How could it be him?
Ye Zichen looked at the message from Taibai Jinxing. Countless memories rose unbidden to the forefront of his mind.
He only entered the Heavenly Court’s chat group because Taibai Jinxing invited him in.
Although Gu Zichen was influencing him from the shadows, Taibai Jinxing was still the first immortal Ye Zichen had ever seen.
After a dispute with the Jade Emperor, Taibai Jinxing left the group, and Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li took his place as the group’s manager.
Afterwards, they’d barely spoken at all, until finally, Taibai Jinxing disappeared.
And now, this old hermit had popped up out of nowhere again.
Furthermore, he took the initiative to contact Ye Zichen.
“Little Friend Ye, how have you been lately?” Ye Zichen glanced at Zuo Mo, who got off his lap.
He then responded, “Taibai Jinxing?”
“It’s me.” Taibai Jinxing responded right away. “A network suddenly popped up on the Divine Mountains. You were the only person I could think of who could accomplish such a thing.”
“You’re flattering me.” Ye Zichen responded modestly, but from the message’s contents, he could tell that this “great immortal” was already on the Divine Mountains.
No wonder he hadn’t seen Taibai Jinxing in a while! So he’d ascended to the God Realm!
“Which mountain are you on?”
“The Northwestern.” Taibai Jinxing responded instantly. “I never would have guessed that after a hundred years apart, you’d wind up on the Divine Mountains too. I haven’t seen some of our old friends from the chat group in over a hundred years. I really missed them!”
“Then do you want me to pull you back into the group?”
“Surely we can’t contact people from the Lower Three Realms up here?”
“Of course we can.” Ye Zichen responded in the affirmative and, without giving it any further thought, added Taibai Jinxing back to the group.
Only Idealism invited Taibai Jinxing to the Red Packet Server.
The group had been chatting idly when this message appeared. It instantly fell quiet.
God of Thunder: I’m not seeing things, am I?
Hundred Flowers Fairy: Did Emperor Ye just invite Taibai Jinxing into the group?
Immortality Peach Fairy: I just checked. It seems like he really did.
The group burst into rapid-fire discussion, while Yue Lao directly @’ed the man in question.
Yue Lao: @Taibai Jinxing: Hey old man, is that you?
Taibai Jinxing: Hey, old friends. Long time no see.
The chat group exploded into uproar. Ever since Taibai Jinxing first left the group, he’d never shown his face again.
Now that he’d reappeared, it was only naturally that everyone would get excited.
Mother of Lightning: Great Immortal Taibai, we’ve missed you!
Wu Gang: I’m glad you’re back.
Yue Lao: It really is you!
The immortals of the Heavenly Court wept and wailed. Even some minor immortals appeared and said hello.
The Ghost Generals and Yama Kinds of the underworld welcomed him back, too.
How lively!
Barefoot Immortal: @ Taibai Jinxing: even though we all missed you, you can’t break the rules! Everyone who joins the group has to send out red packets. If you’re stingy, we won’t accept them!
The Immortality Peach fairy urged him on as well…..
“Send red packets! Send red packets!”
Almost as soon as the Barefoot Immortal sent his message, a red packet appeared on screen.
When Ye Zichen saw it, instinct took over. He tapped on it.
Fragment of the Key to the Divine Mausoleum, x1.
When he saw this message on screen, Ye Zichen stared at it blankly.
A key fragment to the Divine Mausoleum? What was that?
He opened the treasure box in one practiced motion and broke the seal once more. The treasures he’d seized from the chat group before were still inside, as well as the red strings of marriage he shared with Su Yan and the others.
In the final inventory box, he saw something that looked like a jade slip.
Fragment of the Key to the Divine Mausoleum: In the Ancient War of Demons and Gods, the gods won a narrow victory over the demons with the yaos’ support. Ten thousand years later, the God Emperor of that era died of old injuries. The ministers of the left and right transformed their souls into the foundations of the former God Emperor’s mausoleum. They also left behind a key broken into seven pieces and scattered it through the Upper Three Realms. The pieces lay in wait for the destined person to help him obtain the former God Emperor’s inheritance.
When he saw this brief overview, Ye Zichen gulped despite himself. He’d just tried for the red packets on impulse. To think he’d wind up with such a precious treasure!
More importantly, where on earth did Taibai Jinxing acquire the fragment?
He returned to the group, where everyone was complaining like mad.
God of Thunder: Taibai, this is no way to act. You can’t just send red packets then take them back!
Mother of Lightning: Fortunately, I have nimble fingers and snatched something in time.
Barefoot Immortal: Why’d you take back the Red Packet?
Yue Lao: I’m afraid Taibai must have sent the wrong thing (laughing emoji).
Golden Boy: Granda Taibai, you’re stingy!
Jade Maiden: You’re bad, Grandpa Taibai!
Ye Zichen scrolled through the messages, only to discover that Taibai Jinxing’s red packet really had disappeared.
Taibai Jinxing wouldn’t retract his red packets for no reason. For him to do so must mean that he realized he’d sent the wrong thing by mistake.
Ye Zichen suddenly thought back to the key fragment he snatched up.
“Great Immortal Taibai?” Ye Zichen tentatively sent the old man a private message.
“I’ll send new red packets in a bit, but right now, I’m busy. Let’s talk later,” sent Taibai Jinxing in a voice message.
He didn’t even have time to type; he must really be panicked. His tone was somber, too.
“You sent the wrong thing, didn’t you?” responded Taibai Jinxing.
“How did you know?” asked Taibai Jinxing, his tone somewhat suspicious. “Did you take it?”
“What did you send? If it’s really important, we can get it back from the group.”
“A triangular jade fragment.”
By now, Ye Zichen was at least eighty percent sure that the key fragment was the reason Taibai Jinxing was so frantic.
Ye Zichne couldn’t help but respond, “I have it over here.”
“You have it?” Taibai Jinxing immediately sent him a message accompanied by a long row of shocked emojis.
Ye Zichen: I sniped the key to the Divine Mausoleum.
Taibai Jinxing: Right, right, right! Since you have it, hurry and give it back to me.
Ye Zichen: Why?
Taibai Jinxing: It’s mine!
Ye Zichen: But I sniped it.
…..
A long time passed, and Taibai Jinxing didn’t respond.
“You can leave if you want, but do you mind telling me where you got this key fragment?” asked Ye Zichen.
“Why should I tell you?” asked Taibai Jinxing indignantly.
“Then I just won’t return it to you.”
….
Just like before, Taibai Jinxing didn’t respond.
Finally, Taibai Jinxing couldn’t hold his anger in any longer. Another message appeared on-screen.
“The fragment isn’t of any use to you, so just give it back to me. What do you want? So long as I have it, I can give it to you in exchange!”
“Then tell me what it’s for!”
“It’s used to open the North Star Emperor’s Mausoleum. Well? Can you even use it?” Taibai Jinxing seemed infuriated. “Hurry up and give it back to me! What are you holding onto it for!?”
“Hm. I can use it, so I’m holding onto it. Thank you, esteemed immortal!”
