Chapter Seventy-Eight: The Banquet of Immortals

"Yun Si!" the old Dragon King called out.

"I know you are a mortal who, by a twist of fate, ended up in the Water Realm and formed a bond with my son, Cang Xuan."

Upon hearing these words, three individuals in the audience instantly changed their expressions—disdain, scorn, guilt...

Ignoring their reactions, the Dragon King continued, "But the Six Realms have their own rules, and given your actions today, this bond of yours must come to an end. Before all the assembled immortals, I hereby sever this ill-fated connection. From this day forth, you shall have no more ties with my Water Realm."

"Does that mean you're letting me go?" Yun Si's heart leaped with joy. If she'd known she could be expelled this way, she would have blown something up much sooner, instead of causing all this trouble.

However, before she could relish the thought, a harsh reality doused her hopes. The Dragon King's expression turned stern and resolute as he continued, "But today's actions cannot be overlooked. You've caused trouble in my Dragon Palace multiple times. I've been patient, but now you've destroyed my palace in front of all these immortals. How can I face them if I don't punish you? Take her away, lock her in the dungeon, never to see the light of day again!"

Just as Yun Si was about to be taken away, she glanced sideways at Jun Feng, who remained as calm as ever. Cang Xuan, unable to bear it any longer, whispered urgently to Jun Feng, "If you don't act now, the girl will be taken away!"

He began to doubt whether Jun Feng remembered why he had come to the Water Realm in the first place. Could it be that Jun Feng truly was as heartless and unfeeling as the rumors said?

Cang Xuan's sharp eyes were fixed on Jun Feng, scrutinizing him with a gaze as intense as flames. Jun Feng, however, seemed not to notice, not even glancing at him. His focus was entirely on her, his fists clenched under his white robes, veins bulging.

He was holding back!

It was as if fate were playing a cruel joke on him. Just when he had been guarding her without hesitation, fate tore them apart, only to stir his heart again when he tried to let her go. The once invincible celestial being, Jun Feng, was repeatedly defeated by her!

Just as he decided to step in and save her, a massive wave rose from the sea, shaking both the ocean and the seabed.

Thunder roared, lightning flashed, and the wind howled. No one knew what was happening on the sea's surface.

As the Dragon King was about to send someone to investigate, a bolt of lightning struck the sea, parting the waves to create a narrow path just wide enough for one person.

Curiosity led everyone to look at the path, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Just as they began to relax, a golden light suddenly flashed.

The blinding golden light forced everyone to avert their eyes. When it finally faded, they could see a white figure approaching them. As their eyes adjusted, they realized it was a monk!

"Master! Master, save me!" Yun Si instinctively cried out for help before anyone else could react.

"It's... It's Master Qing Wu! Disciple of the Buddha, Master Qing Wu!" someone shouted. The crowd was stunned. They had come to enjoy a wedding feast, only for it to turn into a martial duel. Not only did they see the legendary Emperor Qiyang, but now they were also witnessing the arrival of Master Qing Wu, a disciple of the Buddha himself. This was...

Incredible, absolutely incredible!

Yun Si's bright, watery eyes darted around, looking at this person and that, trying to figure out what they were discussing. What was this about Qing Wu the Venerable? What Buddha? Could it be that they were awed by her famous master and wanted to compete in giving them offerings?

Forget it, there's no time to think about that now. Escaping is the priority!

Taking advantage of the distracted fish guards, she bolted, hiding behind Qing Wu. The two fish guards, initially poised to chase her, hesitated upon seeing Qing Wu, not daring to take another step forward.

Seeing their frustrated yet helpless expressions made Yun Si laugh. Looking around at the envious faces of the other guests, she felt even more pleased with herself. Being the disciple of a great master definitely had its perks.

The more they envied her, the more Yun Si flaunted her status, crossing her arms with a smug look on her face, her prideful demeanor practically screaming that she was Qing Wu the Venerable's disciple.

However, as she was basking in her own glory, her gaze unintentionally met Jun Feng's bloodthirsty eyes, which looked ready to devour her. Startled, she shrank back in fear.

"See? I told you to act earlier, but you didn't listen. Are you satisfied now? You had a perfect hero-saving-the-damsel-in-distress moment, and you let someone else take it. Serves you right!" Cang Xuan, who had been watching the show, couldn't resist throwing cold water on him.

