Entering the New World

Once they were alone, Nu Jinhua seemed to shrink in on himself slightly, his formal posture becoming even more pronounced. "This one... this one does have the ability to descend," he admitted quietly, "but to bring another... it is strictly forbidden."

"Please," Ao Huli said, his carefully maintained composure cracking as he stepped forward and grasped Nu Jinhua's arms. "A soul will be lost if we cannot reach the mortal realm. An innocent person will suffer a fate worse than death."

Nu Jinhua's eyes widened at the sudden contact. He had never seen the eldest prince like this - the usual measured grace replaced by raw desperation. Ao Huli's face was close to his, magenta eyes intense with pleading. The flower spirit felt his face heat up at the proximity, unused to such direct interaction.

"Elder Huli," he stammered, his face burning even brighter. "This one... this one understands the gravity of the situation, but..."

The warmth of Ao Huli's hands on his arms was distracting, making it difficult to maintain his usual composure. This was so unlike the collected eldest prince he had come to know through his interactions with the twins. The urgency in Ao Huli's expression made Nu Jinhua's protests die in his throat.

"To defy such rules..." Nu Jinhua whispered, his eyes darting away from Ao Huli's intense gaze. "This one could lose all privileges to descend. This one's mother would be..."

He trailed off as Ao Huli's grip on his arms tightened slightly. The eldest prince's usual perfect composure had completely crumbled, revealing something raw and desperate beneath.

"I understand what I'm asking of you," Ao Huli said, his voice low and urgent. "I understand the risk. But please... if we don't act quickly, a soul will become untethered. Do you know what that means? What could happen?"

Nu Jinhua's eyes widened further. Of course he knew - he had heard it from his mother before- the horror stories of ghost kings, of souls twisted by improper separation from their bodies. His gaze met Ao Huli's again, seeing the weight of responsibility in those magenta eyes.

"This one..." Nu Jinhua started, "this one will help you….but… we must be quick, and careful."

Relief washed over Ao Huli's features. He released Nu Jinhua's arms, stepping back and immediately returning to his usual formal posture. "Thank you," he said, bowing deeply.

Nu Jinhua's face, which had just started to return to its normal color, flushed crimson again at the sight of the eldest prince bowing to him again.

"We should hurry," Nu Jinhua said, glancing nervously in the direction of the voices. "Before your brothers manage to escape again."

After agreeing to help, Nu Jinhua found himself hyper-aware of Ao Huli's every movement. The way the eldest prince's perfect posture had returned so seamlessly, the intensity in his magenta eyes, his graceful yet manly demeanor…

Nu Jinhua shook his head slightly, trying to clear these unwanted thoughts.

"This one will need a moment to prepare," Nu Jinhua managed to say, his voice slightly unsteady. He turned away quickly, pretending to busy himself with some nearby plants, hoping to hide his burning face.

But even with his back turned, he could feel Ao Huli's presence. The eldest prince's quiet dignity seemed to fill the space around them, making Nu Jinhua's hands tremble slightly as he gathered what they would need.

"This worthless one apologizes for the delay," he mumbled. He risked a glance at Ao Huli and immediately regretted it - the prince was watching him with those intense eyes, waiting patiently.

The journey to the soul sanctuary had been a delicate balance of haste and secrecy. Ao Min and Ao Fang's constant questions about their destination were met with vague responses, while Nu Jinhua found himself wedged between the younger twins and despite their incessant attempts to monopolize his attention, Nu Jinhua found his gaze repeatedly drawn to Ao Huli's dignified bearing. Each time he caught himself staring, he would quickly look away, only to find his eyes wandering back moments later.

"Why are we going to the soul sanctuary?" Ao Min demanded for the fifth time.

"Elder Huli has business with Master Yan Wang," Nu Jinhua replied automatically, his eyes once again drawn to Ao Huli's straight back.

"But why do you need to go?" Ao Fang pressed, tightening his grip on Nu Jinhua's arm.

Before Nu Jinhua could formulate a response, Ao Qing interrupted with a threat about turning them both into kites and letting them float away on the wind, effectively derailing their questioning.

When they finally reached the sanctuary, Ao Huli turned to his twin. "Stay here with our brothers," Ao Huli instructed Ao Qing quietly. "- and if our parents ask, tell them I'm assisting Master Yan Wang with an urgent task. I'll return as quickly as I can."

Ao Qing studied her twin's face for a moment before nodding. "Just don't get yourself killed in the mortal realm," she said, her usual bravado masking her concern. "I'd hate to have to explain that to Father Lui."

