They chatted for a long time, the conversation revolving almost entirely around Weining.
She chattered on about many things—her experiences, insights, hardships, and doubts over the past few years...
Great Golden Crow proved to be an attentive listener, completely focused. He spoke very little, only offering a few brief remarks when Weining specifically asked for his opinion.
At first, Weining was displeased, blaming him for being perfunctory.
Yet he admitted candidly that he, too, had many confidences of his own and could not untangle hers.
Furthermore, he said that everyone must experience things for themselves and seek their own conclusions; this was precisely the process of attaining the Dao, and the best path to elevating one's cultivation.
Weining acknowledged the lesson, saying she would diligently reflect and resolve her doubts in the future.
After this exchange, Weining felt a great deal lighter at heart. Her understanding of worldly affairs grew deeper, and her perspective broadened considerably.
As for Weining asking about his recent circumstances, he brushed the topic aside with a single phrase: "All remains as before."
They talked until deep into the night, the dew growing heavy and the moonlight hazy, without hearing him say a single word about himself. Weining therefore playfully scolded him for being evasive.
He smiled and shook his head. "In just a few days, aside from drilling the troops and reviewing case files, what else could I possibly be doing? There is nothing worth telling, so why waste breath? You have spent several years in the Mortal Realm and experienced much—naturally, you should be the one talking more."
What he said made sense, so Weining let him off.
Toying with the empty bottle in her hand, she asked the purpose of his visit.
Great Golden Crow placed another bottle before her. "I came to check on you, and to bring you a few things along the way."
"What could you possibly have to give me? Hurry up and bring it out so I can have a look!" Weining's eyes lit up as she reached out unceremoniously to demand it.
Amused and exasperated by her brazen behavior, Great Golden Crow felt his expression soften even further. With a casual wave of his sleeve, like a gentle breeze sweeping past, he said, "I've left the things inside the house. Go have a look for yourself."
"What do you mean, go look for myself? You are an honored guest here; at the very least, I should invite you in to sit for a while. Let's go in together," Weining said, standing up with a smile.
Great Golden Crow stood up as well and shook his head. "No need. I have been here for nearly a full day now. Since I've seen you and delivered the items, I must be returning."
Hardly had his voice fallen when he made a move to leave, only for Weining to grab his sleeve. He stiffened slightly and stopped in his tracks.
"The things you brought me—what they are and how to use them—I haven't the faintest idea. Am I supposed to go all the way to the Heavenly Court to ask you? Rather than going to all that trouble, it's better to put in a little extra effort today. At most, it will only delay you by the time it takes to brew a cup of tea." Weining held onto him and refused to let go.
Seeing her refuse to let go, looking as though he would bolt the moment she relaxed her grip, Great Golden Crow gave a helpless shake of his head. "Let's go inside, then. I will introduce what I've brought and how to use it, lest you mix them up, use them wrongly, and run all the way to the Heavenly Court to plague me!"
Seeing that he had agreed, Weining didn't dwell on his teasing, but simply smiled and nodded. "Very well. Then I shall let this humble woman broaden her horizons and see what exquisite items the Divine General has prepared for me."
Before her voice had even trailed off, she started to pull him toward the thatched cottage, but his feet remained firmly rooted to the spot.
Pulled a step backward, Weining turned her head to look at him.
With a faint smile playing on his lips, he smoothly withdrew his arm and gently tapped Weining's forehead with his index finger. "You really are forgetful!" With that, he took the lead and walked inside.
Taken aback for a moment, and too lazy to ponder it when she saw him walking away, Weining hurried after him into the house.
The moment she stepped inside, her eyes locked onto a foot-square, dark red carved wooden chest sitting on the table, inlaid with numerous tiny bright foil flakes and painted with delicate patterns.
Finding the object exquisite and pleasing to the eye, Weining felt a wave of fondness and grew even more curious about the rare treasures hidden inside.
She walked over to the table, and a faint, refreshing fragrance washed over her, instantly clearing her mind.
Weining glanced sideways at Great Golden Crow. He raised his chin and motioned toward the box, prompting Weining to immediately reach out and lift the lid.
The moment the box opened, the scent grew denser, fueling her curiosity further.
