Chapter 3, Succession Ceremony (Part 1)

As she picked flowers, he watched her from the side. The water of the Dashi Stream was chilly and misty; she dipped her hand into the stream to touch the roots of the flowers. Suddenly, her foot slipped, and with a splash, she fell into the water. He hurriedly reached out to pull her back. At that moment, she suddenly had a mischievous thought and grabbed his sleeve, refusing to let go, causing both of them to tumble into the stream together. He seemed a bit angry but only struggled slowly to rise, wiping the water from his face: "Stop messing around." At that moment, she suddenly had a mischievous thought and grabbed his sleeve, refusing to let go, causing both of them to tumble into the stream together. He seemed a bit angry but only struggled slowly to rise, wiping the water from his face: "Stop messing around."

Ji Beichen sat by the edge of the couch, with a window beside him. Bright light streamed through the window, illuminating the young man's face. Half of his face appeared as if carved from jade in the clear morning light, with his eyelashes casting a faint shadow.

A group of people entered the realm of the Flower God, laughing and chatting. Many others had already arrived, gathering in small clusters. There were also elder deities reminiscing about the great battle that took place a thousand years ago. The entire Star Inch Platform was bustling with noise and excitement

Two old men took the opportunity during the ceremony to scrutinize the situation carefully. Shen Wu lowered his voice and said to Yu Wen, "After all, this is a child brought out by Yu Lang; the etiquette is quite thorough." Over here, Liang Yu had not yet heard clearly, while Shu Feng blushed first.

He truly likes her

The esteemed Master Shenwu praised, "Senior Brother, your demeanor is still as impressive as ever, not diminished from your younger days. Your distinguished disciple carries himself with elegance, reminiscent of your youth!"

Even if it results in her being labeled as overly sentimental, what does it matter? She knows, and that is enough for her; she knows that he likes her.

Liang Yu couldn't help but chuckle. She looked out the window; the weather was fine, and the sunlight was golden. She glanced around and lamented, "On such a fine day, Wen Yu and Si Ju have both fallen ill and cannot enjoy the pastries at the banquet."

Liang Yu let out a breath, ran into the inner chamber of the Sword Hiding Pavilion, and brought out a very exquisite sword tassel. This sword tassel was woven from moonlight and adorned with six scattered eastern pearls, shining brilliantly in silver. She pointed the sword tassel at Ji Beichen, her dark eyes filled with guilt: "Wen Yu is truly foolish; in order to gift me this sword tassel, she actually had Hua Rong's sword energy inflict serious injury on herself."

His voice was very low, and only then did she notice that there was a bowl of ginseng soup on his desk, though she had never thought that it was actually prepared for her

Every day, being so gentle and smiling at her like this

What Hong Zhu said is absolutely correct; one day leads to the desire for ten days, and ten days leads to the yearning for countless years

She placed the empty bowl on the table, licked her lips, and teased, "Even the ginseng soup made by Lord Beichen is tastier than that of others"

She was uneasy about leaving the warm jade in the male immortal hall, and suddenly remembered that her Huarong sword was indeed a pure Yang object. Thus, she slapped her forehead and moved the warm jade to the Sword Concealment Pavilion

Suddenly, Ji Beichen beside her coughed, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the snow-white fox fur. Liang Yu was startled and immediately rushed forward: "It is all my fault, you clearly have not fully recovered, yet you insisted on coming..." She grasped his fox fur with both hands, tightening her grip firmly.

Liang Yu felt very wronged. Feng Tong's dressing style could not be constrained by common customs; he often wore an open collar, revealing large areas of skin as smooth as jade, making people blush upon seeing him. Coupled with his beauty and demeanor, those who knew him were aware that he was truly a phoenix, while those who did not would certainly mistake him for a fox.

Ah, Jinxiu, why are you crying

It is likely due to the influence of her father, the austere and cautious man, that he is always colder and more careful than others. In front of outsiders, she smiles at him and tries to be friendly, but he rarely responds in kind. However, when it is just the two of them, when no one is watching, he is very kind to her; he smiles at her, gently comforts her, and tolerates her temper.

