For the next three days not much had changed, visitors still came and went. All disciples were busy playing host and couldn't spend time together. When the last group of immortals departed, their mentor ordered them to close down the mountain for the day. Bai QIan was preparing the tea for her mentor. The other disciples were chatting and laughing among themselves, not far away.
"Master, here's your tea," she presented the cup to her mentor.
He turned his face to look at her and reached his hand out. Somehow their hands touched and lingered over the cup. Her cheek turned slightly red at the intimate gesture. She retracted her hand quickly. She eyed her mentor shyly as he put the teacup to his lips, then slowly made her way to join the rest of the disciples. They were talking amongst each other about what had been happening in their lives for the past seventy thousand years.
Die Feng, the first senior, seemed to have the most exciting stories to tell. He did spent many years waging the wars with the Mermaids Clan anyway.
"Seventeenth, seventeenth, hurry, come join us," her seniors urged.
As she sat down at the table, Zi Lan said, "Tell us what you did for these past years. It is said that Bai Qian hardly stepped out of Qing Qiu. Is that true? You? Normally you can't even stay put for a few days."
"I am a bit shocked, you know." He put a hand on his heart dramatically. "Are you sure you're really Seventeenth. And not a fake?"
She hit him playfully, "You wish."
"So any stories?" Zi Lan asked again.
"No, my life is pretty mundane. Nothing much going on in Qing Qiu," she replied.
"Yeah, except the one day you went on to seal Qing Cang," Zi Lan said sarcastically.
"Yes, that's right," said her other senior. "I heard that a beautiful High Immortal went to Ruoshui riverbank that day. Later Lord Tong Hua said Qing Cang was already sealed once again and there was nothing to worry anymore. "
"But no one know exactly what happened that day." Zi Lan said. "Only that it was Bai Qian who managed to do it."
"Well, it is just as the stories that went around. I sealed him and suffered some injuries," she shrugged. "Then I slept a couple of hundred years to recover. There's nothing much to talk about," she concluded.
"Ai, give us a little more detail, Seventeenth," someone said exasperated.
"I don't remember much of what happened either, you know," she said defensively. "Only that I was hit with his dark energy. The last thing I remembered, I was falling through the air."
She lift the teacup to her lips then continued. "Then I woke up 300 years later in my bed. Fourth brother said when Feng Jiu brought the Sealing Scroll back to Qing Qiu, they knew immediately what I tried to do. But they were too late to stop me."
"After searching for me for a long while, they found me injured and unconscious. Then they brought me back to Qing Qiu. And that's it," she concluded her story.
"And that's it?" Zi Lan said, not impressed at all.
"You must have advanced in your training to be able to subdue Qing Cang," said the tenth senior.
"Yes, that's unbelievable considering that she always slacked off when she was here."
The rest of her seniors nodded vigorously and laughed, ignoring Bai Qian who was making a sour face at them.
"Seventeenth," Zi Lan called out suddenly before sending strong burst of energy at her. "Catch this!"
Everyone else laughed expecting her to easily rebuff the playful, surprise attack and retaliated against Zi Lan with one of her own. She always got back at him after all.
"Huh?" Bai Qian was distracted and didn't see it coming but Chang Shan, the second senior did. He shouted a warning at her.
No one could foresee how the High Goddess would be affected by the hit. She deflected the attack at the last moment but, some strayed energy inevitably hit her. She coughed up a bit of blood.
"Seventeenth!" The elder seniors rushed to help her. Zi Lan looked stricken for a moment. He didn't mean to hurt her. That feeble energy shouldn't be able to hurt her at all.
"Seventeenth," he sat down by her side. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to."
"It's all right, Senior Zi Lan. I was just distracted earlier," she said.
"Seventeenth, were you injured?" asked Die Feng. He felt ashamed. He should have paid closer attention to his youngest junior. After all, she did exhausted herself taking care of both their mentor and his Brother.
"Seniors, please stop. Really, it was just old injuries." She smiled, trying to make light of the situation. "You know I'm always such a lazy girl. After sealing Qing Cang, I've lost a bit of my strength and didn't bother to train. And I had a few petty run-ins after that, so I'm a little bit behind."
Bai Zhen who was quietly playing chess with Zhe Yan decided to speak up. "Don't you know these days the Goddess is so mighty that she called fighting a host of Grand Ziming Palace, a petty attack?"
