I turned and looked at that Jie Moshu. His glittering dark eyes were staring at me. Once again, his anger and worry rippled through my body. I felt something warm rise within me, and I latched on to the sensation. I had never felt so safe before.
Jie Moshu was already on his feet. "Tell me, what do you plan to do to my wife? I see that the punishment from hundreds of years ago didn't make you repent. Do you want me to do what your tribe had stopped me back then—your death?"
"Your Highness, can't you see our son here? Only if I take her son's body, our son can be healthy again."
"I have only one wife and a son with her. I don't remember taking you as my consort."
"How could you not notice your son?" E'mei said perched closer as she unwrapped the baby's blanket in her lap.
A sick, sick feeling filled my stomach at the sight of the baby. Hairless, awful, with a pair of huge blue eyes staring blankly up at the ceilings, skin as white as covered in snow, and bloodstained teeth. He remained still like a dead body, which seemed unlikely to be alive. I was so shocked by the scene in front of me. It was a tragedy—I could feel the grieve of a mother for losing her child. But instead of feeling compassion with emotions, I saw only annoyance in Jie Moshu's eyes.
"You're delusional," he said—not in a mocking tone but with one infinite patience which was somehow worse. His eyebrows arched, giving E'mei a sour look.
I gaped at his words, almost feeling horrible. E'mei, too, stared at him in disbelief. She looked horrified. I followed my gaze back to Jie Moshu.
"Delusional? You're saying that I'm delusional?" E'mei demanded. "Then, at least, you cannot ignore your son's existence!"
"Mark my words, female celestial. Axiang is my only son, and his mother is none other than my wife. The woman beside me, Liu Huayu."
"No!" Blue, bright like aquamarines, sparkled with fury in her eyes. "You're mistaken! I'm your wife, she's nothing more than a wench who stole—"
"If you're too scared to face the truth, then let me make it clear for you." Jie Moshu interrupted in a disgusted tone, fixing his knowing, piercing gaze at her. "Hundreds of years ago, you infatuated yourself with me while being my wife's maid. Scheming yourself to climb up to be my consort. You had got yourself pregnant with one of the Underworld's embassy. But then you claimed that I am his father, causing a ruckus to the Heavenly Kingdom, saying that I had tainted you that you wanted my responsibility. I should have ripped you off then if not for your tribe pleaded for my mercy."
Was this the reason why she went on a murderous rampage? Because of her unrequited love for Jie Moshu. For hundreds of years, she had been living in constant paranoia. Hundreds of years longing for the love of someone who couldn't love her back, denying the death of her own son.
I almost gave in to her situation, pitying her. Almost.
"Infatuated?" E'mei barked a hysterical laugh. "No, this is love. I've done this all for you—us—to become a real family. Are you still angry with that low-life embassy? We had nothing! Trust me, Your Highness. And that embassy, he's dead! I've killed him myself. Now, with I take this human's body, there's no one in our way to be together."
Real family? Killed? Every word she said made the dread I had been feeling all day intensified. I shivered and dropped my gaze. It made me sick to my stomach just to look at her. A full ten seconds for me to realize that this fox fairy was a total psychopath. An obsessive fan of Jie Moshu.
Jie Moshu's face was cold and calm, but rage flashed in his gaze.
E'mei looked at her baby in her arms. "Once our son is feed with the energy from the Goddess of Souls' immortal body, he can live as a normal child in no time." She batted her eyes as if blinking back her tears. "You said you wanted your son's name to be Jie Xiang, right? That's a good name. Just wait a little longer, our son can take over that boy's—"
"Don't be ridiculous!"
The furious voice of Jie Moshu cut through the stillness of the room. I peered at him, I had never seen him so angry before. Anger flashed in Jie Moshu's eyes, but I held onto his arms and kept him by my side.
"Isn't what you're doing now is also obsession?" She retorted to him in a snide voice. "She's a mortal now, a human. In the end, you can't let go of the past, you can't let her reincarnate peacefully. You're the same as me."
A familiar resolved expression came across Jie Moshu's face, as though he ready to bat away E'mei's delusional judgments. And at that moment I realized just how much he had been keeping from me. His past. His real feelings. What a constant pressure and torment it had been. I rubbed my throat, suddenly feeling all stuffy. No wonder he told me I was his wife in the first place, he had been waiting for me—for my reincarnation.
"Actually, that's not the case," I babbled, so fast that the words ran together. "I can't see any similarities between you. At least, he doesn't go on a killing spree."
I jumped when Jie Moshu wrapped his arms around my waist. "Do you mean it? I'm different?"
