Chapter 67: A Flourishing Era and the Royal Marriage Alliance

Leaping down from the banks of the Heavenly River, I faintly heard his voice and thought I had found him—but all I found was the bough of a great tree below. Spring Breeze found me hanging from its branches and lashed into me with a fierce scolding. In my daze, I recall only his words: “Before your master marched to war, he bade me again and again to look after you! He risked his life and used the Soul Capturing Art to save you—half his very life resides within you! If you die, it is as if your master dies a second time! For his sake, you must live well!”

“Live well...” I nodded in promise. My master had given me too much, burdens too heavy; so much so I could not even die if I wished.

Thus, day and night, I kept vigil before the crystal coffin and spoke to him, day after endless day...

“Master, Spring Breeze wants me to go with him to Hundred Flowers Isle. My senior brothers wish me to return to Jade Purity Realm, but the Celestial Palace hopes I will stay here and keep vigil for you. Very well, I shall honor the Celestial Palace’s wish. I am your most useless disciple—neither fit to charge into battle nor able to seek your return. Let me remain here. To keep watch over this incorruptible body within the crystal coffin of the Thirty-Three Heavens is worthwhile. You are silent, and so am I; to remain together is enough.”

“Every day, I speak to you in my heart, telling you of those you cared for and the affairs you left behind. Will these words, carried on the waters of the Heavenly River, reach where you have gone? Will fate ever let us meet again?”

“Have you gone to be with Lu Xue? Now that I think on it, I realize I never wanted you and Lu Xue to be together. My reluctance to leave the Jade Purity Realm was but a reluctance to part from you. If you were with her, I would be jealous. Yet now, if you can be with her, that too is good…”

“In this war, the Netherworld suffered grievous losses; Ming Zhong is gravely wounded, and their armies have retreated. For a time, they will bring no more harm upon the living. The Celestial Emperor and the royal houses of the Thirty-Three Heavens are desperate to negotiate peace. They fear that, should they lose, the Netherworld would slaughter them as they did those two cities of the Heavenly Realm.”

“Tian Sheng has gone to comfort the celestial clans and tribes ravaged by the Netherworld. He was once your proudest subordinate; he will do well. With Zi Zhen by his side, he is blessed. First Senior Brother is acting as head of Jade Purity Realm. The daily affairs are managed by Fifteenth Senior Brother, whom First Senior knows you valued greatly.”

“The rebellion in the Eastern Sea was quelled by Senior Brother Kunpeng, leading the Beiming clan. The aquatic kin of the Eastern Sea now acclaim him as their Lord. Master, not only were you the Imperial Mentor of the Nine Provinces, your titles have grown even grander.”

“Fifteenth Senior Brother says the Celestial Palace is weak, that the Netherworld will not be content with peace. Jade Purity Realm, Tian Sheng, and ambitious folk across the Nine Provinces are drilling their armies, vowing that one day, when a new lord rises in the Netherworld, they will slay Ming Zhong and avenge you.”

“Rest assured, I would not be so foolish as to run now to the Netherworld for vengeance. You said yourself my cultivation is not yet sufficient. When the day comes for final battle, I will take up arms. I am the Lord Yu Fei of the Seat of Cloudsoar—how could that day come without me?”

“Spring Breeze says the incarnation balm he gave me has nearly worn away from all my tears, so he’s making me something even stronger. Let him. Keeping busy is good for him now. Though he smiles when he visits, his eyes are red and swollen.”

“Master, did you know? Even the Thirty-Three Heavens can see snow, right here at the Heavenly River. It is those newly ascended, shimmering primal spirits from the lower world, gathering in flurries and falling into the river, as beautiful as the snows of Kunlun you summoned to mend the sky... I watch them every day. Master, among those primal spirits, are you there? Will you rise and look upon me again...?”

“Little Brother, Lord Wuxiang truly has a tongue of ill omen! He said, ‘Blades and swords know no mercy—he won’t return!’ And now Master has truly departed from this world! The Third Princess has smashed everything in the palace. Master, if breaking things could bring you back, we would gladly reduce the Celestial Palace to rubble…”

Eleventh Senior Brother visits me every day at dusk, and his words grow more and more plentiful.

“Master, do not silence him. Let him speak; it soothes his heart,” I say to myself.

He sighs and continues, “Master, with you gone, do you know how many fairy maidens are heartbroken… Senior Uncle has locked away that false lady master. Now, no one can come between you and Lady Master. There will be no more rivalry for your affections…”

He rambles on, but his voice fades from my ears as I gaze blankly at the crystal coffin. “You told me to go, but I would not, so you left instead… You wanted only Lu Xue, and gave up even the Jade Purity Realm…”

Someone kicked me, but numb as wood, I felt no pain. I looked around in confusion, realizing Eleventh Senior Brother had left, and Ke Ke stood before me, sword in hand.

“Yu Fei! You shameless scoundrel! Give me back my honor!” Ke Ke shouted angrily.

“Shameless scoundrel…” My mind was sluggish, not comprehending her words.

“Do you hear me? Give me back my honor!” She shoved and shook me.

Leaning against the crystal coffin, I forced a bitter smile. “I may owe you many things, but honor is not among them.”

“What are you laughing at! You are a man, yet you shared my bed and pillow, frolicking atop the bedding…” Ke Ke raised her sword to strike me.

I slowly pulled her hand to my chest. The incarnation balm Spring Breeze applied had lost its effect; though I still wore the garb of a divine lord, here on Mount Sumeru, where no immortal arts could be used, I was fully and truly a woman once more.

“What—what are you doing! Acting indecently before your master’s very coffin!” Ke Ke exclaimed in fright.

Her hand brushed against my chest…

“You—you… How do you have…? No immortal arts are permitted here… You are a woman? You were always a woman? Lord Yu Fei is a woman? Disguised as a man?” She bombarded me with questions.

