Being a Heavenly Immortal Opens Up Wider Horizons

The arriving immortal wore a moon-white satin robe and waved a gold-flecked folding fan. Her features were picture-perfect, her skin fair.

It was none other than-

Yang Niansan, the handsome young scholar who had publicly debated a mortal scholar at the Holy Mother Temple on Mount Hua.

"Lord Chen." Yang Niansan's eyes curved with mischievous amusement. "We'll be serving under the same roof from now on, so that makes us colleagues. As a newcomer, I hope our Chief Official will offer me plenty of guidance!"

With Chen Wei's quick mind, countless thoughts flashed through his sea of consciousness.

Their chance encounter on Mount Hua, the Star Lord's patronage, their return from Flower-Fruit Mountain, an assistant appointed out of nowhere-the clues linked together in an instant.

"Could it be..." Understanding dawned on Chen Wei, and he quickly put on a smile. "Brother Yang, are you the assistant the Star Lord mentioned?"

"Indeed."

Yang Niansan lightly tapped her palm with her folding fan, smiling brilliantly. "Surprised? Didn't see that coming? Back on Mount Hua, you two were making an incognito inspection, and you certainly kept your little brother in the dark. Travelers in the mortal world? Who would have thought you were immortals from the Bright Hall?"

Chen Wei's expression did not change. His official patter flowed like drifting clouds and running water. "Please don't take offense, Lord Yang. An inspection of the lower realm required us to conceal our movements. But... you just accused this humble official of keeping secrets. Weren't you yourself an immortal master hiding your true depths?"

At that, Yang Niansan offered no rebuttal. She merely covered the lower half of her face with her fan and smiled without speaking.

Beside them-

Ma Muzhi turned back and exchanged a look with Chen Wei.

Their sidelong glances met. In just a few breaths, these two clever immortals, who had spent years scraping their way through the lowest ranks, completed their assessment of their new colleague's background and identity using their eyes alone.

This immortal's spiritual radiance was contained within, without the slightest trace of the lower realm's mortal dust.

Definitely not an ascended mortal!

She could stroll at leisure through the Holy Mother Temple, then turn around and get slipped into their Inspectorate by Taibai Jinxing.

How could her connections be anything ordinary?

Conclusion: powerful backing. Most likely sent down by some great immortal clan to gild her credentials. Joining their ramshackle outfit was merely a formality to pad her record.

Treat her like an honored idol!

Their silent exchange ended.

The two immortals swiftly reached an understanding, their smiles growing even more respectful and restrained.

Looking at her two colleagues smiling like clay statues and wooden carvings, Yang Niansan could not help drawing her lovely brows together.

"Gentlemen."

"Back at the Holy Mother Temple, when you were denouncing that arrogant fool and citing the classics, you were both so lively. Your words were sharp, your spirit mighty enough to swallow mountains and rivers. Why have you become so quiet here in your own office? Could it be that your little brother's face is so repulsive that it frightened you?"

Chen Wei reacted quickly and gave a hearty laugh. "What are you saying, Lord Yang? Having a colleague of such peerless immortal grace join our office truly makes this humble dwelling shine. Official Ma and I were simply so delighted to see you that, for a moment, joy robbed us of speech."

Official flattery came to him as easily as reaching out a hand.

Who could have expected-

Yang Niansan did not play by the usual rules. She blinked her bright eyes and looked steadily at Chen Wei. "Oh? How delighted?"

The smile froze on Chen Wei's face.

He had memorized countless strategies for navigating officialdom, learned how to deflect, how to pass the buck, and how to hide needles in cotton.

But no book had ever taught him how to follow up on that.

Such a question had none of an immortal's decorum. It sounded more like a sheltered, spoiled young lady making unreasonable demands.

One sentence had chilled the entire room.

Chen Wei forced out two dry chuckles and decisively changed the subject. "Haha, delighted enough to drink three cups of celestial nectar, naturally! By the way, when we met on Mount Hua, I never had the chance to ask. Has the Holy Mother been in good health lately?"

A probing strike, aimed straight at the heart.

Yang Niansan spun her folding fan once between her fingertips, wearing the ghost of a smile. "What a curious question, Lord Chen. How did you know this humble official was acquainted with the Holy Mother?"

"I guessed," Chen Wei said without blushing or missing a beat, perfectly assured of his own justification.

"You really are clever." Yang Niansan gave a soft snort, her tone unreadable.

Listening, Ma Muzhi broke out in goosebumps. His eyes swept over Yang Niansan again and again. She plainly looked like a male immortal in a scholar's robe, so why did her speech, behavior, expressions, and movements all resemble a female immortal's?

Strange.

Far too strange.

Still, Ma Muzhi was well versed in reading faces and moods. Seeing Chen Wei probing, he immediately stepped forward to help.

Once the Chief Official had offered a pole, the Deputy Official naturally had to climb it.

