Chapter 11: The Price of Appearances

Like wildfire, the moon set and clouds drifted. With the rising sun, bombshell news spread throughout Yongtian Palace.

Last night, someone witnessed Li Hanguang—the hostage from the Demon Realm—emerging from Chonghua Palace. Everyone in the Heavenly Realm knew who lived in Chonghua Palace, and today, both individuals involved happened to be absent.

Li Hanguang's public vomiting of blood and subsequent claim of illness seemed somewhat plausible, but Xi Jiuge's sudden use of seclusion as a pretext for leave felt far-fetched.

Combined with last night's rumors, her absence at this time was rather suspicious.

Ji Shaoyu felt something was off the moment he entered the hall. Many people were watching him, but when he turned to look, they immediately glanced away and continued talking as if no one else was around. This obvious attempt to cover things up only fueled his suspicions.

Because of these incidents, Ji Shaoyu barely listened during the first half of class. After the theory session ended and everyone prepared to head to the training grounds, Ji Shaoyu asked, "Have I missed something lately? You all seem preoccupied today."

A moment of silence followed his words. Ji Gaoxin and the others exchanged glances, then laughed casually. "Nothing. Just some unfounded rumors, nothing to worry about."

Hearing this, Ji Shaoyu became even more certain they were hiding something from him. He suppressed his laughter and asked sternly, "What's wrong?"

Ji Shaoyu was usually very amiable—even ordinary gods dared to joke with him. Now his face turned cold, and the aura of a crown prince became palpable. Everyone realized that Ji Shaoyu's easygoing nature stemmed from indifference; once his mind changed, he was the high and mighty Crown Prince of the Xuan Emperor.

The group was utterly embarrassed, their faces flushed with awkwardness. They dared not laugh any longer, shrugging and saying, "Last night someone saw the Demon Clan hostage leaving Chonghua Palace, and coincidentally, the Goddess Mingjing is on leave today. Everyone's guessing... maybe he spoke to the Goddess about something."

This was clearly a forced embellishment. A man leaving the Goddess's palace late at night—could he really be going just to talk? Ji Shaoyu was surprised, completely caught off guard.

But he immediately ruled out Xi Jiuge. Although Xi Jiuge was aloof, she was also upright. If she wanted to dissolve the engagement, she'd tell him directly, never doing anything underhanded. Xi Jiuge wouldn't go to see Li Hanguang late at night, so it must be Li Hanguang trying to do something, deliberately creating a commotion.

His feeling was correct—this Demon Clan member truly had ill intentions.

Ji Shaoyu was quite annoyed, but in front of so many outsiders, he simply responded, completely unconcerned. "Is this what you're talking about? I thought it was something serious. A Demon Clan hostage, newly arrived, going to Jiuge to ask some questions isn't surprising."

Asking questions? Ji Gaoxin raised an eyebrow, unable to resist saying, "But he left Chonghua Palace at Hai hour yesterday. What question could take him so long to ask?"

Ji Gaoxin immediately regretted his words and quickly added, "But that demon was beaten to the point of vomiting blood by the Goddess Mingjing yesterday. He probably went to ask her for medicine. The Goddess Mingjing is truly kind-hearted, willing to waste so much time on such an ungrateful person."

Ji Shaoyu remained calm, as if he hadn't heard Ji Gaoxin's provocation. He smiled, taking advantage of the offer, and lightly concluded, "Yes, she seems aloof, but she has a heart full of compassion. To speculate about her with such gossip is an insult to her."

Ji Gaoxin smiled in agreement, but his facial muscles were somewhat stiff. Seeing the awkward atmosphere, both sides quickly called for friends and started laughing loudly, trying to change the subject.

The trial grounds were approaching. Ji Gaoxin, as if the earlier unpleasantness had never occurred, spoke intimately with Ji Shaoyu about the annual examination. "This year's annual examination suddenly changed its format. Ning Si has complained to me many times and still doesn't know how to prepare. The Goddess Mingjing is an expert in this area, and Ning Si wanted to ask her, but she seems to be in seclusion. Is it inconvenient to disturb her?"

