As early summer approached, rain fell almost daily at the peak of Mount Tai. The branches and leaves that had withered in late winter had all become verdantly lush. Looking out, Lake Chengjiang was like a pool of crystal surrounded by deep green jade, so clear the bottom was visible.

An hour of heavy rain had fallen this morning, and the lakeshore was still somewhat wet. The hem of the Azure Emperor’s robe dragging on the mud was soaked through, but he was completely unaware, his eyes fixed on the slightly trembling fishing rod. Calculating the timing precisely, he pulled in the rod, and sure enough, a plump silver carp was hooked on the line.

The afternoon sunlight was too glaring, so he put on a bamboo hat. He had just tossed the wildly jumping silver carp back into the lake when he heard hurried footsteps from a divine official approaching from behind, who said softly: “Your Majesty, Baize Dijun and the Zhuyin Clan princess have come to visit.”

The Azure Emperor’s eyes flickered. He lowered his head in thought for a moment, then removed his bamboo hat and rose, saying: “Receive them in the front hall.”

He changed into formal attire and proceeded to the front hall. His gaze first fell on the young princess of the Zhuyin Clan. She seemed listless, her head lowered in silence as she pinched the Zhuyin White Snow in her hands. Beside her, Baize Dijun’s small body sat in the tall chair, his expression serious as he stared at the glazed box in his hands, contemplating something unknown.

The Azure Emperor stepped forward with a salute and said with a smile: “Baize Dijun, Princess, my apologies for not welcoming you properly. Please forgive me.”

Baize Dijun didn’t engage in excessive pleasantries with him, getting straight to the point: “Azure Emperor Your Majesty, regarding the matter of Fucang cutting the auspicious light beast feathers, the reason ultimately lies in the homework I assigned. He was punished because of this, and I cannot shirk responsibility. Today I have come for two reasons: first, to present this cuckoo blood-red feather satin for Azure Emperor Your Majesty to examine—tomorrow I will deliver it to the Heavenly Palace; second, to lift Fucang’s thorn punishment. I ask Your Majesty to summon Fucang.”

The Azure Emperor took the glazed box and, seeing the traces of fresh blood on the feather satin, couldn’t help but laugh a little. Baize Dijun’s peculiar habits were becoming increasingly strange—this bloody thing really didn’t appear beautiful in any way.

He paused for a moment, lifted his jade tea cup to blow away the green leaves, then said: “Baize Dijun, homework is homework, theft is theft—two different matters. Fucang’s punishment is the consequence of his own actions. He should bear responsibility, and moreover, it was voluntary. The Dijun need not blame himself. Besides, it’s not convenient for him to come out. I presume the thorn technique is currently taking effect, and he cannot move freely.”

The White Snow in Xuan Yi’s hands fell to the ground with a soft sound. She slowly picked it up, using her fingertips to dust away the floating ash.

The Azure Emperor glanced at her again, involuntarily sighing in his heart.

That day when the Heavenly Emperor had proposed a match with the Zhuyin Clan, he hadn’t objected, largely out of a mentality of wanting to see how Fucang would respond. He hadn’t held any expectation that a betrothal could be arranged from this—for the only son of the Huaxu Clan’s Azure Emperor to take a wife, how could it be such an easy matter?

After Fucang returned from the Flower Emperor’s immortal island that time, his complexion had remained poor, presumably having been thoroughly angered. Then he took Baize Dijun as his teacher and also collided with the young princess. Since then, he had changed.

He had always been cold and refined, like porcelain that could not be defiled, neither inquiring after others nor sometimes even himself. So that day when he used a best-of-three competition format—a method of striving for victory—to request that he himself invite Wangshu to emerge from seclusion, the shock in the Azure Emperor’s heart was immense. After that came the awakening of the sword path, his discourteous neglect of guests, his disappearance for an entire afternoon, and even now the theft of the auspicious light beast feathers—all seemed to follow naturally. He did indeed have such audacity, and behind his indifference was the straightforwardness of one who had struggled all the way to this point.

From beginning to end, it was all because of this young princess of the Zhuyin Clan.

Today she wore a water-green lotus garment, the long draped sash hanging at her skirt’s edge, making her appear as though carved from white jade—truly pleasing to the eye. Could it be that Fucang was captivated by this beauty? His child—what exactly was it for?

The Azure Emperor suddenly smiled again: “The princess came today to visit Fucang, I suppose? Unfortunately, he’s afraid he cannot receive guests, disappointing the princess’s kind intentions.”

Xuan Yi drew in a breath. Then she should leave, return quietly. She hadn’t wanted to see him undergoing punishment anyway. It surely wouldn’t look good, and if she saw it, she definitely wouldn’t be able to eat for three days.

