第一章 天官赐福
Chapter 1: Heaven Official’s Blessing
这满天神佛里，有一位著名的三界笑柄。
相传八百年前，中原之地有一古国，名叫仙乐国。
仙乐古国，地大物博，民风和乐。国有四宝：美人如云，彩乐华章，黄金珠宝。以及一位大名鼎鼎的太子殿下。
这位太子殿下，怎么说呢，是一位奇男子。
王与后将他视为掌上明珠，宠爱有加，常骄傲道：“我儿将来必为明君，万世流芳。”
然而，对于俗世的王权富贵，太子完全没有兴趣。
他有兴趣的，用他常对自己说的一句话讲，就是——
“我要拯救苍生！”
太子少时一心修行，修行途中，有两个广为流传的小故事。
第一个故事，发生在他十七岁时。
那一年，仙乐国举行了一场盛大的上元祭天游。
虽然这一项传统神事已荒废了数百年，但依然可以从残存古籍和前人口述中，遥想那是怎样一桩普天同庆的盛事。
上元佳节，神武大街。
大街两侧，人山人海。王公贵族在高楼上谈笑；皇家武士雄风飒飒披甲开道；少女们翩翩起舞，雪白的手洒下漫天花雨，不知人与花孰更娇美；金车中传出悠扬的乐声，在整座皇城的上空飘荡。仪仗队的最后，十六匹金辔白马并行拉动着一座华台。
在这高高的华台之上的，便是万众瞩目的悦神武者了。
祭天游中，悦神武者将戴一张黄金面具，身着华服，手持宝剑，扮演伏魔降妖的千年第一武神——神武大帝君吾。
一旦被选中为悦神武者，便是至高无上的荣耀，因此，挑选标准极为严格。这一年被选中的，就是太子殿下。举国上下都相信，他一定会完成一场有史以来最精彩的悦神武。
可是，那一天，却发生了一件意外。
在仪仗队绕城的第三圈时，经过了一面十几丈高的城墙。
当时，华台上的武神正要将妖魔一剑击杀。
这是最激动人心的一幕，大街两侧沸腾了，城墙上方也汹涌了，人们争先恐后探头，挣扎着，推搡着。
这时，一名小儿从城楼上掉了下来。
尖叫连天。正当人们以为这名小儿即将血溅神武大街时，太子微微扬首，纵身一跃，接住了他。
人们只来得及看见一道飞鸟般的白影逆空而上，太子便已抱着那名小儿安然落地。黄金面具坠落，露出了面具后那张年轻俊美的脸庞。
下一刻，万众欢呼。
百姓们是兴高采烈了，可皇家道场的国师们就头疼了。
万万没想到出了这么大的差错。
不祥啊，太不祥了！
华台绕皇城游|行的每一圈，都象征着为国家祈求了一年的国泰民安，如今中断了，那不是要招来灾祸吗！
国师们愁得发如雨下，思前想后，请来太子，委婉地表示，殿下您能不能面壁一个月以示悔过？不用真的面壁，只要意思一下就可以了。
太子微笑道：“不要。”
他是这么说的：“救人又不是什么坏事。上天又怎么会因为我做了对的事情而降罪于我？”
呃……万一上天就降罪了呢？
“那么上天就错了，对的为什么要向错的道歉？”
国师们无言以对。
这位太子殿下就是这样一个人。
他从没遇到过他做不到的事，也从未遇到过不爱他的人。他是人间正道，他是世界中心。
所以，虽然国师们心里很痛苦：“你懂个屁！”
但不好多说，也不敢多说。反正殿下也不会听的。
第二个故事，也发生在太子十七岁这年。
传说，黄河之南有一座桥叫做一念桥，有一名鬼魂在这座桥上徘徊多年。
这只鬼魂十分恐怖：身穿残甲，脚踏业火，遍身鲜血和刀枪利箭，每走一步就在身后留下血与火的足迹。每隔数年，它会在夜里忽然现身，游荡在桥头，拦住行人问三个问题：“此间何地？”“此身何人？”“为之奈何？”
如果答得不对，就会被鬼魂一口吞噬。但是，谁也不知道正确的答案是什么，所以数年下来，这只鬼魂已经吞噬了无数行人。
太子云游途中听说此事，找到了一念桥，夜夜守在桥头，终于，在一夜遇到了作祟的鬼魂。
那鬼魂现身，果然如传闻中一般阴森可怖。它开口问了太子第一个问题，太子笑着回答：“此间人间。”
鬼魂却道：“此间无间。”
开门大吉，第一个问题就答错了。
太子心想，反正三个问题都是要答错的，何必等你问完？于是便亮了兵器，开打了。
这一战打得天昏地暗。太子武艺高强，那鬼魂更是悍勇骇人。一人一鬼在桥上斗得是几乎日月翻转，最后，鬼魂终于败下阵来。
鬼魂消失之后，太子在桥头种下了一颗花树。这时，一名道人路过，恰好看到他在此撒下一g黄土，为它送行，问：“这是做什么？”
太子就说了著名的八个字：“身在无间，心在桃源。”
道人听了，微微一笑，化为一名身披白甲的神将，踏祥云，挽长风，乘天光而去。太子这才知道，竟是恰好遇上了亲身下凡来伏魔降妖的神武大帝。
诸天仙神们在他上元祭天游那一跃时便留意到了这名十分出色的悦神武者。这次一念桥头一见后，有仙家问帝君：“您看这位太子殿下如何？”
帝君也答了八个字：“此子将来，不可限量。”
当晚，皇宫上方天生异象，风雨大作。
在电闪雷鸣之中，太子殿下飞升了。
但凡有人飞升，天界都会震一震。这位太子殿下一飞升，直接让整个天界抖了三抖。
修成正果，太难太难。
要天赋、要修炼、要机缘。一尊神的诞生，往往是漫漫百年路。
少年时便羽化登仙的天之骄子并不是没有；穷尽一生苦修百年都盼不来一道天劫也大有人在；即便是等来了天劫，过不了这一关也要死了，不死也废了；如恒河沙数般的，却是终其一生都庸庸碌碌、找不到自己道路的懵懂凡人。
而这位太子殿下，无疑是上天的宠儿。他想要的，没有得不到的；他想做的，没有做不成的；他想飞升成神，就当真就在十七岁那年飞升成神了。
他原本就是民心所向，加上王与后思念爱子，下令为他在各地大力兴修宫观庙宇，开窟立像，万民朝奉。信徒越多宫观越多，寿元越长法力越强。于是，仙乐宫太子殿在短短几年之内风光无两，鼎盛一时，达到了巅峰。
——直到三年之后，仙乐大乱。
大乱的起因是国主暴|政，叛军起|义。可是，虽然人间已战火四起，天界的神官们，也是不能随意插手的。除非是妖魔鬼怪越界侵犯，否则该怎么样就怎么样。试想，人间处处是纷争，人人均觉自己有理，要是谁都上去插一脚，今天你帮你故国撑腰，明天他帮他后裔报仇，岂非动不动就要神仙打架、日月无光？像太子殿下这种情况，就更必须避嫌了。
但他才不管。他对帝君道：“我要拯救苍生。”
帝君坐拥千年神力，尚且不敢整天把这几个字挂嘴上，听到他这么说，心情可想而知。但又拿他没办法，道：“你救不了所有人的。”
