Prelude

Sixty thousand years later, near Huajing Pool in Qingchi Palace on Mount Qilian.

Two immortals standing on auspicious clouds stared miserably at each other, their wide eyes brimming with regret.

"Wuxu, what are we going to do? We've lost the birthday gift. If the High Lord finds out, we're bound to get a scolding. If only we hadn't coveted the immortal dew in Huajing Pool and had set off sooner. Now... Oh, tell me, what are we to do?" The round-faced immortal sighed, anxiously questioning his Immortal Friend, who usually had no shortage of ideas.

Given High Lord Zi Yuan's temper, losing so precious a birthday gift would probably earn them a flogging on the Azure Dragon Terrace. Once they went up there, they would lose at least several thousand years' worth of their immortal foundation.

Huajing Pool was a renowned blessed site in the Three Realms. The immortal dew that gathered in its waters each day at sunrise could strengthen immortal power, making it a supreme treasure for those whose immortal foundations were weak. But because Huajing Pool lay within High God Gu Jun's barrier, although many immortals coveted it, none had ever dared enter without permission.

For High Lord Dong Hua's birthday banquet, the two had been ordered by their own High Lord Zi Yuan to travel ahead with his gift. Passing this place, they had noticed immortal energy spilling out of the pool. Curious, they discovered a fist-sized gap in the barrier. Unable to resist, they slipped into the immortal pool and stole a little dew to drink. In their haste to leave, they accidentally dropped the birthday gift—a ten-thousand-year-old coral tree from the Eastern Sea—into the water. By the time they tried to go back in, the little opening had vanished. At their wits' end, all they could do now was sigh at Huajing Pool beyond the barrier.

The immortal called Wuxu flicked his long sleeve, cast a miserable glance at Huajing Pool a short distance away, and shook his head. "Wuwang, Huajing Pool lies within High God Gu Jun's barrier. If we trespass again and get caught, that offense will be far worse than losing the High Lord's birthday gift. Haven't you heard what happened to that Jiao Dragon all those years ago?"

At these words, Wuwang shuddered. Waving his hands frantically, he stumbled back several steps, trembling so hard with fright that he nearly fell off his auspicious cloud.

Of course he had heard of the incident Wuxu meant... Twenty thousand years ago, the Flood-Dragon Clan of the Demon Realm had produced an unparalleled genius named Yaoheng. At a mere twenty thousand years of age, his demonic power had reached the pinnacle of the Demon Lord rank, verging on the realm of a High God. Even the Demon Emperor had avoided confronting him. Fortunately, this demon disdained the throne, sparing Demonkind a civil war. But he delighted in challenging others to combat and had a vicious temper; most of those he challenged ended up with their souls utterly annihilated.

For a time, the immortals throughout the Nine Wildernesses and Eight Expanses lived in terror, afraid this demon would turn up at their doors demanding a duel. Left with no choice, some went into seclusion while others went visiting friends, all finding ways to keep out of his path. After all, this was no mere matter of losing face. One misstep, and tens of thousands of years of cultivation could vanish just like that.

Once he had no opponents left among Demonkind, Yaoheng left the Demon Realm and went straight to Huajing Pool to challenge High God Gu Jun. Since both had attained their present forms from flood dragons, and High God Gu Jun had not appeared in public for several years, the immortals could not help watching with a mixture of anticipation and apprehension.

If even High God Gu Jun were defeated, then... only the Heavenly Emperor and Heavenly Empress in all the Three Realms would be a match for him.

Yaoheng spent several days outside Huajing Pool hurling provocations, yet never managed to penetrate the barrier, much less touch a single hair on High God Gu Jun's head. In a towering rage, he whipped up violent winds and torrential rain, flooding the Lower Realm, driving its people from their homes, and causing countless deaths and injuries. In doing so, he transgressed a taboo upheld by the High Gods. Every god and immortal in heaven and earth knew the Three Realms had one inviolable law: never harm the Human Realm, the very foundation of the Three Realms.

