Chapter 10


He had heard Dijun was one to act with quick precision...he wanted to see how Dijun would go about tidying things swiftly. - Pillowbook 2, page 136.

—-----------------------------------------------Zhe Yan---------------------------------------------------------

Bai Xuan had finally found his parents, Fox Emperor Bai Zhi and Fox Empress Ning Shang.

Bai Zhi was a drawn, weary figure; he looked easily as devastated as Bai Yi, shock and disbelief turned their countenances pale. While Fox Empress Ning Shang was clearly heartbroken, her barely restrained fury gave her a sharp aura compared to her husbands' muddled one.

But even though his grief was intense, Bai Zhi was not the Fox Emperor for no reason. He did not ignore the odd interlopers near the entrance to the fox den, nor the fact Bai Zhen and Yu Shi both still had their weapons drawn.

"What is this?" Bai Zhi spoke, as he turned his gaze to the messenger and Yu Shi.

Instantly Yu Shis' water sword lost its form and disappeared and the High God bowed in greeting to Bai Zhi, "Fox General." was the verbal greeting from Yu Shi that accompanied his bow. The bow was lower than what was customary between High Gods, but not low enough to be a full waist bow; it the bow of a junior to an elder.

Before anything further could be said Ning Shang turned to her eldest Bai Xuan, "I don't have time for this, Xuan Xuan, take me to your them."

Bai Yi and Fengjiu were being watched over by her third son Bai Qi. Without saying a word Bai Xuan immediately obeyed his mother and the two entered the fox den. Bai Qian hadn't gotten her temper from nowhere after all. Before anyone had really reacted to the sudden departures Bai Zhi noticed the token the demon was still holding.

"Xiang Xu?" Bai Zhi's surprise and confusion was filtered through shock and weariness.

Bai Zhi's recognition of the emblem had been swifter than his own. That was to be expected, Bai Zhi had continued to fight on the front-lines for hundreds of thousands of years after Zhe Yan had sworn himself to healing. At least Zhe Yan wasn't the only one confused and worried about why these Generals had emerged from seclusion now of all times.

Perhaps sensing impatience, the messenger was swift to explain, "Fox Emperor,", "I am here by the order of Lord Shaoyang to deliver a letter, and a report. I was instructed to have you read the letter first."

Two scrolls sealed with purple wax were removed from the thin marble casing. Zhe Yan had expected the pattern on both to be Dong Hua's personal seal, the foling flower.

But the seal on the smaller letter was different. A silver sun on a purple field. It was old, ancient; Zhe Yan had last seen it in person half a million years ago. Even now he could still picture the battle worn banner, it's silver threads shining defiantly through the ash and blood as it was whipped around by dark winds.

There was a faint strain of music in the air, who was singing at a time like this? Bemused he blinked and was lost in memory.

The proud battle-hymns Zhe Yan's clan had sung days ago at the start of the carnage had changed in tone, then stopped altogether. Now all he could hear was the endless screams and wails of the injured and dying as they were pushed back, outnumbered and overwhelmed.

The tortured screams of those the enemy had captured early on had not helped morale.

On the third day, their defiant songs had been drowned out by a sudden cacophony of horrifying shrieks.

They'd been tortured into insanity, mindless amalgamations of malevolent energy. All fury and hatred and bestial cunning. Many had died hesitating to strike them down, seeing friends and family in the twisted remnants.

The longer they fought in one place the more malevolent energy there was for the demons to be empowered by.

Even so his clan had almost managed to win the battle; there were only a few hundred enemies left, but there were only three of them.

He turned to see Biyu standing only a few feet away. The strange sound had been the result of her gurgling past the spear lodged in her throat.

Little Biyu, who he'd watched grow up. She'd liked making paper fans and crowns out of fire lilies when she was a child.

The sensation of a warm summer breeze washed over him as he watched her turn into fire, embers and then ash. The divine fire from the dying embers landing on his skin reminded him of falling petals. A delicate final farewell.

One.

Purple light flashed behind his closed eyelids, but he did not have the strength to open them.

Lying half broken on the battlefield, with the ashes of his brethren clogging his nose Zhe Yan had sworn to never lead troops or people again.

If Dong Hua had said anything in response, Zhe Yan did not remember it, everything went black.

Dong Hua was far worse at healing than he was, and he'd not really studied it either.

He'd awoken years later to a new reality.

He was the First Phoenix, now he was the last sane member of his Clan.

