🌸🌸🌸 Nine years later 🌸🌸🌸
A young man trained in front of the peach blossom tree, his sword lifting and falling with the blossoms on the ground, he bent and slashed the sword down, the resounding zing made the air tremble.
He felt a soft touch on his back before it pushed him a bit lower "Straighten your leg and push out your back"
Mitch blinked back tears and looked up "Auntie Xuan I have been doing this for 3 hours now, my back is killing me"
"You think celestial marital arts is a joke? You're the one who wants to be the greatest general in all the realms"
"I don't want to anymore"
She glared at him "You don't want to learn the noble arts like dancing, guapins and calligraphy and now you scorn celestial marital arts?! "
"Auntie Xuan I am dying "
There was a thick silence before she sighed. Mitch immediately broke the stance and sat down on the ground, his brow beaded with sweat.
She squatted beside him and gave him a bottle of water "Here"
Mitch drank half of it and dunked the rest on his body. Xuan Hua stared at him before laughing and slapping his back.
Mitch let out a pained cough.
"You hate martial arts yet you're so good at it "
" Auntie Xuan , I am only 19 years old, please be gentle with my back "
"Your back is sturdy " She slapped it again and laughed when he stood up and jumped a distance from her "Little Prince , come closer, let auntie give you a kiss "
He pushed out his tongue and ran out of the field "No!"
Xuan Hua smiled as Mitch ran away, she sighed and looked at the blossom tree in front of her , her voice was soft.
"Shixong, Mitch really takes after you , he even avoids sword practice despite he's so good at it" Tears brimmed in her eyes and she sniffed before rubbing her cheeks " You said ten years but nine years have passed and I can't even feel a bit of your energy, everyone is waiting for you "
The tree answered with the fall of petals.
Mitch waved at the people greeting him as he ran to the general tent, when he was about to reach the tent , he started tiptoeing.
He could hear mumbled discussions coming from the tent , he stood closer to the corner and opened it slightly.
The discussion seemed to be intense with soldiers standing and pointing at each other. Mitch looked around for his dad.
There was no sign of him.
His palms became sweaty, his heart quickened and his stomach flipped, he tried to barge into the tent.
He felt a familiar grab on his shoulder "Mitch…"
Mitch heart settled back immediately, he blinked and smiled at his dad "Dad!"
Nick didn't change much this past years but a few things have changed physically . There was crinkles on the corner of his eyes and lips, his blue eyes looked older and his aura had a kind of maturity to it.
His voice was soft "Are you done with your practice?"
"Hmm" Mitch held his dad's hand " Are you still busy?"
"No"
"Let's go on a walk together"
Nick nod his head "Let's go now"
The walk was peaceful. Mitch jumped around pointing at things , despite he was almost his dad height and he looked mature, his youthful energy bounced around, making people feel relaxed. Nick however felt like the grounding presence, whenever Mitch bounced off course , he gently guided him back , occasionally nodding at Mitch's observation.
They got to a spot and Mitch pulled him to a sit , Mitch lied down and placed his head on his dad's lap.
Nick voice was soft "You're getting too old for this"
"I am only 19 years old , by mortal standards I am just a teenager"
"By demon standards you're a full grown adult"
Mitch pouted but didn't get up , his dad didn't say a word, just running his fingers though the soft brown hair.
"Dad "
"Hmmm"
"Nothing, just wanted to hear your voice"
Nick smiled again, his voice was soft "Most demon hair changes to white before eighteen but your hair is still brown , I wonder why"
"Is it because of my half mortal lineage?"
"Fu yao children are half mortal and their hair already changed colors last month. Should I take you to see a doctor?"
"I like my hair like this "
"Okay, I will just look for good shampoos for you"
There was a thick silence again.
"Dad are you there?"
"I am here "
Mitch nodded and looked at the horizon, watching the animals playing in the forest.
After Taohua had transformed into a tree , Nick had cried non stop for a full week, he refused to eat , drink or sleep , at one point he collapsed.
Nick lost a tail as a result, it took a full month before he could recover . By then, he was already a 6 tailed fox.
This event put a huge shadow on Mitch , he was already barely afloat with the grief of losing his mom and Iran , now he almost lost his dad. Anytime Mitch separated too long from his dad , he would get panicky and anxious , wanting to check up on him multiple times.
Many doctors called it 'fear of the heart' , they only advised him to give Mitch time, medications and spells can do it's best , in the ending, only mitch could untie the knot of his heart himself.
