Wu-Empress let out a soft "Oh," and Quinn continued, "Whenever I meet a beautiful woman, I just can't help but call her 'elder sister.' Just now, when I saw Wu-Empress, I blurted it out without thinking. My mouth is even more honest than my heart."
Wu-Empress burst out laughing and shook her head. "Brother Quinn, you're such a straightforward man. There aren't many honest men left these days. Not like that oaf I live with—he can't say a sweet word to save his life, just makes me mad every day. If I talk to him for two sentences, he manages to rile me up for hours."
Quinn chuckled, "Brother-in-law is honest too, just a bit tongue-tied when it comes to showing his feelings."
Dragon-Qilin quietly praised, "The cult master really knows how to talk. In front of Xuan-Emperor, he calls Wu-Empress 'sister-in-law,' and in front of Wu-Empress, he calls Xuan-Emperor 'brother-in-law'—always like a real younger brother. Ever since he read my Keeper's Manual, his skills have only gotten sharper—he's really outdone the master!"
"Let's not talk about him," Wu-Empress said.
Wu-Empress invited them in, smiling, "Come inside, let's talk."
She glanced at Dragon-Qilin and Annie, her gaze surprised. "Could it be you're the Vermilion Bird clan's princess?"
Annie hurriedly bowed, "Annie greets Auntie."
Wu-Empress was very affectionate toward her, stepping forward to take Annie's hand. "I held you when you were little. Later, your mother was cruel enough to send you away. By the way, you came from Eastern Extremity Heaven—did you see your father?"
Annie's face fell.
Wu-Empress understood, smiling, "Eastern Emperor has so many children, maybe he just forgot he has a princess like you."
Quinn probed gently, "Elder Sister Wu-Empress, when I arrived in Northern Extremity Heaven I happened to meet your son Yooming. He was struggling, braving the cold and snow, carrying a sacred mountain. I went down to ask and learned he'd made a mistake and was punished by you and your husband—he's been suffering for six hundred thousand years. I couldn't help but pity him, and even shed a few tears..."
Wu-Empress sneered, "He lost the Glass Azure Firmament Banner, so he deserves it! That banner was forged from all the savings of my and that oaf's lifetime, and he just lost it—careless! He needed a lesson!"
Quinn nodded repeatedly, "A lesson was needed, of course. Kids are mischievous, but as long as they learn, that's enough. To be honest, I just went to see brother-in-law and asked for leniency for Yooming, but instead he got angry and sent someone with a whip—gave Yooming ninety-nine lashes!"
Wu-Empress's anger flared, "You plead for mercy and that oaf doesn't appreciate it—he goes and beats my son instead? That old fool is only good at fighting with his own family, useless in real battles! If it weren't for me running around, managing everything, he'd have nothing in Northern Extremity Heaven—he'd be lying by the Celestial River starving! But now, when it comes to beating his own son, he's an expert!"
Quinn sighed, "Elder Sister, please calm down. Yooming knows he was wrong and has been whipped—he should be free of bad luck now. Otherwise, if brother-in-law remembers again and gives him a few more lashes, what then?"
Wu-Empress called over a palace maid, "Take my decree and go free the Crown Prince. Bring him here to me, and don't let him follow that deadbeat father! His father is hopeless—whenever something happens, he just shrinks into his Black Tortoise shell and hides, dragging me out to handle everything! If he keeps following his father, he'll be just as useless! Go quickly!"
The palace maid hurried off.
Quinn relaxed. "With Yooming freed, I've finally fulfilled a wish."
Wu-Empress grew ever fonder of him, laughing, "That oaf of a husband has never been so considerate. The old rascal can barely string a sentence together, and he's clumsy at everything he does."
Quinn replied earnestly, "Elder Sister, you misjudge brother-in-law. When I saw him, he gave me two hundred Five-Thunder War Gourds and even sent hundreds of Sword Gods to aid Everpeace."
Wu-Empress eyed him skeptically. "That oaf, generous? When we were together, he'd split a single coin into four! How could he possibly give you two hundred Five-Thunder War Gourds?"
Quinn blushed, lowering his voice, "Actually, brother-in-law only wanted to give me one gourd and tried to claim he only had sixteen. So I told him you’d already given me two hundred, and then he got competitive."
Wu-Empress laughed so hard she nearly doubled over. "Brother Quinn, you may be honest, but you have your sly moments! That oaf would grit his teeth and match me, but inside he’s probably bleeding. Don’t worry, little brother—you came to see me, I won’t be stingier than him."
With her promise, Quinn finally relaxed. "Three hundred Five-Thunder War Gourds—enough to form an army! Whoever they fight, it’ll be thunder from the heavens!"
Wu-Empress was indeed more forthright than Xuan-Emperor. She gave Quinn two hundred and one Five-Thunder War Gourds. "If that oaf promised you hundreds of True-Martial Sword Gods, I can’t fall behind. Back when Kaihuang came here to learn from me, his best array masters designed the Soaring-Serpent Linked-Rampart Array for me—it takes a thousand divine maidens to deploy, and can stand against Emperor’s-Throne-level foes. I’ll give you one as well."
