Three Lives Three Worlds
Pillow Book of Samsara:
三生三世 枕上书之梦回洪荒远古时
Bai Gun Gun found himself lying in a bed of Arabian jasmines when he woke up. The white flowers were exuding a rich floral fragrance, and the scent carried a little dewy moisture from the rain. He could not help sneezing. Standing up, he moved forward to take a look, and realised he had actually arrived at the Heavenly Jade Sea.
Bai Gun Gun’s little mind was momentarily dazed.
Ten years ago, when his Father Lord and Jiu Jiu were killing the Monster Queen, Miao Luo, they were both injured. Jiu Jiu drank many large bowls of his Father Lord’s crimson gold blood complemented with High God Zhe Yan’s elixirs, and recovered after convalescing for several months. It’s just that she would not be able to regain her immortal cultivation for a while.
But the question of when Jiu Jiu’s immortal cultivation could be restored wasn’t too important. His Father Lord also had the similar problem of regaining his lost cultivation. However, this was the biggest major issue the entire God race was concerned about.
Brother Zhong Lin had said that if his Father Lord could focus on his cultivation recovery by going into a deep sleep for several hundred years, this problem would be resolved. But he did not want to leave Jiu Jiu alone by herself again after just returning to the Nine Heavens. Besides, he also did not want to miss out on his Little Gun Gun’s childhood. Hence, he had chosen to go into seclusion for three to five months of every year to slowly restore his cultivation over the next one thousand years.
Today was the day his Father Lord entered his annual seclusion. The place where he would be secluding was located inside Tai Chen Palace’s innermost Yang Shu chamber. Every year, Jiu Jiu would take him back to Qing Qiu when his Father Lord entered seclusion.
While Jiu Jiu was at the entrance of Yang Shu chamber with his Father Lord, their abject unwillingness to be apart from each other on full display, Bai Gun Gun felt like a third wheel and took advantage of the opportunity to sneak out. He intended to head to one of the family halls at Tian Ge Palace on the Thirty Sixth floor to bid farewell to the other immortal children he had played well with.
When he passed Yuan Ji palace, he thought that although there were no immortal children there, Third Uncle of Yuan Ji Palace had always treated him very well. Since he was returning to Qing Qiu, he decided he might as well pay him a visit to say goodbye. Who knew that as soon as he stepped into Yuan Ji palace, he was welcomed by a sudden wave of light flashing directly across his face, and he lost consciousness …
Yes, this should have been what happened a moment ago.
As a result, after merely closing and opening his eyes, he had actually arrived at the Heavenly Jade Sea, a place that was 108,000 li away from Nine Heavens.
The front entrance of the Heavenly Jade Sea was surrounded by a large group of immortals. Some of the immortals were using their weapons to hack and slash at his father’s restriction ward, appearing as if they were demolishing a home.
There were immortals that dare go as far as to break ground at the Heavenly Jade Sea? What was going on?
Bai Gun Gun’s mind was baffled as he walked closer. He found an inconspicuous spot and crouched down, concentrating on observing the situation closely. Then, he overheard two young immortals having a discussion.
Young Brother A looked in front of him and sighed, “Such disrespect for Di Jun. If we succeed in disturbing Di Jun enough for him to come out, we are not going to end well, right?”
Young Brother B was more radical in comparison, “As long as Di Jun comes out, so what if we don’t end well?” The God race is in imminent peril. If we are able to invite Di Jun out to end his seclusion, even if we were to die as a result, we would die for an appropriate cause!”
Young Brother A tried persuading him rationally, “I have heard that the Elders had entrusted High God Zhe Yan with this matter, we should just respectfully wait here. If we fail to wait for Di Jun, perhaps High God Zhe Yan has some way to see Di Jun. I still feel that we don’t have to resort to such intense methods ... “
Bai Gun Gun listened for a while, and was puzzled. According to what Young Brother A and Young Brother B had said, Father Lord was now at the Heavenly Jade Sea? But wasn’t he in seclusion, why had he rushed to the Heavenly Jade Sea?
