Chapter 217 Reunion Gift
More than half a year after Bitao and Mingguang's wedding, all the official positions in the celestial realm were filled.
Several batches of immortals who had undergone tribulations returned to the celestial realm, personally heard the voices of all living beings, gave up their innate immortal powers that allowed them to command wind and rain, and experienced the eight sufferings and nine poisons of life. When they became immortals again, they were in completely different forms.
Those who have returned to heaven and reclaimed their positions among the ancient immortals rarely have younger members who are coerced by their relatives into appointing generals to secure their positions. The massive "body" of the ancient immortals, which has been entrenched for tens of thousands of years, has quietly disintegrated since the implementation of the new heavenly rules.
Kunyi distributed the responsibilities of the Heavenly Dao of the Myriad Realms among the Thunder Emperors and Thunder Kings of the Thunder Department, enabling them to supervise and cooperate with each other. Only then could she finally descend to the mortal realm with peace of mind to experience the tribulation of "being human".
This time, Kunyi brought the last remaining ancient immortals from the Heavenly Realm with her to undergo tribulation. From then on, the system of passing on divine power from generation to generation among the ancient immortals would cease to exist.
The celestial realm, with its wild immortals, ancient immortal clans, meritorious immortal positions, and even the general's immortal position, presents an atmosphere of peace, tranquility, and prosperity.
On the Six Imperial Platforms of Chongxiao, after implementing the sundial system, the Great Emperor Qinghua of the Eastern Pole once again descended to the mortal realm to "travel" in various places. He made a rare appearance at the star sundial to personally send Kunyi and a group of ancient immortal clan elders into the star sundial's cycle of reincarnation.
Bitao, Mingguang, and other generals from the Six Ministries, along with the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water, including the Eastern King Duke and the Western Queen Mother, all came to present Kunyi.
However, Kunyi was born with a hard and cold temperament. After looking around at everyone, her expression was solemn. She did not bid farewell to anyone with any sentimental words. She only said, "All celestial officials should return to their posts immediately and not delay their duties." Then, she rolled up her thunder whip and led the group of old generals from the six departments, whose faces were filled with fear or despair, straight into the Yin-Yang Sundial of the Star River.
Kunyi had already announced half a year ago that she would descend to the mortal realm to undergo tribulation. The Nine Heavens, which belonged to her followers, were not overly saddened by her departure.
Moreover, the tribulation is different from the Azure Netherworld Sundial. The Azure Netherworld Sundial involves abandoning the physical body of one's past life, with the soul dissipating and merging into the myriad realms. Even if the remnant soul is not completely gone and can reincarnate, everything has been completely forgotten, making it equivalent to a new soul. Only when one ascends again to ride the thunder by a fortuitous encounter can one retrieve the past events stored in the consciousness of the Heavenly Dao under the nurturing and reshaping of the Five Thunders.
However, the immortals who descend to the mortal realm to undergo tribulations are able to carry their immortal memories and travel through the myriad realms and the path to heaven.
With Kunyi's abilities, even if she didn't have the memories, ascension would be a piece of cake.
After Kunyi and the others threw themselves into the star dial, the figure of the Eastern Azure Emperor also disappeared; he had run away again.
Recently, the Ministry of War, one of the Six Ministries, has been in charge of the yin-yang divination. It hasn't been the turn of the Eastern Emperor to take charge yet. As the acting emperor, he really doesn't want to spend even a second under the divination of the celestial sphere.
As soon as Dongji left, the other six generals, following Kunyi's orders, all transformed into spirits and departed.
The three officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water nodded in the direction of Bitao and Mingguang.
The Heavenly Official smiled gently and said to the Earthly Official, whose face was sinister, "My brother and I have brewed Lotus Tea. Would the Earthly Official like to drink it with us?"
The lotus tea, the essence of the Heavenly Official and the Water Official, is a rare and nourishing substance.
Since the great war, the relationship between the three officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water, who have shared life and death, has become even closer. The Earth Official, who could never squeeze into the twin lotus siblings, now also has a place for him.
