"Welcome, Madam Chin," King Huang greeted the guests along with his wife. 

The palace was decorated beautifully, as firecrackers popped loudly. Yun Lei laughed with the cooks in the kitchen, as she decided to help cook. ZiTao at long last found her, and offered to help also. 

"Young prince should be greeting his guests instead," Yun Lei said, but ZiTao shook his head. "They're only here for my parents, not me. My birthday is never special to anyone," ZiTao replied, and the servants laughed. "ZiTao wang zi, your birthday is always important," a maid said, and ZiTao smiled at her.

"Can I borrow Yun Lei for a few minutes, since no one is letting me help cook?" ZiTao asked. "Wang zi, why ask to borrow your future wife? Just take her!" One of cooks answered, and the kids blushed. "Okay, okay, settle down now. The kids are still shy," a maid told everyone, and then pushes Yun Lei out towards ZiTao.

"What is that you want, Tao?" Yun Lei asked, and ZiTao pulled her hand up to meet his in return. After removing his hand away, a long dark green box sat on Yun Lei's hand. "What is this?" She questioned the silent prince. "Open it," he told her gleefully, and Yun Lei confusedly stared at him.

Yun Lei opened the box, and there was a beautiful pink flower, and butterfly hairpin. 

(THE HAIRPIN)

Yun Lei gasped in shock, as her eyes opened widely. ZiTao chuckled at her cute expression, and lightly tapped her nose.

"Do you like it?" He asked her. "Like it? Tao, I...I love it," Yun Lei answered, and then hugs him. "Well, that is my present to you," he said, and Yun Lei chuckled. "Shouldn't I be giving you a gift? I mean, it's your birthday after all," Yun Lei replied, and ZiTao shook his head. "Having you here with me everyday is everything that I could've asked for," ZiTao responded blissfully.

"Well, I guess I should change out of my cooking outfit to match this hairpin," Yun Lei said, as she broke the tiny silent moment. "Ah yes. I'll meet you out there," ZiTao replied, as he pointed out to where the huge feast is being held. "Of course," Yun Lei replied, and then headed to her room.

ZiTao walked out to front part of the palace, and saw lots of kids running around playfully. He smiled at the millions of guests who came, and was introduced to a couple by his father and mother. The guests were nice and polite, as many of them joked about having ZiTao marrying their daughters.

"ZiTao, where is Yun Lei?" King Huang asked. "Oh, she's getting ready," ZiTao answered. "Have you given her the hairpin that both you and your mother bought?" King Huang asked. "Father, stop asking such silly questions. I'm very shy talking about it," ZiTao replied, as he blushed.

"Anyways, I've arranged everything. After a speech and first round of the feast, I'll announce your soon to be bride Fang Yun Lei," King Huang proudly told his son. "Really?" He asked, with his eyes lit up in glee. "Of course son, Yun Lei's done a lot for the family, and saved you. I even told her that if she can cure after your 16th birthday, I'd throw a huge feast and have you both married," King Huang answered, and ZiTao couldn't be happier.

"I'm going to check up on my future bride then," ZiTao said, as he rushed off to Yun Lei's room.

Inside palace, entered an old man, who holds a decorative gold cane. He was bald, had a long white beard mustache, and a young tall and full hair disciple next to him. The two were dressed in white, and the royal guests bowed at the two men. 

"Oh, it's our main guest and his disciple. How do you do, master?" King Huang greets the Shaolin abbot. "I'm doing fine. How about yourself, your highness? After hearing upon your son's life, I am happy to hear such news," the Shaolin abbot greets King Huang back. "Ah yes, it's a wonderful miracle, and much of an honor to have you here. Come master, let's sit down and feast with greatness," King Huang tells the Shaolin abbot.

Right when both men were to be seated, the Shaolin abbot sniffed a strong scent roaming in the air. He gave his disciple a concerned look, and his disciple nodded his head.

"I'm sorry your highness, but my young disciple Zhang Yixing here forgot to use the restroom before our leave. He's been bothering me about it, and if it's okay with you, may he use the restroom of your highness?" The Shaolin abbot asked. "Of course, master. My home is your home. Maid Jia Yi, show the young man where our guest bathrooms are," King Huang called to a maid.

The disciple Yixing and the Shaolin abbot smiled at each other, and then departed after.

