The White Moonlight Disdained by the Male Protagonist of Redemption - Chapter 21.2

The Palace of the Flame Lord Wuji was huge and bright. Gentle mist curled around the floor like clouds. Ahead, six towering stone pillars stretched into the sky, each etched with ancient runes.

Up above, a massive golden divine bird perched on a nearly invisible cloud, watching them with piercing eyes.

Its gaze swept downward—confident, proud, and honestly more regal than most actual gods.

Trying to be friendly, Ning Yao raised her eyebrows and gave it a smile.

The bird’s round eyes blinked solemnly, then it coolly looked away, pretending not to care—but clearly it did.

Fulai noticed and gasped. “It likes you, YaoYao! That’s super rare!”

Ning Yao tilted her head. “That was ‘liking’? Looked kinda… disdainful.”

Fulai nodded earnestly. “No no, trust me—that’s its way of showing affection. If it didn’t like you, it wouldn’t bother to look. In all this time, it’s only ever liked two people at first glance: you, and… uh…”

She stopped again.

Not again! Ning Yao was curious now. “And who was the other one?”

Fulai’s expression got a little weird. She waved her hands quickly. “No one. Doesn’t matter. Let’s go in!”

Ning Yao didn’t push it. She followed her inside.

****

At the head of the grand hall, a man sat on a golden seat. His clothes were elegant and dignified, and his features were handsome and commanding. Just from appearances, he looked slightly older than Chu Xiao—but as for how old he actually was, who knew?

One thing Ning Yao did notice: his hair wasn’t covered by a crown, just loosely tied back—revealing a slightly receding hairline.

He was leaning over the desk, looking at something with a deep frown, sighing repeatedly.

Fulai stepped forward and called out, “Flame Lord Wuji, Goddess Ning Yao has arrived.”

Wuji straightened up and pushed the things on his desk aside. With a smile, he said, “Come forward.”

Ning Yao walked up and bowed politely. “Greetings, Flame Lord.”

He raised a hand. “No need for formalities. Sit and let’s talk.”

She took a seat at the chair he pointed to. Fulai sat across from her.

Wuji brushed back some hair and said kindly,
“Ning Yao, I’ve read the records from the guiding god. You’re truly exceptional—your spiritual strength is outstanding, and among young gods, you’re one of the brightest. Your presence here is a blessing for all beings.”

Ning Yao smiled modestly. “You flatter me, Flame Lord.”

Wuji smiled back. “Not at all. It’s been nearly two thousand years since the last god ascended. We’re all glad to welcome you.”

He sighed. “Though I do feel a bit guilty. Things are a bit chaotic in the divine realm lately, so we can’t give you a grand celebration for your ascension.”

Anyone hearing that might feel a little disappointed. But Ning Yao adjusted quickly. She was already a high god now. That alone was enough—what did ceremonies matter?

So she said easily, “It’s really fine. I don’t mind at all.”

Wuji gave a little laugh. “You misunderstood. We will hold the ceremony. You only ascend once in a lifetime—can’t leave you with regrets. We’ll just simplify the process a little. Hope that’s okay with you.”

Just a simple ceremony? That was no problem. Ning Yao had grown up used to simple things. Everything in her life had been “from the basics.” This was nothing new.

“You’re too kind. I truly don’t feel wronged,” she said sincerely.

Across from her, Fulai quietly gave her a big thumbs up—Well said!.

Wuji looked pleased. “Now, on to the main matter—your divine role. Since your true form is a bodhi tree, filled with wisdom and grace, I’ve decided to appoint you as the God of Fortune and Destiny. It suits you well. What do you think?”

Ning Yao nodded gracefully.

In truth, she was ecstatic inside—she loved it, absolutely loved it. If she were at home, she would’ve already jumped up and down with joy.

But not here. She had to keep her composure and maintain a dignified image to leave a good impression.

Flame Lord Wuji waved his palm, and a golden disk appeared in midair, about the size of a palm. It glowed in a soft red-gold light, with a hollowed-out outer ring that rotated slowly. Intricate patterns were engraved on its face, and there was a small indentation in the center.

