This Human Immortal Is Too Serious-Chapter 386 - 384: Moon Mother Pleads with the God of Spring

Why has she run off again?

Wu Wang, filled with regret, watched in the direction where Young Master had disappeared, unable to help himself from recalling the scene that had just passed.

Eyes like rippling autumn waters cause my heart to flutter, and peach-blossom cheeks bring a blush I cannot resist.

Her ice-smooth, jade-bone beauty intoxicates with a hint of crimson, her sweet breath confuses me, and my eyes grow hazy.

He began to understand what the attraction of a beauty entailed, but to label Young Master with the term 'beauty' still seemed improper, inappropriate, and disrespectful.

She was like the clear moon in the heavens, shedding a pond of white frost upon the mortal realm amidst the dark clouds, inadvertently landing in my embrace...

"Ahem!"

Wu Wang cleared his throat and turned toward the direction where Nu Chou and Xiao Ming were, announcing, "I'll take a stroll outside."

Then, with the pace of a lord, he calmly walked out from the grand temple doors, turning his gaze towards the team of Divine Guards who had appeared at a rather untimely moment.

Immediately, two Divine Guards stepped forward to salute him, bowing with cupped hands, and declared aloud, "God of Spring! Officer Chang Xi commands your presence at the palace banquet!"

A banquet? Chang Xi? Emperor Shun's second wife is inviting me? Xihe and Chang Xi are not supposed to be on good terms; I have grown closer to Aunt Xihe and even have that ten-day teaching appointment with her. If I wish to leverage Xihe to secure my position and power in the Heaven Palace, I must keep my distance from Chang Xi...

Wu Wang's thoughts whirled swiftly, and he made his decision, declaring in a clear voice, "Officer Chang Xi is indeed the Heavenly Emperor's wife. I, as an Immortal of the Human Domain and an auxiliary god in the Heaven Palace, may pay my respects in public but cannot meet privately."

Having said this, Wu Wang gave a courteous bow to the team of Divine Guards before him and directly mounted the clouds, flying towards a nearby immortal island.

The team of Divine Guards was dumbfounded. The two rabbit-headed Divine Guards at the front exchanged glances, both slightly struggling to regain their composure. It had been many years; their master rarely made appearances in the Heaven Palace and even more seldom extended invitations to its gods. For such a rare invitation... to be so decisively rejected?! And with such an air of righteousness, such compelling logic! The explanation about the Heavenly Emperor's wife, and how subordinates should not meet with her privately... This response was unexpectedly proper.

The Divine Guards didn't dare to delay and hurriedly turned around, propelling the clouds as they flew deeper into the Heaven Palace.

Watching this, Wu Wang let out a soft chuckle. He then sought a scenic spot by a waterfall on the island, found a large rock to sit upon, and closed his eyes to meditate and cultivate his spirit.

This refusal was meant to be seen by Xihe, serving as a declaration of my position in the current dispute between the Two Xis. According to my mother, apart from her beauty, Chang Xi does not possess any particular talents; she is like a vine clinging to the Great Tree that is Emperor Shun. Xihe, however, is an old tree that has supported Emperor Shun for a long time. Between the two, the difference in importance is clear.

Nevertheless, what was Xihe's intention? Why did she deliberately reveal my secret to Young Master? Based on Young Master's reaction, Xihe had likely disclosed who my mother was.

Wu Wang was perplexed. He thought so hard he almost gave himself a headache, yet couldn't come to a logical conclusion. This even made Wu Wang question himself...

Is my perspective not high enough? Is my consideration not comprehensive enough?

Right then, Wu Wang hesitated slightly but eventually reached into his collar, grasped the necklace, and began to call for external assistance.

I don't have a way to keep in touch with my elder brother Yun Zhongjun, so the most reliable method is to have my mother relay recent events to Yun Zhongjun and ask him to feel the pulse and see what Xihe is truly up to. If that elder brother's mind isn't put to use, what if it rusts from disuse?

And so, after meditating for about an hour, the same team of Divine Guards that had visited earlier approached, riding a golden cloud from the sky. Upon it were two beautiful maidens clad in thin garments.

