Flower, Yet Not a Flower (Part 5)

Chi Lian had yet to break free from his grief when the Emperor's handkerchief was smeared across his face. He wiped his face haphazardly, then hesitantly and cautiously asked, "Does the Emperor mean... I can stay?"

He was oblivious to both his own sorry state and his beauty, but the Emperor couldn't bear to see him treat his face so poorly. He snatched the soft handkerchief from his hand, meticulously wiped away the tear stains, and also tidied his messy hair before slowly saying, "Even a kitten knows to circle its paws three times when washing its face. For a grand Immortal Lord to have such a tear-streaked face... you might dare to leave, but I wouldn't dare let you out this door."

Chi Lian: "..."

The Emperor could also see that he had been overwhelmed by the drastic swing from joy to sorrow and was unfamiliar with the ways of the Ninth Heaven. However, delving deeper, the root cause was an inferiority complex born from his Immortal Attendant origins, a combination of congenital and postnatal factors. It wasn't a flaw that could be corrected in a month or two; it would require starting from the very beginning, patiently nurturing and molding him over several decades.

With his only worldly possession in one hand and his other hand held by the Emperor, curled within his dry, warm palm, Chi Lian dazedly walked out of the side room. He first circled the main hall of Jiangxiao Palace, touring the place where the Emperor conducted his affairs and held banquets. Then, they passed through lush flowers and trees and spacious courtyards, walking deep into the gardens, finally stopping before a palace with jade steps and crimson halls by the side of Luli Pond.

He tilted his head up to look at the plaque. The Emperor asked from the side, "Do you recognize the characters written up there?"

Chi Lian answered honestly, "Replying to the Emperor, the palace's name is 'Zhuochen'."

"Wrong," the Emperor corrected with a smile. "It says 'Woodshed' up there. It seems your learning still needs improvement. You should read more books when you have free time in the future."

"..."

Under his meaningful gaze, Chi Lian wished he could find a hole to crawl into. He praised very stiffly, "I am ashamed. The Emperor's knowledge is truly profound... unfathomable."

The Emperor thought to himself, 'If it weren't for you, you stubborn mule, why would I bother spouting such nonsense?' But his face betrayed nothing, and he said reservedly, "I'll take that as a compliment." After speaking, he led him into Zhuochen Palace, saying, "The area behind Jiangxiao Palace is vast, with scenery like immortal mountains and seas of clouds. It's more convenient for activities. Beichen, Mingshu, and the others all live over there. This is still the front courtyard, closest to me and next to Luli Pond. Lotuses are naturally drawn to water, so it can be considered a nurturing place."

Seeing Chi Lian remain silent, the Emperor thought for a moment and added, "You are too young, and there's no one to watch over you in the back. I'm afraid you won't be able to take care of yourself. When you're a bit older and can stand on your own, if you want a more spacious place to live, I'll move you to the back then."

Chi Lian looked around at the endless Zhuochen Palace, hidden behind layers of curtains and painted screens, and failed to understand what he meant by "spacious."

"Being able to stay in Jiangxiao Palace is already my good fortune. Just having a place to stay is enough." He lowered his voice, a little hesitant, "You really don't have to go to all this trouble for me... I have already received too much grace from the Emperor, I fear I will never be able to repay it..."

The Emperor wasn't displeased by his reservation. Instead, he asked calmly, "Why do you think I let you stay? Because I pity you for your miserable state and bleak future, or because you're quicker at serving tea and water than others?"

"If we're talking about pitiful backgrounds, you can find them by the handful among the Immortal Attendants, each with a unique story. If we're talking about being hardworking, for this entire period, it's been me serving you tea and water. It should be you taking me in, not the other way around."

Chi Lian's heart had felt as if it were weighed down by a thousand-pound stone, sinking endlessly into a bottomless abyss. But upon hearing these words, he couldn't help but let out a "pfft" of laughter. The Emperor pinched the soft flesh of his cheek in mock punishment, "You still have the nerve to laugh? Which part of what I said wasn't the truth, you little ingrate?"

