Xiang Su sat gloomily on the bed. Last night when she woke up urgently needing to urinate in the middle of the night, she had actually discovered a secret! Dong Tianyun obediently accompanied her to sleep every day, and she had been lying on his body to be safe, but unexpectedly he still snuck out in the middle of the night. Could he be going to find Chilin?

She had always held this thought: as long as the timing cooperated appropriately, she and Junshang might turn misfortune into blessing.

Chilin believed she had eliminated her and would wholeheartedly treat Junshang well, helping him obtain the Shennong Cauldron and restore his immortal body. Just as Celestial Lord Yuanhou had said, this was an opportunity. Chilin would definitely take the chance to make various demands. As long as she clung tightly and kept Junshang from changing his heart, dragging it out until they obtained the Shennong Cauldron and fulfilled Junshang’s wish, then she could restore her appearance. Everything… for her and Junshang, it would still not be too late.

But… what if Junshang changed his heart?

She had no way to explain the matter of the false Xiang Su. What if Junshang, in his sorrow and disappointment, accepted Chilin’s affection? Junshang’s… past behavior was worthy of contempt.

Jin Zhan walked in from outside the hall, expertly picking up Xiang Su and taking her to the Gazing at Darkness Platform to bask in the sun. Xiang Su softly rested her head on his shoulder. Now everyone teased Jin Zhan, saying he was her mother. Actually, she increasingly had this feeling too. Sometimes she felt that even Jin Zhan himself was deeply immersed in the role. For instance, when he carried her down the steps, he would expertly sway his body left and right while patting her back. Though her physical body was quite useless, he more than anyone knew… she was an adult! Did he need to perform these authentic baby-soothing movements so seriously?

“Dong Tianyun took Yanji out today.” He walked and patted while speaking quite seriously—very strange indeed. When he switched hands to hold her, he even jiggled her, saying delightedly, “In this half month, you’ve grown quite a bit larger.”

Xiang Su couldn’t even be bothered to give him any reaction. If he continued being this loving, she really planned to call him Mother.

Jin Zhan finally sensed her low spirits. Usually upon hearing “grown,” she would smile until her eyes became slits.

Reaching the mountain peak, he placed Xiang Su on the stone table and looked at her carefully, face to face.

Xiang Su originally had absolutely beautiful features. Shrunk down by over ten times, combined with her pink round face, she was so adorable anyone would want to take a bite. She just didn’t quite look like her maiden appearance anymore—no wonder Dong Tianyun hadn’t recognized her either.

A seven or eight month old infant could also make correct expressions. She lowered her extraordinarily curved and upturned lashes, the flesh of her cheeks pouty, her pink little lips tightly closed. No matter how you looked at it, it was a sullen expression.

“Xiang Su, do you have something on your mind?” He looked at her. Her hair had just grown past her ear roots, making her face appear even rounder and more adorable.

Xiang Su glanced up at him once, then lowered her lashes again. She made no expression and no gestures. Seeing the degree of her dejection, Jin Zhan guessed, “Because of Chilin?”

This question was fine not to ask, but once asked it was like pinching her. She suddenly burst into wailing tears. Jin Zhan had another episode. He quickly picked her up, gently jiggling her and patting her back. “Don’t cry, don’t cry. As long as we obtain the Shennong Cauldron, we won’t fear the Haotian Fire anymore, and we can help you restore your appearance.”

Xiang Su’s little hands clutched at the clothes on Jin Zhan’s chest, crying even more sorrowfully. To be fair, she felt Jin Zhan’s temper had improved. In the past, if she had dared to soil his clothes, he would have slapped her to death with a mirror. The Shennong Cauldron might be able to counter the Haotian Fire, but if the fire of love for Chilin ignited in Dong Tianyun’s heart, no magical artifact could extinguish it.

“Why are you making her cry?” Dong Tianyun’s displeased questioning came down from midair. He also landed swiftly on the Gazing at Darkness Platform, with Yanji following behind him with a disdainful expression. Xiang Su reached out, wanting him to hold her. He almost pushed Jin Zhan aside as he took the child in one movement.

Jin Zhan glanced at Dong Tianyun. If it weren’t for being slandered as Xiang Su’s mother, he would definitely be sarcastic about how Dong Tianyun resembled Xiang Su’s father.

“I pinched her.”

He said with a cold snort. At whom was Dong Tianyun displaying this celestial lord’s威风 (imposing authority)? He was doing this out of friendship with Xiang Su, volunteering to watch the child—he didn’t owe anyone anything!

