Ten Miles Of Peach Blossoms
It was admittedly somewhat comical. The zen-like state of silence Bai Qian experienced as she watched Zhe Yan’s mouth moving nonstop, but didn’t hear a single sound. Nothing. He’d recited the same speech about not drinking this ‘particular’ wine. To deliver them to her second brother, as if repeating it would somehow permanently etch it into her brain. His lips proceeded to move, as she aloofly continued to tune him out. Completely.
One could think of it as a highly distinguished selective sort of hearing. Almost perfected to an art form of real skill. After a lifetime of listening to Zhe Yan’s nagging, which was quite similar to a displeased mother-in-law, she’d mastered the amazing ability not to hear a word he said.
Comparable to how spouses can tune each other’s nagging out after many years of marriage. Remarkable.
Maybe Zhe Yan knew she wasn’t listening because visuals came into play. Bai Qian watched entirely disinterested as he waved a cluster of four bottles of forbidden wine in her face, and she could read his moving lips. She knew precisely what he was saying, without having to hear a single sound.
His mouth moved and she silently read “Xiao Wu, these are not for you! You mustn’t drink them. If you weren’t going to the Eastern Sea Banquet, I wouldn’t even be asking you. You can drink anything else here but not these. Do you understand! Xiao Wu?”
Bai Qian nodded ‘yes’ with an expression that she understood. How could she not? After having the same monotonous conversation drilled into her head a dozen times. She just innocently smiled, because regardless of what Zhe Yan told her, she intended to drink a bottle after he was gone.
If anything, it was pure foolishness on Zhe Yan’s part to trust her with such an absurd, and nonsensical task. Even a stray dog passing by would laugh, because everyone who knew her or heard about Bai Qian was aware that, she could out-drink everyone except one person. That man was her father, the Fox King.
Bai Qian’s high tolerance for alcohol was almost legendary.
When Bai Qian was only a 300-year-old child, she snuck into her father’s wine collection. She consumed so much that she slept for five days straight. Since then she enjoyed, no, loved drinking wine.
Especially, Zhe Yan’s sweet peach fermented liquid-blend he created personally.
So Zhe Yan entrusting her with such a chore was humorous. Bai Qian cringed at the thought of seeing her grumpy second brother, and going to the Eastern Water King’s son’s first birthday.
Attending the Eastern Sea Banquet was a rarity. Bai Qian seldom if ever, accepted such social invitations and usually avoided other immortals. But her attendance wasn’t without a planned cause and specific purpose. She knew Crown Prince Ye Hua was supposed to be in attendance. So this would be her first, and hopefully last time she’d have to deal with him. She intended to cancel their laughable marriage agreement.
Bai Qian’s niece, Bai Feng Jiu dished out all the current hot and juicy gossip from Celestial Heaven. Her close connection to Star Lord Si Ming, who seemed to know everything about everyone, kept her in the loop and up on the latest scandals in Nine Heavens. So even without stepping a single foot out of Qingqiu, Bai Qian knew about most of the incidents occurring in other realms.
After Bai Qian’s return from her heavenly trial, she was livid to discover she was engaged to a youngster. A 50,000-year-old Crown Prince, who happened to be 90,000 years younger than her. Crown Prince Ye Hua, who was also in a coma after a suicidal attempt to save his wife from jumping off Zhuxian Terrace.
Bai Qian tried not to be judgemental, but the first thing Ye Hua did after regaining consciousness, was marrying his Side Consort Su Jin. All the while using the Soul Gathering Lamp to bring back his dead wife.
In all honesty, Bai Qian found it somewhat offensive and distasteful, for such a young man to have nothing on his mind except marrying women. Ye Hua was only 50,000 years old, which was equivalent to a mortal teenager and already had two side consorts. Still, she held her tongue and kept her negative opinions of him to herself. She bit back her honest feelings and words, mainly, since he was her Shifu Mo Yuan’s younger twin brother.
From everything she’d heard from others, Bai Qian’s self-made conclusion was that Ye Hua, was the kind of man she detested most in life. He was a womanizing playboy like Li Jing. She blamed his youth for his skirt-chasing behavior.
It was then Bai Qian made the resolved. Even if her body were cut and quartered; she refused to marry Ye Hua, due to their clear conflicting beliefs on morals and ethicals.
Bai Qian solidly believed in the philosophy of one partner for life, and absolute faithfulness to that one spouse. 100% monogamy. The ways of her clan, the Nine-Tailed Foxes, who mate only one person for life. Harems didn’t exist in Qingqiu.
Once burned twice shy, Bai Qian already experienced the tragic feeling of betrayal and disappointment. When Ghost Lord Li Jing, who was then Second Prince, ran off with Xuan Nu, she was heartbroken. So her resolutions and mentality were such; never married then deception wouldn’t ever occur. Never fall in love, and conclusively she would never get hurt. A definite win-win situation.
Since her Shifu Mo Yuan’s return, Bai Qian’s father stopped pressuring her to marry, and she determined that marriage wasn’t necessary. Her successor, niece Bai Feng Jiu would most likely have children, and if not surely between her brothers, there would be plenty of children in the Fox Clan, who would become future Kings and Queens of Qingqiu.
The only man Bai Qian would ever consider marrying was her trustworthy, loyal Shifu Mo Yuan. She knew without a doubt that he wouldn’t ever hurt her. Unfortunately, he chose to remain unmarried, and celibate for hundreds of thousands of years for the sake of world peace. His noble cause was commendable.
Instead, for the time being, Bai Qian was content being the virgin Queen of Qingqiu, and refrain from intimacy just like her Shifu. Somehow celibacy had an interestingly charming appeal. She found the concept of self-determined chastity quite modern. Extremely empowering.
A serene and peaceful way of living, without the constant pressure of a man’s desires and whims. Free to live as she pleased without answering to anyone.
Also, she’d yet to meet anyone who made her heart flutter and throb like her Shifu. It also didn’t help matters since Bai Qian didn’t leave Qingqiu, Kunlun Mountain or Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms. She seldom met new people or single men. After Shifu’s miraculous return two hundred years ago; she even stopped going to the mortal realm.
