Three Lives Three Worlds
Bodhi Fate
三生三世 菩提劫
Tang Qi has announced that she has only written 5000 words for Bodhi Fate. Any other versions you may see circulating on the web are all fan-fiction. Please note that the timelines in this story have not been updated to reflect the author’s existing timeline.
Credits: Tencent, Ten Miles of Peach Blossom
Prologue
The day I awakened was coincidentally Mo Yuan’s wedding day.
I asked Feng Xing how many times he had already been married and he replied, “His first.”
I did a quick count with my fingers. When I fell into a deep slumber, I was 170,000 years old and had been asleep for 190,000 years. Mo Yuan was younger than me by a few thousand years so he should now be around 360,000 years of age. Logically speaking, he could have produced a clan in that time, yet this was only his first marriage.
This was no simple matter, indeed.
Feng Xing said, “Ancestor, we buried you under Zhang Wei Mountain that year, when you fell into a deep sleep. When you awakened this time, boundless demon magic broke the apex of Zhang Wei Mountain just as the bridal sedan passed under it...”
I was shocked, “Did that kill her?”
Feng Xing shook his head, “Well, not to that extent. It’s just that the mountain path was obstructed by a huge rock, cutting off the bridal party’s route, so they missed entering Kun Lun at the auspicious time. I am sure you are aware of how much attention the Gods and Immortals pay to the auspicious time during the custom of escorting the bride. I have heard that the next auspicious time for their wedding will be in 700 years, so the ceremonial rites of marriage between these two people will be postponed till then.
Feng Xing’s face expressed regret, “Ancestor, your awakening messed up the wedding of one of the leading members of the God race. You are truly worthy of being our spiritual leader.“
I replied, “That is correct. I am certainly worthy of leading our people spiritually. We, the Demon race and the God race are irreconcilable!”
Chapter One
Throughout a person’s life, there must be several occasions when they had their heads wedged between a door. If I could name the most severe case of such a head wedging moment, it would be the one that happened when I was 70,000 years of age. When Qing Jiang asked me if I would be willing to attend Father God’s school, Water Marsh, I cheerfully replied that I would.
Having made that one erroneous decision, every decision since then had been a consequence of the initial disastrous one I had made. If I continued allowing my head to be habitually wedged between a door and kept making such ridiculous decisions, for all you knew, fate might just decide to bring me back to the right path. The reason I say this was because it appeared that everytime I made a decision thereafter, it seemed to be perpetually correct, but this has made my destiny grow ridiculously bad over time.
The moral of this story serves to remind us that as people, either we take a step in the right direction or else we risk running into a continuous cycle of making one mistake after another.
I was born during the Age of Antiquity.
According to legend, Pan Gu faded after separating Heaven and Earth. The most ancient amongst the Gods, Father God and Mother Goddess, took up his mantle, following the Way of Heaven to move the Four Seas, create the Five Races, and build the Six Universes and the Eight Realms.
After that, Gods and Demons came into existence, one after another. The Laws of Creation saw fantastic oddities of every description. Some emerged from a stone, like Dong Hua of the Heavenly Jade Sea; some born of raging fire, like Zhe Yan of Ten Miles Peach Forest; and others, like me, who crawled out of a giant egg.
Amongst us, the one most fortunate was Mo Yuan. He was the only one born from the womb of Mother Goddess.
This made people direct their jealousy and hatred towards him.
But in those days, I didn't have time to envy Mo Yuan as Zhe Yan and I were preoccupied with arguing about who was the first Phoenix to emerge in this world. It was true that Zhe Yan had physically manifested from fire hundreds of years earlier than me. However, by the time Pan Gu faded, the egg from which I hatched out of, had already been secured at Mount Zhang Wei, providing the surrounding Demon Clans with an ancestor to worship.
Going by the age of the egg, I was older than Zhe Yan.
