The Matchmaker Immortal Wants to Return to the Celestial Court - Chapter 28

He had noticed her early on, but she hadn’t noticed him.

Every time he visited the Jade Pool Palace to pay respects to the Queen Mother of the West, he would always see a small, diligent figure—either busy cleaning and arranging things or resting her chin on her hand, lost in thought beneath the celestial tree in front of the golden hall.

He had always been self-disciplined and courteous, confident in his cultivation, and carried himself with an air of elegance that made him the center of attention among celestial maidens wherever he went. But only he knew that deep inside, he was the complete opposite. Saying his feelings were restless was an understatement—it was more like he was consumed by a burning desire.

Unlike the other celestial maidens who indulged in pleasures and pursued beauty, her quiet, contemplative demeanor while reading deeply captivated him. Each time he came to the Jade Pool Palace, he would unconsciously observe her for a while before reluctantly withdrawing his gaze to visit the Queen Mother.

At first, bound by etiquette and the Celestial Court’s strict control over emotions, he dared not dwell on it too much. However, after seeing her for the tenth time, the eleventh time… he could no longer hold back. He discreetly inquired about her background from other high immortals and was delighted to learn that she was well-regarded and an exceptional celestial maiden.

He planned his visit on a day when the Queen Mother was away from the palace, preparing celestial fruits as a gift. When he reached the palace entrance, he hesitated, knowing that his actions might disrupt her peaceful cultivation. But his longing for her was too strong—if he kept letting these encounters pass, he would regret it for eternity.

Adjusting his attire, he asked the palace attendants where she was and, with a heart full of nervous anticipation, made his way to the Glazed Pavilion, where he finally spoke to her.

“I apologize for intruding on your place of cultivation,” he said.

“I originally intended to seek guidance from the Queen Mother about the mortal realm, but I forgot that today is the day she and the Jade Emperor are out on a celestial tour. Please accept this box of celestial fruits as an apology. May they aid in your cultivation and help you progress swiftly.” 

Of course, he had always known that today was the Queen Mother’s excursion day.

Seeing her shy and slightly flustered expression, he secretly rejoiced. Thankfully, she had not yet cultivated to the level of reading others’ thoughts, or else his image would have completely crumbled.

“I will not disturb you further. Farewell.”

From then on, he visited the Jade Pool Palace more frequently, always crafting reasonable excuses to avoid suspicion. The more they interacted, the deeper he fell. Knowing that she worked even harder in her cultivation to get closer to him, he gifted her various items to aid her progress and personally guided her in celestial techniques.

Heaven rewarded those who worked diligently. She ascended in rank and was granted the role of the Moon Matchmaker. Upon returning to the Palace of Fate, he quietly opened a bottle of celestial wine in celebration of her achievement.

The Queen Mother hosted a grand banquet to celebrate her prized disciple’s success, and of course, he had to take this opportunity to spend time with her. But with so many immortals in attendance, it was difficult to stay by her side for long. He was forced to exchange empty smiles with celestial maidens who eagerly approached him. Then, in just a brief moment of distraction, he noticed that she had become utterly drunk.

From the corner of his eye, he saw her staggering out of the banquet hall. He wanted to follow, but a persistent celestial maiden blocked his way.

“Immortal Lord, you seem tired. Why not rest at my place for a while? I specialize in nurturing flowers and have created a premium calming fragrance. I’m sure you would love it,” she said coyly.

“Apologies, Lady Hundred Herbs…”

“It’s Hundred Flowers,” she corrected with a charming smile.

“Lady Hundred Flowers, I have urgent matters to attend to. Another time, I will certainly ask you about the calming fragrance formula.” Without waiting for her response, he quickly excused himself and left.

Even then, he was delayed again by the Mountain God before finally managing to leave the Jade Pool Palace. But as soon as he arrived at the Matchmaker Pavilion, the celestial sky suddenly changed—moonlight dimmed, thunder roared. Such an ominous phenomenon outside a celestial being’s residence only occurred when one had committed a grave mistake or had exhausted their celestial blessings, signaling impending doom.

