Once a year, Daozong would conduct assessments of its younger generation of disciples — this was the sect’s annual grand event, and an opportunity for the younger disciples to make a name for themselves and let outstanding talents show themselves early. In previous years the assessments had always been held at Yuyan Zhenren’s grotto heaven, presided over by Yuyan Zhenren himself, and any figure of note in the Daoist world was required to attend.

This year, according to Yuyan Zhenren’s wishes, it was to be held at Qingxu Temple. However, Rong Chen Zi, mindful of Yuyan Zhenren’s health, still arranged for it to take place at the grotto heaven.

All nine of Rong Chen Zi’s Qing-generation disciples at Qingxu Temple were eligible to participate, so Rong Chen Zi brought them all along. For a lively event like this, He Bang would naturally have to go as well.

Rong Chen Zi tested several of his disciples on their long-distance flying techniques. Qingxuan, Qingsu, Yubone, and the others each traveled on their own. He Bang stood on Rong Chen Zi’s sword, the cold wind pouring straight into her collar. She burrowed into Rong Chen Zi’s arms, and Rong Chen Zi spoke to her gently: “Once we arrive at the grotto heaven, you must behave. Whatever else he may be, Yuyan Zhenren is still my elder, and he has not been well lately. You must absolutely not provoke him again.”

He Bang pouted: “Then what about when he upsets me? Why don’t you do anything about that?”

Rong Chen Zi kissed her forehead: “You need to be good.”

He Bang glared at him with her large, round eyes: “I won’t be good!!”

“Smack.” Rong Chen Zi gave her a pat on the head: “If you won’t be good, next time I’m not bringing you out to play!”

The grotto heaven was at its most bustling, with countless elites of the Daoist world gathered there. He Bang was chomping on a candy figurine of a bull, still brooding: “If you’re not bringing me out to play, who exactly do you plan to bring?”

Rong Chen Zi, knowing full well that petty people and women were equally difficult to manage, let it pass as though he hadn’t heard. All along the way, many people greeted him, and He Bang followed behind in a huff.

The grotto heaven was a major sect in its own right, with countless disciples. As Rong Chen Zi led He Bang by the hand, they inevitably drew the open and covert glances of many eyes. While walking, Rong Chen Zi murmured instructions: “Remember what I told you.” He Bang humphed, uncooperative. Rong Chen Zi lowered his voice again: “I’ll catch you some feifeи to take home.”

He Bang’s interest perked up a little at that: “Really?”

“Mm.”

It was the turn of the year, and as Yuyan Zhenren’s health was poor, he had not come out to greet them at the entrance. Rong Chen Zi entered with the others to pay his respects. While Yuyan Zhenren had considerable objections to Rong Chen Zi’s habit of wandering everywhere with He Bang in tow, with everyone present, he did not make an issue of it.

He Bang sat beside Rong Chen Zi. It was naturally expected of the younger generation to pay their New Year’s respects to Yuyan Zhenren and say auspicious words. Rong Chen Zi quietly slipped a dried fruit into her mouth: “Be good.”

He Bang was actually cooperative this time, not making a single sound throughout.

Yuyan Zhenren had prepared a red envelope for each of the juniors — not much money, just a token of good fortune. All those able to personally come and wish him a happy New Year were the chosen core disciples of the various sects, the finest among them, whose names had long been recorded. But when Yuyan Zhenren began handing them out, he noticed a problem — one short.

There were only a few dozen core disciples of Daozong. When he looked up he immediately understood why — Rong Chen Zi had brought He Bang inside. There was simply no precedent for giving a red envelope to a spiritual vessel, so the person recording the names hadn’t dared to include her.

Though Yuyan Zhenren had no fondness for He Bang, he was an elder after all. No matter what, he could not let a woman be publicly humiliated. He gave no outward sign of anything, handed out a red envelope to everyone — everyone except his own eldest disciple, Yu Shouyi.

He Bang took the red envelope and turned it this way and that, having never seen one before: “What is this?”

Rong Chen Zi smiled lightly: “Lucky money. At the start of each new year, elders give it to the younger generation to ward off evil and welcome in the new.”

