The Last Immortal

Chapter Eleven

In this world, all creatures of the female gender share two common traits: they love to flaunt one thing—their husbands—and they love to conceal one secret—their age.

Immortals enjoy long lives and eternal youth, where age differences of hundreds or even thousands of years after reaching adulthood are almost negligible. No lady enjoys being complimented as "older in years," especially a great beauty renowned throughout the Immortal Realm for her looks. Gu Jin, born with a knack for foolishness and a mouth that offends, was lucky that Hua Shu didn’t glare at him and politely ask him to leave the hall—it was already a testament to her good temper.

As for the male lords, they were left both amused and exasperated by Gu Jin’s remark.

Where did this fat Immortal Lord, who appeared out of nowhere looking like this, come from? Does he even know how to speak? How are those younger than Princess Hua Shu supposed to live with that, huh? The row of lords seated in the hall were here to seek a wife, not to pay respects to an elder!

In the quiet hall, everyone held their breath, their eyes darting back and forth between Gu Jin and Hua Shu in perfect unison. Gu Jin continued to grin carelessly at Hua Shu, as though his words had been laden with ten pounds of sincerity.

Having lived for thousands of years, Hua Shu heard this fresh remark for the first time. She paused briefly, and upon sensing the tense silence in the hall, she gracefully pursed her lips into a smile, raised the teacup beside her, and offered a toast. "Immortal Lord Gu Jin is right. I am indeed a few years older, so there’s no need for formalities. Hua Shu offers tea in respect. Immortal Lord Gu Jin, please."

Hua Shu had always been aloof, rarely showing warmth to any Immortal Lord. Her lack of anger toward Gu Jin and even her gesture of goodwill were truly rare.

Whether it was the prestige of High Lord Dong Hua that worked in his favor or her own magnanimity, Hua Shu eased the tension in the hall, showcasing her open-mindedness.

Her straightforward and unruffled demeanor, completely unfazed by his thoughtless words, bore some resemblance to the lady from last night. Gu Jin still couldn’t be entirely sure, narrowing his small eyes slightly. He took the clear tea offered by Hong Que, twirled the cup by its rim, and asked playfully, "I felt an instant connection with Your Highness. I wonder if you felt the same?"

This direct and bold question left the other lords feeling rather sour. Having a high status, a powerful family, and influential backing sure made a difference—who else would dare to be so presumptuous with Hua Shu?

Hua Shu didn’t even glance at him, answering stiffly, "No."

Little Fatty Gu’s expression faltered. The Immortal Lords in the hall secretly rejoiced at his embarrassment.

But then Hua Shu set down her teacup, tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, looked at Gu Jin, and smiled faintly, replying meaningfully, "‘Instant connection’ isn’t quite right. ‘Reconnection’ might be more fitting."

Reconnection? With only a wall between them, this fat kid really had the advantage of proximity! The expressions of the male lords instantly turned subtle.

Little Fatty Gu paid no mind to the others. The pitch-black pupils in his narrowed eyes suddenly widened, and his usually casual voice unconsciously rose with a hint of delight. "Your Highness last night…"

Before he could finish, the sound of a teacup shattering on the floor, accompanied by a lady’s exclamation, suddenly echoed through the hall.

"Ah! Bi Yun!"

The lords turned to see Bi Yun, the fairy from Southern Mountain, flustered and apologetic as she faced Jin Yun, the Third Princess of the Southern Sea, whose skirt was stained with tea. Bi Yun paused for a moment before hurriedly trying to brush the tea leaves off Jin Yun’s skirt, utterly embarrassed.Jin Yun snapped back to reality, silently chiding herself for her earlier loud exclamation, which had embarrassed Bi Yun. She quickly grabbed Bi Yun’s hand and said, “It’s nothing, nothing, Sister Bi Yun. I was just startled.”

Bi Yun looked up, intending to say a few words of gratitude, but unfortunately met the fleeting coldness in Gu Jin’s eyes. Her face instantly turned as pale as paper, and she stammered, unable to speak.

Seeing her like this, Gu Jin’s expression remained unchanged, but the coldness in his eyes dissipated slightly.

Hua Shu naturally knew the reason. She chuckled softly, breaking the silence. “Hong Que, take Princess Jin Yun to the inner hall to change her clothes and bring Lady Bi Yun a fresh cup of tea.”

“Yes,” Hong Que replied, leading Princess Jin Yun to the back hall.

Bi Yun sat down again, anxiously watching the plump Immortal Lord, who still wore a faint smile not far away. Her heart trembled inexplicably. Could the fleeting sharpness she had seen in Gu Jin’s eyes just moments ago have been merely her imagination?

