The dragon said nothing more to them until they reached a shrine dug directly into the side of the mountain. Even some of the architecture was the mountain's stone where it should have been stained wood or sculpted metal.

The dragon only led them inside, passing a clutch of massive eggs, each about the size of a small child. Many were surrounded by gui huo that fluttered here and there, landing on eggs occasionally, attentively monitoring them.

Days spent in the library under Xue Feiyi's watchful eye had often led Qing Xiashu into reading anything but what was intended.

Including the supposedly factual works of Lu Qi.

He'd been fascinated by the legends of the gods. Though truthfully he'd never believed a word of the stories, taking them entirely as fiction and moral lesson.

He was more than aware of the methods of worship each god supposedly preferred and even the locations where some were fabled to reside.

Primordial dragon gods being more fact than fictitious imagery was not something Qing Xiashu ever would have adhered to.

And certainly not that the God of Blood and Souls kept young souls in eggs tended to by gui huo.

"Linghun Xianshen-" Qing Xiashu muttered in a strangled breath, taking an anxious glance at Hong Chunji only to find him having the exact same realization and watch him have his world view blown cleanly sideways but at least not upside down.

"Come along children." The dragon directed, taking them into a section of the shrine that seemed to be a largely unused kitchen.

Fire was blown seamlessly into a stove which quickly lit the kindling below a pot of water. "Tell me what in the world has so many cultivators rooting around in my wilds? Certainly no one has found some foolish strain of metal that you're all hunting."

Qing Xiashu shook his head, taking it upon himself to answer the question because no one else seemed to be able to put on a service voice when they were terrified. "No, Linghun Xianshen. The Eastern royals and their resident sect are holding their trials. Cultivators from reputable sects and most rogue cultivators who need a decent reputation go through the trials at least once. This year it's to make it back to the Eastern capital through the wilds... it's basically... a culling..." He admitted slowly.

Linghun Xianshen sighed like a tired parent, shaking his head. "I see. So that time has come already. I fear for the sanity of your rulers at times. It never matters how clean or fresh the souls are. They are always so tainted by the end of their lives in power."

"You're a god, you can change anything you want." Hong Chunji bitterly muttered.

The dragon tilted its head to peer down at the prince. "My favor is a dangerous artifact to give to anyone with power. It does much more good to those without. Or those who are in a bit of a bind. Or just those I appreciate the existence of."

"You consider us in a bind?" Qing Xiashu questioned curiously.

"Hardly. Would you not complete this trial on your own?"

"What is your goal then?"

"Oh nothing much I'd simply like to see how this plays out."

This made Qing Xiashu blink in confusion, what a strange reason to make a decision so significant. "And your price?"

"Talk with me a while won't you, children."

"What kind of a request even is that?" Hong Chunji sighed. "With everything sacrificed in your name there's endless things to entertain you isn't there?"

"Ah, my dear nephew." The dragon chuckled, turning its golden eyes down on Hong Chuji. "Your foolishness is boundless in your young age."

Hong Chunji's mouth flapped like a wonderfully confused fish.

Qing Xiashu's expression lit up.

"Linhung Xianshen, you imply that Hong Chunji's father is one of the Copernican pantheon?"

"That is not all I am implying. My dear nephew's father is one of the most senior gods." The dragon hummed, leaning its head down so it was nearly level with them. "Our little Liming Yingxiong is the son of the sun itself, dawn is a misnomer."

"That doesn't make sense--" Hong Chunji hissed.

The dragon laughed again, finally shifting into a form more fitting of the conversation.

Before them stood a young man in rather cheap rusty orange-red. Not an expensive garment in sight the way Qing Xiashu had expected.

The god began pouring them all tea, caring little for tradition that would likely have Qing Xiashu complete the task. "Does it not?"

"I may not have looked like my father but I look much like my brother [https://img.wattpad.com/067c25d608a59416a9d29eef8f931f2e70b71c40/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f614f6d304d3432675556745749513d3d2d313439373031373336332e313830393437646431383136333535383539373133323437303331312e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]

"I may not have looked like my father but I look much like my brother." Hong Chunji argued.

"Who said your brother was fathered by the king? Did you think the man who sired you was the only one to lay with your mother? Neither you nor your brother were born of the king. Unfortunately for you our lovely sun uses a rather unique appearance on your side of the wilds. Your half brother's father was relatively common in appearance. Any similarities between you and your brother were of your mother or sheer coincidence."

"The Southern Queen was sleeping with multiple men? So it wasn't an assault like she claimed?" Qing Xiashu questioned, head dipping to his tea in an attempt to sheepishly avoid the look the prince tossed towards him.

Hong Chunji put up a hand. "How could you possibly know all of this, especially about my and my brother's father?"

