I'd known you were such a kind leader, I'd have chosen to go to the Alchemy Commission over the Divination Commission any day!
:Lingsha: Oh? I will have to report that to the Master Diviner.
:Qingque: No, no, please don't! Let's just get these books sorted, and we can all play a nice game of jade together.
:
:
:Qingque: Oh no, Master Lingsha! Please take a look at what's happened to March 7th!
:Lingsha: This girl must have accidentally opened one of the forbidden texts. Qingque, you close the book up, and I will prepare an incense to bring her to her senses.
:Qingque: I—I'll handle the forbidden text now!
: Master Lingsha, can I help at all?
:Lingsha: Go and sit Miss March up. She has slipped into an illusion caused by the forbidden text, you will have to try to call her back with your voice.
:You lift the unconscious March 7th to a seated position. Her lips are moving slightly, as if she is trying to say something. So, you close your eyes and listen closely to hear what she is saying.
:March 7th: (Trailblazer)...
: I'm here.
: March...
:March 7th: This blade is now my tomb... The "Blade Demon" remains here alone...
: March, that never happened to you...
: March, wake up! Hey!
:March 7th: ...Thousands of years... they pass like a dream. Before we know it... we pass on...
: When did you start spouting wisdom like that...
: March! Hang in there!
::Qingque: It's not that serious, is it!?
:
:March 7th: I...
:Lingsha: I see you've finally awake, Miss March.
:Qingque: I'm so sorry, I should not have been so careless and let you come into contact with such dangerous objects!
:March 7th: ...I'm fine. Thank you all for your concern.
:Qingque: That book was called the Solitary Shadow Sword Scroll, I can see why you would be curious, Miss March.
:March 7th: In that book, I was the Blade Demon, and the Blade Demon was me... I once stabbed and wounded an honorable man in battle and could not escape my guilt. I both thirsted for more martial arts knowledge and felt trapped by my great sword skills. Finally, I sat meditating before the blade tomb before dying a tragic and miserable death.
:Lingsha: That seems like a long story for something that only took about half an hour?
:March 7th: Although, when I got to the end of the book, it feels like the story is only half-finished. So, I was wondering if I could read it again...
:Qingque: Miss March, this book is extremely dangerous!
:Lingsha: I understand. Miss March, please do not dwell on the book's story for now. Head back home and just focus on getting an early night. Then, we can discuss it again, okay?
:Lingsha: Right. Once you're all recovered, I will get to the bottom of this.
:March 7th: Okay...
----
;(4 days until Final Sword Trial)
:March 7th encountered danger in the forbidden text, but found herself saddened by what she experienced and wants to return to the book once more... 
;(Go to the Escapade location)
:Lingsha: Miss March, can you tell me why it is that you want to read the Solitary Shadow Sword Scroll again?
:March 7th: I—I... originally just wanted to find a powerful sword technique and master an ultimate skill. But, after I read the Solitary Shadow Sword Scroll, I... How should I put it? I want to help him.... I want to help the Blade Demon in the book.
: How would you help the Blade Demon?
::March 7th: I don't know right now...
: You have to release this need to help others and leave them to their fate.
::March 7th: You say that, but...
:March 7th: The Blade Demon made one mistake and his life was split in two. The first half, he was a nobody, but he lived happily; but in the second half, he had mastered earth-shattering skill, yet was racked with anxiety and miserableness.
:Qingque: ...It's quite a common story.
:March 7th: He left his martial arts mastery in these pages waiting for a fated person to come along and pick it up. I just can't help but feel like he wants me to do something...
:Lingsha: Ah, so it is your intention to rescue this story that was left abandoned in the pages of a book, young lady? Interesting. I can assist you, but you must first tell me what it is that you intend to do, or I shall not agree.
: March, can you change the destiny of the man in the book?
::March 7th: Unfortunately I'm just the reader, not the author.
: March, can you go back in time to that moment?
::March 7th: If I could do that, I wouldn't be standing here.
:March 7th: Why is it that the Blade Demon was able to become such a master and yet never attained the satisfaction of a happy life?
:Qingque: Miss March. You remember the immersia stories that we talked about before, don't you? These stories are always "a combination of blessings and tragedy," using "happiness" in later life to make up for "misfortune" that was experienced previously. It's like adding a positive to a negative to return to zero.
:Qingque: However, we all know that beliefs like this are just blind optimism...
: Blessings are real, and so is misfortune.
:Qingque: That's right. Even if the Blade Demon was able to master an ultimate technique, that would not change the fact that he regrets what he did in the past.
:Qingque: I can be a bit of a philistine sometimes. Though I sometimes long for the life of a hero, I always think to myself, maybe I'm more suited to a life that isn't fraught with danger where I'm constantly surviving by the skin of my teeth?
:Qingque: I think a story of "living a complete, yet unremarkable life" is far more appealing to me than "cutting someone's arm off and mastering a perfect sword technique before the blade tomb."
