"Talking about the seventy two generals, just one can defeat ten of the current ferocious heavenly generals, very powerful!" - Yan Chiwu (Pillow Book Drama) EP 39, 25:51

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Heavenly Realm, Jiuchongtian, Taichen Palace - Mid Morning
Day 3 since Fengjius death
Bai Qian —-------------------------------

The demoness didn't seem the least bit surprised, nor were they nervous or worried that Heavenly Tribes God of War had arrived.

Mo Yuan turned slightly toward Bai Qian, "Don't speak." he ordered softly.

Then to Bai Qian's surprise Mo Yuan turned back toward the demoness, and even inclined his head toward them in respect.

"Elder Liu Cai." Mo Yuan greeted the demoness.

Bai Qian now knew the demonesses name at least, but had a million more questions, the current situation was very odd. Mo Yuan had addressed them as 'Elder', this demoness really was of the same generation as her own parents, and Zhe Yan. The demonesses arrogant demeanour toward her was explained with this fact, and she found herself slightly mollified.

Liu Cai returned the gesture in the same manner, which indicated they were equals, or close to it, before replying to Mo Yuan's greeting, "Little sage." Liu Cai spoke fondly.

Bai Qian blinked as she registered what the demon had said, where did they get the gall to address Mo Yuan as 'little sage'? How could they dare to call Heaven's God of War by such a moniker?! Stranger still, Mo Yuan did not look the least bit surprised or offended that this woman used such a nickname.

"I see that you took my advice; I knew facial hair would suit you." Liu Cai sounded genuinely pleased.

With Mo Yuan's arrival Liu Cai's demeanour had gone from condescending and haughty to friendly and amused, almost playful, the difference was startling. Was this woman possibly another of those women who held affections for Mo Yuan, like the departed High Deity Yao Guang?

Magic from Mo Yuan's hand, shows the tendrils of wind magic binding and surrounding Bai Qian, she was utterly enveloped by tiny threads. Bai Qian couldn't move her head, but she could see some of the strands had woven themselves into a solid net that surrounded Taichen Palace, so it hadn't been a barrier she'd been striking at all, no wonder she'd had trouble.

That meant that from the very moment she'd landed on the platform outside Taichen Palaces main gate, she'd been ensnared in these invisible threads. Even as she was staring right at the illuminated threads she could not sense any energy coming from them, but they were clearly magical in nature.

"May I ask what my erstwhile disciple has done to offend you?" Mo Yuan asked.

Though she was once, and still considered herself Mo Yuan's disciple, in Jiuchgontian they were both careful to maintain their official statuses of Heavenly Tribes God of War and Crown Princess respectively. This demoness hadn't cared at all for Bai Qian's status as Crown Princess, so Mo Yuan was now using the fact she was once his disciple as a shield instead. Would this Liu Cai really care about such a thing?

Liu Cai waved a hand in Bai Qian's direction, "I consider the fact they attempted to attack me as the least of the offences this child has committed in my presence, but as I hadn't introduced myself, I'll forgive them for their temper tantrum." the demoness spoke, their tone was infuriatingly similar to Bai Qian's own tone when letting off her son Bai Chen from whatever mischief he'd caused.

Liu Cai's almost congenial demeanour present since Mo Yuan had arrived then vanished as she continued to speak, "As for the rest. Little sage, perhaps you can enlighten me; have the laws of the Heavenly Court changed since my time? Is attacking Lord Shaoyang's Palace no longer considered an act of war? Is insinuating that the lord is somehow answerable to them not the grave crime of disrespecting the supreme ruler, punishable by tribal extermination?" Liu Cai replied evenly.

These old subordinates of Dong Hua seemed even more reverent, devoted and militant than she'd expected. Her mother, father, Mo Yuan and Zhe Yan had also been Dong Hua's Generals, subordinates and subjects long ago. As a result her understanding of others from that time was skewed by the fact the four ancient deities she knew were all naturally very tolerant of her less virtuous traits, such as her bad temper.

