Inside a large room, the overpowering scent of medicine waft through the air, two small figures hurried about as they meticulously prepared the medicinal paste.

"How is she?"

"Your Majesty, she is still the same as before, her breathing shows that she is recovering fine, but till today I am still lost as to why she would not wake."

The two young girls, He LianEr and FeiDu were busy trying to figure out why Feiyun remained unconscious. Their face were pale and haggard as they work tirelessly for days.

It had been two weeks since the bloody battle, yet Feiyun still hasn't gain consciousness.

A knock sounded on the door as Ruyi called out,

"Master, the high priest of the Gu ShiZhu mountains, Baili Shu An is here to visit saying he might be able to give answers as to why Princess is not regaining consciousness.

Tianhuo's eyes narrowed coldly. He then glanced once more at Feiyun's pale face before leaving.

The two girls bowed before quickly resuming their work.

Tianhuo arrived at the recieving hall and saw a man dressed in a clean and pure white brocade.

His long white hair reached past his knees, half bound up neatly with a plain wooden pin.

Sensing Tianhuo's arrival, the high priest turned and bowed his head in greeting.

"You have a way to wake her up?"

Tianhuo's voice was icy and cold, he didn't beat around the bush and asked.

Baili ShuAn smiled gently and straightened his back as he gazed profoundly at Tianhuo.

'Such a strong aura and filled with many battle-scars. Truly a man fit to lead the nation to glory.'

"Your Majesty, please let me see her first."

Tianhuo narrowed his eyes at the stranger, unsure if he should trust him.

After a long moment of silence, he turned his back and retreated to the inner room.

Baili ShuAn silently observed Tianhuo and quickly followed behind.

The smell of medicine wafted to his nose and he arrived at a large room.

On the bed laid a single woman who's beauty was unmatched. Her lips were slightly pale and yet still showed a slightly pinkish cherry color.

Tianhuo stood by her side, and glance once to Baili ShuAn. His eyes were protective and filled with distrust, but still he allowed Baili ShuAn to come forward.

Reaching towards her wrist, Baili ShuAn closed his eyes and felt for the pulse.

A moment later, he stood up and retreated a few steps back. He then solemnly spoke,

"You Majesty, my condolences for your loss. But right now this young lady is fighting an internal battle. There is nothing you, nor any medicine or even God can do to wake her up-"

"You dare to curse the -?!"

He LianDu flared up at the side, only to be pulled aside by FeiDu. Her pride as a physician felt like it was being made fun. She and FeiDu had been trying their best to find ways to cure Feiyun and yet getting no results, they were at their wits ends

Baili ShuAn solemnly stared at the young physician, his eyes showed no hostility and only continued after a pause.

"...It is only up to her."

Tianhuo's eyes frosted over and glared coldly at the high priest. He then turn his eyes towards Feiyun, his gaze warmed and gentle once again.

High priest Baili ShuAn saw that and smiled to himself, he then bowed his head and said a silent prayer before he excused himself.

After sending the high priest out, Ruyi returned and found Tianhuo staring into the distance out the window.

His back towards him, Tianhuo softly spoke,

"Ruyi, do you believe in souls being able to trans...migrate?"

Ruyi cocked his head to the side, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he pondered the question.

"Maybe...?"

Ruyi wasn't sure why Tianhuo would ask this question but he always felt that such things was possible.

Especially now after seeing the high priest, such a holy aura and guided wise-ness could only belong to one chosen by God.

"Tianhuo, the court can't wait any longer. The ministers and officials are making a big ruckus saying that the country cannot go on without its Emperor."

A long silence came as a response, and only after a while did Tianhuo silently closed the windows and returned to Feiyun's side.

Seeing Tianhuo's dejected and solemn appearance, Ruyi excused himself and left, he knew Tianhuo was worried and would not care about those meddling ministers. If they kept pushing, who knows if those old men's heads would fly too.

Tianhuo's hand gently held onto her cold hands as he brought it up to his lips a long moment later a soft whisper left his trembling lips.

"...Don't leave me..."

--------

"Your Majesty...the coming year will be the spring blossom banquet...er...that is the Young lady from-"

"If you say another word about bringing in concubines to the inner palace, you can forfeit your life here."

The old official trembled under Ruyi's heavy pressure, his back hunched over as he pressed his head to the ground biting onto his lips with clenched fist. Tianhuo on the other had remained silent for a long time, his piercing blue eyes unreadable as he tumbled the ring on his finger.

