Taohua started going to battles without Hong Jin knowledge.
He would go out really early in the morning then come back late at night, sometimes he won't come home for days , weeks even months.
At first Nick didn't take it seriously, he thought it was Taohua trying to help the villagers , then the time interval started getting longer , sometimes he won't come home that night, sometimes he won't come home until the next month.
Nick barely - calmed mind became agitated again. He tried following taohua secretly many times but it was like Taohua have eyes at the back of his head and he would escape his line of sight.
Nick finally couldn't take it anymore, he waited till Taohua came back from one of his "adventures" then started a huge fight with him.
Bei shang accustomed to Nick behavior in the demon realm understood his irrationality.
Nick truly wasn't a complicated person to understand. Despite his dependable appearance and his caring characteristics, Nick deep down was an insecure and possessive demon.
Before he could assure himself that Taohua would come back home within 24 hours and he was within safe distance, now Taohua was no where to be found and he only came home once a month.
Just like the wife of a front line solider, all he wanted was that his only family will reassure him that he would come back.
The best way to calm him down was to give him the illusion of control.
However, Taohua wasn't familiar with this method of communication, he was simple and brought up simply. He just thought that Hong Jin was been a tyrant and fought back.
Arguments begets arguments and the two formerly close friends started to separate from one another. It was Taohua who withdraw first.
He was often the only one in the battle and demons were tenacious. He had to fight for his life every time he went out to battle waves after waves of demons sent by the demon king, sometimes not sleeping for days.
Everytime the only thing in his head was to come home so that Hong Jin won't be lonely. Even when that annoying brat never appreciated him.
His warrior tribulation went faster and the tribulation was almost complete, but he didn't know why he couldn't advance. Everytime he tried to meditate, he will suddenly be reminded that he was having a fight with someone and his peace of mind will be scattered.
So he withdrew in order to get a tiny piece of the peace of mind. When Nick was calm , he would apologize for leaving the house without permission.
Nick didn't take it well.
Taohua only came home once in a while, now he didn't talk to him and even sometimes slept outside in the open instead of inside the house….was he getting tired of him? Did he have a new person he liked to play with? Or perhaps…
Did Taohua discover his feelings for him and felt disgusted?
A sense of paranoia overwhelmed him and his attempts to get Taohua to engage with him became worse.
Bei Shang felt an ache in his heart and he smiled sadly.
The wolf knows that the meat wasn't his but he was still not willing to let go , even when he was resentful, constantly trampled on and screamed at , he just wanted to stay by this person.
Thus this started the cycle of barbed words and harsh slaps.
Taohua didn't like to hit Hong Jin , he also didn't like hurting him with his words but that sonovabitch really knows the right words to say.
Why don't you go back where you are coming from and sleep there ?!
I don't like your face , why can't you be manly for once in your life ?!
I hate you , I hate you , I hate you !!! Why don't you just die ?!
He threw away the stick he was craving with and let out a shout.
" That annoying fisherman!!! Telling me to die , if I die won't he be lonely?!"
"Who will be lonely?"
Taohua immediately turn to look at the person, the woman staring at him seemed to have a small smile on her face.
Her Phoenix eyes were curved in smile and her skin looked white and soft as the clouds, her hands were also at her back as if she was teasing.
Bei Shang felt a sour emotion and his heart ached again.
Apart from Nick, the only person he loved so much was his shifu. She had been his parent surrogate for a greater half of his life and she had always treated him so softly.
She never shouted on him , never demanded much from him , never expected much from him.
How did she cope without him in the heavenly realm ? How did she survive?
Bei Shang voice was soft " Demon God?"
" Yes ?"
"How is Shifu doing now?"
There was a thick silence before they answered in a whisper " You don't need to worry about her , just concentrate on getting your memories back okay?"
"But …"
" I need to do something, I'll be back "
Bei Shang couldn't hear a word anymore, he felt like hugging himself into a fetal position.