"Well, I'm not called The God of Blood and Souls for nothing you know." The god before them laughed softly, slowly rotating the tea cup in his hands.

"So-- everyone knew?" Hong Chunji asked, looking to Qing Xiashu like he might have a happier answer.

"Just before the Ying Citadel froze, there was a decree to silence the public on the topic of the royals' parentage..." Qing Xiashu murmured. "Everyone knew you weren't the king's son..."

"I am unsure if your brother knew the truth of his own conception, but no one was confused about yours. That is not to say there wasn't a fitting cover story. The people pretended they didn't know, all to help save the face of the queen, who supposedly was taken advantage of. And that of the King who supposedly, out of the kindness of his heart, took in the child as his own."

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"But that wasn't true?"

"Your mother was an unapologetic slut. I warned Anazitisi to proceed with caution and he did not." The god said, arms and legs crossing, seeming again much like an annoyed parent.

Qing Xiashu nearly spat out his tea when he snorted and Hong Chunji dropped his cup only for it to reappear back in his hands.

The god continued, apparently unconcerned by the affects his words had. "She must have believed a child born of a god would be of great use to her vie for power. Either as a card to pull for Anazitisi's favor, or in the child's own right as a demigod. I don't know how she thought she could escape her own chaos by birthing such a child." Linghun Xianshen muttered through his rant. "And then to claim he had taken advantage of her? Our Sun is a gentle being, he would have himself flayed a hundred-thousand times before he did something like that."

Hong Chunji looked like he was having an absolute crisis, probably the whole finding out your dad wasn't your dad and your real dad is alive and just hasn't visited thing.

"Does Taiyang Xianshen know...?"

"That you are his son? Yes. Though he doesn't know of your mother's demise or any current events East of the wilds. He likely believes he's doing you a favor by not appearing. Honestly I'm surprised this all comes as a surprise to you. Have you never exhibited any abilities that are particularly draconic?"

Hong Chunji shook his head and Qing Xiashu struggled to imagine what exactly that could mean.

"Could you let him know... whenever you see him next."

"I don't often see Anazitisi more than once every century or so, but I will ensure it is passed along whenever that event next occurs." The god hummed with a gentle nod.

Clearly wasn't what Hong Chunji wanted to hear but the god either didn't notice or didn't care.

It took only a few moments for Linghun Xianshen to tire of this quiet awkward silence and ultimately break it himself.

"Xiao Ji, Xiao Shu, come walk with me a while, it's been so long since I've had mortal company."

Qing Xiashu neglected to complain about there being practically nothing to walk to. "The flowers in your hair... are those spider lilies?" Qing Xiashu questioned, covering up the awkward quiet with pointless questions.

"Ah, my husband likes them! Aren't they nice?" Linhung Xianshen chirped, patting the yellow flowers tucked into the tie at the back of his head.

"Primordial deities can marry?" Hong Chunji asked, only for Linhung Xianshen to laugh once more.

"My my, you children are curious. Yes, Ruha and I are one of the only two marriages between primordials, far from the first pair to reproduce of course..." Then seemed to realize something. "Oh, I suppose you would call him Zhiming Xianshen."

"Zhi-ming Xian-- You married your opposite?" Hong Chunji stammered out, eyes quite big.

"Yes, what is that human saying? Opposites attract?"

Qing Xiashu apparently forgot how to keep his mouth shut because he quickly asked. "How? What happened?"

"Ah, you see, he is one of my juniors in the pantheon, but without me, there is no him, and without him, there is no us. From the moment of my birth, he loomed, always on the verge of pouncing. For centuries I feared him and harbored damaged souls that were due to pass."

Before them stood an old shrine gate. Around it appeared to be nothing but dense trees, but beyond it was gentle sunshine that didn't dare penetrate the rest of the forest.

"However, in my fright I neglected to acknowledge that the damage being caused was more extensive than I originally realized. See, souls that are damaged by trauma are unable to handle resentment, the more traumatic a life, the more damaged a soul, there are few souls that are immune to this damage."

Passing through the large shrine gates put them in the new environment that they'd seen before. Trees much less dense and foliage gently trampled by hunters. "The Fenghuang and Anittas are these. Eventually I was forced to give in and give him the souls. Sweet death is certainly a far more genuine description than the cold clutch of death. He was kind with them, purified them, and then passed them along beyond the gates. And so I fell in love." The god noted with a shrug.

"Wow, I didn't realize gods could love just like people..." Qing Xiashu murmured, he hadn't really believed in gods at all in his defense, so why would he be scrutinizing their love lives.

"Oh please, we're the original lovers." Linhung Xianshen said, shaking his head. "Ah, now that we're approaching town, please refer to me as Tao Liu."

"Of course." Qing Xiashu nodded. The expression he gave the prince displayed his utter confusion in a way his words wouldn't dare to let on.