His heart sank. Without regard for propriety, he rushed inside and found her trembling beside a table, a marriage registry book spread open, the ink smeared across its pages.

“W-What do I do?” she sobbed.

He steadied himself and tried to cast a spell to repair the damage, but it was useless. She had been sentenced to descend to the mortal realm for tribulation. Only then did he realize—despite being a high immortal, he was completely powerless. He couldn’t protect the one he loved, nor could he even confess his feelings.

After consulting with the Seven-Stars Goddess, he painfully opened the Book of Fate to a blank page and used his powers to inscribe her mortal destiny, ensuring that, based on her celestial cultivation, she would be blessed with good fortune.

As he gazed at the completed destiny record, he slammed his fist against the table in frustration. He hated himself for not being able to stop this.

On the day of her reincarnation, he and the Seven-Stars Goddess escorted her to the Celestial Gate. Before leaving, they locked eyes for a long time. Hers were filled with sorrow and reluctance.

“Immortal Lord, thank you for all your care. Please take care of yourself,” she said.

He clenched his fists, making a firm decision in his heart. Surely, the Jade Emperor, who could perceive the thoughts of all celestials, had already received his resolve.

“I will accompany you. I won’t let you face this life alone.”

He watched with pain as she fell through the clouds and into the mortal realm. Once the Seven-Stars Goddess, the celestial guards, and the other deities who had come to watch had dispersed, he steeled his expression and raised his hand, casting a teleportation spell.

As he had expected, the Jade Emperor and the many elders were already waiting for him atop the high platform. Clearly, they all knew his intentions, yet they still adhered to protocol, waiting for him to formally declare it.

“Jade Emperor, I request to undergo mortal tribulation and accompany the Moon Matchmaker through this life,” he said, bowing deeply.

“Lord of Fates, raise your head.”

He obeyed and saw the Jade Emperor’s expression filled with helplessness.

“Do you understand the price you must pay for this request?”

“Even if it costs all my celestial cultivation and merits, I am willing,” he replied without hesitation.

“The Moon Matchmaker is being punished for her mistake. But you? With no cause or justification, you willingly throw yourself into the mortal realm for love? Do you know how great the sacrifice will be? Once you reincarnate, you won’t just lose your memories. You will be entirely mortal, without a shred of divine power. You will forget her. You will forget everything. Are you still willing?”

A venerable elder named Dao Zhen stepped forward.

“Jade Emperor, in consideration of the Lord of Fates’ years of diligent cultivation, could he at least retain a sliver of memory of the Celestial Court, so that he does not entirely forget where he came from?”

The Heavenly Emperor sighed. 

“His decision has already exhausted all his celestial blessings. If I break the rules for him, how can I justify it to the celestial law? One must bear the consequences of one’s own choices.”

He bowed again. 

“I have no regrets. Thank you, Heavenly Emperor, for granting my request.”

Returning to the Palace of Fate, he saw the sky gradually darken. With a faint smile, he stepped inside. He conjured the Book of Fate one last time, staring at its pages for a long moment. This would be the last time he would use it.

Placing his hand over the blank page beneath “Qian Hongxian,” he chanted a spell. A sphere of light emerged from his palm and settled onto the empty page. After a long time, the destiny was finally inscribed using all his celestial cultivation:

Yun Jinyao. Male. Born in the year of Bingzi, the month of Gengzi, the day of Wuxu, the hour of Guihai. Born in Guanxi Township, Hsinchu County, Taiwan.

Lifespan: eighty-nine years.

Parents: Yun Jie Xiong and Chen Ya’en.

Elder brother: Yun Jinyi. 

No wife, no children. Intelligent, meticulous, and methodical, quick-witted but emotionally unstable, prone to indulgence. Wealth and benefactors in his fate, successful in career…

No wife. No children.

