[[~Hua Yáo's Pov~]]: Paradise Manor~
Lying down on the soft red bed, I stretched and woke up to the smell of something delicious.
I noticed Mr. Yu entering my room with a breakfast tray: "Good morning, Miss Yáo. Did you sleep well?" He smiled.
"Uh-huh," I nod before yawning cutely, "Yaó is actually happy here."
Sitting up on the bed, Mr. Yu laughed before placing my breakfast on my lap, just by using chopsticks to eat: "What do you wish to do today, Miss Yáo?"
An idea struck me, and I gasped, "Yaó wants to play in Gege's garden!" I exclaimed, "Hua-gege said there's a secret garden in Paradise Manor. Can we go see if it's here?" Mr. Yu smiled, clapped his hands, and nodded.
"You must do it tonight." He continues, "Because the garden of the Crimson Red Flower is only open when my master is there."
I hummed, "OK!"
"Yes, but finish up your breakfast. And tonight, you may go see it." Mr. Yu calmly before I started eating my food in excitement. Once I finished, I bathed, got dressed, had my hair done in a small bun, jumped down from my seat, and followed Mr. Yu as he began tutoring me again in medicine and later taught me how to fight.
~Time skip~
Once it was night, Mr. Yu led me to the entrance of the Garden where Hua-gege was, and I thanked him before I made my way into the garden for a while until I spotted Hua-gege, who was sleeping on top of a cherry blossom tree.
(Imagine that he is lying down on the ground near the cherry blossoms)
Giggling softly, I approached and pounced on his chest by shaking him playfully, "Hua-gege, wakey. Your Shijie wants to play!" Slowly, he groaned with an 'oof,' and Hua-gege opened one eye, smiling sleepily.
This earned a laugh from me before he pushed a strand of my hair from my face, giggling cheekily.
"Alright, Alright, you little flower." He sits up amusedly, "What does my Shijie want to do?"
I nodded excitedly before answering, "The Garden! Mr. Yu said it's only open when you're in here." Hua-gege softly stared at me, laughing heartily before replying, "The Garden it is." "Yay!" I cheered, getting off him so he could stand up and stretch before gesturing for me to follow him.
We walked further into the garden, filled with vibrant flowers and lush greenery, until we stepped into a breathtaking garden filled with a fountain and many peony flowers that seemed to glow in the moonlight.
I gasped in awe at the garden's beauty, feeling like I was in a fairytale.
"Gege's garden is pretty!!!" I bounced happily while Hua-gege chuckled at my reaction before explaining the significance of each flower and its healing properties. Enchanted by the beauty of everything in the garden of Gege, I immediately went dashing towards it.
I began taking some flowers so I could make a flower crown, which is where Hua gege walks towards me and leans down with his hands behind his back, and hums in interest."Hmm~ What is my little Shijie doing right now after interrupting my explanation about the flowers?"
He teases me.
I looked up and giggled while showcasing my newly made flower crowns.
"Yaó wants Gege to wear a flower crown ." Hua-gege shook his head when suddenly, I plucked a white peony from its place as a last resort for my flower crown and put it over my head before I handed one for him to wear.
He accepted it by placing it over his head, making me awe at how cute he was.
"Yaó sees you now as a Pwince!" I smile brightly and Hua-gege returns it by slowly turning his flower crown into a silver butterfly.
It was one of the most beautiful ones I have ever seen!
I excitedly caught it in my flower crown, but sadly, it poofed into petals when I realized that I had destroyed it, causing me to frown and grow sad. I felt a hand behind placed on my shoulder and turned around to look up at my Gege.
"Do not worry, Princess Shijie." Watching Hua-gege go on one knee with his hand placed above his left chest, "You cannot meet a Prince because I, Hua Cheng, am your humble Ghost King of all the realms, and I'm sure you can try to revive it for me."
I sadly stare at my now-destroyed flower crown in sadness, "B-But what if it doesn't?" Making Hua-gege's eye gaze down at me by leaning in to tell me.
"It will, Shijie... say something to revive it." He place a hand over my shoulder, showing a soft gentle smile: "It works like a charm for me. So smile for me!" "Okay!" I slowly close my eyes to focus on the flower crown I made, while a source of energy begins moving around my fingers.
I open my eyes to see it turn into so many butterflies that look similar to the ones I did yesterday: "Wow~, Yaó did it!" I was awed and amazed while watching the silver butterfly fly out of the flower as it flew around me.
It made him laugh a bit, knowing that my favorite insects would be butterflies.
