Upon waking from her sleep, Er’er felt refreshed and invigorated. She raised her hands to stretch but accidentally touched someone.

She froze, looking up in confusion, her pitch-black pupils meeting a pair of misty-colored eyes.

“You hit people as soon as you wake up?” he asked in a husky voice.

Her face inexplicably reddened as she looked down and realized she was still nestled in his embrace, their auras intermingled, with an intimacy that seemed improper.

She hurriedly wriggled backward, pulling the blanket up to cover half her face, with only her eyes exposed, blinking awkwardly.

The person beside her glanced at her sideways, lifted the covers, and got out of bed. With a raise of his right hand, his clothes changed to a new red robe.

“Wow,” Er’er couldn’t help but exclaim. “Beautiful!”

This compliment was well-received. Li Ye raised his chin slightly and tossed her a celestial fruit: “Get up, we’re going out.”

“Where to?” she asked, biting into the fruit while putting on her shoes.

…

…

“Just wandering around,” he answered vaguely.

Getting up early to go wandering? Er’er glanced at him, wanting to ask if he had too much free time, but then she noticed that the Great Lord’s hair tie had come loose, his ink-black hair falling in disarray, which seemed quite improper.

Taking another bite of the celestial fruit, Er’er wiped her hands on her clothes, stood up, and gestured to him: “Bend down a bit.”

Li Ye lowered his head, puzzled.

“Lower still,” she strained, wiggling her fingertips.

Looking disdainfully at her fingers, Li Ye asked: “This isn’t low enough?”

Er’er bristled: “I’m asking you to bend lower, not saying I’m short! I may be short, but I haven’t eaten your family’s rice. Why are you complaining?”

Her emotions ran so high that the last word came out with a changed tone, making Li Ye laugh.

The person before him had puffed up her cheeks in anger, secretly rising on tiptoes, clearly quite concerned about her height.

With no other choice, Li Ye bent down, lowering half his body toward her.

“What’s the point of being so tall?” she grumbled in embarrassed anger, then conjured a comb out of thin air to gather and tie his hair.

Li Ye watched in silence, allowing her to arrange it as she pleased.

If Zhu Yan were to come in and see this, his jaw would surely drop. When had he ever lowered his head to anyone like this?

Besides, it was just hair—a simple gesture with his fingers would suffice. Why go through all this trouble?

Yet the person before him was quite persistent, her short legs wobbling as she stood on tiptoe, her movements both deft and gentle as she tucked his black hair into a topknot and conjured a golden hairpin to secure it.

He couldn’t help but want to reach out and hold her waist.

However, just as his hand extended, she had already finished her task and stepped back half a pace in satisfaction.

His hand, suspended in midair, quickly made a circle and naturally smoothed his hair. Li Ye straightened up, cleared his throat, and turned his head away: “Unnecessary fuss.”

Not even a word of praise, and now he was complaining? Er’er pouted, though she was gradually getting used to his mismatch of words and feelings. She conjured new clothes for herself with a gesture and bounced toward the door: “Where are we going?”

“The Heavenly Gate.”

What?

Her cheerful steps faltered, and Er’er turned to him with a stiff face, her eyes filled with terror.

Were the Great Lord’s casual strolls always this intense? The Heavenly Gate was equivalent to the human realm’s Forbidden City—a place under strict guard for a hundred miles, where trespassers were executed. Yet he mentioned it as casually as if suggesting an after-dinner walk?

Instinctively shaking her head, Er’er backed against the door, retreating a few inches: “The weather doesn’t look good today, perhaps we should…”

Before she could finish, she was lifted bodily, half-carried and half-dragged across the threshold.

Her face fell as she struggled to pry away his arm locked around her waist: “You can go by yourself, I’d just be in the way.”

“It’s not appropriate for someone of my status, and what if I can’t withstand the spiritual pressure near the Heavenly Gate? How frightening that would be.”

“Supreme God, Great Lord…”

As they were about to step onto the celestial cloud, she finally cried out: “Li Ye!”

His steps faltered. His lips curved slightly upward, and after a long pause, he lifted the hem of his robe and stepped onto the cloud, responding in an extremely good mood: “Yes?”

Er’er: “…”

She was so angry, yet what was the Great Lord so happy about?

Placing her on the cloud, Li Ye raised his eyes to gaze into the distance: “Don’t you want to become a higher immortal?”

“I did say that, but…” Halfway through her sentence, Er’er suddenly realized something and swallowed the rest of her words.

She looked up at him in astonishment, then made a gesture to check her meridians and spiritual energy.

“Hiss—” She hadn’t realized until now—when had her immortal power become so abundant?

Although the suppression of her various immortal energies was somewhat uncomfortable, the pure fire-path immortal energy was incredibly powerful. No matter what gesture she made, it seemed effortlessly at her command.

Catching her jaw before it hit the ground, Er’er trembled in shock: “You want me to ascend directly?”

“You don’t want to?” he glanced at her.

“It’s not that I don’t want to, but my seven meridians and eight channels aren’t fully open yet. Can I become a higher immortal just with abundant immortal energy in my acupoints?” Er’er poked her palm doubtfully.

His robes fluttered in the wind, painting the sky like the morning glow. Li Ye lazily brushed away the slowly drifting clouds before them and said in a measured voice: “Since ancient times, immortals are born from belief. If you don’t believe in yourself, you truly won’t succeed.”

Her eyes flickered as she followed his gaze ahead.

The Heavenly Gate stood above the Nine Heavens and Ten Doors. Though there were no visible guards, the spiritual pressure was overwhelming. Anyone who crossed the boundary without permission would be reduced to nothing. Thus, the Tianqua Daoist had built the Heaven-Gazing Platform before the Heavenly Gate for visiting immortals to wait.

When Er’er followed Li Ye onto the Heaven-Gazing Platform, many immortals were already standing there, seemingly arguing about something. The scene was rather chaotic, with several immortals red-faced and heated, resembling court officials in the human realm, which gave her a sense of familiarity.

Human nature loves to join in on excitement. She immediately wanted to go over and listen, but the most argumentative immortal turned to look in her direction and instantly fell silent.

The immortal facing him was about to speak again, but followed his gaze and immediately widened his eyes as well.

As the Heaven-Gazing Platform gradually grew quiet, Er’er looked around, thinking they were intimidated by the Great Lord Li Ye. Just as she was about to stand behind him, she suddenly felt her body lighten.

Tai Shang Lao Jun waved his whisk, summoning her over.

Just as her body began to float toward him, a familiar aura emanated from behind.

“What are you doing?” Li Ye asked, displeased.

Her forward momentum came to an abrupt halt, leaving Er’er suspended in midair, looking between them uncertainly.

Tai Shang Lao Jun stroked his beard and sighed: “One must gain public approval.”

Li Ye’s expression changed slightly as he glanced to the side.

Gen Qi stood at the edge, appearing uninvolved. Meeting Li Ye’s gaze, he smiled: “Why look at me? Supreme God, with your vast powers, if you insist on showing favoritism in front of so many people, I wouldn’t step in to stop you. The Heavenly Gate is right there—just take her and go.”