With him speaking defiantly like this, Dong Tianyun didn’t continue to be confrontational. He probably also felt he shouldn’t have barked at Jin Zhan like scolding a servant. He had been busy preparing recently and was quite grateful for Jin Zhan taking care of the child during the day.

“Are you confident?” His skill at changing topics was first-rate. This question was directed at Yanji.

Yanji lowered his head and thought for a moment. “If I truly am the Water Lord reincarnated, there should be no problem.”

Dong Tianyun nodded. “Tomorrow I’ll also call over Mingyu. As long as the giant toad guarding the West Sea Black Abyss can recognize you both, I’ll handle the rest of retrieving the Breath Pearl.”

“Breath Pearl?” Jin Zhan was very surprised. What did retrieving the Shennong Cauldron have to do with the Breath Pearl? The Breath Pearl was produced by breath clams unique to the Black Abyss in the deepest part of the West Sea, guarded by a giant toad. No one except the Water Lord could approach. At such depths of the seabed, even if Dong Tianyun had tremendous abilities, he might not be able to subdue the giant toad. The giant toad was already over five thousand years old and was a sacred object of the West Sea. Killing it would mean offending the West Sea divine clans. Yanji hadn’t yet shed his mortal form—the giant toad might not give him face. This journey was quite dangerous.

Dong Tianyun glanced at Jin Zhan and explained, “Yuanhou discovered that Prisoner Dragon Valley is filled with deadly poisonous miasma. Only the Breath Pearl can suppress it.”

“But Yanji is still a mortal. He may not be able to dive to such depths of the seabed.” Jin Zhan frowned, showing intent to object. After so many days caring for Xiang Su together, he already considered Yanji a friend. At least Yanji’s character was much better than Dong Tianyun’s.

The corner of Dong Tianyun’s mouth lifted slightly. Jin Zhan immediately had a bad premonition. Usually when he smiled like this, no good words followed. “Don’t worry. However I bring him away, I’ll bring him back to you the same way.”

Both Jin Zhan and Yanji glared at him with shame and annoyance. Even Celestial Lord Yuanhou wasn’t as hateful as him.

At bedtime that night, Xiang Su kept watch. Except for bathing and relieving herself when she had no choice but to let the flower-root nanny care for her, she wished she could just stick to Dong Tianyun’s body. Dong Tianyun thought she was asleep and wanted to place her in a more spacious spot, but she stubbornly wouldn’t loosen her plump hands clutching his arm.

The next day, Dong Tianyun called over Mingyu to discuss the pearl retrieval plan with everyone. The moment he put her down, she started shrieking. Even Jin Zhan’s intervention was useless, so Dong Tianyun had no choice but to keep holding Xiang Su. Ever since Mingyu had seen Dong Tianyun holding a child, he wore an expression as if his soul had left his body. He couldn’t help but feel that the domineering celestial lord who had once stripped three dragon scales from him had completely fallen.

Xiang Su had been watching him all day and was truly a bit tired. As an infant, she was particularly fond of sleep. Even though tomorrow they were going to the West Sea, she felt she couldn’t let her guard down. Junshang was too cunning. A few days ago when she woke in the morning, he had still been lying beside her with an innocent, calm expression, making her completely unaware he had snuck away in the middle of the night.

Because she gripped his belt so tightly, the moment Dong Tianyun moved, Xiang Su immediately woke up, her heart also on alert.

Dong Tianyun had already sat up and looked helplessly at Xiang Su, who was now wide awake with bright eyes. “What are you doing?”

Xiang Su stared at him, answering in her heart: Catching you in the act.

“Sleep. I’ll go and come right back.” Dong Tianyun tried to pry open her hands. Xiang Su gripped even tighter. He wanted to shake her off? No way! Dong Tianyun sighed. “You want to go too?”

Xiang Su quickly nodded. Dong Tianyun had always thought her ability to respond correctly to adult words was because his spirit blood was miraculous, creating an especially intelligent child. He had even said this boastfully. Xiang Su had seen Jin Zhan clearly mouth “Ptui” upon hearing it, which finally turned into a “Hmph.”

“That’s fine too.” Dong Tianyun smiled faintly, his tone somewhat desolate. “The feeling of being alone… is not pleasant.” Dong Tianyun embraced her. Xiang Su felt a wave of sadness. Junshang had spent fifty years alone at the bottom of the Abyss River.

“I’ve already brought you along, so why are you still crying?” Dong Tianyun pinched her cheeks and helped wipe away her tears.

Along the way, Xiang Su took a short nap. If Junshang secretly met with Chilin in a while, she would wail all night long until they became mentally deranged.

