Life is but a fleeting moment, like autumn grass, and a human life spans but a few decades; those who reach a hundred years are few. Legends speak of the gods' eternal life, yet all living beings are destined to die.
The lifespan of the gods in the Celestial Realm is at most eighteen thousand years. Those who surpass this age are akin to mortals over a hundred, already frail and nearing their end.
It is said that the gods of the Celestial Realm face a heavenly tribulation every ten thousand years. When this tribulation arrives, ten thousand bolts of lightning strike, and ten thousand fires burn. Even those with an indestructible, unyielding divine body will suffer grievous wounds that pierce the heart and erode the bone, their cultivation and lifespan simultaneously diminished. Few gods emerge unscathed.
If a god is nearing eighteen thousand years of age, their physique already declining, to forcibly endure the heavenly tribulation would result in their utter annihilation, body and soul vanishing into thin air.
Therefore, before the heavenly tribulation arrives, any god in the Celestial Realm who is close to eighteen thousand years old will inevitably relinquish their cultivation and descend to the lower realms for reincarnation to evade the tribulation. Those in their prime, such as at ten thousand years old, will also assess their physical condition and cultivation. If they deem themselves unable to withstand it, they too will choose to abandon their divine duties and reincarnate in the lower realms. Should fate decree it, they might regain their physical form, cultivate anew, achieve enlightenment once more, and reclaim their divine positions.
The heavenly tribulation does not harm mortal bodies or other cultivators within the Three Realms. However, when the tribulation strikes, it inevitably brings turmoil to the Celestial Realm, causing the Three Realms to lose their vigilance. Many places in the mortal world lose their protection, and beings from the Demonic Realm seize the opportunity to break free from their restraints, disrupting the mortal world, which then plunges into chaos.
In a certain year, it was half a century before the heavenly tribulation was due to arrive. Many great gods of the Celestial Realm had already begun their descent and reincarnation, aiming to return to their rightful positions before the next deification.
At this time, the mortal world was still clear and serene, filled with an atmosphere of peace. Fengxi Village, nestled at the foot of Fengxia Mountain, was characterized by its high peaks and deep valleys, its scenic beauty, and its isolation from the world. Few ventured there, and even fewer battles reached its borders, making it a true secluded paradise for hermits.
Outside the village flowed a river, winding and twisting, separating the village from the path beyond the mountains. There was no bridge over the river, and villagers could only cross using the single small boat on its waters. The boat was rowed by a fifteen-year-old boy named Mo Qi.
His parents were originally an ordinary family in Fengxi Village. His father, Mo Shan, was the ferryman of this river, and his mother, Yang Cuigu, earned money by doing needlework and embroidery. Their life was simple and poor, but their family was harmonious, and they found contentment in their lives.
Just two years prior, his parents had passed away from illness. Mo Qi had to drop out of private school and fend for himself. Fortunately, he possessed a natural strength, inheriting his father's profession. Furthermore, the boat that his father struggled to row, he could propel with effortless ease. From then on, he ferried people between the two banks daily, earning enough for passage to survive, thus avoiding destitution.
Mo Shan had two elder brothers and one younger brother. After Mo Shan and his wife passed away, his two elder brothers paid Mo Qi no mind. Only his younger brother, Mo Yun, seeing Mo Qi alone and vulnerable, often provided him with assistance.
Their two houses were originally separated by a wall. After Mo Shan and his wife died, Mo Yun dismantled the wall between them and sealed off the main entrance to Mo Qi's courtyard.
Thus, the two courtyards became one, and the two households became a single family, making it easier for him to care for the unfortunate child. When Mo Qi returned from ferrying, exhausted, he would eat at his uncle's house. During midday, his uncle or his cousin, Mo Zhenzhen, would bring him food by the river.
This day was another clear and bright one, and Mo Qi was ferrying as usual.
After a busy morning, by noon, there were very few people crossing the river. Mo Qi retreated to a small cave not far from the riverbank to rest.
