What really was the Heavens Gate? That question had been lingering into the cultivators' mind for so long. The only piece of visible information they had was that it was created by the Holy Trinity of Baoshao Sanran, Lan Yi and Wen Mao. The three of them united their spiritual energy and the gate appeared for the first time in Tianmen Mountain.

It was merely the path between two dimensions, the barrier between life and death, the wall between Gui and Shen, the throne of gods and servants.

It was not first time in the history that the creator had created a weapon stronger than his capability. One example was Yiling Patriarch and his Stygian Tiger Seal, The Heavens Gate was no exception.

There is always yin to the yang, Hun to the Po and so in case of Heaven's Gate it was the Shen as equivalent exchange.

Shen was the Spirits of Heaven, once a soul passes through the Heavens Gate it becomes Shen. But how could a Shen be offered when the soul was still on Mortal realm?

That was why the 3 arrays were created, the blood, the spirit and the soul. The three could make up for a Shen but three were not Shen. It was closest to what they could offer. Shen the Yang was vulnerable to Gui the Yin. Which are demons and ghouls.

To keep the balance of life, The Shen and Gui were separated but that barrier was broken by none other than Xue Zhonghai. He broke such a fine line of nature that cultivators spent years and still could not bring the perfect balance back.

Cultivators even seek help from Five Oracles and the Moon. The closest Qi to the Earth was the 6th Qi, the moon. The Qi which granted immortality.

Before the concept of Heavenly Realms, long before the cultivation, the world was at peace, in perfect harmony. Moon was the place where the dead would return and wait for their reincarnation.

And much like life, the 6th Qi was prisoner of time, with its 8 phases influencing the GuiShen.

But there was always one thing, the most powerful of the weapon only few could obtain and the answer to all of their questions...

Neither of them knew how long they had been embracing each other's warmth. They didn't need words to know how the other felt because in that moment the two had the same kind of feelings surged up in their hearts.

But the fate was known to be cruel.

Wei Changze could see her Qi, slowly but surely dissolving into the void with nothing to guard her soul. Despite that she didn't lose her sanity which spoke volume about how strong she was.

"Chang Chang."

Her voice was the exactly the song that needed to thaw his cold heart. Her frame was so delicate and small compare to him. Her hair was so soft and her aroma was so intoxicating.

"I didn't realize how small you were." Wei Changze was totally hypnotized by her presence.

"Are you trying to pick a fight!?" She broke the embrace much to other's dismal.

She hopped in front of him and begun walking towards her next destination.

Only then Wei Changze realized what had happened, how greedily he held her and how his body betrayed logic.

"D-did you find what you were looking for?" Wei Changze was having a battle of heart and brain. He was aware that Jiang Fengmian was in love with the Maiden, he was hugging shamelessly few minutes ago. How could he betray his life-long friend like that?

"I did." Cangse Sanran didn't recede her steps and kept walking without turning around. Wei Changze was certain that she was enraged with his shameless behavior from earlier but little did he knew that she had been trying to calm her racing heart.

"Did you practice the Verse?" Cangse Sanren asked. Wei Changze had promised to learn a music score. They found in one of the books of Toshokan the melody which could slow down the Qi deviation. He even had Qinghen Jun's instructions about the tones, the difference between bass and clef. It was right before his seclusion and back then everything seemed so fine. That's why it came as a shock to Cangse Sanren that a bright person like Qinghen Jun went to seclusion. So she had to make sure that Madam Lan was the right person, for the sake of their friendship. But what she learnt was heartbreaking.

The reason why Madam Lan killed his Laoushi.

How the righteous Laoushi wanted to stop her from Marrying Qingheng Jun and how he gave into lust, charmed by her beauty and tried to impregnate her. What she did was just a self-defense. Qinghen Jun didn't want to believe what he saw, how could he? His Laoushi raised him, taught him everything he knew yet he could turn into a vicious animal like that. He didn't allow himself to tarnish his Laoushi's name nor he could allow his family to hurt the innocent Maiden.

But the sad part was, the Lans resented Madam Lan for something she didn't commit and her own Husband couldn't acknowledge her innocence openly.

He was left with nothing but grieve.

Maybe it was pity, that Madam Lan decided to stay imprisoned, sooth his pain somehow.

"I am half way through." Wei Changze never even learnt to whistle, let alone lift an instrument. He had been practicing hard to learn Dizi.

Cangse Sanren smiled with a little melancholy. It was always this sad smile that made Wei Changze do unthinkable. All he wanted was to erase that out of her beautiful face but he had been failing time and time again.

"There's no need for you to practice that any longer." Cangse Sanren turned around and stood, feet away in front of Wei Chagnze.

"What do you mean?" it was the gut feeling. He knew something wasn't right ever since she disappeared. He had been putting his thought to the side but what she said was even worse than his doubts.

"I'm going to die soon Chang Chang."

He knew it. Deep down he had this negative thought swimming in his head but he had hoped for otherwise. He had been seeing her Core breaking piece by piece, he had been feeling her spiritual power dissolving ounce by ounce and her soul cracking, disappearing right in front of him. If this was not how people experience death then Wei Changze didn't know how to describe it better.

