Trials Of The Heart

Chapter 24

When Dong Hua got back to his palace. He looked at the blue hair pin and the bells. He hated himself for the things he said that day. 'I let my fear control my feelings. I knew that I had loved her even then, but I lied to her... Of course she wouldn't easily forgive me.'

He tried to think of what he could do to restore some of her trust. He thought back to the mortal realm and wondered what he could do to show her his honest feelings. He knew what he needed to do and quickly prepared.

The next day Fengjiu was sitting next to her Aunt by one of Zhe Yan's big peach blossom trees. Her Aunt saw how she looked upset. She commented, "It must be hard to wake up and find many things have changed."

"Yes...it's confusing," Fengjiu admitted. She looked at her Aunt, and noticed how she was glowing. She thought to herself, 'My Aunt looked so happy and well loved...I'm happy I made the sacrifice. It will worth it, for this moment.'

"Dijun was here everyday for 3 years, as I am sure you know...but there is something you don't know," Her Aunt stated. She turned to look at her Aunt curiously. Her Aunt explained, "Dijun gave you his blood everyday so that your primordial spirit would wake up. He has never in his 500,000 years of existence...never let anyone consume his blood. Mo Yuan had only been able to take drops and see what it did for animals, after begging for years."

Fengjiu looked at her Aunt shocked, 'He had given me his blood...'

"But..." Fengjiu could not speak.

Her Aunt sighed. "Let me show you what happened after you died." Her Aunt put her hand on Fengjiu's head and used a bit of her cultivation to share memories with her. Her Aunt showed her memories of his face and the words he said right after she died. How over 3 years he came without fail and always kissed her forehead before leaving, how he always placed new flowers by her bed every few days. He wanted to stay by her side all the time, but her family always told him to leave because it was improper.

She was stunned. 'He had seemed to be so worried about me. This was the complete opposite of how I thought he would react.' She asked herself. 'Then why had he truly said all those harsh words?' She knew she would have to ask him eventually or she would go mad.

Fengjiu told her Aunt, "Thank you."

Her Aunt smiled. "I was once told by a naughty Xiao Huli that I should forgive Ye Hua and not take any moment for granted. I think you should do the same." Fengjiu was quiet. Her Aunt admitted, "If not for the past 3 years...I would have told you to tell Dijun to kick rocks, but he is very true to you."

Fengjiu stood up and sighed. She knew it would be best to visit Dijun and talk. When she got back to the fox den, she was going to tell her parents she was going to visit Dijun. Then she saw Dijun materialize. She walked over to him confused. "Dijun. What are you doing here?"

Dong Hua smiled at her. "Would you be willing to go somewhere with me, Jiu'er?"

Fengjiu looked at him suspiciously. "Willing to go where?"

"It's a surprise," Dijun said with an innocent smile.

The look on his face surprised her. He had always seemed to have limited facial expressions, but right now he seemed to have plenty. It was as if he was Emperor Ling again, the open version of himself. She was so mesmerized, and found herself nodding.

Dong Hua saw Bai Qian standing behind Fengjiu. He instructed, "Tell everyone I am taking Jiu'er with me for a while. We are going somewhere special."

Fengjiu saw her Aunt nod and Dong Hua teleported them. She looked around when they materialized. She thought to herself, 'They were in the mortal realm?' She asked out loud, "Why are we in the mortal realm?"

Dong Hua told her, "You will see." Then he made them invisible and took her to the old palace that they had stayed in so long ago.

She felt like she was going on a journey to the past. Everything looked similar and yet so different from the last time she had been here. No longer were her blue flowers thriving. Everything seemed newer, and she could tell that the new owner must have wanted to update the palaces.

Dong Hua then teleported them to the village where the magic users used to live. She saw it was abandoned. Dong Hua explained, "I looked into what happened with the magic users. It looks like you got your wish. Magic users have been living in harmony with non magic users for a long time now. There is no need for them to live separately anymore."

Fengjiu smiled at this, she was so glad that things were much better than when she had arrived all that time ago. She was sure Goddess Of Fate was happy about this too.

Dong Hua then teleported them back to the palace, but this time it was where Fengjiu and mortal Prince Ling had stayed before he become Emperor. She looked around and finally saw a couple grave stones alongside the room she had stayed in. She knelt down and felt tears leave her eyes. On the grave stone was written, Empress Yue Mi  the stone showed her birth and death day. Then it read, Daughter of Empress Fengjiu & Emperor Ling.

Dong Hua watched as she broke down and cried. He used magic to put flowers all around the graves of her and her family. After she slowed her crying he told her, "I found out she ended up with 5 children. They all lived a happy life together. She died and they all held her hand." Then he admitted, "I also came to be here when she died. I made sure to go into her dreams and tell her how much we love her."

Fengjiu looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Thank you. I wish I could have been there to see her one last time."

"I never admitted this before...but I did love her, Jiu'er. She was like a daughter to both of us," Dong Hua explained. He wanted her to know he truly did have feelings, unlike what he told her that day.

Fengjiu stroked the flowers. "I'm glad she lived a good life and continued on the work that we did."

Dong Hua nodded and let Fengjiu stay for a bit longer. After a while he asked, "Can I show you one more thing?"

Fengjiu stood up, she knew deep inside she had made peace with Yue Mi's death. 'Yes, it would always hurt and I would always carry the memory of Yue Mi in my heart.'

She nodded, "All right."

Dong Hua then materialized them at the marketplace. She recognized it. He stated, "This was the place when I first saw you with my mortal eyes. This is also the place I released fireworks to prove my love to you." She heard fireworks start to go off and she looked up in the sky with amazement, then there were pink petals floating in the wind. She knew the meaning of the petals. He said, "I'm telling you right now Bai Feng Jiu. I lied to you that day. I was so afraid of destroying everything. If you hadn't..." He couldn't say the word died. "I would have given in. There is no way I would have been able to stay away from you. But I am here now and I am crazy in love you and I swear to never lie to you again." He swallowed hard. "I've never told anyone that I loved them. Only you."

Fengjiu felt a smile slowly come over her face and she jumped into his arms. She placed her face on his shoulder and held him tight. Then she wrapped her legs around his waist.

Dong Hua let out a sigh of relief. She had forgiven him. He could not survive without her, and he knew that. 'What was life when I didn't have my Bai Feng Jiu?'

He slowly put her down and used magic to summon her bells and hair pin. He put the hair pin inside her hair and wrapped the bells around her ankle. He stated, "I want to stay with you always."

Fengjiu nodded with happiness and he pulled her into his embrace. They watched as the fireworks exploded beautifully into the night sky.