The nine-headed lion had been led away to the mount enclosure, and the vast procession of attendants the little princess had brought had also dispersed, clinging to the edges of the immortal island, silently surrounding Hua Huang’s immortal island like an iron barrel.

This move provoked much displeasure among the celestial deities, with countless complaints whispered in private, yet they were reluctant to leave. Could Fucang Shenjun and Princess Zhongshan actually take a liking to each other? Everyone was quite concerned about this matter.

Seeing the shenjun leading the little princess into Hua Huang’s inner garden—a place one absolutely could not enter without Hua Huang’s invitation—the various deities could only strain to look inside, each one stretching their necks long like geese.

Hua Huang’s inner garden was even more filled with brilliant purples and reds everywhere. All that was planted were flower varieties Hua Huang treasured. Where the wind passed, light and heavy fragrances alternated and delivered in succession, making one’s heart open and spirit pleasant.

The little princess walked very slowly, as if without a female immortal supporting her, she had no strength to walk. Fucang Shenjun had no choice but to walk and stop repeatedly, from time to time still having to turn back to wait for her.

No one spoke. The shenjun seemed to have no interest even in starting a conversation topic, remaining as silent as a mute all along the way.

After only a moment, suddenly Xuan Yi gently complained from behind: “This path is covered with broken stones and is quite rough. This humble one is truly unaccustomed to walking on it. I hope the shenjun will be understanding and allow this humble one to rest briefly for a moment.”

Fucang stopped without a word on the suspended corridor beside the cloud pool. When he turned around, he glanced at the small path beneath his feet—embedded in it were Celestial River stones polished extremely smooth. Rough?

Xuan Yi used her handkerchief to wipe the railing over a dozen times before finally leaning softly against it, casually tossing that handkerchief into the cloud pool.

Fucang stood beside her and said in a low voice: “Many immortal-grade fish are raised in Hua Huang’s inner garden cloud pool. The princess’s action is not quite appropriate.”

Xuan Yi raised her head and looked at him quietly: “The shenjun’s words are reasonable. This humble one is a descendant of Zhongshan Zhuyin—how could a small cloud pool accommodate this humble one’s handkerchief? This humble one was thoughtless. As for the immortal-grade fish in this cloud pool, today they shall be considered to have received a blessing.”

Fucang said nothing more, but Xuan Yi slowly spoke again: “This humble one has always been raised in the inner chambers and knows very little of outside affairs. Regarding matters concerning the shenjun, I have only heard some things retold by my father. The shenjun is youthful and elegant, having once performed a sword dance at an imperial daughter’s wedding banquet. It’s only regrettable that this humble one was unable to witness the shenjun’s heroic bearing with my own eyes. However, since both my father and Qing Di have intentions, this humble one dares not be overly formal. Now there are some words this humble one wishes to say for the shenjun to hear.”

She spoke slowly and softly, weighing each word carefully. A single speech took a very long time. Fucang patiently listened to her finish, and his voice couldn’t help but grow several degrees colder: “If the princess has something to say, speak freely.”

Xuan Yi said indifferently: “The shenjun is the son of the eastern Qing Di and will inherit Qing Di’s position in the future. Wielding swords and spears is what rough warriors and generals do. When the shenjun becomes a dijun in the future, such actions would be quite inappropriate.”

Her expression remained extremely calm throughout. She turned a blind eye to the growing impatience in the depths of his eyes, instead continuing: “This humble one was able to meet the shenjun today and feels great admiration in my heart. To be joined with the shenjun in matrimony is truly this humble one’s wish. Therefore, I hope the shenjun will think thrice. This humble one hopes her husband will be a refined and noble dijun, not a rough warrior who wields weapons.”

Fucang’s brows furrowed slightly, then relaxed again, his tone indifferent: “The princess speaks prematurely of this matter. For now, set your mind at ease. Hua Huang’s inner garden’s weeping peony has bloomed recently. Would the princess be willing to go observe it together?”

Xuan Yi reluctantly agreed and followed behind him, continuing to walk at a snail’s pace. Half a shichen was spent walking through the suspended corridor, and another half shichen was spent before they arrived at the peony courtyard.

Seeing it was the two of them, the flower-guarding attendants immediately bent at the waist respectfully to open the courtyard gate. Inside the courtyard, countless peonies bloomed enchantingly in the spring breeze—a cluster of purple here, a pile of pink there, like layered brocade and spread sunset clouds. On the glazed platform in the very center, only a single peony flower was planted. The blossom was no larger than a palm, yet it had layers upon layers of no fewer than several thousand petals. Its color was transparent like frost, and on the ice-crystal-like petals were countless fine veins, colored like jade—this was the legendary weeping peony that bloomed only once every thirty thousand years.

“What a beautiful peony.”

