Ray fell silent for a moment. "I know what you're thinking. You're always hoping she can come back. But she can't! She's already become a tree, and she can never turn back into a human. That's Heaven's Way. Heaven's Way can't be defied! You're the Celestial Emperor—you should know that better than anyone!"
Watching this, Lily Bai couldn't help feeling puzzled.
Evan Lan could clearly shift freely between tree form and human form.
So why was it impossible in ancient times?
Back then, immortals were way more powerful than they are now!
Did something happen later that changed the Holy Spirits?
Thinking this, Lily figured that ancient Evan must've eventually brought his wife back...
......
Inside the Jade Permit, ancient Evan said to his son, "Heaven's Way... can have miracles too."
"But..."
"Aren't you supposed to go down and look for your mouse? Why aren't you leaving yet?" ancient Evan asked.
Ray turned gloomily to go, but suddenly seemed to spot the lens. He walked up, looked at it, then turned back and asked, "Father Emperor, why are you using the Clarity Charm?"
"I'm afraid that by the time your mother returns, I might already be gone. So I use the Clarity Charm, then later import it into the Jade Permit and preserve it, so she can see old friends again."
Ray's face grew somber. He sighed softly, then bowed respectfully to the lens and left.
......
After finishing the sixth Jade Permit, Lily Bai felt so dizzy her vision went black; she collapsed and didn't want to move.
"What did you see in there?" Little Smudge asked from the side.
"I saw an insanely handsome young man!" Lily said. "He must've saved the whole universe in his past life to look that good..."
"Even better looking than Evan Lan?"
"Well... they're each good in their own way! Evan Lan is like a distant star you can only look up to. But that guy named Ray, the moment I saw him I just felt so close—like I wanted to run up and hug him..."
"Wow! I just asked if you'd stick with Evan Lan for life, and now you're already switching sides? Aren't you afraid he'll stab you?"
Lily Bai lifted her head and squinted at the potted plant that hadn't moved in ages. "Stab me? Go on, stab me!"
As soon as she finished speaking, a sudden pain shot across her face.
Lily Bai clutched her face. "Who stabbed me? Was it you, Little Smudge?"
"Not me!" Little Smudge said. "I haven't cultivated enough to project my spiritual power outside my body yet."
Lily Bai jumped off the bed and ran to Evan Lan. "Evan Lan! Are you back?"
She got stabbed a few more times on her butt.
Lily Bai yelped, clutching her butt. "Be gentle! It hurts!"
Evan Lan kept at it, relentlessly chasing her around with his thorn-jabs.
Lily Bai dodged everywhere. "You're so petty! What did you say before? That I could find another guy as long as I didn't bring him home. I haven't even found anyone yet, and you're stabbing me all the time. If I really did, would you slit my throat?"
Eventually, he finally calmed down.
Lily Bai picked him up from the windowsill and set him on the table. "Evan Lan, these past few days—were you just asleep, or did your spirit remnant leave your body?"
She grabbed a leaf in each hand. "Same old rules: left hand means you were sleeping, right hand means you went out."
Her right hand got stabbed.
"Where did you go? Don't tell me you went to scout out the museum?"
[No.]
"Then where did you go...? Fine, I can't guess either," Lily said. "You know what? The President came to our house a few days ago and told me your dad is actually him!
He said he wants me and the baby to move into the Xiao family. I told him I'd have to ask you first. So—are you for it, or against it?"