ADAPTED FROM BAI LU CHENG SHUANG'S LOVE IN THE CLOUDS
THRONED IN STARS
As long as Your Highness doesn't ask where I and my spiritual veins came from,
I'll fight for you in the Qingyun Tournament.
However, I have a condition.
If I defeat Ming Xian of Yaoguang Mountain,
I request Your Highness clear my name
and make me an Immortal.
And if you lose?
If I fail to defeat Ming Xian in the Qingyun Tournament,
you may have me executed at once.
Let my primordial spirit shatter and my soul scatter across the Six Realms.
BENEVOLENCE, KINDNESS WISDOM AND PROPRIETY
Tianji…
Father,
everything will get better once I marry Ji Bozai.
ZIWEI HALL
Your Highness.
I did not permit you to rise.
Should Your Highness wish to vent your anger on me,
I shan't refuse.
You've had to work hard, serving my uncle so faithfully,
just to earn a physician's title.
Otherwise, where would you be crawling for scraps now?
Did I give you leave to rise?
Since you became Father's physician,
his periods of unconsciousness have gotten longer.
Tell me what you're plotting.
Turn Father into a puppet,
then kill me?
Your Highness is imagining too much.
His Majesty is chronically ill. Sleep helps him heal.
You always wear that false face.
It's disgusting.
But thanks to you,
I can see Ji Bozai's worth all the more clearly.
Making him my consort couldn't be more fitting.
If Your Highness has time to exchange arguments with me here,
you might as well…
Your Highness would do better to investigate your consort candidate.
What do you mean?
It appears Your Highness is unaware
of the new mistress of Wugui Sea.
Ji Bozai's womanizing isn't something new.
Is this the best you can do to provoke me?
Your Highness has always had poor judgment in character.
You once fell for me and got deceived.
Now you've set your sights on Ji Bozai.
How sure are you that he's truly trustworthy?
Not everyone's like you,
clawing your way upward at any cost.
I favor Ji Bozai and want to make him my consort,
but he insists on standing on his own strength.
On that point alone,
your character's far beneath his.
Or perhaps he's simply decided that marrying a fallen princess
isn't worth much after all?
I'm grateful you won honor for the Jixing Abyss,
elevating it to the Upper Realms,
and helped secure my seat as Venerable of Shouhua Academy.
But for you and me, that's far from enough.
Should we marry, one day,
you might even rule the Jixing Abyss.
Your Highness, I'm wagering my life on this deal.
If I lose, my primordial spirit will cease to burn.
You can't be so greedy as to demand my freedom too.
I don't want your freedom.
I'm offering you power.
Freedom, I've already got.
Power, you don't yet have.
Why talk as if it were otherwise?
Immortal Ji, you…
Ji Bozai!
Are you angry?
I'm angry on your behalf.
And your marriage to him is still hanging in the balance.
How do you know he won't side with us?
If he does, you will lose
what little hold you still have
over Shouhua Academy too.
Fairy Ming Yi.
The Venerable of Shouhua Academy has summoned you.
Who… Who are you? How'd you get in here?
Granny Xun!
I've got something to do. I must get going.
What…
What is the meaning of this?
Weren't you taking me to the Venerable? Where is she?
You're looking at her.
The Venerable of Shouhua Academy. Princess Tianji…
Kneel.
Well, I can't exactly kneel right now.
Your Highness, why did you have me brought here?
Ming Yi, yes?
Yes.
I order you to leave Ji Bozai.
If you walk away from him, all these treasures will be yours.
I'll even give you 1,000 taels of Blessed Rain.
What do you say?
Well…
What reason do you have to hesitate? Think carefully.
Leave the Jixing Abyss and you'll get all this at once.
Ji Bozai's tangled web of romantic debts…
Or maybe there's something else you desire?
I'll arrange it all for you.
I want
the Golden Millet Dream, but you can't give me that.
If you insist on staying with Ji Bozai,
then you'll die here today.
I'm not one for bloodshed,
but Ji Bozai treats you far too specially.
I can't let you live.
Your Highness, there's no need for this.
I'm sure we can come to an agreement on the terms for me to leave Ji Bozai.
That's what you expect me to say, right?
It's true that a man's worth pales in comparison
to this sea of riches or even my own life.
