Floating clouds rise directly up to the Daluo Heaven, the highest and vastest realm beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens. At the place where the Ziwei Star and the Big Dipper Star reflect each other from afar lies the power center that governs the three realms—the Heavenly Court.
For thousands of years, although the lives of the Immortals remained unchanged, they were nonetheless free and easy. Occasionally, a Fairy Maiden or Immortal Child would yearn for the mortal world and run down to marry a mortal and have children. To the Immortals, this was not some catastrophic event, but rather fodder for gossip after their meals.
For instance, Erlang Shen was the offspring of the Jade Emperor’s own sister, Fairy Yunhua, who had privately descended to the mortal world and wed a mortal.
This had distressed the Jade Emperor greatly. He personally suppressed his sister beneath Mount Hua, demanding she properly reflect on her transgressions.
Because of this, Erlang Shen had reached a state of irreconcilable conflict with his uncle, causing no small number of incidents. The uncle and nephew argued whenever they met, and their relationship was exceptionally strained.
In those years, the amateur lives of the Immortals relied entirely on the gossip of this one family for amusement.
On this day, the horizon was suddenly filled with ten thousand rays of golden light. The Heavenly Court was already shrouded within the Cloud Shield, and when illuminated by this Golden Light and Auspicious Aura, it became a vast, golden expanse that stretched beyond the horizon.
Surrounding Exotic Flowers and Immortal Herbs vied to bloom, while Rare Birds and Strange Beasts bowed their heads one after another in a gesture of submission.
This strange phenomenon was something even the old Immortals who had lived in the Heavenly Court for thousands of years had never seen. Stroking their white beards, they sighed, “What joyous occasion is occurring?”
Indeed, there was a joyous occasion. Later that day, news spread from the Jasper Pool—the Queen Mother of the West had given birth to a baby boy.
It must be said that the Jade Emperor’s family was the source of joy for the Immortals. Only a few hundred years had passed since the incident of Erlang Shen cleaving the mountain to save his mother, and now the old, unconventional Jade Emperor had gone and fathered another son.
“Giving birth requires ten months of pregnancy. Why haven’t we heard any news of the Queen Mother being pregnant before this?”
“This old Daoist has calculated with his fingers; the Queen Mother indeed hasn’t shown her face for quite some time.”
“You’ve forgotten, about ten months ago, the Jade Emperor mentioned that the Queen Mother was going into seclusion for cultivation.”
“How old is the Queen Mother this year?”
“…”
One Immortal frowned and sucked in a breath of cold air: “I remember now. Just before the Queen Mother went into seclusion, the Patriarch of the Dao visited the Heavenly Court.”
“Which Patriarch of the Dao?”
“Which other one could it be? Naturally, it was that Dao Ancestor Hongjun.”
“Ah?! You mean…”
“Hey!” An Immortal beside them interrupted. “You can’t just say things like that. The Patriarch of the Dao is the Manifestation of the Great Dao.”
“Have you fellow Daoists grown too comfortable in your lives? Do you want to seek some excitement on the Immortal-Execution Platform?”
“…”
The Jade Emperor, having gained a son in his later years, was overjoyed. Three months later, he held a hundred-day banquet for his son in the Ling Xiao Dian (Hall of Heaven), inviting all the Immortal Officials to the feast.
The Immortal Officials were all very eager to attend. The Nectar and Jade Liquor, Peaches of Immortality and Fresh Fruits, and Dragon Liver and Phoenix Marrow at the feast were secondary; their main goal was to see what the Jade Emperor’s youngest son actually looked like.
Most Immortals achieved a Physical Body Ascension to Sainthood. To achieve Ascension to the Immortal Realm, one usually had to seek a master to learn skills, practice in the mortal world for thousands of years, or perform great military service during the Great War of Gods and Demons.
Although the Heavenly Rules were strict, Immortals were not forbidden from marrying and having children; the conditions were simply very demanding.
