The Imperial City.
A gentle breeze wound through wisps of peaceful, lilting everyday life, drifting slowly along the streets of the vast Capital City.
Vendors' cries rang endlessly through the bustling streets, painting a scene of the Mortal Realm bathed in a spring breeze.
Within Elder Xu's official residence, all was silent.
His aged body trembled as he sat in the courtyard, waiting all along for the White-Clad One to come.
The White-Clad One had told him to go home and wait a few days, and he would come.
And so the elderly Xu Xixi had kept waiting...
The Xu Residence was now filled with descendants. His three sons and two daughters all had children of their own.
His life, it seemed, was complete.
Since resigning his post and returning home some days earlier, Xu Xixi had not stepped outside his gates.
There had been considerable grumbling at court over Elder Xu's resignation. They merely believed that, after Xu Xixi contradicted Emperor Ying at court, Emperor Ying had dismissed him in anger.
Calling it a resignation merely made it sound more respectable.
Yet the officials were also puzzled. Emperor Ying did not seem so narrow-minded, so why had he made Elder Xu resign?
The officials sighed, and people often visited to ask the reason.
Remembering Su Mo's instructions, Xu Xixi only said, "It was time I had a proper rest..."
Looking at Xu Xixi's complexion, the officials seemed to understand something, and none said anything further.
That day, Emperor Ying came to visit.
Emperor Ying brought no one with him, arriving alone at the Xu Residence, where Xu Xixi's eldest son received him.
His eldest son seemed somewhat flustered at Emperor Ying's arrival and immediately ushered him inside.
"Your Majesty, Father has been bedridden these past two days. He did