Days passed in the Mortal Realm without news of Zhulin or Chenguang. Ruomei focused her efforts on the children's shelter and on caring for the fruit-seller's daughter, but still occasionally found her thoughts wandering to the impending troubles in the Demon Realm. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed to her that the Heavenly Lord should have offered his help when Zhulin had gone to ask for it, but Ruomei couldn't come up with any ideas on how they might be able to persuade him to do so.

Ruomei was almost relieved when another distraction came to a front, in the form of an invading army from a neighboring kingdom. The whispers of the invading king's name eventually reached her – Chenglei, new to his throne and wishing to make a great name for himself. In the process of doing so, he seemed intent on invading any land that wasn't his own, and the residents of the little village that Ruomei had come to know could only talk of their fears of being attacked.

"We must only focus on what we can control," Ruomei insisted at one meeting with the grandfather, baker's wife, and the handful of other villagers they had recruited to assist in their efforts. "Worrying about what may or may not happen will do us no good."

"But my son and husband will be pulled into the fighting if it comes our way," the baker's wife protested, wringing her hands.

"And why bother building a shelter for the children if it might just be burned down?" That was one of the new members to the group – a niece of the perfumer.

"We can't think that way," Ruomei said. "We must be resilient, and steadfast in our determination to better the village."

Only the grandfather didn't dispute her. "I agree," he said slowly, after a disgruntled lull in the conversation. "If we sat around and worried, nothing good would come of it. And it's not as though we're doing nothing to prepare ourselves – the men are being trained in the afternoons on how to use weapons in a fight, and the furniture-maker has converted his shop to prioritize making barriers to go around the village. Short of our own country's army coming to our aid, there's not much more we can do. So let's focus on the children now."

There was some nodding and general grudging mutters of agreement before the group began to disperse.

"Let me know if there's anything I can do to help!" Ruomei called out after them, waving a goodbye.

"I see you've been busy while you've been away."

Ruomei turned around at the remark, a smile filling her face as she did so.

"Teacher! What brings you all the way down here?" Ruomei turned to fall into step beside Lisong as he began to stroll through the village streets. They received a few inquisitive looks from people who didn't recognize the Immortal, but when their eyes turned to Ruomei beside him, they shrugged their shoulders, suspicions dissipating at the sight of someone they did know.

Lisong looked right back at a particularly curious villager until the person turned away, before responding. "There have been some changes as of late in the Heavenly Realm," he said, voice low so as not to be overheard, but Ruomei could detect a tension in his words. "I think it would be wise if you came back with me for a bit."

"I can't just leave them!" Ruomei protested. "They need me here!"

"Never overestimate your importance, Ruomei," Lisong said, giving her a sidelong glance. "Your efforts here are commendable, yes, but the mortals are also able to handle things on their own." He continued, looking around. "After all, they are the ones teaching you, and not the other way around."

Ruomei let out a frustrated breath. "But – "

"Now is not the time. Come with me."

Something in his tone made Ruomei feel obligated to listen, as Zhulin's earlier explanation about the Immortal's ties with Lady Bingling came to the front of her mind. She followed Lisong to the Heavenly Realm, where the guard named Zhong and his companion nodded at them as they passed through the entrance and headed immediately towards the Heavenly Court.

Unlike the last time, the Court was in chaos.

"She cannot be allowed to continue in this way!" Ruomei heard one of the court officials declare among the ongoing shouts and general uproar. "Lord Zhulin is right – "

"If he were right, all six realms would be nothing but a frozen wasteland," another shouted back. "Yet I haven't felt even the slightest hint of frost."

"Well it takes, time obviously, to cultivate such power, and I think we've given her plenty of that..."

Ruomei frowned and looked over at Lisong beside her. "Harmony and justice, huh?"

He sighed, gaze fixed ahead wearily. "That's the hope, at least."

As they made their way further into the Court, Ruomei was surprised to find Zhulin and Chenguang in the midst of the arguments.

"Don't tell me you're here because Lady Bingling dethroned you?" Ruomei said, trying to keep her voice light despite the concern beating in her chest.

Zhulin shook his head, much to her relief, even managing a small smile at her teasing. "No, for better or worse, I'm still on the throne," he said. "Rather, Lady Bingling has disappeared, and with her, the Heart of Ice."

