In Darkness

Twice Awakening

Ye Hua's figure stands in the darkness, stiff-as-stone as Bai Qian's limp form is chained to the water dungeon hidden away on Kunlun mountain. It was too convenient that Xuan Nu knew about this place. She must have actively looked for it at some point during Bai Qian's wedding.

When Yao Guang died during the demon wars, Mo Yuan simply never bothered to clear out her home. She had no surviving family members and only a few friends; no one ever bothered to claim her belongings.

Now, however, the remaining ruins of her home could very well come back to harm Mo Yuan.

"You," Xuan Nu turns back to face him with a detached expression on her face, as if they hadn't grown up together, "go grab the wine."

For a few seconds, none of either of their underlings know exactly who to obey.

Empty, dark eyes that are nearly as black as pitch lock with Xuan Nu's cold, uncaring gaze.

They agreed to work together, not for one to order the other around.

Xuan Nu approaches him like a predator stalking its prey, "I agreed not to kill her. Don't forget; you still have to fulfill your end of the agreement. I want the royal seal."

When he says nothing further, Xuan Nu turns to two of her subordinates, "Go get the wine."

o~O~o~O~o

Bai Qian's teacher folds her arms shortly after perching on top of a wooden stump. She's brought her student here, asleep and oblivious, for one reason only. 

Above the quiet waters and endless trees that this region of the mortal world is known for, the moon is starting to set. Inevitably, she'd once again need to start hiding from the Celestials again. For now, however, she had something more concerning to attend to.

Fox kits had nearly no ability to survive beyond their charms and stealth. Bai Qian must hone her skills to completion in order to survive.

Waving her hand, she dispels the cloud that the Fox Princess was sleeping on, causing her and her blankets to crash into a lazy river without so much as a second thought. She waits for a moment, counting down several seconds before she emerges, coughing and sputtering out water helplessly.

"Both your celestial and demonic cultivations have improved, however, this is your first attempt at breaching the outside world after the massacre. You're too easy to hunt down." Reaching down towards her feet, she grabs onto a basket filled with peach blossoms and various oils before tossing it over to her. It lands in the water, floating harmlessly in its spot, "You reek of cheap alcohol from the mortal realm. I'm going to forage for food. I expect you won't come out  until you smell like flowers."

o~O~o~O~o

Cold.

Bai Qian instinctively gasps for air when a barrel full of foul-smelling liquid is dumped on her to wake her up. She can't see. A coarse cloth has been thrown over her head to block out light.

The liquid quickly soaks through the cloth, running down her face and into her eyes and mouth.

Her fists clench until they turn white, and she's stopped only by the shackles keeping her in place.

"It took quite a while to find the mortal realms' cheapest alcohol. Unfortunately, the Ghost Lord no longer finds my methods stern enough... He might care about you as much as I do." Xuan Nu's voice fills the room, carrying centuries of hate with it.