The Temple of the Moon Goddess was silent — save for the wind brushing against its old stone walls. Yet that night, the stillness was broken.
Soft whispers, laughter, and breathless sighs drifted through the air, echoing faintly within the sacred space.
Above, the full moon began to shift. What was once silver and serene turned crimson — a deep, haunting red that cast an eerie glow over the village.
The Old Priestess, sensing a disturbance, stepped outside. Her eyes rose to the blood-tinted moon, and a chill settled over her bones.
"This… is not a good sign," she murmured.
Following her instincts, she made her way swiftly to the temple. As she pushed open the doors, her breath caught.
Inside, beneath the moonlight filtering through the lattice, she found Yang Jin and Shu Tang asleep on the temple floor, tangled in discarded robes, their forms curled close, vulnerable in the aftermath of what had clearly been shared between them.
The priestess stood frozen for a moment, the image of the Moon Goddess statue behind them casting a long, silent shadow.
Her voice trembled as she whispered, "This temple is no longer pure… They have committed adultery beneath the gaze of the Goddess".
Her words woke them up, He covered Shu tang with the scattered robes trying to protect her.
"The sanctity of this place has been defiled, and the crimson moon bears witness. A price must be paid — if not now, then soon" The Old priestess continued.
They confessed about what happened earlier to her but her eyes didn't flicker from the moon Goddess as she saw the shadow cast upon them.
"The moon turning crimson red and the shadow is being cast upon them by the moon goddess. Something has happened today" She is thinking to herself with deaf ears.
"Elder Priestess, I know I have done wrong and I am willing to take responsibility for Tang Tang. please forgive us" He begged her on his knees.
Shu Tang followed the same "Eldest priestess, Please forgive us."
"I had done it willingly, please don't blame Yang Brother" Shu Tang eyes were filled with hope but all she got was a cold look.
"Both of you get dressed first", she then summons both the families to the temple.
She Summoned her disciples "Let me know if something big or worse has happened out there"
The disciples' face turned cold as soon as he heard her words. He just nodded in acceptance and left the temple.
The Xiao and the Jiang families were soon summoned to the Moon Goddess Temple in the middle of the night.
Yan Cheng stayed in the home to look after Zhiyi. As the families arrived they were shocked to see Yang Jin and Shu Tang on their knees in the temple.
The Old Priestess explains what they have done and Jiang Jing beats Yang Jin with a stick while Xiao Jiang Huai froze in shock.
"You bastard, how can you do such a heinous thing to Shu tang. She is your sister" His eyes were filled with rage as he blew the stick on him repeatedly.
"Uncle, I will take responsibility for Tang Tang. I will marry her" He coldly responds sincerely.
Shu tang then holds her fathers hands "Father, I have liked Yang brother since I was a child. He hadn't forced me. I wanted to help him. Please let me marry yang Brother"
Both families stood puzzled, unsure how to proceed, and reluctantly agreed to let the couple marry — but the Old Priestess raised her voice in objection.
"You cannot marry so easily after committing such a grave sin," she said firmly, her voice low and solemn.
"You must first repent for the offense you have brought upon yourselves."
Jiang Jing frowned, stepping forward.
"What do you mean, Elder Priestess?"
The priestess's gaze hardened.
"If they have committed adultery before the Moon Goddess, they must seek her forgiveness."
Xiao Huai's eyes widened. "What must they do to earn it?"
The priestess replied gravely, "They must find the Moon Flower and place it at the feet of the Goddess before sunrise"
"Only those who carry the blessings of the Moon Goddess can find this sacred flower. Only then will they be forgiven — failure means banishment from the village."
"The Moon flower is not only rare but impossible to find unless the Moon Goddess bestows it upon the receiver. What is the master doing?" The young priestess thought to herself as she looked up to her Master.
The Old priestess wants to know what the shadow over them symbolizes.
She thinks to herself as she assigned him this impossible task "Does the Shadow mean blessings or a curse, only the Moon Goddess can tell us?"
A heavy silence fell over both families. The weight of the priestess's words crushed their hopes — with only four hours left until dawn, and the Moon Flower rumored to be nearly impossible to find, their task seemed hopeless.
