Mount Yuxi
Heaven Earth Dominion
Yun Xi
Life as the gatekeeper of the Pools of Rebirth, otherwise known as the Gateway to Reincarnation, was lonely and forlorn to poor immortal lord Yun Xi. Having lived as long as the mountain itself, Yun Xi didn't carry any sense of old age with his long silver hair and handsome black eyes. Adorned in black, many would think of him as Hades Courtier, and he didn't care to deny or accept. Yun Xi stared at the starry portal, it's shimmers always appeared inviting and splendid, but Yun Xi was not here of his own choice.
Yun Xi had two great masters in his lifetime, the late Holy Seal Immortal Long Yuan Xu and the late God of Mountains Zhou Youqin. However, it seemed his lowly status as the remaining descendant of a sinful clan denied him the chance to steer his own fate towards the path of his choosing. Abolished from Heaven, yet abhorred in the Otherworld, Yun Xi could only seek shelter in Mount Yuxi.
Lost in his own thoughts, Yun Xi failed to acknowledge the young immortal lady calling out to him. "Immortal Lord! Immortal Lord!" Yun Xi leisurely turned to meet the young lady's eyes that seemingly brimmed with anger and worry, able to hide how startled he was by her presence. Rarely did immortals, let alone gods, come to face reincarnation as it meant giving up their years worth of cultivation. Many were naturally unwilling to give up material wealth thus died without hope of rebirth.
"What brings the Goddess of Harvest to Mount Yuxi?" Yun Xi uttered sounding distracted, his posture remained lax and unfazed. Tian Xian froze, not expecting Yun Xi to be the guardian of the Portal to Rebirth, "You, why are you the one here?" "I'm admonished in Heaven, loathed in Hades, where else does Tian Xian expect me to be?" Yun Xi questioned, meeting Tian Xian with a hard expression. "I didn't mean it that way, you should have heard I've long been demoted from the title. I'm the Spring Immortal now."
Yun Xi laughed, "Truly the Heavenly Emperor holds no mercy. Back then I was punished for the sins of my martial brothers and doomed to death. My clan, the White Bear clan of the Kingdom of Beasts, were slaughtered for guarding against Heaven. It's a joke that Mortals pray to Heaven, while we deities suffer the same injustice from Heaven."
Tian Xian remained silent, knowing better than to disagree. Despite being the daughter of the Divine Lady Nature, the greatest of the Others, her sister Tian Huan was bullied and condemned for advocating against the Heavenly rule of abstainance from love and lust. Because of this Tian Huan was banished from Heaven and forced to live in the Realm of Gallops under their mother's, Divine Lady Nature's protection.
"I'm not here to defend or demonize Heaven," Tian Xian shifted focus, revealing the nearly lifeless body lying behind her. "I want him to be reincarnated. I may need Hades Courtier's guidance in the matter." Yun Xi arched a brow, surprised at Tian Xian's sudden demeanor, as he approached the unconscious body. It was a man dressed in demon realm clothing, seemingly young however immortality, like youthfulness, was a delusion to the eye. "Do you know him?"
"Does it matter, i want him to go through mortal tribulations, whether or not i know him shouldn't really be of concern." Yun Xi nodded, "So you don't know him." He uttered conclusively. "You..." "He's clearly from the Demon Realm, however death and life transcends beyonds the grudges of Heaven and Hell. I could help him, but he needs more qi in order to survive the journey. You may need to sacrifice some if you intend to have him survive."
Tian Xian frowned, "What will happen if he goes as he is?" "He'll die at childbirth, of course." Yun Xi uttered as-a-matter-of-factly, turning his back on the two. Tian Xian sneered at Yun Xi, before wistfully looking at the unconscious warrior laying at her feet. He knew nothing of her, and she knew nothing of him, but she couldn't allow herself to ignore such a critically injured warrior. It reminded her of Gaoshi, and her incapability to save him.
Whether he was from the Demon Realm or the Otherworld, she didn't care. Her mother taught her to give regard to the lives of all, no life was superior to another, and all living beings shared the fate of life and death, no one could escape it. Tian Xian inhaled deeply, "I'll do it. I'll sacrifice as much as I need to. He needs to live."
Yun Xi only a dismissive "mmh" before revealing a small jade jar at his palm. "Take this, it'll open up his meridians allowing him to take in your qi. You're a daughter of an Other, your qi excides the boundaries of yin and yang, so everything will be well." Yun Xi released the jar, sending it to float upon Tian Xian's outreached palm. With a nod and lips set in a hard line, Tian Xian turned to the lifeless body beside her.
Aiding him to rise to a sitting position, Tian Xian gently set herself in a similar sitting position behind him, and once she had stabilized him with her power, she swallowed the tiny pill inside the jade bottle and activated the formation which would allow her primordial essence to ooze out of her and into the young warrior.
Yun Xi watched with slight surprise as the upright Goddess of Harvest did something he would have never imagined. Tian Xian may be the daughter of the Other, but she had served Heaven faithfully in order to protect her brother and sister, despite being the youngest of the three. Tian Xian had abstained from love and fought against Hell, like other Heavenly Immortals, making her earn the Heavenly Emperor's trust enough for her to remain in Heaven as a mere Immortal. Now here she was, aiding a demon warrior to reincarnation, not minding the consequences or repercussions it may come with.
