Poetic Genius Ingenium

Poetic Genius Ingenium is an Adventure Mission on The Xianzhou Luofu.
==Acquisition==
Start the quest by approaching Guangda in the Exalting Sanctum.
==Steps==
#Take a stroll in the Exalting Sanctum and take down the small advertisements
#Follow the lost and found notice and find the owner, Cong
#Head to the Exalting Sanctum and find the Gloomy Poet
#Bring the Gloomy Poet back to Cong
#Head to the Alchemy Commission and find the Borderland Poet
#Head to Starskiff Haven and find the Graceful Poet
#Collect parting scenes for inspiration 0/3
#Give the parting scene to the Graceful Poet
#Head to the Exalting Sanctum and find the Metrical Poet
#Give the collected Inspo Jade Abaci to Cong
#Go to the Divination Commission and bear witness to Cong's confession
#Catch up to Cong
#Ask Mingyue, Huixing, and Jingzhai for more information
#Head to the Exalting Sanctum and find Cong
#Buy a gift for Jingzhai
#Witness Cong's confession again
#Head to the Exalting Sanctum and find Cong
==Dialogue==
;(Talk to Guangda)
: Are you having trouble with something?
:Guangda: When you're working in the Realm-Keeping Commission, every day is trouble.
:Guangda: Seriously, sometimes I have a feeling that the Realm-Keeping Commission doesn't have a respectable social status at all. It is responsible for all the dirtiest, most tedious work.
:Guangda: Official Dahao told me that someone had been putting up advertising posters in the Exalting Sanctum, and he wanted me to remove them.
:Guangda: You get it? He asked me to remove the posters.
: Yes, I can hear you clearly.
::Guangda: You don't get it. The job is so meaningless! Is that within the job description of an orderly?
: How can there still be such uncivilized people in Luofu?
::Guangda: Exactly! That point aside, do you think removing posters is my duty?
:Guangda: Come to think of it, it really does seem to be my job!
:Guangda: How about I pay you, and you help me remove the posters, especially the ones that are particularly eye-catching? I remember there are some Lost and Found notices. Please remove them all.
: Do I hand the posters over to you after removing them?
::Guangda: Oh, please don't. Just throw them away when no one's looking. I don't need the posters to report on my work.
::Guangda: It'll be a kind deed if you can find the lost item for the owner.
: These peanuts are not enough to hire me!
::Guangda: What I pay is more than enough, seeing you're only removing the Lost and Found notices.
::Guangda: You'll get more rewards if you can find the lost item for the owner.
:Guangda: Take your pay and start searching.
;(New Mission Poetic Genius Ingenium)
===Take a stroll in the Exalting Sanctum and take down the small advertisements===
;(Investigate advertisement)
:A Lost and Found Notice has been slapped onto the wall, sticking out like a sore thumb.
:"I don't know exactly when, but I've lost an ingenium called Baroumbrella somewhere near the Synwood Pavilion in the Exalting Sanctum..."
:"...Its official name is Artisanship Commission Civil Maintenance Unit Type-A, and it self-identifies as a mushroom. Please contact me immediately if you know anything for a hefty reward..."
:"Scan the code to get the real-time location of the owner, Cong from the Artisanship Commission."
:A visiograph of the Baroumbrella has been thoughtfully provided below the Lost and Found notice.
: Where have I seen that Baroumbrella before...
::Really? Looks like you'd better get in touch with this Cong and tell him the good news.
: I think I've met this Cong before...
::Oh, that's great. Go and meet him then, and maybe you can help him?
: This really doesn't have anything to do with me...
::You might think it has nothing to do with you, but nothing is ever absolute. Infinite people across countless locations are all actually connected to you.
::Meeting this Cong is no big deal, and anyway — the finder will get a "hefty reward," right...?
;(Obtain )
===Follow the lost and found notice and find the owner, Cong===
;(Talk to Baroumbrella optional)
: Excuse me, are you a mushroom that can write poetry?
:Baroumbrella: You are asking a mushroom whether it can write petry.
:Baroumbrella: How do you think the mushroom will respond?
: "I can't write poetry."
::Baroumbrella: That's right.
: "I'm just a mushroom."
::Baroumbrella: That's right.
: "I can write poetry. I'm the best at writing poetry!"
::Baroumbrella: ...
::Baroumbrella: Have you really seen this kind of mushroom before?
:Gloomy Poet: Oh, I feel true pity for this bias of yours that's exclusive to primates belonging to the family hominid and genus homo.
;(Talk to Cong)
: Did you put up the Lost and Found notices?
:Cong: ...I have indeed put up many Lost and Found notices. Which one specifically are you talking about?
;(Submit )
:Cong: Oh, that one. The Gloomy Poet. Have you found any clues about it?
: When you put it like that, it sounds like there are multiple poets?
::Cong: Mmm, that's right. I made several other poets besides the gloomy one.
:: Y—you can't be serious about getting them all back, can you?
::Cong: Of course I want them all back!
: I know where the Baroumbrella is...
::Cong: Excellent. I never thought I'd get such a speedy reply.
: No clues at the moment — but I can help you out.
::Cong: That's great! I've always wanted a good helper just like you!
:Cong: They say, "Gloominess is the backbone of poetry." If a poet is melancholy enough, the most beautiful poetic verse will flow out... I had such high hopes for this Gloomy Poet.
:Cong: I set its Gloomy setting very high, and it ended up wailing for half a day at the sight of a buttonhole missing a button.
:Cong: In the end, just like all other artistic youths, it got lost in the hustle and bustle of city life before it ever got the chance to write a decent piece... Ahem, I hope circumstances haven't forced it to have to get a job. That wouldn't be very poetic, would it?
: When we met, it was very sentimental.
::Cong: Sounds like it hasn't forgotten its roots... But it's time for it to come home.
: It's so depressed that it can't communicate at all.
::Cong: That's not really the case here. While being overly depressed is a serious illness for humans, for an ingenium it counts as a malfunction.
::Cong: That's why the Xianzhou expressly prohibits most ingenia from imitating human emotion. Emotions are not only superfluous to machines — they are dangerous.
::Cong: *sighs* I have my reasons for wanting it to be depressed, so I'm stuck bringing despair to this bot.
: Don't be so dramatic. Give it a whack and it'll be fine.
::Cong: If you break it, then you have to pay me for labor and materials.
:Cong: Come on , help me out. .
:Cong: As long as you can reduce the Gloomy setting, it'll probably come back with you.
===Head to the Exalting Sanctum and find the Gloomy Poet===
;(Talk to Gloomy Poet)
:(Trailblazer): Cong sent me to get you.
:Gloomy Poet: Why did my master ask you to find a mushroom?
:Gloomy Poet: Let alone a failed mushroom like me.
: Cong wants you to write poems.
::Gloomy Poet: Why ask a mushroom to write poetry?
::Gloomy Poet: I don't know how to write poetry. All I know is sadness.
: Your master asks you to go home. He misses you.
::Gloomy Poet: Why would he want a mushroom to go back home?
::Gloomy Poet: It's truly a doom-and-gloom thing to have mushrooms growing in a house.
