Volume One: The Most Heartless Phoenix Tree Blossom Chapter Eight: Su Xinhua

The surging currents and hidden eddies have all subsided;
All the myriad blossoms, each unique, have been seen.
A solitary sail drifts away in the dying sunlight,
Clouds part, the moon appears, and the sky shines clear.
—From the Lanling Poetry Collection

“Well, I’ve finished telling you my story. Now it’s your turn, little sir.” The snow demon smiled like a blooming flower, her slender finger, pale as green onion, tracing along Zhuo Hua’s chin.

Zhuo Hua pushed away her head, which was about to lean on his shoulder, and rose to his feet. “Answer my questions first. What was the name of the fairy you mentioned? Where did she go after leaving so suddenly? Besides this table, did she give you anything else? I sense you haven’t told me everything. And with your abilities, how did you make this cave so ingeniously crafted?”

The snow demon’s smile faded slightly, but her eyes remained alluring as she replied, “This cave was, of course, created by my master. When she brought me here, it was already this marvel. As for her name, someone like you, a mere mortal, is unworthy to ask.” Zhuo Hua stepped forward. “Then where did she go?”

The snow demon’s smile twisted into anger, her gaze turning sinister. She looked coldly at Zhuo Hua. “I advise you to give up your pitiful attempts to stall… If you waste my precious moments, I’ll turn that handsome face of yours into a field of ravines, leaving you neither able to live nor to die.” With that, she shoved Zhuo Hua onto the carved jade bed.

Zhuo Hua regarded her coldly, making no unnecessary move. At the same time, he sent a silent message to Lao Jiao and Qin Ying, who had been waiting outside, to begin their action.

At that moment, chaos erupted outside. Shouts and screams resounded. With a crash, a carved window shattered under a powerful blow, and a blood-soaked eagle-headed henchman tumbled in. Then Lao Jiao’s voice roared, “Yuan Shang, don’t get lost in pleasure… Don’t forget your greater cause! Hahaha!”

The snow demon’s face turned pale with fright as she saw her bloodied subordinate sprawled on the ground. She pointed at Zhuo Hua with a trembling hand, stammering, “They… you…” Zhuo Hua smiled gently, rising slowly. “Miss, you are by nature kind, and were once enlightened by a fairy. You must not continue down this path of evil, robbing and harming the innocent.”

With a loud bang, the door was blasted in two—such a pity for that fine carved huanghuali wood. Lao Jiao, Qin Ying, and Zhuo Yun burst in, each with a fierce glare, menacing as demons as they stared down the snow demon.

The snow demon pressed a dagger to Zhuo Hua’s throat, threatening, “Take one more step, and I’ll kill this pretty boy.” At this, the others laughed instead of showing anger. Lao Jiao even sheathed his blade, folding his arms and grinning. “I, Lao Jiao, have seen all manner of strange things in my life, but I’ve never witnessed this man die by the blade. I’m deeply curious! Haha!”

Qin Ying gave Lao Jiao a slap, chiding, “Now’s not the time for jokes.” Zhuo Yun’s face flushed red, wanting to speak, but her excitement only moved her lips—perhaps she’d never seen such a scene before.

The snow demon, seeing their laughter, thought they had let down their guard and shouted for help, “Guards! Seize these bandits!” Silence answered her. A cold wind whistled through, rustling the leaves. “Guards! Where the hell are you all?” Now her voice carried a tremor of fear.

Still, there was no sign of the fierce henchmen she expected to charge in and subdue her foes after a fierce fight. “Is anyone left outside?” Her voice quavered with terror. “Enough shouting!” Zhuo Yun, her face red and breathing quick, declared, “All those ugly eagle-headed freaks of yours are dead. Not—a—single—one—left.” She pronounced each word slowly and clearly, as if engraving them into the snow demon’s mind.

Furious and humiliated, the snow demon raised her dagger to plunge into Zhuo Hua’s throat. Zhuo Hua summoned his protective energy. There was a metallic clang, and the dagger was flung away, embedding itself deep in the carved jade bed.

Enraged, the snow demon channeled her qi, her palms striking at Zhuo Hua’s crown and dantian. Zhuo Hua neither dodged nor deflected, withdrawing all his energy and meeting her blows directly.

The snow demon was shocked, quickly gathering more qi in an attempt to shatter Zhuo Hua’s meridians. But he ignored her, letting her energy pour in like a small stream merging with vast rivers and seas, vanishing without a trace.