Seeing no changes to Tianhuo's expression, and after much deliberation the Old official decided to try pushing his luck as he continued,

"But your Majesty cannot go on without an heir. The lady has not woken since-"

"Don't you remember that if another woman enters our family, I will personally send her head back to her family?"

Hearing her sweet spring like voice, Tianhuo's hooded eyes widened, his gaze that was focused on his fingers instantly shot up, he looked towards where the voice originated from.

In front of him, stepping in through the great doors of the grand halls, her figure illuminated from the back like a immortal descending down from heavens. Her black hair pulled into a simple half braid, pinned in place with a golden phoenix pin, fluttering in the wind, her cherry red lips holding a small smile, although still slightly pale, it did not affect her beauty one bit.

Dressed in her black robes, outlined with magnificent gold and embroidered with the image of a flying phoenix, she stood watching him from the other end.

His lips trembled slightly, she was standing in front, waiting for him. Tianhuo slowly rose from his throne, stunned in place. Slowly his foot inched forward, taking a small step towards her. He had dreamt of her so many times, he didn't know if this was just another painful dream.

Was she really standing in front of him?...is she merely just a memory? Was she merely a illusion formed from his sadness and desire to see her once again?

The Ministers and officials were shocked to the point their beards trembled and chins touched the floor. They stared at the two people who seemed to be frozen in place each at one end of the hall. After a silent moment had passed, they heard the footsteps, starting out slow and hesitant but it slowly gained momentum and haste.

Ruyi too was frozen stiff, like before, she had approached silently, he couldn't even hear a single sound of her footsteps.

She stood quietly against the sun beautiful and stunning. But he quickly regained his senses and waved a sleeve to let the old ministers and officials leave by the side door. Before he himself silently left, a small smile on his face.

Having reached just in front of her, Tianhuo slowed to a pause. He stared longingly at her beautiful face, her captivating smile and bewitching eyes. How patiently she was staring at him, how his heartache for this moment for the past weeks that felt like an eternity.

"Fei...Yun...?"

Stretching out his hand, he called out softly as he gently held her chin, a thumb smoothing over her lips.

Feiyun simply lifted her hands, holding onto his large hand and pressing it to her cheek. This feeling of his touch, she never wanted to forget.

Feeling her warm breath touching his cold fingers, his heart thumped loudly.

Unknowingly, single tear fell, trickling down his cheek. In the next moment, he pulled her into his embrace. Picking her off the ground, holding her tightly as she clasped her arms around his neck.

After a long moment, Tianhuo finally continued,

"Silly, I told you, there is no need for you to dirty your hands, as I will do it for you."

Feiyun chuckled and hugged him tightly. She would never let go of this hand.

After settling her back down, Tianhuo silently gazed at her,

"I sorry I was not able to protect you...and our child."

Feiyun stiffened up at his words. She then buried her face into his chest.

Feiyun hugged his waist as she sobbed silently in his embrace.

When she woke up, she already knew that the little one in her was no longer there. The two girls had tried their best to save the child in her womb but the sword had pierce right through.

"While I was asleep... I dreamt a long dream. I was walking in endless darkness. A voice spoke to me through the entire way.

But the voice showed me a life that could have been so perfect. I had everything I ever wanted, I was still back in the old world where I came from, and I still had you by my side, our children playing and running.

That voice told me, I didn't not belong to this place. My life should have ended back then. But I was given a chance to live again in this world, to live and love again.

It was the best of both worlds... but it was merely an illusion. I had to choose between that perfect illusion and reality.

But in return, to keep the world in balance, it needed a life for a life. I am sorry...for my selfish choice to stay our child's spirit and soul was forsaken."

Tianhuo remained silent throughout Feiyun's story as she sobbed in between tears, trembling with her loss and incapability to protect her first child.

"Our child was loss due to my inability to protect you. Don't ever blame yourself. You are still here with me and no matter how twisted it may sound, I won't stand alive if you are not by my side."

She had lost a significant amount of weight from her slumber but her frail beauty still captivated him. He wanted to hold her in his arm, and never let her go.

Embracing her small figure, he carried her to the throne, sitting her down on his lap as he hugged her, feeling her warmth.

After a long moment, when the sun has set and the moon taken it place in the night sky.

"Tianhuo, what happened to those people? I'm sure you didn't kill them... right?"

Feiyun pulled her head up and rose her eyebrow in question.

