Realizing he had noticed her feigned sleep, she quickly opened her eyes, turned over, and sat up.
“I want to go to the Jade Pool Banquet!”
Still thinking about that? He was at a loss for words. After a long pause, he could only sigh softly.
Then she suddenly remembered and asked, “Where did you go, Lord Divine?”
He nodded. “Just went to take care of something.”
[He had gone to seek answers after personally witnessing the danger and severity of her tribulation—far more intense than any other’s. It was too strange to explain. As expected, even Ziwei Xingjun, the Star Lord of the Northern Heavens, was unable to help, leaving him no choice but to return and seek other solutions.]
She had fought through a life-threatening tribulation on her own, yet he hadn’t even asked how she was and had simply left. A wave of disappointment and hurt welled up in her. She turned her face away and said nothing.
He had once been a man of feeling—how could he not guess the reason? Fighting back a smile, he scolded gently,
“So thoughtless.”
She burst into tears. “I nearly died just now!”
He’d come back to find her bloodied and unconscious on the bed—it had been a truly pitiful sight. A subtle ache stirred in his heart. He gently pulled her into an embrace and whispered,
“Don’t be afraid. Wasn’t I watching over you? The wounds will heal soon.”
She quickly caught on and looked up at him. “You saved me, didn’t you?”
If it hadn’t been for that golden light that flew in and blocked the strike, she would have suffered far worse than what she did—possibly even death.
I shouldn’t have saved you.
He shook his head and tried to change the subject.
“Why did you confront Immortal Envoy Xing today?”
She bit her lip and said nothing.
He frowned. “Even if you were displeased, you shouldn’t have provoked her.”
With a stubborn lift of her chin, she said, “She called me shameless for clinging to you. Why should I have to appease someone like her?”
Seeing the defiance written all over her face, he decided not to press the matter further.
But she grew uneasy. “Lord Divine… do you also think I’m one of those frivolous flowers?”
He shook his head. “Of course not.”
Watching his expression carefully and seeing no sign of falsehood, she finally relaxed. After a moment of thought, she lowered her head and said,
“If it displeases you, I’ll go apologize to her.”
He smiled. “Forget it. Just don’t do it again.”
[In truth, Immortal Envoy Xing had long been arrogant and failed to earn others’ respect. Perhaps it was time someone gave her a lesson.]
She hadn’t truly meant to apologize, so hearing that, she tossed the matter aside.
“Why didn’t you teach me how to avoid the third lightning strike?”
He patted her on the head.
“Avoiding it is easy—you could have just stayed hidden here in the Flower Dawn Palace and bypassed it altogether. But cultivating the immortal path means pursuing eternity, and that comes with a price. If you don’t face tribulations, you can’t become immortal. Dodging hardship now only worsens the next trial. The heavenly tribulations will grow heavier from now on. You must cultivate diligently—don’t let yourself slack off.”
Heavier tribulations? Her eyes widened in shock.
He couldn’t bear to say more. “You…”
But her gaze quickly lit up with a firm, shining resolve. She cut him off:
“I’m not afraid!”
He hadn’t missed the flicker of fear in her eyes just now. For a moment, he hesitated.
Should I let her stay in the Flower Dawn Palace, living happily under my protection as a carefree little demon?
But that thought was swiftly dismissed. He couldn’t shelter her forever. And with her nature, once she was separated from him, she might not even survive long in the palace. Besides, the lifespan of the demon race capped at around ten thousand years—she couldn’t stay by his side for eternity.
Keep this little demon by my side forever?
The thought stirred something in his heart. He suddenly recalled Ziwei Xingjun’s suggestion.
By fate, she was meant to become a scattered immortal—a kind of wandering spirit outside Heaven's formal ranks. Her fate had now become obscure, which they had always taken as a bad omen. But… could it be a blessing instead? Might it suggest that her destiny still had room to change?
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