Moon Kingdom
Chapter 071
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
I can’t be your fairytale
After three months of long struggle, Yuwen Yue recovered from his wounds but not his heart. Cold as he is, the pain it left him was much painful than the first. Besides the clear streams of water, Yuwen Yue meditated and inside his soul once again, flashed what happened in the bloody war.
Yuwen Yue thought: “I have not broken any word of promise. I knew it was you who let go of us and that child Mo’er. On that unfortunate day, I promised I’d let you go too if we meet again. I kept my noble promise, yet your hands attempted to end my life, twice. The first one you knew it was I and the second one, you still knew it was I, but pretended as if you didn’t know me. Yan Xun, the scars left in your heart became callous revenge, beyond repair wrapped in eternal hate. I hope you would forgive in your heart, and Xia Chong’s life would not sleep in vain. Because if its Chu Qiao’s life, you never stand a chance.”
Master! Xinger! Xinger! Xinger!
After a while, a noisy bird came to distract. Yuwen Yue wrinkled his brows and looked straight to the bird. The bird stopped from tweeting, landed on his shoulders and kept quiet. Another cavalry of men came and said: “Master your horse is ready. Shall we go?”
**
Inside Xiu Xiu Mountain Palace, a smell of strong wine filled the magnificent place. Yan Xun lying on his thick fur and messy throne found him full of sadness and regret in his eyes. He became slack, alcoholic and neglectful at his duty over Chu Qiao’s passing. The King of Yan grieved for many days and nights, then shut himself off the world.
“The World, please eat your meals. You need to recuperate and be steadfast,” said A’jing.
While Zhong Yu is looking after him took pity in his thin body and bloodshot eyes, she also mentioned: “You need an antidote for your heart, I will give it to you…”
Yan Xun not even minding the words of the two of his closest aide said: Go away!!! “Another round of wine you idiots!” said to his attendants who cannot stop the King’s drinking and dirty robes, messy hair, intoxicated aura with his gut full of wine spirits.
Zhong Yu turned her back, teary-eyed, she cannot bear the World’s ugly sight, she walked away from him of words left unsaid remained like a dagger in her heart. She cannot ruin Wu Dao Ya’s plan.
A’Jing stood up from his bended knee and continue to manage Yanbei’s operations while the King is in his insane mind and body full of scars hasn’t fully reached his broiling limit yet.
**
Yuwen Yue on the other hand, climbed on his horse together with Yue Qi and Zuo Zong drove towards Liang borders and went to visit his Uncle Xie. Master Xie Tai Shan informed Yuwen Yue about Chu Qiao’s condition said: “She cannot remember any one of us, not even me or Empress Lu Zhi, including the Emperor Xiao Ce. Xiao Ce has to spend with her many days and nights to introduce her to her own Yehua palace, that she is a falling star princess, a future shining phoenix of Liang Empire. “
But after everything is said and done, Xiao Ce on his heavy heart comes out on its loser face. For he knows every time Chu Qiao looks at him, the punch prince knows, there is a void in her soul that he can never fill.
Yuwen Yue felt a hundred needles brandished in his heart said: “Uncle Xie, do you know any remedy for her condition? She is my wife, he should remember her husband and not the playboy nuts prince!”
Master Xie Tai Shan answered: “Unfortunately, losing her Chibi is incurable.”
“Who said it is incurable when even the dead, he can raise?” said Yue Qi
Yuwen Yue thinking for a moment said: “Is he the dork priest living in the thousand caves?”
Zuo Zong chuckled and excited, said: “We must buy a mooncake!”
Yue Qi replied: “Mooncake for whom, the hamster pets?”
Yuwen Yue forbids any unnatural and temporary healing practices he said: “I would like to find a permanent way to heal her Chibi. Who can help me lead the way?” No one answered Yuwen Yue he was left to think about it.
Gloomy sunrise quietly showed to the sky and the winter season starts to shower its snowflakes across the open field of the Daoming Palace. Slowly and unhurried, Chu Qiao dressed on fine orange Chinese silk, long sleeves kimono dress, found some fresh and unusually big bouquet of flowers all over her palace. Make no mistake about it, she already knows who is her eye and heart stealer of the moment smiled and smelled one of the lovely flowers. However, from afar, she saw a masked man on his horse. Suddenly she felt dizzy, and she leaned a little bit at the palace post. A glimpse of her memories flashed before her eyes.
Moments of memories quickly gone by, she suddenly turned back in the same direction, but the man on his horse disappeared. She slowly walked in the long palace corridor hoping to catch the man’s godly stature. Suddenly found him nodding his head to the handsome man of the house, the Emperor Xiao Ce. Chu Qiao thinks he saw this man before. However, it is her first time to see this man visiting the palace today. Looking at Xiao Ce, his facial features turned from sunny to a serious face. Chu Qiao thinks: “Maybe this man is an enemy, or another faceless General, or the head of spies that he does not want his face to be exposed.”
Mei Xiang together with Ping’An following her side observed Chu Qiao’s veering eyes full of curiosity, Mei Xiang said: “Master I heard the man right there are from the eastern territories, requested to the Emperor to visit you since yesterday, but the Emperor said, to wait for another day. So the masked man came again today.”
“It is very unusual for a man to put on a mask on his face unless I wonder if his face is so ugly or scars he has to hide!?”
Master, I also heard yesterday from the palace maids that he took off his face mask and revealed his face to the Emperor that he is so handsome not ugly. They must be telling the truth. Everyone was astonished because the Emperor’s face looks angry, but after he saw his face, he said to him, “Who else but you?”
Chu Qiao responded she said: I guess they were buddies or long time Royal friend?”
Ping’An replied: I can assure you they are not.
Chu Qiao asked him: How can you not be sure?