He walked towards the immortals in front who were trying their best to break his Father Lord’s restriction ward, but he did not get too close. He found a safe spot and crouched down once again.
These immortals appeared to have some urgent matter that required an audience with his Father Lord. But by hacking and slashing indiscriminately, how could they ever move Father Lord’s restriction ward?
However, Bai Gun Gun also understood that with his current cultivation, he was no match for the few muscular immortals he was observing. So he did not take the initiative to call out to them to stop them from hacking at their family’s front door.
When the few Celestial generals were tired from the hacking, he finally stood up and walked over, courteously nodding to them, “Excuse me, is everyone tired from the hacking? Do you feel like resting for a while?”
The Celestial generals were indeed intending to stop for a short break and looked at the tiny child who had suddenly emerged before them. They looked at each other with a rather stunned expression, and were confused.
“Oh, then could you please give way?” With those words, Bai Gun Gun carefully made his way through the middle of the group of Celestial generals.
The group of Gods looked on helplessly as they watched the tiny child, who had appeared out of nowhere, walking unobstructed through the golden restriction ward that they had spent half a year hacking but had no hope of breaking.
The tiny child effortlessly made his way to the front of the large entry door of the Heavenly Jade Sea.
Then they continued watching as he slowly fished out a set of keys from around his neck, stood on the tip of his toes, swaying as he inserted the key into the door’s jade lock.
‘Pop’.
He easily opened the door that the group of forty nine immortals had spent 1,095 days and nights of hard work, wisdom and intelligence on trying to open but could not even get close to doing so.
Everyone was stunned.
Bai Gun Gun did not feel the sudden strange atmosphere behind him, and unreservedly pushed the door open and walked through it. When he turned around to close the door, he faced the group of stunned celestial generals still separated by the restriction ward and nodded his head, addressing them courteously, “Thank you for giving way to me.”
After that, he politely closed the door on the disbelieving and suspicious eyes of the crowd still trained on him.
Bai Gun Gun got onto the familiar small boat and passed through the flora filled sea. It was only when he could see the approaching stone palace, that he realised that something was amiss.
The garden to the right of the stone palace connected to the sea had unexpectedly disappeared. In its place was a patch of dense woods. Furthermore, hanging on the front entry of the stone palace was not the jade tablet inscribed by him and his Father Lord last year, but a few engraved inscriptions he did not recognise.
Just as he was lost in his contemplation, a young brother he had never met flew down, blocking his way. He called himself Immortal Fei Wei, the steward of the Heavenly Jade Sea.
Bai Gun Gun was then caught in a confused daze.
He did know who Immortal Fei Wei was. He was the Heavenly Jade Sea’s first immortal steward, and Brother Zhong Lin’s grandfather who had faded a few tens and thousands of years ago.
When immortal Fei Wei cautiously but curiously asked him who he was, and how he had managed to walk into the Heavenly Jade Sea, the stunned Bai Gun Gun stuttered for the first time in his life, “I … I am my Father Lord’s, and that is Di Jun, and that is Dong Hua Di Jun... I … I am his son. My name is Bai Gun Gun.”
After that, he and Immortal Fei Wei were both caught in a confused daze.
While Immortal Fei Wei was leading him to see his Father Lord, clever Little Gun Gun had somewhat begun to understand what had happened.
After that great event at Kun Lun Xu three years ago, the reinstated Light Goddess, Zu Ti, had been staying at Yuan Ji palace nursing her injuries in seclusion. It was said that Uncle Lian San had converted his entire palace into a seclusion ward for Zu Ti. When he visited Yuan Ji Palace this morning, he had probably collided with the ward by accident. As a result, he had travelled through time, just like the young sister featured in the novels his grandaunt, Bai Qian, loved to read.
After all, one of Goddess Zu Ti’s most famous capabilities was the ability to recall time. He had collided with Goddess Zu Ti’s ward, and was sent back to the time when Zhong Lin’s grandfather was still alive. This was a reasonable assumption.