"Y-you said you found the solution, right? There's a way to break the bond right!?"

His tone was loud, screaming for answers. Yet the other person was still calm.

"Chang Chang."

"There has to be a way... that's right! Dalou! we will find him for sure! He knows how to fix your soul!" His voice was trembling, begging.

"Chang Chang, it's no use, I have run out of time."

Time! But they had just met, it wasn't long, if he had known earlier, he could have done something, instead of threating her and accusing her, he could have protected her, he should have protected her!

"Chang Chang calm down." Cangse Sanren made his way to Wei Changze and made him sit under the tree.

"Chang Chang, I have one wish that I want you to grant. Please think of it as my dying wish."

She shouldn't have phrased it like that. Wei Changze found himself on the edge of breaking apart. This was the maiden who protected A-Mian, how could he just let her die like this? Wei Changze had dealt with death so many times before but it was first him, he was afraid.

"Chang Chang, I am going to lose control and when I do, I want you to be the one to stop me." The reason Cangse Sanren suddenly left Yunmeng was because of her Golden Core. It was banging alarms, telling her to seal the Gate before her soul depletes making her vulnerable to be devoured by Gui. At least, if she sealed it, she can protect the people from the after effects.

Looks like my path didn't let me come back A-Chen.

She took out her blade, Ai Ni and held it in front of her, Facing Wei Changze,

"If I am doomed to death, at least, I could be killed by you. That would be worth it."

He watched her smile, for the last time.

And then everything went blank.

[Flashback ends]

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With each chant, there was a new cut on her body. She had long used all of her powers, what she was doing was merely a payment, a bonus to have kept Heavens Gate bounded for so long. But now it was sealed, with His soul instead.

How could that be possible? How could there be a way that defiled reasoning?

The weapon stronger than any bond...Love!

The answer of all of her unexplainable questions, the greatest sorcery and the greatest weakness. No wonder all of their search was always a dead end because there was no explanation of it. What was Love? Nobody really knew.

And yet it was love that was making her cultivate a way to bring him back.

His soul was still fresh, she could retrieve it before Xisigui could claim it or before it becomes Shen. She was ready to even perform Jiaohuan, if worst come.

"Chang Chang....please wake up.." She begged the gods, the spirits even the demons to not take away his soul.

"You've taken everyone from me, please don't take him!" she cried, offering her everything. They took her Xiong-di, she couldn't stay with her Shidi and now the man she loved was taken too. All because of the cursed Gate!

What was the point of dying every day, if she couldn't protect the ones she loved? Love really terrified her!

"Chang Chang!"

Everyone was silently staring at her, not knowing how to proceed or even what to perceive.

Yu Yizuan touched Jiang Fengmian's palm. He didn't realize that he was clutching onto his blade tightly enough for it to bleed.

"Sect Leader Jiang, I'm afraid our assistance is not needed here." Yu Ziyuan pulled Jiang Fengmian against his will and took him away from the couple. But no matter how far they were inside the cove, her pained screams could be echoed everywhere.

"Sect Leader Jiang, would you accompany me back to Xiang River? I must cleanse it before Xiang Deity completely vanishes." Yu Ziyuan ushered Sect Leader Jiang to move. Jiang Fengmian seemed to be in a daze, he never felt this much powerless in his entire life.

The two arrived at Xiang River once again but this time, they were aware of why the place was so silent.

Xisigui appeared here, taking away all the lost souls and the soul given as an offering, to seal it with the Gate.

Even the river was silent.

Having come face to face with low level ghouls, Jiang Fengmian suddenly lost his will to fight. What would he do if Wei Changze didn't wake up? What would he do if gods really take Cangse Sanren's soul? He would be left with nothing! Would that be worth living?

A sharp pain stung his face. He looked around to see the cause and immediately gulped at the angry Maiden.

"Sect Leader Jiang! If you really want to just throw away your life like that then allow me to burden you with its importance! You can die all you want but don't take away the lives of people who depend on you dearly! You think your death is only yours when the entire Yunmeng Jiang Sect is resting on your shoulders, praying for your damn life every day!" She was clutching him, yanking him fiercely. Jiang Fengmian was shaken to point of being actually scared of her.

"Right now... Yunmeng Jiang sect need you... to protect them...prove the rumors wrong.. prove everyone wrong ...they need you...I -I need you..." the same hands that were clutching on to him aggressively were now shaking sadly. Yu Ziyuan clung to him, trying to make sense into him, telling him not to throw away his life.

Shock was an underrated word. Jiang Fengmian had never seen Yu Ziyuan this broken before. Before he never even seen her as a maiden but right now, she was so vulnerable and fragile that subconsciously, Jiang Fengmian put his arms around her. The desire to protect her took its seed.

"Forgive me, Lady Yu. I am going to make everything all right." He assured her caressing her back in attempt to comfort her.

The moment of romance was disturbed with giggles. The two faced the culprit and jolted in surprise.

Xiang Diety!