Just as High Lord Jin Yao was setting out in great trepidation to arrest Yaoheng on the Heavenly Emperor's orders, three bolts of inky lightning flashed in succession from the barrier around Huajing Pool. They struck the demonic dragon, who had assumed his flood-dragon form and was stirring up wind and waves in the Lower Realm.

Before he could even howl, the enormous Jiao Dragon coiling through the sky dissolved into smoke, his soul truly annihilated. The being who had come closest to becoming a High God in the Three Realms in tens of thousands of years... vanished from those realms in a manner utterly lacking in tragic grandeur, almost like a joke.

The incident shook the Three Realms, High Lord Jin Yao most of all. He had watched Yaoheng being struck down until not even a speck of ash remained. Through his emphatic, deeply admiring accounts, High God Gu Jun's effortless strike took on a dazzling glory, its historic merit deemed worthy of inclusion in the Three Realms' chronicles of the Post-Primordial Era.

Remembering this, Wuwang abandoned any thought of trespassing into Huajing Pool. He suggested to Wuxu, "Why don't we pay a visit to Qingchi Palace? We can say... say we were passing through and accidentally dropped the coral tree into Huajing Pool."

Wuxu looked at him as though he were an idiot, his brows knotting together. "Have you lost your mind? High God Gu Jun is away, and High Lord Feng Ran is in charge of Qingchi Palace now. She has a grudge against our High Lord. Why would she grant our request?"

Wuwang knew the suggestion was ill-advised, but he truly had no other ideas. His master, Immortal Lord Zi Yuan, held the exalted rank of High Lord, and even in the Ninth Heaven, few dared offend him. But when it came to High God Gu Jun and High Lord Feng Ran... that was another matter.

Wuwang paced back and forth on his auspicious cloud, unwilling to simply return and accept punishment. Suddenly his eyes lit up, and he raised his voice. "Wuxu, High God Gu Jun may be away, but isn't there another High God in Qingchi Palace? However overbearing High Lord Feng Ran may be, she wouldn't dare lash out at us in front of a High God!"

Wuxu's knees nearly gave way. He hastily clapped a hand over Wuwang's mouth and glanced around. Only after assuring himself that all was quiet did he let out a long breath and scold him in a low voice. "Why do you keep coming up with such brainless ideas? Never mention this High God again. If Princess Jing Zhao finds out you sought her help, you can forget about having a peaceful life in the Heavenly Realm. I'm afraid we won't be getting the coral tree back. Let's return and report to the Immortal Lord first." With that, Wuxu turned and left, paying no further attention to Wuwang behind him.

Wuwang was a minor immortal who had ascended only within the past few thousand years. Seeing Wuxu react as though facing a mortal enemy, he could only murmur his assent and follow him into the distance. As their auspicious clouds rose, Wuwang quietly turned to look back at the shrinking Huajing Pool... wondering just why that High God of Qingchi Palace was considered taboo throughout the Three Realms.

Inside Qingchi Palace.

The Phoenix spreading its wings across her golden robe seemed poised to soar into the Nine Heavens, and a jet-black sash hung loosely about her waist. Seated on high, the woman gazed at the coral tree presented before her, fully as tall as an adult, in excellent spirits. Her hearty laughter carried far.

"Chang Que, that fellow Zi Yuan has really taken a loss this time. Tsk, tsk, look how tall it is. I reckon this coral tree must be at least ten thousand years old."

The woman wore an insolent expression, her blood-red hair stirring without a breeze. She radiated a positively sinister air, to say nothing of the formidable menace in her speech and manner.

Below her, a young man dressed as a scholar cupped his hands in salute, his expression solemn. "High Lord, those two immortals were outrageously bold. They actually dared sneak into Huajing Pool. They clearly have no regard for our Qingchi Palace. You absolutely must not let this pass. You must take Immortal Lord Zi Yuan to task."

Feng Ran's smile froze. She thought she must never let him discover that she had deliberately opened a hole in the barrier to lure those two greedy little immortals into Huajing Pool, or he would surely nag her endlessly. She promptly assumed a show of gravity. "What is there to discuss with that petty scoundrel? At Old Dong Hua's birthday feast, I'll make him offer this Immortal Lord a proper apology."

