Volume Two: A Fleeting Life on Kunlun Chapter Sixty-Six

The man in dark robes had not spoken yet, but Tian Yu took the lead. “I know your power is immense, and I know how great an honor it would be to become the Empress, but I am just an ordinary mortal. A day in Heaven is a year on earth; in Heaven, three days pass in a blink, but here, three years have gone by. I do not need immortality, nor do I wish to ascend as a celestial. So, please, I ask you to leave.”

The man in dark robes smiled, rising on his own. He was a head taller than her, and in his eyes, she appeared small and innocent, yet carried the radiance of a goddess.

He did not press this as a second wish, nor would he ever force her to do anything against her will.

It was merely a vacant Empress’s seat; if it remained empty, so be it.

“Very well, if you ever change your mind, I will always welcome you.”

With that, the young man left behind a jade pendant and departed.

Tian Yu finished the last of her tea and turned back into the house, beginning to write the story inspired by her sudden burst of creativity.

A few days later, the chattering of kingfishers outside her door woke her. Annoyed, she flung open the door and shouted, “What are you doing? Can’t you see I’m still sleeping?”

“There’s a man who fell into your lotus pond.”

The mention of her lotus pond startled Tian Yu awake. That pond was something she had cultivated with great effort; she couldn’t allow it to be ruined.

“A man?”

“Yes, yes, and he’s rather handsome.”

Tian Yu hurried to dress and was about to rush to the pond, but she paused, worried that finding this man might bring her misfortune.

Yet, out of humanitarian concern, she brought the soaked stranger from the pond into her home. Her half-acre lotus pond was ruined, and with resentment in her eyes, the girl shook her palm fan as she simmered medicinal herbs. She decided that once this man awoke, he would owe her ten leagues’ worth of lotus pond, an entire river of lotus blooms.

She tended to him carefully, wiping away the blood. His clothes were torn and muddied, his right leg punctured and bleeding, old and new scars crisscrossing his body, giving Tian Yu a headache.

After cleaning the mud and blood from his face, she saw that aside from burn scars and blade wounds, his features were otherwise unmarked. It was a handsome face, now terrifyingly disfigured.

Tian Yu felt a pang of sympathy.

By the time she had finished tending to him, dusk was falling. She hadn’t eaten all day and climbed a tree to pick fruit.

In three years, she had mastered market trading, business, tree-climbing, fishing, medicine, and gathering herbs, but her cooking skills had barely improved.

She was cheerful and optimistic, able to understand the speech of spirit creatures. The people of Peach Blossom Town feared her, thinking her unlucky, so every time she did business, she went to Yearning Town at the foot of Mount Jiuyi.

Her medical skills were learned from Master Li in Yearning Town.

Master Li and she hit it off immediately and agreed to help watch over the girl’s little story shop.

The so-called story shop was just a small corner beside Master Li’s pharmacy. Master Li had great respect in Yearning Town, so her stories attracted many readers and admirers.

She gazed at the crescent moon above, swinging her legs.

It was a leisurely life.

Days passed, and the young man still hadn’t awakened. His wounds became inflamed, fever struck in the night, and an egg placed on his forehead could have cooked.

The girl’s tender hands wrung out a cloth, carefully wiping his face.

In his fevered dreams, the young man felt a soft, cool touch across his cheeks and the faint scent of lotus blossoms.

He opened his eyes slightly, and through the haze, glimpsed the petite figure in plain clothes, then slipped back into unconsciousness.

Tian Yu flipped through the medical books on her desk. Wasn’t this medicine meant for fever and chills? Why was there no improvement?

She kept brewing medicine, watching sweat bead on his brow and his temperature slowly drop, finally breathing a sigh of relief. Exhausted, she slept at his bedside.

The noisy birds woke the young man. His vision was blurry, everything felt familiar, yet now he could not move, his whole body wracked with pain. Lowering his gaze, he saw the girl’s delicate sleeping face, her dark hair falling across his hand, separated by a layer of gauze, yet it felt hot.

Her gentle breathing was the perfect lullaby. Watching her, Jing Ye soon slipped back into sleep.

But before he drifted off, a faint smile touched his lips.

In the following days, he woke intermittently, but Tian Yu was never present. His wounds had been inflicted by demonic energy; mortal medicine could heal external injuries, but internal damage required soaking in the Medicine King’s pool to expel the demonic aura and fully recover.

The longer demonic energy lingered, the more it would affect his divine essence, devouring his cultivation and spirit, or even leading to madness.

Jing Ye had to return to the Sacred Domain to heal.

But what then? Healing would take half a month; half a month in the Sacred Domain meant half a year in the mortal world.

When Tian Yu entered, she saw Jing Ye awake, his eyes bright and dark behind the gauze.

“You’re awake.”

Jing Ye nodded, unable to hide his excitement.

His gaze never left her as she went about applying medicine, changing dressings, and helping him drink the bitter brew. She always offered him a sugar afterward, sweet with honey and peach.

“...Thank you.”

Seeing him finally speak, Tian Yu looked up and smiled, “If you truly wish to thank me, repay me with ten leagues of lotus pond.”

But as soon as she said this, she felt guilty, her damp eyes beautiful as if stars flowed within them.