These two maidens were likely born of the Human race and were quite attractive. With willow-leaf eyebrows and a smile, slender waists that could be encircled, and delicate feet that winked from a distance, they exuded a pure and proper air without any sense of flirtation. Yet, their eyes carried a pity that was enchanting in its own accord. Even in the Heaven Palace, where beautiful beings were treated as mere collectibles, they stood out.

Wu Wang remained motionless, meditating beside a waterfall merely a hundred feet in height. The squad of Divine Guards, escorting the two maidens, arrived a hundred zhang away. The two maidens stepped forward gracefully and bowed to Wu Wang. Their long skirts were decent, yet their tops were like two petals covering their chests, with two strips of cloth tied behind their necks, their long hair cascading down and veiling their smooth backs. Thus, their serpentine waists became even more eye-catching.

In unison, they called out, "Greetings to the esteemed God of Spring."

"Hmm," Wu Wang neither turned his head nor opened his eyes, simply asking, "Who might you be?"

"My lord," one maiden said with a smile, "we serve beside Moon Mother, sent to invite you to her palace for a banquet. Your concerns, my lord, have all been understood. Someone has already been dispatched to inform His Majesty of this matter; please do not worry."

Wu Wang's brow furrowed slightly as he responded indifferently, "Officer Chang Xi's kindness is appreciated, but I must beg your pardon for declining the invitation to the banquet."

The smiles on the two maidens' faces froze, both somewhat puzzled.

"My lord, have we said something improper?"

"Please reconsider, my lord," one maiden pleaded softly. "Upon hearing that you are an Immortal from the Human Domain, Moon Mother wished to inquire about matters concerning the Human Domain. The Heavenly Emperor has repeatedly decreed that Heaven Palace should turn foes into friends with all beings. You, my lord, are greatly relied upon by His Majesty as an auxiliary god of the Heaven Palace. Moon Mother has no other intentions in inviting you, but rather to set an example for the gods of the Heaven Palace, to mend relations with you, and to serve His Majesty's decree... Please consider it."

Wu Wang opened his eyes, looked at the maiden who had just spoken, and said with a smile, "Officer Chang Xi is said to be the most beautiful woman between heaven and earth. I am still young, and my spiritual cultivation is insufficient; I fear I might embarrass myself and offend Moon Mother.

"Please go back and report that I have acknowledged Officer Chang Xi's kind intentions. Unless it's a matter of great urgency or importance, there is no need to invite me for mere wining and dining, lest rumors spread within the Heaven Palace.

"Moreover, although you are clever, refrain from speaking carelessly on the affairs of the Heaven Palace. Remember, 'sickness enters through the mouth and disaster comes from the mouth.' This is a well-meaning reminder from a fellow member of our race."

The maiden's complexion paled as she bowed her head and acknowledged his words.

Wu Wang waved them off, and the two maidens bowed, hesitantly and helplessly setting out on their return journey.

After the Divine Guards had left, the corner of Wu Wang's lips inadvertently turned up slightly.

I've made my position this clear. If Officer Chang Xi sends for me a third time, then there must be a deeper meaning to this banquet. Having declined twice already, I've postured enough. A third invitation would legitimize attending the banquet openly, to meet this vine wrapped around the Great Tree that is Emperor Shun.

「Meanwhile.」

Atop the Divine Wood in the east of the East Sea, within the Temple, Xihe was resting on her bed, draped in rainbow clouds and adorned with the morning glow. She held a stone tablet in her hand, its script jumping on its own, and was quietly reading something.

Suddenly, a female guard hastened to the door, knelt at a distance, and reported to Xihe, who was upon a lofty throne, "My lady! Officer Chang Xi sent someone to invite the God of Spring to a banquet, but the God of Spring has declined twice, citing propriety as the reason."

"Oh?" Xihe set down her tablet, her phoenix eyes flickering with a trace of light. Why would Wu Wangzi do that?

"What exactly did the God of Spring say?"

"According to the messages from the Heaven Palace, he said..."

There and then, the female guard recounted Wu Wang's words in general terms.

Xihe couldn't help but chuckle, saying, "The God of Spring is not speaking to Officer Chang Xi; he is clearly addressing me."

The female guard lowered her head, not daring to respond.

"You may leave," Xihe said softly, gesturing with her hand. "There's no need to report back on the follow-up to this matter."

"Yes!" The female guard answered softly, stood up after backing away several steps, and then turned and walked away.

