Ch 78: The Malevolent Monster Just Wants To Farm

The Cowherd turned toward the sound and only then noticed that at some point, the grassland ahead had become covered in blooming flowers.

In the vast sea of flowers, he could vaguely see several celestial maidens in colorful, flowing robes.

Several kites floated delicately in the sky, and the Cowherd found them interesting, thinking to himself that he should make a kite next time and fly it for fun.

He sat up straight on the back of his old companion, the yellow ox, and gently patted its back. “Old Yellow, let’s head back. They’re flying kites; we shouldn’t disturb them.”

He was well aware of his status in the Heavenly Court.

Whoever took pity on his filial piety must have been a powerful deity, someone who could transform this lowly mortal into a god with just a single thought.

But he didn’t have time to dwell on it. After ascending to heaven, the Cowherd was assigned to the vast and desolate grasslands of the Third Heaven, where his job was to tend to cattle.

While others might find such a life unbearable, the Cowherd, who was used to hardship, saw these “dull and monotonous” days as the true life of an immortal.

Moreover, the Central Heavenly Court’s rules for immortals were not strict, and he occasionally had a day or two of rest to visit the mortal realm.

A day or two was more than enough time to have some fun on earth.

These colorful and beautiful celestial maidens, regardless of their status, were certainly more powerful than a mere cowherd like him.

The Cowherd looked at the cattle behind him, not wanting to disturb these important figures, and immediately urged the yellow ox to turn back.

The yellow ox, understanding his intentions, let out a low moo and slowly turned around.

The rest of the cattle followed suit, mooing as they went.

Such a large commotion naturally did not go unnoticed by the celestial maidens.

Zhinü glanced in their direction, and her heart skipped a beat.

Could it really be such a coincidence?

She kept her composure, watching as the cattle turned back, clearly not intending to come over.

But the Celestial Maiden of Hundred Flowers, who had never seen cattle herding before, was intrigued.

“Look at all those cows! Let’s go take a look!”

The Cowherd heard a clear, melodious voice calling out to him from behind. “Little cowherd up ahead, stop right there!”

He patted the yellow ox and jumped down from its back.

In an instant, a group of five or six beautiful celestial maidens descended before him, and the Cowherd was momentarily dazzled.

Not daring to look too closely, he lowered his gaze and asked, “What can I do for you, fairies?”

The Celestial Maiden of Hundred Flowers clapped her hands and laughed. “Oh, nothing in particular. We just thought it was interesting to see so many cows and wanted to take a closer look.”

As she spoke, she turned and called out, “Zhinü, why aren’t you coming over?”

The Cowherd instinctively followed her gaze and saw a graceful celestial maiden in a luxurious gown. He couldn’t make out her features clearly.

The Cowherd was certain he had never seen this maiden before.

But the sight of her made his heart tighten.

Hearing her companion’s call, the maiden seemed to hesitate for a moment before slowly walking over.

As her features became clearer, the Cowherd stared at her, feeling a strange sense of familiarity, coupled with an inexplicable sorrow and guilt.

“You, little cowherd,” the Celestial Maiden of Hundred Flowers said with a mix of amusement and dissatisfaction, “are you so mesmerized by my sister Zhinü? What, are the rest of us not as beautiful?”

The Celestial Maiden of Hundred Flowers was known as one of the great beauties of the Heavenly Court, and her words made the Cowherd’s face flush red.

He quickly lowered his head and stammered, “You must be joking, fairy. I’ve never seen so many fairies before, and I was momentarily rude. Please forgive me.”

He silently laughed at himself, thinking, These are high and mighty fairies; why should I, a lowly cowherd, feel any sorrow?

The Celestial Maiden of Hundred Flowers, being playful, picked out a few strong and handsome oxen and insisted on riding one to experience the thrill.

The other celestial maidens found it amusing and followed suit.

Only Zhinü remained standing still.

The Cowherd looked curiously at the maiden and cautiously asked, “Aren’t you going to give it a try, fairy?”

Zhinü stood quietly in place, shaking her head. “I don’t want to.”

Her expression was calm, and her tone was light, giving her an air of aloofness that made her difficult to approach.

The Cowherd didn’t dare to say much, nor did he really want to, so the two of them just stood there in silence.

It wasn’t long before the Celestial Maiden of Hundred Flowers grew bored. She came over, grumbling about how the ox’s back wasn’t comfortable or smooth, how the smell was unpleasant, and how the oxen weren’t as good-looking as she had imagined.

The Cowherd quietly listened, thinking to himself, Of course, you’re riding an ordinary cow; with your standards, you’d need to ride a palace to be satisfied.

Zhinü also found it amusing. “You had that coming. With all the beautiful treasures you have, you still insisted on trying out the back of a cow.”

The Celestial Maiden of Hundred Flowers smiled sweetly, “It’s just because it’s something new.”

She was in a good mood and handed the Cowherd a bottle of fragrant flower dew. “Consider this a thank-you gift for letting us borrow the cows.”

One of the other celestial maidens teased, “Aren’t you going to thank Sister Hundred Flowers? This is a good item. Just add a drop to your water, and it will be very beneficial for you.”

The Cowherd didn’t refuse, expressing his thanks.

Leaning against the yellow ox, he watched the group of beautiful, noble celestial maidens as they left.

He couldn’t help but glance at the slender figure on the far left, frowning slightly as he murmured to himself, “Cowherd, what are you looking at? Acting like you’re sick or something.”

The yellow ox, hearing this, lowered its head and looked at him with its gentle eyes, nuzzling his face softly.

The Cowherd immediately forgot those fleeting thoughts, hugging his loyal companion affectionately as he laughed, “Old Yellow, did you hear? I got something good today. Later, I’ll add a drop to some water and give you a bowl too.”