However, these children were either born in the Immortal Mountain Cave Abodes where the Immortals practiced or born in the mortal world before their ascension. Truly, none had ever been born within the Heavenly Court itself.
This little fellow was the first child born since the establishment of the Heavenly Court. He was also the son of the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West. The Immortals were all very curious about how this child differed from a mortal toddler.
After three rounds of wine and a dance performed by the Fairy Maidens, the Queen Mother finally arrived late, carrying the Prince.
The Immortals hadn’t even seen the child yet before they began scrutinizing the Queen Mother. They were surprised to find that after several months of cultivation and giving birth to a son, the Queen Mother actually looked younger than before.
The Jade Emperor stood up, took his son into his arms, and smiled with a face full of wrinkles, completely devoid of his usual divine majesty. He was no different from a mortal king who had gained a son in his old age. “My son, Yun Heng, is hereby titled Crown Prince as of today.”
Only then did everyone see the little Prince’s appearance. Like a mortal child, he was a small infant who needed care. But he was also different—this child was far too beautiful.
Mortals often used the phrase “an Immortal Child descending to earth” to describe children who were pleasing to the eye, but even the Immortal Children in Heaven could not match a fraction of this little Prince’s features.
His fair little face was like the finest jade fat, making one reluctant to touch it. His large, bright eyes curved into crescents when he smiled, causing even the Immortals in the Ling Xiao Dian to feel an involuntary sense of joy. His chubby little hand gripped a lock of the Jade Emperor’s hair as he tilted his small head to examine him carefully.
The Immortals talked all at once, praising the little Prince for being as clever as he was cute, as delicate as carved pink jade, and possessing an Immortal Bearing and Spiritual Bone. They remarked that this was the blood bond between father and son, and that the little Prince clearly adored his Imperial Father…
Suddenly, the little fellow in the Jade Emperor’s arms, with lightning speed, stuffed the lock of hair in his hand into his mouth and began to suck on it with great relish.
Standing to the side, the Queen Mother nearly died laughing. What blood bond? Her son was simply hungry.
Time in Heaven flowed like water. In the blink of an eye, three years had passed, and Yun Heng was about to celebrate his third birthday.
Over these three years, the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother had doted on this son to the extreme. Every year for his birthday, they would hold a banquet for all the Immortals in the Ling Xiao Dian.
As he grew older, the little Prince became even more beautiful. He wore a Moon-White Brocade Robe with an outer layer of Wide-Sleeved Light Gauze. On his head was a Silver Crown for Tying Hair, and around his waist was a Jade Belt hung with Exquisite Jade Pendants. His small figure was partially hidden among the clouds and mist. Fairy Maidens, Immortal Children, and Heavenly Soldiers and Generals all had to step aside when they saw him, fearing they might accidentally bump into him if they weren’t careful.
The little fellow went skipping toward the Ling Xiao Dian, a group of Fairy Maidens clutching their skirts as they chased after him, yet unable to catch up no matter what.
Yun Heng ran up the jade steps in one breath. Outside the Ling Xiao Dian stood two rows of solemn Ornamental Pillars, each with a Golden-Scaled Sun-Shining Red-Whiskered Dragon coiled around it.
Yun Heng reached out and touched the red dragon whiskers, pinching one as if he were about to pluck it, forcing the great dragon to cry out in alarm, “Prince, have mercy!”
“Hehehehe…” The little fellow bent over laughing, then gently smoothed the dragon’s whiskers for it. “I won’t pluck them, I won’t pluck them. I was just teasing you!”
“Sigh!” The great dragon let out a low sigh, though its tone was very indulgent. “Naughty!”
Yun Heng waved a hand at it. “I’m going in now.”
“Go on, watch your step, don’t fall.”
The little Prince was the most special Immortal in the entire Celestial Realm. Born with an Immortal Bearing and Spiritual Bone, he was exceptionally intelligent and possessed infinite divine power, yet his intellect had not yet fully opened. He had not learned a single bit of Immortal Arts and was no different from a mortal child.
As the precious treasure held in the palms of the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother, the other Immortals naturally had to care for him with great caution.
