Chapter 7  

◎Compassion (Major Revision)◎  

Upper Purity Heaven.  

The Hall of All Phenomena was brightly lit as day.  

The Haotian Emperor had been in seclusion for a thousand years, leaving all affairs of the Immortal Realm to be handled by the Empress of Heaven. Even now, deep into the night, she remained seated before her desk, reviewing the reports submitted by the two halls and six bureaus.  

“Mother—”  

A voice tinged with anger came from outside the Hall of All Phenomena. It was Fu Yao.  

The Empress closed the memorial in her hands—she had already anticipated what was coming.  

It seemed she wouldn’t have time to review these reports today.  

“Mother, Chi Shui Zhuo Ying is a human hostage. She’s just arrived, and we haven’t even ascertained her background. Allowing her free access to the Hall of All Phenomena like this—isn’t that akin to inviting a wolf into the house?”  

Zhuoying followed quietly behind Fu Yao, pretending not to hear his blatant suspicions.  

The Empress, too, seemed to feign ignorance of her son’s presence.  

She smiled gently at Zhuoying and said:  

“The Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace has its rules—higher-ranking immortals cannot construct palaces for those of lower rank. So, we couldn’t build a separate residence for you. Instead, we’ve prepared a room in the side hall of the Hall of All Phenomena. It may not be as spacious as the Azure Wave Hall, but—”  

Zhuoying curtsied in gratitude. “It’s more than enough. Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty.”  

“According to heavenly regulations, I also cannot assign the Celestial Maidens I’ve enlightened to serve you. You’ll have to manage your daily needs on your own. Until your health recovers and you learn to enlighten plants and trees, I’m afraid you’ll have to endure some hardship.”  

“Your Majesty has already shown me the greatest kindness by accepting me into Upper Purity Heaven as your adopted daughter. How could I possibly complain of hardship?”  

“…”  

The two conversed as if no one else were present.  

Fu Yao narrowed his eyes, realizing his mother had made up her mind and had no intention of consulting anyone further.  

What kind of bewitching potion had this Chi Shui Zhuo Ying fed his mother?  

The war between the human realm and the Immortal Realm had only just ceased. The human emperor was cunning—his surrender was likely not sincere but a tactical retreat, biding time for another strike.  

And this Chi Shui Zhuo Ying was notorious for her schemes, far from being some innocent soul.  

For her to suddenly become the Empress’s adopted daughter at such a time—something was undoubtedly amiss.  

After a while, the Empress finally turned her attention to her long-neglected son.  

“…Also, as her elder brother, you must look after your sister at the Academy. She’s frail—don’t let others bully her. Understood?”  

Fu Yao stared fixedly at Zhuoying for a long moment before replying in an unreadable tone:  

“Fine. I’ll make sure no one bullies her.”  

Because the person most likely to bully her in the entire Academy was none other than himself.  

Zhuoying read exactly that in his eyes.  

—  

Truthfully, Fu Yao wasn’t entirely unjustified in his suspicions.  

When Zhuoying was summoned early the next morning to join the Empress for breakfast, she too found herself wondering if she had somehow, unknowingly, slipped the Empress some bewitching potion.  

The table was laden with an extravagant spread of dishes.  

The Empress smiled and beckoned her closer.  

“The Celestial Chefs of the Celestial Medicine Bureau prepared these dishes according to the tastes of the Great Yong capital. See if you like them.”  

Come to think of it, Zhuoying hadn’t had a proper meal since arriving at the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace.  

At the Azure Wave Hall, she had survived on dried biscuits and jerky from her Mustard Seed Pouch.  

After entering the Academy, she had been confined to the Upper Purity Glazed Realm, where Yan Jun’s miraculous skills had barely kept her alive these past three days.  

Faced with such a lavish breakfast spread, it was impossible not to feel hungry.  

She looked up at the Empress, puzzled.

Do Immortals Need to Eat?

“…Though immortals do not feel hunger, these foods are not merely for sustenance. Everything on this table is spirit rice and spirit plants carefully cultivated by the Celestial Medicine Bureau. Consuming them nourishes the body and aids cultivation.”

Empress Tianhou seemed to have seen through Zhuoying’s thoughts and offered this explanation.

After speaking, her gaze swept over Zhuoying once more.

“You’re too thin. You need to eat more. Cultivation consumes both mental and physical energy. You haven’t reached the stage where you can sustain yourself solely on pure qi absorption yet. You must eat well, otherwise you won’t have the strength to cultivate.”

If the Empress had only commented on her thinness, Zhuoying might not have paid much attention. But when the Empress mentioned it was for cultivation, Zhuoying immediately took the words to heart.

The Empress then noticed that the young girl who had been about to set down her chopsticks was serving herself another bowl of porridge.

She clearly looked like she couldn’t eat anymore.

Yet driven by some purpose, though she slowed her pace, her chopsticks never stopped moving. With visible difficulty but unwavering determination, she chewed steadily, as if treating the meal itself as a form of cultivation.

At first, the Empress simply found her diligence endearing. But upon deeper reflection, the amusement in her eyes turned to quiet admiration.