:March 7th: ...Maybe that is what the Blade Demon wanted, too?
:Qingque: As the person in the book, his story is already written and cannot be changed. Fortunately, this is not destiny, it is just a book.
:Qingque: Actually, the author has no power over "the order in which the reader reads their book"! Miss March, I know where the second half of this book is, try reading the second half of the book from the ending to the beginning instead!
: The author is long dead, the reader has the right to read their story however they like!
: Such a sly and half-baked solution...
:March 7th: Master Lingsha, this is how I can rescue their story!
:Lingsha: Interesting, let us give it a try...
:
:
:
:March 7th: The forbidden text changed! Qingque's convoluted theory was a success! That's exactly the ending that the Blade Demon... No, I mean the regular mortal wanted.
:Qingque: Oh, it's nothing special. It just means that the Blade Demon was a philistine like myself.
:March 7th: Unfortunately, I lost all of the skills that I learned from the sword scroll while I was reading it backwards, I didn't learn anything.
:Lingsha: Miss March. You read the book from start to finish, then from finish to start. You did gain something, you gained a story.
:March 7th: Hmm... At least now I understand that blindly pursuing power doesn't necessarily work for my character...
:Qingque: ...The repository is organized beautifully, I must thank you all. If there is anything that you need in the future, please just let me know!
:March 7th: Hmm...
:Qingque: You actually have something? I'll tell you again, I don't know anything about sword fighting!
:March 7th: Don't worry Miss Qingque. With that twisted logic of yours, I know you'll be able to help me!
==Panacea Divinus==
;(4 days until First Sword Trial)
:March 7th is frustrated about how to improve her swordplay, but the Alchemy Commission might have some medicine that can help her... 
;(Go to the Escapade location)
:Jiaoqiu: You two are guests from the Astral Express, I assume. It is a blessed fate to have met you here. May I humbly introduce myself? I am Jiaoqiu, a healer from the Xianzhou Yaoqing. How may I address you?
:March 7th: I'm March 7th, and as for this one... 's always coming up with something new. Might as well let do the self-introduction...
: Nice to meet you, I'm (Trailblazer).
::March 7th: ...*sigh* You're suddenly all proper this time.
: A pleasure. The Galactic Baseballer stands before you.
::March 7th: ...See, what'd I say.
: Why so formal? I'm your neighbor from the same ward.
::March 7th: He already said he's a healer, not a patient. And you're not hospitalized!
:Jiaoqiu: Hahahaha, I have long heard of the many shenanigans of the Astral Express's Nameless. If the lady is March 7th, this must be (Trailblazer).
:March 7th: Was the process of elimination even necessary? I'm much more respectable than is!
:Jiaoqiu: It appears I have made a faux pas... Now then, may I ask what the respectable Miss March is doing in the Healer's Market?
:March 7th: Ahem, Xianzhou's medical skills have long been renowned across the galaxy. I was wondering if I could find any Xianzhou stories and immersia on the miracle elixir?
:Jiaoqiu: Heh heh, if I may remind you Miss March... Those who seek this Elixir of Life will usually likely attract the sinister likes of those such as the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus.
:
:Jiaoqiu: So that's the case, haha, I understand. A fight in fifteen days is a rather tight schedule. It's no wonder Miss March seeks the medicine...
:Jiaoqiu: Since you have run into me, you shall not have to look any further.
:March 7th: Could you know where there could be a miracle elixir, Mr. Jiaoqiu?
:Jiaoqiu: I have heard tell of a martial artist on the Xianzhou Zhuming whose mother bathed him in the miracle medicine since his birth. His body was rendered hard as steel, feeling no pain to all blows!
:March 7th: Seriously!?
:Jiaoqiu: It was false.
:March 7th: False!? I was listening so intently too! Then... are there gentler ways?
:Jiaoqiu: I heard of a tower on the Xianzhou Zhuming, where a feline-looking celestial dwelled atop. Swordmasters only had to consume a silkworm bean that it planted — they could instantly recover from their most exhausted states, and even go without food for ten days.
:March 7th: This! This one's good!
:Jiaoqiu: This is also false.
: You here to make a mockery of March or something?
::March 7th: Are you really a healer? I came to seek a prescription, and you're here spinning tall tales to taunt me!
: You don't really know of any miracle elixir, do you?
::March 7th: Yeah! I'm not the type of girl who's easily pushed around, you know.
:Jiaoqiu: Please understand, I was merely testing your earnestness in seeking the medicine. This miracle elixir's shelf life is short after all — what if you didn't dare try it after I went through all the hard work to make it? Wouldn't that be a waste?
:March 7th: Shelf life... Are you making medicine or food?
:Jiaoqiu: In our Ranzhi School's medical theory, medicine is food, and vice versa. We are what we eat, so the right food for the right ailments would naturally cure us.
