Inside The Great Hall
---
It had been a week since Long Xiao was selected. Not once did he pay any respects to the Higher Gods. His lack of manners had become more than an inconvenience. They considered it an insult.
The divine court sat in tense silence, scrolls stacked, halos dimmed. The atmosphere was heavy and tense.
Goddess Jiang Meng slammed her fan against the marble table, her voice cracking through the silence like thunder.
"Insolent brat!" She snapped. "Does he think himself above divine order?"
Lord Ye snorted. "I always knew he was an insolent one."
Lord Run Yu, ever composed, adjusted the jade ring on his finger and spoke coolly.
"Did he not receive the scroll with our stamp?" He asked, though his tone made it clear he already knew the answer.
Lord Zhan exhaled sharply. "Of course he did. He just never paid his respects. Not once since his appointment."
Lord Ming coughed into his sleeve as he turned to Run Yu. "Why did you vouch for him then?"
Lord Run Yu's lips curved like a blade. "Because the scroll chose him. Not me."
Goddess Yaa, swirling her teacup, asked, "And what's that supposed to mean, great elder?"
Lord Run Yu sighed, fingers steepled beneath his chin, breaking the silence.
"I felt divine intervention." He began slowly.
"I was quite tired after going through hundreds of scrolls. As I was about to cast the last scroll aside to take a break, I felt this strange pull towards the stack of scrolls. The bottom scroll glowed quite faintly…" The great elder paused.
Lord Ming raised a brow as he swirled his tea with a jade spoon.
"Divine intervention?" He echoed skeptically.
Lord Ye's eyes narrowed. "From who?"
Goddess Jiang Meng leaned forward, her fan snapping open with a flick.
"Lord Haotian or Mother Scarlet?" She asked, her voice sharp.
Lord Run Yu shook his head. "I don't know..." he admitted.
"It just happened."
He lifted a scroll from the pile, holding it delicately between his fingers.
"As I said, his qualifications were buried under multiple scrolls. But after setting the penultimate scroll down, it was suddenly on top, with the others beneath it."
He paused, eyes scanning the room. "I felt that the position was his."
A soft chuckle came from the far end of the hall.
Lord Li, ever the quiet observer, adjusted his robe and spoke with a calm smile. "Sometimes fate rearranges the order we think we control."
Lord Yue, leaning into his chair with his arms crossed, scoffed. "Or someone tampered with the scrolls. Divine Intervention or Divine Mischief, who can tell?"
Goddess Wei, seated beside a floating lotus basin, dipped her fingers into the water and watched the ripples.
"Regardless of how it happened, the choice has been made. And now… he's nowhere to be found."
Outside The Great Hall
---
The Four Holy Gods pulled away from the hall gate after realizing Long Xiao wasn't present.
"He isn't in there. I couldn't feel his divine presence." Lord Han took a step back.
"I didn't hear his voice either." Lord Zhao nodded in agreement.
Lord Bai sighed in disappointment, shaking his head. As the gods teleported away, Lord Bai snapped his fingers again, lifting the spell off the celestial guards before completely disappearing.
The guards grunted and looked around in confusion. After realizing there was no one nearby, they simply resumed their earlier stance.
Spring Mountain
—
After leaving the Great Hall, the Four Holy Gods went to the Spring Mountain.
A gentle rise in the Heavenly Realm, known for its soft breezes and warm, ever‑blooming greenery. The slopes were covered in pale spring‑grass that shimmered faintly under the sunlight, dotted with clusters of cloud‑petals that released a sweet, calming fragrance whenever the wind passed.
At the summit, a flat terrace of natural white stone offered a perfect resting spot. The five Holy Gods often gathered here, sitting beneath the shade of ancient peach trees whose blossoms never wilted. The air was warm, the view endless, and the atmosphere carried a softness that made conversation flow easily.
A narrow stream wound along the mountainside, its water clear enough to reflect the sky like polished glass. The sound of it trickling over smooth stones gave the whole place a quiet rhythm.
The gods took their usual seats, their gazes drifting toward Long Xiao's empty place.
"A-Xiao has really left, hasn't he?" Lord Zhao sighed, shaking his head slowly.
"We should have accompanied him when he asked." Lord Han poured tea for everyone.
"What do you mean? Are you implying we should have gone with him, Brother Han?" Lord Feng asked skeptically.
"You are still angry at A-Xiao, aren't you?" Lord Bai teased.
"On the other hand, the Eleven Higher Gods think our handiwork was divine intervention." Lord Zhao laughed, slightly choking on his tea.
They clinked their cups together, sharing a laugh for a moment.
"Brother Han, where is Brother Xiao?" Lord Feng Luo set his cup on the table with more force than necessary.
"Hmph! He'd better find a way to bring my hair back quickly." Lord Feng grumbled.
"Do you not remember that fateful day, Brother Feng?" Lord Han asked softly.
They all went silent.