Chapter Fifty-Three
The nine heavens open their palaces, myriad nations bow before the imperial crown—such is Chang’an.
Beneath the clouds, the city bustled with life and noise. Ayin, who had never set foot in the mortal realm, craned her neck to peer downward, her face alight with longing.
“A Jin, where is this? It’s so lively!”
“Chang’an,” Gu Jin replied, a smile touching his eyes at Ayin’s delight. “I heard from some immortal friends that when they passed through Chang’an, the city was holding a lantern festival. I thought I’d bring you to see it.”
Ayin’s eyes sparkled. “I can go play in the mortal realm?”
Since her birth in the Forbidden Valley of Great Marsh Mountain, Ayin had followed Gu Jin across the Immortal Realm and the Demon Tribe, but had only ever heard of mortal tales from Qing Yi’s stories.
For a girl her age, the Immortal Realm was dull and monotonous—nothing compared to the vibrant world of mortals. Even Yan Shuang, who had lived for thousands of years, couldn’t help but gaze down at Chang’an beneath the sea of clouds.
“Of course. Although immortals are forbidden from interfering in mortal affairs, we can slip in and out quietly.” Gu Jin cautioned Ayin and Yan Shuang, “Once we enter the city, don’t casually use immortal techniques…”
Before he could finish, his Cosmic Bag trembled, and A Jiu leaped out, landing on the cloud to peer downward. “It really is lively,” he said, licking his lips to reveal a crimson tongue. “I wonder if mortal children’s blood tastes good.”
Gu Jin felt a headache coming on and warned, “A Jiu, Chang’an is under the protection of the Emperor Star. Don’t act recklessly.”
“You’re an Elder of Great Marsh Mountain, but don’t put on airs with me. I’m from the Demon Tribe—why should I listen to you?” A Jiu snorted, crossing his arms defiantly.
Seeing the two at odds, on the verge of a fight, Ayin quickly stepped between them, smiling brightly. “A Jin, don’t listen to A Jiu’s nonsense. He couldn’t even bring himself to eat the litter of rabbits the eldest senior brother keeps in the back mountain, and he sneaks carrots from the kitchen for them every day! He’d never eat mortal children.”
A fox not eating rabbits? Such a tale was unheard of throughout the ages!
Gu Jin couldn’t hide the astonishment in his eyes.
Exposed, A Jiu flushed with anger and embarrassment, his handsome youthful face tinged with red, making him all the more captivating. Yan Shuang, accustomed to the burly, rough-hewn members of the Eagle Clan, couldn’t help but steal several glances at such rare beauty.
“Alright, everyone, be careful once we enter the city. Don’t use Spiritual Power recklessly and scare the mortals,” Gu Jin coughed, indirectly giving the fox a way out. He recited an Immortal Incantation, transforming into the appearance of an elegant mortal gentleman.
Thinking of the mortal tales Qing Yi had shown her, Ayin undid her small bun, dissolved her immortal gown, and conjured a set of bright red wide-sleeved flowing robes.
Her black hair cascaded like a waterfall over the red dress, setting off her snow-white skin and orchid-like grace.
When Gu Jin looked up, he was momentarily stunned, taking a long while to regain his senses.
A Jiu, standing directly across from Ayin, stared openly, while Yan Shuang glanced left and right before slapping A Jiu on the shoulder with a grin. “Fox, wipe your drool. If we dawdle any longer, the lantern festival will be over, and there’ll be nothing left to see.”
Yan Shuang put her full strength into the slap, sending A Jiu stumbling. Just as he was about to erupt, Gu Jin spoke up.
“There are too many people and too many voices. To avoid drawing mortal attention, we should split up. Yan Shuang, you and A Jiu explore the west city. I’ll take Ayin to the east city. We’ll meet at the city gate at the hour of Hai.”With that, without waiting for their reactions, he took Ayin's hand and flew down toward the city, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Too many people? Afraid of being discovered? Couldn’t you come up with a better excuse? Yan Shuang wore an expression of utter disbelief. Seeing the fox beside her looking as if he were about to explode with rage, she couldn’t resist provoking him further: "Stop staring. She’s clearly smitten with that righteous and noble senior brother, not a fox as bewitching as you."
