# Chapter 1961: Divine Maiden Descends into the World
"Little sister Caili." He quickly dispelled the hazy phantom smoke lingering in his mind, stepping forward with a smile: "My father god had important matters to discuss face-to-face with Divine Venerable Hua Xinshen, so he brought me along as well."
Dian Jiuzhi's warm voice and smile carried a hint of embarrassment.
Even though he had met her so many times, it seemed he could never shake it off... even though he was now honored as a Divine Son.
And the first Divine Son at that.
Having such a person exist in his life—wasn't that the most beautiful fortune?
The girl's eyes blinked, like a momentary flicker of stars in the silent night: "For your father god to come personally, it must be about the other world, right?"
"Mm!" Dian Jiuzhi smiled and nodded, his lips forming the softest voice he could muster: "The passage has been opened again. And this time, the Abyss Knight, as a pioneer, successfully set foot in that world."
"The 'location' has been determined. In another fifty years, we can gather the power to open the passage again. By then, Yuan Huang, the Divine Officials, and possibly even our father gods, will be able to enter that world."
Dian Jiuzhi looked up, a trace of longing flashing in his eyes: "That world... known as the 'Eternal Pure Land.'"
His gaze shifted back, and he immediately smiled: "This matter [should not be made public], or it will cause chaos in the mortal world. Only we know about it for now. Little sister Caili, remember not to mention it to anyone outside."
"Father God has already instructed me about that. Of course I know." The girl smiled sweetly, but then a hint of confusion appeared in her flawless starry eyes: "Since it's the 'Eternal Pure Land,' it should be a very beautiful and peaceful world. Wouldn't our stepping into it be... a serious intrusion?"
"Mm, of course it's an intrusion." Dian Jiuzhi didn't deny it. He knew the young girl's heart was as flawless as her starry eyes, and only she, in her position as a Divine Maiden, would ask such a question: "But the weak are prey to the strong; the fittest survive. They can resist for their dignity, or submit for their survival. Our 'intrusion' is also for the sake of better survival."
"None of this is about right or wrong, good or evil."
"If one must speak of sin, then weakness is the only original sin."
Sensing that his words seemed a bit heavy, he immediately smiled and said: "I know what little sister Caili is worried about. Don't worry. Yuan Huang's temperament is so gentle and benevolent; he hates bullying and killing the most. I heard from Father God that Yuan Huang has repeatedly emphasized that if we successfully enter the 'Eternal Pure Land,' we must never cause chaos or recklessly kill innocent beings."
"Besides..." His eyes sparkled with a strange light: "That was originally our world."
"..." The girl pondered briefly, then quickly shifted her thoughts: "Never mind, that's all Father God's business. Big Head Brother, look at these Colored Cloud Branches! Aren't they beautiful!"
"Of course they're beautiful." Dian Jiuzhi praised, but his gaze never left the girl, not lingering on the sea of Colored Cloud Branches even for an instant: "Even a single Colored Cloud Branch is a gift. To be able to obtain such a sea of flowers from the Pure Land—Divine Venerable Hua Xinshen truly dotes on little sister Caili immensely."
"Father God is the best!" The girl held flower petals in her hands, the multicolored light reflecting into her starry eyes, making them even more dazzlingly radiant: "It's called a Colored Cloud Branch, and my name also has the character 'Colored.' When I first saw it, I felt like it had bloomed in my heart."
Gently pushing the petals in her hand toward Dian Jiuzhi: "Big Head Brother, do you think it could be my destined flower?"
Even the Colored Cloud petals arriving before him did not cause Dian Jiuzhi's gaze to shift even slightly. The dreamlike aura from the girl made his mind, which was usually as firm as an ice sea, become hazy and blurred, as if struck by the most irresistible phantom smoke in the world.
He raised his arm, and in his blurred, nearly out-of-focus vision, he slowly reached toward the girl's hair, which was gently swaying in the Colored Cloud's fragrant breeze.
But when he was still half a foot away from touching her, his wrist suddenly bent, and his fingertips finally landed on the Colored Cloud petals in a seemingly natural gesture.
"To be so adored by you is the Colored Cloud Branch's honor." He suppressed his increasingly disordered heartbeat and said with a light laugh: "I dare not say whether it is worthy to be your destined flower, but you are certainly its destined one."
He didn't even dare to touch her, for fear of desecration.
Even though he was the first Divine Son, even though... she was his fiancée personally betrothed by Yuan Huang.
As the son of Sen Luo Divine Venerable, his brothers, even his nephews and grand-nephews, all had many wives and concubines. But he alone, the most honored and supreme Sen Luo Divine Son, had never been involved with any woman.
Because he would not allow his sincere heart toward her to be stained with even the slightest blemish.
And with her in his eyes, how could there ever be room for any other woman in the world?
Just then, a clear and cold wind suddenly swept through the sea of Colored Cloud flowers.
