:: flashback::

"I have served the Crown Prince for a couple hundred years, starting before he took his position and his office. He retrieved me from the Deity of Mountain, from the lower realm. He told me I was promoted to a palace maid, from then on my only duty was to attend to his mortal wife. He told me I had to stay close to her all the time and report to him immediately if anything unusual happened around her."

"What was he worried about?" Mo Yuan asked confusedly,. "Almost nothing gets past the palace guards. Where did he think the danger would come from?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Or did he believe the danger might come from the inside?"

"There are legitimate reasons for him to be worried. My Lady is but a mortal in the city of Immortals. Many are displeased with her presence among them, especially… especially..." Nai Nai trailed off fearfully.

"Especially, Crown Prince's Consort, Lady Su Jin, his mother, Lady Le Xu and the Sky Lord himself." Feng Jiu finished her sentence, seeing Nai Nai was too distressed to give away their names.

Feng Jiu let out a sound of disgust. "The ladies are bad news with their constant nasty rivalries among harem women. But out of three of them, he is the one that threatened her life. They treated her so horribly, almost inhumane even. For over a year, she was locked up in an unused room alone, even if they know she was with child."

Nai Nai who gathered her courage once again continued. "I heard some of the palace maids talked about that - it happened before my time. Actually there's more, some sort of magical fire broke out where she was imprisoned. My Lady would have died in the fire if she wasn't rescued by Ghost Lord Li Jing. He broke her out of the confinement and saved her. Unfortunately, that fire burned her somewhat; even now she still bore the burn mark on her person."

Nai Nai went on. "The Crown Prince took me to her sometime after that and I stayed with her almost ever since. He said I must be extra watchful and always on my guard, especially if his Consort approached my Lady in any way."

"Despite his warning, I am far too innocent to see through their pretense and conniving minds. Before I knew, I fell for their trickery not just once but twice. The first time, Consort Su Jin lured Lady Su Su to a gathering and tried to frame her. That day, Lord Lingbao Tianzun's phoenix went crazy when my Lady's fan was dropped. It attacked everyone wildly but little princess here," she turned her face toward Feng Jiu, "was injured the most. Lady Su Su and I tried to tell them the truth, we were tricked, nobody wanted to listen. The Sky Lord was very angry and wanted to punish her badly. Had Lord Lingbao Tianzun not stepped in; he might really take her life that day. Little princess is right, he had always wanted to get rid of her."

"Not long after that, Lady Su Jin came up with another plot. It worked this time." Nai Nai voiced her disbelief at the woman's cruelty. Her mind was corrupted with the madness of hatred and jealousy of Su Su, so much she was willing to do anything to get rid of her, even at her own cost.

"She took Lady Su Su to Zhu Xian Terrace and made it looked Lady Su Su pushed her forward and made she fall into it. The Crown Prince rescued Consort Sujin in time but her eyes were damaged. To compensate her, Lady Su Su's eyes were taken and given to her. The Sky Lord also wanted to sentence my Lady to three years of lightening punishment. Had the Crown Prince not take the punishment upon himself, she would be dead at the time."

"That's funny how you put it in his favor." Feng Jiu said dryly. "They punished her because they could. Why blame the mortal when the problems lie with him? None of this would have happened if he didn't broke the rule in the first place."

"Nai Nai also forgot to tell the part where he gouged out her eyes by himself," Feng Jiu added. She wanted everyone to know that particular part since she cannot even believe it the first time she heard about it. "Or how she begged him to believe in her, stand up for her and not take her eyes. Obviously, he failed to fulfill any of her pleas for help."

Nai Nai looked really miserable and crestfallen when she heard that.

"After my Lady lost her eyesight and gave birth to the little prince; she completely shut down and distanced herself from everyone. When the Crown Prince informed her about their upcoming wedding; she didn't seem happy at all. She even refused to hold the little prince in her arms; not once since he was born. Everyday, she asked me to take her to the lotus pond near the Zhu Xian Terrace. I didn't have any ideas she was planning to leave us." Nai Nai's regret was deeply etched on her face.

:: end of flashback::

:: Kunlun Mountain ::

"I am going to check up on Fifth sister. Are you coming with me?" Zhe Yan announced as he got up from his seat, his voice had snapped Mo Yuan out of his memories. Mo Yuan looked up at him. They had remained in the cave, long after Bai Feng Jiu took the maid back to the Ninth Heaven. Zhe Yan continued to fill many gaping holes in light of Su Su's revelation.

