The more you believe me, the more real it becomes.

Chapter 311 Cold Autumn
Du Yuan picked out the Flying Flower River from the watermark.

The waves surged and then converged into a single line, encircling the body.

The children stared in disbelief, unaware that the crab trap they were holding had fallen to the ground. The crabs trapped inside also seized the opportunity to escape.

Looking at the Flying Flower River that circled her fingertips like a swimming dragon, Du Yuan asked the several dumbfounded children:

Do you know why I study?

The children shook their heads with difficulty, their eyes all fixed on the large ditch on Du Yuan's fingertip.

Du Yuan released her grip on the old sword and touched the children's heads, from the cowlick of the tall, thin boy to the forehead of the little monkey, her tone still gentle:

"I study so that I won't feel helpless and powerless in times like these!"

When you want to help someone, having the ability to do so, and even seeing immediate results, is the most comforting thing!
Then, Du Yuan launched herself into the Great River, and the river flowed into the stream.

The nameless riverbed, which had been dry for several years, was instantly filled again.

The old man with hair and beard as bright as stars was also looking in this direction at the same time, his mouth twitching incessantly.

With a casual flick of Du Yuan's wrist, half of his Great Dao was scattered, and the Flying Flower River, which he had personally refined for many years, has now returned to the world.

Having stolen a great river from the heavens and earth many years ago, he not only cannot get it back, but he will also try to avoid this river as much as possible in the future.

Otherwise, if the great principles clash, survival will be difficult!

The children on the riverbank were still reeling from the shock when they saw Du Yuan's clothes fluttering lightly, and the once turbulent river water had become completely docile in front of him.

Even the waves became incredibly gentle, as if afraid of disturbing the heavens.

At this moment, the little monkey suddenly tugged at Du Yuan's sleeve, his voice trembling yet full of longing: "Sir, can this be taught in the book too?"

Du Yuan smiled and nodded, pointing her fingertip at the river surface. The waves immediately turned into white flowers, and each of the children received one in their palm.

"Books hold a world far larger than this. As long as you are willing to read, one day you will see scenery far beyond what you see today!"

Around Kyoto, people cursed under their breath, but no one dared to actually speak, let alone come forward.

The opening of the Grand Canal is imminent, yet the Emperor is demanding that they go to great lengths to keep it a secret.

Du Yuan stood there with the children, enjoying the scenery before them.

After a long while, a child suddenly asked curiously:
"But sir, you still haven't said why you're here."

Du Yuan took the bronze chariot from the mountain seal. The difference was that before, it was as ferocious as a god, but now it was as small as a toy.

"I'm here to deliver something to the southwest. It's time to deliver it now, so I've asked my friend for help!"

With that, Du Yuan placed the bronze chariot into the river.

Strangely enough, it should have sunk immediately if we let go, but it floated steadily on the river and then drifted downstream.

This scene completely amazed the children. For them, nothing—no great river, no flying stream, no supernatural power—was as interesting as this.

"Sir, sir, can I learn this from the book?"

Du Yuan nodded and smiled:

"Yes, yes, of course it's possible."

This made the child completely look forward to it:
"Reading is wonderful!"

Du Yuan nodded earnestly in agreement, and exclaimed:

"Yes, reading is really good!"

Just then, the girl with pigtails suddenly pointed to the other side of the river and said:
"Sir, there's a very pretty lady on the other side!"

Du Yuan initially thought it was a kitten coming over and was about to get up when she noticed that it was not a kitten.

Although equally stunning, it was certainly less stunning than the kitten.

The beauty of a kitten is the kind that matches the imagination in every way. Du Yuan thought this one was more or less beautiful than the ones she had seen along the way, but it didn't have the same extreme beauty as a kitten.

Moreover, the other party's figure was extremely ethereal and elusive. It seemed as if they could be swept away by the wind at any moment, which made Du Yuan realize that the other party's condition was not very good.

He frowned and stared for a moment before speaking to the children:
"From now on, your parents will be able to come back, so hurry home and rest!"

The children nodded as instructed and walked away together, turning back every few steps.

After all the children had disappeared into the reeds, the woman on the riverbank stepped across the river and walked to Du Yuan's side.

She immediately curtsied, her voice soft and clear as dew: "The last Palace Mistress of Hanqiu Palace greets Senior. May I ask your honorable name?"

Du Yuan raised her hand in a gesture of support and said:
"He's just someone who reads books for leisure, so there's no need to worry about titles or anything like that. But you, you don't seem to be in very good shape."

After saying that, Du Yuan asked again:

Is there anything I can help with?

If someone is in trouble, you should naturally help them if you can.

The woman—or rather, this graceful palace mistress—slightly shook her head:

"We've only met by chance, I wouldn't dare do that. And this is enough."

Du Yuan considered carefully and said:
"You seem to have something on your mind? Since we've just met, why not try talking about it? Anyway, you don't know me, I don't know you, and we're unlikely to see each other again."

The fairy chuckled softly:
"Actually, it's nothing serious, and there's nothing that can't be said. I'm just curious, senior, aren't you worried that others might harbor resentment and plot against you because of your actions in Kyoto?"

Du Yuan shook her head and smiled:

"I read books so that I can do something when I feel indignant, not to care about the opinions and thoughts of a bunch of scheming people."

Du Yuan pointed to herself, then to the children who had left, and said:

"This book is for myself and for them to read, not for those filthy things to read!"

Then, Du Yuan pointed to Kyoto.

The fairy bowed respectfully:

"Senior is truly a role model for us all, and I deeply admire him. But is Senior really willing to continue speaking with me? After all, compared to Senior, I am just an ordinary person burdened with worldly desires."

"If you're not a bad person, then anyone can talk to me! So, what exactly is it about?"

Upon hearing this, the fairy's gaze returned to the direction of Kyoto, a hint of wistful melancholy tinged with her smile:

“I should have left long ago, but I couldn’t put my mind at ease and was looking for someone. In order to find him, I went to many places, and even traveled thousands of mountains to look for the ancient artifact ‘Eternity’, but in the end I still found nothing.”

She paused, then her tone brightened, as if she had remembered a glimmer of hope:
"Fortunately, there is always a way out. With the great era approaching, everyone is constantly on the move. That's how I happened to meet a senior from the Yin-Yang School."

"I asked him to perform a divination for me. He said I was just a hair's breadth away from finding it, but because of that tiny difference, I'll always be just a hair's breadth away."

At this point, the fairy couldn't help but feel dejected:

"Because the person I'm looking for has already found a destined match. It's just that the destined match isn't me."

That senior asserted that the one crucial element she lacked was the chance to find the eternal life. And so she drifted further and further away, never to have another chance.

Because that was the only part he could never understand or comprehend.

Du Yuan fell silent. This deep-seated regret was something no one else could say; they could only listen quietly.

To his surprise, the fairy suddenly smiled again, and the melancholy in her eyes gradually faded away.

"I thought that after learning all this, I should let go silently. But that senior from the Yin-Yang School revealed another secret to me."

She raised her white head, moonlight falling on her eyelashes. Her eyes held no sorrow, but rather a serene contentment, yet at the very end lingered a barely perceptible trace of reluctance.

"He said that if I came to Kyoto, I could save that person from a calamity. So, after settling my only disciple, I came to Kyoto alone."

The fairy rose and looked around blankly, unable to find the person, yet she found him nonetheless:

"Take the blame for him!"

(End of this chapter)