The great irony of the illusion of sameness is that we're most attracted to partners who differ from us. When a married couple fight, is their personal issue. It is useless for others to persuade them to kiss and make up, the more you persuade them, the worst it will be. In any case all misunderstandings will evaporate just like smoke, when they make the fire and fuel the heat.

________________________________________________________________________

Dong Hua was sitting on his dais reading a buddhist scroll as usual, when he sensed his wife coming in. Feng Jiu was on her fox form when she entered their chambers. Dong Hua smiled at his little fox. He put the scroll down. "Come here my little fox. I missed you so much." Feng Jiu went and snuggled in his lap. He patted Feng Jiu's fur and she happily whelped in his lap furling her tails.

"You are a gorgeous little fox. Your fur is so soft and sumptuous. Not to mention your tails, they're stunning." He said while caressing her tails. Feng Jiu was stimulated by his soft touches. His hands magically working her fur awakened her innermost desires. She stood on her back legs and licked Dong Hua's face making him chuckle. "My beautiful little fox" Dong Hua said to her.

They rubbed their forehead together "I'm so sorry little fox, it's all my fault." Dong Hua tenderly said to Feng Jiu. She phased back to her immortal form and buried her face on his neck. "I'm sorry too husband," She hugged his neck, inhaling his soothing scent. They tenderly stared at each other full of love and devotion to one another. Dong Hua caressed her face and Feng Jiu's heart started to beat fast. He has that effect on her.

"Can my lovely wife find it in her pure heart to forgive me?" His breath was alluring to her senses, she was getting aroused by it. Feng Jiu's face flushed to his voice reaction.

"My little fox, you need your rest." Dong Hua cautioned her.

"I miss you husband" Feng Jiu told him. She rubbed her nose against his.

"And I miss you too my little fox, but..." Feng Jiu's self-control shattered; she kissed him tersely sucking his lower lip stimulating him further. He was taken by her sudden ardent kiss. She depended her kiss and Dong Hua felt his lucidity breaking. He took control of the situation and broke their passionate kiss.

"Breathe with me Jiu'er." Feng Jiu was panting.

"Please husband I want to be with you. Don't you want me? Don't reject me again." Feng Jiu looked at Dong Hua with her pleading doe eyes, biting her lower lip.

Dong Hua found her wife so irresistible "Jiu'er, I want you more than anything, and now you are biting your lip. You know how crazy I get when I see you doing that. But we need to talk first little love; don't be mad at me."

Feng Jiu knew that they needed to have this conversation first, she couldn't avoid it any longer. "All right Dong Hua let's talk". She steadied her heartbeats and sat on his lap facing him. She took a strand of his hair and smelled it "I really missed your hair?"

Dong Hua smiled and touched her birthmark "And I missed this too; it's so beautiful".

"Absence makes the heart grows fonder." Feng Jiu teasingly said.

"It truly does" His mouth lifts slightly in a wry smile.

"Dong Hua, we haven't been married for long and we face all eternity to adapt to each other. I came into awareness that sometimes an area of disagreement automatically becomes a battle if we let it. A discussion can become a competition with each other trying to prove who is right. Our stubborn natures got in the way and the best in us. We haven't comprehended that it's okay to have different opinions. I understand that there are times when we've got to come to agreement on decisions that need to be made, so those differences will need to be worked through. Being your empress, I have avowed to share your burdens and responsibilities as a ruler, as your wife and equal. I don't want you to see me as an impractical being; and I'm not saying that you see me as such, but sometimes you make me feel like that, when you don't confide in me, trust me or give me the opportunity to help you in some way. I am your partner in all Dong Hua and I would like for you to give me that place also. I might understand your hesitation about it on certain scenarios, since I'm way younger than you and may lack the experience that you have as the master of the universe. Who could top to that? Certainly not me. Please understand that I'm not competing with you my love. I just want to be considered in important decisions that involve our lives and the safety of the people we rule. We've got to drop the need to win arguments, as well as the need to blame the other person. It's a trap that we fall into and look at what happened to us. I'm working my best on worrying less about blame and work more about finding resolution for both us. We must share responsibilities and labor more or less equally, but not with energy levels and emotional tone. We must understand that we are different and accept each other for who we are; partners. Specific behaviors are negotiable, differences in focus, processing, temperament, but core vulnerabilities are not. Ultimately, what's more important for you: winning a fight or having harmony in our home? Would you rather be right or be happy Dong Hua?"