“Ancestor, what's the point of arguing with him over this matter?’ Feng Xing had advised. “Even if he was born first and you second, what's the difference?”
I felt that this wasn’t the way to see it. For instance, if a great upheaval were to break out throughout the land, the God and Demon races engaged in endless war, everyone would recognise that Qing Jiang shot the first arrow in that war. No one would know who it was that shot the second arrow. My disagreement with Zhe Yan was on the grounds of how the historical annals would be written in the future. This was a matter of face and pride.
Regrettably, I never won that argument.
Speaking of the battle between the Five Races, just hearing about it made that war feel important. Pan Gu separated Heaven and Earth, Father God came into existence and the Five Races created from the Way of Heaven; all of whom fought countless wars with each other for many tens and thousands of years until it became a natural habit just like eating and drinking or cutting cabbages in the field.
Father God had far better foresight. He believed that if war was a habit, it must be a bad habit, and bad habits needed to be changed.
I would say that his way of thinking was sound.
But the Five Races each had their own leaders at the time. Only the weak and often defeated Human race and the Monster race thought that Father God was right, and that constant strife between the races was undesirable. So how about letting everyone try laying down their knives and strive for Nirvana... The powerful God, Demon and Ghost races most definitely did not align their thoughts this way.
It was lamentable that Father God was now gradually aging, and could no longer use brute force to compel them into aligning their views with his own. Hence, he built a school palace and gathered young talents from the five races, inviting them to further advance their knowledge there. This school palace was called Water Marsh.
To the east of Kun Lun was Shou Hua Ye, and to the east of Shou Hua Ye was Water Marsh.
While I had said that my decision to enter Water Marsh to attend school was entirely a negative consequence stemming from having my head wedged between a door, it was not completely true.
I remember when Dong Hua was still collecting stones at the Heavenly Jade Sea and Zhe Yan was still plucking peaches at Ten Miles Peach Forest, I was already worshipped and revered by the Demon race as their Ancestor Goddess and placed on a high pedestal for them to make offerings to at Zhang Wei Mountain.
However, being a spiritual totem in the form of an egg is one matter, being a person is another matter altogether.
If you were dead when you became a spiritual totem, your reputation would be revered for three lifetimes. If you were unfortunately a living person, care must be taken to avoid getting killed.
At that time, the leader of the Demon race was Qing Jiang. I am of the opinion that this war possibly allowed me to grow up, as killing me, their spiritual totem, would greatly demoralise the Demon race. Had this been a period of peace, it would have been impossible for me to imagine how I could have safely reached adulthood.
Qing Jiang used to be an ambitious and ruthless warrior who was decisive in the quick dispatch of his enemies. But since I was born, there were only two things of importance in his life; one, to fight the war, and the other, to prevent me from usurping his leadership. As a result, my mind felt unhinged on a daily basis to the extent that it would evoke feelings of pity from others around me. So when he desperately wanted to throw me into Father God's Water Marsh, he and I were just as impatient to get away from each other.
The Water Marsh School Palace appeared endless; it was perched on the back of a gigantic tortoise that was resting right in the heart of a jade sea beside Shou Hua Ye. Faintly discernable indistinct clouds and mist floated in the surroundings; the natural carvings adorning the palace exuding a wonderful air of spiritual charm.
I must say that it’s creator, Father God, was honestly a fascinating God with a fine taste in aesthetics. This was truly rare as most of the God race born after Father God were headache-inducing. For instance, many of them believed that they were created by Heaven and Earth to enlighten the common people. Every word and action they espoused was to set an example for these people. As a result, they kept establishing one rule after another to create a seemingly dignified godly image of themselves. It was as if they couldn’t wait to permanently float around wearing a Buddha’s halo over their heads.
Every time I saw them walking around in that manner, I felt the impulse to kick them.
The reason why I say Feng Xing understood me, and is my little darling, was the fact that he did not forget to remind me at the gates of Water Marsh, “Ancestor, we will encounter countless members of the God race when we enter the school palace this time. Whenever you feel like kicking them, I earnestly bow down to implore you to please exercise patience.”
