Chapter 39: Soaring Together

Zhu Yingtai’s tea was rich with the fragrance of fresh flowers. As the boiling water was poured into the pot, the floral aroma instantly permeated the room.

In the freezing cold, a sip of hot tea dispelled the chill, warming her from her throat down to her heart.

A moment later, Mie Ying recounted their current predicament to Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai. The couple was deeply shocked upon hearing the news.

Anxiety was written all over Zhu Yingtai’s face. She asked hurriedly, “Sister Mie Ying, does your father know you are doing this?”

Mie Ying appeared torn, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her skirt. “I cannot tell them. If it were my father’s temper, he would surely tear me to pieces.”

Zhu Yingtai said worriedly, “Then you should at least inform your mother! Although those two elders have nine daughters, you are the only one who is truly their own. You must not let them worry themselves sick over this.”

Mie Ying’s eyes turned red instantly. “Sister, could you perhaps tell my mother for me later?”

Zhu Yingtai quickly took Mie Ying’s hand. “Silly girl, are you truly determined to accompany this young man to the mortal realm?”

Mie Ying hung her head and gave a faint nod.

Zhu Yingtai sighed and said, “Since Lan Caihe said he is a demon, with the powers of the Eight Immortals, he shouldn't be wrong.”

“He is not a demon; he must be a Phoenix Spirit. There must be some mistake!” Mie Ying’s tone was firm and beyond doubt.

Just as Zhu Yingtai was about to persuade her further, Liang Shanbo spoke up. “Yingtai, aren't they just like us back then? The Heavenly King of the Fire Wheel must have his reasons for recognizing her as his foster daughter. Besides, Mie Ying is not a three-year-old child; she is grown and sensible, and she must make her own decisions.”

Hearing this, Zhu Yingtai fell silent.

Liang Shanbo bowed his head in thought. “There have been no Phoenix Spirits in this world for a long time. If you are truly a descendant of the Phoenix, perhaps you can preserve a bit of that bloodline in this world. We do this not only for Sister Mie Ying, but protecting a descendant of the Phoenix is also a virtuous deed.”

Upon hearing this, Hua Sheng hurriedly stood up and knelt on the ground. “Thank you, Brother Liang! Being able to meet the legendary Liang and Zhu in person today, and having you save me, is truly the greatest fortune of my life!”

Liang Shanbo pulled Hua Sheng to his feet. “Don’t thank me. If you are truly grateful, just treat my sister well from now on.”

When Hua Sheng heard this, his eyes grew hot instantly. He had never imagined that Mie Ying would abandon everything for his sake, and he did not know how to repay her. Hearing Liang Shanbo’s words, he secretly resolved to protect Mie Ying with all his might.

Mie Ying asked, “Brother Liang, how do we pass through the Hunyuan Path to the mortal realm now?”

Liang Shanbo replied, “As far as I know, Bai Ye should be on duty at the Hunyuan Path tonight. When my sister Zhu and I, as immortals, first arrived in Shengpingning, we relied on the help of Bai Ye and Hei Yun from the Holy Court to get settled. We have been close to them for hundreds of years. I will take you to the Hunyuan Path and see if they can let you through to the mortal realm.”

Hearing the name Bai Ye, Hua Sheng exclaimed, “I know Bai Ye and Hei Yun! They were the ones who showed me the way here. However, when I went to the mortal realm before, I offended Hei Yun. At that time, she let it slide out of respect for the Supreme Old Lord. If I go again, I fear I might be caught red-handed.”

Liang Shanbo said, “But do you have any other choice? Lü Dongbin holds a high position; it won't be long before he orders a full-scale manhunt for you both. Perhaps by dawn, the arrest warrant will have spread throughout all of Shengpingning. Yingtai, it seems we cannot wait until daybreak. This matter brooks no delay. I will take them to the Hunyuan Path now. They certainly cannot stay in Shengpingning.”

Afterward, Liang Shanbo did not wake the servants but prepared a sedan chair that could accommodate four people.

Mie Ying held Zhu Yingtai’s hand with reluctance. “Dear sister! Dear sister! Please convey my apologies to my father and mother. Tell them that little Seven is sorry, but as sisters, we will not act recklessly and will surely take care of our own safety. Tell them not to worry too much. Once Hua Sheng’s innocence is proven, I will surely return to seek their forgiveness.”

Seeing Mie Ying’s sincerity, Zhu Yingtai could not help but shed tears. “Dear sister! You really are just like I was in my youth. I only hope that the young man you have chosen is as good as your Brother Shanbo.”

