The number of times the Green-Eyed Zombie returned to Guantian Court in a month could now be counted on one hand. However, each time he returned, he brought Qiao’er all sorts of strange and rare gifts: Invisibility Grass that granted unseen passage upon consumption, a Money Tree that could be shaken for wealth, and he even tracked down Jiang Wood for her. As recorded in the *Classic of Divine Wonders: Classic of the Eastern Wastelands*, a single inch of Jiang Wood could support over a hundred catties upon the water, and even a stone weight would not cause it to sink.
As the gifts grew more precious, Qiao’er began to miss the simple shells and apples of the past.
One day, Qiao’er used the Water Mirror once more to seek out the Green-Eyed Zombie’s whereabouts. Within the gentle ripples of the mirror, she saw him holding a purple-haired woman in his arms. He tilted his head slightly; Qiao’er did not know if he had detected the faint fluctuation of her magic. But he never looked her way, continuing to chat and laugh softly with the woman as he always did.
Qiao’er withdrew her spell and never used the Water Mirror again.
When Guanyin came to Guantian Court to visit once more, he found Qiao’er on the beach, vigorously shaking the Money Tree. The sands were covered in a shimmering golden light, littered with leaves made of thin gold foil. Guanyin sat amidst these golden leaves, watching the rain of gold fall from the sky. "Mm, keep shaking, don't stop. This monk is starting to feel quite wealthy and powerful. It turns out sitting on a mountain of gold feels rather good."
Qiao’er looked back at him, and after a long silence, she finally turned and sat down beside him under the tree. He was truly a deity who enjoyed the incense of the mortal realm; simply being near him brought peace to one's heart and mind. "Why has the Bodhisattva wandered here in his leisure?"
Guanyin picked up a golden leaf, effortlessly rolled it into a tube, and placed it to his lips, surprisingly blowing out a melody.
Qiao’er could not understand the content—her mastery of music was practically non-existent—but the tune sounded like a cross between a flute and a xiao. Thus, she stopped speaking, simply leaning against the Money Tree and gazing out at the vast, boundless blue sea.
After a while, Guanyin finally turned serious. "Your immortal fate is nearly fulfilled. When the time comes, which path of divinity do you wish to take?"
"Ah?" Qiao’er was caught off guard. "Is it full already?"
Guanyin leaned back beside her, reaching out to stroke her long hair. "When the time comes, enter my sect. If you join another immortal path and the Celestial Realm goes to war with the Hou, you will surely become a burden to him."
Qiao’er felt a touch of fear at his sudden solemnity. "Aren't you supposed to be on the side of the Celestial Realm?"
Guanyin shrugged and spread his hands. "This monk finds the four elements to be empty."
Qiao’er did not give him an answer. A pilgrim in the front hall was asking for Perfected Master Gongxi, so she hurried away. For a moment, Guanyin could not fathom what she was thinking. However, before the formation, Fan Shaohuang looked quite suspicious. "Given your nature, shouldn't you be watching this drama from the sidelines?"
Guanyin shook his head and sighed. "That’s where you’re wrong. Think about it—if Gongxi is in my hands, then when the time comes, won't the Hou have to let me knead him flat or roll him round as I please? That scene... tsk, just thinking about it is exciting!"
...
Fan Shaohuang immediately decided to close his eyes and rest his spirit, refusing to spare him another glance.
Guanyin looked around, finding it rather dull, and finally prepared to leave. But before departing, he poured the water from his Pure Vase and desperately stuffed the golden leaves from the ground into it. Finally, he weighed the vase, grabbed the Money Tree, and gave it a violent shake.
Inside the formation, Fan Shaohuang’s lip twitched.
The fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month was the Mid-Autumn Festival in the mortal world.
The zombies and various shrimp and crab spirits were on the beach admiring the moon. Daoist Hao Ren, thinking of his own ancestor, brought the direct descendants of the Hao family over, intending to spend the Mid-Autumn Festival at Guantian Court to accompany their ancestor—a family reunion of sorts. Qiao’er personally made many mooncakes, staying busy from late July until mid-August. Guanyin was certainly going to show up for the mooncakes, so he arrived early, showing not a hint of embarrassment for being uninvited. He naturally took a portion of mooncakes from the Hao family Taoists and sat down at a desk in the back.
The tables were already laden with melons and fruits, though most were prepared for the Hao family Taoists. Most zombies could not distinguish flavors and did not care for mooncakes or fruit.
When the moon reached the zenith, they waited a while longer before Qiao’er finally spoke. "He won't be coming back. Let’s begin. Daoist Hao Ren, didn't you prepare some lantern riddles?"
Hao Ren hesitated. He was truly a "good man" and could not guess what conflict had arisen between Qiao’er and the Green-Eyed Zombie. In the past, he had never left Qiao’er alone during a festival.
