Ha, Karma! – Chapter 82

——You’re Not Far From Becoming a God!

It was past nine in the evening when Fu Lianxue got off work and headed home.

Upon arriving, she opened the door, her face full of anticipation——only a small cat was waiting for her by the entrance.

“Meow~”

Baobao weaved around her feet, rubbing its head against her leg.

Fu Lianxue immediately softened, bending down to scoop up the kitty and kiss its little head. “Did Baobao miss Mommy? Mommy missed Baobao a lot while working too.”

Not only did she miss Baobao, but she also missed her girlfriend.

Holding Baobao, she looked through each room but didn’t see Chu Zhaoqiu’s figure. She lowered her head and asked Baobao, “Where’s Mama Zhaoqiu?”

Baobao looked innocent. “Meow?”

Then Fu Lianxue remembered on her own——Chu Zhaoqiu had gone back to the Chu family home.

Around dinnertime, Chu Zhaoqiu had sent her a message saying she had matters to attend to at home and needed to go to Wuchang Mountain tonight to guide departed souls, so she would be back very late.

She had gotten so busy with work that she’d almost forgotten about it.

“Ah, Mama Zhaoqiu went off to work too,” she said to the little cat. “Was Baobao very bored all alone at home?”

Baobao meowed twice more, nuzzling its head against her chest as if seeking comfort.

Fu Lianxue’s heart instantly melted. She hugged her little cat tightly, then opened a can of food to console it. “My Baobao worked hard looking after the house alone.”

She stroked Baobao’s little head as it buried itself in the food, eating fiercely. “Later tonight, Mommy will take you out for a walk. We’ll go pick up Mama Zhaoqiu together, okay?”

Baobao’s mouth was busy; it had no time to answer.

Fu Lianxue’s eyes curved into crescents, and she scratched the top of its head again. “Eat slowly, eat slowly.”

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Midnight.

Chu Zhaoqiu walked down from Wuchang Mountain, applying an adhesive bandage¹ to her finger as she went. Her expression was calm and composed, showing no sign of anything unusual.

The one who had driven her here was Ah Li.

After dropping her off at Wuchang Mountain, Ah Li had driven away.

She had told him to leave, saying someone else would pick her up, and instructed Ah Li to return to the Chu residence first.

As she reached the foot of the mountain, sure enough, an expensive white sedan was parked there.

Its headlights were on full beam, illuminating the road ahead and the surrounding environment.

And leaning against the car was a Great Yao.

In the Great Yao’s arms was a small, cream-colored kitten, curiously looking this way and that.

Seeing her, the kitten opened its mouth and let out a meow, soft and milky-sounding, very cute.

A smile rippled across Chu Zhaoqiu’s eyes. She reached out and stroked Baobao. “Baobao came to pick me up too.”

Baobao meowed again.

Chu Zhaoqiu looked at Fu Lianxue, her gaze instantly softening. “Have you been waiting long?”

“Not long, just arrived.”

Fu Lianxue placed Baobao into Chu Zhaoqiu’s arms and nodded her head towards the passenger seat.

“Let’s go, get in. Time to go home.”

Chu Zhaoqiu had just finished opening the Ghost Gate and was still tired; how could Fu Lianxue possibly let her drive?

The white sedan’s headlights cut a path through the mountain wilderness. Following this path, they smoothly drove out of Wuchang Mountain and entered the human world, a sea of lights².

Fu Lianxue casually handled the steering wheel, occasionally glancing towards the passenger seat.

Chu Zhaoqiu tightly gripped Baobao’s leash, constantly monitoring the little cat’s movements to prevent it from running or jumping around and getting hurt.

Baobao wasn’t concerned about such things. It stepped on its mama’s leg to perch by the window, watching the constantly receding scenery outside, meowing occasionally. It was quite bold, not scared at all.

Chu Zhaoqiu smiled and stroked the curious, bold little cat, her gaze also drifting outside.

She saw that riverside walkway again.

Here, a certain yao had once fled in disarray because of her direct and bold confession.

Remembering the Fu Lianxue from that day, the smile on Chu Zhaoqiu’s lips deepened.

