Heavy Sweetness Ash-Like Frost

Chapter 5: The Secret Starts to Unravel

  The dream image is slashed away by a girl who demands from Jin Mi the identity of the girl in the dream. She turns out to be Princess Liu Ying of the demon world, who is deeply in love with Phoenix. Jin Mi (disguised) tells Princess Liu Ying she doesn't know the girl and gives her directions to where Phoenix is after Princess Liu Ying asks. 

   Princess Liu Ying meets Phoenix and asks him who is the girl in his dream. Phoenix is angry and asks Night if his deer contravened the rules of heavens by daring to eat a high god's dream. It turns out that high gods will naturally have a barrier when they sleep so it's not possible for the deer to eat his dream... until Jin Mi realises that she had brought the little deer across the barrier when she had brought it inside to sleep. She starts to cough uncontrollably and Phoenix makes her stand behind him when Night uses his hand to comfort her back. Phoenix says that he cannot have his maidservant cause rumours for Night who is already engaged. 

  Princess Liu Ying asks Night who has the honour to be his fiancee, and he says with a shadow on his face that she is the eldest daughter of the Water God. Princess Liu Ying queries if the Wind Goddess and Water God are still childless... and everyone falls silent.

   Night and Phoenix captures the two demons and Phoenix traps them in two gourds which will  cause the demons to vanish into dust after a few days. Jin Mi was annoyed because they did not let her follow them and casted a spell to immobilize her. Night had to return to the heavenly realms for some duties while Phoenix remained in the Underworld with Jin Mi. Jin Mi thinks Phoenix is very strange, because other then when Phoenix went to catch the demon, he cast a spell causing her not to be able to be away from him further than 100 steps. 

   Jin Mi thinks that the common saying which states that reality is the opposite of dreams is true! What Phoenix feels for her is the opposite of his dream (hah).

   Jin Mi decides to eat the internal essence of the two demons since she cannot eat the internal essence of Phoenix. Jin Mi removes the seal from the gourd and one of the demon is released! She is about to be attacked when Phoenix saves her - he uses his Red Lily Fire against the demon and the demon starts to die... but then Phoenix suddenly stops using the fire when he realises it was affecting Jin Mi adversely. So, Phoenix puts up a protective barrier for Jin Mi and fights the demon with a sword. He kills the demon with the sword (actually one of his feathers) despite the demon playing dirty tricks and trying to use Jin Mi against Phoenix. 

   After the battle, Phoenix is angry at Jin Mi, but can't do anything but flick her forehead. Jin Mi realises that Phoenix is injured - he has been hurt by the demon's Plague needles when he was trying to protect her. Princess Liu Ying comes into the room at this moment after having heard sounds of a fight - she is horrified when she realises that Phoenix has been hurt by the demon's Plague needles and says she will dash immediately to the Flower World to get the sacred ganordema (ling zimushroom) which can heal him. Jin Mi realises that if Phoenix was not cured within 49 hours, he would be destroyed by the poison from the Plague needles. 

   Phoenix says that the Flower World has a grudge with the heavenly realms and will not release the sacred herb. Jin Mi wonders what was the big deal for some simple grass - she takes out a red thread from her pocket and asks Phoenix what will he do for her if she makes the special herb. Phoenix stares at her for a moment then ignores Jin Mi and starts to meditate. 

   Jin Mi was indignant at being ignored and underestimated so she starts to think about what a sacred ganordema looks like... and a reddish mushroom is born! She happily brings it to Phoenix, who studies it with an unclear expression. Phoenix says that Jin Mi has made a shitake mushroom. So, Jin Mi starts to make all kinds of mushroom grow on the floor. Phoenix tells Jin Mi that he will give her two hundred years of cultivation if she makes the sacred ganordema (ling zi).

   Jin Mi bargains for three hundred years of cultivation and Phoenix agrees. She starts to make tons of plants... and then out grows a sacred ganordema. Phoenix is shocked and asks what was Jin Mi's identity icily. Jin Mi thinks Phoenix is becoming delirious as he keeps asking her who she is and what her relationship is with the Flower Goddess. Jin Mi realises she must knock him out to feed him the sacred ganordema or he will die and she cannot get her cultivation, so she decides to... kiss him. 

   When her arms surround his neck, she chops him in one fell swoop. She casts a spell to put Phoenix on the bed and applies the sacred ganordema on his injuries. She falls asleep by his bedside. She wakes up thinking she is pinching a pest that wants to eat her grape self, only to realise it's Phoenix's finger. At this moment, Princess Liu Ying returns with the First Flower Leader from the Flower World. 

   The First Flower Leader is furious at Jin Mi. Phoenix tells her it is not Jin Mi's fault as he had fallen into the Flower World and Jin Mi had followed him later. The First Flower Leader says he cannot dare touch any female immortals in the Flower World. Phoenix admits that his heart is with Jin Mi (**he uses this very lovely phrase, 心之所系 - 系 meaning ties, relationships, a connection - it is as if he is saying his heart is now connected with Jin Mi). 

    Jin Mi does not understand what Phoenix means by 心之所系. Princess Liu Ying looks like she wants to cry and the First Flower Leader takes Jin Mi away. Phoenix says he will go to the Flower World to see Jin Mi again. Jin Mi asks when since she wants her 300 years of cultivation. 

   Phoenix smiles and says the day after tomorrow.