But ever since Ji Bozai rescued me
from that hellish Moonlit Blossoms,
I've fallen hopelessly in love with him.
I'm deeply in love with him. I'd die for him.
Then so be it.
You can die for all I care!
That'll save me some trouble too. Xiuyun.
Do it.
First time, huh? Don't tremble.
Go ahead.
Brat, I saw you! Save me!
Ji Bozai!
Your Highness, why scare her?
Lord Ji…
Fear not.
Princess Tianji.
Even you shouldn't make things difficult for my woman.
I ask Your Highness not to tear us apart.
So, you've decided to stand by her?
Princess Tianji.
What lies between us is only a fair deal, nothing more.
I've already made that clear.
But if my father insists on granting you and me in marriage,
will you defy the decree?
His Majesty's been in a deep sleep for years.
Lord Hanfeng's influence is at its peak.
These days, the entire Jixing Palace likely regards him as their true ruler.
I may be no more than a newcomer, but I've risen fast.
A fallen princess and a rising power.
Do you think Lord Hanfeng will let you get your hands on that decree?
Ji Bozai, don't forget it was me who freed you from the prisoner's brand.
Yes, you did me a great kindness.
But I won't repay it with marriage.
For you, a warrior who can win the Qingyun Tournament
means far more than any consort, doesn't it?
Of course.
I ask that you lend me your strength.
I'll be taking her with me.
And remember this, Your Highness.
If anyone dares to harm my Ming Yi again,
even if it's the Emperor himself,
I'll kill whoever does.
Your Highness! How could he speak to you like that!
It doesn't matter how he treats me or what he feels.
What matters is that for now, he hasn't joined my uncle's faction.
That's enough for me.
Immortal.
All the ladies on duty today are here.
Who would you like to perform for you?
Which of you is Ji Bozai's favored?
Is he looking for Immortal Ji's favored lady?
-That's me. -It's me.
-No, I am the one. -You're not. I am.
You're wrong. It's me.
-I am. -No, I am.
I am the real one.
No, I am.
They say once, two immortals chased a fairy through Moonlit Blossoms.
Ji Bozai stepped in and claimed she was his.
-Who? -I don't know who that is.
If any of you can identify that fairy,
these treasures are yours.
I really can't be sure.
Every fairy here admires Immortal Ji.
He has made far too many companions.
You must have already asked
the owner of Moonlit Blossoms when you arrived.
If she doesn't know,
how could we?
-That's right. -How would we know?
-We have no idea. -We don't know.
-I have no idea. -Me too.
No idea indeed.
Sir?
-When did he leave? -Where did he go?
-Where is he? -He's gone.
-In the blink of an eye. -How?
DUAL CULTIVATION MANUAL
Seriously? Is this the sort of stuff you read?
Well, if I want to deal with that philanderer,
I need the right medicine.
Then, why don't you just slip him a drug?
I'd love to, but he's too cautious.
He never eats food from others.
All right. Enough teasing.
How have you been?
How's that waist injury of yours?
How's the medicine I gave you?
What do you think? Impressive, right?
As expected of you, Zhang Tai.
What's wrong? Why aren't you getting back up?
Help…
I'm stuck…
Are you serious?
Ow…
Bear with it. You've only yourself to blame for showing off.
Well, I thought I was all better…
There's something you should know.
Yesterday, a guest came by.
He wasn't there for entertainment or pleasure.
Rather, he inquired about the incident
when you were pursued by those two immortals.
What did he look like?
Tall, handsome, thin.
That isn't helpful. I didn't even see him, all right?
He hid behind a screen.
He obviously had ill intentions, so I covered for you.
Thanks.
He was so secretive.
You don't think he's a warrior, do you?
He must be.
A warrior who trespasses into another realm
and gets caught is as good as dead.
Rub here for me again.
-What's wrong? -Nothing.
He didn't touch a drop of wine that day,
but he did take a bite of a chestnut cake.
Chestnut cake…
It's that idiot.
I'm heading back!
They make a fine pair.
You didn't have to send her off with me.
Well, she's a friend of the mistress of Wugui Sea.
It was her first visit. I can at least observe that courtesy.
As expected of the man of the household.
Today has been good.
What makes today good?
Um…
The weather. The weather's good.
Good? It looks like it's about to pour.
