"Alright, then, Senior Brother, can you tell me… what are the benefits of following Master?" Shi Yi asked, his face full of curiosity.
"Our celestial position requires a wife. That wife can be sought in the mortal realm, but she must be a woman with celestial affinity. Without it, it's impossible. Even a demon is acceptable, provided she is a benevolent one," the green-robed man explained carefully.
"You mean, we can get married?" Shi Yi exclaimed excitedly.
"Yes," the green-robed man nodded.
"Then…" Shi Yi glanced around and asked, "Why is Master still alone?" Yu Xiaosheng
"Master is alone precisely because of loneliness, which is why he established this rule," the green-robed man said indifferently.
"And what does this celestial position entail?" Shi Yi inquired.
The green-robed man took a deep breath and said, "No one has ever asked me this. Today, I'll tell you."
"Speak," Shi Yi said earnestly.
"You might find it a bit hard to accept when I tell you," the green-robed man added.
"Go ahead," Shi Yi said again.
The green-robed man swallowed and said, "Our celestial position is to assist those who hunt demons in capturing and subduing them. However, we cannot act until we find a woman with celestial affinity, unless there are special circumstances."
"Why?" Shi Yi asked, confused.
"I don't know. Master said not to," the green-robed man shrugged.
"Then what constitutes special circumstances?" Shi Yi asked further.
"It means… if you encounter a demon on your journey to find a woman with celestial affinity, you can act, but you must not expose yourself too much," the green-robed man replied.
"Every action carries a risk of exposure," Shi Yi stated.
"That's why Master always pushes us to become formidable figures, someone everyone fears. Senior Brother has achieved this," the green-robed man said with a sigh. "I envy Senior Brother so much."
"Indeed, Shen Yan is a person… who truly strikes fear into demons," Shi Yi agreed.
"Master has never taken a demon as a disciple before. You are the first," the green-robed man patted Shi Yi's shoulder.
"Is that so?" Shi Yi said faintly, looking around. "I never dreamed I would come to the celestial realm."
"You should thank Senior Brother," the green-robed man said.
"Why?" Shi Yi frowned.
"Because everything was his arrangement, and he is the one who asked Master to take you," the green-robed man glanced at Shi Yi. "Don't ask me too many deep questions; these are things I've only revealed because I couldn't hold back."
"How did you know I was going to ask?" Shi Yi whispered.
"Sometimes, being a bit clueless is better. Speaking of which, my Senior Brother met Mu An Xiao while searching for a woman with celestial affinity. Afterward, Mu An Xiao followed Senior Brother. Then some things happened, Senior Brother died, and Mu An Xiao, by drinking my Senior Brother's blood, became an immortal. Now…" The green-robed man thought of Mu An Xiao's situation and said, "She has, in a way, repaid it."
"Then does she count as a woman with celestial affinity now?" Shi Yi asked urgently.
"Of course, she does. If you behave well, you can choose her," the green-robed man implied intentionally.
Upon hearing this, Shi Yi's heart stirred with excitement. However, considering Mu An Xiao's attitude towards him, he hesitated and said, "Do I have to have her like me before I can bring her back?"
"Naturally, you must like each other, because Master has said that coercion is not allowed," the green-robed man explained in detail.
Shi Yi nodded slightly. "Alright, I understand."
Seeing Shi Yi's dejected look, the green-robed man smiled and said, "I think, while you're thinking about all these extraneous matters, you should first consider your own situation. You'll likely be another hundred years before you reach our stage."
"A hundred years?" Shi Yi was genuinely startled by the number.
"Yes. You are a demon. The tree demon I brought back then took decades to start their mission, and that was without any emotional attachments. You, at the very least, need to sever those first," the green-robed man explained.
Shi Yi asked, "If I sever my emotions and desires, how can I find a woman with celestial affinity?"
Hearing Shi Yi's question, the green-robed man also became confused. "Indeed, if we have severed our emotions and desires, why would we look for a woman with celestial affinity… what's the point? We don't have feelings, do we?"
"That's right," Shi Yi nodded.
The green-robed man scratched the back of his head and said, "Perhaps I should go and ask Master."
"I'll go with you," Shi Yi said.
The green-robed man nodded and said, "Let's go, together."
Shi Yi grunted in agreement.
In the Celestial Hall, Feng Qi Shi slowly opened his eyes and asked, "Where am I?"
"You're awake," the old man said, standing up.
Feng Qi Shi said, "Master, is that you?"
The old man smiled faintly, stepped to Feng Qi Shi's side, and looked down at Feng Qi Shi's face, saying, "As expected, it's still not enough."
"Master, where is Mu the Fool?" Feng Qi Shi asked.
"She's still in the mortal realm. You have returned with me," the old man explained in detail.
"Master, I want to go find her," Feng Qi Shi said, his body utterly devoid of strength.
"Don't even think about it. You are severely injured and will need time to recover. Mu An Xiao…" the old man paused, then continued, "has her own destiny. You cannot control it."
"Master, I cannot abandon her," Feng Qi Shi said agitatedly, clenching his fist slightly. "Please, help me. I need to go down and find her."
"Your physical condition simply cannot support a journey to the mortal realm. You would be killed by the air currents halfway there," the old man said sternly.
"Master…"
"Focus on recovering your health. Once you're well, you must restore your celestial arts to their former level," the old man said seriously.
"Master, have you returned my spiritual energy?" Feng Qi Shi asked softly.
"If I hadn't, do you think you would be alive?" the old man asked, looking down at Feng Qi Shi's loosening hand. "Mu An Xiao is not foolish; she'll see immediately if you are deceiving her."
"Mas—"
"Close your eyes. Stop deceiving yourself," the old man said coldly, turning and walking away.
Helplessly, Feng Qi Shi obeyed and closed his eyes.
Concurrently, Shi Yi and the green-robed man stopped outside the Celestial Hall.
"I want to ask you a question," Shi Yi said suddenly.
The green-robed man stopped pushing the celestial cloud, turned to face Shi Yi, and said, "Go ahead."
"Am I… truly… your junior brother now? Do I not need to have some sort of… disciple-accepting ceremony?" Shi Yi asked in a low voice, hesitant to speak loudly.
"That depends on our Master's mood. If Master is in a good mood, he'll hold one for you and let us have a good meal. But if he's in a bad mood," the green-robed man smiled, "there will be nothing."
Hearing the green-robed man's words, Shi Yi chuckled foolishly a couple of times and said, "Actually, I don't care about the ceremony."