.

They all moved to the bedroom and continue their conversation there...

"Does Bai Yi know she not hers?" Dong Hua asked Feng Jiu's mother.

"He does. He knows Xiao Jiu is Zhe Yan's, but he made Zhe Yan swear that he will be known as her father to everyone with the condition for us not to be together again. Xiao Jiu grew up thinking that Bai Yi is her father. However, their relationship has never been affectionate. She feels safe with Zhe Yan, that's why she always goes and confides with him. Bai Yi can not deny this from her. This way Zhe Yan always been close to Xiao Jiu."

"Does Bai Zhen know about this?" Mo Yan questioned Zhe Yan.

"No, he doesn't. Everyone thinks he is my mate, but in reality, he is my companionship. We have never engaged in any sexual relationship as many believe. He has been by my side as my student and a dear friend for thousands of years. We share a special relationship but not romantic in nature. We really don't care about what people think of us so we let everyone assume what they like. He is very protective of Xiao Jiu too and has helped me comprehend the fox carefree lifestyle sharing with me all the fox tribe secrets. That is why I'm knowledgeable of their kind. He's not gay but have chosen a path of celibacy as a preference. Bai Zhen is a kind soul and a loyal friend." Zhe Yan confessed.

"She has greatly suffered because of me. I regret being away from her during the past three months. I greatly miss her. I should have told her..." Dong Hua lowered his head and clenched his fist in anger.

"Dijun please, calm yourself. Xiao Jiu knows how much you love her. She knows the challenges that your marriage poses, and the sacrifice you made just to be with her. She has vowed to be with you no matter what. Please don't doubt her feelings for you." Feng Jiu's mother pleaded.

Dong Hua kept silent but, in his mind, he said: "I don't doubt her feelings for me, I doubt my competence to make her happy. This is unknown territory to me and without her as my emotional guide, I can't manage to think clear or feel strong. She has been in control of my heart ever since we met each other; she has been the only one who had broken my ill-fated life. That's how much power she has over me. I misunderstood her in the past and I'm making the same mistake again. I will make sure that she knows that I need her in my life. I won't push her over. I can't lose her." Dong Hua grabbed Feng Jiu's hand and kissed it.

"Dong Hua, you won't lose her, but you need to know of a possible dangerous scenario that might occur when I remove my seal from her. You need to be ready for it." Zhe Yan warned him.

"What kind of scenario?" Mo Yan asked.

"When she ascends, it will not be a normal ascension. She will not ascend like normal immortals do. It will be extremely painful physically and emotionally. Xiao Jiu went into seclusion thinking that Dong Hua rejected her, so her current mental state might be unstable. We don't know if she fell into depression again. You need to find her Dong Hua to make sure she will not choose a different path." Zhe Yan explained.

"What path?" Dong Hua asked Zhe Yan.

"As you well know phoenixes signify wisdom and great ruling power. When she was born, we knew she was destined to rule. Phoenixes have the capability to shift from good to evil when we met the right conditions or are pushed to choose otherwise. Her core is strong but is also pure just like her heart is. Xiao Jiu virtues always been a kindhearted, full of goodness, innocence and naivety. But she also stubborn and tenacious. Her mischievous character can turn destructive since her natural element is fire. And as you know fire can serve as a purify agent or an instrument of devastation. Her powers will intensity her nature and personality. The element of fire has great power for forging will and determination. It is our inner light as well as a living symbol of the divine fire that burns in every soul. Like other elementals, this means that fire has a form in the earth plane and in spiritual realms. We need to be careful how to approach her after she ascends. We don't want to push her to a dark path. She might have started her metempsychosis cycle; to be transformed and rebirthed into another life as it moves from a person's body when it is ready to enter a new life cycle. And right know we don't know where her spirit is at this time. It would be ideal to nurture the good in her, before she gets out of control influenced by grief. You need to find her Dong Hua and let your love guide her to the right path; you are the only one who can bring her back." Zhe Yan alleged.

"I will find her." Dong Hua confidently said.

"I know you will, but when you do, don't tell her this. It will cause another traumatic episode in her life and I don't want to hurt her like that. She is been doted all of her life and I don't want to destroy the family image she grew up in. I prefer to be known as her great uncle that she loves the most rather than an estranged father that couldn't recognize her as my own." Zhe Yan sadly said.

"Zhe Yan you always have acted as her father. You helped us raise her to the wonderful young woman that she is today. Don't underestimate her love for you." Feng Jiu's mother said to Zhe Yan.

