A Birthday Gift for Jin Li

Snowflakes drifted down onto shimmering water, like pear blossoms dancing upon the current. Watching the snowy moon and drifting petals in the distance, Yueshuang's pupils dilated, a look of utter bewilderment in her eyes. Yet the most flabbergasted by far were Zhegui and the Vice Guardian. A hundred thousand questions raced through their minds. Was this not a treasonous plot? Was this not an invasion of the Moon Goddess Palace? Was this not a sneak attack on Heavenly Venerable Longyue? How had it turned into hugging a Yue Nü? A war drama abruptly morphed into a romance? Still, despite their inability to comprehend the scene, they could only assume that this Yang God Heavenly Venerable possessed such staggering charisma that he had seduced away even a Yue Nü of the Moon Goddess Palace. Neither doubted Qi Yuan's identity. First, they had never laid eyes on Heavenly Venerable Motong before. Second, he was genuinely a Yang God Heavenly Venerable coming straight from the Moluo Clan's territory. That could not be faked. If not Motong, who else could it be? After a moment's contemplation, the Vice Guardian of Jueyue Abyss offered a distant bow toward Qi Yuan. "Heavenly Venerable's charm is truly astounding, capable of bringing even a Yue Nü of the Moon Goddess Palace to her knees. "May I ask when Heavenly Venerable will join me... in slaughtering our way into the heart of the Moon Goddess Palace to severely wound Heavenly Venerable Longyue?" the Vice Guardian asked with resolve. As long as Heavenly Venerable Longyue was injured, this Heavenly Venerable Motong before her would bestow upon her the opportunity to step into the Yang God Realm. Her bow shattered the poignant mood. In the distance, Yueshuang picked up a heavy scent of danger. She desperately wanted to say to Jin Li: *Sister, if you're dating a Heavenly Venerable from the Moluo Clan, could you give a girl a heads-up? Even if not, could you put in a good word so this Yang God spares my life?* She, too, naturally assumed Qi Yuan was a Yang God Heavenly Venerable of the Moluo Clan. Otherwise, he could never have gotten past Heavenly Venerable Motong to reach this place. Her eyelids lowered slightly, her heart entirely speechless. Meanwhile, Qi Yuan held Jin Li's soft hand and spoke gently, "Today is your birthday. I have some gifts for you." Jin Li nodded, squeezing his hand tightly, just as the Yue Nü by July Lake had clung to the Faceless Sword God's hand back then, reluctant to let him go. Qi Yuan turned his gaze toward Zhegui and the Vice Guardian, his eyes falling upon them like sharp blades. The minds of both Zhegui and the Vice Guardian jolted violently. Abruptly, their faces went deathly pale, and they coughed up mouthfuls of fresh blood. "Kneel!" Qi Yuan barked like a clap of thunder. Deprived of any strength to resist, the two Mythological figures knelt stiffly on the ground, disbelief written across their faces. A single line separated the Yang God Realm from the Mythological Realm, yet the difference was that between the heavens and the earth. "Close your eyes," Qi Yuan said. Jin Li glanced at him, seemingly a little timid, but obediently closed her eyes. Her fingers clasped his tightly, as if terrified that all of this might just be a dream. A look of earnest focus appeared in Qi Yuan's eyes. A birthday gift for Jin Li naturally had to be special and unique. Ideally, it should cater directly to what she needed. Before coming, he had secretly looked into it: among the Yin Gods of the Demonic Abyss, Jin Li was known as a God of Slaughter and a battle fanatic. What she pursued were battle merits. Being exceptionally thoughtful and possessed of high emotional intelligence, Qi Yuan was naturally very meticulous. With a flick of his wide sleeve, dark silhouettes immediately tumbled forth. In a flash, nearly thirty Mythological figures materialized. Several hundred Yin God Venerables were also tossed out from his sleeve. Bound by overwhelming magical power, these Yin God Venerables could neither move nor speak. Shock and bewilderment covered their faces, and only their eyeballs could still twitch. Qi Yuan cast them down, arranging them neatly alongside Zhegui and the Vice Guardian. Looking at the scene before him, Qi Yuan felt extraordinarily