“Immortal Lord Gu Jin, what did you wish to ask earlier?” As soon as the matter was resolved, Immortal Lord Xuan Che in the hall waved the bone fan in his hand and addressed Gu Jin with a smile.

Seeing him speak, the others immediately grew interested, silently thinking that the plump Immortal Lord’s luck had run out. Immortal Lord Xuan Che was the son of the Thunder Lord, a proud and arrogant man, sharp-tongued and harsh. He admired Hua Shu and had never shown a kind face to any man around her, often treating them with extreme severity. Because his father held a high position of authority and oversaw the Heavenly Palace’s thunder punishments, the other immortals usually regarded him as a fearsome presence, avoiding him whenever possible.

In this confrontation between the two, many secretly hoped Gu Jin would come out on top.

A flicker of disgust also passed through Hua Shu’s eyes, but she remained composed, turning her gaze to Gu Jin. She wanted to see how Gu Jin would respond. After all, if he mentioned the events of the previous night, this Immortal Lord who had protected the True God would immediately become the object of flattery and praise from the other immortals. Anything related to the True Gods of the Ancient Realm, no matter how trivial, was enough to send shockwaves through the Lower Three Realms for years.

Gu Jin didn’t even glance at Xuan Che. Instead, he looked up at Hua Shu and said, “When I entered the island, I heard from the immortal attendants that the scenery of Phoenix Tree Island is at its peak these days. I merely wished to ask…” He paused, then calmly continued under Bi Yun’s fearful, pleading gaze, “Did Your Highness happen to visit Phoenix Tree Island last night?”

As his words fell, Bi Yun’s tightly wound body relaxed, leaning back into the wooden chair, and a hint of color returned to her face.

Before Hua Shu could answer, Xuan Che’s thick disdain rang out. “I wondered what it was about. So, you’re trying to find out where Her Highness enjoys visiting each day…” He closed his bone fan and tapped it against his palm, sweeping his gaze over Gu Jin’s plump figure. “Immortal Lord Gu Jin, even if you knew where Her Highness goes, what of it? With your physique, do you have the stamina to accompany her? Or would you need to trouble your dozen or so disciples to bring out the Snow Shaft Immortal Carriage and wait on you hand and foot? Moreover, I hear you’re barely over two hundred years old. How can you be so inconsiderate of your elders and lacking in manners?”

Xuan Che had always carried the arrogance of a spoiled second-generation noble, and he enjoyed using high-sounding principles to belittle his opponents. His words thoroughly insulted Gu Jin. If it were anyone else, they would likely have stormed out in anger.Yet, he had encountered the little crown prince raised by the two eccentric beings Tian Qi and Feng Ran—the most legitimate second-generation heir across the Three Realms and Eight Wastelands. In terms of being sharp-tongued, venomous, and narrow-minded, aside from his mother Shang Gu, Gu Jin was unmatched throughout the Nine Provinces and Eight Wastelands.

Before the hall full of pitying gazes could fully settle upon Gu Jin, he had already begun dragging his plump, round belly, inching bit by bit on the wooden chair toward Xuan Che’s direction. The assembled lords craned their necks in anticipation of his counterattack, but his movements were somewhat slow. By the time he finally managed to meet Xuan Che’s gaze, everyone’s necks had grown stiff from waiting.

Gu Jin’s voice carried a slow, earnest tone: “Immortal Lord Xuan Che, this humble immortal is dull-witted. There is one matter I’ve struggled to understand for decades. I’ve heard that your wisdom is among the highest in the Immortal Realm. Might you enlighten me?”

Having insulted someone only to be flattered, Xuan Che snorted haughtily: “Speak, then.”

The assembled immortals sighed inwardly. It seemed this young disciple of the venerable High Lord Dong Hua was one to smooth things over, retreating into his shell before the confrontation even began.

“Does the Immortal Lord know how many True Gods were born alongside the sun and moon in the Ancient Divine Realm?”

The question left everyone dumbfounded, and Xuan Che sneered even more contemptuously, his disdainful voice ringing clearly through the hall: “Shang Gu, Blazing Sun, Bai Jue, and Tian Qi—these four Divine Lords are the True Gods of the Ancient Divine Realm. Immortal Lord Gu Jin, does Great Marsh Mountain not possess even a single ancient text?”

“I am aware of that,” Gu Jin replied slowly. “This humble immortal merely wonders, among the four Divine Lords, who is the eldest?”

