Chapter Fifty: The Divine Palace of Myriad Aspects

Master instructed Fifteenth Senior Brother and the others to guard the mountain and oversee the affairs of the Jade Purity Realm, while he took Eleventh Senior Brother, Dongfang Mo, and me—burning with curiosity—to attend the Grand Peach Banquet in the Celestial Palace. He also intended to take me to the Palace of Myriad Faces to have the Supreme God of No Form treat my loss of voice.

The Celestial Palace rests in the Thirty-Three Heavens, the heart of the heavenly realm’s power, home and workplace of the celestial royalty, high-ranking immortals, and star officials. Only those of status may enter; lesser immortals, spirits, and beasts who trespass the heavenly gates are punished—at best by caning or imprisonment in the Demon-Locking Pagoda, at worst by execution.

Now, with the Grand Peach Banquet held once every ten thousand years, immortals of rank and reputation gathered early in the Thirty-Three Heavens. Each meeting demanded mutual bows and endless courtesies; those of lower rank barely dared to straighten their backs as they walked.

Master is the God of Chongming, embodiment of the star Chongming, protector of the heavens, bearer of light and hope to all beings. His status is lofty, his reputation immense. All immortals—regardless of hair white or black, male or female, old or young, stern or gentle, dignified or carefree—must salute him deeply and address him as “Divine Lord.” Those unfamiliar and unrequired to converse received only a curt “Mm” from Master, who strode on with heroic bearing. It was not mere grandeur or posturing; his presence commands respect wherever he is, whether in the Jade Void Palace or the Celestial Palace, and in the solemn atmosphere of the heavens, surrounded by reverent immortals, his majesty is all the more apparent. Some immortals who did not know him found themselves bowing instinctively. Even Dongfang Mo and I, the youngest disciples, held ranks higher than most immortals and were thus honored as “Divine Lords,” receiving extraordinary respect.

Following behind Master, watching his posture and bearing, I thought how blind I had been years ago, mistaking the dignified Divine Lord, mending the sky, for a despondent immortal about to leap off a cliff! Yet even after two thousand years, every year I arrive early at the Pursuing Immortals Cliff to wait for him; whenever he approaches the edge, I must see him stop before turning away, always inexplicably worried.

“How do you feel? The first time I came here, I felt quite out of place. It’s like a chicken or dog ascending to heaven and enjoying unearned privileges,” Eleventh Senior Brother said.

“I’m fine,” Dongfang Mo replied with proper seriousness.

“It’s alright. But Little Brother, you must be quite uncomfortable, right?” Eleventh Senior Brother spoke with seasoned confidence.

I nodded.

“Fei’er, you are a Divine Lord of the Jade Purity Realm; you deserve this honor,” Master said.

I nodded again.

Yet, faced with the celestial maidens desperately blocked by heavenly guards, I could not remain calm. Their glances brimmed with affection, secret signals, embraces, cries, shrieks, fainting spells…

“God of Chongming! Take me as your disciple!”

“Yunxiao! I love you!”

“Divine Lord, marry me!”

“Supreme God Yunxiao! Let me bear your children!”

“Bear your children! There are even those wanting to bear children! Is it always like this when Master leaves the mountain? Is the Celestial Palace so open? How wild! Master’s composure is remarkable!” I marveled inwardly.

Seeing the celestial maidens screaming excitedly, Eleventh Senior Brother assumed the airs of an elegant gentleman, while Dongfang Mo adopted the posture of a king. I kept my gaze fixed on the hem of Master’s robe.

“Divine Lord Dingmao! Look at me!”

“Ah! Divine Lord Dongfang is so handsome too!”

“Divine Lord Yufei! I want to bear your child!”

Startled, I thought, “Why would someone want to bear my child?”

Master stopped, and I nearly crashed into him.

“Little Brother’s blushing!” Eleventh Senior Brother whispered with a laugh.

Master smiled slightly. “Fei’er, these are lesser immortals barred from the Celestial Palace. As a Divine Lord, you will have worshippers and admirers, even suitors, but you must remember your duty.”

I nodded, resolving, “Whatever happens, bearing children is not my business.”

“If Master Uncle were here, both he and Master together would set the Celestial Palace ablaze! The female immortals wouldn’t know whom to choose. One is heroic and dashing, the other unmatched in beauty; one serene and ethereal, the other passionate and exuberant…” Once Eleventh Senior Brother’s chatter began, it could not be stopped.

“Eleventh Senior Brother is excited again,” Dongfang Mo whispered to me.

Eleventh Senior Brother continued, “If it were up to me, I’d choose Master. He’s handsome, graceful, charming, dignified—a true gentleman, gentle as jade, master of both pen and sword, peerless in the world. Little Brother, if you were a celestial maiden, whom would you pick? Oh, you can’t speak. I think you’d definitely—”

“Eleventh,” Master said gravely.

“Yes, Master! What are your instructions?” Eleventh Senior Brother replied promptly.

“Silence!” Master shot him a glance.

I grinned mischievously. The disciples of Jade Purity Realm are all extraordinary, including the first and foremost flatterer and chatterbox of the heavens. Had he been at the Pursuing Immortals Cliff, he would surely have held out until Master arrived.