Ping’An answered: I heard the palace maids said, this man has never been to Liang palace before, but some maids also gossiped that he looks like the former Master of the eyes of God from Wei Empire.
Chu Qiao listening to every word that came out of Ping’An said: “Master of the eyes of God?”
Pingan said: “Yes, some of the palace maids who went with the Emperor’s visit in Wei empire before saw this man, but they said it is impossible because the master of the eyes of God is already dead.”
Chu Qiao changed her position when she saw the head of the masked man slightly moved looking at her direction. Yuwen Yue stole a far glance at her.
Chu Qiao out of curiosity asked again: “How does in his household call him? Chu Qiao cannot hide her interest out of the stolen glance Yuwen Yue gave her.
Ping’An answered: “They said they call him the fourth young master of the Yuwen household.”
Chu Qiao slowly uncovering the man’s past who is somewhat related to this man stealing glances at her she asked: “What is the former master of the eyes of God name?”
Ping’An replied: “I heard his name is Yuwen Yue.”
Chu Qiao somehow familiar, but cannot recall where and when did she heard the name reacted: “Why is this man after me?”
Ping’An do not want to confuse her more than her memory can recall said: “Master, why don’t you learn to know him first?”
Chu Qiao looked at Ping’An said: “I do not even know why I am here and now you want me to put him under my DIY (do-it-yourself) list?”
Ping’An smiled at Chu Qiao and then innocently replied: “He looks harmless?!”
Chu Qiao annoyed about to pick his forehead and raised her voice said: “Do you expect me to put harmless people in my list?”
Chu Qiao paused for a moment then said in a bored voice: “He seems harmless so why bother?”
Ahem! Ahem! Xiao Ce’s sounds of coughing just announced his presence, he is somewhat listening to their conversation earlier. Suddenly Ping’An bowed at his Highness and moved to the back of Chu Qiao.
Chu Qiao inquired at the Emperor asked: “Your Highness, did you just came in or you overheard our private conversation earlier?”
Xiao Ce never wears masks in front of Chu Qiao became honest, said with a soft, flirty voice: “You are blushing…”
Then Xiao Ce threw Chu Qiao sticky foxy eyes, moved closer to her ears and said: ” I can even hear the fast beats of your heart.”
Xiao Ce back to his normal stance again and like a child said: “Too bad, the gossips are not about me.”
Chu Qiao did not buy his jokes, said: “How can they gossip about you when the moment they do, they sell their necks at your garrison yard and not to mention, face your fastidious palace ministers and members of the cabinets?
Xiao Ce on his foxy eyes continued: “Once I had the Seventh Yue, then the fallen snowflake, but at last, not the least, the fallen star…just passed by the skies of Liang. She is about to be taken by her moon.”
Chu Qiao on her bright face ready to make fun of him hit Xiao Ce’s shoulder. Like children toying one another, said: “What are you talking about? Is this the effect of your attendance at Li garden’s poetry reading? Is this what you learned on their roll call?”
Xiao Ce on his chinky eyes, answered: “Do you have any choice? I learn fast!”
Now tell me Qiao Qiao, if you do not feel good about it, I can kill the man or exile him to Huai Song.” Xiao Ce on his serious then back to his funny face.
Chu Qiao chuckled and said: “Why kill a man if he is harmless, and exile him when he is innocent?”
Xiao Ce gave Chu Qiao winky foxy eyes and said: “That puts me into bad rulership and soon, kill me. I am never arrogant Emperor. Can you spare some time today? He wants to meet you again.”
And just like that, Xiao Ce allowed Chu Qiao to reunite with Yuwen Yue while his heart is sinking deep into the ocean of fears, jealousy and giving up his third chance, he thought to himself: “How many more chances left for us?”
Chu Qiao thought for a moment, said: “If what you overheard earlier is right, he is harmless then why not give him a chance?”
Xiao Ce looked at Chu Qiao’s beautiful face and sighed: “How can I say no.”
And soft as a whisper, Xiao Ce complained to the wind and said: “Again, I became a tool, I am worst than a slave!”
Chu Qiao heard the last phrase she asked: “Who is a slave?”
Xiao Ce dumbfounded he said: “Did I say any?”
I heard something about slave said Chu Qiao who is raising her voice but showing her funny face.
Xiao Ce diffusing the pep talk said: “Nothing, I just thought, I am a Slave Emperor.”
Chu Qiao chuckled and trying to catch Xiao Ce’s sort of words. She gave him a piece of advice: “Definitely, you are a Slave Emperor to your Empire. You cannot run from this. You must rule the people, or the people of this state suffers.”
Xiao Ce responded: “Do not worry Qiao Qiao, if you stay by my side, I knew we can rule the people in justice and this Empire at ease, chaos will meltdown even if it’s like a slab.”
Yuwen Yue just arrived, and Xiao Ce stepped aside then looked at the two said who just stared into each other’s eyes: “Ping’An if there is anything, you know what to do.”
Not even hearing what the Emperor had said, Chu Qiao curiously looked at Yuwen Yue’s face. In her poker face and formal voice: “You can take off your mask, or there will be no tea ceremony.” The two continued to walk in quite cool air and good distance enough to hear each other’s voice.
Yuwen Yue’s cold and godly presence is creeping under Chu Qiao’s bones. In his aristocratic stature, plum scent, cold aura, Adonis, and handsome face, he slowly took off his metal mask. It revealed a supple young, clear skin and eyes as calm as the waters. Chu Qiao busy looking somewhere when suddenly her godly visitor finally showed its face while they were walking.
Lost in front of this godly face, she did not know if she is still in the real world or moved her self into another realm.
She coughed: “Ahum…let me remind you, I am only accepting someone’s visitor today because I think you are a harmless man and if not, the Emperor will either kill you or exile you.”