The Ning Si Ji Gaoxin referred to was his younger sister—Princess Shangjin, Ji Ningsi. The so-called seeking advice was merely a pretext; Ji Gaoxin's real purpose was to arrange a meeting to discuss how the annual examination would be conducted.

This kind of thing wasn't uncommon. Before any competition or grand event, members of various clans would find excuses to meet, exchanging information and dividing up rankings and benefits before anything even began. Then everyone would go on stage amicably, and if they met on the field, they'd act according to pre-arranged rules, ensuring no one lost face.

Ji Shaoyu was used to this. While their studies at Yongtian Palace appeared fair, the rankings in each annual examination were actually based on the power of their respective families.

Except for Xi Jiuge.

Xi Jiuge was a meteoric rise to fame, unmatched in her field. Even disregarding her family background, no one dared surpass her ranking. However, those with such exceptional talent and self-discipline as Xi Jiuge were extremely rare. Most gods were neither that strong nor that weak, neither that diligent nor that lazy—their success depended entirely on where their environment placed them.

Now the Heavenly Realm's situation was stable. Spiritual herbs, secret realms, and cultivation techniques were controlled by the major clans. Over the years, the strong had grown stronger and the weak weaker. Without resources and techniques, how could ordinary gods, no matter how hard they tried, compare to the clan scions raised on spiritual herbs from childhood? In today's Heavenly Realm, personal strength equaled family background.

Ji Gaoxin's invitation, made in Ji Ningsi's name, indicated that both men and women would be present at the banquet. It was likely that the young masters and ladies of the Xiling and Fenghong families would attend. While they appeared to be studying at Yongtian Palace, their true purpose was to build connections. As the crown prince, Ji Shaoyu naturally needed to cultivate relationships with the future heads of various clans.

With so many clans coming, Ji Shaoyu shouldn't hesitate, but considering Xi Jiuge's health, he was undecided.

Everyone was used to Xi Jiuge's impeccable performance, as if she were born that way. But Ji Shaoyu knew that Xi Jiuge was also made of flesh and blood—she could also be injured and tired. Her perfect performance and ease were only because she'd put in so much effort.

She'd overused her divine fire yesterday, likely damaging her meridians, and Ji Shaoyu couldn't bear to let her socialize before she was fully recovered. He didn't readily agree, only saying, "She's currently in seclusion, and I'm not sure when she'll emerge. I'll relay Ning Si's words to her, but as for whether she'll come, I can't guarantee."

Ji Gaoxin was used to this—Ji Shaoyu was always obsequious and fawning in front of Xi Jiuge, treating his fiancée like an ancestor. Ji Gaoxin disapproved of Ji Shaoyu's submissive attitude toward women, but thinking of Xi Jiuge's background, he couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. He laughed heartily and said, "You and the Goddess Mingjing are practically inseparable. If this continues, I'm afraid none of us brothers and sisters will ever see you again. Alright, go tell the Goddess Mingjing that Ning Si and I will be waiting for you two at the Northern Sea."

After saying this, Ji Gaoxin added, "The Moon-Tracing Lotus in the Northern Sea has bloomed these past two days. The Moon-Tracing Lotus blooms only once every ten thousand years, and it's said that lovers who see this flower will be blessed by the God Pangu and will never be separated for all eternity. Ning Si has found such a wonderful place, so don't disappoint her."

Ji Gaoxin's words were clearly a blessing, but they sounded strangely uncomfortable. Ji Shaoyu nodded and smiled but didn't reply.

Today, without Xi Jiuge or Li Hanguang, the magic class ended smoothly. There were no classes at Yongtian Palace in the afternoon, but the library, the training ground, and the music room were all open. Students could freely choose classes they were interested in, and if they weren't interested in any of them, they could simply leave the palace to play without anyone interfering.

In Yongtian Palace, one could live comfortably and learn a great deal. Normally, Ji Shaoyu's afternoons were packed with activities. Unlike other wealthy idlers, he was destined to inherit the Xuan Emperor's throne, and his status didn't allow him to slack off. But today, Ji Shaoyu had no interest in cultivation. As soon as his spell class ended, he went straight to Chonghua Palace.

He'd spared no effort in protecting Xi Jiuge in front of Ji Gaoxin, but he wasn't without resentment. What exactly did Li Hanguang want when he came to Chonghua Palace yesterday?