Even the old Dragon King couldn't bear to watch any longer and told everyone to step back. He then forced a smile and approached Qing Wu, saying, "It's an honor to have the Venerable Qing Wu visiting from afar. Please forgive me for not welcoming you properly."

Qing Wu nodded slightly and replied calmly, "The Dragon King is too kind."

The old Dragon King laughed awkwardly. He didn't know why Qing Wu the Venerable was here today. Usually, Buddhist monks didn't participate in such feasts, let alone be invited. Moreover, these banquets often involved alcohol and meat, which were not suitable for Buddhist monks.

But now that he was here, it would be impolite to ask him to stay in the side hall while they continued their revelry. However, he couldn't leave the entire room of guests to entertain him either.

After much internal struggle, the old Dragon King finally spoke, "Prepare a seat for the Venerable. Please, have a seat!"

"No need!" Qing Wu said. "I came today for my disciple. She has caused trouble and angered the Dragon King. Please forgive her."

"Ah, well... It's nothing, really. The Venerable and your disciple are always welcome here. Today was just a misunderstanding," the old Dragon King said, laughing.

"Since there's no more issue, we'll take our leave," Qing Wu said no more, turning to leave with Yun Si.

And so, the Dragon Palace incident came to an end. A grand farce concluded, and the Water Realm Crown Prince's wedding was canceled, becoming a joke throughout the Six Realms. The old Dragon King was furious, nearly passing out from rage. Naturally, Cang Xuan's antics earned him two hundred lashes from the Dragon Whip.

As for Yun Si, she was punished with three months of confinement and copying the Lotus Sutra five hundred times for her unauthorized entry into the Water Realm. Although it seemed a lighter punishment compared to Cang Xuan's, it was enough for her to remember this lesson.

"Where are you? Did you get what I asked for?" Yu Fu quickly sought out Yun Si after receiving her note, but she didn't see any trace of Yun Si along the way. This made her start to suspect whether she had been tricked by Yun Si all along, that she hadn't lost her memory and was just toying with her the whole time.

Thinking of this, Yu Fu became angry and impatiently shouted, "Weren't you the one who asked me to come out? Why aren't you showing yourself? I know you didn't get the dragon whiskers for me, and you didn't lose your memory. Zi Sang, come out! You can't trick me again, I'm not afraid of you! Show yourself!"

"She won't be coming," a man's voice responded calmly.

Yu Fu looked towards the voice and saw a man lying leisurely on a tree branch, resting his head on one hand, exuding an air of elegance.

His dark hair cascaded down, and the purple gauze he wore fluttered around him. This sight was enough to make the love-struck Yu Fu swoon. Who was this charming young man?

Just moments ago, she had been furious and ready to confront someone, but now, seeing such an ethereal figure, her demeanor softened significantly.

"Who are you? Why are you here?" she asked, her tone much gentler.

The man leaped down gracefully and, just as Yu Fu had hoped, turned around slowly. A gentle breeze lifted his hair, revealing his cold, handsome face.

"Do you remember me now?" the man asked.

"Nan Xianyi?" Yu Fu was shocked, unable to believe her eyes. Wasn't he supposed to be dead?

"Ugh!" Her excitement caused a sharp pain in her chest, making it difficult for her to breathe.

"Your current pain is nothing but the consequence of your own actions," he said, his eyes filled with cold indifference as he looked at her suffering. From his robe, he took out something that resembled dragon scales, glowing faintly red—a clear sign that this object was not of the mortal world.

"Dragon whiskers are indeed formed from the essence of heaven and earth, suitable for healing. But to use them to expel the demonic energy within you is pure fantasy."

"Dragon whiskers? Did Zi Sang send you?" she asked.

"Where's the item?" he asked. Recalling the events of the previous day, he knew that Yun Si had gone to fetch the dragon whiskers but was then confined in the Pure Water Temple. This saved him the trouble of cleaning up her mess.

"What item?" Yun Si was baffled as Jun Feng asked her about something, fumbling around and finally handing over a pill from her robe.

Jun Feng, still unsatisfied, looked at her like she owed him something. Yun Si felt wronged and cried, "I only stole this one pill from you that day."