As though the magical artifact itself was present, Ruomei felt a chill go through her at the news. "No one knows where she is?" she asked, casting a concerned glance at Chenguang, who crossed her arms and frowned.

"No," Zhulin said, his gaze meeting Lisong's briefly as some unspoken understanding passed between them.

"Well, we've got to—"

"Ruomei, I'd like you to go with them," Lisong said, interrupting her.

She turned, mouth half-open in surprise. "To the Demon Realm?" It didn't seem like something her cautious teacher would agree to. "You'd let me help Zhulin and Chenguang search for her?"

This time, Lisong's mouth remained stubbornly closed, and it was Zhulin who answered for him.

"It's not likely that she's in the Demon Realm anymore," he explained. "Now it's most likely the safest place for you."

Ruomei stepped back, looking between the three of them. "What do you mean? Why wouldn't it be safe here?"

Before anyone could answer, a loud explosion resonated from outside the Court, shaking the very foundation. Ruomei stumbled, accidentally grabbing onto Zhulin's sleeve for support and muttering an apology once she had righted herself.

"It's too late," Lisong said, his expression grim.

Ruomei's brows came together in worry. "The guards – ?"

"Lisong!"

It was a woman's voice, loud and bold, that interrupted, calling the Immortal's name. A second passed, and then it continued.

"Heavenly Lord! You all think you're better than me?"

Lisong ushered Ruomei, Zhulin, and Chenguang towards the door. "Go," he said. "Hurry!"

Ruomei dug in her heels. "I'm not going anywhere!"

Another unseen explosion rocked the Court, and Ruomei's words were proved futile as all the Immortals and deities inside the palace shoved their way outside and down the steps in a panic, gathering in the courtyard with the Mortal Arch and looking around nervously.

"Teacher!" Ruomei cried out, losing sight of Lisong as she was swallowed by the crowd. A hand grabbed her wrist, an anchor in the sea of bodies, and Ruomei found herself pulled out of the worst of the mob by Zhulin.

"This way," he said, guiding her over to where Chenguang stood waiting for them at the side of the palace steps.

Then Ruomei saw her – Lady Bingling, for the severe, cold-eyed woman couldn't be anyone else. The Lady was crouching on the roof of one of the nearby buildings, and jumped down to land in a neat crouch before Zhulin.

The Demon lord shoved Ruomei behind him. "Why are you doing this, Bingling?" he asked. "I will not give the power of my realm to you."

The woman scoffed. "Oh, I'm not interested in you," she said airily. Her eyes roved the crowd as she brought up a hand to the necklace she wore – a large, off-white diamond hanging on the end of a glittering silver chain.

Ruomei could guess at what it was.

The Heart of Ice.

"Him." Bingling removed her hand from the necklace to point with one long manicured finger. "That's the one I'm after."

Lisong stepped out from the crowd, his gaze as icy as the diamond at Bingling's throat. "I'm here. Leave the others alone."

"Alone? Ha!" Bingling cackled. "How naïve of you."

"Bingling!"

The unmistakable, commanding voice of the Heavenly Lord called out from the top of the steps of the palace. Ruomei and the rest of the crowd looked up to see the furious Immortal glaring down at the woman, a long silver sword gleaming in his hand.

Bingling scoffed and waved her hand. "Oh, please." A gust of icy wind whipped up from behind her, coursing up to the Heavenly Lord in a sudden gust. "Chill."

The crowd gasped when the winds died away, leaving the Heavenly Lord frozen, trapped in a statue of ice.

Bingling turned back to them with a satisfied smirk on her face. "I told you, Lisong," she said. "You can't stop me."

Ruomei had never seen her teacher look so furious. With a sudden yell, he thrust his arms forward, sleeves billowing as a plume of fire rose from behind him and out towards Bingling.

Bingling snarled and lashed out with more ice and snow in reply, the contrasting temperatures of their attacks radiating throughout the courtyard and making Ruomei shiver.

"We have to help," Zhulin said as they watched. It was obvious that Bingling was slowly gaining the upper hand with the help of her artifact, and the other court officials were slowly beginning to edge away from the fight, too afraid to intervene.

