Chapter 114: The Two Immortal Elixirs - Ah? The Wives I Abandoned Turned Out to Be Real

Chapter 114: The Two Immortal Elixirs Every time Chang’e ventured out, she sought ways to further her mastery of shamanic power. But now, returning home, she felt that her current approach was ineffective. She took out the jade fan she previously used, and her return journey with Su Mo was exceptionally swift. The jade fan allowed them to travel as if riding clouds and mist, covering thousands of miles and returning to Moon Wheel Peak in just one day. Seeing Chang’e and Su Mo back in just over a month sparked much discussion among the Yueze tribe, since usually the master of Moon Wheel Peak would take about a year to return from such a journey. Their early return naturally fueled speculation. Upon his return, Su Mo found that none of his room’s belongings had been disturbed, which pleased him greatly. The proud nature of the Yueze people had saved him a lot of trouble. The next day, an unexpected visitor arrived in Su Mo’s room: Linglong herself. Su Mo was quite surprised and became nervous, given that she had previously taken his sunfire; it was natural for him to feel anxious about her intentions now. Seeing Su Mo's flustered expression, Linglong's smile was inscrutable. After a long pause, her enchanting voice broke the silence: "You’re truly intriguing." "The sunfire managed to rekindle—how extraordinary." "I wonder, if I take it out now, whether it would ignite again." Linglong's words left Su Mo's mouth dry and his heart racing with panic. "Let’s just... not." As he spoke, his eyes darted around, assessing the room for potential escape routes. Noticing his vigilance, Linglong suddenly laughed. "Alright, I'll stop teasing." "Did you think you could hide from my eyes?" "I knew long ago, hence why I didn’t take your golden crow feather." "Once, the Chi Qiu and Yueze clans were friendly; it’s a pity the golden crow angered Da Yi. Otherwise, I would have to bow to you, a member of the royal family." Her words left Su Mo puzzled, unsure of her meaning. Then Linglong announced her purpose: "My divination suggests you may help the Yueze tribe advance further." "Besides cleaning Moon Wheel Peak, your job now is to prepare exquisite meals for Lady Chang’e and bring them to her on the mountain." "I'll supply you with ingredients daily." "You must take good care of her." "Understood?" Nodding absentmindedly, Su Mo marveled at Linglong’s divination skills, which rivaled those of Daji. He mused whether the divination methods seen during his past simulation in the Shang dynasty could also come in handy—perhaps burning an ox shoulder blade would provide some insight. Linglong had left, leaving him lost in thought about his next steps. Despite his confusion, he knew his primary goal in this world was to win over Chang’e, making this a golden opportunity not to be squandered. ... Upon waking the next morning, Su Mo found a bounty of ingredients outside his door: various meats, mushrooms, wild fruits, and vegetables. Some were familiar; others weren’t, though he could identify the best way to cook them. Ultimately, he cut bamboo skewers and threaded the ingredients onto them, sprinkling just a pinch of salt. Packing the skewers into a food carrier, Su Mo scampered up to the main peak of the Moon Wheel. His growing shamanic power enhanced his stamina, allowing him to ascend the 3,000-meter peak in merely ten minutes, arriving at the summit without breaking a sweat—ready to handle even ten Spring Bamboo creatures at once. Upon reaching the top, he found Chang’e seated at a stone table, her serene eyes holding a hint of expectation. "Fairy, I’ve arrived." "Mm." Chang’e replied softly. Though she was familiar with Su Mo, she remained a little reserved. Then, Su Mo approached the stone table, commenced roasting the skewers using shamanic arts, and soon, a delightful aroma filled the air. Chang’e began to eat slowly. No matter when, Su Mo's food always brought her an unparalleled joy. Watching Chang’e enjoy the meal with contentment, Su Mo found her mesmerizing, his hand subconsciously reaching out. Unobservant, Chang’e’s face was enveloped by Su Mo’s firm hand. For a moment, Chang’e was stunned. Su Mo relished the softness and warmth, realizing the fairy was tactile, just like any other. However, before he could savor it further, Chang’e, with skewered bites in hand, vanished. Su Mo watched her disappear, his heart a mixture of disappointment and joy. This counted as a first step forward, didn’t it? ... Days passed, and Su Mo continued to prepare a variety of meals for Chang’e, cautiously probing her reactions through subtle gestures. Chang’e’s gaze remained aloof, though she neither rejected nor reprimanded his advances, tacitly allowing his behavior. Feeling encouraged, Su Mo grew bolder, moving from touching her face to her