He Bang opened it and looked inside. Rong Chen Zi immediately sensed trouble, but his hand was slower than her mouth — He Bang had already muttered aloud: “This little bit of money is supposed to ward off evil?”

Several disciples nearby burst out laughing. Yuyan Zhenren wasn’t sure whether to be angry or amused, and after a long pause cleared his throat: “Shouyi, you are my eldest disciple, and the full weight of the grotto heaven will eventually rest on your shoulders. So this year your master will not give you lucky money — you have already grown up.”

He passed the sect leadership seal of the grotto heaven to his eldest disciple.

With so many of the younger generation gathered before him, Yuyan Zhenren could not help but feel deeply moved: “Even now I often think back to those years, when all of you were half-grown children — clumsy and impulsive, acting without thinking of the consequences. Now you have all grown up and become the backbone of the Daoist world. Cough, cough…” He coughed continuously; a disciple nearby quickly offered him a cup of medicinal tea. He drank a sip, then continued slowly, “People — they just keep on living until they grow old. Before you even realize it, every hair has turned white. My days are numbered, yet seeing all of you today, it is like watching the newly risen sun, and it fills me with hope.”

The atmosphere suddenly grew heavy. He Bang poked her head out from behind Rong Chen Zi: “I say, old man, don’t sound so gloomy. Looking at you, your frame still seems quite sturdy — you’re not going to die any time soon.”

Her voice drew many glances toward her. He Bang continued, swaying her head: “Just get things done with your hands — don’t take it all to heart. What does it matter whether it’s the morning sun or the evening sun, whether your hair is black or white? Your heart is only so big,” she used both hands to make a tiny circle, then stretched them into a large one, “and you insist on stuffing it so full. If you didn’t die early, that would be the real surprise.”

Rong Chen Zi popped another dried fruit into her mouth: “Children say what’s in their hearts. Children say what’s in their hearts.”

After about half an hour, not wishing to disturb Yuyan Zhenren’s rest, everyone rose and took their leave. Rong Chen Zi led He Bang out by the hand. As they passed Yuyan Zhenren’s bed, He Bang leaned down and swiftly stuffed an apricot preserve into his mouth: “I mean it, old man.”

Before Yuyan Zhenren could react, a sudden sweetness hit him — he had never eaten sweets since childhood, and instantly furrowed his brow. Rong Chen Zi couldn’t help but pat He Bang’s head again: “Stop misbehaving.”

Lunch was arranged in the great hall of the grotto heaven, and because there were too many Daoist practitioners present, Rong Chen Zi could not arrange a separate meat meal for He Bang. Fortunately, Yubone had brought along a good supply of dried meat, and with coaxing and persuasion, He Bang did not make a fuss, eating her meal quietly and finishing it properly.

After the meal, Rong Chen Zi had many social obligations to attend to. He Bang, however, could not sit still. The snow from before had not yet melted, and beside the grotto heaven there was a small lake, its banks piled high with drifts of snow, the fish within so frozen they had stopped swimming. He Bang had never seen so many fish packed together at the bottom of the water, and was overjoyed, playing happily at the lakeside.

She fashioned a fishing net out of shark silk and drew the fish out one by one. The fish were fat and large; she craved them terribly, and felt the deep satisfaction of the hunt. She was having the time of her life.

The weather outside was cold, and Rong Chen Zi had made her wear that white feathered robe — the protective spiritual garment keeping out the winter chill. The dress had no sleeves, so Ye Tian had made her a pair of rabbit-skin long gloves that covered all the way up her arms. Around her neck she wore a white rabbit fur collar, and in her hair a white rabbit fur flower. As the cold wind passed through, she looked like a soft and fluffy little creature, adorable and delightful.

“Where did this little girl come from — how dare she trespass on the grotto heaven’s grounds?” A low shout came from behind her. He Bang looked up to see a blue-robed Daoist making his slow way toward her — by his appearance, a mountain-guarding disciple of the grotto heaven.

He Bang tilted her head at him: “Who’s trespassing? How annoying.”

Her voice was soft and gentle. The man paused, and when he drew closer, his mind was rocked even further — though she was dusted all over in snow from her playing, her face was strikingly beautiful, impossibly lovely. The lakeside was a secluded spot with few visitors at the best of times. Wicked thoughts arose in the man’s heart without delay.