Hong Yi whirled around, furious. "Stupid eagle, what nonsense are you spouting?"
"Oh, people just hate hearing the truth," Yan Shuang shrugged. "If you scare me off, who’s going to keep you company exploring Chang’an?"
"Who wants to explore with you? I’m going to slaughter the city and drink the blood of every child—" Before he could finish his roar, Yan Shuang had already closed the distance between them, leaving barely half a thumb’s width between their faces. The fox’s glass-like eyes, as if tempered by true fire, met her golden ones, appearing unexpectedly pure and beautiful.
A Jiu had never been stared at so openly in all his life and was momentarily stunned. Her golden eyes blinked, swiftly flickering with something akin to tenderness.
"Fox, has no one ever told you?"
"Told me what?" the fox stammered in reply.
"Your ears always perk up when you lie." After saying this, Yan Shuang flicked his ear and burst into hearty laughter, dragging the fox—who had lost count of how many times he’d been provoked into a rage today—down toward Chang’an.
"Let’s go, let’s go! If we delay any longer, the lantern festival will really be over. It’s been years since I last visited the mortal realm. Do an old friend a favor and keep me company, won’t you?"
"Hmph!"
A proud snort echoed from the clouds, but in the end, the fox didn’t push away the cheerful Eagle Clan princess.
Inside Chang’an, lanterns blazed brilliantly, and the streets teemed with people.
Gu Jin and Ayin landed inconspicuously in the city. Ayin, captivated by the bustling mortal capital, bounced through the crowd, unable to contain her excitement.
Gu Jin followed behind her, unusually silent. He watched Ayin not far ahead, his expression calm, but his heart was a tangled mess.
Gu Jin lowered his head and glanced at his hand. Just moments ago, without a second thought, he had taken Ayin’s hand and flown away with her. The lingering warmth of her touch still lingered on his fingertips. It was a gesture he had made countless times before, yet today, for some reason, it felt strangely unsettling.
He had pulled her away because he didn’t want A Jiu to keep looking at Ayin like that, hadn’t he…?
Gu Jin abruptly clasped his hands behind his back, as if any further thought on the matter was utterly inappropriate.
Absurd, utterly absurd. What was he thinking about the child he had raised with his own hands?
"A Jin, A Jin, candied hawthorns, candied hawthorns!" Ayin’s sweet and cheerful voice called out from ahead.
Gu Jin looked up to see Ayin waving at him.
"Over here, over here!"
In front of Ayin stood an honest-looking young man holding a bundle of bright red candied hawthorns. The young man looked embarrassed, but Ayin was shouting joyfully.
Pushing aside the distracting thoughts and absurd conjectures in his heart, Gu Jin hurried forward.
"What’s wrong?"
Ayin whispered, "A Jin, I didn’t bring any silver." She spread out the bottles and jars in her hands, looking quite aggrieved. "I tried to trade him with immortal dew and pills, but he wouldn’t let me."
The simple and honest young man selling candied hawthorns had probably never encountered such an adorable and charming young girl before. If not for the fact that he relied on this small business to support his elderly parents, he would have gladly given the candied hawthorns to her. Now, he stood awkwardly rubbing his hands, looking utterly helpless.Gu Jin was taken aback, only then remembering that the two of them had impulsively decided to enter Chang’an and hadn’t brought any gold or silver with them. Seeing Ayin’s eager expression, Gu Jin took a jade pendant from his robe and handed it to the young man, smiling as he said, “Young man, my junior sister and I left in a hurry and forgot to bring any silver. How about I trade this jade pendant for one of your sugar-coated haws?”
Over the years, the two senior brothers from Great Marsh Mountain had gifted him countless jade pendants for his birthdays, so he had developed the habit of casually carrying a few in his robe.
