Listening to the surrounding hum of chatter and immortal music, Weining felt even dizzier.
Jade Nectar was a famous immortal wine throughout the Three Realms, reputed to preserve youth, prolong life, and enhance magical power.
So this was the wine Qingluan had spoken of. It tasted harsh, and left her head spinning—truly miserable. Weining secretly vowed that fine wine was not for her; trying it just this once was quite enough.
Yet even this once was difficult to endure, as nearly all the celestial immortals present had toasted and drunk with her. Fortunately, many of the cups had been blocked by the few Divine General Great Golden Crows at her side; otherwise, she feared she would already be completely unconscious by now.
Weining leaned against the table, pressing her hand to her temples and gently massaging her throbbing head. She closed her eyes slightly, and the clamor around her gradually faded into the distance. She was on the verge of falling asleep.
Her body listed to one side, colliding with a warm, firm pillow. Finding support for her feeble frame, she felt slightly more comfortable and relaxed even further.
"Your Majesty, Empress, Fairy Weining cannot hold her liquor. This humble god will escort her back to her palace first." It seemed to be Divine General Great Golden Crow speaking, his voice right beside her ear. Weining wanted to look, but simply could not open her eyes.
Then she felt someone help her to her feet, walking unsteadily as if treading on clouds. Weining raised a hand to cover her mouth, frowning as a wave of nausea rose within her. It was so uncomfortable.
A stream of warm, genuine Qi slowly flowed into her back, circulating through her limbs and bones. Ah, that felt much better. Although she was still dizzy, her consciousness gradually returned.
"How does the Fairy feel? Is it better?" a low voice asked slowly.
Weining opened her hazy eyes, turned her head, and looked closely for a moment. Oh, it really was Divine General Great Golden Crow! He was right beside her, within arm's reach—no wonder it was so warm.
"Hehe, First Highness, the wine in your Heavenly Court is truly awful. Drinking it makes you feel so wretched," Weining muttered, leaning against the immortal maid who was trying her best to support her.
He said nothing, merely gesturing for the immortal maid to straighten her up. Seeing that the maid was struggling to manage alone, he stepped in to support Weining's other arm, and they continued walking.
Having consumed alcohol, Weining's true nature was gradually surfacing, meaning this journey was destined not to go smoothly.
Seeing Divine General Great Golden Crow close at hand, she suddenly reached out and patted his face. "You're really strange. Your body is blazing and warm, and you can send warmth and light to the Three Realms, yet your face is as stiff as ten-thousand-year-old ice, radiating coldness. Can it really never melt?"
Caught off guard, he was touched squarely on the face. His footsteps halted, his hand loosened, and he froze on the spot.
Weining was unprepared for the sudden stop and nearly tipped over, but fortunately, the immortal maid on her other side caught her just in time.
Reacting quickly, Divine General Great Golden Crow turned sideways to help steady the drunkard.
Even while standing unsteadily, Weining continued to ramble on about ice cubes.
The immortal maid did not dare look at the First Highness's darkened expression, feeling only that the alternation of extreme cold and heat was growing more intense, filling her with the terrifying sense that she might perish in the line of duty at any moment.
If not for the necessity of supporting Fairy Weining, she would have longed to flee immediately.
Gritting his teeth in frustration, Divine General Great Golden Crow called over an immortal maid from a nearby palace and instructed the two maids to hold Weining steady and rush back to Pixiang Palace.
He took the lead, striding out ahead and keeping a good five paces' distance from the three of them.
Weining wanted to say something else, but—hiccup—a wave of alcohol surged up, and she drifted off into a heavy, drunken sleep.
***
The next day,
Weining rubbed her aching, dizzy head as she sat up from the soft bed, closing her eyes to recall the events of yesterday.
The Jade Emperor and Queen Mother had hosted a banquet in her honor at Yaochi Pool, introducing her to nearly every celestial being in the Heavenly Court—though unfortunately, she only remembered a handful.
After that, they toasted her. Having never tasted immortal wine before and ignorant of its divine potency, she had downed several cups before blacking out. Then, it seemed she had grown drowsy and almost fallen asleep right there.