Judging by his expression, I surmised that he had something more to say in one breath, but he just didn’t dare to.
I guessed what he wanted to say was, Ancestor, you usually behave a little disgracefully and that’s fine, but this is not our domain, after all. When you want to do something outrageous, I beg you to think thrice.
That did hurt me a little, but I still comforted him, "Relax, don't you think I have already refrained myself from doing anything outrageous?"
Feng Xing turned and took a far glance into the distance behind us, then haltingly said, "You are just attending school, yet you brought eighteen servants to serve you. That is already considered pretty outrageous."
Feng Xing must be praised for growing a crow’s beak. No sooner had he finished his words, an unwelcoming voice rang out from the entrance, "Miss, don’t come any further. According to the rules of attending school at Water Marsh, each person is only allowed to bring one school aide.”
A glimpse of a tall young figure hidden amidst the fog, long hair tied up neatly at the crown, not one hair out of place; his white silk robe free from creases, not one thread loose; and not a speck of dust could be seen on his cloud boots, still immaculate. Matched with a pair of clear cold eyes and brow, this was really the most meticulous person I had ever seen in my life. It was not the gentleman who spoke, but an equally meticulous looking girl, dressed in white, standing beside him. The girl was actually quite pretty.
I said, "Miss, rules are rigid, but people aren’t. Can’t you be more accommodating?"
The girl raised her eyebrows, "This rule was enacted to prevent students from seeking the pleasures of life and missing out on the opportunity to self-cultivate. No matter what affluent background you come from, Water Marsh views all students as equals. This is also to encourage students to be more diligent. If you do not agree with this view, you can choose to go back to where you came from. Water Marsh will not break this strict rule just for you alone."
A love for white robes, equality and rules. It seemed that these two people could only be from the God race.
I laughed, "If keeping all eighteen servants outside could make me more diligent, then this would make sense. But since I am allowed to have one, a person as lazy as I am might end up entrusting him with the work of eighteen servants. So I still will not be more diligent than before."
The girl in white replied in shock, "How could you be so cruel to your school aide?"
I replied, "Since all of you are being so cruel to me, I can only be cruel towards him. Ultimately, you people are the ones who are actually being heartless to him."
At the tall imposing gate, a good deal of people had already gathered to watch the scene. An infinitesimal, almost undetectable frown appeared on the meticulous white robed young man as the girl in white continued coldly, "Your argument is specious."
Feng Xing held his forehead, stretching his trembling hand out to grab the corner of my sleeves, "Ancestor, you are under the roof of others, I earnestly request that you lower your head and not cause any trouble on the first day. I don’t mind you being cruel towards me.”
I replied, "I haven't raised my fists, and if I haven’t raised my fists, then it does not count as stirring up trouble yet."
Feng Xing was about to cry.
Before he could cry, another figure walked out of the misty fog. He glanced at me from a distance and nodded his head in greeting.
Dressed in purple robes with a head of silver hair, he was Dong Hua of the Heavenly Jade Sea, a friend of mine. And also the only friend I had.
There was a bruise on his forehead, and his sleeves appeared to have been cut to tatters by a sharp blade. Yet, he appeared unconcerned as he walked up to the young man in white and showed him a broken piece of wood, coolly saying, "Father God has granted her amnesty, and said she can bring in more people. Whoever disagrees can try to win her in a fight."
Before I came to Water Marsh, I had already made some preparations. One of them was to ask Dong Hua to help me obtain an amnesty for additional servants. Seeing his appearance, he could only have gone to pick a fight with Father God to help me out. Aside from my request, he had no other motives of his own. Dong Hua was truly a loyal friend.
