Chapter Six
As the saying goes, each generation brings forth its own talents, with new faces replacing the old—this holds true for heroes, and even more so for beauties. Where there are people, there is rivalry, and immortals are no exception. With female immortal lords as numerous as fish in a river, there must always be one who stands above the rest. Centuries ago, Jing Zhao, the most revered and beautiful daughter of Celestial Emperor Mu Guang, had long since faded from the public eye. Hundreds of years later, this reputation fell upon Hua Shu, the princess of the Peacock Clan from Hundred Birds Island in the North Sea.
Hua Shu was merely over a thousand years old, the youngest daughter of Peacock King Hua Mo. Her birth carried a legendary aura. On the night she was born, multicolored auspicious clouds enveloped the North Sea, rarely seen mermaids came ashore to sing, and even sea beasts gathered at the edge of the North Sea to revel under the moonlight. By dawn, Hua Shu was born, the auspicious clouds dispersed, the mermaids returned to the sea, and the sea beasts vanished. This wondrous spectacle was witnessed by many immortals, who marveled and declared that this little princess was blessed with heaven-blessed fortune, destined for a noble fate.
Among the avian tribes, the peacock reigns as king, but the phoenix is revered as sovereign—their status is clear at a glance. The Phoenix Clan kept a low profile, having only mobilized on a grand scale twice in tens of thousands of years: once for Feng Ran’s Nirvana Rebirth, and once for the birth of the Little Fire Phoenix. Yet these two events alone were so magnificent that they drew the attention of the Three Realms and brought celebration across the Eight Wastelands.
The prestige of the Peacock Clan had dimmed considerably since the rebirth of the Phoenix Sovereign. Hua Mo knew he could not compare to the Phoenix Sovereign’s esteemed position as the Celestial Emperor, so he cherished his daughter, born under auspicious clouds and hailed as a marvel, as a precious treasure. Hua Shu’s status within the Peacock Clan was even more revered than that of her two elder brothers.
This daughter also brought honor to the Peacock King. From birth, the immortal power within her far surpassed that of ordinary immortals, and by the age of eight hundred, she had attained the rank of Lower Lord. At nine hundred, she attended the Heavenly Palace’s Peach Banquet, where her stunning beauty captivated numerous immortal lords, with some even claiming that her future elegance would not lose to Jing Zhao, the daughter of the Celestial Emperor.
More than a hundred years after Jing Zhao’s disappearance, Hua Shu’s reputation for beauty had become unrivaled. As she grew older and reached marriageable age, countless immortal lords flocked to Hundred Birds Island to propose. The Peacock King, overjoyed, was determined to find a worthy match for his youngest daughter, yet Hua Shu rejected every suitor he selected. After a century of such turmoil, the Peacock King grew weary and finally relented, allowing Hua Shu to choose a partner to her liking. Whether dragon or serpent, as long as she consented, it would suffice.
Even the suitors meticulously chosen by the Peacock King failed to catch Hua Shu’s eye, leaving many to wonder what kind of immortal lord could meet her standards. Sighing in resignation, the rising talents of the Immortal Realm, fearing a loss of face, dared not easily venture to Hundred Birds Island to propose again, content only to admire her from afar.
Hua Shu devoted herself to cultivation in her daily life, rarely appearing in public. Though her fame was great, few had seen her beauty in person. This time, as she accompanied her father to offer congratulations, many immortal lords arrived early on Phoenix Tree Island, hoping for a chance encounter with this legendary peacock princess, said to possess unparalleled beauty across the Three Realms.
Unexpectedly, upon entering the island, Hua Shu requested the Phoenix Clan Elders to arrange her resting place at the Flowing Cloud Pavilion. Located deep within the island, secluded and difficult to access, and situated near the Ancestral Phoenix Tree where the Little Fire Phoenix was nurtured, few guests ventured close to avoid disrupting the Little Fire Phoenix’s Nirvana Rebirth. Thus, not a single immortal lord had managed to see Hua Shu before the banquet, leaving many male immortal lords disheartened by their inability to approach the beauty.
