Fate's promise

Chapter 3: The gap between past and future

Mo Yuan, the years before Bai Qian

Mo Yuan stood in Peach Blossom Woods, deep in thought. A century ago, in his mind's eye he had seen eight deep pools nestled within the grove, the largest of which would be fed directly by a waterfall whose source was the underground waters of Kunlun. Thinking back now, he knew he had allowed himself a luxury no one would believe him capable of wanting...

He'd found himself talking to a person he knew was yet to be born: "I'll make you a bathing pool deep enough to swim in but shallow enough to be heated or cooled, with a recessed seating and sleeping area in the water so we can let the energy run in waves to maximise our pleasure. Some of the trees will overhang the pools so you'll have shade whenever you want, with branches wide enough to sleep on above the pools and over the gardens. I haven't decided what yet but the training pools will have their orchard of sturdy trees too – with training platforms at different heights and depths. No one will find their way into our sanctuary but just for us, I'll carve a seclusion space hidden from view there behind the waterfall. A perfect paradise."

Mo Yuan's rich brown eyes unclouded from a dream he had come to believe was not meant for a God of War. The reason he had come today was to try something his father had talked about with him. The crossroads at the core of worlds he called it – the axis mundi.

Tiandi: Everything has a connecting energy within it – a unique signature to it which is its qi. This qi radiates out from the axis mundi, the core of the worlds. Through cultivation, practice and training, qi from this core can be channelled to nurture, strengthen and heal everything and everyone within the realms. As the only son born to your mother, you alone can reach into it and connect the sacred spaces of our world. While he is our son too, your Golden Lotus brother has a different path than yours. Though I wish it were not so, you will face many battles my son. As the next God of War, using your essence to connect places between the realms will be your strongest weapon and a way to protect everyone, everywhere, all at once. The more connections you make between different places in the realms the more healing and nourishing areas you will have available to be used in times of need.

The closest route to this core was through energy lines in and around Kunlun Mountain. Being their only born son, Mo Yuan could reach into this core and connect with it but it was a connection he would need to make with his soul rather his level of cultivation.

Having found what he knew was the perfect spot, Mo Yuan began to channel the core energy into the air and earth around him. The Master of Kunlun took the peach tree seed out of his robe and placed in on the ground in front of him. It's second half had been planted on Kunlun one year ago. Drawing the line between his tree in Kunlun and this seed in Peach Blossom Woods, Mo Yuan began to gently channel his soul essence into seed, helping it take root here and in Kunlun. The first part was done. It would be years before he would know if it had worked but he felt the same joy he got when he created artifacts of power. Although he knew that no number of healing places he created would make up for the destruction the Bell of the East Emperor could cause if released Mo Yuan vowed that he would connect more places to his essence in the hope – and for salvation even – that a balance might be achieved.

Once he tested his theory of connection between the waters running throughout their world, he planned to gift Bai Zhi and Zhe Yan with nurturing waters on their own lands. Di Jun had also promised to help create the connection between Taichen Palace, Lord Pua's Lightning Realm, Lord Lao Tingbao's Realm of Supreme Purity and the lotus ponds that fed the Celestial Heaven. Both lords had readily agreed to it once Di Jun has explained the theory.

Mo Yuan's plans included areas in the Mortal realm too. Just today, he had found a secluded place near a river on Mount Junji in the Far East. He had already begun building a cottage there.