Chapter 50: Giving

“Finally.” She drank in the white immortal at the door—nerves tight for days finally slack.
Bai Yanci’s entrance scattered the younger experimenters.
They’d fought Bai Yanci already—knew they weren’t match—minds blank waiting for Mu’s order.
Mu’s dead eyes lit—excited: “You’re not human—you’re an immortal!”
Her foster mother usually played strategist—rare to look this undone.
Lab machines used her consciousness to block fallen-god power—useless against a great immortal.
Bai Yanci didn’t lift her eyes. Qiyang Sword appeared—split the table, freed her bonds, smashed the suppressors.
This remote lab was worthless now.
Bindings gone—she fell into warm arms. Bai Yanci guilty: “Sorry, Ke-ke. I’m late.”
“Not late.” She touched Bai Yanci’s face, soft. “I knew you wouldn’t leave me. You’d find me.”
Before absolute power human ability users were mayflies—one finger could end them all.
Mu wasn’t afraid. Cold laugh—ability flowing, already moving in secret.
Seven years together—she knew Mu’s tells too well. “Sister, back!”
Fallen-god power detonated on the spot—a huge wave swallowed the whole lab.
Bai Yanci reacted fast—carried her meters back—not a speck on their clothes.
After the blast—experimenters and Mu gone—only a spent transport array on the ground.
“Transport array. She used fallen-god power to activate it.”
Bai Yanci probed—couldn’t read destination—raised barrier art. “Ke-ke, stay inside the ward. Don’t move. I’ll catch her and make this right.”
She gripped Bai Yanci’s sleeve, shook her head: “Sister, it’s fine. Let her run.”
Bai Yanci wouldn’t yield: “After what she did to you—you’ll let her go?”
“Sister, chasing is too late.” Soft. “Mu hid me so long you’d search days—she has ways you won’t find her easy.”
Reason landed. Bai Yanci cooled—the anger-lit mind cleared.
She’d been rash—almost leaving her lover here to hunt Mu alone.
Anything about Yi Ke made Bai Yanci lose calm and measure.
Bai Yanci checked her pulse—brow knit tight: “Your power’s unstable. What did Mu do?”
“Instrument radiation—and red pills.” Strength leaking—probably the pre-lab dose kicking in. “Good you came. I couldn’t hold her much longer.”
“Sorry.” Apology again. “If I’d noticed sooner you wouldn’t suffer this. If I could—I’d take your place…”
She cut in: “Sister, I’m not blaming you.”
“I mean it.” Bai Yanci urgent, afraid she wouldn’t believe. “Ke-ke, I told you—if you want I’d give this life. Please… never doubt my heart.”
Bai Yanci raised hand to swear: “Ancient gods witness—my love for Yi Ke is true, unchanged a thousand years. Break this oath—ill end, wishes fail in life, no rebirth after death.”
She wanted to speak—but drug heavier, eyelids lead, couldn’t think—leaned in Bai Yanci’s arms: “Sister, let’s go home.”
On Mu’s table she’d been injected—effect coming now.
Bai Yanci breathed deep, lifted her in arms: “All right. Home, as you say.”
Before the bureau she’d planned worst case—stripped a small cluster of spiritual flame to carry. Using sandwiches as excuse, when Mu dazed a moment, she’d set flame on Mu’s person.
If captured—only confinement. As specimen she mattered—Mu wouldn’t kill her.
Woke in unfamiliar space—jolted upright.
Bai Yanci entered slow: “You’re awake.”
“How long did I sleep? Where is this?”
“Space I built with immortal power. No danger.” Bai Yanci said, “I feared bureau tricks—coming to your door. Didn’t dare take you back until you’re stable.”
“Sister, besides barrier arts, what else do moon immortals excel at?”
“Only barrier arts.”
“So this space built with immortal power—is that barrier art too?”
“This is space art—construction and barriers both belong to space arts.” Corrected, Bai Yanci asked: “Why ask sudden?”
“Nothing. Curious.” She smiled. “Novel art.”
When hunting Zhen Yao Jade Dust had used similar art—twisted space, fake mall, trapped her inside.
“Ke-ke, think careful—after those pills, any clear bad symptoms?”
“No strength anywhere. Fire in my chest like burning. Nothing else.”
“All right. I understand.”
Bai Yanci said little—normal questions—but the forced light tone felt wrong: “How am I now?”
Bai Yanci soft: “Fine. With me beside you—no problem.”
“Sister, you’re lying again.” She said, “Whatever it is I can take it. At least tell truth. Didn’t you promise no more hiding?”
“You just broke the seal—you should recover power step by step.” Bai Yanci’s voice was heavy. “Mu used divine consciousness as guide and instruments to force radiation—pushed your power to a peak.”
Guess already in her gut. Hands and feet went cold: “Without suppressors—what happens?”
“If we can’t balance the power—it goes out of control.” Bai Yanci gripped her hand. “Don’t fear. With me—you’ll be all right.”
Memory of the disordered space—terror—voice shaking: “But I could hurt you. I don’t want to hurt you—or anyone.”
“If that day comes—I’ll stop you.”
Bai Yanci said it easy. She knew—fighting fallen-god power was never easy.
Facing her Bai Yanci would hold back—hard to protect herself, let alone stop her.
Without instrument limits she summoned spiritual flame, carved out the purest part, gave it to Bai Yanci: “If I lose control—use this. Strike me.”
“Ke-ke, you…” Bai Yanci held the small blue fire, disbelief.
Heart-root flame was like roots of a plant—almost handing her life to another.
“You said if I want you’d give your life?” She smiled. “So would I.”
The blue fire dropped into Bai Yanci’s palm. Complex eyes on her.
Long daze—then tucked the flame careful. Soft: “I promise. You promise me too—don’t heed any seducing voice. Don’t stray from the right path.”
“Afraid you’d be bored—I brought art supplies from home.” Bai Yanci proposed. “Champion of the design contest—sketch against me again?”
“Fine.” Bai Yanci rarely offered contests—she agreed at once.
At the board an image rose unbidden.
Mountains, stream, flowers and birds.
Colors bright at first—halfway through the peaceful scene blurred.
As if disaster fell—beautiful things shattered at touch—crowds cursed the gods’ weakness—cries of pain in her ears—head split.
Eyes open—she stood inside the painting.
Mountains and river before her—the borderland between moon and mortal world, no clear line.
Spirit thick. Hills blessed.
River reflection—red robes, simple silver ornaments. That look—that dress—who but Milt?
Last time’s lesson—spirit crossed to ages past again.
This time she hadn’t slept before the crossing.
A minor immortal behind her: “My Lord, today the twelve gods council—why aren’t you going?”
“Council?”
“Yes.” The immortal answered. “You forgot? Today is council day.”
Just arrived—she didn’t know antiquity fully. “What do they usually discuss at the twelve gods council?”
“Mortal world affairs, immortal realm building, keeping the three realms stable and peaceful.” The immortal puzzled. “My Lord, you’re odd today?”