Journey to the West: Demon Emperor: Beginning as a Little Toad

Chapter 527 A Lifetime of Love in the Lower Realm

Xiao Chen and Wan Shenglongnu had just stepped out of Yaochi Wonderland.

Suddenly, a woman's voice came from behind Xiao Chen, clear yet with a hint of coldness:

"Master of Ceremonies, please wait a moment."

Xiao Chen turned around and saw a female fairy in a white gauze dress that trailed on the ground, as if flowing clouds surrounded her body. Her figure was graceful and her aura was cold and aloof.

The female immortal's black hair cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall, and a touch of vermilion rouge on her forehead resembled a red plum blossom blooming on a snowy plain, dazzling and beautiful; her face was like a full moon, her skin like solidified cream, fair with a faint blush; her eyes were like autumn waters, full of affection, yet concealing a hint of aloofness and cold pride in her bones.

Putting aside old prejudices, judging solely on her appearance, this fairy Su'e was indeed extremely beautiful.

After all, the fairy Su'e once transformed into a princess of the Kingdom of Tianzhu, and the Jade Rabbit spirit also transformed into her appearance, attempting to bewitch Tang Sanzang with her unparalleled beauty, which shows how outstanding her appearance was.

The beauty of the princess of Tianzhu (the fairy Su'e) is even evidenced by the poem:

"Her cherry lips parted slightly, revealing pearly white teeth, her rosy cheeks shone in the sunlight, and her graceful figure swayed like a flower. Her fair skin and delicate features exuded an air of nobility, and her arched eyebrows resembled distant mountains shrouded in mist. She was alluring and charming, a beauty that could topple kingdoms and cities, more beautiful than flowers and jade."

"These celestial maidens are extremely adorable and truly worthy of praise. Adorned with exquisite palace makeup, how can Chang'e compare?"

The book uses terms like "jade maiden fairy," "fairy-like face and icy skin," "enchanting and charming," and "beauty that could topple kingdoms" to describe the appearance of the fairy Su'e.

The beauty of the fairy Chang'e can be glimpsed from this.

Her figure and appearance are both of the best, comparable to the fairy Chang'e in the Moon Palace.

"Fairy Chang'e..."

Xiao Chen was somewhat surprised, and his brows furrowed slightly.

He wouldn't be surprised if it was the Jade Rabbit spirit looking for him.

It would be rather strange if Fairy Su'e were to seek him out.

After all, the fairy Su'e had once removed his boots in the Jade Pool Golden Mother Palace, which she considered somewhat humiliating.

Logically, the fairy Su'e should hold a grudge against him and retaliate against him.

Just like Gao Lishi, who felt deeply humiliated after removing Li Bai's boots, he slandered Li Bai to Yang Guifei, falsely accusing him of comparing the lowly Feiyan to the imperial concubine, thus successfully blocking Li Bai's path to officialdom.

Is this Fairy Su'e also trying to emulate Gao Lishi and trip him up, making him feel embarrassed?
Think about this.

Xiao Chen didn't turn his head and strode away.

At this time, the Jade Pool Wonderland was free from the disturbances of war, but the rules of the immortals were strict, and one could not fly freely in the air.

Seeing this, Fairy Su'e was extremely anxious. She moved with light, delicate steps, descending the glittering golden steps of the Jade Pool, calling out as she chased after her:

"Master of Ceremonies, why won't you listen to me?"

at last.

The fairy Su'e caught up with Xiao Chen, stretched out her slender hand to stop him, and said anxiously:

"Master of Ceremonies, please wait a moment."

Xiao Chen glanced at the Fairy Su'e blocking his way, frowned slightly, and spoke with a hint of impatience:

"If you have anything to say, Fairy Su'e, please speak frankly."

Fairy Su'e glanced lightly at the exquisite wooden box, meticulously carved from Panmu wood, that Xiao Chen was holding.

The wooden box is decorated with dragons and phoenixes, and the carving is exquisite. Every line seems to contain the magic of immortals and exudes a faint fairy charm. It seems to hold endless mysteries, arousing curiosity in people who want to explore it.

She parted her lips slightly and said:

"Does the Director of Ceremonial Affairs know what treasure Her Majesty bestowed upon you?"

Xiao Chen remained calm and said indifferently:
"It has not been opened, so we do not know what it contains."

The Fairy Su'e's gaze swept over the Dragon Girl Wansheng beside her, then turned to Xiao Chen, her lips parting slightly, her voice clear and cold yet tinged with earnestness:
"Master of Ceremonies, may I speak with you in private?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen's lips curled into a playful smile. He patted the shoulder of the Dragon Girl beside him and said:

“We have a life-or-death bond with Brother Long. There’s no need for such formality between brothers.”

