Since Ye Hua came back from Kunlun Mountain, aside from for work, he barely talked to anyone. The first three days, he barricaded himself in his room and got thoroughly wasted. Tian Shu and Jia Yun were worried about him. In the end, they decided to invite the third uncle over. Maybe he could pry out what went wrong and help the Crown Prince.

When Lian Song walked inside the room, he saw Ye Hua sitting on the ground, his back resting against the bed. He was holding a bottle of wine in his hand; his eyes were bloodshot. Around him, several bottles were scattered on the floor.

"Ye Hua." Lian Song frowned at his nephew. Normally Ye Hua didn't like to drink, but now he drank heavily. Was something wrong?

Ye Hua lifted up his head sluggishly when he heard his name being called. "Uncle."

"What happened? Why are you drinking so much? This isn't like you, Ye Hua."

"I lost her again, uncle."

"Who?"

"My wife. Su Su...Qian Qian. Am I destined to always lose her, uncle?"

"What do you mean? You're not making any sense," Lian Song blinked in confusion. Last he heard, things went well between his nephew and Qing Qiu's Bai Qian.

"She's in love with High God Mo Yuan," he said hoarsely. "She didn't care about me at all."

"High God Mo Yuan, you say?" Lian Song was incredulous. Mo Yuan had been gone for along time. His miraculous return was unexpected. "When have Bai Qian and High God Mo Yuan met? Didn't he just come back?"

"Uncle, don't you know? Bai Qian and Mo Yuan's seventeenth disciple is one and the same."

"You," Lian Song looked stunned. "You are saying Si Yin is Bai Qian? But that's..."

"It explains a lot of things, doesn't it? Why no one ever found them for the past seventy thousand years. Who would have thought to look for them in Qing Qiu? Then six hundred years ago, Qian Qian went to reseal Qing Cang. Didn't we always wonder how and why she did it? Only Lord Dong Hua knew what actually went down that day," he rumbled.

"As his disciple, Mo Yuan must have taught her the magic to seal the Bell of Eastern Emperor. She succeeded but Qing Cang also retaliated. He locked up her divine essence, erased all of her memories and sent her to the Mortal Realm. Then, we met and she jumped down the Zhu Xian Terrace later."

"It was just a trial for her to become a Goddess, don't you see, uncle." Ye Hua laughed weakly. "I was just a means to an end for her. Nothing more, nothing less. She didn't even want to remember me."

He took another swig from the bottle, then continued. "You know, for him, she stabbed her heart and fed him her heartblood for seventy thousand years to keep his soulless body intact. Then, she went to Ying Zhou of the Eastern Sea alone, for the divine fungal grass. She also used half of her own cultivation to make an Elixir for him. Tell me, uncle, How can I compete with that?"

"Maybe you just misunderstood her," he tried to console him. "Those two are very close. She's Mo Yuan favorite disciple, after all. Maybe she's just being filial to him, you know."

"That's what I thought too, at first," he shook his head. "But today she admitted out loud that she loves him. You didn't hear what she said, uncle. There's really no place for me in her heart."

Lian Song looked upon his heart-broken nephew with pity. The love between them was truly ill-fated and full of suffering, both back then and even now. He sunk down beside him unceremoniously and grabbed the bottle from Ye Hua's hand. Then, he raised it to his lips and gulped down the wine.

"Su Su died over three hundred years ago and you pined over her death to this day. I know you want your wife back, so I didn't say anything back then." He looked at Ye Hua in the eyes. "I need you to open your eyes, Ye Hua. Despite what you want to believe, Bai Qian is not your Su Su and she'll never be. You said it yourself, she has no memories of you."

"They may look alike but they are two different people. Their temperaments are total opposites. I went to war with Si Yin, I knew how she was. She was not that naive, sweet and gentle soul like your Su Su. Si Yin was too domineering; I guess, as a Queen she has to be. I still remembered how she sent those Ghosts scattering all over the place when she was riled up over Mo Yuan's death."

Lian Song let out a sigh. "That woman was really hard-headed. Except for Mo Yuan, I doubt she ever listened to anyone. When the Sky Lord sent your father to persuade her not to pick a fight with the Ghost Clan and avenge Mo Yuan's death, she drove him away without care."

"Truthfully, I don't think she'll ever fit in here among us if you two ever got married," he admitted. "She's such a free spirit and bent on living by her own rules. In her eyes, this is just a marriage of convenience for the alliance between Qing Qiu and Celestial Clan. She won't care as much."