Every month on Waning Crescent the Deity would mourn for their beloved husband, and their tears would fill the River. The Holly tears protected the River from any kind of spirits or water ghouls to reside but as they say

The most dangerous place is the safest place. The vice Versa was true as well!

As long as the water was pure, no evil being would born. When the water was contaminated, the Xiang Deity got angry and stopped blessing the rivers. Places like that was perfect for Gonggong which only brought destruction and flood. Although, Gonggong was killed by Zhuroung, Many people still lost their lives to water and that was how Water Ghouls were produced.

"We are moved by the act of love you displayed." The divine sisters stated.

Love again!

Two broke off the embrace immediately with visible tint on their faces.

"The two before were splendid as well. We are touched." Divine Sister said again.

"it sadden us to see how they both lost to life."

"They are still alive!...barely though." Jiang Fengmian's words died down at the end.

"They're alive?" Divine sisters looked at each other and smiled.

"Then allow us to offer our aid." The Divine Sisters took out the something from the river and handed it to them. Upon closer inspection it was Shell of Gonggong.

"Give this to the Maiden with peculiar Core and she'll know what to do."

The couple bowed to the Xiang Deity and without wasting another breath they made their way back to the Lotus Pier.

No matter what sorcery she did, it failed flat on her face. No matter what cultivation she did, it gave her dead end. She didn't even have enough blood to conjure up any tricks.

"Chang Chang...I love you too"

She muttered barely able to whisper. Just when she summoned the gate and offered up her core, just when Xisigui appeared. Just when she was about to use her soul.

He kissed her! Telling her that he loves her and pushed her away to let Xisigui take his soul instead. She couldn't even taste his lips properly or absorb their warmth. The connection was too little but it took too much.

"You didn't even let me say it back." Cangse Sanren placed her head on his chest, begging to hear the sound of his heart but there was just silence. She closed her eyes too, ready to embrace the darkness but maybe Love wasn't that cruel.

"Lady Sanren here!" The moment, Jiang Fengmian spotted the two, he threw the shell straight at her, wasting no time.

Cangse Sanren caught it and her eyes bulged out, It was the shell of Gonggong. The type of shell that Wen Mao used to seal the gate. Gonggong was long killed by Zhuroung, how could they have the shell?

Cangse Sanren wasted not time in thinking unwanted questions as she offered the shell immediately to Xisigui who was still lingering close by.

"Chang Chang!" She shook him, waiting for his reply. If he didn't wake up now then it would be all a big lose.

"Chang Chang!" it was beyond her body to even move but there she was calling his name, shouting on top of her lungs.

"..T-too..heavy.." came a weak voice below. He woke up! He opened his eyes! Cangse Sanren was ready to call it a dream or even a miracle.

She chuckled with tears still dripping from her eyes,

"Are you trying..to pick a...fight?" Cangse Sanren sobbed, thanking all the things holy or divine for giving her back his love.

Wei Changze slowly got and Cangse Sanren supported him. He wiped her tears with one hand.

"You look like a mess...Ouch!" He laughed and received a punch in return.

Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan looked from a distance, relieved to see everything return back to normal.

Then he ordered their medics to take care of the two, right then they needed medical attention the most.

. . .

The Lotus flowers gave the shade of orange when the sun was showering its last rays for the day. His feet were soaked in the muddy water and fragrance was filling his lungs. Something about the Lotuses always made Jiang Fengmian hope, for the greater good.

"Sect Leader Jiang." A familiar voice called out and the figure sat next to him.

"How are they?" Jiang Fengmian asked without breaking his gaze from the hiding sun.

"Lady Sanren has a fever now and Master Wei is tending to her. They should be completely fine in 3-4 days."

"That's good to hear." Jiang Fengmian said, taking a deep breath, filling his lungs with scent of last rays.

*pluck

Jiang Fengmian opened his eyes to a freshly picked Lotus flower.

Under the last shade of sun, the flower hung beautifully between them.

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Sorry for Errors!

This chapter was more on the knowledge side. Because I needed to clear few things before getting back to the main timeline.

Yes I'm butchering Chinese Mythology, Cosmology and your Brainology.

This is the Wikipedia description of How everything has a seed of its opposite, according to Chinese history anyway. I hope it clears few things up.

The conjoined essences of Heaven and Earth produced yin and yang. The supersessive essences of yin and yang caused the four seasons. The scattered essences of the four seasons created the myriad things. The hot qi of accumulated yang produced fire; the essence of fiery qi became the sun. The cold qi of accumulated yin produced water; the essence of watery qi became the moon. The overflowing qi of the essences of the sun and the moon made the stars and planets. To Heaven belong the sun, moon, stars, and planets; to Earth belong waters and floods, dust and so on.

If you're getting more and more confused after each chapter.....REREAD IT!!!! XD

By the way, there's a real Heaven's Gate in China. it was a scary coincidence.

I still need to reach a certain point to clarify the timeline. I promise you (If I stay alive) that I will clarify it.

I'm glad that even though you guys are confused as hell, you didn't drop this Fan Fiction.

Thank You! that's all I can say, really.