In Darkness

Fondness

"You're grounding me!?"

"I am. I'd much rather protect you from being harmed in the first place than see you be wounded."

Bai Qian's mouth falls slack slightly as she watches him speak in disbelief, "If that's the case, then we should have our rematch."

The words catch him by surprise. She was in no shape for fighting, neither her overall health nor her cultivation could last very long in her current state. He's given her an elixir pill, but the power it contained wasn't even a tenth of his overall cultivation.

She wasn't strong enough yet to freely walk everywhere on Kunlun Mountain, yet she wanted to put herself up against an undefeatable odd and submit to his offer? Has she fallen on her head, or-

"I know that you're stronger than me right now." Bai Qian's cheeks suddenly color as she avoids his eyes, looking over to the window, "Consider this indulging me if you have to."

It's then that Mo Yuan realizes that Bai Qian might want to lose against him. He's worried about her health, but he sees an advantage in it as well.

"I want you to think carefully about this, first. If we go through with this, I won't allow any negotiating regarding revisiting this matter later on. I'll be careful, but I won't go easy on you."

"I know." Bai Qian meets his eyes, feeling reassured.

She needs to get stronger-

Bai Qian watches as Mo Yuan pulls away and walks over to the door. 

Opening it, he steps outside without another word, erecting a barrier around the room that has her ears ringing slightly during the few minutes he's away. 

She doesn't get up or probe it -- instead, she allows herself to rest when she feels a second wave of exhaustion hit. Just for a little while, she tells herself.

o~O~o

Mo Yuan closes the door quietly. When he realizes that it's Dong Hua waiting for him, with his first disciple seeming conflicted and at his side, he quietly casts a barrier over the room to allow Bai Qian to rest. 

Only two monarchs of Qing Qiu are accounted for -- Bai Qian and Bai Feng Jiu. Although Bai Qian has been phasing herself out to abdicate and grooming Bai Feng Jiu to take her mother's position as Empress of Qing Qiu, Bai Qian was the eldest and most experienced monarch. It was now of critical importance for her to remain within Kunlun Mountain's grasp, as she was the only person able to keep Qing Qiu's citizens from siding with the rebels against the Nine Heavens. She needed to rest and recover fully so that her health won't be at risk when it is time for her to raise arms against Xuan Nv and the Ghost Lord.

There are ways to hide her lost cultivation, but the sudden removal has also caused her body to slow its healing. She can't afford to be weak, so he will personally see to it that she recovers as quickly and as safely as possible.

"Shifu, Lord Dong Hua wishes to speak with her highness."

"Unfortunately, she's just fallen asleep. First," Turning to his senior-most disciple, he speaks quietly even though the barrier is sound-proofed, "Can you go to the Heavenly Realm and ask the Lord of Numinous Treasures to allow us to take some water from his healing springs? It doesn't need to be a lot, just enough to trick a foxes nose when it's diluted."

A foxes nose?

"Should I bring an offering, Shifu?"