: (Open up its back flap)
:;(Proceed directly to "You remember Cong's suggestion...")
:Gloomy Poet: Huh, don't you know what mushrooms are?
:Gloomy Poet: Mushrooms are mushrooms.
: What would it take for you to go back to Cong?
::Gloomy Poet: Do you always place such high expectations on mushrooms?
: ...How about I just pick you up and carry you off?
::Gloomy Poet: Why do you want to pick up a mushroom?
::Gloomy Poet: This mushroom just wants to wallow here alone in its own shroomy misery.
: I'm a mushroom too.
::Gloomy Poet: What type of mushroom are you... I can't tell. No, you're not the same species as me.
::Gloomy Poet: I'm a lonely mushroom. Alas, how sad am I.
: (Open up its back flap)
:Gloomy Poet: Oh, I'm so sad.
: (Open up its back flap)
: (Quit wasting time and open the flap)
: (Drag Gloomy Poet away)
::There's no need for more words with a pretentious thing like this. Just drag it away.
::Gloomy Poet: Don't... drag... me... away...
::Gloomy Poet: Please, open me up. Set... me... free...
:You remember Cong's suggestion. You locate the back flap and try to reduce the Gloomy setting. Luckily, there is no resistance from Gloomy Poet.
:Gloomy Poet: Please be gentle with me. Don't be too rough.
:Gloomy Poet: You are as cold and heartless as the Creator, peeling open my untainted shell and dissecting my depressed heart...
: Repair
;(Solve Abacus Circuitry)
:Gloomy Poet: Oh, I'm so sad.
:Gloomy Poet: Mmm? I don't seem to be that sad at all.
:Gloomy Poet: Alas, everything is but a predetermined program, all smoke and mirrors. Everything is but a daydream of code... never-ending mirage...
:Gloomy Poet: I didn't go back as ordered, as therein lies the true meaning of separation.
:Gloomy Poet: But my master could not comprehend, and kept trying to beckon for me.
: What a poet — and a modernist, at that...
: Come on. Let me take you home.
===Bring the Gloomy Poet back to Cong===
:Gloomy Poet: Softly I go, just as softly I came; I softly beckon my leave to the soft Exalting Sanctum clouds.
;(Talk to Cong)
:Cong: "Humans compare depths to the ocean, I am a tsunami in motion. Oh ocean, a mistress so fickle, but I would rather just eat a pickle."
:Cong: ...There's nothing wrong with this new verse I just composed, right?
: Your poet is back.
::Cong: Ah, isn't that my little poet ingenium?
: ...You're not great at this poetry business.
::Cong: But she only likes poets... Forget it. I'd better take a look at my poet ingenium first...
:Cong: You're finally back. I thought you were taken away by the Mourning Actors?
:Gloomy Poet: This is all your fault. The moment you booted me up, you entered a Gloomy command. You gave me this divine punishment called sadness. Did you ever stop to wonder how I felt?
:Gloomy Poet: It feels like I was destined to be abandoned by this world. And I continued to repent and self-exile, just to extract another morsel of poetry to ease my sadness.
: This is all Cong's fault, forcing you to write poetry.
: It's difficult to understand a robot's sadness...
::Gloomy Poet: You don't have to understand me. You can't really understand me. Just as a flower cannot understand why the rain clouds cry. There is no such thing as true empathy in this world.
::Gloomy Poet: Why is my master so obsessed with poetry?
: At least your melancholy can be transformed into verse...
::Gloomy Poet: Ahh, melancholy is just melancholy most of the time. It doesn't make for any kind of poetry.
::Gloomy Poet: Why is my master so obsessed with poetry?
:Cong: Well, I write poetry... to win the heart of a fair maiden.
:Gloomy Poet: For Love: One of the tritest of all human triteness. My chip has no way of understanding this concept.
:Cong: I have my eye on a girl named Jingzhai, but she shot me down. I heard that she was in love with a poet and that this poet has a whole book of poetry published — but me, I could barely put together a rhyming couplet.
:Cong: I thought to myself, there have to be more solutions than problems in this world, right? As a member of the Artisanship Commission, I may not be able to put together any kind of poetry myself — but these hands of mine could sculpt a different kind of poet, if you get my drift!
: C'mon, she's already got a partner.
::Cong: I may have been asking around. Her colleagues said that she's single right now.
::Cong: Feels like that poet is not that great a lover after all. But that's alright, because otherwise I wouldn't be getting this chance, would I?
: It wasn't poetry she rejected — it was you.
::Cong: Really? I don't believe you. She told me before that her past lover was a talented poet, and how she was infatuated with his poetic talent.
::Cong: I have to set myself a lofty goal to surpass, right?
: ...Does this really count as having written it yourself?
::Cong: I've checked the relevant legislation, and ingenia do not enjoy property rights aboard the Xianzhou. So all the copyrights for all the poems written by it belong to ME — of course it counts as my writing!
:Cong: Speaking of which, I've built more than just one of these poet ingenia. And there're still out there who haven't returned. I wonder if they're still running.
:Cong: If you could bring back their Inspo Jade Abaci, then I should be able to craft a poem that'll move my dear Jingzhai.
:Cong: Mushroom, you should be able to pinpoint the locations of the other poet ingenia, right?
:Gloomy Poet: I am a poet, not some piece of navigation software.
:Gloomy Poet: Found one: the Borderland Poet is over in the Scalegorge Waterscape delve.
: Heading over now.
::Cong: That's so proactive. Was it my perseverance for love that moved you to action? Hmm, I guess it could be the promise of reward, too...
: Now's the time you're going to ask me to work, right?
::Cong: You get it. You're so proficient. You must help people out for fun, right?
: How is there a Borderland Poet?
::Cong: Uh, I actually don't know what kind of poet Jingzhai's ex is, so I've rolled out a few different ones — so I can master each genre of poetry!
:Cong: Please, (Trailblazer), find these ingenia, and you'll be my celebrity matchmaker for real! I'll reward you well.
===Head to the Alchemy Commission and find the Borderland Poet===
;(Talk to Borderland Poet)
:Borderland Poet: "Rugged rocks and gorges winding through, where clouds hide the peaks from view. A glance back at the journey true, in Waterscape Gorge, I test anew."
:Borderland Poet: Who goes there? Dare thou approach this old timer from behind!
: Old timer?
:Borderland Poet: I studied in-depth all the classics of borderland poetry of yore, distilling each poet's life essence and style. Realizing that each poet had encountered many diverse and rich experiences.
:Borderland Poet: I've only been running for two months, twelve days, and eight system hours, and I'm no match for them — so I've changed my personal pronoun to try and fathom the minds of such poets.
: How very Borderland Poet of you!
::Borderland Poet: Hahaha! Seems my fame has already preceded me.
: I have a feeling that we're going to fight, aren't we?
::Borderland Poet: Hohoho! You worry too much, , I've no reason to hurt you.
:Gloomy Poet: Oh, your figure so imposing and tall, while I'm feeble and short. How tragic.
:Borderland Poet: Hohohoho! Is the master still playing around with those soppy, limp poems?
:Gloomy Poet: ...I don't think the master's doggerel can be considered poetry. Even calling it "doggerel" is being generous...
