Chapter Fifty-Eight: Encounter at the Jade Lake

Back at the residence arranged by the immortal official, I sat at the table and broke out in a cold sweat. I thought to myself, how could the dignified Crown Prince behave so recklessly when drunk, taking advantage of others, one moment calling me his beloved, the next calling me Little Qiao—utterly insane!

Gulping down two cups of water to steady my nerves, I grew increasingly drowsy and soon slipped into a hazy sleep.

When I climbed out of bed in the morning, the dizziness and heaviness had vanished, and my body felt much refreshed. Yet, recalling the events of the previous day still made my heart tremble. That persistent Tian De haunted me constantly, and my master, now with Zi Zhen, hadn’t come to seek me. I’d had enough of this wretched Peach Orchard. So I transformed into my true form, a cold crow, and left the Peach Orchard behind.

Flying to the Jade Pool, a gentle breeze stirred the rippling emerald waves. Immortal energy drifted above the water, and ethereal lotus blossoms swayed gracefully amid clouds and mist. I landed atop a lotus pod to rest my feet.

“Look! A crow! Our Jade Pool is always filled with jade birds, parrots, mandarin ducks—colorful and spiritual creatures, yet here’s a pitch-black, ugly crow!” A young immortal maiden walking along the bridge pointed me out to her companion.

Had I offended someone? As a man, I failed; as a woman, I failed; now, even in my true form, I was mocked. I tried to hide behind a lotus leaf.

“Oh! It’s shy!” A string of laughter, like silver bells, faded into the distance.

I closed my eyes, lost in thoughts of flying snow on the Immortal Cliff, and that shadowy figure…

Who did my master truly love?

“This bird is different…” came a gentle voice.

“Should I ask the immortal official to catch it and bring it back? We can keep it in a cage,” said a lively voice.

I opened my eyes and looked toward the sound, seeing a mistress and her maid sitting by the bridge, admiring the lotus flowers. The mistress held a purple bamboo fan lightly against her nose, her beautiful eyes clear as autumn waters—bearing a resemblance to the Third Princess.

“Are they talking about me again?” I shrank further behind the lotus leaf. Better to avoid unnecessary trouble; I’d already clashed with the Crown Prince—another fight with a princess would be disastrous.

“Bird, you needn’t hide. I won’t catch you,” the mistress said gently.

“Princess, yesterday I saw Lord Yunxiao in the garden with a lovely young immortal girl,” the maid said.

“Master with a little immortal girl? It must be Zi Zhen,” I thought, hidden behind the leaf.

“Oh, really… Did they say anything?” The princess gazed into the distance at the immortal lotuses.

“I was too far to hear clearly, but Lord Yunxiao treated her very well,” the maid replied.

“How so?” the princess asked softly.

“Not cold as he is with others—whatever she says, he agrees,” the maid continued.

“Whatever she says, he agrees…” the princess murmured.

“Yes, if she’s upset and waves her hand, Lord Yunxiao smiles and soothes her. He even pats her head and holds her hand!” the maid went on.

“Truly good…” The princess’s eyes showed sorrow.

I lay on the lotus leaf, lost in wild thoughts. “So Master is so gentle with Zi Zhen! When she’s angry, he coaxes her with a smile. Perhaps those rumors from the Peach Orchard are all true…” This left me feeling both embarrassed and angry.

“The little immortal girl’s looks are far inferior to the princess’s, and her temper isn’t good, unlike you, Princess—gentle and dignified,” the maid hastily amended, seeing her mistress fall into melancholy.

“Not very beautiful, bad-tempered, not dignified, yet Yunxiao treats her so well…” The princess gripped her fan tightly.

The maid quickly said, “Oh, that’s not true… Princess, no matter what, the god once saved you; he treats you better.”

“He saved me… so the bond is ended… It might have been better not to save me, leaving him longing for a lifetime. Not just Lu Xue, even Bi You, he cherishes somewhat,” the princess said, her expression sad.

“To save is to end the bond. Because of regret, Master remembers Lu Xue and Zi Zhen. Master wrote about Bi You in his records, mourning and pitying her,” I mused.

“Yuheng’s marriage will likely not happen,” the princess said.

“No, it won’t. I heard the Third Princess’s hand was injured, and she threatened the god with her own life,” the maid whispered.

“Why bother? Yunxiao never yields to such threats,” the princess sighed.

“To save is to end the bond.” I lingered on that phrase.

The maid giggled, “Let me tell you something amusing, Princess. You’ll surely laugh. Apparently, the Crown Prince has fallen for a little immortal girl in the Peach Orchard, visits her daily, and even gave her the Nine Immortals Pilgrimage Flute. A few days ago, he returned home with a plaster on his neck, and Princess Lei Ci forcibly peeled it off—turned out to be a bright red kiss mark! Princess Lei Ci cried and demanded to return to her mother’s house and bring her three brothers to the Heavenly Palace for justice. Yesterday, the Crown Prince came back covering his face, probably scolded by the brothers.”

The princess smiled faintly, “My eldest brother is truly absurd.”

I was both amused and exasperated. How did a bee sting become a kiss mark? What nonsense is this? Would they die if they didn’t spread rumors?

Fortunately, Master often reminded me of the warrior’s way: “Integrity can be a liability.” If one is too upright on the battlefield, it’s easy to fall for the enemy’s humiliation tactics. Now I truly understood why Bi You chose to end her life—people fear rumors; when immortals spread them, it’s bloodless murder.