This cave seemed tailor-made for the ferryman, spacious enough, close to the bank, offering shelter from wind and rain, and allowing a clear view of the passengers crossing from both sides.
Mo Qi had tidied up the cave, clearing away loose stones and pulling out weeds. He had fashioned a stone bed within the cave's natural terrain and laid a worn cotton quilt upon it, so he could rest when tired.
He had not been lying down for long when his eyelids grew heavy. Suddenly, he heard a clear shout from outside: "Little Mo, time to work." He recognized the voice of the concubine from Magistrate Lu's household.
Magistrate Lu's family owned vast tracts of land and possessed considerable wealth. However, Magistrate Lu was known for his benevolence and generosity, earning him renown far and wide.
Take the matter of ferrying, for instance. The price was clearly marked, but Magistrate Lu, understanding Mo Qi's plight as an orphan with a difficult life, always paid him ten extra copper coins.
Therefore, Mo Qi was happy to ferry Magistrate Lu and his family, especially his daughter, Lu Xiaoyue, born to the concubine Chunlan. Xiaoyue was now eleven years old, and she was so adorable and delicate that one felt an urge to pinch her or take a bite. The naive boy often gazed at her with rapt attention, his mind wandering.
In his eyes, a wife should be like Xiaoyue – graceful and well-proportioned. Her melon-seed face was fair and clean, with a rosy hue beneath the fairness. Her cherry lips outlined captivating colors and curves, her eyes were lively and bright, always shimmering with a look of tenderness that evoked pity.
Unlike Xiu'er from the east of the village, whose hair was always messy, like a clump of weeds; her face perpetually dirty, with indelible redness and grime. Her clothes were ragged, dirty, and smelly.
What was most exasperating was that she always had two streams of snot hanging below her nose, coming and going with her breath. Every time he saw her, his scalp tingled, and he always wanted to find an excuse to flee.
Mo Qi, on the other hand, always kept himself spotlessly clean. His clothes, though made of ordinary fabric and sometimes patched, were never stained.
When rowing or working, he was extremely careful. If he accidentally soiled his clothes, he would immediately find a way to wipe them clean. If they couldn't be cleaned, he would go home and change into a fresh set of clothes.
When Mo Qi was very young, he used to play with a group of children, including Tian Xiuer and Gou'er. But at some point, he suddenly began to distance himself from them, no longer playing with them.
He wanted to play with Lu Xiaoyue, but Xiaoyue rarely went out, and when she did, she was always accompanied by adults. He could only watch her from afar. He felt he had grown up and possessed a strong sense of principle, not one of despising the poor or fawning over the rich, but one of correct aesthetic judgment.
"Coming," he responded reflexively to the call of Concubine Chunlan. He sprang out, dashed to the riverbank in a few strides, and then swiftly rowed the boat over.
Mo Qi knew Xiaoyue would be with Chunlan, as he had taken them to the market that morning to buy fabric and some cosmetics.
Mo Qi had looked forward to it all morning, not expecting them to return until the afternoon. The moment he saw Xiaoyue, Mo Qi's mischievous eyes lit up, and a smile bloomed from his heart, appearing on his face unconsciously.
Upon seeing him, Xiaoyue became somewhat shy, clutching her mother's clothes with one small hand and hiding behind her. She then peeked at Mo Qi from her mother's embrace. She always felt the elder brother's gaze was fiery, as if he wanted to devour her.
Mo Qi helped the mother and daughter settle into the boat before standing at the stern, humming a tune leisurely as he rowed.
Normally, he could cross in just a few strokes, but in this situation, he couldn't muster his strength, or perhaps he was unwilling to exert it.
The scenery along the way seemed exceptionally beautiful today, so he kept glancing around, his gaze occasionally drifting over Xiaoyue.
"Madam Lu, I wish to marry Xiaoyue," Mo Qi suddenly said to Chunlan, as if possessed. After speaking, he himself was frightened, his face flushed red, yet he looked at Chunlan so righteously, as if ready to face death.
