In the floating Chengxiu Village, everyone knew the fairytale of the Heaven Immortal and the cow-herder by heart. However, it was a version that differed greatly from the more popular, widespread one.

Initially, Mei Ying did not remember what the Qixi Festival was supposed to celebrate until Jian Yu mentioned the doomed couple. Eating her tanghulu, which had dwindled halfway down the stick, the huntress tilted her head. She tried to recall the fairytale that her parents had told orally to her and her little brother. Why, even Shifu and the tiger spirit, Shuang, had different versions of the story.

Firstly, the Song clan members did not call the male lead ‘the cow-herder.’ Instead, he was mainly known as ‘the orphan’ or ‘the orphaned cow-herder.’

“Ah, the Song clan calls that fairytale, the Heaven Immortal and the Orphan.” Nodding, the maiden averted her attention to her handsome friend. “So, the Qixi Festival...is an annual event that is a remembrance of their love for each other.”

Even in the dark, Jian Yu’s fair face remained attractive with the soft nose and dark, joyous eyes. The gentle shine of his pupils were bright as lucid starlight while he paid attention to Mei Ying’s every word. Despite the night overtaking half of his figure, the two long bangs from the front that fell softly past his chin each framed his face perfectly in a flattering way.

If only Mei Ying knew how to cast a passive spell like Jian Yu, one that can stop the wind from blowing hair against her face. He was too good-looking for the Mortal realm.

“Is there something on my face?” asked the young man.

Mei Ying shook her head. “I was just thinking...that I wish I could be as good-looking as you.”

Jian Yu became quiet.

From the corner of her eye, the young woman thought that she saw Xiao Li close his eyes for a moment. He muttered under his breath.

Anyhow, secondly, the clan’s version emphasized more details of the orphan’s life before meeting his future beloved. Unknownst to many outsiders, the male lead had lived with his parents until the day they died, and though his elder brother and sister-in-law took him in, they treated him poorly.

Lastly, the tragic hero did not steal the Heaven Immortal’s silk robe when she was bathing in the Mortal realm.

In the Song clan’s version, it was said that the male lead had saved a white mountain goat, who was actually a dragon prince under a transformation spell. For the orphan’s good deed, when he wept tears by an ill-rumored waterfall, the dragon king himself appeared and introduced his daughter. There, the wedding ceremony took place between the orphan and the Heaven Immortal, with the dragon king as a divine witness.

“Was there a happier ending in that other version?” Xiao Li piped in, carrying the lanterns in his arms.

“Nope!” Mei Ying dropped the leftover sweets into a nearby basket and continued to walk between the two young men. Another firework erupted into the night skies, raining down a few sizzling jets of white and purple flames. “The orphan easily fell under a spell by a jealous mortal and broke the Heaven Immortal’s heart.”

In the end, the male lead was bewitched and drove Heaven Immortal away. By the time he had broken the spell and chased after his beloved, it was too late. The Heaven Immortal had already flown back to the Heaven realm, leaving the orphan all alone in tears.

Then, the Heavenly Emperor took pity and turned the tragic hero into a bright star where he could finally be an Immortal.

“I don’t blame that celestial maiden.” Jian Yu stated. “Humans can be too weak-minded as compared to those from the Heaven Realm and the Netherworld.” He turned to Mei Ying. “In that fairytale, what created the Heavenly River?”

“To this day, the Song clan still believe that the orphan’s tears had formed the stars of the silver Heavenly River, the bridge of a million stars, which allows his annual meeting with his beloved.” As Mei Ying spoke, she and her friends halted in their tracks to look upon the glittering heavens. A soft, mild autumn wind swept past the three, playing with the woman’s long, black locks like lustrous satin. “Every year, on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, the bright star transforms back into the orphan, who then races across the Heavenly River to meet with the Heaven Immortal.”

At the same time, the doomed couple’s incident was a mark toward the forbiddance of inter-realm marriage between any inhabitants of the Three Realms. After a couple more disastrous events, an agreement and punishment was enforced.

The love between inhabitants of the Three Realms would not last.