This breeze stirred the girl's gaze. She turned her head joyfully and let out an infinitely delighted cry: "Auntie!"
As the clear wind approached, a slender green figure appeared.
What came into view was a green dress that reached her ankles. Her hair was like flowing water, and the green waistband was her only ornament. There was nothing else, neither heavy adornment nor any makeup.
The woman's eyebrows were like kingfisher feathers, her skin like white snow. Her face, somewhat resembling Hua Caili's, was of breathtaking beauty.
But no one dared to gaze at her dreamlike immortal countenance.
Because her pair of green eyes were as cold as an endless icy abyss.
The sea of Colored Cloud flowers stopped dancing, and even Dian Jiuzhi quickly lowered his gaze, for the moment he met her eyes, it felt as if a cold sword had pierced through his soul.
"This junior, Dian Jiuzhi of the Senluo Divine Kingdom, pays respects to Senior Sword Immortal."
He bowed deeply, his reverence no less than when he had just met Divine Venerable Hua Xinshen.
Her name was Hua Qingying, known throughout the world as the [Sword Immortal].
In the eyes of the world, she was like a solitary lotus on Heavenly Mountain, like an exiled immortal from an ancient painting. Born in the dusty world of the abyss, yet she rose above the dirt, proud as snow, ethereal as frost.
The word "Immortal" was embodied to its extreme in her.
When people in the world thought of the word "Immortal," what appeared in their minds was always the sword immortal who seemed to stand above the clouds, with clear eyes and a proud gaze.
"Auntie!"
Hua Caili stepped forward lightly and threw herself onto this Sword Immortal, whom even the eyes of the world dared not linger upon, clinging to her and unwilling to leave.
Those eyes that seemed to contain thousands of green cascades fell upon Dian Jiuzhi for a moment, then moved away. Dian Jiuzhi heard a voice as clear as water and as cold as ice crystals: "To have reached such a level of advancement—truly, the younger generation is formidable."
"You flatter me, Senior. This junior is deeply honored."
Dian Jiuzhi quickly responded humbly. In front of Hua Qingying, he was noticeably more restrained than when facing Divine Venerable Hua Xinshen.
"Auntie, look! This is my sea of Colored Cloud flowers."
Hua Caili was like an excited little girl, eager to share the beautiful treasure she had just obtained.
Hua Qingying reached out and took Hua Caili's fair wrist. When she looked at her, the cold gleam in her clear pool-like eyes completely receded: "Your father god brought the sea of Colored Cloud flowers from the Pure Land for you. And I just happened to have obtained from Wan Dao Divine Official the sword case you've been longing for."
"Grandpa Wan Dao... Ah!"
With a cry of surprise, Hua Caili's beautiful eyes seemed to have ten thousand stars shining brightly at the same time.
"It's in the Sword Pavilion right now. But the sword case hasn't been opened yet, so I don't know which sword it is." She tilted her eyes slightly toward Dian Jiuzhi: "Are you going to see it now, or..."
"Of course now!"
Hua Caili was already impatiently pulling her aunt's wrist, about to move, when she suddenly remembered that Dian Jiuzhi was still beside her. She immediately turned back and said: "Big Head Brother, I'm going with Auntie to open the sword case. You can enjoy this sea of Colored Cloud flowers as you like, but please be careful. Don't touch it too hard, hehe."
"Uh, go ahead, Senior Sword Immortal and little sister Caili. I was just about to..."
Before he finished his words, Hua Caili had already grabbed Hua Qingying and hurried away... She had been longing for the swords of the Pure Land for many, many years.
Especially that sword named "Liyun."
Dian Jiuzhi's gaze froze, staring in the direction she had gone for a long, long time. In his eyes were seven parts joy and three parts loss.
...
Zhe Tian Sword Pavilion.
A long sword case was gently pushed open by a hand as smooth as mutton fat.
Instantly, a jade-like sword beam shot out, causing Hua Caili to close her eyes in response... When her starry eyes opened, what came into view was a long sword, pure white as jade, wrapped in a faint immortal mist.
Hua Caili bit her lip and held her breath. Her snow-white hand nervously and lightly reached into the sword case to grasp it.
Her hand was like jade, the sword was like jade, her heart was like jade.
She gently breathed out profound energy, and the sword immediately radiated a jade-like glow.
At the junction of the sword handle and the sword body, the sword's name slowly appeared:
"Liyun."
She held the Liyun Sword across her chest, a strange light lingering in her eyes for a long time. She loved this sword, and even more, she loved its name.
"It turned out to be this sword. It does suit you well." A hint of surprise also appeared in Hua Qingying's eyes: "It might also be that old man Wan Dao did it on purpose. After all, he likes you very much, otherwise he wouldn't have made an exception for you this time."
Among the swords of the Pure Land, this was the one she liked and longed for the most.
