In the days that followed, Zhen Huan Gong didn’t see Yan Cha again. When he occasionally thought of this young lady, he only remembered her gentle eyes and the delicious dishes she had served.

Er’er’s three-hundred-year heavenly tribulation soon arrived. Regarding this tribulation, Li Ye did not protect her, but fearing he couldn’t restrain himself if he watched, he deliberately entered seclusion during this time.

The heavenly tribulation came with tremendous force, as if intent on striking Immortal Er’er to death, but she still endured it. However, she was severely injured afterward and needed to rest for a month.

Therefore, Kan Ze specifically invited the leaders of the five major immortal sects to temporarily reside at the Heavenly Gate and handle affairs on her behalf.

It was at the Heavenly Gate that Zhen Huan Gong saw Yan Cha again.

She wore her hair in a wodu bun, dressed in a flowing immortal gown, carrying a bowl of soup from the corridor toward the main hall. Her expression seemed somewhat anxious, but her steps were small yet steady, like a drifting cloud.

He found himself watching her longer than necessary.

It wasn’t that he had any particular thoughts—just that… he felt the soup she was carrying must be delicious.

“High God,” someone called from beside him, eyes filled with curiosity.

…

…

Zhen Huan Gong came to his senses, coughed lightly, waved his hand, and continued walking.

The five sect leaders resided in the Administrative Pavilion and ordinarily didn’t need any food, being High Gods who could cultivate with celestial energy alone. But some High God had suddenly proposed eating mortal soups to better understand the mortal condition, so several minor immortals had to seek out Yan Cha for help.

In the entire Heavenly Gate, only Yan Cha knew how to prepare mortal dishes.

Yan Cha agreed readily—she made food for Er’er every day anyway, so preparing a bit more wasn’t much trouble. But since the Heavenly Gate was perpetually short-staffed, and breakfast, lunch, and dinner needed to be delivered to the High Gods, Yan Cha had to lend a hand herself.

This was a task she routinely performed in her immortal sect and was quite skilled at it. Only now, her audience had changed from junior brothers to several High Gods. These High Gods were rather solemn and didn’t like chatting with her, so Yan Cha delivered their meals without raising her head, setting down the dishes and leaving immediately.

Another day of three dishes and a soup arrived. Qian Tian waved his fan, smiling as he watched Yan Cha leave the room, then turned with the same smile to look at Zhen Huan Gong, who was pretending to be uninterested.

“Didn’t you say you disliked eating such things?” he raised an eyebrow. “Why trouble the young lady?”

Tossing aside a scroll of processed documents, Zhen Huan Gong rose and walked to the dining table, snorting lightly: “When did I say I disliked it? Since Immortal Er’er’s succession, everyone in the Nine Heavens has developed a habit of eating mortal food. We’ve all been dragged here to work, and now you won’t even let me eat?”

Qian Tian smiled meaningfully: “You know that’s not what I meant.”

Spitting at him, Zhen Huan Gong lifted his robe and sat down, picking up his chopsticks to eat: “Whatever you mean doesn’t matter. I don’t need an immortal partner.”

“Ah, I see,” Qian Tian seemed slightly disappointed. “And here I thought I’d get to drink at your wedding feast.”

“Dream on,” Zhen Huan Gong rolled his eyes.

He simply enjoyed her cooking, and he could eat it here—why bother forming an immortal union?

However, it seemed Yan Cha truly wanted to be with him. The meals became more sumptuous and delicious each day, and then she had learned the tactic of playing hard to get. The meals that had been delivered promptly every day suddenly stopped after ten days.

Zhen Huan Gong was familiar with such ploys—she wanted him to seek her out.

Honestly, this tactic was not appealing, and he was reluctant to fall for it, but after waiting and waiting, she truly did not come.

After sitting stiffly for half an hour, Zhen Huan Gong suppressed his irritation and finally rose to leave.

He wanted to see what other tricks she had up her sleeve.

Yan Cha always delivered food to Er’er first, then brought meals to the Administrative Pavilion. But today, Er’er had detained her.

“Senior Sister, Storage Element High God sent me a message saying he will enter seclusion in a few days,” Er’er said with a smile as she looked at her.

Yan Cha was startled, both amused and exasperated: “Why would Father take such a roundabout approach? I’ve already said that whoever he chooses, I will accept.”

“That’s exactly why the High God is worried,” Er’er pulled her closer, sighing. “He fears he might match you with the wrong person, and you won’t be happy.”

“What’s there to like or dislike?” Yan Cha said helplessly. “I don’t particularly care about others anyway, so it doesn’t matter whom he chooses.”

“Then…” Er’er’s eyes flickered. “How do you feel about Kan Ze?”

Yan Cha thought for a moment: “High God Kan Ze has the bearing of one between heaven and man, with an upright spirit, but…”

“Your praise is enough; you don’t need to say the second half,” Er’er clapped her hands. “My senior sister is the finest lady in all the Nine Heavens—you’re worthy of anyone.”

“But…”

“No buts,” Er’er said. “You said yourself it doesn’t matter who is chosen. Don’t belittle yourself.”

Kan Ze was indeed the most powerful cultivator she could think of. With him, Storage Element High God could rest assured, and so could she. She only feared Yan Cha might feel it was too ambitious and refuse.

It was certainly ambitious, but that wasn’t what Yan Cha wanted to say.

She tried to speak several times, but was always stopped by Er’er, who eventually pushed her out the door: “It’s decided then. Go rest first, and I’ll respond to Kan Ze.”

The door of the great hall slammed shut in front of her, leaving Yan Cha standing outside, both amused and anxious.

High God Kan Ze was indeed an excellent immortal, but Kan Hui had adored him for years. She couldn’t steal what belonged to another.

She and Kan Hui had some friendship between them—Kan Hui had healed her when she was ill before, so she already owed her a favor. How could she now turn around and hurt her?

As she stood there anxiously, a wisp of immortal energy suddenly floated past her from behind.

Yan Cha turned sharply to see Zhen Huan Gong standing not far away, watching her with an indifferent expression, as if he had been there for a long time.

Her heart tightened, and she quickly walked over to him, looking up: “Why is the High God here?”

With a hint of mockery in his eyes, Zhen Huan Gong didn’t answer, instead asking: “You don’t want to marry Kan Ze?”

“This matter…” her face slightly reddening, Yan Cha lowered her gaze. “This matter is complicated.”

“I’m just asking, do you want to or not?”

“I don’t.”

At least she was straightforward and wasn’t playing hard to get anymore.

Zhen Huan Gong looked down at her, and though there was still some displeasure in his heart, he endured it: “Want to make a deal?”

Yan Cha was startled, looking at him in confusion.

“Marry me, but we won’t share a room,” he said coldly. “I can put Storage Element High God’s mind at ease for his seclusion and protect you from others, but you must cook for me every day.”

This was indeed a good bargain. Yan Cha’s expression softened, and she immediately smiled: “Agreed.”

Agreeing so decisively—had she dug a pit and waited for him to fall in all along? Zhen Huan Gong’s displeasure grew, but before he could change his mind, the young lady grabbed his arm and quickly led him to knock on Er’er’s door.

“Junior Sister, Junior Sister!”

The door opened a crack, and Er’er revealed one wary eye: “Senior Sister?”

Quickly pulling Zhen Huan Gong forward, Yan Cha pointed at him: “Can I marry him instead? There’s no need to trouble High God Kan Ze.”

These words made him even more displeased. Zhen Huan Gong asked irritably: “Are you that afraid of troubling him?”