Yuan Heng stepped on her lotus and flew for more than three months before she finally caught sight of Mount Kunlun.
Landing at the foot of the mountain, she smoothed out her bangs, which had become a bit messy from her desire to feel the wind. Mhm, excellent. A perfect image.
However, before she could even present her visiting card, Taiqing, sensing her arrival, simply informed Tongtian in advance and sent him down to welcome her.
“Little Brother, the guest has arrived. Go quickly and welcome her.”
“Ah... Yuan Heng is here! Eldest Brother, I'm off!”
Taiqing, who inhaled a face full of Tongtian's ‘exhaust fumes’: “...”
Oh well... his little brother had always been reckless.
Tongtian quickly arrived at the foot of the mountain. From afar, he spotted that pink figure, a joyful smile spreading across his face. “Yuan Heng!”
“I've finally been looking forward to your arrival.”
Yuan Heng herself accepted Tongtian's enthusiasm quite well. How should she put it... she felt Fellow Daoist Tongtian was rather familiar with her already.
“Greetings, Fellow Daoist Tongtian.”
She bowed slightly in greeting. Tongtian approached her, a hint of unnaturalness in his tone. “Ah, just call me Tongtian. May I call you Yuan Heng as well?”
Here it came again, that feeling of his heart beating like a drum... Could it be because he was too happy to see Fellow Daoist Yuan Heng?
Yuan Heng froze for a moment upon hearing this, then she nodded. “Sure.”
Seeing her agree, Tongtian felt as if he had just eaten honey, a rush of sweetness flooding his heart.
Dazed, he looked down at Yuan Heng's face, his heart trembling, before he immediately looked away as if escaping.
“Ah, anyway, Fellow Daoist Yuan Heng, let's go. Follow me into the mountain.”
Yuan Heng: “...”
He had just said he would only call her by her given name, but oh well, it was all the same.
Tongtian riding on a cloud brought Yuan Heng up Mount Kunlun, and the two landed in the Three Friends Courtyard.
Taiqing and Yuanshi were already standing in front of the courtyard waiting.
Yuan Heng looked at the two—one cold and aloof, the other upright and proper—and cupped her hands in a slight bow. “Greetings, Fellow Daoist Taiqing, Fellow Daoist Yuanshi.”
A perfectly polite smile graced her small face, and her etiquette was absolutely flawless.
The corners of Taiqing's mouth curled up slightly as he nodded with a smile. “Excellent.”
Yuanshi nodded. “Mhm. Please make yourself at home, Fellow Daoist. There is no need to be formal.”
Tongtian patted his chest, his voice full of confidence. “Don't worry, Fellow Daoist Yuan Heng, I will take good care of you.”
Yuan Heng nodded, looking very honest and well-behaved.
Truth be told, this was her first time at Mount Kunlun, and she was a bit intimidated by Fellow Daoist Yuanshi's uprightness and adherence to rules, fearing that being too eccentric would displease him.
However, looking at him now, Fellow Daoist Yuanshi didn't seem as rigid as she had imagined.
Oh, right. It was time to present her greeting gift.
With this in mind, Yuan Heng fished out of her sleeve the flashy giant fruit basket that was truly one-of-a-kind in the entire Primordial World.
“By the way, fellow Daoists, this is my greeting gift. Please accept it.”
In an instant, a seven-colored precious light burst from Yuan Heng's sleeve, immediately enveloping the Three Friends Courtyard in a brilliant glow.
All four of them squinted their eyes in discomfort.
Once the precious light gradually dissipated, the Three Pure Ones stared at the basket of multi-colored treasures before them and fell into a deep silence.
Tongtian: “...”
Sure enough, combined with her palace design, Fellow Daoist Yuan Heng's aesthetic taste was definitely rather unique, wasn't it?
Yuanshi: (≖_≖ )
This color scheme, this combination—how could it be so... chaotic and messy?
Ahhh, could they at least be of the same color palette?
He glanced at Yuan Heng, who was holding the basket and looking completely at ease, and fell into deep thought... Enough, Yuanshi. Even if it is an eyesore, you must still maintain proper etiquette!
Respect other people's preferences. Calm down, calm down...
Taiqing: “...”
Excellent.
Yuan Heng handed the basket to Tongtian, who was closest to her. “Here, just a small token of my appreciation.”