Noticing that Tian Xian was giving away nearly half of her eons worth of cultivation, Yun Xi disrupted the formation and pushed the young warrior into the Portal of Rebirth. Because of having to use such great power to stop the qi transfer, Yun Xi's Qi flow was distorted leading him to have serious internal injuries. Forced to a crouch, Yun Xi hauled blood, leading Tian Xian to worry.
"Why did you stop the formation so soon?" Tian Xian asked, her voice weak and breaking. Her qi was also in disarray due to Yun Xi's disturbance, leading her to have several internal injuries. Not to mention her level of primordial essence was low compared to normal occasions, leading her body to lack its strength. "Shouldn't you thank me? Had you continued you would be weaker than you already are. Moreover, if you infused more qi inside him his reincarnation would have been catastrophic. He'll be fine, you've done all you could."
Tian Xian had known Yun Xi for thousands of years, from back when he was the disciple of the great Holy Seal Immortal Long Yuan Xu to after God Zhou Youqin accepted him as his disciple making Yun Xi the Vitality Deity of Heaven. However after the Kingdom of Beasts deflected to the Demon Realm's side, Zhou Youqin was forced to commit suicide in order for his disciples to be spared. Youqin's disciples didn't like that and vowed to avenge their master by joining the Demon Realm, and only Yun Xi remained. With his past as the son of the White Bear clan, Yun Xi could not stay in Heaven, but as Long Yuan Xu's disciple he wasn't sent to the Celestial Void.
Instead he was banished.
Many would think him lucky, but Tian Xian knew Yun Xi would prefer death to banishment, sent to live out his immortality in the solace of his own ragged breathing. His life in Mount Yuxi was everything Yun Xi dared not want, yet it was all he had. Guiding the lost souls of gods and immortals to a new life in the Mortal Realm leaving him to wander Mount Yuxi alone thriving in loneliness and sadness.
Tian Xian helped Yun Xi stand, using some of her qi to heal most of his internal wounds, only for Yun Xi to stop her. "What are you doing, you're hurt!" Yun Xi shook his head, freeing himself from Tian Xian grip. "I'm fine, it's just a few injuries. You need not use your precious essence on me." Tian Xian watched with worry as Yun Xi staggered towards the Portal of Rebirth where his throne sat beside it. Before Yun Xi could set himself on his chair, a whoosh sound exploded the still air attracting both of their attentions.
Tian Xian recognized late Holy Seal Immortal Long Yuan Xu's youngest disciple and the last royal of the Fire Dragons, the only immortal known to refuse his identity's right to godhood and was spared from the Heavenly Emperor's wrath. He was handsome, with long dark eyebrows and soft porcelain skin. Eyes clear as crystal yet dark as night, lips pink like plum blossom, complimenting his stout facial features indeed. His long hair ink black flowing down his back like a waterfall. He wore a casual white, traveling suit and held his fan at hand.
To many it seemed like an ordinary fan, but Tian Xian recognized it as the White Storm fan, a weapon created by Long Yuan Xu specially for his disciple. It was said to be powerful enough to level mountain and dry oceans, but the lax prince opted to use it as a leisurely fan.
Yun Xi recognized his martial brother right away, pleasantries filling his heart. "Junior Martial brother." Yun Xi called out to Jiu Yun, as he straightened his back and made himself appear healthier than he actually was. "Senior Brother Yun, long time no see."
Tian Xian didn't expect Young Prince Fu to be so cordial with Yun Xi even after Yun Xi had been taken as Zhou Youqin's disciple. Many immortals had more than one master, that was nothing surprising, except that Yun Xi barely celebrated his master's death before taking in a new master. It made him seem unfilial to the late Holy Seal Immortal, but none of his martial brothers condemned him which shocked the Immortal world. Instead Dongfang Xu went ahead to defend his martial brother to be promoted to a deity's position.
"Yun'er, what brings you here?" Tian Xian resumed listening to the two's conversation. "A friend of mine and Divine Lady Nature's disciple will be coming here to accept Her Divine Majesty's decree and go through mortal tribulations. I would like to go before her, so she'll meet me there. I hope you'll make me an exception as I am not nearing death or any imminent premonition."
So the rumors were true, that Young Prince Fu was in love thus unwilling to enter godhood and give up on heart's desire. Interesting. "Yun'er, I..." Yun Xi was without words, should he fulfil Jiu Yun's request, how would he answer to the Fire Dragons clan. Not to mention the Heavenly Emperor would question his existence in Mount Yuxi and he would truly be left desolate and homeless.
"I know, I've already sent word to Senior Dong, he'll make sure the Fire Dragons get an explanation, and the Heavenly Emperor will not harm you." Tian Xian shook her head, tutting, "I'm afraid that's not what you're Martial brother is worried about." Jiu Yun had yet to acknowledge the Spring Immortal's presence, but the situation was dire and his attention lied elsewhere hence his lack of etiquette.
"Pardon my lack of etiquette, and greetings to Spring Immortal Lady Xian." Jiu Yun saluted briefly. "No need for formalities, while i have heard the direness if you're situation, I'm afraid your martial brother worries for your fate. You know you have to give up thousands of years worth of cultivation in order to experience the mortal tribulations in the Mortal Realm. How dare he even think of demeaning the Fire Dragons Prince to such extent and not expect the full wrath of the noble Fire Dragon clan?"
Jiu Yun remained startled, having forgotten about all that. With his special identity, the risk of failing the mortal tribulations would mean the end to the noble Fire Dragon bloodline. No one would agree to him facing such risks, not even his martial brother and Holy Seal Immortal Dongfang Xu.
It seems even his fate drove him away from his beloved.