Italic text = Personal POV

Bai Qian searched her brain for a good excuse for her abrupt departure, it wouldn't do if she offended him somehow. First, she would thank him profusely for helping her on Yuan Zhen's case. His meticulous plan and insights from Star Lord Shi Ming ensured everything fell smoothly into places. She was beyond impressed with his competence. Ninety thousand years younger than her, he was already able to come up with such a well thought-out plan. When he became the next Sky Lord, the Celestial Clan would be the most prosperous.

She paused for a moment to ponder more deeply; the quill hanging in midair. Ye Hua was also the most astute tactician. At first she was uncertain why would he was willing to help. After all it was his Side Consort who was wronged, even if he insisted he did not have any. Then she met Yuan Zhen, Shao Xin was right about that one. He was such a good fellow; obedient and kind-hearted. It was unimaginable he would try to harass anyone, so it only sounded that he must be accused wrongly or made a scapegoat.

Maybe it had something to do with the long-standing fraud between his parent and the Sky Lord? Considering how insightful Ye Hua was, he must came to this conclusion as well and wanted to intervene the boy's undeserved fate. The boy was his nephew after all.

Besides should anyone bringt this injustice up in the future, he would be able to negate it right away. If Yuan Zhen did not suffered during his time in Mortal Realm, what was there to upset over? To turn over a potential problem into nothing before it even became an issue. Bai Qian approved such a brilliant and well-executed move whole-heartedly. She also congratulated herself on her ability to figure Ye Hua out so beautifully.

After leaving her missive to Ye Hua with Mi Gu, she and Zhe Yan promptly left for the West Sea Palace. On the way he related her how the King of West Sea sought out healers from all over four seas and eight realms just to heal the Crown Prince. Unfortunately, his illness was not something that can be cured. Well, at least until her fourth brother dragged him there to take a look at him.

She simply said it was destined that her senior involved her brother in this matter. If not for him, it would be nearly impossible for them to track down her mentor's spirit so soon. Zhe Yan warned her for Mo Yuan to recover, Die Yong's body must be looked after closely. It would be a fullt-time job. Bai Qian just gave him a shrug. She did not think it was a burden or hardship at all. For her mentor, everything was worthwhile.

When both reached the West Sea Palace, the King was there waiting for them. Zhe Yan introduced her as his Emissary and assured the King she was very skilled in taking care of patients like the Crown Prince. The King looked ecstatic and very much relieved. Bai Qian used her position as his new care taker to make a request.

From now on, no one was to disturb her and her patient. She recited how solitude was critical to nurse the prince back to health. Of course, the King readily agreed.

The Goddess also learned her first senior was still at Kunlun Mountain for some reason unknown. It would be many days before he came back. That revelation was able to put her at ease. Though their mentor was coming back and there was no need for her to hide any longer, she really did not want to explain herself to him.

The King left shortly after introducing her to his eldest son. Bai Qian casted the sleeping spell on him and used the soul searching magic to track down her mentor's spirit, just like Zhe Yan had suggested.

:: Dreamscape ::

Bai Qian was disheartened; she had walked around in this dreamscape for a while and found nothing. Where was that elusive spirit of her mentor? Just as she was about to lose all hope, she heard something.

The Fox Queen paused and listened carefully. The tune sounded vaguely familiar at first. Then she remembered. It was the chant of Lord Buddha she always heard when her mentor was still around. She decided to follow the voice. Maybe he would be there.

There, in the middle of the room, she stood looking forlornly at a body surrounded with white mist. It turned out he was none other than her perished mentor, High God Mo Yuan. Her heart cried out, she was delirious with happiness. It was really him, Zhe Yan did not lie to her.

She sat down close to him, tears ran down her face. The Fox Queen looked upon him with mixed feelings. The once almighty and powerful of God of War was reduced to this feeble fragments of spirit depending on another's just to live on. Anyone else but she and Zhe Yan will not even recognize him. Considering Die Yong frail spiritual power, certainly it would take seven thousand years before the mentor's spirit gaining enough strength to return to his own body.

"Master, I have finally found you. Seventeenth will do anything for you to return quickly. Master, you just wait for me." She vowed to herself and to him.

:: End of Dreamless ::

Her head spun with numerous thoughts and possible scenarios. If she could borrow Celestial Clan's Soul-Gathering Lamp, it would certainly speed up the process. But how would she explain why and whom she was asking it for? It would certainly arouse unwelcome suspicions since all of her immediate family were doing just fine. She had no other close friend; that was a well-known fact. Honestly, she rarely stepped her foor out of Qing Qiu for hundred thousand of years.

Bai Qian thought long and hard but can not find a reasonable excuse, unless she came clean about her being Kunlun Mountain's Si Yin. But that would stirred up a lot of troubles from the past as well. The Celestial Clan no doubt would not be easily pacified.

In the end she decided, no matter the consequences, tomorrow she would go to the Ninth Heaven. Perhaps if she could talk to Ye Hua first, maybe he would lend it to her without probing too much into her business. At least that was what she hope; she closed her eyes and tried to find some sleep.

Outside of the Goddess room, the second prince of the West Sea was pacing back and forth. His handsome face twisted with agitation. When he heard that High God Zhe Yan came to see his elder brother a few days ago, he was worried. He left right after that for Kunlun Mountain. Chang Shan said it was urgent and imperative that he be there. Last night after meeting with his junior, he learned the shocking news of their mentor's possible return. The Prince wasted no more time and rushed straight home.

