When the goddess Wangshu Shennu drove her carriage to deliver the moon to the vault of heaven, Xuan Yi also returned to Zhongshan at an unhurried pace.

Zhongshan, shrouded by night, was majestic and silent. Xuan Yi followed the long staircase, climbing step by step. The thin frost on the steps reflected a dim blue color in the moonlight. The trees, flowers, and plants on both sides had all been frozen in crystal-clear ice.

Perhaps after some more time, even this long staircase would be frozen over. Xuan Yi thought that when she came to see her father then, she could only fly.

The ancient Changsheng Hall stood at the end of the staircase. Throughout history, only those of the Zhuyin Clan who had become Zhongshan Dijun could live inside. At this moment, the enormous hall doors were slightly open, and cold wind drilled out from the gaps, blowing into disarray the hair Xuan Yi had just arranged. She had just pressed it down with her hand when the hall doors suddenly opened wide, and Zhongshan Dijun’s voice came out: “A’Yi, come here.”

Xuan Yi lowered her head slightly and respectfully stepped into the hall.

The enormous Changsheng Hall was shrouded in thick darkness. Only at the very center, on the ice chair, did a faint candlelight flicker and sway. Zhongshan Dijun quietly gazed at that flame suspended before him. His face appeared especially pale and haggard in the darkness.

Xuan Yi bowed in salute, respectfully addressing him: “Xuan Yi pays respects to Father.”

Zhongshan Dijun nodded silently. After a moment, he asked in a low voice: “Having met Fucang Shenjun for the first time today, what do you think of him?”

Xuan Yi said: “Your daughter feels that Fucang Shenjun has outstanding appearance and extraordinary bearing—he truly lives up to his reputation.”

A rare trace of a smile appeared on Zhongshan Dijun’s haggard face: “Oh? You like him?”

Xuan Yi said indifferently: “The shenjun seems not to have shown favor toward your daughter.”

Zhongshan Dijun was somewhat surprised: “Could it be his heart already belongs to another? How could that be?”

Xuan Yi lowered her head and said: “I am your daughter, so naturally you think I’m good in a thousand and ten thousand ways, but outsiders may not think so.”

Zhongshan Dijun looked at her deeply. Her extremely calm expression showed not the slightest trace of genuine emotion. He remembered when A’Cui was still here—their son would laugh and chat, causing mischief all day, and though their daughter was naturally quiet, her chubby little face was also often covered with charming, innocent smiles.

Now everything was gone. For nine thousand years, Xuan Yi had never smiled at him again, nor had she cried. Before him, she had never committed any fault—calm and perfect.

A trace of bitterness passed through Zhongshan Dijun’s heart. He forced himself to speak: “No matter. If this one won’t do, we’ll simply find another. My daughter of Zhongshan Zhuyin Clan—how could we fear not finding a good husband?”

“Father speaks correctly,” Xuan Yi answered.

The candlelight jumped lightly several times. Her face in the changing light and shadow appeared quite eerie. Zhongshan Dijun remembered A’Cui’s face covered in blood when she perished, and his body involuntarily began to tremble slightly. The candlelight jumped even more violently.

Years ago, the enchanting and graceful goddess by the Cuihe River, with her first awakening of love, had fallen into passionate love with the young dijun of the Zhongshan Longshen lineage, yearning with all her heart for everlasting devotion and loyalty. But he had destroyed her, destroyed himself, and destroyed their children as well. No matter how much he regretted it, it was of no use.

He didn’t want A’Yi to be like this as well. The divine clans had long, nearly eternal spans of time—love and hate, ambiguity and frivolity, drama and entanglement… Countless divine clans were addicted to these things as a way to pass time. A sincere and devoted heart mostly received only shattering here.

He had once personally destroyed a sincere heart, so this time he must protect A’Yi well. The daughter of Zhongshan Zhuyin Clan absolutely could not be bullied by others.

“A’Yi, the four seas and eight wildernesses are vast indeed, with all kinds of divine clans. There will always be those who make you happy, and always those who make you uncomfortable. You’re gradually growing up and cannot always stay in Zhongshan without going out. I want you to have more experiences—don’t be as stubborn as your mother.”

His throat was bitter, and the candlelight jumped more and more violently, finally extinguishing with a hiss. Changsheng Hall fell into complete darkness.

“You may go—rest early.” Zhongshan Dijun’s voice sounded as if it came from an extremely distant place. “I’ve left the subsequent matters to Qi Nan.”

