Peach Orchard Dreams 💔

Prologue

Dedication: Thank you miz_lou for encoraging me to write and giving light to the story I most wanted to see combining my favorite worlds, which is truly awesome. Gratitude to @TRex for inspiring me to write a story utilizing my particular training - I am so in the journey with the fox and her librarian and Mogu and Scarface. coldpop77 and _star_shine_2004_ your story reminded me how much I love mythology and I cannot wait to read more  You inspired me to research again and pit my ADHD hyperfocusing to good use. To all DongFengers, I have read your work and your work matters. I hope to not copy anyone, so please catch me if I do not give credit to a unique idea in our writing community. This is for joy. I was an English teacher, so if there is a mistake it is because I am human and writing is mostly for myself and our super compassionate community. Comments always welcome to inform ideas.

Prologue

"The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent." – Sun Tzu

The flying figure had pale peach robes.

Dong Hua, Tian Shu, and Lian Song were trying to hold Ye Hua back from going to save Bai Qian. Ye Hua had just fought Qing Cang. His cultivation was so low that he had fainted from the loss of blood. After he lost consciousness the enchanted ropes restraining Bai Qian had broken.

"You cannot save her Ye Hua. She made her choice. Her cultivation is strong. She may be able to return like Mo Yuan." Bai Qian had just come from Qing Qiu and she was determined to sacrifice herself. She was mere yards from the bell at this point.

On looking back, Dong Hua had thought it was odd. Instead of looking at Ye Hwa, Bai Qian had gone to him once she arrived at the shore after Ye Hua fainted. She had pulled on his arm. He drew back with a start. Few would dare to touch him, but Qing Qiu's royal family were not known for their formalities. He had been at Ruoshui River after Su Jin informed the Nine Heavens of Qing Cang's escape from the bell to find Ye Hua and Qing Cang locked in heavy combat.

"Make sure Ye Hua stays safe," she had implored him. He remembered nodding and secretly thinking how relieved he was that it was Bai Qian here and not his Jiu'er. Feng Jiu had finally listened to him. They had been together in the heavenly court when SuJin arrived. She must have retrieved her aunt Bai Qian and stayed with Si Ming as he had requested because Bai Qian had arrived soon after Dong Hua. If he were thinking, he would have known something was amiss from that action alone.  If only he had his cultivation back. He would have been able to see through her spell.

"Oh." He replied.

It was at this moment that everyone realized Qing Cang had used his time of entrapment to set up the bell to self-destruct with him. Without an immortal sacrifice, the bell would release crimson hellfire upon the Eight Realms. before anyone could stop her, Bai Qian flew up the mawing jaws of the bell. It was then something quite unexpected happened. They all braced themselves for the impending hell-storm. There was a beam of light and then everything just stopped.

The pale figure fell out of the sky. Her peach robes blew in the wind.

Ye Hua stopped struggling as Zhe Yan and Bai Zhen let go of his arms.

She had fooled them all.

"Jiu'er!" Dong Hua's agonized shout broke the silence. He flew to grab the slight form of Bai Feng Jiu.