I'd say thunder's on the way too.
I'll play along until the worm works its magic.
Lord Ji! Whatever did you mean?
JUDGMENT HALL
SITU LING, CHIEF OF THE JUDGMENT HALL OF THE JIXING ABYSS
Congratulations to Immortal Situ Ling,
newly appointed Chief of the Judgment Hall of the Jixing Abyss.
May you bring forth clarity and righteous fairness.
May His Majesty's blessing and the stars eternal be with you.
Situ, you're finally here.
I've been acting as head of the Judgment Hall for months,
and I'm exhausted.
From this point forward, it's under your charge.
This tea's bitter.
I received your letter and hurried here as fast as I could.
I'm ready to share your burdens, Lord Hanfeng.
Situ, your talent is unmatched.
You were first among all the candidates in the realms.
Here.
With you as Chief of Judgment Hall, you'll be a great help to me…
to the Jixing Abyss.
Hou Zhao's been missing since the Qingyun Tournament.
I've confirmed he was in close contact with the warden of the Sunken Abyss.
Perhaps his disappearance's linked to the Sunken Abyss.
A proper investigation is needed.
Your chamber's been prepared.
You should get some rest.
You'll have as many men as you require at your disposal.
Now, a toast to you…
Thank you, Lord Hanfeng. I'll take my leave.
That was so bitter.
What tea's this bitter?
Back to work for me…
It's misery piled on misery…
My Lord.
Hou Zhao vanished right after Ji Bozai's victory.
We never once considered the connection between the two matters.
I was short-sighted.
I was fixated on winning him over,
getting him to hand over the Golden Millet Dream of his own accord.
I forgot that if he holds the Golden Millet Dream,
his ties to Bo Yulan must run deep.
With Situ Ling's arrival and Your Lordship's impending retirement,
a banquet is in order.
Why not invite Ji Bozai tomorrow and test him?
If Ji Bozai is involved with Bo Yulan,
then he mustn't be kept alive.
You didn't have to come tonight.
How could I skip Lord Hanfeng's banquet?
My point is, since the former chief went missing,
Mu Qibai's been managing the Judgment Hall.
Today's only a farewell banquet.
You only share this with me after I'm already on board.
I'd have thought
you were warning me in case something happened.
Who's the new Chief of the Judgment Hall?
They say his name's Situ Ling.
What's he like?
I haven't seen him either.
Heard he's just a sly fox.
He was expected at tonight's farewell,
but suddenly declined, claiming he was too tired from work
to drink or indulge in pleasure,
so he excused himself.
You should've used that excuse too.
I'm not going to miss it.
Things that must be faced should be faced.
I get it.
You're worried Lord Hanfeng will foist someone on you.
-That's why you brought me along. -Yes.
I prefer not to have others push people onto me.
I like to make my own choices.
Lord Ji, the night Lord Hanfeng came to Wugui Sea,
I accidentally knocked over a box in your room.
A broken iron fan fell out.
I wondered why you'd keep such a thing.
Could it be some fairy left it with you?
That was Ming Xian's weapon.
Then, why'd you keep it?
Ming Xian was defeated, and you wanted to keep it as a prize?
He really is,
as the rumors claim, an incredibly gifted warrior.
At one point, I thought he might even defeat me.
But for some reason,
his spiritual power seemed to fail all at once.
I could hardly draw back my own power then and almost killed him.
Luckily, his weapon saved him.
I kept it.
I thought I'd return it if we met
on the battlefield again.
What brought this up?
Pretend you didn't hear what I said.
He didn't sound like he was lying.
Could he not be the one who poisoned me with Heavenly Grief?
If it wasn't him, then…
who would've done it?
We've arrived.
-Here. -This is… for you, Ji.
See? Someone's watching over me now.
Ming Yi won't let me drink.
Ming Yi, how about you drink this cup for me?
I can't possibly let Immortal Yan toast me.
I should be the one to toast Immortal Yan.
I've never seen you consume anything while you're outside, Ji.
Why's that?
Nonsense.
He eats like a pig at Moonlit Blossoms every time.
Look at him…
Work with me here.
Lord Hanfeng has arrived.
Greetings, Lord Hanfeng.
Spare me the formality.
Haven't I said before?
From now on, you should all follow Bozai's example.
