Fairy Weining still opened her eyes to the sound of birdsong. The sky outside the thatched cottage was already bright, and the morning light tumbled eagerly through the window, spilling a soft radiance across the entire room.
Working with such unremitting diligence every day to fulfill her duties—A-Jin and his younger brothers certainly had it tough.
Thinking of A-Jin's helpless expression upon hearing that teasing remark, Weining smiled as she finished meditating and got out of bed. Though they could not meet every day, having the sunlight accompany her daily felt as comforting as having friends right by her side, bringing an extraordinary sense of peace.
After a simple wash, Weining practiced a few sets of sword forms in the peach grove until the sun had climbed halfway into the sky. Seeing that the time was right, she put away her sword, tidied her appearance slightly, and flew toward the Yang Family.
Fearing she might startle mortals, she landed directly in the courtyard of the Yang Family.
The scenery within the courtyard remained unchanged. Yaoji and her husband were standing together outside the hall, seemingly waiting for her.
Weining marveled that Yang Tianyou truly lived up to being the husband of a deity; he showed not the slightest hint of shock at seeing someone riding the clouds and descending from the heavens, which showed he had grown quite accustomed to such sights.
Seeing her land in the courtyard, the two of them walked over together and stopped five paces away from her.
Weining stood her ground, smiling and nodding in greeting.
"Greetings, Fairy. I am Yang Tianyou. I am here to thank you for saving our child yesterday." Yaoji's husband, that Yang Tianyou, stood firmly and bowed deeply to Weining.
Weining nodded in return. "Mr. Yang is too polite. It was merely a matter of a raised hand; such a grand gesture is truly unnecessary."
"A great kindness requires no words of thanks. The immense grace of Fairy Weining is carved into our hearts!" Yaoji linked arms with Yang Tianyou, exchanged a smile with him, and spoke to Weining with a radiant grin.
Before Weining could reply, Yaoji continued, "After a night of deep thought regarding today's matters, I have made my decision."
Seeing her speak with such calm composure, entirely lacking yesterday's panic, Weining felt a sudden sense of foreboding that today's business would not go smoothly.
She watched as the couple clasped hands tightly, standing shoulder to shoulder and smiling at each other with a serenity that felt eternal. Yet immortals and mortals belonged to different worlds, and cruel fate made it so that such a scene was destined never to be repeated.
Though a pang of sorrow rose in her heart, Weining kept her expression unchanged and slowly asked, "Please, enlighten me."
Yaoji paused, exchanged a glance with her husband, and turned back to look at Weining with guilt in her eyes. "Last night, we dismissed all our servants and sent our three children to a safe place. The two of us remain here to give the Fairy an account..."
Weining raised an eyebrow. "What need is there for an account? Just come with me to the Heavenly Court, Goddess. As for Mr. Yang, he can simply live out his days in peace."
Yaoji's expression twisted with internal conflict as she looked at the sorrowful Yang Tianyou. She gritted her teeth, pulled her hand away, and gave Yang Tianyou's hand a reassuring pat.
Stepping forward, a flash of red light swept across her left side, and a precious sword instantly materialized in her grasp.
Clutching the sword tightly, her expression resolute, eyes filled with entreaty, and voice laced with sorrow, Yaoji spoke: "Yaoji truly cannot bear to leave my husband, my children, and our home. Therefore, I presumptuously ask to test my skills against the Fairy today. If by some luck I manage to win a move or two, I beg the Fairy to spare our family; but if... if my skills are inferior, I also ask the Fairy for mercy! In short, let everything rest upon the will of heaven. Please grant us this, and we will be eternally grateful..."
As her voice trailed off, the two of them bowed to Weining almost in unison.
Weining frowned slightly. Just as she thought, complications had arisen... After a long moment, she said, "Please rise first, the two of you."
Instead of standing up, they said together, "Please grant this, Fairy."
Weining felt profoundly troubled. If Yaoji were to accompany her back to the heavens immediately, all would be well. Not only would she, the Law Enforcement Deity, fulfill her duty impeccably, but it would also be the safest and most thorough resolution for their family.