She put away the White Snow, seeming preoccupied with heavy thoughts, but finally raised her head and asked with dignity: “Azure Emperor Your Majesty, may I just take one look at him?”

The Azure Emperor said gently: “I am most grateful that the princess cares so much for her fellow student, however…”

Baize Dijun couldn’t help but interject: “Will looking once make a piece of flesh fall off? This youngster, how can he be so petty?”

The Azure Emperor was rendered speechless with laughter: “Since Baize Dijun says so as well, how can I refuse? However, Fucang should currently be resting in his room and probably cannot leave his courtyard. I must trouble the princess to make the journey. Let them guide the princess.”

He instructed several divine officials to lead the way. Unexpectedly, Baize Dijun jumped down from his chair, saying: “I shall also go see him.”

The Azure Emperor grabbed his sleeve and blinked: “Dijun, please remain. Last time when Fucang’s sword path awakened, the Dijun was busy with the divine realm’s order and unable to accept the invitation. This time, please let me properly host you.”

Baize Dijun had no choice but to sit back down in his chair. He slowly took a sip of tea before saying: “What about the matter of Fucang’s thousand-year dream?”

The smile on the Azure Emperor’s face gradually faded: “His mind is currently unsettled, and with the punishment added, he cannot yet enter the thousand-year dream for now.”

The thousand-year dream was a breakthrough in the divine clan’s cultivation realm. Originally, when the time came, one would fall into slumber, spiritual essence converging, with no response to anything in the external world. But with Fucang’s current state, it was probably impossible. These past days he had been as if struggling with something, and going to the Heavenly Palace to accept punishment also seemed like seeking some kind of resolution. Without cutting through these matters, he presumably could not sleep peacefully.

Baize Dijun actually smiled: “If my female disciple takes just one look, it should be fine.”

He knew all this, yet still had to add complications. The Azure Emperor sighed, not knowing whether this one look would bring fortune or disaster.

*

Following the lakeside avenue upward, one reached the long staircase leading to the Azure Emperor Palace at the peak of Mount Tai. Xuan Yi hadn’t come here last time. Walking on the steps, she felt that everywhere she looked was green. The growth of the myriad trees here was extremely domineering and unrestrained. From time to time, one could see thick tree roots coiled on the steps. Every tree was countless times taller than those outside.

Reaching halfway up the mountain, the divine officials suddenly turned aside, taking a winding serpentine path. After walking tortuously for quite a while, they finally stopped before a white stone bridge. Xuan Yi halted and looked up, seeing that this deep valley was densely planted with green bamboo. Each stalk was as thick as a water vat and over a hundred zhang tall, piercing straight into the azure sky, completely blocking out the sunlight. It was extremely cool and shady, and water continued to drip from the bamboo leaves with an endless rustling sound.

“Princess, at the end of the bamboo forest is the Divine Lord’s courtyard. The Divine Lord previously ordered that we may not trespass without permission, so we can only escort the princess to this point.”

The divine officials bowed in salute, adding: “We will wait for the princess here at the stone bridge.”

Xuan Yi nodded. After a moment’s hesitation, she finally stepped onto the stone bridge and walked toward the depths of the bamboo forest. She only wanted to secretly hide outside and take one look—but how was she supposed to look? Which room did he live in?

Breaking through the cloud boundary and entering the courtyard, she saw nanmu corridors uniformly embedded beneath the verdant towering trees. The courtyard was extremely quiet, with only the faint sound of wind circling. Xuan Yi stopped in place, her gaze sweeping across the nanmu corridors. Before each door hung luminous pearls for decoration—they all looked exactly the same.

She cautiously made her footsteps as light as possible. Since she was wearing wooden-soled shoes today, she specially took them off to avoid making noise when stepping on the nanmu corridor.

She secretly opened a window and peeked inside—empty.

She advanced gracefully on tiptoe, continuing to open a second window—still empty.

Xuan Yi was about to open a third moon-shaped window when suddenly a wooden door beside her was opened. The Divine Lord, wearing a casual crow-blue robe, appeared silently in the doorway. She nearly jumped up, her hand flying out and hitting the moon window with a crisp “thud.”

Fucang leaned against the wooden door, his head lowered as he stared fixedly at her. He had probably just been sleeping—his long hair hung loose, gathered to one side, and his collar was loose, revealing a small section of porcelain-white shoulder. It was rare to see him with disheveled clothing.

Wasn’t it said he was undergoing thorn punishment? Why didn’t it look like it?

Xuan Yi lowered her head to straighten her sleeves, then turned her head in apparent difficulty, thinking for a moment. Only then did she raise her eyes to look at him, smiling slightly: “Fucang Senior Brother, would you like to tidy your appearance first? Or shall you go back inside to sleep?”