:Jiaoqiu: Mm, since you're earnest in finding the right medicine, the next time we meet, I shall bring you the miracle elixir you want. You'd better not reject me then.
:March 7th: Reject...? Don't worry, I'll never waste the medicine that you worked so hard to make!
:Jiaoqiu: You can't tell your masters about what transpired today. If you agree, I shall get right to collecting the ingredients. Farewell.
:March 7th: S—Sure! Goodbye, Mr. Jiaoqiu!
:
:March 7th: Can Jiaoqiu really make this miracle elixir? 
----
;(2 days until First Sword Trial)
:Jiaoqiu promised to bring a miracle elixir on the condition that March 7th keep it a secret... 
;(Go to the Escapade location)
:Jiaoqiu: Here it is, the miracle elixir you wanted. I've stored it in this thermal box for you.
:March 7th: ...What kind of medicine is stored in this box?
:Jiaoqiu: I had to leave in a hurry today, so I didn't make much... There's Millennial Ginseng With Sauce, Obsidian Herbal Jelly, and Hand-Shredded Icy Lotus.
:March 7th: ...Uh-oh, my food safety radar is blaring.
: What's Millennial Ginseng With Sauce?
::Jiaoqiu: I extracted the ginseng from the kimchi pot, julienned it, and used vinegar, ginger, garlic, and chili oil as condiments.
::March 7th: Then why's it called "Millennial Ginseng"?
::Jiaoqiu: This recipe... I mean, this prescription's been passed down for a thousand years. Is "millennial" not appropriate?
: What's Obsidian Herbal Jelly?
::Jiaoqiu: I boiled and filtered obsidian ground paste, then added donkey-hide gelatin, and finally added corn starch to congeal it.
::March 7th: How do you explain the "obsidian" then? You didn't really add rocks to it, did you?
::Jiaoqiu: This dish's color is black as ink and ebony jade, so I added rock sugar in case you got grossed out.
: What's Hand-Shredded Icy Lotus?
::Jiaoqiu: Stir-fry the belly meat till the fat renders, then add snow lotus, onion, and garlic and fry till fragrant. Add soy sauce to taste, and finally stir-fry the snow lotus on high heat till it softens, add salt, and voilà.
::March 7th: Could it be the snow lotus that blooms once every three thousand years? The snow lotus that can turn one's hair from white to black and restore one's youth?
::Jiaoqiu: It's nothing so grandiose. This snow lotus is grown in a greenhouse and blooms every thirty days.
:March 7th: So... aren't these herbs pretty expensive?
:Jiaoqiu: It's not too expensive — just about the price of a meal at a restaurant. Come on, Miss March, please help yourself...
:March 7th: If you don't mind me saying, these dishes seem a little too... creative...
:March 7th: No—! No no no no definitely no!
:Jiaoqiu: We agreed in our previous meeting that I would bring you the medicine you requested, please do not refuse...
:March 7th's Good-for-Nothing Stomach: (tummy growls)
:March 7th: Um... Okay, I will try it...
:
:March 7th: Deeeelicious!
: Delicious!
: Is this really medicine?
:March 7th: It's so delicious! Mr. Jiaoqiu, you must really be a master chef!
:Jiaoqiu: I'm a healer! Chefs who don't want to be doctors aren't fit to be a general's loyal retainer... Wait, why am I even explaining this to you?
:March 7th: ...Then will my swordplay improve if I eat all of this?
:Jiaoqiu: Miss March, though the herbs I have selected are valuable beyond measure, they are still readily available for sale anywhere. At best, they can strengthen your constitution and replenish your nutrients... In other words, they won't help your swordplay much.
: This is different from the request!
::Jiaoqiu: Basing off the herbs, they are enough to create the miracle elixir.
: There are items in my inventory that can help with crits.
::March 7th: Who knows which trashcan you rummaged through to get these...
: Are there herbs that can't be bought?
:Jiaoqiu: That's the million-dollar question.
:Jiaoqiu: You two are sincere in your medicinal search, and I've got new dishes that I wish to test, so it was a mutually beneficial situation... I never promised that your skills would grow if you ate them.
:March 7th: I feel like I got cheated.
:Jiaoqiu: But... I hear that there is a prescription aboard the Xianzhou Luofu that isn't given to the public, only to the snake in the deep woods.
:March 7th: A... snake?
:Jiaoqiu: That's right, it's a remedy used to feed spirit snakes. It's said that the snake used to be coated in gray-black, but with continued consumption of spirit fungi, ginseng, deer antlers, and other rare herbs for two decades, its entire body eventually turned red.
:March 7th: The black snake turned into a ... Crimson Dragon?
:Jiaoqiu: That's right. The Ebony Snake consumed spirit herbs and became a Crimson Dragon. Now that's a priceless herb.