He Bang was still casting her net among the fish, having already caught a dozen or more laid out beside her. She was so absorbed she didn’t even think about whether she could actually eat them all. The man crept up quietly behind her, and without warning suddenly grabbed hold of her.

She turned her head. Behind her was a robust Daoist of about twenty-five or twenty-six, with reasonably fine features but eyes that could not conceal their lascivious gleam. He Bang narrowed her eyes: “What are you doing?”

The man’s throat bobbed. He buried his face in her neck and inhaled deeply: “What brings you to the mountain? Looking for someone? Seeking medicine? My beauty, you need only comply with me once, and whatever you want I will give you.”

He Bang tilted her head: “But I don’t need to find anyone or seek medicine.”

The other man paid no attention to any of that. His right hand gripped her ankle and slowly began to slide upward. He Bang pulled out a small spoon from her sleeve — it was the one she had kept from the last time she ate crab. The man’s hand was already nearly to her thigh when a sharp shout rang out from behind: “What are you two doing?!”

The first person He Bang saw was Yu Shouyi. Behind him came Rong Chen Zi.

“Doing what?” He Bang was genuinely puzzled: “I’m catching fish.”

But Rong Chen Zi’s gaze had fixed on the Daoist who still had his arms around her, standing there at a loss — and even more intolerable was the dirty hand still resting on He Bang’s leg!! Yu Shouyi kicked the man away in one motion, his face burning with shame: “This is my failure to enforce discipline, that such vile scum could emerge from our ranks. This person is fully at my fellow Daoist’s disposal. I will go and confess my fault to my master immediately.”

The young Daoist had finally come to his senses and was on his knees, begging for mercy without stop.

“I think you’d best not go,” He Bang climbed up from the ground, brushing the snow off herself, thoroughly unconcerned. “That old man of yours is already in poor health, and with such a small heart — one wrong move and you’ll anger him to death.”

“…” Yu Shouyi looked toward Rong Chen Zi. Rong Chen Zi stepped forward, took He Bang by the hand, and said with quiet calm: “What does the grotto heaven’s code say is the punishment for committing acts of lechery?”

Yu Shouyi drew his sword: “Sever both hands, expel from the sect.”

“Sect Leader, please spare me!” The young Daoist knocked his head against the ground again and again. Rong Chen Zi’s voice was cool: “Follow the sect code.”

Yu Shouyi nodded. Rong Chen Zi had already taken He Bang by the hand and was walking back toward the guest quarters. He Bang ventured a conversation: “Zhiguan, how did you find me here?”

Rong Chen Zi simply led her toward the guest rooms without a word. He Bang inched close to him in an attempt to mollify him: “Weren’t you chatting with all those Daoist practitioners?”

Back in the room, Rong Chen Zi shut the door. His first thought was to give He Bang a thorough spanking. He Bang saw the tide turning against her and immediately wailed at the top of her lungs. Rong Chen Zi’s raised hand did not come down. She cried for a bit, then saw Rong Chen Zi sitting at the table, grimly drinking tea. She couldn’t help but inch closer with tear-stained eyes: “Zhiguan, are you angry?”

“Not angry.” Rong Chen Zi took several deep breaths, then set down the cup in his hand, and after a long silence erupted: “If I’m not angry, am I even human?! Someone had wicked intentions toward you — why didn’t you know to hide? Why didn’t you know to kill him? You actually let that vile person take liberties with you!”

He Bang, afraid he might actually hit her, quickly retreated back onto the bed: “The spiritual robe has three layers of barrier formations on it — he didn’t actually touch me. And I swear I was just about to dodge when you all arrived.”

Rong Chen Zi, the moment he thought of that unbearable scene, felt his anger surge up all over again: “And you still dare to make excuses!”

He Bang shrank her head back and then pitied herself over toward him, clutching his arm and acting coy: “I was playing by the lake and had no idea a bad person would come.”

Her body was soft and tender. Rong Chen Zi, thinking about how some lecherous scoundrel had harbored such filthy intentions, felt outrage flood his chest: “I’m sending you back to Qingxu Temple first. From now on stay in the temple and read books and practice your calligraphy!”

