Chapter 40
Ming Jian Su wasn’t sleepy, but she wanted to spend a little more time with Feng Chiyue, so she slipped back onto the bed after removing her shoes and socks. She pulled Feng Chiyue into her embrace, her gaze tracing the delicate features of her face, imprinting her image deep within her soul.
She didn’t know when she had raised her hand, but her fingers were already caressing Feng Chiyue’s lips. The sleeping figure, finding it bothersome, opened her lips slightly and nibbled on Ming Jian Su’s index finger. A tingling sensation spread through Ming Jian Su’s body, like countless feathers brushing against her skin.
She lowered her eyelids, intending to withdraw her hand. But before she could move, Feng Chiyue opened her eyes, sleepily. She pushed Ming Jian Su away, her voice laced with annoyance. “Why are you disturbing my sweet dreams?” To prevent further interruptions, she rolled away, putting some distance between them.
The flicker of desire in Ming Jian Su’s heart was extinguished by Feng Chiyue’s blunt rejection. The warmth of her embrace dissipated, and she gazed at Feng Chiyue with a hint of sadness. “Junior Sister?” she said softly.
Feng Chiyue glanced at her and covered her ears with her hands.
Ming Jian Su: “…” All the warmth and affection she had felt shattered. She looked at the “resistant” figure, a wave of displeasure rising within her. She moved closer to Feng Chiyue, intending to complain about her heartlessness, when Feng Chiyue spoke again. “Elder Sister, I’m also tired. Unless you let me lie down…”
Ming Jian Su: “?” It took her a moment to understand what Feng Chiyue was implying. A blush crept up her cheeks.
“Do you think I’m like you?” she muttered to herself, then pulled the lazy Feng Chiyue onto her lap. “The verification of the Feather Clan population is complete, and the qualifications of all officials of Feather Clan origin have been reviewed. We need to prepare for the upcoming examination. When do you think would be the most appropriate time, Junior Sister?”
Feng Chiyue’s eyelids fluttered. She pursed her lips and remained silent, then reached out and untied Ming Jian Su’s belt with a swift tug. Ming Jian Su was startled and hurriedly grabbed her hand. Feng Chiyue smiled brightly. “Daylight doesn’t matter,” she said, then cast a spell, shrouding the hall in darkness, as if night had fallen once more. Ming Jian Su understood her intentions. Even though she held the title of Celestial Feather Ministry Head, expecting her to actually work was out of the question.
By the time Ming Jian Su emerged from the Dharma Hall, fully dressed and composed, it was already noon.
Zhu Wan, unsurprised, finished feeding the small birds near the swing before going off to practice her swordsmanship.
Ming Jian Su checked the Chaos Mirror. The sheer number of messages was overwhelming. She saw Feng Yao’s name seal flashing and clicked on it. The message was simple: “I’m sorry.” She had clearly asked the elders after returning to Phoenix Mountain. Ming Jian Su didn’t care what she had learned. As long as she didn’t try to take her junior sister away, it was fine.
“Are you chatting with other Phoenixes again?” After the “phoenix feather” incident, Feng Chiyue was extremely wary of her own kind. Whenever Ming Jian Su interacted with anyone even remotely related to “Phoenixes,” she would frown and sulk.
“No,” Ming Jian Su said quickly. She glanced thoughtfully at a fierce green bird among the flock fighting over food, then nonchalantly looked away. Turning to Feng Chiyue, she smiled. “I’m just reading something funny.”
“What’s so funny?” Feng Chiyue asked, her attention successfully diverted.
“The fire in Danxue Mountain won’t go out. The Vermilion Birds, Bifangs, and others have been forced to relocate.”
Feng Chiyue sighed dramatically. “Seems their pockets are quite deep.”
“It’ll all be yours eventually,” Ming Jian Su said without hesitation. She wasn’t particularly interested in the news of the Vermilion Birds’ relocation. After browsing through the Chaos Mirror, her gaze fell on a new message: “The Emperor’s daughter is visiting the West Sea?” She frowned. The Four Seas Department was also planning reforms similar to those in the Celestial Feather Ministry. Did the Emperor’s daughter’s visit to the West Sea represent the Heavenly Emperor or the Celestial Mother? Was she going to support the reforms or obstruct them before they even began?
