Chapter Nine: Love Needs to Be Proven

"Miss Fish Song truly has ideals."
He waved his folding fan, a smile hovering at the corners of his lips.
"Heh, I think so too."
Thick-skinned, I followed his words.
After all, I am a princess of a realm, my age well over three thousand years. To behave coyly and delicately before a mortal not yet twenty was making my face and ears burn with embarrassment, so I asked him, "Putai, are you familiar with Purple Lotus?"
"Ahem, not familiar."
He coughed a few times and set down his fan.
"Oh."
For a moment, I could not name the feeling in my heart.
With a sigh, I said, "Well, that makes sense. You are but a scholar; how could you possibly have any connection with an immortal of the heavens? It seems I was too eager in my search for him and forgot this simple fact."
"Indeed." He nodded, looking somewhat regretful. "If I had any dealings with immortals, I wouldn't be here now, relying on fortune-telling in the streets to earn my meals."
"Yes."

I nodded in agreement.
If this scholar ever did have ties with immortals, with his eloquence, he could easily secure a post in the heavenly realm—then, eliminating rivals step by step, rise through the ranks, graduate from the Flash Immortal Class, and enter the ranks of the High Immortals.
"Suddenly, there's something I remembered."
He leapt to his feet, excitement lighting his face as he spoke loudly.
Lost in my thoughts, I was startled by his sudden exclamation, thumping my chest a few times, my gaze carrying a hint of reproach as I asked, "What is it that made you react so strongly and gave me such a fright?"
His face was alight with enthusiasm, tapping his fan as he said, "I suddenly remembered something and couldn't contain my excitement. If I startled you, Miss Fish Song, please accept my apology."
With that, he stood and bowed to me respectfully.
"It's fine, it's fine. You needn't be so formal; I didn't mean anything by it, don't keep it in mind."
Seeing him so courteous, I felt I had overreacted, and embarrassment crept up on me.
Putai smiled, sat down once more, flicked open his fan and gently waved it, saying, "Miss Fish Song, your luck is truly remarkable."
Strangely, he uttered these words.
"Why do you say my luck is good?" I asked, puzzled.

He replied, "These days, there's a rumor throughout the Six Realms that Lord Purple Lotus is taking a disciple. If you truly wish to become his wife, you might start as his disciple, then gradually win his heart, make him love you—love you so deeply he cannot escape, living and dying for you."
"No, that's not necessary."
The moment I heard the word 'die,' I grew anxious and waved my hands. "To have him love me is enough; I don't need him to love me to death. If it came to that, I wouldn't be loving him, but harming him."
He picked up a slice of lotus root from his bowl, smiling, "Heh... If he doesn't love you to death, how can you prove he truly loves you?"
"Must love be proven?"
I asked, somewhat confused.
"Of course." He agreed wholeheartedly. "Have you heard the story of the Moon Goddess and the flower spirit Hua Nongying, or the tale of Crane Hall of Yao Mountain and his ill-fated disciple Qingyi?"
"I have, certainly." I nodded. "These two stories are very popular in our demon realm; many young men and women long for their kind of love, and I envy them immensely."