Chapter Two: The Supreme Immortal Slays His Wife

As soon as the Storyteller Immortal finished speaking, several guests spat out their rice cakes in shock. I was just about to swallow a mouthful myself and nearly choked to death on his words—the sticky cake lodged in my throat, bringing tears to my eyes.

"Your teahouse really knows how to set the mood! You actually prepared props just to catch our attention. What a fright!" a guest shouted.

The Storyteller Immortal smiled. "Just a little gesture from me. I simply wanted you all to focus on the tale and feel as if you were truly there."

I curled my lip in disdain and decided to put down the troublesome rice cake for now, eager to hear what this "Soul Severing Feast" was all about.

The Storyteller Immortal continued, "The Soul Severing Feast is no ordinary cake. That rice cake is infused with all of Han Qing’s love."

"How could there be any love left after your soul is severed?" another guest shouted.

"Patience, please. Let me explain in detail. Han Qing saw his once-beautiful beloved now haggard and wounded, and his heart ached. 'Xue’er, I know you couldn’t withstand the God of Slaughter’s torture and falsely confessed. You’re no spy for the Witch Spirit Realm; you’d never betray us.'

Lu Xue, covered in wounds, only wept in silence.

'Are you angry because I followed the God of Slaughter’s order and flogged you? If someone else had wielded the Divine Lash, your immortal bones would have been destroyed.' At this moment, Han Qing was silently enduring the rebound of the Divine Lash—every blow dealt to Lu Xue, he secretly took upon himself. In that moment, his cultivation of forty thousand years was cut by half!

'There’s nothing more to say. I used you…' Lu Xue’s expression was icy.

'Impossible! You didn’t approach me of your own accord. I was the one who proposed our engagement,' Han Qing interrupted.

Lu Xue gave a bleak smile. 'The Witch Spirit Realm is my homeland—I am the Witch Spirit Princess, skilled in witchcraft and enchantment. You are nothing but a victim of my charms. Now that the God of Slaughter has sentenced me to death, there’s no need for me to deceive you further.'

Tears welled in Han Qing’s eyes. 'I was not bewitched. I know you. You’re not that kind of person. You’re just angry that I couldn’t prove your innocence.'

'The facts are plain to see. Now I am a prisoner awaiting execution. There’s no need for you to torment yourself,' Lu Xue said through clenched teeth.

Han Qing’s heart was torn to shreds by her words. He could scarcely believe that his beloved fiancée was truly a spy from the Witch Spirit Realm. The treasonous letter discovered by Princess Changyang, the evidence gathered by his uncle, the God of Slaughter—Lu Xue was already exposed. Yet unless she said it herself, he refused to believe it!

Han Qing gently stroked Lu Xue’s cheek. 'You always cooked for me. Today, let me cook for you, just once. Eat this cake, and let us end it all here.' With tears in his eyes, Han Qing fed her the rice cake.

Lu Xue ate it.

Han Qing left the prisoner camp and slipped into a secluded forest. He felt his organs churning, his blood and energy in chaos. Barely able to stand, he leaned against a tree and vomited blood. The backlash from the Divine Lash was severe—only a tenth of the pain struck Lu Xue’s skin, while the rest ravaged Han Qing’s insides. After he finished coughing blood, Han Qing wiped his mouth clean, erased all traces of blood from the ground with a spell, and straightened up. His gaze was now ice-cold.

A young officer kneeled on one knee. 'Young Master!'

'Are you ready?' Han Qing asked.

'All is prepared!'

Han Qing strode back to the central command tent to report to the God of Slaughter. 'The thirty thousand vanguard troops are ready!'

'Excellent! The three hundred thousand troops of the Witch Spirit Realm are already massed at Mount Wu. Speed is of the essence. Execute the traitor Lu Xue at the Execution Platform to rally the troops!' the God of Slaughter commanded.

'Commander! In my opinion, this woman cannot be executed so simply!' Lord Spring Breeze interjected. Spring Breeze was Han Qing’s full brother, now the guardian of the world’s seasons, renowned for his striking good looks. He was the rear commander for this campaign, in charge of supplies.

'Explain,' ordered the God of Slaughter.

'Lu Xue, the Witch Spirit Princess, is a master of soul enchantment and famed for her beauty. If she appears pitiable, she’ll melt the hearts of our soldiers, sapping morale. Worse, she’s skilled in the art of the Severed Head Curse—if she’s beheaded, her soul magic will burst forth and infect our ranks! Her execution must be handled with care: blindfold her, strangle her with a divine white silk cloth, then expose her corpse atop Mount Wu’s cliffs for the mountain beasts and birds to devour. To truly boost morale and show resolve, Han Qing himself must carry out the execution!'

As the Storyteller Immortal reached this point, someone in the audience cursed, 'Damn it! Just kill her if you must—Cloudsky High God is already in agony. How could Spring Breeze be so cruel? Are they even real brothers?'

I couldn’t help but wonder if there was bad blood between the brothers, and I strained to focus as the storyteller continued.

That night, in the Celestial Womb Realm above the Thirty-Three Heavens, two stars shone brightly—one was the Star of Destiny belonging to Cloudsky High God, and the other, a blazing red star.

