"I was wondering why the power levels in this world were so high.
Turns out this damn place is the Primordial World!"
"Primordial World. What an ancient name. Ever since the Investiture of the Gods in antiquity, it's been rare to hear anyone mention those two words.
You certainly know your stuff!"
Nezha glanced at Chen Fan in surprise. He hadn't expected Chen Fan to know so much.
In Nezha's eyes, Chen Fan was just an ordinary mortal, with a lifespan of two or three hundred years at most.
Why did he keep attracting the Heavenly Court's female immortals, each of whom recklessly leaped into the fire for him?
"So there's no way to make both sides happy?
When the Peach Banquet is held, could my wife go back and check in, then come back once it's over?"
Chen Fan scratched his head in frustration, feeling helpless.
Other people who transmigrated got all kinds of cheats and became invincible.
But he'd wound up being the one who got cheated.
Wasn't that too big a difference?
"No. The Heavenly Rules forbid romantic relationships between immortals and mortals.
It's etched into the laws of the Heavenly Dao. You're already married, and your mortal aura is on Eldest Highness now.
No one can conceal that aura except a sage. Anyone could spot it in an instant!"
Nezha swung his legs back and forth in midair and flatly rejected Chen Fan's suggestion.
If it were that easy to keep it secret, Fairy Yunhua wouldn't have stayed away for twenty years after descending to the mortal world.
Immortals and gods who fell in love with mortals carried the aura of the mortals they married.
To the eyes of immortals and gods, that aura was like a lamp shining in the dark.
One glance was all it took to recognize it.
"Uh, well... wife, how about we get divorced first?
The Heavenly Rules only say immortals and mortals can't fall in love. They don't say we can't be friends!
We're just living our lives together, and you're a fairy. You don't have to care about mortal marital status, right?"
Nezha fell silent.
He'd never met anyone whose thoughts jumped around so wildly. Chen Fan had completely turned his expectations upside down.
"Not a chance. You're doomed!
The Heavenly Rules are strict. How could they be fooled by your little tricks?"
Nezha crushed Chen Fan's hopes without hesitation, his cheeks puffing up in anger.
He thought that this man was utterly unworthy of the brilliant Eldest Princess.
"Ah Fan, don't worry. You'll be fine!"
Zhang Tianshou reached out and took Chen Fan's hand, giving him an encouraging look.
As a Great Human Sage, Chen Fan had earned immense merit for the human race in the Three Realms.
Once his merit was complete and it flowed into him,
he would surely awaken an innate Dao body, one on par with the first generation of the Innate Human Race.
With such great merit and fortune,
his future achievements would be beyond measure.
So, until Chen Fan had fulfilled his mission, the Heavenly Dao wouldn't let him die.
"How could he possibly be fine? Even if he became an immortal right now, it'd be too late.
The immortal and mortal auras have already taken root. They'll never disappear in this lifetime!"
Nezha poured cold water on her without hesitation, earning an irritated glare from Zhang Tianshou.
Nezha just shrugged. Female immortals in love really were unreasonable.
"Wait, Nezha. Tell me, could the Human Emperor protect me?"
Chen Fan furrowed his brow slightly, pondering how to deal with the situation.
At his words, Nezha looked up in surprise, a mocking smile on his face.
"The Human Emperor? He should be called the Son of Heaven now. But if the Son of Heaven protected you, it could work.
Only, to protect you two, the Son of Heaven would need at least one-tenth of the human race's fortune.
The Great Tang Dynasty's fortune burns bright, but it hasn't truly united the human race.
To protect you, the Great Tang Dynasty would need to spend three-tenths of its fortune. Do you think that's possible?"
Nezha thought Chen Fan was a pitifully foolish mortal for entertaining such a wild idea.
Dynastic fortune wasn't something one could just summon at will.
Even the reigning Son of Heaven couldn't command more than three-tenths of a dynasty's fortune, unless he was its founding ruler.
More importantly, ever since the ancient Han Empire,
the Human Emperor's legacy in the mortal world had been cut off. The Son of Heaven didn't even know how to command fortune.
"In that case, looks like I'll have to take a more aggressive approach!"
A cloud of worry hung over Chen Fan as thoughts churned in his mind.
Suddenly, a pair of warm hands reached out and gently massaged his temples.
A smile appeared at the corner of Chen Fan's mouth. He took Zhang Tianshou's hand and said firmly,
"Don't worry. Your husband will think of something!"
As he spoke, Chen Fan looked over at Nezha, making Nezha's spine go cold.
For some reason, even though he was facing nothing more than a mortal,
Nezha felt a trace of fear well up inside him, as though some terrible fate awaited him.
"Brother Nezha, since you've come to visit today, we ought to give you a proper welcome!"
Chen Fan narrowed his eyes, deciding that he had to keep Nezha around.
Nezha might have the personality of a mischievous brat, but he'd been beaten black and blue by Li Jing.
With Nezha keeping watch, Chen Fan would have a much larger margin for error.
He wouldn't have to walk a tightrope, unable to make even one mistake.
"What are you trying to do?"
Nezha asked, sounding a little unsure.
Chen Fan stepped forward and pulled Nezha along.
"Come on, come on! Brother Nezha's here. We have to treat him to a good meal!"
After a while, Chen Fan finally came running back, his clothes disheveled.
He grumbled as he straightened them, then wiped sweat from his brow—even though there wasn't any.
"That bunch of drunks is impossible to deal with!"
"Ah Fan, are you all right?"
Zhang Tianshou stepped forward and straightened Chen Fan's rumpled clothes.
Chen Fan casually shut the door, then grabbed Zhang Tianshou's hand.
"Don't bother. I'm just going to take them off anyway!"
"Oh! How can you... You're making me blush.
Husband, put out the candles!"
"No way. Hey, why'd you put them out?"
Outside Zhao Family Village, Bai Qianli had long since withdrawn his gaze. His eyes were distant, and the corner of his mouth curled upward.
"I knew you had plenty more tricks up your sleeve. One village was never going to be enough to keep you busy!"
Chapter Forty-One: Empress Zhangsun Is Shocked; Wei Zheng Is Stunned!
Chang'an, the imperial palace of the Great Tang Dynasty.
For once, Emperor Li Er had some free time, and he was chatting with the empress.
Before you continue