I was almost dazed by his callousness to E'mei. I mean, he was showing away his loving warm face to me. It was wrong for me to feel a little hot in a situation like this, and I couldn't bear it. I felt as though I was getting a short, sharp shock myself. The tension was rising through me. I was sure my face was bright red.
Horrified, I realized, I was forgetting that we were in a matter of life and death. "Yes... but... can you finish your problems first?"
"Our problem," he corrected me. His dark eyes twinkled in amusement. "And do you even think that someone like her could be a match for your husband?"
Ah. He's the crown prince god, I said to myself. I almost forgot.
"Right," I managed, at last, trying to sound incredulous. "Fair enough. I'm a human... so..."
E'mei's lips quivered into a harsh slash. She was angry like we had forgotten her existence. Monumentally, terribly angry.
Her wild gaze focused on me. Absolute terror was there. And, a split second, she dashed forward in my direction, her long scarlet fingernails was aiming at my neck. Images of her choked me to death loomed over my head. But her motion was stopped.
Jie Moshu had his right hand on her throat. The muscles on his back bulged. Then I blinked at her, startled—and wondered if her scheme had backfired.
E'mei struggled in his grasp, as he glowed with red ruby light. His magic shot out in a furious torrent, boiling thundercloud around him. He held her. Jie Moshu was shockingly strong—even if E'mei had brought her legs up, kicking him, it didn't bother him.
"Who said you can lay your fingers on my wife?" Jie Moshu's voice was stern.
So, this was the feeling of being saved by a handsome man. It felt nice.
I shook my head. First thing first, I reminded myself, shoving away the silly distractions about him.
"Jie Moshu," I jumped onto Jie Moshu, straddling her. "She is keeping the Goddess of Souls and her body... Li Ruman's soul might still be there."
At my words, Jie Moshu loosened his grasp on her. The blast of magic churned and roiled around E'mei as she rose in the air, taking her off the ground. She was breathing fast in shallow gasps with a stiff flick of her tails. Blood trickled from her mouth. Supposed Jie Moshu had caused her to have internal bleeding. Probably the angle was perfect.
"Will she... be alright?" I pointed at E'mei, worried that she might pass before we could get information.
He shrugged. "She'll be fine—in an hour or two. Depends on how much power I put on her."
"How about Li Ruman's soul then?"
Jie Moshu hesitated as if he didn't know what to say. "That's star deity Si Ming's responsibility," he explained.
My eyes flicked over the hovering E'mei. "But isn't Si Ming one of this foxy's man. Are you sure?"
"The real Si Ming is just enchanted by her magic. I've shot him my fire magic earlier, he'll be awake in no time."
"So, you cleansed him by slamming him to the wall?" I marveled at this.
He shrugged as if none of this meant anything to him. "More or less. I was just giving him a lesson for putting you in a dangerous situation."
I chewed my lips, and there was another awkward beat. In the end, he was the type of a complete maniac to protect his wife—that was how hot he was. Wow, did I just think of that?
Suddenly, Jie Moshu put my arms around him, scooted me closer. I was in a position where had his left arm above my shoulder. Then again, Jie Moshu with all his sturdy muscles pressed to mine. I felt his heart pounding on my face. At once I thought, 'Is he somehow trying to play the victim here?' followed by, 'Stop it, Liu Huayu. Don't be silly, it can't be."
Odd that my mind had instantly gone there, though. And even odder that I was faintly blushing. What was that about? Okay, I admitted, it was on my head all along. I found myself picturing his grandeur entrance when he arrived with those smokey effects. It was kinda hot and gorgeous.
I looked into his face. Jie Moshu had his eyes locked on mine. I froze. Not good. Not good at all.
"Ah. Wife, I'm hurt." He sounded extremely neutral, there was practically no intonation in his voice.
Crac! A sound of crisp glass shattered hit the back of my mind. All those cool impressions I had on him didn't even last for five seconds. I wasn't sure if I could breathe properly. Did he expect me to believe that? Hardly. That fox fairy didn't even touch him.
Resolutely, I turned away from the subject. "Let's just go get Axiang. Floating in the midair like that looks creepy enough."
"Here."
My eyes caught the floating Axiang shifted towards our direction. Practically, fell into Jie Moshu's other arm, carrying the little boy.
I stared at Axiang's unconscious form. His eyes closed, his limbs relaxed. I didn't see any hint that he was hurting. He looked like he was in his deep sleep. Thankfully, he wasn't harmed by E'mei—or she was yet to do so.
I gulped hard. My hands had started sweating. I had a gorgeously handsome god wrapping himself around me. A child who was sleeping soundly. Huashe was still injured, and the goddess' body.
This was way too doozy for me to take. A part of me thinking that I should keep it a casual way. Another was a strange thought that we seemed like a real family.
What was I going to do now?