Chapter 4, A Broadening of Horizons

Hmm? Xiang Su lifted her head from his embrace, her eyes sparkling with innocence.

Xiang Su's voice sounded as if it were choked by something; he was too serious, and she felt embarrassed to say anything to him. It must have been Bai Zhi Cao, that big mouth, who told Xiao Huai. I will settle the score with him later

The blackbird of Dongtianyun did not call, while in the distance, an unknown bird let out a piercing long cry. Although its power was much less than that of the Kunpeng, Xiangsu still felt a tightness in her ears, fearing she might go deaf

You and His Majesty are truly ... ... '' a perfect match! She covered her mouth in terror, it happened again, the words came spilling out of her mouth!

Xiang Su looked around; this was her first time in the room. She walked over, touched the bed, lay down, and closed her eyes. It turned out that after taking shape, the feeling of "sleeping" was so comfortable. However, she could not fall asleep at all. Outside, the sky had turned dark, the moonlight was dim, and the room was completely silent. After tossing and turning for a while, Xiang Su finally went to knock on Jin Zhan's door. Jin Zhan was still awake, and there was light in the room. When he opened the door, Xiang Su curiously looked at the glowing object, so this is what a "lamp" is? She wanted to go in for a closer look, but Jin Zhan blocked the doorway and asked inexplicably, "What is it?"

I never thought it would be like this! Xiang Su gasped for breath, shaking his head repeatedly, "We... the forsythia and the little willow, all say that after taking shape, we must still be together!"

The Emperor of the Fire Planet is in charge of fire, no wonder his daughter majestically rode a phoenix to arrive. The phoenix is indeed a divine bird associated with the spirit of fire. Xiang Su strained to see clearly through the golden light, revealing Chi Lin in a splendid red dress, her appearance exceedingly enchanting, with a streak of crimson flame adornment on her forehead. Although she appeared younger than Sister Qing Sui, her haughty demeanor that looked down upon all was unmistakable! They truly make a pair with the dead bird person! And both ride birds! Although she appeared younger than Sister Qing Sui, her haughty demeanor that looked down upon all was unmistakable! They truly make a pair with the dead bird person! And both ride birds!

Jin Zhan brightened the lamp a bit, and Xiang Su tilted her head to look. When Jin Zhan looked up, she saw the curious and puzzled expression on Xiang Su's face, and couldn't help but helplessly curl the corner of her mouth. "Once the important matters are settled, I will take you to travel around. Qing Sui took me to the human realm, where there are so many things I have never seen before"

"Go to bed early, wake up early tomorrow, and do not let anyone see you here." Jin Zhan instructed coldly

Jin Zhan snorted lightly, ignoring her praise, and elegantly adjusted her white lingerie before lying down with her back to Xiang Su. Perhaps feeling too unwilling, she added, "You should intensify your training; it seems like you're even more foolish than before."

But..." Xiang Su was anxious. How could there be no hope? As long as the sword is removed and the hole is filled, perhaps it would take a very long time, but why couldn't it return to its original state?

The bird flew closer, radiating a dazzling golden light, blinding even in broad daylight. Xiang Su squinted her eyes to look; although she did not particularly like such ostentatious deities, she arrived later than Dong Tianyun and was showing off upon her entrance. Feeling that she had overshadowed Dong Tianyun, she found it quite satisfying

Jin Zhan raised her eyebrows slightly, displaying a look of great disdain

The sound of flapping, the sound of the wind, is unmistakably the sound of a blackbird flapping its wings, causing a stir among the immortals. Xiang Su deliberately lowered her gaze to look at her feet, expressing her anger by refusing to look at him.

Bai Zhicao was taken aback, and then shook his head bitterly, "Enough, enough, the great limit of Lingze Mountain has arrived, and it is difficult to reverse it any longer"

They... are already dead. Although it is cruel, it remains a fact, Jin Zhan said with a cold tone, firmly. "Xiang Su, do not dwell on the past any longer"

"You really shouldn't have transformed into a male form," Xiang Su expressed with heartfelt regret, "but then again, if I became female, I wouldn't be able to be with Your Majesty, Sister."

