"Immortal Lord, spare my life! Your subordinate was also deceived by my husband. This humble immortal was unaware," Lan Xin stammered in panic. She never imagined that someone sucked into the Purple Gold Gourd could survive for ten thousand years, let alone leave behind such evidence.
"Immortal Lord Zi Hua, what do you say? Do those people deserve to die?" Chao Yang Zi asked coldly.
"This young lady, it is this lord's fault for not managing subordinates properly. Those people deserve to die. This lord thanks you for eliminating them for me. Once we return to the city, this lord will properly express gratitude. Please accept this small gift as compensation for your fright!"
Immortal Lord Zi Hua tried to suppress her anger. She shouldn't have come today. Normally, she would turn a blind eye, as she enjoyed the gifts offered by her subordinates. But she didn't expect Lan Xin to be so foolish as to leave evidence. It seemed Lan Xin could no longer be kept. If the Master of the Heavenly Jade Immortal Mansion were to know, it would be troublesome! She was on the verge of advancing, breaking through the bottleneck to become an Immortal Venerable. At that time, even the Master of the Heavenly Jade Immortal Mansion would have to show her respect! For now, it was best to resolve this minor issue without further dispute!
Four jade bottles floated in the air. Feng Chu, Chao Yang Zi, and the other two did not reach out to take them. Their spiritual senses could perceive the pills inside, and they found they were only Grade One Immortal Pills, useless to them. However, they did not know that in the Heavenly Jade Immortal Mansion, Grade One Immortal Pills were treasures sought after by ordinary lesser immortals.
"Farewell!" Immortal Lord Zi Hua, paying no mind to Ju Yin and the others, flicked her wide sleeves and transformed into a streak of red light, flying away. She even took the corpses on the ground with her.
Feng Chu waved his hand and sent the four bottles of pills to Ling Bo, who seemed to need them more than they did.
Meanwhile, in the study of the Immortal Mansion Master, Shi Chou was reporting.
"My lord, Immortal Lord Ye Ju has returned. This is the Immortal Spirit Stone she gifted."
"Oh? Why did she gift you Immortal Spirit Stones?" Celestial Venerable Chen Xi asked curiously.
"She wished to view the map of the Heavenly Jade Immortal Mansion. As a token of her gratitude, she also promised me a favor," Shi Chou explained the whole story truthfully, without concealment.
"Haha, she hasn't changed! Immortal Lord Ye Ju keeps her word. You've stumbled upon a great fortune!" Celestial Venerable Chen Xi's eyes were filled with nostalgia. He recalled the demeanor of Divine Venerable Ju Yin, a being one needed to look up to. He remembered her sudden disappearance a million years ago, and how his friend spent a long time trying to uncover even a sliver of the truth. Now that she had reappeared, it seemed the Heavenly Realm was about to undergo a change.
"My lord, should we do something?" Shi Chou had followed Celestial Venerable Chen Xi for hundreds of thousands of years. He vaguely knew that Immortal Lord Ye Ju seemed to have a connection with his lord's friend, otherwise, why would he be summoned to the Reception Pool every ten thousand years?
"No need. We cannot interfere in their affairs. However, if she has any needs, we shall help if we can!"
"Yes!" Shi Chou returned the map and withdrew.
Shortly after Shi Chou retreated, a wisp of smoke drifted into the study, transforming into a man in green robes.
"Greetings, Honored Master!" Celestial Venerable Chen Xi bowed.
"Enough, are you trying to show off your etiquette? You're being too formal!" The newcomer was Divine Venerable Hua Xun. He waved his hand dismissively and sat on the couch by the window, as if they were old friends.
Celestial Venerable Chen Xi shook his head helplessly. When they first met years ago, it was like Bo Ya encountering Zhong Ziqi, their understanding of each other as profound as the melody of "High Mountains and Flowing Water." They felt they had met too late. At that time, neither had revealed their identities. When Celestial Venerable Chen Xi learned that this was the renowned Grand Master of Mysteries of the Heavenly Realm, and moreover, a Divine Venerable, he was dumbfounded. He walked over and sat on the other side, saying that etiquette could not be abandoned! Then, he looked up and was extremely surprised.
