TSFLIP Chapter 675

The Grand Star Lord Taibai smiled kindly. “If the princess wishes to stroll around the academy, I can arrange for someone to accompany you.”

“Well… honestly, I’d rather walk by myself. It feels more interesting that way.” Fengguang forced a smile, her mind racing for a way to steer the conversation toward the name Liuli. Suddenly, inspiration struck. Acting as though it were casual, she said, “Lately I’ve been thinking about renaming my maid ‘Liuli.’ But she said the name sounded familiar, as if she’d heard it somewhere before. I was worried that some celestial might already be using it, so I didn’t dare change it rashly. I wanted to ask you, Dean—are there any immortals in Heaven named Liuli?”

“Liuli…” Taibai stroked his graying beard, pondered for a moment, then nodded. “Yes. More than a hundred years ago, there was indeed a little immortal by that name.”

Fengguang pressed on. “Over a hundred years ago? And where is she now?”

“Well… Liuli was originally a glazed lamp that transformed into human form. Shortly after, she descended to the mortal world and never returned to Heaven. Some say she eloped with a man on Earth and dared not come back. But the celestial soldiers sent after her could never find her, and the matter was left unresolved.”

Fengguang grew more puzzled. “So what you’re saying is, Liuli the immortal went down to the mortal world more than a hundred years ago, disappeared, and has never been seen since?”

“Exactly.” Taibai sighed. “They say the mortal world is full of foolish men and grieving women, but few realize that in Heaven too, there are many immortals who willingly fall from grace for the sake of love.”

Fengguang’s first instinct was to smile. “Dean, that sounds like it comes from personal experience.”

“You wouldn’t know, Princess,” Taibai replied with a rueful smile. “Immortals live far longer than mortals. In those long years, without someone to share their heart, many cannot bear the loneliness and their divine nature falters.”

Immortals were not truly deathless; their lifespans simply stretched far beyond human measure. A hundred years in the mortal world was but a single year in Heaven. Everything in the universe was bound by the cycle of life and death. Neither man nor god could escape that law.

Fengguang, too, was moved by his words, a trace of melancholy flickering in her heart. Just then, a man walked in.

He had sharp brows and starry eyes, his handsome bearing graceful and refined. Every movement carried natural elegance. Noticing that it wasn’t only Taibai in the study, he paused before politely greeting, “So the princess is here as well.”

Fengguang looked at him in puzzlement. “And you are?”

“Allow me to introduce him.” Taibai chuckled warmly. “This is Master Qingya, the sword instructor at our academy.”

Qingya Zhenjun laughed heartily. “What’s this? Has the princess forgotten me? Do we really need the dean himself to make introductions?”

Taibai sighed, shaking his head. “Qingya Zhenjun speaks the truth. Because of the injury she suffered, the princess has forgotten many things.”

“What? Truly?” Qingya was astonished. “Then does the princess still remember promising me a duel in swordsmanship?”

“I promised to duel you?”

“Don’t believe him, Princess,” Taibai said with a chuckle. “Qingya Zhenjun loves to joke. You never liked private sparring—how could you have agreed to such a thing?”

Qingya rubbed his nose sheepishly. “Dean, must you expose me so quickly? I’ve long heard the princess’s swordsmanship is extraordinary. Since I practice as well, I only thought it would be fun to compare skills.”