{29} Trip to the Mortal Realm

Feng Jiu received a message from the Shuo Hua butterfly Cheng Yu had sent. Ugh, you go I'll come out in half an hour. This stupid Lian Song won't leave. If I send him away without caution he might follow me or something. You know him. I'm really sorry. I'd be right there and be your shield.


"Really now." She murmured. He raised his brows so she explained that Cheng Yu would join them later. They headed for the mortal realm without wasting much time. It was also midnight in the mortal realm, and they landed right in front of a spiritual cave. It was the same where Ji Heng came every Sunday. It was a jungle but they could sense that it wasn't dense and that the city was close to them. Dong Hua sent out a few light insects to lead the way.


"Fang Lei and Xiao Yan must be near too." She said more to herself, a little excitement in her voice as she walked. Dong Hua walked beside her his eyes never leaving her figure. It was like her every moment, her every word interested him. She piqued the interest of the person who had been oblivious to people for lakhs of years. Of course, Dong Hua had a great time with her when she was a fox. And that was the reason he looked at her. And once he looked at her he realized he could not look away. 


 But to his disappointment, Feng Jiu seemed to still hold grudges against him even if she said otherwise. And for Feng Jiu even though sad things happened to her in the past, in her memories the good ones were the ones that stayed intact. 


She didn't hold grudges against him. She just didn't want to be caught up in the fate play that surely would be a tragedy. As Si Ming said, the fate of immortals, even him the stars lord couldn't change.


Feng Jiu took out a sorrowless cake for herself and stuffed her mouth. She suddenly felt happiness travel all through her body and she let out an mmmm. Then she looked sideways at Dong Hua with attitude. She offered him a cake. He looked at it in confusion. It was rather a mixed expression.


"If you don't eat it now you won't get any later. Both of them always finish my cakes in a flash. Even I don't get to eat." She said. He stared at her. She raised her eyebrows. "Well if you don't like it I can just eat your share too." She said as she put the cake in her mouth. Dong Hua suddenly leaned against her and bit the end of the cake which was half in her mouth. The cake split into two pieces and the bigger one went to Dong Hua. He backed away quickly and stuffed his mouth leaving Feng Jiu breathless. Her eyes fixed, her body was frozen. She gulped and looked down. Seeing it Dong Hua relaxed a bit. He smiled. He freaking smiled!


"No, I like it," he said. She was truly flustered.


"You could have said it before. Di Jun, you are becoming more and more..."


"More and more what? Is something wrong with the way I am Xiao Bai?" he said setting her heart into a frenzy. It made her heart flutter. The way he looked at her. He also seemed irresistibly cute.


"No, do you want more?" She asked feeling a little shook. She felt inadvertently seduced.


"Yes." He said. "Xiao Bai...no one has ever made sweets for me since I was little. You are so nice to me." He said with a straight face. But his eyes were smiling.


"I should be." She said with biting her lip, a little awkward but inexplicably happy.


"It's yummy." He said. Feng Jiu looked down at her bag and then looked back at him. She motioned him to lay his palm in front of her. Then she placed a few more cakes in his palm and smiled warmly. It couldn't be helped. She could never be cold to him.


---


"If we go there in our clothes, mortals would probably think we just came out from a drama." Dong Hua said. Feng Jiu was smiling at the starry sky. She didn't move her eyes. The mortal realm is cold. She thought as she wrapped her hands around herself. She stumbled a little on the small rocks on the ground but then managed to balance herself.


How clumsy. Dong Hua shook his head silently. 


"So what should we do?" She asked. Dong Hua clicked his finger and their clothes changed in a flash. It was low-level magic that won't backfire. Feng Jiu was now in a yellow winter top and denim jeans. Her Pheonix flower birthmark was concealed by Dong Hua. While Dong Hua wore casual jeans and an Off white sweater with a grey scarf wrapped around his neck. He looked at Feng Jiu while she looked down at herself and pouted cutely. Dong Hua looked dashing as always except that he now had black hair. He looked breathtaking regardless.


"I loved your silver hair. But if you would have gone out with them they'd literally laugh at you. I'm starting to imagine it. It would have been so funny." She giggled. Dong Hua shook his head and they continued to walk.


"Where did you get the clothes though?"


"I sent my spiritual sense all the way to the city and copied the outfits of a couple," he said.


"A couple?" She asked slowly. He nodded with an amused smile and brushed her nose with his finger and she bit her lip. Then he wrapped his scarf around her neck.


"I don't need it." She protested a little late as he was already done.


"Just keep it," he said waving his hand in the air.


---


Xiao Yan and Fang Lei both changed into the clothes that mortals wore. They were waiting for Feng Jiu at the end of the forest. Yan Chiwu hummed as he stared off into the distance. Fang Lei looked at him amused.



"What happened to you? You're over the moon."


"I can finally see Ji heng..." he sang.


"Ji Heng Huh? You seem to really like her."


"Of course, She is as beautiful as the first snow. She's tender and elegant..." He went on with his description of Ji Heng. He did it so many times and Feng Jiu would close her ears every time he started to say something about her.


"Hey, hey stop... I know. I know...By the way, how did you meet Xiao Jiu?" he asked as his eyes shined.


"In nine heavens," he said. "We fought the moment we met. I have to say she's really good at swordsmanship. It was a fun duel. I was dressed as Ice Face but she caught me."


"Oh My God, How did she?" Fang Lei asked surprised.


"I don't know. Maybe she has a special sense."


"Or you were stupid enough to make it obvious?" Fang Lei laughed. Xiao Yan took out his sword and stood up looking at him in cute aggression.


