Chapter Fifty-Two: The Destiny of the Peaches of Immortality

Hearing the young immortals in the Peach Orchard gossiping about my master’s engagement, I was so startled I nearly fell from the tree.

“Princess Yuheng is eager to marry and has begged the Heavenly Emperor to invite the Supreme Deity of Kaiyuan as her matchmaker. Yuheng is the most beautiful woman in the Celestial Palace and wholly devoted. It’s almost certain, isn’t it? They truly look like a perfect pair,” one of the young immortals continued.

“Sigh… It’s hopeless now…” the others lamented, disappointed.

“What hope did you think you had? Just seeing him once is fortune enough. Not only you—Princess Yuji, the seventh princess, waited and hoped, but in the end, it was the favored Yuheng who won him. Even that old imperial aunt has held a torch for him for tens of thousands of years. And…” The little immortal counted off names, snipping at the branches with a fierce “snap, snap,” as if she were cutting down her rivals rather than trees.

“So Master locked me up in this orchard for reflection, while he went off to propose to a beauty! Has he really moved on from the false Lu Xue affair? So many beauties are waiting to marry him—such blossoming romance!” I pecked a couple of leaves off the tree myself in annoyance.

“I had hoped for a chance encounter with Lord Yunxiao, but now, it seems we haven’t the slightest hope,” one young immortal sighed.

“What’s the problem? Mortals can have three wives and four concubines; ordinary kings have thousands of beauties in their harems. Surely a Supreme Deity isn’t limited to just one spouse. There’s still opportunity! If I could get close to him, I wouldn’t even mind not having an official title…” A young immortal swooned at her own fantasy.

“How do you endear yourself to him? Do you know what he likes?” another asked.

“He likes killing people!” one blurted.

“Bah! What nonsense. Fighting isn’t the same as killing! Fool!” another retorted.

An older immortal laughed with worldly air, “You girls really don’t know. Among all men, heavenly and mortal, the greatest delight is beauty. Do you really think Lord Yunxiao would remain alone for forty thousand years? Let me tell you, he has a beloved—love at first sight. He once wrapped her in his cloak, carried her to his chamber, and spent the night in passionate embrace. Someone whispered, ‘Don’t… it hurts…’ and he soothed her, ‘Don’t be afraid… It’s alright…’”

“What happened then?” asked a young immortal, not understanding.

“How dense! That little fairy gave her first night to Lord Yunxiao,” the older one explained.

“Oh! Aren’t you ashamed? Where did you hear that?”

“Why are you talking about this?”

Several of the young immortals blushed, covering their faces in shyness.

“Such fuss. My brother was a servant there,” said the immortal, unimpressed.

“No way! Really? Was the beloved beautiful? Tell us more,” another asked, full of curiosity.

“She was wrapped in a cloak, he didn’t see clearly, only heard the voices. But the story is true. Heh, the third princess will have her hands full in the future.”

“Careful your brother doesn’t get silenced,” another teased.

“Never. Lord Yunxiao is kind to my brother. He said he was young and foolish back then, shouldn’t have told me. But what’s done is done; such secrets can never really be hidden,” she replied.

“If your brother knows the Supreme Deity, introduce us!” another begged.

“My brother would never—he keeps his mouth shut now, old-fashioned,” she said.

Listening from a branch, I pondered, “So now it’s not the rumor of my ‘one kiss.’ This is something new, I haven’t heard it before. Her brother’s a servant? Old-fashioned? Could it be Bai Ze? And this beloved—who is she, really? There are even details, dialogue… and a first night… What an imagination!”

“Sigh, the third princess has found good fortune. I wonder if that little fairy will end up like Lord Biyou, stabbing herself to prove her innocence,” one mused.

“Is Lord Biyou the one who took her own life to clear her name?” another asked.

“Yes. She disguised herself as a man and visited the army, and bad rumors spread. So she sought a lonely place, left a poem declaring her innocence, and stabbed her heart with a dagger. She was fierce-hearted,” the elder explained.

“Have you seen her?” another asked.

“Of course not, just stories. It happened over twenty thousand years ago, before our parents were born,” she replied.

As a cold crow in my true form, I perched among the branches and sighed inwardly, “Biyou—her tale keeps resurfacing. Why was she so desperate? The rumor of my kiss was written down, and that false Lu Xue sneered at me both openly and covertly, yet I never thought of suicide… but my skin is thick…”

Lost in thought, I didn’t notice what was happening nearby, and with a sudden “snap,” a branch was cut from beneath me by a young immortal. I quickly transformed into human form and landed on my feet.