Xiang Su was awakened by the mountain wind. The sky was dark, and the lamplight among the exquisite palace halls appeared very brilliant. Xiang Su looked carefully for a while but didn’t recognize where this was. Rows of lanterns lit the covered bridges between the palace buildings and mountain peaks—quite beautiful. A pair of young men and women with flowing sleeves stood on the magnificent bridge in the flickering, swaying lamplight, truly living up to the name of an immortal couple. The man from time to time raised his hand to point at the stars in the sky, as if explaining them to the woman. The woman kept smiling.

Relying only on the light of the lanterns and separated by such a distance, one actually couldn’t see their expressions clearly, yet Xiang Su just felt the woman was smiling. Dong Tianyun silently watched them. Afraid she was cold, he wrapped her more tightly in his outer robe. When he lowered his head to adjust the clothing, Xiang Su saw his expression clearly. She had never imagined Junshang could have such a sorrowful and lonely expression.

The young man and woman looked at the stars for a while and prepared to leave. The man picked down a lantern to light their way. The lamplight illuminated the woman’s appearance—what a heavenly beauty of national splendor.

Xiang Su felt it was very familiar. Wasn’t this her appearance?! She should have realized earlier where this was!

The false Xiang Su had married the Yan Clan Prince. This place… was their residence.

That lantern illuminating the pair of jade-like people slowly disappeared among the palace halls. Xiang Su heard him sigh softly. “If you weren’t living so happily, I… would snatch you back.”

Her heart instantly ached to the extreme, yet her thoughts became completely chaotic. She didn’t know whether to be sad or happy. The person Junshang visited every few nights wasn’t Chilin—she should be happy. The person Junshang missed so much was her—she should be happy. Yet she felt so sorrowful.

She wanted to tell Junshang the truth regardless of everything, only asking that he no longer be so heartbroken. But when her throat emitted a tender low sob, she sobered up. When to reveal the truth would determine whether Junshang would be liberated or sink into even deeper pain. She had already made him suffer so much once. She absolutely could not, because of her selfishness, harm him again.

After returning, she had only slept for a short while before dawn came. Seeing her wide, round black pupils, Dong Tianyun knew she would definitely make a fuss about going along.

Loneliness was indeed a strange thing. It made him no longer detest Chilin, and also made him gradually grow accustomed to this little person by his side.

“Fine, let’s depart.” He also wanted to bring her along, to let her see the magnificent West Sea. He had felt this way before too—hoping that the beautiful scenery he had seen, Xiang Su could also see together.

Jin Zhan held Xiang Su, standing on the steep cliff at the West Sea shore. Both were very worried, so they didn’t converse.

Xiang Su looked at Jin Zhan’s troubled expression, wanting to tell him that Yanji would be fine. Even if “Yanji” drowned, it would merely end this lifetime’s tribulation—perhaps even a good thing for him. She understood Jin Zhan. Though he was picky and petty, seeming unapproachable, once you became his friend, he would truly go through fire and water, risk his life for you.

She didn’t believe the nonsense Celestial Lord Yuanhou and Elder Sister Qingsui spouted, because they didn’t know about the hardships the three of them had endured in the mortal realm searching for food she could eat—it could truly be counted as sharing adversity. Because she had friends like Jin Zhan and Yanji, she had the opportunity to see Junshang again. To her, treating them as benefactors wouldn’t be excessive.

Just as she was lost in wild thoughts, the water roared. Dong Tianyun, Yanji, and Mingyu shot out. Jin Zhan quickly held Xiang Su and rode his cloud to catch up with them.

“Everything went smoothly.” Yanji smiled at Jin Zhan, then turned back to instruct Mingyu, “You may return.” The Water Lord’s bearing had completely returned.

Dong Tianyun also took Xiang Su over. Xiang Su looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. Though he knew full well such a small child couldn’t understand worry, when she looked at him like this, even the deep, cold air of the Black Abyss retreated.

“Ah.” He chuckled bitterly in a low voice. This was the magic of children. Though you were caring for her, many times she gave you a profound sense of belonging. “From now on, let us depend on each other.”

He raised his hand to stroke Xiang Su’s short hair.

Xiang Su was just about to nod when she heard him say, “I still haven’t given you a name. You’ll be called Dong Tian Youyue. From now on you’ll be my daughter, the Young Palace Mistress of Jiuyou Palace.”

That’s not right! Xiang Su burst into wailing tears. Wrong, wrong! She didn’t want to be a daughter! With all her calculations, she hadn’t calculated this outcome!