And after that? It seemed someone had brought her back!
As Weining sat in bed trying hard to rack her brain, all she found was a tangled mess.
"Has the Fairy risen?" Su'er, an immortal maid of Pixiang Palace, asked from outside the curtained doorway, interrupting Weining's fruitless train of thought.
Weining simply lifted the curtain and got out of bed. "I am awake."
Hardly had the words left her mouth when two immortal maids entered the hall carrying garments and washing utensils. Weining was attended to as she washed, changed, and dressed.
Having just awakened from heavy intoxication, Weining's mind was still somewhat adrift.
"Please partake, Fairy." Su'er held a tray bearing a steaming bowl of some unknown broth.
Coming to her senses, Weining glanced at her, reached out to take it, and asked casually, "What is this?" Without waiting for an answer, she tilted her head back and drank it down.
The taste was utterly bizarre. Caught off guard, Weining choked and began coughing violently.
Su'er hurried forward to gently pat her back and repeatedly urged someone to fetch Jade Dew for her to rinse her mouth and soothe her throat.
"Please partake, Fairy." Accepting the jade bottle, Weining drank several mouthfuls of Jade Dew before the strange taste finally subsided.
Weining breathed a sigh of relief and offered her thanks. "What on earth was that?"
Su'er hastily replied with a respectful bow, "Reporting to the Fairy, that was a hangover tea sent by Divine General Great Golden Crow."
Cough, cough, cough! Weining nearly choked again.
Had some major crisis occurred yesterday? Otherwise, why would that busy, ice-faced First Highness have the leisure to send hangover tea?
And such strangely flavored tea at that—was it impossible to sober up without drinking it?
Gathering her wits after finishing the Jade Dew, Weining asked casually, "When did Divine General Great Golden Crow send this over?"
Su'er looked somewhat conflicted before answering, "The Divine General is right outside the hall."
Outside the hall? What was he doing here?
Wasn't he supposed to be swamped with affairs of state? What earth-shattering blunder had she committed last night?
Feeling a sense of impending doom, Weining immediately stood up and headed toward the door. "When did the Divine General arrive? Why didn't you invite him inside?" she asked Su'er as she walked.
"Well... the Divine General has been here for an hour. At the time... the Divine General preferred to remain outside the hall," Su'er stammered hesitantly.
At the time, she must still have been dead to the world from her hangover, Weining mentally supplied for the unfinished sentence.
Not knowing what to say, she quickened her pace and hurried outside.
Stepping out, she saw that tall, upright figure standing quietly in the courtyard. Apart from the breeze stirring his hair, his entire being was as cold and stern as a strange rock.
If he truly turned into a stone, would she feel a little less embarrassed?
Suppressing her wild thoughts, Weining raised her voice. "This humble immortal has been discourteous, keeping the Divine General waiting outside for so long. I hope you will forgive me."
He turned around, his piercing gaze locking onto her. Weining hurried forward with a smile to greet him. "Please take a seat, Divine General. Su'er, serve tea."
"Fairy, dispense with the formalities. Immortals are carefree and unrestrained; such tedious courtesies are unnecessary. I hope you will not feel constrained and will simply be yourself," he said, nodding as he sat down with an earnest expression.
Judging by his tone and expression, he did not seem angry.
What he said made sense. Weining had never cared much for formalities, yet in the past few days, she had performed more bows and exchanged more pleasantries than she had in over ten thousand years at Nuwa Palace.
Sensing his sincerity, Weining felt much lighter at heart. With curved brows and smiling eyes, she replied, "It was I who was overly rigid. So the Divine General also dislikes tedious ceremonies! In that case, I shall drop the formalities, and you must not blame me for lacking manners."
At her words, the shadow of a smile seemed to flash across his face. "As long as you do not breach etiquette before Your Majesty and the Empress, you need not mind such things in private. Is the Fairy feeling better? Does your head still hurt?"
This suited her intentions perfectly, as she had been planning to act that way anyway.
