A Trial by Halves

A Race Against Time.

Deep in the recesses of his mind, Mo Yuan heard the faint whisperings of a zither tune.  Its sad, melancholy melody drifted in and out of his consciousness. Small parts of a tragic tune slowly began to filter through until eventually the haunting strain that suddenly left him feeling bereft and lonely began grow louder, more insistent.  Only the longer he forced himself to focus on the melody, one he knew he had once known, the feeling of helplessness that had briefly overwhelmed him began to lift as a presence close by broke though the fog in his mind until he was able to fully focus on it.  

The melody was indeed one that he knew, and as that presence grew stronger, the melody itself began to change.  He wasn't sure when he had begun to hear it, but it had been some time, only he was too focused on the gathering of his soul to give it any attention, but as the presence grew stronger and more insistent in breaking though whatever barrier Zhe Yan had raised around him, the melody became less depressing and more melodious until eventually the entire tune was playing out in his mind along with the many memories it brought with it.

In a Lotus Pond on Kunlun Mountain sat a Golden Lotus which his father had given him to raise, nurture and protect and surrounding the water flower was a melody that accompanied it.  It was always there, and though one could ignore it if they didn't want to hear it, Mo Yuan never did.  He never grew tired of the tune or the Golden Lotus that he poured daily energy into in order to sustain it, and after a while, he learned to play the melody so he could increase the bond between himself and the soul that rested peacefully within its petals.

Only now, not only could he feel the power of that soul closing in on him, the melody that he had memorized by heart now had harmony, as if the score that he knew and the score that presence held was reaching for perfect harmony and for a moment, Mo Yuan felt as if his presence was literally wrapping him up in his Golden Petals and protecting him, nourishing him and sustaining his very soul with his own life force.

In fact, that is exactly what Ye Hua was doing.

Having woken up from a powerful hit to his head and fighting to leave, not only had Zhe Yans Phoenix energy fully enveloped his body, but Ci Hang had been hovering over him and waiting for his eyes to open so that he could share what he had just learned from Zhe Yan.

"Ye Hua.  Su Su, Si Yin is Bai Qian.  Your legal wife and Mo Yuans Disciple." he said in one long rush of breath the moment Ye Hua tried to sit up only to find himself bound.

"I know that Shifu, it is why I need to go home so I can have her released." he cried out only to feel the pressure of ZHe Yans essence forcing him back down.  

For a brief moment, Ye Hua delved into that essence and immediately felt the old Phoenix was weak so he could easily break free, only something in his eyes had him stilling his movements.  He had met High God Zhe Yan a few times over the years, only the last time had been when he had accepted the marriage alliance between himself and Queen Bai Qian and rather than the eyes of a man who seemed to find humour in everything, these eyes looked desperate and suddenly it hit him.

Zhe Yan was not just the High God of the Peach Tree Woods, he was a father figure to his wife, the one who did all the talking when the alliance was made and a very close friend of Fox Clan, a man he now knew could help him.

Sensing the boy relaxing against his energy, Zhe Yan quickly withdrew it because the effort had literally exhausted him.

"Ye Hua, listen to me.  I am too weak to continue with the soul lamp.  I lost much of my cultivation gathering the fungal grass, and I know you felt how weak I have become.  If Mo Yuan is to return and save Xiao Wu, I am going to need your assistance." he whispered breathlessly and to Ye Hua eyes, he looked close to collapsing.