“Why not the East Sea?” Feng Chiyue asked, surprised. She had heard from Ying Cunxin that everything was going well. Now that the Emperor’s daughter was visiting the West Sea, did that mean she was abandoning Ying Cunxin and had taken an interest in one of those crooked melons from the West Sea? If that happened, Ying Cunxin, with her admiration for strength and nothing better to do, might set her sights on her Elder Sister.
In the Dragon Palace of the West Sea.
Ao Bei, the Dragon King, was also baffled when he heard about the Emperor’s daughter’s visit.
The relationship between the West Sea and the Heavenly Court was neither good nor bad. At least when there were no major incidents, they maintained a peaceful coexistence. The West Sea was nominally affiliated with the Heavenly Court, and they occasionally interacted, but even Star Monarchs rarely visited them on official business, let alone the Emperor’s daughter herself. As for personal connections, he couldn’t think of anyone in the entire West Sea Dragon Palace who was close to her.
Having impulsively decided to visit the West Sea Dragon Palace, Chu Yi was starting to regret it. But thinking of Ying Cunxin’s pale and sickly face, a wave of anger surged within her. Fortunately, she still had some sense left. Upon meeting the Dragon King, she managed to maintain her composure. After exchanging some pleasantries, she casually mentioned Ao Chaofeng, claiming to have heard of his great reputation and expressing a desire to spar with him.
Ao Bei, hearing her words, felt relieved. As long as the Heavenly Court wasn’t planning to interfere with the Four Seas Alliance or the Four Seas Department, everything was fine. He had heard about the Emperor’s daughter’s love for combat and didn’t think too much of it. He simply summoned Ao Chaofeng from the depths of the sea.
Ever since being stripped of his scales by Feng Chiyue and failing to incite the Four Seas to avenge him, Ao Chaofeng had been confined to the depths, living a miserable and sunless existence. Even his Chaos Mirror had been confiscated, supposedly to help him “cultivate his character.” Seeing Chu Yi, he assumed she was here to discuss plans to deal with “Feng Chiyue.” Noticing that there were no other immortals present, he lowered his voice. “Does Your Highness need my assistance in dealing with Feng Chiyue?”
Chu Yi was taken aback, unable to follow his train of thought. After a moment, she looked at him indifferently. “Have you heard that the East Abode Master has returned?”
Ao Chaofeng was stunned, as if struck by lightning. If Ming Jian Su had returned, his plans for revenge were dashed! Desperation appeared on his face, but Chu Yi ignored him. She unsheathed her magic sword, summoning a brilliant beam of sword light. “You can inquire about the events in Dong’e Mountain on the Chaos Mirror later, Fellow Daoist,” she said calmly. “I’m here today to spar with you.”
“As the West Sea Dragon Prince and one of the most outstanding cultivators of your generation, you wouldn’t refuse my invitation, would you?”
Ao Chaofeng wasn’t in the mood to fight. He just wanted to know what had happened recently. But with Chu Yi phrasing it like that, refusing would be a disgrace to the West Sea. He took a deep breath and finally adopted the demeanor befitting a West Sea Dragon Prince. “Let us begin,” he said.
Ao Chaofeng had been defeated by Feng Chiyue, and Chu Yi was confident she could defeat him as well. However, she had learned her lesson from her previous carelessness and underestimation in the Ethereal Spirit Realm. Even with victory in her grasp, she wouldn’t let her guard down. As she unleashed her sword light, her eyes flashed coldly, and her sword radiated a murderous aura.
The sword danced through the air, leaving behind a trail of afterimages. By the time Ao Chaofeng snapped out of his daze, a wave of sword intent crashed towards him. Caught off guard, his movements became frantic and clumsy. Seeing the ferocity of her attack, his eyelids twitched, and a sense of foreboding washed over him.
Noticing his seriousness, a cold glint flashed in Chu Yi’s eyes. She unleashed her sword intent, a beam of light several times more powerful than before slicing through the air, shattering his watery defenses. After fighting for about half an hour, Ao Chaofeng could no longer hold on. He leaped back, deflected her sword beam with a clang, and bowed. “I concede!”
Chu Yi looked down at him, concealing her disgust. With such meager skills, he still dared to dream of marrying Ying Cunxin? Without commenting, she sought out the West Sea Dragon King. When he mentioned the spar, she said casually, as if in passing, “The Dragon Prince should focus on cultivating his Dao, not on matters of the heart.”