Dong Hua dispassionately informed him that they had been betrayed by the turtle clan at the worse possible moment. Dong Hua had chosen to divert reinforcements toward a more critical battlefield, rather than the one Zhe Yan had been fighting on. It had been the correct, logical choice. But it had doomed Zhe Yan's clan, and those that had followed him.

The sacrifice his clan made had paved the way for peace in all the realms. Just like the thousands of clans that had died before them, and the thousands that died after in those endless wars. It had still been a long and bloody road to peace after that battle.

The momentum of the war finally started to shift in their favour. The endless battles across thousands of worlds turned from chaos to order. With hindsight that had been the turning point, the linchpin moment when the universe was saved from endless chaos and suffering.

Would he be less bitter If Dong Hua had apologised or shown the slightest hint of remorse? But why should Dong Hua apologise for saving the universe?

And why should Zhe Yan forgive him for the death of his people?

Dong Hua had respected his wish to step back from the battlefield.

He sealed his Fuxi guqin in the stronghold of Kunlun and focused on healing.

When the world was more at peace, he created his Peach Forest to remember them. This was the reason he did not give his wine to just anyone.

In time his Peach Forest was filled with the laughter of mischievous foxes. Now when he saw peach petals falling he was more likely to remember the time a tiny Bai Qian had innocently filled his house with them on Bai Zhen's urging.

The petals that fell on him now did not feel like embers anymore, but he still remembered.

He had a normal qin made and taught Bai Zhen how to play it. Bai Zhen had stubbornly refused to learn how to play the instrument from anyone else. He still remembered the endless questions 'Zhe Yan what is this song', 'Zhe Yan teach me this one', 'Zhe Yan'.

"Zhe Yan?"

"Old Phoenix?"

"High God Zhe Yan?" A voice that sounded too far away and too close all at once.

He blinked and the memory of floating embers and peach petals faded, replaced with Bai Zhen's concerned face. The strangeness of hearing his title coming from Bai Zhen had snapped him out of ancient memories. But his thoughts still lingered on them for a few moments longer.

The survivors' souls had been thoroughly broken and corrupted, the corrupted had echoed through their descendants. From that day onward phoenixes were merely divine animals, never able to achieve human form or intelligence. With age they would each inevitably become evil, and demonic in nature, not simply wild but malevolent. Even the ruler of the Shangqing sky, Lord Lingbao had not managed to purify this evil nature of the phoenixes born now, nor elevate their intelligence above that of a simple beast.

Bai Zhen was standing between himself and the messenger, blocking the view of the seal that had thrown him back into the midst of ancient memory.

It seemed that while he'd been reliving ancient memories, Bai Zhi had opened and read the letter sealed with Lord Shaoyangs Silversun emblem.

"What do you think?" Bai Zhi asked, offering him the letter to read.

By doing so Bai Zhi had forestalled Bai Zhen's inevitable questions. Zhe Yan was grateful he did not have to give voice to ancient grief. Not today, when there was already enough to fill all the four seas and eight wildernesses.

Zhe Yan took the letter, and carefully avoiding looking at the wax seal on the bottom of the letter, he proceeded to read it.

It was a short invitation inviting Bai Zhi to attend a council. It was to be held at Bihai Cangling, three days from now. It was very specifically not a request or an order, and was signed 'Lord Shaoyang' rather than Djiun or any of Dong Hua's many other titles.

The peace and stability of the immortal world and the greater universe as a whole had always been something Dong Hua busied himself with. Ever since Dong Hua had stepped down from his supreme position as ruler the six realms, he had never once asked or needed outside input or aid. Why Qing Qiu? Why now? Especially when at least two of Dong Hua's generals had been summoned already? Was Mo Yuan mistaken? Had Dong Hua gone insane and lost himself in memory after all? Zhe Yan had a feeling the answers would be in the larger scroll the messenger was holding.

"I think the answer to this puzzle will be in the report this little messenger has been ordered to give you next.", Zhe Yan posited.

Bai Zhi took the report from the messenger and began reading.

Zhe Yan watched the emotions flicker across Bai Zhi's face like fireflies dancing in summer. Surprise, dismay, grief and fury were all emotions that Zhe Yan had expected to see. But then Bai Zhi's face morphed subtly once more; resignation, acceptance and weariness.