"You know I am banned from seeing her." Mo Yuan shot him a wilted glare. The idea of seeing her was tempting.

Zhe Yan lips were spread in a sly smile. "I don't know. I remember the instruction your mother-in-law dished out quite differently. She said something about you not entering the room and seeing her daughter," he said, with a hint of mirth in his voice.

His mood was infectious. Despite the circumstance, Mo Yuan can not help but find the hilarity in his brother's shrewdness. "Semantics. Even if I manage to get her out of the room while blindfolding myself, I doubt she would be thrilled with my creativity."

"So you are going to sit here and brood?" Zhe Yan raised his eyebrows.

"Of course not." Mo Yuan decided to accompany him. After what he learned about Seventeenth's tormented past as Su Su, the need to see her and reassure himself that she was indeed alive and well was overwhelming. Even a glimpse of her would be worth it.

So many things went through his mind. Before he realised, they were already standing in front of his old bedroom. Zhe Yan got inside the room and deliberately left the door wide open, allowing a full view of the room while Mo Yuan remained outside and let his eyes feast upon her face.

Mo Yuan could almost smell the sweetness of her unique fragrance from the room. The lingering feel of her essence washed over him. It soothed his worries and freed his mind from turmoil. It had only been a day and a night since they were set apart, but somehow it felt much longer. He longed to wrap her in the cocoon of his arms and feel the heat of her body against him again. With each passing hour, it became harder to bear this aching loneliness.

Mo Yuan only had a short time to bask in her presence before the Empress appeared at the door frame. He sighed when the door was shut in his face and retreated back to his meditative cave.

"You shouldn't be so hard on him." Zhe Yan watched the woman he almost wed at one time walked back inside after she made sure the room was locked. "I understand it is easier to take all of your anguish and frustration out on him. But you are not doing anyone a favor with where you are going with this. Circumstances led Fifth sister down this path. She didn't deliberately seek death, especially when she was about to get her heart's desire. Or you really believe that Mo Yuan wanted her to shoulder this responsibility for him?" he asked dubiously.

"Failure will be failure. It doesn't matter what I believe." The Fox Empress replied. She sat back by her daughter's side and conveniently turned her back to him and his disapproving stare. "There's no need for you to find excuses for him."

"Don't I? I don't see you going out of your way to scold Dong Hua. He got there before any of them did, in case you forgot." Zhe Yan blatantly put the blame on the absent former Ruler of Heaven. "If you really want to point the finger, make sure it's aiming at the right place. Qing Cang wouldn't have been able to break out of the Bell at all had the sentry at Ruoshui River did their duties better."

Zhe Yan walked around her and bent down to meet her icy glare. "In all the years I have known him, Mo Yuan never grieved so openly. Not even when Heavenly Father and Mother passed. You were not there, so you have no idea of what happened. You didn't feel his spirit begin to scatter when Fifth sister lay dying in his arms. Had both Dong Hua and I not intervened in time, he would have followed her into oblivion." Zhe Yan let the information sink into her mind.

"He had just returned after spending many thousand of years gathering his scattered spirit, only because he promised her he will. You can not pin everything that went wrong in your life on him." Zhe Yan knew he was being hard on her but she needed to understand their situation before it went too far.

"Fifth sister decided to use her heartblood to save him. She refused to marry anyone, nor step out of Qing Qiu and have a life. Mo Yuan had no say in any of that; he was dead. That was her decision alone. Had the situation been reversed, would you really blame him? For heaven's sake, give him a break woman."

The Fox Empress kept her eyes on her daughter's face and pretended not to hear anything her friend said. She got it, what Zhe Yan was trying to make her understand. Despite his flaws, Mo Yuan really loved Qian Qian with all of his being. He would even rather welcome death than to live without her again. At least her daughter's sacrifices were not in vain; she was glad to know that.

Mo Yuan was just too good at bottling his emotion. The man hid his feelings and his heart from everyone under his indifferent mask. She would not deny that she had many doubts when Zhe Yan first revealed to them Mo Yuan wished to take Qian Qian as his bride. What if he found their daughter not living up to his expectation after the marriage? What if he only felt responsible for her wasted chances at life? There were times she was uncertain how true were his feelings for her daughter. Had she not see the longing and the bittersweet expression on his face just earlier; her suspicions would have never been laid to rest.

