Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Chapter 2166: Prowess : Promise

Sensing Wu's arrival the moment she entered the pavilion, Vahn's brows perked up as he realized she had the ability to pass through barriers and wards without triggering them. This explained how she was able to pilfer, not one, but six different means of obtaining immortality. She simply didn't trigger the protective formations that would have alerted people to her presence.

"It would appear my guests have arrived. Would you like me to teleport you outside...?"

Hearing Vahn's words, Chang'e nearly spilled the cocoa he had given her. She had been so engaged by their conversation that she had completely forgotten about Wu. After all, it wasn't exactly normal for her to be able to converse with a man, much less one from outside the Heavenly Domain.

Gesturing for the startled Goddess to be calm, a teasing smile developed across Vahn's face as he casually explained, "Don't worry. I've adjusted the flow of time between this room and the outside world. Even if you were to linger here for days, weeks, or even years on end, you would be able to leave before Wu arrived.

As even the Mortal Domain governed by the Jade Palace was filled with disconnected realms and secret caves where the passage of time might be thousands of times faster than the outside world, Chang'e wasn't too surprised by Vahn's words. She was more confused by the fact she hadn't even been able to sense when he triggered the formation necessary to influence time to such an extreme degree. Even more confusing was the fact that they were currently resting in a room connected to a patio. When she looked outside, the world appeared completely normal.

Understanding the Goddess's confusion, Vahn slowly rotated his hand. This caused the scene in the background to appear as though it was speeding up rapidly. When he reversed the direction of his movement, time appeared to flow in the opposite direction as he explained, "As someone who has frequently deviated from the Standard Axis of Time, I understand how dreary the sight of grey skies and never-changing surroundings can be. This barrier emulates the passage and creates a looping simulation of the outside world in accordance with a number of different variables. As for how I can reproduce the energies emitted by the Sun and Moon...well, let's just say you're not the only Moon Deity in the Divine Realm..."

Shifting his attention to Fenrir, Vahn elected to momentarily conceal his Moon Divinity a secret by using his beloved companion as a scapegoat. This was the same as killing two birds with one stone as he was well aware of the fact that both Chang'e and Xiao Yue were curious about the lovable Vanargandr's inordinate affinity with Yin Elemental Energy.

Following Vahn's gaze, realization donned upon Chang'e's face as she softly remarked, "I see...it's no wonder Xiao Yue was so taken with her. From her perspective, your companion gives off the feeling of a close relative..."

As another wave of realization washed over her, Chang'e shifted her attention back to Vahn, asking, "If you wouldn't mind my asking, what Divinities does Senior possess? If one of your companions is a Moon Goddess, it stands to reason that Senior is also a God..."

Nodding his head in affirmation, Vahn left Chang'e astonished beyond words as he pulled out a veritable stack of Gift Cards infused with Divinity, asking, "Are you sure you want to know each of them...?"

Swallowing hard, Chang'e nodded her head even as a feeling of giddiness began to swell in her abdomen like a swarm of butterflies. The whimsical smile on Vahn's face reminded her of Wu, but, as someone who had spent thousands of years in isolation on the Moon, she couldn't restrain her curiosity.

Deciding to list them in the order they were recorded in his Status, the corners of Vahn's smile curled upward as he revealed, "B-Rank Creation, C-Rank Destruction, C-Rank Space, C-Rank Time, B-Rank Forging, B-Rank Sword, D-Rank Spear, E-Rank Archery, B-Rank Life, D-Rank Death, A-Rank Nature, S-Rank Wisdom, D-Rank Sun..."

With even her highest Divinity clocking in at C-Rank, Chang'e's eyes were practically spinning by the time Vahn's words began to trail off. His S-Rank Wisdom Divinity, in particular, had impacted her mind like a sledgehammer. As a result, her mind had already stalled by the time he went on to add, "D-Rank Moon, C-Rank Sky, and A-Rank Sex..."

"..."

Though it took her a moment to process Vahn's words, a vermillion hue spread through Chang'e's face and neck when she realized what he had just revealed. This wasn't an exaggeration either, as, even at normal times, Chang'e's body always exuded a glow reminiscent of moonlight. When a bit of red was added to it, her incandescence resembled what many referred to as a harvest or a blood moon.

Amused by Chang'e's response, Vahn elected to punctuate his statement with a playful wink. At the same time, he dangled the card signifying his Sex Divinity to make it clear he wasn't merely playing around. When Chang'e saw it, her face and body became even ruddier as she hid behind the pale-yellow blanket he had lent her prior to their conversation.

Fueled by a combination of curiosity and amusement, Vahn took advantage of Chang'e's flustered state to ask, "What happened to the Hou Yi of this world? The existence of Xiao Yue implies quite a bit but his absence during the banquet implies even more..."

Hearing Vahn reference her former husband, Chang'e's heart began to pound in her chest as the notion he may be trying to seduce her emerged in the back of her mind. This was as terrifying as it was exciting, as, despite having a daughter, she had never actually had sex. If she did, she couldn't remember it as the Poet who had previously taken an interest in her ended up modifying her story in such a way that she could only recall being a virgin. As for her husband...

