"Did you hear anything about Dijun?"  Xiao Jiu asked Chonglin anxiously as soon as she saw him return to Tai Chen Palace.   Chonglin had gone to the assembly hall where a report was being made to Hao De Tianjun by some returning emissaries as to the situation on the ground.  Dijun had been gone now for a month and except for one short missive he was able to send when he was in Fanyin Valley to tell her he was all right, Xiao Bai has had no news from him.  Although she knew that she would have heard if something bad had happened to him as any significant news about Donghua Dijun would be of extreme importance in the Immortal Realms and would spread immediately, she couldn't help but feel apprehensive.  She really missed him  Missed talking with him, missed spending time with him.  But most of all, she misses taking care of him.  She knew that aside from her, he would never allow anyone to be close enough to look after him.  As such, she could not help but worry about his health and safety.

"The last known information on Dijun was that he was on his way to the Western Realms.   There's a dark storm cloud blanketing the entire continent that could not be explained away and while Dijun was not certain if this had something to do with the general unrest in the Immortal Realms, he had decided to treat everything as part of the conundrum until proven otherwise.  He took 3rd Prince and some of his Sentries with him to gauge the danger to the people in that area.  Other than that there's no other news regarding Dijun."  Chonglin said.  Xiao Jiu looked disappointed at the brevity of the news but merely gave a sigh.   At least she knew he was safe, it would have to be enough.  "Don't worry too much Xiao Jiu, Dijun knows what he's doing."  Seeing the forlorn look on the young fairy's face, Chonglin couldn't help but try to comfort her.  He awkwardly patted her back clearly not used to having to comfort a love interest of Dijun. 

"Chonglin greets Star Lord Si Ming" the Steward suddenly said as he saw Si Ming walking towards them.  Xiao Jiu followed with a similar greeting giving her friend a small smile.  However, Si Ming did not return the smile.    

"Chonglin, I need to talk to Xiao Jiu for a moment."  Si Ming said.  Chonglin bowed in understanding and withdrew.  He wondered what they had to talk about.  The Star Lord looked uncharacteristically serious.  It couldn't be about Dijun because as far as he knew the Star Lord has been out of the Sky Kingdom for the past few months and has only been back for a few days, so he wouldn't know the relationship between Xiao Jiu and Dijun.

"What is it? What happened?"  Xiao Jiu asked worriedly as soon as they were alone.  Si Ming knew all about her obsession with repaying Dijun so he might be bearing some news about him.  

"You need to go back to Qingqiu at the soonest possible time.   Fox Queen Bai Qian just came back and Xiao Jiu, she's blind."  Si Ming said lowering his voice just in case someone was around the area and could overhear them.  "Someone took her eyes."

"Wha.... what do you mean blind?  I don't understand."  Xiao Bai said confused.  As far as she knew her Gugu had gone to the Mortal Realms for her love trial.  However, what happened in her trial should not affect her as soon as she got back to the Immortal Realms. "Where was she blinded?  It couldn't have been in the Mortal Realms right?  What's being done for her? Is it a temporary thing?  What did High God Zhe Yan say?"  Xiao Bai was agitated now hence the rapid fire questions. 

"We're really not sure yet but there's a certain peculiarity with her love trial.  I don't know if you're aware but Crown Prince Ye Hua brought back a mortal woman Susu here to the Sky Kingdom a few months before?"  Xiao Bai nodded her head recalling how she heard the emissary making the report to Donghua a few months before.  She had sent off a letter to her father in Qingqiu through a messenger but her father merely left a return message that he would take care of it.  After that, with the continuing unrest in the Immortal Realms, the issue had probably been put in the back burner while they waited for Bai Qian to come back.  Suddenly, Xiao Bai remembered something that has had the entire Sky Kingdom in an uproar a few weeks back.   Surely, it couldn't be.  But it was too much of a coincidence if it wasn't.   

"Susu's eyes were taken..." Xiao Bai said, a question in her eyes.  Si Ming nodded gravely in confirmation.  

"Queen Bai Qian is Susu or rather Susu is Queen Bai Qian.  She was experiencing her mortal trial when she met Prince Yehua in the Mortal Realms.  It seems that they had gotten married there.  The Crown Prince shouldn't have brought her back here even if she was pregnant.  He interfered with the natural progression of things."  Si Ming said solemnly.  "And now, she's blind because the taking of her eyes had happened in the Sky Kingdom and not in the Mortal Realms."

"Then Prince A'Li?"  Xiao Bai asked thinking of the son the human had born for the Crown Prince before she had taken her own life.  When she had heard what had happened through the gossip mill, she had felt bad for the mortal woman.  Even though Xiao Bai had been outraged on behalf of her Gugu that Susu had been installed essentially as the concubine of Ye Hua, she felt that the way Tianjun and the rest of the Sky Kingdom had treated the human woman was appalling.   Even she could see that it was not Susu's fault.  She had been trapped in the crossfire herself.  The Crown Prince should have protected her better.  Xiao Bai's estimation of Ye Hua had taken a significant plunge, not that she had a very high opinion of him in the first place owing to his prevarication with her Gugu.  But now knowing that Susu was actually her aunt, she could not help but think sourly of Ye Hua for his neglect.  How can a Crown Prince be this useless?  If Donghua had been there to take charge of it, none of this would have happened.  She also berated herself for not taking the time to get more information about Susu.  Maybe she would have known she was her Gugu if she had met her.