The weather sprang to life from all directions, the sound of drums quaking the Heavens as an elevated martial stage materialised in front of the main entrance. Zhe Yan, who had appeared at some unknown time, magicked a grandstand, created several small tables, brought out some walnuts, peanuts and melon seeds, and greeted several familiar students in high spirits as he sat down to watch the fun.
It was apparent that everyone held a universal bitter resentment towards the one school aide rule. The grandstand was empty with no sign of spectators; the challengers waiting to knock me down had accumulated into a sea of people by the side of the martial stage. Strangely, the young man in white who had stopped me initially was not amongst that crowd. When I passed him by, he spoke to me indifferently, "Whoever has the hardest fist can have no scruples. Is this the rule you live by, Miss?”
I laughed, "The word “rule" was invented by your God race. We, the Demon race, have no rules. I don't think that having a hard fist alone gives one the entitlement to speak. But I like to make people who think they have a hard fist taste what it feels like to be compelled to capitulate to someone else’s fist.”
The girl in white standing beside him sneered, "You also think that your fists are hard, but have you thought of the day you will succumb to someone else’s fists.”
I pointed at an icy faced Dong Hua who was peeling walnuts on the grandstand, "I often concede to his fists."
On the first day of school at the Water Marsh, I had been challenged to duel with the entire student population from the God race and won with certainty. Thereafter, I brought all my eighteen servants with me as we walked honourably through the main entrance of the school palace, and secretly shared eight of them with Dong Hua.
Feng Xing remarked that aside from secretly sharing my servants with Dong Hua, this must be a major event that could be written into the historical records of Water Marsh.
At the same time, Feng Xing made some discreet inquiries to gather information. As it turned out, the young man in white who had stopped us at the entrance was none other than the legendary eldest son of Father God, Mo Yuan.
Over the last 70,000 years, I was no stranger to dealing with members of the God race, but this was the first time I had seen Mo Yuan. Based on what I could recall of his appearance, I asked Feng Xing, "Are you sure he is really the biological son of Father God? Why does Father God look so strong and imposing with a tough and stocky build, and yet Mo Yuan looks so effeminate? I find that even I myself am more like the menfolk in comparison to him."
Feng Xing said, "Ancestor, you once said Zhe Yan is practically a sissy, Dong Hua appears to resemble an effeminate man, and you even felt that Qing Qiu’s Bai Zhi with such valiant good looks, is a little feminine. In your eyes, is there anyone who is not effeminate?" Sighing, he continued," Every beautiful man is feminine in your eyes, why don't you think that I am one too? "
I replied, "I have actually felt that way all along, but I didn’t dare to say it because I was afraid you wouldn't be happy about it."
His eyes lit up, "Why didn't you say so earlier!"
At the Water Marsh, there were separate buildings for the four disciplines of study including advanced studies in those disciplines. The East building housed the School of Natural Science and Calculation, the West building housed the School of Culture, the South building housed Military Preparation and the North building housed the School of Artistry.
The School of Natural Science and Calculation had the least subjects, there was only the singular subject of Natural Science and Calculation Studies. The School of Culture had six main disciplines of study, including Calligraphy, Painting, Music, and Etiquette. Military Preparation offered five disciplines, including the Art of War, Camp Warfare, and Archery. Several hundred students hailing from the five clans could be found scattered throughout the various schools of study.
Father God had put a lot of thought into running the school palace. Qing Jiang threw me to this place with the assumption that Father God was too old to be capable of managing it properly. To him, it was merely a school that educated inexperienced young children who had never encountered a real battlefield before, so how could they ever accomplish great things in the future? It could clearly be seen that a person like Qing Jiang was short-sighted. In my opinion, while today's immature climate wouldn’t affect him adversely, this could change tomorrow and would likely claim his life.
But I wasn’t worried. When that time came, I could take his place at any time as soon as he was dead.
The next day, Father God met me at the recitation hall. I had not seen him for many years, but the old man was still hale and hearty. He asked me what subject I was interested in studying out of all the many disciplines taught at his school palace.
