Weihong hugged his daughter and said, "Soon!"
In the Heavenly Realm palace, Lian felt she had completed her duties. Right after the medicine pills were packaged, she went to see Long Wang.
Long Wang was sitting in his study, reviewing reports sent by his court officials.
Seeing Lian's arrival, Eunuch Song, who was guarding the door, promptly knocked.
"Your Majesty, Miss Lian is here."
"Let her in!" Long Wang commanded from inside.
The door opened, and Lian entered.
"Your Majesty," Lian greeted with a respectful bow.
Long Wang knew Lian's visit to the study wasn't without reason. "I heard the pills you concocted are finished and packaged? Have you come to collect your payment?" he asked.
Lian shook her head. "Lord Long, I've come to ask for your help," she stated frankly.
Long Wang unrolled a scroll, and his expression instantly darkened. The Spirit Realm King – Weihong – had sent a personal letter stating he would send his daughter, Rong'er, as part of this year's royal tribute.
Furthermore, the political pressure within the Heavenly Realm was becoming increasingly complex, giving Long Wang a headache. They kept pressuring him to take a consort due to his unstable health. Long Wang needed to marry and produce an heir for the Heavenly Realm.
Lian still stood there, watching Long Wang crumple the paper in his hand. She didn't know if his anger was because of her request, which she hadn't even had a chance to state. Long Wang's face looked utterly stormy.
What in the world? This man's temper is so unstable! Angry one minute, fine the next. I haven't even stated my business and he's already mad? How am I supposed to tell him I want to go home now?
"Lord Long?" Lian addressed him cautiously.
"Yes, what?!" he snapped.
Lian jumped, nearly hitting the wall in surprise. "I-I've finished my tasks," she said, her face full of anxiety.
"Yes! I heard, and I said I would pay you!"
This was completely outside Lian's expectations. "I'm not asking for payment," she repeated.
"Pour me a cup of tea!" Long Wang ordered suddenly.
Lian swallowed hard, unsure why his emotions had exploded. "Yes, alright," she replied, taking the teapot and pouring tea into a cup.
Her hands trembled as she wondered to herself, Why is his mood getting worse? Is it because I'm being too informal? Fine, I'll be formal so he won't be annoyed with me. The most important thing right now is that he grants me permission to return to the mortal realm!
Long Wang narrowed his eyes, watching Lian's face as she extended her hand to offer the teacup. "Your tea, Your Majesty," she said.
Long Wang took the cup from her hand but didn't drink immediately.
"Suddenly so polite... are you planning to escape the palace again?" Long Wang guessed.
Lian shook her head, then forced her lips into a smile in the uncertain situation. The smile looked very strange, almost like that of an old granny.
Long Wang raised an eyebrow. "Then?" he asked, taking a sip from the cup.
"I'd like you to send me back to the mortal realm."
Long Wang immediately set his cup down on the table. Of course, he disagreed with Lian's request.
"My condition could relapse at any moment, and you want to leave my palace? Why are you so eager to go back? Is that shabby hut you built better than this palace? Or is the roof, which can't even block the sun, better than the jade roof of this heavenly palace?" he retorted.
Lian frowned, but the taunts didn't anger her at all. The most important thing now was to go home!
"No, no! Of course, it's better here! Your Majesty, I want to further my medical knowledge. My understanding of medicine is still too shallow. I have plans in the mortal realm, and I also—"
Long Wang cut her off abruptly.
"Fairy Lian! You're already skilled now, why study more? The physicians and experts here couldn't cure me, but you could! Out there, your name must be famous for being able to heal me!"
Lian searched for another, more reasonable excuse. "I just prefer living freely. My true form is a peach blossom tree, and I feel happier living in the forest. Besides, I've already given the recipe to General Gu. If the medicine runs out, Your Majesty needn't worry," she explained.
Long Wang clenched his fist. He still didn't want Lian to leave his palace so soon. But he also had no valid reason to keep her detained in the Heavenly Realm palace.
"Lian, I..."
"Your Majesty needn't worry. Regarding the demon clan, I have a way to deal with them."
Long Wang lowered his head. That wasn't what he wanted to say; he wanted Lian to stay. The words and desires in his heart were something Long Wang couldn't voice.
