The heavens kept roaring with thunders on their way home. Guards and civilians ran in different directions taking things in and calling out to children to enter the tents.
As soon as he stepped into the fortress, Xuan hua ran to meet him her eyes full of worry.
"Shixong…"
"I know…" He whispered a spell on Mitch and handed him to his Shimei, she swallowed and held the boy close to her chest "Stay with him thoughout the night, I place a sleeping spell on him , as soon as you notice he's rousing, keep him down "
Tears gathered in her eyes "It's all my fault "
"It's not " He looked at the sky , feeling his dao pulsing, he could hear distinct sounds of bells and guayin , they were calling his divinity " The retribution pot … I can feel it "
"I can feel it too " Summer had somehow joined them at a point, Despite his weakened state , he looked serious, staring at the sky " The heavens are angry "
Bei Shang suddenly grabbed Summer wrist , Summer flinched but he stared back at Bei Shang , his eyes changed from blue to green to yellow back to green again.
His voice was oddly soft "What does a god want from me ? I am not powerful anymore, I have only one life left "
"It's enough, I will be back in ten years" Bei Shang lowered his head , his voice was soft "Please promise you won't attack Mitch and Nick again"
"What do I get in exchange?"
"I will grant you what your heart desires" Seeing Summer tighten his fist , he looked into his eyes "I will grant him to you "
"I don't want that , promise me , you will let him live "
Bei Shang slowly nodded.
Summer bowed his head "Okay I promise you , your family will be safe, I swear on my lineage"
"Thank you "
Bei Shang looked at Xuan hua , his voice was soft " You did well Shimei "
Xuan Hua sniffed before hugging him gently, Bei Shang rubbed her hair, his lips against the side of her head.
The silence saying more than their words.
He met Sliver close to the entrance of Nick's tent, his eyes were full of unknown emotions.
"Are you planning on leaving?"
Bei Shang nod his head.
"Why?"
"Because it's my destiny"
The heavens roared and thunders rumbled , the wind picked up , circling everything in their paths.
Tears filled Sliver eyes , his voice was soft.
"what about the date you promised me?"
"Sliver …"
"Why can't you love me ? Am I not good enough?"
In the first life , a silly wolf demon challenged him and got killed, in other life , this wolf demon continued to follow him , perhaps the wolf demon mistook his familiarity for love or perhaps it's genuine affection, the wolf feelings were sincere.
It was just that he had no affection for him.
"You're good enough. Your feelings are sincere but I don't love you. You will find someone who loves you , give it time"
Sliver lowered his eyes and shook his head slowly, his voice cracked "But I want you"
Right from the beginning, the moment he met that clumsy guy in the ballroom, his black eyes full of confusion as he almost fell, his soul cried out in familiarity and want. Why can't he have the one thing he wants?
He felt a touch on his head , the voice was soft.
"I never apologized for what I did to you in your first life , I never apologized for what I did to you in your other lives , I never apologized for what I did to you in this life,
i am sorry "
He suddenly felt his heart clenched, tears fell down his face for unknown reasons, it hurts but at the same time, he felt relieved.
"I forgive you"
"Promise me that you will try your best to get along with Nick "
Sliver rubbed his eyes "He is the one who tries to kill me "
"Please"
Sliver slowly nodded his head , his voice was soft "Okay"
Bei Shang patted his hair one time before leaving.
This is the last sincerity he can give the wolf demon who genuinely followed him reincarnation after reincarnation, he wishes him a successful life.
Nick was still sleeping when he came back, the doctor sitting just a distance from him. Bei Shang excused the doctor out and laid on the bed with Nick.
In the past , Nick used force to make Bei Shang sleep on the same bed with him , that same Huli Jing was in a weak state oblivious that the person he wants to hold all the time was in pain beside him.
Pain , helplessness and hurt , the emotions all rolled into one , making it hard to breathe.