I replied that I would be interested in any of the disciplines from Military Preparation.
Father God laughed as he replied, "I have heard the happy news of how you broke off a tree branch and used it as a sword, utilising your own individual strength to fight victoriously against the males of the God race yesterday. Based on my observation, you have already grasped the essence of Military Preparation. There is no need for you to learn more, choose a meditative subject to study instead."
Father God assisted me in selecting the study of Natural Science and Calculation.
According to him, to attain a quiet mind, the study of Natural Science and Calculation comes first. I felt hesitant as I didn’t know what Natural Science and Calculation Studies was all about.
As I stood in Natural Science and Calculation Studies class looking at the ten fellow students in the same room, I noted the presence of Dong Hua, Zhe Yan, and the girl in white from yesterday; Mo Yuan was also amongst them. Under such circumstances, I was even more clueless about what exactly I would learn from Natural Science and Calculation Studies.
Father God told me that my mind was not at peace and that I needed to calm it. I could understand that Dong Hua and Zhe Yan were like me and also needed to still their own minds.
But Mo Yuan already appeared to possess a clear and quiet mind to the onlooker, what would attaining an even quieter mind do for him?
This was the first time I saw Mo Yuan after knowing who he was. Recalling the conversation I had with Feng Xing yesterday, I couldn’t help but take a second glance at him.
Feng Xing was right. Aside from appearing effeminate, Mo Yuan wasn’t loathsome to look at, but the quiet, cold and stern air about him, that was impossible to be rid of, made me gnash my teeth in resentment.
Amidst a room full of scholarly vibes, Dong Hua was dozing off, and sitting beside him with a broad smile was Zhe Yan. He fixed his gaze on me as he pointed towards the back, "Your seat is over there."
The direction he mentioned was right next to Mo Yuan. Indeed, the room was so full that it was the only empty seat available.
I walked over to the seat.
On the pear blossom wood school desk, was a brush rack placed evenly before Mo Yuan; each brush on the rack was neatly and tidily arranged. A stack of books sat orderly on the right-most corner of his desk. On the cover of the top-most book, three large characters were written [ Natural Science Theories ].
I felt that the predestined clean and orderly appearance of this desk would last only until today.
After waiting for me to sit down, a similar stack of books appeared in Mo Yuan’s hands. He pushed them right in front of me and said in an even voice, "Your books."
Father God had previously mentioned that he had already ordered Mo Yuan to prepare a set of books for me, and instructed me to get them from him when I went to class. I think the manner in which Mo Yuan spoke to me when he passed me the books could have been more euphemistic and friendly, making it more in line with the etiquette that the God race had boosted they abided by. It was apparent he had no intention to pay me any heed, but since he couldn’t ignore me altogether, he had chosen to say the most succinct sentence out of all available words.
Having lived a life of absolutely disgraceful behaviour, some slight cold-shouldering was not worth bothering about. I replied with a word of thanks, and placed the book [ Natural Science Theories ] spread open on the school desk, casually tossing all the other books beneath the table to avoid cluttering and obstructing my movements. My actions caused Mo Yuan to frown.
Note: Fans of Ten Miles of Peach Blossom have harboured the notion that Mo Yuan had romantic feelings towards Bai Qian. Tang Qi has clarified that this is not the case - just so you know!
Credits
Header Pictures: 三生三世十里桃花电视｜Eternal Love Drama Series
Story: 唐七 | Tang Qi
Book Title: 三生三世菩提劫 | Bodhi Fate
Copyright Statement
The above translation is translated by our translation team from Chinese author, Tang Qi’s 5,000 word draft of her original work, Three Lives Three Worlds Bodhi Fate. All copyright belongs to Tang Qi.
以上的英语翻译都是本翻译组从唐七原作， 三生三世菩提劫的5,000字原稿所翻译的。版权都是作者唐七所拥有。
原作故事微信地址 | Link to original work：