Suddenly, a few crisp cries came from deep within the Temple, and Xihe's lips curved into a faint smile. She turned her gaze back to the tablet, her attention fixed on it for an extended period without moving.

In the Heaven Palace, there was a hidden white palace shrouded in mist. Silky pink curtains added an ambiguous atmosphere to the place, where beautiful maidens from the Hundred Races knelt by the Lotus Pond, folding their hands, bowing their heads in silence, each unique and bringing allure to the surroundings.

By the pond, the Goddess dressed in a moon-white silk gown frowned as she looked at the two maidens kneeling before her.

"The God of Spring has not come yet?" she asked.

Those two maidens, trembling, hurriedly repeated Wu Wang's words.

Chang Xi frowned silently, while the lotuses in the pond seemed to lose their luster.

"Someone! Go and invite him again!"

With a flick of her sleeve, Chang Xi prompted two more elaborately dressed maidens to rise from beside the pond and head for the door.

"Wait," she said.

A trace of contemplation crossed Chang Xi's eyes. She looked at the surrounding decorations and continued, "Move the banquet outside the hall. Tell that God of Spring that I simply wish to see how comfortable he is in the Heaven Palace."

The women by the pond all started to move, with those two maidens responding before walking away with a seductive grace.

Inviting him three times should be enough to express my sincerity. But I don't feel very confident. I know the ins and outs of the God of Spring very well, especially how ruthless his mother can be. I don't pay much attention to the great trends of the world, nor do I have the interest to do so. But when it comes to my Sovereign, Emperor Shun, I know him better than anyone. Throughout the entire Divine Farmer Era in the Human Domain, my Sovereign had been trapped by Fu Xi. He wandered in the Human Domain with only Xihe, the Goddess, aware of his whereabouts. Although I knew of this, I was unable to contact my Sovereign. I could only wait quietly in the Moon Palace, eventually falling into a deep slumber. From the moment Emperor Shun returned to the Heaven Palace and woke me from my slumber with a kiss, I sensed... The Sovereign had changed. Yet he remained the same Sovereign.

If I had to specify the changes, aside from the Sovereign taking a greater interest and showing more variety in certain... matters, the same Sovereign who once looked down upon Divine Spirits and living beings as mere ants had actually begun to praise others. Indeed, the one praised was Wu Wangzi. I know that my sister, Xihe, is immensely important to the Sovereign, a true pillar of support. But Xihe is unaware that it is I whom the Sovereign trusts most, the only one before whom he can let his guard down and utter things after drinking that no one else would ever hear.

In a moment of loss of composure, the Sovereign had cursed out loud:

'That Fu Xi, what right does he have? What right does he have to deduce the Yin Yang Eight Trigrams and encompass the order I have created! This order of the world was created by me. What right does he have to interpret this world, to draw near the order, to deny me, the Lord of Order! He is nothing but a bastard, trying to steal this world I've established!'

At times when full of pride and achievement, the Sovereign would whisper secrets by my ear:

'My beauty, do you know? I am now somewhat confused whether it's me or Sanxian that is me. The path of the Sanxian Daoist feels like my most vivid and clearest dream. I am clearly suppressing Fu Xi, and Sanxian is just a consciousness I have split off. However, he now constantly influences my emotions, my Divine Soul. Ah, sometimes I even begin to loathe the name of Heavenly Emperor, contemplating whether it might be better to let the Candle Dragon return, to destroy it all, to let the world start anew. The fifth divine era that I initiated has been long enough, hasn't it? I am always just one step away from the pinnacle that the Third Divine King achieved, just one step.'

Of course, most of the time, it was more such sweet nothings:

'My beauty, my lovely beauty, do you know how many human desires I've come to know in the Human Domain. The joy of life is so delightful, yet the living do not understand its essence, fail to grasp its origin—how inferior they are. But within this inferiority, living beings do have their own worth. Mayflies live from dawn to dusk, and fungi survive past six chills. Yet, out of those countless beings, ephemeral beauty can emerge. You are the most beautiful of them all.'

Such words, of course, would never reach Xihe's ears.

Chang Xi thought to herself as her hand gently lifted, and the curtains slid away on their own. Two charming-faced young women came forward to help her out of her gown.

