The scorching summer had arrived in the bustling metropolis of Nancheng.

Nancheng University, the top school in the city, was lush with greenery. The gardens along the central Ten-Mile Corridor were bursting with colorful blossoms, vibrant and vivid. Scattered throughout the campus were numerous ponds, their crystal-clear water reflecting the greenery of lotus leaves that floated lazily on the surface.

Students strolled along the paths in groups, laughing and chatting as they headed to class.

But attending lectures? That was a thing of the past for the graduating seniors.

In Dormitory Building One for the girls.

Seraphina Owens carefully placed her ancient books into a small white suitcase, treating each one with the utmost care. She smoothed out a crease on the cover of one book as though handling a rare treasure.

Her roommate, Yang Yang, noticed her packing early and couldn’t help but feel puzzled. “You’re leaving already? Aren’t you going to hang out with us for a few more days?” she asked, surprise evident in her tone.

According to the school’s notice, graduates were supposed to vacate the dorms, turn in their student cards, and leave the campus by the 20th of the month.

Everyone in their dorm had already passed their final defenses, taken their graduation photos, and received their diplomas. Technically, they could leave anytime. However, there were still five or six days left before the deadline, and most graduates chose to spend those days celebrating with friends before parting ways.Seraphina Owens gave a slight shake of her head, her cascade of jet-black hair falling gracefully over her shoulders. "I’ve got some things to take care of—you guys go ahead and have fun."

This was the last party of their college days. After this, everyone would head off in different directions, probably never crossing paths again.

If it had been anyone else skipping the gathering, they’d have been dragged along by sheer persistence. But Seraphina’s distant demeanor made it clear no one would dare cross that line. Her classmates couldn’t muster the courage to insist—her icy, untouchable aura kept everyone at bay.

After all, Seraphina was famously known across the department as the "Ice Queen."

The group exchanged glances, subtly stealing looks at her. Seraphina’s high-bridged nose and long, dark lashes gave her an effortlessly elegant beauty. But it was her eyes that drew the most attention. Often, she didn’t need to say much—her gaze itself could convey everything.

With that face, she could’ve probably taken over the college if she wanted. And honestly, it felt like she had—admirers always seemed to trail after her.

But despite their persistence, Seraphina kept her cold, guarded distance from everyone. Only her roommates got to see a glimpse of warmth from her.

Unable to win her over directly, her admirers had turned all their efforts toward her roommates, hoping for some kind of indirect "in." Over four years, Seraphina’s roommates had grown used to receiving chocolates, flowers, and countless requests to set up a meeting on her behalf. They’d basically been drowning in it. They weren’t the kind of people who could be swayed by small favors. More importantly... they didn’t want to risk getting on Seraphina Owens' bad side after accepting her gifts, so they all politely turned her down.

The suitors, seeing all their efforts going to waste, had no choice but to give up. And so, the nickname "Ice Queen"—a little outdated but perfectly fitting—started making the rounds.

Yang Yang snuck a glance at Seraphina, her gaze lingering on her smooth, fair cheeks. She might have looked calm on the surface, but inside, her emotions were far from settled.

If fairies were real, Seraphina Owens was probably what one would look like.

Seriously, what kind of good karma had she accumulated in her past life to end up sharing a dorm with such a stunning beauty? Just staring at her face every day had lifted Yang Yang’s mood so many times that she felt like it might even extend her lifespan.

But she also knew that graduation loomed. After this, their paths would diverge, one heading north, the other south—this could very well be their last time together.

Though they weren’t particularly close over the four years, Yang Yang couldn’t deny the bittersweet feeling of parting with Seraphina.

She hesitated for a long while, then finally mustered up enough courage to try breaking down the invisible wall between them. She started a conversation.

“So, um... what’s going on?”

Seraphina didn’t pause her graceful, unhurried movements as she continued packing her belongings. Upon hearing Yang Yang’s words, her hands stilled briefly. After a moment of silence, she said, “My master passed away. I need to go back and take care of the funeral.”

The three roommates gaped in shock before quickly offering their condolences: “I’m so sorry for your loss, stay strong!”

“It’s fine,” Seraphina replied calmly. One of the roommates asked curiously, "Wait, you have a master?"

The others, who had been eavesdropping on the conversation, turned their heads simultaneously, chiming in with their own curious questions.

The word "master" wasn’t unfamiliar to them—simple and common. But it carried a weighty, old-fashioned feel, an ancient kind of vibe. It wasn’t something you often heard nowadays, making it seem distant, almost surreal.

Yang Yang couldn’t help speculating. Was this "master" just a teacher or professor Seraphina Owens had a close relationship with? Maybe that’s why she didn’t use the usual terms like instructor or professor?

