Fate Begins (缘起) **ON HOLD**

Chapter 7: Gratitude

Di Jun immediately halted everyone's steps.

"We cannot enter through the traditional route as Duan Liena will certainly draw attention to herself and us. We will aura travel to where Li Xiang is being held.  Lian Song will lead the way."

Lian Song nodded, and before anyone could say or do anything, they felt solid pulsating energy coming from Liena.

With even and calming breaths, her chest rose as her posture straightened.  Her aura expanded, and a small crown appeared on the top of her head. Her long white hair was braided to one side; her white ascension gown transformed into a brilliant and sparkling azure gown with pearly-white trim made of smooth dragon scales, delicately and tightly draping her feminine curves and features like liquid silk and accentuating her full bosom. She looked gloriously ethereal and magnificent as she strode calmly towards the four Gods standing in front of her, who were now staring at her with their jaws on the ground.

"Keep your thoughts to yourself, Lian Song," Mo Yuan said as he looked at Lian Song.

Liena smiled warmly at all of them and wrapped them into her aura, and in less than a minute, they landed in the deeply hidden chamber of the grand beast hall where Li Xiang was being held.

"Stay close. Mèimei is somewhere behind those doors. I will need all of you to help keep the guards back and away from me so that I may complete the final cleansing spells to lift the curse and complete Li Xiang's human transformation," Liena said softly.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"And lastly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for being here for Li Xiang and I. Your support and care for us thus far have been admirable," Liena said with heartfelt gratitude. 

She took a few steps back and slowly kneeled to kowtow to each of them.

In shock, they did not know what to do or say. They reached their hands out to her to lift her to her feet. They wouldn't allow her to kowtow to them in such a manner.

Mo Yuan quickly moved in and encircled his arm around hers, and pulled her close to him. 

"Please be careful and stay close to me. I will only be one step behind you and I won't let anyone or anything hurt you and Li Xiang. Promise me you'll be careful?" Mo Yuan whispered.

"I promise," Liena replied as she smiled and nodded.

She brought her finger to Mo Yuan's forehead and delicately traced a spell onto it. To Mo Yuan, it felt like she touched his forehead as a subtle sign of affection. It wasn't until she smiled and he heard her voice inside his head before he also returned her smile.

"You shouldn't have done that," Mo Yuan whispered playfully with a subtle smile.

Liena heard his affectionate thoughts and she blushed.

"In case we get lost inside," she replied.

Mo Yuan leaned his face into hers, but she gently pushed him away with both hands and turned toward the double doors leading to where Li Xiang was calling out to her. Liena could hear her whimpers, screams, and heartbreaking cries.  Her mèimei knew she was close by.

"I will collect later when we get out of here," Mo Yuan spoke into her mind.

Liena turned and winked at Mo Yuan, acknowledging what he'd said.  She then marched forward and cast her arms to her sides as two magnificently beautiful weapons extended out from her arms.

Di Jun, Mo Yuan, Lian Song, and Zhe Yan once again stared at her in awe before Di Jun broke the silence. 

"Weaponized Primordial Spirits and built-in internal arsenal of weapons," Di Jun said with excitement in his voice.

"Looks like your scrolls are accurate historical records and not fairytale legends.  And there are only two of them in existence," Mo Yuan replied with amusement and admiration.

Zhe Yan looked at Mo Yuan and Di Jun and rolled his eyes. 

"Could the two of you stop behaving like toddlers and take this situation seriously? There will be plenty of time for all of you to get properly acquainted. Right now, we need to get Li Xiang out of here," Zhe Yan calmly scolded.

"Where are Lian Song and Duan Liena?" Di Jun asked.

"They've gone ahead," Zhe Yan said.

Mo Yuan immediately stormed ahead and yelled out for her through their new mind connection.

"LIENA!"

~~ Lian Song & Duan Liena POV ~~

Lian Song followed Liena after she pulled him along with her when Di Jun, Mo Yuan, and Zhe Yan were bantering.

She didn't have time to waste nor explain things, but she knew Lian Song would play a vital role in helping her save Li Xiang. His father was Hao De, the Heavenly Lord who captured and imprisoned her mèimei.  Hao De's blood coursed through him, and she would need it to ensure Li Xiang and everyone she now had met and come to care for made it out alive.

"Lian Song, I will need a couple of drops of your blood to break the shackles your father placed on my twin. It is the only way we can remove them. Either that, or we force your father to remove them himself. There's no other way," Liena said with a subtle smile.

"You are a kind and brilliant man, Lian Song. Today will not be the first, nor the last time our paths will cross. There are many events and interactions in the future where mèimei and I will seek your counsel and support to maintain peace not only in your world but throughout many other worlds and realms. I look forward to our continued friendship and the many great things we will achieve together for the sake of peace," Liena concluded before bowing to Lian Song.

Lian Song looked at Liena with great respect and admiration. The High Goddess standing before him was indeed one in a million, he thought. He would gladly swear his allegiance and help her and her mèimei in any way he could. He knew from what he had witnessed thus far, Duan Liena was no ordinary Immortal or High Goddess. She was much more than that.

"Liena, I thought you said only a couple drops of blood? That's a liter right there!" Lian Song exclaimed with a slight chuckle teasing her.

"Song'er, it's not a liter. You exaggerate too much. It's barely a cup," Liena replied with a chuckle.

"Well, a cup is still a lot more than a couple of drops! I'm feeling lightheaded all of a sudden; I think I'm going to die," Lian Song replied with eyes closed, feigning passing out before his slight chuckle gave him away.

"Quit being such a baby! I numbed your wrist, and you didn't feel anything. I already healed you, and there's no scar. See!" She replied with a happy smile while pointing to his wrist.

"Now isn't the time to play around, Song'er," she said with a smile and a slight pinch to his arm.

"Oww! You're hurting me now," he replied with a pout while rubbing his fingers across the spot Liena had just pinched.

"Oh, stop it! Now come, please. We don't have all day. I'll make it up to you later and bake you some sweets when we get out of here, deal?"

She smiled and patted his head before walking ahead of him.  He giggled and nodded his head before running after her in tiny.

Lian Song gazed at her with a deep sense of respect and admiration. He decided right then and there he and this High Goddess would become friends for life, and he would do everything in his power to protect her and her mèimei. Now, if she also plays Weiqi too, they will be best friends for life, he thought.

"I'm a Weiqi Grand Master. I look forward to playing with you," she replied, giggling.

"Hey!  Did you just read my thoughts Liena? That's not fair!" He exclaimed while pouting profusely and refusing to budge.

Liena took plodding steps back towards him. 

"Stop pouting, Song'er. It doesn't suit you. Now, let's go!" Liena replied with a smile as she petted his head again.

Encircling her arm around his, they skipped away like two little children.  Lian Song was smiling from ear to ear.