Upon hearing the Heavenly Official's invitation, the Earthly Official's usually pale and gloomy face softened slightly, and he said, "Yes."
The three of them transformed into spirits and departed together.
Looking at the three celestial spirits intertwined together, Dongwanggong sighed at the changing times. He knew that the two officials of Tianshui, since their birth in Yaochi, had never accepted the earth official who was their equal, yet now they were as close as one person.
Indeed, there is no love or hate in this world that time cannot destroy.
The Eastern King Duke turned and called out to the Western Queen Mother, who was halfway through her spiritual transformation, calling her by her real name: "Wan Jin, why don't you come to my Penglai for a cup of tea?"
Queen Mother of the West: "..."
The Queen Mother of the West transformed into a streak of frost and vanished, leaving behind a powerful and resounding command: "Get out!"
Dongwanggong clicked his tongue, glanced in the direction of Bitao, and then transformed into a spirit and departed.
In the end, only Bitao and Mingguang remained on the entire Chongxiao Six Imperial Platforms.
Mingguang stared blankly at the yin-yang sundial as the stars swirled around him.
Bitao stood beside him, taking his cold hand from beneath his robe sleeve.
Bitao gently swayed and soothed Mingguang in a soft voice: "Don't worry, the Heavenly Dao of the Myriad Realms is so steadfast that it is unparalleled in the world. She is going down to the mortal realm to undergo tribulation. Perhaps she will ascend back to heaven before a year has passed in the Heavenly Realm."
Mingguang understood the reasoning behind it all, and he also knew that this ordeal might not have lasted as long as his mother's journey to the mortal realm to perform a public service mission.
Although he seems to inherit Kunyi's temperament, being tough and aloof, he is actually the most sentimental.
Over the past six months, he has been deliberately guided and indulged by Bitao, and now he is revealing his true self more and more. After everyone left, his brows were etched with worry and loneliness, like a child abandoned by his mother.
Bitao couldn't help but chuckle as she looked at him.
She squeezed his palm and said, "We're going down to the underworld this afternoon... I have something fun for you. Have fun with it, don't look so gloomy."
Bitao raised her hand and rubbed Mingguang's furrowed brow.
Mingguang's once brilliant golden eyes were now somewhat dim. He forced a smile, composed himself, and followed Bitao back to the Cang Sheng Palace.
Mingguang thought that Bitao was going to use some new gadgets she had found in the underworld to coax him again.
In the past six months, whenever Bitao went out on official business, she would bring back some useless little brats for Mingguang.
Mingguang has his own incense burner that can run and bark but cannot take form. Bitao has also given him various artifact spirits, such as a cup that can brew fine wine and automatically release a cleansing array when touched, an eight-legged cauldron that crawls on the ground, a chandelier that can spit out flower petals, a brush holder that can grind ink, and a vase that seals countless evil spirits and emits ghostly howls to wake people up at the first light of dawn...
Anyway, all sorts of useless little junks made up for Mingguang's "childlike heart" that had been suppressed for more than two hundred years.
But now that his mother has passed away, Mingguang has no desire to tinker with those little gadgets.
He followed closely behind Bitao into their bedchamber. His straight back, as upright as a pine tree, relaxed and he leaned forward, wrapping his arms around Bitao's shoulders and pressing his weight onto hers. He rested his head on hers and was dragged along by her.
He moved his lips and said, "I don't want anything new today. Can you not go to the Underworld?"
He wanted Xiaotaozhi to stay with him.
But after saying those words, Mingguang realized that he shouldn't have done that.
Even though heaven and earth, and all realms are operating smoothly, Xiao Taozhi, as the Netherworld Emperor, can be absent from his post for a day or half a day, his subordinates will naturally assign him duties.
But that won't work.
Just as his mother said, he is becoming increasingly lax and unrestrained. How can he let Xiao Taozhi neglect her official duties for him?
Mingguang frowned in self-reproach, and his ears turned slightly red.
His tone just now was... even he himself couldn't bear to listen to it.
