Oh my, what terrifying demonic aura!

Above the Heaven-Reaching River, an unmarked Flying Boat slowly cruised over the water.

The Flying Boat looked ordinary, utterly out of place on the Heaven-Reaching River, which seethed with demonic aura and murderous intent.

Inside the Flying Boat's cabin.

Yang Chan rested her chin in one hand and leaned against the carved window, gazing at the ceaselessly rushing river, lost in thoughts no one could guess.

A rosewood tea table stood in the center of the cabin.

A dignified middle-aged man sat upright in the seat of honor.

An elderly man with white hair, a white beard, and a kindly face had rolled up his sleeves to brew tea, his practiced movements flowing like drifting clouds and running water.

"Chan'er." The middle-aged man's voice was warm and kindly. "Look at you. A perfectly respectable female immortal, yet instead of enjoying your blessings on Mount Hua, why must you put yourself through all this? Dressing as a man and running off to serve as an assistant official-what sort of propriety is that?"

At the sound of his voice.

Yang Chan came back to herself. Her cheeks flushed faintly as she hurried to the tea table and sat beside the middle-aged man, bringing out her specialty and drawing out her words in a wheedling tone.

"Uncle!"

"When we reach the Vanguard's camp, you absolutely mustn't expose my identity! I told you Chan'er could come on her own, but you insisted on tagging along."

The middle-aged man burst into hearty laughter.

He rose and strolled to the window with his hands clasped behind his back. "How could I rest easy letting you descend alone to such a dangerous place, Chan'er? Besides, it has been a long time since I last came down to admire the magnificent mountains and rivers of the Three Realms."

"Chang Geng, come take a look."

"The Heaven-Reaching River truly deserves its name as the greatest river in the Three Realms. Its waterways crisscross the land, its vistas are grand and varied-what a magnificent sight!"

The white-haired elder addressed as Chang Geng was none other than Taibai Jinxing.

The old Star Lord set down the teapot and walked slowly to the window. "Your Majesty speaks truly. Though the Heaven-Reaching River is somewhat tainted by demonic miasma at present, Heaven's might knows no bounds. In time, the lands and waters of the Three Realms will surely grow ever better!"

In all the Three Realms, only the middle-aged man before him could command such reverence from Taibai Jinxing.

He was the Supreme Sage of High Heaven, the Great Benevolent One, the Jade Emperor, Great Heavenly Venerable, Supreme Emperor of the Mysterious Firmament.

For short: the Great Heavenly Venerable.

"Chang Geng, you never change." The Great Heavenly Venerable smiled without pursuing the subject, his gaze settling on Yang Chan.

The Third Holy Mother's cheeks were faintly pink, and she looked every bit a bashful young maiden.

Why was she blushing?

She had fallen prey to earthly longing.

Having endured countless tribulations, the Great Heavenly Venerable saw through her at a glance.

He took the teacup Taibai Jinxing offered and teased her. "Chan'er, could something be weighing on your heart?"

"Of course not!" Yang Chan hastily denied it. "Nothing at all! I'm just admiring the scenery!"

There was indeed something weighing on her heart.

Her mind was filled with a certain minor immortal.

This time, Yang Chan had left the front lines on the pretext of feeling unwell and returned to the Heavenly Court. Who would have thought that the moment she entered the Southern Heavenly Gate, her uncle would intercept her? A few probing remarks from the Great Heavenly Venerable had laid her affairs bare from top to bottom.

Not only that, but on a sudden whim, the Great Heavenly Venerable had decided to make an incognito inspection and visit the Heaven-Reaching River himself.

"Chan'er," the Great Heavenly Venerable reminded her gently, "the Heavenly Dao's causes and consequences cannot be forced. For an immortal to harbor earthly desires is already a grave taboo. Besides, even if I do not stand in your way, you must consider Erlang. With his temper, he will not be easily fobbed off."

Yang Jian was notorious for his fanatical protectiveness toward his sister.

If he learned that Chen Wei dared lay a hand on the Third Holy Mother, he might well tear the Folk Customs and Morals Inspection Bureau apart.

Hearing this, Yang Chan's eyes darted mischievously. She hurried back to the Great Heavenly Venerable's side, took his arm again, and brought out her unfailingly effective trump card.

