After Xiang Su wailed like a ghost for a while with no one paying attention and not falling down, she gradually quieted down. Though the position looked undignified, there was no danger of being smashed to pieces. Earlier she had mainly been frightened by the suddenness of it all. Her body wasn’t that heavy—as long as she held tight to Junshang’s leg, she just needed to avoid being blown away by the wind.

The sky had already darkened. The Kunpeng had flown who knows where. With no one watching and mocking, she didn’t feel so uncomfortable.

The Shenghuan Manor was built high atop a cliff summit. The mountain cliff was shrouded in mist and fog, with the vast and boundless Eastern Sea behind it. The magnificent manor felt as if it were built within clouds and mist. The moon had already risen from between heaven and sea, exceptionally bright. The highest tower of Shenghuan Manor formed a dark shadow in the moon, making it even more like a castle in the air.

Though she had followed her new Junshang for only a short time, Xiang Su had already discovered his romantic fortune was extremely abundant. Red, yellow, blue, purple… a whole pile of immortal maidens liked him as if he were an elixir of immortality. Xiang Su thought that when the giant vermilion gate of Shenghuan Manor wreathed in clouds and mist opened, there would surely be a flock of colorfully resplendent immortal maidens rushing out, just like how the dragon maidens had welcomed Junshang.

The result disappointed her greatly. Those who opened the doors to greet them were two giants in golden armor, twice as tall as Junshang, with fierce features. When they cupped their fists in salute to Dong Tianyun, Xiang Su felt that though Junshang wasn’t as tall as them even after they bowed, he appeared particularly imposing. Especially how he didn’t even glance directly at the two giants, only giving a detached acknowledgment as he passed—the full bearing of a Dijun.

That’s right—this was how she had expected Sister Qingsui to be.

Though Xiang Su’s age was already considerable, her understanding of this world was still so limited, inferior even to a human child.

Knowing these two iron towers were Junshang’s subordinates, their fierce and intimidating appearance still made her show a timid, fearful expression. When passing by their legs, she unconsciously tiptoed, as if afraid of disturbing them.

The two divine generals guarding the gate stared straight ahead, paying no attention to the sneaky little spirit who, in comparison, was about the size of a mouse at their feet.

She had been too wary of the two giant gatekeepers. Turning past a white jade screen, she discovered she was already inside the manor.

Shenghuan Manor was built along the mountain, its palaces arranged in well-ordered tiers. At night, it felt as if stars and moon surrounded it, as if one were in the nine layers of heaven. This kind of scenery—growing at the mountain’s foot, Xiang Su couldn’t even imagine it. She could only gape foolishly, looking left and right. In a moment, she had lost track of Junshang.

Shenghuan Manor had even fewer immortal attendants than Qingsui Manor. As she walked higher and higher along the white jade path, clouds and mist seemed to drift past her, yet she didn’t see a single person. Were they all asleep? What should she do now? Shout loudly or retrace her steps?

“Are you Immortal Xiang Su?” Someone suddenly emerged from around a corner, startling Xiang Su so much she nearly jumped.

“Um… yes.” Xiang Su, still recovering from her fright, borrowed the moonlight to see clearly that the newcomer was a kindly-looking immortal who actually had three strands of soft, flowing beard—very much like the scholars she’d seen during the day, though much more imposing.

“I am Shenghuan Manor’s steward, called Wen Sheng. Junshang instructed me to arrange a satisfactory residence for you. Please follow me, Immortal.” Wen Sheng smiled and raised his hand in guidance. Xiang Su felt he was very amiable, much better than the master and servant pair of Junshang and the Kunpeng. She hadn’t expected Shenghuan Manor to have such a person.

Xiang Su was led to an exquisite palace hall. The gilded plaque shone brilliantly in the moonlight, but unfortunately Xiang Su couldn’t read. The room was very large, also very tastefully arranged. Even without lighting lamps, many things glowed faintly—one could tell at a glance they weren’t ordinary items.

“This is Liusu Hall. No one has lived here for several hundred years. Everything is brand new. Is the Immortal satisfied?”

Xiang Su’s eyes were glued to a luminous pearl and couldn’t move away. “Satisfied, satisfied! Better than where I… ” She wanted to say it was countless times better than her room at Qingsui Manor but stopped herself alertly. In her heart, her proper Dijun was still Sister Qingsui. She absolutely couldn’t speak ill of her own people to these Metal spirits. “…In any case, it’s very good.”

