Peach Orchard Prophesy 💜

Prologue 序言

Mandarin Title Pronunciation: xùyán

Author's Note: All stories in the Peach Orchard Series are based on the same prologue and then they deviate.

Image Credit: I believe this is official, but please inform me if this is your image. 

The scene opens on the banks of Ruishui River

"The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent." – Sun Tzu

The flying figure had pale peach robes.

Dong Hua, Tian Shu, and Lian Song were trying to hold Ye Hua back from going to save Bai Qian. Ye Hua had just fought Qing Cang. His cultivation was so low that he had fainted from the loss of blood. After he lost consciousness the enchanted ropes restraining Bai Qian had broken.

"You cannot save her Ye Hua. She made her choice. Her cultivation is strong. She may be able to return like Mo Yuan." Bai Qian had just come from Qing Qiu and she was determined to sacrifice herself. She was mere yards from the bell at this point.

On looking back, Dong Hua had thought it was odd. Instead of looking at Ye Hwa, Bai Qian had gone to him once she arrived at the shore after Ye Hua fainted. She had pulled on his arm. He drew back with a start. Few would dare to touch him, but Qing Qiu's royal family were not known for their formalities. He had been at Ruoshui River after Su Jin informed the Nine Heavens of Qing Cang's escape from the bell to find Ye Hua and Qing Cang locked in heavy combat.

"Make sure Ye Hua stays safe," she had implored him. He remembered nodding and secretly thinking how relieved he was that it was Bai Qian here and not his Jiu'er. Feng Jiu had finally listened to him. They had been together in the heavenly court when SuJin arrived. She must have retrieved her aunt Bai Qian and stayed with Si Ming as he had requested because Bai Qian had arrived soon after Dong Hua. If he were thinking, he would have known something was amiss from that action alone. If only he had his cultivation back. He would have been able to see through her spell.

"Oh." He replied.

It was at this moment that everyone realized Qing Cang had used his time of entrapment to set up the bell to self-destruct with him. Without an immortal sacrifice, the bell would release crimson hellfire upon the Eight Realms. before anyone could stop her, Bai Qian flew up the mawing jaws of the bell. It was then something quite unexpected happened. They all braced themselves for the impending hell-storm. There was a beam of light and then everything just stopped.

The pale figure fell out of the sky. Her peach robes blew in the wind.

Ye Hua stopped struggling as Zhe Yan and Bai Zhen let go of his arms.

She had fooled them all.

"Jiu'er!" Dong Hua's agonized shout broke the silence. He flew to grab the slight form of Bai Feng Jiu.

Ye Hua felt guilty for the rush of relief he felt when he understood it was Feng Jiu who had made the sacrifice. He remembered how angry he had been at Bai Qian's niece when she had disguised herself as Su Jin and stolen the Soul-Gathering Lamp. Siming had convinced him that any fight with the young fox princess would involve the rock-like former co-lord of the heavens and earth. He knew this turn of events would destroy Bai Qian. He wondered where she could be. Surely, Dong Hua or his grandfather would have asked for Bai Qian to help once seal Qing Cang. He could not help but feel grateful to the girl, but her cultivation was nowhere near Qian Qian's. The likelihood of her coming back was terribly low. He fell to his knees slowly, overwhelmed by the gift from the little princess.

Back in the Fox Den

Bai Qian was annoyed. These demons were so young and weak. It was too easy to kill them, but it seemed like they never stopped coming. It was almost as if....they were not real?