She truly has the resolve to master immortal techniques.

For this goal, it seems she’s willing to exert every possible effort.

Such determination isn’t common among ordinary people. Take Fu Yao beside them – though diligent since childhood, he would never push himself to such exacting extremes as Zhuoying.

It was as if she believed every step she took was on a tightrope.

To avoid falling, each movement required absolute, meticulous care.

This was the attitude of someone who felt they had no way back.

The Empress sighed quietly in her heart.

“Today, Yan Jun will be giving lectures at the Academy and will examine you again while he’s there.”

At these words, Zhuoying immediately looked up, her dark pupils seeming to brighten.

The Empress then turned to Fu Yao:

“After the meal, A’Yao, remember to escort your sister to the Academy.”

Fu Yao: “…”

He was beginning to think his mother hadn’t assigned him to be Chi Shui Zhuoying’s brother, but rather her beast of burden.

–

As expected, the Empress’s adoption of Zhuoying as her foster daughter worsened the already strained relationship between Zhuoying and Fu Yao.

Upon arriving at the Academy, the golden-robed Crown Prince alighted from the carriage by himself and entered with his circle of friends, showing no intention of waiting for Zhuoying behind him.

Zhuoying understood perfectly.

Being forced to care for an unwelcome foster sister – one whose allegiances were unclear and who might turn against their family at any moment – would frustrate anyone.

Still, the Empress’s treatment of Zhuoying was beyond reproach, infinitely better than how the Empress Dowager had treated her.

If she could tolerate Zhaocui, what was one slightly hostile Heavenly Palace Crown Prince?

Zhuoying entered the Academy with her usual composure.

The students here were clearly well-informed. As she walked in, she overheard someone asking Fu Yao how Zhuoying had become his sister.

Fu Yao ignored the question, scanning the surroundings as he asked:

“Where’s Lord Qing Yuan? His class is first today – why hasn’t he arrived?”

He needed to report yesterday’s discovery at Observing Mystery Heaven to Lord Qing Yuan, who oversaw the supervision of immortals in the Immortal Realm.

“Lord Qing Yuan seems to have official business today. He took leave, and another Divine Lord from the Censorate is substituting.”

Official business at this time?

Fu Yao suspected it must be related to the Mount Sumeru Immortal Realm matter.

His intuition proved correct. By the end of the first class, under Fu Yao’s persistent questioning, the Censorate’s Divine Lord had inadvertently let slip some information.

“—The goddess in charge of the four seasons in the northern region of Dayong neglected her duties, failing to change the seasons in time, resulting in the freezing deaths of 1,897 people in Yaoguang City?”

This news instantly caused an uproar in the Academy.

The immortals of Mount Sumeru Immortal Realm did not hold practical positions like commanding troops or supervising other immortals, but they firmly held authority over matters related to nature—such as summoning wind and rain, altering the stars, and changing the seasons.

They prided themselves on their nobility, believing that the two halls and six bureaus of the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace served mortals.

Truly noble immortals, they thought, should command the elements, not listen to the prayers of lowly mortals.

However, this goddess did not look down on mortals.

In fact, she held them in too high regard.

So much so that she disregarded the boundary between immortals and mortals, falling in love with a mortal and neglecting her duties as a goddess.

To save her gravely ill beloved, she missed the Heavenly Palace’s orders, failing to deliver food to Yaoguang City in time and allowing three days of blizzards that froze thousands of innocent people to death.

The enraged populace shifted their blame from the goddess to the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace.

The people only knew that the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace had recently waged war against the human emperor, bringing a hundred days of heavy snow. Though a truce had been declared, the promised spring and food never arrived, leading to so many deaths.

As for the goddess of Mount Sumeru Immortal Realm?

They knew nothing. The Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace was the leader of the Immortal Realm, so when disaster struck the mortal world, it was only natural to hold them accountable.

“…Does the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace often get blamed like this?”

In the inner chamber, Zhuoying—once again covered in needles like a porcupine—listened to the commotion outside and asked.

Yan Jun, guiding his female disciple in inserting the needles, replied leisurely:

“Not entirely unfairly. As the leader of the Immortal Realm, the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace is responsible for protecting the mortal world. Now that so many innocent lives have been lost, regardless of who caused it, the Heavenly Palace’s failure to detect it in time is a mistake.”

Zhuoying blinked slowly.

So, hot-blooded fools like Fu Yao weren’t exceptions.

Even those unflattering stories about the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace in the mortal world had some basis.

The flow of spiritual energy into her head quickened slightly, making her head ache.

“Don’t let your mind wander. Focus.”

Yan Jun spoke softly:

“Starting today, I’ll begin guiding the needles to infuse spiritual energy, numbing the Heart Devouring Gu in your body. But once the Gu goes dormant, the Frost Poison in you will flare up. Your meridians are too weak right now—I can’t immediately detoxify the Frost Poison. You’ll have to endure it with your willpower for a few days. Once your meridians heal halfway, I’ll administer a stronger remedy to detoxify you.”