How had they gotten to a town?

"Have either of you eaten recently? Mortals need their nourishment."

Qing Xiashu had to admit... "It's been a few days." Surviving without food was one thing, surviving without hunger was another entirely.

"Ah, I figured as much." The dragon in disguise went from stall to stall collecting snacks and treats, paying without care.

"Are you really so wealthy?" Qing Xiashu questioned.

"You could say that, people often leave my shrine offerings, they even built those gates that we passed through. And I have few needs that require mortal currency. So it builds up. Besides, what am I to do if not pamper my dear nephew and his friend?" The dragon asked with a laugh tucked behind his sleeves, even as he handed the two more trinkets.

Qing Xiashu chose to ignore this. "I suppose that makes sense, what beyond entertainment can the public really provide immortals anyway?"

"Very little." Tao Liu admitted. "But I am rather fond regardless."

"You like humans?" Hong Chunji asked. "Even though you live in the wilds?"

"Of course I like humans, I nurtured each of their souls into existence." The dragon explained. "As for my residence, I live in the wilds as it is the safest place to continue my work."

"Every human soul? So you know each of them?" Hong Chunji seemed like he didn't quite believe that possibility.

"On sight." Tao Liu said with a nod.

"Do gods deal with the deterioration that humans do? How are you truly immortal when humans can only beat aging but not death." Qing Xiashu asked as they were led by Tao Liu towards a small bubbling creek.

"That weakness is caused by the soul. Gods do not have souls at all. A damaged soul is not incapable of kindness the way a damaged core is incapable of power; the situation is far more fluid. While a core is semi tangible, a soul is not, there isn't even a fitting corporeal visualization, cores generate great power while souls generate great kindness and comradery. Damaged souls are much more susceptible to outrage and disaster." Tao Liu explained as he knelt down to the water, letting the clear spring run over his hands, collecting some into a small vial.

"Look at me, I sure do like my rambling." The god chuckled to himself as he stood. "I ought to return to my shrine. As for you two, continue on from here until you reunite with your peers." He said to Hong Chunji, handing him a pouch of money. "Ah. And Nagya had something to say."

The feathered wyrm that had trailed along behind the god the entire time finally took the forefront. "Child of the sun... You have met a feathered wyrm before."

"Oh... yes... A few years ago." Hong Chunji mentioned, nodding as his attention turned to her.

The feathers on the serpents back separated as a little head popped out of the warm space.

"Ah!" Qing Xiashu peered over one of the feathered wings to see the familiar little wyrm. "That little one is very competent, you should be proud."

"I am. But it is time they make out on their own. Would you take them with you, child of the sun?"

Hong Chunji furrowed his brow as he held his hands towards the serpent, allowing the little reptile to crawl up his arms and duck into one of his sleeves. "You're giving me your child?"

"They owe you a debt."

Then it was just the two of them.

The adult serpent and god were gone quicker than a heart beat.

Both stood flabbergasted at the edge of the town. "Hong Shaoye-?" Qing Xiashu asked slowly, turning to watch the young wyrm wind its way into the prince's overcoat.

"Let's go."

And so they did.

Trekking all the way to the next town was miserable.

Qing Xiashu had never in his life wanted for a sword or horse more. "Do you think he gave us enough for some horses...?" He asked Hong Chunji, glancing towards the red and gold pouch that was still hung unused at his waist.

"We'll find out when we get to town..." Hong Chunji sighed.

"And after we sleep." Qing Xiashu murmured.

The prince only nodded.

The next town was dark by the time they arrived.

Very dark.

The only light was from lit lanterns hanging outside a few shops and candle light from inside a few homes. Traveling down the main road had them at an inn and half asleep, Qing Xiashu inquired about rooms.

There was only one available room.

Qing Xiashu let the man at the desk know that they didn't care.

Before the keys could be handed over, a weight slowly appeared on Qing Xiashu's back. For a few moments he assumed it was just his own exhaustion... Eventually he realized the weight had a name.

Hong Chunji was leaning into Qing Xiashu's shoulders, tired enough not to question the action.

"Thank you." Qing Xiashu murmured when the man behind the desk set a set of keys in his palm and took the payment that was offered in return.

"Hong Shaoye. Our room is upstairs" He was given only a grumble in response.

Qing Xiashu sighed and carefully began maneuvering the man towards their room, stairs taken one at a time.

They made it to the room in rather poor time.

It wasn't worth fretting over the bed in the corner, small as it was. They were far too tired and hadn't slept in a half decent bed in far far too long.

Qing Xiashu let Hong Chunji sleepily climb under the covers before following suit himself, limbs twisting until they were both at least semi comfortable. Qing Xiashu realized too late that his head wasn't resting on the pillow.

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