He gestured forward, and the disk floated over to Ning Yao.
“This is the Qi Luck Disk, the divine artifact of the God of Fortune. From this moment on, it is yours.”

Ning Yao received it with both hands. “Thank you, Flame Lord Wuji.”

“Qi luck is about balance,” he said. “Uphold the way of moderation. Usually, you only need to watch over it. But if something goes wrong and extra fortune must be distributed, use your own judgment. If you encounter any confusion or difficulty, consult the Chief Administrative God.”

“Most importantly, do not over-tilt the balance of fortune. Don’t make someone too lucky or too unlucky—if you do, the qi luck will rebound onto you, and it will harm your cultivation.”

Ning Yao committed it all to memory. “I understand. You can count on me.”

Flame Lord Wuji paused for a moment. “I do trust you. It’s not a difficult duty. But I have another matter I’d like to ask for your help with.”

Ning Yao always liked helping others. “Please, go ahead.”

“The divine realm is currently going through a difficult time. You may not know this, but the Fallen God…” His tone grew heavy, brows furrowed. “He’s trying to activate the Reverse Time Array. Now, I know his nature—he’ll try his best to maintain order—but that formation has never been activated before. Once it’s unleashed, no one can predict what might happen. The underworld will be the first to suffer. If time unravels, the cycle of reincarnation will be thrown into chaos.”

He pointed at a folded book on the desk. “Right now, the God of the Underworld is nearly losing his mind. He complains to me eight times a day, afraid he won’t be able to uphold order or defeat the Fallen God—he’s stuck between a rock and a hard place…”

What he didn’t say: the actual words of the Underworld God were more like ‘the pressure’s so bad I want to jump into the Celestial River—if it gets worse, I might as well fall along with the Fallen God. I’m done with this’.

Flame Lord Wuji composed himself. “Ning Yao, would you be willing to go help the Underworld God? On one hand, your high spiritual power would reassure him. On the other, overseeing fortune requires knowledge of past and present lives, karmic balance, and reward and punishment—stationed at the River of Passage, you could gain valuable experience. And finally, your presence as the God of Fortune will bless that place with additional luck.”

Ning Yao asked, “May I ask a question first?”

“Of course.”

“Is ‘Fallen God’ an official divine role? Is he… evil? If his character is questionable and he’s trying to do harm, then why not just…”

Eliminate him?

That was the meaning, though she refrained from saying it outright—after all, she was new here and didn’t want to seem too aggressive.

Flame Lord Wuji and Wu Fulai exchanged glances, both letting out a helpless chuckle.

Wu Fulai explained, “The Fallen God… is not a divine position. He ascended ten thousand years ago—his spiritual power was terrifying, his talent jaw-dropping. Back then, he was appointed as the Mountain God, responsible for all the mountains in the world. He was a legend, a force to be reckoned with.”

“But it didn’t last. He went mad.”

Mad? Ning Yao was stunned. She was expecting a tale of a tragic hero with some moral flaws, but instead, the next line was he went mad.

Wu Fulai paused briefly before continuing, “He was mad for a long time. Then one day, he suddenly regained his clarity and voluntarily requested to be stripped of his title.”

Ning Yao asked, “What did he do wrong?”

Wu Fulai didn’t answer directly. She only said, “Normally, only gods who’ve committed grave offenses get their title stripped. For someone to punish themselves like that—it was a first. Everyone tried to talk him out of it, but he was resolute. He turned away and threw himself into the Scorched Sea of Divine Flame.”

Ning Yao didn’t know what that was, but she felt an instinctive chill down her spine.

Flame Lord Wuji noticed her reaction and explained gently, “The Scorched Sea of Divine Flame is the only law above the gods—it exists to keep divine powers in check and prevent abuse. Now that you’ve obtained your divine seal, your instincts will naturally fear it.”

He continued, “The Mountain God walked the Scorched Sea for three thousand years. Even when the flames cooled, his divine seal remained. He was still a god.”

“But he had fallen into the abyss. He could never return to the divine realm, nor be considered a proper god anymore. Over time, people began calling him something else—Fallen God.”