:Jiaoqiu: It's said that by imbibing the blood of a Crimson Dragon, one can be born anew with boosted strength. Since I've already revealed this much, I'll give you all another tidbit — such a Crimson Dragon is stashed within the Alchemy Commission...
:March 7th: Really!?
:Jiaoqiu: Shh!
:Jiaoqiu: It is said that "when dragons spew blood, life is returned to the shadows." This herb is a secret among secrets. Only the Cauldron Master of the Alchemy Commission is privy to its details. That is all I will say.
:
:March 7th: A Crimson Dragon that has been fed rare herbs? 
----
;(4 days until Second Sword Trial)
:The medicinal dishes provided by Jiaoqiu is quite expensive, but it is no miracle potion. So, he mentioned the "Crimson Dragon Blood"... 
;(Go to the Escapade location)
:Lingsha: Oh, isn't this (Trailblazer). Miss March! You're here too. You two really are inseparable.
:March 7th: Oh, yeah. This is Alchemy Commission where Lady Lingsha works.
:Lingsha: I noticed the two of you walking about the Healer's Market, is there something you wish to buy?
:March 7th: Truth be told, when we came by the Alchemy Commission, Mr. Jiaoqiu of the Yaoqing mentioned that a Crimson Dragon was hidden in the Alchemy Commission.
:Lingsha: ...Crimson Dragon? Ho, please spare no details.
:
:Lingsha: Heh-heh, a miracle elixir that can boost your skills? That rascal Jiaoqiu...
:Lingsha: Miss March, if the Crimson Dragon Blood really existed, would you really dare drink it?
:March 7th: Mm, umm... I mean, would you dare, (Trailblazer)?
: There's nothing to be afraid of. The apothecary's just right beside us.
::March 7th: That's (Trailblazer) for you, a brave soul who dares venture where I do not.
: This tale is simply unbelievable. I'm not drinking anything.
::March 7th: If you're not drinking it, neither am I. We're on the same page.
:Lingsha: Miss March's reaction is quite adorable, so I'll be frank: The Crimson Dragon that Mr. Jiaoqiu mentioned does indeed exist.
:March 7th: ...Soooo, where is this Crimson Dragon, Master Lingsha?
:Lingsha: The Crimson Dragon is nothing more than a guessing game concocted by Jiaoqiu. If I'm not wrong, the item you seek far and wide, is right before you.
: You're the Crimson Dragon!?
::Lingsha: Appropriate as an answer to a guessing game, no?
: Then you were... completely coated in black?
::Lingsha: I'm not some viper, but I do have pills that will cause people's skins to darken. Would you like to try one, (Trailblazer)?
:March 7th: So... what Mr. Jiaoqiu wanted me to find was... Lady Lingsha's... blood?
:Lingsha: I have practiced my skills across the universe and consumed myriad medicines for over a century, so I do fit the description of a "Crimson Dragon." If you really want to, I can absolutely give some to you, Miss March...
:Lingsha: But the dose is what makes medicine poisonous. You can't just be focused on the advantages of the medicine and ignore the dangers of its poison. The Crimson Dragon Blood is right here with me, so you'll have to contemplate this carefully, Miss March...
:March 7th: quickly throws you a glance with anxiety, hoping you will throw out some suggestions.
: Don't ask me, my brain's already got BSODed...
::March 7th: I—I've BSODed too! Like some high-speed whirring machine has entered my brain.
: March, you're not some blood-sucking vampire!
::March 7th: That's right, I've sworn an oath that I'll only live a bland life of drinking milk tea, and nothing more.
: March, Master Lingsha has already agreed to your request...
::Master 7th: But I never thought that Master Lingsha would be the Crimson Dragon...
:March 7th: Mr. Jiaoqiu even said before that "when the Crimson Dragon spits blood, its life will return to the gloom." Master Lingsha does not have to take such a huge risk...
:Lingsha: Worry not, it's just a few drops. It won't cost me my life.
:March 7th: ...
:Lingsha: I see you struggling to make a decision... How about this: You can tell me your choice the next time we meet.
:Lingsha: And I will summon that to come forward and explain himself to me.
:
:March 7th: Do I really... need the Crimson Dragon Blood? 
----
;(4 days until Final Sword Trial)
:Lingsha confesses to having the "Crimson Dragon Blood" in her own veins, but March 7th cowers away... 
;(Go to the Escapade location)
:March 7th: Heyyyy! Jiaoqiu, you know what the Crimson Dragon you said is?
:Jiaoqiu: Lady Lingsha has already sought me out. I also know how the matter roughly went.
:March 7th: It's your fault for spewing all that nonsense. I bet Master Lingsha reprimanded you harshly!
:Jiaoqiu: Oh dear, it's all my fault! But reprimanding aside... Master Lingsha still asked me if you wanted the Crimson Dragon Blood in the end...
:March 7th: Let me say it first, I've already thought it through — I don't need it!