Qiao’er took a bite of her homemade cake, her voice carrying a hint of a smile. "Today, anyone who guesses a riddle correctly gets an extra bag of incense. The one who guesses the most will receive a set of crystal zombie fangs."
All the zombies grew excited, and the Green-Eyed Zombie’s absence was quickly overshadowed by their rising enthusiasm. Qiao’er drank wine—the "Autumn Dew White" that Fan Shaohuang favored. Guantian Court kept a large supply for him, and Qiao’er had tried it occasionally, finding its color clear and its taste sweet. It wasn't a strong liquor, so she drank it once in a while.
Guanyin watched the zombies scrambling to answer the riddles. Qiao’er found it strange. "At a time like this, shouldn't the Bodhisattva be busy answering questions to snatch the prizes?"
Guanyin looked helpless. "Does Benefactor Gongxi think this monk lacks incense or zombie fangs?"
Qiao’er laughed and raised her cup. "This wine is a toast to the Bodhisattva."
Guanyin also raised the teacup in his hand. "I am overwhelmed by the favor, truly overwhelmed."
Before long, some zombies had answered many questions. The Red-Eyed Zombie hadn't gotten a single one right and was currently pestering Daoist Hao Ren for help. Seeing this, Qiao’er laughed and called out, "Assisted answers don't count!"
The Red-Eyed Zombie looked miserable and clung to Daoist Hao Ren, acting shamelessly and insisting he must have the crystal fangs. Daoist Hao Ren was utterly helpless and had to squeeze to the front of the crowd to help snatch up the riddles. When the Hao family Taoists saw their clan leader taking action, they didn't dare make things difficult and immediately tried to show favoritism, causing another round of boisterous shouting from the zombies and minor demons.
The moonlight was exquisite that night. After the zombies finished the riddles, Qiao’er brought out many lanterns. Some were shaped like skulls, others like coffins, and there were even some shaped like gold ingots or candles—all favorites of the zombies. There were also more normal ones, like wood-shaving lanterns and fish-scale lanterns. The group of zombies set the lanterns afloat by the sea.
The fifteenth was a good time for watching the tide, but setting lanterns by the sea was somewhat ill-timed. Qiao’er smilingly ordered each zombie to cast a minor stabilization spell on their lanterns to help them weather the wind and waves. The zombies grew playful again, competing with one another to see whose lantern could float the furthest.
The sea tide was too magnificent, and it was hard for the lanterns to last long, but the shrimp and crab spirits diligently kept count. Qiao’er told Yaoguang to bring out the fireworks, and the bolder zombies used the candle flames from the lanterns to light them. When the fireworks soared into the sky, dispelling half the night's darkness, the silver waves were dyed by the pyrotechnics, churning into deep reds or shimmering greens. The rippling light was like a drunken dream in this troubled mortal world—a breathtaking, world-tilting beauty.
Qiao’er was not one for crowds; she simply stood far off beneath the display. Even the brilliance of the full moon was masked, leaving only the various fireworks in the sky. Guanyin stood behind her, his voice still light. "If you truly join my sect, my Master will surely be very happy—he is quite fond of sweets, and the mooncakes you make are excellent."
Qiao’er turned to look at him, and she was actually still smiling. "Bodhisattva, in truth, I can never become an immortal, no matter how much immortal fate I accumulate. Your Buddhist 'Four Phases' speak of birth, abiding, change, and extinction—of discarding distractions and escaping the six paths of reincarnation. But my seven emotions and six desires have long since merged into my soul. They do not take birth, they do not abide, they do not change, and they are never extinguished."
Guanyin began to feel puzzled. "Then why do you work so hard to accumulate immortal fate?"
Qiao’er looked up at the fireworks filling the sky, smiling without answering.
After waiting a long time without a response, Guanyin heard himself sigh. He had always been a cheerful Bodhisattva; he hadn't thought he was capable of sighing. "Gongxi, an obsession that runs too deep easily leads one into the Path of Demons. Why don't I take you to see what he is doing right now? Perhaps you will reach an epiphany."
Qiao’er had never realized that Guanyin’s speed was so great. In the blink of an eye, she was at the entrance of Tianwai Tian. Tianwai Tian was an independent space; entry and exit required the permission of the space's master. Otherwise, if the barrier did not open, there was no way in or out.
Qiao’er was skilled in the arts of ingenuity; it wasn't that she had no way to break the barrier of Tianwai Tian, but she was confused. "Why come here?"
Guanyin pulled her along. "Find a way in. Let you see the truth."
Qiao’er frowned at him. "If I wanted to see the truth, I wouldn't need to go to such trouble. Does the Bodhisattva not know that Guantian Court is currently selling a Water Mirror that can observe all within the three realms? If the Bodhisattva needs one, I can give you a twenty percent discount."