"Was this how you felt those times I was in my subconsciousness ?" Bei Shang held him close as if trying to merge them into one "No wonder you always cried everytime I woke up"
The thunders rumbled, the wind entered the tent and hit them, as if trying to tear them apart. Bei Shang hugged Nick tighter, his voice choked with tears.
"Please just 1 hour, let me have one hour with him I beg you "
A thunder struck , there were murmers outside the tents , some wondering why the sky was aggressive today.
"Just one hour I promise"
The wind became gentle, just encircling them.
Tears ran down Bei Shang face , he looked at the sleeping Nick's face , he trailed his fingers across his face and kiss him gently.
"Nick … I want to tell you a story "
"There was once a peach blossom spirit who played around the whole heavens , his shifu pampered him , the other gods liked his beauty so they gave him lots of gifts and spoiled him. He became a demi God soon and had to come down to the mortal realm to become a full god "
"He didn't think it through and jumped into a lake without his powers ,he would have drowned if not for a fisherman who saved his life "
"The fisherman was very lonely but he treated the demigod really well. Soon he fell in love with the demigod, The demigod at first felt pity for the fisherman but somewhere his pity turned into love "
"The heavens discovered and the demigod was given the choice to kill the fisherman or collect punishment. The demigod decided to leave for a while "
"After 10 years, the demigod and the fisherman met again, the fisherman was already an emperor and he asked the demigod to marry him"
"The demigod said it was because of the pressure but there was a secret. He genuinely loved the fisherman. He really wanted a happy ending for the two of them so he trusted the wrong person which led to a big misunderstanding resulting in the death of the fisherman "
Bei Shang kissed Nick's forehead, his voice soft like he was reciting a poem
"The demigod was in pain. He was in so much pain he refused to bury the fisherman dead body. His shifu had to force him unconsciousness and bury the body before taking him back home. The demigod missed his coronation service because he couldn't be reasoned with , he repeatedly attacked his shifu. His shifu realized that her beloved disciple had ran mad "
"She tried different kinds of medicines but he refuses to come to his senses. Shifu went on a journey to a far away land to look for a plant that can calm the mind. She left his shimei to guard the demi God and even reinforced the palace. The demigod broke the mechanisms and injured his younger sister."
"He went to the Jade emperor palace and stole a powerful scroll , on the way down, he seriously injured several gods and goddesses , including the Jade empress. He ran to the mortal world and looked for the burial plot of his beloved "
Tears dropped slowly down his cheeks , the wind circled them , the heavens roared.
" He used the scroll trying to force his lover from the reincarnation cycle thereby disrupting the cycle of life and death , the heavens were provoked, they struck him 100 times . He was half alive when the Jade empress and Jade emperor found him "
He could remember the day vividly. It was just like this, the heavens roared and thunders rumbled. Jade empress tried to separate him from the rotting body but he held on crying, Jade Emperor sent dao into his body but it didn't heal his body because his dao was turbulent refusing to focus on anyone except the body in his arms.
"Shu hua will never forgive me " Jade emperor mumbled as Taohua coughed blood for the nth time " She will never forgive herself"
"It's that what matters?" Jade empress rubbed Taohua back while trying to pry the maggot ridden body from his hold " The heavens are angry , he will surely be given a retribution pot , this is an automatic death sentence"
"He is the only god of war we have "
"This silly boy " Jade empress looked at the sky and pointed "It's about to bring another thunder strike , Fuxin let go of him so you don't become a causality "
"And let him fry?"
Taohua opened his eyes slowly and looked at the sky. His dao bubbled as if trying to leave his body , his bones have been fractured in different places and his chest hurts so much.
But he was holding the person he loved.
He looked at the two who were still trying to help him and smiled .
"Can I make a request?"
Jade empress raised her hand at him "Are you in the position to make any requests?!"
Jade Emperor held her down "calm down ! his voice was soft "What do you want?"
"Can you punish me ?"
"What?"
He looked at the sky , feeling his bones getting crushed with each blow of dao, a wind encircled him , as if trying to hurt him yet protect him.