But there was nothing he can do, his abilities were only limited to Taohua movements. He could only soothe his heart by watching his Shifu with Taohua lens.
Taohua briefly forgot his mood and jumped on the woman; his face lit up.
" Shifu !!!"
She didn't mind the legs around her waist and hands on her neck, she only laughed and pat his back.
"I thought you didn't miss me "
"Why won't I miss you ?" he rubbed his nose on her face and gave her a huge kiss on the cheek, he smiled when she laughed again "Where's Xin hua and my junior siblings?"
" They are still cultivating the sword dance you left them " she patted his butt then started to pull him off her " Enough , get yourself off me "
Taohua didn't delay and jumped down, there was a smile on his face.
His shifu seeing this obedient child couldn't help but pinch his cheek.
"I came here to deliver some good news"
" What good news Shifu?"
" Fuxin told me that you no longer need to perform the worshipper tribulation again because the mortals themselves have made a statue for you "
Taohua blinked before smiling.
No wonder he felt that the dao advancement was fast and he was almost full, turns out the village probably discovered about his divine nature and made one for him. He just needed to pass this warrior tribulation and he was done !
Shu hua seeing the satisfaction in his eyes, pinched his cheek again, a small smile on her face.
" I heard you calling someone annoying, who was it ?"
Taohua rolled his eyes and puffed his cheeks;,this made his originally fatal appearance turned even more cute…
" It's just a silly mortal , no need to put him in mind…"
His shifu didn't bother to pursue the matter , she nod her head " okay "
" But shifu, that silly mortal seriously need a hitting, like how can he say that I should die ? Who will help him with his clothes? Who will eat his food? Who does he think I am doing this for? Does he think it's easy to go out all day …"
His shifu originally smiling grin lowered until it turned into a frown , her fists clenched underneath her dress .
" Taohua?"
Taohua paused his venting" Shifu?"
"You have been having those battles because of that mortal?"
Taohua blinked , his eyes were filled with confusion.
" No..yes …I don't know.." seeing the ice entering his shifu eyes , he didn't know why a thread of anxiety raised in his heart " I .. I ..I ..umm wanted to clean up demons so I decided that ..um I wanted to help a person get rid of his enemies and he is involved…"
Shu hua was quiet, the thoughts in her mind unknown, after Taohua stopped rambling, she asked in a calm manner.
"Who do you like the most in the world?"
In the past , Taohua would immediately say it's his Shifu or mention his younger siblings. But this time around when he opened his mouth, another name came out of his lips.
"Hong Jin… I like Hong Jin the most in this world "
The small insignificant hole in dao expanded and Taohua felt a backlash.
It was too sudden, her student was cheerfully hugging her a minute ago , now he just vomited blood. Shu hua gathered dao into her hands and placed it on his chest.
Her dao tried to calm the violent turbulence in Taohua but it was too harsh, she didn't have any other solution, she just had to keep pouring more in.
Meanwhile, Taohua heart raced and his mind was in disarray.
'Don't underestimate the love tribulation; the heavens are not fond of divinities who are irrational'
How? Since when did he like Hong Jin? What made him like him ? Why did he like him? Wasn't he born with the aplitude of indifference? Wasn't he indifferent?
Does it mean he …he have failed the love tribulation?
Panic overcame him and he shook his head , the dao seemed to be agitated with him causing his shifu to almost have a backlash, luckily her mental fortitude was strong.
After a long time of healing, Taohua dao finally calmed down. The hole still remained there , ready to expanded at a sign of failure.
The two divinities stared at each other, a thick silence between them. At last, shu hua broke the silence.
"H..how did it happen?"
Taohua shook his head , he too had no idea.
There was another silence between them.
" There's a way you can stop the love tribulation"
Taohua eyes brightened , he will take any chances to get rid of it. He really wanted to become a god.
" It's really simple, and doesn't have a lot of things to it … you ..you just have to kill that fisherman "