The Celestial Heavens
"Cheng Yu, you saw for yourself that Ye Hua is still alive." Lian Song whispered excitedly beside her having returned to his Palace from watching the rainbow birds to talk in private.
"But how? I know you said he used a spell, but over one hundred people saw him die." she whispered back as he paced the room.
"Ci Hang. I already told you. He was his Spiritual Master as well as the one who gave him a spell to leave the Nine Heavens when he needed to be alone. No one knew about except for that man, and of course me, because I was Ye Huas confidante for centuries." he reminded her without looking at her.
"So he used a spell to disappear, and make his star disappear....." she whispered before suddenly rising to pull him to a halt.
"If that'st the case, then those birds mean a new heir has been born. You know what that means Lian Song. His majesty will already be hunting him down." she whispered fearful for the boys safety.
She had always liked Ye Hua. With her, he let his guard down a little, she saw the occasional smiles whenever she jested and poked fun at him, he was also much more at ease in her presence because Cheng Yu really was a social butterfly and possibly also because his favourite uncle Lian Song still had feelings for her, though she knew he would never admit to it, but she knew.
"Father left the Palace grounds just a few minutes ago with a few trusted men and a retinue of guards." he said staring at her with a grim expression and fear in his eyes for Ye Hua and especially that Mortal.
"Surely he won't hurt them?" she asked naively. "There is now a baby to consider, he wouldn't be that harsh would he?" she asked staring back in fear at him.
"All the more reason why he will not stop until he finds them, and not only will he hurt them, that Mortals life is now worthless." he said sadly. Because he knew for a fact, if anything happened to Su Su, Ye Hua would absolutely end his life for real to follow her.
Thinking about his words, Cheng Yu was no strategist so she had no plan and nor was she a realist, in fact she was a daydreamer who lived in her own happy world, but seeing the serious expression on his face, one that was normally filled with all manner of mischief, her heart began to race as a new thought began to take hold.
She was the only one he trusted enough to tell his greatest secret to and to Cheng Yu, this demanded attention because Lian Song was not normally one to put himself on the line for anyone, but that was the exact reason why he had gone to her and her alone. He didn't just need someone to offload to, he wanted a partner in crime. He needed someone who would not only tell him that what he was thinking of doing was just and fair, but he needed that someone to assist him, and that meant someone he could trust while also being capable of taking care of herself.
"Alright. What are you planning to do?" she asked which instantly had him drawing her back to the low cushions to sit down.
"I can only assume that the arrival of the birds and the reappearance of Ye Huas star, along with the childs, means his spell collapsed. That means, Mount Junji will be where father will head to first, because that is where Ye Hua left from." he said quietly "When I visited that place immediately after Ye Hua died, there was no trace of him or that Mortal and that will be because of the spell. Only now, there is every likelihood that the trail to where he is now, is open." he said which had her eyes almost popping from her head.
"But if His Majesty has gone there, how will we stop him?" she asked which instantly had a smile rising.
"She had said 'we', which meant she was seeing his problem as hers and that meant she was now on the same page with him and ready to help.
"I say we go to Mount Junji undercover, but hidden. Father will see through our disguises immediately, the others won't, but we have to do something. Maybe we can find the trail that way." he suggested.
Thinking about his suggestion, Chang Yu shook her head slowly. "No. You will get caught, you're essence is too recognizable. Why don't I go. I have the magic of the bee which is any mans language is symbolic for luck" she said as a smile rose.
And on his face a smile even wider grew. She was right, he would never get away with disguising himself from his father, but she would. She was a bee spirit, carefree, bright and cheerful, but she was also righteous, feisty and full of tricks. She would always stand up for the weak and helpless, it was why he had called on her to help him, because he knew if anyone was going to get past his father, it would be her and she would use every manner of trick to get past him. And also because she had a personal score to settle, one he hoped would one day present itself so she could find closure.
Looking at her with soft eyes and a mile wide grin, it was agreed.
"Then wait for me. I will go and see what is happening then come back." she said grinning back at him as the chance to do something exciting gripped her.
"Be careful Cheng Yu. You already know what he is like, he will not forgive you if you get caught." he warned her, but the smile was plastered to her face.
Of course she knew, they both did, but that didn't worry her in the slightest. If she could help Ye Hua, his Mortal wife and their child, then she was more than happy to take the risk.
Leaving him sitting at his low table, she had already taken on her inner form before she passed through the entrance way. Picking up his tea, Lian Songs eyes followed her until she dipped and weaved out of sight, and suddenly the lack of noise, her presence and the light that always seemed to permeate every dark corner that came within a meter of her, left him feeling suddenly bereft and lonely.
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Mount Junji.
For an hour Haode and his guards scoured every square inch for Ye Hua, hi Mortal and their child or even whiff of his essence or magic that might lead him to them, but so far, he had found nothing.
"Keep searching. This house was where he left from." he ordered as he continued to pace about the porch searching the surrounding forest for anything at all. What he noticed upon arrival was the lack of movement. Not a single bird or even a butterfly could be seen, it was as if the entire Mountain was bereft of life.