太子道：“我能。”
于是，他便义无反顾地下凡了。
仙乐人民自然是举国欢庆。然而，古往今来的民间故事早就竭力地向人们阐述了一个真理：神仙私自下人间，绝对没有好结果。
于是，战火非但没有平息，反而烧得更疯狂。
也不是说太子殿下没努力，可他还不如不努力。他越努力，战况越是一塌糊涂，仙乐人被打得头破血流，伤亡惨重，最后，一场瘟疫席卷了整座皇城，叛军打入王宫，战乱结束。
如果说仙乐本来还在苟延残喘，那么太子殿下就直接让它断了气。
灭国后，人们终于突然发现了一件事：
原来，他们奉为天神的太子，根本没有他们想象得那么完美强大。
说难听点，可不就是一个成事不足败事有余的**么？！
失去家园和家人的痛苦无处宣泄，满身伤痛的百姓愤怒地涌|入太子殿中，推倒了神像，烧毁了神殿。
八千宫观，烧了七天七夜，烧得一干二净。
从那以后，一位守护平安的武神便消失了，而一位招来灾祸的瘟神诞生了。
人们说你是神你就是神，说你是屎你就是屎，说你是什么你就得是什么。本来如此。
太子殿下无论如何也不能接受这个事实。他更不能接受的，是他要接受的惩罚：贬谪。
封禁法力，打落人间。
他从小就在万千娇宠中长大，从未受过人间疾苦。而这个惩罚，让他从云端坠落到了烂泥地。在这摊烂泥里，他第一次体会到了饥饿、贫穷、肮脏的滋味。也是第一次，做了此生从没想过会由他去做的事：偷窃、打劫、破口大骂、自暴自弃。颜面尽失，自尊全无，要多难看有多难看，连最忠心的侍从都没法接受他这种变化，选择了离开。
“身在无间，心在桃源”这八个字，在仙乐各种石碑牌匾上刻得到处都是，若不是在战乱后几乎都被烧光了，让太子殿下再看见，估计他第一个冲上去砸了。
说这句话的人已经亲身证明了，当他自己身处无间时，也并不能心在桃源。
他登天快，坠地更快。神武道惊鸿一瞥，一念桥逢魔遇仙。仿佛还是昨天的事。但天界唏嘘一阵，过去了也就过去了。
直到过了许多年，某日，天空一声巨响。这位太子殿下，第二次飞升了。
古往今来，被贬谪的神官，不是一蹶不振，就是堕入鬼界，根本没有几位被打下去后还能有翻身之日的。第二次飞升，当之无愧，轰轰烈烈。
更轰轰烈烈的是，他飞升之后，一路冲进天界，拳打脚踢，大杀四方。于是，他只飞升了一炷香就又被打了下去。
一炷香。可以说是史上最迅猛也最短暂的飞升了。
如果说那第一次飞升，是一桩美谈，这第二次飞升，就是一场闹剧。
两回下来，天界对这位太子满满的都是嫌弃之情。嫌弃之余，还有几分警惕。毕竟被贬一次就要死要活了，被贬两次，岂不是要心魔大起报复苍生？
谁知，这次被贬之后，他倒是没入魔，也挺老实地在适应贬谪生活。什么问题都没有，唯一的问题就是……未免也太认真了。
有时，他街头卖艺，吹拉弹唱样样精通，连胸口碎大石都不在话下，虽然早听说这位太子殿下能歌善舞、多才多艺，但居然是用这样的方式见识到的，真是令人心情复杂。有时，他则勤勤恳恳地收破烂。
诸天仙神震惊了。
事已至此，匪夷所思。以至于如今要是对谁说“你生个儿子是仙乐太子”，那可比骂对方断子绝孙要恶毒得多了。
好歹也曾是位金枝玉叶的太子殿下，位列仙班的神官，混到这个地步，也是没谁了。所谓的三界笑柄，便是这么一回事。
笑过以后，有几分多情的也许还会叹：当初那位高高在上的天之骄子，真的彻底消失了。
神像倒塌，故国覆灭，一个信徒都没有留下，逐渐被世人遗忘。于是，谁也不知道他流浪到那里去了。
被贬一次已是奇耻大辱。被贬两次，没有任何人能再爬起来。
又过了许多年，突然有一天，天空又是一声巨响。
天崩地裂，地动山摇。
长明灯战栗，火光狂舞，神官们统统从自家金殿中惊醒了过来，奔走相问：这是哪位新贵飞升了？当真是好大的阵仗！
谁知，前脚才叹了了不得啊了不得，后脚一看，满天神佛都被劈了个遍。
你有完没完！
那位著名奇葩、三界笑柄，传说中的太子殿下，他他他——***又飞升了！

英文：
Among the gods of the heavens, there was a famous laughing stock known throughout the three realms.
Legend has it that eight hundred years ago, there was an ancient country within the Central Plains called Xian Le nation.
The ancient nation of Xian Le had vast territory, abundant resources and content citizens. The country had four treasures: delicate beauties aplenty, thriving arts and literature, treasures of gold and jewels, and last but not least, their renowned Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
This person, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince..….one could say he was a strange man.
The Emperor and Empress considered him to be the apple of their eyes. They doted on him immensely and would often proudly proclaim, “In the future, my son will surely become a wise monarch, leaving a reputable impression for generations to come.”