“Moo—”

“Let’s head back.”

“Moo—”

After walking for a while, as they neared the Milky Way, Zhinü suddenly turned to look back.

The endless grassland stretched out before her, with only a few small black dots visible in the far distance.

Those were the Cowherd and his cattle, and soon even those small black dots would disappear from sight.

“What are you looking at?” the Celestial Maiden of Hundred Flowers asked her.

Zhinü shook her head and smiled, a sense of relief washing over her. “I just thought that this place is actually quite beautiful.”

The Celestial Maiden of Hundred Flowers nodded. “Indeed, it’s a bit empty, but it does put you in a good mood.”

Noticing Zhinü still looking back, she added, “It’s not a forbidden area. If you like it, we can come here often.”

Zhinü turned away, shaking her head. “If we come too often, it will lose its charm.”

The Celestial Maiden of Hundred Flowers thought about it and agreed, saying, “Then let’s come whenever you feel like it.”

“Alright.”

This visit to the western side of the Milky Way had included a chance encounter with the Cowherd. Though Zhinü appeared calm, she was still a bit uneasy.

The dream had left a lingering shadow in her heart.

For months, she stayed quietly in her palace, afraid she might suddenly receive a decree from the Heavenly Emperor.

But thankfully, nothing happened.

Zhinü finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling completely at ease.

She thought to herself, At last, I’ve finally, completely distanced myself from that nightmare.

Little did she know, she was celebrating too early.

When Jiang Lin received the message from the Heavenly Emperor’s messenger, the treasured lotus flower he had been nurturing had already grown to a height of a person.

Three silver plate-like leaves, translucent and crystal clear, surrounded a small, delicate flower bud in the center.

It was exquisite, fragile, and beautiful.

“The Heavenly Emperor wants to see me?” Jiang Lin was puzzled. “Since when does he have the time to think about an insignificant little immortal like me?”

He stood up, casually wiped his hands, and went to greet the messenger.

The messenger smiled warmly. “Immortal Lord, please come with me to meet His Majesty.”

Jiang Lin replied, “Alright.”

As they were about to leave, the messenger asked, “Is Lord Zong Yu not here?”

Jiang Lin shook his head. “He went out, but based on the time, he should be back soon. If you have business with him and it’s not urgent, you can wait a moment.”

The messenger, however, shook his head. “His Majesty wishes to see you, Immortal Lord. Since Lord Zong Yu isn’t here, we shouldn’t delay any longer.”

Jiang Lin felt that something was off.

It wasn’t that he underestimated himself, but in the eyes of the Heavenly Emperor, he was probably just an ordinary immortal tasked with “looking after” Taotie.

What could be important enough to summon him personally?

He couldn’t think of anything.

Remaining calm, he followed the messenger to the Heavenly Emperor’s palace.

To his surprise, Zhinü was also there.

“Immortal Lord?” Zhinü looked at him with surprise, instinctively smiling. “You’re here too.”

Jiang Lin nodded. “His Majesty summoned me.”

The next moment, footsteps echoed behind them. The Heavenly Emperor, followed by several attendants, entered from outside.

He seemed to be in a good mood, glancing at Zhinü and Jiang Lin before giving an order, “Sit.”

Jiang Lin and Zhinü sat down.

After asking a few casual questions, the Heavenly Emperor took a sip of tea.

Jiang Lin knew that the main matter was about to be addressed.

He couldn’t imagine what issue required both him and Zhinü to resolve together.

The Heavenly Emperor smiled and asked Zhinü, “I heard that you and the Immortal Lord have been friends for thousands of years and share a good relationship?”

Zhinü was eager to highlight her friendships in front of the Heavenly Emperor, so she quickly responded, “Yes, the Immortal Lord has helped me greatly over the years. He is a dear friend and mentor.”

The Heavenly Emperor, hearing this, looked at Jiang Lin with apparent satisfaction.

Jiang Lin’s heart skipped a beat as a sense of impending doom grew stronger.

He noticed the Heavenly Emperor’s scrutinizing gaze linger on him, seemingly pleased with what he saw.

The Heavenly Emperor then smiled and said, “I’ve heard from others that that boy Zong Yu, who is generally aloof with everyone, seems to have taken a liking to you. This suggests that you must have a commendable character.”

Jiang Lin responded modestly, “Your Majesty flatters me.”

But the Heavenly Emperor replied, “If I say you’re good, then you are.”

Without further preamble, he stated his intention: “Zhinü is my daughter, noble in status, beautiful and gentle. You are a Great Immortal, with a status and appearance that would not disgrace her. I intend to bestow a marriage between the two of you…”

Zhinü was shocked, instinctively looking at Jiang Lin.

Jiang Lin immediately frowned and decisively interrupted the Heavenly Emperor, “No!”

The Heavenly Emperor was taken aback. It had been many years since any god or immortal had dared to speak to him in such a manner, especially a minor Immortal Lord like Jiang Lin.

His face darkened. “Immortal Lord Jiang, what did you just say?”

Zhinü, terrified, quickly stood up and knelt, her face pale with fear. “Father, please don’t be angry. Don’t blame the Immortal Lord.”

But Jiang Lin calmly looked at the Heavenly Emperor and said, “Zhinü and I are friends. We share only a bond of friendship, with no romantic feelings between us. I ask Your Majesty to dismiss this thought.”

The Heavenly Emperor was furious. “What nonsense about romantic feelings and friendship! If I say you’re a perfect match, then you are a perfect match.”

Jiang Lin now understood why, in the original story, Zhinü ended up marrying the Cowherd.

This Heavenly Emperor didn’t care at all about what the people involved wanted.

He calmly responded, “I am unwilling.”

“Ungrateful!” the Heavenly Emperor snorted coldly. “It’s not up to you to decide whether you agree or not!”