Ruomei's gaze landed on the structure at the center of the courtyard. "The Mortal Arch!" she said. "If we can push her through that, she'll be stripped of her divinity and memories – at least for a little while."

Chenguang nodded, evidently familiar with the concept. "I'll go around to draw her closer to the arch," she said. "You two can push her in."

"Be careful," Zhulin said, and was met with a nod.

Ruomei and Zhulin waited as Chenguang ran out to stand beside Lisong.

"Hey! Frozen-face!" the Demon lord's second-in-command called out, throwing a dagger hidden from somewhere on her person in Bingling's direction.

The other woman scowled and swiped the dagger away with a gust of icy wind before stalking forward. Lisong and Chenguang stepped back in turn, bringing all three of them closer to the arch.

Ruomei didn't even realize she was holding her breath until Zhulin set a hand on her shoulder, raising his eyebrows in a silent question.

She let out a breath and nodded. "Let's do this."

Zhulin's gaze flicked back to the fight in front of them, waiting for their chance. "Now!"

They rushed forward as one, their dark clothes a contrast against the white of the courtyard. Ruomei had hoped that the distraction of Lisong and Chenguang would be enough, but they had no such luck.

Bingling turned, and Chenguang shouted a warning.

"Look out!"

A blast of ice hit the spot where Ruomei's foot had been a moment before. She jumped out of the way, rolling in a self-defense move that Lisong had taught her. Beside her, Zhulin also dodged the blast, crouching low as Lisong shot another burst of flame as a distraction.

When Bingling turned to deflect the fiery attack, Zhulin jumped forward, tackling her.

"Zhulin!" Ruomei yelled, sprinting over to help. They were too close to the arch – he was too close. The two of them rolled on the ground, nearer to Chenguang's discarded blade, as the gasps of onlookers echoed in the background.

"Ruomei, careful – " Zhulin began, but it was too late. As Ruomei ran to help, Bingling lashed out, catching Ruomei's ankle.

Though time seemed to slow, Ruomei didn't have a chance to scream. The faces of the other Immortals and deities standing around the courtyard blurred in her vision as she crashed to the ground beside Bingling and Zhulin.

Chenguang was shouting something, but Ruomei could only focus on the frost-white tiles beneath her. Pain was shooting from her ribs, hot like Lisong's fire, and then she realized it was blood – her blood. Bingling had grabbed Chenguang's dagger and stabbed her as she fell.

Zhulin and Bingling were still sparring an arms-length away, too close for Lisong or Chenguang to intervene without risking hurting Zhulin.

As Ruomei lay there, she noticed something else on the tiles – small and glittering and not quite as white as the rest of the courtyard.

Bingling had dropped her necklace.

With a shaking hand streaked with blood, Ruomei reached out and closed her hand around the artifact. The Mortal Arch was behind her, and she sat up with a wince, one hand clutching her side, and scooted back.

"Hey, you!" she called out, and this time, she really did mean to be rude in her address. Bingling glanced over, and her eyes widened when she realized what Ruomei held.

"You – !" she began, but was forced to deflect a punch from Zhulin.

"If you want it, come and get it," Ruomei said, closing her eyes and leaning back.

Bingling tried to shove Zhulin aside and lunged for the plum blossom fairy, but they were all too close, and Bingling was too late. Ruomei fell through the arch, disappearing on the other side, and Bingling's momentum carried her through, with Zhulin shoving her from behind.

After all three tumbled through the arch, a stunned silence lingered in the courtyard.

"Master Lisong," Chenguang finally whispered. "What are we going to do?"

Lisong turned to her, ignoring the frostbite painfully stretching across his shoulder where his sleeve had been torn in the fight. "We wait," he said, "and make sure we have a plan for when they return. Their lives are in the Records of Fate now."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Wow, is everyone's January as crazy as mine has been, or is it just me?  Anyway from here on out I just want to make a note that I'm putting random music that may or may not fit very well with the chapter but I just like them so feel free to listen or not.  Personally I find music kind of distracting when reading anyway but I'm just having fun picking out my favorites and sharing with you all.

We're almost to the weekend!  ~2 more weeks left of the contest!