The long steps were crystal-clear, white mist tumbling around them. From a small pavilion at the edge of the sky came the faint, tinkling sounds of music. Beside the inner hall stood a row of emerald chimes being played by two immortal maidens whose long robes trailed across the floor, half-concealed in the billowing white vapor.
Facing the hall was a long desk. A woman clad in a tea-white celestial gown rested her chin on one hand while holding a brush to write with the other, looking ethereal and otherworldly. Beside the desk lay a pipa, faintly reflecting shimmering radiance.
Shaohui had been stationed on duty at the edge of the sky for many years. Few traces of immortals ever reached this place, and even the maidens within the pavilion were spirits dispatched by the Taiyin Mansion. Unable to speak, they could only perform simple chores and strike the chimes once they had memorized the rhythm.
She was only responsible for managing eight courtyards and pavilions. The four surrounding courtyards housed strongmen and petty clerks, while the immortal officials of three out of the four pavilions had been dispatched elsewhere, so they rarely troubled her in ordinary times.
Shaohui was more than happy to enjoy this leisure. She was naturally suited to enduring quiet cultivation, and the immortal officials in these courtyards and pavilions were not her direct subordinates anyway; this was someone else's territory after all. Zhengao had found a quiet, leisurely post for her, so she naturally refrained from meddling much. Only the immortal official of the remaining pavilion visited her occasionally—and he was infuriatingly talkative.
The brush in her hand paused. This manual of Shaoyin arts was already seventy percent complete. She set her brush down just as a serving maiden entered below, knelt in the center, and said respectfully, "Reporting to Your Ladyship, Dangjiang has arrived."
Shaohui frowned slightly with a touch of helplessness. Counting the days, exactly thirty days had passed—the fellow had timed his visit to the dot. She had no choice but to nod. "Invite him up."
The maiden withdrew. Soon, a figure stepped in from outside the pavilion. He had the appearance of a youth, with a broad forehead and thick beard and hair. Shaking out sleeves patterned with surging waves, he bowed and declared, "Dangjiang, Text-Collating Immortal Official of the Xuan Seven Pavilion, pays respects to Lady Shaoyin Wugui."
"You have come again."
Between Shaohui's brows was a mark of stark white circles. She looked over with slightly weary eyes and replied, "You, instead of properly collating scriptures and correcting errors over in the east, why do you come to me every time...? What is it now?"
Having spent time around Shaohui lately, Dangjiang had long since figured out her temperament. Although she chided him with her words, it was mere grumbling; she never actually intended to punish him. Except for her aversion to idle chatter, she was an exceptionally good superior. Riding high on success at the moment, he merely replied, "If it were true collation, that would be fine! Your Ladyship knows I can never keep my mouth idle. But checking texts alone without a partner to verify against, I fear making a mistake in the cultivation methods and am filled with worry..."
Collation required two people comparing texts to verify errors; Dangjiang was simply looking for company. Knowing he would inevitably complain of boredom, Shaohui did not indulge his wandering rambles and simply said, "Speak of your business."
Only then did Dangjiang draw an order token from his sleeve. As long as a forearm and entirely pure white, it bore silvery-white Taiyin patterns that shone with light. Holding it up in both hands, he said respectfully, "I have a duty to attend to, and I beg Your Ladyship to grant me passage!"
Shaohui raised an eyebrow and finally stood up. Cradling the pipa from the desk in her arms, she floated down gracefully from above and remarked casually, "After all this time, you finally have a proper matter to handle."
"Hehe."
Dangjiang chuckled, then spoke hesitantly: "That subordinate of mine in the mortal realm... though far inferior to me, does have a bit of skill. At the turn of the year, he sent me a message saying he could capture a peacock this time! And not just an ordinary peacock—I hear she cultivates the arts of the western Buddhist lands... I wonder how much merit this one will fetch, and how it compares to that demon from last time..."