Yuwen Yue not alarmed did not hesitate but a reply is a must he said: “I know I just heard your private conversation earlier.”
Chu Qiao also replied and said: “Did you hear…”
Chu Qiao was cut off when Yuwen Yue continued to state his reason for the visit he said: “I am here to visit the fallen star or it is more proper to say, the girl they used to call Xinger.”
“Xinger? Who Me?” Chu Qiao on her raised voice asked Yuwen Yue.
Yuwen Yue said: “I suppose you are finding my real name, and who is Xinger.”
Yuwen Yue looking straight at the gazebo garden where the tea ceremony is prepared.
The two goldly figure went small as Xiao Ce looks at them in a far distance.
He said to the wind: “Such a beautiful couple. Yuwen Yue, I hope you would help her recover her memories.”
While walking in the beautiful pathway to the secluded Chinese gazebo surrounded by a man-made pond, a lotus flower just sparked its bloom, and Yuwen Yue noticed it. Chu Qiao asked: “Did you just saw what I saw?”
Yuwen Yue on his cold face looked at her and said: “I did. It took a very short while.”
And the two continued to walk.
Chu Qiao hearing every word this man said to her put her heart into a fast beat, she carefully sat on the pillow in front of the tea-table while Yuwen Yue still standing to wait for her word. The servants are nearby but far from the two.
Chu Qiao asked: “Are you going to stand there forever?”
Yuwen Yue captivated by Xinger’s beautiful face and ecstatic presence squinted his eyes and replied: “No.”
A short and cold voice, the man sat on the pillow and sit straight.
Chu Qiao started to pour the teacups, and Yuwen Yue once again recalled their Green Hills courtyard memories, he began to drift away.
Chu Qiao noticed the visitor was stuck to her hand and the teacups she asked annoyingly: “Are we going to stare at these teacups?”
Yuwen Yue suddenly took the teacup first and waited for Chu Qiao to raise her teacup, and they both drink it. Yuwen Yue put back the teacup on the tea-table and look at her while Chu Qiao drinking suddenly, put back the teacup and stared at Yuwen Yue’s eyes as well.
There is inexplicable silence in between them, an unspeakable peace experienced but momentarily lost whenever they cross their eyes in this moment of time.
The clocks are broken, as if there is no time, this is the not earth but another time and space created for these two lost souls.
Chu Qiao took a deep breath and broke the beautiful silence said: “I can sense and tell, it seems like the man in front of me appears to be lost than the woman in front of him.”
Chu Qiao was right, Yuwen Yue came to find Xinger but it seems that Yuwen Yue was the one who lost himself in her presence, he cannot even utter a word to make her remember who is Xinger.
Chu Qiao continued and said: “You came because of Xinger?”
Yuwen Yue on his dry throat forced himself to respond and said in a soft cold voice: “Yes, I came to find Xinger.”
“Who is Xinger?” Chu Qiao started to ask Yuwen Yue.
“In front of me. She is Xinger.” Yuwen Yue did not take away his stares on Chu Qiao’s eyes, speaking in terms of truth, and of love.
Chu Qiao looked down and seems to get what Yuwen Yue is telling, but she denied him and said: “I am sorry, I am not Xinger.”
Yuwen Yue saw the index finger of Chu Qiao and said: “Look at the ring in your finger, it is Xinger’s engagement ring.”
Chu Qiao suddenly look at Yuwen Yue and asked: “And now you are saying I am engaged with someone because of this ring?”
Yuwen Yue said sincerely: “Yes.” short but full of emotion.
Chu Qiao took the ring in her finger and paused for a while… then put the killer ring in the middle of their table and said: “I am not Xinger, here take this ring.”
Yuwen Yue understands and felt a little bit pain in his left chest and also because of his wounds, back to his normal but somewhat painful voice, said: “No, take it. It is alright if you don’t recognize it yet.”
Chu Qiao did not react, but she can sense Yuwen Yue’s pain she asked: “Are you alright?”
Yuwen Yue said: “Yes, I am. It must be the wound at my back. I am still recovering.”
Chu Qiao changed her mood from poker face to a mellow one, she said: “Are you hurt? Did someone…”
Yuwen Yue said: “I am not hurt, I just fulfilled a promise. Hence, this is what I got.”
Chu Qiao in silence did not spoke any words, she felt Yuwen Yue’s pain and yet cannot remember anything. She taught she might have done something to make this man in front of him remember or did she hurt him?
Yuwen Yue noticed Chu Qiao’s musing, he said: “Do not worry, this is not something to be bothered about. What happened has to happen.”
Chu Qiao looked down but cannot hide her concern, want to lift Yuwen Yue said: “Whoever did this to you, I condemn it. You seem to be a good man.”
Yuwen Yue went to enlighten her, said: “Whoever did this to me is also a good man but his end, became a villain because of what happened to his family.”
Chu Qiao suddenly looked at Yuwen Yue and said: “Maybe you slaughtered his family and this is the revenge you have to get?”
Yuwen Yue on his sincere tone of voice said: “I did not slaughter his family, I tried to imply but watched his family slaughtered and thrown to the envy of bonfire. “
Chu Qiao on her sad voice said: “If I was there, I would surely kill you.”
Spoken like Chu Qiao knew Yuwen Yue for long and remembered anything in between them.
Yuwen Yue looked straight into Chu Qiao’s eyes and said: “You were there, but you did not kill me.”
Chu Qiao stared at Yuwen Yue looking for some hint of a joke, but there is none. It seems like this man in front of him is giving her a review of her past life, she said: ” So I was there… if I did not kill you, what did I do to you?”
Yuwen Yue asked her sincerely in a cold tone of voice: “Does it matter for you to know what you did for me?”
