Dong Hua was alarmed by the lightning bolt which shot up towards Feng Jiu at full speed. He appeared beside her immediately as his eyes went wide. The lightning bolt was just upon her when she smiled. A cruel, vicious smile. It was not Feng Jiu, but Tang Yin.

"Don't worry I haven't put her mind to sleep. And if I disappear she will definitely be able to bear the tribulation without her will." She chuckled.

"Tang Yin! Stay your hand" he said angrily as an invisible mist formed a blade and slashed through Feng Jiu's body. Tang Yin's divine will was shattered and back in the cavern, she coughed up some blood.

"You pulled out your mighty sword for me back then too. Top ten among ancient weapons, Canghe (pronounced Saang ha not haa). Should it be my honor? You've pushed me to this corner. If only you had killed me back then Dong Hua, I wouldn't be here, driving into madness each day. I wanna die but I can't and neither can I live under the same sky as you. The Dao of the devil doesn't allow me to do that or rather to be the ultimate peak you have to sever emotions and turn your past into dust. To possess the devil needs countless souls at disposal. They remain with me eternally, cursing at me, they can't enter reincarnation either. Those would give me unmatched power. To bear all those things as if they are nothing is the Dao of the devil. Turns out you were more soft-hearted than you appeared to be. You're even in love...Dong Hua. I never had you. But after you are dead your soul will be with me. Even if you hate me." She laughed and her blue eyes once again turned bright red. 

Her laughter was not that of an innocent and young woman she used to be in the past. Well, the past was past and for some people even if they do realize it's just hard. They know it deep down but as the saying goes, riding on the back of a tiger and finding it hard to get off.

In the same moment, the tribulation descended. Feng Jiu's eyes were blank because Tang Yin had suppressed her mind. But transcending tribulation required unshakable will. While Feng Jiu wasn't focused at all. Blood sprayed out of Feng Jiu's mouth, Dong Hua closed up on her and they both teleported some distance away from where there was no one. Inwardly his heart was pounding. Everything was silent except his heart which kept telling him to protect Feng Jiu more. Feng Jiu seemed to be regaining will, but tribulation had weakened her too much. She was barely able to keep her eyes open. He took the next remaining bolts of lightning for her. Apparently, it was nothing much to him. After all, it was only the first tribulation for immortals. But his eyes were burning with anger towards Tang Yin and worry towards Feng Jiu. The moment tribulation was over Feng Jiu's aura changed. Her injuries from the tribulation got better. But the dark aura which Tang Yin left didn't disperse. She gave a last look to Dong Hua as she fell into a coma.

Dong Hua carried her back to the apartment. Lian Song was unaccessible. He guessed that he was just drunk from earlier. So he decided to contact Si Ming through jade slip. But it didn't work at all. He decided to go back to nine heavens but it seemed like someone or something had blocked it. Originally he wanted to heal Feng Jiu in nine heavens so he won't receive backlash. Because he had already used magic while destroying Tang Yin's will clone. Then he unhesitatingly decided to heal Feng Jiu with his powers.

"She must have tailed us before with her divine will," he murmured. He extracted a drop of his golden blood which he then poured into Feng Jiu's mouth. Her pale face slightly regained color.

"Still won't disperse, this bizarre aura..." he murmured with a frown. Then he seemed to recall something. He took out the jade necklace which glowed every few seconds. Then he quickly wrapped it around Feng Jiu's neck. Almost Immediately, a mark of a unicorn appeared on Feng Jiu's wrist.

It has chosen her as its master. Dong Hua thought and studied the mark. But it seems so similar, this mark. Could it be...

The aura which had been hanging around her sucking at her life force was now dispersing rapidly. Dong Hua sighed with relief.

Even my magic takes time to heal the dark magic which Tang Yin practices. But from the looks of it, she won't be able to pull off something like this anytime soon. I need to get rid of her before she does something malevolent. 

____

Two days went by. Finally, Feng Jiu woke up, only to find Dong Hua lying beside her. Although she was too exhausted. She gazed at him silently. It was almost like she had to, for as long as she got to see Di Jun. She didn't even want to blink her eyes, afraid that he would fade away.

That all illusions will vanish the moment she blinked. Her eyes watered so she finally closed them.

