First, Xie Lian traveled out into the wilderness. After collecting the thing he’d set out for, he made for Mount Tonglu. He approached a small cottage in a forested area of the greater mountain range.
As soon as he walked inside, he saw that the state preceptor had set up a table and dragged three empty-shelled people around it to play cards. His face was set and serious, and Xie Lian immediately turned to leave without a word.
However, the state preceptor’s eyes flashed when he saw him. “Stop right there!” he barked.
Xie Lian knew there was only one circumstance in which the state preceptor would allow him to interrupt a game. Sure enough, the state preceptor flipped the table seconds later.
“Game’s over, something’s come up. Gotta go! Get back here, Your Highness! Why did you come seek me out?”
Xie Lian looked back and saw the three empty-shelled people flop to the ground. Clearly, the state preceptor had been on the verge of losing.
“It’s not actually anything important,” he lied.
“No, no,” said the state preceptor quickly. “Judging by your serious expression, it must be something major! The cards can wait. Let your master help you!”
“…”
After Xie Lian explained the reason for his visit, however, the state preceptor wore a different expression. As the two of them sat together on a long, crude bench, the only thing echoing through the air was the state preceptor’s scolding.
“You’re right, it isn’t anything important. A mere birthday! It’s not worth racking your brain over, running all over the place—and going to retrieve that thing personally!”
Xie Lian knew he couldn’t explain himself to others; they wouldn’t understand even if he tried. He rubbed his forehead so hard it began to turn red. “Either way, I’ve already collected the primary material,” he said. “It’s just that I’ve forgotten how to forge the Xianle style of longevity lock, like the one I wore when I was little. Master, will you please give me some pointers? There’s no need for you to do anything else; I’ll do all the work myself.”
“You don’t need to prepare any birthday presents,” the state preceptor said gruffly, like he still couldn’t get over the very idea. “You already delivered yourself to his doorstep; what more does he want?!”
“…”
Did he mean to say “You’re the best present of all”? Xie Lian really couldn’t stand that kind of argument—the concept itself bothered him. He slapped a hand over his forehead and thought, I’m not that vain.
Seeing him shake his head and wholeheartedly resist the idea, the state preceptor said, “And you’re being pathetic, honestly. You are the only heavenly official in history who has ever ascended thrice! You are the Flower-Crowned Martial God, the Crown Prince of Xianle! At seventeen, you had the audacity to tell the whole world that you were going to save the common people! At eighteen—”
“Master! Stop!” Xie Lian cut in. “Master! Enough! Don’t say any more!”
With such an embarrassing past, what was there to be proud of?!
The state preceptor watched him with a complicated expression. “Your Highness, you really don’t need to belittle yourself like this,” he said, exasperated.
“It’s not that I’m belittling myself, it’s just…”
It was just…when it came to the man he loved, it was natural to want to give him the best the world had to offer. But he also couldn’t help feeling that he wasn’t good enough for him.
The sight of Xie Lian right now made the state preceptor sigh. He crossed his hands and tucked them into his sleeves, thought for a while, and then said, “A longevity lock, hmm? Wait a moment and let me think. That was so long ago now; I can’t be sure that I remember every detail of how to craft it, or the blessing ritual.”
“That’s fine,” Xie Lian said. “If you can’t remember either, then I’ll piece it together from memory. I’m certain my sincerity will make up for the rest.”
After a short pause, the state preceptor glanced at Xie Lian and said, “Do you want to ask him?”
“…”
He didn’t say the name, but Xie Lian knew exactly whom he was speaking of.
Jun Wu was imprisoned deep in Mount Tonglu’s underground.
Xie Lian was silent for a long time, but in the end, he shook his head.