Exhaling a sigh, Chang'e's complexion gradually returned to normal as she explained, "In an effort to protect the Mortal Domain, my former husband ended up murdering nine of Uncle Dijun's and Auntie Xihe's children. As punishment, both he and I were sentenced to live amongst mortals and protect their Domain for nine hundred generations. The Jade Emperor and Empress Xiwangmu attempted to mediate on our behalf but Auntie Xihe's demanded justice for her children. In the end, Hou Yi was expelled from Heaven while I was sent to the Moon Palace to serve as a handmaiden for the Moon Rabbit Royal Family..."

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As a Generation in the Little Garden was defined as a period ranging between 25-50 years, Hou Yi's punishment was slated to last upwards of 45,000 years. This might not sound like a long time when there were beings with ages ranging in the billions of years, but, similar to how Shiroyasha was only around a thousand years old, Chang'e's chronological age was much younger than the concept she represented. She had memories dating back upwards of 4.5 billion years but the time she had spent manifested in the Little Garden was a mere 33,392.

Worried that she would become lonely and depressed, Hou Yi had gifted Chang'e their marriage certificate prior to being expelled from Heaven. He had left the decision regarding whether or not they would stay married up to her. So long as Chang'e kept the document safe, they would return to being husband and wife the moment his punishment had ended.

Not wanting to be regarded as someone who had turned her back on her husband, Chang'e had done her best to safeguard the document for the better part of six thousand years. Unfortunately, the fates hadn't been kind to them. The assault on the Moon Palace more than three hundred years ago had resulted in the deaths of more than ninety-three percent of the Lunar Deities. Chang'e was one of the few to escape, but, much like the palace that had served as her home for more than six thousand years, the marriage certificate between her and Hou Yi had been destroyed...

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"Shortly after the destruction of the Moon Palace, the surviving Moon Gods and Goddesses became a hot topic among the residents of the Little Garden. My beauty garnered a considerable amount of attention. As a result, I ended up earning the attention of a rather...peculiar group of Eastern Poets. After that...it's difficult to distinguish fact from fiction even within my own mind. All I know with any reasonable degree of certainty is that my union with Hou Yi had come to an end. Shortly after that, the Jade Empress created Xiao Yue from a beam of moonlight. Since then, I have focused on raising her as my daughter..."

Not expecting to hear such a story in response to his teasing, Vahn's expression had softened into a concerned look as he stated, "If you'd like, I can free both you and Hou Yi from your fates. It won't be long before the Sage Dragon's Hearth attains the status of a 4-Digit Community. The Jade Em-"

Without waiting for Vahn to finish, Chang'e shook her head, stating, "Thank you, but I'm afraid I'll have to refuse Senior's kindness..." with a melancholic smile on her face. When Vahn was about to ask why, the pale-haired Goddess beat him to the punch, explaining, "In his current incarnation, my former husband is a King who rules over his Kingdom with three wives and eleven children. He also loses his memories near the beginning of each cycle so this is far from the first time he has started a family in the Mortal Domain. As for me...I'm happy so long as Xiao Yue is able to continue living a peaceful existence..."

Swallowing his words, Vahn experienced a moment of emotional turmoil as he attempted to think of a solution to Chang'e's predicament. He might be able to convince her to come with him, but, if the notion of Hou Yi having multiple wives bothered her, she probably wouldn't be too enthused to learn about the existence of his harem. That wouldn't deter him from doing everything in his power to make her happy, but, in the grand scheme of things, sex often complicated more problems than it solved...

As if she could suddenly peer into Vahn's mind, an affectionate smile developed across Chang'e's face as she softly remarked, "You're a very kind person..."

Opening his mouth, Vahn, for reasons he couldn't fully comprehend, intended to refute Chang'e's statement. Before he could find the words, Chang'e issued an amused laugh before tugging at one of the golden Ginko Seeds attached to her necklace. Then, rather than gifting it to him, she pinched it between her thumb and index finger...

"I feel like I have learned more about you these past few minutes than the two hours we conversed previously. As there is a chance this will be our last meeting, allow me to bestow unto you a parting gift..."

As the Ginko Seed fragmented into a surprising volume of milky-white light, the Jade Rabbit within the hammock stirred for the first time in hours. The light produced by the Ginko Seed immediately flowed into its body, and, much like how Fenrir and Mikoto were able to transform, it quickly took the form of a young woman with short, silvery-white hair and pale golden eyes.

Though the woman lacked Chang'e's glow, Vahn would have to be blind not to see the similarities between the two. He even suspected that the woman's appearance was templated from a previous version of Chang'e. Perhaps even her original considering Chang'e went on to explain, "This young woman is my Mortal Avatar, Heng'e. My destiny is bound to the Jade Palace but that doesn't mean I can't experience life in the outside world. May she serve you well in my stead..."

Adopting a smile that was nearly as breathtaking as Chang'e's, Heng'e offered a courteous bow as she said, "I vow to do my best..." in a soft yet audibly excited tone...

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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn over here casually distorting space-time at his leisure...','That's one bashful bunny...','Sasuga Chang'e-sama...')