"Second Brother may have a bad temper, but I still have you, Uncle!"

"If you give the word, could Second Brother possibly defy your decree? You dote on Chan'er most of all, don't you, Uncle?"

"All right, all right!"

She shook the Great Heavenly Venerable so hard that the tea he had just lifted nearly spilled.

In all the Three Realms, Yang Chan alone dared shake the Jade Emperor's arm like this.

The Great Heavenly Venerable shook his head, pointed a finger toward her forehead, and sighed. "You, honestly! I truly don't know what to do with you. All right, stop shaking me. I promise. Besides, I came in person precisely to help you see what sort of immortal talent could have stolen our Chan'er's very soul."

"Thank you, Uncle!" Yang Chan beamed with delight.

Taibai Jinxing stood to one side, pretending he had heard nothing.

Chen Wei?

He does seem to have some brains, from what I've seen so far. A pity his foundations are a little shallow.

Just as the Great Heavenly Venerable was about to resume savoring his tea, the Flying Boat suddenly shuddered. Immediately afterward, a surge of demonic aura rapidly drew near.

Yang Chan frowned, her delicate hand reaching for the Treasure Lotus Divine Lamp at her waist.

The Great Heavenly Venerable did not so much as lift an eyelid, merely blowing on the leaves floating in his cup.

Taibai Jinxing set down the teapot, walked unhurriedly to the window, and glanced outside.

"Oh my?"

"What terrifying demonic aura."

"Chang Geng." The Great Heavenly Venerable sipped his tea, his tone even. "It is time to rap a few knuckles."

Taibai Jinxing nodded and turned to agree. "Indeed, Your Majesty. The Three Realms belong to the Heavenly Court. How could we permit such lawlessness? Certain hands are growing ever more ignorant of the rules. If they refuse to behave, they deserve a good smack."

At that same moment.

The Golden-Winged Great Peng hurtled along just above the Heaven-Reaching River. He needed to vent.

The farther he flew, the angrier he grew. The more he thought, the more stifled he felt.

"They've pushed this demon too far! Far too far!" the Great Peng snarled through gritted teeth.

He was the mighty Golden-Winged Great Peng. How glorious had his standing always been?

Even the Buddha Tathagata of the Western Heaven had to swallow his distaste and call him his own uncle!

With a background like that, he was a formidable figure who could swagger unchallenged not merely along the Heaven-Reaching River, but throughout the Three Realms.

But today?

First, a petty immortal official of the Heavenly Court had led him around by the nose. Then the Lion-Camel King had mocked him to his face, even dredging up his failed pursuit of the Peacock Princess all those years ago to humiliate him!

How could he allow that?

He would not permit it!

"Toyed with by a pack of Wild Fox Zen pretenders?" The Great Peng beat his wings, accelerating once more. The currents of air he stirred plowed two towering walls of water from the river.

His belly was full of rage, and anger was not all he felt-he was hungry, too. He desperately needed something to stuff into his mouth.

He would swallow anything that breathed, be it a heavenly soldier or a Loose Immortal.

Just then.

As luck would have it, the Great Peng spotted a tiny black speck beneath the clouds ahead.

A sweep of his divine sense revealed an ordinary Flying Boat.

It bore neither the Heavenly Court's military banner nor the emblems of any great immortal sect. By all appearances, it was an immortal's pleasure boat.

The Golden-Winged Great Peng paused, then revealed a cruel smile. "Good, good, good! This king has a bellyful of anger to vent. Since your luck was bad enough to land you right in my line of fire, you can't blame me!"

Just when he had nowhere to unleash his pent-up fury, just when his stomach was growling with hunger, a snack had delivered itself to his doorstep.

It truly was like being handed a pillow just as he began to doze.

The Golden-Winged Great Peng spread his wings, blotting out the sky and sun, and charged at the Flying Boat. "Now this king can enjoy himself to his heart's content!"

[Today's ten thousand words cost me every last drop of my heart's blood. If you brothers and sisters thought they were passable, please reward me with a few five-star reviews, or perhaps one of those little trinkets so easily given. What do you say?]