"Please give me a punishment of 100 reincarnations. In each reincarnation, let me be with my lover , I don't care if it's painful , just make me see him again"
The heavens roared.
Jade empress and Jade emperor looked at each other, worry in their eyes. Jade empress looked at him , her voice was soft.
"Let him go "
"I can't… " He kissed the half rotten face and smiled " I love him … I love him too much "
'So much more than my family, so much more than my life , so much more than my divinity.'
"He is already a causality because of your stubbornness , if he continues to be entangled with you , His character will change, he will become more ruthless, more hurtful , more vengeful"
Taohua nod his head.
"He will hurt you so much, you might break. Punishment doesn't only involve you , it involves him, let him go "
"I really can't let him go"
Jade empress sighed and nod her head "Okay"
Jade emperor looked at Jade empress, his voice was barely a whisper "Shu hua will hate you "
"It's not for your sake , it's for my sake , I have autonomy and power. I can punish who I desire and it will make the court fear me"
"Guayin…"
Jade empress stood up and raised her hand towards the sky . Her gold aura spilled out and encircled her , her pupils turned gold and a sword appeared in her hand.
"Guayin!"
She pointed the sword at Taohua , her voice laced with authority " Taohua , you went into the Jade Palace and stole the book of life and death , you injured 21 gods and goddesses including your younger sister, Xuan hua. You attempted to reverse the law of reincarnation , thereby causing 1000 lives to disintegrate , separating mothers and daughters, Sisters and brothers, Lovers and enemies, are you guilty or not?"
"Taohua !" A voice shouted from a distance, it was his shifu running towards him. Her hair and clothing was clumped with blood , with heavy scratch marks all over her arms "Guayin stop!"
Taohua grabbed the tip of the sword "I am guilty "
"I hereby sentence you to 100 divine karma reincarnations. You and your lover will not have a peaceful reincarnation should the two of you meet , you shall be born into a position of disadvantage and have the world hate you enough to punish you. You have to rectify your mistake , you choose to kill him and go back to divinity or you refuse to kill him and receive your punishment. Do you accept?"
"Taohua!!"
"Yes "
His dao splited into half. The force so much, he vomited a large amount of blood, one part of the dao went to the body in his arms encircling the body until it turned to ash ; all that was left was a blue flame.
The second half entered Guayin sword and turned into a peach blossom mark.
Shu hua hugged Taohua tight, her face filled with tears "No …No why do this to yourself,why make another mistake?"
He smiled and held his Shifu arm , his voice was soft "I love him too much "
She let out a whimper and hugged him tight.
The heavens trembled before a pot appeared before Guayin , on the body of the pot was Taohua name.
Jade empress carried the pot , her eyes were still gold "I will keep it well until it starts spilling, make your decision before then "
Taohua nod his head.
The world gradually went dark , he could hear his shifu whimpers and tears , the quiet voices of jade Emperor and Jade empress as they argued.
He could see his Hong Jin waiting for him , a soft smile on his face.
"I am coming" he whispered before letting go.
The wind came back, this time, it encircled the both of them.
Bei Shang's tears fell freely, mingling with the faint scent of peach blossoms that lingered around him. He pressed his forehead against Nick's, his fingers trembling as they brushed against the sleeping man's cheek.
"Remember when you cried that I don't ever choose you ? I always did. The heavens could give me wealth and I would still choose you , the heavens could give me power and I would still choose you , the heavens could give me divinity and i will still choose you, the heavens could give me the whole world and i would still choose you. Again and again I would choose you"
Bei Shang kissed Nick's lips and held his hand to his face.
" I won't be anywhere that doesn't have you, I died in every reincarnation you died before me , I received all your cruelty not because i wasn't given a choice but because I made you that way , you didn't find me , I found you , I always found you. You said you loved me too much, the truth was that I was the one who loved you too much"
Thunders started falling like raindrops.
