Chapter 110: This Fairy Is Utterly Delighted

The faint cries of cranes drifted through the air, accompanied by the gentle strains of a zither.

From the horizon, two auspicious clouds descended. Upon the first stood the Exalted Yuanxu, clad in robes of cyan. His hair was the color of his garments, and his forehead was broad and noble. He bore a grave expression, looking deeply troubled, as if he expected a formidable demon to spring forth at any moment, compelling him to display his divine prowess. His cyan silk robes were embroidered at the cuffs with cloud motifs, beneath which surged a vast, magnificent ocean, the swirling waves lending him an air of imposing, almost intimidating, authority.

Standing upon the second cloud was my master, the Immortal Lord Zilian. For some reason, he had set aside his usual violet robes adorned with golden lotuses, opting instead for a moon-white long gown. Under the scorching sun, the wide sleeves billowed in the wind, rhythmically brushing against his frame.

His gaze was fixed straight ahead; surely, he could not see me hiding in the bamboo grove, trembling and careful not to be discovered. I clung tightly to a bamboo stalk, pressing my body against it, my eyes locked onto him. My heart was a tangle of strange emotions: fear that he would discover I was late and was currently lurking here spying on him, yet simultaneously a desperate longing to be noticed, to have my presence acknowledged.

A warm breeze stirred, and I saw a few butterflies flutter in from the horizon, alighting upon his white sleeves. How could such mundane creatures exist atop the Peak of Spirit Clouds, here at the Wuji Palace?

Zilian smiled faintly, raising a hand to gently capture the butterfly resting on his sleeve. He did not pinch its wings but simply opened his palm. The butterfly, as if enjoying the intimacy, lingered in his hand, unwilling to fly away, fluttering its wings as if waiting for his affection.

As his brows relaxed, his peerless grace was fully revealed. His lips curled slightly, and his eyes held a smile that could not be concealed. I watched, entranced, as time seemed to slip back over a millennium to the side of the lotus pond, to the moment of our first meeting. He had reached out to receive me from the hands of Yunxiang and Moyu, used his inner energy to expel the water from my body, and then gently returned me to the pond.

But now, nothing could ever return to what it once was. The old ginseng root was right: Zilian, as an Immortal of the Six Realms, existed to save and serve the world. His saving me was merely a byproduct of his inherent benevolence. Three thousand years ago, rescuing me had been nothing more than a trivial act of kindness.

Perhaps, by now, he has truly forgotten me entirely. Entirely.

"Junior Brother, Junior Brother, what is the matter?"

In a daze, I heard the voice of Lan Duo'er ringing in my ears.

"Huh?" I snapped back to reality, looking at her with a puzzled expression, not understanding why she spoke.

"I wonder, Fairy, what you have called Little Yu for?" I asked, bowing to her in salute.

"My master and the Sect Leader have already entered the Wuji Hall. We must hurry inside! We must not run into them on the path to the hall, or we shall surely be in for a miserable time."

As she spoke, a rare look of fear crossed her face. Whether Zilian would be truly angry was hard to say. Even after learning I was a girl, he had never once raised his voice, claiming he would settle accounts with me later. Now that my injuries were nearly fully healed, he still had not come to settle those scores.

However, the old man Yuanxu was a different matter. Given his usual stern and taciturn demeanor, he was truly terrifying. I decided it would be wise to heed Lan Duo'er’s advice and slip into the hall as quickly as possible.

"Then I must ask for your help, Fairy."

"No trouble, no trouble. Anything for my Junior Brother, I am more than happy to do."

Very well. Why did hearing her say that make me, Little Yu, shiver involuntarily?

A gust of auspicious wind swirled beneath our feet, sweeping us up and over the gates of the Wuji Palace, and in an instant, we were inside. With a flick of Lan Duo'er’s yellow silk ribbon, I and the chubby little one landed firmly on the ground.

"Many thanks, Fairy," I bowed again, offering my gratitude.

"Junior Brother Yu, why be so formal? Since we have arrived, you need not call me 'Fairy' anymore. Call me Senior Sister instead, lest my master, the Exalted Yuanxu, hear it and grow angry with me."

"Very well," I replied readily. "Since, Fairy..."

Sensing a flicker of displeasure from her, I quickly corrected myself. "Since Senior Sister Duo’er has asked, Little Yu shall henceforth call you Senior Sister!"

"Good!" She nodded and began walking toward the hall, and I took hold of the chubby one’s small, fleshy paw and followed closely. From the outside, the Wuji Palace appeared as a single massive structure, but once inside, one realized that it was a vast complex of countless smaller palaces.

"There are so many palaces in here!" I exclaimed, gazing at the dense forest of grand structures surrounding us.