Returning to the Ziwei Palace, Dong Tianyun was banqueting in the lakeside pavilion. It was nearly dusk. The lake surface rippled with orange bright waves, and farther out was the vast sea—the scenery was superb.

Though Xiang Su was in a depressed mood, seeing such beautiful scenery, her mood eased considerably. Her new Junshang and the dragon maiden truly knew how to enjoy themselves. Entering the pavilion, Xiang Su unconsciously glanced at her new Junshang. Though his expressions were few, she still easily detected he was unhappy. Today she had too many unpleasant experiences and was in no mood to consider her new Junshang’s thoughts. She only kept a sullen face, glancing sideways at the Kunpeng as he reported on their mission.

After hearing the Kunpeng’s brief explanation of their journey, Dong Tianyun looked at her but didn’t speak to her, only casually raising his hand.

Xiang Su had planned to continue staring at the sky, maintaining her silent treatment of the Kunpeng, but he unceremoniously pushed her, indicating they should stand in attendance behind Junshang together. Though Xiang Su was unwilling and reluctant, with so many people present, it wasn’t appropriate to make a scene. Her face grew increasingly dark as she stood with the Kunpeng, one on the left and one on the right, behind Dong Tianyun’s chair.

Xiang Su first stole a glance at the dishes—all immortal fruits and preserved delicacies. Though the su bing had disappointed her, the food at the Ziwei Palace seemed even less appetizing than the su bing had looked. After examining the food, she looked at the people.

The banquet table wasn’t large, yet squeezed together sat no fewer than five or six brocade-clad women. Xiang Su only recognized Dragon Maiden Ziyin in purple clothing, who sat closest to Junshang. Compared to her first meeting when she had charming smiles and flirtatious glances, she appeared sullen and silent. Instead, it was the other gaily dressed immortal maidens who possessed Ziyin’s earlier charm. When they looked at Junshang, their eyes sparkled as if about to release hooks to snare souls.

“My attendant has returned. Today I have imposed on your hospitality long enough.” Dong Tianyun spoke unhurriedly, slowly raising his cup and draining it.

“Dijun, it’s already late. Why not rest briefly at my Qiangwei Mountain to dispel the wine before leaving?” A pink-robed immortal maiden seemed quite anxious. Disregarding the sharp glances of the surrounding women, she invited him directly.

The gathering suddenly became very quiet. Xiang Su saw the pink-robed maiden looked very uneasy, barely able to sit steadily in her chair. The others all wore disdainful smiles, watching the spectacle.

Strangely, Junshang didn’t respond. Instead, it was Dragon Maiden Ziyin who laughed sarcastically with a cold smile. “Sister Dujuan speaks quite amusingly. Could it be that my Ziwei Palace lacks places for the Dijun to dispel wine?”

Immortal Maiden Dujuan smiled awkwardly. “Elder Sister Dragon Maiden, please don’t misunderstand. The Dijun has come to the South Bay of the Eastern Sea several times but still hasn’t visited my place. The wild roses are currently in full bloom, which counts as one of the South Bay’s scenic wonders. I only presumptuously invited the Dijun to come and appreciate them.”

So this was already the Eastern Sea. Xiang Su rolled her eyes. No wonder the Ziwei Palace was built on a sea island. Of course she knew about the Eastern Sea and the Western Abyss. Who would have thought she’d come as a guest without intending to? She vaguely recalled that Bai Zhicao had once said the dragon maidens of the Eastern Sea were the most skilled at weaving, even the Weaving Maidens of heaven admitted inferiority.

“Sister’s wild roses are naturally an Eastern Sea scenic beauty, but unfortunately, they cannot compare to my Ziwei Palace having fire-repelling divine pearls. I only fear angering the imposing Immortal Chilin. When that time comes…” Though these words were clearly directed at Immortal Maiden Dujuan, Xiang Su noticed Dragon Maiden Ziyin’s eyes glancing at Junshang. From her angle, that profile appeared infinitely resentful and coquettish.

No wonder she dared to be so openly affectionate toward Junshang. Dragon maidens weren’t afraid of fire. It seemed the red phoenix’s fierceness was known to everyone.

“Ziyin jests.” Dong Tianyun’s tone grew even more detached. Dragon Maiden Ziyin sensibly stopped. The other immortal maidens also seemed intimidated by Chilin’s fire and didn’t dare bring up inviting Dong Tianyun again.

“Since the silk sash has been completed, let my little immortal attendant try it.” Dong Tianyun glanced back at Xiang Su. Everyone also looked over.

“This little girl is quite pretty. Just wait a few hundred more years until she sheds her childishness, and she could probably rank among the Three Realms.” A white-robed immortal maiden spoke in a tone of praise.

