The Lost Prince Returns

Ne Zha, distracted by the chaos of the search, didn't notice Niao's approach until it was almost too late. A surge of strange, powerful energy slammed into his back, sending him tumbling through the air before he regained control.

"Use the techniques I taught you!" Niao's 'father' shouted from behind, his voice filled with anticipation.

Niao's hands moved in complex patterns, channeling a form of cultivation Ne Zha had never encountered before. Waves of energy, neither fire nor ice but something in between, pulsed towards the Heavenly Emperor.

Ne Zha's eyes blazed with fury as he righted himself. "You!" he roared, his voice shaking the very air. "Are you the one who took my son?"

Niao remained silent, his face a mask of determination as he continued his assault. Ne Zha's expression darkened, taking the silence as admission of guilt.

"You'll pay for every moment of suffering you've caused," Ne Zha growled, his six arms flexing as he launched his counterattack.

The sky erupted into a maelstrom of fire and strange energy. Ne Zha's fire-tipped spear clashed against barriers of Niao's unique power, sending shockwaves across the town. Buildings trembled, windows shattered, as the two forces collided.

Niao moved with incredible speed and grace, his years of training evident in every fluid motion. He dodged Ne Zha's flaming attacks, retaliating with bursts of energy that seemed to distort the very fabric of reality where they struck.

Ne Zha, caught off guard by the unexpected power of his opponent, found himself genuinely challenged for the first time in centuries. His divine fire met Niao's strange cultivation in explosive collisions, lighting up the sky like a second sun.

"Stop!" Xiaohei screamed from below, his voice lost in the thunderous battle.

But neither combatant heard him. Ne Zha, driven by rage and grief, unleashed the full might of his godhood. The wind and fire wheels beneath his feet spun faster, creating a vortex of flame around him. His spear became a blur of motion, each strike powerful enough to level mountains.

The battle raged on, but despite Niao's incredible skill and strange cultivation, he was no match for the full might of the Heavenly Emperor. Ne Zha's attacks grew more intense, more precise, as he channeled millennia of combat experience and divine power into each strike.

Niao, exhausted and overwhelmed, finally faltered. Ne Zha saw his opening and moved in for the killing blow, his fire-tipped spear blazing with godly fury as he lunged forward.

In that split second, Xiaohei made his decision. With cat-like speed, he threw himself over Niao's battered body, shielding him from Ne Zha's attack. In the same motion, he activated his domain expansion, enveloping both himself and the unconscious Niao in a shimmering portal.

Ne Zha's spear met empty air as Xiaohei and Niao vanished, leaving the Heavenly Emperor bewildered and enraged. He had never encountered such magic before and found himself unable to follow or dispel it.

Inside the domain, now resembling a peaceful meadow, Xiaohei gently laid Niao down. The young man was bruised and bloodied but still breathing. "I'm sorry," Xiaohei whispered, "but I couldn't let him kill you."

Steeling himself, Xiaohei prepared to return to the real world. He had to confront Ne Zha, had to make him understand before it was too late. With one last look at Niao, Xiaohei disappeared.

But as he materialized in the town, ready to call out to Ne Zha, he was met with a scene of renewed chaos. Ne Zha was engaged in another fierce battle, this time with Niao's 'father'.

The man moved with inhuman speed and grace, his attacks infused with the same strange energy Niao had wielded. Dark power crackled around him as he matched Ne Zha blow for blow, his face twisted in a mixture of rage and triumph.

"Where is he?" Ne Zha roared, his six arms a blur of motion as he fended off the new attacker. "What have you people done with my son?"

Xiaohei stood frozen, the doll still clutched in his arms, as he watched the two powerful beings clash above the ruined town. He knew he held the key to unraveling this entire misunderstanding, but with the battle raging so fiercely, he didn't know how to make them listen.

The battle between Ne Zha and Niao's 'father' escalated rapidly, their clash sending shockwaves through the town. Buildings crumbled, streets cracked, and the air itself seemed to warp with the intensity of their power.

