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

Chapter 54

Authors note: Drama and suspense in this chapter, also Feng Jiu is not a damsel in distress. I want to make her strong and smart. Donghua shows up. A lot of blood.

Rated: 18+ for adult themes and violence, some gore.

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Xi Fang, was a massive white tiger who had served Eternal Venerable Mother for millions of years before Donghua Dijun had bested him. From that moment, Xi Fang and his pride of one hundred tigers had followed His Lordship in his quest to unite the Universe. He had fought thousands of battles before Donghua Dijun had allowed him to make the sacred islands of Bihai Cangling his home. Tired and old, he had retired to Bihai Cangling with his mate and pride, thinking his time would soon come, and he would pass onto the Realm of Nothingness. For a time, his magic left him, and he found he was simply a tiger who could not speak. His mate, Jia Li, grew old and her womb barren. It was time to rest into eternal slumber, and he laid down by his mate, his pride having lost their magic also with them, and waited to turn into mist.

He slept for centuries like this, His Lordship visited once and he looked at them mournfully. XI Fang knew it was also Donghua Dijun's time to breathe his last and past on the mantle to another god. The Eternal Mother had said as much the last time she had set foot in Bihai Cangling.

"I will soon follow, Xi Fang." His Lordship said and walked away.

But decades pass on, and still, death did not come.

Until one night, the sky roared, and the sea churned angrily. Magic swirled in the air as a gust of wind entered his cave. Xi Fang scented the magic in the air and was astonished. This was the most sacred magic in the Universe, the magic that had called forth all beings; Creation magic. Power suddenly pulsed through him and his pride, lifting him to his feet and rejuvenating him. Xi Fang descended from the mountain with his pride to see Donghua and found him on the stone ground of Shaoyang Manor with his mate, a young woman, in the ground.

Xi Fang understood immediately what the storm had been. Donghua Dijun and his mate had survived a heavenly trial, and they had called forth creation magic. He had picked up his unconscious master, and Jia Li had carried the young woman with red hair inside the manor. Xi Fang had not been visited by Donghua Dijun again, but shortly after the storm, the women of his pride, his mate included, conceived.

White tigers rarely, if ever, gave birth to more cubs, for every one hundred tigers, perhaps only one female would give birth. Yet, every female in his pride gave birth to four or more cubs. All around them, clonal colonies of trees flowered and even the Xhieze in the mountains awakened. Power once again course through his blood, and he was able to take human form once again. Xi Fang knew this power bestowed upon him by the heavens were in preparation for battles ahead because he had not been born to live his life as a domesticated cat at his master's feet.

His suspicions were confirmed when years laters, His Lordship visited him once again dressed in silver armour and purple silks. Xi Fang walked out of his cave and knelt in his human form to his master's astonishment.

"You have awakened," Donghua whispered. "I thought I would come and only find bones waiting for me."

"The heavens granted me new powers, Master." Xi Fang said. "Jia Li has given birth for the first time in millions of years."

"The Universe has indeed changed," Donghua said as he watched small white cubs peeking out of the cave. "Xi Fang, I have come to call you into battle once more."

"I hear and obey, Master." Xi Fang answered.

"My Lady Wife is missing. I need you to track her scent." Donghua informed.