"Oh, that's just warming you up, Shijie. Now watch and learn." Smiling gently, he turned towards the fountain, whispering something I couldn't understand. As Hua-gege's inaudible words faded, the garden erupted in a bloom of silver butterflies.
I ran up to surprise Hua-gege by kissing his cheek and hugging him.
He widened his eyes at my actions, feeling his body tense up. I could tell he was startled, but I didn't care, so I felt him hesitate before lifting me up to return the hug: "I love you, Gege!"
"As do I, my little Innocent Flower." We shared a long, peaceful hug when we both heard the sound of rustling in the trees and bushes startled us. At first, I feared the wolves had returned, but my fear blinded me to someone else entering the garden.
He has snow-white skin, is completely clad in black, and has eyes that are said to be like burning ice. His voice is frosty and cold. However, the moment I gaze at the man's foot to his face, he shows his proper form.
He appears to be a demon with extremely pale skin, a sharp forehead, and deep brows. His black robes have thin, silver waves woven into them that shimmer and glow.
"Well, well, well, look what I see here; the Ghost King has a weakness for children.~"
One voice snickered while I stared in fear at the evil man before me.
I felt compelled to be nice to him until someone's slurring breathing came from the back of my neck and sent shivers down my spine. This caused me to freeze in my position and turn around and see another evil man who shares a resemblance of some sort.
Nervous about the man, he does not show many features; his nose, lips, and jaw contours are in shape. He has high, sharp brows and thin, slanted eyes. You can say that you couldn't or mess with him purely by looking at his face; it frightened me to the core that he was near me:
"What is this~? Do I sense fear in Hua Cheng's little pet? Interesting~."
Another voice sneered evilly, echoing into my ear, its breath blowing coldly onto my neck. I yelped with a frightening whimper while hugging Hua-gege's neck tighter. This made him speak out of nowhere from the dark trees. "G-Gege...?"
Gasps escaped my lips when I was pulled closer to Hua-gege's chest without being able to move. Immediately, I noticed something about the man in front of us, the evil green man was grinning in an awful that could make me sick.
"Yum, a pure soul from a demonic beast like the Crimson Flower."
"Bái Wuxiang, leave now this instant!" Hua-gege coldly continues: "You two are trespassing on my home! Leave before this gets ugly!" "Who is he, gege?" I whispered to him, hoping to wonder what the unwelcoming guests would do with Hua-Gege.
But doesn't tell me, instead, he suddenly summons Mr. Yu to come and hold me.
Minutes went by, and Mr. Yu was already standing behind him. Hua-gege lifts me up, hands me to him, and he (Mr. Yu) whispers.
"Remember when I told you about the four calamities?" I remembered our last lesson of history about learning about them which I nodded. He began to sigh: "My master...Them...They are all, except my master is much more powerful."
I widened my green emerald eyes in disbelief and oohed at the answer before watching a fight. The swords clashed, and Gege smirked devilishly at them. The calamities fought together in the garden. Yin Yu held me tightly to ensure I wouldn't fall off.
Warning gore!!!!!☠️☠️⚠️⚠️⚠️
I tried to peek at the battle, but Mr. Yu covered my eyes.
The horrifying battle made me nauseous. It was very violent, with green and blue flames engulfing everything, leaving only the scent of ashes and almost destroying the peony flowers. The ground was covered in scarlet blood, and the gray smoke filled the atmosphere.
The most terrifying moment was when Qi Rong dashed toward us, a menacing figure looming above with a wicked smile. Hua-Gege couldn't stop him. Mr. Yu, holding me, fought while trying to protect me from harm.
Unexpectedly, Bái Wuxiang ordered Qi Rong to kill without remorse. "Get her."
"Hehehe! Pure soul is MINE!!!?" Mr. Yu got punched, causing me to be off his arms and fall to the garden ground in a loud THUD. I hit my head and groaned while Mr. Yu gasped in shock as he tackles him as he was now fighting Qi Rong to get away from me.
While he had blood all over his left hand, my attention was elsewhere.
There was one who looked really impressive, my Gege.
He swung his sword at his opponents as they used one of their powers.
I thought he'd win easily, but one opponent attacked him from the back while he was occupied with his opponent; I gasped in fear while watching Mr. Yu fall unconscious in pain while my Hua gege grew a bit weak and for some odd feeling...
Something made me snap inside me; while my body started shaking, the peony petals began flowing around me as tears began falling like a waterfall. I groaned but got up to stop the madness from ruining the garden.
Not knowing that something was going on around me, I screamed.
"STOP THIS FIGHT!?!"