Bai Qian really couldn't refute the accuracy of the demonesses words, that was what had occurred, so when Mo Yuan turned to her with a querying look, she sent him a sort of sheepish look of apology.

"These are indeed grave crimes. I hope you can be forgiving and tolerant of mistakes committed in the midst of grief." Mo Yuan requested.

Belatedly Bai Qian realised her actions could have easily spiralled into an extremely grave political situation, potentially a battle or worse. A civil-war within the Heavenly Realm would be utterly disastrous, and there was the question of whose orders the soldiers of heaven would obey, one she already knew the answer to.

"Grief can explain their actions, but it does not excuse them. For Bai Zhi and Ning Shang's sakes i've already been extremely understanding and lenient, Must I forgive their sins a third time for yours?" Liu Cai asked rhetorically.

"I would be grateful if Elder Liu Cai would do so. " Mo Yuan replied.

In her fury after reading the letter ordering Gungun to ascend, she'd forgotten the warnings those four had given her in regards to Dong Hua. She'd warned her son Bai Chen against causing trouble or being reckless at such a time, and she'd gone ahead and done so herself, how hypocritical of her.

Just as he'd done in the Fox Den three days ago when she'd annoyed Dong Hua, Mo Yuan was once again saving her from the consequences of her bad temper and recklessness.

"You really haven't changed at all have you, little sage? You learned very little from me," Liu Cai shook her head ruefully, "You are still overly trusting, kind hearted, truthful, moral and righteous." Liu Cai's tone wasn't hateful or malicious, on the contrary it almost sounded like they were fondly exasperated.

"You overpraise me." Mo Yuan replied.

"You know full well I was calling you a fool, I'm not senile."

"If not for the current situation, I'd have dragged that brat back to Bai Zhi and her husband and demanded clarification on which tribe's behalf were they declaring war on? Qing Qiu's behalf, as the Fox Emperor's daughter? Or was it to be a civil-war within the Heavenly Realm on behalf of her husband's Dragon Clan? If neither, then this brat is guilty of falsely declaring war, a crime worthy of execution. Even her father would have trouble defending their actions against the sovereign." Liu Cai spoke firmly.

Bai Qian remembered that at Fengjiu's Bingcang Ceremony, the most important of Qing Qiu's rites, Dong Hua had arrived unexpectedly, and even her father Bai Zhi had immediately relinquished his seat at the top of the dais to Dong Hua. She'd grown too used to treating Dong Hua as Fengjiu's husband, and calling him 'Elder Brother', in her fury she'd forgotten, again, just whose Palace she'd attacked.

This demoness kept referring to her only in relation to her parents or Mo Yuan, completely ignoring her current status and rank, as if everything that had occurred after Dong Hua had stepped down as ruler of the six realms was utterly irrelevant.

In front of her, half blocking her view of the demoness. Clearly it would not just be her father challenging this demoness to a duel if such a thing were to occur. Each time her master Mo Yuan had defended her, it had been at great cost to himself, she didn't deserve for him to keep doing so.

Mo Yuan was always calm even in the most dire of situations, and now proved no exception, his reply was delivered with serene calm, "If you did so, then the Bai family would be troubled to find another to take care of Lord Shaoyang's son and daughter. I feel it would be discourteous to return their kindness in such a fashion."

Bai Qian no longer felt wronged by being silent and letting Mo Yuan calm the troubled situation, it allowed her to see this skinny grandma's sharp features twist into shock, confusion, then appalled and horrified, only then did the demoness control her shock and reply.

"Lord Shaoyang entrusted the care of his offspring to this one?" Liu Cai sounded calm and polite, rather than appalled. Bai Qian supposed if the demoness let any of their true feelings show in her words, wouldn't that mean they were questioning Dijun's decisions?

Bai Qian bit her tongue to resist retorting, she wasn't used to being so insulted. She'd been Crown Princess of the Heavenly Tribe for just over 30,000 years, no one had dared to be rude to her.

