Chapter 63: He Has Good News

Taking advantage of the courage lent by wine, I struck the drum of victory, danced the dance of prosperity, and while seizing the chance to catch the assassin from the Netherworld, I created a great commotion in the Hall of Supreme Polarity, even drawing my Profound Crystal Sword in a fit of rage…

“Fei’er… come here to your master.”

The moment my master spoke, the hall fell silent. At his summons, clarity washed over me as if I had been doused in enlightenment, freezing me in place. Suddenly, the mask on my face was swiftly whisked away, flying into the hands of the Immaculate High Deity. I realized with a start, “No wonder I couldn’t find the exit or escape—I'd forgotten this was the Mask of Lost Ways!”

The assembled immortals and gods were all astonished. Among them, a kindly-faced goddess in a scarlet cloud robe gazed at me with tears in her eyes, as if struggling to restrain herself from coming over.

“Who is she? Why does she look so moved seeing me?” I wondered.

“What a scare! This is the second disciple of High Deity Yunxiao, Lord Yu Fei—dressed as a woman to apprehend the assassin,” the Immaculate High Deity hastened to smooth things over, smiling as he explained to the gathered immortals.

My master glanced at the Immaculate High Deity, then at the kind-faced goddess. Hearing his words, she steadied herself, staring at me without blinking.

“My little disciple, you’ve had enough fun here; go to Yunxiao now. If you get any naughtier, I’ll smack your calves,” the Immaculate High Deity said to me with a smile.

“Smack my calves… So it was the Immaculate High Deity causing trouble when my legs went numb and I fell just now!” Realizing this, I pouted and stood there without moving, indignant, “How am I naughty…”

The Immaculate High Deity waved the white jade mask at my master. “Yunxiao, your little disciple chose this mask herself from countless fateful encounters! It wasn’t my doing.”

I stood where I was, torn. I was happy that my master called me over; but unhappy, for I didn’t want to see him with Zizhen right now. At least, I wanted a moment to myself.

Suddenly, I felt my whole body jolt—my master had used a spell to pull me over.

Standing before him, I bowed my head and saluted. He caught my arm and took my pulse.

“Why are you so irritable?” His tone was indulgent.

I ignored him, pouting, and thought, “Don’t pick the wrong wife again and bring me bad luck.”

He raised his hand to wipe the corner of my mouth, saying as he did, “You made it so hard for me to find you!”

I looked away. His tone seemed to chide me, but beneath the words was an indescribable emotion…

That feeling… as if we’d been separated too long… my heart fluttered, wanting to soar to him…

I steadied myself, wiped my mouth, and saw a smear of red. When I’d fallen on the drum and got up, I’d unconsciously bitten the false blood pellet in my mouth without realizing it—no wonder my lips tasted sweet. My master, skilled in medicine, had noticed at once from up close.

I pouted and stood by my eleventh senior brother, who grabbed my sleeve and laughed, “Little junior! You disguised yourself as a fairy again to catch the assassin! Where’d you learn those dance steps? You were better than the fairies of the Jade Pool! That drumbeat set my blood on fire! I could fall in love with you…”

My master shot him a glance, and he clapped a hand over his mouth.

If only I could speak, I’d tease you about your nosebleed last night, and ask how you got through the darkroom when you became our master’s disciple—did he add the beauty trap test after discovering your ‘weak point’?

The Heavenly Emperor laughed heartily. “Oh! So it’s the High Lord of Jade Purity! Like a flood sweeping into the Dragon King’s temple, ha ha…”

All the immortals joined in with forced or genuine smiles—some sincere, some perfunctory, some barely managing to smile as they held their heads or rubbed their bruised behinds.

“Yu Fei was ordered to capture the assassin and is wounded, thus unable to speak. Please forgive him, Your Majesty, and everyone present,” my master said.

“To be so brave even while injured! The young Lord is truly heroic—what style!” the Heavenly Emperor praised.

I bowed to him in thanks.

“Take the assassin away under strict guard! Detain the other dancing fairies for now as well,” Heavenly Radiance ordered the celestial soldiers to lead away the three nether maidens and the remaining dancers, who all cried out their innocence.

I pointed to the other dancers, waving my hand. “Understood! The Lord means they are not involved!” Heavenly Radiance replied.

I cupped my hands in gratitude.

Everyone took their seats again. The attendants added places. “Where did Dongfang Mo go?” I wondered, intending to sit at the far end, next to my eleventh senior brother and as far from my master as possible.

“Fei’er, sit beside your master. I have questions for you.”

Zizhen rose to switch seats with me. “Fei’er! I’m truly grateful to you! If not for you, I’d have died long ago—and never had the chance to marry him!” Zizhen knelt before me.

“To marry him!” My heart jolted. “So it’s true…”

Scowling, I helped her up and wrote a few words for her: “Treat him well.”

With tears in her eyes, she nodded vigorously. “Don’t worry! I will!”

I sat beside my master, heart aching, waiting for his questions.

The assembled immortals and officials eased the awkwardness with praise.

“No wonder the young Lord did not speak—he went into battle wounded! Such courage!”

“That rousing, stirring drum of victory and the exhilarating sounds of triumph—only the Lord of Jade Purity could play like that! Yu Fei in disguise, graceful and ethereal, even surpassing the fairies of the Jade Pool—by not just a little, but tenfold!”