"Speak freely."

Upon hearing this, Fairy Su'e hesitated, a hint of doubt flashing between her brows, as if she had something difficult to say.

Seeing this, Wan Shenglongnu raised the corners of her mouth slightly, revealing a half-smile, and said tactfully:

"Brother Guoshan, I suddenly need to pee, I'll be right back, you guys chat first."

Say it.

With a flash, Wan Shenglongnu disappeared from the spot, leaving Xiao Chen and Fairy Su'e a private space for conversation.

Xiao Chen looked at Fairy Su'e and said calmly:

"Fairy Su'e, if you have something to say, just say it directly. Don't keep hiding it like this."

"Hey……"

Fairy Su'e sighed softly, her expression revealing a hint of helplessness and anxiety, and said:
"My lifespan is nearing its end, and my immortal essence has been damaged. I urgently need something to prolong my life, otherwise I fear I will not live much longer in the immortal realm."

"Judging from the profound cultivation of the Master of Ceremonies, he must be close to the Golden Immortal realm. There is no need to worry too much about his lifespan."

At this point, Fairy Su'e glanced again at the exquisite wooden box made of cocoon wood in Xiao Chen's hand, her eyes filled with anticipation, and continued:

"If the Queen Mother of the West were to bestow upon you a medium-sized peach, or even the more precious purple-veined yellow-kernel peach..."

"These divine objects are treasures that can prolong my life."

“I am willing to make a deal with the Master of Ceremonies, and I will make sure you do not suffer any loss.”

She cultivated diligently for many years, enduring countless hardships and obstacles, before finally reaching the realm of the Mysterious Immortal.

But now that his lifespan is nearing its end, the realm of the Golden Immortal he so longs for is like a mirage, unattainable.

In the Heavenly Court, she was merely a dancer of lowly status, far inferior to the fairy Chang'e, who was favored by the Jade Emperor.

"Could it be that His Majesty truly has a fondness for widows and married women?"

"This man doesn't sleep with his own wife, but prefers to sleep with other men's wives?"

The fairy Su'e would occasionally harbor such bold grumbling in her heart, utterly baffled by the Jade Emperor's incomprehensible preferences.

After all, she simply couldn't understand why she, a pure and innocent fairy, could never catch the Jade Emperor's eye.

The fairy Chang'e was once another man's wife, like a flawless jade, yet she still won the Jade Emperor's favor.

The reason behind this was something she couldn't understand at all.

However, she could not control the Jade Emperor's preferences.

She could only place all her hopes on the Queen Mother of the West, meticulously plotting how to obtain the life-extending item.

to this end.

That's why she got into a fight with the Jade Rabbit Spirit, which escalated into a huge argument.

Is there any distinction between noble and base actions when it comes to survival?
Who would choose to live a life of mere existence if they could live nobly?
Within this Heavenly Court, the Queen Mother of the West controls the Peach Tree and the Elixir of Immortality, effectively monopolizing all substances that prolong life.

Although the lifespan of celestial beings far exceeds that of mortals, they are still limited by their lifespan and need to rely on specific methods to extend their lives.

Living longer naturally leads to greater strength, and one's cultivation level can also improve accordingly.

These are complementary things.

The essence of life is "the pursuit of self-preservation".

Life strives to survive and pursues immortality; this is the instinct of "self-preservation."

The reproduction of life into the next generation is also a way of "self-preservation," in order to preserve one's genes and continue the bloodline.

The fairy Su'e before them had clearly reached the edge of "self-preservation," like a candle flickering in the wind, teetering on the brink of collapse, and could only turn to others for help.

"Make a deal with me?"

Xiao Chen looked at the Fairy Su'e with great interest, his gaze slowly sweeping from her delicate eyebrows and eyes to her graceful figure. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a playful smile.

Xiao laughed:
"Do you have any magical treasures you can trade with me?"

"like……"

After a moment of contemplation, the fairy Su'e gently bit her lower lip, seemingly having made a tremendous decision, and slowly said:

"If it is truly a medium-sized or even large-sized flat peach, I know its value is incomparably precious."

“I have nothing of value to repay you with.”

"I ask myself, my appearance and figure are acceptable, and my immortal body is also flawless."

"If the Director of Ceremonies does not find it objectionable."

"I wish to use a lifetime of love in the mortal realm as a bond, and ask for a medium-sized peach or..."

"Or half a large peach..."

"This shall serve as proof."

After speaking, Fairy Su'e lightly gathered a wisp of cool moonlight at her fingertips, which transformed into "a contract" in her hand.