"Hey, Brother Xiao Yan, I was just kidding." He said waving his hand in the air telling him to back down. Xiao Yan then sat down and continued to hum in a soft tone smiling to himself.


"Does Feng Jiu know Dong Hua Di Jun well?" Fang Lei asked curiously.


"I don't know. I thought they were intimate with each other sometimes. But I don't think so she likes him even a bit. I guess she also hates him like me. Those gods, they just praise themselves for being kind-hearted."


Fang Lei shook his head in an 'Oh'.


"Do you think Di Jun is a little different towards her? Considering what we saw when we were in the green sea."


"By the way, you keep asking about Feng Jiu and Ice Face. Do you have a secret crush on Ice Face? Are you jealous of Xiao Jiu?" Yan raised his eyebrows two times playfully. Fang Lei opened his mouth to say something but then he just grabbed his head.


This stupid person would come so close to the conclusion and yet would not be able to guess correctly. 


---


After a few minutes, they saw Yan and Fang Lei. They were on the road at the end of the forest. The street lights were bright enough thus Dong Hua called back the light insects. Yan smiled brightly upon seeing Feng Jiu and rushed over to her. Fang Lei's lips transformed into a small sheepish grin. Feng Jiu looked so beautiful.


 He had never ever blushed when he saw other girls. Actually, he wasn't great with words or women at all. They liked him and he just spent time with them. He never really was into someone. His older brother was the main focus of his father. He didn't get along with his other siblings. He was more lonely than he looked, more than he thought he was. And now that he saw Feng Jiu, he knew that she was the first woman to make him feel so shy. But as much as he loved that she was a friendly and open person, the thing was that it wasn't an easy task to reach her heart as someone more than friends.


Both Yan and Fang Lei were shocked when they saw Dong Hua. Fang Lei cupped his hands together, but his heart seemed to be unsettled. Dong Hua swept his eyes over him for a brief second before looking straight ahead like always.


"Ice face?" Yan yelled so loud well it kinda made Feng Jiu deaf.


"Calm down Yan. He's coming with us." She said patting Yan's shoulder. She looked like she was about to burst into laughter seeing Yan's reaction. He really didn't like Dong Hua. But that was only because he thought Dong Hua was in love with his beloved Ji Heng.


He snorted. "You're kidding?" He asked shooting daggers at Dong Hua with his eyes.


"Is he here for Ji Heng too?" He asked in a loud annoyed tone. Fang Lei, as for him he was shocked. He wasn't a fool like Xiao Yan. At least he was normal enough to notice that Dong Hua coming with them was weird as hell. Why would he even? The unapproachable god? Something told him that it was related to Feng Jiu.


He wasn't just sure yet if Dong Hua came with Feng Jiu because he had taken a liking to her. Which was highly unlikely. He was just famous for being a monk. And then he heard Ji Heng's name. He visibly relaxed. If Dong Hua was here for another girl he won't have to worry about him going near Feng jiu.


"Um, I don't know." She looked at Dong Hua. He was calm all this time not even giving a proper glance to anyone other than Feng jiu. He was just aloof and indifferent.


"I'm here for something else. And as she owes me a lot. She has decided to cook for me until we stay here." He said with a cold voice. Totally different from the way he was talking to Feng Jiu just now. It surprised her a little too. 


Oh? Is he really not looking for Ji heng? Who does he even like? Tang Yin or Ji Heng or...will I even be on the list? Well, he doesn't necessarily like anyone right? He doesn't seem to be here for Ji Heng. He said he was on a case.


"I decided that?" Feng Jiu shot him a glance. She huffed lightly. She wasn't angry, just amused by Dong Hua. It was a first for him. The way Feng Jiu talked to him like he wasn't the most respectful god like he wasn't the last ruler of Heaven and earth. Like she was only talking to Dong Hua. Even he didn't know who gave her the courage. He looked straight into her eyes. She held his gaze.


"What? Only he gets to eat your food?" Yan frowned. She focused her eyes on Yan Chiwu.


"Come on. I'll cook for all of us." She said simply.


"Yay, then we will have amazing food all day. Omg, I'm already excited so much..." He turned to Fang Lei. "You know her cooking his heavenly. Thank you Ice Face. It's all because of you." Yan exclaimed happily. Dong Hua felt like he shouldn't have let them know it the moment he came to the mortal realm. Feng Jiu giggled. And Fang Lei just smiled when he saw her smile.



Dong Hua noticed Fang Lei's gaze. He harrumphed.


"Didn't I mention that you will cook exclusively for me?" He said. Feng Jiu snorted and gave him a look which said, 'Seriously? Is that even possible?' and continued to walk ahead. He slightly raised his eyebrows and then watched her go. Fang Lei approached her while Dong Hua's eyes were glued to them.


"Hi, Xiao Jiu."


"Hi...You um look good." She commented politely.


"You look so beautiful yourself," he said scanning her.


"Sure I am." She said smugly and then they both guffawed. They walked down the road.


Are they flirting? I knew that the second prince was a playboy. Why does Xiao Bai talk to him so nicely? Dong Hua's face showed no particular expression but he was burning on the inside.


Xiao Yan came towards him and was about to put his hand around Dong Hua, which he dodged. Yan Chiwu grinned and said, "Since you aren't here for Ji Heng, I'll forgive you for all the past grudges. I promise I won't fight you." Dong Hua shot him a cold look and walked away. Yan caught up to him and murmured to himself, "Such an Ice Face."


"Aiyya, Ice Face don't worry one day you'll truly move on from Ji heng." He said. Dong Hua ignored him again. Feng Jiu looked back from the corner of her eyes. She had heard the last line Yan Chiwu had literally yelled.


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