Xiaoyue, hearing this, blushed deeply and buried her small head entirely in her mother's embrace.
Chunlan was both angry and annoyed. She gently patted Xiaoyue's back and spat at Mo Qi from a distance: "Pah, a toad wanting to eat swan meat! Not only is our Xiaoyue still a child, but even when she grows up and is to be married, she will never marry you. Look at yourself in the urine, where do you think you are a match for our Xiaoyue? Is it social standing? Or beauty and talent? I think you should stop dreaming and focus your attention on Tian Xiuer from the east of the village; that would be more realistic."
Mentioning Tian Xiuer made Mo Qi gag. He felt insulted, his chest tightening. However, he had indeed considered the disparity in status and appearance between himself and Xiaoyue before.
"Auntie Lan, I believe I am handsome and dashing, with a heroic bearing, and I am worthy of Xiaoyue's beauty. As for family background, I am indeed poor at the moment, but I have calculated it. If I continue ferrying like this every day, in another three years, once I have saved enough money, I will start a large business."
You are truly infuriating me! My daughter will surely be sought after by wealthy young masters, so how could she possibly be pursued by a poor boy like you? You are not even worthy of mentioning her. To even mention it is an insult to my daughter!
You are too naive. While you wait to start a large business, I'll wait for you to become a high official. It's truly a fool's dream. But if one isn't a fool, they wouldn't say such silly things.
Chunlan was only twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, but she had seen much of the world and possessed rich life experience. Her transformation from a peasant girl to Magistrate Lu's concubine was partly due to Magistrate Lu's lechery, but Chunlan had also employed some means to achieve it.
Chunlan pondered for a long time, no longer angered, and instead burst into laughter: "How about this? When you have saved enough money, purchase three thousand qing of fertile land and three hundred houses. Then you may marry our Xiaoyue."
She set a goal for him that he could never achieve in a lifetime. Whether he would retreat in the face of difficulty or waste his efforts, she would be pleased.
Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Mo Qi, ignorant of the immensity of the task, felt as if an opportunity was before him. He immediately raised his index finger boldly: "It's a deal."
Xiaoyue, however, cried anxiously in her mother's arms: "No, Mother, I don't want to marry him."
Chunlan gently patted Xiaoyue's back and giggled coquettishly: "If he truly achieves his goal, you will be happy in the future."
Xiaoyue, however, buried her head deeper and cried even harder, her small hand gripping her mother's back so tightly that it seemed she would tear off a piece of flesh. Chunlan merely indulged her childish tantrum, continuing to gently stroke her back with a smile.
Mo Qi's heart bloomed with joy. He couldn't help but laugh out loud, his somewhat youthful laughter echoing in the valley for a long time.
Suddenly, without any warning, Lu Xiaoyue abruptly raised her head, her eyes flashing with a chilling killing intent that was utterly incongruous with her age.
Almost simultaneously, she extended her right hand and pushed a palm towards Mo Qi, who was lost in his own world at the bow of the boat, shouting fiercely: "I don't want to marry you."
A strange thing happened. Mo Qi and Lu Xiaoyue were more than a zhang apart. Her small hand pushing out a palm would have been like swatting a mosquito. Yet, Mo Qi felt a powerful force strike him, sending his body flying into the air. With a splash, he landed in the water.
The icy river water pierced him to the bone. Mo Qi finally realized he had fallen into the water.
An accident, this was definitely an accident, harmless. Fortunately, he was a good swimmer; with a kick of his legs, he was about to surface.
However, an even stranger thing happened. He felt a small hand gently pressing down on his head. He tried to push upwards, but he couldn't break free, as if his head were sealed.
He then attempted to struggle downwards, trying to shake off the small hand, but he couldn't. It was the same whether he moved left or right. The feeling of suffocation and pressure intensified, driving him to struggle more fiercely.
