Chapter 211 Bitao vs. Mingguang
Seeing that Kunyi had no intention of making a move, Bitao smiled and said, "Immortal Master, there are two kinds of energy in this world, pure and impure, yin and yang. Whether it is love or coercion, it is always a two-way street."
If you are not willing to invest even a sliver of sincerity, always calculating gains and losses, and unwilling to take any risks, then you will never truly receive a soul-deep love in return.
Bitao is never afraid of the so-called loss of "loving someone".
She has the ability to tame and balance.
Love is inherently a bloody process of mutual invasion, plunder, occupation, and control.
While Mingguang was controlling her, he was also being controlled and manipulated by her at all times, and they both enjoyed it.
Kunyi lived and died alone. She never revealed her true feelings to anyone. Even though she formed a family with Qingming and had twins, they never spoke of love.
Therefore, she did not understand.
She frowned deeply, always feeling that Bitao was acting incorrectly.
After pondering for a long time, she found a reason to "persuade" Bitao: "As immortals of the Nine Heavens, if you two are so mutually restraining, what if one day your relationship turns against each other? Wouldn't it turn into a catastrophe for all living beings, just like the Spring Lord and the Southern Heavenly Venerable?"
"You indulge in Mingguang's nature. What will you do if one day your love can no longer make him willingly submit?"
Bitao smiled and shook her head.
Bitao didn't lie to Kunyi; Mingguang really hadn't "fully recovered."
When he first woke up, Qingming used the sundial and Mingguang even misunderstood her as the incarnation of Houtu, the person destined for his brother, and he became obsessed with her.
It has not dissipated to this day.
Bitao's "arrogance" is all to help Mingguang heal himself.
Compared to physical injuries, the emotional knots in one's heart are the hardest to untie.
But these were "private" matters between her and Mingguang, so there was no need to explain them in detail to Kunyi, an elder.
Kunyi is, in the end, a goddess created by the ancient immortal clan. She is absolutely fair and just, infinitely wise, and incomparably powerful. It is not unreasonable for her to be indifferent to personal feelings. No one is perfect, and she does not need to be perfect.
Therefore, Bitao persuaded Kunyi from another angle: "Immortal Master, rest assured, all the subordinates I have trained are capable of standing on their own."
"Moreover, I have already promoted the joint governance of Heaven and the Underworld, and together with Mingguang, we have established many celestial positions in the Six Departments that are mutually restraining and supervising each other. Even if we were to abandon the affairs of Heaven and the Underworld now, the two realms would definitely not be in chaos."
"As the immortals from both realms descend to the mortal world and take turns, bringing the prayers and will of the common people to the celestial realm, these forces will only become more and more solid, like a dam during a tidal wave, already taking shape."
"In the future, even if someone is missing from the Nine Heavens Immortal Positions, the world will not descend into chaos."
As Bitao spoke, she pulled Kunyi aside and explained to her the internal reforms she and Mingguang had implemented over the past six months.
Mingguang overheard the two talking about official duties outside the door, then quietly slipped back downstairs to continue playing with his pile of junk.
In the past six months, Mingguang and Bitao haven't actually made any earth-shattering changes. They've only altered some of the ways in which they cooperate in public service, gradually transferring power from the hands of the high-ranking immortals of the ancient immortal clan to the lesser immortals at various levels.
Each level has its own power and authority, and the six departments work together while also checking and balancing each other.
Kunyi's attention was completely diverted, and she listened intently. She had thought of these ideas before, having governed the Heavenly Realm with Qingming for many years.
However, due to the ancient immortal clan's system of inheriting divine power, it cannot be easily implemented.
But now, after the great war, the inheritance has been shattered. In addition, the immortal positions must be rotated through tribulations. The ancient immortal clan elders who are reluctant to relinquish their power are afraid that when they undergo tribulations, the younger generation will be unwilling to appoint generals to re-bind the relationship due to their oppressed interests. So they can only grit their teeth and let go of power.
So, quietly, over the past six months, the celestial and the underworld realms appeared calm on the surface, but were undergoing dramatic changes and transformations.
"Immortal Master, Mingguang and I are preparing to discuss with the Great Emperor of the Eastern Pole, Qinghua, the idea of implementing a system of rotating the sundial."
When Bitao spoke of governing the Heavenly Realm, her eyes lit up: "The rotation of the stars and the yin-yang sundial bear the weight of all living beings in the myriad realms. It is not the responsibility of any one person, nor should it be bestowed upon only one Sundial Guardian Immortal Emperor."
"If a rotation system could be implemented, the ascension to immortality would be faster. Moreover, the yin-yang sundial, which rotates through the Milky Way, can not only contain pure qi but also turbid qi. Even the ghost officials of the underworld can participate in taking turns guarding the sundial."
"Once the immortals connect to the star dial and receive its gifts, their immortal positions are like those of star gods, bound to the star dial."
Bitao clasped her hands together with a "slap".
Kunyi's eyelashes trembled slightly.
Bitao smiled brightly, like spring flowers in full bloom: "At that time, the nine celestial positions will be mutually supervised, and we will be completely in the same boat. Our lives and deaths will be bound to the sundial, which means we will be bound to all living beings."
"When all those who hold power in the Nine Heavens and the Nine Netherworlds have completed their rotation on the star dial, and the immortal positions are intertwined with the lives of ordinary people, then the life and death of ordinary people will become a matter of life and death for them. At that time, will we still worry about the myriad realms being affected by the change of immortal positions?"