The beauty's smile became somewhat stiff as she straightened her posture and adjusted her outer robe: "I shall take that as a compliment."

The person sitting beside her watched the performance from beginning to end, and at this moment, let out a sneer, awakening her: "In childhood, one would not fall for the beauty trap; how disappointing it is to see you so lacking in ambition now that you have grown up."

In the distance, a group of maidens donned resplendent, colorful feather garments, laughing as they counted the gifts. The Twelve Fairies of the Flower Realm were still in the grand hall, grooming themselves, and one could faintly hear the melodious laughter of women coming from within. The Divine Martial Master remarked, "It is a pity that Yu Lang is in seclusion and cannot attend this grand event; this girl can be considered half his disciple."

It turns out that Beichen Jun, when attentive, is surprisingly gentle... Liangyu felt as if she were in a dream, only able to nod in a daze, fearing that even a single word would shatter this dream.

He was dressed in several layers of indigo plain gauze, meticulously covered with a layer of white gauze on the outside, propping his head with his hand, looking over with great interest

The esteemed Master Yuwen Xianjun hurriedly made his way to the Flower Realm with his disciple. Along the way, he encountered the Divine Martial Master, who was also on the journey. The two old men, having once been disciples of the same master in their youth, were overjoyed to meet after many years of separation.

But this time, the Northern Star Lord sitting on the throne smiled at her, his smile gentle and indulgent, leaving her somewhat flattered and surprised. His complexion was pale, and he softly called her: "Your Highness"

On that day, you also caught a cold. I got up at midnight to prepare ginseng soup for you, so you should not catch a chill.

Today, Ji Beichen seems to be in a good mood, and he even kindly takes the initiative to speak to Liang Yu: "Liang Yu, I have heard that Jin Xiu is actually a maid from Qing Wa Cave, and she has excellent skills in hairstyling. Since Si Ju is seriously ill and unable to rise today, why not let her do your hair?"

In the midst of the formalities, Liang Yu stepped forward and bowed, saying, "I have met this esteemed friend." Shu Feng's face turned bright red, and in a fluster, he also bent down, stammering, "I, I am Shu Feng, I have met Your Highness." Liang Yu had originally raised her head, but upon seeing him perform such a grand gesture, she hurriedly returned the courtesy, also bending down, saying, "Liang Yu feels ashamed." Shu Feng's face turned even redder, and the body that had just straightened up bent down again; he even closed his eyes, saying, "Shu Feng does not dare."

Ji Beichen suddenly grasped her fingers in his hand, and Liang Yu raised her head to look at him. The boy's eyes seemed to contain a violently trembling galaxy, which gradually calmed down under her focused gaze

She made a gurgling sound in her throat, as if she vaguely called out "Your Highness," but immediately fell silent. Liang Yu could only tilt her head, with her hair completely grasped in her hand, and called out in confusion: "Jinxiu?"

The person in the mirror, dressed in red with red lips, has a half face that is calm and graceful, adorned with exquisite embroidery. Liang Yu said to Jin Xiu: "Today, Feng Jun brought Ling Long along; you must miss Ling Long very much. Would it be alright to arrange for you to meet after the celebration?" Jin Xiu's nimble hands, which were skillfully combing her hair, suddenly froze. Her breathing became rapid, and her lips began to spasm. Liang Yu found it strange; looking into the mirror, she could only see two lines of clear tears streaming down Jin Xiu's cheeks.

Liang Yu finally regained consciousness, staring blankly at the phoenix tree on her right.

The esteemed Immortal Lord, with tears welling in his eyes, pulled the young man behind him to the front and said, "Junior Brother, it has been thousands of years in the blink of an eye. Look, the disciples of our Master have grown so much!"

Jinwen also smiled, and the Yuwen Xianjun tugged at Shenwu's sleeve, saying with a smile: "Junior brother, be mindful of your words; this is no ordinary young girl, but the orphan of the Lord of the Zitan Hall, the flesh and blood of Lady Chonghua, and now the master of the Flower Realm"

Ji Beichen was taken aback, and she even felt his palm rapidly losing warmth. She was flustered and hurriedly picked up the bowl: "It's fine, it's fine if you don't agree." She spoke vaguely, gulping it down, and even choked a little midway.

