A sword sought a single worthy foe; amid the mist, ten thousand cares fell silent.
-Anonymous
"A vile demon beast?"
At the sight of the little creature in the cage, Xing Yan suddenly felt his blood surge through him, as though someone had seized him by the throat and left him unable to breathe! In that single instant, countless thoughts raced through his mind.
"Great Queen Mother, might I ask..."
Quick thinking had furnished him with many pleas, but when Xing Yan glanced at the Queen Mother of the West's expression, the words on the tip of his tongue suddenly tangled along with it. Steadying himself a little, he cast aside all elaborate courtesies and prostrated himself before her. He pressed his head to the ground, knocking it several times against the cold crystal floor with resounding thuds, then raised his head and pleaded:
"Queen Mother, please hear me out. The little demon in that cage once showed me a great kindness. What would it take for you to release her? If it is possible, I am willing to surrender my immortal rank and divine station in exchange for her life!"
"..."
The exalted Queen Mother was somewhat surprised by his words. Her starry eyes shifted, and she could not help glancing toward the graceful immortal maidens still scattering a profusion of flowers through the distant sky, wondering whether some flaw in the arrangements had spoiled the young man's spirits.
The thought passed, and she smiled at the young man kneeling before her.
"Divine Lord Zhang, enough. You do not yet know that Western Kunlun's laws stand firm as mountains... Since you have only just entered the immortal register, I can make an exception. To save the little demon, you need not surrender your immortal rank or divine station. You