Chapter 48: White Deer Part 7

Xiang Xian loved this about Xiao Kun—his upright and straightforward character. He took responsibility without excuses or saving face. A loss was a loss; start over from there.

Xiang Xian held his cup of clear tea at the table’s edge, using it in place of wine, and lightly clinked it with Xiao Kun’s, meaning it was no big deal.

“With our Cultivation Bases, this was the best we could do anyway,” Xiang Xian also said. “We gave our all and achieved this much.”

Xiao Kun understood Xiang Xian was speaking up to defend him and sighed inwardly. Xiang Xian then raised his brows and said, “Pi Senior cannot leave White Jade Palace, but Senior Yuzhou is a dragon and shares responsibility for Shenzhou’s calamity. Why not come down the mountain with us to eliminate the Heavenly Demon together?”

Xiao Kun heard Xiang Xian pivot and nearly laughed, realizing he was trying to recruit Yuzhou.

But Yuzhou said, “You can’t win, so you come begging for reinforcements. If I die too, who will you turn to? I don’t owe the Exorcism Division anything. Instead, they owe me. For over three hundred years, mortals haven’t stepped up, and they still come begging. What a joke.”

Xiang Xian knew better than to argue with a dragon but couldn’t help wanting to shut him up with words.

Hülü Guang had been observing Yuzhou closely, as if he had many questions. Chaosheng seemed to guess his thoughts and whispered, “On the Shenzhou Great Land now, he’s the only dragon I know of.”

Hülü Guang whispered back, “No other dragons? They say dragons are incredibly powerful, piercing heavens and earth, omnipotent!”

Yuzhou overheard. “Even if one’s power reaches the heavens, there are things that can’t be done.”

Xiang Xian had no prior acquaintance with Yuzhou, but Xiao Kun had mentioned that when he hit rock bottom, he found Yaojin Palace, and they helped him out of lingering ties to the mortal world from centuries ago. Out of affection for Xiao Kun, Xiang Xian decided to tolerate Yuzhou’s snide remarks.

Xiao Kun remained grateful and, fearing Xiang Xian and Yuzhou might argue, quickly changed the subject. “Let’s hear Senior Chang Ge’s information first.” He said to Xiang Xian, “We’ve been investigating King Mu’s whereabouts all along.”

“Where to begin?” Pi Changge fell into thought, then said to Yuzhou, “This goes back many years. Not just Chaosheng—even you weren’t born yet.”

Yuzhou ignored Xiang Xian and showed respect to Pi Changge by staying silent.

“At that time, they only counted years by heavenly stems and earthly branches. Human Heavenly Sovereigns had no temple names, from Emperor Yu to Emperor Tang of Shang, then Prince Zilu of Tang, who inherited the true power of the gods and became the first Grand Demon-Exorcist in the human world.”

“Oh!” Xiang Xian was shocked, utterly unprepared to hear such ancient secrets from Pi Changge.

“The immortals had not yet ascended,” Pi Changge said. “The first to leave was said to be Nüwa Niangniang… It’s too long ago; I can’t remember clearly. In White Jade Palace, the Queen Mother of the West was still there, along with Yao Ji, Sheng Ji, Azure Bird, and the others.”

The vast White Jade Palace finally regained a bit of vitality in the Main Hall today. Imagining two thousand years or more ago, when the Queen Mother resided in the palace, the Garden of Life bustling and radiant, the World Tree thriving, Divine Beasts in flocks, nearly a thousand Divine Servants surrounding the Queen Mother amid laughter and joy—what a grand scene!

Pi Changge sighed, clearly reminiscing.

“That was also when I came to White Jade Palace,” Pi Changge said. “The Queen Mother of the West was very gentle and beautiful. She had lovely wings, and wherever she went, plants would bloom and bear fruit. But two thousand years is too long.”

“Why did the gods ascend to the heavens?” Xiang Xian suddenly asked.

“Mortals have mortal rules,” Pi Changge snapped out of his reverie and explained. “The gods have their own pact. Once Shenzhou became the form the gods hoped for, the divinities should no longer interfere.”

Everyone nodded.

Pi Changge continued, “King Mu’s existence traces back two thousand years. He had another name: Ji Man, also known as ‘King Zhou Mu.’”

In an instant, countless memories flashed like a thunderbolt on a clear day. Xiang Xian suddenly recalled the Liezi he had read as a youth!

“It’s him!” Xiang Xian said. “I never even thought of King Zhou Mu!”

Xiao Kun and the others hadn’t read as widely as Xiang Xian, and even among Song People, the Liezi was an obscure text. Unaware of those secrets buried in time, he asked, “Who is that? I vaguely remember the name.”

“King Zhou Mu rode his eight splendid steeds, traveling ninety thousand li to Kunlun Hill, where birds followed and shed their feathers!” Xiang Xian said. “King Mu is him?!”

“Yes,” Pi Changge nodded. “Two thousand years ago, as a human Heavenly Sovereign, under the pretext of seeking the Dao, he crossed Kunlun’s windswept snows and ascended to White Jade Palace.”

Chaosheng knew nothing of King Zhou Mu’s legends and merely wondered how a mortal could breach the barrier into the Garden of Life. He said, “How did he get in?”

“I don’t know,” Pi Changge said. “Perhaps a Divine Servant opened the door for him? Sheng Ji? Yao Ji?”

Pi Changge pondered again, but Mu Qingshan said, “Hey, Pixiu, come look.”

Pi Changge looked toward Mu Qingshan. Mu Qingshan then raised his hand and stroked the void. In an instant, the Dream Realm appeared, enveloping the front hall. With a thunderous roar, scenes from two thousand years ago burst forth!

In the resplendent golden White Jade Palace, Divine Light enveloped everything, heavenly music resounded. Numerous immortal maidens surrounded a little girl at the throne’s center. Her face was indistinct, but enormous wings trailed flowing light behind her. Seeing that sight, everyone felt an urge to bow.

That was the Queen Mother of the West!

Prostrated before her throne was a Pixiu with golden light flowing over its body.

Pi Changge’s voice said, “This is the scene—I still remember it! Thank you, White Deer… Hmm? From others’ eyes, was I that big?”