The master of the Moon Palace strolled towards the center of the Lotus Pond, where a misty white fog began to rise from various parts of the pond. The lotus flowers quietly closed, as if they possessed a spirit, daring not to show off in front of this deity. As her jade feet stepped into the water, the entire Lotus Pond seemed to be enveloped by the pure white moonlight. The sound of the stirring water entered the ears of others, causing the maidens behind the curtains to breathe heavily.

Xihe, sister, do you really understand His Majesty? Chang Xi's lips curled into a slight sneer, her peach blossom eyes bursting with enchanting radiance, yet her figure slowly sank to the bottom of the Lotus Pond, lying upon the white jade bed.

The place became tranquil, and within that serenity, it seemed as if some kind of Daoist charm was flowing. After an indeterminate amount of time, someone outside the hall announced that the God of Spring had accepted the invitation and would soon arrive at the banquet venue.

A few ripples rose on the Lotus Pond, and a lotus flower surfaced, slowly blooming to reveal Chang Xi standing within, her hands crossed in front of her, appearing so sacred and inviolable. She stepped out gently, a faint smile in her eyes and her skin radiating a bright shine, seemingly even more beautiful than before.

A maiden approached with a gorgeous and light gown, but Chang Xi paused for a moment, smiling, "Fetch me a set of men's clothing."

The maidens were puzzled but still obeyed the command. Bowing, they quickly moved towards a corner and entered the side hall designated for Chang Xi's attire, searching swiftly.

A short while later, Chang Xi emerged from her hall, dressed in men's clothing with her long hair held up by a Daoist headband, leading people to fly towards an immortal island not far away.

On the island, in a cool pavilion, Wu Wang sat upright and composed, his gaze steady and not listening to any distractions, awaiting the most beautiful woman between heaven and earth to appear.

Meanwhile, Wu Wang couldn't help but let his mind wander.

What exactly is Chang Xi's relationship with Chang'e? Although I'm not well-versed in the myths of my homeland, Chang Xi is the master of the Moon Palace, the mother of the twelve months. So what's her relationship with Chang'e, the renowned principal dancer of the Celestial Court's song and dance troupe and master of the Guanghan Palace? No, this is too confusing; the mythological system of my homeland is indeed chaotic. It seems Chang'e is a position title, and the most beautiful woman of the Three Realms is called Heng'e. Right, there's also the 'Three Realms.' If I am to become the future Eastern Emperor Taiyi, then the order I would establish, could it be the Three Realms? This is somewhat interesting.

Meanwhile, in the Emperor's City, Da Yi was panting heavily, carrying a 'millstone,' slowly moving in a courtyard. The courtyard floor was paved with Immortal Light, and the millstone was engraved with dense talismans. With each step Da Yi took, it was incredibly difficult, and as his feet fell, the Immortal Light on the ground trembled slightly, as if it would collapse at any moment.

Finally, Da Yi completed three hundred steps. He slowly squatted down, his muscles bulging all over his body, his face slightly contorted from the effort, and large beads of sweat dripped continuously from his forehead.

THUD!

The millstone settled into the stone seat, and the Immortal Light on the ground flowed back like water, converging into the stone seat.

Da Yi let out a long sigh of relief. Just as he tried to stand up from his squatting position, he staggered and sat down on the ground, chuckling to himself.

Just then, rapid footsteps approached from outside the courtyard, and a Divine Guard shouted loudly, "Commander Da Yi! We have captured a spy at the border who claims to be an old friend of yours with urgent matters seeking you!"

An old friend?

Da Yi took out an Elixir from his chest and popped it into his mouth, his expression growing somber.

He said, "Tell that person, in my exact words—no matter who you are, say what you need to say and then leave. I'm now a Divine General for Lord Feng Chun, and I'm worried about causing concern for my superior."

"Yes!"

The Divine Guard outside responded with certainty, turning and hurrying away.

Shortly after, the Divine Guard returned. By this time, Da Yi had recovered his strength and was washing himself beside a water vat.

Then he heard the Divine Guard shout, "Commander Da Yi! That man says he was once your neighbor, and his daughter Heng'e... has been forcibly taken away."

CRASH!

A sound of a shattered water vat came from the yard. The wooden doors, still carrying a faint scent of herbs, were flung open, and Da Yi walked out with a frown.

"Take me to see him."