“Lord Yu Fei is wise and decisive, skilled in both civil and martial arts—a young hero indeed…”

The deities showered me with flattery.

I hadn’t drunk much before dancing, and now, as the effects wore off, my spirits sank. I sat with head bowed, unmoved by their praise.

“Little junior, if someone asks our master for your hand, what will he do? Marry you off, or bring you a wife?” my eleventh senior joked.

I held up the words “nosebleed” in front of him. He nearly spat out his fruit.

“Don’t joke! I got a nosebleed searching for you, that’s all,” he protested.

I stuck out my tongue, making a face to show I didn’t believe him.

The Hall of Supreme Polarity gradually regained its lively atmosphere.

I sat by my master, fiddling with the Profound Crystal Bracelet, thinking, “What do you want to ask? Hurry up. If it’s about how I met Zizhen—I have no idea! If you have any more lovers out there, heaven or earth, let me meet them all at once. The only one left is Lu Xue herself!”

Heavenly Virtue came with a wine cup to thank me, as elegant as when we first met. “So you are the esteemed disciple of High Deity Yunxiao. The Immaculate High Deity kept me in suspense. It was all a misunderstanding—my actions were rash from drink, I was blind, and I sincerely apologize to you, Lord.”

“Apologize if you must, but what do you mean by rash from drink? Can you clarify your words in front of him?” I glared at Heavenly Virtue, then glanced at my master, who was looking at me. I quickly looked away.

Princess Lei Cizhe, wife of the Crown Prince, came over as well. “So it really is you! Truly you!” She stared at my face as if she’d seen a ghost.

“What’s wrong with you? Making a fuss,” I thought.

She sneered, her voice shrill, “I heard there’s a mute little fairy in the Peach Orchard who’s seduced Heavenly Virtue—our family’s Nine Immortals Pilgrimage Flute was tricked away by her! I didn’t believe it, but now I’m convinced. Persistent as a ghost!”

“Don’t make a scene in public!” Heavenly Virtue hissed at her, glancing around at the immortals eating and drinking.

“It’s your Heavenly Virtue who’s persistent and playing the victim! Who cares about your stupid flute?” I thought.

Lei Ci pressed on, “You’ve done shameful things, yet you can’t be spoken of? Lord Yu Fei, have you not heard of that little hussy?”

I looked up at my master. He sipped his tea unhurriedly, his expression calm.

“No more nonsense!” Heavenly Virtue warned her.

She shot him a glare. “No matter. If you haven’t heard, Lord, I can tell you. Starting from twenty thousand years ago…” She put special emphasis on “Crown Princess” and “twenty thousand years ago.”

I smiled faintly, sat up straight, and wrote a few words, sticking them on her face. Lei Ci flinched, seeing the words: “I don’t care for your nonsense.” Her face turned ugly. I added, “Nonsense that’s been spewing for twenty thousand years!” She nearly exploded with rage.

My eleventh senior brother stifled laughter.

“High Deity! Your disciple is insulting people! Is that how Lords of Jade Purity behave?” Lei Ci shrieked at my master.

He smiled serenely, sipping tea without so much as a glance at her. “Yu Fei’s temperament is pure. If she insults someone, it’s someone who deserves it.”

Lei Ci was left speechless. Heavenly Virtue dragged her away. “Beloved, let’s go!”

“Wait, Heavenly Virtue.” My master gently set down his teacup and drew from his sleeve a short green bamboo flute.

I was startled. Wasn’t that the Nine Immortals Pilgrimage Flute Heavenly Virtue had given me? I’d meant to return it but lost it somewhere—so my master had found it!

“A few days ago, I found this flute. If it’s yours, take care of it. Don’t let it get lost and cause more misunderstandings,” he said, handing the flute to Heavenly Virtue.

Heavenly Virtue accepted it with both hands, thanked my master, and said to Lei Ci, “The High Deity had it. Don’t believe idle gossip.”

“Hmph!” Lei Ci flounced back to her seat.

“My wife was out of line!” Heavenly Virtue apologized to my master and me, then returned as well.

I thought, “You already have a princess, yet you still pine for your beloved Qiao! One pestering me with a flute, another being spiteful and jealous, one taking advantage of my plight, the other making a scene—they’re a perfect pair! If not for my master, who knows how I’d have returned that wretched flute.”

“Little junior, there’s a happy event today. Your master’s, too!” my eleventh senior whispered mysteriously in my ear.

Hearing this, bitterness filled me. “No need to keep it secret—Zizhen already said she’s marrying him. All thanks to that cursed Mask of Lost Ways from the Immaculate High Deity, making me stay and witness this so-called happy event!”

I glanced at my master out of the corner of my eye. He sat upright, sipping tea leisurely.

“Aren’t you going to ask me your questions? If you’re done, I’ll switch seats with Zizhen! I don’t want to sit here with you!” I fumed silently.

The Immaculate High Deity smiled. “Everyone! Today at the Peach Banquet, joy is in the air. I propose to play matchmaker for a perfect couple!”

At the mention of matchmaking, everyone put down their cups and looked to him.

I hung my head, biting my lip, endlessly fiddling with the Profound Crystal Bracelet.

“My little disciple!” the Immaculate High Deity called.

Startled, I realized he was speaking to me and looked up.

“A joyous event for the Lords of Jade Purity. You must be delighted,” he said.

I forced a smile, glancing at my master. He wore a faint smile.