Bathed and fed, Su Su and Ye Hua took their time holding the baby who was by that stage asleep and looking very beautiful. His hair was a light sprinkle of jet black fluff and his skin a soft olive complexion which Su Su could not stop kissing. All over his face, she lay little kisses and soft nudges with her nose and lips, while Ye Hua took turns at rechecking his limbs, ears, eyes, fingers and toes to make sure they were still all there.
Finally able to sit, relax and enjoy his wife and son, he was in no hurry to return to his Shifu, but as they themselves had yet to eat, Ye Hua eventually made a move to go and prepare dinner.
"Can't we just stay like this a little longer?" Su Su asked not wanting him to leave and now too shy to return to the main den and a man who kind of scared her.
"You are feeding two Chǒng'ér" {1} he said softly laying a kiss on her soft flushed cheek. "You need to keep yourself healthy because going by the way he just ate, you're going to need plenty of nourishment." he added with a soft smile before rising.
"Ye Hua. You need to rest too. You have not slept in almost a entire day and nor have you really eaten. Please take care of your health too." she said gently as she reached out to squeeze his hand.
She could see he was tired and possibly fed up, seeing as the life he had worked so hard to create had crumbled around him. And though she had plenty more questions, the exhaustion in his eyes had her deciding to just let it all slide for now. They were after all, safe enough and he had made it very clear to her that he was not going to abandon her or their son. She owed it to him, to make the best of what life gave them. After all, the vows she had made to stand by his side through every upheaval, were sacred to Su Su.
"Don't worry Su Su, just take care of yourself and I will be happy." he said suddenly lowering his entire upper half to lean in close. "If I am happy, then all is well and right now, I am very happy." he said as he lay a whisper of a kiss on her cheek. Then trailing his lips across the soft blush that was now rising, he ended it on her lips. Pressing into her a little more firmly, he then drew back to swipe his nose against the tip of her own, before rising back up to look down at her with the softest of smiles.
To Ye Hua She looked so lovely sitting there with their son in her arms which to his mind, was just one more precious memory he planned to paint. And having brought his paints and easel with him, he decided that once things settled, he would begin a diary of their sons life with Su Su as the focal point. But with food to prepare he took a step back.
They could both hear the soft sounds coming from the main den and the smell of food cooking, and the rumbling from her stomach soon had him on his feet and moving towards the door.
"Put him down in the cradle and rest a little Su Su. If you don't want to come out, that's fine I'll bring your meal to you." he said as he then turned and left her to play with the baby a little longer while he took a deep breath before facing his Shifu.
Only the moment he reached the door, her soft voice suddenly began to quote a poem he knew very well, which instantly had the hair on the back of his neck rising.
Slowly turning back, he immediately noticed that Su Sus eyes were once again glazed over. The seal in the middle of her head was throbbing softly as she whispered to their child in an almost song like voice.
There's a bridge that spans two worlds
One is yours and one is mine
Sometimes we meet halfway where the smiles and laughter gather
And I know happiness
But like a half drawn arrow, I ponder. To which direction do I take?
Do I retract to the archer who takes a well worn path of which destiny knows itself?
Or do I escape the bow and take a risk on a dream where I will perhaps awaken?
Is this a bridge that leads me back to the comfort of familiarity?
Or do I follow the biography of one mans fruitless journey to a paradise that does not exist?
Whichever it is, Should I instead choose to remain stagnant in the very centre
Where all dreams and thoughts are lost to a place where the sun shines all year around.
And your smile is the only destination worth following?
It was a poem written by High God Mo Yuan and a classic, which he himself had learned at a young age. It had caused untold debates as to whom he had written it for while others suggested it was merely a whimsical poem that taught the use of analogy which he apparently used regularly in his teachings which forced the mind to consider alternative trains of thought while also seeking higher knowledge in the choices one makes or not.
But as he watched his wife quietly lay their son down into his cradle as she slowly recited the poem word for word, he could not help but wonder, just how much the man must have loved her. Because to his mind, the poem suggested forbidden love which had left him at a crossroads.
With pursed lips, Ye Hua quietly stepped out of the chamber and into the hallway. That there had perhaps been feelings between the two did bother him, but what bothered him more, was the seal. It was definitely weaker, which meant that Si Yin was perhaps fighting to be released and what he also noticed, was parts of Si Yins hidden nature, seemed to erupt when Su Su was either in a state of agitation or at her calmest.
And as if hit by an epiphany, he suddenly had a thought. Was the sealed part of Su Su trying to fight Si Yin back? If so, it seemed to him, that this was her attempt to warn him. He could either risk being caught by a familiar path and that being Grandfather, or he could risk releasing Si Yin for an unknown and dangerous destiny. Or .... he could find that halfway stagnant point to keep Su Su in the safe and happy place that he wanted her to be in.