A fair-faced young immortal descended from the tree, startling the other girls. The bolder ones pointed at me and demanded, “Who are you? What are you doing sneaking into the Peach Orchard?”

Unable to speak, I pointed to myself, then to the peach tree, mimed picking nectar, and smiled at them. My meaning was: I’m here to gather flower nectar.

“Ah! He’s a flower thief! Catch the flower thief!” one cried. The timid scattered in panic, while the brave brandished their pruning shears and came at me, shouting.

Their reaction unnerved me, and I hurriedly cast a spell, transforming into a streak of light and fleeing in embarrassment.

I escaped to a secluded spot, leaning against a tree, gasping for breath until my panic subsided, then pursed my lips in indignation, “Even if I’m not the best, I’m still a respected deity. Though my male disguise isn’t dashing, it’s at least spirited. My master is so alluring that everyone wants to marry him. Why is it, when I appear, I’m immediately branded a lecherous flower thief?”

I looked over my male attire. Only the immortal officials who rarely visit the orchard know I am Lord Yu Fei; the young immortals don’t recognize me, and I can’t explain myself. Being mistaken for a thief is inconvenient. Better to disguise myself as one of them so I can move freely.

So I reverted to female form, donning the attire of a young immortal.

Dressed as a young immortal, I swaggered about collecting nectar, and no one called me a flower thief anymore. Unexpectedly, some lazy immortals assigned me the chores of watering and pruning.

“You, the new girl! Go cut the highest branch!” one commanded.

I looked around; several others were busy nearby.

“It’s you! Don’t just stand there! Newcomers do all the work. Cut the highest branch, or the tree won’t grow well and won’t bear much fruit,” she ordered sharply.

I gazed up at the ancient peach tree; the highest branches were indeed lofty. With their weak powers, the young immortals had to scramble and struggle to reach them. For me, it would be effortless to cut with a single spell. But if I used magic, I’d reveal my abilities, inviting trouble and questions I couldn’t answer. Better to climb—after all, trees are my natural habitat.

Grabbing the pruning shears, I climbed the tree. Normally, it would be easy without magic, but in the floating silk skirts of a young immortal, unfamiliar and fluttering, I kept snagging and catching on branches. Climbing and tugging at my dress, I finally managed to cut the branch and awkwardly descended, my clothes torn in places.

Handing over the branch and shears, I dusted my hands, ready to leave.

“Don’t go, there’s these two trees as well. Cut the highest branches,” she ordered, pointing at two more ancient peach trees.

I smiled slightly, thinking, “This silent deity is truly pitiful—either a flower thief or a menial laborer, probably the most undignified of all the gods.” Then I recalled my master’s teachings: do what you ought to do. Since I’m living here, helping them is part of my duty—might as well do a good deed.

So I climbed two more trees, pruned the branches, and ended up covered with leaves and petals, my silk dress torn in several places. Clutching my tattered clothes, I was about to find a quiet spot for repairs when the first immortal called others over.

One of them grabbed my arm—not as rude as the first, but pitifully pleaded, “Sister, would you help me too? I can’t climb, and if I don’t cut that branch, the immortal official will scold me.”

I was troubled, unable to explain.

Another immortal approached gently, “Xunxiang, she’s done so much already, her clothes are torn. Let her rest.”

The first immortal, Xunxiang, frowned, her features full and childishly charming, but her eyes flashed as she snapped, “She’s cut all the branches for the peach tree, the fine fruit, and the sacred limbs—not mine! You can’t manage your own tasks, yet meddle in mine!”

The gentle immortal’s eyes reddened and she ran off.

I sighed inwardly, ever more understanding why my master no longer accepts female disciples. I wanted to help that gentle immortal, but first it was best to deal with the troublesome Xunxiang. If only I could speak, I’d teach these sycophantic immortals the meaning of greed and contentment.

I climbed the tree, determined to finish this branch and then leave everyone alone, find a secluded place to repair my dress. Climbing swiftly, disregarding my attire, I scrambled up the tree. But the branches here were especially high, hard to cut without magic. I stretched several times, but couldn’t reach. Climbing higher, I slipped, and in panic grabbed a branch, stabilizing myself, but the pruning shears fell from my grasp.

“Ah!” The immortals below shrieked as the shears dropped.

Suddenly, a figure soared up, catching the shears with a spell, then landed atop the tree.

“How dare you—” The white-robed figure stood on the crown, facing me, but halfway through his words, he fell silent, staring at me in astonishment…