:Jiaoqiu: ...But I said that Miss March is training, she'll definitely need it, so she had me bring a bottle for you.
:Jiaoqiu shakes the glass bottle in front of you, within it containing about five hundred milliliters of Crimson Dragon Blood.
:March 7th: Wha—? That much!? Is Miss Lingsha alright up there?
:Jiaoqiu: ...You really don't need it?
:March 7th: I really, really don't need it!
:Jiaoqiu: Since you're here, are you going to drink it, (Trailblazer)?
: Is there no one here who's questioning the hygiene issue?
::March 7th: I checked, the blood is filled with germs and viruses!
::Jiaoqiu: *sigh* Since the both of you won't drink it, I shall drink it with great reluctance.
::
: I'm not the one training to be a swordsman, let March drink it instead.
::March 7th: Ah!? We better return it to Miss Lingsha then!
::Jiaoqiu: *sigh* Since the both of you won't drink it, I shall drink it with great reluctance.
::
: I'll shall cast off my human shell then! Jiaojiao! Let me drink it!
::March 7th: (Trailblazer), do you want to surpass human limits?
::
::
:Lingsha: Jiaoqiu, stop teasing the both of them. This bottle just contains Redsunset juice, doesn't it?
:Jiaoqiu: Master Lingsha has such a strong sense of smell.
:March 7th: I see it now, is this some test that you two came up with to teach me some kind of lesson?
:Lingsha: You misunderstood us. I merely wished to see what adorable reaction you would have.
:March 7th: ...Then, did I not obtain anything?
:Jiaoqiu: How could you say that, Miss March! Think about the herbal cuisine you ate — you received a well-balanced meal, a regular routine, and daily exercise! Finally, you achieved a healthy body!
:March 7th: Eh!?
:Lingsha: A well-balanced diet and exercise are more effective than some unknown miracle elixir.
:Jiaoqiu: In the immersia, the miracle elixir, mutations, and unparalleled martial arts mastery... they are not so different at all. Just lazy tricks by the creators, to package a way to reap what one has not sown. Please do not fall for such parlor tricks.
:March 7th: But... is there really no miracle elixir in this world?
:Jiaoqiu: Hee-hee, do you remember the legend of the Plagues Author leaving behind the Fruit of Longevity? There are miracle elixirs in this world, and they've long had price tags on them, but I'm afraid we will never be able to afford them...
:March 7th: I will remember this. But Mr. Jiaoqiu, I have a question — if you simply wanted to treat us to a herbal feast, why couldn't I tell the two masters about it?
:Jiaoqiu: This was simply a psychological suggestion... Did you feel that the medicine was more effective after what I said, Miss March?
: You know too many shams for a healer...
::Jiaoqiu: The Realm-Keeping Commission probably has many records of such fraudulent incidents. I was simply learning from the cream of the crop.
: So, March got tricked again...
::March 7th: So it was just a placebo effect... I really thought Mr. Jiaoqiu had some deep dark secret.
:Jiaoqiu: Please do not worry, Miss March. If you need help defeating Skott, please feel free to look for me at the Alchemy Commission. I will definitely help you out.
:Lingsha: When the time comes, if you also require my help, I shall do so, Miss March...
:March 7th: Yes, yes, thank you both, Mr. Jiaoqiu, Master Lingsha.
==Spiritus Ex Machina==
;(4 days until First Sword Trial)
:March 7th is frustrated about how to defeat the mech, but the Artisanship Commission might offer her some inspiration... 
;(Go to the Escapade location)
:Silver Wolf: Hey, (Trailblazer)! And what's-her-name again... March 7th? Am I right?
:March 7th: A Stellaron Hunter? The fact that you're here, does that mean the Xianzhou is again...
:Silver Wolf: Don't be so paranoid. I'm not an infectious virus. It's our downtime now, I'm not on any "script" or mission. I suggest you pretend to not have seen me.
: ...The real Silver Wolf will never be here.
::Silver Wolf: Oh, you're right. What you see is nothing but a hyperrealistic holographic projection.
: ...No one sent you?
::Silver Wolf: Strictly speaking, I'm not even over here. What you see is just a hyperrealistic holographic projection, understand?
:Silver Wolf: I'm here at the Xianzhou to meet a veteran player at a game in person. It has nothing to do with you.
:March 7th: ...Can you still call that "in person" when you meet him via holographic projection?
:Silver Wolf: Don't sweat the details. What about you two? Taking a stroll in the Artisanship Commission?
:March 7th: Well, the IPC mechs are aurumaton too, so I was hoping... to find some inspiration here on ways to defeat the IPC mechs.
:Silver Wolf: Inspiration to defeat the IPC mechs? I've plenty of time now anyway, how about explaining the situation?
:
:March 7th: Hey, why am I a Busybody too?
:Silver Wolf: Huh? That's it?
:March 7th: What do you mean by "that's it"? Are you looking down at me!?
