Morning sunlight filtered through the carved jade windows of the Purple Palace, its glow soft yet solemn. Taiyi stirred awake, his body still carrying the faint warmth of another's presence. He instinctively reached to his side, but the bed was cold and empty. Feng Jiu was no longer there.
A faint unease spread through his chest. He rose, quietly adjusting his robes, but as he prepared to leave, something caught his eye—an odd ripple of energy in the corner of the chamber. A red letter, carefully hidden in the shadows, shimmered faintly.
With a casual wave of his hand, the letter flew into his palm. Taiyi broke the seal, and in that instant, a radiant image formed before him—Feng Jiu's figure, delicate and ethereal.
"My wish is fulfilled. Let us meet again if fate allows," her voice rang softly, her smile tinged with sorrow before the image faded like morning mist.
For a long moment, Taiyi stood motionless, the words sinking into him like a blade. Then, without another sound, he placed the letter away and turned toward the vast horizon outside his window.
That was the last time he saw Feng Jiu in the heavenly realm.
Days passed in silence. When Taiyi finally gathered the ministers of heaven, he left only one decree:
"I will be heading for the tribulation in the mortal realm. Guard the heavens well."
Without waiting for questions, he disappeared into the void, his figure vanishing from the palace.
---
Far away, beneath the skies of scarlet flame, Feng Jiu's figure glided across the boundless realms. Though her path was toward the Fire Realm, her heart urged her elsewhere. She took a detour and descended upon an ancient floating pavilion wreathed in pink mist—the Love Palace.
Inside, amidst fragrant blossoms and streams of peach-colored wine, sat Eros, the god of love. He raised an eyebrow when he saw her approach.
"Little Jiu, it is rare for you to visit me of your own accord. Have you perhaps found someone you are interested in?"
Feng Jiu's gaze was steady, her lips curving faintly. "Eros, I can only fall for him in this life. So do not waste your words."
The god of love chuckled, swirling his cup. "That blockhead? The one who nearly destroyed my Love Palace in the past? He knows nothing of romance. Your fate with him is forbidden—do you not understand this?"
Feng Jiu lowered herself onto a cushion, her voice calm yet unshakable. "What else can I do? I have already given myself to him."
Pfft!
Eros choked violently on his wine, spraying it across the floor. His face drained of color. "What did you just say?!"
Her tone was unflinching. "I gave him my first time yesterday."
The wine cup shattered in his hand. His expression twisted with alarm. "Bad… this is bad!"
He staggered to his feet, his pupils contracting as he stared at the sky. With hurried hands he tried to perform a divination, weaving threads of fate. But the moment he did, an unseen force lashed back against him, causing him to cough blood.
Feng Jiu's brows furrowed. "What are you so paranoid about?"
Eros' face grew grim. "Haven't you noticed it? The spiritual energy of this realm has dropped. It is no longer thick as before."
She closed her eyes, stretching out her divine sense. Her body stiffened. "…Yes. Why is this happening?"
Eros' voice deepened. "The two of you have committed a taboo, and the Realm Spirit is furious. But since Taiyi is the Protector of the Heavenly Realm, the punishment cannot fall upon him directly. Instead, the realm itself is weeping."
Feng Jiu's face paled, her hands trembling. "Why is this so?"
Eros closed his eyes, sorrow written on his features. "Taiyi embarked long ago on the path of heartlessness. That ruthless path allowed him to forge the Spirit Body of Heaven and Earth and form a blood contract with the Realm Spirit. Such a body must remain pure. Should he indulge in mortal desire, he risks losing the favor of the Realm Spirit. His cultivation will collapse… perhaps even his life."
Feng Jiu's lips quivered. "Impossible…"
She rushed back to the heavenly realm, but by the time she reached the Purple Palace, its great doors were sealed shut. Taiyi had already descended into the mortal world. Her cry echoed against the empty gates, unanswered.
Heartbroken, she could only turn back toward the Fire Realm. Yet on her journey, a band of hidden enemies ambushed her. Bloodied and weary, she staggered into Eros' palace once more, her body covered with wounds.
"Eros…" she gasped, clutching her chest. "Tell me—is there any way to help His Majesty?"
The god of love stared at her trembling form and sighed. "His trial is already written in the book of fate. He must endure the seven tribulations of a mortal: birth, adolescence, marriage, betrayal and separation, sickness, old age, and death. Only then may he have the chance to recover his dao."
Feng Jiu's eyes hardened with resolve. "Then take half of my soul. Send it with him into the mortal realm."
Eros' eyes widened. "You are already gravely injured—"
But before he could finish, Feng Jiu began the soul-severing art. Pain tore through her, her scream echoing like a phoenix's lament. Half of her soul splintered away in shimmering light, leaving her body barely clinging to life.
She collapsed, pale as snow, yet her lips carried a faint smile. "Do it. Please."
Her body sealed itself with a barrier, blocking even Eros from aiding her. With no choice, Eros sent her fragmented soul into the wheel of samsara, where it descended alongside Taiyi's mortal trial.
When he returned, the bed where Feng Jiu had lain was empty. On the pillow, only a slip of paper remained with two words: Thank you.
Eros stood there for a long time, silent. At last he whispered, "This is your fate." Closing his palace doors, he activated layers of defensive and concealment arrays, isolating himself from the realm.
---
Meanwhile, far away in the Fire Realm, Feng Jiu stumbled through the gates of her homeland. Her once-pristine robes were tattered, her body covered in bruises and blood. Yet she pressed forward, her heart heavy with dread.
Inside the Phoenix Palace, the once-majestic Phoenix Queen lay on her deathbed, her fiery aura dimming with each breath. When her gaze fell upon Feng Jiu, tears welled in her fading eyes.
"Jiu'er… my daughter… you made it back."
"Mother…" Feng Jiu fell to her knees beside the bed, tears streaming down her dirt-streaked face. "Your daughter is late."
The Queen's hand, frail yet warm, brushed against her cheek. "You've grown so much. Mother feared the Fire Realm would lose its protector… but now, with you here, I can depart without regret. Forgive your sisters… forgive me, for being selfish."
"No, Mother… please, do not leave me. I promise—I will protect the Fire Realm. I will forgive them. Just stay a little longer," Feng Jiu sobbed, clutching her mother's hand desperately.
The Queen smiled gently, her eyes closing. "Then I can go in peace… your father is waiting in the underworld. Do not grieve too long, child. Be strong."
Her body shimmered with golden light, slowly dissolving into stardust. At that very moment, the skies over the Fire Realm trembled, and countless stars fell like tears. Every being within the realm bowed, crying out in grief, for their ruler, their protector, had passed on.
Feng Jiu's wail echoed across the heavens, raw and heart-rending. She tried to grasp at her mother's vanishing form, but the soul dispersed into the void, beyond her reach.
The mighty Phoenix Queen was gone.
And Feng Jiu, broken and bloodied, was left to bear the burden of love, loss, and a kingdom.
---