Chapter Five: The Obsidian Divine Stone

Back in her room, Yin Xun spread out a blank sheet of paper, dipped her brush in ink, and wrote in one breath without pause.

Jiang Baicheng, the former Duke, inherited his title as Guardian of the Nation from Old Ancestor Jiang Lan, but achieved little in his lifetime. Unremarkable, he nonetheless fathered two sons and a daughter.

His eldest son, Jiang Jie, succeeded as heir apparent, renowned as a martial prodigy in his youth—he was Jiang Lan’s father. Later, he married Xue Mingyu, the youngest daughter of the British Duke; together, they enjoyed a harmonious and loving marriage. Jiang Lan was their only child.

The second daughter, Jiang Ke, married the late emperor and is now the current Empress Dowager.

The youngest son, Jiang Yu, has long been celebrated as Jiankang’s most handsome man; even in middle age, he remains unrivaled in beauty.

Later, Jiang Yu married the daughter of a relatively unknown fifth-rank official. The woman was ill-fated and passed away after giving birth to their daughter, Jiang Si. Grieving for his late wife, Jiang Yu never took another wife. Now, in Jiankang, most unmarried women of age remain so because of Jiang Yu. Not only are young ladies enchanted by his devotion to his late wife, but his looks alone are enough to captivate. Though he has a daughter, without powerful maternal relatives, he’s considered easy to win over.

Jiang Si, a year younger than Jiang Lan, has always been mature for her age and taciturn, with the look of someone destined for a lifetime of stoicism.

Staring at her accomplished writing, Yin Xun was filled with a sense of satisfaction.

She carefully put away the paper, yawned, and returned to the bed she had long yearned for.

In the Celestial Realm’s Hall of Pure Emptiness, a little fox sat upon a cloud, eating celestial peaches. Across from him floated a white-bearded old Daoist, holding a horsetail whisk. With a wave of his whisk, tens of thousands of heavenly books hovered in the air.

“Your Highness, this humble immortal has just finished searching all the tomes in the Hall of Pure Emptiness. Regarding the matter you mentioned, there truly is no record.”

Nearby, a young page smacked his lips in disbelief. Master, have you no shame? You are one of the Eight Great Immortals of the Celestial Realm, is it proper to be so fawning?

Bai Pu wiped his hands and took out the “Sacrifice Handbook” from his pouch.

“Fine, then get me the latest edition.”

Taibai accepted it with both hands. “Certainly, Your Highness.”

The pages nearby could not bear to look, covering their faces in embarrassment.

Suddenly, the entire Hall of Pure Emptiness trembled. Taibai sensed trouble.

“Disciples, protect the scriptures!”

He then looked to Bai Pu. “Your Highness, let us leave at once.”

Though Bai Pu had never witnessed such a spectacle, he was not particularly frightened. He carefully put away the handbook before boarding a little white cloud to follow Taibai out.

The moment they exited, they found that the Celestial Realm—ever bathed in daylight—was now shrouded in pitch darkness.

Looking up, it was not nightfall, but rather a colossal being blocking out the sky and sun.

Taibai’s expression darkened. He bent down and whispered to Bai Pu, “Your Highness, I will distract that thing. Seize the moment to run.”

Bai Pu glanced at Taibai, hesitated, then nodded.

Taibai cracked his knuckles and charged forward.

“Monster, prepare to die!”

Qingtian looked at the tiny white figure and flicked him gently with a finger.

Taibai shot across the sky like a meteor.

Bai Pu was just about to flee when he saw Taibai hurtling toward the lower realm at unstoppable speed.

“Are you still trying to run?” The giant asked.

Bai Pu clapped his hands, hopped onto his little white cloud, and pouted. “You’re too tall. My neck hurts. I don’t want to talk to you.”

“Uh...” Qingtian was momentarily speechless.

The little immortals in the Hall of Pure Emptiness called out in surprise, “Your Highness, come back inside! It’s dangerous out there!”

“Your Highness~”

Suddenly the darkness lifted, and Bai Pu found himself before a giant ten feet tall.

“Can we talk now?” the giant asked.

Bai Pu pursed his lips and nodded. “I suppose so.”

“You’re not afraid of me?”

Bai Pu’s lips curled in defiance. “Why should I be? Are you going to kill me?”

