Chapter 31: Meeting an Acquaintance Again While Offering Sacred Respect.

The few days Hua Xun spent at Baiwu Cliff were the most beautiful period of her short, hundred-year life.

She has her own warm and comfortable palace, no need to run away in fear every day, and her favorite peaches and pear blossom cakes that she can never finish eating.

Every morning, he cultivates and regulates his breathing; before noon, he follows the deity to practice magic and mental techniques; and in the afternoon, he practices the Pure Heart Sutra.

With the deity opposite her, she found it difficult to calm down. Whenever this happened, the deity would glance at her helplessly, but never scold her too much.

Although Hua Xun had unknowingly succeeded in abstaining from grains, she still maintained the human custom of cooking every evening. Occasionally, she would cook some porridge, and sometimes she would make some pastries. Once she finished cooking, she would happily send them to the God.

Whether the food is delicious or not, the deity will always eat it with a smile, never having to worry about being disliked or criticized.

Every night, Hua Xun would take out the mirror, slip into the celestial curtain of the deity, sit beside the lotus platform, and watch the human storyteller vividly tell stories with the deity.

When Hua Xun first entered the divine lord's celestial veil, she was filled with trepidation. But seeing the divine lord's tolerant and gentle demeanor, she gradually grew bolder. Later, she simply brought pastries and sweet water to the lotus platform, eating as she watched.

Sometimes the deity would admire the peach blossoms under the tree, and Hua Xun would bring out a jade table and stools and place them under the tree so they could watch together.

Hua Xun keenly noticed that although the Divine Lord wouldn't say "I like it" out loud, his gentle gaze would become more focused than usual when the storyteller was telling an exciting part of the story.

Hua Xun was secretly delighted with her little discovery for several days.

The deity had somehow tampered with the image-recording mirror, and the images displayed on its surface would even move according to the master's thoughts.

When the deity held the mirror in his hand, all that appeared in the mirror was the vast celestial mist and the mortals of the Three Realms.

At times like these, Hua Xun always felt that the burden on the Divine Lord's shoulders was too enormous and heavy.

But she also knew that even if she spoke out, the god would only respond with "I am a god".

Therefore, she would always pretend to be enthusiastic and hold the post-image mirror in her hand.

The image in the mirror then transformed into a little puppy running in a field, tripping and falling flat on its face.

The magpie went to steal grapes, but was so sour that it started chattering incessantly.

Children who whispered to each other in school were slapped on the hand by their teacher;

Or perhaps it's just a strangely shaped cloud drifting slowly by...

Hua Xun then discovered that the God also loved watching these interesting little stories she had seen in the human world, with the same gentle and focused expression as when watching a storyteller.

Unfortunately, such wonderful days did not last long. In the second month after returning to White Mist Cliff, the Divine Lord discovered the whereabouts of the Divine Lord Luohe's soul.

The deity sent his avatars down to the mortal realm as usual.

On the eve of his descent to the mortal realm, Hua Xun sat beside the God Lord's lotus throne and solemnly handed him the image mirror: "God Lord, if you feel bored while you are alone at White Mist Cliff, take a look at this."

"Inside, besides the excerpts of operas and storytellers left behind, there is also a piece of my spiritual consciousness that I previously infused into it. Not only will the deity be able to see me, but I will also be able to chat with the deity's true form and keep you entertained."

Helpless, Jiuqing had the words "My clone is also me" on the tip of her tongue, but she ultimately swallowed them with a soft sigh: "I understand."

Hua Xun recalled the image of the God-King guarding the White Mist Cliff alone for thousands of years, and still felt uneasy. She looked up at the God-King sitting on the lotus platform and asked, "Why don't you descend to the mortal realm in your true form?"

At least that way, she could still be with him, so he wouldn't have to endure most of his loneliness.

The deity lowered his eyes, looking at the girl whose eyes held a hint of expectation: "There is no need for the main body and the clone to feel and experience the same things."

Hua Xun's eyes darkened, but she still responded with a soft, understanding sound.

On the day that Liu Huo descended to the mortal realm with the avatar of the Divine Lord, he unusually did not go out. Instead, when Hua Xun was about to step into the immortal light passage created by the Divine Lord, he grabbed her skirt and stopped her.

Hua Xun asked, puzzled, "Liu Huo, what are you doing?"

After hesitating for a long time, Liu Huo reluctantly spat out a piece of jade.

The jade is extremely rough in shape, and it is obvious that it was pecked from somewhere.

"What is this?" Hua Xun vaguely guessed Liu Huo's intention, but pretended not to understand.

Liu Huo let out two muffled "chirp chirps".

"Is this a gift for me?" Hua Xun asked knowingly.

The fiery creature glared angrily, snatched the jade back, and tapped her purse with its wing.

"Should I keep it as travel expenses?" Hua Xun asked.

Liu Huo paced anxiously in circles, frustrated that he couldn't understand human language, and could only whimper impatiently, looking to the deity for help.

The deity smiled: "Liu Huo wants you to bring back some more pastries for it."

Liu Huo's eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously.

