Volume One: Hidden in the Azure Abyss Chapter Three

Jinli caressed her wine cup, her peach blossom eyes suffused with languid charm. She squinted through drunken lashes, rosy lips curled in a smile. “Little Merman, do you dislike the dishes here? Or is it the wine you find unappealing?”

Gengyuan remained cold and aloof, refusing to answer.

The girl arched her brows. “Little Merman, if you wish to see your cousin again, you’d best obey me.”

Not only was she unashamed, she used this as leverage against him.

“What is your relationship with your cousin’s ‘mother’?”

What was she planning?

In her eyes was an expression that saw through everything. He said nothing, gazing at the cup before him.

“Choose between drinking or performing,” she said. “I’ve heard a merman’s song is peerless across all seas. I’d very much like to hear it.” Her lips quirked, her eyes filled with sly allure, reminiscent of a beguiling fox.

The youth picked up his cup and downed it in one gulp. The burning, stinging sensation scorched his throat, making him cough uncontrollably. Then, he reached for the jug beside him, intent on drinking more.

Jinli frowned. It seemed this little merman was new to wine, and drinking so fiercely would surely lead to trouble. “Enough, stop drinking,” she signaled Xiaohe beside her to intervene.

The merman’s face flushed red, and with a dull thud, he collapsed onto the table in drunken stupor.

Xiaohe looked at Jinli and murmured, “He’s passed out.”

Jinli smiled, stroking Xiaohe’s cheek. “That’s enough for today. Tomorrow I’ll come find you again.”

“Won’t Lady stay a while longer?”

“Tomorrow.” She summoned two youths to carry Gengyuan back to Pear Blossom Valley.

The sunset cast its glow over Lotus River, serene and peaceful.

“Young Lord!” Jinli heard a startled cry and looked up in displeasure—who dared raise their voice in Lotus River? Yunxiang took the drunken Gengyuan, glanced at Jinli, then at the newcomer, and explained, “Lady, this is Young Lord’s attendant, Jiang Ji. He came today specifically to take care of him.”

“What, does the Lord of the Southern Sea distrust me, and sends someone to watch over me?” She was somewhat annoyed.

Jiang Ji, upon taking Gengyuan, fussed, “Young Lord! What happened? Wake up! Young Lord!”

Jinli frowned and raised her brow; Jiang Ji’s mouth was immediately sealed. Yunxiang chuckled, and Jinli explained, “He’s only drunk, not dead. You’re mourning for nothing.”

With a look of disdain at Jiang Ji, Jinli turned and departed. Yunxiang hurried to Jiang Ji’s side, observing his anxious expression as he struggled to speak. “You’ve been silenced by Lady’s spell; it won’t be lifted until this time tomorrow.”

Jinli had barely reached the long corridor when an uneasy feeling crept into her heart. She turned to gaze at the sunset on the horizon, stretched out her hand to calculate. Damn, why must it be today?

She turned to Yunxiang, her expression grave. “Yunxiang, keep watch over the Young Lord. I’ll return shortly.”

Yunxiang nodded. “Rest assured, Lady.”

Jinli nodded, and with a wisp of immortal mist, vanished before Yunxiang’s eyes.

Nine Heavens, Punishment Platform.

A place where sinful immortals were punished, suffering three rounds of thunder before being sent to the underworld to endure torment.

Jinli calculated and realized tonight was the fateful night for the Crown Prince’s mother. What crime had she committed to merit three rounds of thunder? Upon arrival, she saw black clouds above like a dark curtain, no light anywhere, only heavy gloom. The air was thick with the stench of blood, and wisps of resentment drifted above. Those who entered were mostly envoys from the underworld or servants of Purgatory.

Yet today, curiously, a few from the Celestial Tribe had also come.

As Jinli arrived, the Star Lord of Destiny and the Star Lord of Calamity approached and greeted her with respectful immortal salutes.

Jinli nodded, a faint smile at her lips. She glanced at the Star Lord of Calamity. “It has been a while, Star Lord. How have you been?”

The Star Lord of Calamity was visibly nervous, bowing hurriedly. “I’ve been well, thank you for your concern, Lady.”

Jinli did not continue with pleasantries, instead looking at the Star Lord of Destiny, who understood and nodded. Turning, the Star Lord of Destiny spoke to the Star Lord of Calamity, “Have you forgotten something?”

The Star Lord of Calamity was diligent and impartial, once executing his own son and sending him to Purgatory. Yet, his fatal flaw was forgetfulness.

He checked himself and exclaimed, “Ah, I forgot the Book of Sins. Please, Lady and Star Lord, watch over things while I fetch it.”

Jinli nodded, smiling as she watched him leave. The Star Lord of Destiny asked, “Lady, why come to such an ominous place?”

Jinli’s expression was solemn. “Who is to be punished this time?”

“The Lady of the Southern Sea, Madam Nanmo.”

Just as she suspected.

“What crime did she commit?”

The Star Lord of Destiny smiled. “I need not concern myself with her crimes, only her fate. But her destiny indeed carries this calamity. If she survives, she’ll be spared future hardship. If not, she will never leave the Punishment Platform alive. Yet, I’ve seen in her fate that tonight a benefactor will assist her. It seems that benefactor is you, Lady.”

Jinli smiled. “Star Lord, you know everything, don’t you?”

She followed his gaze and saw a frail young woman, her face ashen, eyes lifeless as she stared at the distant clouds.

Jinli opened her palm, a purple pill appearing. Though fate decreed her suffering, it need not end here. She handed the pill to the Star Lord of Destiny. “Please give her this medicine.”

He took it and sighed. “Do you know her?”

Jinli shook her head, gazing at the woman weathered like a drifting leaf, her eyes indifferent. “No, I am merely fulfilling someone’s request.”