_____
The Celestial Heavens
Reclined on his resting platform, Di Jun heard the commotion in the corridors slowly begin to waft into his Palace . The sound of clanging armour and running feet, along with the raised voices of several men stampeding passed his Palace soon had his eyes opening as Si Ming rushed through the entrance with his arms raised and his head bowed, and going by the way he was bouncing on the balls of his feet, he knew something momentous had happened.
But being a rather idle God who didn't rush for anything unless Qing Cang himself was breaking free, he merely raised one eye at him while remaining in the same position he was in when his Starlord burst in.
"Lord Di Jun. His Majesty has returned to the Nine Heavens in a critical condition. He was injured by a the sting of a Celestial Bee." he said in a soft rush of air.
"Oh?" he asked looking rather amused by the mans over excited display of concern, considering he knew the Si Ming was not overly fond of Haode. "All this commotion for a bee sting?" he asked waving his hands towards the door as the sounds of the Palace guards running past continued to filter though.
"He is barely breathing and is being rushed to the infirmary." Si Ming explained in his usual soft tone. Only the way Di Jun was acting as if the Skylord had suffered a mere paper cut, confused him. He knew the news was important enough to bring it to his attention, and though Di Jun did rise from his platform, the almost bored expression really did give impression he had indeed been born from a rock.
Saying nothing, Di Jun made his way out into the corridor where several more guards were running in the opposite direction. "Where are you going?" he asked as they all quickly halted to bow at his appearance.
"We have been ordered to find the Lady Cheng Yu who stung his Majesty." one replied with another bow.
"What?" he asked as Lian Song came to mind.
"His Majesty was able to let us know that the Lady Cheng Yu had stung him before he lost consciousness." he replied.
Raising his brows even higher, Di Jun waved him away before picking up the pace to make his way to the Infirmary. If it was true, then he knew without a doubt that Lian Song would aide her and with Ye Hua also missing/presumably dead, and Ci Hang hot on his trail, Di Jun could suddenly see an inside war about to hit.
He had just rounded the final corner of a corridor that would take him to the infirmary when he was joined by Lord Pua who was also making his way to the infirmary having also been notified by his own Starlord.
"Do you know what happened?" Di Jun asked.
"Only that he is in and out of consciousness and had managed to inform the Medicine King that Lady Cheng Yu had used her sting on him. But why, I do not know." he said as the Infirmary came into view.
Entering, both men quickly made their way to his side as the sting was being placed into an onyx bowl. Onyx was a natural absorber of any energy that was placed into it, and one look at the sting, both men knew in an instant that it did indeed belong to Cheng Yu.
Watching as Haodes reddened neck began to swell from the effect of her venom, Di Ju quickly opened his energy, before gently guiding it into the deep, red and swollen wound, while the Medicine King forced an elixir into his mouth. And all the while, the canopy that Haode was lying on, remained hidden from view, only the moment that Di Jun opened his energy, then the sudden flare of dark energy began to swirl outwards.
___
In a deep yet fitful sleep, Haodes dream state felt so real. He was in his true state of mind, where everything, including all sound was visible and audible as if he were awake. It was a vivid dream where he found himself back at the cabin where he remembered everything that had happened. Even then, he knew he was now back in the Celestial Heavens, only his dream had him once again looking at the canopy around the bed.
Only the whispering and sudden feeling of movement within the canopy soon had him leaning in closer to listen. He could hear the thousands of voices whispering back at him, which he understood to be the many who had passed through that cabin over many many centuries. Womens voices that Qing Cang had used to take their cultivation. Their couplings, conversations and even their fear was felt through the connection he was seeing and feeling.
For a long time, he listened as the voices passed through his mind until eventually a long silence took over. But he knew there was more to come. It was an instinctive knowing, as if the dream was purposely drawing out the anticipation, one he could barely keep himself still for.
And slowly the voices of two people began to gather in both speed and intensity.
"Si Yin...!" Qing Cangs voice suddenly broke the silence.
"Leave me alone..." a small voice whispered back in fear and terror.
Stunned, Haodes dream state self, remained silent as that name was suddenly forced into his mind with a rush of rage.
"You dare to hide yourself from me with that man who dares to take a face like his?" Qing Cang whispered in hate and anger.
"Don't touch him!" her voice grew stronger.
"No Celestial can undo your Mortal seal so long as I breathe. And I am breathing." he said as a bolt of energy struck him.
It was not aimed at him but at the one he was calling Si Yin. But in that energy Haode saw the woman birthing a child with his own Grandson on his knees beside her and with the vision came a familiar essence of a man who had also died the day Qing Cang was sealed.
___
{1} Darling.