Prologue II

-250 years later-

It was the day of his departure to the mortal realm and the young deity sat among the plum blossoms with his guqin* laid across his lap. As Jin Xiu plucked the zither and allowed his left hand to slide gracefully down the strings, the Jade Palace's garden was filled with a faint sadness. It was a melody that seemed to cause even the lily flowers to lower their buds and weep.

250 years since his sentencing and approximately a half-hour till his divine gifts are gone. Then he would live as a mortal with those wretched humans until his penance was relieved. He exhaled, knowing this would be the last time that he would be able to blithely pluck his beloved instrument, imagining that she was just beside him.

Hearing the shuffling of clothing from the plum tree behind him, Jin Xiu gently lifted his fingers off the strings and shook his head slightly. "You are really terrible at hiding your presence, Gan He." He watched his cousin, son of goddess Xi He, emerge from the bark of the tree with his cheeks sucked in with a pouty expression. The radiant glow that emitted from him rivaled the burning sun above as he snapped open his fan and coyly hid his feminine face behind it.

"Beautiful playing, as usual, Jin Xiu. But must you always play such a sorrowful melody?"

Jin Xiu slid the thin zither off his lap and placed it gently against the trunk of the tree. "I most likely won't be able to play for a while. Cease your complaining just for today."

Playfully, Gan He bounded over to him and slung an arm over his shoulder. He offered his cousin a childish smile as he poked his cheek lightly with the end of his fan. "Don't look so glum, just look forward to the future. Once your penance is over, it'll be the ceremony and we'll finally be full-fledged deities. Exciting."

"Yes, yes." Jin Xiu waved his hand dismissively but softened his expression. "Your optimism truly knows no bounds."

Gan He beamed. "Come, I'll walk you to the Gate of Tian (天)* and see you off. Did you already bid farewell to your mother?"

"Mm." He nodded, recalling the sight of his distraught mother clasping his hands and kissing the top of his head with such tenderness. Chang'e was worried, and understandably so. Despite her insisting that she should be the one to see him off, strangely the Jade Emperor refused her request and thus sent Gan He. Only then was she was able to feel the slightest bit relieved knowing that her close nephew would accompany him.

Once picking up his guqin, the two headed towards the outskirts of Tian (天)*. Gan He kept the chatter strictly of pleasant thoughts and purposely avoided the penance as much possible. His words would jump around from subject to subject, memory to memory but he enjoyed it. In the past, Jin Xiu found his cousin's incessant chatter slightly irritating but at that very moment, it was comforting because for the first time in a while, he allowed himself to take in the beauty of the place he called home.

The air surrounding their elegant frames was misty, and it sat upon the still ponds like a bodiless, milky cloud. The orange koi fish glittered beneath the surface with every rigid movement and flutter of their tail. Beautiful pagoda and ancient architecture stood boldly amongst the ever-blooming buds which sprouted out of baby pink and white buds to release their sweet, fragrant scent.

His thoughts came to a jittering halt when the tip of the Gate of Tian (天) became visible over the shrouding mist which seemed to disperse as they approached closer and closer. Its horns poked out from each of the top corners and it hovered over their forms grandly.

Jin Xiu's movements became stiff and his eyebrows knitted together unconsciously. Had it always looked this tall? No, it couldn't be. He's entered and exited it before out of his own free will. But faced with a daunting task, as much as he wouldn't like to admit it, was unfamiliar to him. The mortal world disgusted him and before he made an oath he wouldn't spend more than a day there.

Feeling a warm hand placed on his shoulder, Jin Xiu glanced at his cousin's reassuring smile. "Stick out your hand."

"Why?" He inquired while raising an eyebrow.

"Just do it."

Nodding, Jin Xiu placed his hand in front of him, palm upwards.

"Now close your eyes."

"Must I have to? This seems foolish."

"Trust me!" Gan He insisted.

He sighed resignedly and did as he was told. From the large sleeve of his Hanfu*, Gan He pulled out an item with a high-pitched tinkle and placed the cool object on Jin Xiu's outstretched palm. The feathery fabric connected to it tickled his skin. "There, you like it?"

In his hand laid a pure white ivory bell only the size of a copper coin. Its surface was smooth and cold and connected to the top was light blue twine intricately weaved to form an intertwining pattern.

"Oh, thank you for the charm."

"It isn't just a charm you brute!" Gan He had a flabbergasted look, almost to the point where he looked a bit offended. "It will only ring when we are near each other. See, I have one just like it too so we'll both know. I thought it would be nice to take a little part of home with you for luck."

"So it is a lucky charm?"

Gan He rolled his eyes. "Fine, whatever you want to call it."

Chuckling, Jin Xiu embraced the childish sentiment and tucked it into the depths of his pocket. He gripped the edge of his guqin tightly, running his thumb along its surface. "Please, take care of it until I get back."

"Of course." Gan He promised as his cousin graciously entrusted his zither with him. He took the instrument timidly by its body and adjusted it so that he would have a better hold.

Jin Xiu approached the edge of the gate; From beyond this point, only the thick fog was visible. A gust of wind caused his long black hair to flutter against his face and back. He stood for a few seconds and turned his head back to where he saw Gan He madly waving his arm in goodbye.

Barely able to stifle his chuckle, he turned back around, took a deep breath, and allowed himself to be engulfed by the dense, milky fog.