Well? Put those arms down.
Put them down.
Today, I had a room cleared for our new chief.
Guess what we found.
In Hou Zhao's old quarters,
we found a portrait of a beauty.
What an exquisitely painted beauty.
Might she be Hou Zhao's lover?
Hou Zhao's gone missing.
Could he have eloped with this fairy?
Everyone, take a good look.
Does anyone recognize the fairy in the painting?
What magic was used to paint this portrait?
She even moves.
To be captured by such a rare technique, she must be special.
Ji, you're acquainted with fairies from every realm.
Take a good look.
Do you know her?
Even if I used to be close to many fairies,
that's all in the past.
Now, my heart holds only Ming Yi.
Now that Ji's settled down, even he's afraid of his beloved.
The fairy in the portrait looks like someone you would favor.
Ji, are you sure you don't recognize her?
Maybe you should take a closer look.
Immortal Ji claims he doesn't know her.
Let me take a look.
This fairy's quite voluptuous.
Let me see too.
With lips like cherries,
it wouldn't be a waste to have a taste.
Such a divine technique that allows the fairy in the portrait to move.
If it could switch poses,
wouldn't that be even better?
A man's mind holds vast valleys and flowing rivers.
A beauty's smile topples cities.
In moonlight, neck to neck, intertwined.
Longing stirs…
-Immortal Sun! -Are you all right?
If you can't handle your liquor, don't drink so much.
Who threw that cup?
You did it.
You did that on purpose! What's this?
Now that you feel protected, you're getting a bit too bold, huh?
Get up!
-You… -What…
Immortal Ji.
Both you and Sun Liao fought in the Qingyun Tournament.
This is excessive.
How'd it go from me eating a piece of melon to you two fighting?
Enough.
Immortal Ji, are you this angry
for the beauty by your side or for the fairy in the portrait?
Lord Hanfeng, it's all my fault.
I knocked the cup over
and embarrassed Immortal Sun Liao.
Lord Ji has no fault to bear.
I ruined everyone's mood.
Please punish me instead.
Get up.
You've done nothing wrong. There's no reason for you to kneel.
Lord Hanfeng, you're mistaken.
What I did just now was to protect the one I love.
Should you find your true love one day, you'll understand.
We won't be staying in this dull place crawling with scoundrels.
-Farewell. -I…
I did that on purpose.
I know.
Did I cause you trouble?
Lord Ji…
Don't move.
Don't worry about them.
After I take you back, I still have business to handle.
You should get some rest.
He's rather good at this.
Ming Yi! Stop spacing out.
The worm reacted.
Perfect. Ji Bozai's away too. Let's go!
This is where the pavilion in the back mountain used to be.
The pavilion? The one you burned?
Burned it so thoroughly, not a trace is left.
Why did it bring us here?
Nothing's happening.
That's enough. Let me do it.
A familiar sensation…
Ji Bozai hid the Spirit Well here.
The Spirit Well? Impossible.
His power's even stronger than I thought.
He's already reached the point
where he can turn the Spirit Well into a real location.
He's picked himself one heck of a treasure vault.
And I've already burned the place.
Yet Ji Bozai didn't even mention it?
Guess he thinks we're suspicious and doesn't want to tip his hand early.
Wait. What do you mean he hasn't said anything?
Didn't he send me away?
If it wasn't for my quick thinking,
who would've cleaned up this mess for you!
Oh… So, this is the Spirit…
This is the Spirit Well, huh?
Twenty-Seven, you've learned to change the subject.
Just you wait.
The worm sensed it. That means the Golden Millet Dream's here.
What to do?
None but the one who shares Ji Bozai's divine consciousness
can enter his Spirit Well.
But you're Ming Xian.
You're literally the least likely person
in the Six Realms to share divine consciousness with Ji Bozai.
Ming Xian can't do it.
But right now, you're Ming Yi,
the fairy Ji Bozai took from Moonlit Blossoms.
What are you getting at?
Rules of the Six Realms.
When you wed, you have to form a heart imprint
through the Marriage Stone.
After that, you can share divine consciousness.
You…
You don't say.
That's a shortcut, huh?
Right?
Sounds easy enough.
No fighting, no sparring, simple as that.
You just have to marry him.
-Just marry him… -Easy.