As the saying went, delays brought changes; why on earth would a dignified female war goddess of the Heavenly Court refuse to let go of such fleeting emotions and obsessions, trading the big picture for the small?
Yet judging by Yaoji's posture at this moment, she would likely rather die than ascend to the heavens with her.
Rack her brains as she might, Weining could not understand what was going on in her head. She refused to believe that a female war goddess of the Heavenly Court could act so decisively devoid of reason, completely swayed by emotion. Had she been so blinded by romantic love that she lost her mind?
Weining felt both distressed and baffled as she watched the couple stubbornly maintain their bowing posture. Willing to resort to emotional pressure and casting aside even basic dignity, they were clearly dead set on this course.
With them being so obstinate, an outsider like her could only sigh in helplessness! Fine, she would leave it to the will of heaven. If she lost, she would simply pretend she had never seen them! After all, if she truly lacked the skill, she indeed had no way of forcing Yaoji up to heaven to face punishment.
Having made up her mind, Weining stepped forward to help Yaoji up. "Mr. Yang, please rise as well. I agree."
They were overjoyed. Yang Tianyou bowed deeply to her once more. "Many thanks, Fairy!"
Yaoji tightly grasped the arm with which Weining was supporting her, her hands trembling slightly with emotion, before she finally managed to say, "Thank you..."
Practitioners of the Dao valued a tranquil mind free of desires, considering extreme joy and extreme sorrow to be the most harmful things. In her current state, she was likely to injure her constitution.
"You should calm yourself first, Goddess. Aren't you going to spar with me? In your current state, no matter how untalented I might be, I'm afraid it will be hard for you to win against me. Could it be that the Goddess is willing to abandon her husband and child?" Weining couldn't help but tease, trying to help shift her focus.
Hearing this, Yaoji chuckled, and after a moment, she finally calmed her mind.
She motioned for Yang Tianyou to step aside, and Weining also took a few steps back to put some distance between them.
At this moment, Yaoji's expression turned serene, her gaze burned with intensity, and her entire aura shifted abruptly.
Weining inwardly praised her: This is what a true female war goddess of the Heavenly Court looks like; her aura is indeed extraordinary.
Seeing her brimming with battle intent, Weining immediately collected her thoughts and prepared herself wholeheartedly.
Yaoji slowly drew her sword, flicked her left hand, and the scabbard flew outward, embedding itself straight into a distant corridor pillar. She slowly raised her right arm, pointing her sword straight ahead. "Please draw your weapon."
Weining smiled faintly, flicked her right hand, and Danxin materialized instantly. Holding her sword horizontally, she said, "I have long heard of the Goddess's mighty reputation and have deeply admired you. I've long wished to exchange pointers, and I never expected to have such a fine opportunity today. It is truly my great fortune. Please!"
A confident, faint smile touched the corner of Yaoji's lips. "Offense!" Before her voice even faded, her figure moved, and she lunged forward with her sword.
Weining sidestepped to evade the blade's momentum while simultaneously raising her sword to block.
Yaoji altered her stance and attacked again. Refusing to show weakness, Weining swung her sword to counter-attack, and the two of them became locked in combat...
No one with a great reputation was a fraud; Yaoji was indeed extraordinary. After just a few exchanges of blows, Weining already had a measure of her opponent.
Although Yaoji's physical strength fell slightly short of the Great Golden Crow's, her techniques were flexible and ever-changing, her footwork light and swift, and her experience rich. Her actual combat power was likely even greater than the Great Golden Crow's.
Fortunately, she had tempered herself extensively in the Mortal Realm for over three years; otherwise, even if her other skills were not inferior to Yaoji's, her combat experience alone would have made her no match.
In a short span of time, the two of them had already exchanged hundreds of blows, thrusting and parrying without yielding an inch. Figures fluttered wildly within the courtyard, and the sound of weapons clashing rang out ceaselessly.