In folk operas and stories, a tale is never meant to conclude so uneventfully, drawing the curtain without fanfare. There is always a scapegoat, a target for resentment, to entertain the crowd and give vent to their grievances.At this critical moment, Little Fatty Gu made a grand entrance. He lay sprawled on High Lord Dong Hua's Snow Shaft Immortal Carriage, rolling into the island in full view of everyone, and settled into the Nine Splendors Pavilion.
Everyone except Little Fatty Gu knew that within a hundred meters of the Flowing Cloud Pavilion, there was only the Nine Splendors Pavilion. Moreover, the two pavilions were nestled among lush phoenix trees, hidden from outside view, forming a secluded and picturesque scene.
Among all the guests on the island, only Gu Jin had been personally arranged by Feng Ran. She had given the order earlier, and although the Phoenix Clan Elders found it strange that the Phoenix Sovereign would personally attend to the lodging of a disciple from Great Marsh Mountain, they still followed Feng Ran's wishes and kept the Nine Splendors Pavilion vacant. No one expected Hua Shu to choose the neighboring Flowing Cloud Pavilion as her resting place.
Feng Ran, of course, had no idea that her casual arrangement had placed Gu Jin in a spot envied and coveted by all. As the saying goes, fools have fortune, and Little Fatty Gu was precisely that resilient child who could survive even a lightning strike.
Thus, while Gu Jin slept soundly in the Nine Splendors Pavilion, he remained completely unaware that within a single day, the guests on Phoenix Tree Island had developed three equally important thoughts: to witness the Nirvana Rebirth of the second Little Fire Phoenix in the history of the Fire Phoenix lineage, to catch a glimpse of the stunningly beautiful Princess Hua Shu of the Peacock Clan, born amidst auspicious clouds, and... to size up just what kind of character this young disciple of High Lord Dong Hua, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, really was!
Gu Jin had been on Phoenix Tree Island for half a day, yet he had neither taken the initiative to pay respects to the Phoenix Clan Elders at the Phoenix Hall nor visited any familiar mountain sects from Great Marsh Mountain. The puzzled immortals all sighed, thinking this young disciple truly lacked propriety.
Among the dozen or so white-bearded grand-nephews who had accompanied him, Qing Yun, the first disciple of Immortal Lord Xian Shan, took the lead. Being of considerable age, his connections were naturally extensive, and rumors from Phoenix Tree Island soon reached his ears. After a moment of hesitation, and for the sake of Great Marsh Mountain's reputation spanning tens of thousands of years, he took a deep breath and pushed open the door to Gu Jin's room with a sense of grim determination.
Watching him enter, the other white-bearded Immortal Lords wore expressions of deep respect, for everyone knew that their little martial uncle's temper upon waking was anything but ordinary. So, when they saw Qing Yun leap out of the window a stick of incense later, his Taoist robe torn to shreds, they merely blinked calmly before dispersing.
It wasn't until dusk, when the moon hung over the willow branches and people began their evening rendezvous, that Gu Jin finally awoke. Delighted to find himself on Phoenix Tree Island, he ate the snacks prepared by his grand-nephews and swaggered out alone in search of amusement. These actions were executed so swiftly that Qing Yun had no time to tactfully inform him of the island's gossip.
"Ah, I hope Martial Uncle Gu Jin won't be too affected by this."
The grand-nephews left behind in the Nine Splendors Pavilion stood at the doorway, watching Gu Jin's plump figure recede into the distance as they began to discuss.
"If only we had prepared more vegetarian dishes for Martial Uncle these past few years. When he was thinner, he was quite handsome. Nowadays, these young Immortal Lords judge people not by character but by appearance—how the times have changed, and how people's hearts have grown shallow! No, I must follow Martial Uncle Gu Jin. He hasn't been cultivating for long, and I fear he might be bullied by others."
The immortals of Great Marsh Mountain had inherited High Lord Dong Hua's honest and straightforward nature. They rarely left the mountain, often staying secluded in their mountain hollows for centuries, all of them rather old-fashioned. To them, Gu Jin was perfect in every way, handsome from every angle. Naturally, they disliked other immortals gossiping about and criticizing their adorable and pure-hearted little martial uncle.Qing Hai was about to follow while muttering, but was pulled back by Qing Yun.