Thinking of her master, Seraphina’s tone softened a bit, tinged with nostalgia. "If you’ve ever been to the Star Lord Dayne Temple to burn incense, you might’ve seen him. He was the head of the temple."

"Star Lord Dayne Temple?"

Her master was a Taoist priest?

Yang Yang froze for a second, startled by the revelation. Then her gaze drifted over to the Taoist texts neatly packed in Seraphina’s suitcase, and it suddenly clicked for her.

Seraphina had always been reading those Taoist books, but like anyone else, Yang Yang had just assumed she was interested in the culture—nothing more.

The roommates exchanged glances, visibly shocked. None of them had expected Seraphina to have such a unique background.

One of them seemed to remember something and exclaimed, "Wait! Star Lord Dayne Temple? Isn’t that the one out in the western suburbs of Nancheng?"

"Yeah, that’s the one," Seraphina replied calmly. The roommate tried hard to dig through her memories and, after a while, said, “I think I’ve heard about it before. When I went to the western outskirts, someone mentioned it. I thought about visiting, but I heard it’s up in the mountains, and, well, I was too lazy to hike, so I skipped it.”

None of them were religious, nor did they know much about Taoism, but mysterious things always seemed intriguing. Their gazes toward Seraphina Owens subtly shifted.

Yangyang looked at her like she was seeing her for the first time and asked excitedly, “So, what do Taoists usually do?”

Seraphina shook her head lightly. “I’m not a Taoist—I haven’t been ordained.”

“Huh? But wasn’t your master a Taoist?”

Yangyang couldn’t help but wonder, maybe Seraphina wasn’t good enough, so she didn’t qualify to become one? But then she quickly dismissed the thought. With Seraphina’s ridiculously high GPA and her super serious approach to everything, there was no way competence was the issue.

Seraphina’s expression grew a little distant, and a hint of nostalgia flashed in her eyes. “My master didn’t approve.”

Ever since she was taken in by the old Taoist as a child, she had been learning there for over ten years. She believed she was as capable as anyone else, but for reasons unknown, her master never allowed her to formally apprentice.

Whenever she brought it up, the old Taoist would stroke his beard, his robe fluttering slightly, and say in his calm tone, “The time isn’t right.”

So, while they had the reality of a master-disciple bond, it never became official.Yang Yang, after her initial burst of excitement, recalled what Seraphina Owens had said earlier and quickly offered her condolences, “Stay strong.”

The other roommates chimed in, trying to comfort Seraphina, telling her not to let it weigh too heavily on her.

Seraphina responded calmly, “I’m fine.”

Hearing this, the others assumed she was just putting on a brave face. But truthfully, Seraphina wasn’t all that surprised. She and her master had always known certain truths about life and fate, including one’s lifespan.

She had wanted to return earlier to see her master one last time, but the old Taoist had insisted she wait until after he passed to come back and handle his funeral arrangements.

Thinking about it now, Seraphina couldn’t help but guess that his aversion was tied to his concern for appearances. Knowing his meticulous nature, he probably didn’t want her seeing him in his weaker, lifeless state.

After packing up her luggage neatly, Seraphina cleaned the desk until it was spotless. She returned her keys to the dorm manager, exchanged goodbyes with her roommates, and then boarded the bus heading toward Tangchi Village, on the western outskirts of Nancheng City.

Nancheng’s transportation network was well-developed, and even areas on the city’s edge had seen improvements over the years. Tangchi Village didn’t have a subway yet, but buses were frequent enough for the locals.

Though her master had asked her to manage his funeral, Seraphina found upon her arrival that everything had already been arranged by the village chief, one of her master’s old friends.

All she had to do was follow the village chief’s lead throughout the process. The old Taoist hardly socialized with the outside world. The only people he was somewhat close to were the villagers at the mountain's foot.

Out of neighborly bonds, he’d helped them ward off misfortunes and solve problems in the past.

So, when the old Taoist passed away, the villagers who had benefited from his help were genuinely saddened. Many shed real tears during the funeral.

After the meal, the village chief, cigarette dangling from his lips, walked up to Seraphina Owens. He stared at his friend’s young disciple and let out a long sigh. “He’s gone now, and there's no one left in the temple. What are you planning to do?”

The old Taoist had been a one-man operation. Apart from him, there had been no other priests in Star Cloud Temple. Though the temple was reasonably accessible, any traveling Taoists who considered staying were all turned away by the old man for reasons unknown.

Thinking about how desolate and run-down the temple had become, the village chief exhaled a ring of smoke, feeling a deep sense of nostalgia for the way things used to be.

