The Tale of the Lotus Heart

Chapter 28

*Aivi's POV*

It'd been one hundred years on Floral Island. I'd gotten used to life there quickly. The island had a greenhouse effect that made it comfortably warm all the time. The clothes of the Floral Island were more comfortable as well. Because it was an island full of women, the dresses were lighter and sometimes sleeveless and sheer. The material didn't feel as heavy and there weren't as many layers as the clothing in the Heavenly Realm. I wasn't surprised that Yong asked the Floral Goddess to look after me, but I was surprised that she was so nice and caring with me. I pulled my weight, of course, but Floral Goddess Peony helped show me how to make a tonic to help my nausea and lethargy. Yong tried to visit at least twice a week. I could see in his eyes how much he wanted to just stay with me, but I was starting to show. I had a little baby bump growing and it was feeling more real. I was pregnant. My stomach wouldn't let me deny it anymore.

I kneeled near the buds that were just starting to grow. I planted and cared for them myself after Goddess Peony showed me how. My cultivation levels continued to rise as well.

"Aivi, you're heavenly trial to goddess will be tonight. It's not safe to go through it while pregnant though," Peony said as she glanced at my plants. The rules were also more lax here on the island. We called each other by first name often and the strict rules of the Heavenly Realm weren't as enforced. I liked it here. Even though I was hiding, I felt relaxed.

"I can use my internal energy to protect the womb and take the strikes to my body only," I suggested. I knew my trial to goddess was nearing because of my continual cultivation, but I never thought about doing the trial while pregnant. Peony shook her head.

"It's not that simple. The trial of 20 lightning strikes goes to your very core. It's harsher than your previous trials," she stopped me. Of course, she didn't know about my lotus heart, but I still didn't know if that protection extended to the child in my stomach. I stood and placed a hand on my lower stomach. I'd gotten in the habit of holding my stomach since the bump appeared.

"But I don't want you to worry. I'm sure Yong has a plan. He refuses to watch you suffer, and I know he won't let harm come to either of you," Peony said as she held my arm gently. Honestly, I was worried. Yong seemed to be wearing himself thin lately. Even with the minor battles and duties as the Crown Prince of Heaven, he always tried to make time to visit me. The dark circles under his eyes were getting more and more obvious.

"I don't want Yong harmed either. I'm sure I can handle my trial on my own, and still keep my child safe. Do me a favor and don't open the barrier for him," I said confidently. I had faith in my Lotus Heart. It was stronger than ever before. I finished tending to my plants, and grabbed something quick to eat before meeting Peony at the edge of Fruitful Lake. The sky was darkening as cloud rolled quickly above us.

"It's time. Are you sure about this?" Peony asked hesitantly. I nodded before concentrating on moving a force field of internal energy around my womb. The thunder shook the ground before the first strike zapped through my body. I wasn't going to lie, it was painful, but I focused on keeping the shield around my child. A loud sound came from the ground before another flash of lightning charged towards me. Before it could run through my body, someone wrapped me in a hug and grunted as the charge hit them. This feeing...

"Yong, stop! I can handle it!" I yelled at him in worry as the next strike hit him again. He groaned, but kept his hold on me.

"The seal... can't be broken. I won't let you get hurt," he breathed before the lightning striked him again and again. I tried to push him off as tears streaked down my face.

"Stop it! Let go!" I repeated continually as the strikes kept coming. Yong's grip only tightened around me. I was counting each flash of light. Thick, wet blood oozed from Yong's mouth onto my shoulder as the last strike finally receded. Yong's body went limp before he crumbled. Tears were still pouring down my face as I caught his body to keep him from hitting the ground. Peony helped me move his body to my living quarters. I couldn't stop the tears as I did a body search on him. His pridominal spirit was damaged to the core. He was weaker than I imagined. Whatever he'd been doing lately took a toll on him even before he took my trial. I tried to stop my tears and focus as I began to pass energy to him. I forced as much as I could into him before a hand on my shoulder stopped me.

"Aivi! If you keep going like this, you'll both die," she warned me as she set the large bowl of water and rag next to me. After I stopped, she calmed down a bit.

"If his spirit core is damaged, he'll need a remedy to fix the cracks before you start just pushing energy into him. If you do it rashly like that, your energy will only serve to run amuck in his body, causing him to worsen, and you to weaken," she explain.

"Clean off the blood and make him comfortable, I'll go make the medicine," Peony offered sympathetically. I took a breath to try and calm down as I soaked the rag in the water and rung it out. I cleaned up around Yong's mouth and undid his robes before covering him with the blanket. I rinsed the rag off before carefully wiping the sweat from his body. The amount of pain he went through must have been intense, for him to still look so pained in his sleep. I set the rag aside before holding his hand in both of mine gently.

"You're an idiot, Yong. You know I could've taken my trail just fine. Why did you jump in and get hurt?" I asked his unconscious body sadly.