After reading his own fate record, he took out the Book of Fate and flipped to the page stained with ink. After measuring carefully, he began casting a spell, pouring all his remaining power into it.

Thunder roared outside the Palace of Fate. He felt increasingly uncomfortable, as if he might vanish at any moment. Finally, in the blank space next to the grid on the ink-stained page, he inscribed the names “Yun Jinyao” and “Qian Hongxian.” His fate record also changed:

Father: Yun Jie Xiong

Mother: Lin Ya’en

Brother: Yun Jinyi

Wife: Qian Hongxian.

“Finally,” he gasped, clutching the table for support. His gaze shifted to Qian Hongxian’s fate record:

Qian Hongxian, female, born in Taipei, Taiwan, on the Guiyou year, Yimao month, Bingwu day, Jichou hour.

Lifespan: 92 years. 

Father: Qian Chongxun

Mother: Huang Shuzhen

Husband: Yun Jinyao…

His fingers gently traced her name. From now on, they could finally be together, openly and without restraint.

With the Book of Fate completed, his power was nearly exhausted. Summoning the last ounce of strength, he teleported to the Palace of Seven Stars, still holding the book.

When Seven-Stars Goddess saw his state, she was visibly shocked and immediately asked what had happened. He simply smiled and handed her the book.

“The Jade Emperor has ordered you to safeguard the Book of Fate, Lady Seven Stars.”

“Oh… alright…” she stammered, accepting it in a daze. “But why do you look so badly injured? What happened to you?”

“Did you not hear the commotion?” he asked curiously, given that the Palace of Fate had just been engulfed in a thunderous uproar.

“What commotion? I just returned from the Jade Lake Palace.”

He chuckled. 

“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

“Come inside, let me help you recover your strength.”

“I appreciate your kindness, Lady Seven Stars, but I have other matters to attend to.”

“What could be more important than your life? You look like you’re about to vanish!” she said, growing frustrated.

“I still need to report to the Jade Emperor that the Moon Matchmaker has successfully reincarnated.”

Seven Stars sighed sorrowfully.

“By now, the Moon Matchmaker has likely already been born in the mortal realm. Don’t be too sad, Siming. Time in the mortal world passes quickly. Before you know it, she’ll be back.”

He turned his back to her.

“Time may pass quickly for the heavens, but for her, every day will feel like an eternity. How could I just stand by and watch her suffer?”

Before she could respond, he walked away.

With no power left to use magic, he could only leave the Palace of Seven Stars on foot. But just as he stepped outside, two celestial soldiers appeared before him, bowing.

“Lord Siming, the appointed time has arrived. We are here by decree to escort you away.”

He nodded. The soldiers took hold of him on either side, and in an instant, they teleported to the Celestial Gate.

Beyond the Celestial Gate lay a vast sea of clouds, beneath which stretched a bottomless abyss leading to the mortal world. No immortal could step upon that cloud sea.

“Please convey my gratitude to the Jade Emperor. I bid you farewell,” he said, then prepared to step into the abyss.

“No! Lord Siming!”

He was startled and turned around to see none other than the Hundred Flowers Fairyl from the banquet, the one who had persistently tried to talk to him.

She rushed toward him, trying to grab him, but the celestial soldiers blocked her with magic

.

“How dare you! He is the Lord of Fates! How dare you arrest a High Immortal and subject him to this punishment without cause?!” she shouted in fury.

“We act under divine decree. Do not interfere, or you will bring calamity upon yourself,” one of the soldiers declared solemnly.

“They are right, Hundred Flowers Fairy. I am indeed destined for reincarnation. Do not linger here, return quickly,” he said calmly.

But she refused to give up and cried out, “There must be some mistake! The Jade Emperor would never casually send a High Immortal to reincarnate! Lord Siming, don’t go! What will I do if you leave…?”

He watched her pound helplessly against the invisible barrier, smiling faintly. Then, taking one last look at the Celestial Court, he turned away and leaped into the abyss without hesitation.