On the boat, Chunlan was stunned by the sudden turn of events. Seeing her usually obedient daughter suddenly become so frenzied, she couldn't believe her eyes. She didn't even know how Xiaoyue had broken free from her embrace and rushed to the side of the boat. Her mind buzzed, and her thoughts went blank.
At this moment, the sound of Mo Qi struggling and splashing water by the boat jolted her back to reality. She immediately rushed over, grabbed her daughter's hand that was pressing on Mo Qi's head, and desperately tried to pry it open, crying out: "Daughter, let go quickly, he will drown."
However, despite using all her strength, she couldn't budge the delicate little hand at all. At the same time, she discovered with despair that Xiaoyue's eyes were faintly glowing with circles of red light, from which emanated a chilling aura and the scent of death.
Mo Qi in the water continued to struggle desperately but to no avail. The suffocation grew more intense with each passing moment. For the first time in his life, he felt he was about to die, and he finally experienced the true taste of being close to death.
At this moment, he finally realized that the little demon wanted his life. But where did she get such immense strength? Could she truly be a demon? However, none of it seemed to matter anymore.
Just as Chunlan was on the verge of despair and Mo Qi was about to give up, a muffled roar echoed from beneath the water, distant and long, as if from the very bottom of the river, or even the mud layer beneath the riverbed, from the depths of hell. The chill it brought seeped into his bones.
The waves on the water's surface, centered around Mo Qi, surged upwards and spread outwards. With another roar that shook the heavens, a colossal dragon, entirely golden in color, emerged from the water, its head supporting Mo Qi's body. It coiled and twisted in mid-air, allowing water droplets to slide off, creating a light rain in the sky.
The golden dragon coiled once in mid-air, landed, and placed Mo Qi on the bank. It then turned its gaze towards Xiaoyue on the boat, its fist-sized eyes revealing a chilling depth that pierced the soul.
Without hesitation, the dragon let out a long roar towards the sky, soaring upwards. It turned in mid-air and swooped down towards the small boat.
As the dragon emerged from the water, it generated a powerful surge that flipped Xiaoyue over. Xiaoyue lay on her back in the boat, the red glow in her eyes vanished. Due to pain and fear, she began to wail, a stark contrast to the fierce methods and imposing presence she had displayed moments before.
Chunlan was completely bewildered. So many things had happened in such a short span of time, and they were still swirling in her mind, unable to be processed. However, as if by instinct, she flew forward, scooped up her daughter, and held her in her arms.
The next moment, to Chunlan's horrified cry, the dragon gently took the mother and daughter into its mouth and soared into the sky. It maneuvered in the air, causing Chunlan to scream repeatedly, and Lu Xiaoyue buried her head in her mother's embrace, crying out.
Mo Qi on the bank stared blankly at the dragon soaring and dipping in the sky, somewhat bewildered.
Although he had never seen a dragon, the moment he saw the object, he recognized it as a dragon without the slightest hesitation.
But everything that had happened today was too bizarre. First, Lu Xiaoyue had knocked him into the water from a distance, then she had gone mad and tried to kill him, and then the legendary dragon had appeared.
The dragon's appearance seemed to be to save him. But he didn't understand why the dragon would save him, as they were not related.
Even more astonishing was the dragon's subsequent actions, which seemed to be aimed at killing the mother and daughter.
Xiaoyue's series of abnormal actions had indeed frightened him. He was still shaken and felt she deserved to die, but upon reflection, he thought it would be a pity if she did.
But everything that had happened today was beyond his comprehension. He couldn't stop it, or rather, everything had happened so suddenly that he didn't have time to think of a way to prevent it.
At this moment, the dragon in the sky tilted its head, as if finally determined to swallow the mother and daughter. The mother and daughter in its mouth involuntarily slid backward. In a moment of desperation, Chunlan grabbed one of the dragon's teeth and let out a heart-wrenching cry.
Mo Qi, as if breaking free from a restraint, also let out a cry from his mouth: "No!"