shoulders, arms, back, and beyond. However, misjudging his limits often prompted Chang’e to teleport away. After her departures, Su Mo turned his attention back to practicing the three shamanic arts. ... As time flowed, the Yueze tribe became increasingly tense, no longer relaxed during daily shamanic training. A multitude of frost arrows were being forged in the furnace behind the mountain, heightening the unease. Listening to the tribe's conversations, Su Mo learned that Yi and the Xiong Nation were at war, demanding a large supply of frost arrows. He didn't understand the reason for the conflict, but it made him uneasy as well. Should the forge weaken again like before, his peaceful life might be threatened. Untrusting of Linglong’s unpredictable nature, Su Mo collected some animal shoulder blades, intending to predict the war’s outcome: which nation, Yi or Xiong, would emerge victorious. His final divination indicated Yi’s victory. This bolstered his shamanic practice, deepening his understanding of the three arts. Despite modest talent, Su Mo relied on his prolonged lifespan for diligence. Unclear parts became comprehensible through repetition. Thus, three years passed. At twenty, Su Mo’s relationship with Chang’e still only permitted physical contact, though touching more intimate areas often drove her away. But Su Mo remained undaunted, confident in persistence. Shortly after his birthday, word came from the front: Yi Nation had decisively won the war against Xiong Nation. Not only had they seized the land of Three Streams, but Xiong Nation also surrendered 30,000 slaves. This success affirmed Su Mo’s faith in his divination skills for predicting straightforward major events. Ten days after the news, the Yueze people began decorating Moon Wheel Peak, transforming it into a place of extraordinary beauty. Su Mo discovered the reason: Da Yi was coming to Moon Wheel Peak. It was said that Da Yi, through sacrificial offerings, had acquired two immortal elixirs from the Queen Mother of the West. These potent elixirs could ascend mortals to godhood, bestowing eternal life. Da Yi’s aim was to have both him and Chang’e consume the elixirs, allowing them to live and soar together forever. ... Though worried, Su Mo saw no means to resist this unfolding destiny and resigned himself to fate. Immortal elixirs—the temptation of godhood was hard for anyone to resist. Preoccupied, Su Mo’s cooking became increasingly uncentered. Chang’e noticed the shift in Su Mo’s demeanor. Though her mind was pure, years spent with Su Mo honed her ability to sense the emotions of others. "Mo, you seem troubled." Su Mo was taken aback by Chang’e's perceptive observation. In the past, she never would have noticed his unsettled state. On impulse, Su Mo voiced his concerns. “Da Yi plans to gift you an immortal elixir. Does that make you happy?” Chang’e’s gaze became unfocused, and she slowly shook her head. “I don’t know.” “In the past, I might have thought it would bring happiness.” “But since you came into my life, the joy I've experienced exceeds everything I felt in the previous six hundred years combined.” “At first, I even found you slightly annoying, but now, in retrospect, it’s not so bothersome.” “I think, if you had never appeared, this feeling would have been forever beyond my reach.” “What joy is there in becoming a deity?” “If you don’t want me to take the immortal elixir, then I simply won’t.” As she spoke, Chang’e maintained her usual calm demeanor, her tone as indifferent as if discussing something unrelated to herself. To Su Mo's ears, however, it was almost unbelievable. For Chang’e, whose temperament was as cool as moonlight, saying such things was as bold as a vivacious Xiao Qing openly declaring love. “How could I ever ask you to refuse the immortal elixir?” Su Mo stepped forward and embraced her. A flicker of conflict passed through Chang’e’s eyes, yet she allowed herself to be held. In Su Mo's arms, she stiffly resisted, a gentle floral scent wafting to his senses. “Fairy, just holding you feels like a blessing from a previous life.” “Is...is this enough?” Chang’e’s voice trembled softly, the sun-filled shamanic power within Su Mo subtly interacting with her lunar essence. This warm sensation evoked memories of the cradle from her childhood—only now, with an added touch of warmth. As the woman in his arms grew soft, her skin flushed with a nervous heat, Su Mo found himself entranced. “It’s never enough, never.” “Fairy, no matter what happens in the future, I promise to stay with you for eternity.” Su Mo’s sweet words sent Chang’e’s mind spinning, and her fair fingers clutched nervously at the edge of her clothes. Seeing the moment was right, he slowly leaned in closer. Chang’e’s cheeks glowed red, her long eyelashes fluttering. She didn’t know what would happen next, but surely, it must be something wonderful... (End of Chapter)