Dong Hua certainly hadn't entrusted either of his children to her, or anyone, more that she was currently the only one available to do so.

Ye Hua was busy trying to stop Jiuchongtian from falling apart. Bai Qian's mother, Zhe Yan and others were focusing on making sure her second brother Bai Yi survived his current ordeal. Her eldest brother and third brother were busy ruling Qing Qiu, overseeing the refugee crisis and also working to stop the immortals from Fengjiu's eastern wilderness from seeking vengeance. While her father and fourth brother Bai Zhen were helping where they could, while also preparing to retrieve a bloody explanation for Fengjiu's death from the Ghost Realm tomorrow.

"They are currently in Crown Princess Bai Qian's care." Mo Yuan confirmed, while specifically avoiding saying the children had been entrusted to her, because they hadn't been and Mo Yuan never lied.

It was odd that the demoness hadn't known that Dong Hua's children were. Perhaps Dong Hua trusted in the fact his children were also Fengjius children, and knew the Bai family would protect them with their lives? It was more likely that Dong Hua just didn't consider that information critical or important anymore. But if that was the case, why had Dong Hua ordered Gungun to ascend?

Bai Qian supposed she should have thought of all these questions before storming off in a blind rage. Could anyone truly blame her in this situation? Fengjiu was gone, her father looked likely to join her. Three days later Dong Hua then sends an order for Fengjiu's son to do something that could kill him? She'd never been good at controlling her temper, with her personality she'd have to have Buddha levels of understanding not to react as she did.

"Virtue has it's rewards; this merit pays for your mistakes," Liu Cai paused and considered something for a moment, then sighed in a long-suffering manner, a subtle motion of her hands later, and Bai Qian could move again. "If I harm you, would that not be me placing those precious descendants of the revered deity in danger? I don't dare to do so."

In the end it was only the fact she was caring for Dong Hua's children that had diffused the situation. For these old generals, the world and everyone in it was truly nothing; only Dong Hua and anything related to him held any importance in their eyes.

"We can say that you did not attack Taichen Palace, we can consider it as you aiding me in testing the strength of my soldiers' barrier-net formation."

So that was why there had been no soldiers at Taichen Palaces main gate, this demonesses soldiers were protecting it in a manner more suited to defend a fortress during war than just a palace.

"As for you asking for an explanation from Dijun, let's say that that was simply a junior seeking clarity on something they did not understand, and not committing grave disrespect by questioning their superiors actions."

Bai Qian couldn't argue that she was Dong Hua's junior, the man was what...five, six times older than her 170,000 years of age? In age, rank, power and reputation, Dong Hua was above her in all these things.

"Elder Liu Cai is still the most understanding of the elders." Mo Yuan thanked Liu Cai.

"I wasn't nicknamed 'the babysitter' for no reason," Liu Cai begrudgingly agreed. "Bai Zhi's youngest child and only daughter, and then youngest of your disciples and only woman; it's hardly this child's fault they're spoiled." Liu Cai spoke tolerantly.

"If a child is spoiled, then it's the parents fault, but as her master for 20,000 years, you are not blameless in this either, little sage."

Mo Yuan seemed almost amused as he replied, "I admit doing so, but not that it was an error."

Liu Cai snorted, then complained, "You're as unteachable as ever." but their tone was fond.

Mo Yuan turned to her, and she realised he was waiting for her to thank the old grandma demoness. If it had been anyone other than Mo Yuan suggesting she do so, she wouldn't have done it, but as he was the person she respected and revered the most, she did so without complaint.

"Thank you for your understanding." Bai Qian managed to say, with minimal outward reluctance.

Liu Cai turned to speak to Bai Qian directly for the first time since Mo Yuan appeared. "Thank your parents for birthing you and the little sage for accepting you as a disciple. If not for those facts, and the fact you are currently entrusted with the care of the revered sovereign's children, I'd have taught you a good lesson." Liu Cai replied.