"I love you. No matter how many lives we live, no matter how much we hurt each other... I'll always love you." Bei Shang pulled his hair and put it in Nick's hand "Give me ten years okay? "
The wind suddenly snatched him and carried him out of the tent.
"Princess peach blossom!!!"
"Shixong!!!"
Bei Shang felt his bone fracture as the dao bubbled over his body , his pupils turned pink and he floated in the middle of the camp.
He could see the gods and goddess starting to descend from the sky , confusion all over their faces , he could see his shifu try to move to his side only to be held down by the heavens force.
The retribution pot stood before him , it's aura encircling him, Jade empress stood behind the pot , her pupils gold, a gold aura encircling her and a sword on her hand.
The demons down below looked equally frightened, watching what was happening with confusion and reverence. They instinctively knew they shouldn't get involved but they couldn't help but watch.
Gods above the sky , demons underneath the sky , the dao of heavens really want to make him a lesson material.
"Taohua , God of war , do you know your wrong?" Guayin and the pot spoke at the same time, their voice laced with authority and thunders of heavens.
"I know"
"Do you repent?"
"I don't"
Thunder flashed as the heavens roared
Guayin pointed the sword at his throat, her gold eyes flashed with anger " Impudent child!"
"Shixong!"
"Guayin be gentle with him! " Shu hua shouted , her body trembling.
Bei Shang winced but he didn't back off , staring at the Two.
"Your shifu , your sister , the power of the court , the balance of the world rest on you , beloved child . You are important , do you want to risk it all for one being ? Let me ask you one more time, do you repent?"
"No "
"So be it , Your divinity shall be taken from you. That's the price of your disloyalty."
Guayin started to whisper. Her voice laced with the roars of the heavens , Bei Shang could hear the sounds of bells and guapins , they encircled with the wind , calling to him.
"Guayin , if you break that pot I will never forgive you !!" Shu hua struggled against the force but it pulled her back, tears ran down her cheeks "Guayin please!!!"
Guayin raised the sword , her voice was hesitant.
"Taohua, do you regret your sins!"
"No"
"Guayin!"
Guayin closed her eyes and hit the sword on the pot
The dao burst out of his body , it was like a pressure pot suddenly opened and it's all the steam rushed out.
His bone fractured and his muscles unraveled; his dao broke through his tendons, pulling it with it's pressure; Bei Shang tried his best to swallow the pain but at one point he couldn't bear it anymore.
"Argggghhhh!"
The scream was primordial; it rang though his soul.
The gods closed their eyes, Shu hua held her chest, letting out whimpers.
His body turned heavy , he felt his legs turn into roots and enter the ground, his body twisted and unraveled to become a tree trunk, his arms split into branches.
He was reverting back to his true form ; the peach blossom tree nuwa rested during her creation of living beings.
Guayin eyes stared at him ; her voice was cold.
"Do you regret it?"
No
"Good"
The world went quiet; he could feel himself going to sleep.
He was receiving his punishment, Nick would finally be free and he will wake from his comatose state ; the lives impacted by his stubbornness will stop being affected and the balance of the world will be back.
It hurts but this was how it was supposed to be .
He would miss everyone; He would miss Nayima and her nosy behavior, Broody and his sleep , Kate and her tantrums, Mitch and his calls of Mom and Nick …. He will miss his lover so so much.
His body transformed completely and Taohua found himself in a deep sleep.
As soon as Shu hua felt the heavenly restriction lift; She knelt before the tree, her trembling hands brushing against its bark. "My foolish, precious disciple…" she whispered, tears cascading down her face. "It was just one tribulation … just one.
Guayin closed her eyes and ascended; Fuxin stared at Taohua one last time before following behind her.
Nick, still lying unconscious in the tent, twitched as if sensing the loss of something vital. The strand of Bei Shang's hair in his hand glowed faintly, infused with a lingering fragment of divine energy. The wind carried the faint scent of peach blossoms into the tent, wrapping around Nick like a final embrace.