First to catch her eye was a folded piece of dark golden fabric, which she casually picked up and gripped in her hand.
Neatly arranged in four rows, twelve adorable, emerald-green jade bottles occupied the majority of the space, each standing over half a foot tall.
In the remaining space sat a small white jade box.
Through the gaps between the jade bottles, she could see two crimson brocade boxes of equal size underneath, lined up side by side to match the exact width of the wooden chest.
Everything looked so delicate and charming that she touched this, examined that, and instantly found herself in a dilemma, not knowing which one to open first.
Weining was dying to know what was inside the brocade boxes underneath, but taking out the jade bottles one by one and lining them up on the table to inspect the contents beneath right in front of the gift-giver would be altogether too impolite.
A movement in her hand reminded her that she was holding something, and she suddenly remembered the piece of fabric still clutched in her hand, unread.
Unfolding it, she found the fabric clearly listed the items inside the wooden chest and their uses...
Weining didn't want to speak; she just wanted to cover her face and flee.
How foolish she had been! Why would Great Golden Crow ever be so careless? He had practically used this as an excuse to make her keep him around—no wonder he had smiled so strangely.
Refusing to look at him, Weining cleared her throat with a feigned composure, folded the fabric, clutched it tightly in her hand, and lowered her gaze back to the contents of the chest.
The twelve jade bottles contained twelve varieties of flower nectar: Epiphyllum, tree peony, azalea, plum blossom, lotus, jasmine, orchid, begonia, lilac, sweet osmanthus, hibiscus, and camellia.
She picked up a few to examine them. Every single jade bottle was carved with lifelike depictions of the flower it held.
Inside the white jade box was a string of jade bells. An emerald-green silk cord was woven into a knot, stringing together a small, exquisitely delicate dark green jade bell, beneath whose clapper hung a tassel matching the color of the cord. Exquisite and adorable, it was an item Weining found impossible to put down.
Gently placing the jade bell back into the white jade box, she set it inside the wooden chest.
The contents of the two brocade boxes were not mentioned on the fabric. Weining looked over at Great Golden Crow and motioned toward them with her chin.
Instead, he arched a thick brow, turned his head away, and gave a slight toss of his chin. "I'll tell you about those in a moment. Have a look at that over there first."
Curious, Weining turned around to look. In the corner by the bed stood two jars, each easily half a person's height, made of neither gold nor silver and bearing no markings whatsoever.
She walked over to the jars and reached out to lift the lid, only to be greeted by a familiar, deeply impressive fragrance wafting through the air.
This is... Jade Nectar!
Weining's hand froze. Without lifting the lid or tasting a drop, she was already certain.
The past was simply too wonderful to bear looking back upon!
Weining turned to look at Great Golden Crow, wearing an expression that defied description.
Sure enough, this rascal of a friend was lowering his head, pressing his lips together in a hard-fought effort to suppress a laugh.
Weining narrowed her eyes as she stared at him, watching the growing smile on his face, and slowly clenched her fists...
Just as she was chanting inwardly that patience has its limits and she needn't bear it any longer,
Great Golden Crow brought his left hand to his mouth in a fist and gave a light cough. "Aning, the Jade Nectar and Clearing Heart Pills were bestowed by the Jade Emperor and the Empress. They can aid your cultivation and elevate your divine power, so I hope you will put them to good use."
To think they were actually bestowed by the Jade Emperor and the Empress! No matter how much she disliked them, she had no choice but to receive the imperial decree.
Pushing aside the amusement still lingering on Great Golden Crow's face, Weining took a breath, bowed, and said, "Weining accepts the decree. My thanks to Your Majesty and the Empress!"
"The Jade Nectar and Clearing Heart Pills are not easily brewed. I hope Immortal Xihua will make good use of them!" He mimicked the Jade Emperor's tone, putting on a pompous act.
"Yes, Weining obeys the decree," Weining replied outwardly with a calm expression while thinking to herself: I shall bury that Jade Nectar deep in the earth and hide it for a thousand or eight hundred years. It will only grow more delicious by then, and when the time comes, I'll surely present it to you to taste—and get you dead drunk!
At this thought, Weining felt secretly triumphant, vowing to save every drop for him.
Realizing he was just teasing her on purpose, her anger evaporated.