It's been nine years, Mitch have not recovered.
"Dad?"
Nick blinked out of his thoughts "Hmm I am here "
"Dad I am sorry"
Nick sighed and patted his hair "It's not your fault"
"I can't help it , my palms get sweaty and I get heart palpitations "
"I understand "
Mitch clenched his fists, his eyes brimmed with tears " You are a bad man , there's nothing tying you down to this world except the possibility of mom waking up , i am not even enough to tie you down, that's why I am scared. I am scared that one day, you will get so sad , you will try to leave me behind again "
"…."
Nick looked at the forest , his eyes caught a group of rabbits grooming their young ones, the father held the cubs down while the mother cleaned them with her tongue.
Mitch was right. There was nothing tying him down except the Bei Shang promise of ten years. He tried to hide it, he went to settle conflicts in the borderlands, he guarded the northern border and sent letters back to Kate every month , he went for his soldiers weddings and their newborns ceremonies , he taught Mitch Martial arts , he taught Mitch how to use his powers and he didn't cause unnecessary fights.
However, every night he sat down beside the peach blossom tree , he realized how large the gape in his soul was.
He didn't want to live , living was hard and tiring, nine years have passed and his beloved was yet to come back. Everyone seemed to go on so easily and he felt like he was left behind in time, grieving the loss of his husband.
" I am sorry Mitch, sorry you were born to a bad father "
Tears brimmed in Mitch eyes and he sniffed "You're a really bad man "
"I am really sorry"
"I know dad … I know "
💖💖💖 Hua palace 💖💖💖
Shu hua was teaching calligraphy when Guayin summoned her to her palace.
Shu hua glared at the floating audio spell "if I don't want to come?"
"Consider that little sparrow of yours never entering heaven again"
Shu hua stood up , her voice was soft towards the students "You all stay here and continue with your classes , I will come back in an hour"
Guayin sat on the couch prim and proper , her bloodied fingers was trying to embroidered a handkerchief. She didn't raise her head after hearing shu hua come in.
Shu hua bowed "Jade empress"
Guayin stood up and sat a distance from the chair "Hmm , come and help me with this "
Shu hua lips twitched but she walked forward and sat down on the couch. Seeing the cloth doted with drops of fresh blood; she sighed and started to embroider.
Guayin pointed at a bloodied side "I want a beautiful gold dragon lying on the lake …add some flowers "
Shu hua rolled her eyes.
Guayin, seeing Shu hua was focused on the task on hand , gathered dao into her fingers and sent it into Shu hua body , Guayin looked around for any cracks in the meridians . The meridian of Shu hua heart was still blocked, it pulsated painfully.
" You could have just asked me"
Guayin took her dao back, her voice trembled a bit "I am an empress, I can do whatever I want to with my subjects"
Shu hua scoffed and continued with her work.
"Shu hua "
"Yes?"
"Why do you still have your heart demon?"
Shu hua paused slightly, she shrugged and took another thread "Because I never got over the guilt "
"It's not your fault "
"If I only I could convince myself "
When Shu hua first left mortality and became a goddess, she had not properly process the grief of losing her young master. Shu hua was often busy as either Guayin inner court maid and as Fuxin kitchen maid. She always had chores , clothes to wash , shoes to clean , food to prepare , palaces to clean , dishes to wash and so on.
Distraction worked as a balm , she couldn't think much when her thoughts are about how to remove stains.
However when Jade Emperor awarded her own palace, the grief in her heart suddenly felt magnified , it was like a neglected wound, some neglected wounds were lucky and healed cleanly, others gradually festered turning into an unbearable pain. She wasn't sure about which one was her pain , but Her loneliness excabated it regardless.
She did anything to ignore that pain , She took up celestial arts. She made music , she did calligraphy, she sculpted , she embroidered, She sewed dresses, She danced, however it hurts in the middle of the night, when she was alone.
Time passed that way until she met the little peach blossom spirit. He looked so innocent and pure , calling her Shifu and holding on to her dress.
She decided to take in the little boy , She named him Taohua.
Taohua turned from a beautiful boy to a beautiful man , she thought the grief in her heart have gone, that somehow the innocent affection of a child had helped her heal her own pain.
One day , when she was brushing Taohua's long black hair , she made a promise.
She promised herself that Taohua will not make the mistakes she made. He would follow his destiny and become a god.
Taohua was a good child. He followed her instructions, practiced his dao efficiently, and got along well with everyone , however he was a bit indifferent and many things hardly took his attention, Fuxin told her that Taohua was born with the aplitude of indifference.