-It should be a piece of cake for you… -Hold on.
What about a separation?
I have to go back to Yaoguang Mountain. Is it a hassle to get a separation?
Easy.
Trust me.
When the time comes, you just agree to erase each other's names.
All right. Let's do that.
When did you learn all this?
Ji Bozai doesn't look like someone who'd marry you.
You've got a long road ahead.
It was hard enough just getting him to take me back to Wugui Sea.
He wouldn't even marry a princess.
How am I going to get him to marry me?
Immortal Ji, are you this angry for the beauty by your side
or for the fairy in the portrait?
At the banquet, Mu Qibai took out a portrait.
Ji Bozai actually seemed to care.
If I help him out, maybe his affection for me will…
What are you trying to say?
Story time.
"Chapter 13, Ming Yi breaking into Judgment Hall."
-Come on! -Wait!
Hands off.
There's an array.
You think the Judgment Hall's just a place you can stroll into?
The array barrier activates at night.
It'll definitely make a petal fall off your Grief Blossom.
It's not worth it for a portrait.
Since Zhang Tai already brought it up,
Ming Xin probably followed me into the Jixing Abyss.
My movements can't stay hidden forever.
We might as well make sure he doesn't come for nothing.
Let's give him a surprise.
If he's here, why aren't we running?
We can't hide forever, but at least we can hide for a while.
Do you think I have that much time left?
-Even so… -"Chapter 14,
Ming Yi Takes Risks for Wealth."
-Come on! -But…
What do you mean Ming Yi takes risks for wealth!
You're living the wealthy part!
I'm the one risking my neck!
Running here, running there, burning this, burning that…
You're the one enjoying the rewards…
Don't miss out!
The Search Mirror makes no mistakes.
Ming Xian must be in the Jixing Abyss.
But I can't stay here long.
If my identity's exposed, it'll be a disaster.
-Come and have a look! -Come!
Come and see!
That looks nice.
Indeed!
Feel free to take a look.
Move!
-Come and see! -Stop!
-Come! -Good evening!
Your Lordship, let me go to Judgment Hall.
If Mu Qibai's set a trap, it's better I get caught
than risk exposing your connection to the Golden Millet Dream.
The fact he brought out my master's portrait already proves
he's figured it out.
If I can't even save one portrait,
then there was no point in my clawing my way out of the Sunken Abyss.
I might as well have stayed there forever as a prisoner.
But it's my duty to protect you.
Braving all dangers is what I'm supposed to do in your stead.
If something happens to me, it's nothing.
But if something happens to you, who else can hold things together?
-Let me go. -You're talking too much.
This isn't like you.
Stop worrying.
His petty tricks won't do anything to me.
JUDGMENT HALL
THE SEA STANDS TALL WITH HANGING CLOUDS
Lord Ji, it's me.
What are you doing here?
I'm here for you.
Heaven has blessed me.
Letting him see this chapter 13 with his own eyes will be easier
than me trying to explain.
That portrait at the banquet meant a lot to you, didn't it?
I could tell from one glance.
You see, you took me in.
I ought to do something for you in return, right?
And that's why you're here?
You can't catch a tiger cub without entering the tiger's den.
And how'd you get in?
The Judgment Hall's array barrier
isn't something an ordinary fairy can just stroll through.
I didn't exactly stroll in, but I did come in fair and square.
Fair and square?
You know me.
You're the one who took me from Moonlit Blossoms.
All I had to do was… Sir…
Sir, oh, sir…
There's a wall in the hidden hall
my father repaired ten years ago.
My mother and I used to come here to keep him company.
But I was such a brat back then.
I grabbed both their hands and pressed them into the wall.
Now, there's a handprint of all three of us.
Today's the anniversary of their deaths.
I just wanted to come in and see them.
I… I…
And they opened a gap in the array for me, and I came in.
Did that boy do this?
JUDGMENT HALL
Kitten, once you fall into my hands…
Idiot.
Be sure to get out of here fast when that idiot wakes.
I'll get someone to haul him off.
JUDGMENT HALL
How did you even know something was on that wall?
I lied. There's nothing on that wall.
And they believed you?
Well, I added a little performance.
I tugged at my collar just a bit. They couldn't resist my charms…
That's enough. Come on. st a bit. They couldn't resist my charms…