Xiaohei, desperately trying to intervene, found himself caught in the crossfire. A stray blast of energy sent him hurtling through the air, crashing through the wall of a nearby house with enough force to knock the breath from his lungs.

As the dust settled, Xiaohei realized he was in Niao's house, but in a room he'd never seen before. It was hidden away, walls lined with strange artifacts and scrolls covered in arcane writings. In the center stood a pedestal, holding what looked like a fragment of a celestial weapon.

As Xiaohei surveyed the hidden room, a sense of dread washed over him. The chains hanging from the ceiling, the array of weapons lining the walls, the various training instruments - it all painted a disturbing picture of Niao's upbringing.

But it was what he found next that made his blood run cold.

Before Xiaohei could process what he was seeing, a tremendous crash echoed from outside. He scrambled to the window just in time to see Ne Zha plummeting into the distant ocean, thrown there by a devastating attack from Niao's 'father'.

The man stood triumphant for a moment, his dark energy swirling around him like a malevolent aura. Then, his head snapped towards Niao's house. "Niao!" he called out, his voice carrying an edge of urgency. "Where are you, boy?"

Xiaohei's heart raced as he watched the man begin to search for Niao. He knew Ne Zha wouldn't stay down for long, but even a few moments of incapacitation could be disastrous. His eyes darted between the strange room he found himself in and the scene outside, his mind racing to connect the pieces of this complex puzzle.

Shaken to his core, Xiaohei knew they had to leave immediately. He quickly returned to his domain expansion where Niao was just regaining consciousness.

"We have to go," Xiaohei said urgently, already moving to dispel the domain. "Now, Niao. We can't stay here."

Niao, still groggy and confused, began to protest, but Xiaohei grabbed his arm tightly. "There's no time to explain. We have to leave NOW."

Just as Xiaohei was about to pull Niao away, a familiar voice froze him in place.

"Step away from him, Niao," Niao's 'father' said, his voice deceptively calm but laced with menace. "This spirit is working with the emperor. He's our enemy."

Niao hesitated, torn between the trust he'd always had in his father and the friendship he'd formed with Xiaohei. He didn't immediately move away, his eyes darting between Xiaohei and his father.

"Don't listen to him, Niao," Xiaohei pleaded, his voice shaking slightly. "Everything you've been told... it's not what you think."

"Silence!" Niao's father snapped, dark energy crackling around his hands. "Niao, come here now. Don't let this deceiver poison your mind."

Niao stood frozen, the weight of his entire life's purpose warring with the doubts that had been growing since Xiaohei entered his life. His hand trembled in Xiaohei's grip, but he didn't pull away.

"Niao, please," Xiaohei whispered, locking eyes with his friend. "Trust me. Just this once, please trust me."

Xiaohei tightened his grip on Niao's arm, desperation clear in his voice. "Please, Niao, come with me."

Niao's 'father' grew visibly irritated at his son's hesitation. "Niao," he said, his voice sharp with authority, "remember who your family is. Who raised you, trained you, prepared you for your destiny."

Something in Xiaohei snapped. "He's not your father!" he shouted, his voice cracking with the weight of the truth. "He's been lying to you!"

Niao's eyes widened in shock and confusion. For a moment, doubt flickered across his face as he considered the possibility that Xiaohei was manipulating him. But when he looked into Xiaohei's eyes, saw the raw panic and sincerity there, something deep within him stirred. A long-buried instinct told him that Xiaohei was telling the truth.

Terrified by the implications, Niao began to slowly back away from the man he'd called father his entire life. His mind raced, memories and questions colliding in a whirlwind of uncertainty.

"Niao," his 'father' said, his voice now dangerously calm, "don't listen to this spirit's lies. He's trying to turn you against me, against your purpose. Come here. Now."

But Niao remained frozen beside Xiaohei, his body trembling slightly as he stared at the man who had raised him.