"Lord Yang, there's no need to keep hiding it. We all understand!" Ma Muzhi stepped forward, patted his chest, and assumed a thoroughly heartfelt manner. "Our ramshackle outfit owes everything it has today to the Holy Mother's grace! If she hadn't put in a word with the Star Lord, how would we brothers ever have attained the Heavenly Immortal Dao fruit?"

At this point-

Chen Wei joined the performance, cupping his hands and bowing toward distant Mount Hua. "The Holy Mother's compassion is acknowledged by every god and buddha in the heavens. Without her venerable ladyship's secret care, we would probably still be burning away as lamp oil in the Bright Hall! Of course, there's nothing wrong with being lamp oil, but being a Heavenly Immortal opens up wider horizons."

He kept calling her "her venerable ladyship," each repetition ringing with reverence and devotion.

By ordinary reckoning, high-ranking deities who held a place among the immortals had seniority frightening enough to alarm other immortals, even if their looks remained frozen in youth. Addressing them as venerable elders was the utmost expression of respect.

Ma Muzhi wholeheartedly agreed and solemnly chimed in, "Lord Chen is absolutely right. This humble official will remember her venerable ladyship's kindness until his dying breath. In the future, I will certainly visit Mount Hua and offer her venerable ladyship-"

"She isn't old!" Yang Niansan interrupted the two clever fellows, lifting her right foot and stamping hard on the ground.

Bang!

A dull crash rang out.

The white jade floor tile, personally fired by the Immortal Works Bureau, shattered beneath her foot, sending fragments flying.

The tile had broken.

The flattery Chen Wei had prepared lodged in his throat.

Ma Muzhi's jaw hung slightly open as he stared blankly at the shattered immortal jade tile on the floor.

The two immortals exchanged a look and swiftly reached a conclusion: a martial officer. Not someone to provoke!

Realizing she had lost her composure, Yang Niansan came to her senses. Had she gone a little too far?

An awkward flush rose over her fair face. She hastily opened her fan to hide most of it, leaving only her bright eyes exposed, and pretended to clear her throat to conceal her embarrassment.

Chen Wei's eyes flickered. Thoughts twisted and turned through his sea of consciousness, and he understood in an instant.

Why had Yang Niansan reacted so strongly to the word "venerable"?

A guardian divine general, always at the Holy Mother's side.

One a vigorous, handsome male immortal, the other a cool, otherworldly female immortal, lofty beyond reach.

Spending day and night together through the long years of immortal life-what feelings could that fail to foster over time?

Yang Niansan must secretly adore the Holy Mother and refuse to let other Immortal Generals call the fairy closest to her heart old!

Immortals, after all-who didn't harbor a few foolish dreams of wind, flowers, snow, and moonlight?

Chen Wei saw through it but did not expose it. He immediately laughed. "Official Ma! Ah, look at that stomp! What a fine stomp! Spiritual energy held within, unparalleled force, power penetrating immortal jade without harming the earth's veins!"

"Exactly!"

How quick-witted Ma Muzhi was. He immediately followed with flattery. "This humble official has seen many stellar divine generals, but when it comes to leg techniques, if Official Yang claims second place, who among all the immortals in heaven would dare claim first? Fine footwork! Truly fine footwork!"

One sang, the other echoed.

They praised damage to an important government office as a profound display of Daoist mastery.

Behind her fan, Yang Niansan listened to the two immortals' shamelessly fabricated praise and finally could not hold back. She burst out laughing.

The awkward atmosphere vanished like smoke and clouds.

Yang Niansan closed her fan and cupped her hands. "I got carried away just now. I've made a spectacle of myself before you both."

"You're being too serious, Lord Yang. Just a little exchange of techniques." Chen Wei waved a hand.

Yang Niansan coughed softly, as though defending herself, or perhaps clarifying. "The Holy Mother... is not as old as you imagine. She is wholly devoted to the Dao and remains an unmarried female immortal to this day. Calling her a venerable elder really is inappropriate. It needlessly diminishes her immortal grace."

An unmarried female immortal?

Just listen to that.

She even knows the Holy Mother is unmarried. Who would believe there's nothing fishy going on?

An expression of complete understanding immediately appeared on Chen Wei's face. He winked and smiled meaningfully. "Lord Yang, say no more. I understand. Immortal lives are long, and when you spend every day together, such feelings are only natural! We're all colleagues here. It's a trifling matter."

Yang Niansan froze where she stood.

The more she tried to explain, the darker she painted the picture. Yet with her current male appearance, she had no way to refute them.

Explain?

The more she explained, the more it would look like she was trying to cover something up.

The corner of Yang Niansan's eye twitched furiously. Through gritted teeth, she squeezed out, "Lord Chen, you're overthinking this!"

"Understood, understood! No good comes of overthinking, no good at all!" Chen Wei beamed, adopting the all-embracing air of a Chief Official. With a grand wave, he said, "Official Ma, hurry and prepare tea for Lord Yang!"

Ma Muzhi answered resoundingly, "At once! Lord Yang, please take the seat of honor!"