As the first teachers of Huofeng and Qingluan, they were eager to impart everything they knew. However, Huofeng was swift in action while Qingluan was gifted in speech, so Qingluan took charge of verbal instruction, while Huofeng handled the practical guidance.
Qingluan said that humans possessed joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, and that they would feel elated, angry, sad, and excited. He taught her these emotions one by one, and thus Weining came to understand joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness.
Qingluan told her that they belonged to Nuwa Palace and were both disciples of the Goddess. Nuwa Palace, located Beyond the Heavens, existed independently of the Three Realms and was the most sacred place in heaven and earth. The Three Realms consisted of the Formless Realm, the Realm of Radiance, and the Realm of Desire. The Formless Realm included the Heavenly Court, Kunlun's Jiejiao, and Penglai's Jiejiao. The Realm of Radiance was where the humans created by Goddess Nuwa lived. Aside from humans, it was also home to mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas, flowers, plants, and trees, animals, ghosts, spirits, and their souls; the netherworld was at the very bottom of this realm, comprising eighteen levels in total. The Realm of Desire was where all the desires of every living being in the Three Realms resided.
Qingluan said that Weining's magical power was no weaker than his own, yet she did not know how to wield it. This was because she did not know the mental cultivation techniques, which could only be practiced by living beings endowed with life; therefore, one could only begin practicing them after taking on a human form. He told her not to rush, for after practicing for over a hundred years, she would be able to wield her magical power freely and even enhance her cultivation level, since practicing with mental techniques yielded twice the result with half the effort.
She concentrated on learning the mental techniques taught by Qingluan and practiced diligently. Qingluan spoke, and Huofeng demonstrated. Soon, she learned how to ride the clouds, master formation arrays, and wield magical powers capable of sparring and fighting with Qingluan and Huofeng.
Weining came to possess a weapon: a wooden sword transformed from a peach branch of her original form. She loved it very much, for they were of one body. However, since neither Qingluan nor Huofeng knew how to use a sword, Goddess Nuwa personally imparted the secrets of sword techniques to her and told her to comprehend and practice them on her own. Weining learned and practiced with joyful devotion, day in and day out.
Constantly learning and practicing with deep concentration, Weining grew to love this feeling and thoroughly enjoyed this way of life.
Finally, one day, after sparring with her, Huofeng happily said, "Aning, you are progressing at a tremendous speed. We have already taught you everything we know, and it won't be long before we are no longer your match."
Weining asked in confusion, "How can that be? You are born divine beasts, and you achieved immortality long before I did. I have not even been an immortal for a thousand years." Qingluan leaned against a pillar and smiled, saying, "It has been eight hundred and thirty-six years. I knew you wouldn't pay attention to such things. The Goddess praised your astute mind and your pure focus. Although we too are free of desires, compared to you, we still fall a bit short, which is why your progress is much faster than ours."
Hearing their words, Weining felt a swell of joy in her heart, but she merely tilted her head, her eyes crinkling into smiles as she remained silent. It was not truly because she was naturally taciturn and steady; rather, it was because countless times she had been lectured by Qingluan on respecting teachers, valuing the Dao, being kind and humble, and never getting so carried away as to lose her head... and most importantly, she really did not want to be nagged and lectured by Qingluan again. After exchanging a few lighthearted remarks, the three of them agreed to battle again tomorrow.
A gentle breeze swept by, and the Goddess summoned her.
Weining smoothed her slightly wrinkled dress, slowly stepped up the stone steps, and entered the majestic grand hall. "Disciple Weining pays her respects to the Goddess." She stopped at the lower steps of the hall and bowed respectfully with folded hands to the Goddess seated upon the throne.
"There is no need for such formalities. I just heard the laughter of Qingluan and Huofeng, which is why I called you here. It seems your cultivation has reached completion, and if you continue to cultivate here Beyond the Heavens, you will make no further progress." The Goddess smiled gently.
Weining asked in confusion, "Then what should this disciple do?"
