Kunlun Mountain Part 4 - The Return

Chapter 14 - A Painful Resurrection

Somewhere in the Far East

Arriving at the house that had been prepared for them, Bai Qian Ye Hua and Gaogui immediately entered their chambers to rest.  The sudden change in atmosphere was immediately noticeable, and having just arrived from a world where the energy is much higher, the denseness of their own world was similar to entering the mortal world for all Immortals.  It takes time to acclimatize oneself to it.

Allowing themselves only 8 hours to fully rest, it was late evening when they all rose to begin the first of their plans, and because Bai Qian was more than familiar with the Demon Lands than Ye Hua and Gaogui, it was decided that she would be the one to uplift their ancestral tablet.

From the Orchid World, if one allowed themselves to think of those they know in their own world, thoughts can be heard if they are focused on the listener.  And more than once she had heard Honghuis mournful pleas for her return.  And they only stopped when he entered seclusion, it was when she finally felt him let go of her.  And as much as it hurt her to hurt him, she had to for all of their sake.

Now prepared to leave, they went over the plan once more.

"I will keep my mind fully locked onto yours, no matter where you are or even what you are thinking I will know." Ye Hua said as a reminder to keep her thoughts only on the tablet.  They both knew of her feelings for him, even now, she still cared more than she should.

"You should have no problems Mother, as long as you keep your thoughts clear and your energy around you at all times."  Gaogui added.

"I know, I will be careful." she said standing, before picking up the small token that had been left for her.  They were deep within a forest somewhere in the far East, a place none of them had ever visited, so the token was used as a guide.  Placing it inside an inner pocket of her robe, she merely had to think of her destination, and the token would then guide the cloud she was on.  

"Just remember to have the equipment ready when I return." she said to both boys before giving them each a hug.  Then escorting her to the door, they watched on as she caught the first cloud out.

Soaring high above the trees and hidden behind a barrier, the new energy pulsing though her body was impregnable and invisible.  No one below could see her swiftly making her way to the Demon Lands, though she could clearly see homes below, and even the odd person out walking.  But the main attraction for her, one she had missed terribly, were the stars.  Shining brightly above her, she kept her eyes on them the entire way. 

"I am finally home." she whispered to herself, the sight was beautiful and magical, one that the Orchid World chose to forego in order to surround their entire land with their energy just to remain hidden.

The trip took less than 20 minutes but it was more than enough time to have her feeling exhilarated and happy to be back, a thought she could feel Ye Hua locking onto.  Flying directly over the Demon Lands , she was then guided directly to the small temple in the middle of the Onyx Forest, the same one she had found herself in all those years ago.  

Though thankfully it no longer looked the same, much of it had overgrown and many of the trees were now in full bloom along with the new gardens that Honghui had planted just for her.   However, the closer she got, and the more that she saw, the difficult it became for her.  With her new powers, she could instinctively read the atmosphere, and everywhere she looked she felt such profound sadness, it began to overwhelm her.

It was at that moment, she began to feel the pain she had left him in.  It was in the flowers he had planted for her, the forest that he had overgrown in order to remove all traces of her having been found there and even in the cobblestone walkways, ones he had built specially for her, that led to the many gardens he had purposely designed just because she had asked him to.