Now, it was their turn to face their anger and brave expression of fear while everything around me glowed brighter, with the peony petals turning into large blades.
"NO MORE!!!!" I yelled, my voice echoing through the garden as the blades swirled around me, ready for my command.
The two calamities froze in fear, their eyes widening at the sight of my power.
I felt a surge of strength coursing through me, empowering me to protect my Gege and Mr. Yu.
I raised my hand, commanding the blades to strike down the enemies who dared to harm my loved ones. The blades moved swiftly, cutting through the air precisely and quickly, striking the three calamities individually.
They released screams of pain as they fell to the ground, defeated by the power of the peony blades.
Before I could throw a final wave at them, I was pushed towards a tree HARD, and blood spilled out of the corner of my mouth while my abilities dispelled into petals again; The garden fell silent.
The only sound from Qi Rong and Baí Wuxíang's menacing laughter echoed while the soft rustle of leaves and the gentle tinkling of the fountain became foggy. I felt dizzy and slid down from the tree onto the ground where my flower crown was and passed out in Mr. Yu's arms.
With Hua Cheng's POV:
I watched in shock as Shijie used her powers to defend Yin Yu and me from Qi Rong and Bai Wuxiáng's attack.
The world slowed as I coughed up blood, a painful trickle.
My heart hammered, realizing the danger.
Darkness crept into my vision, I clenched my fist, nails digging into my skin, blood beading on the flower crown Shijie had made.
Eyes fixed on our enemies, I struggled to focus.
Meanwhile, my servant, Yin Yu, stood beside me, his eyes wide and shocked. With one look from me, he bowed his head down with the chains connected to our deal. I silently commanded him to take A-Yaó back inside the Paradise Manor to be tended.
At the same time, I began walking towards the two calamities with rage covering my sight. My long, smooth, neat black hair floated around like a mess, my eye turned scarlet red, tears that were like water turned into blood, and my avatar butterflies began rampaging.
"Now...LEAVE MY SHIJIE ALONE BEFORE I MAKE ALL OF YOU SUFFER!?!" I stumbled, fury giving way to a chilling resolve. "You dare lay a hand on her?" My voice was a low growl, laced with a promise of unimaginable pain.
Qi Rong cackled, "Oh, look at the overprotective ghost king! What are you going to do, cry a river of blood?" Bai Wuxiáng, ever the more composed of the two, tilted his head. "Such devotion. A shame it will be wasted."
My butterflies swarmed around me, a crimson storm eager to tear them limb from limb. I raised my left hand, murmuring E-Ming (my sword) a slender, long, and curved scimitar having a silver surface gleaming in the fading light. "You both will regret this. She is under my protection."
"Protection? She's weak," Qi Rong spat, gesturing to Shijie's prone form in Yin Yu's arms as he led her inside. "One good push and she crumbles. Just like you will."
That was it.
The last thread of restraint snapped.
With a speed that defied the eye, I lunged. E'ming sang a song of death, aimed directly at Qi Rong's throat. He barely managed to parry with a rusty blade, the clang of metal echoing through the silent garden.
Bai Wuxiáng moved with unnatural grace, intercepting my next attack. We traded blows, a furious dance of power and malice. Each strike was a calculated attempt to break the other, to crush their spirit and leave them broken on the ground.
The ground around us began to crack, the earth trembling under the force of our battle.
The few remaining peonies were crushed underfoot, their petals stained with blood.
My blood.
Their blood.
I could feel the wound Shijie's attacker had inflicted throbbing, a dull ache that threatened to overwhelm me. But I wouldn't falter. Not now. Not while they dared to breathe the same air as her.
"You think you can win?" Bai Wuxiáng hissed, his expression a mask of chilling calm. "You are nothing but a shadow of your former self. A pathetic creature clinging to a fleeting dream."
"My dream is all that matters," I snarled, pushing forward with renewed ferocity. I channeled all my rage, all my love for Shijie, into each strike. E'ming became an extension of my will, a weapon of pure vengeance.
Qi Rong, still reeling from my initial attack, tried to flank me. I spun, kicking him away with enough force to send him crashing into the fountain. He sputtered and cursed, scrambling to his feet.
"Two against one, Ghost King?" he sneered. "Not so tough now, are we?"
I laughed, a hollow, chilling sound. "I am not afraid of you. Both of you will fall." My butterflies intensified their assault, their wings blurring as they shredded Qi Rong's tattered robes. Bai Wuxiáng, however, remained a formidable opponent.
He blocked my every move, his movements precise and deadly.
He saw my weakness. I was still injured.