"What!" Die Feng exclaimed. "Seventeenth, was that Li Jing? I know he sent his people scattered across the realms, looking for you."
"No, I had met him already. It was someone else," she said.
"A particular queen perhaps?" Die Feng's face darkened.
"That despicable woman again?" Zi Lan looked disgusted. "She deserved what she got in the end. What did she do anyway?"
"Uh, nothing much, you know, she took something of mine. I went there to take it back. That's all, really," she said quickly not wanting to elaborate.
"Yes, until Mi Gu came to the West Sea to find us. He almost dragged me and your fourth brother back to Qing Qiu, claiming you were unconscious and dying." Zhe Yan said before adding another piece on the board. "We were both very intrigued."
"You were injured that badly?" Zi Lan looked once over her.
"The old phoenix was just exaggerating," she denied. "I was up and about the next day. Don't listen to him."
"If you say so. If you say so," Zhe Yan repeated. He glanced sideways to look at Mo Yuan who rested quietly at the back of the hall. His hand were holding the teacup, a small frown appeared on his face.
Bai Qian noticed her mentor getting up from his seating and was about to follow him. But Zhe Yan called her back and said it was about time for him to rest. She looked reluctant before going back to join with the rest. With all visitors coming and going, she and her mentor had little time to chat. And she missed talking with him.
Later that night, Zhe Yan dropped by Mo Yuan's room to check up on him.
"You're still awake?"
"Hn."
"Shouldn't you meditate?" Zhe Yan sat down. "What is it, this time?"
But Mo Yuan still said nothing. He seemed at a loss, a sight that became increasingly familiar these days. "Ask away," Zhe Yan sighed, preparing himself for another talk.
"Is Seventeenth really alright?" asked Mo Yuan.
"She just needs some rest; perhaps I should have let her rest a few more days before taking her to see you at the West Sea. But I was excited," he defended himself.
"What exactly did Xuan Nu do that angered her so?"
"Can't you make a guess? Fifth sister was away when Xuan Nu disguised herself and entered Qing Qiu. She stole your body from Yanhua Cave." Zhe Yan gave him an exasperated look. "When it came to you, she would always rush into danger without thinking thoroughly. Good thing she was alright."
He tapped his shoulders before leaving. "Get some rest, Mo Yuan."
On his way out, he was met with Chang Shan who was taking a cup of medicine to his mentor. Zhe Yan paused and gave him a meaningful look before walking away. Chang Shan set the cup down on the side table and hasten to retreat.
Mo Yuan was suspicious of their concealed exchange. He thought back earlier that day to when Chang Shan tried to warn Seventeenth of the coming attack. Did he know she was injured? But Die Feng said Seventeenth had not come back to Kunlun Mountain at all.
"Chang Shan," he called out.
Chang Shan was already one step out of his mentor's room when he was summoned back, "Yes, Master."
Mo Yuan asked quietly. "Is there anything you want to tell me?"
"No, not really," he responded quickly, perhaps a little too quickly. He waited anxiously for a moment then said, "If Master has no other order, I'll ..."
"Are you sure? What about Seventeenth?" he pressed.
"Master, I didn't…" he tried to deny it.
"Chang Shan, haven't I always told you, your are bad at lying," Mo Yuan said.
Chang Shan fell to his knees abruptly, head bowed down in shame. "I've done you wrong, Master. But High God Zhe Yan and Si Yin both asked me to keep my silence."
"Go on, talk." He raised the cup to his lips, waiting for his second disciple to continue.
"Two months ago, Si Yin was here. I found him – her unconscious in the Elixir Cauldron chamber. There was an Elixir in her hand. It was made from that divine fungal grass, I'm certain. When she awoke, she asked me to send it to High God Zhe Yan. She said I must keep this quiet and she'll explain later. But lately, she has been hiding from me," he paused. "Then I heard High God Zhe Yan went to the West Sea to help you. I can't help but thinking that...the Elixir was for you. The timing was just too convenient."
Chang Shan head was bowing down so he didn't see the hand holding the cup shook and some liquid spilled out. His mentor nodded his head and sent him away after that.
Mo Yuan went to see Bai Qian that night, he hesitated a little before entering her room. His little apprentice was already fast asleep. He sat down beside her on the bed and probed at her essence with his magic. When he found how little she left for herself, he was shaken the core.
"So foolish," he whispered, using his finger to trace her delicate face.
