100,000 years ago
Waking up in her own bed, Bai Qian stretched her small arms wide before yawning long and loudly before opening her eyes. She felt as if she had slept for years, and not only did she feel great, but her small tummy was rumbling. Sitting up, she suddenly realized she was not alone.
Sitting at the base of her bed, was her mother, and she was wide awake and looking directly at her with a look she couldn't quite decipher.
"Mama?" she said with a sweet smile, that had her mother opening her arms to pull her towards her.
The Empress had watch her waken with a small smile, but she was quite unnerved by the way she looked at her as if the entire nights events had been nothing but a dream, the child looked as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Though she shouldn't have been surprised, to her daughter, it probably was nothing out of the ordinary, she thought to herself sighing inwardly as her arms enveloped her small body.
"Qian Qian. Do you remember what happened last night?" her mother asked, because it seemed to her as if the girl was completely oblivious to everything that happened the night before. Not only had she drunk too much of Mo Yuans strongest wine, she had upended his only three vats of thousand year wine. The entire batch was destroyed, along with several of his fine china bottles that had belonged to his mother. And on top of that, she had caused world wide chaos, which would no doubt last for months.
Thankful that Mo Yuan had been able to the see the lighter side of her mischief, she knew he was angry. His birds had almost died, his youngest Disciples were still in a state of shock and stressed when they left but his wine bottles were irreplaceable. She had no idea how on earth they would compensate him. But looking at her daughter now, it was very difficult to reconcile the little girl with the most sweetest of smiles on her angelic face with the child who caused their greatest God to almost punish her with lightening bolts.
But that didn't mean she wouldn't be punished, because Bai Zhi would definitely spank her thoroughly, she would also be grounded and no doubt forced to do chores she didn't like, but Mo Yuan had been right, when he said she needed a reason not to cause mischief, because as far as he could see, she not only had no real understanding of consequences, she had no real understanding of her world at all. To her, the bell was pretty, and made a noise, she merely wanted to hear it, not realizing the consequences or even taking the time to consider why the bell was never rung. She was too inquisitive, too impulsive and lacked restraint and any punishment she received was so commonplace it became inconsequential.
Thinking hard, Bai Qian eventually began to recollect the events from the night before. Having run away from the Disciple when she saw the big Golden bell lit up under the moonlight, she had immediately wanted to hear it. It was so pretty and so big, she just knew it would sound as lovely as it looked.
So racing as fast as she could around the corner and out of sight, she instantly went in search of a way up and that's when she found the birds sleeping. Not realizing her flaring tails had brushed against several of them, she merrily walked through them all towards an open door which she immediately entered.
And after wandering about the unlit room and then unlit halls, she eventually found the inside stairs that led to the Bell. Though she did not need to climb all the way up, the rope that was attached to the bell had been hung loosely over a hook, all she had to do was unloosen it. But the moment the bell had begun to toll, it was so loud and so powerful she became instantly afraid.
Running for her life, she stumbled and fell through every door she could see to get away. She could hear yelling and crying, but terrified of the bell and now the Disciples, she kept running until she finally stumbled into the wine cellar.
Looking back at her mother with large tearful eyes as the frightful memory came back to her, she cuddled in closely as her mothers arms enveloped her closer.
"I just wanted to hear the bell ring mama." she whispered against her.
Sighing the Empress merely smiled down at her, but she had to talk to the girl before her father got his hands on her. It was why she had slept on her bed while she slept, because Bai Zhi had been so enraged and so embarrassed, she knew the moment Bai Qian surfaced, she might not be able to stop him from hurting her.
"My dear, I know you wanted to hear the bell ring, but what were you doing on Kunlun Mountain in the first place?" she asked as gently as she could, knowing how stubborn her daughter could be if she felt she was in trouble. But if they were to help her, she had to gain an understanding of what went on in her mind.
And it was then that she told her mother of their argument, her fathers desire to see her become a Kunlun Mountain Disciple, the way he always tried to rule her life, the way he never listened to her, even though she thought her mother had good ideas, before moving on the Master of Kunlun Mountain and his school for boys only.