"My priority is to love you and make you happy Jiu'er. To make the right decisions towards achieving our happiness together. You are my equal and my empress and I don't see you as a valueless being. On the contrary you are a capable young woman who has attained many great things than even I took centuries to gain. So, don't feel less around me because you are not, my sweet little fox. I guess that I failed to understand your true intentions and decided to distance myself when you were showing concern about my welfare. That is entirely my fault, I need to work on that. I assumed to know what you were going to say and started to formulate a response missing your point entirely. Instead of settling in and listen to you I failed to give you the benefit of the doubt. Reading your looks, gestures, facial expressions, and your tone; I assumed that the worst was coming. So, I got defensive beforehand and shut you out without really listening to your point. I should have known better. This process of emotional communication is hard for me. I'm learning with you Jiu'er. Sometimes it doesn't make no sense to me at all, please be patient with me. I promise to be more intentional and be gracious with you when it comes to take the time and listen without judging your actions or intentions. It has always been the case that the nature of my response often dictates the tone of the ongoing discussion, imposing my will over a situation. I will pledge to validate who you are to me and respect how you feel about certain situations. I agree with you, it fosters co-operation, rather than competition, between you and me. Reacting without clarification leads to frustration. When something doesn't make any sense to me, I will take time to ask you to clarify it to me so I can grasp the idea and work together on a common resolution. This fight could have been avoided if I had truly taken the time to understand you better Jiu'er, I'm sorry about that, my love, I know I deeply hurt you. Can we agree on a peace truce for the wellbeing of our relationship?" Dong Hua kissed Feng Jiu forehead.

"Deal Dong Hua. I accept your peace truce. Let's work together and nurture our relationship." Feng Jiu sweetly smiled at him.

Dong Hua nodded at his little fox.  Her pureness and innocence was his weakness."You never fail to amaze Jiu'er, I love you."

Feng Jiu was hypnotized with Dong Hua's ethereal face. His eyes softened and his expression warmed up. She saw a trace of a smile on his beautifully chiseled lips. "I really love your lips Dong Hua; they are gorgeous and yummy." Feng Jiu grinned at him.

Dong Hua smiled irreverently and shakes his head. "Is my mischievous little fox trying to distract me and turn me on?"

"Are you being distracted or are you being turned on right now?" Feng Jiu coquettishly asked him, while caressing his collarbone. She was trying to undo his sash without getting caught.

Dong Hua was speechless. He cocks his head to one side, still grinning. Feng Jiu's heartbeat has picked up, and her brain has neglected to fire any synapses to breathe again. His grin widens, hearing her erratic heartbeats. Dong Hua reaches over and runs his thumb down her cheek and across Feng Jiu's lower lip. Then he grins at her teasingly. "Jiu'er, you are disarming me little fox. You are so enchanting."

"Then let's stop with this long talk and move forward to the next phase. Shall we?" Feng Jiu breathed to his lips.

"What do you suggest that we do my empress?" Dong Hua asked her while rubbing his nose to hers.

"How about we have a different kind of talk hmm? The one with no words." She opened her eyes full of lust and desire for him. Her gaze seductive and inviting. An electrical current traveled between them. Dong Hua breathing became uneven. He swiftly pinned Feng Jiu to the floor using his hips. His other hand grabbed Feng Jiu's hair and gently yanks it down, bringing her face up, and his lips possessed hers. Feng Jiu moan into his mouth, giving his tongue an opening to explore her teasing mouth. Dong Hua takes full advantage, crashing his lips on Feng Jiu's savoring her sweet taste. After a heated kissing session, Dong Hua carried Feng Jiu to their bed. He was about to explode. Leaning her down, he continued his possessive kisses. His lips demanding, firm and slowly, molding Feng Jiu's. He removed layers of her robe, while placing feather-like kisses across her jaw, chin, and the corners of Feng Jiu's mouth. Slowly peeling his robe off and letting it fall to the floor. He stands back and gazes her beautiful body.

"We're going to go real slow this time, Jiu'er," he breathed. They were both ready; slowly he eases into Feng Jiu; slowly, slowly, until he's buried in. Stretching, filling, relentless. Feng Jiu groaned loudly. Feeling him deeper this time, delectable. She groaned again, and Dong Hua deliberately circles his hips and pulls back, pauses a beat, and then eases his way back in. He repeats this motion again and again. It's driving her insane – his teasing, deliberately slow thrusts, and the intermittent feeling of fullness is overwhelming. "You are my heaven my love" he groans, and Feng Jiu's insides start to quiver. He pulls back and waits.

