Pangu opened heaven and earth, Gonggong crashed into Mount Buzhou, Nüwa mended the azure sky, Houyi shot down the suns… The shock of any major historical event could not compare to the shock in my heart.

Precisely because my inner turmoil was so overwhelming, I instead appeared extraordinarily calm.

“Yes, Taishi Jun.” I properly kowtowed again and properly stood up.

Thinking carefully now, when we first met, he could make such a fierce Panlong submit and bow its head – he wasn’t a simple character. But I never would have imagined he was a Divine Venerable.

“Since Taishi Jun forgives you, go stand over there.” Master waved at me like avoiding a plague god, pointing to a group of disciples behind.

“Wait.” Taishi Jun raised his hand to stop him. “You’re called Luowei?”

“Yes, yes, yes. Reporting to Taishi Jun, this junior is called Luowei.”

Why was this? His voice sounded so familiar. Logically, not having heard his voice for so long, I shouldn’t feel familiar with it. Moreover, his attitude toward me seemed different from the previous two times.

When he turned back with the umbrella, that stunning glance was also of peerless elegance, yet clearly not like this moment that made me feel quite frightened. Could this be the legendary divine pressure?

After scanning the people around me and finding they had all become humble and soft-spoken, I felt somewhat reassured.

Taishi Jun said, “Xuxing.”

Lord Xuxing cupped his hands: “This disciple is here.”

I felt no one could describe how bizarre and amusing this scene was. Lord Xuxing had snow-white hair and willow-like long eyebrows – a perfectly respectable Heavenly Lord having to speak so formally to the flower-like beautiful Taishi Jun.

However, when Taishi Jun spoke, he indeed had the demeanor of a god.

During this time on Qinghong Mountain, I had gained some understanding of immortal and divine titles.

Immortal titles were quite complex. Some ascended from mortals, others were born in the immortal realm – the distinction being that the former had surnames while the latter only had names. They all had courtesy names and titles. When calling their courtesy names, you used the courtesy name plus their rank, like Lord Xuxing – courtesy name Xuxing, rank Heavenly Lord. When calling their titles, you only used the title, like Elder Ruyue. Close people often called them directly by their given names. One immortal having so many titles made my head ache just thinking about it.

But all these rules didn’t exist in the divine realm. All gods only had one name. Like our supreme god Cangying God, who was simply called Yinze.

Taishi Jun said, “What wrong did she commit to be punished with kneeling here?”

Lord Xuxing quickly exchanged glances with my master. Master also quickly stepped forward: “Reporting to the Divine Venerable, Luowei has been leaving early and returning late these past days, with uncertain whereabouts, not working properly, so we punished her with kneeling…”

Taishi Jun said, “This isn’t her fault. She’s been caring for me these past days.”

This statement stunned everyone around. I was even more surprised, nearly dropping my jaw.

Taishi Jun, I wronged you! You’re still so perfect and flawless, with a bodhisattva’s heart, actually making excuses for me and once again saving this disciple from fire and water. This disciple is moved to tears, willing to serve you as an ox or horse in the next life!

“So… so that’s how it is.” Master’s sweat was practically freezing on the ground. “Then this child, Luowei, is quite filial. It’s this junior’s fault for wrongly accusing her…”

Afterward, I was called into the disciple group to accompany the three venerable ones from the divine realm in inspecting the immortal realm’s academy conditions. Ruoli was also in the disciple group, occasionally turning to glance at me sideways, seemingly full of dissatisfaction. After walking for a while, Taishi Jun seemed to have business and flew to a mountain peak in the blink of an eye. The other two gods continued patrolling.

Taking advantage of everyone’s inattention, I secretly slipped away and climbed the peak Taishi Jun had gone to. The peak wasn’t high, but extremely steep – climbing it nearly killed me. When I reached the top, I saw his figure flash and instantly fly away again. I stretched my hand forward: “Wait… wait…”

This was truly exhausting. His escape speed was faster than my speaking speed.

I sat down heavily, grabbed Xuanyue’s neck, and shook it vigorously: “Tell me, why does Taishi Jun like running around everywhere? Every time I want to touch him, he turns into flower petals or light and vanishes into thin air. Is he playing with me? At such an advanced age, still running around like a butterfly – truly disrespectful of his years…”

Someone said, “Who are you calling disrespectful of his years?”

“Taishi Jun.” After saying this, I was silent for a brief moment, then suddenly turned around to see Taishi Jun standing behind me, immediately changing from sitting to kneeling: “Taishi Jun, spare my life! This disciple will never dare again!!”

“Get up.” Taishi Jun said impatiently. “You mentioned I turned into flower petals – what did you mean?”

“Doesn’t Taishi Jun remember? A few months ago, when this disciple’s family suffered disaster and was heartbroken, Taishi Jun came and transformed golden lotuses for this disciple to see, stopping my tears…” Seeing his puzzled frown, I continued cautiously: “Also, later, when this disciple was lost in icy mountain snow valleys, Taishi Jun pointed out a peach blossom path for this disciple, allowing me to follow the trail to find Qinghong Mountain…”

“A few months ago?”

“About three months.”

“You must have been dreaming. For nearly thirty years, I haven’t left the divine realm a single step.”

“Nearly thirty years?” I blinked: “But this disciple has seen you before! At North Sea cliffs, when a Panlong nearly carried me away as pregnancy medicine, Taishi Jun saved this disciple.”

He pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled faintly: “So you’re that little water spirit – you’ve grown so much.”

Outside the cliff, sky met cloud waves, mixing with dawn mist. This smile of his, though just a casual light laugh without any joyful emotion, instantly dimmed the ten-thousand-li morning light in the mist.

