Lord Long Xiao, one of the Five Holy Gods and also the newly appointed god overseeing mortal cultivation, had descended to the realms for "research"... or so he claimed.
The real reason?
To avoid participating in the Gods' Contest, an annual divine competition where gods of various philosophies clashed to determine whose path reigned supreme.
Scene: Moments before his descent.
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Night fell on Adowa Peak. The winds whispered as they blew alongside the serene river. Long Xiao, standing at the bank of Densu murmured,
"The mortals need me... Their cultivation paths are flawed," Long Xiao murmured, his voice barely audible over the whispers of the wind.
"They struggle and suffer, all for the elusive promise of immortality. I cannot stand idly by and watch their futile endeavors." he declared as a single tear escaped his left eye.
"Mortals don't even need you to hold a teacup, Master. Don't flatter yourself." Lei, Long Xiao's divine mount said bluntly, hovering above Densu.
Lei's blunt words stung, causing Long Xiao's annoyed gaze to fall on him, his halo flickering for a moment before his gaze fell back on the river.
The moonlight dancing on its gentle waves.
Lei snorted, his celestial aura flickering in amusement. "You think, you descending to their realm will change anything?
This question was sudden. Not knowing what to say,
"Hmm!" He cleared his throat. As he was about to resume, his storage pouch slipped and fell into the river.
"Lei, would you be a dear and retrieve the fallen pouch?" He gave a hearty smile but apparently, the mount wasn't auditorily present at the moment.
"Wow! The Heavens are loud today. Aren't they, Master?" Lei giggled, already metres away.
His halo flickered temporarily making Densu boil.
The winds blew fast as the rocks present broke subtly. Without uttering another word, he dived into the river.
Moments later, he crawled out all soaked with his storage pouch in his left hand,
"I shall descend..." He sneezed.
"I shall descend to the realms to provide aid and gain enlightenment." he declared, voice noble, posture grand.
Then, with the elegance of a god dodging his responsibility, he plucked a glowing petal from a nearby flower and dabbed it against his nose.
At first, nothing happened.
Then…everything did.
A sudden heat surged across his skin, starting from his fingertips and racing up his arms like wildfire. His cheeks flushed, his forehead glistened, and his robes clung to him as if the air itself had turned to steam.
"Aaaah!" he shrieked, flailing dramatically as the petal dropped from his hand.
"I'm on fire!
Literally! "
He dove into the river with zero hesitation, splashing like a mortal child in mid-summer panic.
The water cooled him instantly. A nice icy relief against the scorching sensation. He sighed, floating for a moment, arms spread wide as if playing in snow.
But peace was short-lived.
A sudden current surged beneath him, and with a loud splash, he was hurled out of the river like a soggy scroll.
"Kid, can you keep it down?!" Densu, the river spirit, poked his head out from the water, visibly annoyed.
"I'm trying to flow here quietly." . The river spirit's head vanished as fast as it appeared.
Long Xiao lay on the riverbank, soaked and steaming, blinking at the sky.
"Noted," he whispered hoarsely as he raised his thumb up.
Lei, hovering nearby, couldn't contain his laughter at the sight of his drenched master.
"Well, that was graceful," he teased, his celestial form shimmering.
"Perhaps you should stick to dry land during your mortal 'research'."
Long Xiao sat up, water dripping from his hair and robes. He glared at Lei, but the corners of his mouth twitched upward.
"Laugh it up, ungrateful bird," he muttered, standing on shaky legs.
"Just wait until I ascend back to the heavens. I'll make sure you're on stablecleaning duty for a century."
Despite his threats, Long Xiao's eyes sparkled with amusement. He squeezed out his robes, sending rivulets of water cascading onto the grass below.
Scene: The Descent of Lord Long Xiao
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The winds had quieted. The river Densu flowed in silence, as if exhausted by the earlier theatrics. Long Xiao stood at its bank, robes drying in the breeze, his halo dimmed to avoid attracting divine attention.
He glanced at Lei, who was circling lazily above, pretending not to notice him.
"Lei," he called, voice calm but clipped. "The Mortals need me."
Lei didn't respond. Rolling his eyes and forming a slow spiral in the sky, his tail feathers shimmering with passive aggression.
Long Xiao sighed. "Perfect."
He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a concealment talisman, one he'd borrowed from Goddess Ling Xing's "emotional retreat kit." It masked divine signatures for short periods, perfect for slipping past nosy immortals.
He activated it with a flick of his fingers. His aura dimmed, his halo flickered once, then vanished.
No trumpets. No celestial fanfare. Just silence.
He stepped onto a cloud fragment, one he'd shaped himself, small, sleek, and fast. It hovered just above the ground, waiting.
The cloud responded to his mood, gliding slowly at first, then picking up speed as his thoughts grew louder. It dipped and swirled through the upper winds, avoiding celestial patrols and nosy immortals.
He sat cross-legged, arms folded, eyes half-lidded in contemplation.
Behind him, Lei followed at a respectful distance, wings tucked, clearly annoyed but too proud to admit it.
"Adowa Peak," he whispered, "thank you for your hospitality. I shall now descend… for research."
The cloud lifted gently, gliding toward the edge of the divine realm. The skies parted slightly, revealing the shimmering veil between worlds.
As he passed the Gate of Whispering Winds, he waved casually at the gatekeeper spirit, who was asleep with a scroll over his face.
"Perfect."
Lei, finally catching on, zipped down in a burst of feathers.
"Master, are you seriously leaving without telling anyone?"
"I told the river spirit," Long Xiao replied, adjusting his sleeve.
"That counts." He added looking smug.
"You're unbelievable." Lei scoffed.
"I think the word you're looking for is divine."
And with that, the cloud dipped beneath the veil, carrying Long Xiao into the mortal realm quietly, elegantly, and with just enough flair to make the stars blink twice.