"Don't worry." Qing Yun stroked his beard, smiling with narrowed eyes. "Don't you know our shishu's temperament? She absolutely won't suffer any losses."
Qing Hai recalled how the Drunken Jade Dew at the foot of their mountain mysteriously vanished clean every year when the time came, and nodded with a sympathetic sigh, retracting his foot.
Nine Splendors Pavilion and Flowing Cloud Pavilion were located deep within the inner island of the phoenix tree, while other guests resided on the outer island, separated by a naturally formed lake. A stone bridge spanned the lake, with a stone pavilion at its center. Whether by coincidence or arrangement, for the past two days, many immortals had gathered in this stone pavilion every evening to admire the moon and savor fine wine—all of them young Immortal Lords.
The handsome and spirited male Immortal Lords hoped to seize the opportunity for a chance encounter with Hua Shu by waiting at the only path from Flowing Cloud Pavilion to the outer island. As for the female Immortal Lords, unwilling to admit defeat and harboring a competitive spirit, they naturally came to the same place. Within this small stone pavilion, a mere speck of space, gathered the cherished daughters of the Immortal Realm's noble houses.
Inside the stone pavilion, the male Immortal Lords chatted on one side, while the female Immortal Lords laughed and conversed on the other. Yet, no matter how the topics shifted, they always circled back to Hua Shu, whose fame had remained undiminished for a century.
"Jin Yun, I heard your father exchanged betrothal cards with High Lord Lei Ming the other day. You little rascal, your marriage is already settled, yet you didn't say a word to us." Mu Rong, the eldest daughter of High Lord Mu Hua, had married the Second Prince of the Eastern Sea years earlier. The person she addressed was her husband's cousin, the Third Princess of the Southern Sea, Jin Yun.
"Jin Yun, your father truly dotes on you. The husband he chose for you is truly excellent." This remark elicited a chorus of exclamations from the female Immortal Lords in the stone pavilion.
There were only a few dozen High Lords in the Immortal Realm. High Lord Lei Ming, who oversaw thunder and rain, held a high position in the Heavenly Palace and was greatly trusted by the Celestial Emperor. It was said that Lei Ming's son, Lei Han, was handsome and dignified, with a gentle and honest temperament, making him an excellent match. The eldest son of the Lei family paired with the Third Princess of the Southern Sea—this marriage could be considered a perfect match of equal status.
"Second cousin-in-law, my father's intention was to wait until everything was settled before speaking of it. It's not that I was hiding it." Third Princess Jin Yun was gentle and shy by nature. Hearing these words, her face immediately flushed, but seeing the envy on the faces of the female Immortal Lords, she couldn't conceal the delight in her eyes, her brows curving into a smile.
With a new topic at hand, the immortals naturally began to tease Third Princess Jin Yun. Seeing the focus shift, Mu Rong curled the corner of her mouth into a smile. Jin Yun glimpsed the expression on her face and sighed inwardly. Among the Immortal Lords who had come to Hundred Birds Island to propose to Hua Shu years ago was her second cousin, Ao Tian. Over the years, although her sister-in-law appeared open-minded, she disliked it most when others mentioned the princess of the Peacock Clan in her presence.
Laughter filled the stone pavilion, creating a joyful atmosphere. Above the pavilion, hidden within the clouds, a delicate and adorable fiery-red little phoenix squinted its eyes, watching the lively scene.
After listening for a while, it yawned, opened its beak, and muttered boredly, "How impressive... What's there to compare about marrying a husband..."
"Feng Yin, then tell me, what should they compare instead?"
A figure suddenly appeared beside the cloud. The newcomer wore a grand crimson ancient robe, with fiery-red hair unadorned by an imperial crown, cascading over her shoulders. She snapped her fingers, conjuring a wooden chair carved from phoenix tree wood in mid-air, then lazily sat upon it, crossing one leg.
"Speak. If your answer satisfies me, I'll forgive you for sneaking out today. If not..."She raised an eyebrow at Little Fire Phoenix and said with a smile, "I will definitely make you understand why flowers are so red and why the moon is so round..."
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