Feng Jiu was back at her fox den; she was glad for the change of scenery. Indeed, she felt fortunate to live in such beautiful area. The northern region showing their mountains and snow peaks, waterfalls and pristine rivers and lakes. They were privilege to have ample green fields for their agriculture. Their abundant crops that were able to feed thousands. The eastern territory displaying their lush forests, exotic flora, beautiful gardens, and hot springs. Qing Qui's beauty was the envy of most of the realms. She even felt proud that was able to contribute for its prosperity. Although there is plenty of work to do now with this peace treaty signed with the Demon Clans, there was a sense of accomplishment she couldn't ignore. She could now contribute her developments with their new allies and help them achieve the same. She was so loss in her thoughts that she couldn't sense her mother coming.

"Xiao Jiu", her mother called her. "Xiao Jiu dear."

"Uh? Mother, I'm sorry I was lost in my train of thoughts." She hugged her.

"My dear daughter all grown up. I've heard from your elders how you managed in the meeting with the demon elders. I'm so proud of you. Come here honey." Her mother dotes her so much.

"Thank you, mother, I couldn't do it alone. Others contributed too you know." She loves to snuggle at her lap like a little girl.

"Only you manage to behave like a kittling", Feng Jiu's mother laughed.

"But I am your kittling mother. I will always be your baby. I love you so much mama."

"And I love you too kittling. I see sparks in your eyes Xiao Jiu, is there something behind them humm? You can always tell mother."

"Am I that obvious?"

"I just seem to notice it. I know you like the palm of my hand. What is it Xiao Jiu?"

"I was just thinking about how fortunate we are to live in such beautiful place like Qing Qui. During our meeting you should have seen the faces of the demon leaders when they heard our stipulations. They want what we have, not everyone is prosperous as we are mother. I want to help them achieve this." Feng Jui said with determination.

"And you should. You are unique my child. Your heart is so pure that I just want to shield you all to myself and never let you off my side. But I understand that your duties take most of your time and your mind is a world of its own. I often wonder how you manage to put everything in fruition. It comes so natural to you. You were born to rule my precious. And I'm so glad that you are so good at it. As time pass by and you mature your talents will be refined too. I can't wait to see you then."

"Will you be around mama to see me all grown and refined?"

"I will always be with you, right here my munchkin." She pointed at Feng Jiu's heart. "It doesn't matter where you go or where I will be, we share an unbreakable bond and is our secret. Now let's go and take a nap, you seem tired. You need to take care of your health better Xiao Jiu."

"Yes mama. It's been a while since we have taken a nap together."

Feng Jiu snuggled at her mother's embraced, in her fox form, she slept for hours. Her mother wasn't tired, but she felt that her daughter needed this time with her, so she complied to her request. She was enjoying having Feng Jiu in her arms like when she was a baby. "My precious munchkin, if you only knew how powerful you are." Her mother sensed Feng Jiu's cultivation changing. Her ascension was near. She stroked her fur and left her room to start dinner.

Feng Jiu was dreaming. She dreamed that she was in a battlefield full of death bodies. Her hands were bloodied, and she was holding a head. Her sword was full of blood too. She saw her own reflection and her eyes were all black. The head that she was holding was laughing at her. When Feng Jiu saw her own face, she couldn't recognize herself. It felt like she was being possessed. Her emotionless expression was eerie. Feng Jui felt she was sinking on quicksand and couldn't move. She was trapped until the sand swallowed her. Then she suddenly felt a hand forcefully pulling her out. That's when she woke up. She held her chest and was panting. Her forehead felt hot. She touched her birthmark and was throbbing. Feng Jiu entered restorative meditation to calm her emotions.

Her mother returned to her room and brought her dinner. The smell of food made Feng Jiu break her concentration and she opened her eyes to see her mother with a food tray. "Ummm that smells good mother."

"I just finished dinner and wanted you to eat before everyone else but don't tell a soul. I made your favorite, roasted duck with glazed baby sweet potatoes and some dim sum. Some carefree cakes and lavender tea."

"Mother you dote me the most. You are the best!" Feng Jiu sat next to her mother as they ate together in her room.

"Mother can you stay with me tonight?" Feng Jiu asked her with a pitiful look at her face.

"Kittling why? Are you having nightmares? You usually want me to stay the night when you have nightmares."

"I only want you to sleep with me again. I missed you mama." Feng Jiu didn't want to alert her mother of her recent nightmare.

"All right sweetie. Let me take care of these dishes and I'll be right back."

"No need for that! We can do them in the morning."

Feng Jiu's mother sweetly smiled at her: "Then let me brush your hair. That always relaxes you before bedtime."

"All right."

She removed all her braids and began brushing Feng Jiu's hair but strategically went into her mind to see if she had any recent nightmares. Sure, enough she saw what Feng Jiu was trying so hard to hide from her.

"Kittling, are you okay?"

"I'm just tired mother; the recent events have been heavy on my mind."

"You can always trust me, I'm here for you. A clear mind is like the full moon in the sky. Sometimes clouds come and cover it, but the moon is always behind them. Clouds go away, then the moon shines brightly. So don't worry about it is always there. When thinking comes, behind it is clear mind. When thinking goes, there is only clear mind. Thinking comes and goes, comes and goes, You must not be attached to the coming or the going. Mind changes, and as a result, the world changes. A clear mind heals everything that needs to be healed."

"You always know what to say when I need to hear it." Feng Jiu smiled at her mother.

"Mama knows best!" She holds Feng Jiu's nose tip and hugged her.

"Love is to be nurtured, protected, and respected, and entered with a clear mind and a sound heart." Feng Jiu silently said.

"That's right my dear and your heart needs to be ready for it." She replied to her comment.