Xi Jiuge had been refining her meridians. She had no shortage of spiritual herbs, and her divine power was of the same origin as the sun. In just one night, the burns from the sun's fire on her meridians had disappeared. Only a slight pain remained when she circulated her energy, almost negligible. Just as she finished her practice, the wind chimes under the eaves tinkled, and as if sensing something, Ji Shaoyu's voice rang out from outside.

"Jiuge, are you there?"

Xi Jiuge stood up, walked to the outer hall, and opened the palace gate with a flick of her sleeve.

Ji Shaoyu was already used to Xi Jiuge's style. He entered the hall with practiced ease and immediately examined her complexion. "You took leave today. Are you feeling unwell?"

Xi Jiuge shook her head. "No. I just felt my magic power was too low, so I temporarily went into seclusion to cultivate. Why are you here?"

Xi Jiuge saying her magic power was low... If it were someone else, saying that would definitely offend them, but Ji Shaoyu knew that Xi Jiuge didn't mean anything by it—she genuinely felt her magic power was low.

Ji Shaoyu smiled knowingly, took out a jade bottle from his storage space, and placed it in front of Xi Jiuge. "I know you're strict with yourself, but there's still a long time ahead. Cultivation can be done slowly; there's no need to push yourself too hard. This is a Fire Spirit Marrow that I happened to find yesterday. It can nourish the meridians, and I saw that it suited your constitution, so I brought it back."

Spirit marrow has consciousness and is very difficult to capture. Fire Spirit Marrow only grows deep in magma and is priced by the drop on the market. Xi Jiuge didn't understand emotions, but she wasn't naive. How could such a precious spirit marrow be something encountered by chance? It was likely that Ji Shaoyu noticed her injured meridians and specially found this for her.

Xi Jiuge, unwilling to accept such a favor, reached out to push the jade bottle back. "I don't need it. You should give it to someone who does..."

Ji Shaoyu pressed her fingers down, his smile unusually fading, and looked at her seriously. "The only person I want to give this to is you. It's never a bad thing to have more of these rare and precious items. You don't need them now, so keep them for later."

With Ji Shaoyu saying this, Xi Jiuge couldn't refuse any longer. She thanked him and gently put the jade bottle away. Seeing that she didn't refuse, Ji Shaoyu's eyes filled with a smile, while Xi Jiuge, seemingly accepting the gift earnestly, inwardly thought it was troublesome.

Ji Shaoyu gave her something so valuable—she definitely needed to give something of equal value in return. What a hassle! She'd already said she didn't need it. Why did he have to force it on her?

Now she had to waste time preparing a return gift for Ji Shaoyu.

Seeing that she accepted his kindness, Ji Shaoyu felt a surge of joy, as if all the hard work of the previous night had been worthwhile. The atmosphere between them was unusually pleasant, so Ji Shaoyu seized the opportunity to ask, "Jiuge, I heard Li Hanguang came to Chonghua Palace yesterday?"

Xi Jiuge nodded, responding indifferently, seemingly without any need to explain. Ji Shaoyu paused, then asked casually, "What did you talk about? He seemed to have left around nine PM."

She couldn't reveal the content of her conversation with Li Hanguang to anyone, so Xi Jiuge downplayed it. "Nothing much. He just came to apologize."

"Apologize?"

"Yes," Xi Jiuge replied matter-of-factly. "He laid a hand on me. Isn't that a crime?"

Ji Shaoyu scrutinized Xi Jiuge's expression. Her eyes were as calm and open as ever, the edges of her pupils gleaming with a faint gold, pure and devoid of any emotion. Looking into those eyes only made Ji Shaoyu's probing thoughts seem darker.

Ji Shaoyu hadn't liked that look in her eyes before, but now he breathed a long sigh of relief, a secret joy welling up inside him. She wasn't just heartless toward him, but toward everyone. No matter what Li Hanguang's intentions were, Xi Jiuge would never pay him any attention.

That was good. She didn't understand matters of the heart yet—she could learn slowly. And he was, after all, her fiancé.