Being born with the aplitude of indifference was supposed to make his tribulations easier for him, however Shu hua felt scared.
Taohua was incredibly kind, it meant he wasn't totally indifferent, if Taohua had something that becomes dear to his heart , it might end up becoming his downfall.
She was right.
Her Little disciple fell in love with a fisherman and in the process injured his own dao . He even told her he wanted to marry him.
She did her best to minimize the downfall, exchanging merits with dao and sending them to her disciple, trying to provide cruel but efficient solutions but the disciple kept choosing the fisherman.
After the fisherman died , her little Taohua ran mad. She had failed in preventing Taohua from making her mistakes, he had destroyed his life for love.
Reincarnation after reincarnation she had to watch Taohua suffer for his mistakes yet Each time, he died looking at the man with so much love.
The reincarnation she put matters into her own hands and accidentally killed the fisherman, her beloved disciple had killed himself right in front of her.
Shu hua later realized that her wound never left , it was still there , now gangly and filled with pus , it mocked her incompetence and helplessness.
Gods and goddesses called her obsessed, love sick , all kinds of names , her loyal disciple turned and left her after a fight, and in the ending, Taohua still choose to perish for love.
If only she had been a bit stricter , a bit nicer, a bit observant , if only she had not sent Taohua through that route and instead another route, would her beloved disciple stop suffering? Would her beloved disciple be a little more happy calling 'shifu' and be by her side right now?
Would he still be alive?
She felt a dab on her cheek, Guayin was wiping her tears with an handkerchief, her gaze filled with pity.
Shu hua sniffed and pushed Guayin hand away " Stop trying to act nice , I still hate you "
Guayin dropped her handkerchief, she looked at the distance.
"There is going to be heavenly mercy today"
Just like there was heavens judgement, there was also heavenly mercy. It was like a wave of dao every Millennia. This was the first time it was happening in Shu hua lifetime.
Shu hua shrugged " So?"
Guayin smiled "You never know who the heavens will give their mercy to"
💖💖💖 Mortal realm💖💖💖
"Honey … " Seeing his wife staring absent mindedly at the corridor, he sighed and put a blanket on her " You get into your trances everywhere, it's scary you know?"
A while later , her eyes turned inwards and only her eye whites showed , she mumbled some words and immediately got on her knees.
Her husband didn't seem surprised, he knelt down too.
She slowly knocked her head three times on the floor and stood up. Her husband did the same with her. A full minute later , her pupils returned and she stumbled.
Her husband caught her immediately and sat her down, his voice was soft.
"Nayima , this shaman stuff is taking a toll on you , you are entering into trances more frequently this days and you're getting weaker too "
Nayima waved her hand " Don't worry , nothing bad will happen, I won't answer gods when I am doing something dangerous"
"Nayima…"
"Seriously, don't worry " She patted her dress and stood up " I need to get the crystals and talismans, the heavens are planning to give mercy today"
"Mercy ?"
"If Bei Shang was here , I would put him in the middle of the storm so he gets a bit of luck into his life " She sighed and looked at the sky "I miss my best friend"
Her husband patted her hand "He will come back to visit don't worry"
"That Huli Jing just gave me a nasty scar , snatched up my best friend and ran never to be seen again, it's been 21 years now , my hair is grey and my limbs is frail " She laid her head on her husband shoulder , he hugged her close "Bei Shang was probably bewitched…just like broody , forgetful fucks"
"You are too old to be saying curse words "
The sky rumbled bringing the scent of rain , Nayima separated from her husband's arms and ran inside "It's coming!"
"Who do you think they will bestow it on?"
Nayima shook her head. "Who knows? The heavens are cruel and kind in equal measure. They give when it suits them, not when it's needed. But I have a feeling that they will give someone special today…" She trailed off, her gaze fixed on the sky, longing written in her every movement.
🌸🌸🌸Heavenly realm🌸🌸🌸
The heavens trembled as the Mercy Wave approached. It was a magnificent sight, an iridescent storm of pure dao energy swirling across the divine expanse.
The gods all came out to watch it , their eyes filled with wonder.
The dao condensed and separated , dancing along with the rumbles of the heavens, the sounds of guapins and bells followed it , calling upon their divinity.
A thunder bolt slowly formed.
Shu Hua stood at the edge of jade empress palace balcony, her breath catching as the energy rippled across the sky. Her heart pounded.