:Master Gongshu: My, my, behold the youngsters these days... I've been standing here for a considerable duration, yet NOT A SINGLE SOUL deigns to acknowledge my presence!
: Are you the Xianzhou veteran player?
::Master Gongshu: Yes, I've been playing Aetherium Wars for a long time.
: Are you the smelter extraordinaire?
::Master Gongshu: Yes, it is I.
::Silver Wolf: Master Gongshu is a veteran player of Aetherium Wars.
:Master Gongshu: I've got the information you wanted, but...
:March 7th: If it's something important, should we excuse ourselves?
:Silver Wolf: It's fine. You can stay if you're interested.
:Silver Wolf: Some time ago, an Aetherium Wars player posted that they had captured a rare double-type Aether Spirit — it has the stats of a Mechanical Aether Spirit and an Aberrant Aether Spirit.
:Silver Wolf: In other words, this rare spirit appears to be a Mechanical Soul with an Aberrant Aether Spirit, causing deviation in the Aetherium Wars' system judgment... So I consulted Master Gongshu, who is more experienced and knowledgeable. Now we're here to discuss this matter.
: Do you mean rare Aether Spirits do exist?
::Silver Wolf: It's like the holographic cards in a card collection game. Those hardcore players will never miss out on them.
: Can I have one too?
::Silver Wolf: No way. Even if you were seeking to capture an Aether Spirit, we must play by the rules. Mature players will seek information by themselves.
:Master Gongshu: ...I did mention an aurumaton, but these rumors of Mechanical Souls simply don't hold up under scrutiny; they're utterly unbelievable. You're simply wasting your effort here.
:Silver Wolf: What's there not to believe? There are plenty of strange things happening in the cosmos. Let's cut straight to the chase — what about the Aurumaton Gatekeeper?
:Master Gongshu: I have good and bad news.
:Silver Wolf: ...Please don't tell me the bad news is that the Aurumaton Gatekeeper is gone.
:Master Gongshu: You're right. It was automatically seen as faulty machinery and was thrown into the scrap heap. The good news is there's still hope of finding it.
:Silver Wolf: I knew things would not be that simple...
:Silver Wolf: It seems like you two are interested in the rare Aether Spirit too... I'll be here for some time. If you wish to look for me, you can try your luck here.
:Master Gongshu: We'll take our leave then. See you around!
:
:March 7th: A rare Aurumaton Gatekeeper? That could probably give me some inspiration. 
----
;(2 days until First Sword Trial)
:You encounter Silver Wolf who just so happens to be collecting rare Aether Spirits, only to find the aurumaton has been handled... 
;(Go to the Escapade location)
:Silver Wolf: Hey, perfect timing. Master Gongshu has found the scrapped Aurumaton Gatekeeper for me... Unfortunately, it has lost even its most basic programs, not to mention its Mechanical Soul.
:March 7th: To find out whether a mech has a soul... You can ask Mr. Screwllum directly. Maybe he will know the answer?
:Silver Wolf: I want to find the Aether Spirit, not a philosophical answer. Also, are you telling me to ask him politely? Impossible!
: Rhetorical Question: how can a butterfly be born from dead leaves?
::Silver Wolf: You know what? The way you're talking now sounds as annoying as him.
: He isn't the one blocking 76 of your game accounts.
::Silver Wolf: Hey, shut it. I can block your game account too. Do you want to try it?
:Silver Wolf: What should I do now?
:March 7th: Have you asked Master Gongshu? What did he say?
:Silver Wolf: He's a practical man. He doesn't believe in the theory of Mechanical Souls.
:Silver Wolf: ...Have you heard of the Mechanical Soul School? They are one of the countless extinct schools of the Intelligentsia Guild, active before the Emperor's War.
:Silver Wolf: These scholars claimed that "every machinery has a soul within it from the moment it is created on the production line, but it is limited by the hardware and has no way of expressing it, similar to human beings."
:Silver Wolf: They even came out with a whole mystical ritual to communicate psychically with the machinery — but everyone thought that they were crazy.
:Silver Wolf: Rumors said that all members of this school were killed in the interstellar war... but guess what? The mothership that encountered the ambush returned to their home planet.
:March 7th: Wouldn't that mean someone survived?
:Silver Wolf: No one survived. It was as if the mothership had a cheat code. It took over the vehicle, fired the weapons, and piloted on its own — it even escaped the engagement zone and brought the bodies of the scholars back to the home planet.
:Silver Wolf: None of the victims had witnessed the Mechanical Soul, yet proved its existence.
: Could it be controlled by a heliobus?
::Silver Wolf: Do you know how huge the Astral Spirit must be to control a mother ship? A heliobus is out of the question.
: Could there really be Mechanical Souls?
::Silver Wolf: The game setting of "there's a rational explanation for everything" is so boring, so I believe in irrationality.
: It's just a complex AI.