Anger flashed in the man's eyes. "Enough of this nonsense," he growled, striding forward to grab Niao.

In that instant, Xiaohei made his decision. He yanked Niao backwards, spinning him around. "Run!" he yelled, pushing Niao ahead of him as they took off.

They sprinted away, Xiaohei's hand still firmly gripping Niao's arm as they navigated the destruction-strewn streets. Behind them, they could hear Niao's 'father' shouting in rage, the sound of his pursuit driving them to run faster.

"Where are we going?" Niao gasped as they ran, his voice tight with fear and confusion.

"Anywhere but here," Xiaohei replied, his eyes darting around for an escape route.

As they ran, Niao glanced back and saw his 'father' rapidly closing the distance, his face contorted with rage. 

"He's catching up!" Niao cried out in panic.

Without breaking stride, Xiaohei's form began to shift and grow. In seconds, he had transformed into a massive white tiger, his muscles rippling with power beneath his striped coat. He ducked under Niao, scooping the young man onto his back.

"Hold on!" Xiaohei growled, his pace quickening as they tore through the streets.

Niao clung tightly to Xiaohei's fur, his heart pounding in his chest. He risked another look back and felt his blood run cold. His 'father' was no longer human-shaped but had become a writhing mass of shadowy tendrils, slithering and undulating as it pursued them with terrifying speed.

"Xiaohei, he's getting closer!" Niao shouted, fear evident in his voice.

Instinctively, Niao leaned forward, burying his hands deep in Xiaohei's fur. Suddenly, a strange sensation coursed through his body. Electricity crackled at his fingertips, flowing from his hands into Xiaohei's form.

Xiaohei let out a surprised roar as his white fur began to glow, shimmering with an otherworldly light show of colors - purples, blues, and silvers swirling in mesmerizing patterns. The surge of energy propelled him forward with incredible speed, his paws barely touching the ground as they flew through the town.

The world blurred around them, buildings and debris becoming indistinct streaks as Xiaohei's enhanced speed carried them forward. The howling of the shadow creature that was Niao's 'father' grew fainter behind them.

"What... what's happening?" Niao gasped, both exhilarated and terrified by the sudden burst of power.

"I don't know," Xiaohei replied, his voice a deep rumble beneath Niao. "But don't let go!"

As they raced through the town, leaving the shadowy pursuer far behind, both Niao and Xiaohei marveled at this unexpected manifestation of power.

Xiaohei's enhanced speed carried them through the town, buildings blurring past as they fled. Niao clung tightly to the tiger's glowing fur, the wind whipping through his hair as they outpaced the shadowy form of his 'father'.

"I think we're losing him!" Niao shouted, hope rising in his chest.

But Xiaohei's keen senses picked up on something Niao couldn't yet see. The scent of salt grew stronger, and the sound of crashing waves began to overpower the wind rushing past them.

"Hold on!" Xiaohei growled, trying to slow their breakneck pace.

They burst through a line of trees, and suddenly the ground dropped away before them. Xiaohei skidded to a halt, his claws digging into the earth at the edge of a sheer cliff. The ocean roared far below, waves crashing against jagged rocks.

"No," Niao breathed, sliding off Xiaohei's back as the tiger returned to his humanoid form. "We're trapped."

Xiaohei positioned himself protectively in front of Niao, his ears flattened against his head as he faced the way they had come. "Stay behind me," he said, his voice tense.

The trees at the edge of the clearing began to warp and twist, darkness seeping between them like living smoke. The shadows coalesced, forming into the familiar and terrifying shape of Niao's 'father'.

"There's nowhere left to run," he snarled, his voice distorted and inhuman. "It's time to end this foolish rebellion, Niao. Come back to me now, and I might forgive this... lapse in judgment."

Niao pressed closer to Xiaohei, his body trembling but his resolve firm.

The man's face contorted with fury. He raised his hand, dark energy gathering in his palm as he prepared to strike. But before he could unleash his attack, the sky behind Niao and Xiaohei suddenly blazed with light.

