The Emperor found Lin Luo's intelligence questionable, and Lin Luo, in turn, believed the Emperor's intellect resided on the same plane as Cirno's. To stumble upon a treasure mountain only to return empty-handed was truly a waste... though, admittedly, given the Emperor's disposition, forcing her to fish honestly would indeed be quite a challenge.

Lin Luo engaged with the most fundamental nothingness, perceiving reality through his own senses, and gradually, his comprehension of creation and bringing forth something from nothing deepened. What is the most essential nothingness? It is the state where nothing exists, where not a single thing has being—a void so absolute that even chaos cannot claim definition.

Theoretically, such a concept should not exist. Yet, in reality, it simply is. Consider this: imagine if life existed only on Earth, and in a single instant, all life vanished. What state would that world then inhabit?

Return to the essence!

If life represents being, then the world returned to its essence achieves nothingness.

Therefore, the most essential nothingness is not an absolute existence, but a relative one.

Conversely, from the very concept of the most essential nothingness, countless concepts of 'being' can be derived: life, elements, souls, space, time, existence... If you can conceive it, it can be done.

The prerequisite, of course, is mastering the method of derivation—reaching the realm of creation and bringing forth from nothing. As the adage goes: The Great Dao has fifty variations; Heaven unfolds forty-nine, Man evades the one... These forty-nine are the principles usable for the foundation of all things in the world, while the one that evades is oneself, and simultaneously, the entire world!

The longer Lin Luo immersed himself, the more he understood. Countless pieces of knowledge flowed to him from that essential nothingness. Many previously incomprehensible matters suddenly became clear, instantly captivating him, making him lose track of time... much like an adolescent diagnosed with computer addiction by Professor Yang, utterly unable to pull himself away from the screen.

Yet, the subtlety of this profound realization could only be grasped intuitively; it was beyond articulation.

Shortly after Lin Luo embarked on his fishing endeavor, the Scarlet Devil Mansion's ESP Mahjong Tournament was suddenly declared over.

"Ahhh~~ I'm utterly drained. As expected, that kind of explosive state doesn't last long. What a shame; I was so close to winning," Reimu groaned, slumping over the mahjong table, her face etched with regret. This was not the sweetly oblivious soft girl, nor the fiercely dominant Holy Reimu, but the genuinely lazy, utterly unprincipled Reimu.

"Don't joke around. If Sakuya were here, you all wouldn't have stood a chance!" Remilia shot her a look, then promptly let her own body collapse. "Sigh, indeed, tea without Sakuya's preparation just isn't the same. I really miss Sakuya's tea..."

Marisa and Sanae exchanged glances as they watched the two wilt, then asked, "So how is the score tallied now?"

Remilia tilted her head. "My points haven't changed since the beginning."

Sanae, still prone on the table, did the math. "Marisa's and my points are both one less than at the start, but all the points we lost went to Reimu. That means the total points among the three of us haven't actually changed either..."

"Oh, so it's a draw. How boring," Marisa declared, immediately collapsing onto the table as well.

Thus, the four of them lay sprawled over the mahjong table like discarded rags, showing no inclination to continue playing or even to move, presenting a scene reminiscent of the world's impending doom.

A dozen minutes later, Remilia suddenly revived, sitting bolt upright, exclaiming excitedly, "That's right, Reimu! Let's throw a banquet!"

"Huh? What banquet?" Reimu glanced at her with supreme indifference.

Remilia propped her elbow on her hand, tapped her chin thoughtfully with the other, and smiled. "Well, you see, that fellow has been gone for two years. It might not sound long, but it's not exactly short either. I think we should hold a welcome banquet for him."

Reimu immediately sat up straight, giving Remilia a strange look. "Since when were you so benevolent?"

"What nonsense are you speaking!" Remilia's expression shifted, a faint hint of annoyance surfacing. "I have always been approachable and kind, haven't I? Although I am nobility, I never presume upon that status. I am cordial and polite to everyone, mature and steady in temperament, always thinking of my friends..."

"Is that a character from a fairy tale?" Sanae couldn't help but interject. "Still, the ability to openly list all your flaws as virtues is a commendable trait in itself."

Marisa nodded in agreement. "Excellent retort, Sanae. As expected of your sharp tongue."

"Hey, are you two looking for a fight?" Remilia immediately glared at them.

Reimu spread her hands. "See? She couldn't even maintain the facade of maturity for three seconds before reverting to her willful young miss persona. I bet you only want a banquet because you think it will be fun."

"That's... that's not it at all!" Perhaps having her true motives exposed, Remilia's face flushed, and she quickly argued back, "I truly care for my friends. Gensokyo has always upheld a hospitable tradition. If we don't even host a welcome banquet, wouldn't that make us seem dreadfully stingy?"