Wen Sheng smiled. “Then please settle in early, Immortal. I take my leave. If you need anything in the future, please feel free to ask.”

“Don’t keep calling me Immortal.” Xiang Su frowned. This was the first time she’d encountered someone so polite to her—she actually felt unaccustomed. “Just call me Xiang Su.”

Wen Sheng smiled, cupped his fists, and withdrew.

Xiang Su touched here, looked there, sighing inwardly. Dong Tianyun had so many more fine things than Sister Qingsui—they were all snatched with his usual arrogant swagger, right?

She thought again of the Mingyu’s resentful yet helpless appearance when his scales were torn off, and suddenly felt infinite sympathy for the original owners of these treasures. No wonder Bai Zhicao always said with affected profundity that the outside world was a world of the strong. Indeed true—the higher one’s magical power, the more good things one could snatch.

Even the most magnificent palace halls still had this problem: too quiet.

As Wood spirits who grew together in groups, the feeling of loneliness was a terrible sensation difficult to resist. Jin Zhan wasn’t here, Bai Zhicao and the others weren’t here… Xiang Su knew this was a hurdle she would have to cross sooner or later. Jin Zhan had said that after taking form, Wood spirits must first learn to survive on their own.

Xiang Su walked into the courtyard. Quite a few flowers and plants were planted around Liusu Hall. Several plum trees hadn’t reached their flowering season yet, very understated green in the watery moonlight. Even though they didn’t yet have spiritual awareness, Xiang Su felt affection for them. Trees, flowers, and plants carried a fresh life force she could perceive. As long as she drew near, she felt comfortable and settled, as if returning to the soil again.

The plum trees weren’t tall. Xiang Su sat on a thick fork, and as fellow plants, she could smell the faint plum blossom fragrance hidden within the branches and leaves. Her heart felt open and joyful.

So Junshang walked without making sound… Xiang Su had been looking up at the moon when she felt a glimmer of light flash past the corner of her eye. Turning her head, she saw Junshang standing silently by the lilac tree beside the path. He happened to be wearing a lilac-colored long robe, also probably tailored from Bibo brocade. The style and patterns were very simple. Moonlight shining on the clothes created a faint pearl halo, making him appear even more noble and graceful.

Watching him, Xiang Su sighed at Dragon Maiden Ziyin’s excellent craftsmanship, and her generosity toward Junshang.

“What are you doing here? Your magical power is low. You cannot withstand the cold air of the high cliff.” Dong Tianyun slowly walked beneath the tree, exactly at eye level with Xiang Su.

Xiang Su frowned. Was “low magical power” a new catchphrase for Junshang and the Kunpeng?

Eating, drinking, and relieving oneself was low magical power. Fearing cold and heat was still low magical power. From head to toe she was low magical power! Xiang Su wanted to protest but knew she didn’t have the courage. She glanced at Junshang and discovered he was also looking at her.

From the beginning, she had been very afraid to look at Junshang’s eyes. They seemed like a clear, cold water surface hiding an unfathomably deep ice pool beneath—falling in meant certain death. This inadvertent glance, she already regretted. Earlier when looking at Dragon Maiden Ziyin and the others, their soul-hooking eyes seemed as if they would extend hooks to capture souls. Junshang’s eyes were like a great dark lake with demonic power—no need to extend hooks at all. Meeting his gaze directly, one would be sucked in and devoured until not even a soul fragment remained.

She dryly swallowed saliva, inhaling a bit of the cool moon essence before barely steadying her spirit. Pulling her gaze away, she discovered Junshang’s appearance was even more bewitching than the last time she’d looked. Probably due to the moonlight—she could clearly see the heart-stopping arc outlined by his thick lashes on his eyelids.

“Go back and sleep.” He said lightly, his long lashes lowering to hide the rippling light in his eyes that was reflected by moonlight and appeared even more coldly deep.

Staring at him, Xiang Su felt a sensation of falling, heaven and earth spinning, as if she had fallen from the tree. She frantically grabbed at the branches, only to discover she was actually still sitting steadily on the branch, having shaken the poor plum tree until it rustled loudly for nothing.

“I… I’ll just sleep here.” She stammered, looking at her hand scratching the tree bark. “I’m not used to staying alone in a room yet.”

Dong Tianyun was silent for a while. When he spoke again, his tone was actually quite gentle. “It will get better quickly. You must also understand—the Five Elements Spirit Realms have their own rules. You are no longer merely a tree.”