Yet, in regards to what came with royalty, of riches, power and honour, the Crown Prince had no interest in any of them.
What he was interested in, quoting the very words he often said to himself, was——
“I want to save the common folks!”
The young prince cultivated in earnest. During this time, two short stories became widely circulated.
The first story occurred when he was seventeen years old.
That year, the nation of Xian Le held a magnificent Offering to the Gods parade.
Although this tradition had already been abandoned for numerous centuries, one could imagine the grandeur of the event through the surviving ancient texts and verbal stories.
Offering to the Gods day, Martial God Main Street.
Both sides of the Main Street were overflowing with a sea of people. The aristocrats were seated on top of high buildings as they exchanged friendly chatter, while the imperial guards cleared the way with their impressive armour clinking. Young girls danced gracefully as their snow-white hands scattered flower petals like rain, filling the sky as far as the eye could see. It made people question whether the dancing maidens were more beautiful or the flowers itself. Melodious notes sounded from within golden carriages and floated throughout the whole Imperial City. Behind honorable guards, sixteen white horses with golden bridles walked side-by-side as they pulled forward a magnificent platform.
Located on top of the tall, magnificent platform was the focus of everyone’s attention. There stood the martial artist who would perform a show to please the Gods.
During the festive heavenly parade, the martial artist would adorn a golden mask, don splendid garments and wield a sword in one hand. He would perform the role of the first military deity in a millennium to have subdued demonic beasts——Martial God Heavenly Emperor Jun Wu.
Being selected as the martial artist who would perform such a show could be considered as receiving the utmost honour, and thus the selection criteria was extremely strict. This year, the one who was chosen was none other than His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. The entire nation was convinced that he would become the most marvellous martial artist who performed such a performance since the beginning of time.
However, on that day, something unexpected occurred.

接上：
The guard of honour made his third lap around the city walls, passing through one side with a dozen or more tall city walls.
During that time, the martial god on the magnificent stage was just about to land a killing blow on a demon.