"The number of Immortal Lords who have entered Jiangxiao Palace can still be counted on one hand. Among those who wish to become my disciple, what kind can't be found? How are you stronger than them?"

Chi Lian couldn't answer.

But the Emperor said, "Talent and aptitude are secondary. What I value is your disposition—you must know that running away and retreating are the easiest things to do. To fight tooth and nail for one's own life and fortune is human nature, and the spirit is commendable. For those in high positions, supported by the world, to throw themselves into the great cause of the common people without a care for their own safety is already a praiseworthy accomplishment. But to have nothing yourself, yet be able to step forward to save others, gaining little from winning, and not only losing your life if you fail but also being accused of overestimating your own abilities—that is the most difficult thing. Clever people often won't do this."

"But you must remember, a true god cannot be that clever."

"If one day a calamity befalls heaven and earth, if I and the other Heavenly Emperors are no longer here, the successor who can bear the fate of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths in my stead must possess the foolishness and courage to sacrifice themselves for all living beings."

In fact, for the past two months, Chi Lian had always felt that the Emperor was not quite the universally revered figure from the rumors. He didn't like to put on airs or care for pageantry. Although he possessed the dignity of one long in a high position, Chi Lian never felt he was overbearing when facing him; in private, he could even be described as gentle and easy-going. But as he stood in the vast, empty palace and spoke these words in the most ordinary of tones, a kind of solemn sanctity, tempered by eons of wind and frost and as profound as a mighty mountain range, was instantly revealed.

His fundamental nature was not one of lofty pity, but of a lonely, biting hardness, yet it gave one the urge to hug him and cry their heart out.

This was what Chi Lian thought, and this was what he did.

"..."

Having been hugged by him twice in less than an hour, the Emperor was already quite proficient in the series of motions: opening his arms to welcome him into his embrace, patting his head, and smoothing his hair. "Speak properly. Don't think you can muddle through by acting spoiled."

"I will study hard. I'll do whatever the Emperor tells me to do." Chi Lian buried his head in the crook of the Emperor's shoulder and said in a muffled voice, "I can help the Emperor share his burdens. I can even die for the people of the world, but the Emperor cannot disappear."

How could the sun fall from the sky?

If Emperor Cangze were gone, how could the Heavenly Court still be called the Heavenly Court? The White Jade Capital would be nothing more than a castle in the air, built in the heavens.

The Emperor hadn't directly received such straightforward adoration in many years. Of the five Immortal Lords under him, they were either old enough to be the ones receiving affection from others, or they came from noble backgrounds, fawned over since childhood, and held only reverence for him, not reliance. To suddenly gain a 'little padded jacket' who couldn't do without him—every single word struck him right in the heart, which immediately softened into a ball of cotton.

"Alright, then it's settled." He lowered his eyes slightly, gazing gently at the person buried in his embrace. "For the first few hundred years, I'll shelter you from the wind and rain. Once you can carry the great responsibility, for the countless millennia to come, it will be the Immortal Lord looking after me. How about it?"

Chi Lian did not take his words as a joke. He lifted his head to look at him and said seriously, "It's settled."

"I will protect the people of the world, and I will also protect the Emperor."

The Emperor's heart trembled under his clear and bright gaze. As if unable to bear it, he raised a hand to cover his eyes, forcing the topic back on track, "The palace has already been prepared in advance. See if there's anything else you need, and ask me for it later."

Chi Lian's eyelashes fluttered against his palm like frantic butterflies. He asked softly, "Can I ask for anything?"

The Emperor knew well that it wasn't in his nature to proactively ask for things, so he was a little curious upon hearing this. "You can. What do you want?"

Chi Lian was a bit shy. He paused for a moment before saying, "I want that White Jade Bell from the bed curtains, may I?"

Back then, he couldn't see and was constantly on guard, easily startled by the slightest disturbance. To keep him from getting agitated, the Emperor had hung a White Jade Bell on the bed curtains. Whenever the bell rang, he would know the Emperor had arrived.

The Emperor was so moved by his one request after another that he lost almost all his resolve. Even if Chi Lian said he wanted to tear down the palace right now, he would have readily agreed, and would even stand by and praise him for tearing it down well and quickly, calling him a clever and skillful little Immortal Lord.

