Chen Lu had discovered something worse than death.
Boredom.
At least death had lasted only a moment.
This?
This was apparently going to last four thousand years.
Chen sat behind a mountain of celestial scrolls with his cheek pressed against one hand.
His other hand lazily moved another document from one pile to another.
He had stopped counting how many he had sorted.
He had also stopped caring.
“Another day of this…”
He stared at the scroll in front of him.
The strange celestial characters blurred together.
“I died, met a goddess, got reincarnated without even being reincarnated, and somehow ended up doing paperwork.”
Chen dropped the scroll onto the table.
“What kind of afterlife is this?”
The room offered no answer.
He leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling.
Back on Earth, his life had been boring.
Work.
Home.
Food.
Sleep.
Repeat.
At least he had been free.
He could go wherever he wanted.
He could eat whatever he wanted.
He could spend an entire day doing absolutely nothing if he felt like it.
Now he was technically dead and somehow had less freedom than before.
Chen rubbed his face.
“Maybe I should’ve appreciated my old life more.”
The thought made him laugh bitterly.
“Who am I kidding?”
His old life had been miserable.
But this wasn’t exactly better.
He looked at the enormous pile of unfinished documents.
Four thousand years.
The number seemed to mock him.
“Four thousand years…”
Chen imagined himself sitting at this same desk centuries from now.
Still sorting scrolls.
Still staring at the same walls.
Still listening to Bai Yuexian tell him that he was “developing character.”
His expression darkened.
“Nope.”
He stood.
He stretched his arms above his head.
“I’m going outside.”
There was only one problem.
Bai Yuexian had specifically told him not to wander around the Celestial Realm alone.
Chen looked toward the doorway.
Then at the documents.
Then back toward the doorway.
“…I’m going outside.”
He carefully placed the scroll he was holding on the table.
Nobody stopped him.
Chen stepped into the corridor.
He walked slowly at first.
Then faster.
When nobody appeared, he picked up the pace.
The palace was enormous, and he had barely explored any of it.
He passed through a hallway lined with glowing statues and reached a massive balcony overlooking the clouds.
Chen stepped outside.
Warm wind brushed against his face.
He closed his eyes.
For the first time since arriving in the Celestial Realm, he felt free.
“No paperwork.”
He smiled.
“No goddess.”
He opened his eyes.
“And no walls.”
Chen climbed over the balcony railing.
He paused.
“…Actually, that’s probably a bad idea.”
He climbed back down.
Walking seemed safer.
He followed one of the enormous bridges extending from Bai Yuexian’s palace toward the distant city.
The Celestial Realm was even more impressive when he wasn’t looking at it through a doorway.
Floating islands drifted through the sky.
Golden rivers flowed between the clouds.
Massive creatures flew overhead.
Far in the distance, Chen could see something resembling a mountain range floating upside down.
He stopped walking.
“How does that even work?”
Nobody answered.
“Right. Gods.”
He continued forward.
After a while, he reached a quiet garden.
Unlike the busy streets, this place was peaceful.
A small pond reflected the golden sky, surrounded by strange flowers that glowed softly.
Chen sat beside it.
“This is better.”
He stretched out on the grass.
Maybe he could just stay here for a while.
Nobody would know.
Nobody would care.
At least, that’s what he thought.
“You’re not supposed to be here.”
Chen immediately sat up.
A woman stood on the other side of the pond.
She had long pale-blue hair and gentle silver eyes.
Her clothing was elegant but simple, decorated with patterns that reminded Chen of flowing water.
Chen stared at her.
She stared back.
Neither spoke.
Finally, Chen pointed toward himself.
“Me?”
The woman nodded.
“Yes.”
Chen slowly stood.
“Are you going to report me?”
She tilted her head.
“Why would I?”
“Because I’m trespassing?”
She looked around the garden.
“This garden doesn’t belong to anyone.”
Chen relaxed slightly.
“Oh.”
The woman smiled.
“You look lost.”
“I am.”
“New here?”
“Very.”
“How new?”
Chen thought about it.
“One day.”
Her eyes widened.
“One day?”