"Now that she rejected you, what are you going to do?" Lian Song asked. "If she ever got married to High God Mo Yuan, do you intend to keep pining over her as well?"

Ye Hua didn't bother to say anything back. He had no answer to give. He just drank up more and more wine.

"Have you ever thought that maybe the two of you are just not meant to be together? That's why Su Su was gone all those years. If you keep pushing and going against fates, you'll only end up bringing calamity upon yourself." Lian Song said in all seriousness.

"Grieve, vent out your anger, get drunk a much as you want, I won't stop you. But you must stop living in the past. You must stop deceiving yourself," he urged Ye Hua to see the truth and move on. A firm hand was placed on Ye Hua's shoulder. "I also want you to remember, there are those who love you. Your parents, me and your son. Don't let yourself hit the rock bottom again. Do you understand me, Ye Hua?"

Lian Song spent the whole night at the Xi Wu Palace. He kept his nephew company and listened to his non-sense blabbering and crying when he was thoroughly intoxicated.

Just like they say: time flies when you are happy. Soon, the date Mo Yuan set to seclude himself arrived. Bai Qian accompanied him to the front of meditation cave.

"Here is the Elixir Zhe Yan made." She gently placed the bottle of medicine in his hand. "It'll help speed up your recovery. Master, you must take good care of yourself."

Mo Yuan reached out and cradled the nape of her neck, kneading it softly, his face softened. "You're not going to stay here?"

She shook her head regretfully. How she wished she could stay but she didn't want to distract him. And she hadn't been back to her Fox Den for over two months.

"I'm going to Qing Qiu but I'll get back here before you come out."

She wound her arms around his waist tightly and laid her head on his shoulder. Since his return, she never strayed far from his side. This will be, by far, the longest separation they've had. It was ridiculous how she was missing him already.

Reluctantly, she shifted away from his embrace and raised herself onto the tip of her toes. "I'm going to miss you," she whispered against his lips. She hoped he won't think she was too bold but Qing Qiu women were always straightforward with their affection.

Mo Yuan stood still for a moment when he heard her heartfelt confession and felt her soft lips on his own. He pulled her body flushed against him. His hand slipped into her soft hair, he pressed his lips against hers. He gently nudged those soft lips apart and slid his tongue into the moist warmth of her mouth. He slowly deepened their kiss, savoring her taste, then coaxed her to respond.

Bai Qian hesitated at first but gradually gave into him. Her hands slid up his shoulders and tightened around his neck, she melted against his hard body. Her eyes misted. Even if he didn't say anything, the way he kissed her spoke in volumes of the longing he, too, felt for her.

"Get back as soon as you're done. Alright?" He dropped small kisses on her head, his arms still wrapped around her.

"I know." She whispered. When he entered the cave, she waited until he was completely gone from her sight before heading out.

"Seventeenth," Zi Lan came looking for her. "Master retreated already?

"Yes, he did," she nodded. "I'm heading back to Qing Qiu. Senior Zi Lan, you've got to take good care of Master."

"I know, Si Yin. You've told me how many times already? Since when you become such a nag?" he groaned. "Come on, I'm going to send you off at the Gate. Then, we'll close down the mountain."

Together they descended down the stairs. When both of them reached the Gate, there was someone there pacing back and forth impatiently. Bai Qian took a closer look and found him somewhat familiar. It was the little Qilin that used to follow Li Jing around back then.

"High Goddess, you're finally here. I've been waiting for you." he perked up and rush to her side, as she approached.

"Little Qilin, I remembered you. What are you doing here?"

"High Goddess, you must come with me. You must save him," he tugged her hand anxiously.

"Save whom?"

"The Ghost Lord. I'm afraid something bad is going to happen to him." He begged. "Please, High Goddess."

"I don't think so," she tried to extricate herself from his clutch. "What he did has nothing to do with me."

"But High Goddess, I think it's about Lord Qing Cang. He has been acting very strange since the day he came back from the Ninth Heaven's Grand Hall."

"Qing Cang, you say?" Bai Qian and Zi Lan exchanged uneasy glances.

"He's supposed to stay in the Ninth Heaven. Lord Dong Hua had decreed it so. But three days ago, he sneaked back to the Ghost Realm and ordered the men to build a ritual platform."

"And yesterday, I heard him talking with Princess Yan Zhi that he's going to do something to assure Lord Qing Cang won't be a problem anymore. High Goddess, you must stop him," he pleaded.