"Mama, you already know who I love. There is no other than him."

"Xiao Jiu, are you sure that you want to take that path? It will lead you to so much pain and suffering."

"Feng Jiu stared at her mother with guilt on her face." She lowered her face avoiding meeting her eyes. She knew she got caught hiding something.

"I already know Xiao Jiu that you have been close to him. I was able to smell his scent on you earlier on. Have you..."

"NO, we haven't mother! We only slept in the same bed, but nothing happened between us. He was able to finally admit his feelings for me and I forgave him. We are willing to find a way for us to be together. I don't care what obstacles we'll face; we have decided to rewrite our own fate." She admitted her, blushed, and looked away.

"Look at me Xiao Jiu, did he agree to it?"

"Yes, he did. We will find a way mother. And if I must face father's wrath so be it. I will not marry other than Dijun. I will give anything away just to be with him."

"Xiao Jiu, mother understand. I'm just worry about this. You are still young and yet you have chosen a difficult path. He's not an ordinary immortal. Fate will not be easy on neither of you. Just be aware of it. If you are willing to endure the challenges ahead with maturity, then let him prove to you that he's serious about a relationship with you. If that is the case, he needs to formalize it. Don't forget your status and who you represent. I won't like for you to be hiding this from us. We seriously care about your happiness."

"I know mother. We just recently talked about it. We haven't got the chance to see each other and discuss the details and parameters about our relationship yet. But I don't care about formalities mother. I don't want that burden in our relationship. I'm aware about my status and with that it will require me to behave and follow certain standards and protocols. I will heed your advice on let him prove his love to me, but I will not push him to do something that will hinder our relationship, no matter our status and ranks. I will not compromise my happiness for decrees, relations, or formalities. I waited many years just to finally hear from him that he loves me and for me that is enough for now. I know that certain things need to be done but we haven't discussed them yet. I want to give him the time that he asked me. I trust him mother and deep inside I know he will do the right thing when the time comes. Can we just agree on keeping this between us for now?"

"So that is the reason behind your sparks earlier on eh?"

"Yes mother, I was trying to figure out the right time to have this conversation with you, but you beat me to it. You know me so well." She shyly smiled at her mother.

"I will keep this from everyone but promise me that you will not end up getting pregnant!"

"Mother!!!!" They both giggled.

"You are so beautiful and I'm glad that he finally admitted his feelings to you. Know that you might have to live up to his status. He's after all the most powerful immortal. So tell me what was he's like when he was with you?"

"Apart from the obvious gorgeous physical traits and ethereal look, he was sweet and yet manly. Although his eyes are stone black, and everyone seems to be afraid of his deadly stare; I was able to see tenderness in them. He's protective, I feel safe in his embrace. He is attentive and pays close attention to details. And his white sandalwood scent mama, ohhhh is soooo soothing to my senses; it calms me down. He smells heavenly and he definitely knows how to kiss mother, he tastes so yummy." Feng Jui giggle remembering their passionate kissing session.

"Why you little seductress, I didn't knew you had it in you being so phase out and innocent." Her mother teased her.

"Mama, you are embarrassing me, is not easy telling you these things. I might be innocent from the things of the world, specially about intimacy, but I'm able to feel and it felt good being with him that close. I never experience all those emotions coming to me at the same time. It's all new to me. I just don't know the right words to describe it."

"I know we have had the conversation about the birds and bees when you were younger. Now that you are all grown up and have experienced this closeness with him, I want you to know that it is natural for us to yearn intimacy with someone we feel safe with. Is the natural life cycle in all of us. Physical touch and emotional honesty are two major parts of expressing intimacy with anyone. It's when a touch can express love, longing, and desire and still be tender. Intimacy is all in the details. It's more than sex Xiao Jiu, and it's more than knowing how to cuddle. It's being able to read your partner's face and know exactly what they are feeling before they tell you. It's knowing learn how to accept each other as individuals through mutual trust and respect. Is to know about and have dealt with all sorts of personal details about each other. Is the right combination of words to make everything better when the world is falling apart. Is cemented by a knowledge of each other grounded in all levels of your being. It is a secret that cannot be known by anyone else. It grows over time, it is still full of surprises, it is not always easy. Is to form that unbreakable bond and connection that is so unique and cannot be replicated. Is so refreshing hearing you verbalize your intimate desires. You grew up around your uncle's carefree lifestyle and probably chose in a way to imitate some of what they share in their unique relationship, but my advice for you is to always look for what will define your relationship with him. Every couple is different but the core values that will solidify your connection with him will depends on the stability and balance that each of you will bring to each other. Always remember that. What he lacks in his life you can provide to him and vice versa. Your pureness at heart I believe is one of the reasons he fell for you Xiao Jiu. Many beautiful women had tried to seduce him for so long and none have captivated him before. Is not always about looks to capture a man's heart. Is about character, personality, values, emotional intelligence, uniqueness, kindness, understanding and many other qualities for attraction. You my dear have all of these and more. Your beauty is a bonus. You are a unique gift that was born just for him, as his match and equal. He will be a fool if he turns you away again" Her mother sweetly said that part to Feng Jiu, knowing that he deeply hurt her in the past.

"His match and equal" She repeated that part. Knowing that he removed his name and love fate, yet they loved each other. "Mama, thank you for this girl talk and explaining me all these concepts about intimacy. I will remember your words. Is this how you feel with father?"

Feng Jiu's mother face changed. She opted for a simple answer: "Bai Yi can be difficult, but he is a good man" She smiled to Feng Jiu.

Feng Jiu understood her answer and decided to change the subject. "Let's go to sleep and in the morning, I will help you with breakfast okay?" She snuggled with her mother and closed her eyes.

"All right hun. Good night."