As everyone struggled to figure out how to locate the elusive flower, Yang Jin suddenly broke away and dashed toward the forest, determination blazing in his eyes.
Shu tang tries to follow him but is hold back by both families, "Let him find it, its dangerous out there"
"But what about Yang brother, he went alone. Father please help him" she begs him crying for help.
"No one else should help them" the Old priestess marks her words.
Shu Tang is devastated by her words and falls to her knees in front of the goddess. She vows to not get up from her place till Yang Jin returns, she prays for his safety all night.
Everyone is waiting for Yang Jin's return, so as the Old priestess, she wanted to know the answers to her questions.
"Why did the shadow cast on him?"
"Doesn't the crimson moon indicate an inauspicious sign? Then why?" She is awaiting her unanswered questions.
***
Currently in the Imperial Palace.
As the moon turns crimson another heart breaks as she hears that her love has been dead. In the Palace the Empress palace is caught in fire and she stood all alone in the fire crying with pain on her knees.
Even the Moon couldn't bear to see her grief and turned red, just as the blood spilled in the palace of her beloved Emperor and the fallen loyal soldiers.
Prince Chu Yi Chen, the king's own nephew has rebelled and killed the Emperor Han Jun and taken the Heir as hostage.
Blood spilled as many soldiers and ministers loyal to the king had died and the blood of the concubines and the children painted the palace in red.
The color of the blood reflected on the moon which made it crimson. The Empress once stood strong, but is now trapped in the fire. She stood upright, proud, like a queen unbowed.
"He... was your King..how could you kill him." the woman rasped through charred lips, eyes locked onto something—or someone—beyond the flames.
Her eyes filled with the pain of losing her love. Tears poured from her eyes, but they did not save her but just left her to die.
Tears sizzled into steam the moment they touched her cheeks. Her hand was outstretched.
"Where is my son?" she choked, her voice cracked and hollow.
"You said... you would keep him safe... as long as I surrendered"
No answer came. Only the soft clang of soldiers walking away while some of them stood by and watched her in pain.
Only the cold moon turned red, watching like a silent god. Just then a woman's voice replied "Do you think we will let him live knowing he is the heir to the throne?" .
"You Deceived me" she wailed in pain falling on her knees stretching her arms and remembering her son.
A laugh louder in the silence of the burning fire arose from a man.
"What can you do to us?, Do you really think that you are some powerful witch just like the rumors"
"You have deceived me"
"You think this is the end, Chu Yi Chen?" she spat, her voice cracked yet thunderous.
"You think killing me will cleanse you of your treason?"
A man in royal robes stood before her, expression unreadable. Prince Yi Chen—soon to be king. Behind him, ministers watched in silence. Their betrayal was already sealed.
The Empress Hua Yan —smiled, slow and cruel.
"You've murdered your emperor. You've stolen my son. And you've burned me alive. So I offer you a gift in return..."
Her voice echoed in flames and sent shivers down every spine which stood before her.
"A wombless throne."
"Your bloodline ends with you," she declared, voice rising over the crackling flames and the flames rising with the wind gushing towards the flames as if they were under her command.
"You shall have sons, but none will live. Daughters, but none will carry your name. Every seed you plant will wither, every heir you raise will fall."
"For I curse your blood, your breath, your name—until the last ash of my soul is returned to the fire."
As her words finished arrows pierced her heart but her smile remained as if she would haunt them forever.
The flames consumed her body but not her soul.
Gasps rippled through the crowd. The fire roared higher, drawn to her words like wind to fury. her body has fallen and turned to ashes but her soul remained alive in the fire.
A fox figure appeared in the fire and it jumped onto him, as if it was going to take his life.
Panic surfaced in his face as he dodged but those flames caught him. His Golden robe which he stole symbolizing the throne caught the fire.
The flames engulfed his golden robe as if symbolizing his ruin.
Everyone left the courtyard, letting it burn down in those flames not knowing that the pain and grief which the Queen suffered has now turned her into a fox demon.
Her death gave birth to a demonic energy which is filled with vengeance and pain. The fire and the Crimson moon bore the witness of the tragedy and her power combining with her soul transformed into the fox Demon.