Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Enemy Released by Mistake

Year after year, through countless springs and autumns, I fully embraced the simple and joyful life of the Jade Purity Realm. Master appeared cold as frost on the surface, but in truth, he was generous and tolerant. The considerate immortal friend Bai Hao had now become my loving Supreme God Master, which felt rather nice.

No longer did I feel his disdain, and so I grew bolder and more at ease with myself. Day by day, I laughed and joked with Chunfeng and my senior brothers, our camaraderie drawing us close like a real family.

Every year, Master would make time to take us out into the world to broaden our horizons, and the senior brothers had tasks that required them to descend the mountain. But a trip or two was never enough for these “mischievous” disciples. So, whenever Master was in seclusion and Senior Brother Baize was absent, the senior brothers would sneak out—and naturally, I was always part of their plans.

Each time, I was little more than the junior tagalong. Our adventures were mostly about visiting the suffering corners of the heavens or the mortal world, acting as righteous heroes, fulfilling our celestial duty to bestow blessings, and incidentally, sightseeing, eating, drinking, and listening to storytellers. Nothing truly serious.

Being caught was a common occurrence. If Master found out, the punishments were mild—ten days of sweeping the main hall for me, a month of toilet duty for my senior brothers; a hundred copied scriptures for me, two months cleaning the library for them. My senior brothers would say Master was partial to me, but in truth, his greatest favoritism was for Dongfang Mo. As for me, Chunfeng, having discovered my talent for making delicious treats, would frequently bring centuries-old flowers and millennia-old honeyed fruit from Hundred Flowers Isle, asking me to make him snacks. I struck a deal with him, exchanging his favorite flower cakes for his support. Each time, whether he used persuasion or threats, he shielded me, and Master could do little about it.

Being caught by Senior Brother Baize was a bigger problem. Upright and stern, he always cited rules and insisted on strict punishment for me and the others. But even he dared not cross Chunfeng. At one glare from Chunfeng, he could only fume in silence, helpless before our mischief.

Other than these small matters, I never caused any real trouble again, nor did I offend Madam Lu Xue.

After the chaos I’d once stirred in the Valley of Immortal Memories, it was no longer an off-limits place. In truth, it never truly was; it was just that Madam’s burial mound was there, making everyone avoid it out of respect. Master was never stingy with the pears from the trees, often sending Fourteenth Brother to pick them for us to eat. The surplus he used for porridge, cakes, syrup, or juice. Fourteenth Brother, busy with both cultivation and cooking, was too lazy to pick the fruit and would push the task onto me, saying if I’d survived toppling Madam’s tomb, picking pears was nothing. I was happy to go, snacking to my heart’s content in the valley under the pretense of being a little bird.

And so, I lived joyfully in the Jade Purity Realm, coexisting peacefully with Madam Lu Xue, invisible and untouchable, until the year I made another blunder.

That year, Master did not go to mend the Sky Rift as usual, because we received a distinguished guest in the Jade Purity Realm—Master’s friend, the Supreme God of Facelessness.

Eleventh Brother told me that the Supreme God of Facelessness presided over appearances and, having seen too many, no longer cared for his own. Skilled at reading faces but disliking being seen himself, he simply chose not to have one, always wearing a mask of his choosing.

I stole a few glances while serving tea. The Supreme God truly wore a soft leather mask, shaped as a narrow-eyed, thin-lipped male immortal, always smiling—so slyly. When he drank his tea, a black emptiness showed where his mouth should have been. I had never imagined such a peculiar god existed in the heavens, one truly without a face. I found it fascinating.

“She’s been imprisoned for forty thousand years, paid her dues and more—let her go. Your Xue’er’s soul was scattered by a thunder tribulation, it wasn’t the princess who killed her with her own hands,” the Supreme God persuaded Master.

“It began because of her. It’s not about forgiveness; if Xue’er can forgive her, then I will, too,” Master replied coldly, mentioning “her.”

The Supreme God laughed. “What, do you expect Xue’er to visit you in a dream? Or come to speak to you herself?”

I presented the tea and the snow pear cakes I’d made. Master looked at the cakes in silence.

The Supreme God picked up a piece of cake, examined it, and praised, “These snacks…are truly excellent. Excellent.”

I left the hall with the empty tea tray, guessing the Supreme God was here to plead on behalf of Princess Changyang, imprisoned beneath Mount Wu.

Inside, after I’d gone, Master continued with the Supreme God, “Do you remember Biyou of Penglai?”

The Supreme God took out a bamboo fan from his sleeve and waved it lightly. “If a face-reading god forgot a face, wouldn’t that ruin my reputation?”

“Do you think she’s like Biyou?” Master asked.

The Supreme God bit into the cake, staring at the remaining piece. “She truly does resemble her…”

“Can you tell if she’s Biyou reborn?” Master pressed.

“And if she is? And if she isn’t? It’s just fate at work; you know better than anyone. Biyou died unjustly outside the barracks, and as her commander, you owe her compensation,” the Supreme God’s masked face turned toward Master.

Outside the kitchen, Eleventh Brother stopped me. “Is the Supreme God here to plead for Princess Changyang?”