"My head doesn't hurt anymore. I must thank you for your hangover tea," Weining said with a self-deprecating smile, though she thought to herself that the hangover tea really hadn't been necessary.
"The hangover tea has a rather strong flavor; I feared the Fairy might not be accustomed to it. Drinking to excess harms the body, so it is best to drink sparingly in the future," he said, seeming to imply something more.
Weining nodded in agreement, though she felt a slight oddness inside. *Divine General, your latter sentence was sound advice that makes me view you as a kindred spirit. But what did your former sentence mean? If you knew it tasted awful, why bother sending it for me to drink? Was it impossible to sober up without it?*
She couldn't help but retort, "I will remember your kind advice, Divine General, and thank you for your good intentions in sending tea to help me sober up. If the Divine General ever gets drunk in the future, I will remember to send you hangover tea as well! Only, while the Divine General can certainly drink a thousand cups without falling, you must practice what you preach to avoid harming your body through intoxication. Besides, as I learned firsthand yesterday, fine wine tastes awful, but hangover tea tastes even worse!"
Great Golden Crow was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing.
Weining was somewhat surprised. With that single smile, his chiseled, knife-carved features instantly softened and warmed. The chill that usually surrounded him vanished entirely, leaving only a gentle warmth.
He seemed unaccustomed to smiling and quickly stopped, clearing his throat awkwardly as he picked up his teacup to mask his embarrassment.
Gazing at him intently, Weining discovered an unexpected delight: this First Highness could actually feel embarrassed from being teased into laughter! It was simply too incredible.
Alas, such pleasant sights were fleeting. A gentle breeze swept past, and the cold aura returned, wrapping around him once more, perhaps even heavier than before.
Weining quickly urged him to drink his tea and made some casual small talk.
Putting down his teacup, Great Golden Crow stood up. "Fairy, let us set off."
Only then did Weining notice that today he was not wearing his usual dazzling golden armor, but instead a flowing robe of dark cyan fabric.
It was just that his imposing aura was so overwhelming that anyone who met his sharp gaze would instinctively look away, failing to notice anything else at first glance.
He was tall; when he stood before her, he practically enveloped her entirely in his shadow.
His fiery red hair was gathered up on top of his head, secured by a delicate dark-gold crown. Black ribbons mingled with the flaming hair, giving him an even more spirited and heroic appearance.
In that moment, standing against the light with an upright posture and a softened expression, he truly seemed like a ray of morning light, revealing the newly enlightened expanse of heaven and earth at dawn.
As if dazzled by the light, Weining blinked in a daze. "Where are we going?"
Great Golden Crow looked visibly startled by her question. "Yesterday, the Empress instructed me to act as the Fairy's guide and show you all around the Heavenly Court!"
Ah, right. The Queen Mother had mentioned that at the banquet yesterday, before the drinking had even begun.
Weining reached out and tapped her head. "I am so sorry, Divine General. I just woke up from a hangover and forgot."
The corners of his mouth twitched—whether he wanted to laugh or not, he eventually held it back. "No matter. Let us go, then."
He turned sideways to lead the way, and Weining followed with an apologetic smile.
Eyeing the unyielding figure beside her, Weining reached out and tugged at his sleeve. "Um, Divine General, the Empress told you to show me around the Heavenly Court, but does that mean we have to go pay our respects to all those immortals one by one?"
If everyone required a cup, that would fill the entire Yaochi Pool! How many immortals were there? There was no way they could finish visiting them all!
He turned around, pulled his sleeve from her grasp, and stared at her. "What? You want to go?"
Speechless, Weining forced a laugh. "The Divine General jests..."
"Ahem, today I am only ordered to guide you around the various parts of the Heavenly Court and help you learn the locations of the palaces. If you wish to visit the immortals, you can have an immortal maid take you at another time," Great Golden Crow said lightly, clearing his throat.
Weining's eyes lit up as she nodded. "Understood. Thank you, Divine General. Let us be on our way."
She cheerfully took the lead, but before she had taken two steps, her arm was caught in a grip like iron pliers, rendering her completely unable to move.