In usual circumstances, Ji Beichen would certainly pretend not to have seen it

About a month ago, Wen Yu was shrouded in nightmares, unable to sleep peacefully, and quickly lost weight. Jin Xiu said that this was due to the heavy yin energy surrounding Wen Yu, which led to disturbances from malevolent entities, and that it was necessary to suppress it with yang energy.

After approaching the fiercely fragrant Huayong Sword, Wen Yu's illness indeed improved day by day. Who would have known that on one particular day, the bracelet on Liang Yu's hand became unusual. She hurried back only to discover that during these past few days, Wen Yu had endured a headache and personally crafted a sword tassel for her. She intended to tie it to the sword as a congratulatory gift, but was unaware that the Huayong Sword recognized its master and could not be touched by others. When Wen Yu tied the sword tassel, she was suddenly struck by the sword's energy, causing internal injuries, and she has been lying down since then without any sign of recovery.

After this battle, Lady Chonghua was severely injured, and this child was destined to be lost. However, Lady Chonghua felt a deep sense of guilt towards this child and exhausted her cultivation to preserve the child's primordial spirit. It is unknown what secret method she employed, but she nurtured it for a full five hundred years, giving birth to Liangyu. She then secluded herself with the child, showering her with all kinds of affection.

* * * *

Because ... ... it is truly too blissful

"Yuer," he softly called in her ear, just as he had on that day by the Great Stone Creek, equally awkward and tender. His trembling hand gripped hers too tightly, causing her fingers to ache slightly, yet she was reluctant to let him go.

As Shufeng raised his head, he saw the young girl before him looking at him with a smile in her eyes. He could not tell if it was the moonstone on her forehead dazzling his vision, but he felt that her smile was exceptionally bright. Her voice was like a gentle breeze in the mountains, flowing over the babbling stream: "Shufeng, my friend, is truly interesting"

But they have no way to deal with him; he has already become a banished immortal, demoted from the heavenly palace to the underground, to a small green-tiled cave in the flower realm, barely qualifying as a wandering immortal. What more can be done?

In this moment, the cool jade unexpectedly gave rise to an illusion; the Northern Star Lord, who made promises to her, seemed somewhat different from the youth she remembered.

This child has had an exceptionally tumultuous life. After finally reaching the age of one hundred in peace, while playing in the Qingfeng Terrace of the Heavenly Palace, he accidentally touched the star chart and received a prophecy stating, "In the future, he will surely take on the position of the Flower God." At that time, the Flower God was still a female immortal of shallow cultivation, and upon hearing this news, she became extremely angry, nearly chasing him up to the Heavenly Palace.

He accompanied her to play in the water at Dashi Creek, and as a result, he even caught a cold

The boy's face was somewhat pale as he gazed at her for a while, slowly breaking into a smile: "From now on, I will treat you with utmost sincerity."

His voice is clear and gentle, like a spring breeze caressing the face

The Divine Martial Master praised a few words, and then encountered the mount of the Red Spirit God, the White Tiger with brocade patterns. The young man held a gift box in his hands, his smile warm and humble: "My master has urgent matters to attend to in the Heavenly Palace, and has sent me to deliver a congratulatory gift on his behalf"

* * * *

Jinxiu was originally a maid beside Feng Tong. Later, seeing that Wen Yu was lonely and helpless, Liang Yu pointed her out to take care of Wen Yu. Liang Yu trusted Jinxiu very much because the people around Feng Tong had spent time in the Heavenly Palace and understood more than other maids.

Jinwen presented his respects and then took his leave, leaving Yuwen, Shenwu, and Shufeng to continue their idle conversation at the same spot. After a quarter of an hour, the crowd suddenly stirred for a moment, then fell silent again. Yuwen glanced into the distance and gently tapped Shenwu's shoulder with the fan in his hand, saying: "Look, here it comes."

Liang Yu's face was filled with guilt: "My Huarong sword is quite fierce; I should have emphasized it to Wen Yu a few more times." Ji Beichen stared blankly at the sword tassel, unexpectedly lost in thought.

This is their first kiss.

