When Fuhuan arrived at Purple Subtlety Palace, she was informed that the Great Emperor of Purple Subtlety had just left for Floating Flower Garden.

Hearing this, Fuhuan couldn’t help but sigh. The path to Purple Subtlety Palace had so many twists and turns, taking her quite a while to navigate, and it had all been for nothing.

Returning along the original path, when she passed the rockery from earlier, the disagreeable man was no longer there.

It seemed…

He wasn’t lost.

Just as she was about to leave, Fuhuan’s footsteps paused as she looked over at the rockery, her clear pupils tinged with thoughtfulness.

Her Purple Subtlety Father had once told her that behind this rockery was imprisoned an unforgivable criminal, which was why the Celestial Emperor had declared it a forbidden area.

Therefore, without the Celestial Emperor’s permission, no one was allowed to approach this rockery or step one foot into the forbidden area.

Earlier, that strange man had stared at this place for a long time—what did he want to do?

…

…

After considering this, Fuhuan pressed her lips together, thinking to herself that since that person was the newly appointed God of the Underworld, he naturally would have some sense of propriety and understand the rules of the Celestial Realm. Since she had told him this was a forbidden area, he probably wouldn’t do anything untoward.

With these thoughts, Fuhuan headed to the Floating Flower Garden.

…

At Floating Flower Garden, apart from the Celestial Emperor who had not yet arrived, all the other high gods and immortals who had received invitations were already seated in their places.

As soon as Fuhuan entered the Floating Flower Garden, she saw Lengyuan waving to her. “Huan’er, over here.”

Hearing Lengyuan’s voice, Fuhuan immediately walked over. “Sister Lengyuan.”

“Mm.” Lengyuan nodded with a smile.

Fuhuan looked at the seat next to Lengyuan, which was already occupied by a princess from the Celestial Realm. It seemed her seat wasn’t here?

“Huan’er,” came the rich voice of the Great Emperor of Purple Subtlety from behind her.

Fuhuan turned around to see the Great Emperor of Purple Subtlety pointing to an empty seat beside him.

Understanding, Fuhuan smiled at Lengyuan and then went to the seat beside the Great Emperor of Purple Subtlety.

Just as she sat down, Fuhuan noticed there was another empty seat next to her with no one sitting in it. But she didn’t care whose seat it was, and after taking a sip of tea, she looked at her Purple Subtlety Father beside her.

“Why did Father come alone first? I just went to Purple Subtlety Palace to find you, and the attendants said you had already come here. You made me walk all that way for nothing.” Fuhuan had especially liked this Purple Subtlety Father since she was small, so when she spoke to him, there was always a hint of spoiled affection in her tone.

The Great Emperor of Purple Subtlety coughed, glanced around, and instructed her in a low voice, “Huan’er, with so many people present today, you should call me ‘Father,’ lest people laugh at us.”

“I won’t.” Fuhuan had long ceased to fear her Purple Subtlety Father and flatly refused his request, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

The next moment, Fuhuan added, “If you want me to obediently call you ‘Father,’ then Father must give me a treasure in exchange.”

“You little money-grubber.” The Great Emperor of Purple Subtlety had been worn down by her and had no temper left. She always used this trick to coax some benefits out of him, but this girl was a clever spirit who knew in which situations she could most easily obtain advantages.

“After the banquet ends, I’ll give you a formation diagram,” the Great Emperor of Purple Subtlety told Fuhuan in a secret voice.

Fuhuan raised her eyebrows and replied in the same secret voice, “A formation diagram?”

“Indeed, it’s my newly developed celestial formation diagram. Once you’ve seen the drawing, you’ll understand its ingenuity.” There was pride and satisfaction in the Great Emperor of Purple Subtlety’s tone.

“Then it’s settled.”

After the father and daughter finished their secret communication, Fuhuan’s smile grew even broader. She raised her hand to pour a cup of tea for the Great Emperor of Purple Subtlety and obediently said, “Father, please drink.”

“Hmph.” The Great Emperor of Purple Subtlety lightly snorted before accepting the teacup and taking a sip.

As the two were chatting idly, they suddenly heard gasps and soft exclamations from a group of female immortals nearby. Fuhuan curiously raised her eyes and followed their gaze to see a figure in purple slowly walking toward her side.

Isn’t this…

That strange person?

Just as she was thinking this, she saw the strange person she’d been referring to coming closer and closer to her, until he stopped at the seat beside her and sat down.

A man and a woman who had been following behind the strange person also took seats in the row behind them.

Huh…

What a coincidence.

At this moment, Fuhuan was sitting in the middle of this long table, with her Purple Subtlety Father on her left and this strange man who had dared to snap at her on her right.

Who had arranged the seating like this, with such a lack of discernment!

Being the ruler of the Underworld, how could he be arranged to sit beside her? Who were they looking down upon?

Fuhuan was lowering her head and grumbling when suddenly two voices came from above her head—

“Lord God of the Underworld, I’ve long admired you.”

“Great Emperor of Purple Subtlety, it’s my pleasure to meet you.”

Fuhuan pouted as the two men beside her reached past her to greet each other.

Just as she was preparing to play dead, she felt someone gently push her left hand. “Huan’er, quickly pay your respects to the God of the Underworld.”

“…” Fuhuan wanted to say, Father, you don’t know how rude this strange man was to me earlier!

And now you want me to pay respects!

She, a daughter of the phoenix, had pride too!

As she was thinking this, the Great Emperor of Purple Subtlety pushed her again.

Fuhuan looked up and saw from the corner of her eye that many immortals and gods were now looking in their direction. Not wanting to let her Purple Subtlety Father gain a reputation for failing to teach his daughter properly, she reluctantly nodded slightly to her right.

