Fanfiction: Mo Yuan and Shao Wan - Chapter 27 (Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms 三生三世十里桃花)
Chapter 27
written by Miniorchidedited by kakashi
“How is he?” Zhi Lan asked 2nd Senior, dropping his voice down to a whisper when he entered the cave at the foot of the mountain. He eyed Fong Hung with great concern. The animal was still immobile on the stone bed they had put him on.
The Mount had lost consciousness after delivering the message at their gates and was drifting in and out of the nothingness ever since. Following their Master’s order, several of the Kunlun disciples had carried the limp, heavy body to the cave at the bottom of Kunlun Mountain. They had tried to summon High God Zhe Yan, but he was nowhere to be found; most likely, he was out travelling with his companion again.
2nd Senior hadn’t rested for days, making elixir after elixir. They took different shifts tending to Fong Hung, admiring the dedication of this brave and loyal servant. He had traveled from the Barren Mountains all the way to Kunlun. His hands and feet were bloodied and broken. His belly was an open wound from dragging himself along the ground. When he remembered how to speak, he asked for his Mistress, with urgency, and the disciples had to reassure him again and again that she was safe, here, at Kunlun Mountain.
The outer physical wounds were gone by now, but the internal injuries were an altogether different matter. Their elixirs had no real effect. Whatever they told him, he forgot again immediately. His cultivation was almost depleted and it looked like nothing could save him.
Gently stroking Fong Hung’s large head, 2nd senior sighed. “He’s still holding on, but I don’t know for how much longer.”
“I will inform Shifu,” Zhi Lan told him, “let’s hope the Demon Goddess wakes up in time to say her goodbyes.”
With a heavy heart, Zhi Lan cloud jumped back to Kunlun Hall. When Shifu had come back with the Demon Goddess passed out in his arms, they were both covered in injuries. But Shifu had not let them fuss over him, he had wordlessly carried the woman to Seventeenth old room and had closed the door behind them.
Die Feng had been the one bringing Shifu warm water and towels, and he had reported to his anxious brothers that Mo Yuan seemed to suffer from the aftereffects of poison. However, rather than accepting treatment, Shifu spent day and night healing the woman’s injuries. Shifu offered no additional information about what had happened, which was very much like him, but always a source of great anxiety for his disciples. Anticipating potential trouble, Die Feng had ordered the Kunlun gates shut. It was unlikely Mo Yuan's intrusion into the Demon Realm would be ignored.
Thanks to the Star Lord Si Ming, word about the scandalous relations of Mo Yuan’s bride had traveled far and wide, even to the foot of Kunlun Mountain. That someone would humiliate their Master to this degree saddened and angered the disciples at Kunlun. But there were other tales too, about their Shifu and the Demon Goddess and their activities during the Festival. The disciples dared not repeat the gossip amongst each other, but truth was, they were not surprised to see the Goddess carried here in his arms either. There had also been a messenger from the Nine Heavens this morning, the cause most certainly the presence of a Demon woman on their holy mountain - but they did not think it wrong that their Shifu had brought her here. He must have his reasons and his reasons must be good.
Upon his arrival in front of Seventeenth’s room, Zhi Lan could hear a loud crash and the very angry voice of the Demon Goddess, shouting insults, demanding Shifu explain himself.
“As I said,” Shifu’s calm voice was to be heard, “you will be my wife.”
Zhi Lan opened his eyes wide in shock. Wife? Did Shifu just say wife? She was going to be their Shimu?
“Have you lost your mind?” the woman screamed, “Did Cheng Yin give you a blow to the head?”
“Shao Wan, let me ...”
“Let me go!”
Zhi Lan knew he shouldn’t intrude at a time like this. Shifu was trying to make a love confession, a proposal even, and it seemed he did feel great urgency. But Fong Hung couldn’t wait. He was fading and if they wanted his Mistress to see him one last time, she had to be alerted right now. Shifu’s proposal would have to wait for another day.
Zhi Lan took a deep breath, steeled himself in anticipation of getting blasted with magic for interrupting and knocked. Sudden silence inside. He entered the room swiftly and bravely and bowed. “Shifu.”
They both looked at him. The room, he noticed, was a mess. She had been throwing things for a while already.
“Yes, 16th?” Shifu looked very tired.
Zhi Lan bowed again. “I apologize, but the injured mystical beast Fong Hung is growing weaker and-”
The Demon Goddess jumped towards him and grabbed his shoulders. “Where is he?” she inquired with a shaking voice. Zhi Lan kept his eyes downcast, this woman scared him. She looked very dishevelled and wild.
“At the bottom of Kunlun Mountain, High Goddess, where we have been treating him.”
“Take me there this instance!” She demanded.
Shifu walked towards them. “I will take you…”
“Don’t touch me, bastard! You’ve done enough as is it.” She shot Shifu a spiteful look, now out of things to throw at him.
“You.” Shao Wan turned to 16th. “Take me to Fong Hung.”
Zhi Lan wouldn’t dare disobey her command, but he thought it better to look at Shifu, not wanting to cross the line with the future Shimu. Thankfully, Shifu nodded and made a dismissive sign with his hand.
Sixteen cloud jumped the Demon Goddess to the cave. She slapped his hand away as he wanted to help her and stumbled into the cave by herself. She was still very weak, it seemed. The rest of the disciples came out of the cave soon after, looking discomforted. They did not quite know what to do, so they just stood outside, waiting.
“How is Shifu?” 1st Senior asked Zhi Lan.
“I am not sure…” Zhi Lan answered with furrowed eyes.
“Sixteenth?” 2nd Senior probed. He always picked up on cues.