Xiang Su lowered her eyes, secretly snorting. Don’t think she hadn’t heard—this was an insult! So she had to wait several hundred more years before she could be considered beautiful?

“Look, she’s quite well-matched with the Kunpeng.” The blue-robed woman next to the white-robed woman also said with a smile. “Little Kunpeng, when this child grows up a bit more, have Junshang bestow her to you as a wife, alright?” As she spoke, she and a group of women looked at the Kunpeng with infatuated smiles.

Xiang Su had thought that when Qingsui Sister spoke to Jin Zhan, that was flirting. But seeing how the immortal maidens made eyes at the Kunpeng, she suddenly realized—this was true flirting!

Earlier, she had found it incredible that Junshang was being “taken advantage of.” But seeing the women’s delighted expressions as they flirted with the Kunpeng, she couldn’t help casting a sympathetic look at Junshang. Originally she had thought only one dragon maiden was taking advantage of Junshang. She hadn’t expected so many women to come together. No wonder she had seen Junshang looking dejected when she first entered the pavilion.

Dong Tianyun looked at her coldly, clearly displeased. Since she had taken human form, this was the first time he’d seen her display such a complex expression—he actually couldn’t decipher it.

Dragon Maiden Ziyin smiled and stopped them. “Don’t talk nonsense.” As she spoke, she took out a palm-sized exquisite box from her sleeve. Everyone stared at it eagerly. When the box opened, precious light overflowed from within. Though they hadn’t yet seen what it was, all the women exclaimed in wonder. Dragon Maiden Ziyin took from the box a transparent yet pearl-luminescent gossamer silk sash. With a gentle shake, the sash floated without wind—quite pleasing to the eye.

“Come here, young lady.” Dragon Maiden Ziyin had completely changed from her initial hostility, calling Xiang Su over kindly.

This was truly for her? Though Junshang had said it twice, she hadn’t dared believe it. Hearing the dragon maiden’s meaning, the scales torn from the Mingyu’s body were a rare treasure. She stole a glance at Junshang. Seeing him nod lightly, she joyfully went forward, letting Dragon Maiden Ziyin hang the silk sash between her arms.

It was so beautiful. This was the first time she owned something this lovely, even more exquisite than the mirror Qingsui Sister had given Jin Zhan.

“This was jointly crafted by the Dijun and myself using the Mingyu’s sacred scales. When you encounter enemies, it can serve as whip or rope for self-protection. More importantly… unless the Fire Dijun uses the Haotian Tower to burn you, this silk sash fears no spiritual fire throughout the Three Realms.”

“Thank you, Elder Sister Dragon Maiden!” Xiang Su thanked her sweetly. Because she was so happy, she no longer found the dragon maiden’s face-changing strange. She could even forgive her taking advantage of Junshang. After all, she had made such a splendid magical artifact for her. Calculating it this way, the bit of loss Junshang suffered was worth it.

Being called “Elder Sister” so sweetly by Ziyin made her bloom with joy. She glanced at Dong Tianyun, whose lips also lifted in a smile. Dong Tianyun’s protectiveness was famous throughout the Three Realms, which was why his mount Kunpeng could be so arrogant and domineering. It seemed that coaxing this little girl also pleased him. The dragon maiden smiled warmly and generously said: “I’ll also give you a set of clothes made from the Eastern Sea’s Bibo brocade. What color would you like?”

With Chilin’s temper, she would never fawn over subordinates. Ziyin smiled—her gentle virtuousness was her advantage.

“Really?” Xiang Su was so happy she nearly jumped up. How did such good fortune suddenly arrive? She thought carefully. Junshang’s golden clothes were beautiful, but too dazzling. If she couldn’t beat him in a fight, she’d want to punch anyone dressed so ostentatiously right in the face.

If she wore such clothes, she’d be finished. With such low magical power, wouldn’t she get beaten black and blue every day?

The next most beautiful color was Qingsui Sister’s green clothes. She couldn’t very well wear the same color as Qingsui Sister—that would be disrespectful.

“I want light green, the color of green peonies.” Previously, an immortal had come to Lingze Mountain and transplanted a green peony by the spirit pool, but it still didn’t survive. The flower’s color seemed white yet not white, green yet not green. She had greatly admired it. When the green peony died, she had been sad for a long time.

Hearing this, Ziyin smiled and praised: “The little lady has quite good taste.” She then summoned a weaving maiden who brought forth a set of women’s garments.

Xiang Su wanted to reach out to take them but was pulled back by the Kunpeng, earning another contemptuous look.