Fu Lianxue caught her smile and was instantly puzzled. “What are you smiling about?”

Chu Zhaoqiu said, “I remembered a certain yao once ran away right here because of my confession. Suddenly, I find her even cuter.”

The certain yao: “…”

“That was all because the impression you gave me before was too wooden! So your confession was terrifying!” Fu Lianxue retorted, full of righteous confidence. “You’re the one who needs to reflect on this!”

“Alright, I’ll reflect,” Chu Zhaoqiu indulgently went along with her words. “From now on, I’ll definitely be more honest. I’ll say whatever is on my mind.”

“Not enough,” Fu Lianxue said.

“Hm?”

“You also have to love me even more.”

Chu Zhaoqiu chuckled upon hearing this.

“That’s something I do every day.”

After she spoke gently, she saw Fu Lianxue slowly pull the car over to the side of the road and then beckon to her with a finger.

Her intention was clear, and Chu Zhaoqiu leaned over.

Sure enough, she received a very sweet kiss.

“You have a way with words. I like it very much.” Fu Lianxue smiled beautifully.

Chu Zhaoqiu couldn’t resist kissing her again, then asked, “Since we’re here, should we get out and walk around a bit? Take a stroll?”

“A stroll?” Fu Lianxue blinked, looking her up and down. “You just finished guiding souls! Don’t you humans get sleepy after guiding souls—”

Her words suddenly stopped there. Her gaze swept over Chu Zhaoqiu again.

She saw Chu Zhaoqiu looking vibrant, her eyes bright. Forget sleepiness, there wasn’t even a hint of fatigue.

The side effects of activating the Ghost Gate with a mortal body³ had clearly been overcome by her immunity.

Fu Lianxue realized something, astonished. “You’re not sleepy anymore!

“——You’re not far from becoming a god!”

Only then did Chu Zhaoqiu react.

She indeed wasn’t sleepy, nor did she feel tired.

This trip to Wuchang Mountain, she had come and gone freely, easily, as if she had been completely transformed⁴.

This was the best proof that her Daoist arts were greatly accomplished. The goal shared by tens of thousands of Demon Hunters was close at hand⁵; she was just one opportune chance away from attaining the Dao and ascending!

The goal pursued for a thousand yearsas within sight; delight leaped onto their brows.

Oblivious Baobao even meowed happily twice along with them.

Chu Zhaoqiu achieving godhood was a good thing for both of them.

First, Chu Zhaoqiu liked helping others; after becoming a god, she would have more power to help people.

Second, gods have long lifespans; after becoming a god, her lifespan would be long enough to match that of the Great Yao Fu Lianxue. They would no longer need to worry about separation.

But soon, Fu Lianxue became unhappy.

Chu Zhaoqiu saw her smile suddenly collapse, and she sullenly shrank back into her seat, as if she had thought of something upsetting.

Not understanding why, Chu Zhaoqiu reached out to hold her hand, asking gently, “What’s wrong, Lianxue? Why are you suddenly unhappy?”

Fu Lianxue said, “Because I thought about how we’ll have to separate again. I’m not happy.”

Attaining the Dao and ascending was the dream of countless Demon Hunters, and also Chu Zhaoqiu’s dream.

From the first day they met, she knew the person before her wholeheartedly pursued the long path of the Great Dao.

Now that she finally qualified to enter the Celestial Realm⁶, join the ranks of immortals⁷, and live eternally, she should be happy for her. Yet, the thought of separating again made it impossible for her to feel happy.

If she becomes a god, doesn’t she have to live in the heavens?

Then wouldn’t they be unable to see each other?

They had been separated for thousands of years, finally reunited, finally understood each other’s feelings, only to have to separate again after such a short time—who could possibly be happy about that!

“Why do we have to separate?” Chu Zhaoqiu suddenly asked.

“If you become a god, won’t you have to live in the heavens? Isn’t that separation?”

Chu Zhaoqiu chuckled lightly. “Silly Lianxue, I’m still just a mortal right now. It’s a bit early to think about these things.”

