Ya jing · Goddess Palace
Duan Yushan, disheveled, stood at the steps below the palace, gazing up at the woman before him.
He clasped his hands in a salute: “Thank you, Goddess, for saving me. Without you, I’d likely have fallen into the demons’ hands again.”
The woman, veiled in mist, stood proud like an immortal of the Nine Heavens, solemn and majestic: “No need for formalities. Follow the fairy maiden to heal your wounds.”
Duan Yushan hesitated, lingering: “The Goddess’s divine powers are vast, able to save me from the demons’ clutches with extraordinary methods. I’m deeply grateful. But my disciples are still trapped. Could the Goddess extend her divine aid once more…”
“Duan Yushan.”
The woman cut him off.
“Those in high positions must make sacrifices. You are a pillar of the Confucian sect. With the demon path growing stronger and the Holy Demon rising, you must rest and recover now, biding your time to avenge your disciples later.”
Duan Yushan’s heart sank, his expression torn. Seeing the woman unmoved, he finally replied in anguish: “Yes, thank you, Goddess.”
The fairy maiden led Duan Yushan away.
A shrunken phoenix perched on the Goddess’s shoulder: “That task assistant is quite capable. Rescuing Duan Yushan used far less energy than we estimated. Why not help him save his disciples too?”
“No need.”
The Goddess said, “But the Holy Demon is ruthless and cunning. That tasker managed to save people from the Holy Demon twice—quite remarkable.”
“She said she has friends in the demon path, didn’t she?”
[Source of infinite good stories, all at Jinjiang Literature City]
“You believe that?”
The Goddess sneered. “Before the Holy Demon, there’s no persuasion, only submission. No one can sway the Holy Demon’s will. Her ability to save people means she’s earned the Holy Demon’s approval. She must have some unspeakable methods… But if she can help me eliminate the Holy Demon and destroy the demon path, I won’t pry.”
[Source of infinite good stories, all at Jinjiang Literature City]
Wuyin Village
Near noon, the kitchen was alive with cooking, wisps of smoke curling upward.
Yingran and Xu Liling sat at the kitchen doorway, waiting for the rice to cook, each holding a grass stem.
The stems tangled as they tugged.
With a faint snap, Xu Liling’s stem broke.
Xu Liling: “You win.”
Yingran pouted, feeling little joy in the victory.
She knew he’d let her win.
Xu Liling tossed his stem aside, noticing her displeasure: “What’s wrong?”
Yingran shook her head, eyes lowered, avoiding his gaze.
The Xu Liling of a thousand years ago not only made her realize that the Xu Liling of a thousand years later had always been letting her win, but also stirred complex feelings in her.
Not quite dislike.
But recalling his teasing, malice, mockery, and warnings in her dreams, Yingran struggled to control her emotions and not take it out on the Xu Liling before her.
She knew it wasn’t his fault.
So, after withdrawing from the task spacetime last night, she’d been sorting through her feelings, and she was still doing so now.
She figured she’d need just a bit more time to face him normally.
Xu Liling fell silent, then dampened a cloth with water and gently wiped her hands, dirtied from playing with the grass. “You woke up shortly after falling asleep last night and didn’t sleep again until the second half of the night. Something on your mind?”
Yingran was surprised: “How did you know?”
Last night, after waking, she’d lain in bed staring blankly. He’d been beside her, eyes closed, seemingly asleep.
Xu Liling: “I wasn’t asleep.”
Yingran paused, then sighed softly. “Just had a dream.”
Her voice softened, and she leaned toward Xu Liling.
After he finished wiping her hands, she rested her head on his shoulder.
No matter what, that was the Xu Liling of a thousand years ago. Having suffered betrayal by kin, it was normal for him to trust no one.
If she was angry, it should be at that Xu Liling, not her Huaizhen.
Xu Liling: “What did you dream about?”
Yingran: “I dreamed you were bad, bullying me.”
Xu Liling: “How did I bully you?”
Yingran: “I can’t remember clearly. Hard to say.”
Xu Liling: “I bullied you in your dream, so you woke up mad at me.”
It was like last time.
Yingran hadn’t thought much of it, but hearing him say it made her laugh. “I can’t help it. Seeing you makes me think of the dream, and I get mad.”
Xu Liling: “What do we do then?”
Yingran: “What do we do? Same as last time—hit you.”
She raised her hand toward his face.
Xu Liling watched her, neither dodging nor flinching.
At the last moment, her palm softened, gently touching his cheek.
The kitchen filled with the toasty aroma of rice.
Yingran gasped: “It’s done!”
She sat up straight, nudging him to the kitchen to turn off the fire.
Uncle Xi and Aunt Huan returned from the fields just then, Aunt Huan carrying a basket.
Yingran called out, “Perfect timing! Let’s eat together.”
Uncle Xi was surprised: “You’ve already cooked? I was going to make locust flower pancakes for you.”
Yingran took the basket, peering inside at the snow-white locust flowers, equally surprised: “Locust flowers at this time of year?”
“There’s still some at the foot of the mountain near Wuyin Village. Nowhere else has them anymore. We stopped by after tending the vegetable patch, so we’re a bit late,” Uncle Xi said. “Sorry to trouble you, making us dinner too.”
Yingran smiled: “We’re staying at your place. If you say that, we’ll feel embarrassed.”
Uncle Xi chuckled, waving it off: “Alright, alright, no more formalities. We’ll have locust flower pancakes tonight.”