Yun Heng walked into the Ling Xiao Dian. Most of the Immortals had already arrived. Since the banquet had not yet begun, no one was in a hurry to take their seats, standing together in groups of three or five to exchange compliments.
The little fellow moved boldly through the crowd, saying hello to this one and greeting that one.
“Taibai Jinxing, can I touch your beard?”
Taibai Jinxing leaned down and brought his face close to him. “Touch away.”
Yun Heng stroked it, mimicking his manner. “I really want to use it to make a Horsetail Whisk to drive away mosquitoes and flies.”
Taibai Jinxing: “…”
Before he could think of a response, Yun Heng had already lost interest in his beard. He turned and skipped away toward Li Jing, who was not far off.
“Hello, Heavenly King Li!” He pointed at the Seven-Treasure Exquisite Pagoda in Li Jing’s hand. “Is this a birthday gift for me?”
“…”
The Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li Jing was the head of the Heavenly Soldiers. The Seven-Treasure Exquisite Pagoda in his hand had been gifted by his master, Daoist Randeng, and was his most important Magical Treasure.
The little Prince was certainly not shy, looking at him with eyes full of expectation and asking the most difficult question in the most innocent tone.
Looking at the little fellow, Heavenly King Li’s temples began to throb. He had three sons and a daughter, and he had always been a strict father to his own children.
But the little ball of fluff in front of him wasn’t his child; he was the Jade Emperor’s Prince. He couldn’t be strict, so he had to squat down and explain patiently, “This Seven-Treasure Exquisite Pagoda is made of pure gold and weighs a thousand jin. Prince, you are still small and cannot lift it… Prince! Prince!”
Before he could finish his sentence, Yun Heng, without a word, took the pagoda from his hand as if it were some common object. “It’s not heavy, not heavy at all.”
As he spoke, he even tossed the pagoda up and nearly failed to catch it as it fell.
“Prince, be careful…”
Never mind Li Jing; this scene shocked all the surrounding Immortals, nearly scaring the souls out of them. If it were to accidentally hit the ground and release the demons suppressed inside, today’s banquet would certainly be “lively.”
When his master Daoist Randeng passed this Magical Treasure to Li Jing, he had to practice for a long time before he could support the pagoda on his palm. Moreover, with many vicious demons suppressed within, the weight was by no means light.
The little Prince might be an Immortal, but he didn’t have a shred of cultivation or Immortal Arts, yet he could effortlessly take the Seven-Treasure Exquisite Pagoda from his hand. As expected of the son of the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother, he was truly endowed with extraordinary talent.
Seeing these usually steady Immortals getting so flustered, the little fellow was overjoyed. He placed the pagoda back into Li Jing’s hand and gave him a clever smile. “Hehe, I was just teasing you.”
In the blink of an eye, he ran off on his short legs, but unexpectedly collided head-on with someone. Light gauze brushed across his face, and a faint scent of osmanthus wafted from that person.
The Immortals followed the sound of the collision. The Goddess of the Moon, Chang’e, usually so clear and refined, now had a face full of panic. Her hand shook, and the Jade Rabbit in her arms was also startled. With a kick of its hind legs, it dropped to the ground and vanished in a flash.
The person Yun Heng had bumped into was indeed Chang’e. She lived alone in the Moon Palace all year round with only the Jade Rabbit for company. She carried this rabbit wherever she went, never letting it leave her side, and the Jade Rabbit never allowed anyone else to touch it.
Now, things had gone awry. With Yun Heng’s bump, the rabbit had fled.
Chang’e had no time to worry about the rabbit; she first helped Yun Heng up and straightened his Immortal Robe. “Prince, are you alright?”
“I’m fine, I’m fine.” Yun Heng adjusted his silver crown and pointed in the direction the rabbit had fled. “I’ll go catch it back for you!”
“Wait…” Chang’e was about to say, “Don’t bother, I can call it back with some magic,” but Yun Heng was small and agile. Before she could finish, he was already gone.