“Maybe? I wanted to know. .” Chu Qiao poured out tea on Yuwen Yue’s teacup and hers then she drinks her tea. Still waiting for Yuwen Yue to answer.
Yuwen Yue did not say any word and did a long pause, for it hurts him more than he can utter in between them, but because the woman in front of him wants to know more, he said: “Long time ago, there is a Yuwen maid called Xinger. The bravest girl who fought for the fourth master of the Yuwen household, but then died at the frozen lake.”
Chu Qiao put down her cup and said: “Qinghai Prince, it is a pleasure meeting you.”
Yuwen Yue knew Chu Qiao would end it here, he said: “Although you are quite disturbed, for now, it will be for a while. To be at ease and if you are ready to find out yourself, I am leaving this to you.”
A map? Said, Chu Qiao.
This map contains where your hearts seek. I have visited you often here, and yet it seems my presence is not needed anymore in this place. I cannot stay long, and if you decided to find yourself, this map would help you.
Chu Qiao looked into Yuwen Yue’s eyes full of regret and sadness said: “I am sorry, I can’t be your fairytale.”
Yuwen Yue’s cold eyes welling some tears he said: “It will not be for now, but I will hope we can be together, tomorrow, if not today.”
Chu Qiao did not respond for she does not know what to say and Yuwen Yue stood up, he looked at her for one last time then turned his back to leave the beautiful gazebo pond.
Yuwen Yue described that day: “I was walking like there was an iron cast on my boots. Every step I took, like an iron pounding my heart. I do not want to go away, and my heart wants to explode in a million pieces. I wanted to kiss her, to hug her, to tell her I need you and that I am willing to abandon my empire for the sake of you.”
But Chu Qiao did not want all of them, she cannot recall anything that happened in the past, and she is already living a new life in the arms of the Emperor Xiao Ce. This is Yuwen Yue’s last chance and now did he lost her forever?
After Yuwen Yue left, Chu Qiao felt so lost and desolate. She started to look at the map and found a little present was wrapped into it. Yuwen Yue did now know that Zuo Zong put in his treasured Kam handkerchief which bears the fourth young master Yuwen household intricate gold thread Chinese inscription. It looked new and had never been worn out. Her memories started to spark, but the godly looking man is already gone out of her sight. Is it too late? Chu Qiao took the handkerchief and wiped out her teary eyes for suddenly she remembers the map of the Chu Jing Kingdom, Viper and the peddler man who used to visit him in the Xue Fu street until the first day she met Yuwen Yue, the fourth young master of Yuwen household. She kept it to herself and pretend to be not knowing.
**
In the realm of nowhere…
A snowflake fell in his delicate nose. The man slowly opened his eyes when he felt frostbite is entering the pores of his skin. Yuwen Yue seemed to have slept for so long in the middle of the vast snowfall, he thinks he lost himself in a dream of forever of nowhere. He felt he is not alone and suddenly a man on his rugged clothes appeared in his face looking down at him, the old man said: Are you ready to live in another realm?
Yuwen Yue dumbfounded for the first time do not know what to say said: “Who are you?”
“Is it necessary for you to know?” said the old man.
Yuwen Yue suddenly wake up and got up from his sleeping post. He looked at his horse, and it is nowhere to be found.
The old man said: “Nah, forget it, but you can call me Sifu.”
“Sifu? Is that your name?” asked Yuwen Yue.
“Of course not. Sifu is short for Master.” said the old man who walked a few steps and sat in the middle of the snow white ground.
“Why should I call you that?” said Yuwen Yue with irritation in his voice.
“Fine if you do not want Sifu, what should you call me then?” Qi Hui is testing his limits.
“Sifu, is fine thanks!” said Yuwen Yue.
“Good.” said the old man and suddenly pointed his hands towards a distant end.
Yuwen Yue befuddled for a moment said: Why should I go to that direction?
The old man said: “You can’t be her fairytale she said. Therefore you must follow that far direction.”
Yuwen Yue for a moment thought, why does this rugged old man know what Xinger said.
The old man suddenly felt Yuwen Yue needed a reason to go said: “Didn’t you hear what she said? You can’t be her fairytale because this life isn’t a fairytale. You have to be real.”
Yuwen Yue annoyed of what he heard but suddenly enlightened, said: “What’s wrong with me? I am for real.”
“Go to the far distance, and I will teach you to become meek in front of a rod of discipline. You cannot even shoot with that left arm. You have to lose your mortal abilities to gain immortal abilities,” said Master Qi Hui and he frowned in front of him. The Master turned his back and started to walk to the far distance.
Yuwen Yue don’t feel intimidated but pressured he said: “What if I don’t follow?” He was left alone in the middle of the vast snowfield.
“Your destiny is set, you must follow, time cannot be undone,” said the Master when suddenly Qi Hui’s rugged clothes were slowly transformed into a different state. Yuwen Yue looking at a magical scene realized the rugged Master was the master he spent his days in the Woolong mountains.
“How did all of this happened? I am dreaming, this isn’t real,” Yuwen Yue said.
Yuwen Yue started to walk and followed the snow footprints of the Sifu who is already far away from him.
Over the white snowfield are two little figures walking endlessly in the valley of Hellfrost. Qi Hui determines to open the five realms to Yuwen Yue. The Qinghai crown prince must first go through the Hellfrost, snow-shrouded wastes, they have to reach the highest altitude of hinterlands. One cannot tell if they have been walking for hours or days, time is unimportant.
Suddenly, Qi Hui stopped and waited for Yuwen Yue to arrive. Feeling strong, Yuwen Yue don’t feel tired until he reached Qi Hui where his strength started to drop he said: “I cannot do this… and Yuwen Yue fell to the snowfield.”
The winds have grown steadily strong, it rips the core of bone marrows. Hellfrost spells the total land of dead winter, dreaded desolate wasteland. No human would survive unless in his veins carries the blue blood and his pulse is blessed by the gods.