This was the most exciting scene, and thus the people on both sides of the Main Street were fired up with passion. The people on the city walls were also becoming more rowdy as they started outdoing each other in sticking their heads out to see, both struggling and shoving.
At this exact moment, a young child fell from the top of the city gate tower.
Earsplitting screams pierced the heavens. Just when everyone thought that the young child was about to splash blood onto the Martial God Main Street, the Crown Prince lifted his head slightly before he leapt up and caught him.
The people only had enough time to glimpse a bird-like, white figure flit through the empty sky before the Crown Prince landed safely with the young child. His golden mask had fallen off, revealing the young and handsome face previously hidden behind it.
In the next moment, a crowd of ten thousand began to cheer.
The common people were delighted, but the Taoist ministers from the Imperial Household had some headaches.
They would never have thought in a million years that such a gigantic mistake would have occurred.
It was ominous, too ominous!
Every lap the magnificent platform does around the Imperial City represented a prayer for a year of the country’s peace and prosperity. Now that it had been interrupted, wasn’t that the same as incurring disaster?!
The ministers were worried to the point they lost hair like rain. After they pondered over the past and the now probable events that might occur in the future, they invited over the Crown Prince and tactfully suggested, Your Highness, can you face the wall for a month2 to show your repentance? You don’t have to actually do it, just the gesture to show your intent would be enough.
The Crown Prince smiled before replying, “No need.”
He explained his thoughts, “Saving people isn’t something bad. How could the Heavens fault me because I did the right thing?”
……And if by chance the Heavens do decide to blame you?
“Then the Heavens would be the ones who are wrong. Why should the people who are right apologize to the ones who are wrong?”
The ministers were speechless.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was exactly this type of person.
He had never encountered anything he wasn’t able to accomplish, and he had also never met anyone who didn’t love him. He was always right, and he was the heart of the world.
Thus, the ministers felt great pain in their hearts as they thought, “What the hell do you know!?”
However, it wasn’t convenient for them to say more, and they also didn’t dare do it. His Highness wouldn’t listen to them anyway.
The second story also took place in the year the Crown Prince was seventeen.
According to the legends, on the south side of the Yellow River existed a bridge called the Yi Nian3 Bridge, where a famous ghost wandered for many years.
This ghost was utterly terrifying—dressed in ruined armour with flames from hell following its footsteps. Its whole body was also covered in blood and pierced by numerous blades and arrows. Every step he took left behind the traces of both blood and fire. Every few years, it would suddenly appear during the night. It would wander about at the foot of the bridge and stop travellers to ask them three questions:
“Where is this?”
“Who am I?”
“What will you do now?”
If one did not answer correctly, they would be completely swallowed up by the ghost in one bite. However, nobody knew what the correct answers were supposed to be. Thus, after several years, this ghost already swallowed countless pedestrians.
The Crown Prince heard about this matter one day while he was wandering about. After he found Yi Nian Bridge, he began to guard the foot of the bridge continuously until he finally met the ghost haunting the bridge one night.
The ghost appeared in a flash, and sure enough, it was as eerie and terrifying as what the rumors had claimed. It opened its mouth to ask the Crown Prince the first question, which the Crown Prince replied to him with a smile, “This is the human realm.”
However, the ghost replied, “This is the abyss.”
Beginner’s luck; it was only the first question, but he had already gotten it wrong.
The Crown Prince thought to himself, he was going to answer the questions wrong anyway, so why wait for the ghost to finish asking? Thus, he pulled out his weapon and began to fight.
This battle lasted until the sky became twilight and the land was covered in darkness. The Crown Prince was highly skilled in martial arts, while the ghost became even more daunting and dreadful. One man and one ghost fought on that bridge until the positions of the sun and moon had practically switched, before finally, the ghost was defeated.
After the ghost disappeared, the Crown Prince planted a flowering tree at the foot of the bridge. At that moment, a Taoist passing through saw him scatter a handful of golden soil to help escort the ghost to its next life. He asked, “What are you doing?”
The Crown Prince then spoke his famous eight words: “Body in the abyss, but heart in paradise.”
When the Taoist heard that, he smiled slightly before transforming into a General deity clad in white armor. He stepped onto a magical cloud, summoned a strong wind, and then flew off into the sunlight. The Crown Prince only realized then that, by a lucky coincidence, he had unexpectedly encountered the Martial God Heavenly Emperor himself who had descended to the human realm to subdue demonic beasts.
All the Gods were already paying attention to this extremely outstanding martial god after he had leapt into the sky on the day of the Offering to the Gods Parade. After meeting him at the foot of the Yi Nian Bridge, immortals began asking the Emperor: “What do you think of this Royal Highness, the Crown Prince?”
Emperor Jun also answered with eight words: “This child’s future is limitless, impossible to measure.”

继续接上：
That same evening, the sky above the Royal Palace became unnatural as wind and rain caused havoc.
And amidst the lightning flashes and thundering rolls, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince ascended into godhood.