He had felt familiar energy nourishing his spirit since waking up. AT first he thought it was from Zhe Yan. But he looked well, a little too well perhaps for a person who lost some self-cultivation. If Zi Lan didn't create a scene in the Hall today, he might not even realized it was hers. She had done so much for him and didn't even want him to learn about it. Mo Yuan didn't know whether he should shake some sense into her or hug her right now.
Bai Qian was sleeping peacefully when something alerted her to another's presence. When she opened her eyes, she was astonished it was her mentor.
"Master," she said sleepily. "Was something wrong?"
"So foolish," he repeated.
"What?" She was confused why she was being reprimanded. She didn't do anything naughty lately. Well, excepting for tricking Zi Lan into feed those birds again. Surely that wouldn't warrant this reaction.
"Why did you do it, hurting yourself again and again?" He gathered her into his embrace and buried his face against her shoulder. "The heartblood, the Elixir." His voice was quivering with emotion when he forced out each word.
Bai Qian was surprised, her mentor wasn't supposed to know about that.
"Who told you that," she said, irritation in her voice. "Zhe Yan wasn't it? He has such a big mouth." That busy body should have known better, really, she thought furiously.
"Seventeenth," he held her tightly to himself when she tried to move.
"I didn't know, alright? For seventy thousand years I've waited for you. So what if I lost some self-cultivation, I just wanted to save you." she cried out in frustration. That desperate need for him to wake up had plagued her mind since the day he was gone. "I just wanted you awake and here with me. Was that so wrong?"
"No, not wrong," he shushed and soothed her. "I just don't like seeing you hurt."
"I'm fine, really," she hugged him back wanting to reassure him. "I just have to be a little more diligent at self-cultivation. It might take a while but I'll be fine."
She didn't miss the slight tremble in his body while he remained silent. She pulled her head back slightly and looked up. "Master?" She touched his face lightly. He had turned his head to the sideway from her. Why was it wet? "Master, are you…?"
He gently guided her head to rest on his chest. "Shh. Go back to sleep, Seventeenth,"
"But….,." she said, confused. "What about you?"
"I'll stay here just a little longer," he mindlessly pressed his lips to her temple in a soothing manner. "Sleep, my little Seventeenth."
Bai Qian thought tonight her mentor was acting strange indeed. He also seemed really upset. Not wanting to trouble him any further, she laid back obediently. She took a few deep breathes and closed her eyes. Her mind worked furiously, trying to figure out what was going on with her mentor.
While she was fast asleep in his arms, he laid awake for hours thinking about them. In the past he was the one protecting her, saving her from harm. Then their roles reversed, she spent seventy thousand years protecting his body and sacrificed herself to awaken him. They owed each other many debts; their destiny had become intricately intertwined.
However, he was still uncertain of many things. One thing he didn't doubt was the depth of his feelings for her. They had gotten close again since his return, almost as close as they were in the old days. But did she feel the same way he felt about her? And there was her pending marriage to his younger brother. She said earlier back in the den that she didn't give her consent when the deal was made. Yet a month was plenty of time to win a heart, especially if one was living together with the other. Had she changed her mind? What about his brother, did he love her? Or was it just a political match?
So many thought swamped his head, yet not a single resolution. He looked down upon her peaceful, sleeping face and placed a chaste kiss on her soft lips. He closed his eyes tiredly; he only wanted to rest for a little while.
Note: Special thanks to Midorizawa who proofread this story for us. :)
SkylerKnight : She'll have that moment, promise ! ^^
weissfreya : I grinned happily as well when I read your comment. I love it, knowing someone enjoy reading the story. Great minds think alike. BQ's loss is our gain. Shifu forever ... hehe
loreinacadis0412 : You knew how 16th is, he's going to gossip around. lol I'd love to write about SW, "perhaps" as a spin-off / one-shot in the future. YQ was never loved 'properly' as a person. I kind of understand the selfish, possessive, desperate love he had for Susu. But no excuses are good enough for what he did to her. He should have known better. Even BQ'd say: falling in love with a mortal? Bad idea, man. I'm really appalled when I heard someone said: the deeper the hurt, the deep the love. (in YH/BQ case) What kind of logic is that? A good and honest person (like Shifu) would rather suffer alone (like he did in the show) rather than hurt her feeling. Regarding Dr. Myri: yup, I totally got what you mean. Can't wait to read hot & bothered Shifu. ;D
PS: I don't mind long comment, love the sharing actually.