::Silver Wolf: Yes, that makes sense. A human's soul might just be another form of AI.
:Silver Wolf: What about you? Where do you stand?
: There's a rational explanation for all irrational phenomena.
::Silver Wolf: Oh, so that's what you believe.
: The real unknowns should not be explained by knowledge.
::Silver Wolf: That makes two of us.
:Silver Wolf: March 7th, what about you? Do you believe in the existence of Mechanical Souls?
:March 7th: The airship moved on its own and brought its owners' remains back home... If Mechanical Souls do exist, wouldn't it be romantic? If we meet a kind-hearted Mechanical Soul, maybe... it will be willing to teach me how to defeat the IPC mech!
:Silver Wolf: I almost forgot you are still looking into that matter...
:March 7th: After all, I'm born with a strong sensitivity to spirits. I'm sure the Mechanical Souls will be willing to communicate with me.
:Silver Wolf: Oh—! That's it! March 7th, thank you!
:March 7th: Wh—What? Did I say something?
:Silver Wolf: The Mechanical Soul School left a record of their Mechanical Seance Arts! This means I can transfer its soul to another aurumaton!
: The Mechanical Soul shall bless me with its presence!
::Silver Wolf: It's better to try these unorthodox shamanism stuff than to sit here and watch the scrap.
: I'll become the latest joke in the scientific community!
::Silver Wolf: Robots can also use revival potions in games, so don't worry about the scientific community.
:Silver Wolf: Let me check out the guide for Mechanical Seance Arts, then ask Master Gongshu to prepare an aurumaton. Do remember to come and join the ritual...
:
:March 7th: ...Summoning a Mechanical Soul for an aurumaton. Oh my, I feel like my brain's getting fried. 
----
;(4 days until Second Sword Trial)
:The retrieved aurumaton was unresponsive. Prompted by March 7th, Silver Wolf tried to summon a spirit... 
;(Go to the Escapade location)
:Silver Wolf: What took you two so long?
:March 7th: So, Master Gongshu is here too? Seems like he also...
:Master Gongshu: Don't regard me with that expression. I remain steadfast in my disbelief in the existence of Mechanical Souls.
:Silver Wolf: But you came in the end.
:Master Gongshu: ...
:Silver Wolf: The preparation for the Seance Arts is done. Next, I just need to key in these in order, and we're good to go.
:March 7th: She seems to completely treat this as a game...
:Silver Wolf: First, we need to chant the prayers to guide the Mechanical Soul... I'll leave that to you, March 7th.
:March 7th: Oh... Huh!? Why me?
:Silver Wolf: Didn't you say you've got a strong sensitivity to spirits? So, you do it — you'll take care of the metaphysical part, while I'll take care of the physical part.
:March 7th: ...Fine.
:March 7th: "O, solemn... and mighty Mechanical Soul, we call upon thy presence. May thou guide our spiral structures to the wandering soul at this place, echoing in the riveted joints and components..."
: What nonsensical mechanical prayer is this?
::Silver Wolf: Don't interrupt. Let her finish.
: That's too profound for mortals.
::Silver Wolf: Fortunately, we don't have to understand its meaning.
:March 7th: "May the milling machine be thy vessel to live forever in the world of forges and gates..."
:
:
:March 7th (Outward Appearance): Gongshu... Gongshu... Don't forget... A-Xiu...
:Silver Wolf: Oh no, what is going on?
: Shouldn't I be asking you?
::Silver Wolf: Don't ask me. I don't know either.
: Give me back March 7th!
::Silver Wolf: ...It's nothing serious. Calm down.
:March 7th (Outward Appearance): A-Xiu... Your... best friend...
:Master Gongshu: ...A-Xiu?
:March 7th's eyes suddenly regain her luster, wiping off the lifeless appearance from moments ago.
:March 7th: Why are all of you staring at me? What happened? Did the seance succeed?
: ...I reckon it's a success.
: ...I reckon it's a failure.
:March 7th: ...Huh?
:Silver Wolf: Although I can't be sure whether we succeeded, now I'm certain it's a failure... Master Gongshu, what's A-Xiu?
:Master Gongshu: ...I never thought I'd hear this name once more.
:Silver Wolf: Come on, don't keep me in suspense.
:Master Gongshu: A-Xiu is a toy that I did not complete, thus it never came into existence in this world... That's why its form remains a mystery even to me. In fact, I'm uncertain of what it even is...
:Silver Wolf: Since it's an incomplete toy, why don't you complete it to find out?
:Master Gongshu: But I can no longer make it...
:Master Gongshu: I've heard you're quite an enthusiast for all sorts of games, aren't you? It's only a matter of time before you find yourself knowing too much, playing too often, and contemplating too deeply. That's usually when the spark for gaming fizzles out.
:Master Gongshu: Nowadays, I find it increasingly difficult to focus on the things that once ignited my passion.