According to the older villagers, Star Cloud Temple had once been thriving, the busiest temple in the area, drawing in streams of worshippers. But over time, it had declined until only the old Taoist was left.

In his final moments, the old Taoist entrusted Seraphina Owens with the management of the temple.

But when the village chief heard about the old Taoist’s decision, he thought it was completely impractical.

In his eyes, Seraphina, a top graduate of South City University, should’ve been aiming for a cushy office job. Taking over a shabby, declining temple? It seemed impossible to him. Seraphina Owens heard the words and turned her head to look toward Mount Chuyun. She stayed silent for a long time.

The village chief watched her expression and thought, "Well, as expected, she doesn't want to run the temple."

When the elderly Taoist had taken Seraphina in, he clearly had no clue how to raise a child. Back then, the village chief’s daughter-in-law had been asked to take care of her. Needless to say, their family had always seen her as someone special.

When Seraphina got accepted into South City University, the village chief was so proud that he hung a banner at the village entrance for three whole days and nights.

Taking a deep drag from his cigarette, the chief sighed inwardly. "Master Chen, she's just a young girl, bright and promising—a college graduate with a future full of possibilities. If my own granddaughter were even half as accomplished as her, I'd be offering thanks to the heavens every day. You really can't hold her back like this."

In his heart, he wanted Seraphina to know she didn’t need to feel guilty about her choices or carry any unnecessary burden. Just as he was about to say something comforting, she unexpectedly broke the silence, saying, "Of course I’ll manage the temple properly."

The chief froze. "???"

His hand shook, and the cigarette almost burned his fingers. He asked in an incredulous tone, "Wait, you're really going to take over the temple?"

Seraphina smiled faintly, the corner of her lips curling slightly as she looked at the kind elder in front of her. "That's right. I came back right after graduating because I’ve decided to inherit the temple."

The chief: "!!!" The village chief was completely baffled, his thoughts in turmoil. "Why? Wouldn't it be better to find a job outside?"

Tongchi Village was right next to South City, and with the development of a tech park and a university town nearby, it was much livelier than before. But even so, locals kept leaving in droves.

So why on earth would Seraphina Owens choose to stay?

“You don’t want to see Chuyun Temple bustling with worshippers again?” Seraphina said, her tone sincere.

The village chief’s hand, holding a cigarette, trembled slightly, and his eyes darted uneasily. He had always respected the old priest; in his mind, he even considered him a lifelong confidant, though the feeling wasn’t mutual. Sharing in the old priest's dreams, he'd long wished for the temple—the only one in the area—to thrive again.

What Seraphina said struck a chord deep within him, leaving him speechless for a moment.

When he finally snapped out of it, he stared at her intently. Her serious expression left no room for doubt. Though touched, he still hesitated. “But… but it’s not easy. Even your master, as amazing as he was, couldn’t manage it.”

“My master didn’t involve himself in worldly matters,” Seraphina said calmly. “I’m not him.”

The village chief, previously unconvinced, walked away in a daze after hearing her determined tone.

Left on her own, Seraphina made her way quietly to the base of Chuyun Mountain. They said this mountain didn’t originally bear the name “Chuyun.” It was the temple’s fame that led the villagers to christen it after Chuyun Temple.Seraphina Owens stared at the familiar sight of Mount Chuyun, lost in thought. The scene before her overlapped with the memories of her childhood—it had barely changed all these years.

Mount Chuyun wasn’t particularly tall, but it had a certain charm to it. The peak was often shrouded in mist, with lush green trees covering the slopes. Despite the scorching heat of summer, a refreshing breeze greeted those who stepped onto the mountain path, instantly clearing their minds.

She walked up the stone steps, one by one. The stairs were neat but had their share of uneven spots, showing signs of age. It was said that the very first abbot of Chuyun Temple had built these steps with the help of his disciples over a thousand years ago.

Looking down at the ancient stone path, Seraphina recalled what her roommate had once said: the mountain wasn’t that tall and climbing to the top wasn’t too difficult.

After a climb of exactly 266 steps, she finally reached the front of Chuyun Temple.

The mountain breeze was strong, and an old Taoist temple stood quietly under the shade of a few sturdy pine trees. The place exuded a simple yet solemn aura, steeped in history.

The temple itself was small—just a single hall, a few rooms, and a courtyard. The layout was modest and unpretentious.

Electricity had long been installed here, with air conditioning available. But in the summer, the cool mountain breeze was more than enough to keep the place comfortable.

