Heavy Sweetness, Ash-like frost

Chapter 21.2: The Male Phoenix and the Female Phoenix

   After the Head Flower Leader left, Night and I silently faced each other as we drank finished a pot of tea. As I was about to rise to go apply medicine on my body, I heard Night asked, in a tone neither heavy nor light, "He has revived?"  My feet paused and I turned around suddenly.  Night's eyes were downcast as he seriously surveyed the tea leaves in his tea cup. The steam from the tea covered his face and I could not see his expression clearly. Suddenly, he lightly smiled and after a long while, he continued, "Although he has revived, he has descended and joined the ranks of the demons." He lifted his head and looked up at me, "He has already been revived for half a year. Half a year is such a long time but he had hid very well. It was only today that the Heavenly Realms received news of this......"  I did not know why but my heart gave out a comfortable sigh.  "Presently, everyone in the demon realms calls him one name, 'The Great One'*." He puckered his lips lightly, as if what he spoke of was a light matter, "In half a year, all the ten great kings of hell have fallen under his command."  Lightly, he circled the green porcelain tea cup in his hand, the light swirling sound it made accompanied the slow circling of his words, "Jin Er, how did your feet get injured?"  My back stiffened as I replied, "You already know why. It was hurt by the waters of the River of Forgetfulness."  "Ah," He looked at me, I saw a glimpse of broken light flash through his eyes.  I turned around, suddenly feeling upset, and hurriedly said, "I am going to apply my medicine."  "Jin Er, you must remember that it's three parts medicine and seven parts rest, your feet are still not fully recovered and need more quiet rest." He reminded me gently from behind and my feet paused again. Before I exited, I turned around and my eyes met his own clear gaze. I suddenly had a feeling - if you can't see the sand and stones in the pond water, it may not be because the pond is clear and shallow, it may be that the pond is too deep too deep, that there is no bottom... a pond where you can't see the bottom, how would you know if it had any stones or sand?**  On the second day, I took advantage of Night being busy with state affairs to escape the Heavenly Realms. The Nightmare Beast happily bounced after me and no matter how much I coaxed or threatened it, it would only blink its big watery eyes and innocently gaze at me. When I turned around, it would happily follow after me. Since there was no way of escaping it, I let it follow me.  As I just exited the Southern Heavenly Gate, I was suddenly surprised by a round oily green thing on the road. When I turned to scrutinise it, I realised that it was a snake that had coiled up. I could not help but close my eyes and silently chant, "Lucky I did not step on it! Lucky I did not step on it!"  The snake shook its tail and suddenly transformed. As I saw what the snake transformed into, I suddenly remembered something - I forgot to check the Yellow Calendar before I left the house, I had definitely left at the wrong time and met the wrong person. Alas, alas.  "Beauty, I have finally caught you!" Although Master Pu Chi was not as round as Old Carrot Immortal, he was considered quite a tall male sprite. Since he was standing in the middle of the road, my aura was quite diminished and I was being blocked from going forward.  I steadily moved back two steps and heard Master Pu Chi continue to nag, "It has only been a few years. Why has Beauty become so much slimmer? Indeed, you have inherited the beauty of the Flower Goddess and the Water God. I've decided to re-write the <>. Right now, Jin Er's beauty can be considered supreme in all the six realms."  I lifted up my hand to signal disagreement, "I'm only ordinary, ordinarily coquettish (Master Pu Chi uses the chinese term,  风骚 (feng sao) which can indicate beauty or a more sultry coquettishness and Jin Mi uses the latter sense). Actually, Master Pu Chi, you are very coquettish."  Master Pu Chi happily lifted up one of his brows and responded, "Coquettishness is a virtue."  I seriously nodded my head to satisfy him. I then lifted my head to see the sun and said, "Actually, to be blunt is also a virtue, what other matters does Master Pu Chi have?"  Master Pu Chi suddenly lowered his head and said in a pure tone, "Actually, there is no real matter. I only wanted to see if Beauty is alright after the death of your father and your great illness?" Then his face suddenly changed into a furious expresion, "But the despicable heavenly soldiers refused to let me in, saying that I need permission from the Heavenly Emperor, I know..."  Master Pu Chi had a look of sudden realisation as he nodded his chin and looked at me, "It must be that Night is jealous of my looks and coquettish soul! He must be scared that if I appear, your heart will go to me! It must be so!" He clenched his fist.  I could not help but admire Master Pu Chi's ability to change any conversation into a topic of feelings and love.  Master Pu Chi suddenly grabbed my hand and solemnly said, "Instead of choosing a day, we might as well use this day that we met! Beauty, let's elope today!"  I lifted my head up again to see the sun on top of my head. I waved my hand, "Another day. Let's elope another day. I have something to do today."  As I finally managed to throw off this stumbling block Master Pu Chi and go forward, I suddenly heard Master Pu Chi say from behind me, "I heard that the bird had revived and fallen to the Demon Realms to become a Great Demon King. He reigns supreme there, everyone and everything is at his beck and call. Beauty, don't tell me you are heading to see him?" My feet stopped, I felt like my feelings were stripped bare for all to see.    "Beauty! I advise you not to go, that bird is not the same bird as last time. Of course, last time, he was also not good, so proud and hateful that I wanted to strangle him. But, today he cannot be only described as proud... do you think the ten kings of hell are so easy to subdue? To become the Great Demon King, the bird has used all kinds of tactics... recently, he has also caused a blood bath in the Demon Realms - exterminating all rival forces. Right now, no one in the Demon Realms dare to oppose him. All ten kings of hell will respectfully call him, 'The Great One'. What's more he had died under your blade... if he sees you..."  I bit my lip, "I want to see him, to see him from far away..."  Master Pu Chi suddenly carefully looked at me, his expression had a shade of pity, "Beauty, did someone tie the wrong red thread and you have fallen for him?"