satisfied. Even if Jin Li didn't cry tears of gratitude, she was bound to love it. "You can open your eyes now and see the birthday gift I painstakingly prepared for you," Qi Yuan said cheerfully. Yue Nü Jin Li opened her eyes, her gaze falling upon Qi Yuan first. "Look in front of you!" Qi Yuan said. Only then did Jin Li shift her gaze. Not far away, several hundred Moluo Clan cultivators had been arranged into the shape of... "Happy Birthday!" Four massive characters. Every bound Moluo Clan cultivator bore an amiable, gentle smile, looking exactly like guests assembled to celebrate her birthday. Regardless of who they were, their faces beamed with festive joy. Those who lacked faces had even sketched smiling faces onto their bellies, looking utterly comical. Jin Li froze for a second. Seeing this, Qi Yuan felt triumphant. Nailed it. Like someone claiming credit, he declared, "You lack military merits the most. Here are 490 ordinary Yin Gods, 29 Mythological figures, and 2 traitors." Qi Yuan rattled off the numbers. Jin Li listened earnestly, her eyes filled only with Qi Yuan. As for the gift, being able to see him was already the greatest blessing. "Heh heh, 521 people in total!" Qi Yuan reminded her again. He was very detail-oriented and had gone out of his way to put together an auspicious number. Not only that, he was deeply considerate. Originally, he had planned to have all these Moluo Clan members imitate a certain hotpot chain and sing her a birthday song the moment she opened her eyes. It would have made for such a joyful scene. However, upon reconsidering, in case Jin Li was an introverted "I-person" like him who suffered from social anxiety, he had scrapped that plan. Yue Nü Jin Li wore a focused expression as she murmured, "Five, two, one..." She understood. Looking at Qi Yuan, she stood lightly on her tiptoes, leaned in without hesitation, and brushed his lips with a kiss as light as a dragonfly skimming water. Qi Yuan was momentarily stunned as that softness vanished in a flash. He stared fixedly at Jin Li's breathtaking face. Just reunited... and he had been force-kissed? If it were any other woman, he certainly would not have allowed it. But this was Jin Li—his internet friend, the mother of his daughter. He... would let it slide for now. Were it not for the crowd present, he definitely would have kissed her back; otherwise, he'd be taking a loss. Still, he understood in his heart that his gift must have touched her deeply. If the diehard simps back on Blue Star could learn from this, they would surely have their goddesses wrapped around their fingers. "These are all merits. Do you want to kill them?" Qi Yuan asked. Jin Li looked at the cluster of Moluo Clan members, remembering the times she had communicated with Qi Yuan through the Exquisite Jade Tide. Back then, she had been innocent of worldly affairs and kindhearted, completely unlike the warrior who slaughtered in all directions today. "I... rarely kill people," Jin Li said, her face flushing red. She was glad she had dressed up today. "Huh?" Qi Yuan blinked, speaking bluntly as he looked at her. "The murderous aura pouring off you is practically billowing like smoke!" As a Yang God, he could spot the murderous intent on her at a single glance; it was impossible to disguise. Frankly speaking, it was thicker than the murderous aura he had carried when leaving the Liufeng Realm. "This..." The blush on Jin Li's face deepened, spreading to her translucent earlobes. Watching this from afar, Yueshuang's eyes widened. Everything happening today felt profoundly surreal. Also, was that blood-robed man truly a Yang God Heavenly Venerable? The way he handled things... was rather bizarre, wasn't it? Seeing that Qi Yuan seemed to harbor no malice and was on excellent terms with Jin Li, Yueshuang grew bolder and could not help chiming in. "People have different constitutions. Even if Sister Jin Li accidentally steps on an ant, her murderous aura becomes this thick." "Oh, is that so? It seems I was ill-informed. Another day, another lesson learned," Qi Yuan remarked impassively. Originally, he had considered offering the Yang Gods trapped in the Netherworld as birthday gifts to Jin Li as well. Upon second thought, however, those Yang Gods could not be slain; killing