Her silver hair returned to its original color, Jet black. The soul-locking jade in her hand emitted a powerful green light. Her white scaly skin had a new touch of golden. Her eyes reflected a blood-red color. She closed her eyes and devoured the energy. The soul-locking jade had fused all the energy from all types of souls she had collected.

"Only half of my cultivation is back. Now I just have to find my queen's sacred serpent stone." She grinned.

Feng Jiu stepped inside a cave and was blinded by a powerful light. When she opened her eyes the cave was as dark as before and felt even more gloomy. A blue-eyed white and golden python showed up in front of her. She screamed loudly and stepped back.

"You are able to come here. Interesting." Tang Yin said.

"What...what do you mean?" She stammered taking steps back.

 She summoned her sword as Tang Yin stepped near her and locked her blue eyes with her. Feng Jiu felt something creeping around her leg and with fear rising inside her she looked downwards. 

A small green snake had coiled on her leg.

---

Dong Hua followed the jade necklace. 

He heard a shrilly scream from behind him and turned around. It was Bai Feng Jiu. She ran towards him and bumped into him. Her head hit his chest. His eyes slightly widened and he pulled himself away.

"What happened?" He asked.

 She hadn't seen it was Dong Hua yet. She hastily looked back and fell to the ground in relief. Her breathing was still ragged and her hand remained on her chest which was rising and falling. 

Finally, she looked up. Dong Hua had been staring at her and then squatted down in front of her. She let out a breath and blinked.

"Di Jun." She breathed.

"Why were you running?" His eyes had a glint of amusement.

"Snakes..." She pointed backward and tried to say calmly. But her slightly cracking voice gave her away.

'Being chased by snakes is not fun at all. It is a miracle my soul didn't leave my body the moment I saw that snake coiling on my leg' Feng Jiu slightly shivered as she thought.

"Oh," he said with a slight smile on his face.

 He looked at her calmly. But he knew he had developed a kind of interest in her. A kind of feeling he found good. Just like in new phases of liking someone, there is excitement. However, Dong Hua wasn't sure what it was. 

But he also didn't care. Whatever he wanted to do he would.

Feng Jiu and Dong Hua probably had this in common. But one was reckless and one was too calm.

Of course, he wouldn't scare away his little fox so soon. He'll slowly get to know her.

She was someone who was like a refreshing breeze in his dried and cold life. Every time he saw her he felt like he was jerked awake. Like he had this newfound energy he never had.

"It's just that I'm a little afraid of snakes."

"I know. You're very brave." He said giving her a hand. Ignoring the urge to pat her head. She stood up on her own so he took it back.

"Why are you here?"

Feng Jiu was a little annoyed. After all, she almost always met him whenever she had her embarrassing moments.

"You are the only person who keeps asking this question to me."

"Well, you just said I was brave." 

He shook her head amused at her sassy reply.

They walked back together to the hall. She let out an exasperated breath. She felt so shy walking next to him. And she couldn't even bring herself to say something to make the atmosphere a little lighter. She bit her lip.

"Are you that bored walking next to me?"

"Of course not." She blurted out. He nodded.

"Why?" she asked looking at him through the corner of her eyes.

"You're usually quite lively."

"Does Di Jun despise it?"

"That you're lively? No...I like it." he stared into her eyes and said with his usual expressionless face but she couldn't help but avert her eyes. 

 "Last time, when you saved me from the poison, thanks." She said feeling a bit happy with his previous words.

"You can't get away with a thank you."

"I know. I just want to ask you... if I offended you while I was unconscious."

"Do you behave like that when you are sick?" He asked. She nodded.

"Only my family knows that I behave that way." Saying that she took a glance at him again. 

Her brows slightly furrowed. She knew what she was like when sick. Extremely sticky. And Di Jun saw her like that. Feng Jiu was almost sure he had a bad impression of her now.

Even though she didn't expect him to love her, if he disliked her it would really hurt.

"Oh." He said as usual. But today's Di Jun really felt strange to her.

After all, she was aware of the way he talked to other people. He seemed so different with her.

"Did I really do something?" She asked. 

He didn't say anything for a while.

Feng Jiu was very nervous. She bit her lip and then he spoke.

"You didn't offend me. You just cried that you were cold. Except that...you kissed me." He said with a face that was smiling and not smiling.

Feng Jiu was dazed. Her heart started beating like crazy.

"I what?" She basically yelled. He pointed at his nose with his finger.

"You kissed me here."

IT WASN'T A DREAM!

"I...Why didn't you stop me then? You let me make a fool of myself." She blabbered indignantly in a small voice. Dong Hua's face didn't reveal his emotions.

Feng Jiu felt like killing herself. Just what did she do this time...

"I was resting and my eyes were closed. It was you who kissed me suddenly," he said coolly.

She closed her eyes in annoyance. Before the situation could get any more awkward Feng Jiu decided to run away.

Di Jun is such a...

As such Feng Jiu found herself very troubled. She was mad at herself. But she knew she had lost her face herself. 

Dong Hua Di Jun on the other side appeared to be quite happy after teasing Feng Jiu. There was a smile in his eyes with which he left.
---

A Day later.