After using her elite cultivation to make her Shifu’s elixir, the extraction took its toll physically. Bai Qian still felt fatigued hundreds of years later. Nonetheless, she considered her loss of elite cultivation a small sacrifice to have her Shifu, Mo Yuan back.
Lost in her thoughts, Bai Qian failed to see Zhe Yan’s hand, until she felt the solid flick of his thumb, and index fingers on the center of her forehead.
“What?” Bai Qian barked immediately.
“Xiao Wu, are you listening to me?” Zhe Yan questioned with his hands placed on his hips, leaning more slightly on his right leg. His usual posture when lecturing.
“Yes, Yes, Yes, I’m not to touch the wine. It goes to my second brother.” The words automatically flew from Bai Qian’s lips like a well-practiced drill.
Zhe Yan’s hands moved from his hips, and he gracefully straightened out the little creases in the silky material of his garment. He carefully adjusted the front of his light fleshy peach colored robe. His choice of his preferred pastel colored wardrobe complemented his fair complexion. Bai Qian would never admit it to anyone, but he was still quite handsome…for an antique.
Zhe Yan advised, “Tomorrow when you finally meet Crown Prince Ye Hua, he might become confused and even alarmed. Xiao Wu, you truly resemble his dead wife, SuSu. There was a time when I wondered if you were that mortal after your disappearance.”
Bai Qian casually crossed her arms over her chest and leaned her back against the wall of Zhe Yan’s hut. She responded, “I can make a blood oath that I’m not SuSu. My mortal name was Chen, and I recall all my mortal memories.”
Zhe Yan suddenly snapped his fingers as if he remembered something else and stated, “Mo Yuan came out of seclusion yesterday. He might come looking for you.”
Blinking rapidly in puzzlement, Bai Qian asked curiously, “Why would Shifu come looking for me after coming out of seclusion?”
Zhe Yan snorted and shook his head at Bai Qian’s utter ignorance. He inquired “How is it Xiao Wu, that I think you become more dense with age? You’re at the age when you should understand, and notice certain things by now.”
Bai Qian had the same perplexed look on her face as she asked inquisitively, “What don’t I notice? Did I miss something?”
Zhe Yan sighed profoundly and replied, “You’re usually so sharp but dull when it comes to romance. Between your cluelessness and his passive, vague hinting, if anything ever happened between you two, it would be a miracle.”
“What’s a miracle? Who’s he? Who are you talking about?” Bai Qian’s slightly arched eyebrows lifted intrigued. Her interest was suddenly piqued thinking Zhe Yan might be withholding some new, hot, juicy gossip.
“Nevermind! Just don’t…” Bai Qian promptly cut Zhe Yan off and finished his repetitive sentence, “Drink the wine. I heard you the first ten times.”
Bai Qian waved goodbye and waited patiently until she no longer sensed Zhe Yan’s presence. His cautionary warnings only made the wine more irresistible and tantalizing. She snickered as she grabbed all four bottles of the ‘special forbidden wine.’
With high anticipation, Bai Qian opened the rust-colored bottle and brought it to her nose. The bouquet didn’t smell different than Zhe Yan’s usual wines. The only way to solve the mystery was to sample it.
Hastily, she did a visual once-over and surveyed her surroundings. All clear. Snickering, Bai Qian excitedly raised the ceramic container to her lips. A light tap on her shoulder caused her to freeze and stop abruptly. She quickly gathered her composure. It was just like Zhe Yan to come back to catch her red-handed, right in the middle of committing the act she was reprimanded not to do.
“I’ve only appreciated the scent and bouquet. I can’t believe you came back to check on me? That kind of distrust is an illness, Zhe Yan.” Bai Qian responded coolly without even glancing back to see who was behind her.
“Seventeen, did I catch you doing something you’re not supposed to do? You look extremely guilty.” Replied Mo Yuan in his soft velvety voice.
Rounding her slender arms, Seventeen began to rise so she could bow and greet her Shifu properly, but Mo Yuan motioned with his hand to remain seated and instead sat beside her. He clasped his hands and interlocked his fingers casually in his lap.
After Mo Yuan’s returned from death, Seventeen perceived a definite difference in their interactions than previously. There were distinctions in her Shifu’s behavior towards her, which she couldn’t exactly pinpoint but it wasn’t the same as before.
Notably, after hearing of her sacrifices, Mo Yuan seemed overwhelmed emotionally, and strangely shy around her presence. An unfamiliar gaze. He even looked at Seventeen differently.
It seemed as if Mo Yuan’s eyes followed her movements openly. A prolonged stare that she didn’t understand. Seventeen always felt as if he was watching her, and there were now moments of awkward silence between them, that never existed before.
The best way Seventeen could describe this new atmosphere between them was an indescribable strain. Not unpleasant but indeed there was a distinct tension.
Perhaps it was Seventeen’s imagination, but her Shifu appeared to want to say something to her. But instead always hesitated and held back his words. One of the oddest things she noted was that her Shifu Mo Yuan, now blushed whenever she made bodily contact. Where before, he never shied away from her touch, but presently, whenever she embraced him, his body nervously stiffened as if he was physically uncomfortable.
Even now, Mo Yuan intentionally came to see her after many years in seclusion yet sat wordlessly. After a lengthy prolonged awkward period of silence, Seventeen spoke first, “Shifu, you’ve come out of seclusion.”
Inwardly, Seventeen imagined just how stupid she must have sounded. If she were alone, she would have slapped herself on the head. It was one of those ‘no-duh’ kind of moments. Obviously, Mo Yuan was out of seclusion since he was here in Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms, but she couldn’t think of anything else to say.
At a loss for words and a topic of conversation, Seventeen raised the cluster of wine bottles up, proudly displayed them and swung them gently in the air. She stated with a sly expression, that curved the sides of her full lips upwards, playfully.