"I heard Zhe Yan tell you he didn't want me. And he doesn't want me just because I'm not a boy. Why are boys so special, why do they get everything and we girls just look pretty, like little trinkets for boys to admire, while they get to do all the fun stuff. Everything is run by boys, are we not good enough mama?" she asked tearfully up her.
Chuckling in disbelief and shaking her head gently, the Empress was just given a little insight into her daughters mind. Though she did think it was perhaps a new thought, a sudden flash of understanding from her young point of view, one her mother saw some sense in, but could not allow her to believe it, because ultimately it was not true.
"So is that why you went to Kunlun Mountain? Because you wanted to see what an all boys school was all about?" she asked smiling down at her.
Shaking her head, which was still snuggled into her mothers chest, she poked her bottom lip out defiantly.
"No! I wanted to give that Mo Yuan High God a harsh telling off, because he shouldn't be mean to girls, then I was going to show him exactly why he should take girls, but then I saw the bell so I thought I would play with it, because it looked so pretty and if it annoyed him then that would be just as good as telling him off, but it didn't quite work out, because the bell frightened me." she said sadly, before crying over the terrifying memory of the loud bell and raised voices.
Sighing again, the Empress turned her around to face her. This would be the first time she would have a heart to heart talk with her daughter, because it was long overdue. And as she talked, Bai Qian listened. She not only learned about the Bell and what ringing it meant to the entire world, but she also learned what she had done to Mo Yuans birds, as well as his wine cellar.
But no matter what her mother said, she just couldn't help but feel she had succeeded after all. Accidentally of course, and though she did feel sorry for his birds, and she did feel a bit guilty about waking up the whole world and breaking his mothers wine bottles, in her young mind, a win was a win.
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Mo Yuan once again found himself in a meeting with Zhe Yan, though Bai Zhi would have been there, he had a wayward daughter to attend to.
"I know you said you wouldn't take her in Mo Yuan, but you've seen first hand how terribly naughty she is. Surely you can see how beneficial it would be to take her under your wing and train her. Please Mo Yuan?" Zhe Yan pleaded once again.
But Mo Yuan was still angry, though it had eased. Never in all his life had he ever come across a child so outrageously naughty, but he honestly didn't believe she knew or even understood the mayhem she had caused. Not even the day she had let off the fireworks in The Celestial Heavens armoury. That time, she had only wanted to see the pretty lights. She had been much younger then, so he could hardly demand punishment. Even now, she was still too young, but this time, he would ensure that it never happened again.
"I have already made up my mind Zhe Yan, I will not have that girl on my Mountain, she is too disruptive and her antics and lack of care is just too dangerous, she almost killed my birds." he said with finality and a very hard look at his old friend who was as much at a loss as the girls parents.
"Mo Yuan, we are truly sorry, but you're the only one we know of that can help her." Zhe Yan pleaded harder, but a sudden flare of light that flickered though Mo Yuans eyes had him sitting up a little straighter.
"Well that is not entirely true Zhe Yan." he said with a small smile, which he knew meant Mo Yuan had an idea, and his ideas were always good.
"Who, I will visit him myself." Zhe Yan said moving in closer, as if he were about to hear a secret of great importance.
Chuckling, Mo Yuan had given it some thought, but how it would work would entirely rest on the child. "As you are aware, your Grove holds a special rock pool with its own Water Sprite, one the child has already had the pleasure of talking to." he said with a sparkle in his eye.
Looking back at him confused, Zhe Yan had no idea what he was talking about. "Water Sprite?" he asked which instantly gained him a round of laughter.
"I didn't tell you did I." Mo Yuan said as the memory of their first meeting came back to him. She had made such a big impression on him, he was actually looking forward to what he had planned.
"As I mentioned before, I had met her, but from behind the cascade of water. She could only hear me, not see me, so she automatically assumed I was a Water Sprite." he said which also gained him a round of laughter.
