Chapter 5

She couldn't help but feel disheartened, "What kind of person is that Lord Yuanhai?"

To govern the waters is thus, where the divine resides, and its characteristics become increasingly pronounced compared to other places. She walked a distance, still not close to the foot of the mountain, when the heavy rain indeed poured down. The water droplets beneath the grass were stirred up, colliding with the rainwater, as if it were a confrontation between heaven and earth. Changqing was drenched by the rain, unable to open her eyes, and through the haze, she saw someone approaching slowly from a hundred steps away, holding a red umbrella.

Long-lasting affection is hard to articulate; the enchanting essence in the water is simply beyond the comparison of ordinary beings. Although that young envoy to Tang is already among the finest of men, he may fall short by ten measures when compared to the Lord of the Abyss.

I touched my face and felt as if I had lived for a thousand years, my skin almost becoming rough. This cannot continue; I must ask Zhao Zhi for a box of jade cream to apply.

The continuous beams of the roof emitted a faint creaking sound, and this was the case every year on the day after the Lantern Festival; it was the local deity of the grand palace stretching its muscles. A beautiful woman dressed in a Ming-style garment stepped out from behind the straight-lattice door of the Chengxiang Hall, her neckline too wide, revealing two plump white hemispheres. Her eyes were charming, her complexion radiant, and a unique begonia flower was just painted beneath her collarbone, the colors on the petals still wet. She waved a palm-sized fan vigorously and called out with a proud chest: "Are you back?"

She has never quite understood the significance of establishing a divine position for someone like her in the mortal realm. Apart from guarding the eternal dragon veins for countless emperors across millennia, it seems to be about becoming the solid backbone of the palace, holding her head high to endure the relentless onslaught of bitter winds and harsh rains.

I dare not, I dare not..." With a long-lasting affection, I waved my hand, "In the presence of the revered deity, I do not dare to mention the words 'high god'.

To speak frankly, this deity is quite impolite, but one can understand the long-standing sentiment. Generally, those who have achieved military accomplishments tend to be arrogant and disdainful, but who can blame them when they earn their living through genuine skill

Zhao Zhi knew that she was being slandered again, but she did not take it to heart and said: "I am already forty years old, and there are not many good years left. If I do not enjoy myself now, when I go down to meet my deceased husband, I will have nothing to boast about."

On the boundless green fields, a sudden splash of red appeared, looking both stunning and eerie. Changqing raised her hand to shield her brow; the person walked slowly. After waiting for a while without hearing him speak, she called out, "Who goes there?"

The princess said it was unnecessary, "Tomorrow is the anniversary of the prince consort's death, I will be copying scriptures tonight, and I will summon you again in a couple of days"

The young man's face revealed a look of disappointment, lingering with reluctance: "Then tonight, the snow will come to visit Your Highness again"

After pondering for a moment, Geng Chen asked, "The Dragon Source Deity?"

Changqing has not traveled far for a long time. Last night, descending from Longshouyuan could be considered a long journey. Now, riding the wind and watching the mountains rapidly recede beneath his feet, he directly reaches the Hill of Fierce Plow after traversing a thousand miles, which can be said to be an unprecedented achievement since the beginning of the world

After being interrupted repeatedly, I was utterly exasperated. Only after confirming that he would not speak again did I cautiously explain my intentions. "There is a deep pool at the northern corner of Longshou, where five hundred years ago, a fellow cultivator set up a barrier to prevent the aquatic beings from coming ashore. Five hundred years have passed, and the water spirits at the bottom of the pool are almost growing fur. It is truly quite pitiful. Therefore, I have come to ask for a favor. I would like to request, if possible, that you lift that barrier."

The person before me has a blank expression, "Who are you?"

She wiped her face again and said, "I am Song Changqing, the guardian of the Dragon Vein at Longshouyuan." How tragic it is that, in front of the Supreme Deity of the Zhengtong era, she felt embarrassed to admit that she was also a deity

I want to hear about your experiences from last night, how long must I plead with you before you are willing to speak?" Zhao Zhi had someone bring over a Hu couch, sat down cross-legged, wrapped in a blanket.

The Divine Dragon of the Gengchen year governs clouds, rain, thunder, and rivers. Many years ago, Changqing attended the same banquet of the gods as him, and at that time, she only caught a distant glimpse without even exchanging words. This time, she came boldly, uncertain of her chances of success. If she had to establish a connection, she could only ramble about how everyone has some relation to dragons, which could barely be considered a distant kinship. The once valiant deity, who rose to fame in battle, has since retired from the world; it is said that he has mellowed considerably. With a sincere plea, perhaps he might show some leniency.

Zhao Zhi watched from the side, long accustomed to the sight, and simply said: "Hurry there and back, you are not in the palace, and I have no one to talk to."