Junshang’s tone made Xiang Su experience an illusion, as if he also deeply understood her current sorrow and loneliness. She nodded and even sighed. “Actually… being just a tree wasn’t so bad either.”

“Tell me about today’s observations.” Dong Tianyun suppressed a breath and returned to detachment. It seemed her first journey to the mortal realm had been very unpleasant, dejecting her to this degree.

Speaking of observations, Xiang Su was full of complaints again. “Humans are ugly, they age, su bing tasted bad, and the city was very dirty too.”

“What else?” Dong Tianyun’s face was calm. He understood the Kunpeng well. Looking at Xiang Su’s expression, he estimated the Kunpeng had conveniently taken her to a remote small city on the Eastern Sea coast, making her first visit to a human town create an extremely terrible memory.

Xiang Su actually had many things she wanted to say in her heart, which she had originally planned to tell Jin Zhan, but unfortunately the Kunpeng had interrupted. Under the tranquil moonlight, with Junshang appearing kind-faced, she couldn’t help pouring out the depression accumulated over several days.

“Sister Junshang isn’t as imposing as I thought. The Wood spirits of Lingze Mountain aren’t all gathered together either. Jin Zhan said from now on I can’t sleep in the same bed with him anymore. The new Junshang looks powerful but still has to let the dragon maiden touch his bottom. The Kunpeng is very fierce, and his relatives are annoying too…”

“…” The corners of Dong Tianyun’s mouth twitched slightly. “The dragon maiden and I… who told you this?”

Xiang Su felt a bit regretful. Poking at someone’s sore spot was unethical. She looked at Dong Tianyun very guiltily and said sincerely: “It’s all because of me. I’m sorry, Junshang.”

Dong Tianyun felt the vein on his forehead that had been calm for many years kept throbbing. He didn’t speak, calmly regarding Xiang Su who was busy apologizing.

“It was all to make the silk sash for me.” Xiang Su actually didn’t think Junshang’s loss was any big deal—it was even excellent value for money. Having one’s bottom touched wouldn’t make flesh fall off. But… it seemed she would have to follow him for a while longer. Improving their relationship was necessary. She had to appear more sorrowful to show gratitude.

“The Kunpeng told you?” Dong Tianyun asked coldly.

Xiang Su drew in a cold breath. It seemed she’d made things worse. Junshang wasn’t moved by her gratitude at all. It was indeed the Kunpeng who said it, but turning him in would be truly unprincipled, wouldn’t it? “I… I saw it myself.” She wasn’t lying. What “taking advantage” meant—she had indeed seen it with her own eyes. This way was perfect for everyone.

“Sleep. Get up early tomorrow and come find me at Shengyun Hall.”

Xiang Su was very puzzled. Why did Junshang flick his sleeve when leaving? It seemed being taken advantage of by the dragon maiden had wounded him deeply. Thinking about it made sense—how impressive he had been when she first met him! The rumors about him were always of imposing might and authority.

Bai Zhicao was Bai Zhicao indeed—he had long told everyone the warning: “When under someone’s roof, one must bow one’s head.” Forget it. From now on, regarding Junshang’s humiliating matters where he had to bow his head, she would keep them buried in her stomach. She wouldn’t even express sympathy out loud.

Sleeping in a tree wasn’t comfortable. Not to mention the aching back and sore legs, she also got covered head to body with mist and dew. When Xiang Su jumped down from the tree, the thin water droplets on her clothes all scattered and fell. The clothes weren’t wet at all. She marveled again at what good stuff Bibo brocade was.

Her hair wasn’t so fortunate—damp and dragging behind her head, very uncomfortable. Yesterday she forgot to ask Junshang for the crane feather hairpin. Today when they met, the first thing would be to ask for the hairpin. Secondly, to learn the water-repelling spell. The one Junshang had used before was too practical.

Walking out the courtyard gate and looking at the layers of palace halls beneath her feet, Xiang Su lost strength again. Where was she supposed to find Shengyun Hall? Liusu Hall was almost at the highest point of Shenghuan Manor. The entire manor could be seen at a glance. On such a beautiful morning, all the paths were completely deserted. If not for the flowing radiance and overflowing brilliance everywhere, one would truly suspect it was an abandoned mansion.

Gurgle gurgle… Xiang Su looked down at her deflated stomach, extremely annoyed. Every few hours she had to fill it. Drinking water was useless. When would she be able to escape this suffering!

“Immortal Xiang Su.”