“Matters of the heart?” Ao Bei thought he had misheard her. He was about to inquire further, but Chu Yi seemed to have lost interest in elaborating. “Farewell,” she said, then left the Dragon Palace. The more Ao Bei thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. When Ao Chaofeng approached, a realization dawned on him. Ao Chaofeng must have been causing trouble with women outside, and the Heavenly Court had been alerted. The Emperor’s daughter’s request for a spar was actually a warning. Furious, he glared at his son and ordered him to be confined, preventing him from causing further trouble.
Chu Yi didn’t care about Ao Chaofeng’s fate. She had recorded their fight and, upon leaving the West Sea, sent the complete footage to Ying Cunxin. She refused to believe that Ying Cunxin would “miss the forest for the trees.” She had solved her worries, so would Ying Cunxin really use her and then discard her? She should at least wait until she figured out the reason for her sudden improvement in cultivation and defeated her once!
In the Dragon Palace of the East Sea.
Ying Cunxin, having received no further communication from Chu Yi, felt a pang of unease. Had she gone too far? Should she just forget about it? The Heavenly Court wasn’t the only “tree” she could cling to. She almost sent Chu Yi a message, but she restrained herself. After much hesitation and deliberation, she finally made a decision. But just as she was about to suppress her curiosity and admiration for Chu Yi, a new message arrived. It was footage of Ao Chaofeng being brutally defeated. She watched it intently, her previously perfect and flawless face cracking slightly. “You went to the West Sea?” she asked, her voice filled with disbelief.
Chu Yi wasn’t one to shy away from taking credit for her actions. Seeing Ying Cunxin’s reply, she smiled. “Yes, for you.”
Ying Cunxin: “…” Just because she had mentioned the possibility of marrying someone from the West Sea? Was the Emperor’s daughter jealous? But they had only met a few times in the Ethereal Spirit Realm. Wasn’t it a bit too early to be head over heels in love? The Emperor’s daughter was destined to become the Heavenly Emperor. Her destined partner would surely be born in the Great Yin Palace. If she pursued a relationship with her, wouldn’t it be awkward in the future? After a moment of internal debate, she replied with a sigh, “Thank you,” then hurriedly deleted the Emperor’s daughter’s name seal.
“No need to thank me,” Chu Yi replied casually. “Let’s have a match in the Ethereal Spirit Realm.” However, the message failed to send. The two characters “Cunxin,” previously linked to her name seal, had vanished from the Chaos Mirror. Chu Yi thought she was hallucinating, but after searching the entire Chaos Mirror, she couldn’t find any trace of Ying Cunxin. Had she really deleted her?! A wave of anger surged through her, her face darkening.
After deleting Chu Yi’s name seal, Ying Cunxin sighed for a while. In many ways, Chu Yi was exactly what she wanted. Giving up on her felt like a wasted opportunity. She lay on her shell bed for a long time, attending to a few urgent matters. By midnight, she had finally regained her energy. She had exchanged name seals with many wandering immortals and officials on the Chaos Mirror, mostly from the Water Tribe, but she didn’t feel like confiding in any of them. After staring blankly into space for a while, she finally found Feng Chiyue’s name seal and clicked on it. She had added her under the pretense of wanting to learn about the Celestial Feather Ministry, but they had never actually discussed it. The most frequent words appearing in their chat history were “Chu Yi.”
“I’m starting to think the Emperor’s daughter is nothing special,” she sent a message to Feng Chiyue, though it was more for herself than anyone else.
Feng Chiyue was still awake. Ming Jian Su was busy preparing for the Celestial Feather Ministry examination, while she nestled in her embrace, watching absurd and fantastical plays on the Chaos Mirror, thoroughly entertained. She would occasionally tug on Ming Jian Su’s sleeve to comment on a scene, while also feeding her pills and pastries. Ming Jian Su had a thousand reasons to be resentful about working through the night, but seeing Feng Chiyue’s happy smile, her frustration gradually dissipated.
After finishing a play, Feng Chiyue finally opened Ying Cunxin’s message. She frowned as she read it, alarm bells ringing in her mind. Instead of replying, she looked up at Ming Jian Su. “Elder Sister, do you like dragons?”
“Hm?” Ming Jian Su lowered her gaze. “True dragons possess innate intelligence and are considered Heavenly Immortals. We can’t eat their meat,” she said gently, trying to reason with her.
Relieved, Feng Chiyue hummed in acknowledgment and went back to fiddling with the Chaos Mirror, continuing her conversation with Ying Cunxin.
“Tell me more.”