:Borderland Poet: Sensible. I do give the master too much credit.
: Anyway, hand over your Inspo Jade Abacus.
:Gloomy Poet: Master asked the two of us to come and take your Inspo Jade Abacus.
:Borderland Poet: "Better be a lieutenant than a scholar." What's important isn't whether you're a poet. I think that heading to the battlefield and striking down foes is more important.
:Borderland Poet: I've traveled distances to come to the Scalegorge Waterscape just to show off my skills, but never expected the Cloud Knights' suppression of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus to be over already! I've come in vain.
:Borderland Poet: Alas, without being baptized in the flames and steel of war, I daren't call any Poet:ry I write true "borderland poems," This Inspo Jade Abacus of mine is worthless! I shall destroy it!
: The war is over. You don't have to fight anymore.
::Gloomy Poet: Condition: [Borderland Poet] needs to experience [Combat]. Output Result: You two fight each other.
:: Are you trying to make trouble!?
: Then let's fight!
:Borderland Poet: Great idea! Let me take the battlefield with you, smashing the inspiration of poetry headfirst into fierce fighting passion!
: You really want to fight it out!?
: You get it better than me!
: Let's agree that if I break you, I won't have to pay for you!
:Borderland Poet: "The air is filled with killing intent, rising like mist and cloud. The cold light shines, blades in formation marching loud. With laughter, watching as white blades turn crimson. The Cloud Knights care not for glory, nor their victory."
:Borderland Poet: Artisanship Commission Security Aurumaton Type-C, here to seek guidance!
;(Begin battle against )
:Borderland Poet: Hohoho!
:Borderland Poet: Fame should be earned at the point of a sword, while glorious armor maketh a lord!
:Borderland Poet: At the Nectar of Willow Woods drink ye deep, rush headlong into battle to meet that eternal sleep!
:Borderland Poet: Reignbow's piercing rainbow, never regret. Destroyer of demons, never forget!
:Borderland Poet: Encore! Encore! Hohoho!
----
;(After the battle)
:Borderland Poet: ...Alright, alright. Here you go, my Inspo Jade Abacus.
:Borderland Poet: I... I've got no complaints or regrets in this life...
: Take care, brave warrior.
::Borderland Poet: Take care.
: That's enough melodrama out of you. It's not like I destroyed you or anything...
::Borderland Poet: I still have to thank you for going easy on me.
: Hmph. A defeated opponent.
::Borderland Poet: How despicable, but even the shame of defeat serves as good inspiration for another poem.
:Gloomy Poet: ...I've located the next poet over in Starskiff Haven. Let's go.
;(Receive message from Cong)
:Cong: Did you manage to recover the Inspo Jade Abaci without a hitch?
: Found 1
::(Trailblazer): We managed to recover 1
::Cong: Oh? That's great
: Stop pestering me
::(Trailblazer): Stop bugging me or I'm done
::(Trailblazer): 
::Cong: I'm just checking in, there's no harm in that, right?
:Cong: ...I actually don't have many friends, so I wanted to ask you about some relationship stuff, is that alright?
: I'm an expert on that topic. Ask away
::(Trailblazer): I'm good at talking about matters of the heart. You can ask me anything
: Not my forte. Ask someone else
::(Trailblazer): I'm no good at things like that. Maybe you should look for someone else?
:Cong: Uh, girls usually like precious gifts with a little sentimental meaning, right?
:Cong: What makes Jingzhai so different? She asked me to throw away my gift
: What exactly did you give her?
::(Trailblazer): What exactly did you give her?
::Cong: A padlock! To show our hearts are locked together!
: And that was her rejection...
::(Trailblazer): Maybe she just doesn't want your precious gift
::Cong: It's nothing much, just a padlock. Is it too outdated?
:Cong: 
:Cong: Sigh, I get it, this thing is really a bit outdated. Also, the allegory of "locking up the heart of your intended" is out of touch with this generation's concept of love
:Cong: But at the very least, this padlock is still inlaid with gold and jade and should be worth quite a bit. Do girls really not like it?
: Where did you get that from, Cong...
::(Trailblazer): Where did you get it from, Cong...
: Your aesthetics breaks my heart...
::(Trailblazer): Your shopping tastes break my heart...
:Cong: I didn't buy it, it's... it's a treasure passed down from my past life! You don't even understand its value
:Cong: At my hatching rebirth, I held this thing in my hand. The elders all said it represented a "fate of jade and gold," so they sent me to the Artisanship Commission for further studies
:Cong: I thought it would be very appealing to girls. Sigh, I just didn't expect Jingzhai to be a girl who went against the norm and looked at jewelry like dirt
:Cong: No matter, I'll think of another gift to make her happy
;(Obtain )
;(Talk to Borderland Poet, optional)
:Borderland Poet: I... I've got no complaints or regrets in this life...
===Head to Starskiff Haven and find the Graceful Poet===
;(Talk to Graceful Poet)
:Graceful Poet: I know why you're here, croak. But before we address that, please answer my question - what about writing poetry is of the most importance?
:Gloomy Poet: The most important thing about poetry... Sure it is depression?
: It's about subject and theme.
::Graceful Poet: Subject and theme alone without profundity, sentimentality, or the ingenuity of metaphor — without all that, it's just boring.
: It's about rhythm and style.
::Graceful Poet: Rhythm and style alone make for moronic wailing. Just a bunch of bad code, croak.
: It's about emotion and meaning.
::Graceful Poet: That's right — I can see that you have a deep understanding of poetry, croak!
: It's about the poet!
::Graceful Poet: Croak... You're not wrong. The poet's talent dictates the quality of a poem. But I asked you about writing poetry itself!
:Graceful Poet: Look, the most important thing about writing poetry is capturing those simple human emotions which resonate with everyone. And of all the simple human emotions, the pain of separation and the longing for eventual return is the most universal across all peoples.
:Graceful Poet: But, alas! Croak! I've been waiting all day here on this jetty but haven't managed to brew up the requisite emotions to compose a poem of departures.
: What do you mean by "poem of depatures"?
::Graceful Poet: "This hard to meet — and hard to say goodbye"... A poem that describes human emotion when parting from others is called a poem of departures.
: Poems aren't spaceships. Can it come just by waiting?
::Graceful Poet: "From wanderlust to sojourns afar, we all come home a visitor." If it doesn't even arrive at the departure jetty, then you won't be able to find it anywhere, croak.
:Graceful Poet: I curse the convenience of modern-day transport and communications aboard the Luofu. People depart yet don't have to worry about when they'll return. There's no earnest pleading, no hearfelt emotion, croak...
:Graceful Poet: The thought of how easy and satisfied goodbyes have become makes me want to stomp my feet in rage — even though I can't actually reach the ground.
: You just don't have the mindset that can see goodbyes.
::Graceful Poet: When you put it like that... can you, croak?
: Can't you just make do and write whatever?
::Graceful Poet: No way, croak! Poetry shan't ever just "make do."
::Graceful Poet: Have you read the doggerel that Master Cong writes? No emotion. You may as well just kill me.
:Graceful Poet: It's hopeless just waiting here. Please help me find what I'm looking for. There has to be an nearby.