them would expose his identity. Seeing this, Yueshuang breathed a sigh of relief. This Yang God Heavenly Venerable was truly peculiar—downright bizarre. "May I ask who Heavenly Venerable is?" Yueshuang blinked and asked. She had countless questions in her heart. "I am Qi Yuan," he answered without hesitation. "An old acquaintance from the Wangyue Continent." Hearing this, tumultuous waves surged in Yueshuang's mind. It was really him! From the start, Jin Li's reaction had made her suspect this person might be that man. Yet that seemed virtually impossible. After all, there was no way he could have attained the Yang God Realm so quickly. Even if he had reached the Yang God Realm, it would only be the Lesser Heavenly Position Realm, and he could not possibly have come from the Moluo Clan. Unless he belonged to the Moluo Clan in the first place. "He is Qi Yuan!" Jin Li declared with certainty, as if aware of Yueshuang's doubts. A look of reminiscence showed in Qi Yuan's eyes. "Emerging from Tianjue, I went to keep our appointment, but I never met you." Qi Yuan looked at Jin Li, his gaze gentle. He had waited for a long time beneath the Ancient Qi Toon Tree beside July Lake. "Even so, I still managed to eat the crispy sweet duck you made with your own hands." In Qi Yuan's memory, the petite figure of the Yue Nü surfaced. A smile appeared on his face. Back then, Jin Li had said that once he arrived in July Town, she would make her specialty crispy sweet duck for him. He hadn't met Jin Li, but he had met the Yue Nü. Jin Li hadn't made it, but the Yue Nü had. In the end, he had still eaten that crispy sweet duck. Hearing this, Yueshuang was filled with boundless emotion. "How did Heavenly Venerable... end up appearing here?" Yueshuang asked. This question was critical. If Qi Yuan truly were a Yang God of the Moluo Clan, Jin Li's fate might prove tragic. "I ascended from the lower realm into the Moluo Clan's Fifth Heaven. "The Yang God of the Moluo Clan wasn't fit to be called human; he secretly came to rob my home. I caught him red-handed and captured him. "So I disguised myself as Heavenly Venerable Mochi and came to the Demonic Abyss. Who could have known that Heavenly Venerable Motong lacked martial virtue and was secretly peeping at me? "How could I tolerate that? I took him down directly! "Then I disguised myself as him and came here," Qi Yuan summarized in a few simple sentences. Shock was etched all over Yueshuang's face. Every single word Qi Yuan uttered sounded completely absurd. Capturing a Yang God, and even... taking down Heavenly Venerable Motong! Motong... was an Ultimate Principle Realm Yang God! This was simply beyond imagination. Back in Dijue, Qi Yuan had nearly died at the hands of those decrepit Purple Mansions. How could he have leaped straight into the Yang God Realm so abruptly? It defied belief. Jin Li gripped Qi Yuan's hand tightly. She knew that the price Qi Yuan had paid to reach the Sixth Heaven to see her could never have been so simple. Like an old friend traveling ten thousand li beneath the lamplight, returning to face their reflection. Who could truly know the hardships and wanderings of that ten-thousand-li journey? "Does Heavenly Venerable intend to meet Heavenly Venerable Longyue?" Yueshuang asked at this point. After all, this was an affair of immense gravity. She could not verify the truth of Qi Yuan's words. Furthermore, if Qi Yuan wished to take Jin Li away, he would have to consult Moon Goddess Yuanjun. Jin Li was a Yue Nü, after all. In any case, meeting the Yang God of the Moon Goddess Palace was essential. "Alright," Qi Yuan nodded. Arriving like this was completely different from barging in and being discovered. After all, having subdued the Vice Guardian, he could have slipped inside unnoticed and grievously wounded Heavenly Venerable Longyue. Once Heavenly Venerable Longyue learned what had transpired here, she would understand this as well. Therefore, she could no longer regard Qi Yuan as an invader. In fact, she would owe Qi Yuan a debt of gratitude. Otherwise, without him, the Moon Goddess Palace in Jueyue Abyss would undoubtedly have suffered a devastating blow, and Heavenly Venerable Longyue would have been injured. The entire situation in the Demonic Abyss would have