At the borderlands....

Feng Jiu arrived at the borderlands with her retinue of soldiers. She was surprised to see Lian Song & Bai Zhen with a retinue of the imperial guards from Tai Chen Palace waiting for her arrival.

"Third Prince Lian Song, Fourth Uncle what are you doing here?"

"Your highness, we are here at Dijun's orders, we are here to assist you in any way we can."

"Very well, please have your generals update mine in your findings. I was summoned here due to strange activity. Have you scouted the borders?"

"Yes, we have your highness; be prepared to what you're going to encounter."

"It's not a pretty scene." Bai Zhen said.

"Lead the way, I want to see."

When they arrived at the scene, someone has been busy piling up dead bodies of innocent's citizens. They have been drained of their immortal essence.

"Your highness, I fear that there is a looming civil war on the horizon. It is not yet inevitable, but all realms must be prepared for the coming battle. And the costs in blood will be heavy. It will be waged by radicals and their puppet masters. For them, civilian casualties and massacres will not be moral evils, but merely part and parcel of their larger plan to "reconstruct" their ideal reign. Their objective is simple: overthrow order, destroy our way of life, and deprive us of our freedom, our liberties, our property, and our honor. All the warning signs are all there, and they began appearing most visibly when the conflicts from the demon clan leaders started. And that fear makes them extremely dangerous. But the real power behind these scenes the true master is hiding waiting to make a comeback." Lian Song said.

"Miao Luo" Feng Jui muttered.

"Precisely. We need to alert Dijun, he needs to take action before is too late."

"How long has it been?"

"She's been resealed by Dijun for almost 100,000 years. By this scene she is getting more powerful, we need to act quick."

"Third highness, please follow me" One of his generals reported.

"Let's go." Feng Jiu said. "Your highness it is best if you don't follow us, this scene is worst. I'm afraid it will be too much for you to bear your highness."

"I am Qing Qui's Queen, it is on my right to see what is going on in my lands." "Lead us now!" Feng Jiu sternly admonished Lian Song' general.

The general lead them to a big tree nearby. There were hundreds of dead foxes skinned from their fur. Indeed, the scene was bloody. Someone was fur smuggling. She became enraged. "This is personal!" She went and started to dig holes herself to bury the fox's bodies.

"Your highness, you don't need to do that, let the troops handle this!" Lian Song was perplexed.

"Wars are dirty, as you well know! As queen I don't mind exerting myself to service my subjects even if they are dead. They paid with their lives at the hand of mercenaries. This crime will not go unpunished. I personally will bury each one of them." Feng Jui was beyond herself; her anger was reaching a boiling point. Lian Song and the rest of the troops helped her out, they counted 172 bodies. Feng Jui felt powerless at such massacre. Emotionally she was drained. Her hands were stained with blood. She refused to eat or drink. Her subjects were being massacred left and right as sport. Lian Song worried for Feng Jiu's mental state, sent a missive to Dong Hua stating the events. He needed to come and see the situation himself.

Dong Hua arrived at the camp later on, everyone bowed to him. "Where is she Lian Song?" Dong Hua asked.

"She's still sitting at the cemetery; she's been off for hours. Bai Zhen is with her. She refuses to leave the site. We have taken care of the rest of the bodies to avoid her more trauma" Lian Song sternly said.

Bai Zhen saw Dong Hua approaching them, he decided to talk to him first. "Dijun, Xiao Jiu doesn't respond to anyone. She hasn't even cried; I'm worried about her."

"Jiu'er?" He looked at her hands stained with blood. He conjured a water container and some towels and started to clean her hands. She looked at him blankly, emotionless. Dong Hua silently and delicately continued to clean her hands and face. Feng Jiu let him. She was trembling of cold. "Bai Zhen where is her tent?"

"Right this way Dijun."

Dong Hua carried Feng Jiu in his arms, she was stiff cold. Everyone saw how the former emperor was taking care of Qing Qui's Queen. Lian Song & Bai Zhen followed them inside. Dong Hua slowly placed Feng Jiu on the bed and placed a sleeping enchantment on her so she can rest. He magically changed her blood-stained clothes with clean ones. "She needs to rest."

"How many?" Dong Hua blankly asked.

"2,000 found" Lian Song answered.

Dong Hua closed his eyes and fists in anger. He put his hand on his temple. "Let's go outside" Dijun said to them.

"Will she be all right?" Bai Zhen asked him.

"She will be in time. Trauma affects everyone differently. She needs to go back home; this is too much for her." Dijun replied to Bai Zhen.

"What is to report?" Dijun demanded.

"This is Miao Luo work Dijun. She is sending her followers to do her dirty work. We feel that she will break the seal soon. Liang Song said."

"Not if I can help it. I need to meet with the demon clan leaders tomorrow. We need to be ready. Send your scots to strengthen the vigilance at the borders. The rest can stay here and assist with the cleanup. When the queen wakes up, I don't want her to see all this somber scenario, understood?"

"Yes Dijun." Lian Song & Bai Zhen went to carry out Dijun's orders.