With that, she turned to leave, but after a few steps, the Star Lord called out, “Lady, please wait.”

Jinli paused and turned back as he caught up. “Lady, do you realize that saving her will bring backlash upon you, causing great pain, possibly harming your cultivation? Will you still help her?”

Doubt flickered in Jinli’s eyes, but she recalled the joy and hope in the little merman’s gaze. She shrugged. “It’s nothing. Such backlash cannot hurt me.”

“May I ask why you wish to save her?” Jinli pondered briefly before replying softly, her voice echoing across the Punishment Platform.

“Consider it a whim.”

The Star Lord was stunned. By the time he regained his senses, Jinli had vanished. He bowed respectfully toward her departing figure.

Jinli floated through the heavens, then visited the Empress’s orchard to gather several hangover peaches.

When she returned to Lotus River, only a few hours had passed. But as she entered, she saw the little merman stumbling out in haste and anxiety, with Yunxiang desperately trying to stop him.

Jinli intercepted him. “Where are you going?”

Gengyuan’s eyes were filled with resentment and accusation. Yunxiang hurried over to explain, “Young Lord heard of Madam’s punishment and intends to demand justice in heaven.”

Jinli frowned slightly. “You’re going to the Punishment Platform? To die?”

She had always despised such self-sacrificing heroics, and couldn’t help but mock him.

The youth’s face was ugly, undisguised contempt and loathing. Coldly, he spat, “Liar.”

Jinli’s anger flared; this boy had no sense of self-preservation.

She tossed the peaches she’d picked for him to Yunxiang, irritated. “Young Lord, do you realize that not a single soul from the Southern Sea is there? If you disrupt the timing of the punishment, you and your entire Southern Sea will suffer. Will you still go?”

A flicker of confusion crossed Gengyuan’s eyes, and they reddened as he spoke, each word laced with accusation. “You—why did you do it on purpose?”

Jinli glanced at him, then took a seat on a bamboo chair, her words pressing down. “Do you realize who you’re speaking to?”

Yunxiang worried that this was trouble—Lady was truly angry—he urged Gengyuan, “Young Lord, apologize. How can you speak to Lady like this?”

Jinli stared at the table, her fingers tapping, her gaze dark and waiting for his apology.

But the youth merely gave Jinli a cold glance and turned to leave. He had barely taken a step when he wavered, unsteady; Jinli’s eyes flashed—he was still drunk.

“Jiang Ji.”

Jiang Ji immediately supported him. Jinli looked at her raised hand, feeling uncomfortable. Handsome, but so narrow-minded.

“I did not lie to you. Believe it or not.”

“That wine—you did it on purpose.”

Jinli was momentarily speechless, knowing she was at fault. The youth’s face was angry; he stared at her deeply, paused, and left.

Gengyuan was gone. Jinli watched him leave herself.

No farewell, and in these few days, the most he’d said was today’s accusation.

Jinli looked at the peaches in Yunxiang’s arms, a strange bitterness and anger rising in her heart. “Throw them away.”

Yunxiang glanced at the peaches, then at Jinli’s distant figure, feeling inexplicably sad.

Jinli had barely reached the pavilion when the sky suddenly darkened and rain poured in torrents, knocking down pear blossoms in the courtyard. She was seized by a pain like her body being torn apart, spreading from her heart to every limb—as if countless black swords stabbed into her and twisted, scraping at her very bones.

A trickle of blood slipped from her lips. She could no longer stand, dropping to one knee.

This backlash truly hurt.

Her face turned deathly pale; Yunxiang, carrying the peaches, arrived to see Jinli kneeling in agony, and panicked, dropping the peaches to kneel before her.

“Lady! Lady! What’s wrong? Why are you coughing blood? Are you injured?”

His concern sounded noisy to Jinli’s ears. She frowned, weakly replied, “Quiet, I’m not dying.”

Yunxiang wept, frantically checking for wounds. Jinli said, “I’m not hurt. Just backlash, nothing serious. I’ll be fine in a few days.”

“Lady, did you save Madam Nanmo?”

Jinli nodded, feeling the pain ease a little, and told Yunxiang, “Help me up.”

Obediently, Yunxiang assisted her, but as she stood, Jinli’s steps faltered, her body heavy, and she suddenly fainted.

Yunxiang tried to catch her, but a swift figure flashed before his eyes, and when he looked, Jiang Ji had caught Jinli around the waist. The youth’s expression was gloomy, his eyes deep and dark.

“Young Lord? Didn’t you leave?”

He said nothing, glanced at Jinli in Jiang Ji’s arms, and indicated she be taken to her room. Such a woman, he would never touch. If not for his need of her in future plans, Gengyuan would have left after tonight.

Outside, the rain continued to beat fiercely against the closed windows, and inside, the sound of rain on pear and crabapple trees could still be heard.

Gengyuan calmly watched the blood-stained woman on the bed, his brows slowly tightening, his expression grave.

Clearly a celestial, yet she had not broken through to the divine realm and now suffered backlash.

The youth’s handsome face was shadowed. He pressed his fingers to his chest; a faint blue immortal glow emerged. His slender fingers moved lightly in a seamless gesture, and the blue glow gently enveloped Jinli.

As Gengyuan’s eyes opened, his black irises turned blue. Jinli’s pallor gradually faded, replaced by a healthy flush as her breathing steadied. Only then did Gengyuan’s brows relax.

He lowered his hand and the blue glow faded.

Jiang Ji knocked, holding the peaches, his mouth muffled by the spell, unable to speak. Gengyuan glanced at the peaches, his eyes showing disdain. “Throw them away.”

Jiang Ji nodded and withdrew.