Yingran set the basket down. Uncle Xi and Aunt Huan brought a small table outside, and Yingran and Xu Liling served the food.
The four sat down to eat.
Since Xu Liling couldn’t gauge saltiness well, Yingran had tasted the dishes, and the flavors were just right.
Uncle Xi and Aunt Huan showered them with praise.
Yingran ate happily, but suddenly recalled the woman from the Fourth Life Palace in her dream saying, “The lord prefers light, delicate spiritual food…” She glanced at Xu Liling.
Leaning closer, she whispered, “Does this food taste bland to you?”
Xu Liling: “It’s fine.”
How could it be fine?
To him now, it must be tasteless.
Yingran thought about mentioning the bag of hundred-flower candied fruit she’d brought, which might let him taste a hint of sweet floral fragrance.
But then she remembered—the woman from the Fourth Life Palace and Xu Liling in her dream both said he didn’t like hundred-flower candied fruit.
Yingran glanced at the green bamboo pattern on his waistband, took a deep breath, and asked casually, as if chatting: “Huaizhen, what do you like?”
Xu Liling looked at her, silent.
“What kind of clothing patterns do you like? You can’t always wear bamboo patterns. Don’t you get tired of them? I’m getting tired of embroidering them.”
Yingran pouted playfully. “You’re going back this afternoon to find Yinyang Dao books, right? I’ll have some free time. I can embroider you a new headband. What kind do you want?”
Xu Liling continued eating: “Pine and orchid pattern, then.”
Yingran’s grip on her chopsticks tightened briefly. “Also, this morning while you were washing clothes, I checked our things. Weren’t we planning to buy hundred-flower candied fruit? But something came up, and we didn’t. There’s only half a bag left from what we ate before.”
Xu Liling: “What about it?”
Yingran blinked at him.
Xu Liling: “Eat it if you want.”
Yingran’s smile lit up.
Uncle Xi teased: “Hoarding food isn’t nice.”
His comment was perfectly timed. Yingran said, “I won’t hog the candied fruit for nothing. Huaizhen, what else do you like to eat? I’ll buy it for you later, or… I could make it for you?”
Xu Liling, expressionless: “Don’t cook.”
Yingran saw the distrust in his eyes and huffed, “What! My cooking isn’t that bad!”
Xu Liling said nothing.
Yingran, embarrassed and annoyed, lightly kicked him under the table.
Forget it, eat what you want!
Seeing his bland, uninterested way of eating, Yingran softened, thinking: I’ll ask again when I get the chance.
Aunt Huan smiled warmly at them, whispering something to Uncle Xi.
Yingran couldn’t understand their words, but afterward, Uncle Xi smiled too, his face full of kindness.
After the meal, Yingran moved to clear the dishes.
Uncle Xi and Aunt Huan stopped her, saying since they’d cooked, she didn’t need to wash the dishes.
Since Xu Liling was about to head back to find Yinyang Dao cultivation manuals, Yingran went to see him off.
She’d never known how he traveled before, only that he could go and return within a day without her noticing.
But this time, he said at a normal pace, he wouldn’t be back until tomorrow.
Yingran asked, “Why? Is it farther from here to your home?”
Xu Liling: “It’s all far. But there’s a void rift in Qingheng Mountain, Yunshui County, that connects to Holy Demon City. That’s why I could travel so quickly.”
This was the first time Yingran heard him directly mention Holy Demon City.
That place was once his home, now overtaken by the Holy Demon, turned into a demon city.
That damned Holy Demon, not only tormenting him but stealing his home!
Yingran’s heart flared with resentment. She grabbed his hand tightly: “Be safe on the road. Come back soon.”
His hand was long and large compared to hers, but she tried to envelop it in her palm.
Xu Liling nodded: “Mm.”
He patted Yingran’s hair: “Stay in the village, don’t go out, and wait for me to return.”
He didn’t let her see him off too far, stopping her at the village entrance.
Yingran nodded, intending to watch him leave.
But he, astride his flying steed, waved for her to head back first.
He watched her return to Uncle Xi’s house before riding off from Wuyin Village.
Uncle Xi and Aunt Huan were in the courtyard sorting locust flowers, with Little Yellow and Big Flower playing at their feet.
Uncle Xi saw her return: “He’s gone?”
Yingran nodded, washed her hands, and sat to help sort the flowers.
Seeing Yingran free, Big Flower stopped playing and continued their earlier conversation: “Didn’t I tell you before that the Goddess is famous at our headquarters, and you shouldn’t tell her you have a demon-path husband?”
Yingran: “Yeah, what about her?”
Big Flower: “She’s a celebrity at headquarters. Ruthless and unscrupulous to complete her tasks, she’s been clashing with this realm nonstop. Rumor has it she’s a native Goddess of this realm, with her master and junior sister killed by the demon path, so she’s at odds with the Holy Demon.”
“If you tell her you have a demon-path husband, she’ll force you to kill Xu Liling yourself to prove you won’t let personal feelings interfere with her mission.”
Yingran’s scalp tingled: “Doesn’t your headquarters preach humane management? They don’t stop her? Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
Big Flower scratched its head sheepishly: “I… didn’t think of it earlier. This time, interacting with her system, I recognized it and realized it was her.”
“She acts like this, and headquarters just issues warnings, but they’re useless. This realm is notoriously dangerous and mysterious. She’s the only one who voluntarily takes tasks here, and with her native identity, she knows more than headquarters’ objective data. She’s the most suited for it.”