Volume One, Chapter 128: Ye Zhi.

The mere thought of this Goddess gave Jiang Chen a headache.

"The Goddess of Kunlun Mountain? No wonder she is so beautiful, but what is a Goddess of Kunlun Mountain doing here?" Li Changsheng asked with curiosity.

Jiang Chen replied, "Let's move her into the car first; we should find a place to stay before we talk about anything else."

Jiang Chen was reluctant to bring up the subject of the Kunlun Goddess. However, due to their history, he felt compelled to help.

Adding another person to the car made it a bit more crowded, but the SUV was spacious enough—a testament to its impressive performance. Jiang Chen moved to the back, while Li Li took the passenger seat. Following the map, they soon arrived at a homestay. Li Changsheng had booked it before their departure, so they were able to check in immediately.

The main reason for choosing a homestay was convenience. They were on a mission; if any sudden issues arose, they could resolve them right there. Staying at a hotel or inn would be too far away and, more importantly, would make them easier to track, given the confidential nature of their work. In reality, under the current circumstances, it would take the Japanese a long time to locate the Dragon Vein. Jiang Chen and his group were operating in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike.

The homestay Li Changsheng had booked was at the foot of the mountain. While there were many such establishments in the area, few people actually stayed here besides the occasional hiker. Once the car was parked, they headed inside. They had only booked three rooms, which meant the two girls, who could have had their own separate space, now had to share because of the new arrival.

"Let's get something to eat and replenish our energy first," Jiang Chen said. "I'll go check on her."

"She," of course, referred to the Kunlun Goddess. Truth be told, it had been a long time since Jiang Chen had last seen her.

When he was ten, Jiang Chen had been taken to Mount Longhu to cultivate. At eleven, he began his training, traveling to visit hidden masters in various famous mountains and rivers—Kunlun Mountain being one of them. As a sacred mountain of the East, Kunlun was generally off-limits to ordinary people. While gathering herbs at the foot of the mountain, Jiang Chen had accidentally stumbled upon the Goddess, who, much like now, had been unconscious.

She had fallen from the mountain. Fortunately, the height wasn't fatal, but she had been knocked unconscious, and it had been a dangerous situation. Had Jiang Chen not found her, she might have been carried off by wild beasts. After saving her, Jiang Chen carried her back. The Heavenly Master Zhang felt that there was a fated connection between the two and ordered Jiang Chen to stay behind to care for the girl while he returned to Mount Longhu.

Although Jiang Chen knew this was a trial set by his master, he was only eleven at the time and had to support another child; one can only imagine how difficult that was. Despite the hardships, Jiang Chen never let the Goddess go hungry, toughing it out for two months until the messengers from Kunlun Mountain arrived to retrieve her. By then, Jiang Chen was starving to the point of fainting, his face sallow and his body reduced to skin and bones. Having been a young master of a prestigious family in the capital, he had never suffered such deprivation.

But fortunately, she survived, and the little girl had even promised to marry him when she grew up.

In the blink of an eye, the plump, fair little Goddess had grown into a graceful young woman. If not for her timeless, ethereal attire, Jiang Chen would never have recognized her.

"Sigh, wasn't it better to just stay on the mountain? Why come down and risk starving to death?" Jiang Chen sighed.

Li Changsheng stood at the door. "Dinner is ready. Should we wake the Goddess?"

"No need. You go ahead and eat; just leave two portions for me," Jiang Chen replied. Li Changsheng gave an "OK" gesture and left.

Jiang Chen watched her silently. After about half an hour, the girl’s eyelashes fluttered. She slowly opened her eyes, struggling to adjust to the light.

"Where... where am I?" The girl looked up and saw Jiang Chen, finding him both a stranger and strangely familiar.

Jiang Chen said softly, "I remember you saying when you were little that if I gave you a chicken leg, you would marry me. Does that still count? Ye Zhi?"

Ye Zhi looked at the man before her, and in a daze, she recalled the little boy who had saved her and tended to her wounds ten years ago. Time seemed to stand still as the two faces merged into one.

"Brother Jiang Chen...!! Is it really you?" Ye Zhi scrambled up, ignoring everything else, and threw herself into Jiang Chen’s arms.

Jiang Chen was so stunned by the sudden embrace that he couldn't speak. Ye Zhi was no longer the chubby little girl from before; she had grown into a stunning young woman, and not an ordinary one at that. Nourished by the spiritual energy of Kunlun Mountain, her skin was as white and delicate as snow, and her figure had developed perfectly. Calling her a celestial maiden would not be an exaggeration.

"Waaaah... Brother Jiang Chen, you finally came to find me. It’s a good thing I didn't run away for nothing!" Ye Zhi sobbed, clutching Jiang Chen tightly.

Jiang Chen didn't know whether to push her away or hold her back, but standing there like that wasn't ideal. After all, men and women were supposed to maintain distance.

"Why didn't you stay on Kunlun Mountain? Why did you come down? Don't you know how dangerous it is out here? And you're so naive—you didn't even think to contact me. You could have at least made a phone call!" Jiang Chen’s tone was filled with a reluctance to scold her, but he was exasperated nonetheless.

Ye Zhi pulled away, pouting, tears streaming down her face. "I... I tried! When I got here, I specifically asked the local Mountain God, and he said he would help me find you, but then I got captured... Waaaah, he's so mean!"

"You... I’ve discovered that the term 'naive and innocent' was truly invented for you; it fits you perfectly," Jiang Chen said, wiping her tears. Ye Zhi then recounted her fantastical journey down the mountain.

She had snuck out without her master noticing, but being terrible with directions, she had no phone and nothing else. She wandered at the foot of the mountain for a long time before finding the path. She had tried to find a ride, but being penniless, she had no choice but to rest during the day and fly secretly at night, only to get blocked by thick fog.

"You're so dim-witted," Jiang Chen scolded. "If you had just called me, I would have come to pick you up. What were you thinking, running off on your own?"

Ye Zhi said innocently, "I... I didn't mean anything by it. It’s just that I hadn't seen you in so long, so I came down. And now you're not even caring about me. If you’re going to be like this, I’m going back to Kunlun Mountain!"

Jiang Chen didn't fall for it. "Go ahead, then. Don't come back."

Ye Zhi huffed, "If I leave, you will lose me—your Goddess wife—forever!"