Little Nannan had gone out for a trip, successfully found herself a master, and become her own aunt's junior sister.
Since High God Yaoguang had taken on a disciple, the others naturally presented greeting gifts.
In no time at all, her chubby little arms were holding a heap of wonderful treasures.
"Thank you, Uncle-in-law, thank you, High God Moyuan, thank you, Emperor Donghua, you are all such good people!"
Little Nannan beamed as she handed out "good person" cards to everyone who had given her a gift. Then, she promptly handed all the items over to Yaoguang.
"Master, hold these for me. When Nannan grows up, you can give them back to me!"
"You silly little girl, you should just hold onto them yourself."
Baize pulled a ruby ring out of his sleeve and handed it to her. It was a storage ring capable of holding a great many things. Though not especially valuable, it was precisely what she needed right now.
"Thank you, Grand-Master!"
Accepting the ring, Little Nannan scooped up her pile of belongings and followed Yulan back to her room.
Ever since falling pregnant, Yulan was constantly tired, and Zheyan refused to let her meddle in too many affairs. She was quite content with the ease of it; whenever Zheyan was away, she would stay in her room by herself and read storybooks.
Meanwhile, the immortals outside were indeed discussing another matter.
It concerned none other than Siyin, the seventeenth disciple of Moyuan. According to Little Nannan, the Golden Lotus had not originally belonged to her; she had simply picked it up along the way, and it was precisely because of the Golden Lotus that she had provoked the black bear spirit.
After Emperor Donghua struck down that black bear spirit, he discovered two undigested people inside its belly. One was little Xiaobei, and the other was Siyin.
Only, they had arrived too late—both had already stopped breathing, beyond any hope of revival.
"How could she just die like that? It doesn't make sense."
After all, she was a princess of Qingqiu. Even though her family had schemed against him, Bai Qian had spent a few years under Zheyan's care. She was truly unruly and incorrigible, yet hearing of her abrupt and careless demise like this still stirred a touch of sorrow.
"Don't waste so much sentiment on it. If Baizhi finds out his daughter is dead, he'll likely storm Kunlun Xu to settle accounts with Moyuan before the day is out."
"Then let him come. Frankly, I'd only worry if he didn't."
Moyuan set his cup down heavily on the table. He had yet to settle accounts with Qingqiu for Bai Qian's unauthorized theft of his younger brother.
"Master, the Crown Prince and Lady Lexu request an audience!"
A paper crane used for message transmission fluttered lazily over and hovered before Moyuan, bearing the voice of Die Feng.
"What brings them to Kunlun Xu?"
The dwellings of these ancient deities were places the people of the Heavenly Palace were generally reluctant to visit unless something momentous had occurred. That went double for Lexu and the Crown Prince.
"Very well. Fortunately, the Golden Lotus has been recovered. Since today's business is concluded, I shall take my leave first."
Moyuan departed ahead of the others, while Yaoguang and Baize also prepared to return.
There was no need to rush into dealing with Baizhi; they had no critical evidence yet, and bursting into Qingqiu to search the place uninvited would violate protocol. Still, they all knew who the mastermind was in their hearts. With the enemy in the light and themselves in the dark, they simply needed to remain constantly on guard.
Before long, the Ten-Mile Peach Blossom Grove, so lively just a moment ago, returned to quiet. Emperor Donghua had gone off to Kunlun Xu with Moyuan long before, and Yaoguang and Baize had taken Little Nannan with them.
Time flowed like water, and in the blink of an eye, thirty thousand years passed.
At last, the child in Yaoguang's womb showed signs of coming into the world. Numerous multicolored birds circled and danced in the sky, and a brilliant rosy glow illuminated the heavens for ninety-nine days before finally fading away.
On the day of the birth, Moyuan and Donghua waited in the main hall. This child was destined from birth to be extraordinary. Although he was Moyuan's younger brother by blood, he had been born through Yaoguang's womb.
Emperor Donghua named him Jinchen!Ever since Jinchen was born, Emperor Donghua had harbored the intention of replacing the current Heavenly Lord.
When Jinchen reached the age of twenty thousand, Donghua took him as a disciple, personally guiding him in every word and deed.
Anyone with discerning eyes could already see Donghua's intent, and the Heavenly Lord was naturally no fool.
Yet he watched with mounting anxiety.
After all, the reason his position was so precarious was entirely due to his precious eldest son and daughter-in-law.
They had claimed that High God Yaoguang had stolen their child, and on the very day Jinchen was born, they had raised a ruckus at Yaoguang Palace.
Using pretexts of benevolence and righteousness, they had even attempted to forcibly snatch Jinchen.
Naturally, this attempt could not possibly succeed, seeing as that grand hall was packed with High Gods at the time.
Moyuan alone was more than enough to give them a severe lesson.
Because of this incident, the First Prince Yangcuo and Lexi were stripped of their royal status and demoted to water lords.
However, the son the Heavenly Lord had originally favored was not the First Prince, but the Second Prince Sangji.
Yet he proved to be no better; the betrothed bride the Heavenly Lord had carefully chosen for him was Bai Qian, the imperial princess of Qingqiu.
Unfortunately, before even laying eyes on Bai Qian, this fellow happened to encounter a little water serpent in the mortal realm.
The two fell in love at first sight, and by their second meeting, they were utterly infatuated.
"Master, Jinchen isn't here today, is he?"
A small head poked out from the doorway of the grand hall and asked.
"Him? He isn't coming back today. Why is Jinyun so afraid of that brat?"
Yaoguang peeled a grape and popped it into Baize's mouth, where it was swallowed in a single bite.
The mischievous young maiden pouted her lips, and a stomach full of grievances burst forth.
It was enough to sustain an entire evil immortal.
"Jinchen has picked up bad habits from staying with the Emperor. He teases me all day long, and the worst part is I can't even beat him!"
Jinyun was none other than the Nannan of years past, who had now grown into a graceful maiden, her stature as slender and willow-like as a budding shoot.
Back when Jinchen was too young to know better, he had been quite adorable, especially since she had a prior fondness for little flowers.Therefore, she held a strong fondness for Jinchen, but it was strictly the affection one felt for a younger brother.
Yet, as he grew older, this little rascal became less and less endearing, always finding ways to tease her.
"You, well, who told you to always fixate on food and neglect your cultivation? Otherwise, how could you be completely powerless against that brat?"
He knew his own son best; Jinchen actually harbored feelings for Jinyun.
He just didn't know how to express them, and if he kept teasing Jinyun the way he did,
he was afraid he would only push her further and further away.
"Little Yun, Grand-Master has a way to stop him from teasing you. Would you like to hear it?"
Jinyun nodded hesitantly.
Grand-Master rarely spoke with them, preferring instead to keep Master company, but his mind was sharp.
Whenever someone was lost and confused, he could always point out the most suitable path.
"Now that you're grown, tomorrow when he comes to tease you again, just tell him you are getting married soon and ask him to stop acting this way, lest your fiancé get jealous."
Jinyun's little face flushed red.
She had wondered what kind of method it would be; she never expected it to be this.
"But I..."
"Ah, just do as I say and see how that brat reacts."
Jinyun nodded dumbly, though she actually seemed quite excited herself.
Having solved her dilemma, the little girl skipped off happily.
"You, bullying your own son like that. Tomorrow when he comes back crying, you'll be the one who has to comfort him."
Amused, Yaoguang pinched Baize's face. Ever since that Golden Lotus had burrowed into her belly,
Baize had held a love-hate relationship with the child, until the day he was born and they saw it truly was a boy.
Only then did he finally give up all other hopes.