At that time, the sundial will not collapse, the myriad realms will not disintegrate, and the Heavenly Underworld will not perish.
The ancient immortal clan's system of inheriting divine power will also come to an end with the system of acquiring power through the sundial.
When the giant waves come, all the creatures in the sea can only drift with the current.
Kunyi looked at Bitao and knew that she was the 'giant wave' that had swept the world up to the heavens and the underworld.
Her lips moved, but she ultimately said nothing.
As if the string that had been taut for years had finally loosened, Kunyi sat back down at the table, her back, which had always been as straight as a pine or bamboo, gently leaning against the back of the chair, in a posture that was more natural than ever before.
There's a saying in the mortal world: children and grandchildren have their own blessings.
She knew that she no longer needed to cling to her high position and constantly monitor the four immortals for overstepping their bounds and engaging in unauthorized activities.
Once the sundial system that Bitao mentioned is implemented, she can descend to the mortal realm to undergo tribulation without worry.
Bitao didn't say anything more, sat back down at the table, and looked at Kunyi with a smile, her expression friendly.
Kunyi finally breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I wish to lead the immortal elders of the ancient immortal clan to the mortal realm to undergo tribulations."
She was willing to lend a final helping hand to the "giant wave" of humanity, to drag those who refused to relinquish power into the calamity of eight sufferings and nine poisons, and to cleanse the purity of the immortal position.
She smiled slightly at Bitao and asked, "When is the wedding scheduled?"
Bitao: "There are a few auspicious days; we're just waiting for the immortal to return so he can help us choose one..."
"Mother really agreed that we can go down to the mortal realm to undergo tribulations after we get married?!" Mingguang was so happy that he unconsciously stood on tiptoe.
Bitao nodded: "I agree. I told you that the Immortal Master cares about you the most, so it's impossible for him to leave without saying goodbye, let alone not attend your wedding."
Mingguang pursed his lips and nodded vigorously.
Her golden eyes were veiled with a layer of shimmering mist, making her look incredibly beautiful.
He stepped forward and hugged Bitao tightly, showering her face, neck, and head with kisses like a chick pecking at rice.
He knew that his mother did not choose to go down to the mortal realm to undergo tribulation after his marriage because she "cared about him".
Kunyi never lingers or gets swayed by any personal feelings.
She stayed because of Xiao Taozhi's careful planning.
To implement the new system, Kunyi will inevitably take the lead and personally guide those who oppose the star-dial rotation system to the mortal realm to undergo tribulations.
This timing, coinciding with their wedding date, led Kunyi to decide to attend his wedding. She even participated in choosing the auspicious date.
But Mingguang was still very, very happy.
The Qingming Emperor's "departure without saying goodbye" has always been a deep wound in his heart that he can hardly heal. If Kunyi also refuses to attend his wedding and goes on her own to undergo tribulation, his resentment will not be able to be eliminated.
"Thank you..." Mingguang whispered in Bitao's ear in a hoarse voice, "Thank you..."
Thank you for her excessive indulgence over the past six months, which allowed him to heal his heartbreak slowly under the protection and love of her, without having to grit his teeth and pretend nothing was wrong amidst the huge shock and grief of losing his loved ones.
Her promise to him during the second competition was completely genuine.
She said at the time, "I can help you solve everything that you are unwilling to face, afraid to face, or unable to face."
Mingguang had never received such abundant indulgence and favor in his entire life. The past six months had been the most relaxed, pleasant, comfortable, and happy time of his life.
He knew that these blissful times would continue forever as long as he was with Xiao Taozhi.
How could he not be head over heels for her?
Mingguang's sensitive lips pressed against Bitao's neck, sensing the throbbing pulse of her life and heart resonating with his own.
He blurted out, unable to contain himself, "I love you..."
He was once such a person who was not good at expressing himself, who refused to admit all his selfish desires, and who wished he could compare himself to the ancient gods and mold himself into a virtuous person.
But now his love is like a surging tide, a sea of emotions churning. No matter how strong his defenses and dikes are, they cannot stop the overflowing love, which pours out onto the little peach branch that belongs only to him.
“I love you…” Mingguang murmured.
He held Bitao in his arms, her toes almost off the ground, and she looked up at Mingguang with eyes full of doting affection.
Mingguang was happy, and naturally she was happy too.
She never had relatives and kinship, how could she bear to let Mingguang also have none of them? She would do everything she could to help him find them.
Bitao touched his face, her beautiful peach blossom eyes slightly narrowed, and her moist lips said to him, "Is it all just about saying 'I love you' with your mouth?"
"What I said yesterday, you'd transform into the middle-aged version of yourself from the third competition and mess with me... no, look, you'll answer me?"
Mingguang stiffened slightly.
He avoided his gaze, but Bitao hooked his chin, preventing him from avoiding her burning eyes.
"Is it okay?"
Mingguang held her, trembling slightly as he had before, unable to control himself.
Mingguang lowered his head, his handsome nose gently arching against Bitao's cheek, his neck burying itself in her hair, taking a deep breath, but unable to calm his pounding heart.
No matter how much time has passed, Xiao Taozhi will always be the one who can easily stir all his emotions.
He lifted the little peach branch high with both arms and looked up at her.
Like a faithful believer gazing upon the god they forever look up to and follow.
His feelings for Xiaotaozhi preceded romantic love; they were admiration, submission, and faith.
It has remained unchanged.
He was her lover, and even more so, her believer.
Mingguang met her burning gaze, and finally, as if bewitched, he replied, "Okay..."
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