Nodding his head, Tianhuo simply shifted his arms and carried her in a princess cradle. His long legs walking towards the place he kept the prisoners.

Upon arrival, the shadow guards guarding the entrance, stood with shock as they saluted their master. A breath of relief escaped their lips upon seeing Feiyun safe and sound.

Tianhuo, silently carried her in, unwilling to let her touch the dirty ground, as though one step would taint her otherworldly appearance.

They walked for a short moment before reaching the deepest part of the dungeon. Inside the dark room, a figure remain unmoving in the dark corner.

"What have you come here for?"

Her voice was rough and filled with resentment. Even through the darkness, Feiyun could clearly feel the hatred and bloodlust directed at her.

"...To see how far you've fallen."

The silence was deafening, but the small figure slowly shook and a laughter of madness shook the prison.

"You are underestimating the power of my Clan. When my father knows what you have done, his forces will trample the entire Country of Xing. You'll be used and tortured, but he'll let you live, even if you beg for death."

The edge of Feiyun's lips curved up and a small chuckle left her lips, upon hearing that, the figure screamed like a feral cat and lunged towards the bars only to be yanked back by the chains that bound her to the walls.

"You laugh now, but soon everything you cherish will be mine! Even that man!"

Hearing those words, Tianhuo's eyes grew colder. Who was this woman to decide for him. Even silencing her would not be able to quell his quaking rage.

Feiyun could feel his fury and found it amusing that the Long Princess still couldn't understand that not every man could be enslave by her beauty.

"I think...you're the only one making a mistake here. Your clan?"

A chuckle escaped Feiyun's lips but her words were like a cold foreboding warning.

With a flick of her wrist, a shadow appeared by her side, crouched in greeting.

"This shadow greets master."

Feiyun glanced down briefly and continued,

"FeiSha, tell me did you succeed?"

FeiSha stood up and bowed before extending her hand.

She was holding onto a sack that seemed to have been dyed red from blood which had now turned brown and cakey.

"Give it to her, since she misses her family."

Each word of Feiyun were like the rumbling of thunders in a distance, but the moment FeiSha threw the bag into the cell, a head rolled out. It was like a bolt if lightning had struck Long Lishi as she collapsed to the ground.

The head of her dear father stared back at her, eyes lifeless and purple with flies and maggots crawling around.

"N-n-no...i-it can't be!?"

Srambling to the lifeless head, Long Lishi hugged it and screamed in agony.

"What have you done?!"

Feiyun simply narrowed her cold eyes. She was no Saint,

"You should have never started playing with Poison. The moment you harmed one of mine, you should have been aware of the consequences."

"Don't worry, he didn't die by decapitation. It was only poison."

Turning to FeiSha, Feiyun tossed a small pill bottle.

"Light the cell and feed it to her."

FeiSha nodded and moved swiftly, feeding a small red pill into Long Lishi's mouth and forcing her to swallow it.

The small dark cell lit brightly by flame from the numerous torches around revealed that the 3 other walls that surrounded Long Lishi were clear reflective surfaces.

"Since you love playing with Poison, you shall stay here...and maybe if you beg hard enough, I would let you die."

It wasn't long before the pill started taking effect. Long Lishi's face started feeling like millions of ants were crawling.

Her skin started healing and beautifying at a speed so fast that it was unbelievable. Long Lishi had turned into a ravenously beautiful lady, and yet it lasted merely a minute before her skin started rotting and falling apart.

Each clump of skin tore away lifelessly and fell to the ground revealing her raw bones. The pain and agony it cause was excruciating that Long Lishi couldn't even scream. She clutched to the dirty ground as her nails digged into it, bleeding.

Even FeiSha who was a trained assassin shuddered seeing.

"Since you love beauty so much, you can sit here and enjoy watching yourself."

Leaving that behind, Tianhuo slowly departed, still carrying Feiyun in his arms.

After a long silent walk, Feiyun suddenly spoke,

"What did you do to Xing JunZhan?"

Tianhuo rose an eyebrow briefly before calmly responding.

"Nothing. At least not yet, I want him to stand trail and testify his evil deeds. I want his name removed from the history of our empire. I want everyone to know what he had done to my parents."

Feiyun stared blankly at Tianhuo before smiling to herself. She was glad he had not been lost in anger and revenge.

"It's finally ended."

Tianhuo buried his head into her embrace as he enjoyed her warmth.

"Mhmn."

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