He always kept his face as rigid as a wall of copper and iron; it was a rare thing indeed for him to show a playful streak, and the realization brought a sense of relief to Weining's heart.
Rolling her eyes, a smile bloomed across her face. "Then the rest of these things were gifts from Great Golden Crow?"
Seeing that Weining had not flown into a rage and instead smoothly changed the subject, Great Golden Crow faltered slightly, looking somewhat abashed.
"Ahem... Actually, the flower nectars are brewed by the flower fairies and distributed among the immortals every day. It's just that you weren't in the Heavenly Court, so I brought them along for you; they cannot be counted as my gift. As for me, I merely brought you two playthings to help pass the time—that doesn't count as a gift either. You've been running about in the Mortal Realm, so hardship is inevitable. The flower nectars can steady the mind and nourish the spirit; you must drink them daily and take good care of yourself, and don't let it slip!" At the end, his tone turned solemn as he fixed his gaze on Weining, waiting for her promise.
Hearing the concern in his voice, Weining felt a warmth bloom in her chest, and she nodded solemnly. "I know. I'll drink it every day without fail, so you can rest easy."
Suddenly, she remembered the two brocade boxes; one of them must surely contain the Clearing Heart Pills bestowed by Their Majesties.
Then what good thing was inside the other brocade box? A plaything?
Curious, Weining asked, "Can you tell me what's inside the other brocade box now?"
Seeing her inquiry, Great Golden Crow pressed his lips together. He held out his right hand flat, and with a flash of golden light, that brocade box materialized in his palm.
Without dragging out the suspense, he opened the brocade box, drew out a faint, glowing purplish-gold gourd from within, and handed it to Weining.
The tiny gourd was only about half the size of her palm, its top curving slightly to one side, with an opening no larger than her little finger. It felt warm to the touch and as smooth as satin...
Weining looked curiously at Great Golden Crow. "This little gourd doesn't look like an ordinary plaything. Does it have some extraordinary origin?"
With a faint smile, Great Golden Crow recounted the tale: Before the primordial chaos of heaven and earth had parted, there was only the primordial spiritual root, the gourd vine, which bore seven gourds. Later, these seven multicolored gourds, formed from the power of chaos, were plucked by the first generation of heaven and earth's trailblazing deities and made into magical artifacts.
"This purplish-gold gourd comes from Kunlun Mountain. It shares the same roots and origin as those seven precious gourds; though it is not a primordial magical treasure, it is still a post-heaven magical treasure nonetheless. In my early years, I was favored by Lord Taishang Laojun, who bestowed this purplish-gold gourd upon me. Seeing that it was delicate and small, as if meant for a woman, I left it idle up on the shelf. Today, giving it to you is quite fitting!" Great Golden Crow said casually with his hands behind his back.
This tiny purplish-gold gourd truly had an extraordinary background; it was a rare treasure indeed, making it far too precious a gift! At this thought, Weining hesitated, wondering whether she ought to accept it.
Seeing Weining fall silent and hesitate, Great Golden Crow continued, "If you don't accept it, it can only continue to gather dust on my shelf. That would be casting pearls before swine and letting a fine piece of jade gather dust!"
Hearing him put it that way, Weining couldn't help shaking her head with a laugh.
He truly had eyes like torches; before she could even voice her objections, he had blocked her escape route. Oh well, why disappoint his good intentions?
To leave such a lovely little gourd hidden away in a box, never seeing the light of day, would be far too miserable.
Smiling, Weining made a formal bow to him. "Very well, then I shall accept it. Many thanks to Great Golden Crow for your generous gift. It would be ungracious to refuse, so I will respectfully obey!"
Before she could finish the bow, he caught her arm. "I called you mischievous, and you wouldn't admit it. Though our official ranks are the same, your title is two grades higher than mine—how could I ever dare receive a bow from you? Ah! Poor me, having fought and bled for the Heavenly Court all these years, only to lose out to a newcomer like you, a mere junior female immortal. Truly unjust!"
Listening to him deliberately mock himself, his mock grievance spilling over almost to the point of expression, he looked for all the world as though he harbored deep injustices.
Yet his eyes were crystal clear and dancing with mirth—one could tell at a glance that he was putting on an act just to tease her.