Passing through the Southern Heavenly Gate, we entered the Celestial Palace, which indeed grew quiet and solemn. Compared to the simple Jade Void Palace, the Celestial Palace was lavish, somewhat reminiscent of Spring Breeze’s style, though lacking Spring Breeze’s free-spirited flair. Magnificent and colorful, yet on closer inspection, rigid and repetitive, overly restrained.

Master instructed Eleventh Senior Brother and Dongfang Mo to arrange affairs, while he took me to visit the cunning Supreme God of No Form at the Palace of Myriad Faces.

Upon arrival, eight celestial maidens awaited us at the gates—a grand welcome, showing the Supreme God’s respect for Master. Each maiden was stunningly beautiful; I was entranced, but Master’s gaze remained unwavering.

Inside the Palace of Myriad Faces, after walking for some time, I realized why eight maidens were needed to greet us. The palace’s halls and corridors changed their appearance every so often, the path beneath us shifted constantly, and walking onwards led us to unexpected places. The seasons within alternated unpredictably, weather ever-changing. After a while, not a single maiden could find the way.

“Even the guides are lost—unheard of! What does the Supreme God of No Form do all day, rescuing lost maidens in his own palace? What if one of them needs the restroom…” I mused, following Master and the maidens in endless circles.

After much wandering, the maidens sighed, raised their hands to their faces, and removed their masks, revealing their true appearances. Still beautiful, but no longer breathtaking.

“Today, we greet Supreme God Yunxiao and Divine Lord Yufei. Admiring your reputations, we wore beautiful masks. With masks on, our hearts are less open, so we lose our way. Please forgive us and follow us,” the leading maiden said respectfully.

“So the Palace of Myriad Faces is this amusing—wearing masks leads to getting lost. But the Supreme God of No Form always wears a mask, yet never loses his way?” I wondered.

“Yunxiao, little disciple, we meet again,” the Supreme God of No Form greeted us, his mask full of slyness.

“No Form, you always insist on making me wander your palace before letting me see you,” Master laughed.

“When one cannot see clearly, wandering a few more times helps. Right, little disciple?” Supreme God of No Form said to me.

I smiled politely, thinking, “Luckily, I cannot speak now. Every word he utters is a double entendre; last time, I fell for his trick. Who knows which of his words is a trap this time?”

Inside the main hall of the Palace, it was like void—outside ever-changing, inside empty and boundless, nothing but a vast whiteness, as if suspended in the clouds.

I glanced at Master.

“No Form, what new trick is this?” Apparently, even Master had not seen it before.

“Form and emptiness are one; appearances arise from the heart! This way, everything is clear. Please, sit,” Supreme God of No Form said, sitting cross-legged as a meditation cushion appeared beneath him. Master and I sat, and cushions appeared under us as well.

“Have some tea, just as you wish!” Supreme God of No Form beckoned to us.

I was amused—“There’s nothing here, how can we have tea?”

“There is! Whatever you wish, you shall have! Little disciple, where would you like to drink tea?” Supreme God of No Form asked.

“Under the tree,” I thought.

Instantly, a large pear tree appeared behind us, its blossoms like snow, petals drifting down…

Supreme God of No Form conjured a teapot and poured tea.

“Yunxiao, your little disciple bears the mark of rebirth,” Supreme God of No Form remarked calmly.

“Yes, some time ago, to protect Jade Purity Realm, she was harmed by Ming Zhong. I used the Soul Capturing technique,” Master replied.

“Seems your Jade Purity Realm has been lively lately,” Supreme God of No Form observed.

“Yes, somewhat lively,” Master said, sipping tea in resignation.

Supreme God of No Form laughed, “Here under my nose, things are lively too. Everyone insists on their masks; without that face, they won’t walk, but with it, they lose their way, wandering in vain. After so much time, still lost, so many pointless detours. Even I am wearied.”

Master pondered, drinking tea in silence.

“Little disciple, let me give you a gift for this lifetime—hold out your hands,” Supreme God of No Form said.

I extended my hands. A small white jade bottle appeared in my palms. I thanked him, fiddling with the bottle, unsure of its purpose.

“This White Jade Dew Bottle can refine dew for healing. Yunxiao, your disciple’s injury lies in her throat, but its source is her heart—a long-standing wound. Healing it will take effort,” Supreme God of No Form said to Master.

“As it should,” Master replied with a smile, glancing at me.

Mentioning a wounded heart, I sighed, regretting ever soaking in the Broken Jade Spring or foolishly using the Blood Pact Sword given by Spring Breeze to save Master. Had I known it was Master’s trick, I wouldn’t have cared if Spring Breeze stabbed him.

“Little disciple, would you like to see the masks in my Palace of Myriad Faces?”

I nodded, intrigued.

Supreme God of No Form waved his sleeve, and countless masks descended like a curtain from above, settling on the white floor and melting into it.

“Are these the faces governed by the Supreme God of No Form?” I wondered.

“These are masks, not faces. I only create them; whoever wishes to wear one can choose,” Supreme God of No Form explained.

“Oh, so they can be chosen,” I thought.

“They say you choose, but in truth, it’s all determined by fate,” Supreme God of No Form said.

“He’s practically conversing with me! He knows what I’m thinking!” I stared at him in shock.

Supreme God of No Form laughed, “Appearances arise from the heart! Yunxiao, do you still have the mask from that year?”