Chapter 17

Disguised Descent to the Mortal Realm

I didn’t know how much more shock I would have to endure before I could finally settle down. I was still reeling from the surprise of their master-disciple relationship when I heard this astonishing statement.

In truth, there was something I’d been unwilling to recall—what he said outside the prison that day…

I’d thought it was just a moment of impulse back then. I never expected him to bring it up again now. My face immediately turned into a steaming tomato.

Yin Ze’s gaze lingered briefly on the two of us before he resumed sipping his wine, a faint smile on his face. “Two children, still wet behind the ears, already learning to pledge themselves to each other. Chen Zhi, do you even understand what it means to take a wife?”

Though he was smiling, his critique carried a gravity that inspired awe. Fu Chen Zhi seemed somewhat intimidated but remained firm. “I understand. A wife is the woman with whom you spend your life.”

Yin Ze said, “A good answer. Now let me ask you, do you know how long this little water spirit’s life will be?”

“Over two hundred years.”

“And do you know how long your own life will be?”

Fu Chen Zhi fell silent. Yin Ze had a pair of exceptionally beautiful eyes, but they carried a cold detachment, honed by the passage of time, as though they belonged to a winter moon.

He quietly scrutinized us and said, “To a god, two hundred years is but the blink of an eye. She is a spirit, you are an immortal; your very foundations are different. When your paths diverge, it is hard enough to journey together, let alone speak of three ceremonies and six rites.”

I waved my hands repeatedly and said, “Grandmaster, you misunderstand. My brother is joking. I’m his sister. I don’t even know what kind of nonsense he’s eaten to come up with this joke…”

“Chen Zhi, it seems this little girl is much cleverer than you and knows how to bide her time,” Yin Ze chuckled lightly before continuing to drink.

“Wait… Grandmaster, this isn’t about biding time!” I felt completely misunderstood. “He really is my brother. We grew up in the same place. Although we’re not blood-related, we’re as close as siblings. We’ve never done anything improper—except that one time he… he slept with me without my permission…”

Fu Chen Zhi was so stunned he couldn’t even speak and could only turn to stare at me. Yin Ze, who had been sipping his wine, paused for a moment before resuming. Fu Chen Zhi said, “Wei Wei, what nonsense are you spouting?”

Confucius said: Learning without application is pointless. And indeed, delivering such poetic yet formal words had shocked both immortals into silence. Practical learning, after all, allows one to astonish and persuade.

I grinned triumphantly and said, “Consort, huh? You forgot? Near the Violet Tide Palace, under the moonlight, beside the dungeon, in the grass—we did indeed consort just that once.”

Finally, even Yinzé choked on his drink, covering his mouth as he coughed a few times. Haha, even a deity like him was floored by me. Clearly, my words carried a certain gravitas. Yinzé cast me a complex and unreadable look. “Moonlight, dungeon, grass?”

I nodded. “Yes, just that once. After that, never again. My brother took it quite seriously, but I laughed it off.”

Yinzé remarked, “I underestimated you. You’re quite the carefree young lady.”

“Stop talking nonsense! Do you even understand what that word means?” Late at night, yet Fu Chenzhi’s flushed face was still unmistakable.

I became even more smug, stroking my chin. “Of course I understand. Would I use it if I didn’t? But I truly didn’t take it to heart. It was over so quickly. You left in such a rush.”

Yinzé didn’t say anything further, only glancing at Fu Chenzhi with a subtle clearing of his throat. For some reason, I could discern a hint of mockery in his eyes.

As for Fu Chenzhi, he seemed to have reached his limit. Covering my mouth, he grabbed my arm, bid Yinzé farewell, and dragged me out of the Radiant Dawn Palace. Once we were outside, he very seriously ordered, “Listen carefully. From now on, no matter who you’re speaking to, you are not to mention those two words again!”

So fierce. I dryly muttered an “alright” and casually added, “What if it’s just the two of us—can I say it then?”

Fu Chenzhi was stunned at first, then fell into a solemn contemplation. His eyes flickered, and under the moonlight, his lashes were jet-black and bright, as if he was truly stumped by the question.

I waved my hand in front of his face, snapping him out of his daze. Still, he maintained his elder-brother demeanor and said, “You shouldn’t be so brazen in front of me either.”

“So, is that a yes or a no?”

For some inexplicable reason, his face flushed slightly again. Yet, he still couldn’t bring himself to say those two words, “yes,” merely giving a faint nod.

It’s exactly this side of him—his endless tolerance for me—that I find utterly delightful. Feeling jubilant, I stretched out my hand. “Brother, I’m about to head back to rest. Let’s consort for a bit first.”

The result was me being scolded until I felt utterly wretched before being told to go sleep by myself. Fu Chenzhi is getting stranger and stranger. Doesn’t “consort” just mean holding hands? We’ve held hands countless times growing up. Earlier, all I meant was to clap hands with him. Why did he get so angry…

The worse news came the next day. Fu Chenzhi informed me that he had to leave immediately to handle some matters for Yinzé. The task was urgent, and he wouldn’t be able to take me with him. So, once again, he was about to vanish for at least ten days to half a month. During this time, I’d have to stay alone at Qinghong Mountain.

When I thought about it carefully, there was now a massive disparity in our abilities. If I stayed as I was now, following him would only make me a burden. But if I didn’t follow him, wasn’t it the same as before? No, Yinzé had said it yesterday—my lifespan is only so limited. I wasn’t about to waste my time in idleness.

To be honest, ever since seeing Fu Chenzhi’s celestial arts, I’d begun plotting: with such a golden opportunity to learn from a master, I absolutely couldn’t let it slip by. Sure, Yinzé might not accept me as a disciple, but if I could make him happy, maybe I could dig a hole, sneak through a backdoor, and find another master. That would also be wonderful.

