The celestial banquet was held at the Jade Pool.
When Xiu Yun Yin and Qiguan Yuan arrived, there were already quite a few people sitting by the pond.
Fairy maidens carried exquisite wines and delicacies as they moved among the crowds, and the tables were laden with celestial fruits and delicacies, creating a lively scene of clinking glasses and toasts.
The two walked in one after the other, and the hall fell silent for a moment.
Everyone looked over.
Xiu Yun Yin walked ahead, still dressed in white, with a calm expression.
Qiguan Yuan followed half a step behind him, his dark red robes standing out conspicuously against the backdrop of light-colored garments that exuded an ethereal aura throughout the hall.
His fox ears were tucked in, but his face was just too striking.
His eyebrows and eyes carried an air of nonchalance, like a wild fox who had stumbled into a boring banquet, completely unrestrained.
Almost simultaneously, everyone's eyes were fixed on Qiguan Yuan.
It wasn't that Xiu Yun Yin wasn't outstanding enough, but rather that Qiguan Yuan's flamboyant, languid, and alluring beauty was simply too striking.
These words are contradictory, yet they appear in Qiguan Yuan.
His dark red robes contrasted sharply with his full head of silver hair, his skin was almost translucent white, yet his lips were vibrant, and the corners of his eyes were slightly upturned. Standing there doing nothing, he was like a richly colored painting.
"That's the Yue Lao," someone whispered.
Those around him followed his gaze and saw Xiu Yun Yin, their expressions immediately revealing their understanding.
As for the red-clad figure beside the Yue Lao, he's probably one of his Yue Lao boys.
Although this "little boy" is indeed exceptionally good-looking.
Some noticed that Qiguan Yuan sat down next to Xiu Yun Yin, instead of standing behind and serving like the other celestial attendants.
However, the thought only flashed through his mind and no one pursued it further.
Perhaps the Yue Lao Love is good-natured and doesn't care about these rules, or perhaps this child is particularly favored and is given a seat.
After sitting down, Qiguan Yuan rested his chin on his hand and began to look around. After looking around, he clearly found it a bit boring.
He reached for the fruit on the table, his slender fingers fiddling with it in the fruit bowl before picking out the smallest one and popping it into his mouth.
Xiu Yun Yin sat down next to him, turning slightly to subtly block Qiguan Yuan view.
Qiguan Yuan didn't notice this action; he was concentrating on eating fruit, his cheeks puffing out.
Halfway through the banquet, everyone had exchanged pleasantries and offered toasts.
The Heavenly Emperor, seated at the head of the table, made a few polite remarks, after which the immortals relaxed and made their own arrangements.
Just then, a female fairy stood up.
She wore a pale yellow fairy dress, and her hair was adorned with a shimmering hairpin; her attire alone told her she was no ordinary fairy.
She walked up to Xiu Yun Yin with her wine glass in hand, first giving a proper bow, then her gaze passed over Xiu Yun Yin and landed on Qiguan Yuan, lingering there for several breaths.
Qiguan Yuan was cracking a walnut when he sensed someone watching him and looked up.
His captivating, fox-like eyes met the female immortal's gaze, but he remained expressionless and lowered his head to continue cracking walnuts.
The fairy blushed.
She composed herself, turned to Xiu Yun Yin, and said in a gentle voice, "Lord Yue Lao, I have long admired you, and seeing you today, I can confirm your extraordinary talent."
While exchanging polite words, her gaze drifted towards Qiguan Yuan.
Xiu Yun Yin didn't reply, but just looked at her calmly.
The female immortal was quite generous; after a few polite words, she got straight to the point.
She took out a brocade box from her sleeve and presented it with both hands. The box was small, jet black, and engraved with intricate patterns; it was clearly not an ordinary item.
The female fairy opened the brocade box, inside which lay a radiant bead, about the size of a thumb, emitting a soft glow.
The other immortals nearby couldn't help but take a second look at the bead.
These are mermaid tears from the depths of the East Sea. Only one can form every thousand years. They are extremely precious and can nourish the soul and soothe the mind.
Even just one of these would be enough to make many immortals in the Heavenly Realm covet it.
The female immortal handed the brocade box to Xiu Yun Yin, smiling sweetly, "Lord Yue Lao, this humble immortal has a favor to ask."
Xiu Yun Yin looked at her.
The female immortal finally looked openly at Qiguan Yuan, her voice tinged with shyness. "I wonder if the Immortal Venerable could arrange a Thread of Fate between this humble immortal and this celestial boy?"
Upon hearing this, the several immortals who were listening intently were all taken aback.
Qiguan Yuan stopped cracking walnuts.
