The "monster" furrowed his brows. "Eat children?"
"Ah!" Yun Heng exclaimed in surprise. "Even frowning looks so handsome."
"…"
The handsome "monster" asked him, "Where did you come from?"
Yun Heng tilted his head back and looked up at the sky. "From the heavens."
"The heavens?"
Yun Heng nodded. "The Heavenly Court."
The handsome "monster" found this even more peculiar. "The Heavenly Court?"
The little one patted his chest proudly. "I am Yun Heng, the Crown Prince of the Heavenly Court."
"Crown Prince?" Having just heard Yun Heng call out "Brother Nezha" several times, the monster nodded in understanding. "Li Jing has had another son."
Yun Heng pouted in dissatisfaction. "I am not Heavenly King Li's son."
"Then whose son are you?"
"I am the son of my Father Emperor and Mother Empress."
"So, the son of the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother…" The "monster" twitched the corner of his lips, revealing a barely perceptible smile. "Then why are you here?"
The "monster" was too handsome, and Yun Heng felt no wariness at being held by a stranger. Instead, he nestled softly against the other's shoulder. "I came to find a Great Peacock!"
"Great Peacock?"
"Yes," the little one said, leaning on his shoulder, suddenly growing excited. "I saw it—it's right behind you!"
As he spoke, the child struggled to get down from his arms. "The Great Peacock is very powerful. It can fight eight at once. Even my Cousin and Brother Nezha couldn't defeat it."
Hearing this, a faint smile finally appeared on the "monster's" cool and aloof face. He turned around and, indeed, saw a peacock not far away in the bamboo grove.
He asked Yun Heng, "Why are you looking for the Great Peacock?"
Yun Heng waved the golden bow in his hand high. "I want to defeat it and make it my mount!"
The "monster's" mouth twitched, and a sudden question arose in his mind—how could that rigid old thing, the Jade Emperor, produce such an adorable and amusing little one.
"Didn't you just say that peacock is very powerful? Can you defeat it?"
"Of course!" Yun Heng slowly moved toward the peacock. "I have a golden bow and silver pellets. Sister Ziyuan said my Cousin once shot down a pair of phoenixes with it."
The "monster" glanced at the golden bow in his hand, which could shoot arrows as well as pellets, and murmured, "Indeed, it is Yang Jian's personal toy."
"If it can shoot down phoenixes, it can shoot down peacocks too. They're both birds, after all." With that, Yun Heng even raised a hand to stop him in a serious manner. "It is the Great Peacock, and you're just a handsome monster. You can't defeat it."
It wasn't hard to tell the little one was a bit nervous; his sentences were too long, and his words were slightly slurred.
The handsome "monster" was indeed a bit confused. "Then what should I do?"
Yun Heng said, "Hide behind me. I'll protect you."
The "monster" obediently stood behind him. "Then I thank the Crown Prince."
As they spoke, Yun Heng had already taken step by step toward the peacock. The latter was buried in its task, intently nibbling on a tender bamboo shoot that had just sprouted, paying no attention to the little one approaching.
"Kong Xuan!"
Yun Heng's shout not only caught the peacock's attention but also caused the "monster" behind him to slightly furrow his brows—it had been a long time since anyone had called that name.
Yun Heng picked up a silver pellet, drew the bowstring to its fullest, and aimed at the peacock. "Once I defeat you, you'll be mine!"
With that, he released his hand, and the pellet flew straight toward the peacock.
Yun Heng was ecstatic: "I'm finally going to have a mount!"
Just as the marble was about to hit the peacock's rear, at the critical moment, the peacock's tail feathers quivered, and its massive tail slowly unfurled like a fan, emitting a faint green glow. With a swift sweep, the silver marble vanished.
"Hmm?" Yun Heng wasn't willing to give up and shot another marble. With another green flash, the marble disappeared without a trace.
The little one shot again, and the peacock swept it away again…
Soon, the marbles in his pouch were nearly depleted. The handsome "monster" didn't help at all, merely standing leisurely behind him, watching with keen interest.