"Even if you came to like me. It would be vain right? Then why do I have to try so hard to get you to love me? I've grown up Di Jun. I won't bug you anymore." She murmured, her eyes were still closed as a pained and tired expression appeared on her face. She bent towards the slumbering Dong Hua and kissed his lips. It almost felt like the time she had done that as a fox. It was nothing more than a soft brushing of lips but it sent chills up her spine. His lips were so cold. She trembled. All this while Dong Hua had been giving some of his blood to Feng Jiu. He didn't even treat his backlash injury. He just remained by Feng Jiu's side. Never leaving her.

"Why am I so reluctant to part with you, Dong Hua? You aren't even in my fate. I can't believe the fact that I will be able to love anybody else. Whoever is fated with me will be unhappy too. As a matter of fact, I love you so much that no amount of years can make me let go of you. You are just here, and you will always be. It's like an obsession. A vicious cycle of falling again and again. You said cultivation required falling again and again. It's almost like I've cultivated you in my heart, and no one, not even me can erase that. If...if I demand oblivion water from Zhe Yan, will it be too excessive? Wait why am I even...I'm the queen of Qingque. If I forget him and see him again, I'll fall in love with him again, and won't even know how to back off. I..." her soft mummers turned into a light sob at this point.

She opened her eyes, only to see Di jun staring at her with so utterly wistful eyes. She almost lost it. Tears fell down her cheeks.

"If I say I love you will you believe me Xiao Bai?" he said, wiping her tears away and planting a kiss on her forehead. His cold hands wrapped around Feng Jiu's and his fingers interlocked with hers creating a tingling sensation. She gasped.

"Di Jun?"

"Will you forgive me even if it's too late?" he asked. She shook her head with watery eyes. He frowned.

"Is that a no?"

"You... are so bad Dong Hua...Di Jun. Listening to me without my approval again." she sobbed.

"Weren't you saying that to me?" he asked, his eyes kinda sad, kinda tired, but warm, unlike his whole body which was brimming cold. She sat up and wiped her tears.

"I won't this time. It's better if we don't meet at all. Now that you know you can avoid me right. So after I drink oblivion water, don't show up in front of me again." She said.

Be strong Feng Jiu. She told herself in vain again. She tried to stand up but her body was still weak. Even so, she forced herself. She was clearly too stubborn about going. Because at this point she had to leave, otherwise she won't be able to walk away anymore.

Dong Hua's heart suddenly ached. He couldn't understand why she would run away from him.

Dong Hua pulled her back and wrapped her in his embrace. He looked straight into her eyes, and without hesitation or doubt kissed her. And for the stubborn Feng Jiu, she knew she was well-whipped. 

She kissed him back. He pulled back almost immediately as if to confirm something. He never loosened his grip on her. But Feng Jiu kind of seemed confused. More so she was disappointed. Her eyes said kiss me so clearly that Dong Hua couldn't help but smile slightly.

"Are you really gonna forget about me, Xiao Bai? Here I was thinking about having my sole empress and you want to go. Well if you really want to I won't stop you."

"What?" she asked with wide eyes and sniffed. Her face was flushed from crying and the recent butterflies she felt. Dong Hua shrugged and let her go. He started to rise when Feng Jiu grabbed his collar.

"Empress? Ji Heng?" she asked frowning yet angry.

"Ji Heng? No, of course not." he frowned, " how did you even...well I was talking about you."

"Huh...so suddenly?"

"You have to take responsibility Bai Feng Jiu. You've kissed me on your own too many times. Don't you think?"

"I have?" she blushed even more as the words that came out of her mouth seemed strange. Her heart was pounding so hard. He was right indeed.

"But you want to forget me right? Even after taking advantage of me," he said pouting and removed Feng Jiu's hands from his collar. Well, one thing was for sure, he was good.

"No." she blurted as he rose up. He raised his eyebrows.

"I love you. I don't want to forget you. And I'm....willing to take responsibility too." she gritted her teeth but couldn't stop the words from leaving her mouth.

 Dong Hua smiled. A wide and charming smile.

"Good girl," he said pushing her against the bed and locking his lips with her.

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Woah finally guys...