In less than the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the snow demon’s energy was exhausted. She collapsed to the ground, gasping, muttering, “Impossible… How can this be?” Then, tears streaming down her face, she cried, “Fairy, I have disgraced your teachings! I am unworthy to live!” With that, she leapt up, pulled the dagger from the bed, and turned it to her own throat.

Seeing this, Zhuo Hua raised his right hand, two fingers pointed at the dagger. With a flick, the dagger flew from her grasp and hovered midair. With another gesture, it returned neatly to Zhuo Hua’s hand.

This all happened in a flash. Qin Ying and Lao Jiao saw it clearly, though the snow demon and Zhuo Yun understood nothing of its subtlety. Hot-tempered, the snow demon, upon losing her dagger, tried to dash her head against the wall. Zhuo Hua shook his head helplessly, signaling to Qin Ying for help. Qin Ying shot him a glare, pouted in protest, but Zhuo Hua pressed his palms together, pleading for her assistance.

Qin Ying said, “Take me to see the lanterns at the Shangyuan Festival.” With that, she flew over to stop the snow demon’s desperate attempt. Thwarted, the snow demon tried to strike her own crown with her palm. Zhuo Hua instantly shifted, seizing her hand. “Was your fairy’s name Lanling?”

The snow demon struggled, then froze. “How did you know?” Seeing she no longer wished to die, Zhuo Hua released her and signaled for Jing Mu Han to let her go. “I am of the Xuanhuang clan, Yuanjun Zhuo Hua of the Cloud Palace. I am an old acquaintance of your Lanling Fairy.”

“Hmph, just an ‘acquaintance’?” Qin Ying drifted past Zhuo Hua, leaving this remark in her wake.

Zhuo Hua ignored Jing Mu Han’s sarcasm and addressed the snow demon. “Since Lanling Fairy once enlightened you, you count as a disciple of Xuanhuang—thus, family to me. Come travel with us through Southern Yan Continent; when we return to the Cloud Palace, I will help you transcend your tribulation.”

The snow demon stood dumbstruck, staring at him in disbelief. After a moment, she raised a trembling finger at Zhuo Hua. “You are Yuanjun Zhuo Hua—the dull boy Lanling spoke of?”

“Insolence!” Zhuo Yun stepped forward to slap her, but Zhuo Hua stopped her. The snow demon realized her error and quickly asked, “You’ll guide me through my tribulation, to become immortal?” “Yes, exactly! Yuan Shang just said so, and he’ll bring you back to the Cloud Palace—you’re family now,” Lao Jiao laughed, unable to contain himself.

“Shut your mouth, or I’ll skin you alive and pull out your tendons!” Jing Mu Han drew his sword at Lao Jiao in anger.

Zhuo Hua paid them no heed, saying to the snow demon, “That’s right. What Lanling left unfinished, I will see through. Since you are my Xuanhuang heir, I will continue Lanling’s teachings. By the way, do you have a name?” he asked.

“Since taking human form, I have never had a name. The fairy never gave me one. She only said that my daily laughter reminded her of a flower from her homeland, but she never told me its name,” the snow demon replied.

“Oh? Laughter? Did she mean the Suxin flower? It blooms at dawn, closes at moonrise, with brilliant yellow and red petals—her favorite. Then, your name shall be Suxin. Do you like it?”

Overwhelmed, the snow demon fell to her knees, bowing repeatedly. “I can continue cultivating! I have a name!”

Zhuo Hua quickly helped her up. “You and I are family, not lord and vassal. Except during clan ceremonies, there is no need for such obeisance. Please rise.” With a crash, a blue-and-white porcelain vase shattered as Qin Ying strode away.

Zhuo Hua shook his head and asked Suxin, “How do you control this Gathering Immortals Platform? As far as I know, it’s bound by a spell that only the fairy could use.” Suxin took a small porcelain vial from her bosom and handed it to Zhuo Hua. “When the fairy left, she gave me this with the table. Inside is her immortal blood. Place a drop in your palm to control its size. This belonged to your old friend; please, Yuanjun, keep it safe.”

Zhuo Hua nodded and accepted the vial. “With us, you won’t need it anymore. Gather your things—we’ll depart when Jing Mu Han and I return.” Suxin replied, “As you command, Yuanjun. May I first bury my followers? They served me long, and I would not leave their bodies to the wild.” Zhuo Hua nodded and turned to pursue Jing Mu Han.