He watched as Bai Zhi rallied and his features set themselves into resolute lines. his eyes determined, focused; settled upon the demon messenger clearly expecting or waiting for something. This was a Bai Zhi from the prehistoric and chaotic eras; it was echo of an age long past. The current generation had seen only a flicker of this Bai Zhi when he'd gone to defeat the Four Perils that belonged to Fushen in order to save Bai Qian all those years ago.

The messenger then spoke, answering Bai Zhis' silent query, "I have been ordered to inform you that General Xiang Xu's forces are arrayed at the border of the Ghost Realm."

So Fengjiu's death was related to the Ghost Race.

The messenger continued speaking, "I was also to relay the following message direct from Lord Shaoyang himself.". The messenger waited for Bai Zhi to give a stiff nod, and they relayed the message.

"'Qing Qiu's answer for the death of the queen of the eastern wilderness is for the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan to decide upon. This matter has nothing to do with me; I have no intent to be involved with your family matter.'" Dong Hua really had sealed off his emotions, completely distancing himself from the Bai family he had been connected to for the past thirty thousand years.

"'That being said. From this moment forth, anyone entering the Ghost Realm not under my banner will, without exception, be treated as enemies.'" Messenger stopped quoting Dong Hua, "That is everything, I have fulfilled my orders.", the messenger bowed once more in the direction of Bai Zhi, Zhe Yan and Bai Zhen.

Dong Hua was never someone to be bothered by other peoples opinions on his actions, as the outcome was always done for the benefit of all beings; justified, righteous. Dong Hua had cut off all emotions related to love with that damned seal; Zhe Yan knew this. Even considering that, this was extremely heavy handed of Dong Hua, not at all his usual, subtle style. How could Bai Zhi not bristle at this insult?

Zhe Yans' Fuxi guqin had broken a long time ago, when he had attempted to retrieve it from where he had sealed it in Kunlun Void. Without it he was not confident he could defeat Yu Shi. Bai Zhi had never sealed away his weapon, and thus defeating this High God would be child's play for the Fox Emperor. Yu Shi was of Mo Yuans' generation, and as the sixty fourth general; he was likely the youngest and weakest of Dong Huas remaining loyal generals from the prehistoric era.

Zhe Yan was confident that Bai Zhen could defeat the unnamed demon messenger, but hopefully that would not be necessary. He and Bai Zhen were honourable, upright deities. If the messenger did not attack them, they would not attack him. But if Bai Zhi attacked these two, then naturally he and Bai Zhen would follow.

Still, this wasn't his Peach Forest; it was not his place to say or do anything. Bai Zhens' sword was still pointed at the ground, but now he was holding it tightly, ready to attack or defend. Zhe Yan positioned his fingers ready to unfold his fan, ready to join Bai Zhen in fighting if needed.

He, Bai Zhi and Bai Zhen, not to mention the rest of the Bai family could easily defeat the messenger and High God sent from Dong Hua; that wasn't a problem. The problem was that doing such a thing would result in an all out war between Qing Qiu and Dong Huas' forces. Who knew how many of these ancient generals Dong Hua had recalled from seclusion? Fighting these two would help allow them to vent their anger and fury, but the consequences would be war in the six realms. None who had survived the prehistoric era would willingly plunge the world back into chaos.

Zhe Yan suddenly understood why Xiang Xu's subordinate had been sent as the messenger to Qing Qiu, and not Zhong Lin or some other official from Taichen Palace. If the Bai family wanted to seek vengeance against the ghosts, they would need to break through Xiang Xus' army first. Which would be an unequivocal declaration of war against Dong Hua. Bai Zhi would not risk the rest of his family and the stability of the world just to vent his anger or seek justice for Fengjiu.

This plan of Dong Hua's also covered many possibilities. Using the excuse that Fengjiu 'Dihou', that is, Dong Huas' official wife, Bai Qian might have been able to convince Ye Hua to order the Heaven Tribes' army to answer the insult to the Deity Race, Heavenly Tribe and Nine Heavens. At the very least Bai Qian might have been able to convince Ye Hua have the Heavenly Tribes army stand aside and not intervene when the Nine Tailed Fox Clan moved to seek vengeance against the ghosts.

Sadly for these potential possibilities, the soldiers and generals emerging from the far flung places of the six realms now had nothing to do with the Deity Race, Heavenly Tribe or the Nine Heavens. They held no allegiance to Ye Hua, Mo Yuan or Tianjun. These generals and soldiers were solely loyal to Dong Hua, beholden only to him. Dong Hua had closed off every other path to vengeance but the one he offered. Zhe Yan could almost admire Dong Huas' thoroughness, it if wasn't so utterly dismissive of the Bai familys' feelings.