He slowly raised his head, looked at the female immortal, then at Xiu Yun Yin, his expression subtle. The corners of his mouth seemed to be turning up, but he held back, finally settling on a half-smile.
Xiu Yun Yin glanced at the mermaid's teardrop in front of him, then at the female immortal.
"He is not a celestial child," Xiu Yun Yin said in a very calm voice.
The female immortal paused, not yet realizing the meaning of those words.
Qiguan Yuan finally couldn't help but chuckle softly. He popped the broken walnut kernel into his mouth, dusted off the crumbs on his hands, and leaned closer to Xiu Yun Yin, his chin almost resting on Xiu Yun Yin's shoulder.
"Interesting." Qiguan Yuan chuckled, his eyes crinkling as he looked at the female fairy and said, "You want to play matchmaker for me?"
The fairy was so startled by his smile that her heart skipped a beat, and she nodded, blushing.
Qiguan Yuan tilted his head, his tone clearly teasing. "Then you delivered the thing to the wrong person."
The female fairy was stunned.
Qiguan Yuan extended a finger, Dust-Settling Red Cord wrapped around its tip: "I'm the Yue Lao, you know."
As soon as Qiguan Yuan finished speaking, it was as if a silencing spell had been cast on the Jade Pool.
The immortals who had been whispering just moments before fell silent, all their eyes turning to the figure in red.
Qiguan Yuan held the red thread in his hand, the thin red silk thread wrapping twice around his slender fingers and then loosening, his movements casual.
The fairy in the pale yellow dress stood still, holding the brocade box in her hand, but her expression was frozen.
She looked at Qiguan Yuan, then at Xiu Yun Yin, her mouth agape, clearly unable to process what she was seeing.
The Yue Lao.
The red-clad immortal she took a liking to at first sight was actually the Yue Lao.
She had just asked the Yue Lao of the Yue Lao to tie the knot between her and Yue Lao in front of him.
The fairy's face turned from red to white, then back to red, and she almost dropped the mermaid's tear in her hand.
She was, after all, a celestial being of considerable standing in the Heavenly Realm. This blunder would likely make her too embarrassed to attend banquets for the next three years.
Xiu Yun Yin sat there, his expression remaining indifferent, as if the farce before him had nothing to do with him.
The wine glass in front of him was still steaming slightly, the mist spreading out and blurring the outline of half of his profile.
That female immortal was quick-witted.
She took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the embarrassment on her face, and quickly adjusted her strategy.
Since the person they've chosen is the God of Yue Lao himself, things become much simpler.
It's not a good thing to talk about the Yue Lao tying the knot for you; what if there are any taboos? It's better to be on the safe side.
So she turned her gaze back to Xiu Yun Yin.
Although she had just mistaken this Moon Official for the Yue Lao, his appearance and demeanor were exactly the same.
Dressed in white, she sat upright like a pine tree, exuding a serene and elegant charm compared to the Yue Lao and almost blinding beauty of the Matchmaker.
The female immortal thought it over and felt that this choice was more suitable, so she handed the brocade box forward again, her voice regaining its composure. "It seems I was blind. In that case, please, Old Man of the Yue Lao, help me and this Moon Official Immortal to tie a Thread of Fate."
Xiu Yun Yin's eyebrows twitched slightly, clearly not expecting that he would be dragged into this again, and he was about to refuse.
Qiguan Yuan was faster than him.
"No way." Qiguan Yuan's tone was light and casual. He untied the red thread wrapped around his finger, turned his head, and looked at the female fairy with a faint smile in his eyes, saying, "He's mine."
Upon hearing this, the entire Jade Pool fell silent.
The immortals on the nearby table had their wine cups hanging in mid-air, and the fairy maidens carrying fruit platters stopped in their tracks.
Even the Heavenly Emperor at the head of the table slightly tilted his head, revealing a hint of inquiry.
All eyes darted back and forth between Qiguan Yuan and Xiu Yun Yin.
The Yue Lao, dressed in red, sat with a smile, while the Moon Official, dressed in white, sat upright beside him. The distance between the two was no more than an arm's length; they were neither too close nor too far apart.
Xiu Yun Yin also turned his head in surprise to look at Qiguan Yuan.
His expression finally changed.
Her eyes widened slightly, and her lips tightened a little.
This expression might not seem like much on others, but on Xiu Yun Yin, who is usually very composed, it was quite a clear sign of surprise.
Qiguan Yuan felt his gaze, turned his head, and smiled at him.
Xiu Yun Yin looked at him and remained silent for two breaths.
Then he withdrew his gaze and looked back at the female immortal in front of him, without saying anything.
He neither explained nor corrected, tacitly agreeing with Qiguan Yuan's words.
The female fairy was clearly taken aback by this development.
