In the bitterest stretch of winter, snow weighed down the mountains and icicles hung thick from the branches.
It huddled behind a rock, half its body buried in snow. The snow beneath its belly had melted into water and frozen again, turning the down on its stomach into little strands of ice. It curled itself as tightly as it could and shivered without stopping.
Its stomach ached with hunger, stars seemed to float before its eyes, and it was beginning to feel sleepy.
Just then it heard a rustling sound. The hem of a blue-green robe appeared before it, and a voice spoke above its head. “Little tiger cub, why are you curled up here?”
A hand reached toward it. Instinctively it shrank back, raised its fur, bared its fangs, and roared, swiping fiercely at the hand with its claws.
Not a single scratch appeared on the hand, though its owner withdrew it. The person crouched down before the cub and smiled. “Quite the temper, haven’t you? There, there. I mean you no harm.” The hand reached out again, now surrounded by a faint, wonderfully warm glow. “I’m the earth god of this mountain. Come along. I’ll take you back to your den.”
The cub drew back uneasily and stared at the stranger in confusion. The man gently slipped both hands beneath its forelegs and lifted it.
All at once it felt extraordinarily warm, cradled in comfortable arms. When it squirmed, the frozen fluff under its belly dried instantly. The warm hand stroked its head and back, filling it with a sense of complete safety. It buried its nose in the soft folds of the robe. Someone gently scratched behind its ears; the cub gave a contented little rumble and closed its eyes.
“Alas…”
Standing below the steps, Envoy Heyun heard a sigh come from the cushioned couch inside the pavilion.
The dazzling Purple-Void Immortal Emperor was reclining there, holding a glass goblet full of celestial nectar and gazing into an immortal mirror on the jade table before him.
The Purple-Void Immortal Emperor had developed this habit of staring into mirrors several decades earlier. It seemed to have begun after His Imperial Majesty had taken up with Bihua Lingjun and then abandoned him. Year by year, the habit grew steadily worse.
Envoy Heyun did not dare offer an opinion on His Majesty’s peculiar habit. As always, he stood silently below the steps. Following a sigh, Danzhu gazed at the mirror and murmured mournfully, “Another one…”
He drank a mouthful of celestial nectar, set the glass goblet on the table, and stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the constantly shifting immortal mist beyond the railing. As though speaking to himself, he murmured, “Every time I see this part, I think I truly did the right thing back then. For him… yes, it was better for him too…”
Heyun remained motionless below the steps, pretending he had heard nothing.
Danzhu looked out for a while, then turned toward the gallery. Pausing beside Heyun, he said, “I’m going out for a walk. Don’t follow.” Heyun bowed his assent.
Back then, Bihua had taken the initiative to invite Danzhu to practice dual cultivation in the hot spring on the immortal isle. Danzhu had been a little worried afterward, fearing the spring had steamed Bihua Lingjun’s head and that once he dried out and cooled down, he would change back. But Bihua’s manner toward him remained the same ever after. Naturally Danzhu was delighted and concluded that seeing his phoenix-chick form had caused Qingxi to fall deeply in love. After their cultivation in the hot spring, His Imperial Majesty struck while the iron was hot. “Qingxi, from this day forward, may we count ourselves immortal partners, together for all eternity?”
He understood the importance of seizing an opportunity. First he would secure the title of immortal partner. Even if Bihua came to his senses one day, it would be harder for him to run away with that name attached to them.
His gaze full of affection, Danzhu looked into Bihua Lingjun’s eyes, gently gathering the hair at Bihua’s shoulder in one hand as he posed the question. Bihua looked back, touched his lips lightly to Danzhu’s, and said, “So long as Your Imperial Majesty is willing, I could ask for nothing more.”
Once again Danzhu was beside himself with delight.
As soon as they returned to Heaven from the island, Danzhu went personally to see the Jade Emperor. “Bihua and I are now immortal partners, and we have practiced dual cultivation. I imagine that violates Heaven’s laws. My rank may be somewhat higher than that of the younger immortals, but I should receive no special exception on that account. You needn’t spare my feelings. Whatever punishment is proper, impose it.”