"You can just tell me the way, as you seem a bit busy," the disciple Yixing told the maid. "Ah, you just keep going straight ahead, and then..."

Whilst the maid continue on with her talk, Yixing felt a strong aura around him. 

'A demon is near.' Yixing spoke inside his head.

"You should see the restrooms after the fifth room," the maid explained entirely, and Yixing nodded his head at her with a smile.

After the maid disappeared, Yixing walked to where he sensed the strong aura. As he got closer to the aura, the heavy scent of a demon grew sturdier.

"Tao, what are you doing out here of my room?" Yixing heard a woman's voice. 

It somehow seemed quite familiar to him, but the young man wasn't so sure.

"I was waiting for you to be finished changing, because you have lots of guests dying to meet you," ZiTao replied, and Yixing watched from afar.

A beautiful young maiden exited out of a room, as she was dressed fancier than half of the princess here. Heck, not even half but all. Her robe was richly printed with huge florals, and the silk of the cloth was just as mesmerizing as the owner. 

(Yun Lei's outfit)

"The hairpin on you looks great, Yun Lei," ZiTao complimented, as he held onto her right hand and softly kisses it. Yun Lei shyly blushed, as she pinched ZiTao on the left cheek lightly. "You really know how to make my heart skip a beat," Yun Lei said, and ZiTao smiled.

"Yun Lei?" Yixing whispered, as he saw the woman's face. 

"Hurry up, my parents can't wait to introduce my future bride to everyone," ZiTao anxiously said, and Yun Lei playfully hits him. "Stop joking around. Who wants to be your bride?" Yun Lei sarcastically asked, as she and ZiTao held hands and walked to where the guests were.

Yixing hid deeper inside his hiding spot, as he watched ZiTao and Yun Lei happily holding hands together and walking away. A pain pierced inside Yixing's heart, as he was such an idiot to not have recognized this scent. Of course it had to be no other than Fang Yun Lei.

She was the woman who saved his life once, and he fell in love with. With such unfortunate fate of being borned as a demon slayer, Yixing had to break off his love with her. Yixing had two choices that he had to make, when he had fallen in love with Yun Lei.

Kill her as it's his job, or break up their love, as a demon and human can't live a life together.

When Yixing's gang had found out that he had let a demon go, they ditched him. He was known as a traitor, and then lived live alone. Yixing finally came across the shaolin temple one day, and asked for forgiveness. The Shaolin abbot saw the mistake Yixing had, and willingly took in the demon slayer. Instead of killing demons now, Yixing's job is to capture these horrid demons for the abbot. Then it'll be the abbot's choice if they're worthy enough to live as the animal they are without being able to transform as a human being, or die and reincarnate to be a full fledge human.

Yixing snapped out of his thoughts, and headed back to where his master was seated. 

"Did you capture the demon?" The Shaolin abbot asked. "Master, I couldn't capture the demon, as it's position is with the prince," Yixing answered. "This is unacceptable! Why would this demon and the young prince be together?" He asked in distraught. "Master, I suppose that they're in love. I overheard something about the demon becoming the young prince's future bride," Yixing continued on with the whisper. 

The Shaolin abbot turned gawked at Yixing with a huge shock, and then glanced at the happy chatting King Huang. 

"Father, here is Yun Lei," ZiTao said, as the Shaolin abbot's eyes widened at the strong scent of Yun Lei's.

"Master, it is the young prince's birthday. Perhaps, let's not cause such a scene," Yixing suggested, but knowing how much the abbot dislike how demons take on human forms, he raged in anger. "Master!" Yixing tried to stop him. 

"You demon, what is your purpose here, and why are you so close with the prince?" The Shaolin abbot asked Yun Lei, as he charged towards her. Yun Lei saw fire in the monk's eyes, as she hid behind ZiTao. "How dare you call my future bride a demon? She's just a normal human being like you and me!" ZiTao yelled at the monk.

"Huang ZiTao, do not raise your voice at this master," King Huang yelled at his son. "He called Yun Lei a demon, father!" ZiTao replied, as he felt Yun lei's firm grip on him. "Move aside, boy. You might think she's human, but she's not. Look at her!" The Shaolin abbot shouted, as he pushed ZiTao to the side, and grabbed Yun Lei.

"Tao!" Yun Lei screamed for him, as she tried to grab his hand. "Yun Lei!" ZiTao tried fighting the abbot. "Master, your vase!" Yixing shouted, as he threw it to the abbot. 