For two hundred years, Qianxiu, the Flower Goddess, lived in peace. However, in the two hundred and first year, a male immortal under her command, responsible for upholding the laws, secretly colluded with a demoness and sought an opportunity to assassinate her. Severely injured, Qianxiu fled to the mortal realm, ultimately collapsing before the cold jade of the Heavy Lotus Mountain.

"Your Highness, what is the matter?" replied a gentle and melodious voice. The maid in the mirror had a smile at the corners of her lips, appearing quite pleased. "Your Highness, it is time to put on the floral crown. It may hurt a little, so please bear with it."

Upon turning back, one could see a slightly petite young girl bowing in greeting. She was dressed in a moon-white, waist-tied Daoist robe, her feet adorned with small, delicate cloud-walking boots. Her attire was simple, save for the silver-thread embroidery of a scene depicting the moon rising over the East Sea on her belt. The waves were rendered with exquisite detail, while the moon was embroidered in gold thread, partially concealed by auspicious clouds, presenting a remarkably gentle appearance.

Feng Tong listened attentively, her expression suddenly changing, and her brows furrowing: "Did Wen Yu come into contact with the Huarong Sword? Was it during the dusk of the day before yesterday?"

The young girl, with no makeup applied, has a face that still bears the innocence of youth, yet her striking features cannot be concealed. Her pair of eyes shines with a deep black luster, as if a little deer is peering curiously from within. Her black hair is neatly styled into a bun, and a translucent moonstone dangles on her forehead, serving as the sole emblem of her status

This behavior should have been utterly disgraceful, yet when he engages in it, he does so with remarkable elegance and charm, captivating the onlookers as if they were admiring a painting. Those female immortals who were 'fortunate' enough to be seduced by him from outside into the Qingwa Cave later spoke of him with flushed faces, filled with happiness and satisfaction. It is no wonder that the old immortals in the heavens harbor great resentment towards him, labeling him as 'a corrupting influence on morals,' akin to a malignant tumor in the celestial realm

Liang Yu smiled and said, "The Phoenix Lord is dressed very neatly today"

He tapped the bowl gently, his eyelashes softly drooping. "Hmm, it's still warm." She trembled as she lifted the bowl with both hands, gazing at his brows and eyes, her voice somewhat hoarse: "Beichen, once I inherit the position of the Flower Goddess, can you... can you treat me well openly?"

The two old men exchanged words, speaking vividly and animatedly. The young boy, however, listened as if he were watching a play, his expression shifting between joy and sorrow, his eyes glazed over, completely engrossed in the performance

It was said to be a greeting, yet their gazes were all directed towards the two men in the reception hall, competing for attention, lingering and unwilling to leave

He refers to not wearing a crown, allowing his dark hair to fall behind him. Yet, because the subject is him, this somehow exudes a kind of charming languor.

She could not help but take a few steps forward

Recalling this past event, the two old men were moved by the scene, shaking their heads and sighing. During the battle between the demons and immortals, the beings of the Three Realms suffered greatly. The Lord of the Zitan Hall broke the demon formation with his own body, resulting in his soul being scattered. At that time, his wife, Lady Chonghua, in her grief, bore a child and took to the battlefield, joining forces with the other immortals to turn the tide of the battle, ultimately achieving a great victory

A boy with a feminine appearance, possessing such a delicate face, always adorned with a flirtatious smile, would typically seem overly enchanting. However, he has a pair of rather classical phoenix-like eyes, with the corners slightly raised, and between his brows and eyes lies a cold and proud demeanor that breaks through the overwhelming softness.

This is yet another exquisite beauty: if it is said that Ji Beichen borrowed a third of the sunlight from outside the window to become even more radiant, then this beauty, half leaning on the couch and with no proper sitting posture, naturally brings with her a third of the gentle light. Her black hair is like ink, her pupils like dots of lacquer, her face is pale and her lips are red, with a pointed chin.

Shenwu Zhenren was straightforward in nature and had always been familiar with Chipo Shenjun. He lifted the curtain to take a look and laughed heartily, saying: "Chipo Shenjun, what a grand gesture! It is indeed true that young people enjoy playing together. I have been trying to obtain this amber bow for over half a year, yet he has not budged, but has instead given away a little girl."