He pressed his advantage, striking with relentless force. I stumbled backward, E'ming barely deflecting his blows. He was trying to wear me down, to exhaust my spirit.
"Give up, Hua Cheng," he said, his voice almost a whisper. "She will only bring you pain. Let her go." "Never," I rasped, blood dripping from my lips. "I will never let her go." With a final surge of power, I unleashed my full strength.
The very air around us crackled with energy. My butterflies went into a frenzy, becoming a whirling vortex of crimson death. Bai Wuxiáng's eyes widened in surprise. He knew he was outmatched. He tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The butterflies descended, tearing at his robes, his flesh. He screamed, a sound that was both terrifying and strangely satisfying.
Qi Rong, seeing his companion's fall onto the ground, tried to flee. But I wouldn't let him nor the other escape. With a swift flick of my wrist, E'ming flew through the air, piercing his heart. He gasped, his eyes wide with disbelief, before collapsing into a lifeless heap.
Bai Wuxiáng, weakened and bleeding, lay on the ground, his body trembling. I stood over him, E'ming dripping with his blood.
"This," I said, my voice cold and devoid of emotion, "is what happens when you threaten what is mine." I raised E'ming, ready to deliver the final blow. But then, I paused. I looked down at Bai Wuxiáng, his face contorted in pain and fear.
No. This wasn't the way. Shijie wouldn't want this.
I lowered my sword. "Get out," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "And never come back."
Bai Wuxiáng didn't need to be told twice. He vanished into the shadows, leaving me alone in the ruined garden, surrounded by the bodies of my enemies and the shattered remains of my former life.
With those words spoken, Blood tears stream down my face. I slowly walked towards A-Yaó's room, where Yi Yu had finally woken up and was holding her tightly but protectively, so I motioned to him to look.
He did as told and gasped in relief to see me well.
"Master...are you..."
I cut him off, "I'm fine. For now, they won't be coming for her..." I managed a weak smile, trying to reassure him, but the blood staining my robes told a different story. "Help me to her," I croaked, my voice hoarse.
Yin Yu, ever loyal, carefully helped me inside A-Yao's room. Shijie was sitting up in bed, her eyes wide and filled with concern. The sight of her, safe and sound, was the only balm to my ravaged spirit.
"San Lang!" she cried, reaching out to me. I knelt beside the bed, gently taking her hand in mine. Her touch, even through the lingering pain, grounded me. "I'm here, Shijie," I murmured, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "I'm here."
She cupped my face in her hands, her thumbs wiping away the trails of blood tears. "What happened? What did they want from me, gege?" I hesitated, not wanting to frighten her further. But knowing her, she would want to know the truth.
"They came for you," I said, my voice low. "Qi Rong and Bai Wuxiáng. They wanted to hurt you."
Her large emerald green eyes flashed with a brief spark of anger, quickly replaced by worry. "But you...you're hurt." "It's nothing," I lied, attempting a dismissive wave of my hand, which earned me a pointed look from Yin Yu. "Just a few scratches."
She didn't believe me, of course.
Shijie never did.
"Let me see," she insisted, gently pulling my robes aside to examine the wound on my side. Her fingers brushed against the raw flesh, sending a jolt of pain through me. Her eyes filled with concern. "Yaó sees that this is more than just a scratch. Mr. Yu needs to get you healed."
"Later," I said, stubbornly. "Right now, I just want to be here with you." Yin Yu cleared his throat. "Master, with all due respect, you can't just ignore your injuries. You need to rest and recover. You won't be able to protect her if you're not at your best."
He was right, of course. But the thought of leaving Shijie's side, even for a moment, filled me with dread. "I'll stay," Yin Yu offered. "I won't let anything happen to her." I looked at him, his face etched with sincerity. I knew I could trust him with Shijie's safety.
"Alright," I conceded, reluctantly. "But promise me you'll call me if anything changes."
"I promise, Master," he said, nodding solemnly.
With a final, lingering glance at Shijie, Yin Yu helped me back to my chambers, where exhaustion pulled me into a fitful sleep. The battle replayed in my mind: flashes of steel and crimson, the taste of blood, the echo of screams.
Seeing Shijie's terrified face and the unexpected awakening of her powers sent a wave of protectiveness surging through me.
I would do anything, anything at all, to keep her safe. Even if it meant facing the wrath of the heavens themselves. She was my everything, my reason for existing. And I would never, ever, let her go.
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Awwww, that's so beautiful! But the fight between Hua Cheng and the other two famous calamities (Qi Rong and Bai Wuxiang) was so intense that they almost destroyed the small garden that Hua Cheng had built for his famous actions.