Chapter Two: If There’s No Trial, Get Back Home

 

In the previous chapter, it was mentioned that the Records of Romance Tribulation had gone missing.

How troublesome is this matter?

Normally, when immortals are required to undergo tribulations, Star Lord Chang Sheng would simply jot down a few strokes in one of the three celestial records, and everything would proceed according to his design.

Whether you’re born into a wealthy family or a den of bandits, whether you’re missing limbs or endowed with divine strength, all depends on his whim.

As long as the tribulations ordered by the Jade Emperor are fulfilled, the arrangements are entirely up to him.

For this reason, the gods have a complex mix of fear and admiration for Star Lord Chang Sheng.

If the Jade Emperor decrees that you must endure four deadly tribulations, Star Lord Chang Sheng could arrange for you to be assassinated four times as a crown prince or have you choke on fish bones four times as a beggar.

The tribulations remain the same, but the experience for the one enduring them varies immensely.

Fortunately, Star Lord Chang Sheng is naturally aloof, his demeanor cold and impartial.

He treats everyone with the same icy indifference, maintaining fairness to such an extent that, despite being someone whose job is essentially to make others suffer, he still commands respect.

Now that the Records of Romance Tribulation is missing, arranging tribulations is not just troublesome—even ensuring that the destined individuals fall in love has become an unknown variable.

Fortunately, immortals descending to the mortal realm for tribulations isn’t an everyday occurrence, so delays are still an option.

Star Lord Chang Sheng is well aware of this, but Ju Fang is not.

She was still gleefully preparing to arrange the tribulations, like an excited child on the eve of a school trip.

Clutching Wu Yi, she bombarded him with endless questions.

But Wu Yi, just a lowly kitchen officer, knew very little.

Aside from knowing that Star Lord Chang Sheng was in charge of arranging celestial tribulations, he was clueless about the specifics.

Ju Fang pressed on, “At least you must know which immortals are going down for tribulations, right?”

Wu Yi thought for a moment and said, “Usually, it’s because they’ve made a mistake and are being punished by the Jade Emperor. But there are also some immortals who volunteer to undergo tribulations.”

Ju Fang was puzzled.

“Volunteer to be punished? Isn’t that like asking someone to hit you? Who would be that masochistic?”

Wu Yi scrunched his face.

“I don’t know! Go ask Star Lord Chang Sheng!”

Of course, Ju Fang had considered asking him.

But every time she saw Star Lord Chang Sheng’s face, she gave up.

With long brows and almond eyes, he should have had a gentle appearance, but on him, it was a face of perpetual annoyance, as if everything he saw displeased him, and anyone speaking to him was wasting his time.

A sour face isn’t a crime, but Star Lord Chang Sheng’s personality wasn’t any better. Apart from Niyan, he spoke to everyone with arrogance; even a simple “Hmm” sounded like a dismissive “Hmph.”

Would you really ask such a person anything? You’d be lucky if he didn’t scold you outright, let alone provide useful information.

But there was another way—ask Xiao Fan.

Having learned that Xiao Fan was a notorious drunkard, Ju Fang snuck two bottles of fine wine from the celestial kitchens and headed straight to Chenxi Palace.

With a cup in hand, Xiao Fan chuckled, “What does little kitty want to ask?”

It seemed he’d spill anything once drunk.

Sure enough, Ju Fang learned much about tribulations from Xiao Fan.

If an immortal makes a mistake, the Jade Emperor decides how many lifetimes of tribulations they must endure based on the severity of their error.

For instance, the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea, who attempted rebellion, was sentenced to five lifetimes, considered a heavy punishment.

Star Lord Chang Sheng would then arrange one tribulation each for life, death, and love. Sometimes the Jade Emperor might demand only one type of tribulation or more than one of each, making the arrangements quite complex.

For example, there was once an arrogant celestial youth who caused trouble due to his family’s power.

The Jade Emperor sentenced him to one lifetime of poverty to experience hardship.

He endured a lifetime of poverty but didn’t need to undergo love or death tribulations.

Of course, not all tribulations are equal.

Being born poor is lighter than being born without limbs, and being poisoned to death is lighter than being drawn and quartered.

Just as Xiao Fan was explaining this, Star Lord Chang Sheng arrived to continue reviewing the tribulation records.

Seeing Ju Fang hanging around Chenxi Palace infuriated him.

How dare this troublemaker stroll around and drink wine instead of staying put?

He scolded her harshly: “You are here to atone for your sins, yet you’re wandering around drinking and chatting? If there’s no tribulation to endure, return to the lower realm immediately. I’ll summon you when you’re needed!”

Ju Fang, properly chastised, was about to flee when Xiao Fan whispered, “If you leave, Star Lord Chang Sheng will just take his temper out on Wu Yi.”