Bai Qian didn't want to get involved with him anymore but anything pertaining Qing Cang, no matter how irrelevant, can't be ignored.

"Zi Lan, I'll go with him and see what exactly is going on," she decided. "You go back and take care of Master for me."

"Definitely not. I'll accompany you. The last time you went there, you were hurt badly. Who knows what will happen this time." He said, putting his arm out to stop her. "Say no more, Si Yin. I won't take no for an answer."

"I'm going to tell senior first. You stay put and wait for me," he insisted. "If I come back and you're not here, I'll have to tell Master. Got it?"

"Fine," she glared at him hotly.

Zi Lan looked for his senior in the Grand Hall and kitchen but couldn't find him anywhere. He finally found him sweeping the floor at the back terrace.

"Senior," he rushed to him. "There you are. I've looked for you everywhere."

"Zi Lan, what happened? Why do you look so alarmed?"

"Si Yin and I are going to the Ghost Realm. Something is going on there," he pulled his senior's arm urgently. "You must send word to Big Brother immediately."

"The Ghost Realm, you say? Why? What's happening?"

"I don't know the details yet. But it's about Qing Cang," said Zi Lan.

"He's not breaking out, is he?" Chan Song exclaimed.

"I don't know. I guess we're going to find out soon enough," his mouth tightened into grim line. "I'm afraid Si Yin is going to do something stupid again if she goes there alone."

"If something happened to her, I'm afraid….," he trailed off. His face turned toward the meditation cave.

"Anyway tell Big Brother to come quickly." He hesitated, "Senior, you've to keep this quiet. We can't let Master worry about her. Maybe it's nothing serious. Li Jing might just want to trick her to seeing him after all."

"I know. Go, go."

When Bai Qian and Zi Lan reached the Ghost Realm. They found Li Jing in the middle of sacrifice ritual. He let the seals engraved on the ritual platform leeching off his blood and essence. She didn't know what he was hoping to do. But if this ritual could somehow affect Qing Cang, it can't be good.

Bai Qian decided she would stop him. But when she stepped forward, a platoon of his men quickly surrounded her and Zi Lan. They raised their swords threateningly at them, fully intent to protect their Lord from the unwelcome Celestials. Zi Lan also brandished his sword, preparing to press his attack if necessary. Two opposing sides came at standoffish, until little Qilin stepped up between them.

"I'm the one that brought them here," shouted Qilin. "I'm just trying to save our lord. He's killing himself, can't you see?"

Li Jing's men traded uncertain looks. They had their orders: to keep members of the rebellions out. But Fiery Qilin was very loyal to their Lord. He wouldn't bring enemies here to harm him, would he?

"High Goddess," little Qilin approached her and asked once more, "Please talk him out of it. No one here will attack you, I give you my word." Then he turned around to face his Clansmen. One by one they slowly fell back to the sides, their wary eyes were still diligently trained on the strangers.

Bai Qian advanced toward the setup stage. "Ghost Lord, you must stop whatever you're doing right now," she demanded.

Li Jing's concentration was broken. He opened his eyes abruptly when he heard her familiar voice so close to him. "No, Ah Yin. You can't be here."

"That's bit too late. If you don't stop this ritual now, I'm going to destroy the very platform you sit on, with or without you on it." She lifted the Jade Purity fan of Kunlun up. Thunders rumbled in the distant sky, rolling mass of cloud moved rapidly and lightning began to dance through the darkness.

"Ah Yin, listen to me first," he pleaded. "I'm trying to draw Qing Cang's spirit out. Here, he will be defenseless. I'll be able finish him off. You must let me continue."

"Fool! You really think it'll be that easy, Ghost Lord? With every minute passing, you grow weaker and he becomes stronger. How you're supposed to conquer him then?" she jabbed at his recklessness. "You'll end up setting him free and dooming everyone else to death."

"No, I have to do this," he denied. "I'll end him once and for all, Ah Yin."

"Have it your way then."

With Jade Purity fan of Kunlun, Bai Qian sent attack after attack straight toward him. Li Jing had no choices but to retract his essence and form a barrier to protect himself. The platform can't withstand the powerful onslaught and exploded in a loud boom, splinter of woods burst out in every direction.

Li Jing flew to her side, he was distressed. "Why must you stop me? He can't be allowed to live anymore."

"You really want to do this? Kill him, your own father?" she took him in, weighing his claims.