"Do you still remember the origin of your name? Peach wood is naturally able to separate the yin and yang, repel evil spirits, and guard what is cherished. You, this foolish child, could have existed alongside heaven and earth, but the reason you abandoned your original form to take on a human form was to go into the Three Realms and guard the mortal realm for me. To elevate your cultivation, you must go into the Three Realms, where demons and spirits run rampant and karmic causes and effects intertwine; that is the only place where you can fully display your talents. Although your nature is thus, once you enter the Three Realms, you must undergo tribulations—this is an unavoidable ordeal for every living being in the Three Realms," the Goddess instructed earnestly.
"Please rest assured, Goddess. The heavenly tribulation is a necessary process for every immortal to experience. Since I have already attained immortality, I will not evade it, and the Goddess need not be uneasy. Born as wood meant to guard, I shall naturally follow my true heart and press ever onward." Qingluan had taught her that the so-called heavenly tribulation was when immortals endured the bombardment of heavenly lightning at a designated time; only by surviving could they be enfeoffed by the Heavenly Court and officially become immortals. This, she did not fear at all.
Nuwa shook her head. "Foolish child, this tribulation is not that kind of tribulation. You were born with spiritual roots and reside Beyond the Heavens; ever since you cultivated into a human form, you have been an immortal, unfettered by the rules of the Three Realms, and you do not need to undergo heavenly tribulations. In the boundless mortal world of the Three Realms, love, hatred, affection, and enmity are all tribulations. That is what this palace means by a tribulation."
"Goddess, this disciple does not understand. However, no matter what kind of tribulation it is, this disciple is not afraid." The Goddess was an ancient deity and the Mother of the Earth, and her arts of divination were unparalleled in the world; since the Goddess said Weining would face a tribulation in the Three Realms, then a tribulation there would be. Yet, existing between heaven and earth, one should do what is right and refrain from what is wrong—how could she shrink back because of this? "The Goddess taught us that every single peck and drink is predestined. Furthermore, since tribulations are inescapable, what does this disciple have to fear? I am willing to enter the Three Realms to undergo tribulations and guard the Mortal Realm. I beg the Goddess to grant her gracious permission."
"What you say is true; every single peck and drink is predestined. It seems you must go to the Three Realms after all. Very well, such is the mandate of heaven." Seeing the look of firm resolve on her face, Nuwa could not help but smile. "Very well, those who practice the Dao need not be too rigid; when the time comes, everything will fall naturally into place."
Weining pressed her lips into a smile, sweeping away her solemnity; those who cultivated the Dao should be free and unconstrained.
"Seeing that you are so fearless in the face of hardship, this palace will bestow upon you a magical treasure to aid you in your endeavors." Hearing the Goddess say this, Weining's eyes lit up, and she respectfully extended both hands. With a gentle wave of the Goddess's slender finger, a crystal-clear jade flute, dripping with emerald green, appeared in her hand. It was truly breathtaking. Weining looked at it with boundless delight, unable to resist turning it over in her hands to examine it.
"This flute is named 'Feiqing', and it is an ancient divine artifact. It possesses boundless power, and neither humans, gods, nor ghosts and spirits can escape it. It can cause souls to scatter into nothingness, or bring the dead back to life, and it can also allow restless souls to find peace. However, if it is used to bring someone back to life from the dead, it must be done before they are reincarnated and enter the cycle of rebirth. Otherwise, saving someone would actually harm them, violating the Heavenly Dao, and this applies to gods and ghosts and spirits alike. Different functions have different incantations; you must memorize them thoroughly," the Goddess warned.
"This disciple obeys the command and will surely commit the incantations to memory. After that person is brought back to life by me using Feiqing, will they be exactly the same as before they died? If this disciple only wishes to eliminate demons and subdue devils but does not wish to scatter their souls into nothingness, is that permissible?" Weining listened in utter astonishment and could not help voicing the doubts in her heart.
"Aning has a pure and kind heart and is dedicated to goodness; this palace is very pleased. The differences among them all lie within the incantations. Since you are so meticulous, you must all the more distinguish and memorize the incantations clearly." Nuwa smiled. "You must bear in mind that whoever uses a divine artifact must keep kindness in their heart, or else they will inevitably suffer divine backlash. Remember this well."