At this moment, Bai Gun Gun was seated in front of Di Jun. Immortal Fei Wei had specially created a little chair for him with his magic. He held onto the jade armrests of the chair, curiously looking at his Father Lord in front of him. He was not anxious about the fact that Goddess Zu Ti’s ward had sent him several hundred thousand years back to the past and did not fret about what to do about it.
The man before him was his omnipotent Father Lord. With his presence, he felt a lot more secure, and was confident that his Father Lord would definitely be able to send him back. This younger version of his Father Lord looked at him for a moment, before saying, “You said you are my son? But I have never been married.”
Bai Gun Gun stared blankly. He was shocked that his Father Lord did not want to acknowledge him, “But ... but I am an immortal child with silver hair. With just one glance, you can tell I am Father Lord’s child.”
But even when he brought out such irrefutable evidence, his Father Lord appeared to remain unconcerned, “The Eagle clan’s Chang Po and Wu Que, the Monster race’s Ying Wu Chen, and the God race’s Cheng Hui were all silver-haired.”
Bai Gun Gun had completely no idea that there would be so many silver-haired monsters in this era, so he was surprised for a little while, “But I am so good looking. Apart from Father Lord, other silver-haired uncles and aunties do not deserve to have such a good looking child like me.”
His Father Lord looked at him for a second, “En, I also agree with your statement,” he paused, “but I am certain that I have never been married.”
It was then that Bai Gun Gun remembered, “Oh, I forgot to tell Father Lord something.” He strove hard to organise his words in an effort to explain the situation clearly, “I am not Father Lord’s child from the present era. I am your future child.”
“After Mother and I sent Father Lord off into seclusion this morning, I went to Yuan Ji Palace to bid Uncle Lian San goodbye. But this resulted in my accidental collision with Goddess Zu Ti’s seclusion ward, and it sent me here.”
“Zu Ti? Zu Ti is still alive?” These words were not spoken by his Father Lord, but by High God Zhe Yan, who had been sitting beside him drinking his tea.
When Bai Gun Gun turned his gaze toward him, High God Zhe Yan could barely hide his amazement. But he faced the boy and asked him the next question in a kindly manner, “Little Gun Gun, ah, you said you are from the future, so do you know how many years into the future you are from?”
Bai Gun Gun was an orderly child, so he intended to answer his questions in order, “High God Zhe Yan, Goddess Zu Ti is definitely still alive. She just returned not long ago.” However, he was still an easily distracted child. So after answering the first question, he had forgotten what Zhe Yan’s second question was and looked at him anxiously.
After High God Zhe Yan reminded him, he remembered the question again, “Oh, I also do not know how many years in the future I came from, “ he considered for a moment, “but I do know that Father Lord was already 400,000 years old when I was born.”
Zhe Yan was quick to solve this mathematical question, he took a breath of cool air, “That is to say, you originated from a time two hundred and sixty thousand years later?” He even caught the highlight of the gossip, “You said Di Jun had you at the elderly age of four hundred thousand years. If that’s the case, you must be the youngest of all his children. How many brothers and sisters do you have?
Bai Gun Gun shook his head, “I don’t have any brothers or sisters. I am my Father Lord’s only child, and the only young master of Tai Chen Palace.” With those words, he turned his head to look at Fei Wei, who was standing next to him, “Brother Fei Wei, I am a little thirsty. I would like to have a drink of water.”
Fei Wei attended to him hastily.
Di Jun looked closely at the tiny child holding his teacup and taking small sips of his tea elegantly. This self professed Bai Gun Gun was indeed a child that resembled him quite closely, and it was possible that Zu Ti was still alive. The living Zu Ti could indeed have sent the child 260,000 years back in time.
But most importantly, this child was even able to walk unimpeded through his restriction shield without obstruction. A tiny child, even if he was lying, could not be this meticulous. So this beautiful child should most definitely be his son.
Di Jun who had never been interested in the matters of worldly love, did not show any interest in finding out who his future wife might be after ascertaining that Bai Gun Gun was his son, but felt sincerely puzzled about another thing.