As long as someone ascends, the Heavens would always quake once. When His Royal Highness the Crown Prince ascended, it immediately made the entire Heavens shake three times.
To achieve immortality through one’s efforts and insights was truly hard.
It required innate talent, high cultivation, and the right opportunity.
To be reborn as a respected god, more often than not, was an endless, lifetime journey.
A youngster ascending into godhood and becoming an arrogant brat in the Heavens wasn’t something that hadn’t happened before, but there was also plenty of people who bitterly exhausted their entire life cultivating, yet still did not achieve immortality. Even if they came across a chance from Heaven, if they didn’t overcome the heavenly tribulation, they would either die or become a waste. Countless humans, like the grains of sand in a desert, lived a life of mediocrity from start to finish, unable to find their right paths due to their ignorance.
And so this Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, was undoubtedly the Heaven’s beloved darling. The things he wanted, there was nothing he could not obtain. The things he wanted to do, there was nothing that was impossible for him to accomplish. And when he wanted to ascend into godhood, he really ascended into godhood at age seventeen.
Originally, the Crown Prince was already popular with his people. Coupled with how he was the Emperor’s and Empress’ greatly missed, beloved son, they commanded temples in the Crown Prince’s name to be built vigorously in many parts of the nation. Statues were erected and everyone assembled to pay their respects. The more believers he had, the more shrines were built, and thus he lived longer and became more powerful. As a result, in just a couple of years, Xian Le nation’s Crown Prince flourished and reached the peak of his power.
——Until three years later, when Xian Le descended into chaos.

这个注释：
1. The country is named Xian Le, which can also be read as Xian Yue. However, the author made a note saying that we should read it as Xian Le. Xian Le means Heavenly Happiness while Xian Yue would have meant Heavenly Music.”
2. Facing the wall and meditating, AKA the ministers want the prince to reflect on his actions.”
3. Yi Nian Bridge has a lot of meanings. Yi = One, while Nian could mean thought, memory, longing, yearning. I kept it in pinyin because I wasn’t sure which meaning it was trying to convey.”
4. One incense stick = approximately 5 minutes RIP poor MC.”
一、这个国家叫仙乐，也可以理解为仙乐。但是，作者做了一个标注，说我们应该把它读成xianle。
二、面壁思过，又称国师们希望太子反省自己的行为。
三、一念桥有很多含义。一，年可以指思想、记忆、渴望、向往。我把它放在拼音里，因为我不确定它是想表达什么意思。（心疼翻译大大）
四、一炷香大约等于三十分钟（这是我自己查的，看不懂那个注释里的简称什么意思）
我这个英语学渣哭了

评论：
Thanx for translating this bl, plz don’t make this eunuch project. I really curious with the story.
谢谢你帮我翻译这本BL小说，请不要做这个耽美（？不知道对不对）项目。我对这个故事很好奇
（啥？这个翻译有没有自相矛盾？英语学渣不懂，有没有大大解释一下）
Hwaiting!
等待！
Thanx for translating
谢谢翻译（希望这个没有错）
Poor guy. Sounds like he was naive and innoce
可怜的家伙。听起来他天真无邪（hhhhhhhhhhh笑死了，要不要看看191黏黏黑化）
Naive and innocent.
He lost that innocence on his first banishment and just lost everything. Pushing away everyone near him out of despair, hopelessness, and maybe wanting to save then from his cursed self.
After his second banishment he had no more ****s to give.
天真无邪。
他第一次被贬谪就失去了纯真，失去了一切。把他身边的每一个人从绝望和绝望中赶走，也许是想把他从被诅咒的自我中拯救出来。
在他第二次被贬谪后，他再也没有***东西可给了。（心疼怜怜一秒钟）
LOL the crown prince is truly unlucky
Can’t wait to know what happened when he ascended for the third time
哈哈，殿下真倒霉
迫不及待地想知道他第三次飞升时发生了什么
Thanks for the chapter wow it’s been a long time, I had already half forgotten the plot xD thanks for picking this up~
谢谢这一章哇好久不见了，我已经有点忘了情节了~
I can only say this: If there’s a will, there’s a way…
我只能说：有志者事竟成…
First round: righteous
Second round: corrupted
Third round: indifferent
I’m liking this MC. Even though I haven’t gotten a glimpse of his current personality, I’m thinking it’s going to be nice (in a shamelessly funny way). But wow. He actually became a god 3 times!
Meanwhile the other gods were like: You again! WTF?!
Hahaha thanks for the chapter!
第一次飞升：正义
第二次飞升：腐败
第三次飞升：淡定
我喜欢这个MC。尽管我还没有看到他现在的个性，但我认为这会很好（以一种无耻的滑稽方式）。但是哇哦。他竟然三次成为神！
与此同时，其他的神都说：你又来了！WTF？！
哈哈哈谢谢你的章节！
thank you so much!
非常感谢！
Thank you for the chapter!
