When the day’s classes ended, we walked out of Wanzhou Hall. Our view immediately opened up expansively, revealing an unprecedented golden age spanning a hundred years.

Here, red flowers bloomed in every street and alley. Thoroughfares were extending in all directions, and golden towers in countless rows and tiers.

Spiritual cranes flew through clouds in formation, and the Luoshui River stretched to the horizon, reflecting the setting sun. Wherever there was water, Suozhao Clan members were flying into the void like immortals. There were gentle ladies holding silk instruments, and noble gentlemen with swords and flowing hair, their sleeves fluttering as they danced with the water.

Under the blazing sun’s reflection, the water’s light trembled and shimmered while fallen petals scattered like fog, making the imperial scenery appear like a beauty half-hidden behind a pipa.

This was Suozhao, my homeland.

Because it was close to the moon at night, Suozhao had a rather moving nickname—”Moon City.” The people living in Moon City Suozhao were all called the Suozhao Clan, a water tribe blessed by the divine realm.

Like all devout races, we had our faith, but it differed from foreign races: most races worshipped the Shanggan God, namely the Heavenly Emperor, the highest god among the six realms.

But in Suozhao, only ten percent worshipped the Shanggan God.

Our supreme faith was the Cangying God.

The Cangying God’s name was Yinze, a divine lord who governed the waters of heaven and earth.

The “Suozhao Annals: Records of the Founding of Suozhao” states: “Yinze was the primordial god. He built Suozhao by the Luoshui River.” That is to say, Suozhao’s creator was Divine Lord Yinze.

When we describe starting everything from scratch, we all love using the idiom “Yinze built Suozhao.” From this, one can see that water is not only the source of our life but also the source of our souls.

Since I could remember, every time I saw adults flying back and forth in the air, I was especially envious.

I remember before I started studying, I still fantasized that one day I too would don beautiful rainbow dresses and, like a flirtatious and charming flower demon, spin circles in the clouds, captivating the most handsome young men in the entire city, leaving behind a beautiful tale of an alluring princess.

If I were to comment on those thoughts now, there would only be two words: quite foolish. However, my desire to fly has only increased, never decreased. Regrettably, every time I proposed “wanting to fly,” the elders were quite uninterested, always correcting me that the Suozhao Clan couldn’t fly—that was just the water-channeling sky-ascending technique, and I was too young to learn it currently.

So I could only puff out my cheeks and sit in my flying parents’ arms, watching other flower-demon-like women fly around to satisfy my craving.

When I walked out the door, a flock of Xuanniao had already appeared in the sky.

Xuanniao has four wings, gold and black feathers, and peacock tails—they’re very respectable mounts that Suozhao can proudly display. On the backs of that flock of Xuanniao were beauties like clouds, dressed in white silk and madder, forming the group of servants Mother Queen had sent to attend to me.

The lead servant had a light and graceful figure. She lifted her skirt as she came, held me on her lap, stepped onto Xuanniao’s back, and flew toward Zichao Palace.

Zichao Palace was Suozhao’s royal palace, where Father King and the hundred officials conducted government affairs—from here, one could only see a tiny spire on a misty mountaintop in the extreme distance.

This was the most unfair thing of all.

Father King had no sons under his knee but three daughters, and I was the youngest. My two sisters both studied at Zichao Palace with one-on-one tutoring from masters, while I was exiled to Wanzhou Hall, a hundred and eight thousand li away. Although the teaching here was more orthodox, and previous monarchs had also sent princes to study here, I was still the first princess to be sent to this place.

In Father King’s words, it was “if we don’t send her over, I fear she’ll cause great chaos in Moon City when she grows up.”

Such a lack of trust was truly painful.

Zichao Palace was built on Suozhao’s highest peak. There were all suspended cliff faces like spears, and ordinary water sources generally couldn’t climb to such heights, yet the Luoshui River could flow upward against the current to surround it.

However, the peak’s highest point wasn’t the palace but an altar even larger than the palace.

On the altar stood a statue that could be observed and revered from any corner of the city: it was a kindly-faced elder with a robust build, cloud-like robes, and an naturally dignified presence without anger. This was our god, Divine Lord Yinze. Father King went to worship him every month.