“Sister…” Mie Ying sobbed along with her.

Zhu Yingtai said, “Perhaps I should prepare some travel money for you…”

Hua Sheng hurriedly waved his hand. “Sister Zhu, we are going to the mortal realm, where the currency of the Holy Realm is useless. Even if you gave it to us, it wouldn't help.”

“Yes, yes, I am too flustered,” Zhu Yingtai replied, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes.

Liang Shanbo urged, “Yingtai, the hour of the Tiger is approaching; dawn is near, and we must depart. Do not view this as a permanent parting. Once Sister Mie Ying and her companion clear up the truth, they will surely return to Shengpingning.”

Only then did Zhu Yingtai reluctantly release Mie Ying’s hand, saying worriedly, “Brother Shanbo, you must also be careful.”

***

Hua Sheng lifted the curtain of the sedan and stepped inside, finding four seats facing each other. It looked like an ordinary sedan. He and Mie Ying sat down close together, and then Liang Shanbo stepped in.

“We are departing now.” Liang Shanbo touched the armrest inside, and the sedan rose into the air.

The sedan flew higher and higher in silence, heading toward Lingzhou, where the Hunyuan Path was located.

At the hour of the Tiger, at the Hunyuan Path:

For Hei Yun, this night was supposed to be peaceful and leisurely. She had swapped shifts with Bai Ye. She had planned to take advantage of the quiet night to enjoy a cup of her prized Longjing green tea.

The Tea Saint, Lu Yu, wrote in his *Classic of Tea*: "For the water, mountain spring water is the best, river water is second, and well water is the worst." Mountain spring water from the Valley Curtain Spring in the Kangwang Valley of Mount Lu was considered the finest. Hei Yun had gone to great lengths to have this water brought back from Mount Lu, and she had been reluctant to drink it. Finally, with no official business tonight, she could settle her mind and enjoy a good cup of tea, while also reading the true ending of the *Story of the Stone* on the wall.

Tonight, it should have been perfect!

She had carefully washed the teapot and cups, boiled the Valley Curtain water with great precision, and patiently waited for it to cool for a moment. Hei Yun was very particular, fearing that brewing the tea leaves too hot would cause them to lose their peerless fragrance.

It is said that one should fill the wine to the brim but the tea only halfway. She brewed the tea and poured the first cup, holding it under her nose to smell it, feeling more refreshed than an immortal. Just as she brought the cup to her lips and held the first blissful sip in her mouth, she saw Hua Sheng suddenly burst in.

Hua Sheng shouted in a rush, “Hei Yun! Hei Yun! Hei Yun! Let me go to the mortal realm!”

Forget the taste of the Longjing; before Hei Yun could even feel the temperature of the tea, she spat it all out, along with the cup! The precious porcelain cup hit the floor and shattered into pieces.

Hei Yun felt that what she heard was not the sound of a cup shattering, but the sound of her heart breaking. This crisp, definitive sound reminded her that this was not a bizarre dream. The fine tea, the precious water, and the elegant cup were now just a puddle of wetness and a heap of rubble on the floor.

Not only that, she would have to clean it all up herself later!

Hei Yun stomped her feet and shouted, “I only work the night shift once every three months, and tonight I even swapped with Bai Ye! Why must I keep running into you, you debt-collecting ghost? Are you never going to leave me alone?”

Hua Sheng pleaded, “Hei Yun, have mercy! I beg you! Save this poor child!”

Hei Yun said, “I am cursed! The patrol just left a stick of incense ago; how did you manage to show up now?”

Before the words had left her lips, she saw Liang Shanbo and Mie Ying enter behind Hua Sheng.

Hei Yun’s expression turned even more shocked, and she blurted out, “Master Liang! Why have you come here so late at night?”

Liang Shanbo explained quickly, “Hei Yun, this is my dear sister, Mie Ying. She is the foster daughter of the Heavenly King of the Fire Wheel, Nezha. Tonight, she has asked me to intercede, hoping you might let them pass into the mortal realm.”

Hei Yun asked, “Why such a rush?”

Liang Shanbo replied, “To tell you the truth, did a group of foreigners enter through the Hunyuan Path earlier today?”

Hei Yun nodded. “That is true. How did you know, Master Liang?”

Liang Shanbo answered, “Those are the people who went to the Daoist Academy to stir up trouble.”