Xuan Yi praised it once, then suddenly raised her arm. The silk luxurious long sleeve slowly slid down, revealing a bright white and slender arm, as if she wanted to pluck this precious peony.

The flower-guarding attendants were immediately shocked and alarmed, urgently saying: “Princess, you must not!”

Xuan Yi asked curiously: “Why must I not?”

Fucang behind her suddenly spoke, his voice cold as ice: “The weeping peony is a spiritual root of heaven and earth, blooming only once every thirty thousand years. How can the princess destroy it out of selfish desire?”

Xuan Yi’s eyes flowed with light, as if somewhat aggrieved, saying softly: “But this humble one likes it—that would be this flower’s blessing. A spiritual root of heaven and earth—how could it compare to Zhongshan Zhuyin…”

Fucang finally didn’t wait for her to slowly finish speaking. He retreated several steps, cupped his hands in salute: “I still have matters to attend to and cannot accompany the princess for long. I take my leave.”

Having said this, he didn’t even wait for her answer and departed with a flick of his sleeves.

Xuan Yi didn’t move. Her arm was still raised, her slender fingers still inches away from touching the petals. The flower-guarding attendant beside her was both frightened and flustered, pleading repeatedly: “I beg the princess to show mercy! This is the peony Lord Hua Huang treasures most!”

After a moment, that hand that made people’s hearts leap in alarm finally slowly withdrew. She unhurriedly arranged her sleeves, then suddenly smiled faintly at the flower-guarding attendant who had survived the calamity: “The weeping peony truly lives up to its reputation. What a pity.”

Those three words “what a pity” made the flower-guarding attendant break into another cold sweat, but he saw this little princess calmly and composedly begin to appreciate the other peonies in the courtyard. Fucang Shenjun’s departure with a flick of his sleeves seemed to have absolutely no effect on her. She was neither embarrassed nor angry. She circled around the peony courtyard, appreciating every variety of peony once before slowly walking out of the inner garden.

The various deities who had originally been guarding the entrance to peek scattered like birds and beasts, continuing in the pear blossom grove—those who played the zither played the zither, those who danced danced—the singing and dancing peace and prosperity somewhat forced.

All gazes secretly fixated on the little princess, hoping to see some clues from her face, but this princess of gold and jade was too well-bred—her expression was so calm that probably even a needle prick wouldn’t cause a ripple.

The vast procession of attendants once again arranged themselves in a long queue and, just as when they arrived, left Hua Huang’s immortal island with imposing momentum, leaving behind a group of chattering celestial deities excitedly discussing with each other everything that had just occurred.

The magnificent golden carriage shuttled through the sea of clouds. Xuan Yi selected from the jade box in an attending female immortal’s hands a dark plum preserved to exactly the right degree. As soon as she put it in her mouth, the sour and sweet taste made her let out a pleased “mm.”

As if seeing she was in a good mood, the attending female immortal asked carefully: “Princess, having met Fucang Shenjun today, what is your impression?”

Xuan Yi concentrated wholeheartedly on chewing that dark plum. After a very long time, she finally said: “It will be difficult to form this match.”

The attending female immortal was shocked: “But… this is a match made by Tian Di…”

Xuan Yi looked at her innocently: “How old are you this year?”

The attending female immortal didn’t understand her meaning and could only answer honestly: “Twenty-three thousand years old.”

Xuan Yi spat out the plum pit with the most graceful manner and said indifferently: “At twenty-three thousand years old you still haven’t married. I’m only ninety-seven hundred years old this year—naturally there’s no need to rush.”

The attending female immortal was startled: “How can this servant be compared with you, Princess! Moreover, the madam… the Dijun naturally urgently hopes you will find a destination.”

Xuan Yi didn’t answer. She only lifted the curtain, allowing the wind to rush in and blow her exquisite hair arrangement into disarray.

“It’s somewhat stuffy inside the carriage.” She suddenly spoke. “Stop the carriage. I want to get out.”

The vast procession of attendants suddenly stopped. The attending female immortal still tried to persuade this willful little princess: “Princess! Your status is so noble—how can you show your face in public like those ordinary divine clans…”

Xuan Yi didn’t wait for her to finish. She had already pulled open the carriage door. Mist instantly enveloped her slender body, and the gale blew her magnificent garments into swaying and fluttering flight, appearing quite transcendent and unworldly in bearing.

“I am a descendant of Zhongshan Longshen Zhuyin Clan.” She looked at the restless attending female immortal and said leisurely.

The attending female immortal hastily responded: “Precisely so, which is why Princess, you must not…”

“Have you ever seen a dragon riding in a carriage?” Xuan Yi blinked her eyes. In the next instant, she had already soared away with the wind, disappearing from sight in the blink of an eye.