He released Bitao, straightened his back, cleared his throat, and lowered his voice to a deep, steady tone. He pinched the bridge of his nose and said, "Don't mind me, I just..."
He couldn't continue.
He turned and strode out of the inner hall, went to the study in the outer room, sat down, and picked up his pen to handle official duties.
Bitao followed him out and watched as he picked up the pen. The pen holder automatically produced tiny hands and feet, and it began to grind ink with a stick. Bitao quickly stepped forward and poked the pen holder over with one finger to stop it.
Then, across the table, he said to Mingguang, "There aren't any important public positions in the Heavenly Realm right now. We already screened them all last night. We can leave the rest to the generals of the Thunder Department. Didn't you say you wanted to gradually train them?"
Mingguang thought about what he had just said and didn't dare to look Xiaotao in the eye. He just wanted to use his official position to calm his mind.
Bitao poked Mingguang's hand with her finger, then slowly climbed up his wrist, hooked it, and said, "I like it when you talk to me like that."
"I love it when you ask me to do anything, no matter how unreasonable you are." Bitao's peach blossom eyes sparkled, her affection as sweet as honey.
She pulled Mingguang's hand and rubbed it against her face, saying, "Besides, what kind of relationship do we have? What are you thinking, what are you wanting? If you don't tell me, who else can you tell?"
Bitao got up, walked around the table, and went to Mingguang's side. She squeezed between him and the table, and Mingguang leaned back a little. Bitao then straddled his lap and sat facing him.
He touched nose to nose with hers and said, "You don't know, every time I hear you talk like that, my bones go weak..."
Mingguang slowly raised his drooping eyelashes and looked closely at Bitao. Their breaths gently brushed against each other's faces. After a moment, they turned their heads at the same time and their lips met.
The redness from Mingguang's ears gradually spread to her neck.
After a while, the two stopped, their breaths ragged, nuzzled each other's noses, and then hugged each other tightly.
Mingguang buried his face in Bitao's neck and said, "Today... I want you to stay with me."
In the past, even if you beat Mingguang to death, he would never have said such a thing. Now, he still couldn't accept indulging his own desires, so he simply buried his head completely in Bitao's shoulder and stopped looking up.
Bitao chuckled, "Then I'll keep you company."
She ran her fingers through Mingguang's long hair and said with a smile, "I'm just afraid that if I give you a new little trinket, you won't care about me anymore."
Mingguang thought it was impossible. His mother's departure today had brought up the matter of his father's memorial service, and he felt sad. He needed the little peach branch; he wouldn't neglect playing with anything else...
Then Bitao took out a piece of jade, formed a hand seal with her knuckles, and drew an array in mid-air to activate it.
An image appeared in mid-air.
Mingguang: "..."
"What...is this?!" He was so excited that he pushed Bitao off his lap, stood up, and looked up at the images that filled the entire room.
Up there, Kunyi, who had just descended to the lower realm, had already adapted to the new Star Realm where she was undergoing her tribulation, and also to her new identity.
The Xuanxing Realm where she resides is a cultivation world where cultivation is possible. At this moment, she is wearing the uniform Daoist robe of a certain sect and is entering a secret realm with the disciples of her sect.
Bitao was pushed against the table, pouted, and simply leaned back on the table, looking lazy.
She thought to herself, "See? She knew that once she gave this little gift, Mingguang wouldn't even notice her."
Mingguang stared intently at Kunyi's projected figure.
Bitao slowly said, "I stole a wisp of your mother's soul thread and had the Heavenly Palace Academy make a tracing jade plate for it."
Mingguang looked at Bitao, his bright golden eyes shining with excitement like two blazing suns. He didn't even bother to ask how Xiaotaozhi could steal the soul thread from the Heavenly Dao of Myriad Realms. He quickly walked to Xiaotaozhi's side, pulled her close, and hugged her tightly.
He lowered his head and kissed her many times in one breath, from the top of her head to her cheek, and finally to her neck.
He almost lost control and nibbled at Bitao's neck before looking at her with a joyful expression and saying, "Thank you..."