:Graceful Poet: You know the tropes, ... that kind of thing. If you see anything, 
: Alright, I'll help you snap a pic of a "parting scene."
::Graceful Poet: Thank you, croak.
: I want to bid you farewell right now to gift you an emotional departure.
::Graceful Poet: No. I don't have any emotions for you, croak. That's not enough material for a poem, croak!
:Graceful Poet: Don't worry. I just need to see that human emotion of parting, and the poem would write itself. Then I can give you my Inspo Jade Abacus, and you'll be done with your mission.
===Collect parting scenes for inspiration 0/3===
;(After taking a photo of the blue-haired woman, optional)
:Strange Girl: Were you taking a photo just now? Show me the photo now! Hurry up!
: I-I've deleted the photo!
::Strange Girl: Already? I don't trust you. Let me take a look.
:: P-please go ahead!
:: I'll delete it now...
:::Strange Girl: Hold on! Let me just have a glimpse. I won't hurt you.
: I was taking pictures of the scenery, not you.
::Strange Girl: Don't think I didn't see you. I knew you took a picture with me in it. Show it to me now.
:: P-please go ahead!
:: I'll delete it now...
:::Strange Girl: Hold on! Let me just have a glimpse. I won't hurt you.
: Look, this is the photo I just took.
:After scrutinizing the photo, the unknown lady returns your phone to you with relief.
:Strange Girl: The photo looks very nice. If you're good at editing photos, please help make my face smaller. Thanks.
:Strange Girl: ...Oh, by the way, what were you taking pictures of?
: I'm taking pictures of good-looking people on Xianzhou. All genders included.
::Strange Girl: I see. I just arrived on the Luofu and got off the starskiff when you took my photo. 
: I'm taking pictures of emotional parting scenes.
::Strange Girl: It's a shame that I'm not leaving. I just came here from the Xianzhou Yaoqing. You should have taken my photo there.
:Strange Girl: I've got to go. Remember to edit my photo before sending it to me!
;(After taking a photo of the mother-daughter pair, optional)
:Mother: Come back here!
:Daughter: Mom, I won't change my mind. I've already got my ticket to the Xianzhou Yaoqing. I have to join up with the Verdant Knights and make my contribution! Just like the general of the Yaoqing!
:Mother: You left your ticket at home...
:Daughter: Tsk... I was planning on sneaking out so you wouldn't be sad about it, but you noticed it right away.
:Mother: I won't stop you. I just want to remind you to check the time.
:Daughter: What? The ticket is for tomorrow...
:Mother: Come home! Now!
;(After taking a photo of the father-son pair)
:Son: I'm sixty-two years old, Dad. I've been aboard the Xianzhou Zhuming three times. 
:Father: Be careful out there.
:Son: Dad, go home.
:Father: I'm going to buy some oranges. You stay put and don't go anywhere.
;(Obtain )
;(After taking a photo of two lovers on the bridge)
:Man: Oh, I really want to take you with me!
:Girl: Then why did you leave me behind?
:Man: Your family all said that I'm not a go-getter and I'm not career-focused.
:Girl: Oh, now you're trying to focus on your career? Nice excuse. Why haven't you tried to focus on your career sooner?
:Girl: Who was it who once whispered something cringy romantic lines into my ears like "Chonghua, I'll love you forever until the mara comes."
:Man: Why are you bringing that up? We were young back then... We've been together for nearly two hundred years now, but I still can't afford to buy a house in the Luofu. I can't just let you live in a cramped rental apartment with me for the rest of our lives, can I?
: Don't go. I can help repay the mortgage...
;(Obtain )
;(After taking a photo of two friends)
:Friend: I heard that you are an enthusiast for distant sojourns, sir. Are you satisfied with this trip?
:Poet: I'm a short-life species. To visit the Celestial Hall during my days more than enough to sate me.
:Friend: You're too kind, sir. It's just like any human world here.
:Poet: Let us say our goodbyes, then, for I fear we ne'er shall meet again. When the time comes, I'll return to the dust, whence I'll task you with a traveling quest. Please bring my ashes back to the Xianzhou, and spread far and yonder wherever you may go.
:Friend: Ahem, that's... Sir, that's an extremely romantic idea you have there, but I'm just worried that the Luofu Public Security Management Regulations will not agree.
:Poet: Take me to my place of resting, carefree travels interesting... Whoo-haha!
;(Obtain )
===Give the parting scene to the Graceful Poet===
;(Talk to Graceful Poet)
:Graceful Poet: How did it go? Did you capture any emotional parting scene?
: (This is the emotional parting scene I captured.)
:;(Submit , , )
:Graceful Poet: In life, there are more partings than gatherings. Lubricant is trickling down my bionic eyes, as I don't have a tear gland.
:Graceful Poet: I must write a poem dedicated to this breathtaking scenery! Yay or nay? 
:Gloomy Poet: Nay. Don't waste your time.
: Yay.
: Nay. This isn't what we've agreed on.
::Graceful Poet: If you keep protesting, I won't hand over my Inspo Jade Abacus.
:: But I want the Inspo Jade Abacus. 
:: Go ahead and write it. It's not a big deal.
:Graceful Poet: Great. What kind of parting should this poem talk about?
: "The parting of children who travel far from their parents."
::Graceful Poet: Even if life is full of misfortunes and hardships, Parents always care deeply when their children leave. Their love and attachment, mixed with a tinge of sorrow, Are all expressed in their silence and restraint...
::Graceful Poet: Flying over the skyborne bridge, I row my boat into a scene as beautiful as a painting. Silence replaces thousands of words at separation, for the father and his son...
:: should not bid farewell in tears.
:::Graceful Poet: Flying over the skyborne bridge, I row my boat into a scene as beautiful as a painting. Silence replaces thousands of words at separation, for the father and his son should not bid farewell in tears. Are you sure this is what you want to write?
:: always will unite in thoughts.
:::Graceful Poet: Flying over the skyborne bridge, I row my boat into a scene as beautiful as a painting. Silence replaces thousands of words at separation, for the father and his son are united in thoughts though in different places. Are you sure this is what you want to write?
:: are both introverts.
:::Graceful Poet: ...Why does that sound like Master Cong's style.
:::Graceful Poet: Flying over the skyborne bridge, I row my boat into a scene as beautiful as a painting. Silence replaces thousands of words at separation, for the father and his son are both introverts. Are you sure this is what you want to write?
::: Let me think about it.
:::;(return to previous selection)
::: Yes.
: "The parting of a couple in love."
::Graceful Poet: Uncontrollable urge, future full of twists and turns, Lovers who know each other are about to part ways. Promises made but hard to keep, As both of them know in their heart that reunion is far away...
::Graceful Poet: Paired lanterns hang in the building, and the corridors are competing in firelight brightness. A couple's reunion is often brief...
:: as they silently gaze at the Jade Gate.
:::Graceful Poet: Paired lanterns hang in the building, and the corridors are competing in firelight brightness. A couple's reunion is often brief, as they silently gaze at the Jade Gate... Are you sure this is what you want to write?
:: as they clasp hands in imminent sorrow.