He Bang went pale with shock: “Zhiguan, I was wrong — I’ll never dare again!!”

Rong Chen Zi began packing up her clothes. She panicked; this time the tears were real. “I got mistreated by a bad person and you’re still scolding me! Wuwuwuwu. Coming out to play with you, and you didn’t buy me any food, didn’t pay any attention to me, just knew to chat with a crowd of people. Wuwuwu, and now you’re sending me away…” She wiped her tears while peeking through her fingers, and seeing Rong Chen Zi still packing her clothes, cried even harder: “I want to go back to the Eastern Sea, I want to find Jiang Haoran, wuwuwu…”

Rong Chen Zi’s hands stilled. He Bang saw her opening and cried on harder: “Jiang Haoran at least knew how to play with me and buy me good food to eat… wuwu, he could fight off bad people, and he never scolded me.”

Rong Chen Zi let out a long breath: “Come here.”

He Bang shuffled over through her sobs. Rong Chen Zi took her hand, and after a long while finally said: “From now on, when there’s nothing going on, stay and play in the room. If you want to go out, have Yubone come along. I’ll take you out for a walk when I’m done with my business. Once the assessments are over, we’ll go to Mount Huo to catch feifei.”

He Bang finally dried her tears. She burrowed herself entirely into Rong Chen Zi’s embrace, lifted her head and planted a firm kiss on Rong Chen Zi’s chin, then smiled with all the brightness of sunlight: “Mm. Zhiguan is the best!!”

Rong Chen Zi let out another deep sigh, slowly opening his arms and holding her close.

The fifteenth day of the first month. The Lantern Festival.

The Daoist assessments had just concluded, and down the mountain there was a lantern fair. Rong Chen Zi naturally brought He Bang along to enjoy it. The night was at its most lively: lanterns hung in rows on both sides of the streets, and at the center stood a great wheel of colored paper, more than ten zhang in height, hung all over with countless glowing lanterns. From a distance it looked like an immortal palace.

He Bang was overjoyed, looking this way and that. The crowd was dense and surging, and Rong Chen Zi, afraid she might get lost, kept hold of her hand throughout. Where there were amusements there was naturally food, and He Bang ate her way from tofu pudding all the way to grilled meat skewers. Rong Chen Zi wiped the sauce from the corners of her mouth, chiding her for her greed all while scouting out the next delicious thing to eat.

Up ahead, drums and gongs rang to the heavens — someone was performing stilt-walking and lion dancing. He Bang squeezed her way through. Beside them was a small river, winding around a patch of grassland; because it was close to a water source, the authorities had specifically designated it as an area for setting off fireworks and firecrackers.

He Bang popped her head up for a look, then immediately squeezed back through the crowd. Rong Chen Zi caught her: “What’s wrong?”

She was eating an egg cake, and after a long hesitation said with a conflicted look: “They’re setting off firecrackers over there.”

Rong Chen Zi nodded: “Let’s go, we’ll go buy some.”

A firecracker went off nearby, and He Bang flinched: “I… I’d rather not.”

It was only then that Rong Chen Zi realized she was afraid of firecrackers. He was immediately a little amused: “No wonder you wouldn’t play with the fireworks He Wei hauled up the mountain last time.”

He Bang touched her nose: “Back when I was still just a river clam, I once climbed up onto the bank, and some person I don’t know suddenly threw a firecracker and it exploded right on my shell. So terrible!!”

Rong Chen Zi, barely containing his laughter, led her through the crowd to the stall selling fireworks and sparklers, and bought a great quantity of sparklers. He Bang didn’t dare hold them at first — the moment Rong Chen Zi lit one, she would dart away as far as she could. Later, seeing that the burning sparklers produced none of the earth-shaking noise of firecrackers, she hesitantly crept closer. Rong Chen Zi took her hand, and placed the burning sparkler into her hand.

The more she played with them, the bolder she became, until she was wielding a handful of burning sparklers and waving them all over the place. Her laughter mingled with the crowd, and those dazzling bursts of multi-colored light danced and leapt beside her fair hands, tearing the deep winter night into brilliant tatters, burning away a whole season’s chill.