Holding the basket, Tongtian took a stealthy glance at his two brothers, who were trying to avoid looking at the fruit basket, and cleared his throat. “Fellow Daoist Yuan Heng is as generous as always.”
The "wealthy lady" Yuan Heng waved her hand. “Oh, it's nothing, just minor things. I have plenty of them in my garden. Please do not decline, fellow Daoists.”
Hehehe~
Let her show off a little like a newly rich person.
Noticing the showing-off expression that she couldn't hide on her small face, the Three Pure Ones: “...”
Oh well, she was still young. They shouldn't be too harsh.
Tongtian put away the fruit basket and invited everyone to sit at the stone table. “Come, come, Eldest Brother, Second Brother, and Yuan Heng, let's not stand while chatting.”
“Let's sit down and talk.”
Thus, the four-person chatting circle was formed.
Tongtian looked at Yuan Heng, the corners of his lips curling up slightly as a trace of teasing appeared on his handsome face. “Some time ago, the commotion you caused in the Wu tribe was quite significant, Fellow Daoist Yuan Heng. You are truly incredible.”
“Now the Wu tribe owes you a massive favor.”
Upon hearing this, a hint of gratification surfaced in Yuan Heng's eyes. “It was just perfect timing. I simply did it in passing.”
“As for the favor, the Wu tribe has already offset it with most of their treasury.”
Although she hadn't really wanted it, remembering it still made Yuan Heng click her tongue in amazement. They were truly wealthy.
Yuanshi raised his hand to pour a cup of green tea for the four of them, his gold-plated mask covering his eyes, making it impossible to see the expression in them.
He pursed his lips, his voice carrying a hint of hesitation. “Fellow Daoist Yuan Heng, do you know of the current situation between the Wu and Demon races?”
Yuan Heng nodded. “I am aware. In all probability, it will head toward the same direction as the previous Calamity of the Three Races.”
She let out a soft sigh, a trace of sorrow flashing across her brow. “A slaughtering calamity is feared to descend. The Primordial World is about to lose its peace again.”
Hearing this, Yuanshi's eyes narrowed slightly, and he froze for a moment. “Since you know that the Heaven's will is clear, Fellow Daoist, why bother to intervene?”
Yuanshi's Dao strictly adhered to the established order of the Heavenly Dao, and he did not feel that Yuan Heng's direct intervention in the calamity and alteration of cause and effect was a good thing.
His words contained a subtle warning. “It would be best for Fellow Daoist Yuan Heng to be cautious, lest disaster befall yourself.”
His little brother seemed to like her very much, and since she was still young, it was best to remind her.
Yuan Heng raised her eyebrows at his words. She hadn't expected Fellow Daoist Yuanshi to actually warn her. He was actually quite kind.
She looked at Yuanshi, whose fingertips were lightly tapping the tabletop, her eyes soft and her tone carrying a hint of teasing. “Thank you for your concern, Fellow Daoist Yuanshi.”
Yuanshi: “...”
How could this person be so direct? It left him not knowing what to say.
Yuan Heng's fingers gently rubbed the rim of her cup twice, the corners of her eyes curving slightly as she spoke in a relaxed tone.
“Avoiding Heaven's will, escaping karma—various shackles bind the true self. Embracing Heaven's will, following karma—only today do I know who I am.”
“Don't you think, Fellow Daoist Yuanshi, that my spiritual butterfly happened to fly to the Wu tribe, which happened to lead the Ancestral Witches to seek my help, and I happened to actually be able to help with this matter...”
“This... is also a kind of Heaven's will?”
Yuan Heng gently set down the teacup. “I am clearly acting in accordance with Heaven's will.”
Yuanshi: “...”
You had better be.
“I understand what you mean, Fellow Daoist.”
Yuan Heng shook her head slightly, a flash of warmth in her eyes. “Still, thank you for your warning, Fellow Daoist. I will be careful.”
She was merely a Daluo Golden Immortal. How could she meddle in the affairs of the Wu and Demon races?
Helping the Wu tribe was just something done in passing, simply following her own heart.
There was also another minor factor: when twelve burly men invite you to their home as a guest, if you don't go, they will say you look down on them... and they have fists the size of sandbags.
Yuan Heng believed that following her heart—or rather, playing it safe—was always the best policy.
Rate on N.U.