After hearing Liang Shanbo’s account of the Klin Magic School’s assault on the Daoist Academy, Hei Yun pondered for a moment. “Master Liang, you can rest easy. The breach of the Hunyuan Path today was merely a momentary lapse. The Holy Court is already aware of it, and by tomorrow morning, they will send Heavenly Soldiers to guard it. Those troublemakers will certainly not be able to enter Shengpingning in three days, let alone return to the Daoist Academy. You should return home in peace.”

Mie Ying became anxious. “No! We must still go to the mortal realm!”

But she could not mention that Hua Sheng was being hunted by Lü Dongbin, so she had to say, “After all, the purple-gold thread from Hua Sheng’s academy uniform was found inside the Klin Magic School. Even if they don’t force us, we have an obligation to cooperate with them to investigate this matter and prove our innocence.”

Hei Yun seemed to find this logical and nodded.

Liang Shanbo seized the opportunity. “Hei Yun, I, Liang Shanbo, rarely ask favors of others. These two have a truly urgent matter; please, for my sake, grant them a pass.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to let them through, but when the Heavenly Soldiers come to guard the post tomorrow morning, they won’t be able to come back. And if they do return, they will certainly be investigated.”

Mie Ying replied immediately, “Sister Hei Yun, I promise that when I return, I will notify the Heavenly King of the Fire Wheel beforehand so he can prepare everything. I will never jeopardize your future, Sister Hei Yun!”

Hei Yun sighed. “Just don’t get me in trouble. Otherwise, if people keep smuggling through on my night shift twice, I really will lose my job.”

Hua Sheng thanked her hurriedly, “Thank you, Hei Yun! I will definitely repay you!”

“You are a debt-collector! Had I known, I should have let you sink into the East Sea to feed the fish. If it weren’t for Master Liang’s request today, I wouldn't want to take the blame for this.”

Although Hua Sheng was thick-skinned, he felt truly embarrassed, knowing he had caused Hei Yun so much trouble, and could only bow repeatedly.

Liang Shanbo said, “I will escort these two children to the mortal realm and return in a moment.”

“Then you must be quick, Master Liang. Dawn is approaching, and when the new Heavenly Soldiers arrive to take guard, my shift will be over.”

“That is only natural.” Liang Shanbo glanced at the porcelain shards on the floor and said, “The scent of tea has already filled the room. If I don't return quickly to drink a cup, your tea will have gone cold, Hei Yun.”

Hei Yun laughed, “A small matter. I will save a cup of hot tea for you, Master Liang.”

Liang Shanbo thanked Hei Yun, took Hua Sheng and Mie Ying to the character "Tear," and entered the Hunyuan Path.

This time, on the other side of the Hunyuan Path lay a copy of *Dream of the Red Chamber* lost by the seaside. The tide rose, soaking the cloud-patterned cloth shoes of the three.

When it was time to say goodbye, Liang Shanbo simply took Mie Ying’s hand and patted the back of it gently, without saying a word.

Then, he walked up to Hua Sheng. “Hua Sheng, the journey ahead is thousands of miles long. Not only will you be exhausted, but Sister Mie Ying’s shoulder is injured. Remember to support and help each other; only then can you cross these thousands of mountains and waters.”

Hua Sheng said worriedly, “Brother Liang, even now, I still feel I am but a mortal. In my current situation, I do not know how long I will live, but I will surely protect Mie Ying with my life!”

Liang Shanbo replied, “To most people in this world, you are but an ordinary person. But to yourself, you are the whole world.” He paused and continued, “Not only that, but you may also become someone else’s whole world.”

He placed Hua Sheng’s left hand in his palm, pressed his other hand against the back of Hua Sheng’s hand, and closed his eyes. After a while, he said, “Truly an immortal spirit with wings born from the ribs.”

Then Liang Shanbo recited softly, “By the order of the law! Wing-Flying Divine Incantation!”

Suddenly, two wings sprouted from Hua Sheng’s back, and a brilliant light flashed past as he transformed into the likeness of a phoenix!

Liang Shanbo looked up at the phoenix before him. “Child, go to the sky you desire! Take Mie Ying with you and see the vast sky that belongs to you both!”

A streak of pale white light appeared on the eastern horizon. A phoenix and a Mie-Meng bird with an injured wing broke through the sky, spreading their wings in flight.

They soared through the sea of clouds. Accompanied by the dawn, the two birds flew side-by-side toward the unknown European continent, a place they had never stepped foot in.

“What a beautiful prime of life! Just like us back then.”

Liang Shanbo waved at the two departing figures and bowed.

“Take care, both of you. You are not the only ones who can fly side-by-side in this magnificent mortal world!”