Qi Hui in his wisdom said: “This is what happens when mortal vitality ends and sinew of immortality begins.”
Qi Hui looked at his surroundings and saw the near end of the Hellfrost while an open Happy valley of hope is near. Yuwen Yue’s lips turned blue and his pulse not so weak but able to continue, the master took a piece of rope and tied it to his body.
The Master using his reserved strength pulled Yuwen Yue’s body. Yuwen Yue occasionally blinking his eyes saw what the old man did to him and heard what the Sifu has to say: “This is the path of meekness, bearing one’s trouble for another towards a common good. Without the good, you cannot call it a virtue of humility but false humility. Giving up is a good sign, your body is learning the true limit of your mortal capacity, you are made up of flesh and blood subject to the earth’s gravity and its pull, the moon and the sun, the stars and the sea of frost. Without a real companion, you can never make it through.”
Yuwen Yue closed its eyes, for it defied his cold ego. A master saving his disciple, Yuwen Yue must learn its virtue.
After months or probably years have gone by, having no sense of time, Qi Hui and Yuwen Yue arrived at the end of the Hellfrost.
The two figures stood at the frozen cliff looked down at the frozen waterfalls. Master Qi Hui said: “On this edge, I am leaving your left foot the power of humility. Use it well, for it will be a great shield over arrogance, aggression, false pride, and vanity. On its surface, it appears to be empty, but it holds all powers of freedom of proving nothing.”
“Humility listens more and speaks less.”
Yuwen Yue bowed to Sifu and said: “More than a meditation, my mortal body underwent purification and freed itself from false coldness. From now on, my body can attune to my mortal strength, aligned my meridians to receive the crude reality between mortal and immortality. With emptiness, I gain everything. “
Qi Hui releasing the power to enter into Yuwen Yue’s left foot while Yuwen Yue is standing in his Tai Chi position, with his left foot lifted and formed an angle in his right knee. Cold air passed his face, suddenly the power entered in his body. After a while, he found himself alone.
The Hellfrost Winterland is gone, and Yuwen Yue suddenly saw the blooming of dandelions of the happy valley. He is not worried about his next destination, but he is headed to meet another master all long.
A man from the tree is nipping a stalk of grass stem while Yuwen Yue is clueless of this beautiful field of dandelion meadow. The cold wind blew, and the dandelions started to fly over like little kite fairies, like an enchanted spring bound in the realm of forever.
“Welcome to the Happy Valley.” Cheerful greetings from the Master of Kungfu of ice.
♥♥♥
Chapter 072
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
Empire of the Gods
Wild dandelions blooming in the middle of the meadow, far and wide, the cold wind blew and fluttering Yuwen Yue’s dress. Without a sense of time, Yuwen Yue finds himself walking in a piece of land of what they call the true earth or the land of Ximeng, a humble little encampment is lying in the surface of flying dandelions.
The master of Kung Fu of Ice said: Though you have learned the path of humility, your skills were not enough. Stretching his hands, he continued: Beyond those borders is your fate. But before you pass through it, you must master the winds and the clouds.
Yuwen Yue wrinkled his brow and said: “When I was young I used to hear the hunting wind and feel its presence in my pulse. How is it different?”
The master of Kung Fu of ice said: “You have the heart, but you don’t have the spirit.”
Yuwen Yue slightly stunned asked: “Is it two different states?”
“You’ll know it after the eagle whispers to your ears, the impulse of the wind.”
Suddenly a far distant bird sound came to fill the quiet skies, an eagle was flying high made a circle flight above, beautifully spread its wings and quickly hovered overhead from where they stand.
Starry starry night, Yuwen Yue is looking at the glittering sky. He put on his hand above his forehead and suddenly closed his eyes. Not so long, the Kung Fu master of ice shot an arrow towards his direction and slow to quick reaction Yuwen Yue raised his Poe Yue Jian sword to counter attack it. The blue feather arrow landed in the grass.
“Not impressed,” said the Kung Fu master walking towards him to pick up the blue feather arrow.
Yuwen Yue frowned and said: “This is the only weapon I have.”
“That is not an excuse.” The Kung Fu master went to load his bow with another arrow and point it the face of Yuwen Yue.
Yuwen Yue confident and not sensing any harm he did not think this master will shoot him. And true to his judgment, the Kung Fu master ran a few steps then locking his kneeling position on top of the bedrock, he slowly turns his upper body, raised his back draw hand and pointed his bow hand downward, suddenly released his draw hand an arrow flying in the air.
Swoosh! A crisp sound on the air is heard. The hare was shot so precisely on its heel. The shot was so clean and even very difficult to imagine how did the Kung Fu master did it in just a matter of split of seconds movement. And through the bamboo shaft?
“I can’t shoot a downward angle,” said Yuwen Yue.
“I know, it has been your weakness.” said the master of Kung Fu who is holding an empty thin half-piece of a bamboo shaft and some short arrows without feather at his back quiver.
“A piece of a bamboo shaft on your draw hand?” Yuwen Yue learning how it’s done.
“Why not?” said the Kung Fu master, and then he continued: “It will shut the sound and lock the target, precisely aiming for the deadly Achilles nerve. In this case, I did not shoot to kill, I loaded grace into my pulse, shot it but spared the life of the animal. It will live.”
Yuwen Yue walked a few steps to pick up the hare and examine its wound he said: “The best of precise shooting. It can still walk if I put a bandage promptly.”
Yuwen Yue tore a piece of his inner cloth and coldly look at the animal. It’ll be painful for a while, and Yuwen Yue quickly pulled out the short arrow from its heel. Blood gushed out from the wound. He promptly tied with the piece of cloth and the animal breathing heavily relaxed a bit, laid down its body. Yuwen Yue took the hare inside their encampment and laid it down to the grass.
