Chapter 440: Dugu Yan and the Covetous Thoughts of the Five Goddesses (Side Story)

The Great Divine Realm.

Cloud seas churned, myriad rays of rosy light spilling forth.

Countless divine palaces drifted amid immortal qi, appearing and disappearing like brilliant pearls scattered across the firmament.

The Destruction God’s Palace stood solemn and profound, constructed of dark green ice crystals. Amid the biting chill, it exuded a breathtaking, perilous beauty.

Dugu Yan lounged lazily upon a cloud-formed couch, reclining at an angle. Her dark green skirt spilled like flowing water across the clouds.

Her alluring brows and eyes carried a hint of indolence, yet her gaze drifted again and again toward the distant, most magnificent of all—the Creation God’s Palace.

"Reporting to the God of Destruction!"

A goddess attendant bowed respectfully.

"There were no abnormalities in the Divine Realm or the lower realms yesterday. No unstable sources requiring intervention were detected."

"Mhm, noted."

Dugu Yan waved her hand casually.

Another goddess attendant hurried in.

"The Water God, Fire God, Flower God, and the Nine-Colored Goddess have arrived outside the palace."

Upon hearing this,

the languor on Dugu Yan’s face vanished at once, replaced by a bright smile.

She rose gracefully, the light gauze over her shoulders slipping down to reveal exquisitely curved, fragrant shoulders.

"My, how careless of me. Life in the Divine Realm has been far too comfortable—I actually forgot that today was our little gathering."

No sooner had she finished speaking

than a rich floral fragrance, accompanied by bell-like laughter, drifted into the hall.

Following the sound, one saw four graceful women riding upon a dazzling flying carpet woven from petals of every hue, descending lightly into the palace.

Dugu Yan rose to welcome them, her smile blooming like a flower.

"Perfect timing, sisters! The finest wine and immortal fruits are already prepared—just waiting for you!"

"Hee~"

Ye Lingling lifted her slender fingers.

A delicately crafted wine jug appeared upon the table.

Before the lid was even opened,

its fragrance had already filled the entire divine palace.

"I brought newly brewed Hundred-Flower Wine. Even Zhexian praised it after tasting!"

At first, they maintained their divine composure, dignified and reserved.

But once several jugs of Hundred-Flower Wine were drained, the atmosphere quietly shifted.

The goddesses cast aside all restraint—cloud sleeves half-loosened, gauze skirts slackened.

Jade-like bodies reclined freely among the cloud-brocade couches, laughter ringing like blossoms tossed by the wind.

The usually aloof Shui Bing’er’s pale cheeks flushed with pink; Ning Rongrong leaned crookedly against a jade pillar, giggling; while Huo Wu went barefoot across the cloud carpet, brilliant flames dancing among her hair.

"Do you still remember the Spirit Master Tournament back then...?"

Dugu Yan’s eyes were hazy with drink.

The moment her words fell, the hall erupted in laughter.

"Oh!"

Ye Lingling suddenly recalled something and lightly slapped her forehead.

"The five of us are drinking away here—but where are Xue’er, Zhuqing, and Little Sister Xiaowu?"

"Tch~"

Huo Wu curled her red lips.

"A few days ago, Li Zhexian took Xue’er and Zhuqing to the mortal world—said it was for a honeymoon."

"One day in the Divine Realm equals a year below. They’ve already been clinging to each other for years."

"As for Xiaowu—she’s the tassel of the Qinglian Sword. She went down as well, back to the Star Dou Forest."

Hearing this, Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling, and Ning Rongrong suddenly found the wine in their mouths tasting a little sour.

Shui Bing’er gently swirled her jade cup.

"They came back the day before yesterday."

"Yesterday I ran into the new Goddess of Life—the Silver Dragon King. Today she invited the Ice Emperor, Snow Empress, and also Xue’er, Zhuqing, and Xiaowu for a small gathering."

Her eyes flicked across the women as she continued:

"She also invited us and asked me to pass along the message—said we’re welcome to join."

A flicker of blazing flame rose in Huo Wu’s hair.

"If that’s the case..."

"Then right now, the Creation God’s Palace has only Zhexian there alone?"

"Should we go to the Silver Dragon King’s place?"

The palace fell abruptly silent, with only the lingering scent of wine curling through the air.

A few breaths later—

the women spoke in unison.