Seventeen’s lips were curled up into the smile that caused both sides of her soft cheek to dimple, adorable. Her smile that made Mo Yuan’s heart skip a beat or two.
She explained, “Zhe Yan warned me five thousand times not to touch these bottles. So…”
“So my mischievous, naughty Little Seventeen is set on drinking them all. How unwise of Zhe Yan, to leave such an impossible duty in your hands.” Mo Yuan stated with a little smile on his lips. He slightly shook his head and chuckled lightly at Zhe Yan’s poor judgment.
Seventeen giggled and playfully bumped arms with her Shifu’s before blurting, “Exactly! You understand me best, Shifu. Asking me to deliver wine is like asking a mouse to hand over the cheese. It’s just ludicrous!”
Dramatically for emphasis to showcase her bold audacity to do something she was warned against repeatedly. Seventeen even stuck out her pinky to show her refinement. She took a big gulp from the forbidden bottle and smacked her lips. She perceived the flavor was slightly stronger than usual, but nothing notably different or exceptional. It was anticlimactic after such a buildup.
Mo Yuan asked in his soft voice. “Are you attending the Eastern Sea Banquet tomorrow? Isn’t this your first time meeting Ye Hua?”
Seventeen nodded her head ‘yes’ and indifferently replied, “My first and last! Probably. The engagement is a ridiculous arrangement made without my permission. A conversation between Ye Hua and myself is long overdue. This situation needs to be addressed and resolved. Quickly”
“I think if we both agree and mutually cancel the wedding then everyone will save face. If the Celestials are dead set on marrying with the Fox Clan, Bai Feng Jiu would be a much better match for Ye Hua.” Seventeen offhandedly stated, while twirling a piece of her long hair around her index finger.
A nervous habit she wasn’t aware of doing. Even though Seventeen sounded indifferent, she was quite anxious about meeting Ye Hua.
Mo Yuan questioned while studying Seventeen’s facial expression with noticeable interest. “Why don’t you want to marry Ye Hua? Is there someone else you’d rather marry?”
In his roundabout way, Mo Yuan was fishing for information, and hoping to gain an insight into Seventeen’s private thoughts. He was highly interested in who his disciple wanted to wed. Greatly.
Wordlessly, Seventeen handed her Shifu a bottle of wine. She knew he probably wouldn’t drink it, but it was just out of respect and courtesy. She watched surprised as he opened the lid, and took a sip.
In all the years Seventeen knew her Shifu; this was possibly only the second time she’d ever seen him indulge in spirits.
Seventeen smirked and stated “He’s too young. Ye Hua already has two consorts. Granted one has passed away, but the fact remains, he has other wives. I’m never going to marry anyone who has consorts, concubines or a harem.”
Shaking her head ‘no’ in open objection, Seventeen took another gulp of the wine and declared “I don’t know what he looks like, so there isn’t anything I can say about his appearance. But…I find it extremely unnerving that I supposedly look like his dead wife.”
Turning towards Mo Yuan, she looked at him straight-faced and asked earnestly, “Am I the only one who thinks that’s slightly creepy?” Seventeen trembled to show her level of disturbance, at being mistaken for a dead person.
Reflectively, Seventeen paused and gazed up at the twinkling stars above in the dark onyx sky. “I’m not content being a substitute for a dead woman he’s been pining for the past 300 years. Nope, that’s not the life for me.”
“Seventeen, Ye Hua looks like me…we’re twins.” Mo Yuan responded amused and took another sip of the wine.
He usually refrained from alcohol, but the sweet and fragrant aftertaste was unique and pleasant. Also, Mo Yuan was a bit curious as to why Zhe Yan commanded Seventeen so firmly, not to drink the wine. Being a vintner himself, he wondered if there was something new, Zhe Yan was doing to his blend.
Seventeen casually looked Mo Yuan from head to toe a couple of times, and stated in her flat monotone voice, “Well, I guess if Ye Hua resembles like you, then he’s not that terrible looking.”
Snickering like a school girl from intoxication, Seventeen moved closer to Mo Yuan, so her face was inches from his and whispered, “I’ve never thought about this before, but if I were intimate with Ye Hua, it would appear as if I were in bed with you, Shifu!”
While speechless, Mo Yuan blushed. Seventeen burst out into girlish giggling and laughter. The melodic sound of her playful laugh broke the silence and echoed in the calm, quiet night air.
“Not-terrible-looking?” Mo Yuan turned towards and repeated after Seventeen.
Merrily, Seventeen brightly smiled and playfully stuck out her bottom lip, so it appeared as if she were pouting. She shrugged her shoulders at him. She was unaware of just how appealing and utterly charming she was. The bright candlelit space around them, made her look somewhat angelic.
Mo Yuan returned thoroughly confused from his long slumber. But in the nucleus of his internal disorder and chaos, one thought was crystal clear and defined. He was undeniably in love with his seventeenth disciple. Not just because of her tremendous and selfless sacrifices, which he could never repay in a thousand lifetimes. But he’d adored and cherished Seventeen long before the Ghost War, yet he lacked the courage to pursue his love.
Seventeen’s youth and their vast gap in age contributed and became a considerable obstacle for Mo Yuan.
Before the Ghost War, Mo Yuan thought it was practically sinful, his private physical desires for Seventeen. A cradle robber. That was how he would have described himself, but she wasn’t a young girl anymore. During his absence, she’d bloomed into a remarkable, and exceedingly desirable woman.
He tried to convey his feelings, but Mo Yuan’s subtle signs were unseen by Seventeen. She was merely inexperienced and unaware. He factored growing up with four brothers, and attending an all-male school contributed to her lacked feminine intuition.
In some ways, Seventeen was more tomboy than a grown woman.
Seventeen couldn’t identify the difference between Mo Yuan’s amorous intentions, and her fellow disciple brothers affections. She was utterly oblivious and unconscious to subtle hints, or nuances from a man in love with her.
Mo Yuan was astonished he’d finished his bottle and set the empty container on the step. The warmth of the wine began to travel throughout his body. A sizzling, tingling sensation flowed swiftly like electricity, and circulated in his veins, and sped up his heartbeat.