Even if it did, the children of inter-realm marriages were often fought over, war ensued, corpses piled, rivers ran red, and so on forth.

Due to the recalling of this bittersweet fairytale ending, Mei Ying felt the weight of iron upon her chest. The heart sank and sank like a rock, causing her to sigh. Gradually, the huntress shifted her gaze away from the silver stream of lustrous stars, only to lock with Jian Yu’s eyes.

The two could scarcely breathe when red maple leaves scattered all around them. Ethereal outlines of their silhouettes tinged with the rainbow-colored flickering lights of the tremendous firework displays and hanging gold lanterns alike. It was as though they were both caught in a beaded web of enchantment, blinking away the time with thick, delicate lashes and parted lips, wetted by sweet rainwater. In the shimmering reflection of each other’s eyes, they were indeed mirrors showing the other person, adorned in radiation and tenderness.

Feeling flushed, Mei Ying was the first to break eye contact and stammered out, “It’s a pity... Can the love between a mortal and a Heaven Immortal really not last? The human did not have any cultivation or magical power of his own. Is it the same between a mortal and a demon? A demon and a Heaven Immortal or god?”

“To answer, the mortal cultivator still cannot compare with a Heaven Immortal or god.” Jian Yu replied, lowering his eyes. “He is nothing against the will of fate.” He paused. “But even if he becomes an Immortal or god, will everything get better? If he becomes a demon, who is to say that she will still stay?”

Seeing his friend’s contemplative expression, the cultivator carried on, “In the end, fortune has a fickle heart and a short memory. Someday, there might be a couple that will change the minds of the Three Realms on that matter.”

A few more combustions fanned out into the stars, followed by one exhibiting a large red flower and a pair displaying two butterflies for the city to see. Everywhere, people gasped and shouted, clapping their hands even more passionately than before. Children laughed and pointed to the fireworks, begging their parents to stay longer and watch.

“Jian Jian…” Scratching her head, Mei Ying struggled to recall a distant memory. The three cultivators resumed their night stroll alongside the canal of boats, sounders with their singing and instruments, and couples enjoying the festivity. “While we are on the topic, in the past hundreds of years, have you ever heard of a Heaven Immortal training mortals in the art of cultivation?”

The question was slightly different from what the two were discussing. Regardless, when her friend mentioned about mortals ascending and possibly becoming gods, Mei Ying was reminded of her strange ‘dream’ about herself in the crimson robes and the crying child.

Promptly, much to Mei Ying’s surprise, both the young men glanced at each other.

“Why do you ask?” asked Xiao Li, despite the fact that the huntress had questioned his king and not him.

It was odd.

Nonetheless, the young woman folded her long, broad white sleeves across her chest. To the best of her memory, she responded, “During the Tian Shan Feng tournament, when we were in the secret realm, I had a strange dream...about myself in the most luxurious robe that I had ever seen, crimson like maple leaves…”

Snatching a red leaf from the air, Mei Ying knitted her brows together and went on, “...and I was up in the mountains...with a little boy, dressed in rags, and I told him...to learn cultivation from a Heaven Immortal named En Lai.”

The huntress then went to describe the red chrysanthemums that she herself manifested in front of the isolated, wooden house, along with how angry this En Lai person was at her and their conversations. It seemed that she and the Heaven Immortal were close friends for a long, long time, which was why Mei Ying had entrusted the child to the man to care for and teach--as his disciple.

Moreover, Mei Ying explained that the veiled stranger, the villain that they all had faced, told her that her late Shaman Hua and the shifu both suppressed her memories from her past lifetimes while she was growing up. Ah, there must have been good reasons for their actions as well as concealing her existence behind the magical barrier of a migrating village that drifts on and on throughout the skies. Deemed as obstacles, the shifu was forcibly separated from Mei Ying, followed by the shaman’ murder.

Then, there is the Dragon Hero sword.

The huntress showed her friends the snow-white scabbard, clean and impeccable to the touch. According to the villain, the Dragon Hero sword has been split into two by someone. When Shifu had gifted the weapon to their little disciple, Mei Ying did not know where the divine sword had originated from. Now, why would someone go through the trouble to do that?