Tea-white clouds rose beneath Shaohui's feet, lifting him as well, and together they flew southward. She answered softly, "That subordinate of yours... is called Chi Buzi, was it? Last time he captured a demon, how much merit did the mansion record for it?"
Dangjiang hurried to reply, "Three hundred immortal merits."
"Oh?" Shaohui nodded gently and replied, "Then this peacock might be worth around three hundred and fifty immortal merits."
Dangjiang quickly looked up. Though he had been living quite pleasantly these days, he still remembered his promise to Chi Buzi to seek out the Great Dao of the Golden Core for him. He had kept it bottled up inside, waiting to ask Immortal Officer Liu.
Yet Immortal Officer Liu had departed and never returned, leaving Dangjiang's so-called connection entirely stranded. With the fire now singeing his eyebrows, Dangjiang could only bring it up to Shaohui. Hesitating, he said, "This subordinate of mine cultivates the Path of Violet Palace and Golden Core, cultivating his own self-nature. He has already passed Canzi and lacks only the final lineage, but in the mortal realm, someone already occupies the fruit status of Lushui..."
Shaohui reacted swiftly and immediately made several deductions, asking, "If someone is there, so be it... I fear the one occupying the fruit status does not wish him to attain the Dao, which makes things troublesome. It would be better to obtain the golden nature first... What state is that Lushui in?"
Dangjiang shook his head. "Not in a good state. He has gone beyond the heavens to do battle and has no time to mind this. That is precisely why I am anxious. Whether Chi Buzi is to attain that final 'Scouring Kalpa Dew,' receive guidance from Taiyin, or abandon this path entirely, a decision must be made now. Once that True Monarch returns, there will hardly be any options left."
"So that is how it is." Shaohui was quite intrigued. Although her prior existence had been an early Violet Palace demon condensed from a wisp of Shaoyin, retaining many impressions of immortal arts in her memory, resolving such a matter was still beyond her. She asked, "Since he is your subordinate, why not ask Zhengao? Even if Lushui is in the mortal realm, there might well be immortal generals of that path up in the heavens whom you could inquire with."
"This subordinate wants to as well!"
Dangjiang could not travel far at all. For ten days to half a month, he would not see a single soul. He could not even find a place to exchange the two strongmen in his courtyard for maidservants, let alone make inquiries about anything.
'Chi the dog, oh Chi the dog... your path of cultivation is truly a dead end.'
Shaohui clearly understood his plight. After a pause, she answered, "You should request an audience with Zhengao and consult him properly. Although it will cost quite a bit... Zhengao is cold on the outside but warm at heart, and his cultivation is profound; he will not make things difficult for you."
"But... this lowly one is insignificant and lacks standing... By what channel could I seek the general...?"
At Dangjiang's question, Shaohui nodded. "I must go to the Taiyin Mansion this time as well. Since you asked, you may simply come along with me when the time comes."
Having found an avenue, Dangjiang was overjoyed. Showering her with thanks, he stood waiting upon the cloud. That vast, immense palace emerged once more, twelve white jade bridges spanning across the sky above a golden lake.
At this point, Shaohui also descended from the cloud, and together they ventured deeper into the palace until they reached the outside of that courtyard. From afar, Dangjiang saw the two maidservants still standing outside. The white-edged jasper pipa held last time was now replaced by a Pure Cloud Jade Vase, while the other maiden still carried a flower basket. Seeing him look their way, they even politely returned his greeting.
'...'
He walked up to the courtyard without looking sideways. Behind him, Shaohui came to a halt. Dangjiang stole a glance with his peripheral vision: this time, the flower basket held bright, sparkling little fruits, the kind of goods that would clearly cost someone a fortune.
Terrified of reminding Shaohui that he still owed her a portion of the Golden Branch of the Moon Laurel, Dangjiang practically fled into the courtyard. The four lampstands in the courtyard shone with radiant light, and the round pool in the center had already turned a luminous white. He hurriedly pinched an incantation and activated the token.
