The jade rabbit, with her inspection eyes of Deng Chanyu, managed to stay upright and not fall down.
Mustering courage, he asked, "You asked us to work, and we went. All this half year, we have never slackened. When will you help resolve my lady's matter?"
Deng Chanyu glanced at Chang'e, who used to be the epitome of delicate beauty, thin and weak with a hint of morbid elegance, looking so helpless that one's desire to protect her would grow exponentially. Now, after six months of hard work, the aura of self-pity reflected in front of the mirror has dissipated by half, her face no longer as pale and she has gained some flesh on her. She looks much more normal now.
She found her current state of mind pleasing, giving a slight nod.
"That's about the affair of separating from Houyi, isn't it? Alright, I'll take care of giving the other immortals their benefits first, then I'll attend to it. Stay here for a bit first."
Chang'e and the Jade Rabbit sat quietly by the side waiting, and even saw Wu Gang come to collect his benefits. Yesterday's licking dog may really have been worn out, with eyes wide open, not noticing that his dream goddess was sitting in the distance, mindlessly collecting various benefits and walking away.
After confirming that everyone had received their benefits, checking thoroughly for any omissions, and making sure there were none, Deng Chanyu beckoned to Chang'e.
Her words, as soon as they were spoken, were like a thunderbolt striking at Chang'e's heart.
"Your husband, Houyi, still has his soul in the primordial chaos, so your unilateral request for a separation is invalid. I need to conduct another review."
The Jade Rabbit immediately became agitated, "How can it be that..."
She wanted to say how can you break your promise.
She had just said three words when Deng Chanyu glared at her, terrifying the rabbit into silence. There was no clear explanation for it; it was a deep-seated terror that struck the very core of the heart.
Deng Chanyu looked at Chang'e and said, "You need to talk to Houyi personally and clarify things. Only then can I determine if you two can get a divorce. Do you understand my meaning?"
It is generally believed in the world that Chang'e was greedy and afraid of death, and she stole the immortal elixir to become an immortal. Afterwards, she fell into the Guanghan Palace.
Chang'e herself had another version of the story. She said that at the time, Houyi's apprentice, also an incredible archer named Pangmeng (Pang), was trying to seize the elixir of immortality. Chang'e claimed that in order to prevent the elixir from falling into the hands of evil people, she had to take it herself first.
Her version of the story was also believed by many people, among whom Wu Gang was the most convinced.
Deng Chanyu had no interest in the entangled emotions between them. Who was right or wrong didn't matter. She only cared about things within her jurisdiction.
You can get a divorce, no problem. If the parties involved are not present, one can unilaterally propose the divorce. Since one party is dead, it's unnecessary to be a living widow. This is quite simple. Now that Houyi's soul is still there, we just need to go and ask him.
Chang'e's lips trembled, and she asked in a voice so gentle that it was almost inaudible, "Where is he now? For so many years, why, why..."
She wanted to ask why he didn't come to find her, but the words stuck in her throat and she couldn't say them.
Deng Chanyu explained to her, "The Wai tribe does not cultivate one's spiritual energy. You know that. What you don't know is that Pangmeng killed Houyi with a wood staff and then fabricated the scene, allowing the Wai tribe to take away Houyi's body and the setting sun bow. In reality, Pangmeng bound Houyi's soul with a wood staff, so I say that Houyi's soul is still in the primordial chaos. If you are ready, I will take you to see him once and clarify things. Then I will make my judgment."
Chang'e was stunned upon hearing this news, her spirit trembling, guilt, regret, and remorse flooding her heart. Deng Chanyu didn't care about her and continued refining her pan tiandian seal.
It took a full half day before Chang'e came to her senses, and she realized that whether she reached out or retreated, it was still a cut.
If she had been before the "labor reform," she would have had no courage to see Houyi. At that time, even acquaintances and even strangers, she dared not meet. Now, however, it seems that she can at least go see him and clarify the things left unsaid back then.
"Alright, I'm willing to go see Houyi."
"All right, let's set off right away."
Deng Chanyu called Niao Jia to help her monitor the fire, and the Jade Rabbit wanted to join the fun. But Deng Chanyu pointed and sent her flying, then took Chang'e away from the Bugeo Mountain.
Houyi was once the Great Shaman of the Houtu tribe. His style of action was different from the traditional Wai tribe. He was calm and good at thinking, unlike the traditional great shamans who, when their blood boiled up, charged recklessly without thinking, shouting "ah" and charging up.
The Wai tribe is skilled in using axes and hammers, with a plethora of them available, but there are very few who are skilled with bows and arrows.
It is precisely because Houyi has this unique calmness.
Emperor Jun had once wanted to divide the Wai tribe. He used the name of heavenly emperors and promoted Houyi as the god of ghosts, responsible for managing all gods of ghosts in the primordial chaos.
At that time, Hou Tu had already transformed into a cycle of reincarnation, and Emperor Jun's move was nothing more than an attempt to sow discord between them.
Houyi naturally didn't fall for it. He firmly rejected it and even used extreme means such as shooting the sun to prove that he had nothing to do with Emperor Jun.
Emperor Jun soon found his way to Houyi's apprentice, Pangmeng, a treacherous little man who, out of jealousy and other emotions, killed Houyi and obtained the position of the god of ghosts.
This position as the god of ghosts was not recognized by the underworld, but it was still an edict bestowed by Emperor Jun during his time as the heavenly emperor, so it carried a bit of authority.
After becoming a god, Pangmeng's jurisdiction as a ghost god only covered about ten li, and no living beings were born within its boundaries, gradually turning it into a true land of the dead.
Now there was only one god and one ghost, the god was Pangmeng, and the ghost was Houyi.
"Who?" Pangmeng was also a famous archer in the primordial chaos. After sensing something abnormal, without thinking, he followed his instincts and let out an arrow.
Seeing the arrow shoot by like lightning, the cold glow in front of her eyes grew bigger and bigger, Chang'e was terrified, while Deng Chanyu looked on with interest. This arrow technique was undoubtedly masterful, even compared to Taigong's training, it could be said that there was no comparison.
She didn't use magic power, but simply used the skill of throwing stones. She let go after the other party, striking a flying stone first.
The flying stone skillfully struck the tail of the arrow, causing the swift arrow to veer back 180 degrees in mid-air, flying back towards its original direction.
Pangmeng moved quickly and shot another arrow, this time using some magic power. The arrow's surface was surrounded by a black vortex, slicing through the first arrow, before accelerating fiercely towards Deng Chanyu's throat.
Are we not comparing techniques? How come you're using magic power now?
Deng Chanyu lost interest in the contest immediately, finding it boring. With a flick of her hand, she unleashed unstoppable spatial power towards Pangmeng. The arrow was first shattered, followed by the ghost god himself.
He was trapped in mid-air by an invisible space barrier and struggled fiercely. A peach-wood staff rolled out of his embrace.
Deng Chanyu extended her hand, and the peach wood staff arrived before her.
Deng Chanyu lightly touched it, and after millions of years trapped in the peach wood staff, the soul was finally released, quickly taking on the image of a robust middle-aged man.
This was exactly Houyi.