"Your Majesty, I take my leave," she said, kneeling to pay her respects to Long Wang.
As Lian stood up, Long Wang suddenly pulled her into an embrace. Lian froze in his arms, completely unaware of why he had done it or what his reason was.
"Your Majesty—"
"Just for a moment. Stay like this," he whispered, his eyes closed. The sweet scent of peach blossoms from Lian's body filled the study. Long Wang naturally couldn't let L go so easily, especially since he knew she was the sacred fairy destined to be his partner one day.
A few moments later, Long Wang released her. "I'll have Guseng escort you," he said.
Lian nodded in agreement.
After Lian left the study, Guseng departed with several soldiers to escort Lian back to the mortal realm.
***
The next morning, the tribute sent by King Weihong arrived at the heavenly palace. Princess Rong'er was brought in on a palanquin. The woman wore a red wedding dress. She had come as Long Wang's consort.
Long Wang couldn't refuse the tribute sent. If he sent Rong'er back, it would only provoke conflict between the Heavenly and Spirit Realms. Having Rong'er stay in the Heavenly Realm would strengthen the ties between the two realms.
In the Heavenly Realm palace, Rong'er resided in a specially designated palace for her stay. She was also accompanied by several loyal maids she had brought from the Spirit Realm.
Several days had passed since Rong'er's arrival, and Long Wang had not once visited her. Rong'er felt Long Wang was treating her poorly, so she took the initiative to go to Long Wang's private chambers herself.
When Rong'er arrived, Long Wang was in the bathing pool. He needed to cultivate to restore the pure energy eroded by the monster's horn poison in his heart.
The servants at Long Wang's palace naturally tried to stop Rong'er. "Princess Rong, you cannot enter. His Majesty is in recovery," they said.
"I am the consort sent here! I must attend to His Majesty! How dare you block me!" Rong'er shouted at the servants. She slapped the cheeks of the two servants guarding the door and walked in uninvited.
Long Wang wasn't finished yet, but he heard the commotion outside. Calmly, he emerged from the pool and put his robes back on.
Rong'er saw Long Wang's silhouette behind the bathing pool curtains. She approached and, without hesitation, intended to hug his waist from behind to seduce him. However, the plan failed. Long Wang, accustomed to being vigilant, instinctively sidestepped, and Rong'er instead slipped and fell into the pool.
"Your Majesty!" she cried out from the water. Her appearance was disheveled, and the fine clothes she wore were completely soaked.
Long Wang glanced at her with a sly smile at the corner of his lips.
This is the punishment for a spoiled, rule-breaking princess like you!
"Oh, Princess Rong? When did you arrive?" Long Wang asked, pretending not to know.
"I came to surprise Your Majesty, but I fell into the pool instead!" she complained with a pout.
Long Wang extended his right hand and helped her out of the pool. He noticed his personal servants whom Rong'er had slapped earlier; they still had red marks on their cheeks, but none dared to complain.
There were also two loyal maids from the Spirit Realm who constantly accompanied Rong'er, also acting as spies to report Long Wang's every action in the Heavenly Realm palace to King Weihong.
"You, take Consort Rong to change her clothes," Long Wang ordered Rong'er's maids waiting outside the door.
Rong'er still held Long Wang's hand. She looked at him with adoring eyes. "Your Majesty, I've missed you so much! Since arriving at the Heavenly Realm palace, we haven't had any time to talk. As your consort, I—"
"I will visit your palace tonight, how about that?" Long Wang cut in quickly. Of course, he was only pretending to be amiable to avoid causing trouble.
Rong'er immediately smiled happily. "Yes, of course! I will await Your Majesty tonight! I beg my leave now to prepare!" she said excitedly.
After Rong'er left, the smile vanished from Long Wang's lips. The man walked back into his room. It had been several days since Lian left the Heavenly Realm palace, and he felt an emptiness in his heart.
Wuer – a maid Long Wang had assigned to serve Lian a few days prior – came to see him. He had secretly tasked Wuer with discreetly watching over Lian after her departure. Today, he summoned Wuer to hear news of Lian.
"Your Majesty, you called for me?"
"Yes, how is Lian faring in the mortal realm?"