Bai Qian's tongue was going to be swollen from her biting it so much to stop herself from throwing insults in return, and now she could move again, it was fortunate the Yuqing fan was a divine weapon, or else she'd have broken it with how tightly she was holding it in impotent anger.

The sooner this encounter ended, the less chance there was of her trying to rip out this irritating grandma's throat with a wind blade.

"I did not come here to idle about, I have duties to attend to." Liu Cai said.

"I won't delay you." was Mo Yuan's reply.

Mo Yuan bowed his head and Liu Cai returned the gesture.

"Ah, I almost forgot, old Kai says he hopes you enjoy his gift." Liu Cai relayed a mysterious message.

As Liu Cai turned to leave, they paused, "Little sage, do be careful." Liu Cai advised gravely, then they were gone.

There had been a heavy, weighty presence behind the words, as if Liu Cai was speaking of something not related to the present situation. Something that could cause danger to Mo Yuan? Was there even such a thing in this world anymore? Dong Hua had already sealed off the Ghost Realm, and made it clear that the Heavenly Tribe would have nothing to do with whatever was going to occur.

She rushed to explain, "Dijun sent a letter ordering-"

Mo Yuan held up a hand to stop her from continuing to speak.

"Ordering Gungun to ascend to High Immortal." Mo Yuan finished her sentence.

Mo Yuan knew? Does that mean he agreed with such a ruthless thing?

"I found out minutes ago." Mo Yuan continued, as if defending himself from her premature judgement.

"You've met with Dijun? Where is he?" Bai Qian asked, then quickly guessed, "Kunlun?" Mo Yuan had not come from Taichen Palace, so Kunlun was the next likely place.

"Nowhere you'll currently be able to enter." Mo Yuan answered.

There was clearly something odd going on, but as Mo Yuan did not want to tell her, then it was likely for a good reason, there was no point in wasting effort trying to get an answer it was clear he wouldn't give, so she asked another.

"Dijun hasn't even seen Gungun once since then, now he's commanding him to ascend? Isn't that a bit heartless, even for him?" Bai Qian asked.

Mo Yuan was silent for a moment, considering something, then eventually spoke, "Dijun ordering Bai Gungun to ascend is not without reason."

"What reason is possibly good enough to have Gungun risk his life?"

"I can only say that ascending now is necessary, and it likely concerns the stability of the four seas and eight wildernesses." Mo Yuan answered with solemn seriousness.

If it was something as serious as that, why hadn't Dijun at least mentioned it in that decree? She would have been less likely to run off in a fury, but then, as Liu Cai had said, what right did she have to be informed about such matters? Gungun wasn't her son, only her grand-nephew, by the Heavenly Tribes laws, as a maternal relation, she had no rights at all.

If it had been anyone other than Mo Yuan telling her these things, she would have certainly interrogated the person until they told her everything, but this was her erstwhile master, so of course she did not ask more questions that Mo Yuan clearly would not answer.

"Can you tell me who that Liu Cai demoness was?" Bai Qian asked.

Some old lackey of Dong Hua's, that much was clear. But the woman's name did sound vaguely familiar, as if from a book she'd read as a child, the memory was so murky.

"Back then I clearly should have set you to copy history books, not sutras." Mo Yuan remarked.

Bai Qian ruefully lowered her head slightly and wondered if she'd ever grow out of feeling like Mo Yuan's seventeenth disciple in his presence, it wasn't likely.

"Elder Liu Cai is better known as the Wind Spider General." Mo Yuan took pity on her and replied.

"Crazy spider is a fitting title." Bai Qian agreed.

Mo Yuan knew her better than most, and thus was able to pick up on her not so charitable wordplay.

"Dijun gave her the name Liu Cai for merits on the battlefield. Using the liu meaning to 'kill, slaughter, or destroy', and the cai for 'talented or urgent'." Mo Yuan continued.