After waiting a moment and seeing Yun Heng had stopped, the peacock lowered its head and continued nibbling on bamboo shoots.
Yun Heng stomped his feet, put away his golden bow, and ran over.
"Ah~"
The "monster" followed him, "What is the Crown Prince doing?"
Yun Heng ran up to the peacock and grabbed its neck, lifting his short legs and exerting all his strength to climb onto the peacock's back.
The peacock was eating and, repeatedly disturbed, grew somewhat irritated. It shook its body to throw Yun Heng off, urgently speaking human words: "Get down!"
Yun Heng clung to its neck and refused to let go: "I won't!"
The peacock unfurled its tail feathers again, this time not just to collect his marbles but to sweep the little one away as well.
But just as the magnificent peacock feathers shimmered with green light, the person beside them lightly gestured in the air, and the glow dimmed: "Do not harm him."
The peacock cried out somewhat aggrievedly: "Master!"
"Master?"
Yun Heng's face lit up with a delighted smile: "I wanted you as my mount, but you want to become my disciple."
"You little fool, who wants to become your disciple?"
"I'm not a little fool, you're the fool!" Yun Heng exerted strength in his hands, grabbing the soft feathers on its neck, causing the peacock to squeak twice in pain.
As the human and bird tangled, Yun Heng felt his body lighten and was picked up again.
The peacock on the ground transformed, becoming a child dressed in emerald green robes. The child shook his sleeves, and a shower of silver marbles clattered down from his body.
"Crown Prince, Crown Prince!"
The voice came from afar, and soon Yun Heng saw who it was. The little one waved his hands excitedly: "Nezha brother, I'm here!"
The three Li brothers approached them. Nezha held something in his hand; seeing Yun Heng, he tossed it aside and went to hug him: "My little Crown Prince, I lost sight of you for a moment, and you ran off. If the Emperor finds out…"
Yun Heng reached out to him: "I won't let Father Emperor punish you."
Jinzha and Muzha, seeing the person holding Yun Heng, immediately bowed respectfully: "Greetings, Peacock Great Bright King Bodhisattva."
Kong Xuan nodded faintly, his gaze still fixed on the little one in his arms.
Yun Heng's hand was halfway extended when he heard their words, immediately turning around, his small face full of shock: "You… you… you… aren't you a monster?"
The peacock transformed into human form beside them rebuked: "Little fool, my master is the Peacock Great Bright King Bodhisattva you wanted to take as your mount."
"You're lying!" The little one pouted, both angry and aggrieved, "He was a handsome monster just now!"
"The yellow-clad rat wanted to catch you; it was my master who saved you, and you still call him a monster."
The little one looked at Kong Xuan, awkwardly rubbing his small hands: "Are you really the Peacock Great King?"
"Yes, I am Kong Xuan."
"…"
Yun Heng frowned for a moment, then bit his lower lip. To ease the awkwardness, he had to change the subject: "What is that yellow-furred marten?"
Nezha pointed at the thing he had thrown aside earlier: "That's him."
His two elder brothers had joined the Western Sect under their master's guidance, so naturally they had to respectfully bow to Kong Xuan, the Peacock Great Bright King Bodhisattva.
But he, Nezha, the Third Prince, was the Central Altar Marshal of the Heavenly Court, and naturally didn't need to be overly respectful to those from the Western Sect: "I saw this creature sneaking out of Zizhulin and felt something was off. After interrogating him, I learned of the prince's whereabouts and captured him to lead the way."
As he spoke, Nezha raised his Fire-Tipped Spear: "This blind creature dared to harm the prince. I'll finish you now."
The yellow-furred marten pleaded repeatedly: "Third Prince, spare my life! Bodhisattva, spare my life! I practice spiritual cultivation at Lingshan, often listening to the Buddha's teachings, and I would never harm anyone. I saw this little child was adorable and just wanted to play with him. Who knew I would encounter the Peacock Great King Bodhisattva?"
Jinzha also tried to stop Nezha: "Lingshan is where the Buddha practices cultivation; killing is forbidden."
