Xiling Sang: Lord Shin Yu's Residence
Shin Yu sat on his golden throne, as regal and imposing as ever, observing the young disciples he had personally groomed. Over his thousand-year life, he had only taken five disciples simultaneously, for all five possessed immense potential.
Among these five, there were three boys and two girls. One of these five had never been seen by anyone outside of Master Shin Yu himself.
Now, the remaining disciples stood before their Master in neat white robes, their faces beautiful and solemn.
Shin Yu stared at them for a moment, then began to speak.
"You know that our realm is currently in a state of truce with the Demons. Disciples are about to be sent here from the Demon Realm."
He stood up, descending the steps of the throne slowly as he continued:
"Your mission this time is to monitor the Demon disciples. To better keep an eye on them, you will be sent to the Immortals' School for a period. Even though you have learned all your lessons and teachings from me, you must endure this for a while."
The disciples bowed without hesitation or surprise and said in one voice: "Yes."
Shin Yu cast a fleeting glance at the fragrant flower garden on one side of his palace, took a step toward it, and said: "Try to get close to them so that nothing remains hidden from you. Lu Wang is a cunning individual; he harbors sinister plots."
He turned back toward them and continued: "Furthermore, do not let those demons find out that you are my disciples."
They spoke in unison: "Obedience."
Shin Yu turned his back to them and said: "You are dismissed."
The disciples respectfully left the area. Shin Yu sat back on his throne, lost in thought about the future of this peace.
***
Mo Zhan and Han stood before the entrance gate to the Celestial Realm, their faces alight with curious grins. They were no longer the two powerful Demons that everyone feared. Now, they were just two ordinary Demons, stripped of all inner power, clad in simple, black robes, on the same level as all the low-ranking Demon disciples.
Zang Hao had provided them with simple attire, secretly escorted them out of the Demon Realm, and sent them, along with the others, to the Celestial Realm under the Celestials' escort.
After inspecting them, the Celestials led them inside. They were stunned by the beauty of this realm. Everything was bright and luminous. It seemed so vast, as if it had no end. It was lush, covered in colourful flowers whose fragrance sweetened the air. Towering, emerald trees stood everywhere, some bearing bright, delicious-looking fruits. Several tall, marble towers stood proudly in the east, west, south, and north.
Men and women in simple, neat white robes, and some in luxurious, shimmering white attire, passed by the Demons, paying them no mind.
Mo Zhan and Han were busy comparing the two realms. Han (Zhao), who was taller than Mo Zhan (Lu Wang), casually draped his arm over Mo Zhan's shoulder. They spoke with bright, excited expressions.
Han: "I'm telling you, this is heaven itself. It's even more beautiful than the book described."
Mo Zhan: (Chuckling) "It's exactly like the book's description; your mind just wasn't able to truly grasp the descriptions."
Mo Zhan angrily pushed Han's arm off his shoulder and walked ahead, saying, "As if your mind works any better! You didn't even..."
He stopped short when he realized Han was no longer beside him. He looked back and saw Han frozen in place, his eyes locked on something. Mo Zhan walked over in surprise and followed his gaze. He, too, was mesmerized by the sight before them.
In a lush courtyard filled with red flowers, beautiful young girls were riding their swords, smiling as they flew from one side to the other. Mo Zhan and Han, who had never witnessed such beauty, were astonished. Han was practically drooling, murmuring, "Magnificent, magnificent." Mo Zhan, while also amazed by their beauty, still wore an indifferent look.
Among the crowd were two of Lord Shin Yu's disciples, who were now adopting false identities among the low-level Celestial disciples to carry out their mission. One of them, named Xiao , had a beautiful but cold face, an arrogant and sharp temper, with piercing eyes and a quick tongue. The other was Yi'er , a calm and charming girl, yet sometimes ruthless and fierce—a cold yet kind disposition.
When the two girls noticed Han and Mo Zhan, they quickly brought the others to a stop. They stood at the entrance of the courtyard, giving the two men a fierce look.
Xiao : (Snapping harshly at Mo Zhan and Han's frozen expressions) "Hey! Aren't you two Demon men? How dare you look at us without permission? Have they not taught you manners and etiquette in your realm?"
Han and Mo Zhan snapped out of their daze from Xiao's shout, staring at the girls now standing at the entrance with stunned looks.
Han: (Stammering nervously) "W-we're sorry. It was a misunderstanding. My foot got caught in my shoe, so I couldn't walk."
When Han finished speaking, the girls in courtyard almost laughed. Mo Zhan looked at his friend's idiotic excuse in disbelief, and trying to cover up, he interjected, "He means our feet got caught in the mud."
This only made the girls laugh more, and Xiao glared at him mockingly. Below their feet, marble stones were laid, with no sign of dirt or filth anywhere. Both men muttered under their breath, "We really messed up."
Xiao : (Letting out a loud, mocking scoff) "Besides being utterly shameless, you are also fools. Idiots!"
Mo Zhan grew agitated at her insult. He could never tolerate anyone acting pretentious toward him. He wouldn't drop the matter until he had infuriated the other person.
Mo Zhan: (With a loud, mocking tone toward Xiao) "My Lady, why are you putting on such airs? It's not like we came here to see you. For your information, you are not worth watching."
The girls and Xiao looked at each other with wide eyes, astonished by Mo Zhan's audacity. Han tried to warn Mo Zhan. Xiao looked at him with an enraged expression and said, "Are you seeking death?" A blue aura instantly formed in her right hand. Yi'er quickly grabbed Xiao's arm to prevent her from attacking, afraid that Xiao would lose control and reveal her true power, thus ruining their mission.
Mo Zhan, pleased with the effect of his words, added another insult. He deliberately glanced at Xiao's flat chest, pointed, and sneered, "And those things are too small; they're no good for a man, Soosool Khanoom(Spoiled Miss)!"
At his remark, murmurs arose among the girls, and their faces flushed red and white. Xiao, red with both shame and anger, screamed, "Shut up!" She pushed Yi'er's hand away and lunged toward Mo Zhan.
Mo Zhan swiftly dropped to the ground, dodging the attack, but Xiao turned mid-stride, spinning towards Mo Zhan. She was about to strike his chest with her palm, which was encased in a blue aura, when someone intervened and pushed her back.
A tall, handsome man with long black hair and green eyes, wearing a commanding expression, stood with his back to Mo Zhan. He was the one who deflected the attack. This man was You Lin , one of Shin Yu's top disciples. He was the one responsible for bringing the Demon disciples to the realm.
You Lin: (In a formal, dry tone) "Xiao, you should not treat a guest this way, and you must not harm them while they are here."
Xiao : (Protesting) "But he..."
He raised a hand for silence and cut her off, "For now." Then, he turned to Han and Mo Zhan. "Follow me."
Han helped Mo Zhan stand up, his eyes still fixed on Yi'er . His heart was pounding fiercely in his chest. He reluctantly tore his gaze away and, along with Mo Zhan, followed You Lin . Before leaving, Mo Zhan stuck his tongue out at Xiao, leaving her fuming with anger and frustration.