Dong Hua's clearly lazy and blunt manner in naming many of these generals almost made her pity them. Dong Hua's daughter had not gotten off lightly in this regard either, who else would have one of the characters in their child's name be 'snow', when it was possible that child could (and did) have silver, frosted snow like hair and skin? At least the full meaning of 'virtues like pure snow'' was pleasing enough.

Then again, she couldn't really disparage Dong Hua's lack of style when selecting names. Fengjiu's own name had been lazily chosen by Bai Qian's parents for their granddaughter. Born in the ninth month, with a phoenix flower birthmark on her head, they'd simply given her the name 'Phoenix Nine'.

"Names are clearly not one of Dijun's talents." Was all Bai Qian said in response.

"Elder Liu Cai, as one of the thirteen elder generals, was fighting alongside your parents and Zhe Yan through countless unnamed battlefields before I was born. The total time she spent doing so is longer than you have been alive." Mo Yuan said, there was no reproof in his voice, but she understood the meaning. "She was also my mentor for a short time, in the early days of the prehistoric era." Mo Yuan confided.

When Mo Yuan had entered the battlefields in the prehistoric era, he had only been a few thousand years older than the age her own eldest son Bai Chen and Fengjiu's son Gungun were now. Who would have thought that the Heavenly Tribes God of War had been mentored in the art by a demoness? That explained why Mo Yuan had not seemed offended about the nickname, and his polite demeanour toward that demoness.

"It was considerate of Dijun to send Elder Liu Cai, she is the most reasonable of the three remaining elder generals."

"That was reasonable?" Bai Qian repeated, not that she didn't believe Mo Yuan, he never lied, but she was incredulous.

Bai Qian wasn't a woman unaware of her own flaws, and this was the first time meeting someone that had a worse temper than herself.

"I imagine if your initial greeting was not to attack Taichen Palace and insult the master of heaven and earth, the only being to rule over the eight wildernesses and four seas, the words exchanged between you would have been more amicable." Mo Yuan replied, putting particular emphasis on Dong Hua's titles, rank and how others revered him.

Bai Qian supposed that was understandable, if someone had attacked the Fox Den, insulted Mo Yuan and her parents, and attacked her she wouldn't have been half as forgiving as that old demoness had been. From what she'd been told, Dong Hua was a mix of mentor, sovereign and saviour for many of those that had followed him.

"Elder Da Kai is not patient and Elder Xiang Xu is not forgiving, if it had been either of them, I would not have arrived in time." Mo Yuan explained.

It seemed like Mo Yuan was always rescuing her, even now when she was over 170,000 years old, how embarrassing.

As if sensing her embarrassment Mo Yuan changed the topic, "Where is Ye Hua?" Mo Yuan asked.

That was a relief, Mo Yuan had not come to Jiuchongtian just to save her, he had come for other reasons and likely happened to sense the energy from the Yuqing fan and came to investigate, that made her feel less foolish.

"The Ruoshui River, but should be returning to Xiwu Palace soon, there was a disturbing report about-" Bai Qian was cut off by a sound emanating from her sleeve. It was the cribstone Gungun had created, Fuzan had woken up and she could hear Nai Nai immediately making soothing noises.

"Then shall we go to Xiwu Palace and wait?" Mo Yuan suggested.

"Of course, please step ahead." Bai Qian agreed.

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She and Mo Yuan returned to Changsheng Hall in Xiwu Palace, where she had unceremoniously left the children with Nai Nai.

Nai Nai took Fuzan into the next chamber to entertain him while she spoke with Mo Yuan, Ye Hua and her son Bai Chen had not yet returned from Ruoshui.

"Whether he undergoes the trial now, or waits until adulthood, the risk is the same." Mo Yuan reassured her.

She knew Gungun could have ascended over 10,000 years ago, but there had never been a reason to take such a risk. For the extremely noble and long lived clans such as the dragons, phoenixes and nine-tailed foxes, the ascension trial was inevitable, once they became adults at 70,000 years of age, the trial would follow not soon afterward.