"Understood, this disciple obeys the command," Weining replied crisply.
Afterward, Nuwa meticulously imparted the incantations to Weining, and she also calmed her mind to imprint them in her memory. After reciting them to herself a few times, she was certain she had committed them firmly to heart. She opened her eyes and said, "Goddess, this disciple has memorized them all."
"Good. Over the next three days, practice with it carefully, familiarize yourself with its operations, and ensure you can summon and dismiss the magical artifact with absolute ease. Feiqing possesses extraordinary power; you must use it with caution." The Goddess warned her once more.
Weining looked solemn and respectful. "This disciple obeys the command, and will surely practice diligently to ensure I can summon and dismiss it with ease. This disciple will use it with caution, will never act recklessly, and will certainly not let down the Goddess's painstaking efforts."
Goddess Nuwa nodded. With a flick of her wide sleeves and amidst shimmering specks of light, her figure vanished. "Take good care of yourself," the Goddess's parting admonition seemed to echo from the void. Weining felt a pang in her heart, and her nose felt somewhat sore. "Rest assured, Goddess." Taking a deep breath, she gripped Feiqing tightly in her hand and turned to leave the grand hall.
The three days passed in the blink of an eye, and she could already wield Feiqing with effortless ease. Weining closed her eyes and leaned against the tree trunk—her original form—reviewing the Goddess's teachings, as well as the guidance of Qingluan and Huofeng from all these years, line by line and sentence by sentence in her heart. It felt exceptionally warm, and a trace of reluctance seemed to linger. Taking a deep breath, she suppressed this unfamiliar feeling; the Goddess had said that without destruction there can be no construction, and without letting go there can be no gain.
Opening her eyes before the familiar grand hall, the familiar figures in cyan and fiery red stood side by side, and Weining could not help smiling. The two of them strode over to her, and Qingluan spoke, "We will see you off." Huofeng nodded.
"Very well, let's go." Flanking her on the left and right, they grabbed her arms and walked side by side toward the Heavenly Gate. Qingluan relayed the Goddess's words to her: "The Goddess asked me to tell you that in the Three Realms, Jiejiao and Jiejiao no longer concern themselves with worldly affairs, and the Heavenly Court governs the Three Realms. Once you arrive in the Three Realms, you must strictly abide by the heavenly rules of the Heavenly Court and commit no discourtesies."
"Relay this to the Goddess: this disciple understands, please let her rest assured." Weining replied solemnly. "Also, take care—these are my words." Huofeng also repeated, "Take care." They simultaneously came to a halt. Weining was momentarily stunned; they had already reached the Heavenly Gate. Giving one last, deep look at that cloud wall connecting the Three Realms and Beyond the Heavens, she released her grip, took a step forward, and turned around.
Taking a deep breath, Weining smiled and glanced sideways at Qingluan. "When did the two of you turn into such a state? You look as gloomy as if you can no longer eat vermilion fruits. Qingluan, the way you say that makes it sound as though you were annoyed with me and didn't want me to come back. But after more than eight hundred years, shouldn't it be me who got so annoyed with you that I didn't want to come back?"
Qingluan immediately jumped up as if to strike her, while Huofeng could not help but chuckle aloud.
Having long anticipated Qingluan's reaction, the moment she finished speaking, Weining immediately leaped into the air, breaking through the cloud wall and leaving Qingluan's indignation and Huofeng's laughter far behind.
"Take care, until we meet again." Her smiling voice drifted through the cloud wall, and Qingluan and Huofeng looked at each other and smiled.
Flying far away, she looked back, only to see the pale cloud wall blending seamlessly back into the sea of clouds. Qingluan had once said that once you turn around, you must not look back, so that you would feel no reluctance to leave; yet, in the end, she still could not resist doing so.
Weining rode the wind, her eyes filled with the boundless sky and vast clouds, and her heart filled with lofty ambition and resolve.