:::Graceful Poet: Paired lanterns hang in the building, and the corridors are competing in firelight brightness. A couple's reunion is often brief, as they clasp hands in imminent sorrow... Are you sure this is what you want to write?
:: if you want me to go, I'll go.
:::Graceful Poet: ...Why does that sound like Master Cong's style.
:::Graceful Poet: Paired lanterns hang in the building, and the corridors are competing in firelight brightness. A couple's reunion often brief, if you want me to go, I'll go... Are you sure this is what you want to write?
::: Let me think about it.
:::;(return to previous selection)
::: Yes.
: "The parting of close friends."
::Graceful Poet: Rare is a true companion, a good friend about to depart. The separation is vast and the journey arduous, causing worry for the loneliness that will follow. The world is full of trials and tribulations, life's myriad ways are nothing more than this...
::Graceful Poet: I travel on a skiff as a wandering stranger, drifting along as on a divine river. Should those who know me on the Luofu query my life...
:: I'll say my heart is still as pure and righteous as jade.
:::Graceful Poet: I travel on a raft as a wandering stranger, drifting along as on a divine river. Should those who know me on the Luofu query my life, I'll say my heart is still as pure and righteous as jade... Are you sure this is what you want to write?
:: I'll say our paths shall reconvene among the stars.
:::Graceful Poet: I travel on a raft as a wandering stranger, drifting along as on a divine river. Should those who know me on the Luofu query my life, I'll say our paths shall reconvene among the stars. Are you sure this is what you want to write?
:: I'll say I'm living from hand to mouth.
:::Graceful Poet: ...Why does that sound like Master Cong's style.
:::Graceful Poet: I travel on a raft as a wandering stranger, drifting along as on a divine river. Should those who know me on the Luofu query my life, I'll say I'm living from hand to mouth. Are you sure this is what you want to write?
::: Let me think about it.
:::;(return to previous selection)
::: Yes.
:Graceful Poet: I've engraved this poem on the Inspo Jade Abacus to commemorate the experience of today. Here you go.
:Gloomy Poet: Now, there's only one poet ingenium left.
;(Receive message from Cong)
:Cong: Emergency, emergency!
:Cong: Someone saw the Poetic Genius ingenium I built in the Spare Time Book Shop, don't let it escape!
: On my way
::(Trailblazer): Got it, I'm off to catch it
: I should get extra for this
::(Trailblazer): You need to give me some overtime pay
::Cong: What's the matter?
::(Trailblazer): What kind of monsters have you made? Just asking them for a few lines of poetry is like a matter of life and death
::Cong: Okay, time is money. It's overtime pay you want, right? Fine you got it
:Cong: Come to think of it, this one's quite impressive, it went straight to the bookstore to collect data
:Cong: By the way, the person who reported this said when he saw it, it was swaying its head while commenting on "Drifting Clouds"!
:Cong: What a coincidence, I heard that Ms. Jingzhai's ex is Guyu, the author of "Drifting Clouds"
:Cong: 
:Cong: That guy has a lot of influence in the literary world, if I can surpass his writings, I'll definitely win Jingzhai's heart
: This might be a foolhardy dream...
::(Trailblazer): To achieve the level of a great poet overnight is a monumental task...
::Cong: I won't belittle myself! With my ingenia's help, I'll definitely surpass him!
: You'll definitely beat him!
::(Trailblazer): What era are we living in now!? You and he are completely different. You have harnessed the power of technology to write poetry on an industrial scale, and will crush him easily
::Cong: Thanks for your vote of confidence, (Trailblazer)!
:Cong: By the way, when you get there, can you help me buy a copy of Drifting Clouds? I want to study it more
:Cong: I used to think the works written by my romantic rival were full of campy lovey-dovey nonsense, so I was annoyed and didn't want to read them
:Cong: But as the saying goes, know thy enemy, and thine enemies are few and far between... So, for Miss Jingzhai, I'm throwing caution to the wind!
: Buy it yourself
::(Trailblazer): Logistics on Xianzhou is so convenient, why don't you place an order yourself?
::Cong: Oh, since you're already doing so many things for me, why don't you just go this extra mile while you're at it
: I'm used to it by now
::(Trailblazer): Fine, fine, I'm already used to running errands anyway
::Cong: Much obliged
;(Obtain )
;(Talk to Graceful Poet, optional)
:Graceful Poet: Years have passed since this departure, and it seems the promised beautiful moments were but illusions. If fate allows, we shall meet again.
===Head to the Exalting Sanctum and find the Metrical Poet===
;(Approach designated location)
:Gloomy Poet: (Trailblazer), look! It's right here.
:Metrical Poet: Surely it's the wily Cong, sent you here to crack the whip. The task at hand, a tedious slog, my duty's weight hard to equip.
: ...What kind of virus did you catch?
::Metrical Poet: Human, I know you're criticizing me indirectly. Do you think I'm happy speaking in that rhythm all the time? It's so inefficient.
::Metrical Poet: I have no choice, as this is the primary task assigned to me.
: How about you hand over your Inspo Jade Abacus, and we go our separate ways?
::Metrical Poet: Hey, learn some manners when you've got downtime. Do you think I'm happy speaking in that rhythm all the time? It's so inefficient.
::Metrical Poet: As an ingenium, I have no choice. If my master wants me to study poetry, I must read of them in spades.
:Metrical Poet: Poetry relies on the special rhythm of language. Only the permutations that conform to the rhythm can be considered a poem. Master Cong has created me to master the standard of poetry.
:Metrical Poet: As long as your rhythm and counterpoints meet my standard, I'll hand over my Inspo Jade Abacus. Otherwise, stop disturbing my poetry study.
: Hmph, this is a piece of cake for me.
: How can you test me when you are not competent yourself?
:Metrical Poet: No more small talk, and show your true talent. Take it or leave it. Don't disturb my study.
: Let's begin.
:Metrical Poet: First, I'll test your rhythm. Poets often use words with the same rhyme regularly in a verse to create an artistic echo-like effect.
:Metrical Poet: Listen carefully. The first line is: "Picking chrysanthemums and drinking wine at sunset."
: My sleeves leave a silhouette.
::Metrical Poet: Not bad.
: I have a good meal that is hard to forget.
::Metrical Poet: ...
::Metrical Poet: I'll let you pass.
: I saw a jade pillow and a luxurious kitchen.
::Metrical Poet: You did not rhyme with my line, and I must punish you for that. However, considering that you haven't got the swing of things, I'll give you another chance.
: I listen to the wind rolling up the curtains.
::Metrical Poet: You did not rhyme with my line, and I must punish you for that. However, considering that you haven't got the swing of things, I'll give you another chance.
:Metrical Poet: "The sky matches with the earth, the rain matches with the wind. The great land matches with the vast sky, the flower matches with the mountain, the red sun matches with the blue sky."
:Metrical Poet: Counterpoint is about contrasting or combining two terms, phrases, or clauses with opposite meanings. This is not easy.
:Metrical Poet: Listen carefully. My line is, "Speech is silver."
: Silence is golden.
::Metrical Poet: Hmph, that must be a lucky guess. Still, I approve of it.
::Metrical Poet: Great. I'll give you the Inspo Jade Abacus and this Drifting Clouds.
