"Miss, are you saying... Iāll die in your arms wearing this dress?"
Beside the bed, Little Jade looked down at the white coat folded on the bedāthis was the most expensive piece in her wardrobe. She had originally thought of wearing it to celebrate Missās victory in the competition, but at this moment, the coat seemed stained with the blood from the nightmare, tightening her heart.
"Miss, maybe it was just an ordinary nightmare." Little Jade gently patted Dongfang Mingyueās trembling back, her voice as tender as comforting a child, "You have dreams that can foresee the future, so naturally, you also have typical dreams. Donāt take it too seriously, alright?"
Dongfang Mingyue pressed her lips together, her eyes still red, tears swirling at the rim.
How could she not take it to heart?
The dream was as vivid as if she were there, with no trace of haziness, identical to the previous dreams that foresaw the futureāthat was clearly a fragment she was about to experience.
"Little Jade, leave, depart Shuang Hua Star." Dongfang Mingyue suddenly grabbed Little Jadeās hand, her voice trembling, with a hint of pleading, "Iāll ask the Patriarch and elders to send someone to protect you back to Azure Wood Star, far away from the danger here."
Upon hearing this, Little Jade gently patted the back of her hand and shook her head slowly, "Miss, I canāt leave. You have said before that fate cannot be changed, and the more we try to escape it, the worse things get."
She paused, her voice lowered a bit, "I donāt want to cause trouble for more people because of me, just like that mother and her child yesterday."
Hearing this, Dongfang Mingyueās heart felt as if it was being cut by a knife, the despair and helplessness toward fate swept over her again, making her almost unable to breathe.
"Miss, donāt worry about me anymore." Little Jade suddenly smiled, trying to lighten her tone, "I remember you said that your prophetic dreams usually happen months later. Doesnāt that mean I still have several months to live? At least, I can watch you win the championship with my own eyes, see you go to Royal Star, fulfilling your wish."
She paused, a hint of hope in her eyes, "Maybe in these few months, things will turn around? At that time, I wonāt have to die and can continue following you."
Dongfang Mingyue tightly gripped Little Jadeās hand, her knuckles whitening from the exertion, Little Jade could even feel the pain in her bones, yet she continued to smile, without a trace of complaint.
"Miss, itās getting late, we should head to the competition." Little Jade said, picking up the white coat, and without hesitation threw it to the ground, stomping on it twice, wrinkling her nose in disdain, "This coat, Iāll never wear it again in my lifetime! Iāll throw it straight in the trash later, to avoid the irritation of seeing it!"
"Little Jade..." Dongfang Mingyue looked up, her eyes red, tears still hung at her corner, seeing Little Jadeās feigned nonchalance, she felt even more distressed.
"Miss, donāt waste time!" Little Jade forcefully pulled Dongfang Mingyue up, her tone carrying a hint of insistence, "I still have several months to live, this isnāt the moment to be concerned about me, the competition is whatās important now!"
She half-pulled and half-helped Dongfang Mingyue into the bathroom, efficiently squeezed toothpaste on her brush, handed her a towel, like caring for a child, she assisted her with her morning routine; then she contacted hotel services to bring breakfast to their room, watching Dongfang Mingyue eat bite by bite, only then did she nod satisfied, "Thatās right! Performing Alchemy takes so much energy, how can you manage without a proper meal?"
"Little Jade..." Dongfang Mingyue opened her mouth but was gently interrupted by Little Jade.
"Miss, no matter what my future holds, right now my greatest wish is to see you win the championship." Little Jade looked at her, her gaze incredibly serious, "So I want to ask you, please give it your all in this competition. If you lose because of distraction on my account, it will be my lifelong regret."
Dongfang Mingyue gazed at Little Jadeās steadfast eyes, the pain in her heart continued to spread, tears almost welled up again, but she forcefully sniffed, slowly nodded.
......
The Star Cup Semifinal is set in an open-air stadium, the audience seats are strictly invitation-only, only those with an exclusive invitation card can enter this venue.
At the moment, hundreds of seats were filled, the air thick with anticipation and tension.
In the center of the stadium, eight contestants stood in each corner, separated by dozens of meters, forming a symmetrical pattern.
In front of each stood a neat row of Jade Boxes, containing the raw materials needed for the upcoming Elixir refining, with types and quantities completely uniform to ensure the fairness of the competition.
Among the contestants were white-haired, wrinkled elderly, and middle-aged individuals with steady expressions and refined auras, but most striking were two young figuresāboth girls, yet in stark contrast.
One donned a purple outfit, with glamorous and eye-catching makeup, at first glance resembling a notable female celebrity, rather than a dedicated Alchemist; the other wore a simple white dress, without makeup, the slight redness around her eyes added a fragile sense of lovability.
"Those two are Dongfang Clanās Alchemists, right? They seem barely over twenty, to have made it into the semifinals at such a young age, it is impressive!" In the stands, someone couldnāt help but whisper, eyes firmly on the two girls in the arena.
"Dongfang Clan truly lives up to its reputation, deserving to be the Empireās top Alchemy family, producing talent generation after generation." The person next to them nodded in agreement, full of admiration.