Chapter 81: A Promise in the Spring Breeze

That night, I dreamed of my master. He was still mending the broken sky atop the Immortal Cliff, but unlike before, he no longer stood with his back to me. He smiled at me, then turned to continue repairing the rift. His smile was like a beacon in the darkness, illuminating my heart...

In that instant, I understood. He did not mend the sky for the sake of any good person, nor for any evil one. He did it to give all living beings a chance—a chance to choose. The light of the Morning Star shines everywhere; the brightness is always there, even if it leaves the eyes, it remains in the heart. It is only that some choose to forever hide in darkness.

Why should I not give this “little devil” a chance at life, a chance to feel the light with his own heart?

When I slept, I dreamed of my master; upon waking, I faced the persistent coaxing and strictness of Chunfeng. With sweet words, he called me “little crow” this and “little crow” that, yet he watched me day and night, inspecting me before I bathed or used the restroom, making sure I hadn’t hidden any harmful medicine. He even had Shanhe sniff me over to ensure nothing was amiss before letting me out of his sight.

“Why won’t you give this child a chance? He is your child, after all. I cannot let you do this!” Chunfeng was so earnest that I was left with no recourse.

“Fine, I will!” I gave up the idea of killing the “little devil.”

In the end, I gave birth to him—it was more painful than dying once.

The “little devil” cried so loudly that the heavens shook. I was reluctant to hold him, so he kept crying, so sorrowful that my heart shattered. The moment I took him into my arms, he smiled, tears still on his cheeks though his eyes had yet to open. In that moment, in my heart, he was still the one I remembered from that night in the Valley of Memories, when we parted…

The true form of the “little devil” was neither a hideous demon nor a monstrous creature. He was a tiny white flood dragon, tail bare and hornless. The royal family of the Netherworld are of the flood dragon clan, a branch of the dragons. The difference lies in the tail and the horns. At birth, they are much the same; only as they grow do the differences become clear.

Chunfeng said the little one inherited my snow-white color and gave him the baby name “Little White.”

“Little crow, let me take care of you and the child! I am reliable, too! Marry me, won’t you? I won’t even ask for child support!” Chunfeng said half-jokingly.

I laughed, “Chunfeng, don’t tease me like that. You don’t act like a senior at all.”

“Nonsense! When have you ever been my senior? Is it that I’m not serious enough, or do you think I’m frivolous?” Chunfeng became solemn.

Seeing his sincerity, I thought, “Soft-hearted Chunfeng, acting on impulse—how could he use marriage to pity me?” I quickly shook my head, “I don’t need anyone to take care of me. I’m fine on my own.”

“Nonsense, little crow! You’re still thinking about your master, aren’t you?” Chunfeng pressed.

At the mention of my master, I fell silent.

“Your master loved Lu Xue. That won’t change. His love for his disciples was paternal, like an elder’s for their child. Besides, he has scattered his primordial spirit and become pure essence. By now, his essence is likely reborn in some new immortal. There’s no hope for you and him. Start a new life with me,” Chunfeng said.

“I know. Even if he could come back to life, I wouldn’t dare hope for anything,” I replied.

I felt unworthy even of ascending to the Thirty-Three Heavens, of entering the Jade Purity Realm. With all that had happened, how could I ever be worthy of the most beautiful god in Heaven? Just like my master, countless fairies and noble daughters vied for him, willing to live or die for his sake, to serve as slaves or maids just for a few words from him. If he was pleased, he’d speak to them; if not, he’d ignore them.

“Alright, let’s make a deal. I’ll give you five hundred years to consider. During that time, I won’t ask you again. But Little White must recognize me as his godfather first,” Chunfeng bargained.

Five hundred years should be enough for Chunfeng to meet a suitable fairy and calm his impulsive heart, and Little White would have a good father to guide him. Thus, we made the agreement.

After that, Little White never cried again—always smiling at me, his smile as radiant as the sun. He was indeed adorable, and if not for memories of that one in the Netherworld, I would be the most loving mother in the world. But I could not…

Chunfeng brought Little White from Jade Bamboo Mountain back to Hundred Flowers Island.

The flower fairies on the island, unaware of the truth, gossiped endlessly.

“See? The god brought back a child!”

“A lover’s debt, perhaps?”

“Has our god ever lacked admirers? He must have kept it secret—most likely a fairy from Jade Bamboo Mountain. When the god was grieving, he went there to unwind, invited a few fairies into his cave, and this must be the outcome. The timing fits. Don’t you all think the child looks like our god?”

“He does!” the flower fairies chorused.

“Then why doesn’t the god marry?”

“Our god is always eccentric, doing as he pleases. Maybe he acted on impulse to vent his sadness, and later found her not pretty or noble enough, so he kept the child but not the mother.”

“Our god isn’t like that.”

“Maybe he’s already married her in secret—he’s capricious, after all.”

“Well, the child’s here, and even as a baby he’s being taught to call him ‘father.’ He seems to adore the little one.”

Chunfeng treated Little White as his own. Shanhe, Keke, and I stayed near Jade Bamboo Mountain so we could help care for Little White. At the same time, it gave me the chance to retrace my master’s steps, doing as he once did, wandering among the beings of Heaven…

From then on, I no longer shed tears easily, no matter how much pain I inflicted on myself. Only when I met those incurable by medicine, or souls lost to unjust death, did tears flow unbidden.