Rong Chen Zi stood to one side and simply watched, in the glow of pavilion lanterns, amidst a world of fireworks.

And she stood at the bank of the small river, her smile brighter than any firework.

Qingxuan and Qingsu were strolling the lantern market with Yu Shouyi and the others. Yubone had sharp eyes and spotted He Bang from a great distance, playing wildly by the small river.

“Master?” She called from a distance and was about to rush over when Yu Shouyi put out a hand to stop her: “Miss Yubone, I believe… at this moment, those two have no need of anyone waiting on them. Please stay and walk with us.”

After He Bang had played out all her sparklers, she demanded real fireworks too. Rong Chen Zi, afraid she might hurt herself, held her hand and set them off together. The fireworks bloomed across the wide sky, flecks of gold scattering into the river below, dyeing even the water weeds with their colors. He Bang leaned against Rong Chen Zi’s embrace and suddenly said softly: “Zhiguan, I love you.”

Rong Chen Zi encircled her waist, resting his chin atop her head, and after a long while said: “Mm.”

He Bang was still looking up at the fireworks. Rong Chen Zi tilted her face down to meet his gaze: “A hundred years from now — will you come back to the heavens with me?”

This time He Bang did not play dumb. She tilted her head, not quite sure what she was thinking. Rong Chen Zi, knowing she was not one for using her brain, analyzed it carefully for her: “Now that the Sounding Serpent has been eliminated, I can return to my divine position. You have also passed the immortal tribulation — we can return to the divine realm. If you are unwilling, I can simply cultivate as a terrestrial immortal in this physical body; at my current level of immortal affinity, that should pose no difficulty. At that point I can accompany you to the ends of the earth — that would work as well.”

He Bang thought about it for a long while: “But they say the heavenly realm has so many rules — one wrong move and you get cast down into the mortal world. I don’t want to go.”

Rong Chen Zi just smiled lightly: “Who filled your head with that nonsense.”

He Bang spoke with great conviction: “That general who was the Curtain-Roller — he just knocked over a glass and got cast down to the mortal world!”

Rong Chen Zi held her closer, thought about it carefully, and replied: “That’s true, but throwing things from a height — that’s considered very uncivilized behavior anywhere, isn’t it?”

“What?!” He Bang’s worldview cracked: “Wasn’t it because he broke something the one above liked most?”

“A glass goblet — what does it amount to? The Celestial Court judged it as an act of high-altitude littering.”

“…”

After the assessments concluded, Rong Chen Zi brought He Bang back to Qingxu Temple. Life returned to its calm, and the years passed with particular swiftness. In the third year, Yuyan Zhenren passed into immortality. Rong Chen Zi brought He Bang to the grotto heaven, and in the capacity of a disciple, helped Yu Shouyi manage the funeral affairs.

Since mourning observance was required, He Bang was left at Qingxu Temple. He Bang did not make trouble, and played quietly with Ye Tian.

Two days later, in Qian Family Village, fifty li outside of Lingxia Town, zombies were running amok — there had been three consecutive days of livestock dying from severe blood loss. In order to give Qingxuan some practical experience, Rong Chen Zi simply let the disciples handle it themselves.

Qingxuan, worried that if it dragged on too long the evil creature would grow stronger and harm people, had no choice but to set out for Qian Family Village that very night. He Bang had been gnawing on a passion fruit at the time, and upon seeing that Qingxuan and Qingsu were leaving, she immediately insisted on coming along.

Qingxuan was caught between laughter and tears: “Shimu, Master said this time we have to handle it ourselves — no help from elders allowed.”

He Bang tilted her head: “What if I just go to watch? I won’t help.”

Qingsu tried to reason with her too: “But Master said to let you play nicely at the temple…”

He Bang was having none of it: “It doesn’t matter, I want to go, I’m going!!”

Qingsu, being the more nimble-minded of the two, exchanged a glance with Qingxuan and the two of them quickly employed a delaying tactic: “Shimu, I suddenly remember there’s something we still need to take care of. The matter at Qian Family Village isn’t urgent anyway — let’s go in a couple of days.”

