"I heard that a petal has already opened on the Moon Tree's blossom bud."
"Does that count as blooming?"
"I suppose it does. There are already ninety-five immortals present in the High Sky Throne Hall."
"Not just that. I heard thirty-seven frontier generals who couldn't attend have also submitted written endorsements."
"Isn't there anyone speaking up for him?"
"No one."
"What will happen to Marshal Silver?"
"No one knows... Even if he survives, he probably won't keep his marshal's seal."
"What a pity."
The crowd murmured in low voices.
In the corridor, Nisha Song passed among the other celestial maidens, moving like a soulless shell.
"Why must he be so foolish, why must he be so foolish..."
She kept murmuring this phrase, her voice so faint it was like a dream.
She extended her hand. In her palm lay a plain, uncarved piece of jade—the one he gave her when they first met.
A thousand years had passed, but he never knew she still kept it.
Back then, he was just a new recruit in the mortal army, while she was already a renowned songstress. After her performance, he squeezed backstage, blushing and stammering, "Your singing is beautiful. This... is my family's only heirloom. I have nothing else, so I give this to you—as a token of betrothal."
He said he would win glory and rewards, then marry her.
Everyone laughed, even she did, thinking it was just a joke. But at fifteen, he puffed out his cheeks and stubbornly declared he would make it happen.
After that, he fought bravely in battles across the land.
But his opponents were too strong—demons or cultivators. Helpless, he secretly trained as an immortal, learning the Traveler's Path.
During the Investiture of the Gods war, he survived nine deaths and earned great military merit. Yet, because he was not a disciple of either the Chan or Jie sect, and lacked a renowned master, his name would never appear on the Investiture list.
She, on the other hand, was granted an Elixir of Immortality and ascended to Heaven as a celestial songstress, thanks to her extraordinary singing and dancing.
On the day she left the mortal world, he held her hand and wept uncontrollably.
He said, "I will come find you! Wait for me!"
She, too, thought it was just a playful promise.
But he truly did come.
After fifty years apart—just fifty days in Heaven—he fought demon kings, achieved legendary feats, and became one of the first exceptions promoted to Heaven after the Investiture war, joining as a junior general.
At that time, he did not yet know that immortals must not be tainted by mortal passions.
At the Grand Peach Banquet, she danced with breathtaking grace, while he had no seat and could only pretend to be on patrol outside, stealing glances—yet he watched, utterly entranced.
Afterwards, he secretly said to her, "One day, when you dance, I will sit and watch."
She smiled sweetly, and for the first time, her heart felt truly warm.
"What is it? You don’t believe me?"
"No, I believe you. Anything you say, I believe." In that moment, she truly fell for him, and a new blossom bud quietly sprouted on the Moon Tree.
When immortals fall in love, if both are celestial, Heaven will only punish the one with the higher rank.
And her rank was clearly higher than his.
So she was demoted. She accepted it without complaint, but he could not accept it.
At that time, he was transferred to the Celestial River Fleet as a junior officer.
The Celestial River is Heaven's inner river, and the Celestial River Fleet was just a garrison force of fewer than a thousand.
"As long as my rank is higher than yours, you won’t be the one demoted!" he declared.
From then on, he set foot on a path of no return.