Then he embraced Bitao and stared intently at Kunyi on the screen.
Seeing that he was finally happy, Bitao leaned against him, pressed her cheek against his broad, soft chest, and chuckled, "The Soul Silk was pulled out from the Silver River Net, and it has to be returned later."
Mingguang disregarded the rules, grunted in agreement, and hugged Bitao even tighter.
Bitao added, "I have more good news for you. This artifact for tracing back can not only reveal your mother, but it should also reveal your father."
Mingguang was taken aback: "What?"
Just then, the scene shifted, and Kunyi and her disciples entered the secret realm. As soon as they entered, a chaotic battle broke out, with spirit beasts chasing and tearing at a large group of disciples. Kunyi and her group immediately joined the battle.
Time flows differently in heaven and on earth. In the blink of an eye, the spirit beast was killed, and a group of disciples dressed in robes of various colors gathered together to discuss how to divide the spirit beast.
Kunyi stood atop the dead spirit beast's head, flicking her longsword, causing blood to splatter down.
Under the sunlight and in the gentle breeze, drops of blood, still hot and pungent, were splashing onto the face of a young male cultivator arguing with someone about the dismemberment of a spirit beast.
The male cultivator was arguing with someone when a bit of beast blood entered his mouth. Disgust showed on his handsome, youthful face. He spat it out several times and tilted his head back, ready to "punish" the culprit!
As a result, he was met with Kunyi's condescending, indifferent gaze.
The male cultivator was stunned, seemingly unable to even blink. His slightly parted lips forgot to close as he gazed at Kunyi, whose features were delicate and handsome, and whose lips were rosy red, as beautiful as jade and a painting.
Soon, the crimson of his lips and tongue spread across his face as he gazed in adoration.
That is... Qingming.
Even Mingguang had never seen Qingming so young and innocent, with his joys, angers, and infatuations so vividly displayed.
Bitao smiled and bit Mingguang's chest through his clothes, saying, "The Heavenly Dao of Myriad Realms once asked me for the soul threads of the Azure Nether Emperor, so I knew she would definitely go to him."
"Look, haven't they met again?"
"Don't worry now, right? With the Heavenly Dao of Myriad Realms leading the way, even if the Azure Nether Emperor forgets his past life, his return to Heaven and attainment of his throne is just around the corner."
Water vapor condensed in Mingguang's eyes.
Bitao tilted her head back and kissed the small red mole on his chin, saying, "The Netherworld is different from the Heavenly Realm. Time in the Netherworld flows with most of the myriad worlds and the human realm. Today in the Netherworld, it coincides with the Mid-Autumn Festival in the human realm, a festival of reunion."
"Do you like this reunion gift?"
Mingguang was already in tears. He lowered his head, and large tears fell onto Bitao's face. He kissed his little peach branch eagerly and passionately.
A trembling voice flowed from their intertwined lips into Bitao's heart: "I like it..."
Bitao's lips were glossy, and she wrapped her arms around Mingguang's neck, saying, "Then you look first. How about we go to the Underworld to celebrate the festival later? There's no official business to attend to today, and our fathers have prepared delicious food and wine to celebrate, including roasted pig's trotters and roasted venison!"
Mingguang rested his forehead against Bitao's shoulder, and the melancholy of his mother's ordeal and the sadness of his father's memorial service were swept away by this.
He hummed in agreement and hugged the little peach branch even tighter.
His little peach branch.
Throughout the nine heavens and myriad realms, the most considerate and best little peach branch.
Bitao was squeezed by his overly strong arms with a "squeak," and with a leap, she hooked her arms around Mingguang's neck and wrapped her legs around his waist.
The person was hanging from his body, laughing happily.
"Let's go eat pig's trotters!"
Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, my darlings! [Laughing]
I've separated the "if" scenario into a separate article in my column, titled "My Groom Was Replaced." Those interested can bookmark it and wait. I'll write it when I have the energy.
The story takes place against the backdrop of Dongjun and Mingguang hatching normally, with Bitao being Dongjun's destined one.
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