“Uh...” Such a sharp question. He had only intended to teach a lesson to the hypocrites who had once harmed his master. This child was so young—how could he possibly hurt him?

“What’s your name?” Bai Pu’s little white cloud floated closer, and his tiny paw poked at the giant’s exposed skin.

Qingtian looked down at the “fearless” little creature. “Qingtian. And you?”

“Not telling you.”

Qingtian felt tricked. He had wanted to show off his strength before the little fox. Suddenly, he sensed a familiar aura and took out a beautiful obsidian stone from his robes.

“Little immortal, if you tell me your name, I’ll give you this pretty stone.”

Bai Pu glanced at it indifferently, then his eyes lit up, though he maintained an air of nonchalance.

“Since you ask so nicely, this great immortal will graciously tell you.”

Qingtian’s mouth twitched—he nearly dropped the stone. This little fox couldn’t even transform yet and called himself a “great immortal”—whose mischievous child was this?

“Bai Pu, of Qingqiu.”

Qingtian paused, and the stone was instantly snatched by Bai Pu.

Watching the little fox treasure the stone, Qingtian couldn’t help smiling, and the stone layer on his face seemed to shed a little more.

Suddenly, a golden light swept swiftly from the horizon, and the stone on Qingtian’s face darkened further.

He leaned down to the little fox and said, “Take good care of that stone, little immortal.”

Bai Pu looked up, about to reply, but the giant had vanished. Only the black stone on his neck flashed with an unusual glow.

“Why did he just leave?” Bai Pu wondered. Realizing it was getting late, he thought of the person in the lower realm and whether they were behaving as instructed. He glanced at the handbook’s notes.

As he was about to put the stone into his little white cloud, the stone seemed to gain a life of its own, sprouting a cord for hanging. Bai Pu sighed and put the stone around his neck.

“Little friend, would you give me that stone?”

Bai Pu looked up at the stranger who had just arrived—a man in a blue Daoist robe, surrounded by a gentle radiance like a spring breeze, nourishing to the soul without being dazzling.

Bai Pu said nothing, but could hear the whispers of many little immortals in the Hall of Pure Emptiness.

“Heavens, that’s Lord Zhuo’er, Master of the Six Realms!”

“Wow, it’s my first time seeing him in person!”

“Lord Zhuo’er is too beautiful. How can anyone be so perfect?”

...

Bai Pu scratched his head. “Are you Lord Zhuo’er?”

Zhuo’er looked at Bai Pu, a soft smile at his lips. “Are you Bai Pu, son of Lord Bai Ruo of Qingqiu?”

“You know me?” Bai Pu could not hide his delight. So he was that famous—even the Master of the Six Realms knew his name.

Zhuo’er nodded, his gaze now fixed on the obsidian divine stone hanging from Bai Pu’s neck.

“That is the Obsidian Divine Stone. Once it gains sentience, it is extremely dangerous. Little one, how about your master trades with you? You won’t lose out.” With a gentle sweep of his wide sleeve, two divine treasures, wrapped in white light, appeared beside him.

“This is the Aurora, a supreme artifact for shortening time, a rare treasure that can not only compress time but also manipulate space—a great aid for cultivation.”

Noting Bai Pu’s wide-eyed admiration but lack of desire, Zhuo’er presented the next divine artifact.

“This is the Black River, a magical weapon that can take any shape at its master’s will. As for its functions, I’ll keep those a secret for now, but it is in no way inferior to the Aurora.”

His tone remained gentle, suffused with a spring breeze’s power. Not only did Bai Pu, so close by, feel soothed and refreshed, but even the immortals in the Hall of Pure Emptiness seemed to drift into a daze.

“I want...” Bai Pu, his mind already clouded, was about to choose when the golden light enveloping him was suddenly and completely absorbed by the stone at his neck.

Seeing this, Zhuo’er’s smile froze.

He blinked slowly, sending a soundless message toward the stone. “Qingtian, do not harm this child!”

“And who are you to command me?” Qingtian retorted, undaunted.

For an instant, Zhuo’er’s gaze turned icy, though only for a moment.

“Qingtian, so many years have passed—can you still not let it go?”

Zhuo’er knew well that the infamous Stone Demon, Qingtian, would only obey one person.

“And you think you have the right to mention her?” Qingtian sneered. “You all conspired to harm her, to destroy the entire Yin clan. You traitor—Yin Zhuo’er!”