However, Kong Hou was also quite foolish. If she didn't like humans, she simply had to bury her dislike for them. Why wasn't she ever able to restrain herself and not mock them? It wasn't as if she didn't know that her boss was very fond of humans, and yet she always ridiculed these humans that her boss found so adorable. Wasn't she just asking for death?
From the outside, Dong Xiao might seem amiable and calm, and the way he talked was more concise and comprehensive, but deep inside, an endless stream of mocking and taunting had long since begun.
"That vase…" The emperor plucked up the courage to ask again. He had enshrined the vase in the highest and safest place that he knew of and had it heavily guarded all day long.
"Just let it be." Dong Xiao's smile was still full of kindness. Seeing the confused look on the emperor's face, he added on out of goodwill, "When it's done with you, it'll leave on its own."
The emperor felt enlightened. Although he did feel a little sad that he had to part with the vase, he wasn't unwilling to let it go. After all, the appearance of that auspicious beast was a miracle. What more could he ask for? He was already very satisfied and happy to have been blessed by a celestial.
Tian Miao, Kong Hou, and Dong Xiao soundlessly disappeared. On the day that people from the palace reported to the emperor that the mysterious woman had disappeared, the emperor understood right away that the celestial had left and would never appear again.
The emperor stood in the palace's highest attic and looked at the endless heavens as he said to himself:
"Thank you, celestial."
...
At this time, the three of them, Tian Miao and company, had returned to the OmniStore.
Standing at the doorstep of the store, a beam of golden light flew over to them at lightning speed from a distance. The next moment, a kirin appeared right in front of them. It sprawled on the ground and gave Tian Miao the grandest form of salute. And with a voice that wasn't just filled with reverence but with gratitude too, it said, "Thank you for everything." It had waited a thousand years and had finally lived to see the day where its master was reincarnated. It was just that his and his master's destiny would only last this lifetime.
"No need. This was the destiny you and your master were predestined to share." Tian Miao said lightly. With that said, she turned around and walked toward the entrance of the shop.
Kong Hou and Dong Xiao followed closely behind. Dong Xiao thought about it, and after taking two steps, turned around and instructed the Kirin, "Remember, when destiny is fulfilled, leave."
"Yes," the kirin replied, and nodded. It watched Tian Miao and the other two enter the OmniShop through the door. And the moment the three had walked through the door, the entire shop suddenly disappeared from sight right before its eyes. And in its place, there was a forest. It was as if the shop had never appeared here before.
The kirin got to its feet and looked up at the heavens. It let out a low growl and turned into a golden light. Then, it rose into the sky and headed to the palace.
Tian Miao had already entered the shop. Kong Hou slowed her pace and looked over her Tian Miao shoulders at Dong Xiao. With her eyes narrowed, she said, "I rarely see you so be so kind. You actually reminded it voluntarily."
"There aren't many kirins left. I don't want another kirin to disappear from this world." Dong Xiao sounded a little sad.
"Then tell me, do you think the kirin will leave on its own after destiny is fulfilled?" Kong Hou asked with a frown.
Dong Xiao kept silent for a long time before saying slowly, "I don't know. I can't understand their feelings for humans."
"Forget it. Don't worry about it. If we dilly-dally any further, Boss will get angry, and that will only spell trouble." Kong Hou patted Dong Xiao on the shoulder and said, "Everything has its destiny. You can't really control it."
Dong Xiao let out a soft sigh and nodded at Kong Hou. The two of them walked through the door together.
Tian Miao was standing in the hall. After seeing the two of them enter, she led them directly up to the third floor.
At the end of the staircase on the third floor, Kong Hou and Dong Xiao each took a half jade pendant out of thin air and walked toward each other. The two pieces instantly merged into one and became a pendant with a black-and-white Taiji pattern. The two of them mounted the jade pendant into a groove that was in the middle of that ancient bronze door on the third floor. The door slowly opened.