collapsed. *** The Moon Star Banquet was still underway, filled with milling figures, joyful songs, and merry laughter, brimming with lively cheer. "It has been so long since our place was this lively! Senior Sister Yu Tiao's connections are truly enviable!" "Half the Guardians sent envoys with congratulatory gifts. That speaks for itself!" Flattery and chatter rang out continuously. A radiant smile bloomed across Yu Tiao's face. Yet right at that moment, an incomparably vast aura suddenly swept across the area. Every guest's eyes widened, their nerves snapping taut in an instant. "Heavenly Venerable Longyue!" The source of this aura was none other than the Ultimate Principle Realm Yang God stationed here. Heavenly Venerable Longyue was making a move... Could it be...? Wary expressions emerged in everyone's eyes, sensing that something momentous had occurred. Without hesitation, the guests instantly shifted into a wartime posture, preparing for impending battle. Meanwhile, within the palace halls, Qi Yuan held Jin Li's hand and looked calmly at the Yang God Heavenly Venerable before him. Heavenly Venerable Longyue regarded Qi Yuan with profound eyes. "Longyue owes Fellow Daoist a debt of gratitude for this." Yueshuang had already recounted everything that had taken place. Upon learning the truth, Heavenly Venerable Longyue felt a lingering dread. Had Heavenly Venerable Motong's plan succeeded, the Moon Goddess Palace's campaign in the Demonic Abyss would have fallen apart. "No matter, a minor issue. Given my relationship with Jin Li, doing this... is only natural," Qi Yuan replied placidly. Heavenly Venerable Longyue was practically half a parent to Jin Li, so he still needed to show her respect. Heavenly Venerable Longyue turned her gaze toward Jin Li and sighed softly. "This child... ah..." She trailed off, then looked at Qi Yuan. "You have only recently arrived in the Sixth Heaven and have yet to join any major power. You won't be able to remain in the Sixth Heaven for long. Would you be willing to join my Moon Goddess Palace?" Heavenly Venerable Longyue extended an invitation. After all, having seen Heavenly Venerable Motong's remnant soul, she already knew how terrifying this man was. If an Ultimate Principle Realm Yang God like him could join the Moon Goddess Palace, he would be a formidable force. Qi Yuan shook his head. "No thanks." He had already brought his marriage certificate; how could he join the Moon Goddess Palace? Most importantly, a Yue Nü was forbidden from marrying. There was another reason: he preferred freedom. A Yang God joining the Moon Goddess Palace would have to become a subordinate god to Moon Goddess Yuanjun. That was something he could not accept for now. Hearing this, Heavenly Venerable Longyue felt a touch of disappointment. She knew that the Moon Goddess Palace was currently caught in turbulent storms; why would an Ultimate Principle Realm Yang God choose to join them? Other great factions would hardly refuse an Ultimate Principle Realm Yang God either. "I must ask Fellow Daoist to keep today's events confidential. "I still have important business to attend to within the Moluo Clan," Qi Yuan said calmly. Someone had carried off the well from his home; he had to retrieve it. "Very well!" Heavenly Venerable Longyue nodded, her spirits lifting slightly. Qi Yuan taking action against the Moluo Clan was advantageous to the Moon Goddess Palace. "If Fellow Daoist ever requires assistance, you may send word to me at any time!" Heavenly Venerable Longyue calculated internally. With Heavenly Venerable Motong now severely incapacitated, the Moluo Clan had only two Ultimate Principle experts left in the Demonic Abyss. This was an opportunity for the Moon Goddess Palace. "Alright," Qi Yuan agreed without a second thought. It seemed he truly had to play the double agent and keep up his acting. Heavenly Venerable Longyue then shifted her gaze to Jin Li. Now came the matter of Jin Li and Qi Yuan's... personal affairs. Within the Moon Goddess Palace, a Yue Nü could not wed. "Jin Li, with the addition of those five hundred and twenty-one Moluo Clan Yin Gods, your merits are sufficient." Longyue said no more, but the implication was clearer than day. Jin Li could now petition Moon Goddess Yuanjun for a single request.