Jin Zhan looked at her somewhat speechlessly; she really did start over quite quickly

"You have already started anew, do not look back again." Jin Zhan paused for a moment and said reluctantly, "This is the rule of the Wood Spirit Realm."

Xiang Su furrowed his brows and nodded, clearly understanding a bit this time

She felt that the veins on Jin Zhan's forehead were bulging, "This has nothing to do with cultivation!" Jin Zhan squeezed out the words through clenched teeth, which was truly uncomfortable to hear. Xiang Su got off the bed, preparing to go out and hide for a while

Jin Zhan's hand trembled slightly; although she did not finish her sentence, he completely understood what she meant.

I did not wake her up with a golden bell, as she is still not very accustomed to this way of "sleeping" and she woke up relatively early

Xiang Su nodded slightly, thinking carefully that this rule is quite good, at least it does not make one feel sad anymore

Xiang Su and the locust tree were both enraged and were about to scold him together when Jin Zhan snorted and said, "Is this the right time to discuss this? Moreover, His Majesty has instructed that this matter should not be mentioned again"

The locust tree was just coming into view when, upon hearing Xiang Su's sudden call, it abruptly stopped in its tracks. Its uneven, pockmarked surface turned bright red in an instant, and despite opening its mouth several times, it was unable to utter a word

Xiang Su realized she had spoken out of turn. Shui Xian had never admitted to anything regarding the matter with the Emperor's sister, and her loose tongue had made Shui Xian, who loved to feign innocence, feel quite embarrassed. Reminding herself once again to speak less in the future, as long as she knew in her heart, it would be fine. With her mouth at peace, she soon fell asleep.

Xiang Su was hurt by him again, and she really wanted to take back what she just said; he is still as detestable as ever

"Whatever." Although Jin Zhan glanced at her with a look akin to that of a fly, he still felt a great weight lift from his heart, fortunately, Xiang Su was a carefree person.

"Sleep, or I will strangle you," Jin Zhan squeezed out a few words through his teeth

Jin Zhan suddenly raised her eyes, and a knife flew towards her.

Jin Zhan smiled faintly, knowing that she would not understand

Hmm? Jin Zhan let out a soft sigh; as a fellow wood spirit of Lingze Mountain, he certainly understood her sorrow

"So many celestial beings in Lingze Mountain have perished, and you are the only one who survived. There must be a reason for your survival. Don't think too much about it; just live well." He decided to provide her with a reason she could understand, "You see, from the oldest to the youngest, once they take shape, they hardly return to Lingze Mountain anymore; everyone is busy with their own lives. Even if... the Yinchun flowers survived, in the end, you are the only one left to pass the years."

Xiang Su was at a loss for words, no wonder the princess was so dejected; it turned out she had known all along that Lingze Mountain was doomed. Reflecting on it, she felt quite foolish for having told the princess to work together to restore Lingze Mountain, as if pouring salt on a wound. She was also puzzled as to why such an inspiring statement only made the princess feel more sorrowful.

Xiang Su lay comfortably in bed, her eyes glistening with sincerity as she said, "Jin Zhan, you have become less annoying since you took form."

"Are you really going out like this?" Jin Zhan looked at her, his disdainful gaze making her feel like a pile of withered branches and leaves. Her hair was tousled from sleep, but fortunately, it was very smooth and looked neat, unlike Bai Zhi Cao's hair, which was always tangled and appeared as if it hadn't been washed in eight hundred years. "Come here, I'll comb your hair," Jin Zhan reluctantly gestured with his chin towards her, even rolling his eyes at her, though no one could tell that it was actually his initiative.

Are you afraid that the Empress will be unhappy? Xiang Su suddenly became clever, blinking her eyes timidly. She is quite curious about matters related to 'men and women' and has often pestered Bai Zhicao with questions. It is said that when a male immortal and a female immortal become husband and wife, they do not like other immortals to interfere.

The golden cup smiled faintly, recalling the journey back from the human realm. The brevity of human life and the suffering of birth, aging, illness, and death left him astonished and at a loss. The youth led him to soar to the mountain peak, pointing at the vast and indistinct mortal world beneath his feet

"What happened in the past?" Xiang Su buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled, "It was just yesterday!"