Zhi Lan looked at his brothers, debating with himself whether he should disclose what he had happened to overhear. But this matter concerned all of them. They had a right to know in order to prepare themselves. So he told them.
“It looks like we’ll be calling the High Goddess our Shimu now.”
“Pardon?” 2nd asked, mouth hanging open. The rest of the disciples closed in on the conversation.
“What Goddess?” Die Feng asked.
16th snorted. Die Feng was slow sometimes. “How many unwed High Goddesses do you know in our vicinity?”
“Shifu….and the Demon Goddess?” Die Feng asked slowly, as though the information had not quite registered in his head.
“The one and only.”
Zhi Lan smiled as the other students started shouting questions at him to which he had no answers. It was indeed a rather surprising turn of events, but anyone chosen by Shifu was worthy. They would honor their duty and pay respect to the Demon Goddess from this day forward, protecting her with their lives. Even though this was a woman who did not seem to need protection often.
******
“Fong Hung...” Shao Wan whispered his name like a mantra as she ran into the cave. She almost tripped, but there were more boys in white around her, steadying her. They all wore white here, it was like a nightmare.
She was very weak, she noticed, and when one of them helped her sit next to Fong Hung, she let him, though she glared angrily at his boyish face. Soon, they all left and she was alone with her struggling mount. Fong Hung’s large body filled the rock bed. There was no wound on his body, but he was clearly not well at all. She tried to use her magic to probe for his life-force, but her powers didn’t respond as they normally should - making her remember with red-hot anger that the bastard had sealed them.
She ran her hands over her mount’s body, feeling the freshly healed wounds. He must had hopped all the way here for days. She started to cry.
“Ancestor…is that you?” she heard his voice in her head. His eyes were very drowsy, he could barely open them.
“Don’t move…I’m here….” She touched his large face, wanting him to feel her hands and to soothe his worries with her touch.
“You’re safe? High Goddess….?” She could hear relief in his voice. Her poor Fong Hung, more concerned over her well-being than over his own.
Her eyes stung with tears, but she kept her voice calm, even cheerful for his sake. “I’m well, Fong Hung. You saved me.”
“Ancestor, why did you come to save me, why did you walk into that trap…” he cried.
She immediately hugged him tight. “It was me who was careless. I should have watched over you.”
“But ancestor…”
“Don’t be so formal. You’re my friend, Fong Hung.” New tears filled her eyes.
“Friend?” he echoed surprised.
She stood up in front of him, holding his large cheeks in her hands. “We were always friends, don’t you remember? You were the first being I saw when I came out of my egg.”
She didn’t quite understand why this upset him so much. Huge tears filled his toad eyes and his whole body started to shake.
“I...I don’t remember…I’m so sorry...” He finally pressed out.
He felt ice-cold threat. He must be fading. His memories were leaving him. Would he scatter?
Smiling at him bravely through her tears, Shao Wan began to tell him everything she remembered about their time together. How tiny he had been, when she had first picked him up, barely out from his tadpole stage, how he had ridden on her shoulder until he was too large. How she had made up songs for him, because he liked to feel the vibration in his belly when she hummed them.
“You worked very hard on your cultivation,” she said, “I have never seen anyone so tireless.”
Feng Hung voice perked up. “I remember now...I wanted to grow bigger…”
Wiping her tears away, she smiled at him. “Yes! You wanted to be my mount.”
“I wanted to serve you, always.” He said.
“You wanted to protect me.” She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against his. To this day, he had not stopped protecting her.
“I’m sorry....I don’t think I can be your mount anymore.” His voice was full of regrets.
Shao Wan pulled back, panicked by his words. “Fong Hung don’t….don’t leave me.”
“Please wait for me.” He begged.
“Fong Hung… I don’t want to be alone…I can’t…” Shao Wan choked on her own words, knowing he was slipping away.
“High God Mo Yuan will protect you.” Fong Hung became visibly transparent.
“No,” she shook her head violently, pleading him to stay for her sake. “I’m scared…”
At that moment, Fong Hung evaporated before her eyes. She tried to reach for him, but there was only nothingness. Shao Wan collapsed on her knees before the empty bed. She was alone in the cave.
Alone for the first time in her life.
“Fong Hung...Fong Hung...don’t leave me…” Shao Wan cried as if the pain of a thousand knives had pierced through her body all at once.
Her friend, her companion, her soulmate.
Shao Wan continued to cry, feeling like her heart had been ripped out the moment he died. She cried until no tears were left. She put her head between her knees, wrapped her arms around them, and wanted nothing more than to disappear. She found herself humming a familiar song, the lullaby he loved so much, one she had not sung to him for far too long.
Within the cave, the song resonated.
It took her back to their childhood memories, when they looked upon the nightly stars, with him falling asleep on her chest, letting his breathing sooth her dreams. Just the two of them.
No clan, no tribes, no other immortals. No worries, no strife.
*Croak*
Shao Wan stopped at the sound.
*Croak* She looked up. There was no one but herself in the room. Her imagination?
*Croak* She turned around towards the source of the sound. A pair of bright black eyes stared back at her. A tiny fire belly frog was on the bed.
Please be real, she prayed.
“Fong Hung?”
He croaked at her again.
With unsteady hands, she cupped the small toad in her palms, fearing he would disappear, afraid this may be nothing but an illusion. She used her thumb to caress his golden-green body. He nuzzled her thumb with his small head. Fong Hung…..Shao Wan thought all her tears were depleted, but somehow, her eyes swelled up again.
“I will watch over you.” She whispered through her tears. “Please be my mount again. This time… it will be me waiting for you, old friend. However long it might take you.”
Chapter 28