Returning to Shuoyue Hall in Zichao Palace, it was rare that both Father King and Mother Queen were present. Father King had already removed his crown but still wore the gold-inlaid dark robes of the Suozhao King. His moon-white hair hung to his chest as he sat majestically on the throne. Mother Queen wore the finest woven silk in all of Suozhao, incomparably beautiful and radiant.

Seeing me enter, Father King said: “Wei’er, today you gained a royal brother.”

“Ah? Royal brother? When did you give birth to an older brother for me?” After saying this, even my brain turned to mush.

“He wasn’t born to your father king and me, but you must treat him like a real older brother.” Mother Queen smiled quite gently and pulled out a boy from behind the curtain, “Chenzhi, come meet your younger sister.”

That boy and I stared at each other for a while. I only felt thunder rumbling and a sudden enlightenment crashing over me.

“Steamed bun?!” I jumped back a step in shock, “How are you here! How did you become my brother?”

Father King scolded: “Luowei, making such a fuss, careless and impetuous—what kind of behavior is this! Also, that’s your elder brother. You must call him ‘older brother’ and are not allowed to give him random nicknames!”

I stuck out my tongue, still looking at Fu Chenzhi in disbelief. Fu Chenzhi remained calm as oil, only smiling courteously at me: “Earlier in class, I originally wanted to explain to the Little Princess, but was interrupted by the master.”

“Since you’re already siblings, change how you address each other. Just call her younger sister.” Father King seemed to like him very much, rarely showing such affection.

After a period of confusion and explanations from my parents, I finally understood what had happened.

Sure enough, this was related to my eldest sister.

According to our great Suozhao laws, the throne’s heir should be the eldest son or eldest daughter. In our generation, this person was naturally my eldest sister. However, eldest sister was naturally unrestrained and unruly, always loving to travel the four seas, laughing and dancing, not skilled in military and political affairs. Father King had never felt at ease and always hoped to find a talented royal advisor who could serve as her left and right arms in the future, supporting her from front and back.

Last month, Father King visited Jiuzhou and met a Daoist. This Daoist told him that he had once adopted a child named Fu Chenzhi, who had quite good aptitude and was intelligent and studious. However, though now over twenty years old, he showed no signs of growth, still maintaining a child’s appearance, causing considerable discussion among the people around him.

Father King thought this child might not be mortal, so he requested a meeting.

However, after meeting, he discovered Fu Chenzhi truly only had a mortal’s appearance and couldn’t transform into a demon, but this child was indeed as the Daoist said—keen yet not evil, cold yet not arrogant, like brilliant stars in the sky with cold light and upright color.

Father King was very fond of him. With determination, he adopted him as a foster son and brought him back to Suozhao, also lightening the Daoist’s burden.

Looking at how much Father King liked Fu Chenzhi, I couldn’t tell if he favored sons over daughters or simply found me too displeasing on ordinary days. In any case, he joyfully ordered people to summon the eldest sister and the second sister to come meet this tender steamed bun’s new brother.

Second sister was always obedient and good-natured, gentle and pleasant. Before long, she arrived at Shuoyue Hall and quickly became family with Fu Chenzhi.

However, we waited a long time without seeing the eldest sister come.

Half an hour passed, and Father King grew somewhat impatient, so he sent someone to urge her. Unexpectedly, what they brought back was a thin letter. The envelope indeed bore eldest sister’s handwriting, and I saw both parents’ faces change simultaneously.

Father King quickly opened the envelope, rapidly scanned several lines, lightly supported his forehead, closed his eyes, and his forehead veins jumped wildly: “Hengfang has left.”

“Left?” Mother Queen didn’t understand and showed some anxiety, “What do you mean left?”

“She went to Penglai last month and met a Wandering Immortal there. She’s been absent-minded since returning. Now, she’s eloped with this Wandering Immortal.”

Seeing Mother’s face also instantly turn paper-white, I looked left and right, finally saying gravely: “What is eloping?”

“Adult matters—children shouldn’t interrupt!” Father King said sternly.

“…”