At last, there is Qiu Tian Valley at the foot of Mount Xieye to reconsider as well.

Answers relating to Mei Ying’s shifu may be there, lying in wait. Perhaps, there are also clues that can help her solve the winding mystery of the huntress’ past.

“I wonder…” The young woman scratched her head, absentmindedly. “I wonder...if my involvement with that child in the Mortal realm...brought this curse upon me.” Feeling Jian Yu and Xiao Li’s intense eyes on her, Mei Ying laughed sheepishly. “What are you two looking at me for?”

“We are seeing if you resent that brat.” answered the teenage servant. “Nearly eight hundred years ago, your meeting with the mortal brat more likely escalated into him becoming a cultivator, but something horrendous must have happened, and you were punished fiercely for initiating the chain of events.”

Xiao Li sighed. “You must have been a very naive Heaven Immortal to think that once mortals have power, they would improve their lives and the others’ around them for the better. Now, thanks to that, you are cursed to repeatedly live a short life and die a merciless death.” He tightened his arms around the lanterns. “If you hate that kid for the mess that you are in, that’s normal!”

To the contrary, Mei Ying’s heart itched.

“But that would not make sense.”

The young woman’s light response startled the servant as she walked past the dark water. Furrowing her eyebrows, the white-robed maiden exhaled a breath.

“In that memory...I trusted that child with all my heart.” Mei Ying’s eyes became warm. “There was nothing but hope, devotion, and care toward the boy. In spite of the curse following me, I do not resent or hate him.” Glancing over at Jian Yu, the young woman went on, “Hopefully, that child is still somewhere in this world.”

Overhead, the frequency of colorful firework displays were diminishing, bit by bit. Behind the three cultivators, waves of people were strolling once more, buying shiny trinkets, playing festival games, or grouping up to eat. A couple ambled past Xiao Li, pointing to the beacons that he held onto and whispering to one another.

“I will keep an ear out for him.” The deep, grave line in between Jian Yu’s red lips parted into a soft smile. He closed his eyes, letting the temperate breeze flutter through the lashes like parting between leaves. “If I hear or see anything about that disciple, I will let you know immediately.”

❁❁❁

“Your Highness…” With the tail of his all-black outer robe whipping against the air, Xiao Li stood on the clay-tiled rooftop of a tall multi-storied building while painting words onto his floating lantern. The golden flame inside of the object came from his truly. “Why are we doing this again?”

During the trio’s stroll, Jian Yu had found the sky-scraping structure, the loftiest one in the whole city, and instantly teleported everyone to be up there. It would be the perfect spot to release their floating lanterns and, also, the best place for the cityview and watching the beacons drift their way across the Heavenly River. An ideal way to end their time at the Qixi Festival.

“I want to create more memories of our travels in the Mortal realm.” Holding the lantern up for Mei Ying to paint, Jian Yu said, “You should not complain. Mei Ying was kind enough to let you have your own floating lantern and asked to share with me. Don’t you think your sister would like to be in your place?”

“Aiyo, if Xiao Dan finds out, she will just make fun of me for participating in this love festival.”

“Xiao Dan sounds cute!” The huntress delicately worked on her calligraphy, going from the top to bottom of her side of the glowing beacon, with the wet brush. “I did not know that Xiao Li had a sister.”

To herself, Mei Ying smiled and hovered the brush back to the top portion of the object. “Xiao Li… Xiao Dan. Your names sound similar but the meanings seem to suit you two well.”

“You…” Xiao Li pressed his lips together. His eyes shifted from side to side. Noting the maiden’s confusion, the servant refocused his attention to the lantern and murmured, “Thank you...Young Miss.”

“Hahaha! Xiao Li is flustered!” Once Jian Yu blurted that out, the poor adolescent huffed and kept writing. “He's turning so red!”

“Your Highness!”

Mei Ying was done with her poem. Taking a step back, the young woman was pleased with how clean her calligraphy came to be:

One night’s east wind adorns a thousand trees with flowers

And blows down stars in showers.