"Eh, where did your beard go?" Celestial Venerable Chen Xi exclaimed, his eyes wide with shock. He strongly suspected that this handsome, resolute man with sword-like eyebrows, starry eyes, and a nose like a hanging gall had been replaced.
"Doesn't it look good?" Hua Xun touched his chin, feeling a little self-conscious.
"Pfft!" Celestial Venerable Chen Xi couldn't help but burst into laughter. Hahaha! So, this great figure, the Grand Master of Mysteries, who made countless female immortals bend their knees, also had moments of insecurity.
"Yes, is it because she has returned?" Celestial Venerable Chen Xi asked, stifling his laughter under Hua Xun's glare.
"So what if it is? He always liked good-looking people. Didn't you see his seven-star guards before? They were all incredibly beautiful, like young men," Hua Xun admitted frankly. He thought he liked to keep a beard, having started growing one after his coming-of-age ceremony. He even felt a slight reluctance to shave his beard of a million years. But he couldn't help it. He didn't want her to ignore him, so he decided to capture her attention from the start, and thus shaved his beard.
"Don't say it, I never realized you were this handsome after knowing you for so long!" Celestial Venerable Chen Xi looked him over carefully and reached this conclusion. He truly hadn't expected such a drastic change in appearance after shaving his beard.
"Who is Pan An? Dare he compare himself to me?" Although Hua Xun felt self-conscious in front of her, he was incredibly arrogant before any Immortal Lord or Divine Venerable.
"He was a handsome man in the mortal realm, legendary for his exceptional appearance, which caused the young ladies of the area to vie to see him. When he went out, he could captivate women of all ages, and they would toss fruits and vegetables into his carriage. He always managed to acquire a cartload!" Celestial Venerable Chen Xi said with a smile.
Hahaha! Hua Xun seemed pleased, his mood greatly improved!
"Then, when I travel, will I have such good fortune?"
"You can certainly try!" Celestial Venerable Chen Xi replied with a playful retort. When had this dignified Divine Venerable become so concerned about his appearance?
The two had known each other for a long time, and their conversation was casual. Celestial Venerable Chen Xi slowly played a game of chess, drinking cup after cup of immortal tea. Normally, this person would have grown impatient long ago and gone off to explore other small worlds. But today, he patiently stayed to play chess with him; it was truly a day when the sun rose from the west.
"Fine, I won't keep you in suspense any longer!" Celestial Venerable Chen Xi was the first to break the silence.
"You should have said so earlier; you've made me drink a whole bellyful of tea!" Hua Xun tossed the white pieces, placing them accurately into the chess urn.
"Immortal Lord Ye Ju has returned today and is likely already in the Heavenly Jade Immortal City. You can go find her! I don't believe you can't calculate her whereabouts," Celestial Venerable Chen Xi said, puzzled.
"I cannot. After she ascended, her heavenly secrets were concealed. Even those close to her cannot deduce them." Hua Xun's expression turned serious. The people from back then were still lurking in the shadows. He had searched for a million years and only knew a fraction of the truth. Her reappearance would surely attract unwanted attention!
"Oh, really?" Celestial Venerable Chen Xi asked in surprise. He never imagined that even the great Grand Master of Mysteries couldn't deduce her movements. After all, the person sitting opposite him was a figure of reverence for all Grand Masters of Mysteries in the Heavenly Realm!
Hearing him say this, Celestial Venerable Chen Xi quickly formed a hand seal. The scene at the Reception Pool in the south appeared in the air, as real as watching a movie, except for the sound.
Hua Xun's eyes were fixed on the woman in the image. Her hair, as black as a waterfall, was simply tied into a bun, with no ornate decorations. Only a pure white feather adorned her hair, radiating a five-colored divine light. She had changed into the Immortal Lord's dark gold neon skirt. She was breathtakingly beautiful!
Celestial Venerable Chen Xi also found himself unable to look away from the woman in the projection...