"Mo Yan will oversee guarding and monitoring my body while I search for Jiu'er. And you Zhe Yan will monitor her vitals and changes. Bihai Cangling poses all the restorative energy for us to nurture when we return. You could also search for special herbs here to create the medicine you need for Jiu'er. She needs to be ready for her accession trial, I will help her."

"Just be careful Dong Hua remember that fate will not be kind to neither of you. Center your power and reinforce your core strength. Don't let guilt or other negative emotions control you. Whatever you see happening when you find her, be ready to act affectionate towards her. She might be stuck on a trial and she might have tried to contact you already. Let your love guide you." Mo Yan said.

Dong Hua laid next to Feng Jiu and held her hand into his. He closed his eyes to pinpoint his little fox location. She was weak, but her spirit was trying somehow to communicate with him. He felt their connection reestablishing again. "I'm coming my love I will find you Jiu'er" He could hear her voice faintly calling his name in the distance: "Dong Hua..."

Back at Nine Heavens...

Si Ming was worried about Dijun and Dihou current situation. Him and Lian Song carried Dijun's orders. After that he went to check their fate scrolls for any changes. Surprisingly there were a new entry on their records.

"This can't be happening now!!!" Si Ming breathed out in anguish. Fate was playing her game and the cards have been shuffled and dispensed.

"What will I do now?" Si Ming asked himself.

天堂之王：女王白鳳九和文昌勳爵愛情審判

HEAVEN'S DECREE: QUEEN BAI FENG JIU AND LORD WEN CHANG LOVE TRIAL

Feng Jiu's consciousness was somewhat active, she felt a soulful tug that swallowed her into a tunnel and then a bright light engulfed her being. Awareness, mindfulness, realization, perception, all these instincts submerged her psyche. She felt alive but for some reason couldn't move completely. Feng Jiu's eyes fluttered but felt disoriented, her eyesight was blurry. Little by little she was able to regain focus on her background. She distinguished that she was laying down on a lavish bed but was not familiar with her surroundings. The peculiar room was exquisitely decorated, not to her sense of taste but it was different. She could perceive that she was what it seems to be an imperial bedchamber. Suddenly her recognition wakened, and she looked at herself and saw that she was wearing minimal clothing, just a loose long chemise. She felt someone stirred next to her. Her cognizant stated that it was her husband. "Who else could it be?" She then remembered that she was not in good terms with Dong Hua. Feng Jiu tried to get up from the bed but was dazed, she couldn't get up. A male voice startled her: "You are awake my queen, please don't try to get up and rest some more."

Feng Jiu gasped when she heard the unknown voice. "This doesn't sound like Dong Hua." She turned to see who it was... "Oh no"

"What is the matter? Are you all right? Come here let's us rest for a while." A pair of strong arms grabbed her and pulled her close to an unknown chest. Feng Jiu immediately pulled away from his embrace.

"What's wrong?" the man surprisingly asked.

Feng Jiu couldn't believe her eyes, the man in front of her was Wen Chang.

"Where am I? Why are you here sleeping next to me?" Feng Jiu furiously glared at him.

"You are joking? You don't know who I am?" Wen Chang sweetly smiled at Feng Jiu; he lifts up his hand to caress her face when Feng Jiu hit it away from her.

"Don't touch me." She pulled away further from Wen Chang. Her heart was beating too fast for her. "Where the hell am I?" she asked herself.

"Seems to me that my queen needs to be reminded who is her king!" Wen Chang sternly said.

"Get away from me!!! Get out!!" Feng Jiu was shouting.

"You can't throw me out from your room you are my queen. Quit acting up." Wen Chang playfully said.

"Help, somebody help me!!!" Feng Jiu found herself corralled by Wen Chang. He firmly held her hands and gaze her eyes with his black stone eyes.

"Li'er, calm down."

"I'm not Li'er, and you are not my king!" She was trying to free herself from his strong grip.

Wen Chang let go of her hands, he wickedly smiled at her face and forcibly kissed her. Feng Jiu broke the kiss and slapped Wen Chang's face hard. Wen Chang held her face with force.

"Let me go you brute." Although she was weak, she remembered herself defense moves that his fourth uncle taught her. And with no effort she kicked him hard on his shin. She saw a sword near her bed and grabbed it.

"If you come closer, I will not hesitate to use this." She was huffing at this point but held her the sword firm.

"You dare to draw your sword against me? This is a capital offense punishable by death. I will not hesitate to send you to prison or execute you if that is your wish." Wen Chang angrily said to her.