Xiao Fan had long suspected there was something fishy about Star Lord Chang Sheng keeping Ju Fang around.

If she left, who would he have fun watching?

Ju Fang hesitated.

“I thought he just had a sour face. Is his temper really that bad?”

Xiao Fan shook his head with a sigh.

“Terrible. Look, he even got angry during a casual drink.”

Ju Fang couldn’t let that happen.

Poor Wu Yi had been having nightmares since their last mess-up.

If he had to endure Star Lord Chang Sheng’s temper on top of it, he might start wetting the bed.

Pride isn’t worth much.

A true hero knows when to bow.

Ju Fang immediately softened her tone and said sweetly, “Star Lord Chang Sheng is right. I’ll return to the Palace of Trials to accept my punishment.”

With a soft “meow,” she slipped away.

Before leaving, she turned to Xiao Fan and asked, “Those mortals who died because of my mistake—is there no way to bring them back?”

Xiao Fan was surprised.

Most immortals wouldn’t care about mortal lives, yet this little cat spirit was still feeling guilty.

Seeing her remorseful expression, Xiao Fan softened and said, “Mortals can reincarnate. What they miss in this life, they can experience in the next. Unlike us immortals—if our souls are destroyed, we vanish completely. Those mortals who suffered a tragic death might even gain blessings in their next life.”

Ju Fang smiled faintly, feeling a bit more at ease, and left.

Star Lord Chang Sheng, having overheard the conversation, was surprised by Ju Fang’s genuine kindness.

He felt glad he had shown her leniency.

If he could protect her, he would.

After all, she was still young and naive, but her heart was in the right place.

Xiao Fan raised his cup and smirked, “What? Can’t you even let your palace little immortal have a drink with me?”

Star Lord Chang Sheng retorted, “Since when have you ever needed company to drink? She’s not from my palace anyway. Once the Record of Love Tribulations is found, she’s going back.”

That much was true.

As long as the record remained missing, danger loomed.

Ju Fang couldn’t stay in the Palace of Trial forever.

After wrapping up with Xiao Fan, Star Lord Chang Sheng hurried back to search for the missing record.

Immortals are generally not allowed to descend to the mortal realm without permission, with one exception: Xiao Fan, who oversees mortal fates.

Star Lord Chang Sheng is also not permitted to descend without reason, except that he possesses a Mirror of Mortal Observation, which allows him to peer into the human world for his tasks.

“You’ve already come in six times—what exactly do you want?”

The moment Lord Chang Sheng returned to the Palace of Trials, he secluded himself in his study, staring intently into the Mirror of Mortal Observation, hoping to locate the Record of Love Tribulations.

Today, Ju Fang had listened to Xiao Fan’s suggestion.

She thought if she could act as a punching bag and absorb all of Star Lord Chang Sheng’s irritation, he would have no time to trouble Wu Yi.

However, Ju Fang was no masochist.

She reasoned that no matter how bad-tempered an immortal might be, if she approached him humbly enough, he wouldn’t lash out.

As the saying goes, “One doesn’t slap a smiling face.”

If she bowed and smiled low enough, surely he would have no choice but to help her up?

Seeing how cold and empty the Palace of Trial was, with only Niyan present and not even a single celestial maid in sight, Ju Fang rolled up her sleeves and started cleaning the palace inside and out.

Of course, most of it was done with magic—it was just for show, after all.

Since it was for show, the most important thing was to ensure that Star Lord Chang Sheng saw her efforts.

Ju Fang served tea and delivered snacks, making it incredibly hard for Star Lord Chang Sheng to focus on his search for the Record of Love Tribulations.

Knock, knock, knock! There was that infuriating knocking again.

Outside, Ju Fang’s soft voice called, “Lord Chang Sheng, I have specially prepared sweet osmanthus syrup soup for you. It’s perfect for this weather—I’ve brought it in for you.”

Star Lord Chang Sheng felt his last shred of patience snap with an audible crack!

He roared, “Did you make this? This was clearly made by the heavenly chef! You’ve come in six times already—what do you want?!”

Ju Fang exaggerated her distress, saying, “Lord Chang Sheng, please calm your anger! I just wanted to make your days a little more comfortable. I was worried you’d be thirsty, hungry, or too considerate to ask for food or water. So I brought it to you proactively. If you don’t like it, I’ll take it away immediately.”

Star Lord Chang Sheng could tell Ju Fang wasn’t being entirely sincere, but he couldn’t figure out her true intentions.

With a throbbing vein on his forehead, he snapped, “Take it away and don’t come back! Stop interrupting my work!”

As Ju Fang turned to leave, she asked, “When do you plan to rest, Lord Chang Sheng? Should I prepare hot water for your bath? Or perhaps light some incense in your chamber?”