Chang Que paused. Seeing his High Lord so full of confidence, he could not help reminding her quietly, "High Lord, High Lord Dong Hua hasn't sent you an invitation."

High Lord Dong Hua was one of the oldest High Lords in the Three Realms, long respected for his virtue and prestige and admired by all the immortals. Devoted to cultivation, he rarely held banquets. This time, he had only sent invitations to the immortals because he could not withstand his disciples' repeated urging. In the tranquil Three Realms of the present day, this was a momentous event. Thus even the haughty High Lord Zi Yuan was eagerly hurrying over to offer his congratulations.

But his own Immortal Lord had held the rank of High Lord for only a few thousand years. Not only had she made plenty of enemies, but the Three Realms would not tolerate her. If someone wanted a lively, grand celebration, why would they invite her?

"True enough. If I go uninvited, knowing that petty Zi Yuan, he'll certainly find an excuse to turn the accusation back on me."

Feng Ran frowned, propped up her chin, and muttered to herself. She glanced at Chang Que and saw the young man standing ramrod straight. A mischievous gleam stirred in her eyes. This fellow probably had no idea... whenever he had something to hide, he always put on an exceptionally solemn face to throw people off.

Feng Ran swung her dangling leg, nudging the young man's sash. "Out with it, Chang Que. You must have a way."

Chang Que shook his head and kept his mouth firmly shut.

"Alas, High God Gu Jun has been gone so long that even a mere Zi Yuan no longer has any regard for our Qingchi Palace. If this goes on..."

Seeing the young man's ears twitch, she knew she had struck his weak spot and sighed even more heavily, lamenting at length.

"Although High Lord Dong Hua didn't send you an invitation, he did... send one to Qingchi Palace." In other words, he had sent an invitation to Qingchi Palace's true master, High God Gu Jun.

Feng Ran grinned, sprang from the broad chair, and gave Chang Que a hearty slap. "I knew you'd have a way! Hurry and give me the invitation. In a few days, we'll prepare a lavish gift and go to Old Dong Hua's birthday feast."

Such brazen arrogance! She was hardly going to wish him a happy birthday; she was practically sharpening her blades for a provocation. Chang Que sighed and continued, "It's not that simple, High Lord. Think about it. That invitation is for a High God... If you attend with it, I'm afraid the Heavenly Emperor will seize you and drag you to the Heavenly Realm to answer for your offense before you've even left High Lord Dong Hua's residence."

Feng Ran's laughter faltered. She took a few troubled steps, circled around to the coral tree, and suddenly stopped. She brought her hand down hard on one of its crystal-clear branches, making Chang Que's heart leap into his throat.

A mysterious smile touched Feng Ran's lips. Her eyes darted about, and she waved a hand smugly at Chang Que. "I wouldn't dare run all over the Three Realms with High God Gu Jun's invitation, but don't forget... Qingchi Palace has more than one High God."

Chang Que's eyes flew wide. He raised a hand to point at Feng Ran, then came to his senses and hastily lowered it, realizing how disrespectful that was. His expression, however, remained oddly strained.

"High Lord, surely you don't mean to have the Little Divine Lord take the High God's invitation and attend High Lord Dong Hua's feast?" Chang Que stammered, his eyes still betraying a sense of utter absurdity.

"That's exactly what I mean."

"But the Little Divine Lord has never set foot outside Qingchi Palace..."

"What does that matter? I'll be with her. I certainly won't let anyone get the better of her."

With that, Feng Ran ran off toward Qingchi Palace's rear hall, her footsteps clattering. Left standing in the great hall, Chang Que watched her retreating figure disappear, his face full of self-reproach.

If only he had known... he would never have suggested the idea to the High Lord.

As if anyone could get the better of the Little Divine Lord! With her temperament... High Lord Dong Hua's birthday feast was probably in for disaster.