"You can. You can have anything you want." The Emperor lowered his hand and gently scraped his nose. "That bell is a bit crude. Wait a day, I'll make a slight modification to it and add a messaging formation. It'll be more convenient for you to use."

Previously, when Chi Lian was recuperating in the Emperor's palace, no one had seen him besides Immortal Lord Mingshu. Once he formally moved into Zhuochen Palace, the Immortal Lords under the Emperor came one by one to pay him a visit.

Although it was called a visit, everyone knew he was to be their future junior brother, lacking only a formal announcement. Therefore, they didn't treat Chi Lian with false pleasantries, but rather with a scrutinizing air. However, it wasn't the condescending criticism with which ordinary gods might look upon a low-ranking Immortal Attendant; instead, it was filled with high expectations, even though Chi Lian's current cultivation was inferior to even a random thousand-year-old tree planted in the courtyard.

Another month passed in the blink of an eye. Chi Lian had just familiarized himself with the layout of Jiangxiao Palace's front courtyard, able to distinguish all the gods including the Emperor, and had visited the palaces of each of his fellow disciples one by one, when the Emperor issued a decree throughout the Ninth Heaven, announcing that in three days, he would open the heavenly gates to accept a disciple, allowing the disciple Chi Lian to formally enter Jiangxiao Palace.

This was like pouring water into hot oil; the entire Heavenly Court erupted. The immortals all scrambled to find out which revered god from the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths this obscure Chi Lian was the heir of. After receiving denials from all the gods, they began to speculate whether he was the Emperor's illegitimate son who had been wandering outside for many years.

In the end, it was Immortal Venerable Qingyang of Bitai Palace who gave a definitive answer, stating that Chi Lian was originally an Immortal Attendant transformed from a late-blooming Red Lotus in Xuanjian Pavilion. After being injured by the Ran Dragon at the Ten Directions Annual Banquet, he had somehow caught Emperor Cangze's eye and ascended to heaven in a single step, climbing to a high position that other gods could never reach in their entire lives.

Although the speculation of him being the Emperor's illegitimate son was not pleasant, the rumors surrounding Chi Lian became several times uglier when it was revealed that an Immortal Attendant, whom anyone could step on, had suddenly struck it lucky. However, under Emperor Cangze's long-established authority, no one dared to criticize him to his face. On the day of Chi Lian's formal apprenticeship, they even had to send gifts from thousands of miles away to offer their congratulations.

On this day, in the Ninth Heaven, the vermilion main gates of Jiangxiao Palace slowly opened. The sky was filled with the radiant, flowing light of rosy clouds. The sounds of jade flutes and golden pipes harmonized with the clear cries of luan birds and phoenixes. One hundred and eight jade steps pierced through the swirling clouds and mist, extending through the air to unfurl at Chi Lian's feet.

He took on his true form with red robes and black hair, a lotus mark between his brows as crimson as blood. Barefoot, he ascended the dustless steps. Wherever his feet landed, ripples like those on water would spread, and in an instant, a round, green leaf would sprout.

He walked with concentration, knowing that someone was waiting for him ahead. Thus, the various gazes and whispers surrounding him seemed to be far away, in another world. The more he focused, the more he felt that both the spiritual energy and the elements of wind and cloud were responding to the hope in his heart, supporting him as he moved ever forward.

Although his name was etched with the character for 'late', he did not want to make that person wait too long.

When he ascended to the main hall, the Emperor was seated on his throne, with the five Immortal Lords arrayed on either side. In truth, Chi Lian was on the ground at this moment while the other immortals floated in mid-air, the distance between them still vast. But after walking up those one hundred and eight jade steps and standing there, his heart was unexpectedly clear. All the previous doubts, trepidation, and the shame and humility born from the gazes of others—he had cast them all far behind him.

He knew who was watching him with gentle eyes, and he would only ever respond to that gaze without a second thought.

The red-robed Immortal Lord bowed down, his long hair flowing like water, falling into the fresh snow-like clouds and mist.

"Disciple Chi Lian pays his respects to the Heavenly Emperor."