"I do." He said solemnly. "What you said that day was true. I've never accomplished anything in this lifetime. This is the only thing I could do for you, for my sister, and for my people. If he got out, he's going to lead a lot of people to their deaths again. I can't allow that."

"I see," she ignored his comment about her. "But this isn't the way."

"Then tell me what you want me to do," he pleaded with her. "You know I'd follow you to the end of the world, Ah Yin."

Bai Qian frowned. "Not yet, I'll tell you later," she said finally. "Go back to the Ninth Heaven, Ghost Lord. I'll send for you later."

She signaled to Zi Lan, who stood guard and watched their exchange uneasily, that they were leaving. Taking a couple of steps, she stopped and turned back suddenly. "I totally forgot. Ghost Lord," she called out and retrieved something from her secret chest compartment. "Here, I'm returning this to you."

Li Jing took a look at the proffered object in her hand and flinched back visibly when he saw the soul jade. It reminded him of all those times he failed her then lost his chance with her forever. "No. Keep it, Ah Yin. I don't want it back. It's a compensation for you after all."

"If you said so," Bai Qian shrugged and returned the soul jade back to its resting place.

After Bai Qian and Zi Lan left, Li Jing ordered his most trusted general to keep his men posted at the Roushui Riverbank and to inform him immediately of any changes occurred around the Bell of Eastern Emperor.

Bai Qian bid her senior farewell as soon as their reached the Ghost Realm border, claiming she'd just continue on to Qing Qiu from there. When she made certain Zi Lan was indeed gone, she wrought the disguised magic over her person. Under the disguised of her male counterpart, Bai Qian headed in the opposite direction of her home, to the Thirteen Heaven.

"Seventeenth disciple of Kunlun Mountain, Si Yin, ask to see Lord Dong Hua," she informed the Celestial guards stationed at the main entrance of Taichen Palace. Soon enough an official rushed out and led her inside, straight to the lord of manor.

On her way, Bai Qian carefully looked around and sighed in relief, at least Xiao Jiu was not here. No one can't know about this meeting, or else her plan will be all for naught. When she came to stand in front of the Lord, she bowed in respect.

"Si Yin greets Lord Dong Hua."

Lord Dong Hua posture didn't even change when she saluted him. He was reclining against a side pillow and staring intently at the teacup in his hand as if there was something fascinating about it. If Bai Qian found this strange, she didn't make a comment.

Then without preamble, he spoke up. "I sent your niece back home days ago. She refused to move away from the palace's entrance. It was bothersome. Such unbecoming conducts for Qing Qiu's princess." He placed the teacup down and faced her. "But you're not here for her, aren you?"

Bai Qian looked chagrin, Xiao Jiu was certainly persistent. After the last turn down that drove her all the way to Kunlun Mountain, Bai Qian thought she had given up already. Still, she can't blame her niece. She only acted according to her upbringing: true to her feeling and daring to fight for what she truly desired.

"No, this visit is not about my niece. I have a question in mind. I hope the Lord would grant me an answer," she said, a self-deprecating smile on her lips. Since he had figured out her true identity, she would just asked him plainly.

"Hn." He barely acknowledged but that was good enough for her to go on.

"This Jade Purity fan of Kunlun," she spread the fan open. "Is there any way to enhance its power?"

"Shouldn't you ask Mo Yuan this question?" A slight quirk appeared on his mouth. "It's of his own making after all."

Dong Hua slanted his eyes at her when she chose not to answer. "Ah. You plan to confront Qing Cang on your own then."

Bai Qian kept her face neutral, neither denying nor admitting to his dead-on speculation. She waited patiently for him to continue.

"Speaking of Mo Yuan, he sent this particular set of teacup to me seventy thousand years ago. Your niece broke it."

Bai Qian sighed inwardly as he continued to feign ignorance and sidestepped her inquiry. "I believe there're more of it. I'll personally look for them and send another set to you."

"He did said he would have his disciple brought more here. I guess he forgot after all," he spoke in such a bored tone. "The teacup didn't make it, yet the person that supposed to be here arrived. Strange isn't it?"

She looked at the Lord in askance. He often spoke in riddle, this she already knew. But his word play gave her such an headache. The admiration she had for her niece's endless patience with the Ancient Lord went up a notch.

Abruptly his persona changed. "Tell me, which is more powerful; the fan or its wielder?" He gestured pointedly toward the fan in her hand and herself.