Bai Zhi barely glanced up from the thick sheets of rice paper clutched tightly in his hands as he spoke to the messenger and Yu Shi, "You have delivered Lord Shaoyangs invitation, report and message," In a rare imperious form the Fox Emperor gave an order to the messenger and Yu Shi, "As of this moment you are unwelcome in Qing Qiu, leave."

The messenger wisely bowed and left without speaking another word.

High God Yu Shi was more diplomatic, but less wise. After bowing to both Bai Zhi and himself, he replied, "I hope we meet again in better circumstances.", and then he too was gone. The air immediately became lighter, and less water dense.

Once more it was only Zhe Yan, the Bai family and their servants such as Migu anywhere near the Fox Den.

With the outsiders gone, Bai Zhis majestic aura faded, his shoulders slumped. Bai Zhis' bearing and aura of an imperious sovereign vanished. In its place there was only Bai Zhi; grandfather, father. He was now simply a grieving man focused on his family, rather than the matters of nations or worlds.

There was no delaying such a thing, now they knew the ghosts were involved, Bai Yi absolutely could not be told this information. Zhe Yan could not delay telling Bai Zhi about his second eldest sons' condition.

"Your son," He did not need to mention which one in this circumstance, "Is not well; it's Soul-root-disorder.", Zhe Yan informed.

The report the messenger delivered dropped from Bai Zhi's numb fingers as the man stumbled forward a half step.

"Dad.", Bai Zhen said, worry lacing his tone as he grabbed his fathers arm to support him.

Heart, body, mind, soul, these were all interconnected. Grief breaks the heart, the mind refuses to believe and rejects the information that the body is providing. Then at the centre of everything, the soul becomes unstable, disordered.

In the prehistoric era, before anyone had figured out specifically what caused it, they'd called it the 'shattered-heart sickness'.

I understand," Came Bai Zhis' reply after a short silence.

Zhe Yan spoke again, "Aside from the little children, I have already told the others, they are aware of what to do, and what not to do.", It was one less thing Bai Zhi needed to do, it annoyed Zhe Yan that he could not do more to help.

"Thank you," Bai Zhi placed his hand on Zhe Yan's shoulder in grateful thanks. Zhe Yan returned the gesture, he would always support the Bai family, there was no need for Bai Zhi to say thank you.

"Take me to your brother.", Bai Zhi asked Bai Zhen.

Both father and son moved into the fox den to go to Bai Yi's side in hopes of helping him through this dangerous time.

Zhe Yan was thankful he did not need to remind Bai Zhi of what to do in this situation. They'd both lived through the prehistoric and chaotic eras, where such a thing had been frighteningly common. The Fox Emperor knew not to have anyone mention anything to Bai Yi about how or who killed Fengjiu at this time. When someone was in such a state, having a target for their grief and fury made it more likely their soul would enter the soul-separation state. There was no return from that state, and death was a mercy.

The Soul-separation state caused the person to not recognise friend or family from foe. The person would cease to be a living, sentient being, capable of reason. They would descend into a state of utter insanity, utterly violent and murderous, they would kill for the sake of killing, an existance worse than even the most crazed of beasts. Bai Yi was dangerously close to such a state, the next few days would be critical to whether he would pull through. Now that Bai Yi's family was at his side, Zhe Yan was tentatively hopeful that the Bai family would not suffer a second tragedy. He was frustrated that in this situation, all of his mythical healing knowledge was useless.

Thinking of knowledge Zhe Yan walked the few paces to where the report lay forgotten on the floor and picked it up. He moved back into the shade of the fox den to read. It would be wrong to read this report while standing in the bright, cheerful midday sun.

The report was written meticulously, almost too detailed, but still concise. It was a literal step-by-step report on the exact circumstances that had led to Fengjiu's death.

At first he had wondered if Dong Hua had written this report himself. He was the only person Zhe Yan could think of who could write of such an event in such a dispassionate, matter of fact manner. The handwriting on the report was not Dong Hua's, but the sharp flow of the characters was familiar somehow.

A few minutes later as he was rolling the scroll back up, he could only think that Dong Hua might have been correct when he'd said he and Fengjiu were ill-fated. The fact she'd come across a party of trespassing ghosts at that exact moment, in that exact place when they'd never done so before was either the worst luck imaginable, or cursed fate at play.

