I fell silent, quietly eating dinner that tasted like nothing.
Seeing her preparing medicine, I lightly coughed, “After the souls return, I’ll ask the Supreme God to transfer me to Yao Pool. I won’t return here.”
Her hand stopped abruptly. I gently shook my head, the pain in my chest tugging. I looked up at her proud yet unmistakably hurt eyes, “True Woman, I know we can no longer be as close as before. But I know if I’m in danger, you’ll come save me, and if you’re in danger, I’ll save you. I’m not leaving because I think my departure will make you relax or happy. I’m just tired and want to live somewhere new.”
Her expression stiffened, “You don’t need to leave. This Qiong Yu Palace is so large, with so many villages. Can’t you just change locations? Must you move away? What will Ah Gong and other divine lords think?”
I scratched my head, blocked by her, “But Qiong Yu Palace is for immortals with divine duties. After recovering my memories, I certainly won’t continue as Rebirth Lord.”
So when I first appeared here, no one knew my past, only knowing I was a low-ranking god sent by the Supreme God to a desolate village.
Zhen Nü was still not done teaching a lesson, increasingly furious.
Back then, when you were captured by divine soldiers and brought to the Heavenly Court, the Supreme God sent people to investigate the matter. When Mu Chuan learned of this, he released a death notice – he searched for you all the way and was harmed in the Ghost Forest. After you heard this news, you truly believed he was dead and didn’t dare to look for him, crying in your room every day. If you loved him, why didn’t you search for him? You were afraid he was really dead, so you didn’t dare or want to look, but it was precisely because of your avoidance that you were separated for a thousand years!
Mu Chuan went to the River of Bones to save you, giving you his life force – both the Supreme God and I know about this. How could someone who can sacrifice their life to save another be considered a great evil? It was precisely because of this that I advised the Supreme God to stop the war and make a covenant of eternal non-aggression with the Ghost Realm. He was willing to die for you, and the great war could have been avoided. However, because of your cowardice, the Supreme God continued to send people to investigate, not knowing the person was the Ghost King. The Ghost King detected the investigation from the divine realm and thus started the divine-ghost war!
I looked at her with teary eyes: “I know I was wrong. I’m worthless, not even as good as a stone. I’m a sinner, I’ll go sit in the corner…”
Zhen Nü rubbed her forehead, “You’re always so heartless.”
Being heartless had become a habit, always thinking this would prevent hurt, but in reality, the wounds were even deeper. I sniffled and wiped my tears, then suddenly asked, “Qing Su Su? Isn’t Qing a surname for mortals?”
Zhen Nü glanced at me, returning to her aloof demeanor: “Yes, we cultivated in the same spiritual spring, and later incarnated into the human world, so we took mortal surnames.”
I asked enthusiastically: “Spiritual spring? What kind of spirit body am I? A fish?”
“No.”
“A spring?”
“No.”
I said frustratedly: “A spirit grass growing in the spring?” Seeing her still shake her head, I shouted, “Then what am I!”
Zhen Nü, barely containing her laughter, said: “A stone.”
…I was stunned. My true form was actually a stone! This god was actually a stone! If other foolish gods found out, they’d definitely call me Stone-Head-Lord!
I asked unwillingly: “What about you?”
Zhen Nü raised her eyes: “Residing in the spiritual spring…” she looked at me, “A dragon maiden.”
…This is unscientific! Absolutely unscientific!
The rear hall’s garden corridor wound around, walking about three hundred meters. Now in summer, the clear water rippled, and light reflected on the shore’s pavilion, with fish shadows swimming in the cool pavilion. I looked up at the swimming fish, then looked outside the pavilion, and there sat an old man in a water-ink colored long robe on a stone.
Seeing he hadn’t noticed me, I walked over, hearing him humming some tune I couldn’t understand, though the melody was pleasant. I idly played with the jade pendant in my hand, wondering if I should remind him of my arrival.
“Enjoy life’s pleasures to the fullest, don’t let the golden cup face the moon in vain.”
As soon as the words fell, he raised the fish basket and pulled up a red carp. The Upper God burst into hearty laughter and then fell into contemplation, letting the fish dive back into the water. I had been drooling, thinking about the delicious fish soup, but now my dream was shattered. I angrily asked, “Why did you let it go!”
The Upper God pondered, “All creatures have spirits. Let’s give it a chance to live.”
“Nonsense! Tell the truth!”
“I pulled a muscle…”
“…Who told an old bag of bones to laugh so wildly…”
I looked disgusted, seeing him rub himself before recovering, squinting and saying, “Upper God, you called me here, didn’t treat me to a meal, didn’t give me a raise. Did you just want me to help you bait fish?”
He gave me a sidelong glance: “Do I look like someone that bored?”
“Yes…”
Silence…
The Upper God coughed twice, put down the fish basket, with a serious expression: “Three days from now, it will be the time when your soul is unsealed. When the soul returns, you’ll have a task to complete.”
I instinctively looked around, seeing no mission god present. I blinked, “What task?”
The Upper God’s pupils contracted slightly, speaking slowly: “You might not know, a thousand years ago, you led troops to ambush the Ghost King, but there are too many doubts. The Ghost King’s cultivation is powerful, beyond comparison with ordinary people. Dozens of high-level immortals couldn’t contain him, let alone some divine soldiers. If you truly wanted to kill him, how could you do something so uncertain?”
“Does Upper God suspect someone instigated conflict back then, deliberately leading me and Mu Chuan into a trap, causing our falling out?” Seeing him nod, I frowned and thought for a moment, “You want me to find the mastermind when my memories return?”
“Indeed. With such an immortal around, the divine realm is unstable, and it’s dangerous for you. When the soul returns, due to the overwhelming memories, some will definitely be forgotten.”
If you catch those memories, you must forcibly remember them, don’t let them escape.”
I shook my head. “I can’t guarantee that.”
After all, no immortal has had such an experience, and no one knows what will happen.
The Upper God pondered for a moment. “You’re right. With the soul returning to the body, we don’t even know if life can be preserved, let alone capturing scattered soul fragments.”
I looked at him. The True Woman hadn’t told me about this – she only said it might not succeed, but didn’t mention risking my life. I swallowed and hugged his leg, wailing, “Upper God, save me! I don’t want that soul anymore. I’m fine as I am!”
“There’s a way to help you pass through safely, and without much effort.”
“What way!”
The Upper God slightly closed his eyes, with a profound expression. “Seal the released soul. The person casting the spell must have high cultivation and the ability to seal.”
I was confused. Among people I know, no one seems to have this ability. I scratched my head and asked, “Could Upper God be more specific?”
“Qing Yuan, the Great Priest with the Cold Ice Body.”
“Pfft…” I almost spat blood and rolled my eyes. “He won’t help me. I’m not even in his sight.”
The Upper God sighed. “Your intelligence is truly frustrating. Do you think you must seek him directly?”
I twisted my mouth. “You’re not suggesting I go find Mu Chuan, are you?”
“Indeed.”
Damn you!