Mo Yuan’s stiff posture softened from the immediate feeling of total inebriation, that hit him abruptly like a brick wall. Suddenly, he felt loaded. Completely.
Mo Yuan glanced at Seventeen who looked glassy-eyed and smiled sweetly still staring at the stars. Without looking at him, she handed him another bottle, which he absentmindedly took because he was that intoxicated.
“Wouldn’t you like to get married and have children, Seventeen?” Mo Yuan asked out of genuine curiously. Seventeen didn’t show any indication of desiring marriage or children, which seemed unusual for a woman of her age.
Seventeen chuckled softly and confessed, “Shifu, I came back from my heavenly trial with a general distrust of men and betrayal. And honestly, pregnancy and children scare the hell out of me. I can’t accurately describe it since I’ve never been pregnant. But when I think of pregnancy, a strange unexplained sadness and depression enveloped me. The best explanation is melancholy and misery.”
“How about intimacy and a man’s passionate touch? Aren’t you the slightest bit curious, Seventeen?” Blushing, Mo Yuan asked a private, personal question he wouldn’t have dared asked had he been sober and lucid.
An unexpected light night breeze came out of nowhere and blew refreshingly. Mo Yuan welcomed the cool wind because he suddenly felt considerably warmer. Seventeen clumsily fumbled to open her second bottle of wine. He reached out and lightly moved the hair, from her face with his fingertips.
Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms was more beautiful in the evening due to its tranquil serenity, and the delicious scent that surrounded and infused the air. Seventeen smelled like the peach orchard. Luscious, fresh and floral.
The intoxicating combination of Seventeen’s close bodily presence, dreamy location, and alcohol; Mo Yuan felt as if under a spell. Hypnotized.
Seventeen took another long drink and smiled dazed from the fuzzy haze of intoxication. Her voice unexpectedly softened, and she stared absently at the ground. She spoke in a different distant, faraway tone as if she were describing a dream. The inflection of her voice changed the feel, mood, and atmosphere around them.
“I haven’t talked about my mortal life, but the alcohol is making me more talkative than usual. Shifu, after Qing Cang, took my sight, powers, and memories. I regained consciousness in the mortal world. I was a released slave. Chen was my mortal name. Did you know Chen means dawn?” Seventeen asked.
She sighed deeply. Almost wistfully but continued her narrative in the same soft, far, dream-like voice. “I was fortunate. I don’t remember serving a master so it could have been much worse.”
“I remember spending time at a Buddhist temple in the Qing Empire. The Temple of the White Horse to be precise, but I don’t know how long I was there. The days at the temple, blended into each other.” Seventeen stopped and took another sip of her wine.
“Being sightless, I wasn’t able to help the nuns and monks or contribute to the maintenance of the temple. One day when I was out in the garden, a stranger who happened to be at the temple for prayers, there was a long drought for years, so he came to pray from the rain. Anyway, he said that he’d fallen in love with me at first sight. That man was Emperor Qianlong. After that, I became his concubine until my natural mortal death and returned to immortality ascended to High Goddess. I’ve felt a man’s touch, and it wasn’t anything special that I can’t live without it.” Seventeen revealed candidly.
It was silly, but Mo Yuan felt jealous of this mortal Emperor touching his Seventeen.
He asked, “Was he kind? Did you mother any of his children? Did you have a traumatic experience? Is that why pregnancy terrifies you?”
Seventeen snorted and laughed, “Shifu, I was blind, and mortals thought I was born sightless. Like a disease. It was unfitting for me to conceive, in case I’d pass my illness to a child of royal blood. I drank a special contraceptive tea, and Emperor Qianlong was kind to me. He enjoyed me physically. I was just one more woman in his harem of seventy.”
“Did you ever see him after you regained your sight?” Asked Mo Yuan.
Seventeen smiled and replied frankly, “Yes, I wanted to repay his kindness towards me during my heavenly trial, so while he was on his deathbed, I returned and used my magic to take all his pain away.”
Glassy, shiny and unfocused, Seventeen’s eyes from intoxication, her cheeks were rosy and warm. Mo Yuan sensed substantial heat radiating and exuding from her body. It felt similar to standing next to a toasty, blazing fire on a cold, snowing, winter’s night. Typically, it would have been pleasant, but he was already on fire internally.
Seventeen finished the second bottle off and rested her head on Mo Yuan’s shoulder. Her light, even, breathing had a calm and soothing effect.
Liquid courage. Mo Yuan took a deep breath to gather the nerve, and nervously asked the words he’d held back for years, “Seventeen, could you ever see me as a man? Not just your Shifu but someone…you could grow to love? Marry someday?”
Silence. Mo Yuan realized Seventeen was too shocked to reply. After a long paused nerve-wreaking silence, he finally caught the light sound of her snoring. She was fast asleep, and hadn’t heard a word he said. Feeling foolish, he softly chuckled to himself. He leaned his head against hers, closed his eyes for a moment and instead fell asleep.
Seventeen awoke before midnight utterly wasted and unbelievably aroused. Her body felt so hot, it felt as if she were scorching inside. Her head was in her Shifu’s lap, and Mo Yuan was fast asleep, flat on his back on the porch of Zhe Yan’s hut.
It was Mo Yuan’s scent that Seventeen noticed first. Clean, manly, mouthwatering. Looking at her sleeping Shifu, she studied his handsome face. Yes, he was incredibly attractive. She stroked his neat beard lightly with her index finger.
Seventeen harbored a secret crush on Mo Yuan ever since she became his disciple. But she was too shy, and he was after all her Shifu. A man who saw and treated her as a child in a fatherly way. Very innocent.
“Shifu, wake up. You shouldn’t sleep outside. You’ll catch a cold.” Seventeen said as she lightly patted Mo Yuan’s chest to rouse him.
Seventeen shook him harder, and Mo Yuan sat up with his eyes closed clueless to where he was. He finally opened one eye, smiled gleefully and slurred, “Ah, it’s my beauuuutiful Seventeen.”