"The greatest God ever to walk the Realms was demoted to a Water Sprite?" Zhe Yan asked stunned. If anyone could mistake him for a Water Sprite it would have to be Xiao Wu, he thought to himself laughing.
"Indeed. She certainly has a way of unintentionally creating mayhem as well as offending others. But she is delightful, because her mischief is unintentional. She just doesn't think. Therefore, I propose to teach her as a Water Sprite. You merely have to bring her to the Grove once a week, ensure she finds her way to my rock pool and I will take it from there." he said with a wide smile.
Zhe Yan thought about Mo Yuans proposal and the more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea. Not only had he in effect agreed to teach her, but she would be safe enough in his Grove and so would he. He would not have to worry about her causing anymore chaos on his mountain, upsetting his Disciples or killing his birds. He actually thought the idea was brilliant.
"Alright, I agree, and I know her father will too. When shall we start?" he asked happy that something was being done for her, because they had all done their best and failed miserably.
"This afternoon. The sooner we start, the sooner that girl is brought under control." he replied.
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Finally free of her father, Bai Qian ran through the grove once again crying from yet another spanking, only this time, Bai Yi, her older brother spanked her too. And all because she rang the stupid bell. It was just so unfair, she thought to herself as she once again kicked at the trees and threw harmless spark spells.
Stumbling about the Grove, she did not notice that she was being purposely led back to the rock pool by a magic she could not feel. Slowly but steadily Mo Yuan drew her footsteps closer until she stumbled into the clearing crying and still throwing spark spells which he noticed immediately.
Flopping down on the edge of the rock pool, she had yet to notice where she was, she was so upset she hadn't even noticed the small flower that was floating on the water.
Throwing her harmless spells at the water, Mo Yuan chided her softly.
"Not only do you carelessly throw rocks, you also aim to hurt my lotus?" he asked softly which immediately had the girl looking back at the cascade. Suddenly her tear filled eyes lit up brightly.
"Water Sprite, you came back!" she suddenly smiled. Then dragging both hands across her face to wipe away her tears she looked down at the little Lotus flower that was floating in the water.
Chuckling softly, Mo Yuan watched as the child smiled down at the flower bobbing aimlessly about in the water, before dipping in her hand to make the flower move.
"I'm sorry, I didn't notice it." she said softly as the Lotus swayed unevenly before her. "You are very pretty." she said softly down at it.
This pleased Mo Yuan, because it meant the child did have a kind heart, one that he would grow.
"That is because you did not pay attention. The Lotus is much like you." he said keeping his tone soft and gentle.
"Like me?" she asked, thinking the Sprite was also calling her pretty but wanting to hear it.
"The Lotus flower is rare for its ability to grow strong and beautiful even though it starts its life in muddy waters." he said softly, which she understood to mean she was beautiful even though she was naughty.
Feeling as if she were once again being told off, her lower lip dropped. "Water Sprite, are you going to be mean to me too?" she asked in a small voice.
Once again pleased that she had grasped the analogy quickly, Mo Yuan knew then, he would be able to teach and guide her. After all, if she wanted a man who would listen to her every word and bow to her every whim, then she would have to be the kind of woman that a man would want to listen to, a woman who he would want to bow to. And because she was obviously very bright, he would have a lot of fun with her in the process, he thought to himself.
"Child, the Lotus is merely a reflection of your own heart. Take care of it, and it will also take care of you." he said. Then his his surprise, not only did her bottom lip rise into a sweet smile, but she swung her small body around, then dipping her feet into the water, she gently splashed the water while Mo Yuan watched as she moved the Lotus gently.
She had never had anything to look after before, and to think the Water Sprite was going to let her care for it, was actually very exciting. Suddenly she had something to play with that wouldn't get her into trouble.
"I'm going to give it a name." she said suddenly laughing as she took in the pretty little white Lotus that had yet to gain its colours.
"Zhong Hua. (Bell Flower) because it is shaped like one that I saw last night" she said suddenly squealing with laughter, which instantly had Mo Yuan roaring with laughter along with her, not just for her reference to the Bell of Kunlun, but because the Bell Flower was synonymous with Obedience!