When my tears fell upon them, they were healed of their stubborn ailments, brought back from the dead. As long as they had not been dead longer than an hour, their primordial spirit still intact and their body whole, they could be revived.

This, perhaps, was the divine power I gained after surviving the great tribulation and ascending.

My medical skills were taught by my master, enough to cure most illnesses with ease. Now, with these tears of rebirth, I was unstoppable. Within a century, word spread of a divine physician in Heaven—no one knew my true form, nor heard my voice, nor knew my name.

The old woman whom little Fei’er, born with a stubborn illness, met was me.

I had taken one of Chunfeng’s new transformation pills, turning myself into an old woman with hair the color of ash—a perfect disguise. Chunfeng’s pills could change age and gender, and except for the Formless God, no one could see through them. Disguised thus, I could go out without worry—no one would covet my “beauty” or recognize me as an enemy of the Netherworld.

In truth, Chunfeng’s worry about my beauty was unfounded. My true form was now a white finch; no one from the past would recognize the cold crow I once was. In human form, I still looked like Yu Fei, but with hair now gray-white, I was far from beautiful. Becoming an old woman was simply convenient, and the “sinful” Yu Fei could not face old acquaintances—it was better to “die with my master.”

Little Fei’er’s ailment could have been treated with medicine and acupuncture alone. But her name and her words made my heart ache, and in a moment of her distress and faintness, my tears came forth and I wiped them on her. After healing her, I hurried back to Hundred Flowers Island—having been away so long, Little White must be hungry. Though I did not want to see the child, I could not help but think of him…

Returning as Little White’s nursemaid, I entered the immortal realm to hear Shanhe singing a thunderous lullaby; all the flower and tree fairies of the island had their ears covered, hiding away. Chunfeng was holed up in the Dawnlight Cave, shielding himself with a barrier, gnashing his teeth in helplessness.

In the nursery, I found the door broken again. Ever since Shanhe started helping Chunfeng, she had turned Hundred Flowers Island upside down. I could only laugh—perhaps this repaid my debt to the Jade Purity Realm.

Inside, reverting to my own appearance, I picked up Little White, who was quietly listening to the “thunder.” He smiled at me—so bright, like a newborn star radiating crystal-clear light.

“Shanhe, why don’t you go back to Jade Bamboo Mountain and stay with Keke?” I suggested.

Shanhe pouted, “No! I want to stay here!”

“Be good. I’m worried about Keke being alone on Jade Bamboo Mountain,” I made up an excuse.

“I’m worried about Chunfeng being alone on Hundred Flowers Island! He’s so handsome—someone might snatch him away! I have to protect him!” Shanhe replied.

Chunfeng edged over, hiding behind me, and said to Shanhe, “The whole island is full of flower and tree fairies—why would it be just me? Don’t worry! I am a dignified god; I don’t need protection!”

Seeing Chunfeng so confident, I couldn’t help but jab at him. “You nearly were snatched away once.” I glanced at him. The memory of the Netherworld still haunted me—if I hadn’t made up a story to confuse Mingzhong, Chunfeng would have lost his soul and his divine body to the Underworld King!

“Besides her, who else would dare?” Chunfeng retorted.

“In any case, beware of the Netherworld and Tian De. Protect yourself,” I told him.

“Of course! One is a wolf’s den, the other a villain—of course I must be careful. Before your master went to war, he made me promise to protect you. It was my fault for being careless and letting you fall into the wolves’ den. I’m ashamed to face his grave…” Chunfeng sighed.

My heart trembled. So much had happened before the battle…

“I’m not leaving! He just took off his clothes to consummate our marriage!” Shanhe suddenly shouted, startling both Chunfeng and me.

I looked at Chunfeng in shock.

Chunfeng’s face turned purple. “Nonsense! If you keep shouting, you’ll lose your voice! Little White soiled me, so I was changing clothes!”

I couldn’t help but laugh, and Little White giggled in my arms.

“Little crow! What are you laughing at? Heartless! If not for your sake, I’d have beaten her to death! Am I not used to beautiful women? Did I die a bachelor in my past life? If not for you, I’d have beaten her to death!” Chunfeng fumed.

I pursed my lips and smiled. “A century ago, you almost beat Shanhe to death. If she hadn’t protected me, you’d have buried me alive, too. You owe her.”

“I owe both of you! No, all three of you! And my dead younger brother! And that bunch of fools in the Jade Purity Realm—they can’t even mend the sky! I’m going to help them fix it. Settle things with her before I return!” Chunfeng, still angry, flew off.

I comforted Shanhe, “Chunfeng is a god, with heavy responsibilities and many duties. You must behave. Taking off clothes and consummating marriage isn’t like that.”

“Then what is it?” Shanhe asked in her booming voice.

“It’s when two hearts are united,” I said.

“Oh, I get it! I love him, but he doesn’t love me! Only when both love each other can they be together!” Shanhe seemed to understand.

I quickly nodded.

“Then why didn’t you and Lord Yunxiao consummate your love, if you both loved each other?” Shanhe blurted out.

Her question made my heart ache with embarrassment. “Enough, let’s not talk about this. Be good, go back to Jade Bamboo Mountain and practice forming a human shape. Matters of men and women cannot be forced, or you’ll only hurt yourself.”

Shanhe finally took my advice. Before leaving for Jade Bamboo Mountain, she waved and shouted, “Granny! Take care of Chunfeng for me! Don’t let anyone snatch him away!”

All the flower and tree fairies on the island stifled their laughter, covering their mouths and noses as they listened to her shout.