She was about to say she was only jesting.

Unexpectedly, he replied gently, “Alright.”

His eyes were filled with laughter and warmth.

Tian Yu nodded, her face flushing. After tidying up the medicine, she left.

Jing Ye stood, pain still throbbing in his chest, demonic energy rampaging within, nearly causing him to vomit black blood. He quickly pressed several acupoints, his heavy breathing gradually calming.

“The weather is nice today. Let’s go outside and bask in the sun.”

The girl’s sudden closeness made the young man flustered.

His body stiffened for a moment as she placed his hand on her shoulder, helping him up. The gesture made it look as if Jing Ye was embracing her.

Outside, the sunlight was warm and free, nothing like winter’s chill.

Well, this was the Demon Realm; it was natural there were no seasons.

He listened quietly to her chatter.

“It’s been freezing down the mountain these days. Yesterday it snowed; that was the second time I’ve seen snow. White, soft, cool, each flake sparkling and so lovely.”

“In the days you were unconscious, I went to Yearning Town and bought some New Year’s supplies.”

New Year’s supplies—the essentials for mortal New Year’s Eve.

Watching his gaze follow her, the girl cracked sunflower seeds, “Tomorrow night is New Year’s Eve. When you’re better, I’ll take you to see it. Your immortal mountain must be strict and solemn; you’ve surely never witnessed such lively festivities.”

He had seen them—in her clear eyes, he had glimpsed blooming flowers and brilliant fireworks.

But at that time, he was at war.

Tian Yu was drying herbs; today the young man could remove the gauze.

The door opened.

The youth in plain robes was tall and slender, his handsome face showing signs of weakness, but his eyes were gentle, overflowing with starlight.

He was truly beautiful.

But... those scars.

His collar dipped low, revealing a delicate clavicle, but the fierce scar over his heart marred his beauty.

Seeing the girl’s clear gaze upon him, he lifted his hand and pulled his collar higher.

Both felt a touch of embarrassment.

Her cheeks flushed, and she quickly turned away.

Laughing, “...It’s nice, very nice...”

Nice—was it his looks, or his scars?

Had she not recognized him?

This left the young man in plain clothes a bit disappointed.

Tian Yu took him to Yearning Town. It was nearly New Year’s Eve; the streets were adorned in red and gold, lanterns hanging from shop doors, people in padded jackets everywhere.

The first thing Tian Yu did was buy him a winter coat. The shopkeeper, seeing his good looks, hurried over with many choices, showering him with compliments.

“This young gentleman is so fortunate! His wife brings him to shop for New Year’s goods.”

Jing Ye smiled warmly, his gaze following Tian Yu as she carefully compared sizes.

She chose a dark blue brocade robe for him—he liked it very much.

When he changed into it, he looked forward to seeing her joy or shyness, but she simply glanced up, nodded, paid, and left.

Jing Ye quickly followed.

Tian Yu clutched her heart; had she hesitated a moment longer, her face would have blushed and her heart raced.

Over the years, she had saved up some money. After buying the robe, some remained, so she took him to buy the rest of the New Year’s goods. Then they went to the teahouse to listen to stories.

Business was booming at the teahouse during the holidays. The storyteller slammed his wooden block and began weaving tales of the ancient celestial realm.

“Picking up where we left off, last time the Demon Lord and the Ninefold Divine Lord battled at the River of Ten Thousand Demons. The Demon Lord swung the Xingtian Sword, rending heaven and earth, thunder roaring, raising waves a thousand meters high to strike at the Divine Lord. But our Divine Lord was no pushover; with a gesture, golden seals calmed the waves, turning them into celestial dust scattered across the world...”

Watching Tian Yu listen intently, Jing Ye smiled and quietly shelled peanuts for her.

That storyteller certainly had a way with words, painting the Ninefold Divine Lord as a god among men. Even the Divine Lord himself felt inferior, doubting if he truly was as magnificent as described.

After the tale, the two enjoyed some tea. Tian Yu carefully checked the supplies for anything missing.

Night fell; the air grew colder.

Stepping out of the teahouse, Tian Yu cried in delight, “It’s snowing!”

Jing Ye looked up. Snow drifted down like cotton, landing on her shoulder.

Tian Yu reached out, catching a flake that melted cool and gentle in her palm.

She turned to see the young man in his brocade robe extend a hand—slender, fair, perfectly sculpted. Snow gathered on his shoulder and dark hair, the pale ribbon hanging with his locks.

His skin was white, peach blossom eyes filled with kindness and warmth, his smile radiant, lips pink as peach blossoms. For an instant, he seemed more beautiful than any woman.

His brows were bold, features exquisite.

With snow and candlelight behind him, he looked like a deity.

She seemed to see the face of the young immortal from three years ago.

Suddenly, fireworks blossomed in the sky.

Startled, the Divine Lord drew her into his arms.

Warmth and a racing heartbeat.

Her cheeks burned.

She heard his gentle voice, clear and beautiful.

“Happy New Year... Tian Yu.”

The girl lifted her fair face to look at him, lost for words, lowering her head and smiling warmly, “You too, Happy New Year.”

Beneath the snowy night and fireworks, blue and crimson figures embraced.

Happiness, it seemed, was just this simple.