13 An Unexpected Appearance

Taehyung tugged at his neck, his shoulders weighed down by the heavy fabric. Silvery fabric that shimmered under the rays of the soon-setting sun, the hems decorated with darky, ashy grey patterns. Faint golden threads peeked out from within the fabric, adding the last bit of colour needed for his ensemble. The underclothes were a soft white, allowing Taehyung to look like a stern but elegant scholar.

His long hair was tied back into a simple but graceful hairstyle. Xue Ya fussed over him, darkening his eyebrows and making sure every crease and line was perfect. Finally, she gave him a white fan that had dull green mountains filled with mists embroidered onto the surface.

Xue Ya and Jin Tong were dressed as his attendants, wearing a dull brown that allowed them to blend into the background with all the other servants that were to be there.

He looked out the carriage window, enjoying the last rays of the sun. The skies were a beautiful mix of yellow and red; an artist painting their last before death reaped their souls in a pity. The golden carriage glittered under the light, pulled by several Golden Cranes. Their wingspans were massive, spanning over ten metres. One flap of their wings was enough to travel miles.

Taehyung wondered which one of his family was stuck here. Did they also see this same sunset too?

He had never wondered how in the end, everyone still saw the same sunset, the same moon, the same stars. It was a quiet sort of beauty in itself.

Taehyung's mind strayed back to the world where he came from. The original world, where BTS was seven members and not one. How were the ARMYs, their fans, doing? Now that all seven of them are gone, what was happening over there? Did BTS cease to exist?

A small thread of guilt wormed its way into Taehyung's heart.

In his hand, he played with a dark green jade seal; the invitation to the gathering for today.

Soon, they had arrived at 9th Heaven.

The carriage slowed down as it approached the main floating island, where the Jade Emperor stayed. From him, Taehyung could see a city made purely from all sorts of jade. The soft clouds passed through this building, covering it with a blanket of mysteries and danger.

9th Heaven was truly as luxurious as he had heard about. Floating islands, each with a gorgeous scenery. Drooping fruit trees, with little fae who gathered these fruits one by one, to be made into wine and desserts. As the carriage passed by, Taehyung stuck his head out through the window. His hand reached outwards, a gentle smile on his face.

One of the fruit fae flitted its way over, holding a fuzzy peach. Taehyung accepted the gift, and the fruit fae kissed his fingertip and flew away, its tiny wings making almost a buzzing sound.

Xue Ya looked at Taehyung in astonishment. "The Fae like you. They don't like anyone but their own kind."

Taehyung took a bite of the fruit, sweet juice spilling over his lips. Truly worthy of 9th Heaven. Inside his body, he felt a slight increase in the power flowing through his veins.

"Delicious," he said, wiping away the juice with his hand.

As the carriage got closer, more and more similar carriages piled up at the entrance. Multi coloured dragons gracefully flew to each of the carriages.

Taehyung chuckled at the sight. Some things never changed, no matter where you went. Traffic jams were certainly one of them.

A dragon with golden scales and silver horns flew up to the side window of Taehyung's carriage. Once it opened its sharp jaws, a surprisingly deep voice came out:

"Name and invitation."

Taehyung handed over the jade seal. "Jin Tai Heng."

Surprise flitted through the dragon's eyes(well, as much expression as a dragon could make). It took the seal and channeled its power into it, causing the seal to glow and tremble.

"You may proceed."

The carriage shook slightly as they went past the front gates. To be fair, the gates were only there to thin out the crowd and for decorative purposes, as others could just flew over the wall surrounding the city.

No one in their right mind would do such a thing(Taehyung heard a few stories when someone did, and they made him shudder). The Jade Emperor didn't even need a barrier around his palace to strike fear into the hearts of his people.

The main hall was the same one Taehyung remembered, albeit filled with even more luxuries then last time. Cloud spirits poured drinks, their delicate hands making the act seem more like a dance rather than a simple movement.

Taehyung's eyes scanned across the hall, looking for anyone who could trigger his memories. Or even, anyone who could possibly be a member of BTS.

His eyes met with fierce, purple ones.

The same person he saw at Fusang.

Funny, how the two people he had randomly noticed at Fusang turned out to be the ones who he ran into later on.

The purple eyed man was dressed in his full armour, the sword strapped across his back. He sat alone, no one willing to come within a three metre distance. An aura of bloodlust radiated off his body as he sipped at his wine.

Taehyung whispered to Xue Ya, "Who is the purple eyed spirit who no one wants to interact with?"

Xue Ya snickered at his question. "Only the God of War, Guan Gong."

Guan Gong.

Taehyung repeated his name inside his mind.

He couldn't help it. Guan Gong looked so similar to Jimin, except for a slightly sharper face and different coloured eyes. Could he be Jimin? It was bizarre, seeing someone who looked so similar, but wasn't the same. It was as if Jimin lost his sunshine personality, and kept only his cold exterior.

Taehyung frowned. The bodiless voice said it wouldn't be easy(plus, who would even try to murder the God of War? He was probably the God of War for a very good reason).

The spirits around Taehyung whispered back and forth with each other, their eyes darting every now and then back to Taehyung.

Taehyung ignored them and continued studying the rest of the spirits and Gods in the massive hall. Closer to the front, he saw a figure that made him freeze.

Dressed in a muted shade of green, the picture of elegance and grace. A green fan. An appearance similar to a frail scholar's. Long hair that was so similar to what he saw before, in his memories.

Could it be the same person? Within the Heavens, the higher you were to the top, the less people there were; the harder it was to cultivate. All the Gods and Goddesses had already known each other for years by now, and it had been more than a thousand years since a new God joined.

"Xue Ya," he called out.

Xue Ya stepped up to his side and leaned down.

"Who is the one in muted green, the one that looks like he'd faint at any second?"

Xue Ya stiffened for a moment.

Then, she chuckled lightly, a forced sound that alerted Taehyung.

"It's only the Gu Wen, Milord. Apart from the Jade Emperor, he is probably the most powerful in the room," she explained to a stunned Taehyung.

A ringing sound echoed throughout the hall, causing all to fall silent.

The Jade Emperor arrived.

Although Taehyung was seated quite far away, thanks to his cultivation, his eyesight was far better than a mortal's.

Like Xue Ya, the Jade Emperor was made out of the material his name meant. Dressed in golden robes, there was an aura of nobility and charisma that naturally followed him wherever he went.

The cold jade lips turned up at the corner into a mirthless smirk.

"Welcome, to the Gathering of the Moon."