Inside the sanctuary, the atmosphere was heavy with tension. Yan Wang stood by the soul river, his usual imposing presence diminished by obvious exhaustion. Dark circles hung under his eyes, and his shoulders sagged slightly with the effort of maintaining the soul's stability.

Ao Huli immediately bowed deeply. "Master Yan Wang, we've returned with-"

"Save the formalities," Yan Wang snapped, though his voice lacked its usual bite. "Just get the soul and go. I can't maintain this much longer."

Nu Jinhua, caught between his ingrained propriety and the urgency of the situation, attempted a quick, awkward bow. "This humble one is Nu Jinhua, a lowly flower spirit-"

"Yes, yes," Yan Wang cut him off with an impatient wave. 

Ao Huli moved without further delay, stepping into the dark water of the soul river. The liquid seemed to part around him as he waded toward the flickering soul-light, his movements precise and controlled despite the unusual environment.

As Ao Huli's fingers brushed against the flickering soul-light, a surge of memories flooded his mind in a dizzying torrent. Hundreds upon hundreds of images flashed before his eyes in a fraction of a second, each one a tiny fragment of the life connected to this precious orb.

He saw the person kneeling at a makeshift altar, their hands trembling as they hastily tried to conceal the evidence of their worship. The fear in their movements as they waved frantically at the incense smoke - it all played out before Ao Huli once more, but this time overlapping hundreds of other memories, all competing for clarity in his mind.

Ao Huli's eyes widened in shock as recognition dawned on him. This was the same person he had witnessed days earlier through the mysterious mirror - the one who had been so desperately trying to conceal their forbidden worship.

The realization hit him like a physical blow, causing him to stumble back slightly in the dark waters of the soul river. His heart raced as he processed the implications of this discovery. What were the odds that the soul he was tasked with saving belonged to the very person whose private moment he had inadvertently intruded upon?

Amidst the whirlwind of memories, one scene stood out with startling clarity. Ao Huli found himself looking through the eyes of the soul's owner as they gazed into a mirror. For a brief, crucial moment, he caught a glimpse of the young man's face

Ao Huli pulled back, his breath catching in his throat. The soul-light pulsed gently in his palm, a tangible connection to the life he had just glimpsed. Shaking himself from his reverie, Ao Huli carefully extracted the soul-light from the lotus cradle, his hands trembling slightly.

As he emerged from the water, his robes clung to his form in a way that made Nu Jinhua's mouth go dry. The wet fabric revealed the strong lines of Ao Huli's shoulders, the defined muscles of his arms, the powerful curve of his-

Nu Jinhua slapped his own cheek sharply, the sound echoing in the sanctuary. "How dare this worthless one have such impure thoughts about Elder Huli!" he whispered furiously to himself. "This is a serious situation! Such improper observations are completely inappropriate!"

Yan Wang shot him a strange look, but Nu Jinhua was too mortified by his own thoughts to notice. He watched, face burning, as Ao Huli carefully extracted the soul-light from its lotus cradle and tucked it into his robes, positioning it over his heart.

The eldest prince approached Nu Jinhua, who was still struggling to control his blush. 

Forcing himself to focus, Nu Jinhua began the complex process of opening a portal to the mortal realm. His hands moved through the precise gestures required, though they still trembled slightly. 

"The portal only works in one direction," he explained, proud that his voice remained relatively steady. "Elder Huli will need to find another spirit in the mortal realm to assist with the return journey. Seasonal spirits should be easy to find - they're always about, tending to their duties."

Ao Huli nodded solemnly. "Thank you, Nu Jinhua," he said, his voice carrying a warmth that made Nu Jinhua's heart skip. "I won't forget this kindness."

Nu Jinhua ducked his head, partly in respect and partly to hide his face. "This one is honored to assist Elder Huli," he managed to say.

As the portal shimmered into existence before them, Yan Wang's gruff voice cut through the tension. "Ao Huli" he called out, his exhaustion evident in his tone, "Now that you have the soul, you must continue pouring your spiritual energy into it. It's the only way to slow down the decay."

Ao Huli nodded grimly, his wet robes still clinging to his form as he stepped toward the portal. The soul-light pulsed gently against his chest, its warmth a constant reminder of what was at stake.

"Wait!" Nu Jinhua blurted out, then immediately flushed at his own outburst. "This... this one means... Elder Huli should know that the descent can be... disorienting. Perhaps this worthless one should explain-"

"Just go," Yan Wang interrupted sharply. "Either he makes it or he doesn't."

Nu Jinhua's hands twisted anxiously in his robes as he watched Ao Huli approach the portal. The eldest prince paused at the threshold, turning back one last time.

