The bare tree branches lent a desolate feeling to the forest. It felt like late autumn.
Throughout their walk though Shen Li remained silent, she kept looking askance at Xing Zhi. He couldn't help but finally laugh out loud. "So hesitant. This is not the Azure Sky King I know."
Unable to hide her curiosity once the silence was broken, Shen Li asked, "Heaven's matter I do not know much about. However this I do know. Today in heaven, there is only one G.o.d. But just now with Jing Qing? [Yan's full name is (surname) Jing (given name) Yan,
Xi's full name is (surname) Jing (given name) Xi.
He is her (adopted) martial brother. I used their given names instead of their full names because it felt awkward to have her call him her brother (romantically) when they had the same surname. So here Shen Li is combining the two surnames. Jing (Yan) + Qing (Ye).] what was that?
"I am the only one now… however a long time ago there were other G.o.ds in the Heaven Beyond the Heavens other than myself." Xing Zhi's eyes became distant. "For you, it would be considered the days of ancient antiquity. Even I, myself, can not to remember how long ago."
The smile on his lips became indifferent as he continued, "Yan was the previous generations Prince Rui. He was the beautiful G.o.d, Silver Hair Silver Eyes, Qing Ye. He was my close friend."
Shen Li gave him a sidelong glance. She had been giving him many as they walked, but this time she was appraising his appearance. His beauty was the kind that would elicit envy in others. Without thinking she blurted, "How does high G.o.d compare?"
Xing Zhi tilted his head to the side and shot her a glance. An enchanting smile played on his lips. He answered in a smug, boastful voice. "Naturally I am more beautiful."
Instead of offending her, his complacent tone only served to make her laugh. "I also agree."
Her frank agreement surprised Xing Zhi. He stared at her, but she was already focused on another topic "What happened? Why is your friend no longer a G.o.d?"
"He fell in love with a mortal." Xing Zhi's eyes dimmed again. "He moved against the heavens and used his powers to save the person. His G.o.dhead was abolished because of it."
In surprise Shen Li asked, "Who… who could possibly punish a G.o.d?"
"G.o.ds are subject to the laws of the Heavenly Dao at birth. These laws are meant to keep balance and order. The world would fall into chaos if the G.o.ds used their power for personal reasons." He turned to look at Shen Li. "The heavens are no different from the rest of the world." He continued walking as he spoke from the side. "Qing Ye was stripped of his G.o.dhead and sent to live in the mortal realm, to suffer through the wheel of reincarnation, to tragically fail in love."
Shen Li thought of Prince Rui and his plight, of how in the end he couldn't be with either of the women he cared about. Now as Yan he also had two females by his side but... A sense of misgiving grew in her heart. "Who did the person he love reincarnate as?"
"He's the only one who knows that. All I did was awaken his divinity and cleared the obstruction in his spiritual force. If he can find the one he's been searching for then all will be well." Xing Zhi looked skyward. I only hope the Heavenly Dao will not be excessive and terminate everything."
Shen Li stopped at looked at Xing Zhi. "I do not believe the matter is as complicated as that. Qing Ye's G.o.dhead is gone but it does not mean the heavens will negatively interfere with the course of his lives.
As Prince Rui, he and the princess shared a common fate. [生死 Buddhist term = life and death. I loosely translated it as sharing the same fate -> they were both n.o.bles.] Naturally he was fond of the princess. But in this life he is Jing Yan. And in this life he grew up with Jing Xi. It's obvious he cherishes her. The two generations are not related. His destiny is mainly in the hands of fate; however he still has free will. And that free will's influence will impact his fate."
Xing Zhi also stopped, turning to look at her. "That is a novel idea. But no matter how you phrase it, all of Yan's previous lives served to shape him into the person he is now. His feelings have evolved from that. Neither you nor I can influence the matter. We can only observe."
Shen Li silently mulled his words over. Changing topics she said, "Just now you said Qing Ye's G.o.dhead was abolished, yet you chose to awaken it. Aren't you afraid of incurring heaven's wrath?"
"The offense Qing Ye committed was not a heinous one. So though heaven made him mortal as punishment, his body more or less still retains the same aura. I failed to notice it because it had dispersed so much.
It was when you asked if they were bound to repeat their fates that I became suspicious and began looking at the situation more closely. Though his aura was incredibly weak, I was able to draw it out. It is sufficient to purify the miasma in the people's body."
He paused and smiled. "As for heaven's wrath, escaping it is impossible. Judgement will be pa.s.sed for all offenses."
If any change at all incurred heaven's wrath then why not make a great change and make it worthwhile? The words were on the tip of Shen Li's tongue but she swallowed them back. Based on what Xing Zhi said, Qing Ye, because of his heart...
She remembered the night she returned drunk to the manor. Xing Zhi had smiled as he talked about G.o.ds not having emotions like affection or kindness. She realized what he said wasn't true. It wasn't that the G.o.ds didn't have emotions, it was that they couldn't show their emotions.
Xing Zhi hid the expression in his eyes and smiled at the silent Shen Li. "That's enough for our walk. We should return."