Ying Cunxin hadn’t expected a reply. Seeing those two words, her desire to confide surged within her. But what could she say? After a moment, she typed, “The Emperor’s daughter’s cultivation is inferior to the East Abode Master’s.”
Feng Chiyue frowned, a wave of anger rising within her. She almost deleted Ying Cunxin. Taking a deep breath, she suppressed her irritation. “She’s also inferior to the West River Master. Chu Yi said so herself.” Since Chu Yi wasn’t of any value, she would find a new target. She couldn’t let Ying Cunxin set her sights on her Elder Sister! Bai Guchan, the West River Master, was a tiger who had achieved enlightenment. A dragon fighting a tiger sounded quite entertaining. “Elder Sister, do you have any connection with Bai Guchan?” she asked, grabbing Ming Jian Su’s hand.
Ming Jian Su shook her head. “We’re not close.” If her junior sister hadn’t mentioned him, she wouldn’t have even remembered this colleague. He was the epitome of a recluse. Among all the immortals in the Heavenly Court, he was surely the most detached from worldly affairs. “Why are you thinking about the West River Master, Junior Sister?” she asked, more concerned about this sudden interest.
Feng Chiyue had no secrets from Ming Jian Su. She handed her the Chaos Mirror. “Ying Cunxin is tired of the Emperor’s daughter and asked me to find her a new toy.”
Ming Jian Su: “?” She couldn’t see any such intentions in the Dragon Princess’s words. But upon seeing the words “East Abode Master” in their conversation, her self-preservation instincts kicked in. She decided not to speak up for Ying Cunxin. “Fellow Daoist Bai Guchan resides in West River Mountain and rarely interacts with other officials. However, he visits Mount Sumeru on the first and fifteenth of every month,” she said, answering Feng Chiyue’s question.
“Mount Sumeru? Isn’t that where the wandering immortals live?” Feng Chiyue asked curiously.
“It’s the Pure Lotus Immortal’s abode.”
Who was the Pure Lotus Immortal? Feng Chiyue had no recollection, but she didn’t care. She sent a message to Ying Cunxin: “If you want to meet the West River Master, wait for him on the path between West River Mountain and Mount Sumeru on the first or fifteenth of every month.” They weren’t even friends. She had done more than enough. Putting away the Chaos Mirror, she smiled contentedly. “I’m such a good person.”
Ming Jian Su blinked, her conscience conveniently forgotten. “You’re the kindest person in the Immortal Realm, Junior Sister.”
Ying Cunxin, receiving Feng Chiyue’s advice, frowned. She searched her memories for “West River Master” but couldn’t even recall his appearance. Since she had no desire to sleep or cultivate, she decided to gather some information on him. Browsing through the Chaos Mirror, she mostly found legends like “Wandering Immortal Feeds Tiger with His Own Flesh, West River Master Achieves Buddhahood,” but nothing about his appearance. It was as if a veil of mystery shrouded him, piquing her curiosity. Should she go and see him? The fifteenth had already passed. The first was still some time away. She would think about it.
—
The night stretched on endlessly.
Chu Yi challenged over a dozen immortals in the Ethereal Spirit Realm, but the frustration in her heart wouldn’t dissipate.
The Emperor’s daughter had never suffered such humiliation!
Perhaps Ying Cunxin had deleted her accidentally? Or maybe the East Sea Dragon King had restricted her social interactions? Would she come looking for her tomorrow when she realized her name seal was gone? Clinging to these hopes, Chu Yi waited until the next day, but even with countless messages appearing on the Chaos Mirror, there was no sign of Ying Cunxin. She even saw messages left by Ying Cunxin, indicating that she hadn’t abandoned the Chaos Mirror. She was doing this deliberately!
Chu Yi was furious.
However, she didn’t confront Ying Cunxin. Instead, she flew towards Dong’e Mountain. Her opponents in the Ethereal Spirit Realm were too weak. She needed a stronger opponent to vent her pent-up frustration. She had sparred with Ming Yu Heng countless times, and those matches had lost their appeal. Her relationship with Chang Li was terrible. Bai Guchan was impossible to find. That left Ming Jian Su as her only option, and besides, defeating her had always been one of her goals.
Ming Jian Su, who had been working tirelessly through the night, had no desire to deal with Chu Yi.
But she was lazy, her junior sister was even lazier, and Zhu Wan was too timid to handle the Emperor’s daughter. Out of the entire Dong’e Mountain, she was the only one capable of dealing with this! She sat up, grumbling inwardly, but just as she was about to get out of bed, Feng Chiyue wrapped her arms around her waist.