"Let’s just forget it."

The sisters exchanged knowing smiles. No words were needed.

As the jade jugs grew empty, the intoxication grew deeper.

The cheeks of the goddesses were tinged with rosy light, their eyes shimmering and unfocused, even their steps carrying a trace of languid softness.

Perhaps they needed the courage lent by the heavenly wine, or perhaps they were simply seeking an excuse for the restless curiosity stirring in their hearts.

Thus, five graceful figures, trailing the scent of intoxication, mounted the clouds and headed straight toward the Creation God’s Palace.

The Creation God’s Palace was solemn and imposing.

Divine generals stood guard layer upon layer.

The journey through deep clouds and cold winds swept across their faces, dispersing much of their earlier drunken haze.

Yet they exchanged knowing smiles, still propping up their cloudlike coiffures and trailing their skirts, deliberately playing the part of tipsy jade beauties on the verge of collapse.

The main gate was, of course, out of the question.

The women arrived at a secluded area and looked up at the towering glazed palace wall that pierced straight into the clouds.

Ning Rongrong glanced left and right, whispering nervously:

"Are we really climbing over the wall?"

"But Brother Zhexian’s palace is protected by barriers—even a God King couldn’t force their way in without entering through the main gate!"

"Idiot!"

Dugu Yan flipped her slender hand, revealing a gilded command token resting in her palm.

"This is the Creation Token personally given by Xue’er and Zhuqing. The barriers inside the palace recognize the token as they would the master himself!"

As her words fell,

a fiery-red figure leapt into the air.

Huo Wu lightly tapped the top of the wall with her toes and looked back with a grin.

"This goddess is here to pluck immortal plums! If you get caught..."

She raised an eyebrow, smiling slyly.

"Don’t you dare drag my innocent intentions down with you!"

Ye Lingling raised a hand to lightly cover her lips; Shui Bing’er pretended to admire the swirling clouds around the wall; Ning Rongrong twisted the ribbon of flowing light between her fingers.

Though their postures differed, the flustered unease hidden in their brows and eyes was impossible to conceal.

Then Dugu Yan’s dark-green gauze skirt fluttered as she landed lightly atop the wall.

"Hmph, what’s there to be afraid of?"

She extended a finger and poked Huo Wu lightly on the forehead.

"If anyone asks, we’ll just say we were all accompanying you, this greedy little cat, to sneak a taste of immortal fruit!"

...

Inside the Creation God’s Palace.

Within a quiet courtyard.

Li Zhexian lounged in a sandalwood chair, a luminous screen shifting before him.

Reflected upon it was the image of a sharp-eyed youth moving through a parallel world.

"All the countless parallel worlds have already been gathered into one."

"Only this world was deliberately left by me as a trial ground."

As he spoke,

a playful curve appeared at the corner of his lips. He casually propped his cheek with his right hand, shifting into a more comfortable posture.

His fingers tapped lightly on the armrest.

Space rippled like water, then reassembled.

In an instant, the courtyard scenery and the scene beyond the palace wall swapped places.

The five goddesses, still frozen in mid-climb, abruptly landed on the bluestone tiles at the center of the courtyard.

"Lingling, hurry up—uh?!"

Dugu Yan’s words came to an abrupt halt.

The five women stiffly turned around.

What met their eyes was a white-robed youth lounging comfortably in his chair, calmly watching them with a half-smiling, half-amused expression.

"So," he said, "what exactly are you ladies doing here?"

The atmosphere became painfully awkward.

After a brief silence,

Huo Wu was the first to react, dashing straight toward the immortal plum tree shrouded in celestial mist.

Seeing this, Li Zhexian gently flicked his sleeve, and the plum tree vanished into the void.

"I just gave each of you a hundred immortal plums a few days ago. You’ve already eaten them all?"

"Don’t exhaust my heaven-born immortal plant."

He was still planning to let that plum tree evolve into a forest—then transplant some peaches and open up an entire immortal garden.

Huo Wu pursed her lips.

"Fine, then."

Li Zhexian continued:

"Did you come looking for Xue’er and Zhuqing? They’re not home—they went to the Life God’s Palace."

The women exchanged glances.

In the next moment,

their lotus steps shifted lightly, a faint fragrance rising as they all closed in around Li Zhexian.

"No!"

"Today, we came here just for you!"

...

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