Quinn was overjoyed, but hesitated. "Brother-in-law sent the Sword Gods to help me but stripped their surnames, expelled them from Northern Extremity Heaven—said it was so they wouldn’t implicate him…"
Wu-Empress understood and smiled. "You’re worried my palace women will rely on their Black Tortoise bloodline and bully the people of Everpeace? Don’t worry, I’ll arrange it the same way."
Quinn breathed a sigh of relief. Talking with such a clever woman was truly a pleasure.
"Come to think of it, this is the second time we’ve met, Brother Quinn. The first was on the ghost ship—thanks to your smarts, I managed to escape."
Wu-Empress smiled, "Vermilion Bird always mentions you. She said she saw you back in the early Dragon-Han Era, and you even brought up the Heaven Alliance."
Quinn’s heart tightened, and he nodded gently.
"Now the Ten Heavenly Venerables are the Heaven Alliance. Do you realize how much impact your casual words had back then?"
Wu-Empress said, half-joking, half-serious, "Since the early Dragon-Han Era, almost every major event has revolved around the Heaven Alliance. As one of its oldest founding elders, you ought to help resolve its chaos."
"Elder Sister, do you think if I hadn’t mentioned the Heaven Alliance, it would still have come about?" Quinn asked.
Wu-Empress was taken aback.
"There would still be an alliance—maybe not called Heaven Alliance, maybe Earth Alliance or Nether Alliance. The real reason is the ancient gods."
Quinn walked beside her, speaking softly, "If the ancient gods had treated postnatal beings and demigods better, there’d be no Heaven Alliance. It’s because of their oppression—leaving mortals and demigods with no way to live—that the alliance formed. Even if we someday overthrow the Ten Heavenly Venerables, if you gods keep acting the same way, another alliance will rise."
Wu-Empress was silent for a moment. "The gods now are better than before, but the demigods in Heavenly Court are no different from the ancient gods—still sacrificing mortals. The Heaven Alliance just replaced the old gods with new ones. Brother Quinn, you should think about how to avoid becoming another blood-drinking ancient god when you win."
Quinn was stunned. He bowed deeply. "Thank you for the warning, Elder Sister!"
Wu-Empress returned the gesture. "I’ve seen too many dynasties rise and fall, too much death and disaster. After so much, it’s hard not to despair and see it all as one big cycle. I couldn’t break it, but you have drive—maybe you can. I won’t keep you any longer."
Quinn took his leave.
Wu-Empress escorted him to the South Heaven Gate, watching him go. Soon, the palace maid returned with Crown Prince Yooming, who had taken human form and knelt before Wu-Empress, thanking her.
"Get up," she said.
Wu-Empress raised her hand. "Shepherd Heavenly Venerable went to great trouble to have you released. He’s a Heavenly Venerable—I couldn’t ignore that favor, so you’re free. Your father whipped you ninety-nine times to teach you caution. Now your punishment is done, but you can’t be as naive as before."
Yooming agreed, getting up. "Where is Shepherd Heavenly Venerable? I haven’t thanked him yet."
Wu-Empress replied, "He’s already left, probably headed to Western Extremity Heaven to see the Western Emperor. You’re free, but your mistake remains. Shepherd Heavenly Venerable did you a favor, so go down to the lower worlds. You lost the Glass Azure Firmament Banner—this is your trial. When you find it, you can return to Northern Extremity Heaven."
Yooming bowed again.
Wu-Empress sighed, helping him up. "You’re my son—even if you look like your foolish father, I can’t bear to see you in danger. You’re too innocent. If we hadn’t kept you in Northern Extremity Heaven all these years, you wouldn’t have survived the Dragon-Han Era. The Everpeace Era is even harsher—be more careful out there."
She took out a Serpent-Skin Pouch. "This was refined from my shed skin—it can hold and refine anything. Take it for protection. And go see your foolish father once—let him give you something to keep you safe."
Yooming choked up and turned to leave.
Arriving at Xuan-Heaven Palace, Xuan-Emperor saw him and exploded in anger. "That foolish wife of mine—now that she’s let Yooming go, how long can he survive in this scheming world?"
Yooming knelt. "Father, I know I was wrong."
Xuan-Emperor stepped forward, helping him up, and sighed. "You didn’t do anything wrong. If the Glass Azure Firmament Banner is lost, so be it—I wouldn’t punish you for that. The real reason was that when Heavenly Court split, you were Crown Prince and far too naive. Anyone could trick you. You ran with Venerable Vast-Sky, Prince Umbral, and their gang—they’d eat you alive! So I locked you away. Now your mother’s freed you, and there’s nothing I can do."
He shook his head and brought out a mirror. "This Eight-Trigram Mirror was forged by Kaihuang using the pattern on my Black Tortoise shell, and I branded it with my own Black Tortoise lines. Carry it for protection. When you leave Northern Extremity Heaven, if anyone calls you from behind, don’t turn around—just keep walking. If you don’t look back, no one can hurt you. If you do, you’ll never recover. Remember that!"