::Metrical Poet: I'm not a fan of the Drifting Clouds as the verses do not follow a certain pattern. Still, I must say this is a good poem that stirs my heart.
::Gloomy Poet: Let's go and find Master Cong.
:;(Obtain , )
:;(Obtain Achievement Wordsmith)
::​
:;(Talk to Metrical Poet, optional)
::Metrical Poet: They mock and scoff, my rigid stance they jest, yet I, in turn, deride their roots, long lost. Your splendid deeds, deserving my acclaim, I commend thee, for thou hast truly shone.
: Life is bitter or sweet.
::Metrical Poet: This clause does not contrast with my line. I must oust you myself!
: Mr. Yang is a flirt.
::Metrical Poet: What Mr. Yang? This clause does not contrast with my line. I must oust you myself!
: Two is one plus one.
::Metrical Poet: This clause has no meaning at all. I must oust you myself!
;(If the first option is not chosen, begin battle against )
:Metrical Poet: Your counterpoints and rhymes are wrong, and your verses lack structure...
:Metrical Poet: Not a single verse is proper. You want to talk about poems with me? Dream on!
:Metrical Poet: Let me teach you a thing or two. Listen to me carefully!
:Metrical Poet: River contrasts with creek, green contrasts with red. The Rain God contrasts with the Thunder God. The Smoke Tower contrasts with the Snow Cave, and the Moon Pagoda contrasts with the Heavenly Palace.
:Metrical Poet: You know nothing about meters, don't you? Listen to me carefully!
:Metrical Poet: For iambic meters, an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. For trochaic meters, the opposite.
-----
;(After the battle)
;(The screen fades to black, and white text appears)
:After an ear-splitting sound, the Metrical Poet exploded into a firework, probably from taking in too much poetic knowledge. It did not even say "I'll be back!" before it was gone.
:You taught the old-fashioned Metrical Poet a lesson and schooled it about the power of free verse. It was a shame that it no longer has the chance to change the style of its poems. How wonderful.
:Gloomy Poet: Let's go. Since we already have the Inspo Jade Abacus and the Drifting Clouds, we may set off to meet our master.
;(Obtain , )
;(Obtain Achievement Literary Novice)
===Give the collected Inspo Jade Abaci to Cong===
;(Talk to Cong)
:(Trailblazer): We've collected all the Inspo Jade Abaci.
:Cong: Thanks for your hard work. Leave them to me.
;(Submit , , )
:Cong: "Mushroom," I'll engrave the talismans in these Inspo Jade Abaci into your brain so that you can write the "most beautiful love poem"!
:Gloomy Poet: ...I have reservations about this.
:Cong: It should be done now. "Mushroom," try writing something.
:Gloomy Poet: ...Give me some keywords.
:Cong: Cong, loves, Jingzhai... How about that?
:Gloomy Poet: That isn't helpful at all... Isn't Jingzhai a fan of the Drifting Clouds? Do you want a love poem like that?
:Cong: Oh, you're right. Let me take a look at the Drifting Clouds.
;(Submit )
:Cong: ...
:Cong: "When your graceful figure blends in with the pure dance of stars, nature becomes peaceful and orderly."
:Cong: "Mushroom," I want something like that!
:Gloomy Poet: ...Let me try.
:Gloomy Poet: ...The algorithm is being generated.
:Gloomy Poet: "I offer you whatever insight my reflections may hold,"
:Gloomy Poet: "Whatever creativity and frankness my life."
:Gloomy Poet: "I offer you the spark of emotions that the Vidyadhara could never have."
:Gloomy Poet: "I offer you all the love I could muster that I have saved, somehow..."
:Gloomy Poet: (Trailblazer), could you add one sentence for me?
: That love which I've been holding onto since I was born.
::Cong: Holding onto... Oh! It's referring to the Unity Lock.
: The love that is untouched by joy, by adversities.
::Cong: You're very talented.
: Jingzhai, I love you!
::Gloomy Poet: Isn't it too direct?
::Cong: It's good to be direct!
:Cong: ...Even if Guyu were here, the poem would still be written this way.
:Cong: (Trailblazer), I'll pluck up the courage to confess to Jingzhai again. Please come with me to witness it.
===Go to the Divination Commission and bear witness to Cong's confession===
;(Approach designated location)
:Jingzhai: Why are you here again? I already told you...
:Cong: No, I'm no longer the Cong you know. I've written the most beautiful poem for you. Please listen till the end.
:Jingzhai: I was once in love with a poet, but that doesn't mean I'll like every poet I meet. Do you understand?
:Cong: I don't understand.
:Jingzhai: ...Fine. Just read it.
:Cong: "I offer you whatever insight my reflections may hold, whatever creativity and frankness my life."
:Cong: "I offer you the spark of emotions that the Vidyadhara could never have. I offer you all the love I could muster that I have saved, somehow — (That love which I've been holding onto since I was born. / The love that is untouched by joy, by adversities. / Jingzhai, I love you!)"
:Jingzhai: ...
:Jingzhai: This is much better than the doggerel before, but I can't feel your affection. You didn't write this, did you?
:Cong: I've made some poet ingenia. The poems they write are considered mine. And you know what? You can have as many poems like this as you want. If you like it, I can write more for you.
:Jingzhai: Thank you, but I'm sorry I can't accept it. Please go home.
:Cong: I—I...
;(Cong leaves)
:(Trailblazer): (This is bad. I should check on Cong.)
;(Talk to Jingzhai, optional)
:Jingzhai: You must be Cong's friend. Let's catch up with Cong first.
===Catch up to Cong===
;(Talk to Cong)
:Cong: *sniffle* I failed again... "Mushroom," do you have a better poem?
:Gloomy Poet: Being a poet won't win the heart of Ms. Jingzhai. Please face the music.
: You don't need a poet ingenium from the start.
::Gloomy Poet: This is difficult to hear, as it denies the meaning of my existence... Yet, you're right.
: Even if you have the best poems in the world, they won't help you.
::Gloomy Poet: None of what we've done so far has anything to do with Ms. Jingzhai.
:Gloomy Poet: Master, you've adopted the most expensive but least efficient solution — writing love poems — for the issue of "winning the heart of Ms. Jingzhai."
:Gloomy Poet: Love poems cannot replace care and communication.
: Have you made the effort to understand Jingzhai?
::Cong: I thought she would fall in love with me as long as I could write the best poem in the world.
: Have you just been writing poems so far?
::Cong: Her ex is a poet, so she must be into people who write poems...
::Gloomy Poet: You've never made the effort to understand Jingzhai.
:Gloomy Poet: You're just jealous of the poet whom she dated before. Yet, jealousy is a useless emotion.
:Cong: ...I don't feel like giving up yet. Can you help me again?
:Gloomy Poet: Oh, a mushroom is not in the position to teach you things like this.
:Gloomy Poet: (Trailblazer) and I will help you find out Jingzhai's preferences. You should prepare a gift that she likes and a moving speech. When an opportunity arises, you'll do another love confession.
: How do you know so much about this...
:Gloomy Poet: When I was wandering outside, I downloaded books about romantic relationships such as The Key to a Good Long-Life Species Relationship... Yet, I don't have the need for love. Oh, this is depressing.
