Chapter 51

It seemed everyone in their party had the same idea, turning around to point at where the voice came from.

But everyone turned a different way. Everyone's back turned to each other. "Hsien Lian." XingYing said softly, the god lifting his hand up. "Xui!" The Floral God yelled, a light blue string light spirit flying out of his sleeve. Swiftly the spirit flew, scanning the entire field for ghosts. Suddenly, the spirit wrapped its tail around something invisible, coiling as its head swung to swaddle the figure.

A loud scream erupted through the tense hair, as Chun He hesitantly lowered his dao first. "Is that her?" Chun He asked hesitantly, before XingYing stepped up, sheathing his own dao. "Demons can turn invisible, so I would believe so." XingYing explained, as Hsien Lian walked towards the demon. Xui shook as it revealed Hua Huang's thin figure. "Xui, illuminate." Hsein Lian said carefully, and on command the spirit began to glow. It's blue lighting spreading to all sides of the demon, creating a light blue silhouette.

Her head was shaking, her arms reaching up to hold the important body part. Her mouth moved in a fashion unrecognizable to any person. Erratic, scared, worried. Those were what showed through the silhouette. Her hair is crazy and standing tall, strands flowing in all different directions, as if she was striked by the fiercest of lightning. Her movements were never slugged, the demon moving with abnormal speed as her head shook faster than sound, her hanfu swinging at her turbulent movements.

Suddenly, much closer than boht Xui and the silhouette, a young woman stood before the four men. Her hair long and curled just to perfection. Her face painted with beauty. Her body slim and proportional, with red long drapes flowing down her tall form. She kept her head up high, her lips in a light pink tint, with eyes as bright as the full moon. She had her hands on her hips as she looked at the four.

"What a favored appearance from Heaven's Deities. To see the greatest of heroes find me. Such a serendipitous day it truely is." She said favorably, the silhouette freezing at the girl. It stayed frozen, as if the glowing blue lady was painted in a still picture. Her head turned to XingYing, her smile only widening, showing her glowing white teeth. "Oh, great ghost. It must be understood how valued your time is. To hunt for such a pitiful foe, how could you ever be so gratuitous!" The young woman continued. XingYing kept his head up as he looked to the girl. "Hua Huang, I presume? Such a day as this, we have come to fight. For your death is hereafter." XingYing's voice was tense, Hsien Lian knew well. But he didn't say a word about it, instead lining up his dao to the demoness's heart. Though, she placed her hand on to her chest, a darkened frown on her face.

"As I have said in my rhyme, you will meet me at my death. But you will not see my human body, instead you will see the powerful demoness's death. As death by suicide seems easier than death by a god's touch." Hua Huang clarified, walking forward. She walked to Chang Bo, the god standing strong as he looked down at her. "Sun God, please understand. My death, my tale, is very important to me. No stratagem will be used, Flower God's spirit has made sure of it. Allow me to die gracefully to my own hands." She begged, her hand lowering as she laid to her knees. "I have been granted a prodigious opportunity to live after my days were counted. Yet, this opportunity only became a burdening task for someone as me. Vengeful was I, but vindictive I was not."

"But you became a demoness, did you not? You have stolen the souls of hundreds for your own crimes, is that not vindictive?" Chun He asked suspiciously, though Hua Huang looked up at Chun He from her position on the thought, frozen soil. "I have grown old and wise, understanding that death will come to me either way. If I kill the ones that have wronged me, else shall I do?" She sighs, her head lowering to the cold ground. She placed a hand over the soil. "My heart was once bitter and frozen, but now it longs for the youth that was promised by my dear father." She continued, her straight and stilled hair falling off her back and onto the cold ground.

"So why? Why must you write riddles, why must you lead on Heaven's Deities, just to be dead by your own hands?" Hsien Lian's question made the demon slowly stand, walking over to the god. "Floral God, you have left the Han Dynasty with hundreds of new inventions. You were the cure to the inventiveness plague. You have left a legacy, a tale for others to tell many years later. Shall I not crave a similar life as you? One that will live on, and be thanked at dawn? I shall not be killed and forgotten."

Hsien Lian couldn't help but understand where Hua Huang's thought process came from. Hsien Lian lowered his head for a moment, before nodding. "I understand. But is death the best road to take?" Hsien Lian asked, his voice much softer than before. Hua Huang went silent for a moment, before nodding. "Death is gain, for my life is full of misery." Hua Huang smiled. Hsien Lian frowned at her words, but he shortly nodded.

"Hua Huang, we shall allow you to die in peace. We will not dare stop you." XingYing sighed, as Hua Huang smiled at him. "Thank you, I truly hope…" Her voice trailed off as she turned around, looking at herself. Frozen in time, the blue glimmer of Xui still wrapped around her body, illuminating the double. Hua Huang sighed before continuing. "I can save myself." Hua Huang mumbles softly, before turning to XingYing. "Others are scared of your face, but I see you as a mighty king. Continue to fight." Hua Huang smiles once more, XingYing staring at her. Hsien Lian felt Chun He tug lightly on his sleeve. Hsien Lian looked over, seeing Chang Bo haing already made a portal. "Let's go." He said kindly. Hsien Lian nodded, grabbing XingYing's attention. The two gods and ghost step inside the portal.

As Hsien Lian walk through the golden barrier, he hears a loud screech, a sound that shatters bones to pieces. A horrific sound that Hsien Lian has feared hearing. He didn't turn back to look, instead stepping into the portal. It shuts behind him, silence engulfing the vast field. Hsien Lian sighs, his head lowered as he felt the soft drift of wind blow past him. THe farms and the flowers both bright and blossomed. Hsien Lian looked up, turning his head to look around the area. He couldn't help but feel comforted by the sight.

The Lavender Field.