Faithful Heart (Flesh of my Flesh...Blood of my Blood 2)

Chapter 73 - A Single Grain of Sand - Act IV

Authors notes: No Dream of Aranya in this fanfic. Aranya and Shen Ye will be briefly mentioned. They will have no bearing on the story afterwards. I feel it would be overkill to bring them in when I already have so much more material to write about. This Act will have adult themes, sexual content, violence and war. I am softening much of what I was initially going to write as we closed in on the end because Real Life sucks so much already, but there will be similar scenes to the ones in the last few chapters of Act III.

============================================================= 

In the heart of Fanyin Valley, in the Bi Yin Nao clan's territory, just outside of the township, a famous magical tree bore only one enchanted fruit every thousand years; its name was Pimpon tree. This fruit shaped like the heart of earth immortal and would grant special powers to whoever ate it. To get to the said tree, one had to get past the four mighty, giant snakes guarding it. The fruit was not eaten often, for depending on the fruit cycle, it granted different powers, or it could also at times kill the immortal that ate it.

However, this year, Arch Mage of the Bi Yi Nao Clan had read the stars and pronounced that the tree would bear a deliciously sweet fruit that could revive earth immortals from eternal slumber. This bit of news had come to Miao Lou's attention through spies, who had instructed Nye Chuyin to kill the snakes and bring the fruit to her. Nye Chuyin, with a small contingency of soldiers, had slipped into Fanyin Valley through the Owl Clan territory, which was hostile to the Bi Yi Nao.

Nye Chuyin looked over the area slowly and pulled his sword in one fluid motion to test what appeared to him to be a shield surrounding the tree. His sword glowing red at the tip, Nye Chuyin sliced through the protection in one swipe, causing it to shatter and then dissolved in a flash of bright light. At once, the massive snakes hiding amongst the dense foliage slid out and reared up, baring their fangs.

"My Lord, those beast look hungry," A soldier next to him said.

Nye Chuyin turned to his guard and asked. "Who said that?"

Silence fell on the soldiers he had brought, and Nye Chuyin narrowed his eyes, staring at them intently until one of the guards spoke up.

"It was me, My Lord. Forgive-" The Guard said, trying to apologize.

"No, that is a fine observation." Nye Chuyin said and suddenly took hold of the soldier's tunic, dragging him forward. "Let us test this theory of yours." He said, and with a great show of strength, he threw the soldiers into the snake pit, shocking the rest of his guard.

In an instant, the snakes were on the soldiers, fire shooting from their mouths as they burned him alive. Nye Chuyin looked on with a bored expression on his face, and once the soldier had finally ceased screaming, he said.

"Those beast do not look very frightening." Nye Chuyin said as he lit up his blade with red light once again and charged forward as his eyes flashed red.

============================================================

In gratitude for having saved the Valley and conscious that their residence was now a burned pile of rubble, Queen Juno had offered a private part of the royal compound for Donghua Dijun and his Lady Wife to live in. Donghua had accepted the offer and brought an unconscious Feng Jiu inside the manor, where he had bathed and dressed her in a borrow silk gown to sleep.

Feng Jiu had been left exhausted after the tremendous amount of energy generated between her and Donghua. She slept for hours while waiting for the arrival of Zhe Yan, who had left the Valley with his husband, Bai Zhen, in a sudden emergency regarding the Ghost and Fairies. The border dispute between the two Realms was escalating and threatening to spill into the Western Lands where Bai Zhen was King.