Really interesting so far, can’t wait to see how he shakes up the heavens-…AGAIN! XD XD
谢谢你的章节！
到目前为止真的很有趣，迫不及待地想看看他是如何感天的-…又一次！XDXD
……
评论太多了，原谅我没有全部搬运

英文：
“Congratulations, Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”
Hearing those words, Xie Lian raised his head and smiled before he spoke, “Thank you. But may I ask what exactly you are congratulating me for?”
Ling Wen ZhenJun1 stood with her arms crossed as she said, “Congratulations for placing first on the list of ‘Heaven’s Officials most anticipated to be demoted and banished to the mortal realm’.”
Xie Lian replied, “No matter how you say it, it’s still first place. But I think that if you’re congratulating me, then it should still be a position worth being happy about?”
Ling Wen stated, “Yes, if you’re first, you can get one hundred merits.”
Xie Lian responded immediately, “Next time, if there is another list like this, by all means, please put me on it.”
Ling Wen asked, “Do you know who is in second place?”
Xie Lian thought for a moment before replying, “That is too hard to guess. After all, just based on strength, I alone ought to be able to take the top three places.”
Ling Wen answered, “That’s more or less right. There isn’t a second place. The moment you started, others could only see your dust with no hopes of catching up.”
Xie Lin said, “I dare not accept the honor. Who was the first place winner from the previous years?”
Ling Wen stated, “There wasn’t one because this list was created this year. More accurately, it was set up today.”
“Eh,” Xie Lian blanked for a bit before asking, “Based on what you said, this list wasn’t created specifically for me, was it?”
Ling Wen responded, “You can think of it as luckily winning merely because you were coincidentally in time for it.”
Xie Lian said with a face full of smiles, “Alright, if I think about it like that, I will be slightly happier.”
Ling Wen continued to say, “Do you know why you would seize first place?”
Xie Lian replied, “Everyone expects it.”
Ling Wen explained, “Let me tell you the reason. Please look at that clock.”
She lifted her finger to point, and Xie Lian turned around to look in that direction. What one could see there was extremely beautiful. Gazing into the distance, one could see a palace made out of white jade, pavilions and kiosks, immortal clouds curling about with flowing streams and flying birds.
Xie Lian looked for a long time before asking, “Did you perhaps point in the wrong direction? Where is the clock?”
Ling Wen replied, “I didn’t point in the wrong direction. It’s there, have you seen it yet?”
Xie Lian looked carefully again before truthfully saying, “I don’t see it.”
Ling Wen responded, “It’s right for you to not see it. Originally, there had been a clock there, but it was shaken off when you ascended.”
“……”
“That clock was even older than you. Nevertheless, it had a lively and vivacious character. Every single time someone ascended, it would ring a few times to cheer them on. But on the day you ascended, it rang like it had gone crazy, unable to stop. Only when it fell down from the clock tower did it calm down. However, when it fell down, it smashed into a passing Heavenly Official.”
Xie Lian asked, “This……Then, are they okay now?”
Ling Wen: “No, they’re still being repaired……”
Xie Lian: “I am referring to the Heavenly Official who was hit.”
Ling Wen replied, “The one who got hit was a martial god. He flipped over his hand on the spot and split that clock into two halves. But now, please look over there at that golden palace hall. Do you see it?”
She pointed again, and Xie Lian’s gaze followed her finger once more. He saw a vast area covered in mist and clouds, before seeing the top of a resplendent palace roof made out of gold glass. Xie Lian said, “Ah, I see it this time.”
Ling Wen responded, “If you see something, that means there’s something wrong. Originally there had been nothing there.”
“……”
“When you ascended, many Heavenly Officials’ golden palaces shook to the point that their golden pillars toppled over, and their glazed roofs shattered. Some palaces couldn’t be repaired in a short period of time. Without any better options, many people improvised and built new and temporary places.”
“I’m the one to blame?”
“You’re responsible for it.”
“Uh……” Xie Lian asked to confirm, “Did I happen to offend many Heavenly Officials the moment I came up?”
Ling Wen answered, “If you can redeem yourself, then perhaps you won’t.”
“What can I do to redeem myself?”
“That’s easy to answer. Eight million, eight hundred and eighty thousand merits.”
Xie Lian smiled again.
Ling Wen said, “Of course, I know even one-tenth of that is something you can’t take out.”
Xie Lian replied in a frank and genuine manner, “How do I say this? Although I’m truly sorry for the inconveniences, even if you requested a ten thousandth of that, I still won’t be able to take it out.”
The conviction of believers in the secular world could be converted into a Heavenly Officials’ spiritual power. Every incense stick they burned as offerings was called ‘merits’.
His smile disappearing, Xie Lian seriously asked, “Would you be willing to punt me down from here with one kick, and then give me eight million, eight hundred and eighty thousand merits?”
Ling Wen stated, “I am a literature god. If you want someone to kick you, you ought to find a martial god. The harder you get kicked, the more merits you’ll receive.”
