"The emperor sent the Sun Warden to High-Emperor Heaven; looks like I’ll have to visit the Sun-Herder Clan myself!"
Quinn Shepherd left the imperial palace, summoned Bruno the Dragon-Qilin, and set out for the Great Ruins. Six days later, he arrived at the Sunwell and met Crystal Blaze.
After several years apart, the girl had grown up, charming and radiant. Seeing Quinn arrive, she rushed out with a laugh, "Cowherd brother, look at my legs—they’re completely healed!"
Quinn’s gaze fell on her. She wore loose clothing—a floral hairpin ceremonial dress, a pale blue outer robe, and beneath it a corset embroidered with a three-legged sun crow.
Her outer robe was so long it nearly brushed the ground, hiding her legs from view.
Judging by the craftsmanship, it was probably made by Ariel Skyfeather. The Sun-Herder Clan had helped Ariel and the Skyfeather Clan; after the Skyfeathers settled in Everpeace, the two families often visited each other.
Crystal Blaze twisted her waist, lifting one side of her skirt to reveal a long, slender leg—bare and pale as snow, strikingly eye-catching.
Quinn felt a flicker of emotion but quickly suppressed it. He’d checked Crystal Blaze’s legs before, touching them more than once, so his composure held.
"Show me your other leg too, so I can check if they’re the same length," Quinn said.
Crystal Blaze held up one side of her skirt, twisted her waist, and lifted the other, clutching it to her chest.
Quinn squatted down to examine her, seeing the girl’s legs pressed tightly together with barely a gap. He smiled, “They really are fully healed.”
The Sun-Herder Clan Chief walked over, coughing repeatedly, “Cough, cough. Sun Warden, put your skirt down when outsiders are present.”
Crystal Blaze quickly let her skirt fall, her cheeks flushing. Quinn hurriedly stood up, only then noticing the Woodcutter Sage behind the Sun-Herder Clan Chief. The chief’s towering build had blocked his view.
The Woodcutter Sage looked at him with a half-smile. Quinn’s expression remained unchanged. “Master, what brings you here?” he asked.
"The Solar Ark was my design."
The Woodcutter Sage smiled, “I came to retrieve the Solar Ark blueprints I left here and deliver them to Everpeace, so their Heaven-Craft Clan can build several Solar Arks and Lunar Arks.”
Quinn laughed, “I actually came here planning to dismantle the Sun-Herder Clan’s Solar Ark, draft detailed blueprints, and rebuild several Solar Arks. Luckily, Master arrived first—otherwise, I’d have already taken the ship apart.”
The Sun-Herder Clan Chief’s ruddy face instantly turned dark, as if the sun had gone out. He thought, “Dismantle the ship? Last time you came, you dismantled our sun! Thankfully, we managed to fish another one up. Now you want to dismantle our ship again…”
The Woodcutter Sage walked toward the Sunwell. “The Solar Ark isn’t all that complicated, but with Everpeace’s current foundation, they still can’t design something so massive. That’s a matter of heritage. I designed the Solar and Lunar Arks, but the highest level of Heaven-Craft Clan creation in the Pioneer Era wasn’t me—it was someone else!”
Quinn’s heart stirred, “Could that person be the revered Buddha?”
The Woodcutter Sage came to the Sunwell, leaned over and looked down. “When I taught, he wasn’t a monk yet. Later, troubled by love, he entered the Buddhist path and became Great Brahma King Buddha’s junior. Carefree Haven was his design... There are still plenty of suns in the well—we can build several more Solar Arks.”
Quinn laughed, “I’ve met Indra King Buddha—he’s currently being chased by the Red Empress Claudia Qi of the Southern Heavens.”
The Woodcutter Sage was surprised, “He’s being hunted? Serves him right. But if he’s hiding in the Buddha-Realm, the Red Empress shouldn’t be able to touch him. Why is she chasing him this time?”
He broke the rules.
Quinn looked as if it had nothing to do with him. “He created havoc in the Buddha-Realm, almost wiped out all the Heavenly Court’s spies there, and even made a mini-Youdu in the Supreme Heaven. Great Brahma King Buddha expelled him from the Buddha-Realm. So the Red Empress seized the chance to chase him down.”
So that’s how it is. He was young and handsome, a famous beauty in the Pioneer Era—no wonder the Red Empress fell for him. All the trouble’s because of a pretty face.
The Woodcutter Sage stood up, summoned the Black Tiger God, and handed him a thick stack of blueprints. “Take these to the Everpeace Capital and deliver them to the Emperor.”
The Black Tiger God accepted the order and roared off.
The Woodcutter Sage glanced at Quinn. “A pretty face is trouble, no doubt. He’s too handsome—lots of women like him. You should be careful too.”
Quinn secretly rejoiced, “So I’m handsome too…”