He Bang, hearing this, had no choice but to give in, and went back to her room to munch her fruit.

Qingxuan and Qingsu snuck out of Qingxu Temple like a pair of thieves and crept down the mountain.

He Bang woke up in the middle of the night, smugly gathered up her toys and snacks, and with a single water technique plunged herself to the foot of the mountain. Qingxuan was still riding his sword through the air, Qingsu standing behind him, when Qingsu suddenly tugged at his sleeve: “Shixiong.”

“Mm?” Qingxuan looked back. Qingsu pointed his thumb behind them, and Qingxuan followed his finger to see He Bang also standing on the sword, grinning her most cunning and self-satisfied grin.

The two of them had no options left — they could only bring her along.

By the second watch of the night, the three of them arrived at Qian Family Village. Qingxuan and Qingsu, holding their divination compasses, wandered up and down through the village. He Bang followed along behind, yawning without stop — at this hour she would normally have been long asleep.

After walking a little further, she finally refused to walk any more, and sat down on the ground and wouldn’t budge. Qingxuan had no choice but to let her revert to her original form, then wrapped her up in shark silk, fashioning a bundle to tie to his back.

Rong Chen Zi, though observing mourning at the grotto heaven, still had his disciples on his mind. He used a sound-transmission talisman to contact Qingxuan, who had already tracked down the evil creature’s trail and was in pursuit. Rong Chen Zi was just about to speak when a jubilant shout came through from the other end: “Peanuts! Oh! I want to eat peanuts!!”

Qingxuan had no time to speak with his master, and rushed forward: “Shimu, those peanuts belong to other people — we cannot take things without asking!!”

Rong Chen Zi frowned: “Who brought her along?”

Qingxuan wore an expression of complete innocence: “She absolutely insisted on coming — we couldn’t drive her away even if we tried!”

Rong Chen Zi’s frown deepened: “You tried to hit her?”

Qingxuan hastily corrected himself: “Who would dare hit her, Master — we couldn’t coax her away no matter what!”

Rong Chen Zi had no words for this: “Have you spotted the evil creature?”

Qingxuan nodded: “Yes — it has a human form, carries a heavy smell of blood, and the compass is reacting to it. It may truly be a zombie.”

Rong Chen Zi pondered briefly: “What color are its eyes? How fast is it moving?” Qingxuan answered each question in turn, and Rong Chen Zi formed a clear picture in his mind. “Have Qingsu bring her to me. Handle the matter at Qian Family Village yourself.”

He Bang arrived at the grotto heaven and found it as it always was. Many figures from Daozong had come to pay their condolences. Rong Chen Zi brought her into the mourning hall and lit a stick of incense for her: “Come — offer incense to Zhenren.”

He Bang did not make a scene, and with proper solemnity offered the incense, then muttered in her characteristic way: “Old man, your disciples are very capable. You may rest easy on your journey.”

Rong Chen Zi sent her back to her room and patted her head. He Bang turned and hugged him: “Zhiguan, don’t be sad anymore.”

Rong Chen Zi drew her into his arms: “Mm.”

Several more years passed. All nine of the Qing-generation disciples at Qingxu Temple had taken on disciples of reasonable talent, and Lingxia Town was a place of peace and tranquility. When He Wei’s cultivation of the Blazing Yang Heart Method reached a certain stage, He Bang kicked him over to study under Xingzhi Zhenren. Yubone’s current physical body was made of jade — she was a jade demon, and her cultivation path was broadly similar to He Wei’s. Now that He Bang had Rong Chen Zi to wait on her, she kicked Yubone off to follow He Wei as well. Rong Chen Zi would either enter seclusion or travel afar with He Bang, and the two of them were frequently nowhere to be seen.

More than ten years later, Rong Chen Zi calculated that his natural lifespan was drawing to its end. He called all his disciples before him and gave each of them careful instructions on the matters after his departure: “The great principles I ought to have said have already all been said. From now on, Qingxu Temple is in your hands. Only one thing must be remembered: when my body is gone, cremate it to ash and scatter it on the back mountain. There is no need to announce my passing widely. If old friends inquire, simply say that your master has gone on a long journey.”