A massive fireball, as bright as the sun itself, roared over their heads. The heat was intense, causing both Niao and Xiaohei to duck instinctively. The fireball collided with Niao's 'father' with devastating force, engulfing him in flames.

The impact of Ne Zha's attack was cataclysmic. The force of the collision sent the two of them smashing through the treeline like a meteor striking the earth. Ancient trees, their trunks as wide as houses, splintered and toppled under the onslaught, their branches igniting from the divine fire that engulfed their figures.

Xiaohei and Niao were thrown back by the shockwave, the ground bucking beneath their feet as they struggled to maintain their footing. The once peaceful clifftop had been transformed into a hellscape of shattered wood and burning foliage.

As the initial burst of fire cleared, they saw Ne Zha, his six arms manifest and crackling with divine energy. He had Niao's 'father' by the head, driving him backward and grinding his face into the ground as they skidded to a halt across the cliff top, leaving a smoldering trail in their wake.

Niao's father, dazed and battered, tried to muster a counterattack. But Ne Zha was relentless. He grabbed the shadowy figure, his divine fire surging forth in an inescapable torrent of heat and light. Niao's father screamed as the flames consumed him, his agonized screams echoing across the devastated landscape, his form disintegrating like paper in a bonfire until nothing remained but ash on the wind.

Xiaohei and Niao could only watch in horror. The intensity of the fire was such that they had to shield their eyes, the heat blistering even at a distance.

As the smoke dissipated, an eerie silence settled over the clifftop. For a moment, all they could see was the raging inferno where Niao's father had been. The flames rose high into the sky, the smoke thick and choking. It seemed as if the fire would burn forever, a testament to Ne Zha's unbridled fury.

But then, a figure began to emerge from the heart of the conflagration. At first, it was just a silhouette, a shadow against the blazing backdrop. But as it drew closer, the figure's features became increasingly clear.

It was Ne Zha, his body still wreathed in flames, his eyes glowing with divine light. As he strode forward, he reached out and grasped a half-burned, half-fallen tree trunk, his fingers digging into the charred wood.

The tree, as thick as a man's torso, crumbled under his grip. As Ne Zha passed, his hand still clenched around the trunk, a large chunk of the wood was ripped away, disintegrating to ash in his wake.

He advanced on Xiaohei and Niao, his face a mask of barely contained rage. The ground smoldered beneath his feet, the air shimmering with the heat that radiated from his form. In that moment, he was less a man and more a force of nature, an embodiment of divine wrath that threatened to consume everything in his path.

With a gesture, Ne Zha summoned his fire-tipped spear, the weapon flying to his hand with deadly precision. His gaze fixed on Xiaohei, a look of betrayal flashing across his features before settling into cold fury.

"Your Majesty, wait-" Xiaohei began, but his words were cut short as Ne Zha drew back his arm, aiming the spear directly at them.

Time seemed to slow as the spear left Ne Zha's hand, hurtling towards them with divine speed and power. Niao, acting on pure instinct, threw up his hands in a desperate attempt to defend himself and Xiaohei.

Suddenly, the sky split open. A massive bolt of purple lightning, unlike anything they had ever seen, crashed down from the heavens. It struck Ne Zha's spear mid-flight, the collision creating a blinding flash and a thunderous boom that shook the cliff. The deflected spear clattered to the ground, skidding to a stop at Ne Zha's feet.

For a moment, everyone stood frozen in shock. Ne Zha and Xiaohei stared at Niao, their eyes wide with disbelief. Niao looked at his own hands, trembling slightly, as if seeing them for the first time.

The moment of stunned silence was broken as Ne Zha's expression darkened once more. Flames erupted around his clenched fists, the heat intense enough to distort the air around him as he resumed his approach.