The master of Kung Fu of ice back to his bonfire sat outside, and Yuwen Yue came to join him he said: I can clearly visualize how you did it but what I cannot understand is how did you not shoot to kill when your act directly results to a dead animal.
It’s because, in the mortal realms, only a few knew the Way of the bow called Taihai.
Yuwen Yue’s ears heard what he has to hear, said: “You mean, shooting without shooting? This can be done in a perfect state in the realm of impossibility. It is like finding a pearl in the desert sand.”
The master of Kung Fu of ice suddenly turned his face to see Yuwen Yue who took his quiver and bow testing the string with the half-piece bamboo shaft he inserted the short arrow using his draw hand.
“It is the remaining body within the remaining spirit. A forward movement from your left foot will be your remaining spirit and will guide your remaining body of your hips going up to your shoulder. This is the Way of the bow, it is always rooted in between coldness and humility. Without these two virtues, you ended up killing a target and waste a life.”
Yuwen Yue gaining more wisdom, he finally understood the lesson from the first master who is cold on his outside appearance but exposed a soft spot in the inside.
The master of Kung Fu of ice saw Yuwen Yue is trying the bow strings, he asked him to follow him to walk into a dark forest.
Sounds of the creepy crawlies greeted their ears, the owl’s big eyes saw Yuwen Yue, started to hum its haunting voice. There is a mounted flatform where Yuwen Yue can stand. In the middle is a bonfire slowly burning and if you look straight ahead, there is a thin poplar tree with attached arrow board made of driftwoods full of precise excellent bull’s eye arrows and archery marks.
The master of the Kung Fu of ice said: “What are you doing up there?”
Yuwen Yue not minding his master’s voice continued to create his own arrow and decided to show his skills as the heir of the master of the eyes of God. Suddenly after a few minutes, the Kung Fu master shook his head from left to right in dismay and turned his back to put more wood and increase the fire. Yuwen Yue did the same thing the Kung Fu master did earlier. When the master turned his face, Yuwen Yue is already pointing his arrow on his face. With a small rock in his draw hand, he stretched the bowstring with an arrow loaded in it, a creaking noise heard.
“Show me what you got! Shoot!”
Yuwen Yue’s face is cold and unrelenting, but his eyes like the calm water, deep breath, slowly put it down and after a blink of an eye, went to raise both hands and like a flash, shot the nearby owl.
The owl was taken down, and the master of Kung Fu of ice blinked his eyes, he walked closer to check on the graveyard shift bird said: “Two cold weapons, destined to take two different directions, you dictated your pulse and let the wind read its impulse. It will decide to kill or heal. That is brutally cold!”
“I use my will and pass it to the wind, I can dictate which one lives and which one dies,” said Yuwen Yue putting down his sharp weapons.
The Kung Fu master frowned at the owl looking at its limping wings while the arrow was shot at the target board. The Kung Fu master went to hold the owl’s wings and slightly pulled it. Bearing the silent pain for a while, suddenly the bird can spread its wings like nothing happened, back to the normal night owl bird.
Next, the Kung Fu master went to the target board, but as soon as he stepped closer Yuwen Yue exclaimed: Be careful!
Too late to back out, the old blue arrows were loosened from the board, and one by one dropped to the ground, and only Yuwen Yue’s arrow remained stuck on the bulls-eye. Yuwen Yue is trying to impress, but the Kung Fu master said in a low tone of voice: “I thought we are on the same page. This is futile.”
“What?” Yuwen Yue suddenly exclaimed: “What you just saw is the Way of the Arrow. I am sure you have not seen this before.”
The Kung Fu master determined to uproot his old thinking, went to pick up all the blue arrows and put them in his back quiver. He took the bow from Yuwen Yue and walked towards where the platform is mounted. Stood straight he said: ”Watch me dictate the wind and take down the real target.”
Took a deep breath and in his perfect stature, Taihai position closed his eyes, raised his hands and over his head opened his eyes to the target, reversed his back-draw hand.
Swoosh! A whistling of arrow sound heard, trailing a curved concealed target towards another concealed poplar tree, hits another hidden bull’s-eye arrow board.
Caught on a surprise, Yuwen Yue said: “You almost missed but decided to kill it.”
The Kung Fu master did the opposite of the Way of the arrow, said: “If you must end it, then do it.”
“Your turn,” said the master of Kung Fu of ice.
Yuwen Yue started to straighten his body, stiffened his muscles, his eyes focused on the target board, some random memories flashed in his sight. Xinger doing the back-hand draw and releasing its arrow towards the enemy’s head. In the icy lake was bloody murder from a heart full of hatred and rage. Xinger fought her own uniform and took a turn around stand to defend him, he realized, this is what she did. Fantastic shot at every angle sentence all of its life and end it there.
Yuwen Yue started to stretch the bow-string, creaking noise heard, on his forward left foot he raised his hands, reversed it overhead and used his back-draw hand, steady wrist, intense pulse, calm eyes but cushioned heart, released the arrow.
Yuwen Yue short of a distance, the arrow did not follow a curved path for the first time missed the target.
The Kung Fu master clapped his hands slowly then said: “A true master never perfects it the first time. It will take a hundred arrows before your mortal brain memorizes the favor of the winds. The secret is to be inefficient to become sufficient. You need to be diverse and flexible like bamboo. The winds never take any forms, nor can any man possess its favors. But the good news is, you can win its favor.”
Yuwen Yue learning new insights asked the Kung Fu master: Before, I used to think I own the wind. Now you’re saying I must win its favors?