Like? Long-lasting affection cannot help but bring a smile. `` What do you mean by like or dislike? I feel somewhat guilty towards him. In fact, I still have not recalled the life-saving grace he mentioned. It was never my intention to disrupt his marriage. If, five hundred years ago, it was indeed as he said, that I let him go in the abyss, causing him to be confined by the divine dragon until now, should I not do something to make amends for today's transgressions?

Step by step, she walked towards the great palace, and with each step, her body grew a foot taller. No matter how beautiful a person may be, towering above the ground will diminish their charm; she was unwilling to let those eyes in the corner see her, so she hurried back and lay down immediately.

Changqing did not believe that there was much truth in her words, as it was clear that the nights were filled with revelry, and her absence was hardly felt. Nevertheless, she agreed, saying, "At most, I will return in three to five days."

The prolonged affection has left her legs weak from the incessant rain. Just the thought of alcohol makes her throat feel tight, "No, I cannot, my tolerance for alcohol is poor, thank you for your kind offer." She rubbed her hands together, "I came here to..."

Although they have known each other for only over twenty years, during which a significant portion of the time has been spent in slumber, Zhao Zhi believes that the nature of women is inherently common. The deity of enduring affection, too, harbors her own unspoken thoughts—why must the barrier be lifted? Is it not to facilitate the freedom of movement for others, allowing them to traverse the depths of the sea and come to her side?

Zhao Zhi laughed heartily, "Love and hate are intertwined, difficult to sever. Dragon Source, the divine being, your good days have arrived"

The majestic palace complex, even shrouded in mist, exudes an extraordinary grandeur. She stood on the city wall for a while, and that place appeared to her as hollow, like a vessel. She lay down inside it, the suspended corridor transforming into the ribbons of her skirt, while the fluttering eaves became the tips of her brows

The person with the umbrella finally approached, sizing her up and saying, "It should be I who asks the visitor who you are and what brings you to my fierce plow hill"

With a long sigh, she let out two hums, her voice resonating like thunder. She truly could not comprehend what kind of great achievement this was. However, upon seeing the Japanese man from earlier, she was reminded of the young man in white at the bottom of the abyss, and thus she turned over with a sense of discontent, propping her elbow under her cheek.

The divine is unlike humans, unbound by the constraints of the physical body, and like - illustrations - they can transform into flowing light, coming and going freely. Zhao Zhi watched her disappear into the horizon, tucked her sleeves and scoffed: "Clearly, the old tree is blossoming, yet they still refuse to acknowledge it."

Changqing quickly understood that this person must be Gengchen

Who is Your Highness speaking to

"Would you like to drink?" he suddenly asked, "Shall we drink while we talk?"

Changqing touched his nose and remained silent. The eldest princess, who had just celebrated her fortieth birthday, patted the young man's chest muscles and said with a smile, "No one, you must have heard wrong. It's about time; let someone escort you out of the palace while it is still not fully light outside."

The long-lasting affection began to calculate, "The Dragon's dojo is located in the Fierce Plow Hill, which is quite a distance from Chang'an. I am not present, so I will first use divine power to stabilize the dragon vein; there should be no mishaps." She stood under the clear sky, forming seals. At this moment, the day had brightened significantly, yet the tangible, satin-like silver light was completely unaffected by the daylight, continuously emanating from her fingertips, ensnaring the heavy palaces like a net.

Long-lasting affection, "If I were to leave, would you still wish to find a young lord comfortably? The dragon vein of Longshouyuan has been completely severed, and with the smoke of war rising again, it will be time for a change of dynasty."

Pressing on the cloud head, the terrain of the Hill of the Fierce Plow is very high, and the scenery completely exceeds her understanding. When she was in the Nine Provinces, she felt that the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty was the pinnacle, but upon leaving that land, she realized it was merely a drop in the ocean. It is at the edge of this vast wilderness that true infinity lies.

The green grass covers the slopes, and the climate is suitable. She stands on the plain, gazing northeast, where the half-exposed mountain of Xiongli is but a hair's breadth from the sky. The clouds are gray, seemingly filled with moisture, ready to unleash a heavy rain at any moment.

Gengchen's expression finally softened a bit, "Fellow Daoist, you have traveled thousands of miles to my Xiongli Hill, there must be an important matter at hand! This place is remote, so please do not say that you have come here for a leisurely outing."