The vermilion mark between her brows burned like blood, reflecting her unwavering resolve and determination under the moonlight. The Heavenly Peach, a fruit of layered blossoms and sweet fruit, ripens only once every six thousand years; those who eat it ascend to immortality.

The large, flat peach, with its purple veins and yellow kernel, ripens only once every nine thousand years. Eating it grants one the lifespan to be equal to that of heaven and earth, to be as old as the sun and moon, and to become an existence that lives as long as heaven and earth.

If Su'e eats the peaches of immortality, she can get rid of the problem of lifespan and live forever, never having to worry about lifespan again.

All she gave up was a mortal body for one lifetime.

Her celestial body remained clean and pure, untouched by dust.

The great gods of Heaven are mostly quiet and inactive, so she dared not approach them, lest she lose more than she gained by trying to "steal a chicken"...

But the envoy before him, the Master of Ceremonies, was young and impetuous, and perhaps possessed the precious treasure of the peaches of immortality; he might not be able to resist the temptation…

Perhaps this is her only chance to "steal a chicken" and stay alive.

"A lifetime of love in the mortal realm as a bond..."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen seemed to be deep in thought.

To put it bluntly, this is quite similar to the situation of "Kui Mulang and the Jade Maiden of Pixiang Palace" or "Lü Dongbin and the Peony Fairy".

The jade maiden who served incense at the Pixiang Palace secretly developed feelings for Kui Mulang, and the two made a private appointment.

The jade maiden who served incense at the Pixiang Palace descended to the mortal realm and was reborn in the inner palace of the Baoxiang Kingdom.

Kui Mulang kept his promise and transformed into a demon, occupied the famous mountain, took her to his cave, and married her for thirteen years.

In the celestial realm, it is absolutely forbidden for deities to have private relationships with each other, as this would defile the sacredness of the Heavenly Palace.

Only the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother have this privilege.

Unless you renounce your divine status and become a mortal.

They became mortals, married couples, and enjoyed the long-lasting pleasures of intimacy day and night.

Unleash your full potential in the mortal realm, fire away with abandon.

Lu Dongbin (the reincarnation of Donghua Dijun) descended to the mortal world and transformed into a scholar. He met Bai Mudan (the reincarnation of Peony Fairy), a commoner, and the two married.

Back then, none of us were gods; we were just reincarnated as ordinary mortals, undergoing tribulations and cultivating again in the mortal realm. This was considered normal.

But after Lü Dongbin became an immortal, his mortal relationship with the Peony Fairy also came to an end.

The story of "Lü Dongbin teasing Bai Mudan three times" has become a timeless tale.

For these immortals, this earthly romance was merely a small interlude in their long journey of immortality.

After the immortals descend to the mortal realm and leave behind their worldly affairs, once they cross the Southern Heavenly Gate and return to the celestial realm, they regain their lofty and supreme divine status.

They seemed to be complete strangers who had just met on the road.

They need to forget their past and reclaim their divine status.

"Fairy Chang'e..."

Xiao Chen looked at the Fairy Su'e before him again, a meaningful smile playing on his lips:
"Let's take our past life's love in the mortal realm as a bond..."

"I will exchange peaches for immortality."

This fairy Su'e wanted to exchange her lifelong romance in the mortal realm for the "immortality" Dao fruit with King Golden Horn.

in fact.

In some ways, Fairy Su'e did not lose out; in fact, she even made a small profit.

This fairy Su'e has a good plan.

After all, a lifetime in the lower realm is only a short hundred years, as fleeting as a white horse galloping past a crack in the wall, passing in the blink of an eye.

Immortality, on the other hand, means enjoying the years forever, witnessing the splendor of the three realms, living a carefree and unrestrained life.

In the vast river of time, a hundred years is but a drop in the ocean. To exchange this brief century for eternal freedom would tempt anyone.

However, Xiao Chen secretly thought to himself that he was not the real Yang Guoshan after all; he was the Golden Horn King from the lower realm.

After he descends to the mortal realm, he probably won't return to the upper realm, nor does he intend to remain a so-called immortal.

If Fairy Su'e really made this deal with him, wouldn't it be like a lamb entering a tiger's den, or a meat bun thrown to a dog, never to return?
At that time... everything will be decided by King Golden Horn.

The fairy Su'e before them, who would later become the princess of Tianzhu, possessed first-rate beauty and figure; she was a jade maiden with fair skin, rosy cheeks, and enchanting charm, a beauty that could topple kingdoms...

She was also a talented singer and dancer, serving as the deputy head of the "Heavenly Court Song and Dance Troupe." Her dance moves were graceful, and her singing voice was melodious.