Dragon Maiden Ziyin closed her eyes, chanting incantations over the set of clothes. Gradually, light emanated from the clothing. When the radiance dimmed, the garments had become the beautiful color of green peonies. Xiang Su watched dumbstruck.

“Your true form is a gardenia flower. I’ve chosen gardenia patterns for the hem and sleeve cuffs.” The dragon maiden looked at Dong Tianyun seeking praise. Sure enough, she received one of his lingering glances and immediately felt satisfied, shyly smiling.

Xiang Su looked at the magnificent garments on the tray, almost not daring to touch them. The weaving maiden said “dress in brocade,” and the clothes automatically wrapped around Xiang Su, adjusting the fit and length. Xiang Su’s mouth fell open, earning several more disdainful looks from the Kunpeng. She couldn’t be bothered to confront him, only touching her skirt in disbelief. She vaguely heard the weaving maiden explain that the clothes wouldn’t get dirty or torn, and so on. Xiang Su was even more satisfied.

This time she knew quality. So Junshang wore this kind of Bibo brocade—no wonder it looked even better than Qingsui Sister’s clothes.

“Oh my, Elder Sister Dragon Maiden is truly generous.” The blue-robed woman stood up with a giggling laugh.

Xiang Su looked at her somewhat guardedly. This person was the most wicked—she was the one who had just suggested marrying her to the Kunpeng!

“This Bibo brocade, even the Celestial Palace only receives one bolt every hundred years. It’s a treasure of our Eastern Sea, and you just gave it away like this? That’s right—look at the Dijun’s garments, all woven from Bibo brocade by your own hands.”

One bolt only enters tribute to the Celestial Palace every hundred years? Xiang Su didn’t even dare touch her own clothes anymore. Too precious! Fortunately they couldn’t be torn, or she’d be reluctant to wear them.

“I don’t have such a fine gift. I only have this crane feather hairpin. Looking at this little child with her hair hanging loose, she clearly doesn’t know how to groom herself. Here, take this.” As she spoke, she pulled an unremarkable hairpin from her own head. She didn’t hand it to Xiang Su but placed it in the Kunpeng’s hand. “With this hairpin, whatever hairstyle you think of, just pin it up and it’s done.”

The Kunpeng’s face was very cold. He cupped his fists perfunctorily. “Thank you, Aunt Biao.”

Xiang Su was so startled she nearly fell. The Kunpeng actually had relatives? Though… this family did seem somewhat alike—equally unlikeable!

Seeing that the dragon maiden and Qinghe had been so generous, the other women also presented various gifts to Xiang Su. With Dong Tianyun’s tacit permission, Xiang Su calmly accepted them all.

When taking their leave, Ziyin and the women all saw them out to the palace gate. Including the Ziwei Palace’s palace maids, it was quite an imposing scene. Dragon Maiden Ziyin shed tears in public, silently gazing at Dong Tianyun. Xiang Su felt that though she said nothing, it was more moving than saying a thousand words.

Looking again at Junshang—he wore that cold, indifferent manner as if nothing had happened, not even turning his head back as he mounted the Kunpeng, who had revealed his true form.

Xiang Su silently also climbed onto the Kunpeng’s back, gaining another layer of understanding about her new Junshang. Besides liking to snatch things everywhere, he was also the type who used people when needed and discarded them afterward. His manner when asking the dragon maiden to weave the silk sash was completely different from now.

“Junshang, after the sacred sword is forged, you must come…” Ziyin said tearfully. Xiang Su watched her lingering, sentimental appearance and thought she would say “come marry me,” but the dragon maiden only said, “come see me!”

“Mm.” Dong Tianyun gave a perfunctory acknowledgment, his long lashes half-lowered as if drowsy. The Kunpeng beat its wings and took flight. When Xiang Su looked back, the Ziwei Palace had already become a black dot on a lonely island.

Dong Tianyun felt Xiang Su was very restless, sitting beside him, now frowning, now sighing, frequently rubbing her hands.

“Need to relieve yourself?” He asked her directly. For small spirits like her, they still couldn’t control such bodily burdens.

“Not… not urgent.” Xiang Su’s answer was also frank. She still looked worried. Seeing Junshang’s powerful cold stare at her, clearly seeing through that she had something on her mind. This matter… she really had to tell Junshang. Otherwise, when the Kunpeng acted shamelessly, she truly had no recourse.

“Junshang…” She looked at Dong Tianyun hesitantly. “Could you have the Kunpeng give me the hairpin? Though it’s from his aunt, it was said to be a gift for me.”

Dong Tianyun felt angry at even one more glance at her and turned his face away to look ahead.

