No matter what, the little prince was still an immortal. Even though this innkeeper wasn’t evil, she was still a transformed demon. Not killing her was already an act of mercy—how could he get involved with her?

So he held the blade and answered in his childish voice: “I still have things to do.”

The innkeeper didn’t insist on his staying, but simply smiled, her phoenix eyes measuring him in a circle. After a moment, she wrapped some pastries in oil paper and stuffed them into his arms: “Then eat these on your journey.”

The inn’s main door reopened, and the lively sounds from outside poured in. Someone shouted: “Innkeeper Lou, the vegetable seller has arrived at the back courtyard.”

“Coming!” She waved her fan, nodded to the little prince, and swayed away toward the back.

The Phoenix-Slaying Blade watched coldly, feeling somewhat restless. Such high-quality demonic energy—if slain, it would surely taste better than the Yellow Immortal’s blood.

Everyone has greed, and blades are no exception. Once the killing began, the addiction was hard to quell.

But the little prince had no such craving. Leaning against the Phoenix-Slaying Blade, he sensed its restlessness and immediately flicked it gently: “People are divided between good and evil, and so are demons.”

The Phoenix-Slaying Blade trembled and behaved itself.

…

…

Unexpectedly, though young, this little master was quite discerning when facing situations, possessing not only Li Ye’s decisiveness but also Er’er’s compassion.

Delighted, the Phoenix-Slaying Blade immediately summoned a tongue spirit bird and, striking while the iron was hot, asked the little master: “Then shall we return to the Nine Heavens for dinner?”

“No,” the previously smiling face immediately fell. “Father was mean to me, I don’t want to go back!”

“Your father treasures your mother…”

“Aren’t I also precious? I’m not going back!”

Well, when throwing a tantrum, he was still an eight-year-old child after all.

The Phoenix-Slaying Blade sighed, dismissed the tongue spirit bird, and continued to accompany the little master on his wanderings.

Currently, the mortal realm was peaceful. Even as a child roaming about, he encountered no dangers. It was the lovely season of spring blossoms. The little prince, eating the pastries given by the innkeeper, traveled through mountains, rivers, and seas, witnessed partings and reunions, and suddenly understood why his mother, who loved to travel so much, was willingly busy at the Heavenly Gate.

This world looked truly beautiful, stable, and prosperous.

Mortals still experienced their joys and sorrows, but these were unrelated to natural disasters. This stable realm had enjoyed favorable weather for hundreds of years.

Man and Blade traveled to the Western Sea. The little prince, seeing the unfamiliar coastline, excitedly stopped with the Phoenix-Slaying Blade, baring his feet to play in the water by the shore.

As waves surged up and receded, suddenly there was another person on the beach.

The little prince became wary, narrowing his eyes to observe, but saw that the person had only come to pick up a red shell washed ashore. He wore a long blue-black robe, his skin as white as snow, but his eyes were so dark they lacked any sign of vitality.

Sensing he was being watched, the man turned his head and glanced at him indifferently.

An immortal? The little prince curiously approached, smelled the immortal energy on him, and looked up in confusion: “Shouldn’t immortals live in the Nine Heavens? Why do you live in the sea?”

The man didn’t answer, only caressed the red shell in his hand, then looked up at the shore on the other side.

“Help me with something.”

The little prince was full of questions when a shell was placed in his hands.

“On that shore over there, a sister with purple eyes will appear soon. She’s looking for this red shell,” he said quietly. “Go give it to her, and don’t mention you saw me.”

The little prince frowned in confusion: “Why? What you found isn’t what I found. If I take it over, wouldn’t I be stealing your achievement?”

“No,” the man answered flatly. “This would be helping me.”

At just eight years old, the little prince did not understand the complex emotions of adults. He stared blankly at this person’s expression, feeling his heart grow heavy, as if a stone were pressing on it, making it hard to breathe.

“Why are you so sad?” he asked.

The man laughed lightly, his brow tinged with disdain: “Why should I be sad? Life is good now, peaceful, with no one to disturb my cultivation. In another three hundred years, I can go challenge Li Ye again…”

“But,” interrupting him, the little prince said with certainty, “you are sad.”

“…”

The man fell silent, suddenly seeming very tired. He lowered his eyes, waved his hand dismissively, and turned to disappear with the waves.

The little prince held the red shell, pouted, but still went to the other shore as instructed to wait.

Shortly after, a sister with purple eyes did appear on the beach, her black hair flowing like a waterfall, her face cold. She bent down, searching through the pile of shells on the shore with an anxious expression.

Xiao Hei immediately went to give her the shell in his hand.

“Young Prince?” Long Xu was surprised. “Why are you here?”

After a pause, she looked at the object in his hand, her expression stunned: “How did this end up with you?”

Xiao Hei very much wanted to fulfill the earlier man’s request, but he felt that children shouldn’t lie. Scratching his head, he decided to tell the truth: “I ran away from home to play in the water here and met an immortal with over ten thousand years of cultivation. He lives in the sea and knows my father, but his temper isn’t great. He found this shell, asked me to give it to you, and then left.”

Her eyes moved slightly, and Long Xu listlessly lowered her eyelids.

Her dragon palace and Xin Wu’s residence were separated by just one sea trench, but even the lightest fish couldn’t safely swim across that trench.

Over these years, he had helped her many times but never came to see her.

Long Xu knew this wasn’t because of the sea trench.

It was better not to meet, even if they never met again in this lifetime, that was fine too.

Taking the red shell, Long Xu smiled and patted Xiao Hei’s head: “Immortal Er’er’s birthday is approaching. You should return soon.”

The little prince was startled, suddenly remembering—yes, his mother’s birthday was coming up. Although birthdays happened every year and weren’t particularly special, his mother must have been missing him at this time.

“Then I’ll take my leave,” he bowed formally to Long Xu.

Long Xu smiled as she watched him leave, her thumb caressing the red shell before slowly pinning it back in her hair.

She stood on the shore a little longer, just a little, then submerged again into the sea depths.

Wave after wave, the sea could swallow everything, including heavy sighs.

The Phoenix-Slaying Blade carried the little prince, flying extremely fast. The sea rose and fell behind them, gradually becoming a peaceful expanse of blue. The miscellaneous items bought in the mortal realm rattled in his bundle.

The little prince felt the warm wind and suddenly found his aspiration.

He needed to grow up quickly. When grown, he would help his mother with all those complicated matters, so she would have more time to come down and walk around.

However…

He wouldn’t help his father! He was mean!

Parting the layers of clouds, the bustling activity in the Nine Heavens grew louder. Immortals were preparing for the Immortals’ birthday celebration, with the aroma of wine and food detectable even two levels of heaven away.

Er’er stood on the Immortal Viewing Terrace, and seeing the returning flame from afar, she finally sighed with relief, pinching the person beside her reproachfully: “Don’t be so fierce next time.”

Li Ye frowned at being pinched: “When was I fierce?”

“You’re fierce to everyone except me,” Er’er puffed her cheeks.

With a light snort, Li Ye couldn’t be bothered to argue with this little one who took advantage and still played innocent. He reached out to rub the back of her head and placed a kiss on her forehead.

Apart from her, what did anyone else matter to him?

(The End)