Chapter 568: Pretending to Be Well-Behaved

Several tables, a few mats, and several immortals sat leisurely facing each other.

The fat crane of Master Xuanming flew and cried above their heads, while Master Bai Lu flew alongside it; beside him sat a child, and beside Lin Jue lay a fox.

Xu Yi and Pu Mei entered carrying Yuanqiu fruits, placing them respectfully on the table and bowing to say:

“Senior, please enjoy at your leisure.”

The Yuanqiu fruits still glistened with dew and radiated light, shining brightly; as soon as they were placed down, an exotic fragrance filled the air.

Xian Zhu and Wang Ran stood behind, pouring wine and tea for everyone.

Originally, under Xu Yi’s lead, the disciples had grown increasingly lax and careless, just as Lin Jue had been on Fuxiu Peak; today, however, they were unusually obedient and solemn—just as Lin Jue had once been on Fuxiu Peak.

“Master Lin, you’ve taken on some fine disciples.”

“Hahaha, they give me little trouble,” Lin Jue replied with a smile, not criticizing his juniors in front of guests; then he gestured to the Yuanqiu fruits on the table, “Please, taste these. Decades ago, after I returned from the Yuanqiu Immortal Realm, I obtained the seed, planted it, and nurtured it carefully for decades—this is the first time it has borne fruit. After you eat this batch, the next harvest may take another few decades.”

The three true immortals turned their gaze to the table before them.

Each had a small plate with a few golden Yuanqiu fruits piled into a tiny pyramid.

“Master Lin, you’re too kind. I merely asked for one fruit to try something rare, and one more for the child and my mount to share, to extend their lifespan—why waste so much?”

“Your words shame me,” Lin Jue said helplessly. “Since I attained true immortality, I’ve made few close friends. When I first knew nothing, you elders cleared up many of my doubts; when there was joy, you always invited me along. What are a few Yuanqiu fruits? Please eat your fill, and take some with you when you leave.”

“Then we won’t be polite.”

“Drink, drink…”

Each held a Yuanqiu fruit in one hand, crunching it loudly, and a wine cup in the other, clinking cups across the air.

Master Xuanming handed a fruit to the child.

The child bowed respectfully, first thanking him, then offering a formal salute across the air to Lin Jue at the main seat, before bending low to nibble slowly.

Lin Jue also handed a fruit to Fuyao.

The little creature took it and ate immediately, clutching it with both paws to gnaw.

It was also open and unbound by trivialities.

“This wine…”

Master Xuanming’s eyes lit up: “Isn’t this the same wine you brought when you visited me last time?”

“A Thousand-Day Wine.”

“Yes, yes! But it’s different somehow—better than the one from back then, richer in spiritual essence and mystery, truly unforgettable!”

“Hahaha!” Lin Jue was pleased, explaining, “You may not know, Master—the Mountain Lord’s A Thousand-Day Wine was originally brewed from wild mountain fruits; each year, the ingredients and climate differ, and even fruits from the same tree vary in flavor, so each vintage differs. In recent decades, many immortal fruits have grown on my mountain, more than I can eat, so I gave them to him for brewing.”

“So that’s how!”

“Be careful, elders—this wine, brewed from immortal fruits and crafted by the Mountain Lord, can make a mortal sleep for decades after one sip; even an immortal who drinks too much will get drunk.”

“Hahaha! I haven’t been drunk in ages!”

Eating the fragrant immortal fruit, filled with sweet aroma, drinking a sip of fine wine—the fruit’s scent, the exotic fragrance, and the spiritual aroma unseen in the mortal world all began in the mouth, spreading through chest and belly, rushing straight to the crown of the head.

Even the fox lying beside Lin Jue, hearing him boast and seeing them drunk with delight, couldn’t help lifting its head repeatedly to gaze into his cup.

As they chatted about the wine-making Mountain Lord, talk naturally turned to legends of the A Thousand-Day Wine—the woodcutter who slept for a thousand days after accidentally drinking it, the Mountain Lord’s decades as mountain god, his deposition, and then to the grand current campaign against demons and monsters sweeping the mortal realm: the Jiazi Purification.

A touch of drunkenness made this tale perfect to tell.

“Throughout history, there have been human-demon wars, human-god wars, and god-god wars—but never before has there been such a vast, sweeping campaign against demons and monsters in an age of peace,” said Master Bai Luan.

“Indeed,” said Master Moyu, “temples, immortal halls, imperial troops, constables, deities of all sects—all have joined. Even upright, righteous old Confucian scholars now dare enter ruined temples and abandoned homes to drive minor demons and ghosts into the deep mountains.”

“Why does the Purple Emperor hate demons and monsters so intensely?” Lin Jue couldn’t help asking.

“You don’t know,” said Master Bai Luan with a sigh. “The Purple Emperor was born in the north, where demons and monsters have long ravaged the land. His family was shattered by demons; he cultivated the Dao by slaying them; his spiritual progress came from exterminating them; and through these deeds, the people gradually revered him as an emperor, becoming the Northern Emperor, and finally ascending to the Nine Heavens.”