His father told him Zhe Yan's Emissary asked that no one was to disturb the Crown Prince, claiming it was necessary to his recovery. So he came here to ask if she had made any progress but found the Emissary was still resting. Suddenly, the door behind him opened and a woman came out.

"Emissary?" Die Feng was stunned, this woman's face was very familiar to him.

"Si Yin?" He exclaimed in a tone of incredulity then hastily corrected himself. "No, she is a woman. How could she be Seventeenth? Could she be Xuan Nu?"

Furious that she could be Xuan Nu, he shouted at her harshly. "Speak up! What are you doing in the West Sea?"

Bai Qian let out a long, insufferable sigh; it seemed this confrontation was inevitably now. She stepped closer to him and said, "Senior, it is me. I am your Seventeenth junior."

"You are Seventeenth? You really are Seventeenth?" His voice was skeptical with a tint of hope.

"I am sorry," she blurted out; her head bowed down with guilt.

"I was too hasty back then, I took Master's body with me without consulting any of you. I am too ashamed to see all of my seniors." She admitted.

"Seventeenth, you have kept us searching for years." Die Feng said tiredly with hints of smile on his lips.

He pulled her form to him and held her tightly. "Seventy thousand years and I have finally found you."

Then he pushed her back at arm's length and took a really good look at her. "Why would you disguise yourself as a woman?" he finally asked.

"The maids said that Zhe Yan's emissary is staying here. That is you? Have you been hiding in the Peachtree Woods for all these years?"

"I have always been a girl, senior I only disguised myself as a man to train in Kunlun Mountain."

She fiddled with her dress nervously; fully expecting his explosive reaction. But he just stared at her; like the fact was slowly sank in his mind that she was really a woman. Seeing disbelief written all over her senior's face, she continued.

"I am Fox King Bai Zhi's youngest daughter, Bai Qian. I have deceived my seniors and Master for years. This is all my fault." Her expression was full of regret and sadness.

"You really are a woman?"

"You really are a woman. You... you have deceived us for so long," he said accusingly; then murmured her name again and again.

"No wonder hundreds of years ago when Qing Cang was said to break out of the Bell once again, it was Qing Qiu's Bai Qian who sealed him up. She brought peace to all realms once more. I have always wondered how she knew what to do when only a disciple of Kunlun Mountain should know that magic."

"Good! You have done well," he praised then placed both of his hands on shoulder, padding it a few times to cheer her.

"Seventeenth, answer me now." He looked intently into her eyes. "Where is Master's body? Did you know that recently divine energy soared up in Kunlun Mountain? It is a sign that Master will soon return."

"Really? There are signs in Kunlun Mountain already?" exclaimed Bai Qian.

Her senior narrowed his eyes. "So you already know that Master is returning?"

"I do," she said. "This is the very reason why I am here at the West Sea."

She recounted the story. How Zhe Yan found out their mentor's spirit was now residing inside his elder brother. How his fragmented spirit appeared so weak and needed more cultivation to anchor his returning spirit. Finally, she informed him of her plan to borrow the Soul-Gathering Lamp from the Celestial Clan.

"Do you plan to reveal yourself as Si Yin?," her senior, who sat silent through her rumblings, inquired.

"Not really," she looked abashed. "I hope I could talk Ye Hua around without divesting into my past."

"Unlikely." Die Feng said, then he shared his decision with her. "I will do it. Leave it to me."

"This is about our mentor. I would like to return his kindness as well. He had guided and taught me for so long. As his eldest disciple, this is the least I could do for him."

She conceded then looked thoughtful for a moment and said, "I have an idea, hear me out, senior."

"When you ask them for the Soul-Gathering Lamp, let's just say it was for your elder brother. Everyone knows he has been bed-ridden for a long time. Even the Lord of Medicines could not cure him. If you say that Zhe Yan claimed his illness was borne from damages to the soul, no one would suspect. It fits perfectly with his symptoms."

"Good thinking," he commended his junior's quick-witted. "I will just use that excuse. I have been serving Celestial Clan for many years. It should not be a problem asking for this small favor."

"That is great," she beamed at him. In her mind, she was plotting her next move to ensure he would stay put here and not interrupt her second part of the plan later.

"When you get the lamp, senior, you have to safeguard it for three days and nights. During this time, you can not use any magic to keep the lamp burned. You must watch it carefully; only then Master will be able to wake up."

For one so attentive and determined like her senior, three days without rest should tire him out enough to put him into a full day of solid, deep sleep.

Die Feng nodded in understanding. "What happens after Master's spirit fragments are all gathered?"

"Let us not worry about that for now," she assured him. "Zhe Yan said he know what to do next and I trusted him. I am going to see him now."

After sending her senior off to the Ninth Heaven, Bai Qian felt like a weight has been lifted off her chest. One matter had settled, now it was up to her to retrieve the divine Fungal Grass from Yingzhou of the Eastern Sea. Her next step would be using half of her own cultivation and the cauldron at Kunlun Mountain to make him an Elixir. After all, Zhe Yan said he need stronger and spiritual power to thrive.

Bai Qian got up and went to check the Crown Prince before turning back and leaving. If she timed correctly, she could be back there, just as the three days and three nights vigil ended. Her mentor's return would be hastened, she thought happily.

But she had to retrieve something from Kunlun Mountain first.