High Lord Bai Xuan, please hurry back. Otherwise... High Lord Feng Ran will practically tear Qingchi Palace apart!

Zijin Residence, in the Heavenly Realm.

Zi Yuan glared at the two kneeling figures, his face livid, and roared, "What happened? Where's the birthday gift?"

He had been about to ride a cloud to High Lord Dong Hua's residence on Mount Daze to offer birthday wishes. Before he could even leave, however, Wuxu and Wuwang had come running back to the residence covered in injuries.

That birthday gift was a coral tree that had taken ten thousand years to reach maturity. He had always treasured it, normally begrudging others even a glimpse. If not for High Lord Dong Hua's birthday feast, he would never have been willing to give it away.

"High Lord, the two of us encountered demon soldiers near Mount Qilian. The coral tree was lost in the fighting. Please forgive us, High Lord," Wuxu said meekly from his knees, a flicker of guilt crossing his eyes.

Mount Qilian was where Qingchi Palace stood. At these words, Zi Yuan looked momentarily taken aback, and more than half his anger dissipated. Still pained by the loss of the coral tree, however, he kept his face stern. "Since it was lost near the Qilian Mountains, I can hardly blame you. But you did fail to protect the treasure. Here is your punishment... one superior-grade immortal sword apiece. Deliver them to the treasury tomorrow."

High Lord Zi Yuan had been blessed with an appearance that fairly radiated righteousness, but at heart he was headstrong and vain.

Wuxu's and Wuwang's knees went weak, and traces of resentment and hesitation crept onto their downturned faces. In tens of thousands of years as immortals, they had acquired only a few superior-grade immortal swords, which they treasured nearly as much as their own lives. High Lord Zi Yuan certainly made it sound easy...

"What, are you unwilling...?"

The arrogant voice, edged with oppressive power, came from above their heads. Both men immediately prostrated themselves and answered respectfully, "We would not dare. Your generosity knows no bounds, High Lord. Wuwang and I will bring the swords tomorrow." So be it. Losing an immortal sword was better than being flogged on the Azure Dragon Terrace.

High Lord Zi Yuan was notorious for his pettiness and domineering ways, but he was close to Jing Yang, the Eldest Prince of the Nine Heavens. As a High Lord himself, he also had deep roots in the Heavenly Realm.

"High Lord, then... the congratulatory gift for High Lord Dong Hua..." Having waited some time without hearing further instructions from High Lord Zi Yuan, Wuwang raised his head and spoke softly.

"You need not concern yourselves with that. Set out with me tomorrow. Hmph. At High Lord Dong Hua's banquet, I shall have a good deal to say to our Immortal Friends... Feng Ran has always been overbearing, claiming the entire thousand-li expanse of Mount Qilian for Qingchi Palace. Now she cannot even guard High God Gu Jun's gates properly, allowing Demonkind to run rampant through the blessed lands of the Nine Heavens. This time, I shall see her thoroughly disgraced."

The two kneeling men shuddered outright. Wuwang opened his mouth to say something, but Wuxu caught his arm. They begged leave and withdrew.

As soon as they reached the courtyard, Wuwang glanced around. Seeing no one nearby, he hastily tugged at Wuxu's robe and said anxiously, "Wuxu, what are we to do? If the High Lord finds out it wasn't Demonkind that wounded us..."

"What are you panicking for? Given High Lord Feng Ran's usual conduct, High Lord Dong Hua certainly won't invite her. As long as she doesn't appear, who can expose us? Besides, Mount Qilian stretches for a thousand li, with few Immortal Friends about. If the people of Qingchi Palace deny there were demons there, the other High Lords will surely think High Lord Feng Ran is merely making excuses for her own negligence."

Wuwang listened uneasily to Wuxu's explanation and wiped the cold sweat from his brow. Seeing no one around, he leaned close to Wuxu's ear as they walked and asked quietly, "Wuxu, I ascended late, and there are many things I don't know. It would be awful to make a fool of myself at High Lord Dong Hua's residence. Why don't you tell me about High Lord Feng Ran? I heard she belongs to the Heavenly Empress's clan. How did she come to be... shunned by the Three Realms?"