Seeing that the deity had spoken, Hua Xun released Liu Huo and readily agreed, accepting the jade.

*

The guiding light led directly to a place called Fengshen City.

Fengshen City is adjacent to the cultivation realm, with pure and clear spiritual energy. The city stretches for thousands of miles and is one of the most prosperous city-states among the human race.

Meanwhile, the divine aura of Lord Luohe was emanating from the city lord's mansion in Fengshen City.

When Hua Xun and the Divine Lord arrived, it was evening in the human realm.

Most human cities have curfews, but the city of Fengshen was unexpectedly bustling with activity.

The willow branches along both sides of the street are covered with small lanterns, winding their way along like a dragon.

The craftsmen, surrounded in the center, erected a "fairy mountain lantern tower." In front of the stage, someone shirtless was making iron flowers. After a crisp sound, the night sky was filled with sparks of fire.

There were also human girls and boys traveling together, and noble ladies in brocade robes and jade belts, shoulder to shoulder.

What surprised Hua Xun the most was that everyone here was carrying lanterns painted with images of gods, and images of the deity could be seen everywhere.

Even the statues of deities carried by the crowd were enormous, far more imposing than any she had ever seen before.

Hua Xun was so engrossed in the sights that he stopped an old woman to ask what the grand event was all about until he remembered his business.

"Today is the centenary celebration of Fengshen City, a truly auspicious day. The city lord has decreed that there will be no curfew for half a month," the old woman said happily.

Hua Xun: "If it's the city's centennial celebration, why are there so many statues of deities?"

"Young lady, are you from out of town?" the old woman said with a smile. "A hundred years ago, this place was called Yongning City. One day, the earth suddenly shook, and tens of thousands of people were buried in the rubble. Then, there was a heavy rain, and a plague broke out. In the midst of the crisis, the God appeared and saved everyone."

"It is said that the God Lord was taller than the heavens. He raised his hand and stopped the earthquake, and waved his hand to eliminate the plague. Since then, Yongning City has been renamed Fengshen City. The city lords have worshipped the God Lord for generations, which is why we have such a magnificent scene today."

Hua Xun understood, and after thanking the old woman in a serious manner, she turned to look at the deity and said excitedly, "Sir, Fengshen City is the same size as me!"

The deity looked at the delighted girl and said, "He should be about half a year older than you."

Hua Xun was surprised: "You actually remember it so clearly?"

The deity sighed helplessly, "Only a hundred years have passed."

Hua Xun understood perfectly. For a god who had lived for ten thousand years, events from a hundred years ago were probably as if they happened yesterday. How could he forget them so quickly?

Then she thought of something else: "Is the God-King really higher than the heavens?"

She had heard countless stories of gods from the human race: some were holy and aloof, some were gentle and compassionate, some were incredibly powerful, and some were upright and incorruptible…

The deity said, "It's just a Dharma form."

Hua Xun could not hide her excitement: "Is it the kind of Dharma form described in the storybooks? Standing tall and upright, with boundless magical power, one hand bigger than a mountain, eyes like the sun and moon, mouth that can swallow a long river, a glance is enough to cleanse one's mind and spirit, and a whiff of it can bring longevity and peace."

The god-king, who was being showered with praise, fell silent for a few breaths, a rare occurrence: "Human rumors should not be entirely believed."

Hua Xun's eyes shone with longing: "I really want to see the divine form of the God-King someday."

The deity lowered his eyes and smiled slightly: "You may only reveal your true form in times of crisis."

"Critical situation?" Hua Xun quickly shook his head and said sincerely, "Then forget it. I would rather the Divine Lord never reveal his Dharma form again."

The deity looked at her, paused for a moment, his smile faded, and he said nothing more.

"I wish to burn incense in the Jade Capital, and transform into the pure light to behold the divine countenance."

"Burning three sticks of incense to reach the heavens, I bow and kowtow to express my sincere heart."

The clear, melodious voices of scholars chanting hymns in the distance drifted over with the bustling crowd.

Hua Xun looked in the direction of the sound and saw a group of literati gathered in a pavilion by the river, composing poems in honor of the deity.

Many people stood on the riverbank, holding river lanterns inscribed with their wishes, prayed devoutly for a moment, and then released the lanterns into the river.

The winding river is like the Milky Way, and the river lanterns are like twinkling stars, drifting away into the distance with the river.

"Sir, let's go release river lanterns too!" Hua Xun said enthusiastically.

Before the deity could even respond, she mustered her courage, grabbed his sleeve, and squeezed her way over.

Although the deity was somewhat unaccustomed to being surrounded by people for the first time, his expression remained peaceful and tolerant, with a smile on his lips.

Hua Xun bought two river lanterns, on which were written in tiny characters the words "Respectfully offered to the Holy and Benevolent God," and then he had to write his wishes on the back.

Hua Xun borrowed a pen and ink from the shopkeeper, thought for a moment, and carefully wrote a line of small characters on the river lantern.

The deity held a river lantern, looked up at his own Buddhist name above, did not write any words, and bent down to put it into the river.