Thunder rumbled, killing intent filled the air. On the Execution Platform, Lu Xue was wounded, her hair disheveled, her eyes blindfolded, her powers sealed, kneeling and bound to the execution frame with Immortal Binding Rope.

Han Qing, holding the divine white silk, ascended the platform and stood behind her.

Lu Xue’s body trembled; she wanted to speak but could not. Han Qing’s expression was grave as he wound the silk twice around his hands, then looped it around Lu Xue’s neck, clutching it tightly.

'Is it you?' Blindfolded, Lu Xue recognized him.

'Yes,' Han Qing replied, his brows tightly furrowed, his voice resolute.

Lu Xue said nothing more.

'Proceed!' The God of Slaughter gave the order. A red lightning bolt lit the sky, bathing the world in the color of blood.

Han Qing gritted his teeth, pulled the white silk taut, and strangled her.

The audience gasped. 'He really killed her!' 'They really made Cloudsky High God do it!' 'How tragic!' The outcry echoed through the hall.

Hearing their reactions, I too felt a weight in my chest. The rice cake stuck in my throat left me uncomfortable, and this scene made me feel even more stifled. I had come for an exciting tale of immortals and gods, only to be swept up in a tragedy. I considered leaving, yet curiosity held me back. I gulped down several mouthfuls of tea to steady myself.

The Storyteller waited for the crowd to calm before continuing, 'Tears brimmed in Han Qing’s reddened eyes. He closed them, and memories of his gentle and beautiful immortal beloved filled his mind—their fateful meeting, their growing affection, their falling in love. Lu Xue once said her home was in a pear orchard, where blossoms fell like drifting clouds and snow, but war had destroyed it. Han Qing said his home was the Void of Kunlun, where snow fell all year round, like her lost home. They promised that one day, they would create a paradise in the snows of Kunlun, to watch the snow, the falling flowers, the stars, the moon, the sea of clouds, the sunrise and sunset, to raise many little immortals and take in many disciples. She danced then, a dance of breathtaking beauty...

Han Qing tightened the white silk, daring neither to look nor to listen, afraid to see Lu Xue’s agony or hear her desperate attempt to call out his name. He feared the God of Slaughter and the thirty thousand troops would notice his reluctance. He gritted his teeth, forced back his tears, and made himself appear all the more stern, decisive—a commander who enforced military law without mercy.

After the blood-red lightning faded, it was not rain that fell, but great flakes of snow, and Lu Xue’s black, silk-like hair. The snow settled on her bowed head, as if adorning her with white flowers. In the height of summer, the world was suddenly blanketed in ice and snow, cold to the bone...'

'Those two are so pitiful!' a fairy in the audience cried.

I found it hard to accept such an ending. 'So he just killed his fiancée? What if Lu Xue had only spoken out of anger? What if her confession truly was forced from her?'

The Storyteller Immortal went on:

'Han Qing ordered Lu Xue’s body cast from Mount Wu’s cliffs for the beasts and birds to devour. The peerless beauty was left without even bones to bury.

On the battlefield, Han Qing endured countless wounds, yet felt no pain at all. The true agony was within his heart.

In this battle, Han Qing had the advantage of time, place, and unity; he won by strategy; he pacified the chaos of the Witch Spirit Realm; he ascended to become a High God.

From that day on, he lived only for the countless beings of the world, for the peace of the land and seas. There was no longer a Han Qing who cared for love—only the embodiment of the Star of Destiny, the Cloudsky High God wielding the Longyuan Sword, bringing light to all realms, an indomitable hero, brave in battle, devoted to the people.

Thus passed forty thousand winters and springs...

Time buried the cruelty of war, shrouded distant sorrow, and left only beautiful legends, worldly prosperity, devout worship, and wild adoration.

As the saying goes:

The High God’s might endures till today,
His beloved lies buried in the snow of dreams.
Old love, where are you now?
The one you seek is gone beyond the clouds.

To know what happens next, please listen to the following installment!'

With a sharp clap of the storyteller’s block, the tale was finished. The audience sighed, filled with emotion.

My heart was heavy with disappointment. 'So it all turned from love to hate? Did Cloudsky High God truly kill his fiancée? Such a ruthless heart…'

The manager stepped onto the stage and called out, 'All right, everyone, let’s calm down! I have good news! Today is the day when Cloudsky High God opens the Jade Purity Realm to recruit new disciples! From the tenth to the fifteenth of this month, any immortal who reaches the Jade Purity Realm has a chance to become a disciple under the Star of Destiny Cloudsky himself, joining the ranks of the emperors of the Nine Provinces! The top three patrons who tip our storyteller will receive the title of “Famous Immortal of Qilin Town” and a letter of recommendation, making it much easier to become a disciple! Young fairies, this devoted, steadfast High God has been single for forty thousand years! You must seize this opportunity!'

I glanced at the half-eaten rice cake and thought, so the heartless High God is recruiting disciples after all. No wonder the teahouse gave these cakes for free—it was all to stir our emotions and get us to spend lavishly for recommendation letters.

'Aren’t you going to tip him?' Suddenly, a voice beside me asked.