"Your Majesty, please!" Xiaohei shouted, desperately trying to be heard over the roar of the flames. "There's something you need to know! About Niao-"

But Ne Zha seemed beyond listening, his grief and rage having consumed him entirely. He continued his advance, each step bringing him closer to unleashing his divine wrath upon them.

Ne Zha retrieved his spear with a casual flick of his wrist, the weapon flying back to his hand as if drawn by an invisible force. His eyes, burning with divine fury, locked onto Xiaohei and Niao. In a blur of motion almost too fast to follow, Ne Zha leapt into the air, his spear poised to deliver a devastating blow.

Time seemed to slow as the spear descended towards the two teenagers. Xiaohei braced himself, knowing he stood no chance against the Heavenly Emperor's might but determined to protect Niao to his last breath.

Suddenly, a flash of blue cut through the air between them. Ne Zha's body froze mid-strike, his spear stopping mere inches from a pair of familiar eyes - eyes he had gazed into countless times, eyes he thought he might never see focused again.

There, standing protectively in front of Xiaohei and Niao, was Ao Bing. His arms were outstretched, palms facing Ne Zha in a defensive gesture. The Dragon Empress, who had been catatonic for so long, now stood tall and resolute, his eyes clear and filled with a fierce determination.

Ne Zha's flames sputtered and died as shock overtook him. "A-Bing?" he whispered, his voice cracking with disbelief. "How... when..."

But before Ne Zha could fully process his husband's presence, Ao Bing's next words turned his world upside down.

"I won't let you hurt our son!" Ao Bing shouted, his voice ringing with maternal fury and protection.

Ne Zha's arms lowered slowly, the spear's tip dragging on the ground as he struggled to comprehend what he was hearing. "Our... son?" he repeated, his eyes darting between Ao Bing and the young man behind him.

Ao Bing lowered his arms as Ne Zha's stance relaxed, but he didn't move from his protective position. His gaze remained fixed on Ne Zha, a mixture of love, pain, and fierce determination in his eyes.

"Ne Zha," Ao Bing said, his voice softer now but no less intense, "look at him. Really look. Can't you see it? Can't you feel it? That's our Ao Lui."

Ne Zha's brow furrowed in confusion. "But... our Ao Lui, he looked nothing like..." His voice trailed off as he glanced between Ao Bing and Niao, trying to reconcile the image of their purple-haired infant son with the black-haired young man before him.

Ne Zha stared at Niao, his mind reeling with the implications of Ao Bing's words. He took a step back, his eyes darting between his husband and the young man who stood before them. The idea that this stranger could be their long-lost son seemed impossible, almost too good to be true.

"Ao Bing," Ne Zha said slowly, his voice strained with disbelief, "I want to believe you. I do. But how can this be our Ao Lui? He looks nothing like the baby we lost. And his powers... I've never seen anything like that lightning before."

Ao Bing turned to Ne Zha, his eyes filled with understanding and patience. "It's been years since Ao Lui was taken from us. He's grown, changed. And who knows what dark magic was used to conceal his true appearance?"

Niao stared blankly at Ne Zha and Ao Bing, his mind reeling from the implications of their words. He felt like he'd been punched in the gut, his breath knocked out of him. "What...what are you saying?" he stuttered, his eyes darting between the two men. He shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs. "I don't understand…I-" 

Unable to finish his sentence, Niao's gaze lingered on Ne Zha, unsure of what to say or do next. He felt like his whole world was being turned upside down.

Xiaohei, sensing Niao's distress, stepped forward cautiously. "Your Majesty, if I may..." He reached into his robes and pulled out the doll he had found beneath Niao's floorboards - the doll with the distinctive purple yarn hair.

Ne Zha's brow furrowed as he saw the doll, confusion and hope warring across his features. Hesitantly, he took the doll from Xiaohei, turning it over in his grasp.

The scrap of blanket caught his attention immediately. Ne Zha's breath hitched as he traced the familiar pattern with his fingertips, a pattern he had seen countless times as he sat beside Ao Bing's unresponsive form, the torn baby blanket clutched in his husband's hands.