Star Lord Chang Sheng thought, If I assign her enough tasks, maybe she’ll stop bothering me.

So he said, “Fine. Go boil water for my bath. I only bathe in dewdrops from lotus tips—Niyan will tell you where to get them. Sprinkle peach blossoms in the water; I like the scent. Then go to my chamber, light the stove, close the windows—I dislike the cold. You don’t need incense. Also, change the tea on my bedside table to something hot. Once you’re done, go rest. Don’t come back to ask me anything.”

Give him an inch, and he takes a mile! Ju Fang thought.

The longest sentence I’ve ever heard from you, and it’s about ordering me around?!

Despite her frustration, Ju Fang knew this was her role—to keep him occupied so he wouldn’t trouble Wu Yi.

Star Lord Chang Sheng spent half the night peering into the Mirror of Mortal Observation without finding a single clue.

He rubbed his temples and decided to call it a night.

As he stepped into his chamber, the faint scent of peach blossoms filled the air, reminding him of the bathwater he had instructed Ju Fang to prepare.

Did she really prepare it properly? he wondered.

Entering the bathing chamber, he was greeted by the sight of steaming water infused with peach blossoms.

The soothing aroma and warmth instantly relaxed him.

This girl does have her merits, he thought. If not for the unique circumstances of this palace, she’d make an excellent celestial maid.

Once I find the Record of Love Tribulations., perhaps I’ll recommend her to Xiao Fan for a proper role. It’s not fitting for a young woman to roam the lower realm aimlessly.

Relaxed and content, Star Lord Chang Sheng finished his bath and retreated to his chamber.

He sat by his bed, removing his shoes, enjoying the warmth of the stove.

But when he turned and noticed a slight bulge in his blanket, he frowned.

Did Ju Fang leave a warming stone under my blanket?

Lifting the blanket—

“Heavens, it’s Ju Fang!”

Caught entirely off guard, Star Lord Chang Sheng let out a high-pitched shriek like a startled maiden.

Niyan rushed in, only to find Star Lord Chang Sheng sitting on the floor, disheveled and shoeless, while Ju Fang lay sprawled in his bed.

Seeing there was no real danger, Niyan wordlessly retreated.

Well, he’s still a man, Ni Yan thought.

Nothing surprising here. He tore off two pieces of cloth, stuffed them into his ears, and walked away.

“Y-You… why are you here?!” Star Lord Chang Sheng stammered.

Ju Fang, still half-asleep, yawned and said, “You said you dislike the cold. I was warming your bed for you. Are you going to sleep now? I’ll leave if you want.”

Star Lord Chang Sheng’s heart was still racing.

“Who asked you to warm my bed? Get out!”

Ju Fang, still groggy and slightly annoyed, retorted, “You said you were cold! I was just trying to help you sleep comfortably. Why are you yelling? It’s not like I’m taking your bed. I’ll leave, alright?”

Star Lord Chang Sheng, flustered and furious, grabbed a pillow and threw it at her.

“Get out!”

Ju Fang was thus unceremoniously kicked out.

Niyan, seeing Ju Fang emerge with a pillow in hand, silently removed the cloth from his ears.

From inside the chamber, Star Lord Chang Sheng’s voice bellowed, “Niyan! From now on, no one is allowed into my chamber!”

Niyan replied, “Understood!”

Ju Fang muttered, “I was just being considerate! I didn’t mind warming the bed for you, and this is how you repay me? Fine, if you don’t want me in there, I’ll just come back anyway!”

She spun around and charged straight for the door.

But before her hand could reach the handle, a flash of white light streaked past her.

Niyan’s Miao Sui Halberd was pointed directly at her hand.

“Lord Chang Sheng said no one is allowed in,” Niyan said coldly.

Ju Fang forced a smile.

“Big brother, you just saw me come out. I left something inside. I’ll grab it and leave right away.”

The halberd remained unwavering.

“If you move again, I won’t hold back.”

Ju Fang thought, You’re not exactly being polite now! I’m also a member of the Palace of Trial; what are you going to do, kill me?

With that, she stepped forward into a horse stance, attempting to push aside Miao Sui Halberd.

Although Ju Fang’s spiritual energy wasn’t particularly impressive, her combat skills—honed through years of street brawling—were absolutely above average.

She had never backed down from a fight.

But who was Niyan? He was none other than the White Tiger, a divine beast unmatched in the heavens!

Before Ju Fang’s stance could even settle, the tip of the Miao Sui Halberd was already at her throat, sealing all three possible angles of escape.

She had no choice but to retreat.

Ju Fang knew that in a direct confrontation, whether it was strength or spiritual energy, she was no match for Niyan.