Yes, by trade winds. The warm and cool breezes always encircle the northern and southern hemispheres of the true earth. It can be your best ally or worst enemy. Remember trade winds! Said the Kung Fu master and he suddenly left Yuwen Yue alone with an unclear and uncertain subject.
Yuwen Yue marveled and blown away at the subject matter look at his arrows left at the bull’s-eyes wooden board said: “This is hard, I have to think of trade winds and win its favor! All I have ever learned in the west are all outdated in this realm. It is not even appreciated.”
Yuwen Yue, an heir of the Eyes of God, one of the legends and holds superior unmatched abilities, but in the immortal realms his ability is considered at the lowest forms. He is such a novice tenderfoot in front of a brilliant realm, Yuwen Yue became a foolish master amid its astute, cognizant Masters.
**
Chu Qiao suspended out of nowhere, her lifeless body found in an upside-down position lying on the golden grass. Swayed by the cold winds, suddenly a striking light came to penetrate its skin, the wind and cloud decree, the ancient oracles of Chinese inscription words came to sit in the back of her skin forming the Higanbana flower. Suddenly, a Master in Zen position is sitting with his praying hands and praying beads hanging on it. The Healing Master near where Chu Qiao body lies, performing hand gestures and reciting mantras of healing said: “I cannot let the Mimi Gongzhu die and get lost into the realm of no return. On behalf of her, I am trading my healing powers or take my life if I fail to pass your test. The Mimi Gongzhu came to this world with an innocent mind. She did not possess any kind of understanding from where she came from.”
Swoosh….! The winds blew steadily and like a hurricane came to sweep the Healing Master.
Time is lost forever, suspended in a place called nowhere, a beautiful divine-like woman suddenly ascended on a dreamy state, finds her enlightened self, walking in the fascinating realm of eternal calmness. When she opened her eyes, the mirror of the sky above her greeted her eyes. She into her feet and below are dozens of broken ice pieces reflecting the expanse of the skies. Like flat earth looking to an endless horizon, the woman continued to walk above its water skies.
**
Viper’s eyes turned big like an owl, and she shouted: “Come back Mimi Gongzhu!!! You cannot save a soul twice!”
Caught in the middle of a surreal realm, Viper once again entered the underworld.
At the forgotten river, foggy mists hover above the waters. Cold and dark every time someone passing through, the river turns on its unblinding light. Looking through the crystal clear aquamarine waters, underneath are rays of light and shallow waters reveals a bed of ice. Frozen in time, the foundation of clear ice displays a review of one man’s past life. All its feats and glories, conquest and battles, victories and defeat, from the time he was born to the time of its death rewinds. When the boat reaches the other side, the wind sways the paradise of Higanbana flowers for one last time. The scent turns off the light. Back to its pitch-black darkness, a man dressed on his Imperial clothes looked down and then look straight ahead. Somehow a spark of little hope in his heart grew. For another chance, for another lifetime. However, Xiao Ce is about to enter the afterlife, a realm of no return, the final curtain unveiled in his sight. The boatman gave him a silent nod. Xiao Ce blinked his eyes without even saying a word, and suddenly a beautiful lady holding her glow in the dark whip, dark and uninterrupted came to disturb the order
The boatman cold, dark and strong evil presence felt in its eyes spoke in a low and slow voice: “An underworld spy cannot break the order of the Twelve underworld league of elite spies!”
Viper turned her eyes to the boatman and the boatman suddenly fighting its light, the dark lady turned herself to a more ominous presence said: “You must know, we all have been granted to disobey once! Whether the results are unknown, I am entitled to use my chance.”
“Only the Mimi Guangzu survived the execution of Ersatz realm. Everyone did not return. The rules and orders cannot be disobeyed, and yet you came to issue your entitlements? Just for the sake of this feeble and lame human? Why?” The Urshan or the boatman belongs to the dark underworld creatures who roam through lakes and swamps, offering to ferry travelers to the other side. The Boatman usually is old and almost always reveal themselves when you most need a ferry. Although some are known to live in high circulation areas, hiding among legitimate ferrymen, they often seek solitary lives in the more remote parts of the veldt.
The touch of a boatman can kill, and they say that those who succumb to his touch rise from the dead. These progenies look like swollen and corrupted corpses and are mostly used as a distraction. Lie under the surface of the water, waiting for the master to call you, then attack and try to drag the victims into their master’s boat for an aquatic death.
The best advice you can give to deal with a boatman is to bargain with him. The boatman has a weakness for rocks, and this can save lives. On the other hand, if you cannot guess what he wants, it’s best to jump off the boat and try your luck with the progenies or the dark breeds.
“Because I heard his last call in my ears when his heart echoed it in eternity. While the Urshan heard and did not dare to respond. Well, guess what! I am here to challenge the Urshan.”
The boatman on his spooky slow voice said: Challenging the Urshan who is as old as the plane of existence means death, you cannot even enter Afterlife. Is this what you came here today?
I’d rather be in the realm of Ersatz rather than be a deaf monk. Viper suddenly brought her whip in front and began to challenge the boatman.
Xiao Ce is unable to use his five senses when all of a sudden, he began to hear words uttered between the Boatman and Viper. The Boatman started to fall to the river. For every second of delay and missing boatman, Xiao Ce’s mortal body is restored. The field of Higanbana flowers once again swayed by the strong wind, its scent turned up the waters to intensify and broil suddenly the calm waters of the river turned into rough waters, and steady winds turned into violent gale sweeping the Higanbana field and turned all of its colors from bright red to black.
Viper holding her glow in the dark whip said calling on the man to be delivered back to earth: “Emperor of the South listen! Because I cannot bear your little hope to die, I am going to temporarily extend your stay on earth. It means I am going to erase your name in the book of death. And your life will be rewritten in the path of the stars. Please rehearse my goodbyes to the Mimi Gongzhu! I have finally understood what she did…”
Pang! The Boatman touched Viper.