Her gaze swept between the two of them, a look of sudden realization crossing her face. She even unconsciously took a half-step back. "So... that's what your relationship is like."
Qiguan Yuan nodded, completely unaware that his initial statement could be easily misunderstood, and replied with utmost naturalness, "Yes, he is my Moon Official."
He paused, looped the red thread around his fingertip again, and said in a light tone, "I'm the kind of person who doesn't like having my things coveted, so you should find someone else."
This was said frankly and openly, with a clear conscience.
The surrounding immortals finally came to their senses, their expressions changing from shock to understanding.
So that's what it means. The Moon Official is the subordinate of the Yue Lao. The Old Man Under the Yue Lao is protective of his own and doesn't like others plotting against his people, which makes sense.
But that line, "He's mine," was just... easy to overthink.
Xiu Yun Yin lowered his eyes, picked up the wine glass in front of him, and took a sip.
The wine was warm and smooth on the palate; his lips lingered on the rim of the glass for a moment before moving away.
He pursed his lips, wiping away the last trace of moisture from the corners of his mouth.
The fairy knew that things were not going to work out today.
She didn't press the matter, simply and decisively taking back the brocade box. She bowed to Qiguan Yuan and Xiu Yun Yin, her tone carrying a hint of genuine regret. "In that case, this humble fairy will not trouble you any further."
After speaking, she turned and returned to her seat, her pale yellow skirt sweeping across the floor in a clean arc.
A fairy who knew her well came over and whispered words of comfort, but she waved her hand and laughed first, "Alright, alright, it's my fault for being blind; I mistook you for someone else right away."
The atmosphere in Jade Pool gradually returned to its lively state, and amidst the clinking of glasses, the topic inevitably turned to the two newly appeared gods.
Someone whispered to the person next to them, "What kind of divine office is this Moon Official? I've never heard of it before."
This question was raised simultaneously in several desks.
The immortals whispered among themselves, all filled with curiosity about this novel term.
The Yue Lao is the god who governs all marriages in the world; this is common knowledge in the Heavenly Realm.
What is the Moon Official?
It sounds like he's an official under the Old Man of the Yue Lao (Yue Lao). That's exactly what the Yue Lao in red said earlier. But why would an official have the aura of Primordial God?
The murmurs grew louder until finally an elderly immortal spoke first. He bowed respectfully to the person above him and said in a clear voice, "Your Majesty, I have a question, but I don't know if I should ask it."
The Heavenly Emperor raised his hand, gesturing for him to speak.
The old immortal turned to Qiguan Yuan, his eyes filled with pure curiosity. "The Old Man of the Yue Lao just mentioned that this immortal is your Moon Official."
"We are ignorant and have never heard of this divine office before. Could the Old Man of the Yue Lao please enlighten us?"
Qiguan Yuan was reaching for the grapes on the table when he heard the question, and his fingers paused on the bunch of grapes.
He picked a grape, held it between his fingers, thought for a moment, and said, "It's actually quite simple. When I was born from the Tree of Fate, I wasn't the only one who came from it."
He pointed to Xiu Yun Yin beside him. "He came out with me."
These words caused another stir among the immortals.
They had never heard of more than one god emerging from the Tree of Fate before.
The Heavenly Emperor also became interested, leaning forward slightly. " The Yue Lao governs marriage, so what does the Moon Official do?"
Qiguan Yuan stuffed a grape into his mouth and mumbled, " The Yue Lao brings together fate, and the Moon Official receives fate."
His voice wasn't loud, and the Jade Pool was vast, so it became somewhat muffled by the time it reached the Heavenly Emperor.
The Heavenly Emperor listened intently for a moment, frowned slightly, then relaxed and nodded. " The Yue Lao brings together lovers, and the Moon Official guards them. It's quite a beautiful story."
"Shou" and "receive" are indeed easily misunderstood in this noisy banquet.
Qiguan Yuan paused for a moment, realizing that the Heavenly Emperor had misunderstood, but he was too lazy to explain.
Whether it's a predestined connection or a predestined relationship, it's just a difference of one word, and it's not a big deal.
Xiu Yun Yin's reaction was different.
He was sitting quietly with a wine glass in his hand, but when he heard the Heavenly Emperor say " the Moon Official guards fate," his fingers tightened almost imperceptibly.
Guard the bond.
edge.
Yuanyuan.
Qiguan Yuan.
Shouyuan, guarding Qiguan Yuan.
Xiu Yun Yin lowered her eyes, her eyelashes casting a small shadow beneath them.
He agreed with this statement, and Qiguan Yuan didn't offer any explanation, which meant he tacitly accepted it.
Therefore, he must cherish Qiguan Yuan from now on; this is the true meaning of receiving blessings.