"He's Queen Bai Qian's son, your nephew.  You have to go back Jiu'er.  They're in a quandary in Qingqiu right now.  Both your grandfather and father are not in the Fox Realm as they are helping with the investigations.  Your uncles are not there either save for your fourth uncle and High God Zhe Yan but they would also have to leave soon for their own territories. No one knows yet that Bai Qian has returned. She needs someone with her.  No one knows you're here but I talked to Zhe Yan last night and he told me he was looking for you."  Si Ming said.  Xiao Bai bit her lips.  Si Ming could see the indecision in her eyes.   Xiao Bai was in a quandary.  On one hand, she had promised Donghua she will stay put in Tai Chen Palace as it was the safest place for her right now and he didn't want to worry about her while he was gone.  On the other hand, her first instinct was to go home and protect her Gugu.  She wanted to see for herself how her Gugu was.  She must be feeling so alone and so devastated.  Maybe there was something that could be done for her that she could do.  Plus, with the current Queen so disabled right now, it behooves her to go back and take charge while all the her Fox elders are not in the Realm.  Weighing everything in her mind, she finally made her decision.  She knew Dijun would understand why she had to go back.  She'll just have to ask Chonglin to send a discreet message to Donghua as to her current location.  She knew that with Donghua moving around so much, he might not get the message soon.  But maybe that would be better so that he won't get distracted or worried.  

***

Western Realms

Donghua sat back on his chair to stretch out a little feeling the exhaustion roll through his body.  He's been hunched over his table now going on the 4th hour looking at maps of the Immortal Realms and marking them against the different unexplained phenomena that has been occurring everywhere for the past few months.  He rubbed his temple to stave off the perpetual headache that seems to now live in his head as he hadn't been sleeping.  He tried to remember the last time he had a restful sleep.  He sighed knowing that he hadn't had one since that night when he fell asleep with Xiao Bai in his arms.   He smiled at the memory of her falling asleep and drooling into his gown.  He hadn't had the chance to tell her about that yet.  He could just imagine her outraged expression when he teases her in the future.  When he realized that she was asleep, he had carried her into his arms to take her back to her apartment.  However,  he felt loathe to part with her.  He knew that he was going to miss her when he left for Heaven knows how long so before he knew it, he had taken her into his own room and placed her on his bed.  He had lain down beside her knowing that he would not be able to sleep, he just wanted to be with her.  He hadn't been sleeping well as he was beset by the problems of the Realm but surprisingly, as soon as he placed his arms around her waist and molded his body against hers, he had fallen into a deep, restful slumber.  Even when she was sleeping, she could still manage to be such a great comfort to him.  He really wished he could have taken her with him then at least he will be getting a little sleep now.  Just thinking about her now made him smile.  He wondered what she was doing.  Probably experimenting with one of her recipes.  He missed her cooking also, missed how she would make sure to cook everything to his specific preference.  She really did take such good care of him.  He sighed.       

His musing were interrupted when one of his Generals entered his tent.  He looked up to see General Li Yue carrying a huge number of scrolls in her hands.  Normally, the General would not be in charge of missives but as their messengers and other personnel where in short supply now, she was doubling as his assistant.  He knew that the missives that have probably been transferred from one outpost to another had finally caught up with him.  He had been travelling continuously for the past month and the week he had stayed here was the longest he had been in one place.

"General Li Yue greets Donghua Dijun.  Here are the reports that has been sent for you.  Do you want me take up the most recent first and work backwards or the other way around?"  General Li Yue asked as she noted the exhaustion on the face of her Commander.  She knew he hadn't been sleeping but she didn't know what she could do to help him.  

"Start with the more recent ones.  Those are probably the ones no one is taking care of right now."  The General nodded and started riffling through the scrolls.  

"Dijun, here's a report from the Bird Queen of Fanyin Valley.  After we left there it says here that a dark energy has been slowly permeating the area.  They trace where its coming from and its from the area you double warded a few weeks ago.  However, there doesn't seem to be anything that is weakening the bindings."  When Donghua had arrived in Fanyin Valley, aside from checking on the unsealed ward where the Beast had escaped from, he had also checked the bindings on Miao Luo, a demoness that had terrorized the Universe a million years ago.  He had been the one to bind her and trap her and although the bindings still looked unbreakable, he couldn't quell the disquiet around him for he knew how powerful the Demoness was.  Almost 30,000 years ago, she had almost escaped.  She had been on the verge of defeating him when suddenly a part of her primordial spirit had broken off inexplicably from her and suddenly winked out.  That momentary lost of a substantial part of her power had allowed him the opportunity to overpower her.  Up to now, he still could not figure out what had happened that day.  All he knew was that something or someone had stopped the Demoness somehow.  Now it seems her ugly head was rearing itself again.  Donghua would not allow her another opportunity to escape and wreak further havoc.    