But she was a mother. It was her duties to protect and care for her children. Even if they might need not it anymore since becoming an adult. She can not simply let this transgression slip without taking any actions. It was good to see him fully wrapped up and emotionally invested in Qian Qian. But Mo Yuan also needed to learn to take better care of her or face her family's wrath. She would let him wallow in guilt and suffer from their separation for awhile. She was not deluded enough to think that she could hold him back forever.

Mo Yuan stood and looked out at the mountain ranges before him. His mind refused to settle down, not even when he forced it into a deep trance. The maid's words kept haunting him all through the night. He had tried to conjure every possible scenario, find any plausible explanation for Ye Hua's mediocre decisions. Every time he came up empty. Nothing was good enough to justify the heavy hands he dealt with Seventeenth, nor how he simply let thing running its course, thus leading to her ultimate ending.

Mo Yuan really wished he could blame it on the young one's hot-headed, irrational, reckless behaviour. Somehow it did not sound like his younger brother at all. Above anyone else, Ye Hua was taught how to conduct himself with the utmost propriety under Celestial's tight rules. He cannot claim to be honestly ignorant and negligent of the consequences of breaking the most fundamental rules of the Immortals might incur. The fact that he tried to hide Su Su's existence from everyone was a testament in itself. He was very conscious and extremely intentional of what he was doing.

He was also well aware of how his Grandfather ruled his long reign with iron fist. It was unthinkable of Ye Hua to keep up and prolong his clandestine affair with her. Hao De never tolerated anyone he deemed less than worthy; much less a mortal. Ye Hua knew the risks and the punishments that awaited them but stubbornly went along with his poor choices. By doing so, he doomed both himself and Seventeenth to a lifetime of heartaches and sufferings.

The more he thought about it, the furious he became with the Celestial's royal family, his brother included. Mo Yuan really wanted to storm the Ninth Heaven, put Hao De on the spot and demanded a retribution for her grievance. But that meant every single Immortal would learn of her vulnerability and disgrace. It was one thing he knew Seventeenth could do without. She was always a very proud and strong person. For the whole world to know she was once at another's mercy and helpless to do anything to defend herself would make her extremely distressed and humiliated. He could already picture cranky and pissed-off Seventeenth knocking down the people who had wronged her and lay waste to the Ninth Heaven. A sight to behold, he was certain, but one that practically begged for troubles.

Seventeenth's lost memories were both a blessing and a curse. She no longer felt any attachment toward Ye Hua, be it love or hatred. But what if she learned of her forgotten past? Would she go back to Ye Hua? They had a child together after all. Mo Yuan pondered the possibilities. Based on her personality alone, he doubted she would welcome anyone who brought her so much miseries with open arms. But that was a problem in itself, she might turn him away too. At one time, he knew she believed no one was worthy enough for him, not Yao Guang, not even her. If Seventeenth still had an ounce of those ludicrous ideas; she might condemn herself and stayed away just from him just to protect his so-called reputation.

And there was her family to consider. Mo Yuan felt his temple started to throb with an oncoming headache. Bai Feng Jiu was not the type to deliberately withhold the truth from her family for long; not when she was actively out for blood. Once Bai Zhi caught wind of what was happening right under his nose, he had no doubts things would spiral downward from there. The Fox Emperor never did anything by halves, he would get to the bottom of her past grievances. When he did, he would demand a retribution for his daughter's shame and sufferings. All five lands of Qing Qiu would rise to protect and fight for her honor.

Before anyone could blink their eyes, war would rage between their Clans. Celestial's armies might have a lot of trained soldiers to spare but their cultivation were barely passable. While Qing Qiu's simplistic ways of life brought its people closer to the magics of the land. It was not surprising any of them, even small children, surpassed their brethrens in Ninth Heaven in terms of spiritual power. The clash between them will leave both sides opened and vulnerable to outside attacks, especially the Demon Clan who had bide their time and waited for the right moment to strike.

Perhaps it was time to give some serious thoughts to Dong Hua earlier's suggestion.

