Read Journey to Wubang 01 - Earth to Hell for Free Online Page A

then its voice trailed off. ‘Oh my.’
    ‘Where’s Gold?’
    ‘With Amy.’ Its voice softened. ‘They’re both in True Form and she’s carrying him over the mountains of Guilin. They’ve perched on top of the highest peak. The view must be spectacular.’ Its tone changed to one of amusement. ‘He just told me to mind my own damn business. I’ll tell him how important this is and to get back here.’
    ‘Leave them to it,’ I said. ‘Where’s Jade?’
    ‘At home watching television.’
    ‘Relay the following message for me, stone. Jade, I’ve just received an appointment to see the Jade Emperor—’
    Jade appeared in front of me. ‘How long do you have to prepare?’
    ‘How long I have to prepare is beside the point, Jade, because the minute I enter the Celestial Plane I’m dead.’
    She opened and closed her mouth a few times, then fell to sit in the visitor’s chair across from me, stricken. ‘What are we going to do?’
    ‘If I disobey an edict from the Emperor I’m as good as dead anyway. I’ll lose the Academy, and maybe even Simone.’ I ran my hands through my hair. ‘Any ideas?’
    ‘Ask them to see one of your Retainers instead, Emma,’ the stone said. ‘Jade and Gold can do the job.’
    Jade was horrified. ‘I’d prefer not to attract the attention of the Celestial, stone. Gold and I are in enough trouble as it is.’ She shook her hands in salute over the desk. ‘My Lady, I beg you, don’t make me go to Heaven in your place.’
    ‘Tell Gold it’s urgent,’ I said.
    ‘Already did, he’s on his way back,’ the stone said.
    The front doorbell rang.
    Jade hesitated, concentrating, then her face went blank with shock. ‘Quickly, ma’am,’ she said. ‘It’s the Planet.’
    ‘Oh shit,’ I said, and raced around the desk and flew down the hallway to the front door, Jade behind me.
    Monica had already opened the door. The Planet Venus, the Jade Emperor’s personal emissary, was standing on the other side in full Celestial regalia. Monica stared at him, mouth open.
    I touched her shoulder. ‘It’s okay, Monica, I can handle it.’
    She snapped out of it and scurried into the kitchen.
    I’m staying in here , Simone said from her room. I’m not coming out to talk to him unless he orders me.
    I opened the door wide and gestured for Venus to enter. He nodded graciously to me and glided through, floating just above the floor.
    Jade fell to one knee before him, saluting, then moved to stand to one side as Retainer. I cursed my torn T-shirt, tatty jeans and bare feet as I saluted him.
    Venus drifted to the centre of the room and turned to face Imperial South, which gave him a view out of the windows overlooking Aberdeen. I quickly moved sothat I could be seen by him. He wore a Tang-style robe of many layers of transparent white silk over an under robe of palest lilac. A similarly purple cloth crown covered the topknot on his head, and his long black hair swept down to his waist. He glowed gently with ripples of silvery light.
    He nodded to me. ‘Lady Emma. I bring greetings from the Celestial. The Jade Emperor has asked me to convey this to you.’ He held a red lacquer box out to me.
    I nodded and moved forward to accept it.
    ‘There is a note inside from the Celestial himself explaining the nature of this item he is lending to you,’ Venus said. ‘He asks that you guard it with your life and that of your Retainers. In the wrong hands, this jewel could cause a great deal of trouble for both the Celestial and the Earthly Planes.’
    ‘We will guard it with our lives,’ I said, holding the box with awe. It was about twenty centimetres a side and intricately carved with a cloud pattern, a dragon on the right and a phoenix on the left.
    Venus changed form to an ordinary slim Chinese man with long hair wearing a smart grey designer suit. He drifted down to the floor, his glow disappearing. He held out his hand. ‘Lady Emma.’
    I shook his hand. ‘Venus.’
    He nodded. ‘Good