My mind went briefly blank. I shook my head before beginning to process his words: “Water spirit? What is a water spirit?” I remembered he had called me this before.

“After all these years, you still haven’t figured it out.” Taishi Jun’s patience didn’t seem very good. “Go ask your master yourself.”

“Taishi Jun! Please, for the sake of our three encounters!”

“I’ve only seen you once.” He said without courtesy.

“One encounter is fine too! I want to know what I am. They always call us water demons – am I a demon? A demon born from water?”

“No. All things have souls, including every flower and grass, every stone and tree. If they absorb large amounts of heaven and earth energy, they can transform into human form. Among these, heaven energy is clear and easily scattered, creating spirits; earth energy is murky and easily gathered, creating demons. Therefore, most spirits strive to become demons. Without immortal or divine assistance, clear energy spirits find it very difficult to transform into human form. The reason you could transform is because you are a spirit of the Luoshui River.”

So that was it. Our great Suzhao Clan wasn’t descendants of Cangying God after all, but merely spirits of the Luoshui River. No wonder we were so weak and helpless when facing immortals massacring our city…

After hearing his explanation, I nearly wanted to cry: “Thank you for Taishi Jun’s guidance. This disciple regrets everything. If this disciple had been more humble initially and consulted Taishi Jun more, I wouldn’t have fallen to homelessness…”

I could only say Taishi Jun was truly a remarkable person. Ordinary people hearing my words would usually ask “why” at minimum, right? But he only slowly shifted his gaze to the clouds and mist, saying four words: “Those who oppose me perish.”

What a wonderful answer. I had nothing to say. I was convinced.

Seeing he was about to descend the mountain again, I urgently said: “Taishi Jun, please wait!”

“What is it now?” He didn’t even turn his head.

“When I asked Taishi Jun’s name before, you said you had no name. Could it be that Taishi Jun is called Taishi Jun? Surname Tai, given name Shi Jun? Or perhaps compound surname Taishi, given name Jun?”

He seemed nearly annoyed to death by me, sighing lightly: “I have no surname. My given name is Yinze.”

With that, he transformed into water mist and disappeared at the cliff’s edge.

Yinze?

Yinze?!!!

My legs went weak, and I staggered backward a step. Now I needed to kneel. Divine Venerable Yinze… Taishi Jun was Divine Venerable Yinze. Father, Mother, am I about to kick the bucket and come see you? I saw Cangying God…

The gap between reality and fantasy was always vast. Above our Zichao Palace’s altar stood a statue of Cangying God. In our Suzhao Clan’s hearts, he should have been kind-browed, good-eyed, with flowing white hair – who would have thought he’d be so young?

Thinking carefully, divine realm people had boundless magical power and lived as long as heaven and earth – choosing a good-looking shell for themselves seemed quite reasonable.

However, on the way back, I never figured out why Divine Venerable Yinze said he hadn’t left the divine realm for over twenty years, so who were those I encountered the other two times? Could it be that from that childhood meeting, the memory was so vivid that deep down I quite missed him, causing hallucinations during critical moments? Or perhaps it was demon trickery – that seemed more explanatory…

Finally finding an opportunity, I snuck back to bathe and change into clean clothes, immediately feeling refreshed. Returning to the disciple group again, Divine Venerable Yinze didn’t reappear – only Divine Lord Lingyin continued inspecting with the seniors.

But I was once again targeted by Ruoli, who threw me a sarcastic look and whispered with fellow disciples nearby. I even heard her quietly say: “Someone probably never brings a whip when riding horses, slapping wherever she goes, not even sparing Taishi Jun. Look, she’s back from more bootlicking.”

I finally couldn’t help saying: “Senior Sister’s beauty makes the moon hide and flowers feel shame – she doesn’t need bootlicking to be beloved by all.”

Ruoli said: “Good that you know. Anyway, I’m better than you.”

Second Senior Brother helplessly interrupted us: “Enough, enough. You two never stop. Junior Sister Ruoli, can you stop picking fights?”

Ruoli said, “I’m not trying to argue with her. Look at her bootlicking and sucking up to everyone – who knows what schemes she’ll use when Third Senior Brother returns.”

I said: “Who knows who your Third Senior Brother is? The person you treasure as your heart and liver, others might not care about at all.”

Ruoli said: “Those are your words! When Third Senior Brother comes, you’re not allowed to talk to him.”

I said, “As long as you don’t pester me, I guarantee I won’t speak.”

Ruoli stamped her feet angrily: “Who’s pestering you?”

Second Senior Brother looked extremely pained: “Alright, alright, alright. Isn’t this all just about Fu Chenzhi? Is it necessary to argue like this?”

…What? What name did he just say?

I thought I’d misheard, but Second Senior Brother continued: “Junior Sister Ruoli, honest advice may sound harsh, but benefits conduct. Listen to your senior brother – that Fu Chenzhi is just a blockheaded wooden post, extremely boring. You follow him around every day, but he doesn’t care about your feelings at all. What’s the point?”

Ruoli said, “I just like his boring appearance!”

The skinny monkey pursed his lips: “It’s just about looks…”

“Wait, what are you saying?” I couldn’t help stepping forward. “Fu Chenzhi? Which Fu Chenzhi?”

“See, you said you wouldn’t talk to him, but now your fox tail is showing.” Ruoli shook Second Senior Brother’s arm with an unrelenting attitude: “Second Senior Brother, look – she came here for Third Senior Brother. Quickly drive her out of Qinghong Mountain. I never want to see her again!”