Subsequent matters? What matters? Xuan Yi had an ominous premonition in her heart.

Sure enough, upon exiting the hall doors, she saw divine official Qi Nan waiting for her from afar in the icy snow and frozen land. Seeing her, Qi Nan’s smile carried a trace of teasing as he spoke: “How did the princess’s first meeting with Fucang Shenjun go today?”

This question had been asked three times now.

Xuan Yi rolled her eyes and answered concisely: “The shenjun didn’t take a liking to me.”

Qi Nan only smiled. He was clearly not as easy to deceive as Zhongshan Dijun: “The princess is still so mischievous and clever.”

The little princess had been strange since childhood. From her mouth, one could almost never hear words like “I don’t want to.” Whatever the Dijun instructed, she could accept with smiles, but for things she was willing to do, she would go do them, and for things she wasn’t willing to do, she would make a complete mess of them—yet no one could find fault with her.

Knowing she was to meet Fucang Shenjun, she had happily agreed. But this morning when Qi Nan heard she had brought one hundred and twenty attendants, he knew things would go badly.

“The Dijun isn’t rushing to marry the princess off.” Qi Nan looked at her with a smile, his teasing expression growing thicker. “The Dijun is only worried that the princess is too mischievous—if we don’t make introductions early, I fear it will be difficult to marry her off in the future.”

Xuan Yi simply stepped forward to take hold of his sleeve, raising her head to smile with her eyes narrowed into crescents: “I haven’t even reached ten thousand years old yet. Wait until I’m two hundred thousand years old to consider marriage.”

Qi Nan was Zhongshan’s most senior divine official. After Mother’s incident, Father’s temperament had changed drastically. She and Qing Yan had both grown up under Qi Nan’s care. Compared to the Dijun who sat quietly in Changsheng Hall all day, the two siblings were much closer to Qi Nan.

“An old dragon daughter of two hundred thousand years—even if you wanted to marry, it would be difficult.” Qi Nan still wanted to tease her.

Xuan Yi widened her eyes innocently: “If I truly wanted to marry, I could marry even at five hundred thousand years old.”

This bit of arrogance—who did she take after… Qi Nan shook his head helplessly.

“Qi Nan, is there any news of Qing Yan?” She looked at him like a little girl, full of expectation.

“The young dragon lord has not transmitted a single word for the past three hundred years, but the princess need not worry. Though Xuanming Dijun’s temperament is peculiar, he treats his disciples extremely well. With the young dragon lord studying under him, there will certainly be no mishaps.”

After the goddess Cuihe Nushen perished, Qing Yan’s relationship with Zhongshan Dijun became extremely poor. It wasn’t until over three thousand years ago that Xuanming Dijun came to visit and took a liking to him. Perhaps with the intention of resolving the friction between father and son, he simply accepted him as a disciple and took him to the Celestial North.

However, the young dragon lord was truly heartless—three hundred years without news, really… Qi Nan couldn’t help but sigh with emotion. Seeing Xuan Yi’s carefree and cheerful appearance, his brows furrowed slightly, and he suddenly said: “Princess, the young dragon lord became Xuanming Dijun’s disciple three thousand years ago and has been living freely and at ease in the Celestial North. Would you also like to go out and broaden your horizons like him?”

He had thought this little girl would certainly be overjoyed, but unexpectedly she smiled faintly: “Qi Nan, you’re conspiring with Father—what troublesome matter are you arranging for me again?”

Qi Nan was stunned: “Doesn’t the princess want to see what exists outside Zhongshan? Moreover, this is a necessary path for every young divine clan member. When you reach fifty thousand years old, you cannot continue to idle about all day—you must have a divine position in the divine realm, otherwise it’s the crime of banishment to the mortal realm.”

Xuan Yi yawned. Having rarely gone out on a long trip, she was tired.

“I need to sleep.” She rubbed her eyes as she walked down the stairs. “Qi Nan, if there’s any news of Qing Yan, you must tell me immediately.”

Qi Nan truly had no way to deal with her willful attitude. He called out urgently: “Princess! Taking a master is a serious matter! You must choose a master! I’ve brought the registry!”

Xuan Yi only waved her hand, saying indifferently: “You all arrange it. I’m fine with anything.”

You all arrange it. I’m fine with anything. Last time when he mentioned Fucang Shenjun to her, she had said the same thing.

Qi Nan felt somewhat of a headache. He feared he would never figure out what exactly was contained in this little princess’s head.