Heart's Blood

The Return

The bell of Kunlun Mountain rang out far and wide announcing the return of High God Mo Yuan, the God of War and the eldest son of Father God. The sound could be heard in the Four Seas and Eight Wildernesses.

Mo Yuan came to inside of a cave, eyes working to focus on his surroundings as he sat up slowly. It was dim and cold but he could see light filtering in from the entrance just beyond. Judging from the rock formation, he was in Qing Qiu of all places. Seventeenth.

The thought was immediate and all consuming. He was in Seventeenth's home but where was she? He half expected her to be kneeling in front of him but the cave was empty save for the vase filled with fresh peach blossom branches. Its light fragrance reminded him of his youngest and most beloved disciple who was also the only daughter of a man he thought of as his brother, the Fox King, Bai Zhi. If he was here in Qing Qiu, then something must've happened after his soul scattered. Wouldn't Seventeenth be the first to know he'd awaken and come to greet him?

How much time had passed since he last saw her? He longed to see her wondering how she'd grown up or stayed the same. His heart ached to gaze upon her, but her absence was alarming to say the least because he was just short of panicking without his little fox.

"Mo Yuan, you're finally awake." Came a familiar voice interrupting his inner thoughts. "You've returned after seventy thousand years. Not a long time but definitely not a short one either, Ge." Zhe Yan came closer with a Bai male who looked very similar to his Seventeenth. If he remembered correctly, this was Seventeenth's favorite brother, Bai Zhen.

"Where is Shi Qi?" Mo Yuan's concern was evident in his voice and his chest was already filling with dread in her absence. He was processing all the scenarios as to why she was not there silently. Did something happen to her? Father God forbid, did she marry? Was he too late and she moved on?

Bai Zhen shared a look of unspoken words with Zhe Yan who smiled gently as he looked back at Mo Yuan. "You've only just woken up. Let's take it slowly."

Mo Yuan brought his legs over the edge of his stone bed and shot a look at Zhe Yan that demanded an answer. His weak body was just that, weak, having lost most of his powers to subdue the Eastern Desert Bell and using the rest to piece back his soul. Mo Yuan felt Zhe Yan's cultivation inside of him because he knew Zhe Yan's energy very well, but there was something else coursing through his body he couldn't quite pinpoint. It was a body-sustaining energy that lingered throughout his soul, gentle and pure in magic. What was it and why did it feel very familiar too?

"Xiao Wu isn't here because she's in the mortal realm for a...trial." Bai Zhen explained not giving away more than what was required in place of Zhe Yan's reluctant silence.

His little Seventeenth was undergoing a tribulation. The last time she ascended to High Immortal, it was with his help and he wondered if she was strong enough to endure this ascension alone. He was right to worry about her because when did she ever give him reason not to? Even on Kunlun Mountain, if he didn't see to it that she ate her meals on time, she would eat just a handful of nuts all day and become stick thin if left to her own devices. He had a thousand more questions but Zhe Yan was already turning to leave the cave expecting him to follow.

When Mo Yuan entered the fox den, both the Fox King and Queen were in residence. They greeted him with a mix of warm welcome and trepidation. His concern for Seventeenth was starting to border on panic at their despondent faces. After the tea was served, Mo Yuan could no longer hold his silence. He opened his mouth but was promptly interrupted by none other than the very person who refused him answers earlier.

"I know you want to ask about your Shi Qi." Zhe Yan said hurriedly. "This is a somewhat complicated story, are you sure you want to hear it now?"

All eyes focused on Mo Yuan. Of course he wanted to hear it now. It was the only thing on his mind and the only thing he wanted, needed to talk about at present.