I nodded.

Her anger faded, her tone softening. “So you disguised yourself as a man to enter Jade Purity Realm? You love Lord Cloudsoar? You love your master?”

Leaning upon the crystal coffin, I paid her no heed. “What does it matter if I love him, or if I do not… Will he ever return…”

“Fei’er… I am sorry for your loss—may you find peace…” Ke Ke offered many words of comfort, but I stared blankly, sealing my ears and heart against the world, a mere walking corpse…

In the Hall of Supreme Polarity, the Celestial Emperor conferred with his ministers.

“Tian De, have you any wise counsel?” the Emperor asked.

“Now that Lord Cloudsoar has fallen, our Celestial Realm is gravely weakened and unfit for further war. The Netherworld, too, now seeks peace. Why not seize this chance to forge an alliance and demonstrate our sincerity, so both sides may rest from battle?” Tian De advised.

“Do you propose we cede ten more cities to the Netherworld, as a gesture of goodwill?” Lord Wuxiang drawled, fanning himself unhurriedly.

“There is no need for such extremity, Lord. I never suggested ceding our cities,” Tian De replied.

“Does anyone have a method to both preserve our strength and placate the Netherworld?” the Emperor asked Tian De.

All the ministers exchanged uneasy glances.

“A marriage alliance. Uniting the two realms by marriage is the most balanced course. The Third Princess, Jade Balance; the Seventh Princess, Jade Vega; and the Ninth Princess, Jade Opal, all remain unwed,” Tian De said.

The Emperor’s face grew troubled.

“The King of the Netherworld and his son are licentious and depraved. How could a princess of our radiant realm be wed to the eerie, dreadful Nether Halls?” Lord Kaiyuan protested.

“For the peace of Heaven and Earth, for the well-being of all beings, for an age of harmony, even Lord Chongming could sacrifice his very soul. To give up a mere princess for a lasting truce—what is that? Such is the duty of those born to imperial privilege, nourished by the people of the realm!” Tian De declared.

“Would you give up your own sisters for this?” Lord Wuxiang pressed.

“I have no reservations. If I were asked to take to the battlefield, I would do so without complaint! The art of war Lord Cloudsoar taught us was to win without fighting, to spare as many lives as possible. Now that we have a way to gain advantage without ruin, why should we not use it?” Tian De replied.

“Tian De, a marriage alliance need not involve your sisters. We could select a beautiful immortal maiden from a noble house below and grant her a princess’s title,” the Emperor suggested.

“This matter is grave. To simply pick a maiden and style her a princess would not show sincerity—in fact, it would be an insult to the Netherworld. Should we anger them further and provoke the King of the Netherworld to battle, we would be lost,” Tian De countered.

“The Third Princess is headstrong and reckless. With Lord Cloudsoar’s death, she is on the verge of self-harm. Sending her to the Netherworld would only bring more trouble,” the Emperor said.

“There remain the Seventh and Ninth Princesses. Father, you may choose from among them,” Tian De said.

“Your Ninth Sister is too young, innocent to the ways of the world—she cannot go to that den of wolves… Impossible, impossible,” the Emperor fretted.

“Then it must be the Seventh Princess,” Tian De insisted.

“No! I promised your Fourth Brother I would protect his only daughter,” the Emperor objected.

“Father, the Seventh Princess’s own father was a criminal of Heaven. It is only right she should redeem her family with merit,” Tian De pressed.

“Tian De, is this truly wise? The child would be sent alone, without protection, into that place—you do not pity her?” Lord Wuxiang objected angrily.

“Do you not pity the slain immortals, the fallen Lord Cloudsoar, or Lord Yu Fei, grieving and keeping vigil in the Thirty-Three Heavens?” Tian De retorted.

“Let me consider this,” the Emperor said, deeply troubled.

“Father! We cannot hesitate! This is the Celestial Palace’s solemn duty! Please issue the decree!” Tian De knelt in supplication.

“We support this petition!” The ministers all knelt and echoed his plea.

The Emperor sighed…

Leaving the Hall of Supreme Polarity, Lords Wuxiang and Kaiyuan climbed to the Star Gazing Terrace, hands clasped behind their backs, gazing skyward.

“Chongming is gone forever. Who would have thought that atop this Radiant Summit, we would one day be unable to see that brightest of divine stars! The god-star that ruled over light has been extinguished—what are we to do now?” Lord Kaiyuan fretted.

“Such is fate, such is destiny. Mistakes… so many mistakes…” Lord Wuxiang lamented.

“What mistakes?” Lord Kaiyuan asked, bewildered.

“Mistakes, long ago…” Lord Wuxiang murmured.

“Alas, it is true. I pity the Seventh Princess, so gentle and virtuous. I once hoped to arrange a match between her and Lord Cloudsoar. With this war, not only has the Star of Chongming fallen, but the Seventh Princess meets this end. Even if not born of the same mother, she is still our sister—how could we come to this wretched idea!”

“With Cloudsoar gone, all manner of demons and monsters reveal themselves,” Lord Wuxiang sighed.

“Two cities slaughtered, Cloudsoar dead—the Celestial Palace is paralyzed with fear. They speak of a marriage alliance, yet cannot even decide which of those brothers will be wed, and rush to send the Seventh Princess over. This is nothing but sending a plaything for their pleasure, not a true peace offering—merely tribute!” Lord Kaiyuan said bitterly.

Lord Wuxiang scoffed, raising his eyes to the dazzling god-stars atop the Radiant Summit—a faint red glow swirling among them…

“Heaven and Earth united, yin and yang in harmony. When the Red Luan star is stirred, fate cannot be escaped. Kaiyuan, the match of lovers is not for you or me to decide.”