I Got Together with the Goddess [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 79

The Phoenix Cries on the High Ridge

“In this world, the person most intimate with you is not your Imperial Sister, nor your Master—it is I, Wanqi Yanjing.”

Wanqi Yanjing sighed these words into Jiang Yiqing’s ear, falling into a sated sleep.

Jiang Yiqing traced the phoenix flower pattern on Yanjing’s forehead, gazing at her exquisite face. After studying the Celestial Book for a while, she too succumbed to sleep.

In her dreams, her hand was tightly clasped with Wanqi Yanjing’s, and she found herself back in that recurring vision.

The chess game had ended. She saw Jiang Xian napping against the Phoenix Tree, while Wanqi Sangyan walked a few steps toward the outer edge of the Bright Purity Platform.

Sangyan bent down to pick up a tiny, vermillion fruit from a crevice in the rocks. It radiated a dazzling light like cinnabar. Jiang Yiqing watched her in astonishment.

“Yan’er?” Jiang Xian stood up and looked around. Seeing her back, she asked, “What are you doing over there?”

“The fruit of the Divine Tree actually appeared here,” Wanqi Sangyan said. “This must be destiny. Xian’er, I have business in the Kingdom of Zhai. Do you want to come with me?”

Jiang Xian hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. “I no longer concern myself with the affairs of the mortal realm. Why must you go, Yan’er?”

“To find a home for this fruit,” Wanqi Sangyan replied. “I shall return shortly.”

Jiang Xian watched her departure with a hint of sorrow.

Wanqi Sangyan left the Bright Purity Platform and found her friend in the Kingdom of Zhai, Jiang Mengran, who had ascended to the throne several times by then.

“Back then, the Wutong Divine Tree was destroyed by the fires of Fusang, leaving only this vermillion fruit. I didn’t expect it to appear at the Bright Purity Platform; it is an act of heaven,” Wanqi Sangyan said. “Mengran, I want to leave it in your care.”

Jiang Mengran took the fruit, inspected it, and asked, “Why bring something so important to me?”

“Since ancient times, the phoenix has perched upon the Wutong Divine Tree. Without it, we of the Wanqi clan—even if we attain immortality—cannot escape a fate of wandering. We are forced to submerge our bodies in the Nine Heavens Phoenix Pool, dying ourselves so that our descendants may be born. If the Divine Tree still stood, we would not suffer such a destiny,” Wanqi Sangyan explained. “It would be wonderful if you could cultivate it.”

“You want me to help you grow this fruit into a new Divine Tree? How is that possible?”

“I know it is a mere delusion. If it cannot be done, then let the reincarnation of this fruit destroy the Wanqi clan,” Wanqi Sangyan said. “I am unwilling to watch her worry for me day and night any longer.”

“Sangyan, in the thousand years since you left the Kingdom of Qin, your people have claimed that a temptress from our Kingdom of Zhai bewitched you and made you forget your home. Their hatred for Zhai grows daily. My kingdom has barely survived only because I keep reincarnating, but my body is aged and can no longer withstand the erosion of these ruthless years. I cannot say what will happen next.”

“I know. I will give everything an accounting,” Wanqi Sangyan said. “I will trigger the power of reincarnation, return to a thousand years ago, and sacrifice myself once more in the Nine Heavens Phoenix Pool, letting a new Sovereign of Qin guide the way.”

“Then she will be very sad.” Thinking of Jiang Xian, Jiang Mengran sighed. Back then, she had been the Crown Princess, and the three of them were of similar age. Who could have known so many incredible things would happen?

“…Unless the Divine Tree reappears in the world, we cannot stay together forever.” Wanqi Sangyan seemed to have reached a decision. “I have placed a sliver of Phoenix Blood within the fruit. If the Kingdom of Qin ever attacks your Kingdom of Zhai, use my remaining power to bury my descendants. I cannot bear to see them repeat the fate I have endured.”

“You are always so impulsive. The Phoenix is the clan of fire; if you perish, the world will fall into chaos. I will also place my power within it. If your clan acts improperly, it shall serve as a deterrent. Most importantly, it will have the power to protect itself and those around it.”

Jiang Mengran deposited a sliver of her power into the fruit. To her surprise, the fruit was highly spiritual and absorbed the power instantly.

Because Jiang Mengran possessed no innate spiritual roots, this power masked the fruit’s natural Divine Spiritual Root. Only when its own power became great enough to overturn Jiang Mengran’s would its true form be revealed. At that moment, the Wutong Divine Tree would be complete.

“But how shall it be cultivated?” Jiang Mengran asked. “The Wutong is a noble tree; it requires the full love of its master to grow.”

In front of Jiang Mengran, Wanqi Sangyan extracted her own myriad “threads of affection,” sealing them into a jade pendant she carried. She said, “It shall be nourished by the affection of my clan. I name this the Exotic Bone Langhua Pendant. From now on, the affection of all Qin descendants shall be locked within it. When the day comes that this pendant touches the Divine Tree, it will feel the predestined love of past lives. Perhaps, they will then know of our conversation today.”

Jiang Yiqing spent several days in passion with Wanqi Yanjing. When awake, she practiced her celestial arts. She had worried that the environment and her partner would hinder her cultivation, but during their dual cultivation, she easily merged with Wanqi Yanjing’s spiritual energy, finding no conflict with the teachings of the Celestial Book.

Aside from some internal unease, her cultivation level rose rapidly.

One day, when Jiang Yiqing woke up, she saw the black-haired Wanqi Yanjing sitting beside her.

“Yiqing, are you willing to be with me now?” Wanqi Yanjing asked, her eyes tinged with an inexplicable sadness.