As the mistress and maid spoke, many immortal maidens and officials hurried across the bridge, as if heading for some spectacle. The maid pulled aside an immortal official to ask. It was said that something major had happened at the Southern Heavenly Gate, and the Heavenly Emperor and all the gods and immortals had gone there.

“Let’s go see, too. Lord Yunxiao should be there. Princess, you haven’t seen him in two thousand years,” the maid urged her mistress.

“I won’t go see him! I won’t! I won’t! I won’t…” I repeated the phrase ten times in my heart, then flew after them.

Outside the Southern Heavenly Gate, a dense crowd of immortals gathered. Those without sufficient rank or position were blocked by the heavenly soldiers. When the princess approached, the soldiers saluted her as “Seventh Princess” and made way graciously.

So she was the Seventh Princess Yujing, the one rumored among the immortal maidens to be secretly in love with Master!

I simply flew over and landed on the shoulder of a burly general.

On the ground lay a pool of blood and a corpse covered with a white cloth. Master’s expression was sorrowful and his complexion poor; he was bent over, supporting Fifth Senior Brother, who knelt before him, sobbing uncontrollably. Eleventh Senior Brother and Brother Dongfang Mo stood behind Master, each sporting dark circles under their eyes, both looking grief-stricken.

“Why do they all look so exhausted?” I wondered.

“Master… My younger brother risked his life to complete the mission… was killed by Ming Zhong, cut open and died! I’ve failed you, Master!” Fifth Senior Brother cried in anguish.

I flew to Eleventh Senior Brother’s shoulder, startling him. “Little Brother, what are you doing here?”

I stomped my feet in reply.

“Why are you in your true form? Fifth Senior Brother sent his own brother to Ming Zhong as a spy, but Ming Zhong found him out! Used cruel torture, killed him by cutting open his belly! Terrible! Worse than you!” Eleventh Senior Brother said.

“Master! There was a traitor in our army, the city couldn’t be held… I am unworthy…” Fifth Senior Brother prostrated himself to bow.

“It’s not your fault.” Master supported his devastated disciple.

“The immortal citizens of the whole city were slaughtered by Ming Zhong! Corpses everywhere…” Fifth Senior Brother wept.

Master’s face was filled with sorrow, his breath unsteady; he coughed several times, and his complexion worsened.

“Again, that damned Ming Zhong!” Seeing Master in such pain, I felt deeply distressed.

The Heavenly Emperor, surrounded by immortals, looked every bit the pampered ruler. Tian De stood humbly at his side.

“Lord Yunxiao, what should be done?” the Heavenly Emperor asked Master.

I was indignant. “This emperor is irresponsible—the border cities lost, the whole city slaughtered in agony, yet the palace is celebrating, hosting grand feasts, marrying off daughters. Is everything to be left to Master? Master is the God of Light and Hope, not a general for the Heavenly Palace! What should be done, you, the emperor, don’t know?”

“Recently, the war has intensified; Master and the others have been in constant council. Ming Zhong is brilliant with military strategy; Master has been busy to death these days—well, extremely busy! Don’t make trouble!” Eleventh Senior Brother whispered to me.

I pecked hard at his shoulder. “How am I making trouble?” I thought.

“You left Zi Zhen with Master yesterday. Master was already injured and didn’t sleep all night. Zi Zhen cried and laughed, making it impossible for me to rest, and Dongfang Mo couldn’t sleep either…” Eleventh Senior Brother kept grumbling softly, but I was already pouting and flying away.

On the Jade Pool Immortal Terrace, celestial music resounded, and several dancing immortals performed gracefully, their movements lithe and elegant.

I stood on a battered lotus leaf in the pool, pecking at a petal that had yet to fall.

“Yesterday, when I shattered the Third Princess’s Ring of Heaven, I was energetic; now, I’m nearly a sickly invalid! No wonder Master’s breath is unsteady, no wonder he coughs—he hasn’t slept all night, crying and laughing! With the war so tense, there’s still time for romance; don’t you know how dangerous it is without the heart-scale? Why not wait until after the battle to be affectionate and speak freely? If I were Ming Zhong, I’d send more ‘True Zi’ and ‘False Zi’—the Jade Purity Realm could have a new master!”

As I thought and pecked, finally the remaining petal fell under my indignation. Off guard, I tumbled into the water.

Flapping my wings frantically, I flew out of the pond and perched on the bridge railing. Shaking the wet feathers vigorously, I fumed at Master while tidying myself. The more I tended to my feathers, the more disheveled they became, and the more sour my heart felt.

The dance on the Immortal Terrace had ended. An elder immortal woman stood nearby, arms folded, watching a line of immortals. At her side was a young immortal girl in a pale yellow dress, lively and articulate, helping to critique the dancers. The immortal woman nodded after listening, pointed to three to stay, and eliminated the rest.

I continued to tidy my damp feathers on the bridge, my anger burning like fire. The immortal woman led the three chosen dancers past me. Suddenly, I felt a chill sweep through my body, shivering as every feather bristled.

That aura… that sensation… so much like those from the Underworld!

Others might not notice, but having visited the Underworld and fought its denizens, I knew it well!

Could it be that one of these five was from the Underworld? Had they infiltrated the Heavenly Palace?