Seventeen explained, “Shifu, you need to stand up.”
Supporting Mo Yuan’s swaying and stumbling weight with her entire body, Seventeen helped him inside. A difficult feat considering how high she was also. She could barely walk straight herself. He giggled the whole way softly while she assisted him to the bed. The moment his body landed on the padded surface, he dropped firmly on his back and mumbled incoherently.
Seventeen moved the candles inside, grabbed the wine bottles, and returned inside to covered her Shifu with the blanket.
“Shhhhh Seventeen. Close your eyes. Nighty-night.” Mo Yuan garbled as he suddenly grabbed her dress, and pulled her towards him.
In a single gulp, Seventeen finished off the last of the half-empty bottle Mo Yuan was drinking. She carefully laid next to him stiffly at a safe distance, so their bodies didn’t make any contact. She closed her eyes and passed out from intoxication.
An incredibly erotic vision. A different kind of dream, where one could identify even the most subtle nuances of texture, and differentiate the sensation of touching someone’s body and skin. Silky, soft and scorching all at once. Smell and taste an erotic variety of sweetness, and edibility of another person’s body with accuracy. So vivid that one may question if it was a dream.
Soft full lips kissed Mo Yuan’s mouth hungrily. The warm and sensuous motion of smooth, silken, creamy skin moved, caressed and rubbed against his anxious body. The euphoric friction was soft, gentle, tender, hot, fiery, rough and frenzied..all deliciously swirled together.
Dark, passionate eyes stared intensely into his gaze and delicious succulent breasts melted in his mouth. A slippery, wet, tight, pleasure-inducing hold firmly wrapped around his pounding male sex before sweet blissful release. Soft moaning, loud panting breathes and ‘Shifu,’ echoed repeatedly in his ear.
The unmistakable heady scent of fully blossomed peach flowers and intimacy infused the air. A sensuous dream from which he never wanted to awake.
But someone shaking him awake from his beautiful imaginary picture. Yes, someone was shaking Mo Yuan’s shoulder and repeating his name. At first, the voice sounded distant far, and muffled, then clarified as he slowly drifted out of a most profound slumber. Someone was calling his name. Repeatedly. Annoyingly.
The most unfathomably intense pain. Steadily, Mo Yuan’s head pounded and throbbed like a pulse. His body felt stiff and sore like he was in extreme physical combat. Unable to open both eyes, he peeked one eye open and saw Zhe Yan staring intently at him. The first thought that came to his mind was, ‘Why was Zhe Yan up at Kunlun Mountain so early in the morning?’
A feeble effort to open his eyes hindered by the sudden blast of blaring early afternoon sunlight, that beamed harshly in through the windows. Too much for his sensitive eyes to endure. Moaning, Mo Yuan dropped his head back on the bed, because it felt like it was going to split in half. He was parched and incredibly hung over.
“Water. Zhe Yan, I need water.” Was all Mo Yuan could muster mentally and mumble.
Eyes closed, Mo Yuan’s hand clumsily grabbed the cup and drank the contents in a single gulp. He cleared his throat and grumbled in a tired, groggy voice, “Why are you here on Kunlun Mountain so early?”
Zhe Yan snorted disbelievingly and blurted loudly, “Ha! We’re not on Kunlun Mountain. What happened last night, Mo Yuan?”
Groaning due to his body’s soreness, Mo Yuan slowly sat up on the bed. He couldn’t remember most of the night before. He recalled sitting and drinking with Seventeen, but the rest was blank. Zilch. Nothing. He couldn’t recollect the last time he was drunk enough to blackout.
“I saw Seventeen and we talked. We drank some wine and then she left. I must have fallen asleep afterward?” Mo Yuan guessed that was what occurred, but he wasn’t 100% sure, and wouldn’t have bet money on it.
Zhe Yan fervently shook his head ‘no’ and demanded, “Did you two drink all four bottle of this particular wine last night?” He swiftly waved the empty jugs in the air.
“Yes, I think so, but I passed out.” Mo Yuan mumbled. He didn’t sound entirely sober. “I haven’t done that since we were in school.”
“Mo Yuan, think harder. What happened last night?” Zhe Yan demanded urgently.
Mo Yuan thought about the night before and spoke, “Seventeen and I drank. She left and I must have fallen asleep, but honestly, I can’t remember anything.”
With an expression of confusion, Mo Yuan studied his crimson surroundings and asked dumbfounded, “When did you redecorate? It looks like a wedding chamber in here. Zhe Yan, it’s tacky as hell and ugly. An eyesore.”
Mo Yuan finally looked down at his nudity and added nervously, “I hope she left before I took off my clothes!”
Zhe Yan stared at Mo Yuan in utter shock. His eyes were giant, round and unblinking.
After seeing Zhe Yan’s expression of shock, Mo Yuan said terrified, “Oh no! Did I undress in front of her? No, I wouldn’t do that. Seventeen left before I undressed……I hope.” His eyes narrowed into little slits embarrassed by his awkward position.
“Xiao Wu just flew out of here half-dressed. Think harder, Mo Yuan. What happened last night?” Zhe Yan urged.
“Did we both sleep without our clothes? In this bed? The same bed? Together?” Mo Yuan asked tensely blinking rapidly.
Nervously. Mo Yuan struggled to recall the events of the previous evening. Zhe Yan handed him another cup of water, which he threw right in his face to clear the fog in his head.
Zhe Yan pointed to a table with red candles and what appeared to be a makeshift altar. Similar, no, precisely like the ones used for a wedding. There were red candles everywhere. Mo Yuan was speechless from shock. He looked around the crimson, and scarlet colored room in utter confusion.
The drapes, bedding, walls were all decorated with shades of red. Everywhere. There were even strange red celebratory ribbon-like dangling things hanging from the ceiling, but Mo Yuan didn’t know what they were called. The blanket on the bed was unmistakably a vermilion wedding quilt.
