Her voice still echoes in my mind—whether in waking hours or restless dreams.
There has not been a single day where I have not recalled that moment.
At high noon, I gaze into the endless sky. Whenever thoughts of her consume me, I find myself drawn back here, sitting beneath this very Yinghua tree.
Though more than a thousand years have passed, the gentle breeze under the ancient Yinghua still brings me a shred of peace.
Its flourishing branches seem to cradle my memories of her, offering a warmth I cannot find elsewhere.
"When will I meet your master again, old tree…"
I whispered, almost as if the tree could hear.
There is so much I have yet to tell her.
My birth as a mortal back then stemmed from an action the Heavens did not approve of, resulting in seventy years of mortal suffering.
Yet, to me, that suffering was never the punishment the Heavens intended—
It was her.
It was she who kept me awake through endless nights.
It was she who filled my heart with sorrow whenever the Yinghua bloomed.
That was the true punishment.
I gently brushed my hand across a branch, before lying back in midair, high above the mortals bustling beneath, taking photographs of this ancient tree.
Sigh…
I should not have come at such an hour.
The chatter of humans, the thick scent of mortal life—it made my head ache.
Why must a War God such as I always end up here… every time I miss her?
"You sit so high, truly befitting a War God,"
a familiar voice called out.
Tilting my head slightly, I saw an old acquaintance standing below, bowing respectfully.
"What wind blows you here, Jing Shi?" I asked lazily.
"The Di Jun summons you."
"Tell Di Jun that I am in no mood today. He shall have to wait until tomorrow."
"I shall deliver your message… but I think you would be wise to come today."
"Oh? And why is that?"
"No particular reason… but it may pique your interest."
"Speak."
The immortal floated upward gracefully, kneeling properly before me in the air.
"There is unrest in the Netherworld today. I thought you might find it… worth your attention."
"I have already heard. Tell Di Jun I will visit in two hours' time."
"As you command. I take my leave."
With a gust of wind, he vanished from sight—leaving only the faint ripple of his passing.
A pity, truly. His talents were wasted serving another.
But fate, after all, is not something we mortals—or gods—can easily defy.
I sat for a while longer, letting the wind caress me.
When the appointed time arrived, I rose, ready to depart.
And yet—
a sudden gust stirred the Yinghua blossoms, their fragrance swirling through the air.
Amidst the familiar scent… another scent, faint yet unmistakable, reached me.
A soul scent I had long yearned for.
My heart thundered uncontrollably.
Gently, I parted the branches—and my eyes locked onto a figure I had not seen in a thousand years.
A face I had sought through endless lifetimes.
Was this Heaven's trial… or destiny's mercy?
At long last…
I have found you.
Fei Nü.