Chapter 139: Stealing and Swapping Pillars

Despite Bai Ruo's earnest pleas, this matter was not hers alone to decide.

After sighing, Ji Yuan immediately felt how thorny the situation was.

"First, get up and stabilize your turbulent vital energy. Let me think about this matter."

Seeing her still kneeling, Ji Yuan intentionally made his voice a little colder.

"What, if I don't help you, you won't get up?"

The change in the Immortal Master's voice indeed made Bai Ruo dare not be presumptuous. She quickly stood up, not daring to step out of the circle formed by the three "conceal" characters. She sat down right there to stabilize her elemental essence, control her demonic energy, and re-stabilize her severed tail, which had just reconnected to her main body.

Although the tail had been separated by demonic magic rather than a destructive break, prolonged instability could turn it into a genuine severed-tail injury.

For Bai Ruo, this was a state of anxious expectation, but for Ji Yuan, it felt like all the troublesome affairs had ultimately fallen upon him.

This was the consequence of meddling, yet if given the chance to choose again, he would most likely still intervene. Ji Yuan only regretted being too late to help; it would have been great if he could have arrived ten or even five years earlier. But this was a hypothetical, not to mention that time couldn't be reversed, and he hadn't even arrived in this world then.

Ji Yuan would absolutely not take the White Deer Maiden directly to the City God Temple. Bai Ruo had just caused chaos in the Underworld, and for Ji Yuan to lead her there now would be inviting trouble.

To be fair, even clay idols have a bit of temper, let alone the deity of the Great Zhen capital. While a direct confrontation was unlikely, it would certainly cause an awkward situation.

Deep in thought, Ji Yuan's brows furrowed. He was not only considering Bai Ruo's request but also how to resolve the situation amicably.

In Ji Yuan's heart, a demon like Bai Ruo, who had developed true emotions, had subtly changed her view of sentient beings from that of an ordinary demon. Ji Yuan, in fact, hoped she could achieve enlightenment.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Ji Yuan. He looked at the White Deer Maiden, who was carefully and slowly absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy.

"Even if you go to the Underworld, the City God of the Capital Prefecture might not truly grant your wish. My influence is not worth much either. To sacrifice your cultivation for this is too risky and not worth it."

Bai Ruo listened to Ji Yuan's words, her face full of sorrow, unable to speak. But Ji Yuan's words suggested a turning point.

"Your idea certainly won't work, but I have another clever plan. Perhaps I can get you into the Underworld to see Zhou Niansheng, and maybe even stay with him for a period before coming out!"

Such a method exists?

Bai Ruo was stunned, finding it hard to believe.

"Immortal Master... can such a method truly exist?"

"Of course, but it will truly require Miss Bai Ruo to humble herself and act like a mere beast, a horse or an ox, for a while. And yes, we'll need to concoct a story to erase your 'demon' identity!"

Saying this, Ji Yuan smiled at her.

"It's fortunate that you managed to keep your composure throughout and never revealed your true form before the deities."

"I was afraid of being registered by the Judge..."

Bai Ruo hesitated before answering. Though completely bewildered, seeing Ji Yuan's serious expression, a faint hope began to stir within her.

Two nights later, around the cusp of the third and fourth watches (approx. 3 AM), near the City West Earth God Temple, a night watchman passed by, tapping his clapper.

The clapper's rhythm was one slow beat followed by three quick ones.

"Dong... dong, dong, dong."

The watchman called out, "It's freezing cold!"

"Dong... dong, dong, dong."

"It's freezing cold!"

After a few rounds of shouting, the watchman rubbed his arms and quickly walked on, his lantern swaying slightly with the motion of his arms.

"Hiss... Hmph... It's really cold today. Better finish my rounds and go back to sleep!"

About a quarter of an hour after the watchman passed, a clear sound of hooves echoed from outside the quiet Earth God Temple.

The sound was similar to a horse's hooves hitting the ground, yet it was different, more ethereal and resonant.

A giant deer, as sturdy as a strong horse, walked along the city road. This deer had no antlers and was entirely pure white, its fur gently stirring in the cold wind, emitting a faint, pearly-white glow. Its deer tail occasionally swayed with the rhythm of its steps.

Ji Yuan held 'The Treatise on Control', with his immortal sword on his back, sitting sideways on the deer's back, engrossed in reading the book. As the white deer moved, Ji Yuan's body occasionally swayed, whether from the content of the book or the gentle jolting of the deer's steps was unclear.

A moment later, the white deer walked step by step to the outer garden gate of the Earth God Temple.

At this hour, there were certainly no pilgrims. The temple keeper and workers had long been asleep, and the temple gate was naturally tightly shut.

The moment the white deer stopped before the temple gate, Ji Yuan put down the book, dismounted, held the book, cupped his hands, and bowed towards the Earth God Temple.