Xuan Che had already given up hope for Gu Jin’s intelligence, feeling that Great Marsh Mountain was in decline, and it was a joke to have produced such a disciple. He answered: “Divine Lord Blazing Sun descended at the dawn of chaos and is now over two hundred and thirty thousand years old—the eldest among them.”

Some immortals, however, began to grasp the deeper meaning in Gu Jin’s words and gradually caught on. Hua Shu was among them. Her expression turned serious, and her gaze toward Gu Jin held a trace of scrutiny.

“Oh… I see.” Gu Jin nodded slowly again, appearing as though he had been enlightened, then continued: “Then, I wonder which Divine Lord holds the highest status?”

“Naturally, it is Divine Lord Shang Gu…” Xuan Che’s smug voice abruptly caught in his throat, the final “Lord” stubbornly refusing to emerge. He met the pair of narrowed eyes from across the hall, cold sweat gradually beading on his forehead, his face alternating between green and purple.

It was known throughout the Three Realms that among the four True Gods, Divine Lord Shang Gu had inherited the Primordial Chaos Power of the ancestral god, Qiantian. Though the youngest in age, her divine status was the most exalted. By mocking Gu Jin for disrespecting elders, Xuan Che had unwittingly mocked Divine Lord Shang Gu, who had set this precedent in the natural order of heaven and earth.

“There are a few ancient turtles in the Southern Sea, said to be over two hundred thousand years old. According to the Immortal Lord’s earlier, unequivocal questioning, would Divine Lord Shang Gu have to bow and pay respects to these ‘elders’ to uphold propriety?” Gu Jin drawled his words. “This humble immortal is two hundred years old, and I’ve heard the Immortal Lord is already around four thousand. My failure to bow and greet you earlier is also a fault…”

He paused at just the right moment, merely curving his eyes into an innocent arc.

The hall fell into complete silence. The assembled lords studied Gu Jin’s amiable, smiling face for a long moment, silently mourning for Immortal Lord Xuan Che, and then unconsciously shifted their seats slightly away from Gu Jin.

This plump immortal lord, it turned out, was one who devoured people without spitting out the bones. They had truly misjudged him earlier.Xuan Che's leisurely and carefree demeanor vanished, his hand gripping the bone fan showing prominent veins. After a long pause, he pressed his lips together, stood up, and took two steps toward Gu Jin's direction. He lowered his head and bowed respectfully. "Immortal Lord Gu Jin, your words humble me. As the disciple of the venerable High Lord Dong Hua, you are of a senior generation to me. Just now, I lost my senses and spoke recklessly. I hope Immortal Lord Gu Jin will be magnanimous and not hold it against a junior like me."

Though Xuan Che was known for his acerbic, arrogant, and conceited nature, having lived for four thousand years, he was no fool. He immediately bent his pride to seek a way out. Yet, the bow he offered carried an unnatural stiffness, as if he were still reeling from shock.

A sudden crunching sound echoed through the hall. The immortals looked up to see the plump young Immortal Lord seemingly oblivious to Xuan Che's bow, his eyes fixed solely on the handful of melon seeds clutched in his fleshy palm. Their hearts trembled with a shared thought: Immortal Lord Xuan Che truly had a hard lot.

Hua Shu leaned back comfortably in her wooden chair, regarding Gu Jin with newfound respect. Truly worthy of being Dong Hua's disciple—he has some skill. But what a pity, he’s only learned to gain a superficial advantage with words.

The immortals waited as Gu Jin leisurely sipped his tea and cracked through half a plate of melon seeds before his light and surprised voice twirled through the air: "Ah, ah, Immortal Lord Xuan Che, why are you bowing? I am but a humble immortal with shallow knowledge, merely seeking to clarify a question or two. What talk of holding grudges? I spoke some nonsense—please pay it no mind. My admiration for you, Immortal Lord, flows as endlessly as the waters of the Heavenly River. I’m sure I’ll have to trouble you often in the future... Please, take a seat. Have some tea, and let’s continue discussing the matter of my weight. I’ve heard your father, the Thunder Lord, was as majestic and robust as I am. I wonder how he earned the privilege to accompany your mother back in the day... Hmm? Your complexion looks a bit pale—have you not eaten enough? You seem too thin, like a bamboo pole that could be blown away by a gust of wind. When I return to Great Marsh Mountain, I’ll find you a couple of potent tonic pills. I guarantee they’ll make you as strong as a vajra..."

Before he could finish, the assembled immortals watched as High Lord Xuan Che bowed once more, his face ashen, offered an apology, and fled the hall.