Before the words had faded, a clear and melodious voice was heard: "Little deity Liangyu pays respects to Lord Yu Wenshi and Lord Shenwu."

The two of them engaged in a back-and-forth for quite a while, and Liangyu could no longer hold back, bursting into laughter.

Liang Yu paid respects to all the celestial elders, and with only a quarter of an hour left before the ceremony began, hurried back to the guest hall of the Qingzhang Palace. There, the twelve flower fairies, who had finished their grooming, emerged from the side hall, forming a line to greet Liang Yu: "Your Highness, may you be well"

He left her lips and whispered softly in her ear: "Yuer." She was somewhat surprised that he would call her that, but more than that, she felt a dizzying sense of happiness

Before his death, he understood that it was difficult to defy fate, and he also felt a sense of guilt, thus he entrusted the Flower God Seal and the Huarong Sword to this imagined enemy who had pursued him for many years

Ji Beichen, holding her left hand fingers, gradually loosened his grip as the soup in the bowl diminished. Only then did she realize that both of their hands were soaked with sweat

She is truly a woman of considerable charm and grace

Feng Tong looked at her with a dazed expression for a long while, her face full of a "no hope" demeanor. She shook her head and took a sip of tea: "Jinxiu indeed knows how to style hair beautifully. After showing you, my hair can only be like this from now on"

Under the pressure of Liang Yu's power, most of the little fairies dare not covet Ji Beichen, while they can freely fantasize about Feng Tong. It is strange that Feng Tong, with his celestial beauty, should naturally attract jealousy, yet for some reason, he is very much liked by the female immortals. Countless female immortals fantasize about him and hope to spend a night of passion with him. Feng Tong, for the most part, does not refuse anyone, often holding one or two beauties in his arms, flirting without regard for time or place. It is strange that Feng Tong, with his celestial beauty, should naturally attract jealousy, yet for some reason, he is very much liked by the female immortals. Countless female immortals fantasize about him and hope to spend a night of passion with him. Feng Tong, for the most part, does not refuse anyone, often holding one or two beauties in his arms, flirting without regard for time or place.

Ji Beichen's expression changed slightly, but he did not respond immediately. After a pause, he said: "No wonder we haven't seen Wen Yu until now, what happened to her?"

She saw a faint smile appear on his face. At that moment, he suddenly leaned in, lifted her face, and kissed her.

The young man was delicate and refined, with his hair styled in a bun, two pristine hair ribbons hanging down, and dressed in a white robe that was simple yet appropriate. However, at this moment, he was so nervous that his face turned red, resembling a large tomato. He clasped his fists in salute and said, "Disciple Shufeng pays respects to Master Uncle."

Madam Chonghua, unable to bear the situation, took her daughter Liangyu to seek refuge in the mortal realm at Chonglian Mountain, and from that point on, no one ever saw the mother and daughter again

The esteemed Lord Yuwen smiled and reminded, "Junior Brother, ambition is not determined by age. Now that we are standing on someone else's territory, do not refer to her as a little girl anymore."

Liang Yu smiled at him, her voice filled with joy: "Beichen."

Her hair was adorned with glistening droplets of water, sparkling in the sunlight as if she were wearing a crown of jewels. Ignoring the chill that enveloped her, she reached out to splash water, laughing as she did so. He raised his hand to shield himself, yet the droplets still landed on his face and in his hair, prompting her to laugh heartily. Driven by urgency, he scooped up water and began to splash her back. They splashed each other until they could barely open their eyes, breathless and exhausted. Their breaths intertwined, as if the stream itself had been warmed by their presence. Driven by urgency, he scooped up water and began to splash her back. They splashed each other until they could barely open their eyes, breathless and exhausted. Their breaths intertwined, as if the stream itself had been warmed by their presence

Approximately still unwell, he draped himself in a heavy fox fur coat, the soft fine fur adding a touch of strange tenderness to his cold, desolate face. He sensed the gaze resting upon him and slowly turned his head.

She was both frightened and delighted. She quietly opened her eyes and discovered that he still had his eyes closed, his eyelashes so long.