The Jade Emperor frowned and stared at him for some time without speaking.
Danzhu continued, “Or you could deal with us as you dealt with those two young immortals on the desert island far to the east. I rather like the island Bihua and I visited together. Why not allow us to live there from now on?”
The Jade Emperor frowned in silence for another moment, then nodded.
The news that Bihua Lingjun and Immortal Emperor Danzhu were romantically involved shook Heaven. Everyone knew of Danzhu’s predilections, and many immortals sought Bihua out privately, asking oblique questions and delicately hinting that he needn’t endure the Immortal Emperor’s advances against his will. If something had truly happened, his fellow immortals would be willing to lend what help they could. Emperor Donghua was the most direct. “Bihua, everyone knows His Majesty’s tastes, so you needn’t be afraid to speak. Even an Immortal Emperor should be punished if he forces himself on someone.”
To everyone’s surprise, Bihua Lingjun replied, “Nothing was forced. I did it of my own free will. If anyone did the forcing, it was I who forced His Majesty.”
Emperor Donghua was astonished. He studied Bihua up and down, then said delicately, “You… did it willingly? Have you truly fallen for His Imperial Majesty? Developed mortal affections? But… haven’t you always disliked creatures with wings?”
Bihua Lingjun smiled. “It isn’t that I dislike them. It’s that there can only be room for one in my heart. Once that one is there, no others can fit.”
The hairs on Emperor Donghua’s body stood on end. He stared at Bihua for a long time, heaved a deep sigh, and floated away without another word.
The fears of the young attendants in Bihua’s household had finally come true. They stood petrified, as though struck by heavenly lightning. Bihua summoned them and explained that his residence would cease to exist and they would have to enter the service of other immortals. The young attendants burst into tears and did not want to leave. The spirit beasts were free to choose their new homes. The little thunder wolf and the Linlang beast followed Chisheng and Yunqing into Fuli’s household, where Fuli was still cultivating in seclusion. Guizhen and two cloud leopard cubs were taken in by the Old Immortal of the South Pole; Yuan Lu and Yuan Xiu went to the residence of Emperor of the Western Peak. The remaining spirit beasts likewise found places. Only Tangdi and the black tortoise insisted on accompanying Bihua Lingjun to the immortal island. They had been with him longer than most and had no wish to follow another high immortal. The little fox that clung to Tangdi like a plaster could not be pried off and had to come too. Jianmeng and Tangdi were close friends who loved to talk together, and Jianmeng volunteered to follow. To the surprise of Tangdi and the black tortoise, Geyue did not wish to remain with Bihua Lingjun. He requested a place under Emperor Donghua. Tangdi was bewildered. Dragging the little clinging fox along, it went to find Geyue. “You, Old Black, and I have followed Lingjun longer than anyone. I thought the three of us would follow him wherever he went.”
Geyue showed no expression. After a while he replied indifferently, “That is my own decision.” He was always like this. Tangdi knew there was no persuading him and left with the little fox in tow.
Danzhu had never spent very long in Danxiao Palace anyway, so he was ready to go at once, with scarcely any arrangements to make. First he ordered Heyun to find some immortal craftsmen to build a gleaming golden residence on the island, then he went to bid Fuli farewell. With a sweep of his sleeve, he departed for the immortal isle.
Before Bihua Lingjun left Heaven, the Jade Emperor summoned him. Kneeling in Lingxiao Hall, Bihua readily confessed his guilt as usual. “This guilty immortal has an unstable immortal foundation and has not purged his mortal heart. I seduced an Immortal Emperor and gave way to mortal affection. My offense should be unforgivable. I thank the Jade Emperor for his mercy.”
The Jade Emperor said, “One after another, none of you can live quietly. What do you all think becoming an immortal is for? What does it mean to be immortal? Perhaps this experience of yours is another trial.”
In the beginning, Danzhu and Bihua Lingjun truly lived on the immortal isle in perfect comfort and freedom, their days delightful and utterly beyond reproach.