Gu Jin watched his retreating figure with a smile, then turned a gentle and innocent grin toward the stunned immortals. He modestly fell silent and nestled back into his wooden chair like a Maitreya Buddha, as if he had never moved an inch.

In this battle without smoke or fire, the plump immortal from Great Marsh Mountain had left Xuan Che utterly defeated and bloodied.

Though the outcome was unexpected, it suited the wishes of all.

The immortals finally understood why the venerable High Lord Dong Hua had taken on such a young disciple even as he ascended to godhood. Gu Jin might be unattractive and plump, but his clear sense of right and wrong and fearless nature were genuinely endearing.

Having defeated the widely despised High Lord Xuan Che, most of the immortals in the hall now regarded Gu Jin with goodwill. Some ladies even found his chubby appearance somewhat pleasing, at least brimming with a simple, honest charm.

After Xuan Che’s departure, the hall gradually filled again with scattered laughter and conversation. Gu Jin kept gazing eagerly at Hua Shu, who sat in the seat of honor. Each time he thought to speak, the pleading look from Lady Biyun nearby drifted over, forcing him to bury his questions and patiently wait for the crowd to disperse.However, his expression was interpreted by the onlookers as a sign of deep admiration for Hua Shu. The female lords sighed, lamenting that yet another male immortal lord of the Immortal Realm had fallen beneath Princess Hua Shu's peacock skirt. Hua Shu, on the other hand, remained composed, occasionally exchanging pleasantries with Gu Jin while conversing with others—neither overly warm nor cold.

With only two hours left before the Celestial Emperor's evening banquet, the immortal lords began to take their leave. Only a few female lords, hoping to secure prime seats near Hua Shu, stubbornly stayed behind. As Hua Shu and several female immortal lords walked toward the inner hall with smiles, and Female Lord Biyun also disappeared from sight, Gu Jin gritted his teeth and, carrying his plump frame, hurried after the female lords.

If he didn't get a clear answer, his heart simply wouldn't settle.

After passing through the corridor, just a few steps away from catching up, the light laughter of the female lords ahead reached his ears, causing Gu Jin to halt abruptly.

"Your Highness, Immortal Lord Gu Jin may be young, but his methods are quite clever. Today, he thoroughly teased Immortal Lord Xuan Che. Xuan Che lost face and will likely dare not leave Thunder Palace for many years," one female lord remarked.

Gu Jin had been raised by Tian Qi, and his actions and speech inevitably carried some of Tian Qi's traits. His treatment of Xuan Che today was entirely in line with Tian Qi's usual tactics, though the immortals of the Lower Three Realms were less accustomed to such behavior. Being young at heart, Gu Jin couldn't help but feel a surge of pride at the praise. Hidden behind the corridor, he tiptoed to eavesdrop, eager to see Hua Shu's reaction.

"For his age, provoking Xuan Che does show considerable courage," Hua Shu nodded slightly in response.

The female lord covered her face with a laugh. "Your Highness, judging by Immortal Lord Gu Jin's demeanor earlier, he seems utterly captivated, longing for just a glance from you!" Seeing no ripple of emotion on Hua Shu's face, she understood the unspoken meaning and sighed with feigned regret. "It's just a pity. Though Immortal Lord Gu Jin appears promising from afar, he is too young and lacks worldly experience. He seems more like a budding flower, not yet in full bloom—hardly a suitable match."

Gu Jin was only around two hundred years old. Though he had reached adulthood, compared to these female lords who were thousands of years old, he truly was just a budding flower.

At this remark, the group of female lords burst into laughter, and even Hua Shu's lips curved into a faint smile.

Hidden behind the wooden railing, Little Fatty Gu's expression turned peculiar as he mulled over the words, feeling utterly dejected. Only when Hua Shu and the other female lords temporarily parted ways to change clothes did he snap back to reality and hurriedly give chase.

Just as Hua Shu stepped into the inner hall, before Hong Que could close the door, she saw a fiery red blur flying down the corridor. She couldn't help but marvel at the speed, considering the bulky figure.

"Immortal Lord Gu Jin!" No matter how surprised she was, Hong Que didn't forget her duty and blocked Gu Jin at the doorway.

"Princess Hua Shu." Gu Jin skidded to a stop, leaning against the doorframe as he gasped for breath.

Hiding the impatience in her eyes, Hua Shu turned around. "Immortal Lord Gu Jin, what is the matter?"

Seeing Hua Shu turn, Gu Jin hastily straightened up, even carefully smoothing the wrinkles in his robe.

He looked up at Hua Shu with utmost seriousness and asked, "Princess Hua Shu, was it you who helped me yesterday in the Phoenix Tree Forest?"