:: Xi Wu Palace ::

The palace guards looked at each other in panic as High God Mo Yuan, also know as God of War, made his unannounced appearance known to them. It was not often the Master of Kunlun Mountain frequented the Ninth Heaven, much less as of late. It was quite understandable though; especially since that incident in the Grand Hall happened a while back. It was supposed to be known about by only a handful of people; somehow the story leaked out and spread through the palace.

Once they regain their mind from stupors; they left their posts and kneeled down to pay their respect to the venerable God. Some began to guess the real reason behind his visit but found nothing worth mentioning, until he asked for the Crown Prince.

One of the guards, braver than the rest of them, summoned his courage and replied. "High God, the Crown prince went to the audiences with the Sky Lord. If you wish to speak with him, perhaps I…" His sentence was cut off with a raise hand from Mo Yuan.

"I am here on personal visit. If Ye Hua isn't inside at the moment, I will come back later." Mo Yuan said.

The guard glanced sideway at his companion, silently asking for confirmation. Then he turned back and began to address to their guest. "High God, if you don't mind, please come inside to wait. The Crown Prince usually comes here first when he returns. "

Mo Yuan acknowledged his request and let the guard show him inside but half an hour passed still there was no signs of Ye Hua.

Just then Jia Yun, Ye Hua's aide, walked inside carrying a tray of documents. He bowed deeply to the Master of Kunlun. "High God, I apologize on his Highness behalf for the delay, the audience session is almost come to an end."

Mo Yuan dismissed him and gestured at the wooden scrolls in the tray. "Are those from the Sky Lord?"

"Yes, High God, these last few years the Sky Lord send more and more documents for the Crown Prince to review." Jia Yun answered truthfully.

"I see. Please carry on. Don't mind me." He watched the aide took the tray deeper inside the room and went behind an elaborated divider then promptly took his leave.

Mo Yuan approach the divider to get a better look of the painting of a small, cosy hut within forest. He heard Ye Hua was very good at painting. Was this one of his works? Behind the divider was once a spacious table, now occupied with stacked of documents. Seeing it was Ye Hua's personal workspace, Mo Yuan turned back to return to his seat when his eyes caught sight of a roll of paper lying on the floor. The aide must have pushed it from the table in his haste to leave.

Mo Yuan picked it up; it seemed to be another painting parchment. He was curious and felt compelled to take a good look at it. The painting was beautifully done as was the woman in it. Every stroke was filled with precision, every details was artfully portrayed. Her warm, inviting smile can put anyone heart at ease while her almost childlike innocence drew out their protective instinct. This was no doubts the famous Su Su, Seventeenth's mortal counterpart. She looked a bit different than he remembered from before his death. Sweeter, more subdued and opened. It was no surprise his brother was tempted to eat this forbidden fruit.

Mo Yuan let his eyes perused her entire being; time became lost to him. The happiness that shone brightly in her eyes and the glow on her face was well captured and bare for all to see. This picture must be painted from before her time in the Ninth Heaven. How he wished for her to remain forever blissful and that cruelty never touched her during her shorten life.

A shift in the balance of energy told him his brother had arrived. Mo Yuan turned his face toward him. Some unreadable feelings lurked deep behind his dark eyes as Mo Yuan stared him down. He did not said anything to Ye Hua for a long time; watching his younger brother's uneasiness grew brought him a small satisfaction.

"Had you succeeded in making her fall in love with you again, would you tell her of your shared past?" Mo Yuan asked without any preambles. His eyes went back to the painting; leaving no more doubts whom he was talking about.

"What are you -?" Ye Hua faltered. A hint of confusion entered his eyes before it cleared and replaced with understanding. The moment of truth had come; it was sooner than he expected. Ye Hua's face grew grim, his mouth pressed firmly into a thin line.

"Would you?" Mo Yuan repeated his question. He glanced at Ye Hua from the corner of his eyes and caught the unyielding expression on his face before it faded away. So, he was right after all. The corner of his upper lips raised up a little. "I see. Why spoil your second chance at happiness and risk her wrath uselessly when you could have her love and devotion for all eternity. What she doesn't know, won't hurt her, right?"

"I wouldn't know. Considering I have already lost her to you," Ye Hua said stiffly.

"While the unknown might be unable to hurt her you, on the contrary, are still very capable of inflicting the pain on her even as we speak. Aren't you curious of how you accomplish that without even trying, Ye Hua." Mo Yuan arched his eyebrows at him in challenge.