Sanae pinched her chin in thought for a moment, then remarked, "I don't recall when Gensokyo acquired a 'hospitable tradition,' but the idea isn't bad. It has been quite some time since we've held a proper party."

"Exactly, exactly!" Seeing someone agree with her idea, Remilia's spirits soared. She immediately turned to Reimu and declared, "Then why wait for another day? Let's hold it right away! The location will be the Hakurei Shrine."

Reimu immediately frowned. "Why at my place? Can't it be at the Scarlet Devil Mansion?"

"Is that even a question?" Remilia stated matter-of-factly. "Youkai all maintain their own territories. Except under very special circumstances, other youkai generally cannot easily enter a Great Youkai's domain. That's common sense among youkai. The Scarlet Devil Mansion is my territory; even if I issue an invitation, other youkai might hesitate to enter. But the Hakurei Shrine is different; it's a public space accessible to both humans and youkai."

"You're the public space!" Reimu retorted, clearly annoyed.

"What do you mean... Ugh!" Remilia paused, then stared at Reimu. "Why do I feel like you just insulted me rather harshly?"

Reimu casually replied, "The farther your thoughts wander, the deeper your misinterpretations run. I merely stated something perfectly ordinary. If you find it offensive, the problem lies within your own mind—you're overthinking it."

"I feel like you're challenging me... Ah, never mind." Remilia waved her hand, decisively dropping the complex issue, and cheerfully announced to the group, "Since the banquet is decided, everyone get ready! We should aim for tonight..."

"If it's a welcome banquet, I think it can be skipped," Remilia's words were cut short as a faint voice echoed in the air, and Patchouli walked in from outside.

"Ah, Patchy, what do you mean?" Remilia asked quickly.

"Mhm, let me explain this matter," Tenshi jumped out from behind Patchouli, looking entirely eager. Having been forced into the role of a fossil for a month, she felt like her whole body was on the verge of decay, and she certainly wouldn't pass up a chance to speak now.

"I see," Remilia understood immediately after hearing Tenshi's explanation. However, this realization wasn't enough to deter her. "It's quite simple. Although it's a bit of a shame, we can just postpone the banquet slightly. Let's set it for seven days from now. Plus, this gives us time to invite more people, even Sakuya and the others might have a chance to attend... Let's make it an ultra-luxurious feast! What do you all think?"

"I don't really have an objection. If we're having a party, it gives my new magic a chance to shine. However..." Marisa frowned, "What if, seven days from now, that guy is still fishing?"

A smile as bright as a spring morning bloomed across Remilia's face. "Then that's his bad luck. We already welcomed him; if he can't attend, that's his problem."

"So it really was just about your own amusement," Sanae sighed, hands spread wide. "In that case, have you decided who is invited?"

Remilia replied, "Why decide? Anyone who can come is welcome. The Hakurei Shrine is a public space, after all."

"It is not a public space, you loli vampire!"

Reimu tried to correct Remilia's basic understanding of etiquette, but unfortunately, Remilia didn't seem to hear her at all, continuing to talk to herself, "However, to ensure the largest turnout, we need to send out the necessary notifications. Hmm... We need to decide on someone for that task."

"Who do you want to send to deliver the notices?" Marisa asked.

Remilia had been wrestling with this herself, but seeing Marisa gave her an idea. She rose and moved to Marisa's side, asking sweetly, "Could you please stand up for a moment?"

"What is it?" Marisa stood up, adding, "Your tone of voice is giving me a sense of unease."

"It's just a small favor, Patchy, you come over too," Remilia said with a gentle smile, a flicker of malice briefly flashing in her eyes.

"What kind of wicked scheme are you cooking up now, Remi?" Patchouli approached as well, though she instinctively entered a state of alert. Remilia's pleasant demeanor immediately made her suspicious.

"No wicked scheme at all, I just..." Remilia stood between the two, and as she spoke, her hands clamped onto the collars of both their backs and yanked sharply downward!

Riiip!

"Waaaaahhhh!!!"

Amidst gasps of alarm, the clothes on Patchouli and Marisa were completely stripped away. Remilia took the opportunity to slap both their backs, sending them instantly tumbling to the floor, locked in an embrace.

This scene stunned everyone, not just the two victims, but Reimu and the others too.

"You bastard! What are you doing?" Marisa roared, frantically scrambling to put her clothes back on.

Then, just as the two managed to pull their garments back on, a figure darted in from outside. "My innate skill [News Sense] tells me there is major breaking news here... Click!"

Remilia pointed at Aya Shameimaru, who had rushed in, her smile widening with satisfaction. "See? Here comes the person we needed to run errands for us."