Like all Taoist temples, Chuyun Temple enshrined the Three Pure Ones. But beyond that, each temple had its unique deities, like the Eight Immortals, the God of Tai Sui, or the founder of the sect. Here, in this humble temple, a rather obscure deity was worshipped—Star Lord Orion, the God of Fate.The Star Lord of Destiny was said to serve under the Great Emperor of Longevity in the South Pole, overseeing the fate of mortals.

It’s rumored that the founder of the Chuyun Temple once received guidance from the Star Lord of Destiny, gaining clarity of thought and understanding the principles of fate, which eventually led to the creation of the temple. Honestly, though, it sounded super far-fetched—like one of those made-up stories meant to give a temple extra prestige. Hardly anyone actually believed it.

Incense is a bridge between humans and the divine, a way to express wishes to the gods. Seraphina Owens picked three sticks of incense, symbolizing the Three Treasures and the Three Realms. The spacing between them was less than an inch—meant to express sincerity.

Back in senior year, most of her classmates were either prepping for grad school, sitting for civil service exams, or hunting for jobs. But Seraphina, known for her stellar grades, didn’t seem to have any plans. Her professors and friends couldn’t figure it out—she said she was heading home to work, but the truth was, she’d already decided to take over Chuyun Temple.

The village chief assumed she was doing this out of loyalty to her late mentor, staying behind to uphold his legacy. But really, it was for herself.

She enjoyed fortune-telling. Why waste time on a job she didn’t care about, just coasting through life, when she could turn her passion into her career?

Whether this choice was the right one, though...

As the flame caught the incense, it flared up brightly. She placed the sticks into the incense burner, and the fire held steady, its glow warm and lively. Soon, sparks crackled and popped, filling the quiet space with their rhythmic sound.Seraphina Owens watched the flickering flames, a faint smile appearing on her face. The fire’s steady dance was a good omen—proof of the gods’ favor, a sign of great fortune.

Not that she needed it. Even without such reassurance, her stubborn nature wouldn’t have let her alter her plans.

After finishing her prayers, Seraphina headed to her room at the back of the temple. It was small, but everything she needed was there. Last year, the village chief even had Wi-Fi installed for her.

Sitting down, she opened her laptop and connected to the internet. Lost in thought, she stared at the screen.

Ever since she made up her mind to take over and run the temple, she knew it wouldn’t be simple. A place like this was no different from a business. If you wanted people to come, you had to spread the word.

Her country’s attitude toward metaphysics was hands-off—not encouraging but not inhibiting either. It gave her the freedom to experiment but offered little support.

She still had some savings left. Should she reach out to a company to help with promotions?

Just as she was considering her options, her phone buzzed. Glancing at the screen, she saw a new message in the group chat she shared with her college roommates: “Four Blossoms.”

“Yang Yang: Did you get home safely?”

Knowing Yang Yang just wanted to make sure she was okay, Seraphina quickly typed back: “Yeah, I’m home.”

“Yang Yang: That’s good. *Cat dancing with joy.gif*”

“Yang Yang: You missed tonight’s party! Let me tell you, it was lit. Everyone from our department was there—tons of hotties, no joke.” "Clara Robertson: A lot of people looked so disappointed when they found out you weren’t coming, haha."

Maybe it was Seraphina Owens’ striking appearance that left such a strong impression on them, making their interactions a bit awkward initially. But now, chatting online, the atmosphere had gotten a lot more lively.

Seraphina didn’t mind their lighthearted teasing and joined in, chatting with them for a while.

"Yang Yang: Alright, I’m done chatting! I’m off to do something else. My favorite streamer just started their live broadcast."

"Clara Robertson: What streamer? Let me check it out."

"Yang Yang: It’s this game streamer on the Shark platform. Goes by the name Aiger. He used to be a pro player, super skilled…"

"Clara Robertson: And I bet he’s also good-looking, right?"

"Yang Yang: Ugh, must you always tell the truth in the most annoying way?"

Curious, Seraphina opened the Shark platform app and searched for Aiger. Sure enough, a live stream popped up on her screen. The main focus was the gameplay, but there was also a small frame in the corner showing the streamer—a guy wearing headphones. Honestly, he wasn’t bad-looking.

At the moment, Aiger had loaded up a newly released indie game and was diving right into it with excitement.

The live stream had a staggering three million viewers. Anyone could tell how insanely popular he was. And even though it was just a fresh-off-the-shelf game, Aiger’s gameplay made viewers flood the chat saying they wanted to download it and try it out themselves.Seraphina Owens’s gaze landed on the number—more than three million. Her pupils contracted slightly, and an audacious idea suddenly sparked in her mind.

If a livestream could draw in so many viewers... maybe she should give it a shot too.