Jin Zhan looked at her for a moment, sighed, and made way.

The fair-skinned woman with a golden cup turned red, not making way, but instead sternly reprimanding, "Don't talk nonsense!"

Without a word, Jin Zhan immediately put away the Yunji Mirror. Xiang Su's expression was grave as she hurriedly joined the celestial attendants of the residence, and they set off in formation together. Bai Zhi Cao secretly informed her that, in fact, they would not be of any help, but upon hearing the news of the sword retrieval, various gods and demons were rushing to Lingze Mountain. The elder sister of the monarch could not afford to lose face, and they were merely there to lend some presence. "Xiang Su, you must not cause any trouble," Bai Zhi Cao said with concern, which made Xiang Su quite displeased, as if she were lacking in awareness.

Xiang Su was taken aback, "Perhaps my cultivation is too weak, and I am always unable to control my mouth!" She was truly distressed

Jin Zhan fell silent for a moment, and finally nodded.

She furrowed her brows and thought for a long time. Jin Zhan did not disturb her. Then she showed an expression of wanting to say something but hesitating. He thought she would say something profound, but instead she asked, "Can I sleep inside?" and pointed to the bed, as if afraid he wouldn't understand.

She was arranged to be next to Jin Zhan. After leading her into the room, Xiao Huai, with a flushed face, fled as if escaping from a disaster

Xiang Su felt very wronged, "When we were at Lingze Mountain, we all 'slept' together. Even when we fell asleep, we could hear the sound of the wind and the rustling of the leaves. The room is too quiet, I... I don't want to be alone." As she spoke of being alone, Xiang Su's nose tinged with bitterness. Everyone had perished, leaving her to struggle in despair, a burden she might never be able to escape.

As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Jin Zhan sitting at the table, using the Yunji mirror to gaze and gaze, without even combing her hair, just staring at her eyebrows and mouth for an unknown length of time... Xiang Su felt a chill run down her spine. In fact, she did not have a strong awareness of the distinction between genders; whether male or female, it was just that gazing into the mirror like this... was truly unbearable. As someone who did not yet possess a magical artifact, seeing Jin Zhan waste the Yunji mirror made her feel heartbroken. "Jin Zhan, could you use an ordinary mirror instead?" She resolved to learn to speak more tactfully.

Upon reaching Lingze Mountain, countless clouds gathered at the summit, and the brilliantly colored feathered garments stood out against the pure white clouds, appearing even more dazzling and radiant, exuding an extraordinary aura

Xiao Huai stared blankly, uttering "oh oh" twice, with a blush that never faded.

Jin Zhan's eyes had not left the mirror at all, and he lazily replied: "The cloud machine mirror reflects more clearly"

Xiang Su rolled his eyes; there were no clouds from the east or his black bird in the cloud mass. As expected, he wanted to show off, but in the end, it was all for nothing. The Empress stood silently alone in the clouds, her expression still wooden and indifferent, leaving one to wonder what she was thinking.

Jin Zhan interrupted her, "The power of the Jifeng Sword is likely the strongest among the Xuanyuan Three Swords; otherwise, it would not have allowed Lian to evade Dong Tianyun for three hundred years. Moreover, Jifeng has been sleeping in the Abyss for thousands of years, absorbing a vast amount of demonic energy, which is precisely detrimental to Lingze Mountain. The disruption of the spiritual spring further indicates that Jifeng has completely destroyed the celestial vein of Lingze Mountain. The power of Dong Tianyun's sword retrieval and sword throwing is equal; if the auspicious energy of Lingze Mountain enabled the mountain to withstand the damage from the sword throwing, then when Dong Tianyun retrieves the sword, the severed celestial vein of Lingze Mountain will likely... only turn to ashes."

Has the elder sister returned, Your Majesty? Bai Zhicao secretly shook her head. Xiao Huai has been at the Qing Sui Mansion for over a hundred years, and she has seen many beautiful fairies come and go, yet her resolve remains so weak! She becomes foolishly infatuated at the sight of a pretty face.