"You don't even know the way. If you rush off like that and get lost, I'll have to come looking for you. Just properly follow behind me." His tone sounded so much like Qingluan's; it really made her nostalgic for the times she used to beat him up.
"The morning court session is about to end. Do you want to stay here on the main thoroughfare and wait for the immortals?" Great Golden Crow crossed his arms and offered this cool remark.
Startled, Weining cast aside thoughts of how much he sounded like the irritating Qingluan, and hurriedly grabbed his sleeve. "Then let's hurry up and leave! We mustn't block anyone's path. Tell me which way to go, and I'll follow right behind you."
He glanced at his sleeve, and Weining immediately let go.
Without a moment's delay, he turned toward a narrow path on the right, with Weining following closely at his heels.
Gradually leaving the main avenue behind, Weining calmed her mind to take in the surrounding scenery.
They seemed to be in a garden now—gurgling streams, birds singing, fragrant flowers, and wisps of immortal mist drifting about. It was truly breathtaking.
Along the path, she spotted numerous exotic flowers, rare herbs, and wondrous beasts whose names she did not know, all of which he introduced to her one by one.
The garden was vast, and it took nearly half an hour to tour it completely.
Emerging from the garden gate, they came upon a broad avenue. In the distance stood magnificent, overlapping clusters of palaces that stretched on as far as the eye could see.
Such a grandiose architectural complex! Gleaming with gold and jade, bathed in glowing rosy clouds, and extending endlessly, Weining could not help but gasp in wonder.
"No need for astonishment. It is only fitting that the Heavenly Court, forged from the essence of the Three Realms, should present such a spectacle." Judging by his tone, he did not sound particularly proud.
Weining blinked. "Are we going to tour every single one of these countless palaces?"
"Every palace is much the same, so there is no need to visit them one by one. We should view the full panorama from above. Follow me." With that, she summoned a cloud and followed him as he flew toward the far end of the palace complex.
Looking down from the cloud bank, one palace after another flashed past beneath their feet—a truly magnificent sight.
Raising her eyes ahead, she vaguely spotted a shimmering turquoise ribbon dancing in the sky, sparkling with dazzling points of light.
It was breathtaking—different from the beauty of contending flowers, this was a captivating beauty of an entirely different sort.
Curiosity stirred within Weining. "What is that?"
"That is Ruoshui of the Heavenly River." With a motion of his body, the clouds beneath his feet dispersed, and the two of them landed on a wide, silvery platform.
The platform spanned across Ruoshui, enveloped in swirling mist and rising vapor.
Seen up close, it was even clearer: Ruoshui seemed draped in a thick layer of gauze, appearing all the more hazy and dreamlike the closer one looked.
Not far away in midair, a figure seemed to flicker in and out of view. Weining concentrated her gaze—yes, there was indeed someone there.
That must be Fairy Ruoshui. Her garments were made of Ruoshui itself—crystal clear, with rippling waves of water.
She was dancing, oblivious to her surroundings, entirely absorbed in her art. It was so fluid and beautiful!
Watching her graceful, fluid dance, Weining felt as though her heart had been brushed by a mountain spring, bringing an extraordinary sense of peace.
Soon, Ruoshui finished her dance, straightened her posture, and hovered quietly in midair.
Unable to help herself, Weining praised aloud, "How beautiful!"
Ruoshui turned her head, smiled warmly at Weining, and with a sweep of her arms, gracefully descended into the babbling waters of Ruoshui, vanishing from sight.
They stood quietly for a long moment, neither speaking to break the comforting serenity.
"Snap out of it. Ruoshui's dance can mesmerize the mind; you weren't actually captivated by it, were you?" Divine General Great Golden Crow's teasing voice came from beside her.
"How could that be? I was merely struck dumb because I had never witnessed such a breathtaking dance. Besides, I have cultivated for over ten thousand years after all; how could I be bewitched so easily?" Weining retorted, glaring at him unconvinced.
He said nothing.
"Thank you for bringing me to see such a wondrous dance, and thank you for acting as my guide today. If you do not disdain my company, would you be willing to be my very first friend in the Three Realms?" Weining smiled.