Changqing thought for a moment and said: "Not bad"

Unfortunately, this person who is deeply affectionate is quite slow to warm up; if one wishes to extract any information from her, it requires considerable effort

Zao Xue, feeling dejected, was escorted out by the eunuch, turning back three times with each step. Just a moment ago, the princess had waved her hand in farewell, but now she turned and instructed the maid beside her: "When night falls, bring the young lord from the Orchid Pavilion in, be careful, and do not let the Golden Guard catch him"

With a long-lasting affection, she lifted half of her eyelids and let out a sound of acknowledgment. This is Princess Li Zhao, who has recently been engaged in a heated exchange with the envoys from the Wa country. It seems that last night was a night of springtime indulgence, leaving her exceptionally satisfied

Of course, she did not admit to being deeply affected, saying, "Nonsense, I live a good life every day, and encountering such matters only makes it worse." She mumbled, "It's rare to have a chance to witness a wedding, yet I ended up disrupting someone else's ceremony. The bride thought I was there to steal the groom, but in fact, I was merely invited to officiate the wedding."

Longqing said, "I have indeed come here with a request..."

Some people in the world are indeed so astute in their calculations that their deep and enduring thoughts can be seen through at a glance, making their partner's predictions almost certain.

She returned to Longshouyuan, as the first light of dawn broke in the east. The revelry in Chang'an was quietly coming to an end in the morning light. In every corner, by every river, remnants of the burning lights were scattered everywhere. A faint fragrance wafted through the air, a blend of floral essence infused in wax, emanating a lingering yet crisp scent in the chilly winter dawn

Zhao Zhi smiled and said, "None of that is the main point; the main point is that Yuan Hai Jun likes you in his heart. Changqing, I have been in mourning for two years and feel like I can't go on; you have been lying here all alone for a thousand years, wouldn't you have cobwebs between your legs?" This made Changqing's face turn red, and unable to refute, she sighed deeply, causing the Bai Li Lan Palace to hum with noise. Zhao Zhi covered her ears and said, "Stop sighing; the palace is about to collapse. Since the engagement has been broken off, you might as well marry into the Water Mansion."

Zhao Zhi stretched out lazily, one slender leg resting on the knee of the other, emerging from beneath the covers, swaying and teasing in the cold morning light. With a chuckle, she said: "The deity is truly a considerate one, so attentive to the needs of others. If I were Lord Yuanhai, I would be utterly dependent on you in this life."

This indeed poses a significant issue, Zhao questioned: "So what do you intend to do? It seems that you do not dislike him, but rather are hesitant to let go due to the heavy burden on your shoulders"

If one cannot endure small grievances, great plans will be disrupted. She wiped her face and cupped her hands towards him, "Are you the Dragon God Gengchen?"

In fact, Changqing also wanted to discuss matters with her, so without waiting for her to entangle him, he laid everything bare.

With a long-standing indifference to her, he rose and extricated himself from the magnificent building

Longing cannot help but roll its eyes. Do you still remember the Mid-Autumn Festival twenty-five years ago, when Princess Zhao Zhi cried her eyes into peaches because she was afraid of men, not wanting to marry, fearing that they would consume her? Now, twenty-five years have passed, and the once innocent rabbit has transformed into a wolf, devouring young men without even spitting out the bones.

Zhao Zhi has always been very curious about their world, where the supernatural and the utmost splendor together form an unprecedentedly powerful era. This prosperous age thrives due to the coexistence of various races, and thus she does not reject it; rather, she feels that without the enchanting beings, the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty would not be complete

Longing said there was none, "I went to the northwest corner and encountered some people and events"

In order not to undermine Zhao Zhi's confidence, she could only say that they were on par. After all, they had been friends for decades, and letting someone who has roamed through the flowers know that her flowers were merely so-so would extinguish her interest in continuing to enjoy life. A person's lifetime is too short; the open-mindedness of the Tang Dynasty emphasizes that being happy when one can be happy is more important than anything else

The eyes of Zhao Zhi sparkled with brilliance, "How does it compare to bathing in snow?"

Zhao questioned her about what was wrong, "You haven't returned all night; there must be a romantic encounter. Why not share it and have a little joy?"

A handsome young man rushed out from inside the door, appearing to be around seventeen or eighteen years old. He had a fair and delicate complexion, with thick eyebrows and large eyes that glanced around with a wave of charm. His gaze was focused and pure, as if he were looking at a queen

A beam of white light fell before the couch, and Zhao Zhi propped herself up to look at her. Indeed, her beauty was ageless; twenty-five years ago, she and Zhao Zhi appeared the same age, yet twenty-five years later, the reflection of Zhao Zhi in the crystal mirror showed signs of aging, while she remained as enchanting as ever.

"Is it cold, fellow Daoist?" This esteemed figure has once again noticed something amiss. With a wave of his sleeve, the rain in the sky suddenly ceased. He raised his eyebrows slightly and said, "I apologize, but the rootless water here renders even the Water Avoidance Pearl ineffective. Now, fellow Daoist, you may speak."

She looked up, her divine eyes and thick eyelashes striking, with a fiery pattern clearly visible on her forehead. The umbrella in her hand showed no intention of shielding her from the rain; instead, the ribs of the umbrella were pointed directly at her forehead, and the rainwater above gathered into a line, pouring down relentlessly onto her head