Xiang Su was so startled she jumped up. Wen Sheng had practically appeared out of thin air in front of her.

“You… you… you…” Last night he had at least walked out from around a corner. In broad daylight appearing like this—she really couldn’t take it!

Seeing her face turn pale, Wen Sheng made an apologetic expression. “The manor has Junshang’s seal formation. Immortal officials can all use the translocation technique. I didn’t expect to frighten you.”

Translocation technique? Xiang Su frowned and blinked. No wonder Shenghuan Manor had no pedestrians—probably everyone instantly translocated from one place to another. “Please next time translocate to appear a few steps away from me. That way I won’t be startled.” Xiang Su thought of a compromise solution while also showing Wen Sheng an apologetic expression. Though she didn’t want to admit the reason, she knew… it was still because her magical power was low that she caused trouble for others.

Wen Sheng nodded and smiled kindly. “I will inform the other immortal officials in the manor.”

Hearing this, Xiang Su couldn’t help glancing again at the empty and desolate Shenghuan Manor. Were there really “other immortal officials”?

With Wen Sheng leading the way, Xiang Su walked with composure, looking at the scenery along the route. Compared to Qingsui Manor, this place didn’t seem like a Dijun’s residence—too solemn and imposing, probably still due to the low population.

Shengyun Hall turned out to be not far—almost on the solitary cliff below Liusu Hall. Xiang Su walked up the white jade steps and saw Dong Tianyun already sitting at a table in the courtyard waiting for her.

What was that smell? Xiang Su wrinkled her nose, her eyes falling directly on the table—plates and dishes held quite a bit of food.

Dong Tianyun beckoned to her. “Eat.”

Xiang Su immediately beamed with delight, more obedient than ever. She ran over and plopped down beside Dong Tianyun, completely forgetting what she had imagined the first thing she would do.

Wen Sheng had wanted to speak out to stop her, but seeing Junshang not only wasn’t angry but personally picked up a steamed bun for Xiang Su, asking her: “Is it good?”

Wen Sheng silently cupped his fists and withdrew.

“Delicious!” Xiang Su was nearly moved to tears. These things were both exquisite and delicious, also placed in beautiful bowls and dishes, appearing so clean. What the Kunpeng had given her to eat—those dry su bing taken from the boss’s pitch-black hands—couldn’t compare at all! She was now increasingly certain the Kunpeng hated her.

“This is a steamed bun.” Dong Tianyun smiled. “This is red bean paste pastry.”

“You eat too, you eat too!” Wood spirits always had a sharing spirit. Xiang Su couldn’t use chopsticks. She grabbed a steamed bun and placed it on the empty plate in front of Dong Tianyun.

Dong Tianyun looked down at it, seemingly sighing as he said: “I no longer need such things.”

Xiang Su thought about it—that made sense. He had long since transcended bodily burdens. She almost greedily savored in detail the exquisite flavor of the steamed bun’s meat juices and dough mixing together. Actually, “eating” wasn’t necessarily a burden.

The Kunpeng appeared out of thin air behind Dong Tianyun. Xiang Su knew this was the translocation technique. Though slightly startled, it didn’t delay her eating at all.

The Kunpeng looked at her with disgust. Xiang Su ignored him.

“Junshang?” The Kunpeng cupped his fists in salute to Dong Tianyun. Being summoned so early in the morning after returning from outside—this hadn’t happened in a long time.

Dong Tianyun slowly picked up his teacup, sniffing it lightly at his nose tip. He casually glanced sideways at the Kunpeng. The Kunpeng’s back immediately broke out in cold sweat.

“The auspicious day for sword forging draws near. Go to the Far North to fetch Polar Ice Charcoal.” Dong Tianyun took a light sip, ignoring the Kunpeng’s paling face.

Polar Ice Charcoal was buried deep underground in the Far North, covered by hard frozen earth. Even gods and demons with high magical power would need to expend vast amounts of time to dig through the frozen soil. The Far North was also bitterly cold, so fetching charcoal was truly a bitter assignment. In the past, it was always the guard generals who drew lots to go. By no means should it have fallen to “Lord Kunpeng.”

“Yes.” The Kunpeng responded with a dark face, completely puzzled about what error he had committed to receive this not-too-severe, not-too-light punishment from Junshang.

Xiang Su ate happily, completely unaware she was the culprit. She didn’t even know when the Kunpeng had left. She had gained new understanding of “eating” and was currently overjoyed and excited.