Yang Tianyou stood to the side, watching the blurred, shifting figures and stamping his feet in anxiety.
Having been in the Three Realms for so long, apart from the one time he fought the Great Golden Crow—which barely counted as getting to vent—he had never seen anything like this. But because no weapons were used then, and compounded by Weining's lack of experience, it naturally couldn't compare to a fierce and unrestrained battle like this.
A worthy opponent was hard to find; Weining was inwardly thrilled. Immersing herself entirely, her fighting spirit soared.
Until the two of them had exchanged nearly a thousand blows, Yaoji's movements gradually slowed, and her breathing became somewhat unsteady—she was likely running out of stamina.
Weining pressed her advantage, growing bolder with every strike, and gradually gained the upper hand.
After another hundred-odd blows, Weining spotted a flaw and thrust her sword straight at Yaoji's face.
Given the current situation, Yaoji was already too late to parry with her sword. Her only options were to drop her waist to dodge while batting Danxin away with her blade, allowing Weining to tilt her head, lean down, and use her left hand to execute a horizontal slash at Yaoji's sword-bearing right hand. At the same time, Weining's sword could then be laid across Yaoji's neck, settling the outcome in a single move.
Who could have guessed that upon seeing Weining's sword thrusting straight for her face, Yaoji would neither dodge nor evade, standing frozen in place with her eyes closed.
Caught completely off guard, Weining was horrified and forced to frantically alter the momentum of her strike. Yet the battlefield changed in a split second; Danxin still grazed Yaoji's left shoulder, and blood instantly welled up.
Because her forward momentum had not fully abated, combined with a momentary daze caused by Yaoji's unexpected action, in the flash of a flint, Yaoji's sword was already pressed horizontally against Weining's neck.
Ignoring the bone-chilling edge at her throat, Weining glared fiercely at Yaoji.
A flush had already spread across Yaoji's pale face, sweat beaded on her forehead, and her breathing was erratic. The hand holding the sword trembled slightly with every breath as she watched Weining nervously.
Seeing Weining's fierce and unfriendly gaze, the complexity in Yaoji's eyes flashed and vanished, instantly replaced by determination as she gritted her teeth and tightened her grip on the hilt.
Looking at her performance, Weining felt a sense of disappointment, but even more so, she felt profound puzzlement.
"Was it worth it?" Weining asked coldly.
Barely a few decades of living together as husband and wife, with children running around their knees—was that truly worth giving up her life, and abandoning the dignity of a war goddess that mattered far more than life itself?
Hearing Weining's quiet question, Yaoji's hand trembled slightly, followed by the blooming of a smile—resolute and tragic.
Word by word, with absolute conviction, she said, "It is worth it. For him, for our children, for our home—making me give up anything at all is worth it!"
Hearing her resolute words, Weining's heart gave a violent jolt.
Looking into Yaoji's unwavering eyes, Weining knew she spoke the absolute truth.
What kind of force on earth could make a proud deity willingly give up everything? Weining was utterly bewildered.
Alongside her bewilderment, she felt a trace of curiosity: What kind of miraculous thing was this emotion that could drive someone to plunge into it so unreservedly, willingly sacrificing everything?
It was both a crime ranking near the top of the Heavenly Statutes and the very presence that had transformed a female war goddess—one who pointed her sword at the sun and moon and guarded the heavens and earth—into this state.
In the end, was it good, or was it bad?
Weining had no answer. With her limited understanding, she had not yet touched upon such matters.
Yet everything must have a cause; it seemed she needed to trace the true origin of this entity.
Only, for now, she definitely could not take Yaoji away.
As the saying went, only the drinker knows whether the water is cold or warm. Who could possibly be worthy of such a sacrifice from such an extraordinary woman?
With that thought, Weining turned her head to look at the man standing motionlessly under the corridor, staring intently at the intertwined figures.
Yang Tianyou—looking at his slender, frail frame and unsteady footsteps, he surely didn't even know martial arts. Weining couldn't help shaking her head inwardly; she truly found it hard to understand.
Fine. Let her test him instead.