“That simple?”

Zhuoying was surprised after hearing his explanation.

If this was all it took to cure her, why hadn’t Yan Jun treated her earlier?

Yan Jun glanced at her.

He had intended to say that enduring the Frost Poison’s flare-up wasn’t so easy—he’d seen many immortals fail to withstand its bone-chilling agony.

But then he remembered that this eighteen-year-old human princess had been dealing with this poison since birth.

For her, enduring it truly wouldn’t be difficult.

“Yes, that simple.”

What Yan Jun didn’t say was that in his lifetime of practice, he had encountered three cases like Zhuoying’s.

None survived.

Some died from the poison during the Gu removal, others had their meridians destroyed and exploded during detoxification.

Even if the Gu and poison could be removed, what difference did it make if the person was already dead?

So, if it weren’t for Tianhou informing him about Zhuoying’s condition in the Glazed Realm, he wouldn’t have agreed to treat her.

Three days in the Glazed Realm.

This was far beyond the endurance of an ordinary person.

Moreover, even with strong willpower, it wasn’t necessarily achievable. The fact that Chi Shui Zhuoying could endure it meant she must possess something unique.

But this uniqueness—Tianhou smiled—was not disclosed to him.

After today’s treatment, Zhuoying indeed felt a pervasive chill and immediately put on the thick fur-lined coat Yan Jun had prepared in advance.

Yan Jun had to leave to prepare for his next class.

As a newcomer to the Academy, Zhuoying couldn’t keep up with the curriculum, so the immortal instructors took turns giving her extra lessons.

While waiting for her next lesson, Zhuoying decided to find an open space in the Academy to practice the Tai Chi Palm Technique manual Feng Li Shen Jun had given her the day before.

“—Chi Shui Zhuoying.”

Passing by the Lecture Hall, Zhuoying was stopped by Fu Yao, who was discussing strategies with his peers.

The Frost Poison was beginning to take effect. Zhuoying tightened the thick coat around her and glanced over coolly.

“Does the Crown Prince have business with me?”

Fu Yao stood by the window, surrounded by students who were eyeing Zhuoying.

She could sense that, compared to last time, the hostility in their gazes had lessened significantly, replaced mostly by simple curiosity.

After all, her reputation and her actual demeanor were starkly different.

“Now that the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace has been slandered, and the Hall of Heavenly Kings is pursuing the Divine Maiden of Mount Sumeru, our Fusang Academy can’t just sit idle. Don’t you want to help brainstorm solutions? Aren’t you the best at giving advice?”

Fu Yao’s words carried a poorly concealed sarcasm.

He couldn’t stand Chi Shui Zhuoying’s indifferent attitude.

She didn’t care about the incident in Yaoguang City.

She didn’t care about the slander against the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace.

What in the world did she care about?

Oh, the one she cared about most was probably her senior brother in the Barren Sea. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have risked offending someone as vengeful as Xie Cexuan just to help him.

The young girl’s calm, autumn-water-like gaze met his.

The Fusang Academy was perpetually spring-like, yet she appeared frozen, her nose tinged red, looking frail and pale.

Many couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity at the sight.

“Fine,” Zhuoying tightened the drafty cuffs with her stiff fingers, “I’ll give you advice. In return, how about you practice palm techniques with me?”

Fu Yao sneered. “Fine. But don’t tell me it’s something like directly distributing food to the people of Yaoguang City or resurrecting the dead. Immortals can’t interfere in mortal affairs at will, even for good deeds.”

This wasn’t the first time the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace had faced such slander.

The blizzard in Yaoguang City had already ceased, and the rice that should have grown during the hundred-day storm had sprouted overnight in the fields, yielding a bountiful harvest.

Yet the grievances of Yaoguang City’s people against the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace remained unresolved, growing even louder.

Fu Yao suspected the Mount Sumeru Immortal Realm was fanning the flames behind the scenes.

In such a dire situation, what could she possibly do to restore the faith of the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace’s mortal followers?

Zhuoying coughed softly.

When she spoke again, her voice was hoarse, but it didn’t hinder her clear and articulate words.

“Do you have death row prisoners in your Heavenly Palace? If not, go borrow a few. Then negotiate with Guixu to lend some demonic spirits as well. Have them wreak havoc in Yaoguang City, then let the demons devour the prisoners. At that moment, send immortals from the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace down to eliminate the demons and uphold righteousness before the entire city’s populace—do you still fear the common people won’t be overflowing with gratitude toward the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace?”

“This is exactly the kind of scheme I’m best at proposing.”

These immortals who ascended through Merit had never encountered such venomous stratagems before.

After Zhuoying finished speaking, everyone fell silent.

Under the gazes of the crowd that seemed to be looking at some kind of evil spirit, Fu Yao finally snapped out of his shock and slowly opened his mouth:

“…Even if they’re death row prisoners, they’re still living beings. You… don’t you have even a shred of compassion?”

Zhuoying smiled gently:

“Apologies, but my humanity is only sufficient to pity myself.”

Author’s note:

Revised~