The honest young man waved his hands repeatedly. “Young master, no need, no need. A sugar-coated haw isn’t worth this much.”
The two of them were dressed in fine silk robes and had exceptional appearances, clearly raised in a wealthy household. The jade was crystal clear and of excellent quality.
“It’s fine,” Gu Jin said, tossing the jade pendant into the young man’s hand, taking a sugar-coated haw, and handing it to the eagerly waiting Ayin before turning to leave.
By the time the young man fumbled to catch the pendant and looked up, the ethereally handsome senior brother and junior sister were already gone. He stood there dazed for a long while, rubbing his eyes. If not for the pendant in his hand, he would have thought the scene just moments ago was a dream.
“Is it that delicious?” Gu Jin couldn’t help but ask, as the sound of Ayin smacking her lips while eating the sugar-coated haw was too tempting.
Ayin nodded repeatedly, carefully taking another bite of the sugar-coated haw. “Delicious, so delicious! It’s even sweeter than the Drunken Jade Dew from our Great Marsh Mountain. No wonder Qing Yi talks about it all day long. When we return to the mountain tomorrow, I’ll have to show off to him properly.” Ayin bounced around, laughing so hard she could barely keep her eyes open, waving the sugar-coated haw exaggeratedly at Gu Jin.
Gu Jin watched her antics with amusement, feeling an unusual sense of peace and warmth in his heart.
Just then, several half-grown children ran past holding small wooden bows and arrows. In the commotion, a wooden sword slipped from one young boy’s hand and struck a horse pulling a carriage nearby.
Startled, the horse let out a long whinny, becoming agitated and lifting its hoof toward Ayin’s direction, as if it were about to trample the young girl in the next moment. Ayin, with her back to the carriage, hadn’t noticed any of this.
Gu Jin’s heart sank heavily, filled with helpless panic. He rushed toward Ayin, simultaneously releasing a burst of Immortal Power that struck the frenzied horse with force.
Ayin, holding her sugar-coated haw, only heard the sound of a long whinny and galloping hooves behind her. Before she could react, she was tightly pulled into Gu Jin’s embrace.
The frenzied horse, struck by the Immortal Power, collapsed to the ground, foaming at the mouth and panting heavily. The nearby townspeople, frightened, scattered in all directions.
The young man’s chest was warm and broad, and the sound of his heartbeat was several times faster than her own startled one. Ayin nestled in this warmth, reluctant to move. It wasn’t until her arm holding the sugar-coated haw grew sore that she sensed something was amiss.
She patted Gu Jin’s shoulder with her free hand and called out softly, “A Jin.” When the young man didn’t move, she quickly added, “I’m fine.”
Gu Jin seemed to snap out of a trance at these words. He stared blankly for a moment before releasing Ayin.
Ayin quickly waved her arms and legs, jumping up and down on the ground. “Really, I’m completely fine.”
“Ayin…” After a long while, Gu Jin’s slightly hoarse voice suddenly broke the silence.
“Hmm?” Ayin was taken aback, raising her eyes slightly to meet Gu Jin’s dark gaze.
“Don’t get hurt again. No matter when or for whom, don’t get hurt again.”
And never, ever get hurt in front of me.Why, upon learning the truth of Hua Shu's deception, did he feel only anger and not a trace of sorrow? Why did he breathe a sigh of relief when the marriage proposal fell through? And why did Ayin's journey from afar fill him with such joy?
Gu Jin's voice was heavy, yet there were far more words left unspoken. But he knew that something strange, something he had never noticed before, had already broken free from its cocoon.
He could not stop it, nor did he know when it had first sprouted. But he was not foolish—he knew what it was.
He gazed steadily at the unscathed young woman before him. The crimson quju robe swayed gracefully around her, blooming with a shy yet unparalleled elegance, as if untouched by the mundane world.
Thank goodness, Gu Jin sighed inwardly. Thank goodness it was he who had found her, who had not missed a single moment of her growth.
Ayin, for the rest of your life, I will protect you well.
I realized it late, but thankfully, not too late.
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