Ji Shaoyu felt a pang of regret. He'd truly lost his mind, actually believing Ji Gaoxin's instigation and coming to question her. Fortunately, she was naive and didn't care about being suspected by her fiancé. Otherwise, wouldn't that have damaged their relationship?

Feeling guilty, Ji Shaoyu forgot to ask why Li Hanguang hadn't left until so late. Even if he wanted to apologize, there was no reason for him to stay until nine in the evening. Ji Shaoyu's attention had already shifted to the banquet. "Ning Si is holding a banquet at the Northern Sea, presumably to discuss the annual examinations. Gaoxin asked me to ask you—do you want to go?"

Xi Jiuge lost interest as soon as she heard about the banquet. This group of people was incredibly boring—every day they were either attending banquets or hosting banquets. After all, for the gods, face was paramount. If someone hosted a banquet, the other guests couldn't just eat without inviting them back—they'd have to host another one afterward in return. After the round of guests was over, the original hosts would host a banquet as a gesture of goodwill.

If she really went through all that trouble, she wouldn't be able to get anything done, spending every day socializing at various banquets. Xi Jiuge couldn't understand this waste of money and time. Yet, apart from her, the other goddesses seemed to enjoy it all. Xi Jiuge had no concerns about being unsociable—since she didn't want to go, she naturally said, "I'm not going."

Her refusal was so decisive that Ji Shaoyu sighed inwardly. Luckily he was the one who asked. If it had been Ji Gaoxin or Ji Ningsi, wouldn't they have been offended?

Ji Shaoyu was somewhat disappointed but not surprised. It was just a pity that the once-in-ten-thousand-years Moon-Tracing Lotus was blooming—he'd originally wanted to see it with her.

Ji Shaoyu was disappointed, but he didn't try to persuade Xi Jiuge. If she were to listen to advice, she wouldn't be Xi Jiuge. He smiled and smoothed things over. "It's just a small, ordinary banquet. It doesn't really matter whether you go or not. Ning Si likes a lively atmosphere, so she'll probably invite a lot of people. I heard she's even prepared invitations for people from the Demon Realm. The banquet will be a mixed bag, so it's probably better if you don't go..."

Xi Jiuge interrupted abruptly. "You mean people from the Demon Realm will be there too?"

Ji Shaoyu paused sharply, looking at Xi Jiuge with an unreadable expression. "Yes."

Xi Jiuge immediately realized something was wrong. If the Demon Realm went too, wouldn't Chang Ju and Ji Shaoyu run into each other? She'd heard the rumors about the Moon-Tracing Lotus, and she felt that later generations were taking themselves too seriously. Pangu's body had already transformed into the continents. Even if Pangu truly had lingering consciousness in the Three Realms, he should be worried about matters of the world, not about a group of lovers entangled in their affairs. But romantic scenes under flowers and moon were always popular settings for lovers to fall in love in stories. What if something happened between Chang Ju and Ji Shaoyu that day, and they became entangled again?

After much deliberation, Xi Jiuge decided it was best to keep a close watch herself. If she noticed anything amiss, she'd immediately separate them, giving them no chance. Xi Jiuge blinked and readily changed her words. "It's rare for Princess Shangjin to be so thoughtful. Please help me convey a message to the Princess that I will definitely arrive on time that day."

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Thoughts:

The protagonist, Xi Jiuge, is the Goddess Mingjing—a powerful, emotionally detached deity engaged to Ji Shaoyu, the Crown Prince of the Xuan Emperor. Unknown to everyone, Xi Jiuge is actually a transmigrator who knows the original story's plot and is determined to prevent certain tragic outcomes.

In this chapter, rumors spread throughout Yongtian Palace about Li Hanguang (the Demon Realm hostage) visiting Xi Jiuge's palace late at night. While Ji Shaoyu initially defends his fiancée's honor, he eventually confronts her privately, driven by both concern and jealousy. Xi Jiuge, who remains emotionally detached and focused on practical matters, is more annoyed by Ji Shaoyu's expensive gift (which requires a return gift) than by his suspicions. Despite her usual aversion to social gatherings, Xi Jiuge immediately decides to attend to prevent any romantic encounters between them, revealing her underlying commitment to changing the story's tragic trajectory.