“What are you saving it for? The New Year?” A figure in a fiery red ancient robe approached from afar, laughing wildly.
“Shhh,” murmured the person lying drunk, bringing a finger to their lips with a sly smile, eyes narrowed like a fox. “For a dowry.”
“Ha! The old-fashioned type, finally coming around, are you? If you don’t make a move soon, you won’t be able to stop that one from slipping down to the mortal realm whenever he gets restless. And if he catches someone’s eye down there, you’ll have plenty to worry about.”
“Let’s see who would dare.” The person in the white robe sat up abruptly, his expression filled with intensity.
“Who ruffled your feathers? Drunk as you are, you still manage to get angry?” A man in a purple robe approached from the distance, twirling a small flask in his hand. He nudged the red-robed girl beside him. “Did you provoke our esteemed ancestor?”
“I wouldn’t dare. She might tear down my Moonlight Pavilion if I did.” The red-robed woman’s eyes sparkled with joy at the sight of the man in purple, though she looked a bit surprised. “Wasn’t Zhi Yang supposed to have you enlightening the demon clans in the Demon Realm? How come you’re back in just two or three days?”
“The place is a wasteland, filled with uncivilized brutes. There was only one little tiger demon worth my attention. He has potential, though, and needs some training. After a few days, I was so bored my mouth nearly went numb from disuse. If I stayed any longer, never mind enlightening the demon clans—I'd probably succumb to boredom and fade away.”
“But you’re the Demon God. If you don’t enlighten them, who will?”
“Let that frosty icicle do it. Isn’t he the one who loves preaching and explaining the Way?”
“You think Zhi Yang will agree?”
“I told him I need to go reinforce the Four Wildernesses Barrier in the lower realms—busy work, you know.” The purple-robed man winked, lowering his voice, “Thirty thousand years ago, Pu Hua secretly stashed a few jars of fine wine behind Kunlun Mountain. I reckon it’s about time for it to be ready…”
“It’s been hidden for thirty thousand years! Aren’t you afraid that old man will lose his temper with you?”
“We’ll sneak in, take it quietly. With my skills, would he even notice?” The purple-robed man snorted lightly. “Coming or not?”
“I’m in.” The red-robed woman answered without hesitation, her voice swift and sure.
“Oh no, Zhi Yang is coming! I need to leave. You hurry up and take our little ancestor back. I’ll wait for you at the Bronze Bridge.” Glancing skyward, the purple-robed man activated his divine power and vanished by the stream.
The red-robed woman looked at the half-drunken figure, sighing softly. “Pu Hua’s wine… he took it for you, didn’t he?”
A bitter smile crossed her face, a hint of self-mockery evident. Suddenly, she glanced toward a spot in the void—right where Bai Shuo was standing.
For some reason, her eyes, previously full of lightheartedness, now held a deep sorrow and longing. A tear fell from the corner of her eye.
Seeing those eyes, Bai Shuo felt her heart ache as if her breath had been taken away. She couldn’t help but reach out to the red-robed goddess…
Don’t cry…
But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t touch the goddess’s face.
Before her, the goddess slowly faded away, and Bai Shuo closed her eyes as well.
In the Mysterious Ice Cave, a tear slipped down Bai Shuo’s sleeping face. Her brows knitted tightly as she huddled close to the dying embers of the fire, shivering from the cold.
A wave of demonic energy, origin unknown, crept in from the cave entrance. The temperature of the ice around her dropped further, and in an instant, the flickering flame was snuffed out, frost slowly covering Bai Shuo’s feet.
Just as Bai Shuo was about to collapse, a young man in simple robes caught her, holding her tightly in his arms.
Outside the cave, the dawn light was faint, and Chang Xu sneezed, rubbing his hands and looking suspiciously at the rising sun. “Senior Brother, don’t you feel it’s even colder?”
Yi Fan frowned. “Stop being superstitious. If it’s not cold here, where would it be?”
Chang Xu, feeling rebuffed, glanced worriedly toward the cave.
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