"This... this blanket," Ne Zha murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "It's from..."

Ao Bing nodded, "From Ao Lui's nursery."

Niao, who had been silent throughout the emotional exchange, suddenly spoke up. His voice was hesitant, almost fearful, as if he were afraid of the answer he might receive.

"Where... where did you get that doll?" he asked, his eyes fixed on the purple-haired toy in Ne Zha's hands.

Xiaohei stepped forward, his expression gentle as he addressed Niao. "I found it in your house," he explained softly. "Hidden beneath the floorboards in your room."

Niao's eyes widened as he stared at the doll, memories flooding back to him. "I... I made that doll," he said softly, his voice trembling with emotion. "When I was very young."

Everyone turned to look at him, surprise and curiosity written across their faces. Niao took a deep breath, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides as he tried to put his fragmented memories into words.

"I found some old baby clothes hidden away in our house," he continued, his gaze distant as he recalled the discovery. "They were different from anything I had ever seen before - softer, more delicate. It was just a scrap, so I used it to make the doll."

Niao reached up, his fingers brushing against his jet-black hair. "The purple yarn... it was my hair. Before Fa- before that man made me conceal it. My hair used to be purple, just like the doll's."

"You made this…?" Ne Zha whispered, holding up the doll with trembling hands. "With your hair?"

Niao could only nod silently.

Sensing the gravity of the moment, Xiaohei quietly stepped back, giving the family space. His eyes remained fixed on the scene, watching as years of deception began to unravel.

Ao Bing turned slowly to face Niao, his movements careful and deliberate. His hands trembled as he reached out, gently cupping Niao's face. Niao flinched at the contact, his body tense and eyes wide with uncertainty.

"I felt it, Ne Zha. When our Ao Lui used his lightning for the first time, I felt a surge of energy unlike anything I've ever experienced before." 

He placed a hand over his heart, as if he could still feel the echoes of that moment. "It was like a bolt of electricity shooting through my very being. I could feel the heat of the lightning, the raw power of it vibrating in my bones. And in that instant, I knew exactly where to go."

For a long moment, Ao Bing simply stared at Niao's face, drinking in every detail. His thumbs gently traced Niao's cheekbones, his eyes searching for something in the young man's features. Suddenly, tears welled up in Ao Bing's eyes, spilling over as recognition and love flooded his expression.

Without warning, Ao Bing pulled Niao into a tight embrace, his body shaking with silent sobs. "My son," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "My precious Ao Lui."

Niao stood rigid in Ao Bing's arms, his own hands hanging limply at his sides. His face was a mask of confusion and conflict, unable to fully process the situation. The warmth of Ao Bing's embrace was foreign to him, so different from the cold discipline he had known all his life.

Ne Zha watched the scene unfold, his own emotions a turbulent mix of hope, disbelief, and lingering confusion. He took a hesitant step forward, his hand reaching out as if to touch Niao, but stopping short.

"How can this be?" Ne Zha asked, his voice barely above a whisper. 

Ao Bing loosened his grip on Niao but didn't fully let go, turning slightly to face Ne Zha. "Ne Zha," he said, his voice steady despite his tears. "Look into his eyes. Our son is here."

As Ao Bing held Niao in his embrace, he slowly reached up, his hand glowing with a soft, pale blue light. With a gentle touch, he stroked Niao's hair, his magic weaving through the strands like a tender caress. 

Under Ao Bing's touch, Niao's appearance began to shift. His jet-black hair slowly transformed, the color bleeding away to reveal a beautiful light purple. It also took on new shape, becoming wild and full of waves, a stark contrast to the straight, jet-black locks he had worn in his human disguise. 

Ao Bing's fingers gently ran through his hair, marveling at their texture and volume, like a physical manifestation of the vibrant, unrestrained spirit that had always been present within his son, even when suppressed.