Donghua was silent for a moment thinking.  He had use his own primordial spirit and a substantial amount of his cultivation to ensure that the bindings held and he was fairly confident about his handiwork.  However, he knew that whatever was happening around the Realms was somehow connected to her.   "I need to go back to Fanyin Valley."  the General nodded.  She had expected it as soon as she read the report.  She had been one of the Generals under Dijun when he fought with the Demoness 30,000 years ago and she knew how powerful Miao Luo was.  Dijun had been planning to go back to Fanyin Valley as soon as they left the Western Realms and this news had only reinforced his decision.

"Should I continue with the reports?" she asked.  Now that their next destination was definitely set, she knew Dijun was already mentally mapping out the strategy that he needed to do.  However, she knew also that Dijun could work on multiple problems at the same time and he would want to know everything significant happening.    

"Hmm.  Continue."  he said, his mind more preoccupied with Miao Luo.  What had happened?  Was she working with someone?  The dark source coming from the ward was really troubling him.  What was the connection? 

"The next most recent report is from High God Mo Yuan.  There was an attack on Qingqiu two days ago by the triplet black Pareesi Dragons. At the time of the report, High God Mo Yuan is still in the Northern Realms dealing with something there but he will be headed to Qingqiu as soon as he finishes his current mission.   Bai Yi Dijun was not in Qingqiu when the attack started as he went to the Ghost Realm to help them with another Beast.  However, the young future Queen is there and she's the one holding the fort until reinforcement arrives.  Our forces are spread too thin so..."

"Who?  Who's holding the fort in Qingqiu?"  Donghua snapped out.  He had been half listening to the report but his head suddenly whipped up when he heard the words future Queen.  All thoughts of Miao Luo had disappeared from his mind.  Still, he was hoping that he had heard the report wrong and that the General just said Queen. "Is it Queen Bai Qian?"  

"Ah no, based on this report, it's the future Queen.  I believe she's the daughter of Bai Yi Dijun but I can't quite recall her name."  She continued to look at the scroll before her trying to see if the name of the future Queen was somewhere, she does so hate it when she forgets the name of someone.  However, she wasn't given a chance as the said scroll was snatched out of her hands  by Dijun.  She let out a yelp of surprise at the almost violent force used by Dijun.  Donghua quickly perused the missive and as much as he did not want to believe that his Xiao Bai had left the relative security of Tai Chen Palace, it was indeed her that was in Qingqiu right now defending against the triplet dragons.   She had probably sent him a missive but with him moving around, he had probably not gotten it yet.  Messages of a personal nature were not prioritized.  As such, he had no idea why he had gone back to Qingqiu.  If it had been someone else dealing with the dragons, he probably would not be so worried.   He knew that the dragons were not a match for the God of War.  With Mo Yuan on the way there already, he need not go.  However, he could not shake off this feeling that he needed to be there and Donghua always followed his gut instincts.  He knew he had not been able to assess Xiao Bai's fighting skill before he left as he didn't think it was necessary and as such immediate panic set in at the thought of her defending the Fox Realm by herself against the dragons. Because even though Donghua did not know her fighting skills, he knew her personality and the way she thinks as intimately as he knew his own.  She will be front and center in defending the Fox Realm.  As its future Queen, she would do all she could to protect everyone around her without taking heed of her own safety.  She would probably lure the dragons away from the populated part of Qingqiu to prevent others from getting hurt without taking into consideration that she herself might get hurt.   What was more worrying was that based on the report, none of the elder Bais were in Qingqiu at the moment . There was no mention of Bai Qian, so likely, she was not there either.   It was only Xiao Bai who would be doing everything.  What if Mo Yuan was delayed?  Donghua knew he needed to be there to protect her.  

"I'm going to Qingqiu now.  Stay here and report to 3rd Prince where I am.  After I finish in Qingqiu, I'll go directly to Fanyin Valley."  The General looked bewildered.  First, at the way Dijun had roughly snatched the missive from her hands.  Then, at his instructions that he was diverting from his set destination and going to Qingqiu instead.  She could count on one hand the number of times that Dijun has changed direction once a decision has been made.  It would only be during the direst of circumstance that Dijun would do something different from his original plan.  Mo Yuan was already going there so why was Dijun going also?  Although the Pareesi Dragons were not to be discounted or looked down upon as opponents, she didn't think that the situation warranted the presence of both the God of War and the Supreme God of the Universe.  The dragons were not that powerful. She was also shocked at the quick flicker of panic that she saw on the old God's face while he was reading through the report.  Although he had quickly masked it, she had been working with him for thousands of years now and she has never seen him look like that even if only for a second.  She would have thought that she imagined it if not for the way he had clutched at the scroll as he peruse it as if his life depended on the information contained within.  She tried to think of a time when she would have seen that expression on his face, but she couldn't find one.  Even when they were in the throes of defeat against the Demoness, his face had remained cold and stoic.  He had never showed even a hint of panic.   If it was someone else, she would have immediately questioned him or maybe even protested.  However, this was Donghua Dijun.  He always knew what he was doing.  Besides, it's not like she would have had the time to question him anyway as he had already disappeared.