He Bang was lying in his arms, still as fresh and radiant as ever — as dewy and tender as a girl of eighteen. Rong Chen Zi held her hand. The one he worried least about was his several disciples; they were all steady children who understood where to draw the line. The most unruly person before him was the one in his arms right now.

“Returning a divine star to its position requires many formalities. I must first go to the Underworld to have my mortal lifespan removed, and then report to the Celestial Court. You just wait at Qingxu Temple for a while. Once the formalities are done, I’ll come back and fetch you — all right?”

He looked down. He Bang’s clear, lustrous eyes reflected his face. Rong Chen Zi coaxed her softly: “There is so much good food here. And the whole world is nine hundred thousand li wide — I truly cannot bear to drag you along on all that running about.”

He Bang was, all things considered, reasonable: “Oh.”

But the following day at noon, after Rong Chen Zi had bathed and dressed, preparing himself to follow the mandate of heaven, and all the disciples had changed into mourning white and performed their nine prostrations — He Bang threw her arms around Rong Chen Zi and wept until the heavens shook, refusing to let go. A divine star returning to its position was a matter of great consequence; celestial music drifted across the heavens, a thousand auspicious signs appeared, and the Underworld had naturally dispatched people to receive him.

In full public view, the envoys from the Underworld smiled until their faces went stiff, saying every kind and gracious thing they could think of. This He Bang simply wailed.

Rong Chen Zi gently pried at her hands: “Be good — it won’t take long at all.”

He Bang clutched him with all her might, tears pouring down like rain: “Zhiguan, don’t leave me behind!”

Rong Chen Zi stilled. In that moment he held her hands tight again. Something bittersweet welled up in his chest, layer upon layer. He gathered her into his arms, carefully wiped the teardrops from the corners of her eyes, and let out a deep sigh. He could no longer maintain any pretense of dignity. His voice was gentle: “I can barely stand to look after you as it is — how could I bear to throw you away?”

The Underworld envoys now had no idea how to handle the situation either. Rong Chen Zi waved a hand: “You may all return for now. I will make my way there on my own tomorrow.”

With no other choice, they accepted the order and withdrew.

The next day. Li Family Settlement.

Old Xu from those years long past had long since died. His son, Xu Tiezhu, had gotten on in years himself — yet having received a drop of He Bang’s primordial essence back then, his appearance showed not the slightest sign of aging. Rong Chen Zi naturally knew Xu Tiezhu. When the man opened his door that morning to find Rong Chen Zi standing outside, he was overjoyed: “Rong Zhiguan, what brings you here? Please come in! Wife! Rong Zhiguan is here — quickly go make something to eat!!”

Rong Chen Zi, clothed in white as pure as snow, led He Bang inside and waved his hand to stop the Xu family from going to any trouble: “How was the harvest this year?”

The Xu family welcomed the two of them to seats at the table and answered each question about the year’s harvest. Rong Chen Zi nodded quietly. Someone outside had already brought in the biggest, reddest orange for He Bang. He Bang’s face lit up at the sight of the orange; Rong Chen Zi peeled them all for her one by one, and she ate with juice running down her face.

They lingered for a good half day. The sky was brightening, the morning mist beginning to thin. The Xu family had prepared a generous breakfast, but Rong Chen Zi gently declined. He carefully wiped He Bang’s face and hands clean, then led her out the door. The Xu family followed them all the way to the gate. Suddenly, outside, there was a commotion, and someone came running from the direction of the mountain path, gasping for breath: “Rong… Rong Zhiguan passed away last night.”

The Xu family was stunned. When they turned to look — the thick morning mist had already dispersed, and where were Rong Chen Zi and He Bang to be found? Only on the table inside the room remained a few orange peels.

At the end of the mountain path, He Bang was walking slower and slower: “Zhiguan, I’m sleepy.”

Rong Chen Zi transformed her back into a clam, wrapped her carefully in shark silk, and secured her against his chest. The mountain air was cold and damp, the road ahead veiled in mist, stretching onward without end. Rong Chen Zi walked the mountain path with her held close. He Bang opened her shell in a yawn, and soon fell fast asleep. She had not asked Rong Chen Zi where they were going.

— After all, he knew the way. What did it matter where they were headed?