After muttering to himself for quite a while, he asked the tiny child who was still immersed in drinking his tea, “Four hundred thousand years old? Why did your mother and I have you at such an old age?
Bai Gun Gun lifted his head from the teacup and blinked his eyes, “Mother isn’t four hundred thousand years old, Mother is still very young. In our family, only Father Lord is four hundred thousand years old, “ he carefully tried to recall what Jiu Jiu had described herself at the time. It wasn’t long before he remembered.
He balled his right hand into a tiny fist and lightly knocked himself once on his right leg, repeating her words confidently, “Jiu Jiu said that she is very young herself and is Father Lord’s pampered beautiful little wife.”
“Pampered beautiful little wife”. These four words made Di Jun’s face become completely blank for a moment.
Zhe Yan burst into laughter, “You are such a tiny child. Do you know the meaning of pampered beautiful little wife?
Gun Gun put down his teacup, “En, “ waving his tiny hand unquestionably, “of course I know. Jiu Jiu said she married Father Lord when she had just reached a marriageable age; lively and young, and also beautiful to behold. That’s why she is his pampered beautiful little wife.”
A quizzical look emerged from Di Jun’s blank expression, “So what was the actual age difference between me and your mother?”
Gun Gun calculated silently, “Three hundred and seventy thousand years old.”
Di Jun fell silent for a while, his expression heavy, “Did you say an extra hundred thousand in your words?”
Gun Gun shook his head. In an effort to show that he was a trustworthy person, he copied his Father Lord’s heavy expression, “No.” He cautiously discussed this arithmetic question with him, “Father Lord, you were four hundred thousand years old when you married Mother. At that time, Mother was thirty thousand years old. Four hundred thousand minus thirty thousand, so the result is three hundred and seventy thousand. He added, “Not thirty seven.”
Di Jun was once again silent for a while, his expression seemingly a little distracted, “Why did I marry her despite the huge age gap between us. Was I forced into it?"
This was the first time in High God Zhe Yan’s life that he had seen Dong Hua in this state, and was delirious with happiness. Seeing Gun Gun staring blankly and unable to answer this question, he forcefully reined in his elation and offered some fair words, “Let’s not mention how much of a person of virtue and prestige you will become in two hundred and sixty thousand years. But even today, no one on Heaven and Earth would dare to force you into anything. It goes to show that it was voluntary on your part!”
Turning back toward Gun Gun who was still staring blankly, he said, “Surely your mother has some outstanding quality that had compelled Di Jun to ignore such a huge disparity in age and sincerely marry her. By the way, which noble family is your mother from?”
Gun Gun knew how to answer this question, and promptly pulled himself together again. Looking towards High God Zhe Yan, “You don’t know my mother, “ he paused to think, “but you do know my mother’s grandfather. And that is your good friend, High God Bai Zhi.”
High God Zhe Yan spat out his tea.
It just happened to spurt all over Gun Gun.
Gun Gun was stupefied.
Di Jun finally snapped out of his reverie. He looked at Zhe Yan, then looked at Gun Gun, and signaled for Fei Wei to bring Gun Gun away for a change of clothes.
Gun Gun followed Fei Wei and left, leaving the two high gods under the canopy of the Buddha bell flower tree looking at each other, unsure of what to say.
After a long time, High God Zhe Yan broke the silence under the tree, his face a mixture of laughter and inconceivability, “You actually married Bai Zhi’s granddaughter!”
The moment High God Zhe Yan’s words hit the ground, and before Di Jun could answer, two lively little immortal children were bouncing vivaciously as they ran in, a little fire red fox in their arms.
Di Jun looked at the pair of little immortal children, and felt an incoming headache, “What is the matter now?”
The little immortal children presented the little nine-tailed fox they were carrying in front of Di Jun as if they were offering valuable treasure, chattering continuously about their accomplishment, “Your Imperial Lordship, your Imperial Lordship, your servants found this little rare fox beside the Golden Mirror Lake. We thought Your Lordship had always loved furry animals, so we brought it here. Your Lordship, do you want to hug it?”