Fine steeds and carved cabs spread fragrance en route;

The moon sheds its full light

While fish and dragon lanterns dance all night.

In a gold-thread dress, with moth or willow ornaments,

Giggling, she melts into the throng with trails of scents.

But in the crowd once and again,

I look for her in vain.

When all at once I turn my head,

I find her there where the lantern light is dimly shed.

Feeling a presence looking over her shoulder, Mei Ying tilted her head to see the profound interest in Jian Yu’s stunning eyes, which were dark and deep as the ocean itself. His lips parted as though he was in awe of either her calligraphy or the literary work. Maybe both. But that cannot be it.

“Did your shifu...teach you how to read and write?” asked the young man, scanning over the characters.

Mei Ying nodded.

“Are you ready to free the lantern?”

“I’m ready if you and Xiao Li are.”

Together, they brought the blazing beacon over to where the servant stood, overlooking the far edge where he could see the crowds of people below, all of whom were babbling in pure excitement and merrymaking. What a vivid event it was! With hundreds and hundreds of paper lanterns converging together in one setting, ready to be liberated into the blackness and its glistening ribbon of Heavenly River! As people continued to gather all around, Mei Ying’s heart pounded in elation. She clutched onto the warm lantern.

All at once though, Mei Ying caught Jian Yu glancing her way. She returned his gaze as he flickered his attention elsewhere.

Shortly, everyone was ready with their scintillating lamps, each one painted neatly with black writing across the white paper and golden luster. As the time came for the three cultivators to guide the floating lanterns upward to the heavens, Mei Ying felt her friend’s shoulder brush up against her hair lightly. He turned, receding back as though she’s a delicate flower, about to wither at the next slightest touch.

Being carried away by the fair autumn wind, many glowing beacons of hopes and wishes levitated their way into the night, embedding an expansive stream of golden lanterns into the dark skies above.

With the three standing at what seemed like the top of this world, for the huntress, it was a remarkable feeling unlike any other. The overall sight was astonishing and so beautiful! Mei Ying was sure to burn the splendid scenery of seemingly infinite floating lanterns into her heart and soul. Her body trembled.

It had been too long since Mei Ying felt this happy and free.

From her peripheral view, the young woman caught Jian Yu standing by her side, with the temperate gale ruffling through his red robe. His long half-ponytail swirled back like black silk, and the long red ribbon sheened in blazing light. He lowered his eyelids, the thick lashes fluttering before meeting her curious-filled gaze. Mei Ying looked away.

“Jian Jian…” Though the maiden observed the multitudes of beacons that swept through the celestial outspread, she needed to inquire about something that came to mind just now. “Before I tell you about the whereabouts of my silver bracelet, I must ask…” She paused, hesitantly. “Why is the Demon King helping this lowly one?”

There was a moment of silence.

For unknown reasons, Mei Ying thought her question might be insulting to the other. However, when she averted her eyes back to Jian Yu, she became rigid.

While staring at the young woman, Jian Yu smiled a bit. His eyes were shining mysteriously as they often did if caught at the right time. He reached into his wide red sleeve, bringing out a familiar folded object for Mei Ying to see. Slowly, the young man handed it back to her.

Though shocked, the huntress accepted the white fan that she had thought was lost forever. At the tip of it was a single orb of red gleaming light. She poked at the 'firefly.'

"Because..."

Mei Ying raised her eyes to the young man by her side, the one who donned a flowy blood-red robe while shrouded by unforgiving darkness. The mild wind whipped through their attires, fluttering past their long hair, wide sleeves, tails, and lapel. Gently, the silver bells that hung around the maiden's chain-whip jingled and danced.

Red maple leaves flirted around the pair of cultivators.

“I am strong.” Jian Yu answered, coolly. A dim scarlet fire flared through his dark pupils. “When you cannot see, I will be your eyes. When you cannot walk, I will be your legs. And when you cannot speak, I will be your voice.” He smirked. “Therefore...I can always help you and follow to protect you as needed.”