"Chengyu." Feng Jiu sat beside her old friend in Tai Chen Palace. Little did they know Dong Hua was sitting just behind the huge stone near them. He heard her voice.

"Feng jiu." She smiled. Cheng Yu's domineering spirit was replaced by cuteness.

"Si Ming told me Prince Lian Song helped you a lot recently." Feng Jiu giggled as she teased her best friend

"He did." She said.

"Look at how you blush. So did you fall in love with him?" Feng Jiu asked grinning at her friend.

"You guys really like to gossip around." Cheng Yu hmphed.
"What about you?"

"What about me? Aunt has been married for a day and now she has it as a mission to marry me off. She keeps sending me on dates with weird guys."

"You haven't punched anyone right?" Cheng Yu laughed.

"No, I just scared them away. Of course, I'm too cute to be scared of. But a few tricks could do."

"And do you have something new?"

"I went to the green sea recently with Xiao Yan. And it was so weird. I just keep feeling bad about the trip."

"TRIP? Who's Xiao Yan?"

"Yan Chiwu. Demon Lord." She said like pouting. 

"Huh? How do you know a demon lord?" Cheng Yu asked in surprise while playing with her white fan. But knowing Feng Jiu. She should have been the least surprised. 

"Long story. At first, I really hated him but we became friends really quickly. Over a drink. And actually, I find him really..." she laughed as she recalled the silly demon lord.

"Really what?" Cheng Yu asked which shining eyes and a smile. 

"Cute and silly." Feng Jiu huffed.

"You're getting more and more suspicious," Chengyu said squinting her eyes. "Are you finally moving on, hmm?" She teased and lightly bumped her shoulder with Feng Jiu.

Feng Jiu lightly glared at her.

"Don't give me that look. He's just a friend... And he loves Ji Heng."

"Oh?" Cheng Yu leaned forward and rested her face in her palm with an expression of interest. Feng Jiu sighed.

"Sometimes I envy her. She's not only beautiful. But many people love her too."

"Many people love you too. It's just that you're too stuck up to know it."

"Am I?" She asked looking at the sorrowless tree. She walked towards it and plucked a few flowers and put them in her small packet for carrying it.

"Cheng Yu, look. What a great time for the sorrowless flowers. I'll make some cakes in the evening. Stop by to pick some for yourself and the third prince." She said while grabbing some more flowers.

"Oh, so I'm finally getting some cakes." Lian Song said. Feng Jiu turned behind surprised and greeted the third prince who walked towards Cheng Yu.

Her eyes went sideways to Dong Hua who sat near the stone. He was staring at her. His gaze was not piercing or something. It was soft but still powerful. 

She seemed to sense that Dong Hua was in a weird mood. So she stole a look at him. He was gazing at her.

"Dong Hua Di Jun is here too?" Lian Song said as he walked past him and went to Cheng Yu. She looked at Feng Jiu who looked away from the still staring at her Di Jun. Lian Song grabbed Cheng Yu's hand and led her inside.

"Wait. Feng jiu..." She turned back.

"Aren't we going on a date?" Lian Song winked at her. Cheng Yu grit her teeth but didn't lash out at him straight.

"But she..." Cheng Yu worried about Feng Jiu but Lian Song still dragged her along with him. He went inside and ensconced Cheng Yu in his seat. While he peeked outside at Dong Hua and Feng Jiu wanting to eavesdrop.

"What are you doing?"

"Aren't you curious about them?" Lian Song asked Cheng Yu.

"What's there to be curious?"

"Di Jun barely takes interest in mundane things. But now he is talking to a beautiful fairy."

"He's a jerk. I don't why she is still talking to him." Cheng Yu complained. Lian Song rubbed his chin and looked on thoughtfully.

---

Di Jun stood up and was going to walk back to his palace when Feng Jiu approached him.

"Di Jun."

He stopped.

"It's really wrong of you to eavesdrop on two girls talking." She said as she crossed her arms and glared at his back.

"Really?" He asked turning around. Her expression immediately cracked.

Feng Jiu felt wronged. Why did she feel bad about stopping Di Jun now?

What kind of answer is that? She stepped in front of him.

"If you have something to say why don't you say it." She said. "Why do you keep showing up near me only now?"

Dong Hua examined her and decided to ignore her question.

"Why are you afraid of snakes?"

"Huh? Don't change the topic."

"Okay. I'll ask you then. Have we met before?" He asked with a small smile which made Feng Jiu gulp.

"Yeah. When I caught Xiao Yan. I mean Yan Chiwu pretending to be you."

"Before that?" He asked.

"No," she said. Her eyes were fixed on the ground. Dong Hua took a last glance at her and left.

He realized it too as he walked back. Recently he had been staring a lot at her. Recently he saw her. Really saw her. He was sorry that he couldn't make out who the little fox was. And confused as to why she'd save him, and stay with him and then deny him.

Is she indifferent to me because I locked her up? he looked back through the corner of his eyes.

_____________________________________

Love
Is
Like
A
Waterfall