: Don't forget your best friend A-Xiu.
:March 7th: Regardless of the psychological resistance you have, this is a matter decided by "whether you want to do this or not."
:Master Gongshu: Even if... I were to craft it now, it wouldn't be A-Xiu...
:Silver Wolf: I believe that people change, but there's always an immutable aspect within each individual. Just now, you immediately recognize the name A-Xiu. It serves as a testament to its unforgettable nature.
:Silver Wolf: Don't forget your best friend A-Xiu.
:
:March 7th: ...(Trailblazer), can you understand Master Gongshu? I can't. 
----
;(4 days until Final Sword Trial)
:The Spiritus Ex Machina descended upon the spiritually perceptive vessel, March 7th, and everyone gained a new clue in the form of A-Xiu... 
;(Go to the Escapade location)
:Silver Wolf: You two are finally back... Oh yes, did you feel anything abnormal after you returned home that day, March 7th?
:March 7th: I guess... not. But recently, I have had the feeling that "mechanical spirits and I are one." It's as if my thoughts, consciousness, and desires can be extended and even controlled remotely...
:Silver Wolf: Stop right there! This means you are completely normal.
:Master Gongshu: I have been here the whole time, yet NOT A SINGLE SOUL deigned to acknowledge my presence...
: We noticed. We're just waiting for you.
: Master Gongshu, where's A-Xiu?
:Master Gongshu: When I returned home that day, I impulsively began sifting through my cabinet, where I stumbled upon A-Xiu's design.
:March 7th: So what does A-Xiu look like?
:Master Gongshu: Upon reviewing my blueprint, it finally dawned on me that A-Xiu is nothing more than a ubiquitous cycrane.
:Silver Wolf: The thing you've long desired to make was just a cycrane?
:Master Gongshu: In my early days as a naive apprentice, my ambition was to fashion an impressive cycrane. I harbored countless lofty ideas, yet in the end, I failed to realize any of them — for I dared not let my master catch me indulging in mere toys.
:Master Gongshu: As time went on, I found myself consumed by other obligations. Initially, I pushed aside the notion of "get it made," reassuring myself that I would attend to it once I had more time... But by the time I finished my work, the desire to see it through had faded away entirely.
:Master Gongshu: Subsequently, as I transitioned into the role of an artisan, my schedule afforded me ample time. However, each time I geared up to commence work on it, a nagging question would stealthily surface in my mind — "Do I truly desire to craft a mere toy?"
:Master Gongshu: As a result, I lost all enthusiasm and found myself unable to proceed.
: The individualism of adulthood can be dulled by the weight of reality.
::Master Gongshu: It would be so simple to create, yet it took me such a long time. Haha.
: Repressing desires over an extended period can eventually lead to their dissolution.
::Master Gongshu: There was a time when I toiled day and night into crafting A-Xiu's blueprint. Yet now, nothing seems to ignite that same drive within me... Haha.
:Master Gongshu: Witnessing what you all have achieved and how you showed me what I once deemed "impossible" has prompted me to try again — for the sake of all of you.
:
:Master Gongshu: I cast aside all distractions, dedicating myself solely to the task of "bringing it to completion." And at long last, after so many years, I have succeeded in crafting my A-Xiu.
:March 7th: ...Adulting is hard.
:Master Gongshu: Miss March 7th, don't you want to be an adult?
:March 7th: I—I just cannot imagine how I will be as an adult. What about you, (Trailblazer)?
: I don't want to be a grown-up ever...
: I want to become a respectable adult soon...
:Master Gongshu: Despite my centuries of existence, upon finishing the toy, I found myself feeling akin to a teenager. It appears the boundary between adulthood and childhood is blurred, if not nonexistent.
:March 7th: ...I think I can understand that.
:Silver Wolf: So, cycrane's Mechanical Soul indeed once existed in the body of that Aurumaton Gatekeeper. Unfortunately, its essence flew away.
:March 7th: I never thought you were a bard.
:Silver Wolf: Do you need me to put it in simpler terms? I mean, my rare Aether Spirit is gone.
:March 7th: At least you can replicate A-Xiu's Aether Spirit as a keepsake.
:Silver Wolf: Well, I guess there's at least a guarantee in the pulls.
:
:Silver Wolf: Ohhhhhhhh! A rare double type! Does that mean it's a success!? What's that saying from Xianzhou — "In the mountain of doubt, no escape is found. Rare stats, they can't be bound."
:March 7th: When did Xianzhou have such a saying? I'm sure you're just making it up.
:March 7th: Great! Master Gongshu completed his A-Xiu, and you found your rare Aether Spirit. Only my answer remains unfounded...
:Silver Wolf: Are you still worrying about the sword showdown? Fret not, I'm your answer. Come and find me, and I'll give you your answer.
:March 7th: That's a deal! You need to help me!
:Silver Wolf: Don't worry. Leave it all to me.