It was an odd place that straddled both Mortal and Immortal Realms. In the past, The Darklands had once owned it because it straddled both worlds, but over the years, other areas that were vastly rich in resources and wealth soon had them moving on while leaving Mount Junji to the few monsters that continued to roam its enormous forests.
Mortals occasionally moved onto the mountain, but they never lasted more than a couple of nights because the monsters would get them, and from what he had learned, many now viewed the entire Mountain as a forbidden place that belonged to an evil magic.
But recently he had learned that Ye Hua had taken ownership of the entire area for the Celestial Heavens. It was a strategic move, because not only did it border the Mortal Realm, it also bordered several of the Dark Realms. This gave the Celestials an advantage point should the Lower Realms try to influence the Mortals too much, while also giving themselves direct access to their lands should war break out.
But one defining reason why Ye Hua had taken over Mount Junji, was because of its lower energy level of one particular area where the veil was so thin, Mortals and Immortals alike could access each side without too much effort. And for Immortals, it did not require use of ones essence to enter or leave, therefore, as Immortals, they could move freely though the thin barrier of both worlds undetected by the High Realms.
And it was this that Haode was focusing on. He knew for a fact that Ci Hang had been there, he could still feel his lingering essence, but it was only in one particular area, that meant he had not actually left the Mountain, or if he had, it was via a magic that utilized the weak veil that split the two worlds from each other.
And this was a magic he knew nothing about which was infuriating for him, because he had no idea how to break through to where they had gone. Only the moment he sat down in the exact same spot that he could feel Ci Hangs energy, a powerful essence swept though him before disappearing.
Immediately jumping to his feet, his hand raised to read the atmosphere. And as the lingering essence briefly played across the palm of his hand before disappearing, the hairs on the back of his neck rose.
"Mo Yuan?" he whispered in shock as a solitary bee fluttered overhead unseen and unheard.
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Somewhere......
It took Ye Hua less than an hour to explain the spell he had woven over both worlds.
"The reason why it was so easy, is because the house where Su Su lived, is where the veil between both Mortal and Immortal worlds is at its thinnest whereas the rest of Mount Junji becomes stronger in energy the closer you get to the borders of the low and upper realms." he said explaining how the Mount Junji worked.
"So using the low energy to connect to a much higher energy was far easier because, I could do so undetected. Only once I reached a certain point in connecting these two worlds, I then had to create the multitude of false connections to avoid detection, because the energy on this island is exceptionally high, but to also create a near impossible trail to follow." he said bringing it to an end.
Listening and following Ye Huas explanation, Ci Hang was impressed now that he understood the dynamics behind the magic which was exceptional in both ability and knowledge.
"Well the only reason why I was able to remain connected to the thread from that world to this one is because the others began to give way and that brings me back to Su Su. You say she is Mo Yuans Seventeenth Disciple. I believe she is definitely connected to him, because I felt his energy in the room with you when I arrived." he said which then had Ye Hua once again going his spell.
"The Crystal Su Su found, I believe is a piece of his soul. His soul scattered on impact, and by rights, all pieces should have ended up in the chaos, only what I think happened, is on impact, that piece got caught in some kind of energy field as they all scattered. This island is drenched in Divine energy, much like Kunlun Mountain was. It is possible, his soul piece was drawn to it in transit and over the years, the piece became solidified. Only he recognized Su Su and she him at a soul level." he said softly as he quickly began to piece together what had happened.
"It would certainly explain the dream states and forgotten memories, especially the vast amounts of knowledge she has on areas of our world no Mortal should have." Ci Hang said becoming excited at such extraordinary information.
"Ye Hua. Are you aware that his star is now back in the sky?" he asked.
Stunned, Ye Hua gaped at him open mouthed. "What?"
Nodding, Ci Hang was beginning to now understand exactly what had happened.
"It is possible his soul is gathering in our own world, which is why his star is back in the sky. Only he needed this last piece in order to return. Now, that Su Su, or rather his Disciple happened upon the very place where his last soul piece just happened to be, is no mere coincidence, because as you know, I do not believe in coincidences. It was obviously fate that led you here. And it is also odd that your child weakened her enough during pregnancy to perhaps affect your spell." he said as he then began to drum his fingers on the table, something he always did when his mind was solving riddles.
"How?" he asked becoming fearful again but also excited for a mystery that he also wanted solved, because his magic should have held.
"Well obviously the connection between Master and Disciple is very strong, only the seal over her Immortal essence weakened as child birth began to intensify. Mo Yuans soul piece was close enough to her, when the connection began to break. Only it wasn't the child or Su Su who broke it, but rather a combination of three things. First was the childbirth which obviously strengthened her in order to give birth thus weakening the seal. The second was an essence I felt inside the connection which I knew should not have been there." he said looking at him.
"Mo Yuan?" Ye Hua asked having assumed that his spirit piece flew free the moment the connection between both worlds began to crumble.
"No. Not Mo Yuan. Qing Cang!" he said and almost knocking Ye Hua off his seat.