Just as Guanyin was about to speak again, the Tianwai Tian before them slowly revealed a translucent color like green jade. A moment later, a city gate appeared before their eyes. After the gate opened, two ten-thousand-year-old demons bowed respectfully. "The King said distinguished guests have arrived and specifically ordered us to welcome you."
This was Qiao’er’s first time in Tianwai Tian. The space here was much larger than she had imagined. She did not want to think about how much power the Green-Eyed Zombie had taken from other demons to be able to establish this realm in such a short time.
The buildings on either side were no different from those in an ordinary town, with red lanterns hanging under the eaves. The entire streetscape was a grayish-black; because there were so many dark races, Tianwai Tian never saw the sun.
Qiao’er and Guanyin walked side-by-side behind the two guards. Aside from the sound of footsteps, there was no other noise.
Perhaps because their living habits were different, the architectural styles were also diverse—some round, some square, most resembling nests. As they walked further, the sounds of revelry gradually grew louder. Qiao’er subconsciously gripped Guanyin’s hand. She wasn't stupid; she really wasn't.
Ahead was a plaza. Tonight was the Mid-Autumn Festival.
All the demons were gathered here. There were also fireworks soaring into the air, and the atmosphere here was even more boisterous than at Guantian Court. In the center of the plaza was a roaring bonfire. Many demons surrounded it, roasting various fresh meats and fruits, while beautiful female demons performed seductive dances.
The aroma of roasted meat, the sweetness of strong wine, and the sulfurous scent of fireworks filled the air, making the festive atmosphere exceptionally thick.
Amidst the reveling crowd, the first person Qiao’er saw was the Green-Eyed Zombie. In truth, he disliked crowds just as much as she did, but at a time like this, he surely had to celebrate with everyone. The demons of Tianwai Tian were naturally much harder to manage than the zombies and minor spirits of Guantian Court.
"What did you want to show me?" Qiao’er looked up at Guanyin. Guanyin stroked her long hair, his voice extremely low and blurred by the sound of firecrackers. Qiao’er no longer needed his answer. She saw that when the demons toasted the Green-Eyed Zombie, they were toasting two people.
One was naturally the Green-Eyed Zombie, and the other was a woman dressed in a thin, crabapple-red gauze dress. Her dark hair was styled elegantly, and her skin was whiter than snow. Most striking of all were her eyes—they were purple. Demon pupils.
Qiao’er suddenly understood the words Guanyin had just spoken. He had said, *Don't be sad.*
The Green-Eyed Zombie seemed to only just notice them. He walked out from among the demons, his silhouette outlined by the colorful fireworks—silver hair, black clothes, an air of effortless grace.
He did not avoid Qiao’er, reaching out to take her hand. "You've come?"
His voice was incredibly gentle. Qiao’er responded with a shallow smile. "Yes. Happy Mid-Autumn Festival."
He didn't reply, simply leading her through the crowd of demons to the place where he had been sitting. Some observant demons had already brought out new chairs. Under the gaze of the assembled demons, he announced before all his subjects: "This is this King’s fellow cultivator, Perfected Master Gongxi."
Then, ignoring the cheers of the demons, he turned his head to introduce her to the woman. "This is the lady this King is about to wed—Xuerong."
Qiao’er smiled and exchanged greetings with Xuerong, who smiled back. Qiao’er sat down gracefully to the left of the Green-Eyed Zombie and watched the singing and dancing. A minor demon brought over some food and wine; she tasted some and praised it endlessly.
Halfway through the celebration, the Green-Eyed Zombie and Xuerong departed first, ordering Hongyi to take good care of the distinguished guests. Hongyi stayed by Qiao’er’s side the whole time, and Qiao’er naturally had no interest in staying longer.
Guanyin still held her hand as they walked toward the exit of Tianwai Tian. The way out felt shorter than the way in. The guards respectfully saw the two of them out. Outside, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse; it was still early, and the night remained long.
Guanyin patted his left shoulder. "I don't mind letting you lean here for a bit. This monk has the softest heart and cannot bear to see others grieving."
Qiao’er, however, smiled quite sweetly. "Why would I be grieving? Bodhisattva, you are used to seeing too much suffering, but Qiao’er is not suffering. I’ve been unlucky my whole life; unloved and unwanted. I used to complain, but later I realized that I was unlucky for a lifetime just to save up all my good fortune to meet him. Since we met, he has always been the one taking care of me. Aside from saying I love him with my own two lips, I can actually do nothing for him. I remember every moment I spent with him; I will always remember. I was once that happy, and that is already enough. So now, no matter what he chooses—to keep me or cast me aside—I accept it as if it were sweet."
When Guanyin described her, he used the two words Fan Shaohuang often said: "Stupid!"
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