As they walked, they reached the depths of Zijin Residence. Wuxu glanced at Wuwang following behind him and said irritably, "It's not just High Lord Feng Ran's background you want to ask about, is it? What, are you that eager to hear about the High God in Qingchi Palace?"

"Wuxu, look..." Wuwang chuckled and took a small porcelain vial from his pocket. He opened it and held it out before Wuxu. "I collected a few drops from Huajing Pool. Half each. What do you say?"

A fragrance wafted out, refreshing the heart and soul. Wuxu's eyes lit up. He leaned over to sniff it, flicked the hem of his robe, and glanced at Wuwang. "Actually, these things are hardly secrets. Only minor immortals who ascended within the last thousand years wouldn't know."

"To speak of this High God, we must begin with the Tribulation of Chaos..."

Wuxu's voice slowly grew distant. As he recalled the past, his expression held an unmistakable reverence and worship for that age.

An hour later, Wuwang finally understood the whole story and was, for a time, quite stunned.

"Wuxu, are you saying High God Hou Chi was granted the rank of High God while she was still in her shell?"

Wuxu nodded. Taking the porcelain vial from Wuwang's hand, he held it beneath his nose and sniffed, his eyes narrowing in enjoyment.

"And afterward...?" Wuwang asked eagerly, feeling he had not heard nearly enough.

"Afterward, High God Gu Jun placed a barrier around Qingchi Palace, cutting it off from the world. I hear that Little Divine Lord only emerged from her shell some forty thousand years later. From childhood, she had no grasp of divine arts, and her spiritual power was exceedingly weak. For her sake, High God Gu Jun even made an exception and admitted some unaffiliated immortals into Qingchi Palace as guards."

Wuwang rubbed his chin and murmured to himself, "No wonder everyone in the Immortal Realm says that High God was born lucky. So that's how it is... A most exalted destiny indeed..." He broke off halfway through, then lowered his voice as though something had suddenly occurred to him. "If that's so, wouldn't the princes and Princess Jing Zhao share a blood connection with this High God?"

Wuwang pointed toward the heavens, his face full of rueful wonder. No wonder Princess Jing Zhao disliked hearing that High God mentioned. So this was the reason.

That Little Divine Lord had been a supreme being within the Three Realms from birth. Princess Jing Zhao's birth might be no less exalted than hers, but the gulf between their ranks was as vast as a heavenly chasm. Their respective positions were also deeply awkward; anyone would have found it hard to accept.

The Princes and Princess of the Nine Heavens had all earned their places among the High Lords through their own strength. Surely they resented High God Hou Chi's advancement to High God through her father's standing.

It was widely known that the Heavenly Emperor cherished his only Princess like a precious jewel and indulged her excessively. Perhaps he, too, felt some guilt.

"That's right. They were all born of the Heavenly Empress, so naturally they share a blood connection. High God Gu Jun has been traveling the Three Realms, and his whereabouts have been unknown for ten thousand years. As for that Little Divine Lord, she has never once set foot outside Qingchi Palace in the twenty thousand years since her birth. So these days, no one in the Immortal Realm dares mention her."

Since she was a taboo subject for the Heavenly Emperor's family, no immortal who wished to live comfortably would be so tactless.

Thus, the Little Divine Lord truly had the most glorious outward standing, yet the most desolate existence beneath it.

"Then was High Lord Feng Ran also admitted into Qingchi Palace by High God Gu Jun because the Little Divine Lord's spiritual power was weak?" Thinking of High Lord Feng Ran, who was shunned by the Three Realms, Wuwang hurried to ask Wuxu for confirmation.

"Indeed. High Lord Feng Ran comes from the Phoenix Clan and was noble by birth, but she happened to be a Fire Phoenix, something never seen before. As you know... among phoenixes, golden yellow is most revered, while red signifies evil. Thus, as soon as High Lord Feng Ran was born, her clanspeople abandoned her in Yuanling Marsh. I hear a thousand-year-old tree demon raised her. Later, when the Immortal Realm and the Demon Realm went to war in Yuanling Marsh, Eldest Prince Jing Yang and the Third Prince of the Demon Realm accidentally killed that tree demon in the melee..."