She squeezed her hand. “Even if I truly have the fortune to attain the Dao and become a god, I can still choose not to live up there, right?”

Fu Lianxue turned her head to look at her.

Chu Zhaoqiu said gently, “My family is here, the one I love is also here. How could I bear to leave?”

She didn’t yet know what scenery awaited above the clouds, but she knew this mortal world was beautiful. She liked it here, liked it very, very much.

Gods are free and unrestrained. If she could truly become a god, why couldn’t she choose to return here?

Fu Lianxue blinked, her eyes curving into crescents, instantly coaxed back into a good mood.

“That’s right, you can come back and live here then.

“And after you become a god, you’ll have endless life, so we can be together for even longer!”

Humans have short lifespans of a mere hundred years; even as cultivators, they barely exceed three hundred years. How could that compare to a Great Yao like her?

But becoming a god was different.

Gods live forever, undying.

They would no longer need to fear the separation of life and death.

“You’ll also be able to see Han Yan-shijie⁸ again!”

Fu Lianxue was genuinely happy for her from the bottom of her heart.

Seeing her smiling eyes curved like new moons, Chu Zhaoqiu’s own eyes curved in response.

The future was still uncertain; she wasn’t in a hurry.

But she was very willing to be happy with the person she loved, to imagine their new life together.

“Wow, they wouldn’t forbid gods and spirits from dating up there, would they?”

“Probably not?”

“Probably not, right? What era is this? If even gods don’t have that much freedom, it would be too stifling.”

“Meow-ow~”

The human and the yao looked at the little cat that had suddenly joined the conversation and couldn’t help but laugh heartily.

Chu Zhaoqiu added, “Nainai⁹ is coming back tomorrow. I need to go home and find her to talk about tonight’s events.”

Fu Lianxue nodded. “Such great news definitely should be shared with your family.”

Thinking of Chu Zhaohua, Fu Lianxue couldn’t help frowning again.

Hiss, why did she always feel like she had seen this Old Family Head somewhere before…

The next day, Chu Zhaoqiu went home to see her grandmother.

In the gentle morning light, Chu Zhaohua sat waiting for her in the study.

The old woman had a composed bearing, perfectly calm and collected, as if she had anticipated everything.

Chu Zhaoqiu entered the room.

“Nainai.”

“You’re back. Sit.”

After sitting down, Chu Zhaoqiu eagerly shared the events of the previous night’s soul-guiding.

Her granddaughter hadn’t been hungry or tired after the guiding; she had left that mountain leading to the Underworld full of energy.

As she spoke, Chu Zhaoqiu’s eyes shone brightly, and by the end, her words carried an undeniable trace of joy.

This was the Dao she had pursued for a thousand years.

Now that she had achieved something, gained something, feeling happy and excited was only natural.

If her Shifu, Tianxuan Zhanglao¹⁰, were still here, he would surely feel proud of her too.

Although a thousand years had passed, neither of his two disciples had disappointed him.

Chu Zhaohua held her teacup, smiling warmly, nodding with gratification.

The child she had raised single-handedly was getting closer and closer to the world above the clouds. How could this not make her proud?

But before that, there was still one matter that needed resolving.

Chu Zhaohua asked, “Then, has your heart knot also been resolved?”

Hearing this question, Chu Zhaoqiu’s expression turned solemn, her tone serious. “It has.

“Nainai, I’ve thought it through. Lianxue isn’t my heart knot; she is my heart’s desire¹¹, the other path I am devoted to.

“I want to be with her forever.”

After she finished speaking, the smile on Chu Zhaohua’s face clearly faded somewhat.

Then, she saw Chu Zhaohua put down her teacup and look up at her. “Your feelings for her haven’t changed in a thousand years, Nainai understands all that. But Zhaoqiu, Nainai must also tell you something: You can’t have both fish and bear paws.”¹²

Chu Zhaoqiu was stunned. Chu Zhaohua’s voice fell upon her ears, like muffled thunder pouring into them¹³, striking straight into her heart——

“Fu Lianxue or becoming a god—you can only choose one.”

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