Mo Yuan had awoken after 70,000 years of sleep. At his side waiting for him sat his little Seventeenth disciple with tears in her eyes. Si Yin, now Bai Qian, had been the reason he worked to repair his shattered soul for all those long years. During his slumber, she had grown into the most beautiful creature he had ever laid his eyes on. Her fair porcelain skin, full luscious lips and her eyes that gleamed brightly when she looked at him. Her embrace was warm and Mo Yuan’s heart began to race, this was when he started to feel alive again.
After the first few days of being awake, Mo Yuan had many unanswered questions and struggled to come to terms with the events that had occurred during his long slumber. Finally being back at Kunlun Mountain, Mo Yuan felt it was time to get some answers. He hoped Zhe Yan could answer some of the many questions clouding Mo Yuan’s head.
Zhe Yan knew his brother well enough to sense, when Mo Yuan was distracted. Zhe Yan walked into Mo Yuan’s room swinging four bottles of wine, but Mo Yuan knew that he brought more in his sleeves, and sat across from him.
“Mo Yuan, you haven’t been yourself since you returned. I know you are still trying to cope with things you have missed during your slumber, but I have sensed something is bothering your mind. May I ask as to what it may be?”
Zhe Yan asked as he opened the first of the many bottles that would be consumed that night. After drinking several glasses of peach wine, Zhe Yan began to answer Mo Yuan’s questions.
“Why was I not buried in the Sea Of innocence?”
Mo Yuan asked while he sipped at his wine. Zhe Yan let out a soft chuckle and replied,
“Well, that would be because of your beloved Seventeen.”
Mo Yuan was told Si Yin, Mo Yuan’s seventeenth disciple, had fed him blood from her heart for 70,000 years. She had taken his body to Qing Qiu and gone into hiding for 70,000 years. 20,000 years after the Ghost Wars, his twin brother Ye Hua had been born and was the Crown Prince of Celestial Heaven. He had met and taken Seventeenth for himself.
Si Yin, no… Bai Qian was now engaged to marry Ye Hua. They had met during a banquet at the Eastern Sea recently, yet A-Li a three hundred year old immortal child called Bai Qian his mother. Zhe Yan was stalling and Mo Yuan was aware of this fact. Mo Yuan continued to let Zhe Yan drink many more bottles of wine waiting patiently, until his brother was ready to tell him things that only liquid courage could bring to his lips.
“Xiao Wu was badly injured while resealing Qing Cang in the bell.”
Zhe Yan said after finishing his 7th bottles of wine. During their battle, Qing Cang sealed Bai Qian’s memories, powers and left her at the foot of Mt Jinju as a mortal. During this time she had somehow met Ye Hua and they married in secrecy.
While Ye Hua was in battle with the Mermaid clan, Bai Qian then known as the mortal SuSu, was discovered by Heavenly Lord. He was able to find her easily when she ran through the protective shield set up by Ye Hua. She was already carrying Ye Hua’s child at the time.
“I don’t know or want to know all the details”, Zhe Yan paused then cautiously added with a remorseful expression on his face.
“I bumped into Bai Qian while she was SuSu in Celestial Heaven.” Mo Yuan quickly turned his head towards Zhe Yan, “I didn’t recognize her half covered face. She was already blind by then.” Zhe Yan said as he looked down unable to meet Mo Yuan’s eyes.
“There was an incident with Ghost tribe, Ghost Queen kidnapped A-Li and your body to make an elixir for her dead child. The battle inside Ghost Palace was an ambush, and Xiao Wu was injured.”
Zhe Yan stared at the window, trying to rearrange his memory.
“Ye Hua arrived late and Xiao Wu had already killed all the ghost soldiers, but he still managed to help Xiao Wu get your body and his son back. After Ye Hua settled everything, I had a conversation with him. He confessed to me that Xiao Wu was SuSu. He didn’t explain too much, but his pain and remorse were plain to see.”
“After that, I succeeded to gather information from Prince Lian Song, Ye Hua’s third uncle, he was and has been Ye Hua’s only confidante. I had to waste few bottles of my precious new creation to make him talk.”
Zhe Yan looked annoyed again, when he remembered not being able to take a single taste of his creation, before handing it over to Lian Song.
“There was also Xiao Wu’s personal servant Nai Nai, she did not tell me directly, but I overheard her when she told Xiao Wu about Susu’s misfortunes.”
“What I am aware of is the fact a terrible incident occurred where SuSu was unjustly framed. “
In order to save SuSu’s life, Ye Hua had to take SuSu’s eyes to replace Consort Su Jin’s damaged eyes, after an altercation at Zhuxian Terrace. Ye Hua’s intentions were clear and understandable, but the anger in Mo Yuan began to stir.
SuSu only days after giving birth to A-Li, and an upcoming marriage to Ye Hua only days away, chose to jump from Zhuxian Terrace. Ye Hua, who followed after her was also gravely injured. Zhe Yan, who happened to be looking for Bai Qian, was in Celestial Heaven when he heard of Ye Hua’s condition.
“I was able to heal him but he refused to wake up. He didn’t want to live. He’d lost his reason to live, he didn’t even consider he still had A-Li. He remained in a coma for sixty years.”
Zhe Yan said as he looked at Mo Yuan who was absorbing the conversation.
“When I returned back to my orchard. I found a wounded and bloodied Xiao Wu. When she regained consciousness the first thing she asked for was wine and my amnesia potion. Her only explanation was that it had something to do with her heavenly trial. Whatever she endured in Celestial Heaven was too much for her to cope with.”
Zhe Yan paused, took a deep breath and looked at Mo Yuan who was looking towards his open window. He couldn’t see Mo Yuan’s eyes but he could see the tension in his tightened jaw.
“She still doesn’t know that A-li is her own child” Zhe Yan continued. “She doesn’t have any memories of her time with Ye Hua and her experiences at Celestial Heaven. She chose to forget about her new born son than remember what she endured.”
Mo Yuan sat quietly looking off to the distance while the fire inside him grew. He felt the weight of guilt and responsibility for his little seventeen’s sufferings. He couldn’t help but feel anger towards his younger twin Ye Hua.
“Why hasn’t Ye Hua told her the truth? How long does he mean to keep it from her?”
Mo Yuan asked his face firm with resolve. Zhe Yan uncrossed his legs and leaned back looking at the ceiling,
“Mo Yuan, you know Xiao Wu better than most, with her temper. Would you tell her if it meant losing her forever? Gaining Xiao Wu’s love back wasn’t an easy task for Ye Hua. He’s suffered much and still feels insecure about your relationship with Xiao Wu.” After a long sigh, Zhe Yan asked “Does he have reason to worry, Mo Yuan?”
Mo Yuan vaguely heard Zhe Yan talking when something else came into Mo Yuan’s thoughts. He thought of Bai Qian’s eyes. Her bright, beautiful eyes shined every time he saw her. He took a deep breath in and paused before speaking
“Zhe Yan, does Seventeen have her eyes back or are they still being stored in Su Jin’s head?”
Before Zhe Yan could answer Mo Yuan was gone in the direction of Celestial Heaven.
To be continued…