Months drifted into years like petals on an endless river. But in the Heavenly Realm, where time glided like mist across ageless stone, a decade was little more than the turn of a page in an eternal book.
In the mortal world, ten years could change the course of a life.
Here, it simply marked another season of celestial blooms.
And yet, for Xiao Zhu, it had meant everything.
From the pearl Mo Chen had pulled from the depths of God's Sea to the girl standing beneath falling snow, her transformation was nothing short of miraculous. She had grown taller, her presence like soft light veiled in silk. Even the spirit beasts acknowledged her quiet radiance.
Still young by immortal standards, her cultivation had advanced at an astonishing pace.
What took others centuries, she achieved in a decade.
Now, her spiritual root had solidified, her core formed, her qi flowing with precision. No longer just Mo Chen's disciple—she had quietly stepped into the ranks of the lower immortals.
A fairy in her own right.
Deep within the frost-veiled library hall, Mo Chen stood before shelves of glacial jade, lined with scrolls so ancient even time dared not disturb them. He had known it from the start.
From the moment he found her at the bottom of God's Sea—small, glowing, impossibly warm—he knew she was no ordinary spirit pearl.
For years, he had searched.
His personal collection held treatises older than the heavens—records on elemental spirits, divine relics, and immortal soul shards. Still, none spoke of a pearl like her.
No precedent. No prophecy.
Only mystery.
He set aside the scroll in his hand, frowning—not in frustration, but the quiet puzzlement of a scholar.
Then, a pulse stirred the air.
A smooth jade talisman resting on the table glowed softly, its message inscribed in drifting calligraphy:
"The Celestial Banquet approaches again this year. We extend an invitation to the esteemed God of Ice and Water. We also hear whispers of a disciple by your side—if so, she is welcome too. It has been... some time, Mo Chen."
He frowned.
Troublesome.
He could not recall the last time he attended. He disliked noise. Crowds. Being the object of endless curiosity.
His mind had already shaped the reply—he would decline.
But then he hesitated.
Xiao Zhu.
She had never asked for more than he gave. Never complained. Always worked quietly, diligently. Her circle was small—Wenlan, Qingfeng, Yanxia (when not banned), and himself.
He sighed, turning the jade talisman over in his hand, mulling over the thought.
Perhaps... she would enjoy it.
As if summoned by his silent deliberation, a familiar figure peeked in through the door.
Xiao Zhu stood with her hands clasped behind her back, dark hair cascading over her shoulders like a river of ink. She had grown—not just in body, but in presence. A calm gentleness lingered around her like the scent of blooming flowers.
"Master," she said lightly, "you seem… in a good mood today."
Mo Chen raised a brow. "Do I?"
She nodded with mock solemnity, stepping closer.
He handed her the jade talisman.
She read it, eyes lighting up immediately.
"The Celestial Banquet…" she murmured. Then, brightening like sunlight on a frozen lake: "Are we going?"
Mo Chen hesitated.
Then nodded—just once.
She beamed.
"Then I'll wear something beautiful! Maybe silver. Or pale blue—like you!"
He looked at her for a moment before turning away, hiding the faint curl at the corner of his lips.
Perhaps the banquet would not be as terrible as he feared.
___
Brimming with excitement, she returned to her room, Yuebao trailing quietly behind—tail flicking, ears perked.
Unbeknownst to her, the moon fox had already sent a secret message across the heavens.
With a flick of his tail and a shimmer of spiritual thread, Yuebao relayed a simple update to his true master:
"She's attending the banquet."
Far away in Xingyun Palace, Xingyao received the message in silence.
Like Mo Chen, he rarely attended such gatherings. He found them pretentious, filled with hollow flattery and false smiles.
But it had been a long time since he had last seen her.
Setting down the celestial chart he had been studying, he leaned back slightly, his lips curving into a rare smile—quiet, radiant, beautiful as starlight unfurling across the sky.
He would go.
___
Back in her room, Xiao Zhu stood before her wardrobe in growing distress.
Her Master, ever simple in his ways, had only given her robes in white, soft gray, and pale blue. Elegant, yes—but plain.
Too plain.
She never minded them in daily life, but this was the Celestial Banquet.
Would they laugh at her? Look down on her Master for dressing his disciple so modestly?
Her gaze drifted toward a side chest—gifts from Yanxia.
She lifted one: deep crimson, embroidered with peonies in shimmering thread. Lovely… but bold.
"Too much," she muttered, puffing her cheeks. "They'll think I'm trying to look like Yanxia."
Just as she sighed into her sleeve, a faint cry echoed beyond her window.
A majestic immortal crane descended, neck arched elegantly, feathers pale as snow. It alighted on the stone path, dipping its head before releasing a package from its beak.
The box was wrapped in silver silk, embroidered with delicate stars and moons, the stitching so fine it shimmered like flowing water.
Xiao Zhu's breath caught.
She hurried to the door, picking up the package with careful hands.
Her fingers brushed over the fabric's surface, tracing the embroidered constellations, feeling the fine silk beneath her touch.
Looking at the familiar patterns, she glanced at the departing crane.
"Is this… from Lord Xingyao?"
The crane squawked—somehow dignified yet amused—then paused, tilting its head as if acknowledging her words.
Then, with a rustle of feathers, it lifted off, vanishing into the clouds.
Inside the box was a robe—ethereal, breathtaking.
Fabric spun from starlight and mist, dyed twilight silver fading into midnight blue.
Tiny pearls traced the collar like morning dew, while constellations shimmered across the sleeves and hem.
She turned it in the light, watching it shift, ripple—like galaxies rearranging themselves with every movement.
It looked like the night sky had been folded into cloth.
Holding it up in awe, Xiao Zhu twirled before the mirror, her smile radiant like the moon.