"Go!"
A green-robed man materialized above the pool. Dangjiang was still somewhat absent-minded as Chi Buzi stepped out of the water. Glancing around, Chi Buzi saw that the dumb donkey was spacing out beside the pool, and frowned. "What fit are you throwing?"
Dangjiang let out an exasperated laugh and shook his head. "Last time, you suddenly demanded some parting gift or other—you had better compensate me!"
Having suffered such a huge loss, Dangjiang had remained bitter about it ever since. He had mentioned it a couple of years ago, only for Chi Buzi to treat it as a joke. Hearing it again now, Chi Buzi merely chuckled and replied, "Serves you right."
Chi Buzi had not come here to bicker with Dangjiang. Before the latter could flare up, he immediately frowned and said, "I caught that peacock for you. Do you have any news on your end?"
Dangjiang raised his brows and looked at him. Seeing that Chi Buzi not only bore no wounds but radiated an imposing aura, having hardly consumed any mana this time, he felt a grudging admiration inside. His mouth, however, was as stubborn as ever: "With the measly catches you've made back and forth... your efficiency is pathetic. These couple of demons are minor figures among the Violet Palace. Why don't you look in a mirror before pressing me for news every single day?"
Chi Buzi sneered and retorted, "Spare me! With how you try to reap without sowing, it's doing you a favor that I even bothered to catch another one for you. Do you have any news or not? What connections? Don't tell me you were just bragging."
This provoked Dangjiang instantly. He cursed, "You ungrateful wretch! Do you have any idea how much strategizing and greasing of palms I've done over these past few years? Night after night I couldn't sleep, and look at how many treasures of my own I expended... just to secure you an audience with an immortal general! And you have the nerve to—"
Hearing this, Chi Buzi raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise. "An audience with an immortal general?"
If anyone tried to claim this dumb donkey was skilled at scheming and strategizing, Chi Buzi would not believe a word of it. In their correspondence two years prior, Dangjiang had been evasive and vague, obviously having no clue what he was doing and likely having made zero progress. Now he was boasting of his brilliant maneuvers; more likely than not, he had simply stumbled into some stroke of dumb luck to pull it off.
'As long as it's done... it's a good thing. I'll meet this immortal general first and see... and I suppose I have to praise the dumb donkey a bit.'
Feigning astonishment, Chi Buzi voiced a few grudging words of thanks. Dangjiang burst out laughing, puffed up with pride. After chatting for a brief while, Dangjiang seemed to suddenly recall something and asked, still brooding over it: "Have you found Immortal Official Li yet?"
This was also something Dangjiang had tasked him with earlier, but unlike the Golden Core lineage, there was no concrete clue to follow. Chi Buzi, being far shrewder and more formidable than Dangjiang, smiled and replied: "What if I find him? What if I don't? Am I supposed to explain the truth of reincarnation to him? If that disrupts the arrangements from above, will the punishment fall on you or on me?"
That retort shut Dangjiang up completely. Yet he truly did not want to toil like a beast of burden every single day. He sighed for a long while before replying, "In any case... just look for him. If he has his memories, make some inquiries on my behalf."
To Chi Buzi, that was utter nonsense, but he firmly etched the information into his mind.
Through which family had he first made contact with the 'Heavens' and Dangjiang? The Wangyue Li family! And what kind of place was Lake Wangyue? It was where the Yuehua Yuan Mansion had once established its foundation...
Everything in these 'Heavens' was linked to Taiyin. Although it bore no resemblance to the Yuehua Yuan Mansion's recorded 'Donghua Heaven,' there was bound to be some connection!
If this so-called Immortal Official Li had received orders to reincarnate under his original surname, Chi Buzi's immediate thought was that very Real Person Donghua, Li Jiangqun!