“I’ll handle it. It’ll be quick,” Ming Jian Su said, soothingly.
Feng Chiyue didn’t want Ming Jian Su to meet Chu Yi alone. Chu Yi had always had a tendency to cling to her Elder Sister.
Initially, she had thought that with Chu Yi entangled with Ying Cunxin, Dong’e Mountain would be peaceful. But that useless Chu Yi couldn’t even win over a Dragon Princess and had the audacity to come here looking for trouble.
Ming Jian Su sighed and resigned herself to her fate. She helped Feng Chiyue with her hair and makeup, and by the time they finally emerged, half an hour had passed. Chu Yi had had several cups of tea and some spirit fruits. Her initial anger had subsided. When she heard the sound of bells, she only raised her eyelids slightly, glancing at the inseparable pair. Wouldn’t it be more convenient for Feng Chiyue to transform into a small bird and nestle in Ming Jian Su’s arms?
Ming Jian Su forced a smile. “Apologies for the late welcome, Your Highness.”
Chu Yi frowned, aware that she was an unwelcome guest. But she didn’t leave, remaining seated. “Is the East Abode Master available today?” she asked directly.
“No,” Feng Chiyue replied on Ming Jian Su’s behalf. “The Celestial Feather Ministry is undergoing reforms. Everything needs to be rebuilt from scratch. We’re severely understaffed, and my Elder Sister is burdened with countless trivial matters. She doesn’t have a single moment of free time.”
Chu Yi: “…” What kind of immortal official claimed to be busy but didn’t open their doors until noon?! Instead of arguing with Feng Chiyue, she smiled. “Then is Fellow Daoist Feng available?” She didn’t believe Feng Chiyue would actually handle any Celestial Feather Ministry matters. It was definitely Ming Jian Su doing all the work.
“No, I need to keep an eye on my Elder Sister,” Feng Chiyue replied without hesitation. She disliked Chu Yi and was already annoyed by her presence. After a moment, she asked deliberately, “Why aren’t you with Ying Cunxin?”
Chu Yi: “…” Her anger flared at the mention of that name.
Feigning ignorance of Chu Yi’s displeasure, Feng Chiyue continued, “Ying Cunxin has been inquiring about the West River Master. You’re the Emperor’s daughter. You know all the Heavenly Court officials. Why don’t you enlighten her?”
“The West River Master?” The West Sea and the East Sea were both seas, but West River was a mountain. They were completely unrelated. What did Ying Cunxin want with the West River Master?
“The Dragon Princess has such a wide social circle, making friends wherever she goes. Elder Sister, should I learn from her?” Feng Chiyue said.
Even though she knew Feng Chiyue was deliberately provoking Chu Yi, Ming Jian Su felt a twinge of annoyance. She grabbed Chu Yi’s hand. “You shouldn’t,” she said firmly.
Chu Yi, having regained her composure, agreed. “Exactly!” Shouldn’t Ying Cunxin at least offer an explanation? How could she just unilaterally end their relationship? Was she that heartless? Damn that fickle dragon! Her initial intention to challenge Ming Jian Su had vanished. She couldn’t sit still any longer. “Farewell,” she said, then left in a hurry.
Feng Chiyue watched her leave, a smile on her lips. After a while, she stroked Ming Jian Su’s fingers and said softly, “You’re quite popular in the Heavenly Court, Elder Sister. It seems peace and quiet is a luxury I can’t afford.”
“It’s just the Emperor’s daughter who wants to challenge me,” Ming Jian Su replied.
Feng Chiyue tilted her head and looked at her. “What about Ming Yu Heng?”
Like Ming Jian Su, Ming Yu Heng was a Human Immortal who had ascended from the mortal realm, though a few years later. They had a good relationship, and after becoming the East Abode Master, Ming Jian Su had shown her much kindness. In the past, Ming Yu Heng had frequently visited Dong’e Mountain, but those visits had gradually ceased.
Firstly, she was busy with official duties. Secondly, she had once addressed Ming Jian Su as “Elder Sister” within Feng Chiyue’s earshot. Feng Chiyue hadn’t thrown a tantrum, but she had refused to eat or sleep, sulking in a corner and ignoring everyone. How could Ming Jian Su possibly allow Ming Yu Heng to call her “Elder Sister” after that?
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