He unconsciously repeated it to Xiang Su

"They have returned, they have returned!" Xiao Huai seemed to awaken from a deep dream, "The Lord has instructed you to settle down in the residence and not to go out, always ready to heed her summons. I heard..." He leaned closer to Bai Zhi Cao's ear, his voice loud enough for Jin Zhan and Xiang Su to hear as well. Perhaps due to his unattractive appearance, his whispering seemed particularly lewd, prompting Jin Zhan to snort disdainfully. "I heard that Emperor Shenghuan is about to go to Lingze Mountain to retrieve the sword." Perhaps due to his unattractive appearance, his whispering seemed particularly lewd, prompting Jin Zhan to snort disdainfully. "I heard that Emperor Shenghuan is about to go to Lingze Mountain to retrieve the sword."

It must be said that when Jin Zhan coldly questioned others with his icy demeanor, he exuded an aura reminiscent of an immortal, causing Xiang Su and Huai Shu to immediately wilt and silently return to the ranks

Lingze Mountain is no more, and it seems as if her throat is blocked by something, making it difficult for her to breathe. "Jin Zhan..." she called out in a plea for help

"Is the golden chrysanthemum and the flaky pastry with you?" Baizhi knocked on the door, clearly having visited Xiangsu's room first. Upon entering, he saw them together and felt no surprise or anything inappropriate. "Hurry up! We are about to set off! Sister Junshang has already left."

The reflection in the mirror was remarkably clear. Xiang Su sat in the position where Jin Zhan had just been, while Jin Zhan stood behind her, combing her hair. She noticed that her eyelashes were quite long, and from the side, they appeared elegantly curled. Jin Zhan, with a hand on the back of her head, scolded her, "Don't move! What are you being vain about?" Xiang Su felt very wronged; who could still be considered "vain" in front of Jin Zhan? She initially wanted to glare at Jin Zhan, but her attention was suddenly drawn to the pair of hands skillfully flying through her hair in the mirror. Those hands were so beautiful and delicate, they were certainly not the hands of a man. She looked back at Jin Zhan's expression; he seemed to genuinely enjoy grooming and dressing up. While combing her hair, a smile unconsciously appeared at the corners of his mouth, exuding more femininity than even the Emperor. Watching him, Xiang Su truly wanted to call him "Sister Jin Zhan."

Xiang Su was not particularly concerned about Dong Tianyun's intention to retrieve the sword; however, Bai Zhicao's words stirred up a storm in her heart, making it seem irretrievable

Jin Zhan looked at her with concern, reaching out to pull her into his embrace, holding her tightly. Xiang Su also wrapped her arms around him, and this warm feeling was as if she were still safely buried in the earth.

"Yes. " Jin Zhan did not know when he had walked behind them, coldly replacing Xiang Su's response, "Just by her, it is estimated that you two would look like siblings."

"It is her!" Xiao Huai, who was behind her, exclaimed softly, "The daughter of the Emperor of the Red Planet, Chi Lin, the future wife of Dong Tianyun."

Is the 'great matter' referring to Dongtianyun's sword?

Bai Zhicao looked at him, fully understanding his feelings, and let out a dry chuckle, "This is Xiao Zhizi. By a twist of fate, not only did she survive, but she also took shape ahead of time"

"Xiang Su." Before setting off, Xiao Huai pulled her aside and asked her with a strange expression: "Did you become so beautiful because you drank Dong Tianyun's blood?"

The Qing Sui Emperor has always acted discreetly, and the celestial attendants of the Qing Sui Mansion are not numerous. Several of them hail from Lingze Mountain. Xiang Su immediately spotted the locust tree, its skin still as rough as ever. "Little Huai!" Xiang Su called out to him. Among these celestial attendants, she is closest to Little Huai, and seeing him at this moment fills her with countless emotions

We are, after all, the wood spirits endowed with eternal longevity, and we should learn to forget, for the longer we live, the more people will depart from our side. By not dwelling on those who have already left, we will not feel lonely

"Jin Zhan, let us sleep together," Xiang Su pleaded, blinking her large eyes.