"Please, husband," Feng Jiu whispered.

"What do you want, Jiu'er? Tell me."

She groaned again. He pulls out and moves slowly back inside her, circling his hips once more.

"Tell me, my little fox" he murmurs.

"I want you husband. All of you." Feng Jiu was lost in ecstasy. Dong Hua increases the rhythm infinitesimally, and his breathing becomes more erratic. Feng Jiu's insides start quickening, and Dong Hua picks up the rhythm.

"You are so sweet my little fox," he murmurs between each thrust. "I've missed you so much."

"I love you Dong Hua, please don't make me wait too long, I'm close."

"Oh no, my love, not yet" he murmurs, and as the quivering ceases, he starts the whole delicious process again.

"Oh, please, I beg you. I'm not sure I can take much more. My body is wound so tight, craving release. Please Dong Hua." Feng Jiu was panting losing control. After another round of sweet torture, their bodies convulsed around each other, loudly calling out a garbled version of their names into the bed. "I am right here my love; feel me." Dong Hua freezes, pouring himself into Feng Jiu as he finds his release. He collapses on top of her panting hard.

After calming down, he said "Welcome back my sweet little fox," Dong Hua whispers, and clasping Feng Jiu's chin, leaning down and proffering a gentle light kiss on her lips. The touch of his lips to hers reverberates throughout Feng Jiu's body. Her breath hitches. Staring down Dong Hua weaves his fingers into her hair, holding her firmly in place. He kisses Feng Jiu, hard, and Feng Jiu clings on to his muscular arms for support. His breath hitches.

"Round two?" Feng Jiu said while giggling at him. Dong Hua strokes his nose against Feng Jiu's. She is still reeling from her extraordinary physical reaction to him, Feng Jiu gaze up at him blankly, grasping for a coherent thought.

He whispers, with his rich, warm and velvety voice "My naughty seductive wife, made me lose control of my wits that I forgot to place a privacy barrier over our room." He looked at her with a wide smile.

"You are so shameless Dong Hua" Feng Jiu flushed scarlet thinking about their guests over. She covered her face with her hands for a while, thinking about their conundrum; then she uncovered her face and shamelessly smiled "Can we kiss and make up again?" Feng Jiu playfully asked.

"Your wish is my command my empress." Dong Hua wickedly smiled at her knowing what she wanted to do. Feng Jiu giggled and submitted to another prolonged passionate tryst.

After a while...

"How are we going to face them husband? I bet they heard us." Feng Jiu worriedly said.

"We are in the privacy of our chambers Jiu'er. Don't worry about it. Come let's take a bath." After their bath and another lovemaking session, Dong Hua dried up Feng Jiu and dressed her up on a white silk nightgown and carried her back to their chambers. "My insatiable little fox you need to rest now. Tomorrow is an important day for you. I will cast a sleeping enhancement, so you can relax. I will be right here by your side, okay?" Dong Hua caressed her face.

"Okay Dong Hua, but please hold me while I sleep, I don't want to wake up be alone." She clinged to his silk robe pleading to him. "Please don't go away."

Dong Hua tenderly smiled at her cute display "Okay Jiu'er, don't worry, I will hold you, I will be right here with you. Sleep my love." Dong Hua gave her a chaste kiss on her lips and put her to sleep. He was inhaling her scent to calm himself down.

While she was deeply asleep, Feng Jiu started to dream. She saw herself inside a vast empty space. A bright object was at the center. She felt attracted to it and walked towards the bright object. Once in front of it, she extended her hand to touch it, but hesitantly pulled back her hand. Inside the bright object there was a being. She couldn't recognize it's appearance, but strangely she was drawn to it. Feng Jiu sensed a familiar essence around it.

"Feng Jiu, aren't you curious to discover who you really are?" The voice surprised her.

"Who are you and how do you know my name?" Feng Jiu hesitantly asked.

"I am you Feng Jiu"

"Me?"

"Yes."

"Then why are you trapped inside this sphere?"

"I was sealed when you were born"

"By whom?"

The being went silent.

"Why you don't answer me?"

"To protect you"

Zhe Yan arrived where Feng Jiu was. He cast an invisibility spell on him to avoid being seen. He carefully got closer to her core and started to remove the powerful seal around it. Within seconds the bright light shone brighter and the sphere disappeared, revealing the being's appearance to Feng Jiu. It was a dreamlike version of herself. Feng Jiu was surprised to see this powerful being extending her hand to her, an invitation. "We are one Feng Jiu you and I. Come and discover your real potential."