He shook his head ‘no’ in utter disbelief. Mo Yuan mumbled under his breath in an ineffective, weak attempt to grasp the embarrassing situation. “No, nothing happened last night. It’s impossible. Nothing. Seventeen and I just slept. Innocently.”
“Mo Yuan, I think you and Xiao Wu married each other in your drunken state, and judging by your lack of clothes, and if you both drank this particular wine,” Zhe Yan said lifting up, and waving an empty container so Mo Yuan could see it.
Zhe Yan stated with absolute resolve, “You’ve undoubtedly, and unquestionably consummated your marriage.”
Zhe Yan’s eagle eyes narrowed on Mo Yuan’s shoulder and gasped in shock. He asked in a low tone full of disbelief, “Mo Yuan, is that a bite mark on your shoulder? Made with teeth. Xiao Wu bit you?!”
Zhe Yan burst out laughing hysterically and shouted, “You might have married your brother’s fiancée last night! This particular magical creation was an aphrodisiac wine for Xiao Wu’s second brother. If what I’m thinking happened, then Mo Yuan, this is the best-drunken story ever! Ha Ha Ha! A freaking miracle!”
Zhe Yan laughed to the point of breathlessness, and he bent over to catch his wind. Tears rolled down his face. He started to hiccup due to his severe uncontrollable laughter, as Mo Yuan absorbed and surveyed his surroundings in silent horror.
Mo Yuan queried silently. Was it possible he married Seventeen in utter, and complete drunken intoxication? Maybe, this was all part of a joke arranged by her. Yes, she was very mischievous and the greatest prankster. He’d halfway talked himself into thinking this was all a part of her devious, elaborate scheme to torment and tease him.
He was almost there. Oh so close to convincing himself that nothing happened, until Mo Yuan moved his hand and felt a giant wet area on the bedding underneath.
There were two options: One, either he or Seventeen urinated in bed, or two, Mo Yuan deflowered her. Slowly, he lifted the covers and looked at the large wet reddish spot. It was option number two.
“Holy shi…” Mo Yuan unexpectedly cursed a string of profanities and obscenities. Curse words he hadn’t spoken out loud for hundreds of thousands of years. His dream wasn’t a dream but reality. After desiring his seventeenth disciple Bai Qian for thousands of years. He’d finally shared the same bed with her, but regrettably, he couldn’t remember a single thing.
Mo Yuan’s shock then turned into real concern and worry. He whispered, “Oh no. I must have scared Seventeen to death. Zhe Yan, I was totally wasted last night, and it’s been a really, really, long time since I’ve…you know……last.”
“Why the hell didn’t you just tell Seventeen the truth about the wine?” Mo Yuan lashed out turning his frustration towards Zhe Yan.
Overwhelmed, Mo Yuan grabbed his head with both hands. It was difficult to accept this unbelievable situation and threw himself back on the bed out of pure self-hatred.
He muttered, “I can’t remember a thing. Was Seventeen crying when you saw her leaving? Oh, Heavens! How am I going to explain this to Bai Zhi?”
Mo Yuan pointed to himself and considered in distress, “Do you think I attacked and took advantage of Seventeen? Yes, I probably did.”
Mo Yuan covered his face with both palms and whimpered remorsefully, “My poor innocent Seventeen. She’ll probably never see me again. She might be traumatized for life. What have I done? Zhe Yan, I wish I were dead again! Zhe Yan? ZHE YAN?!!”
Zhe Yan wasn’t able to respond because he was flat on the ground holding his stomach in hysterical laughter.
===================
Contrary to Mo Yuan’s severe concern and distress, the events from the previous night were instigated and escalated by Seventeen. She woke up drunk and overly aroused. She kissed drunken, sleeping Mo Yuan first and said she was curious about a man’s touch.
Seventeen then proceeded to put his hands on her body. Mo Yuan even in his intoxicated disposition told her that, her curiosities would be solved on her wedding night with her husband. He urged her to go back to sleep.
Yes, both he and Seventeen were hammered like two drunken sailors on a bender.
But Mo Yuan leaped and finally confessed his love for Seventeen. Holding her face with both hands, he whispered, “I love you.”
Mo Yuan thought he was whispering, but in reality, he was shouting.
Initially, Seventeen was utterly moved. Even swooning from his words of love, but then she realized, Mo Yuan was talking to the inanimate objects in the room, and whispering ‘I love you’ to everything.
Seventeen’s Shifu was one of those people who become overly affectionate and loves everyone when they drink. Mo Yuan loved the candles, shelves, pillows, and walls. He earnestly confessed his love to anything he could get his hands on.
It was then Seventeen suggested they marry. An improvised intimate wedding.
At the time, Mo Yuan was delighted and giggled endlessly. Giddily, he replied they would marry someday, hugged Seventeen and told her to go to sleep. Unsatisfied with her Shifu’s response, she told him she wanted to marry him at that very moment.
Mo Yuan protested and advised her. He firmly stated Zhe Yan’s hut wasn’t an appropriate place for them to wed. He promised Seventeen a grand wedding and winked at her a couple of times.
While Mo Yuan sat slumped on the bed with a silly grin on his face, Seventeen used her magic and turned the entire room extravagantly red. In the theme of a wedding chamber. Very festive and celebratory.
Astounded to see the entire room turned crimson in mere seconds, Mo Yuan was in awe and enchanted. But he still tried to deter Seventeen. He told her they lacked the proper dress, and setup to exchange such serious and meaningful eternal promises. That’s when she drunkenly created the makeshift wedding alter, and suddenly he was wearing red groom’s attire.
Of course, Mo Yuan wanted to marry Seventeen…one day. But at that very moment, he was merely trying to appease her so she’d let him sleep. He was also experiencing the same lusty state of heightened arousal but managed to rein in and control his boiling passion.
Seventeen’s pouting, begging, pleading and whining were irresistible.
Swept away in the heat of such a spontaneously romantic moment, Mo Yuan, and Bai Qian, his seventeenth disciple exchanged slurred, mumbled, simple wedding vows……while giggling and snickering the entire time.