For both the invitation and report to be here at once, Dong Hua must have prepared this response in the same instant he'd found out the details of Fengjiu's death. This was why Bai Zhi had been given the invitation to join the war first, to give Qing Qiu a warning, and an option. It was very like Dong Hua's way of doing things, 'Good and Evil separated by a single thought' indeed.

A war involving the entire Ghost Realm, three of the seven demon clans, and Dong Hua's forces was already stretching a fragile peace to its limits. The addition of a vengeance seeking Bai family joining in was guaranteed to throw the world back into the chaotic wars of prehistory. Dong Hua knew how protective the Bai family and Zhe Yan were of each other. There would be no order or edict that could restrain them from seeking vengeance for Fengjiu, they'd have burned the world and let Dong Hua sort out the ashes. As such Dong Hua had prepared this avenue of compromise.

This way the Bai family would still have their vengeance, but Dong Hua would direct when and where it was focused. He'd managed to turn the inherent destabilising factor of vengeance into stabilising force. Dong Hua had unsurprisingly thought of everything, though Zhe Yan was in no mood to appreciate it. Where was this seeming omniscience while Fengjiu had been facing whatever danger had caused her death? Let Dong Hua deal with 'stability', and Bai Zhi 'vengeance'. Zhe Yan would focus on 'healing', as he had done for many long ages.

As he made his way back inside the Fox Den his mind lingered on the details in the report. One scene stuck in his mind more than the others. Fengjiu had cut the tiny Xueyu from her womb, and then with the last of her strength, she cut off one of her tails to create a magical chariot that carried them out of the Ghost Realm. Zhe Yan had not heard of a more tragic example of a mothers love than the scene the report had explained in almost too much detail. It had not been not an act of motherly sacrifice, at the point fengjiu had cut her belly to free her daughter, fengjius' death was already a certainty.

Zhe Yan was also struck with the bitter taste of irony. He still remembered the scene in the Fox Den all those years ago. He'd been asked by Bai Yi to ask Dong Hua what the future his daughter would share with Dong Hua would look like. Zhe Yan could recall Dong Huas reply clearly.

'High God Bai Yi is asking for a promise from me, I know that, and I can give one to him. But this promise is not the same as the marriage vows between ordinary people. There are too many unknowable variables in this world, change is constant. As for how the future will be, I also cannot predict it.

'If the Bai family is asking me to promise a future, It would be an empty promise.'

I don't know if I can give peaceful and great days, a healthy and wonderful life, but I am willing to promise her freedom.'

Zhe Yan hadn't been sure what Dong Hua had meant by that, so he had asked 'Freedom?' and Dong Hua had explained.

'Her temperament is free willed and energetic. So long as I am her husband, I won't force her to do anything, all her decisions will be to her liking.'

Those were the words Dong Hua had spoken to him. When Zhe Yan relayed these words to Bai Yi, Fengjius' father was then supportive of their marriage, and approved it.

Dong Hua had always kept that promise. They were already married, but their marriage celebration was organised to Fengjius' liking, removing many of the ancient rites and arduous formalities that would have normally been required for the marriage of the most important being in the world.

When the issues with Ji Heng, Miao Luo and the Miaoyi abyss occurred, Fengjiu left to hide in the mortal realm. Dong Hua could have easily found her if he had ordered his subordinates to do so. Dong Hua had not done so precisely because of that promise made to Bai Yi. To give her full freedom, and that all her decisions would be to her liking, he would not force her to do anything.

It was cruel irony then, that the promise Bai Yi had made Dong Hua give him had been the very thing that allowed his daughter to be in a situation where she could, and had been, killed.

As he entered the shade of the Fox Den, Zhe Yan did not have any hate in his heart for Dong Hua, only pity. What the man had done to himself was nothing short of having bound himself to a tortured existance.

Speaking of tortured existences, there was a silver haired child that was suffering in this atmosphere more than most. Gungun had been weathering the relentless storm of emotions from anyone that got close to him. It was cruel to keep that child in the current atmosphere, even if it did make everyone feel better that every Bai family member was in the Fox Den and accounted for. 

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https://www.wattpad.com/story/328066935-scions-of-heaven-compendium-of-curios 

Compendium of Curios is live, more will be added as the story progresses. if you have any thoughts or ideas, things that look odd/wrong, or things you'd like added (any ideas for neat weapons for the top 10 weapon list?), please comment on it!

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