Ye Hua frowned, feeling slighted with his insinuation. Aside from his past mistakes, he had done nothing wrong to deserve this condescending attitude. He only tried to help Qian Qian. "Please enlighten me then, High God, what are you accusing me of?" The Crown Prince returned his daggering glare with one of his own.

"Do you know what Bai Qian enjoys the most? Her preferences are simple, nothing extravagant like any other women. She likes to venture out into nature, waiting for sunrise or watching the snow-capped mountain ranges. But she can't enjoy those smallest things anymore. Now the glowing sun burns her eyes, the reflection of snow blinds her. But what I found to be the most unforgiving is that you knew and didn't bother to do anything about it. You let her eye affliction cripple her and put her life in serious danger." Mo Yuan waited for the realization and the weight of his ignorance to set in.

"If a mere reflection of light caught on a sword could interfere with her ability to see, then imagine how full exposure to bright light will blindsight her. A deadly disadvantage she can never afford in any fights. Be grateful that Qing Cang didn't have enough time to catch on, or her life would be forfeited even before we reached her. But next time, will she be so fortunate? Any opponents will use it to put her at disadvantage." The icy and flat voice Mo Yuan adopted as he described Qian Qian's disability being his own fault tore into Ye Hua's defense.

"I have asked myself more than once whether you are considerate enough to foresee her struggles with being so handicapped. If so, why have you let it continue? If not, what are you thinking?" Mo Yuan revealed his mistrust towards Ye Hua's disregard for Seventeenth. "The way I see it, your only concern is winning her love and making her yours again. You don't see her current suffering, just as you never really perceived her pain of being abandoned by you back then."

Mo Yuan's accusation push Ye Hua over the edge; his infamous self-control waning quickly. "You don't know a thing. You don't know what happened between us. What we went through together. Just because you are her chosen now, you have no rights to come here and give me a tongue lashing."

"Contrary to your believe, little brother, I have heard more than enough. You thought you were being so clever in feigning indifference to her." Mo Yuan replied evenly. Ye Hua had greatly underestimated the length his Grandfather was willing to go to rid his grandson of his human's pest. So anything Ye Hua planned failed spectacularly. "I must commend you though, your deception worked like charms on both side. She had fallen for your lies and believed she was a mere charity and a burden to you. In her opinion, you have never loved her. Perhaps that was why you abandoned her all those years when she had no one else to turn to and why you were so willing to take her eyes."

Were Bai Qian here, she would gawk at Mo Yuan's vehement dressing down with slacked jaws. It was so rare anyone get to hear Mo Yuan's voice reverberated with anger and frustration.

"What do you know? I did what must be done to save her. I love her more than anything, enough to leave this life just to be with her." Ye Hua threw his words right back at him.

"Is that what you really believe? That you could just walk away and live freely with her?" Mo Yuan shook his head at his thoughtlessness. Ye Hua didn't missed the sheer disappointment and deep sadness reflected in his elder brother's eyes either.

"Despite your many plans, you did not save her at all, Ye Hua. You have only condemned her further. The more you struggled to keep her, the more she suffered. Your Grandfather was very determined to push her from your side. Lady Su Jin is not the only pawn in his game. He has many other ways to make her life a living hell. Had she not died when she did, how much longer she has to endure? Until she loses all the joy and the will to live perhaps?"

"That's enough!" Ye Hua growled back. Mo Yuan's cutting remarks plunged deep and reopened the barely healed wound in his heart. His failure to love and protect her as she deserved was always his sore spots.

"No, it is not. I am not done with you." Mo Yuan gripped Ye Hua's shoulder tightly and stared him down. He did not remembered the last time he was so incensed at anyone. Not even Dong Hua and his blasted idea to sacrifice Seventeenth.

With Ye Hua, it was more than some righteous anger. This was the person who once shared their's mother's womb. The very same one he painstakingly nurtured and cared for hundred thousands of years; only for him to turn around and torment his beloved behind his back. Mo Yuan held him accountable for his poor handling of Seventeenth's well-being; his lack of restraints and foresights of the severity of his actions only made it worse.