Is their wedding valid? That would be personal interpretation because impulsively inspired by utter inebriated euphoria; their promises sounded something like this.
Seventeen: “Shifu, I promise that I’ll love you forever, but don’t ever expect me to cook for you.”
Mo Yuan: “Awwwww, you’ll love me forever? Now that we’re married let’s go to sleep.”
Seventeen: “You have to kiss the bride, but I still have more to say. I’ll stay faithful to you forever……unless you cheat on me. If you break your promise to stay loyal to me, I’ll have sex with everyone you know as my form of vendetta, and then, I’ll kill you!”
Mo Yuan: “Seventeen, your Shifu would never cheat on you. Do you know why? Because I love you best in the whole wide world. I promise to keep you fed and happy. Are you happy now? Seventeen, I’m tired.”
Seventeen enthusiastically nodded ‘yes’ and finally allowed Mo Yuan to go to bed.
After exchanging wedding vows, Mo Yuan strives in vain to fall asleep, but sleep was the last thing Seventeen wanted to do. She stripped off her clothing, practically tore his clothes from his body, jumped on top of him enthusiastically, and shouted with great vigor at the top of her lungs. “Whoohoo it’s our wedding night, Shifu! Yes! I’m a blushing bride!”
Seventeen then pounced, attacked and kissed Mo Yuan most heatedly. She crawled all over his naked body, touched him, and moaned seductive, sultry noises that almost made him lose his mind.
In retrospect, it was almost humorous, but her Shifu Mo Yuan initially opposed Seventeen’s aggressive sexual advances, like a true gentleman. Due to his well-practiced form of abstinence, he somehow resisted while suffering from a persistent pounding erection.
Mo Yuan slurred and begged, “Seventeen, you’re going to regret this in the morning. Why don’t we stop and do this sober? Seventeen, please behave yourself. I’m extremely drunk tonight.”
Mo Yuan admitted sincerely and honestly. Regardless of his deep level of inebriation, he had the sense to know just how drunk he was.
Even after a prolonged session of kissing, rubbing and heavy petting, Mo Yuan still firmly held his ground. But his resolve and resistance were weakening with every passing second. When Seventeen realized that he wasn’t going to cooperate, she aggressively grabbed his manhood, then proceeded to straddle and move above him. Fearlessly, she was preparing to slide down on his sizable male sex in one swift motion.
Virginal Seventeen planned to ride Mo Yuan like an experienced jockey on the favored horse at the Kentucky Derby.
Initially, Mo Yuan was in total and utter shock as he watched Seventeen grab, and started to position herself above him. He then conceded to three facts immediately.
Foremost, Seventeen was going to hurt herself terribly if she continued moving forward. Second, feeling and seeing her naked body against his was a dream come true. Lastly, Mo Yuan resigned to the unquestionable fact that he loved, wanted and desired her more than he’d ever wanted anyone before.
His firm resolve shattered, Mo Yuan grabbed Seventeen’s beautiful nude body, and finally took charge until dawn. Properly, like a Shifu should.
The elevated level of heightened pleasure and ecstasy were unsurpassable. In all honesty, Mo Yuan could say he’d never been so aroused or sexually excited before. Ever. He didn’t remember the large wet area on the bedding, was a result of him ejaculating eight mind-blowing explosive times. Mo Yuan would have continued, but in the end, the wine was mightier than the High God, and he collapsed and passed out cold.
So caught up in a passionate, tempestuous moment, all of Seventeen’s plans to never marry, and remain a virgin for life flew out the window. Mo Yuan giddily married his Little Seventeen. While wholly loaded and intoxicated from Zhe Yan’s unique wine, in a very private and intimate wedding. They made passionate love for hours before passing out in each other’s arms.
The aftermath of their inebriated night, Mo Yuan, and Seventeen woke up at different times and stared in horror, and shock at the particular celebratory scarlet colors and wedding themed interior.
Regrettably, neither Seventeen nor Mo Yuan remembered what happened between them, the night before.
======================
Bai Qian immediately became aware she wasn’t alone in bed when she felt an arm thrown across her naked body. She was terrified to turn her head, to see who was sleeping beside her, but Seventeen instinctively knew it was her Shifu, Mo Yuan.
Stealthily like a professional assassin, Bai Qian silently slid out of bed and picked up her clothes. She was still frightened to look, but she couldn’t stop herself and quickly sneaked a glance over for confirmation, and yes it was her Shifu, Mo Yuan, who was also undressed. She knew because she peeked under the blankets before she left.
Unquestionably, Bai Qian knew something significant occurred the night before, because she could barely stand and walking was difficult. She also knew, she was no longer a virgin due to the blood on her legs, and never in her life had she been so sore in one area of her body.
For Bai Qian, the most shocking aspect was all the wedding decorations. The visual evidence in Zhe Yan’s hut and the fact she found wedding attire on the floor was mind-boggling.
Mortified, Bai Qian sprinted at full speed out of Zhe Yan’s hut, and cloud jumped half dressed. She didn’t stop moving until she’d reached her destination, the Eastern Sea.
The Eastern Sea was one of the places Bai Qian surprisingly disliked. On the whole, she hated all of the sea palaces. There wasn’t any particular reason, but something about being there, made her feel melancholy and inexplicably sad. She intended on making a quick appearance after talking to Ye Hua.
After wandering around lost for an hour, Bai Qian finally sat down at the first table she saw and opened the Jade Purity Fan. She fanned herself because the humidity was making her skin feel balmy and sticky.
Subconsciously, her thumb and index fingers formed a perfect circle, while the remaining fingers rapped the table top in a sequentially rhythmic motion. Bai Qian tapped the fan to her nose a couple of times.
How was she going to face her Shifu after what happened? Perhaps she and Mo Yuan only had sex and didn’t marry each other. What was the actual validity of such a wedding? The situation was baffling and complex. Bai Qian cursed herself fiercely for drinking the wine. She swiftly closed the fan against her open palm and whacked herself on the forehead as a form of self-punishment.