“Seems so,” I replied.

“This time, they actually sent Master’s friend,” Eleventh Brother sighed.

“They’ve tried before?” I asked.

“Five thousand years ago, three thousand, and twelve hundred years ago. Last time it was the Supreme God Kaiyuan. Now they’ve sent the Supreme God of Facelessness. But Master will never agree.”

“Why does the Celestial Court keep sending people? Isn’t Changyang guilty as charged?” I wondered.

“She’s the current Celestial Emperor’s aunt. Keeping her imprisoned so long is a stain on the emperor’s face. Forty thousand years—and they say Changyang has never begged for release, endures her punishment without a word, neither living nor dying. She’s got backbone, really deserves some respect,” Eleventh Brother said with a sigh, a trace of admiration and regret in his tone.

“How did Master deal with the previous pleas?”

“He always said he’d follow Madam’s wishes.”

“How could he know Madam’s wishes?”

“She’s dead! There are no wishes—so it means no! Silly Fei’er! I’ll go pour water. You never understand anything,” Eleventh Brother poked my forehead.

He eagerly snatched up the task of serving tea, surely to curry favor and catch some gossip. With nothing else to do, I went to the Cliffs of Pursuing Immortals, waiting for Master to mend the Sky Rift.

Soon, Master and Eleventh Brother escorted the Supreme God to the edge of the Jade Purity Realm, where I stepped forward to bid him farewell.

The Supreme God smiled, “Little disciple, we meet again. How have you been?”

“Ah…well,” I answered, finding his words odd. I’d just served him tea; how could he speak as if it had been years since our last meeting?

“How long have you been here?” he asked.

“A thousand years,” I replied.

“A thousand years, not so short. Let me ask you a question—see if you can answer,” he said.

“Please, ask,” I replied.

“Do you know how to make the heavenly waters flow backward?” he asked.

“I do not know,” I answered, bowing.

He nodded. As Master continued to see him off, the Supreme God took a few steps, then turned back. “But if you had to make it flow backward?”

“I’d have no choice but to watch and reflect,” I replied.

At this, the Supreme God burst into laughter. “Yun Xiao, the heavenly waters have already flowed backward. Are you still waiting for Xue’er to return? Let Changyang go.”

I looked up at him—still that slyly smiling mask, his true expression hidden.

Master’s face turned to ice. “Then let her go.”

Behind him, Eleventh Brother shot me a look, gesturing frantically, exasperated.

Let her go? I stood there in a daze.

When they returned, Eleventh Brother slipped past me and whispered, “You’re done for now! This is even worse than when you toppled Madam’s tomb!”

Could it be that, because of my words, Princess Changyang was to be pardoned? Had I caused another disaster?

Master went to mend the Sky Rift as usual, ignoring me as he always did. I stole glances—his face thunderous, the mood heavy. Quietly, I slipped away. In the house, all my senior brothers were waiting.

“Little Brother! You’re in trouble now! Get ready to be expelled!” Eleventh Brother tried to scare me.

“Did I really make a big mistake?” I asked.

“Of course! Master always said, ‘When the heavenly waters flow backward and she returns, then Changyang will be forgiven.’ Your words gave the Supreme God a loophole!” Eleventh Brother cried.

“Really?” I was stunned.

“Master forgives anything, except this. Think—Changyang plotted against Madam Lu Xue. Not demanding her life is mercy. Yet you, with a single phrase, got her pardoned. Master will be upset,” Fifteenth Brother, the most sensible and trusted among us, said gravely.

“What should I do? Did I really say something so wrong?” I covered my mouth, despairing at the thought that words, once spoken, could never be taken back. Once again, I’d offended the untouchable Madam Lu Xue.

Dongfang Mo complained, “After all the trouble I went through to be accepted as a disciple, how can you be so careless with your words!”

I shoved him. “Don’t always blame me! I suffered for ages because of you! Master is partial to you—go beg for me, think of something.”

“Master favors Dongfang Mo, but never as much as he loves Madam,” Eleventh Brother snorted.

“There’s nothing we can do,” everyone else shrugged.

“Hmph! You’re just trying to frighten me. At worst, I’ll say Madam came to me in a dream and told me to say it,” I bluffed, feigning calm.

Senior Brother Shijun approved, “Not a bad idea!”

“But Madam would appear to Master, not you. She was gone before your grandfather was even born! Why would she come to you?” Eleventh Brother crushed my plan.

“Exactly!” the others chorused.

“The lightning tribulation that damaged Madam’s tomb—Master never blamed me. He said Madam protected me,” I argued, searching for comfort.

“Can Master blame the lightning? That wasn’t your fault. But this time, you spoke the words yourself,” Eleventh Brother pointed out, dashing my hopes.

Panic welled inside me, but I tried to sound tough. “I didn’t mean it this time either. At worst, Master will send me down the mountain again—it wouldn’t be the first time. Don’t laugh at me!”

Chasing my brothers out, I locked myself in my room, uneasy and anxious. Once again, I had offended Madam Lu Xue. What would Master do with me this time…