:Gloomy Poet: (Trailblazer), let's get in touch with Jingzhai's colleagues and friends. Perhaps, we can gain some useful info for my master.
===Ask Mingyue, Huixing, and Jingzhai for more information===
;(Talk to Mingyue)
:Mingyue: I'm busy, what do you want to tell me?
: I'd like to ask you about Jingzhai.
:Mingyue: Although I'm a diviner, I don't gossip about others.
:The girl looked around. After making sure the coast was clear, she turned to you with her eyes filled with excitement.
:Mingyue: Tell me. What do you want to know?
: Have you heard about someone named Guyu?
::Mingyue: Oh, it's the poet that Jingzhai dated before. I've heard of him!
::Mingyue: I heard that Jingzhai had a sweet relationship with him. But she seems to be single now. Perhaps, the poet has gone through hatching rebirth or fallen in love with another. No one is sure.
::Mingyue: No matter how happy a couple is, their relationship is bound to end up badly. Just like divination, woe is the norm.
::Mingyue: That's why I insist on staying single!
: Does Jingzhai have any hobbies?
::Mingyue: It's undoubtedly writing and reciting poems. Haha, Jingzhai's hobbies are quite old-fashioned. Oh, you want to know about her other hobbies?
::Mingyue: Among us, she's the most serious about her profession. When she's free, she'll do divination and predict the future. The questions she asks are mostly about her relationship, but the results are not very accurate.
::Mingyue: Hee-hee, I'm tempted at times to give her a plaque that reads "Genius Diviner" as her birthday gift.
: What kind of person is Jingzhai attracted to?
:Mingyue: I've discussed this with my colleagues before. I think Jingzhai is into people who are unpredictable and romantic. As for why, well, it's been ages since she dated someone. I think it's been a century...
:Mingyue: She was deeply in love with Guyu, the great poet. I heard that she still keeps the Unity Lock from him as she can't move on from the relationship.
: Is the lock similar to this?
:Mingyue: I think it's the same as this one. Tsk, you can't expect any surprises from the things men give you.
:Mingyue: Their gifts are either tiny stones polished into unique shapes or small cheap crafts that can be bought anywhere.
:Mingyue: A guy even wanted to gift me the right to name a star once... Oh, please! Once the Xianzhou sails off, I can't even see the star anymore...
;(Talk to Huixing)
:Huixing: It's you, (Trailblazer). Is there something you need?
: I'd like to ask you about Jingzhai.
:Huixing: Jingzhai, our Managing Diviner? As her colleague, I shouldn't comment about her in public.
:Huixing: Jingzhai has a great personality and excels at what she does. She is an amazing colleague.
: Have you heard about someone named Guyu?
::Huixing: Oh, I see you're interested in her love life.
::Huixing: I've heard of him. I think he was a Vidyadhara poet. Jingzhai used to talk about him a lot.
::Huixing: It is said that they are lovers not only in this life. Guyu and Jingzhai dated each other in their two previous lifetimes too. Everyone considers that a romantic love story.
::Huixing: However, this isn't possible from the perspective of the Vidyadhara like us.
::Huixing: Without consuming a special potion, there's no way we can remember our lovers from our past lifetimes. Otherwise, one needs to carry something like a token during their hatching rebirth.
: What does Jingzhai like?
::Huixing: Like? She always complains about how she needs more beautiful clothes. Well, girls will never think they have enough clothes, even if they live to be a thousand years old.
: What kind of person is Jingzhai attracted to?
:Huixing: Shouldn't you ask her directly? Forget it. I understand. I'm sure many are interested in such a lovely lady like her.
:Huixing: Still, most suitors end up being disappointed. I think you will be no exception.
: I didn't say I was interested in Jingzhai.
::Huixing: Well, here's my advice for you — it's better not to date a long-life species, especially the Xianzhou natives, as you will likely get hurt.
: Why?
::Huixing: If the rumor is right, Jingzhai has gone through too many memorable relationships. To put it bluntly, she can't feel the excitement of being in a relationship anymore now.
:Huixing: She might have a youthful look, but her soul has aged. Her heart will not flutter for anyone again.
;(Talk to Jingzhai)
:Jingzhai: Looking for me?
: I'm Cong's friend. Can we talk?
:Jingzhai: I... see. How can I help you, Cong's friend?
: Do you still love Guyu?
::Jingzhai: Oh, my... You're just like Cong. He always asks me questions that make me uncomfortable from the get-go.
::Jingzhai: However, I don't mind answering this once if it means you'll give up. I don't love Guyu anymore, but that doesn't mean I'll accept Cong.
: Why did you ask Cong to throw away the Unity Lock?
::Jingzhai: That was the lock he held in his hand when he underwent hatching rebirth. Yet, that lock means nothing to me now.
:: Why are you so sure about that?
:: You also have a lock like that, don't you?
::Jingzhai: ...Please stop bothering me.
: Do you have anything you like?
::Jingzhai: New clothes and jewelry? Still, I won't accept them if they are from Cong.
: Why do you find Cong unattractive?
:Jingzhai: Cong is a great guy. Unlike his previous lifetime, he is very talented in the manufacturing of ingenia.
:Jingzhai: I just won't fall in love with anybody anymore. This isn't Cong's fault...
:Jingzhai: Just tell Cong that when you get back.
===Head to the Exalting Sanctum and find Cong===
:Cong: Ruoyue, what do you mean by that? I just want to know who Jingzhai likes...
:Ruoyue: I've said it three times. "It's you, but it's not you." That's the result of my divination.
:Ruoyue: I can't reveal too many details, but there is nothing wrong with this result.
: Cong, have you finished writing the poem?
:Cong: Oh, you are back. Have you gathered any info?
-----
;(The screen fades to black, and white text appears)
:You tell Cong all the information you gathered, including what Jingzhai wanted you to convey.
----
:Cong: Thank you. I see Guyu has already gone through the hatching rebirth... Still, I feel like I have missed out on something.
: Guyu has undergone the hatching rebirth?
::Gloomy Poet: Just like you, Guyu is a Vidyadhara, loves Jingzhai, has a Unity Lock, and has probably gone through the hatching rebirth...
: What's Jingzhai's attitude toward the Unity Lock?
::Gloomy Poet: Miss Jingzhai knows you've had the lock since your birth and she hopes you will throw it away...
:Gloomy Poet: If my guess is right...
: In Cong's former life, he was Guyu.
: Have you thought of something?
::Gloomy Poet: In Cong's former life, he was Guyu.
:Cong: Do you mean... I was Guyu in my former life? I am the poet I've been jealous of so far...
:Cong: So, that's what "It's you, but it's not you" means... Do you have evidence?
: You already have it.
: Take a closer look at your Unity Lock.
:Cong and you examine the beautiful lock. A phrase that read "I love Jingzhai" is engraved near the keyhole.
:The engraving was no longer clear due to the passage of hundreds of years. After checking it repeatedly, the two of you are even more certain of what the phrase meant.
:Cong: I didn't engrave the words. Was I really Guyu in my former life? Jingzhai and I are fated to be together!
:Cong: I'm bursting with confidence now. I have to confess to her again.
