A Little Magic Causes A Big Wave

XiXi is getting a little dizzy from the wine and spinning around, she stops and asks, "Do you want to marry LingLing ?"

Feng Tian has a incredulous expression and stammers, "Why...why would you say that?"

XiXi thinks that might have been awkward and ignores the question. "Grab the wine! Let's go to the lake!"

Feng Tian loves carrying XiXi in his arms, he swiftly picks her up and she playfully puts the flower wreath on his head.

"Now, you look like a fairy princess. So pretty!? She thinks it's hilarious, he's holding her so he can't take it off.

"..."

They arrive at the boat, Feng Tian removes the flower wreath and puts it back on XiXi's head. He has a delicate and flawless face, he hates it when anyone calls him pretty.

"If you don't want me to drop you from the sky don't put flowers on my head again."

He takes XiXi"s hand and helps her onto the boat then pushes the boat away from the shore with the wave of his palm and jumps onto it.

The stars are just starting to come out and the moon is full tonight , the moonlight reflecting on the water causing it to shimmer.

Just as XiXi glances around the Phoenix Fireflies are starting to cluster around the lake.

XiXi can't contain her excitement at the sight, "Feng Tian this ..this... Oh my! So amazing! You always bring me to the most wondrous places!"

"It is named Luminous Pearl Lake because of these Phoenix Fireflies. Every night they illuminate the lake, it appears as though Night Pearl lanterns are hung around it. You can see through the water to the fishes and plants all the way to the bottom which is several hundred km deep."

XiXi leisurely sips her wine and notices a creature at the edge of the lake. It is large and could be compared to a lion, only its mane is bright red and has wings laying flat on its fur. The majestic beast seems to be staring at them. "Feng Tian, what is the name of that animal?"

"Siyu is an ancient Mythological Beast called a Panthera. His mate died a hundred years ago but every night he comes here and stares across the lake waiting for her to come back."

"So sad!" XiXi looks at Siyu, almost feeling his pain reflected in its eyes. The beast has an aura of complete loneliness surrounding him.

Feng Tian leans back, watching XiXi looking at the Panthera and the Phoenix Fireflies surrounding the lake. She is so innocent , I'm very worried about her on this journey. I can protect her physically, but she is going to have to strengthen her mind before we go.

 If Yun Tai helps her cultivate and she learns some sorcery...but still , seeing her like this I see that in her world she didn't see any pain or struggles. I should explain what to expect at least.

 Not right now though, we have time and she looks so blissful looking at the lake and the surroundings..

She flicks his forehead, "Feng Tian, why are you looking so serious, pour more wine."

XiXi has another cup of wine and opens the cake to have another piece. She is feeling a warm glow from the wine and the tranquil atmosphere of the lake.

She enjoy drinking the different wine, so sweet and it makes me feel warm.

"This cake has a very good texture and the flavor is indescribable, here Feng Tian, have a bite." She reaches towards his mouth with a piece of cake in her hand, "Open your mouth".

Feng Tian is also feeling the effects of the wine and does as she asks. Her small fingers hold a piece of cake that is crumbling as she puts it in his mouth.

"Isn't is delicious?" She asks him, licking her fingers.

He can't take his eyes off her mouth sucking on her slender jade like finger, "Yes, very delicious".

XiXi walks over to the edge of the boat and looks over at the fish. She can see layers and layers of different varieties and sizes of fish.

Some of the colorful fish were swimming around, some were eating plants of various colors.

There were rainbow striped fish, spotted fish and some that seemed transparent.

She wants to see how far she can see to the bottom of the lake and is leaning on the edge of the boat, such a magical and awesome sight!

Feng Tian is staring up at the lotus constellation in the sky, when a star falls away from the formation headed in their direction.

All of a sudden XiXi feels a burning sensation behind her ear and screams in pain.

She reaches to touch behind her ear and loses her balance as she leans over the railing.

Feng Tian rushes over just as she is about to go over the edge and grabs XiXi around her thin waist and pulls her into his arms.

XiXi looks up into his beautiful sapphire eyes and for a moment she thinks is he looking at her the way, Qing Jun does?

Still holding her he exclaims, "Why did you scream in pain?"

XiXi comes to her senses," You can let me go, I'm fine, I was just startled. I think I got bit by something on my neck, I felt a sting."

Feng Tian knows there are no biting insects on this land, what could it have been. "Should I look at your neck?"

XiXi doesn't want him to see the Red Lotus birthmark and quickly says "No!"

She didn't mean to snap at him, she feels he is becoming a good friend. He isn't as arrogant as when I first met him.

 He has taken me to see so many breathtaking sights. I should show him the water trick.

"Feng Tian, do you want to see something I learned today?" XiXi thinks since they will be going on the journey together, she could show him. It is a minor trick.