If she could join his "Golden Horn Dance Troupe" as a deputy director, it would seem just right.

It can greatly enhance the performance of the song and dance troupe, making it a delight to watch.

but.

Xiao Chen did not immediately agree, but smiled slightly, his tone carrying a hint of amusement and caution:
"I'll think about it."

Xiao Chen looked at Fairy Su'e and advised her:

"Fairy Su'e, you should reconsider."

"After all, this is no small matter. A lifetime of love and the path to immortality must be carefully weighed."

"Don't make a hasty decision on a whim, or you'll regret it later."

Thinking of this, Xiao Chen couldn't help but think of the reason why Fairy Su'e descended to the mortal realm.

The story of the fairy Chang'e is clearly recorded in Journey to the West:
"The king's princess was no ordinary person either; she was originally the fairy Chang'e from the Moon Palace."

"Eighteen years ago, she slapped the Jade Rabbit, and then 'descended to the mortal world'."

"Later, the light of the fairy Su'e was reincarnated into the womb of the queen of the king's palace, and she was born at that time."

To put it bluntly, the real reason why the fairy Chang'e from the Moon Palace descended to the mortal world was not because she slapped the Jade Rabbit, but because she "desired descending to the mortal world."

What is the meaning of "descending to the mortal realm"?

That would naturally mean "having developed a desire for worldly life, she descended to the mortal realm and married someone."

For example, Sun Wukong said to Yang Jian:
"I remember that the Jade Emperor's sister 'descended to the mortal world,' and together with Yang Jun, they had a son who once split Peach Mountain with an axe. Was that you?"

That is, Yao Ji (Yunhua Fairy), the Jade Emperor's sister and Yang Jian's mother, was a mortal who descended to the mortal realm and married a mortal while still holding the status of a goddess.

There is a distinction between immortals and mortals; any union between an immortal and a mortal is an absolute taboo in Heaven.

However, unlike Yao Ji, Su'e Fairy was directly reincarnated as a mortal, abandoning her divine identity.

But who exactly did Fairy Su'e fall in love with?
The object of Yao Ji Fairy's longing for the mortal world is Yang Jun, namely Yang Tianyou.

Who was the object of the fairy Su'e's longing for the mortal world?
The book doesn't actually explain this.

I chose to leave it blank.

"The fairy Chang'e descended to the mortal realm out of longing..."

Looking at the Fairy Su'e in front of him, Xiao Chen's heart stirred. Could it be that the Fairy Su'e in the original story made a secret deal with a certain deity in the Heavenly Court in order to seek a way to prolong life?
Afterwards, they all agreed to descend to the mortal realm together.

After all, in the story of India, the Moon Goddess did not bring the fairy Chang'e back to the Moon Palace.

The Moon Goddess simply took the Jade Rabbit Spirit back with her.

After bathing and changing her clothes, Fairy Su'e gracefully boarded her carriage and returned to the Kingdom of Tianzhu in grand style to continue being the beloved princess of Tianzhu.

The fairy Su'e's final fate was to reunite with the king and queen of Tianzhu in the mortal realm and continue to enjoy the bliss of family life.

The story of India ends here.

The story of Su'e Fairy does not explain what happened to her in Journey to the West.

However, upon closer reflection, since Fairy Su'e is already a princess in a mortal country and has not returned to the celestial realm, it is perfectly normal for her to get married or find a husband.

Xiao Chen speculated that her consort was probably the immortal she had made a deal with, the one with whom she had "made a pact to have a lifelong romance in the mortal realm."

After descending to the mortal realm, the two shed their divine identities and constraints, continuing their predestined relationship as mortals and fulfilling their promise of a lifetime of love.

However, the situation has now changed.

By a twist of fate, he became the "Master of Ceremonies and Literary Scriptures" of Yaochi, a favorite of the Queen Mother of the West, wielding considerable power and resources, and thus securing a place in the Heavenly Court.

She wanted to make a deal with herself, perhaps hoping to use her own power to more reliably achieve her goal of extending her lifespan.

In this way, her choice of a "consort" in the mortal realm was originally that of a "deity with whom she had a deal" in the celestial realm.

Then it became "oneself".

She actually wanted to make a deal with him, offering to "descend to the mortal world" with him as a bargaining chip in exchange for peaches of immortality, so that she could live forever and be as old as the heavens.

This is the "butterfly effect" I brought about.

Pulled around and moved the whole body.

His arrival in the celestial realm was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples and altering the original destinies of many celestial beings.

The stories of many celestial beings took a new turn because of my appearance.

(End of this chapter)