'That voice!' Yun Lei thought, and then turned to find Yixing. 

Both their eyes connected deeply, and Yun Lei was in shock. A mere flashback of their love raced inside Yun Lei's head, as she remembered their love. However, Yixing betrayed her, and she was left alone. Like Yao Yao had said, a human's heart can be malicious. Though, Tao's heart wasn't malicious, or has she not seen it yet only?

The abbot mumbled a few words, and created a goldish red barrier in the sky, as Yun Lei was stuck inside it. Screaming for her life and for help, everyone watched in fear. ZiTao tried to fight the abbot, but was blocked by the disciple, Zhang Yixing. ZiTao wasn't going to let anyone block his path, if anyone is to hurt Yun Lei. He and Yixing started a fist fight. Yixing was beaten a couple of times, but wasn't going to let ZiTao near the abbot and Yun Lei. 

"Tao, Tao!" Yun Lei cried, as the goldish red barrier was hot as flames. "Just hold on longer, Yun Lei!" ZiTao shouted, and then kicked down Yixing, as he jumped up to the sky. Breaking the barrier at once, ZiTao fell down to the ground along with Yun Lei, and blood spilled out of his mouth. "ZiTao!" His parents called to him, and Yun Lei held him in his arms crying.

"Yixing!" The abbot shouted, as his arm stretched long to grab Yun Lei by her shoulder. "Ahh!" Yun Lei screamed, as she was pulled by the abbot. His hand was boiled with fire, and Yun Lei felt the sting of pain roaming inside her body. Yixing walked to hold the weak ZiTao, as the abbot chanted a few words and soon lashed Yun Lei's back.

Blood flew out of , as colored veins grew out from behind her head and onto her skin. ZiTao watched in horror, as the beatiful pink floral robe he saw Yun Lei wearing, turning into nothing a plain and cold black embroided robe. Yun Lei's hairpin fell down to the ground, as it broke into two pieces.

(Yun Lei's outfit)

Her hair bun was openly drawn down, as her black sleek hair turned into a pale white color. ZiTao held his pained chest, as he watched his beloved Yun Lei's true form evolving. 

"Take a good look at her, ZiTao wang zi. Your future bride is no other than a demon. Are you shocked by this, young prince? I'm guessing that she was the one who miraculously cured you? Why won't you take your time to think for a second? This demon here probably wanted to give her energy to you, then it all back with yours, so she can continue being the immortal being she is," the abbot announced, and the guests around started to whisper.

"Don't look at me, ZiTao," Yun Lei begged, as a tears streamed down her face. "Yun Lei..." ZiTao called to her, and then pushed Yixing off of him. "Just kill me already, old man!" Yun Lei shouted with anger, and the abbot laughed. "Kill you? Well then, it's your call!" The abbot yelled back. 

He took out his cane, and started to chant again. ZiTao's heart cried, as he saw how weak Yun Lei was looking. He ran up towards her, and kicked the cane off. ZiTao fought with the abbot, and Yun Lei was dropped to the ground. The abbot angrily buddhist palm ZiTao on the chest hard, and all the medicine that ZiTao drank was spit out.

"No!" Yun Lei cried, as she crawled to the weak prince. Yixing was about to stop her, but stopped his tracks to watch what she'll do. "ZiTao," Yun Lei cried, as she quickly held him back into her arms. "A-a-are you hurt?" ZiTao asked, as he weakly rose up a hand to touch her cheek. "Tao," she faintly called to him, and ZiTao managed to curve a smile on his face.

"I'm sorry that I didn't tell you. But Tao, I'm that butterfly you saved from, and because of that, I decided to save you back also. I wanted a nice man like you to live long, as you deserve nothing but the best," Yun Lei cried, as she held onto ZiTao's hand. "I-I-I-I...I knew it. I knew we had met before," ZiTao said, and Yun Lei's salty tears dropped down onto Tao's face.

The Shaolin abbot then stopped his attack, as he watched Yun Lei holding the prince with gentle care. Yixing's heart broke, as he watched the scene. Yun Lei was and always have been the best woman ever. If only she wasn't a demon, Yixing would be with her instead of ZiTao.