"Both are formidable in its own rights, even more when put to work together," she replied, bewildered with his out of turn questioning.

"Tell me, is the fan or its wielder that's powerful?" Abruptly his persona changed. He gestured pointedly toward the fan in her hand and herself.

"Both are formidable in their own right, even more so when put to work together," she replied, bewildered with his out of turn questioning.

"Then together it must be."

"This fan has been with me for over seventy thousands of years. It hardly ever separated from me." She was confused. How they were not together?

"As one?" Dong Hua raised an eyebrow as if to mock her silliness.

That comment actually gave her a pause. "You mean that I must become one with the fan," she said slowly, her brows furrowed deeper, "to strengthen it."

"A dangerous practice."

"If I bound it to my own essence, can it be done?" she asked.

"Indeed."

"Master never mentioned this method to me." She was skeptical, not that she doubt the credibility of his wisdom.

"Why'd he teach you such a desperate move? Were the fan destroyed, your life would be forfeited as well," he replied off-handedly.

"Since the Bell of Eastern Emperor, this is the only weapon ever appeared in Kunlun Mountain. How could you think so little of its power? Though it's not as destructive as the Bell of Eastern Emperor, it's still a very powerful artifact. Not only because it could summon wind and thunder. "

"So I'm not skilled enough to fully unleash its potentials?" Her mentor once said when she mastered the fan and attained the rank of Goddess, she would be able to turn it into a sword. And she did. Now Lord Dong Hua claimed there was more to it?

"Skills are not too mediocre but you're certainly not strong enough to withstand its backlash in your current state."

"I see," she flinched at his knowing looks.

"Do you?" He prodded. "Inside the Bell, Qing Cang may be weakened but you aren't his peer either. All it takes is one wrong move."

"I understand." This was a forbidden method; she was not supposed to use it, for a very good reason.

Her thoughts race at his revelation. "I'll trouble you no further. Thank you for your guidance," she was grateful of his help.

"Don't thank me yet," he said nonchalantly, "you might regret later on."

She caught on his implied meaning quickly. "If it means Master, my family and others will be alive and well, then I certainly will have no regret," she avowed, then said aloud. "May the Lord grant me another favor?"

"What favor?" He was half intrigued half amused. She would dare to make a demand out of him. Qing Qiu's Bai Qian was certainly a fearless lot. He could see why Mo Yuan coveted her so. Beautiful, brave and outspoken. And honest, without any malice, just like her niece. The Fox Clan was truly a wondrous place for nurturing great generations. He would entertain her request, if it was plausible. He had once told Bai Feng Jiu, he and her aunt had fates together and he meant it.

"If worse came to worst, may the Lord help and keep my Master alive and make sure he'll move on?"

Lord Dong Hua stared at her. For a moment, something moved behind his eyes, and then it was gone. "Understood," he acquiesced.

"Then all is good," she was satisfied, knowing he would keep to his promise. "Farewell, Lord." She gave him a deep bow then left.

Lord Dong Hua got up and looked after her retreating back. He let out a long sigh after she was gone.

"Mo Yuan, Mo Yuan. This disciple you haven't misjudged after all. Courageous and righteous just like you. She could be the one to stand by your side for all eternity, alas will you be able to keep her?" his speculation sounded ominous.

Note: Special thanks to Midorizawa who proofread this story for us.

#Hanazawa Yuuri : Hi ya. Go, unrestrained Shifu. Agreed and agreed with you. I think at first he was just intrigued with her unique personality, then later his feeling changed. lol

#SkylerKnight : I saw him being more anxious than jealous at this stage. And just like 4th brother said, some times you can't interfere between Lover's quarrel, especially when you're also her love interest and his brother. That's just mess up. :P

#Guest : In the future when their relationship as lovers is solid, I think he might. Uh that, please read to find out. ^^

#CrystalLover15 : Same here. I like when he slanted his accusing eyes at her and she tried to weasel her way back into his good grace. So funny.

#Kaz : Hope it lives up to your expectation. No, that in-law confrontation is not here yet.

#loreinacadis0412 : I think from the beginning, he never saw LJ as his love rival at all. It was a puppy love, one that won't last. He let her experienced what love is and grew up from that. He also knew BQ will never accept LJ back. Too much bad blood between them, why would he be jealous at them at all? As for YH, I saw him being more anxious than jealous at this stage. But when their relation is solid, yeah I can see his well-hidden green eyes monster lurking in the background. lol Love your omake as well, that's hilarious. :D