Xie Lian heaved a deep sigh. “Allow me to think about what to do.”
Ling Wen patted his shoulder and said, “Don’t lose your head. When you encounter a mountain, there will always be a way through.”
Xie Lian responded, “In my case, when the boat reaches the pier head, it will naturally sink.”
If it was eight hundred years ago, during Xian Le nation’s most prosperous time, eight million, eight hundred and eighty thousand merits weren’t a big problem. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince would wave his hand and give them, not even blinking over such a loss. But the present was now different from the olden days. In the secular world, all of his temples had already long burned away, with not a single one remaining. He had no believers, no incense, and no worship.
It was needless to say more. He just had nothing, nothing, not a single thing!
One person squatted at the edge of the Immortal City’s main street while having a headache for quite some time, before he suddenly remembered something. It had already been almost three days since he had ascended, yet Xie Lian had not entered the spirit communication array. Just then, he had also forgotten to ask Ling Wen for the password.
The Heavenly Officials who had ascended united together to create a spirit communication array. It was possible for them to use their divine sense and immediately communicate with each other within the array; and after ascending, it was imperative for the new gods to enter it. However, one must know the password to be able to locate the particular array. It had already been eight hundred years since Xie Lian had last entered the spirit communication array, thus he certainly hadn’t remembered the password. So, he released his divine sense to look around before he found an array that seemed to resemble it. But when he casually entered, he was immediately hit in all directions by violent and excited voices so powerful that he became a bit unsteady.
“Place your bets, no take-backs! Come bet how long our Royal Highness the Crown Prince can persevere before he’ll have to descend once more!”
“I bet one year!”
“One year is too long, last time he only lasted the time span of one incense stick. Perhaps this time he’ll persist for three days? I’ll place a bet for three days, three days!”
“Don’t ah, you dunce! Three days have almost gone by already. Are you gonna be okay?”
……Xie Lian silently left the array.
Wrong place. It definitely couldn’t be this one.

接上：（翻译大大幸苦了）
The deities in Heaven were all big-shot Heavenly Officials who oversaw their own region, and each one of them were a household name among a great number of people. Because they were all Heavenly Officials who had seriously cultivated to ascend, they were dignified and were usually quite reserved. More often than not, their speech and behaviour had an air of arrogance. There would only be him who, because he had been too excited the first time he had ascended, had went and grabbed every Heavenly Official in the spirit communication array to make his greetings. Xie Lian had been incomparably earnest as he introduced himself, and his thoroughly detailed introduction was unparalleled.
After he had retreated from the previous array, he began randomly searching once more. Finally, he casually entered another array again. After entering this time, Xie Lian relaxed a bit as he mentally thought, “It’s so quiet here. This is probably the one.”
At that moment, he heard a voice lightly say, “Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince has returned again?”
At first, this sound was extremely comfortable to hear. The voice was soft and the tone was gentle. However if one listened to it closely, they would realize that the voice sounded extremely cold, and the speaker’s tone appeared very indifferent as well. Thus, it made that gentleness seem as if it harboured some evil intentions.
Originally, Xie Lian had wanted to enter the array in a restrained and well-behaved manner. Silently lurking there was good enough. However, since someone was already looking for him to chat, he couldn’t pretend to be mute and deaf. He was also extremely happy that a Heavenly Official in Heaven was still willing to take the initiative to talk to him, a god personifying pestilence. Thus, he quickly replied, “That’s right, ah! Hello everyone! I returned again.”
How would he know that after this one question and response—every Heavenly Official in the spirit communication array at that moment all perked up their ears.
That Heavenly Official continued to speak in a leisurely manner, “This time, Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s ascension made a really big commotion, ah.”
Within Heaven, it could even be said that monarchs were walking around everywhere, while heroes were as common as the water flowing in rivers.
If one wished to become an immortal god, they must first become an outstanding individual. In the mortal realm, people who achieved and accomplished many goals or people who had a lot of talent, of course, had a larger opportunity to ascend. As a result, it wasn’t exaggerated to say that princesses, princes, and generals weren’t a rare sight to see here. Who wasn’t a proud child of the Heavens? However, everyone was still extremely polite and courteous to each other, calling one another ‘Your Majesty’ or ‘Your Highness’ or ‘General Lord’. They would say whatever sounded more complimentary. But for the prior words spoken by the Heavenly Official, that title he used no longer sounded like a polite gesture.
Although Xie Lian had been a Crown Prince, and the other had greeted him thus—his tone didn’t have even one bit of respect. It rather sounded as if he was trying to use a needle to stab someone. There were many other Heavenly Officials who had been genuine Crown Princes within the spirit communication array, and those few greetings simply made goosebumps appear on their backs as they felt uncomfortable from head to toe. Xie Lian also heard the ill intentions in the other’s voice, but he did not want to make a scene. Thinking to himself that he would escape, he replied with a smile, “It was okay.”