Jun Feng almost spat out blood in anger. He didn't even realize when she had stolen from him. "I'm talking about the item you brought back from the Water Realm."

"Dragon whiskers? No way! I promised someone I'd give them this," Yun Si said, clutching the silk pouch at her waist like a mother hen protecting her chicks.

She was truly anxious this time.

Seeing this, Jun Feng didn't force her. Instead, he withdrew his hand politely and patiently reasoned with her.

"Even if you give me that item, it's useless to me. I won't take it from you. But you're confined now and can't leave, while your friend is in urgent need of it. Do you think she can wait until you're free?"

"Then... what should I do?" Yun Si asked, panicked.

"Give it to me. I'll deliver it to her," Jun Feng coaxed gently, finally persuading Yun Si to hand over the dragon whiskers. He hadn't expected her to be so distrustful, not even believing him.

"The item you needed has been retrieved for you. From now on, leave her alone. Also, Prince Chen Rui wasn't killed by Zi Sang but by someone else. You don't need to bear that guilt." He handed the dragon whiskers to Yu Fu and turned to leave. But then, he paused and added,

"The demonic energy in you is too strong for ordinary healers to expel. However, it seems there's a descendant of the Li clan in the demon realm who might help you. But ever since he left the demon realm, no one knows his whereabouts. Finding him will depend on your luck."

"The demonic energy in you is too strong for ordinary healers to expel. However, there seems to be a descendant of the Li clan in the demon realm who might be able to help you. But since he left the demon realm, no one knows his whereabouts. Whether you can find him will depend on your fate."

"Here is a pill. Take it, and it will suppress the demonic energy in your body. But the effect only lasts for three months. If you truly want to live, you need to find him quickly. Otherwise, you know what will happen."

Yu Fu stared intently at the pill in her hand, lost in thought. Three months. Three months might seem like a long time, but in this vast world, amidst countless people, how was she supposed to find someone she didn't even know? Even if given three to five years, it would still be nearly impossible.

She clenched the pill tightly in her palm, her determined eyes seeming to say, "I won't give up!" Even if there was only a sliver of hope, she wanted to try.

The tightly closed door slowly opened a crack, and through it, Yun Si carefully observed the situation outside.

"Go back!" Before she could see anything clearly, a male voice called out. She turned to see that her master was already standing outside the door, having noticed her every move.

"Oh," Yun Si responded obediently.

It was only the sixth day of her confinement, and Yun Si was already restless. Despite promising to copy the Lotus Sutra five hundred times, she had only managed a little over three. The rest of the time, she either dozed off or daydreamed.

Returning to the study, Yun Si still did not follow Qing Wu's wishes to copy the text diligently. Instead, she lay despondently on the table, her mind seemingly blank as she stared into space.

After a long time, she muttered to herself, "I wonder how the great immortal is doing. Did he manage to deliver the dragon whiskers to Miss Yu Fu?"

Her eyes were filled with doubt, and her mind was a tangled mess. She lightly tapped her head with her small fists, hoping to clear her thoughts. "He's an immortal. Immortals... shouldn't lie, right?" She said this as if trying to convince herself, but it seemed to work.

In the silent night, the sound of falling leaves was particularly clear. Soon, a breeze picked up, causing the candlelight to flicker, which made Yun Si uncomfortable. She got up to close the window.

It was late, and Yun Si was tired. Her eyelids grew heavy, and she wished she could fall asleep immediately. But the thought of the unfinished Lotus Sutra waiting for her jolted her awake again.

With only ten days left until her confinement was lifted, more than half of the sutra was still unwritten. And the great immortal—he hadn't returned since that day. Life was dull and monotonous, and she longed for the day he would reappear and take her out for some fun.

Knock, knock, knock!

There was a knock at the door. When she opened it, a young monk from her master's courtyard stood there with a tray of tea. Accepting the tea, Yun Si felt a warm sensation in her heart, thinking her master still cared for her to have tea delivered so late at night.

However, before she could fully enjoy her happiness, the young monk's next words poured cold water on her hopes. "Master said that the month is almost up. If you don't finish copying the Lotus Sutra five hundred times, you will never be allowed to leave the Pure Water Temple."

These words frightened Yun Si so much that she hastily dismissed the young monk and returned to her copying. It seemed that tonight would be another sleepless night.