With such a grand ambition in mind, I went to Radiant Dawn Palace the next morning, saying I wanted to meet the Grandmaster. Naturally, the patrolling disciples drove me out.

As a result, I spent the entire day crouched behind a stone lion, scheming. By evening, I finally found a gap and slipped inside.

When I passed the study, I heard voices from within—two men speaking. One was unmistakable: Yinzé. Raising my hands, I cupped them over my eyes to block the light. Peering through the crack in the door, I saw the other person: Lingyin, the God-King.

The two of them stood beside a long table, discussing a map that stretched several meters. Before long, Lingyin traced the surface with his finger, and the map was lifted into the air with magic. In an instant, the translucent map came to life: majestic mountains and rivers, flowing streams, drifting clouds, and the radiant landscapes of Nanliu were vividly animated. Above this world, countless streams of water slowly rotated, as if intricately connected to the mortal realm below.

With a flick of his finger, Lingyin siphoned off about ten percent of the water, and immediately, the rivers below dried up, fracturing the land into a parched wasteland. He repeated several methods of water extraction, and though the processes differed, the result was always the same—drought as far as the eye could see.

Lingyin sighed. “The drought rises from the earth below, and the first to be impacted will surely be the Nine Provinces. So, what do we do, boss?”

“This calamity is one of the Six Paths’ destined tribulations—it seems unavoidable. For the mortal realm to weather this disaster, there appears to be only one way.” Yinzé gestured to the hovering map, and three beams of red light unfurled from its center, dividing it into three major sections. “If the spiritual energy across the Nine Provinces is dispersed, it might hold off the calamity for fifty years.”

Lingyin frowned. “If that’s the case, then war is inevitable. War brings countless deaths and suffering. It’s hardly a better outcome... But, it’s the only option. So, boss, what’s the plan? Right now, the Han Emperor is controlled by a powerful minister who dominates the court as a warlord. Should I get rid of him?”

Yinzé replied coldly, “Lingyin, how many times have I told you? The Nine Provinces are heavy with worldly impurities. As a deity of the divine realm, you must not act personally unless absolutely necessary.”

Lingyin chuckled. “Haha, you fear no demonic energy, yet you’re wary of mortal impurities? Sometimes, I think you’re the only one in the divine realm who finds the Nine Provinces so offensive. Boss, don’t look down on living beings like this. Even the Celestial Emperor has lectured you about this temper countless times.”

Yinzé’s gaze turned frosty. “Stop using the Celestial Emperor to pressure me. You know I’m not afraid of him.”

“Alright, alright. So, what’s the plan now?”

“I’ll disguise myself as a noble from an esteemed family and seek an audience with a certain Sima Wang to offer him a strategy.”

“Disguise? I like it. You should take a few more people with you.” Lingyin smirked mischievously. “Maybe bring some celestial maidens to pose as handmaids.”

“Unnecessary. This time, we must keep a low profile. You and the little girl at the door will suffice.”

Lingyin’s voice took on a playful tone. “What? Me again…”

Before I could even step back, the door opened by itself. I still held my hands over my eyes, looking far into the distance, and then blinked, smiling brightly: “Greetings, Master! You look radiant today, full of vigor and vitality! What is your command, Master?”

The God of Yinze adjusted his forehead and sat down in a chair, waving his hand at the God of Lingyin: “You explain it to her.”

Clearly, the God of Lingyin still didn’t understand Yinze’s intention. He glanced at him, then at me, and repeated the instructions that Yinze had just given.

I nodded like I was pounding garlic, and then he waved his sleeve, and a flash of water light passed by. I looked down and saw that my hair had turned black. The Xuan Yue, which had been flying on my shoulder, also turned into a small white cat, curling up into a ball in my arm. Xuan Yue looked down at its furry paws and “meowed” in surprise, nearly falling to the ground.

Yinze glanced at me and said: “This is enough. Her spiritual power is weak; there’s no need to disguise her as a mortal.”

The God of Lingyin took the order and waved his sleeve again, drawing a frost magic array on the ground, saying: “Little water spirit, come in.” He stepped into it, and then vanished.

I quickly followed, and the person in front of me was no longer the God of Lingyin, but a slender, fan-holding woman with a delicate waist.

However, she placed one hand on her hip and fanned herself in a rough, careless manner, making it obvious that she was a man. When she turned around and saw me, she immediately stopped her movements, using her small round fan to cover half of her face, and with a flirtatious wink, she said: “Miss Luo, am I beautiful?”

Oh my god, it really was the God of Lingyin. I couldn’t help but shudder.

After a moment, another person stepped out of the teleportation array—a tall, burly warrior with a thick beard. Despite his significant change in appearance, I recognized his eyes as belonging to Yinze.

The God of Lingyin shook his fan and said, “Ah, my husband is truly strong and majestic, with an imposing presence.”

Yinze said, “Today, you’re not my wife.”

“Then what am I?” she asked.

“You’ll know once you enter.”

At this moment, it seemed like we were standing next to a noble’s residence. Looking around, peach blossoms were falling, scattered along the road. Just then, a general stepped out of the gate, tall and robust, with sharp eyes and a long beard. His demeanor was calm and composed, as if enjoying the flowers and moon in the Jiangnan region.

However, when he reached the corner, he quickly mounted his horse and galloped away as if fleeing.

Before long, a large number of pursuers rushed out of the residence, shouting: “Quick! Catch Cao Cao, don’t let him escape!!”

The soldiers surged forward like water, and in the blink of an eye, they had chased Cao Cao out of sight.

Yinze waited for a moment, then gave a signal to the two of us, stepping forward to bow to the few remaining guards: “I am Ma Xiao from Xiliang, and I have business with Prime Minister Dong.”