Choices and Consequences

Family Ties (Jiātíng guānxì 家庭关系)

Fuxi seated himself beside Nüwa.  Bai Qian sat beside Fuxi facing both Mo Yuan and Ye Hua.  She helped herself to tea and a mochi.  Mo Yuan was watching Bai Qian as she sat and helped herself to refreshments.  He was surprised with how at ease she was around her parents when he felt in awe in his parents presence. 

Ye Hua's heart was filled with overwhelming happiness and wonderment.  Since Mo Yuan revealed his parentage and their relationship, he held sadness in his heart for not having known his parents.  He often finds himself wishing for a chance to see them especially at times when he feels lonely.   There were occasions that he envied Mo Yuan for the time he spent growing up with their father.  He would have given anything to have had the chance to know them.  Now his wish has  been fulfilled and he looked at the person who made it possible with gratefulness and admiration.  Ye Hua feels a closeness to Bai Qian that he has never felt with anyone else other than Mo Yuan.

Mo Yuan noticed the soft, admiring look in Ye Hua's face while looking at Bai Qian who was oblivious to it as she busied herself with her tea.  A sliver of jealousy cut through his heart.  Mo Yuan has acknowledged that despite his initial distrust and misgivings, his feelings for her have changed.  No woman since Shao Wan has touched him as she has.   She filled his mind after their first meeting.  She is a woman of contrast.  Feisty, intelligent, kind, a great fighter and amazingly beautiful but also mischievous judging from how she laughed at their mishaps with the barrier. He found himself wanting to be with her but also despising the disruption his feelings for her are causing in his orderly life.  His thoughts were disrupted by his mother's mention of his name.

"Mo Yuan, you asked me earlier why I have chosen to gift Qian Qian with my mark.  Now that your father is here, I'll give you my answer.  Qian Qian carries within her an ancient magic gifted only to white nine-tailed foxes.  This magic was passed on to her at the death of her great grandmother Daji who was the first of the white nine-tailed foxes.  That ancient magic allows her to wield the power of the white lotus and she will know when to use it.  Me and your father brought her here after she died in her mortal trial.  Her soul was crossing Hùndùn which allowed us to bring her here."

Bai Qian watched the reactions of the twin as Nüwa continued to explain the reasoning behind her ability to hold and use their mother's mark.  Both listened without interruption but she can see the questions in their mind by the look in their eyes.  

"Your father has taken a part of her soul to anchor her here.  This soul anchor allowed her to bring you here and pass through the barrier.  This will be returned once you leave.  The Upper Heavens has allowed us this one chance to bring you both here because of the prophecy.  When you leave, you will not find this place again."  Nüwa's heart painfully contracted by the look of devastation on their son's faces. 

Fuxi went to his sons and enveloped them in a fierce hug.  There is nothing in this world that they want more than to spend a lifetime with their sons in the immortal realm.  Seeing both of them get married and lead happy, fulfilled lives.  With him and Nüwa spoiling their grandchildren.  But, they accept that their time in the immortal realm has ended having fulfilled the task that they were created for.  It is now Mo Yuan and Ye Hua's time to fulfil their fate.

Seeing the anguish in the twin's faces and the excruciating pain coming through the mark from Nüwa, Bai Qian decided to ask for a break. She thought a break will ease the heightened emotions surging around them.  It will also give Mo Yuan and Ye Hua a chance to spend some time with their parents without her presence.  "Heavenly Mother, May I suggest that we take a break?  I am feeling a bit weak.  Bringing Ye Hua and Mo Yuan here has taken a toll on my cultivation and I need to regain my strength for the journey back." 

"I'm sorry Qian Qian.  I've been remiss.  I should have realised sooner that you need rest to recover from the journey.  Go ahead to the hut.  You know where your room is. We'll resume this discussion after dinner.  Ye Hua, go fishing in the lake with your father.  Mo Yuan, help me harvest some vegetables to go with the fish for dinner."