"I'm feeling so cold, Yun Lei," ZiTao spoke weakly, as his hand fell from Yun Lei's cheek. "Tao, Tao, stay with me. You're not cold, it's just the breeze. Remember, we have another water lily lantern festival to attend to. You can't leave like this, Tao," Yun Lei cried harder, as ZiTao coughed out more blood.

"Yun...Lei. Remember when we...prayed at the fesitval?" ZiTao asked. "Mm, I remember everything," she answered, as she pulled ZiTao's hand back up to her cheek. "Well, I prayed and...hoped for us to grow old together. I love you, Yun Lei. Whether you're a demon...or a butterfly. You're my life, Yun Lei," ZiTao said, and with his last breath, his weak hand fell back down.

A loud scream was heard, as Yun Lei held ZiTao in her arms. 

"This is all your fault!" Yun Lei's anger turned to look at the abbot, and he gave her a soft expression. "I had no intention on killing the boy," the Shaolin abbot confessed, but Yun Lei wasn't going to buy that crap. She gazed at Yixing, as he witnessed what he had saw. "You couldn't let our past go, so you helped the monk kill the one I love?" Yun Lei roared ar Yixing.

"Yun Lei, I didn't mean any harm. I swear," Yixing answered, and Yun Lei laughed like a maniac. She caressed ZiTao's cold cheek, and then returned to her tears. "Tao, I'll bring you back. I promise," Yun Lei whispered, as she placed her lips down onto ZiTao's.

Everyone watched carefully, as a shining light fell down inside ZiTao's mouth. Not before long, ZiTao's hands started to move, and Queen Huang fainted. King Huang had the maids take the queen back, as he stood afar to watch his son getting up and alive again.

"Yun Lei," ZiTao weakly spoke, as his eyes slowly opened. "Tao," Yun Lei smiled, and then fell over this time. ZiTao jolted up, and held Yun Lei into his arms. "What did you do?" He asked, and Yun Lei smiled. "I had given you my thousand years of life pill, Tao. That was the last medicine to fully cure you, and make you live long. I longed to do it, but had no intentions to, as I fell in love with you," Yun Lei explained.

"Then what will happen to you? What will happen to us?" ZiTao asked, not wanting to let Yun Lei die from his place. "Tao, don't worry a thing. I will forever be by your side, as I have always. However, we weren't destined to be lovers in this lifetime. I made a prayer to the lantern, that if fate was nice enough...we'll meet again in our next as I wish to be a human. My Huang ZiTao, take care of your health," Yun Lei said her last words, as her human body then burst into a mist.

"YUN LEI!" ZiTao yelled, as he tried to catch the mist.

Instead, a beautiful colored butterfly flew onto his hand. ZiTao looked at the butterfly, and then watched it fly away freely up into the dark sky. 

Years passed, and it was rumored that there lives an old man who planted an entire garden of flowers around his tiny hut. He's an old kind man with wise words, who wishes nothing but the best for everyone who comes by his garden. The story of this old man says that, he lives alone waiting for his bride to return home and grow old together. 

The bride of his never showed, and when he had died of old age, the old man left a note. Inside that note, it was said that he wished to be buried with his flowers, so his bride will see him when he grows with his flowers. Also, there was another writing on that note, which everyone took of wisely.

"Love should not matter by appearence or money, as it matters by the kindness of the person's heart. Once in love, cherish it forever. If not forever, then make it eternity, as waiting takes time and patience."

When the old man was buried with his flowers, a butterfly soon flew down and sat on top of his gravestone. The wings flapped lightly, and soon enough, another butterfly appeared by its side, and both flew playfully together up into the sky.

THE END!

WAHHHHHHH! *CRIES*

ignore my lame LOVE quote up there. i had no idea wtf i was saying. lol! 

I don't know why, but I had the movie "PAINTED SKIN" imprinted in my head, but also the tiny plot episode in "CHINESE PALADIN" and "LIANG SHANBO and ZHU YING TAI". These great movies and stories brought me to write this two shot of Tao, because I saw that darn gif. LOL!

Speak of PAINTED SKIN, who's seen it? If you've seen it, are you excited for part two? Painted Skin The Resurrection! I'M SO EXCITED. GAH! LOL.

Well, time for bed now. lol.

SEE YOU ALL IN MY OTHER TAO FICTIONS AND OTHER FICTIONS! XDD

Thanks for reading, commenting, and subbing!