"I am Ji Yuan, a wandering cultivator, come to pay my respects to the Earth God of the Capital Prefecture. I hope the Earth God will manifest to meet me!"

The ethereal voice slowly permeated the ground. After about four or five breaths, fine dust swirled up from the ground with a gentle breeze, and a man of imposing stature and robust build, clad in brocade robes, appeared before Ji Yuan.

The newcomer held a large vine staff. His beard was dark blue and curly, and even without a hat, he seemed a head taller than Ji Yuan. From the dark blue color of his eyes, it was clear he was no ordinary ghost or deity, but a true spiritual being of mountains and rivers who also received incense offerings.

'My goodness... his appearance is quite different from the typical image of an Earth God...'

It was Ji Yuan's first time seeing the Capital Prefecture Earth God with his own eyes, and the visual impact was immense.

The Earth God was also observing Ji Yuan. The man was dressed plainly, with a black hairpin in his hair, showing no signs of powerful magic or divine light, yet his cultivation was undoubtedly profound. His ancient, serene eyes were as still as a deep well, as if they could see through ages. Even his mount, the white deer, was extraordinary, emanating a subtle spiritual aura.

Seeing Ji Yuan still maintaining his bow, the Earth God returned the greeting.

"May I ask why this fellow cultivator seeks me?"

Ji Yuan looked apologetic, glanced back at the white deer, and then replied to the Earth God.

"Ji also comes to apologize to the Earth God. This matter is a long story. May I ask if we could find a secluded place within the temple for me to explain it slowly?"

The Earth God scrutinized them again, then nodded slightly, extending a hand towards the side of the temple wall, where a magical light emanated across the ground.

"Please, let's go to my residence to discuss."

Following the Earth God, they passed through the magical light on the ground and arrived at the Earth God's residence deep within the earth. After a brief moment of wonder at the earth-traveling technique, Ji Yuan began his eloquent persuasion before the Earth God.

Ji Yuan eloquently recounted a story of his mount, a white deer, which had often listened to him read 'Legends of the Otherworld'—specifically, some tragic yet beautiful love stories—and had secretly left his side to seek true love in the mortal realm when he wasn't paying attention.

The story only changed a few minor details, but the general plot remained the same: the human-demon romance was transformed into a human-immortal deer romance, its moving sincerity undiminished, while many of its objectionable aspects were greatly reduced. More critically, this was an immortal deer, and it "had connections" (i.e., Ji Yuan himself).

With varied pacing, Ji Yuan took a full hour to finish recounting this adapted story. During this time, the white deer was visibly moved to tears several times, which the Earth God observed.

"To be honest, I only recently found traces of this white deer. For decades, her cultivation had been neglected, leading to a shallow demonic aura, but her true nature meant she never harmed mortals. Ji could not bear to see the white deer's path to enlightenment cut off, so I used my magic to rescue her when the Earth God was about to intervene. However, now she is deeply longing for her husband..."

Ji Yuan sighed as he detailed the white deer's subsequent request.

The Earth God listened, silent for a long time, looking at the white deer whose tear stains were still visible.

"Alas... so Miss Bai Ruo is willing to be treated as a demon and enter the Underworld to accompany Zhou Niansheng until his underworld lifespan is exhausted, even if it means her soul being refined afterward?"

"Precisely!"

Ji Yuan gave a bitter smile, shaking his head but affirming the statement, then a poem flowed from his lips:

"Beneath the moon, a solitary form longs for connection, envying only mandarin ducks, not immortals. Alas!"

The Earth God, seated in a large root chair in his residence, took a sip of the clear tea on the table.

"I have witnessed countless human affections, but over all these years, few can compare to that of the immortal deer, Bai Ruo. And Master Ji, you wouldn't want the white deer to lose her cultivation path, would you?"

Ji Yuan smiled bitterly.

"If not for that, why would Ji humble himself and come here to make such a plea? The path to enlightenment is rare, and true emotion is equally rare. I hope Earth God can accompany Ji on a trip to the City God Temple. As deities of the same capital city, they should grant the Earth God some respect."

Spirits like the Earth God are connected to mountains and rivers and care deeply for them, treating all beings of nature with more impartiality. They have less prejudice even against demons, let alone an immortal deer in this case.

From the Earth God's repeated sighs and glances towards the white deer, Ji Yuan knew this was a success!

This was quite troublesome to explain. Allow me to recommend a book.

I recommend 'My America' by the esteemed author 'Qingshan Tieshan'. This author is very skilled at writing about classic foreign history, and his works are guaranteed to be excellent unless censored.

"'This is a capitalist country, meaning I have capital, and you don't, so this country is mine! Contact the relevant parties, suppress them! If Rockefeller can do it, why can't I, William Sheffield?' William Sheffield's smile faded as he said coldly, 'Happy America, gunfights every day.'"

The Gilded Age, 1895.