“I pay my respects to the God of the Underworld.”

“Mm.”

The person beside her merely made a slight sound of acknowledgment, without even glancing at her.

Fuhuan was annoyed. Where did they find this new God of the Underworld? Was he promoted from the eighteenth level of hell?

She thought this to herself, unaware that her sleeve was touching the sleeve of the God of the Underworld beside her, and that the God of the Underworld, who understood the art of mind-reading, had heard all her thoughts.

The eighteenth level of hell?

Very well.

This phoenix daughter—he’d remember her.

After sitting for a while, an announcement came from outside: “The Celestial Emperor arrives—”

Hearing this announcement, everyone stood up and paid their respects to the Celestial Emperor. “We greet the Celestial Emperor!”

After the Celestial Emperor took the main seat, he waved to everyone. “Please be seated.”

Everyone sat down.

“Today is my birthday, and originally I had wanted to keep it low-key, but the Celestial Empress said that the Celestial Realm hasn’t been lively for a long time, so she suggested inviting all the immortal ministers to have a grand celebration.”

“Today, everyone need not be too formal!”

After the Celestial Emperor finished speaking, singing girls and dancing girls were brought in, dancing gracefully in the center of the garden, their songs filling the air.

Fuhuan had never liked such occasions. While the singing and dancing girls performed, she didn’t even raise her head once, occasionally eating fruit and drinking nectar.

After eating for a while, she glanced at the God of the Underworld beside her from the corner of her eye and noticed that his attention wasn’t on the performances either. His gaze was unfocused, fixed on one spot, lost in thought.

Was he thinking about that rockery?

Thinking of this, she wasn’t sure if it was her imagination or something else, but she noticed that the person whose gaze had been unfocused a moment ago suddenly had his eyelashes tremble, with a hint of profound depth appearing in his eyes.

Fuhuan sighed inwardly. Who knew what kind of person was imprisoned behind that rockery? For so many years, by a single decree from the Celestial Emperor, they had been locked up there, with no one allowed to set foot near them, yet also without an order for execution—just wasting away like that. What was the point?

Moreover, the Celestial Emperor seemed very afraid that the person inside might escape on their own or be rescued by someone. Every year, he would have her use her phoenix divine power to renew the imprisonment spell on the forbidden area.

The last time she renewed the spell was just a month ago.

As she was thinking about this, she suddenly felt a cold glare directed at her. Instinctively, she shivered and looked over to see that the person who had been lost in thought earlier was now frowning deeply, looking at her with barely contained fury.

“…” Fuhuan was confused. What was the matter now?

This truly was a strange person—why was he glaring at her for no reason?

Never mind, she would just go out for a walk; otherwise, she could hardly breathe.

With this thought, Fuhuan slipped out while everyone was watching the performances.

…

After slipping out of Floating Flower Garden, Fuhuan went to the nearby koi pond, leaning against the railing and watching the koi fish swimming back and forth in the pool.

The sounds of singing and dancing from the Floating Flower Garden faintly reached her. Fuhuan sighed, “It’s still more fun staying in Phoenix Feather Pavilion.”

At this moment, light footsteps approached from behind, eventually stopping beside her.

Through the reflection in the water, Fuhuan could see that the person standing beside her was none other than the strange person she had been trying to avoid—the God of the Underworld.

“Does the God of the Underworld have business with me?” Fuhuan conjured some koi feed and idly fed the fish.

“Tell me the incantation to unlock the forbidden area.” The God of the Underworld gazed at Fuhuan’s profile, his tone resolute, brooking no refusal or opposition.

Fuhuan’s hand holding the koi feed froze, as if she had misheard. Somewhat surprised, she turned her head to meet the God of the Underworld’s gaze. “What did you say?”

“The incantation to unlock the forbidden area.” The God of the Underworld repeated.

Fuhuan frowned, scattering the remaining handful of koi feed into the pond. She jumped down from the railing and looked up at the God of the Underworld. “How would I know that!”

Fuhuan’s tone was somewhat helpless, but inwardly she was surprised. The matter of the Celestial Emperor asking her to renew the spell was extremely secret. In the entire Celestial Realm, apart from the Celestial Emperor, her Purple Subtlety Father, and herself, no one else knew about it. How did this God of the Underworld know?

With this thought, to avoid raising the God of the Underworld’s suspicions, Fuhuan added, “Today I told you that behind this rockery is a forbidden area because this is news that everyone in the Celestial Realm knows, but that doesn’t mean I know the incantation to lift the prohibition.”

“Heh…” Her string of words was met with a mocking chuckle.

Then, she heard an extremely cold yet magnetic voice from above her head: “You will come begging to me.”

“Arrogant.” Fuhuan sneered with disdain.

“Remember, in this world, only I know the Art of Life Extension.”

After dropping this statement, the God of the Underworld slowly walked away, leaving Fuhuan with his arrogant and cold back view.

Fuhuan stood there, frowning. The Art of Life Extension—what was that?

Why had she never heard of it before?

…

When she returned to Floating Flower Garden, the singing and dancing were still going on in the center of the garden. After Fuhuan took her seat, she noticed that the position to her right was now empty.

Seeing this, the Great Emperor of Purple Subtlety explained, “Just now, urgent news came from the Underworld, and the God of the Underworld went back to handle it.”

“How did this person become the God of the Underworld?” Fuhuan asked in a secret voice.

“It’s said he was recommended by the Infinite Celestial Lord, the master of the Azure Dragon sacred beast.”

“Such a powerful background?”

“Yes, so you, young lady, should not offend him without reason.”

“I haven’t offended him; I was just curious about his background. What is his name?”

“The God of the Underworld, Siqing.”