This… this meant he wouldn’t intervene, right? Xiang Su fell into grief and indignation. The Kunpeng had followed him for many years—the feelings between one person and one bird were naturally much deeper than with her. “I really need this hairpin!” She decided to forcefully state her reasons. “Before, I had Jin Zhan to comb my hair for me. Now I can’t be with him—who will comb my hair?”

Saying this, she moved herself first, her nose stinging.

“Besides… what use does the Kunpeng, a bird, have for a hairpin? Even in human form, he doesn’t need to comb his hair!”

The Kunpeng suddenly dropped vertically several zhang. Xiang Su was unprepared and frightened out of her wits. Though tempted to pluck another of his feathers, she ultimately didn’t dare.

“How is it useless?” After the Kunpeng flew steadily, Dong Tianyun spoke lightly. “He can give it to his future wife.”

The Kunpeng felt Junshang bringing this up was definitely malicious. Was he really planning to betroth Xiang Su to him? He didn’t want her! He’d be angered to death! A thousand years of cultivation destroyed in an instant!

Xiang Su looked at Dong Tianyun in alarm. Dong Tianyun also glanced at her, experiencing the same confusion the Kunpeng had once felt—completely not knowing what was wrong with her now.

“Never mind…” It took Xiang Su a long time to recover. Junshang was truly biased. Was he forcing her to marry the Kunpeng in the future? “I don’t want that hairpin anymore!” She would rather die than submit! To demonstrate her resolve, she said resolutely: “Making me marry the Kunpeng—you might as well strike me dead with one palm now. That would be better than marrying a sarcastic bird!”

Dong Tianyun seemed not to hear her words. He caressingly stroked the feathers on the Kunpeng’s back. The Kunpeng forcefully suppressed the instinctive urge to flip completely over and throw her off. After a while, Dong Tianyun asked with a half-smile: “How is the Kunpeng… sarcastic?”

The Kunpeng felt a dry, burning sensation rising in his throat. Was Junshang adding fuel to the fire?

Xiang Su thought about it—this was a perfect opportunity for revenge! Imitating the Kunpeng’s tone when he spoke about her at Qingsui Manor, she tilted up her chin with a cold, sarcastic laugh. “Him? Hmph!”

Xiang Su saw Junshang stroking the Kunpeng’s back feathers again. Biased! Too biased! Afraid this bird’s feelings would be hurt? When the Kunpeng spoke about her like this, she hadn’t seen anyone come forward to uphold justice! She also developed strong dissatisfaction with Junshang, turning her head away with another snort.

Just as her dissatisfaction with Junshang accumulated to its peak, she heard him say leisurely: “Since Qinghe gave it to Xiang Su, you should hand it over to her.”

The Kunpeng said nothing. Xiang Su felt that if not for Junshang’s presence, this black bird would probably peck her to death. His eyes looked so fierce. However, he still opened his beak, delivering the hairpin to Dong Tianyun’s hand.

The posture with which Junshang handed her the hairpin reminded Xiang Su of the way passersby at the small city gate gave alms to beggars.

She didn’t accept it. Not because of Junshang’s high and mighty manner—from the first time she saw him, he had been this way. She was genuinely worried.

Dong Tianyun narrowed his eyes, turning his face to frown at her. He had initially brought her along, first to prevent anyone from tracking them, second because he found it interesting… Now, he was already getting a headache. Unreliable Wood spirit—Qingsui had already reached a certain level, but who knew there could be one even better.

“What’s wrong?” He asked somewhat impatiently. “Take it. This hairpin isn’t a love token from the Kunpeng to you.”

The Kunpeng really wanted to flip completely over. Especially wanted to!

“Junshang, is there something to wipe it with?” This came from the Kunpeng’s mouth!

The Kunpeng let out a sharp cry and suddenly flipped up and down.

Dong Tianyun wasn’t angry. In an instant, he stepped onto the wind current, his robes flowing as he rode the wind with graceful bearing, ignoring Xiang Su who was shouting and crying out, clutching his calf and dangling in midair.

Xiang Su cried and shouted for help. Junshang commanded metal and controlled wind and thunder, so when flying, he could ride the wind—not even a wisp of cloud. She had nothing to grab onto. The speed wasn’t slow either. The clouds she could summon couldn’t keep up at all. She could only continue shouting for help.

This Junshang whose temper was inscrutable to gods and demons smiled leisurely as he flew. Finally looking down at her, Xiang Su gazed up at him full of hope.

Dong Tianyun nodded kindly and said: “I’ll wash it clean and give it to you when we return.”

That wasn’t the point now! Most urgently, she was about to fall! About to be smashed to pieces!

Suddenly she understood—favoritism, still favoritism! This was revenge for the Kunpeng!