"Pour me another cup of wine and I will show you."

" Zhang XiXi, this wine is specially made by an old hermit who lives at the base of Stormy Cloud Mountain. It's very sweet but strong, I think you might have had enough wine." You almost fell overboard.

" Stingy!" Pouting, she grabs the bottle from his hand and pours a cup. "I'm about to show you something amazing!"

XiXi sits down and thinks about the hand position ,order of the words of the spell and the three seconds in between, now I have to think how to say it.

Feng Tian looks at her scrunching up her upturned nose while tapping her fingers on the seat as though she is deep in thought. I want to go hug her right now and kiss the tip of her nose, that serious face of hers is too adorable.

She picks up her wine and finishes it in two gulps and says "Ready! Come here and stand with me by the railing."

Feng Tian obediently strides over to stand beside XiXi. What is she planning?

"Look out at the water over to the East, don't watch me." I probably shouldn't expose how I do the trick..

XiXi puts her hands together as directed by Zhang Yu, she glances over at Feng Tian, good he is looking out towards the water..

She chants the spell and looks over in Feng Tian's direction. "Did you see it?"Her eyes are sparkling as she excitedly pulls on the sleeve of his robe.

"What? Did you throw a pebble in the water I saw it ripple", he answers quite seriously.

Maybe I was too far away... she walks towards him. "Feng Tian I am going to stand behind you to the right, don't look".

He is laughing to himself what is she doing? I think she definitely is drunk from the Peach Blossom wine.

XiXi places her fingertips together raises them to her chest and begins to chant quietly keeping three seconds in between the words. She looks to the water and sees a tiny geyser by the bottom of the boat.

Feng Tian looks down at the water and laughs, "That little spurt of water was your trick?", he starts laughing uncontrollably, holding his side.

Embarrassed, XiXi gets angry and kicks him in the leg her face a crimson shade of red. "It was my first day! I thought the geyser would be bigger in a lake!" She almost feels like crying from the humiliation. I actually said amazing!

Feng Tian holds his leg, still laughing, he is rather tipsy himself," Why did you kick me ?"

"Just you watch, I'm going to do it one more time, I know I can make it bigger. I'm going to sit and have a little more wine first. Pass me the bottle."

"Really..haha...you shouldn't."

XiXi finishes the wine, stomps over to where Feng Tian is standing then pushes up the sleeves of her dress.

"Feng Tian, I am going to have to be louder this time I think, so see that tree over there?" She points to the tallest tree in the woods by the lake. " Use that qinggong of yours and go sit on it, you will have a nice view. I will make a geyser you can see, I know I can!"

Feng Tian decides to humor her and flies to the top of the tree. He sits on a branch swinging his legs back and forth waiting to see what she will do next.

 The way she pushed up her sleeves and angrily stomped over to me. Those little feet didn't make an audible sound on the wooden floor of the boat. Haha...instead of looking fierce she looked so cute! He looks down at the tiny figure passing around the boat muttering to herself.

XiXi decides she will say it in a forceful tone, using all her mental energy.Feng Tian is up in that tree, there are no people around because of Yun Tai's array formation. The only creature I see is the lonely beast over there. Maybe this geyser will get his mind off his mate for a minute, the water formation will be so beautiful lit up by those fireflies.

She is concentrating all of her mind's power towards her hands, that once again are in the position Zhang Yu taught her. Her mind she goes over the rhyming words, then three seconds is crucial to the spell. I'm ready.

 I'm going to show that arrogant man what I am capable of doing!

XiXi begins the spell with all of her mind focused on her hands and the words.

She begins shouting them in a commanding tone, three seconds apart one by one, she gets to the last word and is almost in a trancelike state.

She looks up from her hands that are shaking, shocked to see half the lake forming a swirling wall in front of the boat rocking in the water. Fish are flying everywhere, the force from the air around the water is so turbulent, a force like a suction drawing her off the boat towards the top of the wall of water.

XiXi is frightened out of her mind, am I going to drown or get crushed by the water? As her body moves through the water she can feel water being sucked into her lungs, oh my God it's is getting hard to breathe! 

The swirling foaming water is like a cyclone building into the shape of a massive wall of water. Her delicate body is being twisted as it is caught in the flow of water heading up the water wall

Fish are flying into her from every direction as they also are getting sucked into a devastatingly strong current moving upwards.

She begins to cry as she is momentarily suspended in the air by the wall of water about to come crashing back down into the lake. Gasping for air and spitting out water, XiXi closes her eyes tightly, ready to die knowing the wall of water is collapsing.

Suddenly she feels the soft fur of an animal under her body. XiXi leans onto Siyu's neck and holds on to his thick mane while coughing up water.

In a panic, Feng Tian swiftly flies from the tree, but XiXi is already being carried to shore by the massive Panthera.