Amused and amazed, Weining thought herself truly fortunate to witness this side of him.
"Alright, enough joking with you." Seeing Weining stand there smiling without a word, he dropped his feigned expression and said seriously, "This purplish-gold gourd can gather all rootless things within the Three Realms. When using it, pull out the stopper, point your finger at the object you wish to gather, and utter the word 'Gather'!"
Weining nodded and asked curiously, "Then how much can it hold at most?"
"Naturally, it cannot compare to Laojun's gourd, but it is more than capable of holding the Three Mountains and Five Peaks, and the waters of the Four Seas. Still, swallowing the water of an entire sea is absolute child's play for it," Great Golden Crow answered without holding back.
Swallowing the water of an entire sea! Weining stared at the little gourd in her hands with gleaming eyes!
An entire sea possessed ten thousand ripples of azure waves and countless aquatic creatures, yet a mere tiny gourd like this could take it all in? Its miraculous uses were truly boundless!
After exchanging a few more words of idle chatter, Great Golden Crow prepared to take his leave and return.
Unwilling to let him go, Weining grabbed his sleeve and refused to budge. "Even if you spend a whole day here, it's nothing more than a fleeting moment up in heaven. Do stay a little longer."
As she spoke, she tried to pull him down to sit, but Great Golden Crow repeatedly declined. "Fine, as you wish. Let's go sit and talk in the grove," he said, gently extricating his arm.
This was Weining's private bedchamber, and Great Golden Crow was unwilling to overstep.
Weining didn't mind, so long as he didn't leave. She told him to go on ahead.
Nodding, Great Golden Crow turned and walked outside.
Holding the purplish-gold gourd, Weining walked over to the wine jar, removed the lid, pulled out the gourd stopper, and aimed the gourd toward the mouth of the jar. With a cry of "Gather!", the Jade Nectar inside the jar transformed into a tiny stream of water, shooting continuously into the gourd's opening.
Once the jar was empty, Weining withdrew the gourd.
He seemed quite fond of Jade Nectar. Since it suited his tastes, letting him help share some of the burden was the best of both worlds.
With a mischievous chuckle, Weining gave the gourd a shake. It clinked musically inside, and she contentedly plugged the stopper back in.
Stepping out of the cottage, she walked briskly over to the stone table and sat down, placing the gourd on the table. With a flip of her palm, a wine cup materialized beside it. "Sitting in silence is dreadfully dull. I'll borrow flowers to present to the Buddha and invite you to drink with me. We can drink as we chat, what do you say?"
Shaking his head, he reached out to pick up the gourd, pulled out the stopper, conjured another wine cup with a reverse of his hand, and poured two cups of wine. With a smile, he said, "Drinking alone is a gloomy affair. You must keep me company."
Weining was left speechless, yet unwilling to ruin the mood, she could only say, "You know I don't like drinking. I'll only keep you company for three cups."
She raised three fingers, emphasizing the point solemnly.
Great Golden Crow chuckled. Knowing she disliked wine, he didn't press her further. "Alright."
Then he shook his head with a sigh. "Anyone else who obtained such a treasure would treasure it like life itself—only you would treat it like this!"
Weining smiled smugly. "The treasure is mine, so I say how it's used."
Great Golden Crow smiled without a word.
The two wine cups tapped together in mid-air with a crisp sound, and they drained them in a single gulp. Afterward, almost simultaneously, they turned their cups upside down to show they were empty.
Following that, Great Golden Crow sipped his wine slowly alone, chatting idly with Weining.
Having tossed about all day and taxed her mind, Weining began to feel fatigued after sitting for so long.
Great Golden Crow shook his head. "It's getting late. You should get some rest early, and I must be heading back." With that, he stood up.
Lazily rising to her feet, her mind now relaxed, Weining felt a genuine wave of tiredness and nodded.
Great Golden Crow instructed, "Take care of yourself."
Without waiting for her reply, he sprang into the air and took flight.
Such an impatient fellow! Weining shook her head with a smile and, watching his disappearing figure, called out loudly, "You take care of yourself too!"
After a moment, Weining looked around the peach grove. The breeze was gentle, the atmosphere serene and carefree, and she smiled as she returned to her room to rest.