Jiang Yiqing was momentarily stunned. Yanjing had suddenly shifted from her demonic state back to her original self. Yanjing explained, “Until the demonic nature is completely purged, I can only maintain this form for twelve hours at a time.”

Jiang Yiqing gave a strained nod. After all, the contract was set. Moreover, if she didn’t think about things too deeply, being with Wanqi Yanjing wasn’t actually bad.

Recalling the events of her dream, she found it all incredible. Her transmigration was already unbelievable, but the dream felt even more distant. Was she that vermillion fruit? If so, were she and the original Jiang Yiqing the same person from different timelines? Why would such a temporal crossover occur?

“Yiqing, I have wronged you.” Wanqi Yanjing held Jiang Yiqing’s hand, her gaze tender and lingering. Accustomed to her more malicious side, Jiang Yiqing found this version a bit hard to get used to.

However, the marriage contract seemed to have a profound effect on Yanjing. Perhaps it provided a sense of security, for she no longer dwelled on their complicated past and truly cherished Jiang Yiqing as her wife.

“…What is wrong with you?” Jiang Yiqing asked, puzzled.

“I have no sisters. Since I was a child, I always wanted someone who could stay by my side forever. It is truly wonderful that this person is you… I have no other wishes. My only remaining desire in this life is to stay with you,” Wanqi Yanjing said.

“…?” The words sounded strangely tragic. Jiang Yiqing, not suspecting anything, asked, “Isn’t your wish to unify the four kingdoms?”

“That would require many deaths. Yiqing, do you think that is good?”

“Of course I don’t wish for that,” Jiang Yiqing said seriously. “Nor do I want you to fall into the demonic path. I hope that one day you can ascend to immortality.”

Wanqi Yanjing smiled. “I want to take you somewhere.”

“Where?”

As soon as she spoke, Wanqi Yanjing’s form transformed into a shimmering, flaming phoenix. Her size was so immense she nearly filled the entire room.

“This is your true form?”

“Indeed.”

As a phoenix, Wanqi Yanjing’s voice became ethereal. Her eyes were like glass reflecting the sunset, and her body was covered in vermillion feathers that flickered with the hue and outline of flames. Her back feathers were layered, and as she stretched, she possessed a kinetic energy that seemed ready to soar straight to the nine heavens. Jiang Yiqing had never seen such a brilliant and beautiful creature and stared in a daze.

The phoenix let out an urgent cry, a sound as clear as jade striking stone yet carrying the majesty of the sovereign of all birds.

Jiang Yiqing froze for a moment. “Do you want me to get on?”

The noble creature lowered her head in agreement. Feeling a sense of wonder, Jiang Yiqing carefully pressed against her neck and climbed up along the first dorsal feather, doing her best to sit securely on the phoenix’s back.

The phoenix flapped her wings, and a sharp sound of rushing wind instantly filled Jiang Yiqing’s ears. In an instant, she was thousands of meters above the ground.

White robes and the phoenix, drifting above the dust of the world.

Terrified, Jiang Yiqing immediately lay flat against the spine, clutching the sturdy feathers.

The phoenix carried her, sometimes darting through mountain gorges, sometimes soaring into the sky. High in the air, Jiang Yiqing was granted a view of ten thousand miles of mountains and rivers.

After her initial fear subsided, she began to adapt, propping herself up to boldly gaze at the surrounding scenery.

“Yiqing, I have always wanted to bring you to a certain place,” Yanjing’s clear voice echoed throughout the world, reverberating through the valleys.

At this moment, Jiang Yiqing felt that perhaps things weren’t so bad after all.

At the very least, in all the world, she could find no one else who would turn into a phoenix to take her on a journey of ten thousand miles in a single day.

“Where is it?”

“The Hill of Feather-Tails.”

“I’ve heard that name,” Jiang Yiqing said. “You’ve mentioned it.”

“Yes, it is the secret base of our Phoenix clan. She also wanted to take you there and hide you away forever.”

Jiang Yiqing blushed with embarrassment. “Wanqi Yanjing, if we hadn’t met under such circumstances, perhaps I really would have fallen deeply in love with you.”

“Yiqing, I will make you love me.”

After traveling for an unknown amount of time, the phoenix finally landed on a lush green hill. There were an endless expanse of soft green grass and a vast, deep blue lake. The phoenix perched on the high ridge of the hill.

Jiang Yiqing couldn’t help but recite a poem from the Han Dynasty:

“The phoenix cries upon the high ridge, it has wings but does not easily fly. How can one know the virtue of the phoenix? It is precious because it is rarely seen.”

Accompanying her clear voice, Wanqi Yanjing let out two resonant cries. Jiang Yiqing saw many birds being summoned by her as Wanqi Yanjing shifted back into human form.

She gently set down Jiang Yiqing, whom she had been holding in her arms, and said, “Everyone, it has been a long time.”

“The Empress is far too busy; she only thinks of us once every few years,” said a girl who had transformed from a white crane.

She wore a white hat with the character for “Crane” written on it, which made Jiang Yiqing chuckle.

The girl then asked, “Who is she?”

Wanqi Yanjing introduced her: “She is my wife, Jiang Yiqing.”

“Ah, a descendant of the Phoenix has a partner!” the Crane girl exclaimed. “You people really never change! The last one who came here before going to the Nine Heavens Phoenix Pool drank with us for three days and nights. Your destiny is truly tragic!”

Hearing this, the smile faded from Jiang Yiqing’s face.

“Let’s not speak of that now,” Wanqi Yanjing said, waving her hand.

“Are you two married?” the white crane girl asked curiously.

“We have formed a contract.”

“That won’t do! If you don’t mind, have the wedding here. We happen to have fine wine and delicacies to host you.”

“Is it not too much trouble?”

“Not at all.”

“Very well, then.”