She had seen it several times before, but only today did she learn its name.
"Mm! Next time I go to the Pure Land, I will definitely thank Grandpa Wan Dao properly."
Her jade finger gently brushed the sword body, reluctant to part with it for a long time. Hua Caili said with a light laugh: "Colored Cloud Branch, Liyun Sword... both have one character from my name, and both have..."
"A 'Cloud' character...?"
A strange ripple stirred in her heart, and she blurted out naturally: "It's a pity that my future husband's name doesn't have the character 'Cloud.' Otherwise... it would be truly wonderful."
As the Caili Divine Maiden, she still so deeply retained a young girl's childish and beautiful romantic sensibilities.
Hua Qingying's jade brows slightly furrowed, and she suddenly asked: "Caili, do you truly... like Dian Jiuzhi?"
"Huh?" Hua Caili was momentarily startled, then answered without hesitation: "Of course I like him."
"What do you like about him?" Hua Qingying looked into her eyes.
Hua Caili thought briefly and replied: "He... is very gentle, handsome, and has always been good to me since I was young. And his status, his achievements—they're all so remarkable. Father God always says there is no man in this world more suitable for me than him."
"He is indeed the most suitable for you." Hua Qingying said: "But if you truly liked him, why was your first reaction just now not to bring him along to open the Pure Land sword case?"
"...?" Hua Caili blinked her beautiful eyes and uttered a bewildered sound: "Would it be the most appropriate etiquette to invite him along?"
"It has nothing to do with etiquette." Hua Qingying shook her head: "When you are apart from him, do you miss him from the bottom of your heart?"
"..." The girl's eyes grew even more confused: "He is the Divine Son of the Senluo Divine Kingdom, so naturally everything is fine with him. Why would I think of him? However... every time Auntie goes on a long journey, I miss you very much, hehe."
"..."
Hua Qingying turned around: "Caili, take a short period of seclusion to attune with the Liyun Sword."
"I'll go see your father god."
...
"Hua Qingying, you've come."
Having just seen off Dian Luohou, Hua Fuchen's countenance was as elegant and calm as a secluded breeze, showing neither joy nor sorrow, nor any trace of having discussed "major matters."
Without asking about the major matters discussed by the two Divine Venerables, Hua Qingying said directly: "I intend to send Caili into the mortal world for training."
"..." Hua Fuchen slowly shook his head: "That cannot be."
"I am here to inform you, not to seek your approval."
With that, the green figure turned to leave.
"I do not wish for Caili to be sullied by the dust of the mortal world."
Hua Fuchen's voice reached her ears, carrying a severity rarely seen in recent years. Then his voice softened slightly, with a hint of a sigh: "If she hadn't awakened her divine rank by accident, I wouldn't even want her to become a Divine Maiden. I only wish for her to live a life of peace and safety."
"So you would rather she become a caged bird locked up by your own hands?" Hua Qingying replied coldly: "If you truly cared for her, why would you make her marry a man she does not love?"
"You, of all people, know best the pain of love. You can't be blind to whether she truly likes Dian Jiuzhi. And what's more... Even now, she still doesn't understand what romantic love between a man and a woman truly is."
"Isn't that a good thing?" He looked ahead, his gaze seemingly dazed: "To have the status of a Divine Maiden, to marry the best and most suitable man, to inherit the divine throne in the future, to join two divine powers as one, to live above all living beings for a lifetime... free from disaster and harm."
"Ha!" She seemed to laugh, but her eyes grew even colder: "Do you have the right to say such things!"
"The once mad 'Zhe Tian Divine Son' has become today's elegant and serene 'Hua Xinshen Divine Venerable'... The world may have forgotten how unrestrained and wild you were back then, but I haven't."
"..." Hua Fuchen slowly shook his head, a trace of haziness in his eyes: "Among the countless calamities in the world, only love wounds the soul the most. I do not wish for Caili to experience..."
"That is her life!"
Only she in the world could so coldly interrupt Hua Fuchen's words: "Caili is your daughter, but she is even more an independent person, the future Caili Divine Maiden who will inherit your divine power and the entire Divine Kingdom!"
"Even if you are her father, you have no right to imprison her life!"
"And!" Before Hua Fuchen could speak, Hua Qingying continued: "Among the five Divine Sons and two Divine Maidens of the six Divine Kingdoms currently, only Caili has not yet reached the Divine Annihilation Realm."
"The time for the audience with Yuan Huang draws near. You may not care about her cultivation level, but at least you should care about her dignity as a Divine Maiden."
"This descent into the mortal world is also an opportunity for her to seek a breakthrough on her own. Therefore, I may guide her into the Mist Sea."
Hua Fuchen remained silent for a long time, either touched by the wounds of love or knowing that he could not change Hua Qingying's resolve.
Hua Qingying left, but a slow, soft voice reached his ears:
"Don't worry. I will watch over her in secret."
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