“Technically.”
She looked at him for several seconds.
Then she laughed softly.
“That explains a lot.”
Chen frowned.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You have the expression of someone who has just discovered that the Celestial Realm is much larger than he expected.”
“That’s exactly what happened.”
She walked closer.
“My name is Seraphina.”
Chen nodded.
“Chen.”
“I know.”
He blinked.
“You know me?”
“You’re Bai Yuexian’s new helper.”
Chen sighed.
“That’s what I’m apparently famous for.”
Seraphina smiled.
“You don’t seem very happy about it.”
“I’m spending four thousand years sorting documents.”
Her expression became sympathetic.
“That does sound unpleasant.”
“Thank you.”
“Would you like to see the Celestial Realm?”
Chen stared at her.
“You’re serious?”
“Yes.”
He glanced toward the palace.
Then toward Seraphina.
“Does Bai Yuexian know you’re taking me?”
Seraphina smiled.
“No.”
Chen grinned.
“I like you already.”
Seraphina turned out to be an excellent guide.
She took Chen across several floating districts, showing him places he would never have discovered by staying inside Bai Yuexian’s palace.
First, she brought him to the Heavenly Market.
Chen stopped in the middle of the street.
“You’re telling me all these people are gods?”
“Not all of them.”
“Most?”
“Some are immortals. Some are spirits. Some are descendants of divine beings. There are many kinds of inhabitants here.”
Chen looked around.
There were merchants selling glowing fruits, strange weapons, magical stones, bottles filled with colorful liquids, and creatures Chen couldn’t even identify.
“This place is insane.”
Seraphina laughed.
“You’ve barely seen anything.”
She took him farther.
They passed through the Cloud Harbor, where enormous flying vessels rested between floating islands.
Some were made of wood.
Others were constructed entirely from metal or crystal.
Chen stared at one enormous ship that looked like a palace floating through the sky.
“People actually travel in those?”
“Of course.”
“Where do they go?”
“Across the Celestial Realm.”
Chen remembered Bai Yuexian’s explanation.
Three months just to travel from another part of the realm.
He suddenly understood why ships like these existed.
They continued their tour.
Seraphina showed him a massive library that seemed to extend into the clouds, a training arena where immortals fought beneath enormous formations, and a waterfall that flowed upward into the sky.
Chen couldn’t stop looking around.
Every few minutes, another sight left him speechless.
Eventually, he and Seraphina reached a high terrace overlooking an enormous portion of the realm.
Chen rested his hands against the railing.
The view stretched farther than his eyes could follow.
For a while, he said nothing.
Then he smiled.
“Okay.”
Seraphina glanced at him.
“Okay?”
“Maybe four thousand years won’t be completely terrible.”
She smiled.
“I thought you might say that.”
Chen looked toward the endless horizon.
He still didn’t know why Bai Yuexian had chosen him.
He still didn’t know what his reincarnation would be like.
He didn’t even know what kind of person he would become after four thousand years.
But for the first time since his death, he wasn’t thinking about the end.
He was thinking about what might be waiting beyond the next horizon.
Then a familiar voice came from behind them.
“Having fun?”
Chen froze.
Seraphina slowly turned around.
Bai Yuexian stood at the entrance to the terrace.
Chen swallowed.
“…I can explain.”
Bai Yuexian crossed her arms.
“I certainly hope so.”
Chen glanced at Seraphina.
She was trying very hard not to laugh.
Chen sighed.
“Okay.”
He raised both hands.
“I may have taken an unauthorized tour of the Celestial Realm.”
Bai Yuexian stared at him.
Then she smiled.
“At least you finally left your room.”
Chen blinked.
“You aren’t angry?”
“No.”
She turned toward the horizon.
“Tomorrow, I’ll show you somewhere else.”
Chen’s eyes widened.
“Really?”
Bai Yuexian smiled.
“After you finish your work.”
Chen’s expression collapsed.
“Never mind.”
Seraphina laughed.
And for the first time since arriving in the Celestial Realm, Chen laughed with her.
If you see it’s boring, just bear until the reincarnation chapter