"GET...AWAY...FROM...ME!!!!" Her eyes were full of menace.

Wen Chang unbelievably smiled at her "My little tigress is enraged, are you jealous because I have spent time away from you? Don't worry my queen, I always come to you to warm your bed when you get cold." He laughed mockingly. "But as you wish, I will leave you to be so you can calm down. I will come to you tomorrow night so be ready for me. Sleep well my queen." He got up and left her room.

Feng Jiu locked the doors and held her chest, she began to wonder where she was. Her room only had two windows she opened them to find a way to escape and saw how high she was. She started to hyperventilate and lost control of her emotions. After a while she remembered her laoshi breathing lessons. Feng Jiu sat on a lotus position and started to meditate. She needed to curb reactivity to her negative thoughts and feelings, which, were disturbing, upsetting, and hijacking her attention from her focus. Eventually she was able to calm down. She went to her vanity to look at her face, only to find out that her appearance has change a bit. She no longer had her phoenix flower on her forehead, and her hair color was now black. But she still had her lotus flowers on her wrists and the regal seal too. She breathed relieved of these findings.

"I must be on a trial on the mortal realm. I need to find out how can I get out of it. I don't think I have enough cultivation now to use at least a small portion of my powers. I need to find Dijun, but how? Feng Jiu, you need to concentrate and find a way." She remembered her ring and the bells. "Wait they are on my immortal body wherever it is now." She whined of frustration. "Think hard Feng Jiu there must be a way to communicate with him. But does he even care if I'm missing? He hasn't contacted me for the past three months. He's still behaving like his old self. Oh Dong Hua I miss you." Feng Jiu sat down, and tears formed in her eyes. She was feeling exhausted, and fatigued. She exerted herself fighting Wen Chang. Her forehead was throbbing, she could feel pain where her birthmark used to be, her strength was leaving her body again; everything around her was spinning around until she passed out.

Morning time came and she opened her eyes, to her surprise she was back in bed but when she looked up, Feng Jiu saw Wen Chang with a bowl on his hand. He looked concerned. "Your maid found you on the floor unconscious. She alerted me; I immediately came, and I've been taking care of you ever since. Please forgive my brutishness." Wen Chang said with a low voice.

"What happened to me?" Feng Jiu was frightened.

"We don't know. The royal physician came over and checked you, he said that you are malnourished. He thinks because you are so weak that's why you passed out. That also explains why you were acting strange. You need lots of rest to recuperate. I asked the palace chef to make you a nurture soup to help you gain your health back. Here let me help you." He delicately placed some pillows behind Feng Jiu for her to sit comfortably.

"I can feed myself" Feng Jiu protested.

"I know, but I want to do it. I felt horrible for the way I treated you yesterday. Please let me take care of you as a good gesture to retribute my bad behavior towards you." He was looking at Feng Jiu with pleading eyes. His face and gaze softened; his guard was down.

Feng Jiu was analyzing her current situation. She knew she couldn't trust him, but she didn't have the strength or stamina to fight him again, so she gave in. "Is it bitter?" She innocently asked.

Wen Chang tenderly smiled at her. "Just a bit, but I brought your favorite sweets to counteract the bitterness. Here, peach candies" He gave her one to taste.

"You are so pale Li'er, please drink the soup first." He fed her the soup until she finished it all.

"Thank you." Feng Jiu said.

Wen Chang sweetly smiled at her. Feng Jiu felt uncomfortable around him. "Please leave I am tired already."

"I know you are tired, but to ease my mind let me watch over you for tonight. I promise I would not harm you." Wen Chang tenderly said.

"What's wrong with him? She thought. "I want to be alone; I don't trust you." Feng Jiu glared back at him.

"I will not sleep in your bed; I will sleep on the couch. Go on and go to sleep, I will be reading my reports here." Wen Chang said and ignored her.

Feng Jiu wrapped herself in all the sheets forming a cocoon, that way she felt safer. She stared at Wen Chang until tiredness overcame her. She fell heavily asleep and started to dream.

In her dream she was inside a cage crying out "Dijun, where are you? I need you to come for me, I'm held against my will. Please save me. Dijun you promised me to never let me go but you didn't come for me. Dijun I love you, please find me."

"Jiu'er, my love I'm coming please wait for me." Feng Jiu heard his voice and cry out louder. "Dijun, I'm here, please come and save me. Dong Hua, Dong Hua. Please don't leave me alone."