“Hey, keep it down, don’t wake her up, seriously, get me some water, my throat’s hoarse from all that shouting.” Just moments ago, crying at the edge of the Milky Way like a child, now Lianlian sat on the chaise longue, proudly commanding Gudong. “Humph, I hope you choke on it.” Gudong replied unwillingly. “Immortal, we’ve arrived, and we’ve brought the goddess’s body.” The four great elders happily brought Xiaotu’s body to Qian Yulian. “Actually, I think Wang Xie is quite pitiful,” Lianlian said with pity, looking at the sleeping soul on the bed beside her. Such a man was truly a pity. “Humph, he deserves it for hurting our goddess like this,” said one of the elders, Elder Yu, fiercely. “Exactly, we won’t hand over our lady to such a person. If it were the Hundred Flower Prince, he would never let our lady suffer like this. Who knows how he’s doing now?” Huangtao Dantao said angrily. “Yes, the fate of the Hundred Flower Prince is unknown.” All of this… was nothing but a conspiracy by everyone, a plot to punish Wang Xie, to retrieve Xiaotu’s body. This way, Wang Xie would believe Xiaotu was dead and would not continue to pursue her, allowing Xiaotu to peacefully resume her role as the goddess. Xiaotu was protected by treasures and would be fine, especially since Qian Yulian had helped her channel energy that morning. Hopefully, this was for the best for both. A prank, and neither of the main characters knew. Ah… Hopefully, this wouldn’t end in tragedy…
Chapter 23 – White Hair
“Immortal, let’s return the goddess’s soul to her body quickly,” Elder Yin said. “…Alright.” With that, Lianlian, who had been drinking tea, hurriedly got up and went to the bedside. The soul was faint, much weaker than before, seeming as if a gentle touch would dissipate it, especially after enduring the “crystal rod.” Placing the body in the center, the four elders sat cross-legged around it. Qian Yulian began to gather Xiaotu’s soul once more, and suddenly, the entire room was enveloped in a light pink barrier. Yulian held the soul in her hands, which seemed to have no trace of existence. The soul of Gan slowly lifted above her body. The four great elders channeled their spiritual energy to force the soul back into her flesh, their movements slow and deliberate. Beads of sweat dripped from everyone’s forehead. Just as the soul completely entered the body, an immense spiritual force burst from the shell, hurling everyone out of the door. Those waiting outside saw five people being forcefully ejected by a powerful surge of true qi. The entire building collapsed with a thunderous crash.
Amidst the ruins, a peerlessly beautiful woman floated in mid-air, emitting a radiant light. She seemed like the sun at its zenith, noble and inviolable, making everything else appear insignificant. In the eyes of all, there was only awe and deep reverence. Xiaotu’s consciousness was gradually returning, her body slowly rising into the air. Tears unknowingly trickled from her eyes; she was crying, grieving for Shui Shui, for Baihua, and for Wangxie… Even in her semi-conscious state, tears flowed. This innocent, naive, and pitiable woman, who once knew only joy, now faced the harshness of reality, the pain of duty, and her heart ached.
No longer did she have knights to protect her; the beautiful princess was without her guardians. When would Xiaotu become the steadfast banyan tree for the princes, evergreen and resilient against dust and smoke? She realized she was still weak and needed to become strong to protect those she cared about. At that moment, she understood that from then on, she, Xiaotu, the “Spirit Cherry Goddess,” would no longer need protection; she would become the support for all.
Her delicate face gradually regained its luster, her shell-like lashes fluttered open, and her eyes, once as innocent as blank paper, now bore a deep resolve. Tears, one by one, crystal-clear, rolled down her cheeks… Never had anyone seen tears that could be so beautiful, stirring the heartstrings, touching the soul. Inadvertently, a sense of melancholy beauty filled the onlookers’ vision, her furrowed brows endearing. At that moment, all the cherry blossoms in the “Cherry Blossom Kingdom” bloomed instantly, petals dancing in the sky, as if sensing the sorrow of the “Spirit Cherry Goddess,” crying like tears, scattering across the land.
The citizens of the “Cherry Blossom Kingdom” gathered around the goddess’s palace, kneeling in reverence, unable to express their excitement. “Welcome back, Goddess, to the ‘Cherry Blossom Kingdom.’ We come to pay our respects,” said a group of ornately dressed officials as they bowed in homage. “The goddess has returned, our goddess has returned,” the people joyfully spread the news, the whole kingdom enveloped in an atmosphere of excitement. Perhaps joy is always fleeting. Suddenly, Xiaotu felt a sharp pain in her chest, and with a “puff,” she spat out a mouthful of black blood, staining her white garment. Her face turned ashen, the pink glow faded, and the pain in her chest was unbearable; her body plummeted uncontrollably.
Fortunately, a man quickly soared up, catching Xiaotu’s limp body in his arms. Her purple hair flew wildly as she coughed up mouthful after mouthful of black blood, her clothes stained as if dyed with ink, emitting a faint, strange odor, unlike the usual floral scent, yet not unpleasant… Like a dying white butterfly, she fell from the sky, and at that moment, the cherry blossom petals ceased their dance, turning withered and black.
The four elders hurriedly set up a barrier to prevent the outside populace from seeing the scene and causing a riot. “Zuo Xiang, thank you. Please explain to the officials to avoid unnecessary trouble,” Elder Feng Xing, one of the four elders, said to the man who saved Xiaotu. The man glanced at Xiaotu and then stepped out of the barrier. Everyone surrounded Xiaotu; Strawberry Pudding, holding back tears, bit her lip, wiping the black blood continuously flowing from Xiaotu’s mouth, her once rosy lips now a deep black, her pale face showing barely a hint of breath, as if she was on the verge of departure.
“Immortal, come quickly, see what’s wrong with the goddess?” the youngest Elder Huohu cried, holding Xiaotu, his voice breaking.
“Black poppy, that’s black poppy,” a voice trembled with fear, Lian Lian’s beautiful eyes wide with terror, repeating the words.
Upon hearing “black poppy,” the faces of the four elders turned ashen. “Hey, what’s wrong with you, speak up,” Gudong, noticing something amiss, looked at her anxiously.
“Yes, this is black poppy. How’s the effect, huh? Haha, your goddess is truly doomed this time. Who would’ve thought she had two souls? She was lucky before, but not this time,” a woman in red said menacingly, her sharp nails painted blood-red, pointing at the barely breathing Xiaotu. The woman’s figure was striking, her attire revealing, her red bellyband barely containing her ample bosom, covered only by a thin garment, exuding a seductive allure. However, her face, marred by scars, would likely evoke fear rather than desire.
“Senior Sister, you cannot do this, you must not,” Lian Lian suddenly roared, confronting the woman.
Senior Sister? Everyone was shocked. This scantily clad, fierce-looking woman was actually the senior sister of “Sleeping Lotus Fairy,” known as “Fire Lotus Fairy.” Both were once disciples under the Queen Mother of the West in Yaochi. Both were stunningly beautiful; Sleeping Lotus was playful and mischievous, while Fire Lotus was seductive and fiery. In their youth, both were coveted by gods, but Sleeping Lotus’s pranks scared away many suitors, while Fire Lotus, proud of her beauty, was cunning. Centuries later, for reasons unknown, Fire Lotus was banished to the Demon Realm by the Queen Mother, leaving Sleeping Lotus to enjoy the affections of the immortals alone.