"Marrying her and making her your consort is your way of make it up for your wrongdoings? You really believe you could compensate her? That she will forgive and forget after all that went down? Is this what you learn growing up in the Ninth Heaven? It's alright to abuse others as long as you made up for your mistakes while others just has to take it?"

Ye Hua shrugged his hand off him. His eyes dulled and the urge to fight back left him at that reminder. A flashback of Su Su disengaging her hands and turned away from him when he informed her of their pending nuptials came back to him. Of course, at the time, he had hoped everything would turn out fine again. He would make her understand his reasons for hurting her and hope for her forgiveness. She had bigger heart than most and would give him another chance. He knew she could do it again. It would just take times and patience for her to forgive him and to allow him to love her again. Clearly, he was wrong, she had already decided to abandon him and their young son. Su Su's love for him was replaced by hatred; she would rather forget him and move on with her life. She would rather marry someone else than coming back to him.

"So you are here to punish me for my past failure?" Ye Hua asked in his defeated voice.

"I come here for some answers, I guess I got them now. And believe me you will know if I want to punish you." Mo Yuan told him before he left. "Send the Soul Gathering Lamp to Kunlun Mountain. Bai Qian needs it. I trust it won't be too hard for you?"

"I never meant to hurt her," he whispered.

"But you did, more so than anyone else. Your action was inexcusable, no matter the reasons. You could have walk away and let her live out her life but you let your personal feelings to cloud your mind, against your better judgement." With his back turning away, he said. "You owe her so much, Ye Hua, to make it right again. I hope you can see that."

Mo Yuan decided not to return to Kunlun Mountain just yet. There was one more person he owed a visit.

:: Tai Chen Palace ::

Dong Hua observed the way Mo Yuan strode inside and sat down on the chair, quietly fuming.

"You have been to Xi Wu Palace then?" Dong Hua asked knowingly. "Did you mention it to him yet?"

"I didn't. We were arguing. The emotion run too deep for any of us to discuss anything else. I was so furious with him and the ways he treated her." Mo Yuan admitted. "Even now that he found her again, he didn't think to give her a choice or be honest with her. He just took advantage of their former engagement and her lost memories to pursue her again. It seems to me all that matters is what he want. That thought disturbs me greatly."

"He was just a boy learning to love. He didn't know how to love and cherish her yet." Dong Hua spoke up.

"That was before but now? Shouldn't he have learned from past mistakes?" Mo Yuan angled his face toward him and accepted the teacup that was passed to him. "Did you have any ideas he planned to quit and elope with her?"

"I have suspected he tried to fake his own death in his final battle with the Mermaid Clan. From the stories I heard, he went down too easy." Dong Hua offered what he knew.

"He disappointed me so much, Dong Hua, when he said that." Mo Yuan sighed. "Did he ever stopped to think what will happen in the wake of his supposed death? How both Clans will deal with the fallout? The war would rage for another centuries by his action alone. He shirked his responsibilities, in the name of love, and left for the others to clean up his mess. No matter what Hao De did, he didn't deserved that. Nor the rest of the Clan."

"It gives me doubts. Would he really make a better lord than his Grandfather?"

Mo Yuan questioned Dong Hua openly.

"When his head is no longer messed up with frustration of unrequited love, yes." Dong Hua intoned. "You know the alternative outcome will not be pleasing."

Mo Yuan's silence that followed spoke of his grudgingly acquiesce and understanding between them.

"So what next?" Dong Hua mulled over their plan.

"Ling Bao Tianzhun."

"A good choice. He's Ye Hua's teacher and knows the struggles within the Clan well." Dong Hua hummed his approval then raised his eyebrow at him. "Not Bai Zhi?"

"I am saving him for the last." Mo Yuan rubbed his temple for a few times.

"He will be furious with you." Dong Hua snickered. "Family, they just complicate everything."

Mo Yuan did not made a came back this time; he already knew that. He stayed there for a while then proceeded to the Realm of Supremacy.

Note: I decided to go with flashback scene instead since we (as in me & my proofreader) agreed that the whole conversation will be too long (after the cut, it's still 5xxx+ words. Ouch.) Some might find it a little (?) boring. This way the story move somewhat.

**Very special thanks to Noitratoxin; my hard-working proofreader. May she enjoys her holidays. :))

#Guest : Well, I guess you got the mild version. She will get the justice she so deserved!

#lizzie : It's just a few days/nights, fiction-wise. :))