“You shouldn’t hit such a beautiful face. The jade is hard and might leave a bruise on your lovely face.” A soft slightly familiar voice remarked.
Across from Bai Qian sat an immortal young man dressed in all black. It was quite astonishing. She knew Shifu had a twin, and Ye Hua looked like her Shifu but younger. Clean faced without any facial hair. She privately thought, ‘Grass doesn’t grow on a playground.’ Ye Hua was a child.
Surprisingly, even though Mo Yuan and Ye Hua were twins, Ye Hua had a different look in his eyes. Perhaps, more intensity in his gaze. His dark eyes sparkled and reflected like, two shiny perfectly cut black hematite stones. He had a distinguishable flame burning in his eyes.
Identical straight high nose as Mo Yuan. The same sensuous full lips and sculpted jawline like Mo Yuan. The only difference was their eyes, no, their gaze. The same deep dark hue, and almond shaped eyes but in Ye Hua’s, there was a spark-like flash that penetrated. A fire was the only word that came to mind.
“So we finally meet, Qian Qian.” Ye Hua said as his shapely lips formed into a slight smile, and his eyes twinkled like stars on an onyx moonless night. Mesmerizing…bewitching. Bai Qian felt spellbound as their eyes met and locked.
Ye Hua’s arrogant greeting snapped Bai Qian out from under his spell. She snorted and replied haughtily, “Did you just call me informally? Crown Prince Ye Hua, I’d prefer if you called me Gugu. You’re much younger than me, and after all, we’ve only met. Strangers.”
Bai Qian studied Ye Hua, the womanizing Crown Prince, and understood why women went crazy from him. He was indeed quite attractive. There was a little something about him. Underneath his cold exterior, yes, he put off an icy demeanor, but there was something untamed and dangerous about him. For such a young man, he emitted an extraordinarily high level of male sexuality. His burning gaze made her feel as if she were sitting across from him, naked. He was devouring her with his eyes to the point of discomfort.
If he weren’t so rude and forward, Bai Qian would say Ye Hua was extremely desirable.
Just as Bai Qian studied Ye Hua, he appeared to be doing the same to her but with x-ray vision. The absolute intensity of his searching gaze gave her goosebumps. It was too intimate and unnerving.
Bai Qian flinched from shock when Ye Hua suddenly and wordlessly grabbed her right arm. He flipped it over and pushed up the sleeve of her dress. Just enough to expose the scar on her wrist. He examined it with his scrutinizing narrowed gaze, and then unshed tears filled his eyes.
“Qian Qian, how did you get this scar on your wrist? It’s from crimson fire.” Ye Hua asked curiously. The tone of his voice was low and soft, but the way he accentuated his words, made it sound more like a demand than a question.
Had she been sitting closer to him, Bai Qian would have surely slapped Ye Hua across his face, for grabbing and touching her without permission. She yanked her arm back with force, and openly glared at the mannerless punk.
“Why do I need to tell you anything about me? Don’t call me Qian Qian. Crown Prince Ye Hua, I’m here to discuss the cancellation of our engagement.” Replied Bai Qian.
It was apparent, Bai Qian was struggling to remain polite and cordial, but her tone displayed her displeasure.
Ye Hua smiled playfully and tilted his head to one side ever so slightly. It was ridiculous, but this young child was flirting with her. His eyes narrowed intently on Bai Qian’s face as he replied, “I don’t want to cancel our engagement, Qian Qian.”
“Why?” Bai Qian asked astonished by his absurd reply.
Ye Hua’s little grin never left his face. He merely returned in the same silky voice, “I want to marry you.”
Bai Qian felt the sudden heat from her flushed red face. Pure irritation and borderline disdain, were her feelings towards Ye Hua.
Bai Qian’s full lips formed a flat line, and she asked in a strained controlled tone, “Why? Because your clan wants money? I’ll compensate for whatever monetary sum you feel is necessary. If you’re determined on marrying someone from the Fox Clan, Bai Feng Jiu is a better match for you.”
Bai Qian wanted to slap the cocky smile off Ye Hua’s face. She was fighting the urge to get up and walk away. She was barely able to hold back her explosive temper.
Ye Hua chuckled softly and answered, “I don’t want your money. Bai Feng Jiu? No. Qian Qian, I’m in love with you.”
Bai Qian’s lightly grinding teeth made the same noise, as when one bites into a piece of seafood but gets sand instead. Gritty. She was so close to striking Ye Hua. It was something she couldn’t control, and it was clear she was talking to an insane man. He was an arrogant bastard and she cursed privately.
Tired of pretending to be polite. Ye Hua was her Shifu’s brother, but he didn’t deserve any courtesy. The facade of civility vanished, and Bai Qian’s tone was thoroughly sarcastic, and rude when she asked, “Is it because I look like your dead wife?”
Ye Hua replied without a moment of hesitation. “It’s because you are my dead wife, Qian Qian.”
The expression of love on Ye Hua’s face was sincere. An utterly crazy madman convinced, that Bai Qian was his dead wife. Others warned her that he might become confused, but the look on his face was one of true conviction. He sincerely believed she was his dead mortal wife, SuSu. Absolutely and simply impossible.
Bai Qian took a couple of deep inhale through her nose to calm and center herself, but her body involuntarily shook with rage. She considered informing Ye Hua that she married Mo Yuan the night before but hesitated because she wasn’t entirely sure.
“I’m not the woman you’ve mistaken me for, Crown Prince Ye Hua.” Bai Qian’s response was curt and sharp.
“Prove it, Qian Qian. Prove to me that you’re not SuSu and I’ll cancel the engagement.” Ye Hua responded as he calmly placed his elbows on the table. He moved his interlocked slender, graceful hands under his chin.
Blatantly, staring at Bai Qian longingly. Ye Hua’s yearning and affection gaze conveyed his absolute love and adoration. It was insanity, but he unquestionably, firmly believed she was SuSu.
Bai Qian decided at that very moment; she absolutely and thoroughly despised him.
To be continued…..