However, the Heavenly Official didn’t give him a chance to escape. He spoke in a voice that was neither warm nor cold, “Huh, Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince is okay? My luck was not that good.”
Suddenly, Xie Lian heard a whisper from Ling Wen.
She only said a single word, “Clock.”
Xie Lian instantly understood. So, this had been the martial god who got smashed by that clock!
If that was the situation, then the Heavenly Official being angry wasn’t something without reason. Xie Lian had always been extremely good at apologizing and thus immediately said, “I’ve heard about the incident with the clock. I’m extremely sorry, please pardon me.”
The other snorted once, making it impossible for anyone to tell what he meant by it.
There were many martial gods within Heaven and among those, quite a few were new upstarts who had ascended after Xie Lian left. This was why he was unable to pinpoint which god this was just by listening to his voice. However, one couldn’t apologize without even knowing the other’s name. Thus, Xie Lian went to the heart of the matter and asked, “Excuse me, may I ask how I should address you, distinguished one?”
The moment he said those words, the other party became silent.
It wasn’t only the other god who became silent. The entire spirit communication array seemed to freeze, as if a puff of stagnant air slapped everyone in the face.
On the other side, Ling Wen whispered to him once more, “Your Highness, though I don’t believe you haven’t recognized the other person after talking to him for so long—I still want to remind you. That is Xuan Zhen.”
Xie Lian asked, “Xuan Zhen?”
He choked up in a flash before finally reacting as he sent a message back in slight shock, “This is Mu Qing?”
（有个bug，英文字符好像是一个字母算一个字的，所以每次英语要分几个帖子发）

厉害

dd

莫名迷上了英语，感谢墨香

注释：
1. ZhenJun is a title. Zhen means ‘genuine’ while Jun means Lord. Later, one character will also have the title ZhenJun while another will just be called Jun.
一、真君是个头衔。真的意思是真的，君的意思是主。以后，一个角色也会有“真君”的头衔，而另一个角色只会叫“君”。

评论：
Rip so many awkward relationships for MC. I’m dying to find out if the things he’s done are all really bad or if he’s just super unlucky
为主角撕开这么多尴尬的关系。我很想知道他做的事情是真的很糟糕还是真的很不幸（你觉得呢？怜怜会做很糟糕的事情吗？？？！！！）
Aw! Poor Prince, he’s just honestly and earnestly trying his best! Leave him be! Let him enjoy his immortal life in peace!
哦！可怜的太子，他只是诚实而认真地尽力了！别管他！让他和平地享受他不朽的生命！（和平地享受不朽的生命，估计是翻译问题吧……）
This makes me laugh so incredibly much, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING AWESOME! ! !
这让我捧腹大笑，非常感谢你的精彩！
So no cooked food scents making the mood funny?
所以没有熟食的香味让心情好笑？（神马贵）
Yeesh Xie Lian love that was painful
Also it had me laughing like an idiot
Thank you again for picking this up!
是的，谢怜的爱是痛苦的
也让我笑得像个**
再次感谢你捡起这篇文章！
Poor Prince.
Have a feeling Mu Qing will be upset that the Prince remembered Feng Xin but not him.（这个表情可能和原来的表情不太一样，并无贬义）
可怜的太子。
有种感觉慕情会很难过，因为太子记得风信却不记得他。（谁叫慕情小可爱这么早就离开了）
I’m really curious how this story is gonna turn out. Is there even anyone he is on good terms with? xD
Thanks a lot for the translation! <3
我真的很好奇这个故事会怎么样。他和谁关系好？XD
非常感谢你的翻译！<3（当然和fafa关系好喽）
Hahaha the prince is really super unlucky,I wonder how he will handle the situation.
Thank you so much for the chapter
哈哈哈太子真是太不幸了，我不知道他会怎么处理这种情况。
非常感谢更新这一章
also will the ML appear soon ?
ML也会很快出现吗？
I have to admit, I thought of founder of diabolism a bit reading this, but I quickly get out of it because the characters are.. distinctly different, even though they may feel the same from circumstances
the way XL just accepts everything… (his heart is XXL)
that’s so awkward.. I wonder what his old acquintances thinks about him (or if they’re actually still bros ….. )
我不得不承认，我有点读过《魔道祖师》这本书，但我很快就摆脱了它，因为书中的人物是。。明显不同，尽管他们可能会有同样的感觉
XL接受一切的方式…（他的心是XXL）
太尴尬了。。我想知道他以前的无罪判决是怎么看他的（或者他们是否仍然是兄弟…）
（外国网友也别引战啊我们是一家）
官方回复上面这条评论：
Ha ha, I guess there are similarities since it is the same author writing it, but HOB is definitely different compared to it!
Please continue reading to find out! And thanks so much for commenting! //wink wonk//
哈哈，我想有相似之处，因为它是同一个作者写的，但魔道祖师绝对不同于它！
请继续阅读了解！非常感谢你的评论！//眨眼//
……

自顶