"It's so beautiful…"
Guayin appeared beside her, her smile looked sarcastic as usual " It's going to be a big wave "
"Big wave ?"
Guayin pointed at the sky "Watch."
The thunder lashed down , the heavens trembled sending a shockwave of energy down, peach blossom trees scattered into the wind.
It went straight down to the demon realms
🌸🌸🌸 Demon realm , Northern borders🌸🌸🌸🌸
Nick looked at the dark skies , normally, he wasn't afraid of a little rain but it looked like a big storm was coming ; he patted the sleeping Mitch .
"Mitch wake up , a storm is coming"
"Okay " Mitch sat up and rub his eyes before standing up "I will carry the clothes in"
Nick paused mid-step, his ears twitching as if he'd heard a distant melody. Mitch looked up from where he pulled his dad arm , his brow furrowed.
"Dad? What's wrong?"
Nick's lips pressed into a thin line. For a moment, he didn't respond. Then, his voice was low and heavy. "The heavens are stirring. Something is coming."
Mitch shook his head " Nothing is wrong, let's go home"
Immediately They got home , the rain went down, aggressively hitting the tent curtains ; downpour continued through the night, heavy and unyielding.
Nick had issues with insomnia but strangely, the rain was soothing, For the first time in nine years ; He had a deep dreamless sleep. On the nearby table, A small bottle filled with hair strands glowed bright pink before disappearing.
At the break of dawn , the rain ceased as suddenly as it started.
As soon the rain stopped; Nick woke up from his sleep ; his body felt relaxed, almost like a soothing massage. He stretched a bit before putting on his clothing.
Nick went outside and looked around. The aftermath of the storm was visible: vegetation lay tossed about, belongings scattered across the muddy ground.
But people were not in their tents , where did they go to ?
He walked around, looking for his soldiers, only to see large crowds of people coming from the path towards the field.
What were his soldiers doing at the field early in the morning?
One of them saw him and froze "Oh ..ohh " He bowed quickly " Good… good morning general "
The last time they looked at him like this , he had just lost his husband.
Without waiting for an explanation, he ran. He pushed aside anyone who tried to stop him, his breath ragged as he reached the field.
The field looked empty , only people gathering there , worried discussion among them.
The peach blossom tree wasn't there anymore.
Nick almost collapsed.
'It can't be …'
Nick slowly walked forward, the crowd parted for him , leading to the middle of the field.
Only Mitch and Xuan hua stood in place where his beloved Taohua was supposed to be.
"Dad …calm down, we are looking for.. Dad!" Mitch ran forward as Nick knees buckled, catching him before he could fall completely.
Xuan Hua waved her hand hurriedly "Everyone go back to your tents , go back now…"
Seeing they didn't answer, only coming closer; Mitch eyes flashed a vivid purple and he glared at the crowd.
"Leave!"
The soldiers trembled before turning around and leaving.
Xuan hua rubbed her forehead "They really only follow their royalty." She knelt beside them and touched the unconscious Nick forehead "Your dad is okay, he's just tired "
Mitch eyes brimmed with tears "The fact that Mom could come back was what kept him going till now and now the tree suddenly disappeared right after a heavy rain storm "
"I am sure Shixong is alright, the wind probably carried the tree somewhere into the forest"
She trailed off, her gaze flicking to the scorched ground where the tree had stood. A jagged burn mark marred the earth, evidence of a thunderbolt. The heavens probably struck her Shixong to nonexistence.
"Auntie Xuan …."
Her eyes brimmed with tears and she let out a whimper. Tears fell freely down Mitch's face and he hugged his dad to his chest.
"Auntie Xuan …I can't lose dad"
"Shixong " Xuan hua lowered her face into her hands , her voice cracked in pain.
A sharp crack echoed through the clearing and Mitch glared tearfully at the source.
"I said Sc- ….huh?"
A Beautiful man came out of the forest , long black hair flowed down his back , all the way to his waist ,he was only wearing a pink light robe damp with dew , his feet made soft prints on the muddy floor. The scent of peach blossoms accompanied him.
" I … I am sorry " He said softly , startled at Mitch's sharp tone "I thought you only meant the others to leave…"
Xuan hua eyes widen and she staggered to her feet , her voice was barely a whisper.
Black hair, black peach like eyes , red lips and fair skin , it was too much like her older brother.
" Shi…Shixong is that you?"
The man tilted his head , his red lips opened softly "Shi…xong?"
Mitch slap a hand over his m