The little fellow didn’t care whether she could use magic to call back the Jade Rabbit; right now, he just wanted to catch the rabbit and was enjoying the process immensely.
“Little rabbit, little rabbit, don’t run away…”
At this moment, the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother ascended to the foremost thrones. The Immortal Ministers took their seats, and the birthday banquet was about to begin.
This was the Prince’s birthday feast. Everything was prepared, but the protagonist was missing.
The Ling Xiao Dian immediately fell silent. The Jade Emperor looked left and right. Yun Heng’s little milky voice drifted faintly from a corner of the hall, but he was hidden within the clouds and mist, his figure unclear.
“Little rabbit, wait for me! Wait for me!”
The voice came from the left. The Jade Emperor, the Queen Mother, and the assembly of Immortals all looked over in unison. They saw a small figure crawling out from under a low table on all fours, his head popping out from the mist. Who else could it be but that little troublemaker Yun Heng?
Chang’e spotted the Jade Rabbit at once. This little beast, which never allowed strangers to touch it, was now snuggling obediently in Yun Heng’s arms, its head pressed tightly against him, its two ears twitching. It couldn’t have been more affectionate. Those who knew recognized it as the Goddess of the Moon’s Jade Rabbit; those who didn’t would have thought it was a pet raised by the Prince.
Yun Heng ran to Chang’e and handed the Jade Rabbit over. “Goddess of the Moon, look, I brought the little rabbit back.”
When Chang’e took the Jade Rabbit, the little beast even reluctantly rubbed the top of its head against Yun Heng’s palm.
Upon his throne, the Jade Emperor wore a serious expression, his emotions unreadable. This son of his spent all day finding new ways to cause trouble, yet every single Immortal doted on him.
Chang’e smiled and straightened his silver crown again. “Thank you for your hard work, Prince.”
Yun Heng tilted his head up. Seeing the smile on Chang’e’s face, he blurted out, “Sister Chang’e, you look so pretty when you smile.”
“…”
It was known throughout the Heavenly Court that the Goddess of the Moon was cold and aloof, difficult to approach. Facing the little Prince now, she had unexpectedly shown a few hints of tenderness. Forget Yun Heng; even many of the Immortals were dazed by the sight.
The atmosphere was truly a bit awkward. An Immortal nearby stepped in to break the tension: “The Prince’s Immortal Bearing and Spiritual Bone are of the utmost purity; all living things are willing to be close to him.”
Yun Heng pinched the Jade Rabbit’s ear and suddenly mimicked the tone the Jade Emperor usually used to scold him: “If you run away again, I’ll spank your little bottom!”
“!!!”
His deadpan, serious little look was truly adorable, making all the surrounding Immortals burst into laughter.
As Yun Heng grew day by day, every day in the Heavenly Court was filled with such chaos and laughter. It couldn’t have been more joyous.
But he was, after all, the son of the Jade Emperor, titled Crown Prince from birth and the sole heir to the Celestial Realm. If he spent every day causing such trouble, he would look nothing like a successor.
“Ahem—” The Jade Emperor cleared his throat, putting on an air of full majesty as he said to the Immortals, “The Prince is unruly. I apologize for the amusement he has caused the Immortal Ministers.”
He then glared at his son. “Heng’er, come here at once!”
This was hardly scolding his son; it was clearly a display of protective doting.
The Immortal Ministers wouldn’t dare find it amusing; they were too busy offering praise: “The Prince is naturally gifted and intelligent.”
“The Prince still has his childhood innocence.”
“The Prince…”
At that moment, Marshal Wang, who guarded the outside of the Ling Xiao Dian, suddenly entered. “Reporting to Your Majesty, Erlang Shen has arrived.”
Yun Heng had just managed to climb onto his Imperial Father’s lap. Having just sat down, he poked his small head out from behind the imperial desk. Suddenly hearing a strange name, he turned back and asked, “Imperial Mother, who is Erlang Shen?”
The Queen Mother laughed softly. “He is your cousin.”