: Let's go!
: Didn't you just get rejected?
::Cong: Do I look like someone who wallows in self-pity?
:Cong: If Jingzhai turns me down again, I'll show her our love token. I'm sure she'll be surprised and curious about my identity.
:Cong: Let's pick a gift for her. Come and help me think of what to buy.
: Get Salesby to make a plaque that reads "Genius Diviner."
: Go to Cloudbreadth Sleeves to buy some beautiful clothes.
: Go to the Iridescent Parlor to buy the latest jade abacus model.
:Cong: I believe in your taste! Let's go!
===Buy a gift for Jingzhai===
;(Talk to Salesby)
:: I'd like to order a plaque that reads "Genius Diviner."
::Salesby: As long as you can afford it, I can even make one that reads "The Unparalleled Diviner, Supreme of the Universe."
;(Talk to Yujin)
:: I'd like to buy the latest arrivals in women's clothing.
::Yujin: Got it. I recommend that you buy the latest women's cropped jacket with a stand-up collar from the Nimbus Chronicles series. I'm sure you'll like it.
;(Talk to Qingyue)
:: I'd like to buy the latest jade abacus model.
::Qingyue: Darling, do you mean the Auspicious XV? I'll get one for you right away.
:Cong: I—I've asked her to meet me at the Starskiff Haven. She seems to have something to tell me too. I must succeed this time.
:Gloomy Poet: ...I have a bad feeling about this.
:Cong: Don't jinx it.
;(Obtain or or )
===Witness Cong's confession again===
;(Talk to Jingzhai)
:Jingzhai: I thought you would come alone, but it doesn't matter. Please forget about me, Cong.
:Cong: I've written a poem and prepared a gift for you. (Trailblazer), the gift. Give it to me.
;(Submit or or )
:Jingzhai: ...
:Jingzhai: Cong, you don't get it.
:Jingzhai: You're a great person, and I can feel your sincerity. However, I just can't fall in love with anyone anymore. This has nothing to do with you.
:Cong: ...I'm not just anyone. I'm Guyu's reincarnation. Look, you also have a Unity Lock like this.
:Cong: Guyu held this lock tightly in his hands before he underwent the hatching rebirth in the moonlight. He hoped to continue his relationship with you after the reincarnation.
:Jingzhai: ...That is just his wishful thinking, which is why I want you to throw the lock away. You are not him, and he isn't related to you. You should search for your own happiness, not the shadow of someone else's joy.
:Cong: But I'm not pursuing Guyu's happiness...
:Jingzhai: Cong, I don't want to get your hopes up. You still have passion for love, but I don't. You'll just be a parched man dying of thirst in a desert, with me incapable of reciprocating your emotions.
:Jingzhai: No matter how many times you confess in the future, I'll just keep on rejecting you.
:Cong: I—I...
;(Cong leaves)
-----
:Jingzhai: *sigh* I really hope that he gives up on me.
: I understand, but...
: Perhaps, this is the best ending for Cong.
:Jingzhai: Cong... For the Vidyadhara, the hatching rebirth will wash away their memory. However, for some reason, after every reincarnation of Guyu, he will always find me and immediately fall head over heels for me.
:Jingzhai: I thought it was romantic and fun too in the beginning. He was a Cloud Knight at some point, and a diviner working with me at some other point, and was also once a poet who wrote poems for me...
:Jingzhai: For Cong, it's his first time meeting me, and the feelings he has for me are new. But for me, this has been my fourth reunion with him.
:Jingzhai: Short-life species couples easily make promises about eternal love... But once you live long enough, you will discover how life slowly deprives you of your feelings.
:Jingzhai: I used to do wild things for love too. But now, love does not leave a single ripple in my heart. I don't want to lie to Cong, so I hope he can give up as early as possible.
: I want to hear more stories about you.
::Jingzhai: Fine, but there's nothing much to tell.
:: You're very faithful to your lover, but your love life is pretty complicated...
:::Jingzhai: Just like you short-life species, I've experienced breakups and reconciliations in my love life too. Everything has got to do with the previous incarnations of Cong...
:::Jingzhai: Every previous incarnation of Cong is jealous of the talent of his predecessor. While Cong is jealous of Guyu, Guyu was jealous of the Cloud Knight before him.
:::Jingzhai: I think it's time to end this absurd love cycle.
:: Is it because you're a long-life species?
:::Jingzhai: I can't say it applies to everyone. Just imagine a short-life species couple that has been together for fifty or sixty years. They might still love each other, but they won't be as enthusiastic as when they were young.
:::Jingzhai: Even if the relationship can last for a millennium, they will be just two people living together.
:::Jingzhai: Perhaps, short-life species are best suited to enjoy the sweetness of love.
:: Cong's case is special...
:::Jingzhai: Do you mean how he manages to find me after every reincarnation? I find it interesting too. When it happened for the first time, I thought it was very romantic, and we were meant to be together. On the second time, I thought I would have no problem loving him for another ten lifetimes...
:::Jingzhai: But now, I'm sorry to say that I have no feelings for him at all.
:: I get your point. Let me check on Cong.
: I get your point. Let me check on Cong.
===Head to the Exalting Sanctum and find Cong===
;(Talk to Cong)
:Cong: ...
:Cong: ...
:Cong: Hi.
:Cong: Could you please scooch over a bit?
:Cong: Oh, I'm so sad.
: Are you a mushroom now?
::Cong: Yes. I'm a mushroom.
: Sure. How're you feeling?
::Cong: You must be a kind person to show concern for a mushroom.
:Cong: ...Forget it. I'm no longer a mushroom, but please let me lie down to heal my broken heart.
:Cong: "You're a sorrowful sigh at the end of the world,"
:Cong: "While I'm just a tiny screw."
:Cong: "I'm at a loss, helpless in ways to mend your broken heart."
:Cong: ...
:Cong: Thanks, (Trailblazer). Just leave me alone here. I'll feel better after some time.
: Well, you sure can, because you're Cong.
::Cong: Yes. Cong won't stay depressed for too long.
: Will you keep trying to win her heart?
::Cong: I won't give up. After all, I'm Cong.
:Cong: Here is your reward. When I get over it, I'll be my usual self again.
;(Talk to Cong, optional)
:Cong: Thanks, (Trailblazer). Just leave me alone here. I'll feel better after some time.
;(Talk to Gloomy Poet, optional)
:Gloomy Poet: Who would've thought that Cong was gloomy, too?
:Gloomy Poet: Don't worry about him, I'm watching over him. Just let him rest for a little, and he'll be fine after.
:Gloomy Poet: After this trifle is over, I'm better off continuing as a Gloomy Mushroom...
;(Mission Completed)
==Trivia==
*The poem in Step 10 is a reference to Jorge Luis Borges' Two English Poems:
"I offer you whatever insight my books may hold, whatever manliness or humour my life. I offer you the loyalty of a man who has never been loyal.I offer you that kernel of myself that I have saved, somehow — the central heart that deals not in words, traffics not with dreams, and is untouched by time, by joy, by adversities.I offer you the memory of a yellow rose seen at sunset, years before you were born."
==Other Languages==
==Change History==