Chapter Five
1071 Words
Silence.
A suffocating silence settled over the Heavenly Hall.
Bai Lingxi remained frozen in Mo Xuanyuan’s grasp.
One arm circled lightly around her waist, preventing her from crashing onto the jade floor.
His hand was warm.
Far warmer than she had expected.
She looked up.
His jade-green eyes remained as cold as winter.
Yet…
For the briefest instant…
She thought she saw sorrow hidden deep within them.
Then it vanished.
He released her.
Lingxi stumbled backward and quickly straightened her robes.
“T-Thank you.”
Mo Xuanyuan said nothing.
He simply turned around.
The black robes embroidered with emerald dragons flowed behind him like shadows swallowing moonlight.
Without another glance…
He began walking toward the palace doors.
The celestial officials immediately lowered their heads.
No one dared breathe.
“Follow.”
One word.
That was all.
Lingxi frowned.
“Who?”
His footsteps never slowed.
“You.”
She folded her arms.
“I thought you told me to leave.”
The entire Heavenly Hall froze.
Several immortals looked as though they might faint.
Did…
Did she just argue with the Imperial Jade God of War?
Mo Xuanyuan stopped walking.
Slowly…
He turned his head.
His calm gaze rested on her.
“You talk too much.”
Lingxi’s eyebrows shot upward.
“I talk too much?”
“You summoned me!”
“You insulted me!”
“You threw me into an invisible wall!”
“And now you’re blaming me?”
Several heavenly generals silently prayed for her soul.
No one…
Absolutely no one…
Spoke to their lord that way.
The atmosphere became unbearably tense.
Then—
Mo Xuanyuan resumed walking.
“I was mistaken.”
Lingxi blinked.
“…About what?”
“I expected intelligence.”
A few celestial attendants gasped.
Lingxi stared after him in disbelief.
“Did…”
“Did he just insult me?”
One elderly immortal quietly nodded.
“Congratulations.”
“You are the first person in ten thousand years to make His Majesty speak more than ten words.”
“That isn’t something to be proud of!”
“It is.”
“Usually, he simply freezes people.”
“…What?”
The old immortal smiled awkwardly.
“You survived.”
…
Outside the Heavenly Hall…
Mo Xuanyuan stopped beside an enormous jade lake.
The water reflected the heavens so perfectly that it seemed to contain another world beneath its surface.
He looked at the reflection.
Not because he admired the scenery.
Because he was avoiding looking at her.
Footsteps approached.
Lingxi stopped beside him, keeping a careful distance.
Neither spoke.
Finally…
She broke the silence.
“You really dislike me that much?”
No answer.
“I didn’t ask to come here.”
Still nothing.
“I lost everything.”
“My cultivation.”
“My home.”
“My future.”
She lowered her eyes.
“And the first person Heaven sends me to…”
“…looks at me as though I’m an inconvenience.”
The breeze stirred gently.
Mo Xuanyuan’s fingers tightened behind his back.
If only she knew…
For one hundred thousand years…
He had searched every lifetime for her.
He finally spoke.
“You are weak.”
Lingxi laughed bitterly.
“I know.”
“You are emotional.”
“I know.”
“You hesitate.”
“I know.”
“You will die.”
Those four words struck harder than every insult before them.
She slowly turned toward him.
“What?”
He finally met her gaze.
“The Jade Palace is not the mortal world.”
“It is where gods are forged.”
“Where demons invade.”
“Where immortals fall.”
“Where weakness is buried.”
His voice remained calm.
“If you remain as you are…”
“…you will die.”
Lingxi clenched her fists.
“You think I don’t know that?”
“I wake up every morning hoping yesterday was a nightmare.”
“I keep trying to use spiritual energy that isn’t there.”
“I still reach for a sword that won’t answer me.”
Her voice cracked.
“I know I’m weak.”
“But don’t stand there and pretend you know how this feels!”
For the first time…
A flicker of emotion crossed Mo Xuanyuan’s face.
Pain.
Ancient.
Hidden.
Gone before she noticed.
He whispered so quietly only the wind heard him.
“I know better than anyone.”
…
Before Lingxi could ask what he meant—
BOOM!
A violent explosion echoed across the Jade Palace.
The ground trembled.
Warning bells rang throughout Heaven.
One.
Two.
Three.
Nine.
The faces of every immortal changed instantly.
A heavenly general appeared, kneeling before Mo Xuanyuan.
“My Lord!”
“The Northern Heavenly Barrier has been breached!”
“A Heavenly Beast has escaped from the Void Rift!”
“It is charging toward the Immortal Gardens!”
Without another word…
Mo Xuanyuan vanished.
He disappeared so quickly that only black mist lingered where he had stood.
Lingxi blinked.
“Where did he—”
A deafening roar shook the heavens.
She looked upward.
Her blood froze.
A beast the size of a mountain burst through the clouds.
Its body burned with black flames.
Six crimson eyes glowed like moons.
Its roar split the sky itself.
Immortals scattered in every direction.
The beast opened its jaws—
And lunged…
Straight toward Bai Lingxi.
She couldn’t move.
No spiritual energy.
No sword.
No way to defend herself.
She closed her eyes.
“So…”
“This is how I die.”
Suddenly—
A black figure descended from the heavens like a falling star.
BOOM!
The entire Jade Palace shook.
Mo Xuanyuan landed between her and the beast.
His flowing black robes billowed wildly in the divine wind.
Gone was the quiet, emotionless immortal.
Before her stood the true Imperial Jade God of War.
Without armor.
Without a weapon.
Yet the heavens themselves trembled at his presence.
He slowly raised one hand.
His cold voice echoed across all Nine Heavens.
“Kneel.”
The single word carried overwhelming divine authority.
The monstrous beast let out one final roar…
Then crashed to the ground, trembling violently.
Unable to resist.
Unable to breathe.
Unable…
…to stand before him.
Lingxi stared in speechless awe.
Only moments ago, she had argued with this man.
Now she realized…
She had been arguing with the strongest god in Heaven.
- Writer
