Outside The Great Hall
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The Four Holy Gods pulled away from the hall gate after realizing Long Xiao wasn't present. Lord Bai lifted the sleeping spell and they left the premises.
Ling Mountain
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They came to their usual meeting place, Ling Mountain. They sat in their usual positions, their gaze drifting to Long Xiao's empty post.
"He has really left, hasn't he?" Lord Zhao sighed.
"We should have gone with him when he asked." Lord Han poured tea for everyone.
"What are you we talking about?" Luo Feng scoffed, swirling his cup.
"You are still angry at A Xiao, aren't you?" Lord Bai teased.
"On the other hand, the Eleven Higher Gods think our handiwork was divine intervention." Lord Zhao laughed, slightly choking on his tea.
"Well we're indeed divine" Lord Bai added as he and Zhao's tea cups clinked in their shared laughter.
"Brother Han, what did you intend by Long Xiao going somewhere?" Luo Feng set his cup on the table.
"Do you not remember that fateful day, Brother Feng?" Lord Han asked, setting the tea jug down.
Flashback Begins—Ling Mountain
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Exactly three days before Long Xiao descended, he decided to invite his friends to accompany him to seek enlightenment. He found them at their usual spot. They were finding solutions to help fix Luo Feng's hair.
"Hmm Brothers...how do you fare?" He cleared his throat, settling in his seat.
"Brother Xiao, I guess Goddess Ling Xing has given you sometime off." Lord Zhao teased as he scrolled through an ancient book of hair dyes.
"No comment." Long Xiao rolled his eyes.
"I cannot be near you at the moment so I'll be at the other side of the mountain." Luo Feng said, leaving them by teleporting to the other side of the mountain.
"Well...that was quick." Lord Zhao rolled the scrolls.
"I guess Long Xiao really got on his nerves." Lord Bai laughed.
"More like on his scalp." Lord Zhao added, laughing alongside Lord Bai.
"Haha very funny guys." Long Xiao rolled his eyes.
"Anyways...I'm going to the Mortal Realm." Long Xiao stated cheerfully.
"What?" The three gods exclaimed together.
"I know it's sudden.
But...but the mortals, they need divine guidance." He wiped a fake tear away.
"And as the newly appointed Overseer , it is my duty to provide them with exactly that." He declared, his posture grand.
"How about you guys come with me?" He added, smiling as he tapped his foot.
"To the Mortal Realm...?"
"A Xiao, is there something wrong?" Lord Han inquired, scooting beside him.
"Of course not! Just think of it as a vacation. A divine one" Long Xiao declared, placing his hand on Lord Han's shoulder.
"A divine vacation?" Lord Zhao repeated, his tone skeptical.
"Yes. And one that includes enlightenment and guidance." Long Xiao added.
"Brother Xiao" Lord Bai whispered, scooting beside Long Xiao.
"Is this really a task from the Higher Gods or you're just using this as an excuse not to go to the great hall?" Lord Bai smirked.
"Of course not!" Long Xiao stood up abruptly.
"Why would I?" He laughed nervously.
"Forget what I said." He sighed
"I'll take my leave now." He gulped down his tea and flew away.
"Divine vacation indeed has a nice ring to it." Lord Zhao laughed as he resumed the going through of scrolls.
"I might consider this divine vacation." Lord Bai added, looking in the direction Long Xiao flew away in.
Flashback ends
---
"Ah...so that's what happened.
Would you not be furious if your hair suffered the same fate?
Look! Only one strand of hair has managed to grow back and it's been a week." Luo Feng stated, his eyes teary.
The other three laughed silently.
---
The Four Holy Gods still stay seated at Ling Mountain, Long Xiao's seat still empty. The silence was heavy until Lord Bai suddenly lifts a jade orb from his sleeve, its surface glowing faintly with misty light.
"That thing… you never said you still had it." Lord Han frowned.
"He entrusted it to me before he left. Said, if we missed him too much, we could peek into his footsteps." Lord Bai smirked, placing the glowing ball in the centre.
"With this, we'll be able to see his whereabouts." Lord Bai added.
Seemingly reaching a shared conclusion, they all stayed silent as they watched the orb intently. The orb trembled, the mist inside began swirling until it cleared into a moving scene:
Long Xiao, seated on a cloud fragment, one which easily looked like he shaped himself, small but comfortable and fast. It hovered in the sky.
He sat cross-legged, arms folded, eyes half-lidded in contemplation, flowing hair and glowing halo. Behind him, Lei followed at a respectful distance, wings tucked and clearly annoyed.
"Where do you think he's going now?" Lord Luo Feng asked, his eyes never leaving the orb.
"The Mortal Realm." Lord Han suggested.
"I know the Mortal Realm but which realm exactly?" Luo Feng inquired, covering his beautiful scalp with golden balm to prevent the sun rays.
"We know that there are Twelve Realms." Lord Zhao added.
"All I do know that Long Xiao is likely to go to the most chaotic realm." Lord Bai teased, eyes darting at the others before returning to the orb.
"Brother Bai, are you trying to say that A Xiao is... an attention seeker?" Lord Han tilted his head in confusion.
"Of course not!" Lord Bai raised his hands up in mock surrender.
"He will definitely throw a dice." Lord Zhao affirmed.
"Brother Han, I meant that Long Xiao just likes to help beings in need...
so where better to start with than the realm with the probability of many beings in need?" Lord Bai chuckled after making himself clear.
The orb dimmed slightly, leaving them staring in silence.