It was a relief to know that Gungun undergoing the ascension trial now wasn't going to put him at any greater risk than if he underwent it later. Of course she knew that Fengjius' son would be as safe as someone could be when undergoing their heavenly tribulation to ascend to High Immortal. Gungun was a terrifyingly powerful, little genius of an immortal who had diligently meditated and cultivated from the moment he'd learned of it.

That wasn't what angered her. Late afternoon today would mark exactly three days since Fengjiu had died. Dong Hua was functionally dead, at least from Gungun's perspective it would seem that way. That his little sister Xueyu had not accompanied their mother in death was due solely to Zhe Yan's timely arrival and skill. Even then from what Zhe Yan had told her, that pitiful infant would essentially be a magical cripple. Then there was the fact no one was certain if Bai Yi would overcome his current ordeal, so Gungun could lose his grandfather too.

Even for the legendarily pitiless, ruthless and merciless Dong Hua Dijun, Lord Shaoyang of the Purple Manor, wasn't this order for Gungun to ascend too cruel? Has that child not suffered enough already? But Mo Yuan had told her that this order was not without reason, and he was not showing any indication that this wasn't necessary, but still refused to tell her why.

She wasn't to say she approved, far from it. But clearly her objections were counter to some mysterious plan Dong Hua had somehow convinced Mo Yuan to go along with.

Bai Qian was busy ruminating on Dong Hua's actions when Mo Yuan spoke suddenly, "Do not judge Dong Hua Dijun too harshly."

Bai Qian was surprised, and sent her erstwhile master a questioning look before respectfully asking, "Why?"

"When Ye Hua died, what would you have sacrificed to bring him back? your current existence, your children, the world itself?"

Mo Yuan had asked her and so she thought back to those dark three years where she'd lost herself in dreams rather than face the reality that Ye Hua was gone. If there had been an option, any possibility of bringing Ye Hua back during that time, whatever it was, she would have done it, no matter the consequences. Like someone who was drowning would gasp automatically once they felt air, she would have paid any price without thought to bring him back.

Bai Qian brought herself from this uncomfortable internal reflection and couldn't bring herself to look at her mentor, or answer his question, she was too ashamed to speak the truth in her heart.

"In the midst of insanity caused by grief, Dong Hua Dijun had the choice to destroy this world and create another, one where Fengjiu lived, or resist it, and persist in this world without her. Because part of Fengjiu still lived on in their children, Dijun resisted the temptation, which is why everyone has the current fortune to still exist."

"Could you have done the same?"

Bai Qian shook her head in the negative, she wouldn't have been able to make that choice, "No" she whispered, ashamed.

"Nor would I." Mo Yuan admitted.

Bai Qian raised her head and looked at her erstwhile master in surprise. She had heard rumours Mo Yuan had been involved with the demon ancestor Shao Wan in the prehistoric era, it was likely this experience he was speaking of.

"Dijun's love for his wife and children was the only thing that spared this universe from annihilation; but it was that same love that he had to seal to regain his sanity. Since the beginning of time, this is the first time anyone has been tested in this manner, and Dong Hua passed it, with cruel results. It is not for you or I to judge his actions." Mo Yuan explained kindly.

Bai Qian realised that Dong Hua was a victim of this whole mess too, if not the one suffering the most, who was she to judge him, or hate him?

She'd just finished that thought when Zhe Yan walked through the main hall. Bai Qian wasn't expecting him, so she immediately tried to glean information from Zhe Yan's face or body language, but he was notoriously hard to read, almost as bad as Dong Hua.

Zhe Yan was swift to reassure them, "I have only good news."

Notes:

I hope you all find Liu Cai as annoying to read as I found her to write! eugh!

Zhe Yan with good news! I'm sure he's happy to be giving good news finally after all the bad, our poor phoenix doctor!

Next chapter is a bit more light-hearted, as it's a Bai Chen (Ali) POV chapter! (I needed a break from the angst a little bit!)