There was once a Martial God of Fortune and Luck.
He had thousands of worshippers and temples built in his name across the mortal realm. Shao [Name], the God of Luck and Fortune, was a mysterious immortal who ascended at a remarkably young age. Despite his distant nature, he was favored by the Heavenly Emperor, Jun Wu.
Few knew much about him.
But everyone knew one thing.
He possessed a beauty so breathtaking it captivated both men and women alike.
In the dreams of mortals, he often appeared in the form of a graceful woman, bestowing blessings of fortune and prosperity upon his faithful believers.
Yet such blessings did not remain pure for long.
To his disappointment, his worshippers grew greedy. Instead of using their good fortune for honest living, they began abusing it—cheating others, committing wicked acts, and trampling the poor who had none of his blessings.
When Shao [Name] discovered what his gifts had caused. He burned every one of his temples to the ground.
The rumors spread like wildfire across the three realms. Celestial officials were shocked. Martial gods whispered among themselves. Even the ghosts of the underworld grew curious.
Among them, one particularly infamous ghost found the story… interesting.
Despite everything that had happened, the Heavenly Court could not judge Shao [Name]. He had always been distant and mysterious, rarely involving himself with other gods.
Few truly understood him. Except for two people.
They knew.
———————
Shao [Name] stood quietly in the palace garden beneath the shade of a tangerine tree. Soft sunlight filtered through the leaves above, scattering golden patterns across the stone path.
His long, silver-white hair swayed gently in the breeze as he admired the blooming flowers that filled the garden with color and fragrance.
In his hand rested a scroll he had received earlier from his longtime friend, Xie Lian. The garden was peaceful.
Too peaceful.
"Hm?"
[Name] suddenly sensed a familiar presence.
He lifted his gaze toward the palace windows.
There, perched delicately on the wooden frame of his bedroom window, was a glittering silver butterfly. Its wings shimmered faintly in the sunlight, leaving behind a soft trail of sparkling dust.
[Name] stared at it for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly in recognition.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Spying on me again…" His voice was calm, almost amused.
"Hua Cheng."