Feng Jiu extended her index finger to her version and touched hers. A powerful connection formed between them while they fused as one being. Feng Jiu felt raw energy running thru her body. All of her senses were getting refined. She felt anew, afresh, redone. Time stood still around her, everything stopped. She could hear silence and could smell the void surrounding her. It was a new sense of awareness that awaken her whole being. The cleanest fire encircled her purifying her body. Feng Jiu was being born again. Restructured, restored, reenergized. Feng Jiu's spirit fused with the powerful entity; she felt the conversion happening. Her eyes full of sparkling flames. Her mind emptied out of all the negative emotions that were obstructing her cognizance. Her heart was being healed from impurities. She felt encased in the purest form of love. Rays of light and fire were emanating from her birthmark, sealing all of her new powers within it. She opened her eyes and became aware of her new state. She felt dissimilar but yet the same. She looked at her hands that were stemming raw energy. "This is me" Feng Jiu said to herself.

Zhe Yan was watching Feng Jiu's powerful transformation and felt so proud. "My kittling so precious and powerful." Zhe Yan mentally said.

Feng Jiu heard Zhe Yan thoughts. She turned around where he was standing only to see an empty space. "Zhe Yan?" She blinked and focused her gaze where she heard him. She saw his invisibility cloak. She walked towards the space, touched his bubble and broke the barrier. "Zhe Yan, what are you doing here?" Feng Jiu asked him surprised to see him.

Zhe Yan felt afraid, he didn't want to tell her the truth. But deep inside he knew that she could tell if he was lying. He didn't want to anger her. "Darling I came to watch over you; my precious you are stunning."

"I sensed your essence earlier before the conversion happened. Did Dong Hua send you?"

"No kittling I came on my accord." Zhe Yan answered her.

"Was I supposed to be born like this?" Feng Jiu innocently asked Zhe Yan.

"Yes sweetheart."

"What happened?"

"I had to seal your dormant powers for your own protection. You were not ready for it yet. Come Xiao Jiu, is time to go back." Zhe Yan smiled at Feng Jiu, he carefully guided her to go with him. They walked together out from the vast space to a portal that Zhe Yan created. He guided her subconscious to go back to her body. Dong Hua saw thru Zhe Yan's eyes her whole renovation. It was a spectacular sight that he witnessed. He felt proud of his little fox. Zhe Yan came back and opened his eyes. "Did you saw?"

"I did. She is bound to find out the truth of who she really is Zhe Yan. It will be best if you tell her yourself" Dong Hua calmly said.

"You know that I can't do that. It will be best to seal her early childhood memories from when she was born to prevent her to discover the truth." Zhe Yan replied to Dong Hua.

"You will not do such thing. I will forbid you Zhe Yan. Jiu'er needs to get familiar with her new self. If you mess up with her memories it will unbalance her chi at this point. We both know that she will become a powerful immortal, we need to guide her and not restrain this process." Dong Hua sternly said to Zhe Yan.

"Dong Hua..."

He cut him short "No Zhe Yan I will not allow it. Let her be as she is now. If she discovers the truth then we will deal with it later. But not now. She is about to ascend and I don't want to create any hindrances. I need you and Mo Yan to help me guide her thru her ascension which I suspect is not going to easy to handle. She might be your daughter but she is my wife Zhe Yan and I have a say on her wellbeing too. I promised her to be truthful and that is what I intend to do." Dong Hua warned him.

"I understand Dong Hua. We both love her and want the best for her. But think about the trauma she will face if she finds out the truth. I don't care about me or Qing Qui reputation, I care about how the truth will affect her psychologically. Please consider that."

"She trusts you Zhe Yan and I believe that if she finds out the truth, she will be happier to know who she really is. She already loves you as a father figure. It won't strain her mindset. We have to nurture her to the right path Zhe Yan, like a newborn. This takes priority. We will take the necessary preventions later, not now. I will let her rest for the remaining of the night. Tomorrow morning, she will meditate with Mo Yan as agreed before we return to Qing Qui."

Zhe Yan seeing that Dong Hua was not budging, got annoyed "By the way, next time soundproof your room. You two are so shameless. Do you need me to prescribe something to calm down your hormones? We heard everything Dong Hua!!!" Zhe Yan said glaring at Dong Hua while exiting their room.

Dong Hua smirked at his comment. "My precious little fox looks like we are in trouble now" Dong Hua smiled at Feng Jiu sleeping body. He laid down next to her and contently snuggled closing his eyes to rest with her.