This Real Person Donghua matched the description all too well... He possessed otherworldly magical techniques, astounding sword intent and cultivation, and carried the name of the Yuehua Yuan Mansion. Just how deep were these waters? Though the Chi family had witnessed those events firsthand, Chi Buzi had not received the full details because the Golden Core matters were withheld from written records, but he was certainly not foolish enough to pry into the underlying truths!
He brushed Dangjiang off with a casual remark, while Dangjiang lifted his chin and declared rather proudly, "First, I'll take you to meet my current superior, the fairy who holds the Shaoyin Wugui seat. Rein in that rustic air of yours—don't go sullying her immortal presence."
Chi Buzi wanted nothing more than to meet more figures. Following him to the front of the courtyard, Dangjiang took out a token from his sleeve, placed it in Chi Buzi's hand, and said, "You do not possess immortal registry, so you must hold this token. There are many important personages along the way—don't let your eyes wander."
This was rather unexpected to Chi Buzi. Reason dictated that since Yingze had not shown himself for so many years and had even abandoned the Mirage Mirror Grotto-Heaven of Qingsong Abbey, there should be fewer great cultivators in this place; otherwise, they wouldn't have dispatched this dumb donkey Dangjiang to receive him.
He hesitated briefly, but ultimately stepped out of the courtyard with him. Sure enough, waiting outside was a woman clad in a tea-white celestial gown, cradling a pipa in her arms with a stark white circular mark between her brows, looking over with raised eyebrows.
"Greetings, Lady Shaoyin Wugui!"
Chi Buzi offered a salute, immediately arriving at an assessment in his heart: 'A great Shaoyin cultivator who also possesses divine abilities... likely at the peak of the Violet Palace...'
Shaohui, however, froze slightly in front of him, suspicion rising in her mind: 'Strange... Why do I feel more irritated the longer I look at him? His appearance isn't that repulsive...'
She gave no outward indication, merely sweeping her gaze over him before turning to leave. Dangjiang hurried to follow. Chi Buzi walked at the very rear. Although two rows of heavenly soldiers stood solemn and awe-inspiring on the ground, the green-robed man did not spare them a second glance, looking instead toward the cultivators.
'No matter how solemn and majestic guards may appear, they could easily be puppets or some sort of divine ability...'
As he walked past, quite a few cultivators paused to pay attention, and several of higher standing even exchanged greetings with Shaohui. Chi Buzi cast a faint glance, thinking to himself: 'The dumb donkey was talking big to save face... Not a single person pays him any mind...'
Together, they arrived at a bright and splendid terrace painted with luminous moon patterns, where cold snow drifted and spiritual water encircled the area. After waiting on the terrace for a while, a handsome silver-armored immortal general traversed through the air toward them. Shaohui smiled and greeted, "Fellow Daoist Zhengao!"
Zhengao raised his eyebrows, looked at her, and nodded in reply. "Shaohui has arrived..."
The two exchanged brief pleasantries. Shaohui was clearly not one for flattery, and quickly shifted the topic: "Back then, Fellow Daoist entrusted Dangjiang to me. There are a few minor questions to consult you about—partly to fulfill my duty as his superior, and partly concerning the affairs of Taiyin..."
Zhengao nodded with a smile, his gaze sweeping lightly across the two of them. Once Shaohui had finished explaining the matter, the fairy maiden of the Shaoyin Wugui seat shook her tea-white celestial gown and cupped her hands. "I leave this to the immortal general to handle. It is not appropriate for Shaohui to remain here."
She withdrew gracefully. Dangjiang waited below; although he had met Zhengao before, those had all been private encounters, nothing like today's solemn and imposing setting, and he secretly grew timid.
Beside him, Chi Buzi was far calmer, yet the stature of this place had repeatedly exceeded his expectations, and with his own Golden Core Dao path at stake, he could not help but feel a flicker of anxiety. Seeing Dangjiang standing blankly up front like a turtle shrinking into its shell, Chi Buzi felt a throbbing headache: 'Dumb donkey...'
Chapter 798