Di Jun was indeed fond of furry animals, and once he saw a beautiful furry animal, he couldn’t resist hugging it. Hence, he carried the little fox over to him and noticed that both its eyes were tightly closed, so he asked the two little immortal children, “What happened to it?”
The little immortal children answered, “It just fainted when we picked it up, but it doesn’t have any serious problems. We fed it some mind clearing pills, so it should wake up pretty soon!”
Di Jun nodded, stroking the little fox on its forehead, and looked towards the two little immortal children, “We will keep it as a pet inside the palace, both of you should build a cozy den for it.”
Bai Gun Gun who had a change in clothing and was being brought back by Fei Wei heard the word “den” and felt curious. He softly exclaimed, “What den,” while walking around the slanted verandah, and saw the little fox in Dong Hua’s arms, his eyes becoming big and round, “Ah, Mother!”
High God Zhe Yan took a look at Bai Gun Gun, and another look at Di Jun, and yet another look at the little fox in his arms. “Ah,” he said, “the family of three has been reunited.”
Di Jun’s face went blank once again as he looked at the little fox in his arms. He wasn’t sure if he should continue carrying the fox in his arms, or put it on the ground. For a moment, it appeared as if he wasn’t sure who he was, where he was and what he was doing.
The two little immortal children looked at each other, and in a soft but timid voice said, “Ai, does your Imperial Lordship want to marry this little red fox? If so, should we still build a little den for it?”
Glossary for Chapter Three
Buddha Bell Flower 佛铃花 Fo Ling Hua
Heavenly Jade Sea of the Sacred Spirit 碧海苍灵 Bi Hai Cang Ling
(Shortened to Heavenly Jade Sea for
general use)
Emperor Lord 帝君 Di Jun
Your Imperial Lordship 帝座 Di Zuo
Pampered beautiful little wife 小娇妻 Xiao Jiao Qi
Golden Mirror Lake 金镜湖 Jin Jing Hu
Notes
1. Pampered beautiful little wife
娇妻（jiāoqī），美丽且年轻的爱妻
故而，“娇妻” 有一个重要的条件即“娇美”。虽说“娇美”不一定要艳压群芳，卓尔不群，但是起码要长相可 爱，受人欣赏
娇”在最通常的含义里是娇气 (definition: delicate)、娇滴滴 (definition: sweet cute delicately pretty)、娇生惯养 (definition: pampered and spoiled since childhood)
Young beautiful wife who's well loved.
.
One of the conditions to qualify for "Jiao Qi” is that a person must also be pretty, and it does not only mean beautiful, it can also mean she looks really cute, and people admire her.
General meaning of Jiāo (娇) :
Lovable; pampered; tender; delicate; frail.
In the story, 小娇妻 has three words, but the English translation has four words as it takes an extra word to translate into its full meaning so the final version of the text in English has been changed to:
“‘Pampered beautiful little wife’. These four words made Di Jun’s face become completely blank for a moment.”
2. We used Di Jun instead of Emperor Lord in most of the story as this word is repeated many times in the book since Feng Jiu tends to refer to her husband as Di Jun, instead of using his first name, and the shorter Di Jun is better utilised in the outtake as it is easier to read.
Credits
Header Pictures: Tencent, Eternal Love of Dream
Story: 唐七 | Tang Qi
Book Title: 三生三世 枕上书之梦回洪荒远古时 | Pillow Book of Samsara: Back to Chaos in a Dream
Copyright Statement
The above translation is translated by our translation team from Chinese author, Tang Qi’s original work, Back to Chaos in a Dream Part 3, an outtake of her book, Three Lives Three Worlds, Pillow Book of Samsara. All copyright belongs to Tang Qi.
以上的英语翻译都是本翻译师从唐七原作， 三生三世枕上书番外， 梦回洪荒元古时第三段所翻译的。版权都是作者唐七所拥有。