"Thank you again," Ao Huli said softly, then stepped through the portal.

The moment he disappeared, Nu Jinhua's legs gave out. He sank to his knees, one hand pressed to his chest where his heart was racing. 

"Stop mooning over the boy and help me clean up this mess," Yan Wang's irritated voice broke through his thoughts.

Nu Jinhua's face blazed crimson as he scrambled to his feet. "This one wasn't- This one would never-" he stammered, but Yan Wang merely rolled his eyes and pointed to the scattered scrolls that needed organizing.

The descent through the portal was more violent than Ao Huli had expected. One moment he was stepping through the shimmering gateway, and the next he was plummeting through open air. The wind whipped his still-wet robes around him as he fell, giving him just enough time to register the impossible height of the buildings below before he slammed into the side of one.

The impact sent him ricocheting off the glass and steel structure. As he tumbled through the air, he struck something - a black line stretched between poles that crackled with lightning as he hit it. The collision sent him spinning into an alley, where he crashed into a collection of metal containers before finally losing consciousness.

When he came to, his head was spinning. The soul-light still pulsed steadily against his chest, which was a small comfort as he pushed himself to his feet. Nothing seemed broken - his immortal constitution had protected him from serious harm - but his dignity had certainly taken a blow.

Stepping out of the alley, Ao Huli froze, his usual composure completely deserting him as he took in the sight before him. The mirror's glimpses hadn't prepared him for the reality of the modern mortal realm. Buildings of impossible height stretched toward the sky, their surfaces entirely made of glass that reflected the sunlight like mirrors. They dwarfed even the grandest structures of the celestial realm, making him feel dizzyingly small.

Strange, enclosed carriages in various colors roared past at terrifying speeds, with no horses in sight. They moved in organized lines, stopping and starting at regular intervals when colored lights changed. The noise they made was unlike anything he'd ever heard - a constant rumble that seemed to vibrate through the ground beneath his feet.

People hurried past him on the street, but they were dressed so strangely. Gone were the flowing robes he was accustomed to, replaced by tight-fitting garments in various styles he couldn't begin to comprehend. Many of them held small, glowing rectangles in their hands - similar to what he'd seen through the mirror - and seemed completely absorbed in these devices as they walked.

"What is this?" he muttered, watching as a young woman spoke into one of these rectangles as if having a conversation with it.

The air itself felt different - thicker, filled with unfamiliar scents and an underlying tang that made his nose twitch. Strange boxes mounted on poles emitted artificial light, and somewhere above, a massive screen displayed moving images that made his head spin.

A loud horn blared behind him, making him jump. One of the horseless carriages had stopped in the middle of the road, its driver gesturing at him to move. Ao Huli quickly stepped back onto what appeared to be designated walking paths along the sides of the road, his heart racing.

He pressed a hand against the soul-light in his robes, trying to center himself. He had a mission to complete, but how was he supposed to navigate this bewildering version of the mortal realm? How could anything be familiar when everything had changed so dramatically?

As if to underscore his disorientation, a massive metal bird roared overhead, causing him to instinctively drop into a defensive stance. Several passersby gave him odd looks, but quickly returned to their glowing rectangles, apparently unfazed by the metal monster in the sky.

"The mortal realm has become..." he trailed off, unable to find words to describe the shocking transformation he was witnessing. He needed to find this soul's owner, but where would he even begin in this maze of glass and steel?

Pushing through the sea of strangers, Ao Huli's eyes scanned the faces passing by, searching for any sign of recognition or connection to the soul. But the people hurried past him, lost in their own worlds and oblivious to the celestial visitor in their midst.

As he pondered his next move, he heard a small child call out from behind him. "Look, mommy! Is he a ninja?" Ao Huli turned to find a small mortal child pointing at him with wide eyes, tugging on their parent's sleeve insistently. The parent glanced over and stifled a gasp at Ao Huli's ethereal appearance, mistaking his celestial robes for a costume. "Oh, isn't that cute! You must be on your way to a cosplay event, huh? Very impressive," the parent said with a smile, completely unaware of the true nature of the being standing before them. Ao Huli blinked in confusion, unsure of how to respond to this unexpected interaction. The child's curiosity seemed innocent enough, but he couldn't afford to attract too much attention in this unfamiliar world. Reluctantly nodding in agreement with the parent's assumption, Ao Huli gave a slight bow before excusing himself and quickly moving away.

He could already tell his ethereal appearance was attracting more stares from passersby, some openly pointing and whispering to each other. Ducking into a nearby alley to avoid the intense scrutiny, Ao Huli took a moment to collect himself.

"Feeling lost, spirit?"