Eternal Love Once Upon a Time

Chapter 6

After leaving Mo Yuan at Yan Hua cave to get supplies from his hut at the Peach Grove, Zhe Yan hurried over the fox den to mobilise the agreed plan with Mo Yuan and Bai Zhi.

Seeing the exhausted faces of Zhen Zhen and his mother, he held his hand up in greeting instead and went straight to Xiao Wu's room.  Her eyes were red-rimmed and staring blankly into space, unseeing anything but the grief that her clenching heart was feeling.  Zhe Yan approached her, plunked medicine into her tea cup and forced her to drink it without any difficulty, her movements just automatic.  Within seconds, her eyes drooped and he put his hand on her head to guide her to her pillow. After tucking her in, Zhe Yan went back to the open seating area to meet with the fox family and Mo Yuan. A Li, thankfully was fast asleep when his mother arrived so he was blissfully unaware of what happened.

After allowing Mo Yuan a brief glimpse of his Qian Qian and a kiss on the forehead for his son, they set about organising themselves on what lay immediately ahead. Repeating their conversation at Yan Hua cave for Zhe Zhe and Bai Zhen's benefit again yielded the same expressions from their faces: surprise, disbelief, anger, understanding, and finally resolve- to help the two people who, despite the very long road it is taking, deserve to get their happy ending.

After giving Bai Zhen the letter, Mo Yuan and Zhe Yan proceeded towards Kunlun Mountain while Bai Zhi went to the Nine Heavens to meet with Di Jun.

When they arrived at the base of Kunlun, both Mo Yuan and Zhe Yan were surprised to see a number of immortals littered around, and wanting to get a glimpse of the activities.  The dragon Qi had risen as the bell tolled, signaling something big was about to happen and some immortals wanted in on the action.  Not wanting to disturb or be disturbed, they instead head straight to the grand hall where both high gods were surprised to see Kunlun's disciples lined up in two straight columns out front, awaiting the return of their Shifu. All fifteen disciples had their hands together and raised to their chest in greeting. "Welcome home, Shifu." Then they all rushed forward and went down on their knees to bow and kowtow to Mo Yuan.

Mo Yuan's lips slightly curled up in a smile but his eyes were full of emotions at seeing his spiritual sons, all alive and well. "I've kept you all waiting so long.  Stand up." He quietly commanded them and started walking towards the platform, with Zhe Yan following behind.

The disciples assembled back in their kneeling position to formally kowtow after Mo Yuan took his seat at the platform with Zhe Yan on the side.  Then Die Feng spoke.

"Shifu, when Zi Lan told me about the rise in the dragon Qi of the mountain, we immediately call on all our brothers to prepare for your return, even if we were unsure exactly when.  For seventy thousand years, we searched everywhere for you in the hopes that you would return as you had promised before you saved us from the Bell of the East Emperor,"

Zi Lan, who was still tearful because he still had a hard time believing that their Shifu was finally back, added, "Shifu, I also have something to say.  When your body went missing, Seventeen also disappeared.  I have gone everywhere in the mortal realms to look for him but I fear he is dead." His cheeks became wet with tears for the youngest brother with whom he often quarrelled but loved regardless.

Mo Yuan looked at Zhe Yan before facing his spiritual sons.  "Thank you for all your sacrifices.  I know the last seventy thousand years have not been easy for all of you and I appreciate that you went out of your way to search for me.  When I sacrificed my energy to the Eastern bell, my soul scattered in the chaos and it has taken me all these seventy thousand years to piece them all together before I could return. That I even have a body to return to is owed to your Seventeenth brother, Si Yin. Had I been buried at the Sea of Innocence without the soul jade, my body would have decomposed. Si Yin is a nine-tailed fox, only not male, but female. Si Yin is in fact the only daughter of the fox emperor, Bai Zhi, whom our brother and close friend Zhe Yan brought to Kunlun to learn discipline since her family could not get her under control. They brought her to me as a last attempt because she had a big responsibility to take when she grew up. Si Yin you will now know is Queen of Qing Qiu, High Goddess Bai Qian, saviour of realms who sealed the Bell of the East Emperor three hundred years ago."