His eyes, once a deep brown, now shimmered with a magenta hue, as if reflecting the very essence of his divine heritage.

Niao's ears elongated slightly, taking on a more pointed appearance, while small horns emerged from his forehead, curling elegantly like a crown. These features, once hidden and suppressed, now appeared as naturally as if they had always been there, an integral part of Niao's true self.

The magic Ao Bing used was subtle, a gentle coaxing rather than a forceful change. It was as if he was simply unveiling what had always been present, peeling away the layers of deception to reveal the truth beneath.

Ne Zha, witnessing this extraordinary transformation, felt his knees buckle beneath him. He sank to the ground, his eyes wide with disbelief and wonder.

Niao, feeling the changes ripple through his body, pulled back from Ao Bing's embrace. He looked down at his hands, his fingernails long and sharp with the tips being imbued with a subtle purple color. He reached up, touching his pointed ears and newly emerged horns with trembling fingers. His expression was a mixture of wonder and fear, as if seeing himself for the first time.

Ao Bing kept one hand on Niao's cheek, the other continuing to stroke his now-purple hair. "My beautiful boy," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.

"How... how did you know?" Niao asked quietly, his voice shaking. "My- that man told me to keep this form hidden. He said I was... a monster."

At these words, both Ne Zha and Ao Bing flinched, pain and anger flashing across their faces.

Xiaohei stepped forward cautiously, his voice gentle but firm. "Niao, these are your real parents. The man who raised you... he wasn't your father."

"I found a journal," Xiaohei continued, his tail twitching nervously. "In a hidden room in your house. It detailed everything - how he took you, how he's been manipulating you all these years. You're not a monster, Niao. You're Ao Lui, the lost prince of heaven."

Niao stood frozen, his mind reeling as he tried to process this information. The world as he knew it was crumbling around him, replaced by a truth so fantastic it seemed impossible to believe.

Ne Zha finally found his voice, reaching out a tentative hand towards his son. "Ao Lui...is this really Ao Lui?"

Xiaohei nodded firmly, his green eyes shining with certainty. "Yes, Your Majesty. It's him. I'll say it as many times as you need to hear it."

Ao Bing, overcome with emotion, pulled Ao Lui close once more. He cradled the young man's head against his chest, just as he had done with the baby blanket for all those lonely years. The familiar motion seemed to unlock something in Ao Lui's heart.

Ao Lui felt his eyes begin to water, the enormity of the moment finally crashing over him. Slowly, hesitantly, he allowed his arms to wrap around Ao Bing's waist. Feeling this tentative embrace, Ao Bing only held him tighter, a soft sob escaping his lips.

Ne Zha stood, cautiously approaching his husband and newly-found son. Ao Lui peeked out from Ao Bing's embrace, his magenta eyes meeting Ne Zha's. In that moment, something primal and long-buried stirred within Ao Lui. He reached out towards Ne Zha, his gesture reminiscent of an infant seeking comfort from a parent.

Ne Zha's composure shattered. He stumbled forward, enveloping both Ao Bing and Ao Lui in his arms. His body shook with heavy sobs as he buried his face in Ao Lui's purple hair, breathing in the scent of the son he'd thought lost forever.

The three of them stood there at the edge of the cliff, clinging to each other as if afraid the others might vanish if they let go. Ao Lui found himself sandwiched between his parents, feeling the warmth of their embrace and the wetness of their tears. It was a foreign sensation, this all-encompassing love, but something deep within him recognized it as right, as home.

Time seemed to stand still as they held each other. The wind off the ocean whipped around them, carrying away years of grief and separation. Ao Lui's rigid posture gradually softened, his body melting into the embrace of his true parents.

Xiaohei watched from a respectful distance, his own eyes misting over at the sight of this family reunion. He knew there would be challenges ahead, explanations needed, and wounds to heal. But for now, in this moment, love had triumphed over the lies and manipulations that had kept them apart for so long.

The lost prince had finally come home.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​