He was so close to the people making the wishes that the surrounding wishes entered his mind more clearly and chaotically.

May the gods bless me so that I may pass the imperial examination with flying colors this year.

May I be blessed with spiritual roots, enabling me to cultivate immortality and attain eternal life.

"May the God grant me a life of wealth and honor."

"..."

Until a new river lantern floated away from the girl's hand, he heard a familiar whisper in his heart:

"May the divine lord sing in harmony, walk alone with a lamp, and for ten thousand years thereafter there be no more emptiness."

The deity bowed his head, and the girl squatting by the river happened to look up at him with a smile: "Sir, did you hear that?"

The deity gazed into those eyes, which were filled with a dependence and other emotions, whether manipulated by the Spirit Rhinoceros Gu or not.

Hua Xun unconsciously held her breath. For a moment, she felt as if the God had seen through her feelings.

However, the Divine Lord's gaze lingered for a moment before shifting away: "It's time to go to the City Lord's Mansion."

Hua Xun lowered her head in disappointment when she saw that the deity had not responded to her question.

However, she was not the type to wallow in self-pity. After walking a few steps, a night breeze blew, and she became lively again.

"Are we just going straight to the City Lord's Mansion like this?" Hua Xun asked.

The deity did not look at her, his voice calm: "The city lord of Fengshen City is searching for cultivators to cure his only daughter's strange illness. I appeared to him in a dream last night, and a cultivator will visit today."

"So you really can send messages through dreams," Hua Xun exclaimed in admiration. "But what if the city lord doesn't believe in dreams?"

"No," the Divine Lord said calmly.

"Why?" Hua Xun asked, puzzled.

But then they saw that the deity had stopped and was looking at the tall mansion in front of him.

The words "City Lord's Mansion" were simple and straightforward. A man who looked like a steward was pacing anxiously on the steps. When he saw Hua Xun and her companion in the distance, he hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and respectfully asking, "May I ask if the young lady's surname is Hua?"

Hua Xun nodded.

"Excellent!" the steward exclaimed with delight. "The city lord said this morning that a cultivator surnamed Hua would be arriving today, and he has been waiting for him for quite some time!"

Hua Xun looked at the Divine Lord, who smiled gently, clearly already aware of the matter.

Hua Xun followed the steward into the city lord's mansion. Before he even reached the main hall, a plump, bearded middle-aged man jogged toward him: "Cultivator Hua? Is it really Cultivator Hua?"

Hua Xun nodded, but before she could speak, her left hand tightened.

The man held her hand tightly, while his other hand gripped the Divine Lord's right hand, his voice filled with excitement and joy: "Yesterday, I dreamt of the Divine Lord, who said that a cultivator surnamed Hua would arrive today with his men to solve my problem. I never imagined it would actually be true!"

"Thank you for your divine intervention, Lord! Thank you, Flower Cultivator!"

Hua Xun: ...

She really wanted to know what kind of interesting expression this man would have if she told him that the deity he spoke of was the one he was clutching in his right hand.

Hua Xun silently pulled her hand away: "I wonder what problem Lord Xiao has?"

Along the way, she had also heard that the ancestors of the city lord of Fengshen City had produced powerful cultivators, and that the city lords had always adhered to the family rule of purity and integrity, so the city lords of all generations had been virtuous and honest.

The current city lord's surname is Xiao and his given name is Wancang. As his name suggests, after he took office, he truly made the people prosperous and the city strong. The granaries, if not ten thousand, numbered in the thousands.

Xiao Wancang realized he had been too enthusiastic, so he quickly withdrew his hand, looked up and gave Hua Xun an apologetic smile, but then paused when he saw the man in white.

The man's appearance was unremarkable at first glance, but his peaceful and kind eyes made people feel trusting.

"Lord Xiao?" Hua Xun called out to him.

Xiao Wancang suddenly came to his senses, remembered something, shook his head, and sighed: "To be honest, I have been searching for cultivators for the sake of the common people, but more importantly... for my daughter."

"What happened to your daughter?"

Just as Xiao Wancang was about to speak freely, the steward leaned forward and whispered something to him. He immediately slapped his forehead and exclaimed, "I'm getting senile!"

“Master Hua and this gentleman must be tired from their long journey. Why don’t we have a meal first, and then talk to the master in detail later?”

Just as Hua Xun was about to say "no need," a familiar sneer rang out from around the corner: "Xiao Wancang said that the God appeared in a dream, but I think it's just something foul causing trouble."

"Today I will see with my own eyes which demon dares to impersonate a god and act like a god in front of me..."

The last two words were left unsaid, stuck on the tip of his tongue.

Hua Xun looked in the direction of the sound and saw a haughty young man in a fiery red robe walking around the corner with his ponytail swinging. He was followed by three or five servants. His eyebrows and eyes were arrogant and unrestrained, but now there was obvious surprise on his face.

"It's you!"

"Immortal Lord Yunxi?"

The two spoke in unison.

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Author's Note: The "You'll Always Encounter Acquaintances in the Lower Realm" skill has been triggered!