Even though Er'xi didn't like him from the beginning but as the days turn into weeks, the weeks turn into months and months turn into years. Er'Xi's feelings begin to change into that of love but she felt that she was not enough for a true god and that she should be more if she wanted to be worthy of him. She gave it her all to train and cultivate so that she could ascend to the nine heaven and maybe then she might just be worthy of Tian Qi.
Er'Xi noticed that the strict teacher was not all that he let on, he was strict for good reason since he is a teacher and also a true god so he felt the need to keep up the act of being strict. When he was nothing more than an ordinary god that wants to do nothing more than just relax and let loose.
Er'Xi didn't know when it was that she fell in love but when she noticed it, she was already too deep in to even think of backing out from it.
One late evening as Tian Qi and Er'Xi were making their way back to the castle from the royal school library and about to open the gates, the two have to stop when they heard a group of gods and goddesses talking
"The princess is only so-so." a young god said as his other friends joined in
"We are better at cultivating and even studying better than her, yet why is it that the true god only tutors her?" a young goddess asked not knowing that Er'Xi and Tian Qi were behind the gate, listening to their conversation.
Er'Xi was not one to just let people look down on her and walk away even though her mother had told her to, as she was about to burst through the door in anger and put them in their place. She was stopped by Tian Qi.
"Other than being the phoenix princess there is nothing special about her. I heard that the two of them spent nights locked in the study rooms, I don't think that she was studying things other than books." the goddess said, her voice suggesting that Er'Xi was being a loose goddess who was using her body to seduce the true god
"We all know what she's doing with him if she's with him like that, no wonder he stays within the palace." she ended her sentence not knowing that Tian Qi had opened the gate behind her and walked out to stand behind her but the group saw him. Everyone went pale and stared at him with a gaping mouth.
"I think that I wouldn't have taught someone whose mind's filled with nothing but filth such as yours." Tian Qi said to her in a low voice, at his voice the goddess turned to face him. Her face turned pale but she went even more pale when she noticed that the so-called princess walked out from behind the gate; barely holding in her rage.
The group said nothing but they were quick to get on their knees and begged the true god for mercy
"Grand Master, we know we're wrong. Please have mercy!" the group said
"Mercy? For slandering a princess in itself is wrong but you also slander a true god. You all may be young but these are not things you could be pardoned. You all would one day serve the royal court of the Phoenix kingdom and the other kingdom in the spirit realm yet you all stand here and looked down upon one of the potential rulers of one of the kingdoms that you would one day serve? " Tian Qi asked them, furious
"Unacceptable! You all should be studying hard and training even harder yet all of your heads are filled with nothing but filth such as this!" Tian Qi spit the words at them and they could only keep their heads down
Seeing this surprised Er'xi since she had never seen Tian Qi so mad before. Not even when she played pranks on him; the most he'll do was lecture her a little and let her go. Or if she ruin one of his books, he would recite it all to her page through pages and have her write it down
"We...We..." the young god tried his best to come up with an excuse but came with nothing
"It's better to not say anything at all. Since you won't look as stupid if you can't come up with a good excuse." Tian Qi said to the group, they could feel his gaze look down on them and it felt as if the sky was going to come crashing down on them
"Master Tian Qi." Er'xi called out to him, he didn't turn toward her but he sighs and asked her
"Let me hear what you think we should do, Er'xi?" Tian Qi asked
"If it was as usual, I would fly into a rage frenzy but as my master and mother had worked hard to teach me that I need not lower myself to those that speak ill of me. I say we let them go." Er'xi said to him, Tian Qi nodded. The group could feel his shift in emotions almost as if the sky that was pushing down on them was finally lifting up.
"As Er'Xi is willing to forgive you for the filth that you filled her ears with I will also won't pursue this matter. But this can't go on unpunished, report to the headmaster tomorrow-" Tian Qi said to them but before he could continue to say more, he was interrupted by one of her brother
"Grandmaster, Er'xi. Did something happen?" Her brother Xue Song asked them and Tian Qi nodded
"Perfect timing, crown prince Xue Song." Tian Qi said to her brother and all of their face went dark, even though he was the second born but Lixin gave up his right to the throne; which now belong to her third brother Xue Song.
"Brother." Er'xi called out to her brother, everyone know wide and far that her brothers adore her the most but the three most strict about their adoration towards her was the first three older brothers and Xue Song was one of them.
"As the crown prince, how would someone who has insulted the princess of the kingdom that they serve? A lighter punishment though." Tian Qi asked and Xue Song knit his brows as he look down on the people that were still kneeling
"Er'xi, tell me what happen." her brother demanded from her
".....it's nothing, A'Song." Er'xi said to him and he smile
"Then should I deal with this in my own way?" her brother asked
".....They said that my cultivation was not as much as theirs and...that I.....I....with master." Er'xi didn't have to say exactly what they said she did with Tian Qi but Xue Song knew what they were thinking
"I see." her brother said
"Grand Master, why don't you and Er'xi return to the palace?" her brother asked and Tian Qi nodded, before Er'xi follow behind Tian Qi, she took hold of her brother's hand and with a smile
"I'm all right, A'Song." she said to her brother who smiled at her as he patted her head
"Go on." he said to her with a motion of his head as she walked away from that spot so she didn't see the deadly glare that her brother gave to the group that was kneeling on the ground
The two of them were heading back to the palace from the royal palace before they head out for some wonton from the shop that had just opened as a reward from Tian Qi to Er'Xi since she passed her exam from him but now the mood was ruined.
"Don't think too much about what people say." Tian Qi said to her as she was about to take the turn to head back to her own palace
Tian Qi knew better than anyone about Er'Xi the more time he spent with her, she was no spoiled brat like everyone thought she was but it was more of a role that she wanted to play. Similar to how he acted out the role of a strict person and it didn't take long for him to fall in love but he knew better since she was thousands of years younger than he was; since he had lost track of how many thousand years he is.
But her childlessness that she wasn't scared to show, her boldness that made her stand up to him even though he was a true god, and the kindness that she show to people who might not deserve it like the group that talked about her as if she was but just a lowly mortal palace maid.
However, when he heard what they were talking about he felt that it might have been the way that he was looking at her that gave him away, his anger was not to protect her, it was almost as if it was to protect his secret that she had feelings for her.
"Don't worry, I know better than to let them bother me." Er'xi said to him and he smile
"I think that it is time I leave the palace." Tian Qi said to her and Er'Xi turned around to look at him
"Why?!" Er'xi asked him with a face full of concern and he looked at her with a confused look. Tian Qi had thought that she would jump and run around full of joy at the news of him leaving the palace yet there seem to be tears in her eyes and even fear.
"I think that you are doing well. If you continue to cultivate like this on your own, I believe that you can do well." he said to her but Er'Xi shook her head
"Please stay, if it was what they said I can-" Er'xi said but Tian Qi stopped her
"I just think that it is time for me to leave. I can't stay here forever, plus I've taught you for over 10 years here with you as my special student. My goal was to teach the lower gods and goddesses." he said to her but she pursed her lips together and looked at him, he waited for the tears but there were none
"If that is what Master wants, it would be wrong for me to stop you." Er'xi said to him and he nodded
"Then shall we dismiss class for tomorrow? I'll go talk to the king and queen about my leave." Tian Qi said to her. Er'Xi nodded, saying nothing more to him as she bow to him and headed back to her palace
"In the end, I was nothing more than another one of his students." Er'Xi mumbled to herself as she walked away