To win, she’d have to rely on cunning.

She figured that this stoic man probably wasn’t very quick-witted—if she threw in some tricks, he’d likely fall for them.

She leapt back and hurled three or four concealed weapons, each aimed at Niyan’s vital points, with one specifically targeting Star Lord Chang Sheng.

She imbued it with enough force to pierce through the door and injure him.

During her days in the Palace of Trial, she had observed Niyan’s unwavering loyalty to Star Lord Chang Sheng.

There was no way he’d allow harm to come to his lord.

She was betting that Niyan would focus on intercepting the one aimed at Lord Star Chang Sheng , leaving himself vulnerable to the others.

But Niyan wasn’t just any warrior; he was a one-man army.

With a sweep of the Miao Sui Halberd, he deflected one projectile, knocking it out of the air before it could reach Star Lord Chang Sheng.

The remaining concealed weapons were skillfully redirected back toward Ju Fang, forcing her to leap upwards.

When she landed, her arms were already locked firmly behind her back by Niyan, leaving her completely immobilized.

Ju Fang cried out, “Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!”

Niyan said impassively, “You’re not the first to attempt to assassinate Lord Chang Sheng. I’ve killed many who failed. If I hadn’t realized your projectiles were just pebbles, you wouldn’t even have had the chance to scream in pain.”

Ju Fang wailed, “Fine, fine, I get it! I won’t go anymore! I can’t beat you!”

Though it seemed Niyan was merely countering her attacks, Ju Fang knew he had been holding back.

He must have realized she didn’t truly intend to harm Lord Chang Sheng. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have even had time to throw her projectiles before being killed ten times over.

At this point, Niyan’s tone softened slightly as he said, “You and I serve the same lord—Lord Chang Sheng. Not a single drop of his blood must be spilled. We are both duty-bound to protect him.”

Ju Fang retorted indignantly, “Is he really that delicate? Not a single drop of blood? You’re blindly loyal—I’m not!”

But skill spoke louder than words.

Defeated, Ju Fang could only return to her quarters.

[Ju Fang’s First Ordeal Arrives]

The Palace of Trial enjoyed a rare few days of peace.

In Ju Fang’s view, Star Lord Chang Sheng spent every day frowning at the Mirror of Mortal Observation, while Niyan either stood motionless like a statue or trained with his sword and spiritual energy.

It was dreadfully dull.

It was then that Ju Fang’s first ordeal arrived.

The exalted Lord Lianyue was a noble and revered deity whose true form was that of jade. There were many jade-based deities, belonging to vast and ancient families, but none were more esteemed or favored by the Jade Emperor than Lianyue.

Thousands of years ago, Lord Lianyue had been sent to subdue a demon but was unfortunately defeated and fell to the mortal realm.

In jade form, he was discovered and cherished by a mortal woman, who wore him as an accessory and inadvertently helped him heal by sharing her human vitality.

Eighty years later, though the woman had long since reincarnated, she left instructions for her descendants to care for the jade as a treasured family heirloom.

Thanks to this, Lord Lianyue was able to fully recover and return to the heavens.

Upon his return, under the pretext of repaying her kindness, Lord Lianyue descended once again to the mortal world and spent a lifetime with the woman’s reincarnation.

Although celestial laws strictly forbade immortals from descending to the mortal realm without permission, Lianyue’s esteemed status and his noble reason for doing so meant the Jade Emperor chose to turn a blind eye.

After sharing a mortal lifetime together, Lord Lianyue genuinely fell in love with the mortal woman.

While the rules clearly stated that immortals and mortals could not fall in love, a mortal’s life was fleeting—in heavenly terms, it was no more than two months.

As long as the matter wasn’t exposed, it would merely be recorded as a romantic tale, harmless and unimportant.

However, Lianyue didn’t just cross the line—he shattered it with grandiose flair and unyielding determination.

Originally betrothed to Shu Jing, the daughter of another Supreme Deity, Lianyue dared to break off the engagement, willingly accepting any punishment, all for the chance to spend three lifetimes with the mortal woman he loved, free from any obstacles or interference.

As a gesture of apology to Shu Jing, Lianyue vowed never to marry again, while Shu Jing was free to wed any other suitable deity.

Though these words sounded noble and righteous, to Shu Jing’s father, they meant one thing: Lianyue would rather face punishment and remain unmarried for eternity than marry his daughter.

Petitions and accusations flooded the celestial court, and even the Jade Emperor could no longer turn a blind eye.

To uphold divine order, he sentenced Lianyue to descend into the mortal realm and endure a tribulation of love—a cycle of heartache and suffering brought by the very affection he pursued so passionately.

How will Ju Fang handle this sudden and formidable first tribulation arrangement?