Yun Heng was naturally compassionate, especially toward animals. Though the yellow-furred marten's appearance didn't appeal to him, he didn't want to see it killed.
Kong Xuan noticed the child's reluctance and coldly said to the yellow-furred marten: "You may go."
With the Bodhisattva's permission, the yellow-furred marten thanked repeatedly, and with another gust of wind, vanished without a trace.
Nezha reluctantly withdrew his spear: "Prince, let's go."
But Yun Heng nestled deeper into Kong Xuan's embrace, as if afraid he would be handed over to Nezha: "I won't go!"
The green-clad child asked: "Do you still want to fight the peacock?"
"No, no…" Yun Heng looked at Kong Xuan's handsome face so close to him. "They only told me the Peacock Great King is very powerful, but they didn't say he looks so handsome."
Jinzha and Muzha were puzzled. Why did Yun Heng want to fight the peacock? What connection did the Peacock Great King's power have with his appearance?
Only Nezha knew that their little prince interacted with others based first on intuition and second on looks. Anyone who was handsome, he wanted to be close to.
The green-clad child asked again: "Do you still want him to be your mount?"
Yun Heng nodded firmly: "Yes!"
"…"
The green-clad child stomped angrily: "You really dare to think such things."
Yun Heng wondered: "Why wouldn't I dare?"
Jinzha and Muzha were astonished. Only the Jade Emperor's own son, whom all Immortals had to pamper, could speak and act based solely on preference, without any restraint. Anyone else would never dare to say they wanted the Peacock Great Bright King Bodhisattva as their mount.
The little one clung to him, unwilling to leave, and Kong Xuan had no way to handle him: "The prince must never run out alone again."
Yun Heng whispered quietly into his ear: "I run out alone every day in the Heavenly Court."
"The Immortals in the Heavenly Court all recognize you, so it's safe there. Other places are different."
Yun Heng asked: "Are there monsters?"
"Yes, there are monsters."
"Do monsters all look as handsome as you?"
"The more handsome a monster, the more dangerous."
Yun Heng threw himself onto Kong Xuan's shoulder, tightly wrapping his arms around his neck: "You're not a monster. You're the Peacock Great King."
The two of them hugged each other, whispering intimately, while the others nearby watched, each with their own thoughts.
Nezha was not surprised by this. Throughout their journey, whenever the little prince took a liking to a beauty, they would inevitably succumb to his charm, becoming utterly devoted and doting on him.
Jinzha and Muzha appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly, they were deeply astonished. The Peacock Great King was born with an innate pride, daring to claim himself as the foremost beneath the saints even before attaining enlightenment. Cultivating on Lingshan, he never formed friendships or concerned himself with worldly affairs, accompanied only by a single disciple.
Since Daoist Zhunti retreated into seclusion, even Tathagata could not command him. Never had they seen him so close to anyone, let alone a three-year-old child.
The green-clad disciple glanced at his master, then at Yun Heng, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
Originally a small peacock who had cultivated for a hundred years on Lingshan, he had been taken in by Kong Xuan as his sole disciple by chance. Though his master was aloof by nature, he treated him well, occasionally bringing him to play in this Zizhulin and even imparting the Five-Colored Divine Light to him.
Yet, his master had never held him like this or spoken to him so much.
Nezha leaned against a nearby bamboo, holding his Fire-Tipped Spear. Watching the two of them cuddle for a long while, it was mostly Yun Heng who spoke, while Kong Xuan listened quietly, occasionally revealing a faint smile.
For a bird as magnificent as a peacock, it was not easy to appear unattractive.
Usually, the little one clung to his side, calling him "Brother Nezha" this and "Brother Nezha" that, even declaring repeatedly that he liked Brother Nezha the most. Yet, wasn’t it just a case of liking every good-looking person he met?
The more the Third Prince thought about it, the more unsettled he felt, so he reminded, "Your Highness, it’s time to return. His Majesty will be looking for you."
But Yun Heng suddenly grabbed Kong Xuan’s lapel and said earnestly, "I think we are also fated. Come back to the Heavenly Court with me."
Kong Xuan: "…"