Wuxu paused, then continued slowly, his voice filled with extraordinary admiration. "In her fury, High Lord Feng Ran charged out of Yuanling Marsh and single-handedly fought the armies of both immortals and Demonkind. It was an exceptionally brutal battle. Tens of thousands of troops were wiped out, and even Demonkind's Third Prince died at her hands. Had our High Lord not happened to pass by and save His Highness Jing Yang, then on the brink of death, the Eldest Prince would surely have perished in Yuanling Marsh. After that battle, High Lord Feng Ran's might shook the Three Realms, and she was honored as a High Lord. Yet even as she gained that title, she became an outcast in the Three Realms."

Since the end of the Primordial Era, the immortals and demons who ascended in the Three Realms had been classified by Lord Rank. The Immortal Realm's High Lords and the Demon Realm's Demon Lords were the beings closest to High Gods. Once their spiritual power reached full maturity and Heavenly Tribulation descended, they automatically rose to become High Lords or Demon Lords.

"No wonder the Eldest Prince is so close to our High Lord. Who would have thought they shared such a history?" Wuwang sighed, then hesitated for a long moment before saying, "High Lord Feng Ran is a member of the Phoenix Clan, after all. Besides, she killed Demonkind's Third Prince, rendering a service to the Heavenly Realm. If only out of consideration for the Heavenly Empress, the Heavenly Emperor should not have made things so difficult for her."

"Do you think no one else thought of that? High Lord Feng Ran had the strength of a High Lord at only ten thousand years old. Her prospects were boundless, and besides, it was only a misunderstanding. Of course the Heavenly Emperor wanted to recruit her. It's just that..."

"Just that what? Was High Lord Feng Ran unwilling?"

"It wasn't that she was unwilling..." Wuxu rolled up his sleeves and smacked his lips. "It was just that High Lord Feng Ran declared in Yuanling Marsh that if the Heavenly Emperor would execute Eldest Prince Jing Yang—a life for a life—she would willingly serve him with the devotion of a hound or horse."

"What?" Wuwang's voice suddenly rose, his eyes widening. "That High Lord Feng Ran doesn't know what's good for her! How could that tree demon possibly compare to our Immortal Realm's Eldest Prince?"

The Heavenly Emperor was a primordial god as well as the supreme ruler of the Immortal Realm. How could he tolerate such provocation? This High Lord Feng Ran was truly muddleheaded!

Wuxu nodded too, a trace of disapproval showing on his face. "The Heavenly Emperor flew into a rage when he heard this and ordered High Lord Feng Ran's arrest. She fought several immortals before being defeated and retreating to Mount Qilian. Just as she was on the brink of death, High God Gu Jun saved her. Afterward, High Lord Feng Ran stayed at Qingchi Palace, and the Heavenly Emperor pursued the matter no further."

As for why he had let the matter drop... The two exchanged a knowing look. The Heavenly Emperor had always been exceedingly tolerant of High God Gu Jun; that occasion had presumably been no exception.

"Ah, to think there was such a chapter in the history of the Three Realms. Today has certainly opened my eyes." Wuwang shook his head as he spoke, his expression full of feeling.

"Immortal Lords, our High Lord says we depart tomorrow to visit High Lord Dong Hua. Please make your preparations." A young immortal attendant's voice came from nearby. Wuxu and Wuwang both snapped to attention, exchanged a glance, and headed out of the courtyard.

Meanwhile, at Qingchi Palace.

From a rock beside Huajing Pool, a languid voice slowly sounded in mild rebuke.

"Feng Ran, how many times have I told you? I can't be bothered to go out. But I do quite like the Mortal World play scripts Chang Que brought into the palace recently. How about this? I won't make things difficult for you. If you can make the mountains lose their peaks and heaven and earth meet... then I'll agree. What do you say?"