“He naturally treats demons with severity.”

“But now, for the Purple Emperor, this purge is no longer what it once was,” said Master Moyu. “Beyond soothing his obsession, it has become his lifelong habit, a means to solidify his worship in the mortal realm and even weaken other imperial deities.”

“I see.”

A fox’s head quietly poked forward.

Fuyao, while they were speaking, had licked wine from Lin Jue’s cup.

It had to taste how good this was!

Lin Jue naturally saw it, but pretended not to; after a brief silence, he stroked the fox’s soft back and said, “I’ve always feared that one day the Purple Emperor will drag Fuyao into this.”

The three true immortals below fell silent.

The wine flush on their faces seemed to vanish by a third.

The demon child beside Master Xuanming sat perfectly upright, expression unchanged.

Lin Jue spoke of Fuyao, but to their ears, it was no different than speaking of themselves—or of Master Xuanming’s child.

“Though the Purple Emperor despises demons and launched this purge, he only targets evil demons and monsters who have caused chaos in the mortal realm,” said Master Bai Luan. “Those who haven’t caused trouble are either driven from cities into deep mountains or captured, interrogated, and released. There has been no arbitrary punishment of the innocent.”

“I also think you’re overthinking,” said Master Moyu.

“You are the famed ‘Master Lin’ of the mortal realm, with countless tales of good deeds—how many of those tales don’t include Fuyao? I’ve heard many mortals recognize ‘Master Lin’ by the white fox, and among mortal Daoists and sages, raising white foxes has become a trend. If your merit is boundless, Fuyao surely accounts for a third of it. Moreover, in recent years, the mortal court has revered the nine-tailed fox as a divine omen. Given Fuyao’s achievements, virtue, and reputation, he’s worthy of becoming a celestial deity—why would he be implicated?”

Master Xuanming spoke calmly:

“Master Lin fears Fuyao is connected to Lady Yao Hua, and worries he’ll be dragged into the conflict between the Purple Emperor and Lady Yao Hua?”

Lin Jue shook his head. “It’s better to prepare in advance. I fear that one day, the blade in the hands of the Fuchi Spirit Lord may fall upon my head.”

“Hahaha! Such a thing has never happened since ancient times!”

“Could it be that when we invited you to witness the spectacle, the Fuchi Spirit Lord’s divine might left too deep an impression?”

Lin Jue listened but said nothing.

These immortals had grown too idle, a little naive—but understandable.

They had attained true immortality, transcended the mundane, lived for many years in ease and comfort; no one opposed them, no one troubled them. Even through two Celestial Wardens, none had ever come to harass them, let alone obsessed over exterminating every demon and monster in the world.

Thus, they stood above the world, carefree and untroubled.

Thus, they failed to realize that this Purple Emperor’s severity toward demons was unprecedented—just as this Jiazi Purification had never occurred before.

Then again, since the celestial deity system was established,

only a few Celestial Wardens and Emperors had ruled, each introducing ideas never seen before.

But Lin Jue was in no hurry.

This was only the first Jiazi cycle.

He had planted his words here.

When the Purple Emperor inch by inch overreached, they wouldn’t be frogs—they would eventually notice.

Then, as today, Lin Jue with Fuyao, Master Xuanming with his demon child, and the other two who were never human, would gather here again.

After eating the immortal fruits, drinking their fill of wine, and chatting for three days and nights, the disciples had served them for three days and nights; only then did Lin Jue see them off.

The pavilion on the cliff edge grew suddenly quiet.

“Zhaoyao Mountain, Bai Luan…”

“Fajiu Mountain, Jingwei…”

The lu bird is a divine bird, similar to the phoenix, with mostly blue feathers like a peacock; ancient texts say it originated from Nü Chuang Mountain, so Master Bai Luan’s name clearly reveals his true form.

Master Moyu came from Fajiu Mountain, likely the same as Jingwei, since ancient texts describe Jingwei as resembling a crow.

“…”

Lin Jue couldn’t help shaking his head.

He was reminded again of the Yuanqiu Immortal Realm, where one day equals one year; then of the strange Longbo Giants beyond the seas.

Becoming an immortal truly changed everything—myths from ancient books, once distant, were now within reach if one wished.

Meanwhile, behind him, his disciples had relaxed.

“I’m exhausted!”

“That older brother behind Master Xuanming has incredible discipline—he sat perfectly still for three whole days and nights! Do you think he’s just pretending too, like us?”

“Master and sister, are those few really immortals?”

“Master and sister, I’m so sleepy… you’ve cultivated so much, you don’t need sleep?”

Turning back, Lin Jue saw his disciples—no longer solemn, each slouching, lounging, lazy as ever.

For a moment, Lin Jue felt a headache coming—and yet the sense of déjà vu was overwhelming.

“Master! What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. You’ve worked hard.”

Lin Jue waved his hand and let it be.