Deep within the Jade Pool.
Chen Wei had already rehearsed his approach several times in his sea of consciousness.
Given how the Heavenly Court's offices operated, handling business across departments involved exceedingly cumbersome rules, especially in a place as important as the Jade Pool.
He had assumed that once he stepped through the doors, some female immortal official of the Jade Pool would receive him. He would have to adopt a humble posture, exhaust his supply of pleasantries, and offer a few little local specialties.
As for what those local specialties might be, best left unsaid.
Once the female official agreed to accommodate him, his request would climb through the ranks, reported to each successive superior.
This was called paying homage at the mountain gate.
Who would have thought?
Yang Niansan led him around a winding covered corridor and into a Main Hall surrounded by luxuriant flowers.
Inside the Main Hall.
Seven figures reclined languidly against soft cushions: the Seven Fairies, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Azure, Blue, and Purple.
Chen Wei's steps faltered.
Since ascending to the Heavenly Court, he had never encountered all Seven Fairies gathered together.
Yet today, here they all were.
The instant Chen Wei entered the Main Hall, the Seven Fairies broke off their conversation in unison. Seven pairs of sparkling eyes fixed themselves squarely on him.
Their gazes were scorching and utterly unabashed.
Zi'er reclined on a couch, her cheek propped on one hand. Her eyes swept over Yang Niansan before returning to Chen Wei's face, and she teased prettily, "Oh, it's Niansan. Come to think of it, you haven't visited our Jade Pool in ages. Don't stand in the doorway. Come over here and let your big sisters have a good look."
The moment Zi'er spoke.
The other six fairies perked up, sitting straight and chiming in all at once.
"Exactly! It's been so long. Who knows what duties you've been busy with?"
"Oh, you've got a good eye today, bringing such a handsome young immortal official along for a visit."
"Don't just stand there. Come, sit here~"
"Treat the Jade Pool like your own home. Sit down, sit down!"
Their voices twittered like orioles and swallows, immortal melodies lingering among the rafters.
Faced with such a reception, never mind Chen Wei-even a Star Lord with profound self-control might have found his Dao heart thrown into disarray.
The enthusiasm of the Jade Pool's female immortals was excessive.
Chen Wei kept his eyes on his nose and his nose aligned with his heart, bowing deeply. "This humble official, Chen Wei of the Folk Customs and Morals Inspection Bureau, pays his respects to the seven fairies!"
His deportment was faultless, his manner entirely professional.
Zi'er had always possessed a fiery temperament. Seeing his behavior, she looked him up and down with her beautiful eyes and laughed sweetly. "You young immortal official, how unreasonable. You say you've seen us sisters, yet you're standing so far away you can't even make out our faces. How can that count as properly seeing us?"
Her words made no attempt to conceal her teasing.
Chen Wei was pondering how to turn aside this velvet-covered barb.
Suddenly.
A moon-white hem flashed before his eyes.
Yang Niansan stepped sideways, positioning herself squarely in front of Chen Wei and blocking him completely.
The step was perfectly placed. It cut off Zi'er's scorching gaze and thoroughly obstructed Chen Wei's view, leaving him with nothing to look at but Yang Niansan's slender back.
"Ahem."
With her back to Chen Wei, Yang Niansan cleared her throat twice and said slowly, "Seven fairies, please stop teasing him. I... this humble official has come on duty today, to attend to proper business. The fruit trees on Flower-Fruit Mountain in the lower realm have revived, and the fruit growing across the mountain is of excellent quality. Taibai Jinxing has given instructions. Might this batch of spirit fruits be entered into the register and included in the Jade Pool's centrally managed supplies?"
Her tone was stiff.
Blocked behind her, Chen Wei blinked in astonishment.
Did the Immortal Second Generation always conduct business so bluntly?
Not even a single pleasantry before asking outright for a place on the register?
This was the most lucrative procurement assignment in the Heavenly Court. Would the Jade Pool really accept such a straight thrust of the blade?
And yet.
Contrary to Chen Wei's expectations, Hong'er, the eldest fairy, chuckled after hearing the request. "I thought this was some earth-shattering assignment. For such a simple matter of pushing a boat along with the current, did you really need to come in person, Niansan? You could have sent a junior immortal official to pass along the word and submit a jade slip. On behalf of the Jade Pool, I approve."
Approved?
Chen Wei was startled!
One casual sentence, without even examining the case file, and the final verdict was already sealed?
Before he could puzzle over it.
Hong'er tilted her head slightly, making the golden dangling hairpin atop it sway. "Then again, Flower-Fruit Mountain is the Great Sage Equal to Heaven's cultivation grounds. Speaking of which, we sisters did share a certain destined connection with the Great Sage back then."
Hearing their eldest sister give her approval.
The other six fairies not only raised no objections, but instead chuckled at the mention of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.
A whole mountain of spirit fruits?
The Jade Pool controlled the Heavenly Court's inner treasury. What rare and wondrous fruits had they not seen? This little addition to their income hardly mattered.
The gossip about the Great Sage was far more interesting.
"Didn't we just!" Huang'er picked up the thread, laughing so hard she trembled like a flowering branch. "Back then, we were ordered to pick immortal peaches in the Flat Peach Orchard, and we ran smack into that fellow. We thought for certain he'd commit some heinous deed that offended Heaven and reason."
"But who would have guessed!"
"After using a Body-Binding Spell to freeze us in place, he didn't even spare us another glance. His heart and eyes were filled with nothing but the peaches on the trees!"
"Listen to you~"
"If a monkey doesn't eat peaches, what would he eat? Us?~"
The Seven Fairies covered their mouths and chattered about those amusing events of the past, their words brimming with laughter whenever they reached a funny part.
When her laughter subsided, Hong'er returned to the matter at hand. "As for Mother, there's no need to report this to her. She's in seclusion, cultivating in peace, and is very busy. How could she spare time for such a trifling matter? Besides, since this assignment has already been discussed and approved in the Bright Hall, it is only natural that our Jade Pool cooperate. Simply hand the register to the female officials below us to enter."
The channel formed as the water flowed.
Everything went impossibly smoothly.
An arduous assignment that should have required endless persuasion and favors in every direction was settled neatly amid the fairies' laughter and chatter.
"This humble official thanks the Seven Fairies." Delighted, Chen Wei cupped his hands in gratitude. "I will certainly see the assignment properly completed..."
Before he finished.
Lu'er's eyes flashed, and she cut him off.
She leaned forward slightly, a lock of dark hair slipping over her shoulder, her tone enticing. "Just an empty word of thanks? You're standing so far away that I can hardly hear your gratitude. How is that any way to thank someone? Why not come closer and say it right here in front of me? Wouldn't that be better?"
Such blatant teasing left Chen Wei at a loss.
Come closer?
If he really went over to fawn on her, what would become of his dignity?
But if he refused, wouldn't he be slighting a fairy of the Jade Pool?
They had only just approved his lucrative tribute assignment. Turning his back on them now was hardly the way of an official.
Chen Wei's eyes darted as he rapidly worked through possibilities in his sea of consciousness.
Flattery and cultivating connections were his specialties, after all. It was merely a matter of saying a few pleasing, gentle words to amuse these fairies, who rarely ventured out and were looking for something novel. It would not cost him a piece of flesh.
His mind was made up.
"Since the fairy has granted permission, this humble official will naturally..." Chen Wei was just about to step forward and deploy his silver tongue, smooth on all eight sides.
Abruptly.
Yang Niansan whipped her head around and snapped, "Absolutely not!"
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