Viper swallowed by the tremendous horrific Undertale of the dark, an ancient force came to sweep her, and her whip eventually slowly turned off its light drowning her body in the water.
Peace and calmness returned to the underworld, the forgotten river and paradise of Higanbana flowers once again back to its pristine state. The boat slowly returned back to the other side where it came from and the waters back to its pristine condition, calm and crystal clear. However, the boatman is gone, and only Xiao Ce was left in the boat which is still breathing in the surreal world. How many days or months went by, no one can tell, and it became irrelevant.
Xiao Ce dressed in his majestic Emperor clothing finds himself walking in the underworld, he took a deep breath and enjoyed the scent of plum blossoms, handsome face, defined eyebrows the human emperor introduced to the underworld. He cannot remember why he is here but knows that his mortal body and soul has trespassed and defied the crossing between the forgotten river to the afterlife.
Xiao Ce saw someone waiting at him at the gate of the underworld. The underworld spy, dark and uninviting is waiting for him, on his back said: “A mortal man cannot stay here, but it seems you are a special case. Your back dipped from the whip of the Viper, and now, that puts you into what the state of what we call the untouchables.”
Xiao Ce feeling proud, back to his mortal senses and normal body movements said: “Of course I am. My blood bears the noble descendants.”
The underworld spy frowned and laughed a bit said: “After all, you are still the proud and lame human that Viper saved in exchange for her life. It’s useless to argue.”
Xiao Ce befuddled for a moment asked: What did you say? Viper saved a lame human? Xiao Ce waiting for an answer thought to himself: “Stupid spy, the damn underworld.”
The underworld spy standing a little bit far from the foggy gates is seven feet tall, wearing a dark hood in his head, hauntingly handsome, eyes dark as the ink with a scar in his face, and a giant sword on its back said: “I knew how stupid you thought and how damned you are in this place” Suddenly he turned his back to looked down at Xiao Ce, he continued: “Beyond those gates is the Moon Kingdom. Your destiny has been rewritten in the stars, your second chance will start to tick, once you enter those gates.”
Xiao Ce in silence continued to walk slowly and gracefully entered the gate of the Moon Kingdom. Wearing his confident foxy eyes while underworld spies behind him show formal faces, they finally nodded at him and closed the gate. Just like the Alice in Wonderland, Xiao Ce is curious and walked a few more steps then caught his feet under surprise. His body was swallowed by ancient spiral maze tunnel and traveled down until the bottom was reached, the tunnel suddenly spat Xiao Ce’s body.
“Ouch, my back hurts!” Xiao Ce complaining of the pain in his back found himself in an extremely dry, parched ground but delighted when he saw the little pretty purple flowers bloom in between its tiny cracks. He wondered a bit, and suddenly he realized he is inside a dungeon.
“This is a good smell.” Xiao Ce said. Feeling dizzy yet he basked himself in the ambiance. Feeling helpless, the Liang emperor’s body fell spirally to the ground. A beautiful woman with a white scarf on her face saw the unconscious body of the Emperor. She took him and carried him on her back.
Delicate hands took the circle-shaped plum blossom made of ice and dropped it to the incense burner. A sound of flickering heard and the burner released its aromatic smoke in the air. The room was suddenly filled with pleasant smoke and uplifted it. The handsome man lying in a beautiful bedchamber returned to his senses. He opened his half-closed eyes and continued to sleep.
A beautiful woman asked the man: Will he survive?
Skyshadow, Why won’t he? His life was rewritten in the stars, at the expense of Vipers life. He should go back to his own Kingdom. He has a duty to work for his empire.
Zao Baocung finishing up his healing chant and suddenly formed a yin and yang, a mild scent in thick smoke and released it towards Xiao Ce that entered his nostrils.
Xiao Ce took a deep breath while asleep. He entered into a dream then suddenly returned back in time.
Looking at the simple peasant girl sitting with a chair and table found at the middle of the green field. Xiao Ce squinted his eyes and curious he said: What is she doing in the middle of this field. The greenfields swayed by the wind and the peasant girl saw him. The peasant girl’s formal face but calm as the seas went back to what she is doing. Xiao Ce started to walk, and when he was closer, he saw what the peasant girl was doing he said: This is awesome. This is an ancient imprinting. Are you giving this to someone?
The peasant girl did not respond and continued to carve the white marble stones. They were neatly formed like she is going to write an entire tablet. Xiao Ce carefully look at it and said: That is my symbol and my name on it. Am I in heaven? Are you sending me to heaven? The peasant girl continued to carve the white marble stones and did not answer Xiao Ce’s questions. Finally after the last stone was done, the peasant girl blew it and Xiao Ce wondered and marveled at her work he said: “Come with me and work as a scribe in my empire. I will reward you with silver and gold.”
“Please take a sit.” Finally, the girl talked to her royal guest. Xiao Ce delighted the peasant girl, obeyed he sat on the chair.
“Your right and left hand, please.” A formal yet gentle and calm face meets the Liang Emperor.
Xiao Ce looked at the carving tools the peasant girl used in the table, skeptic a bit he said: “What are you going to do with my hands?” I won’t give it unless you tell me.
“I need the noble blood of your veins to seal this tablet.” And the peasant girl took a pricking needle.
Why would I let you prick my finger? Xiao Ce on his childish face refused to give his hands.
“Didn’t you ask for this? You already crossed the river, that means you are a dead man who was sent back to life.” the peasant girl said on her calm as the water of ocean voice.
Wait… I remember everything but what happens if you I give you my hand?
It will turn back time, forget everything you saw in the forgotten river and start a new life and act according to what is written in the stars.
Xiao Ce seems happy to hear it. He said: Before I do, I have a question for you.
“I can’t give you answers, but you can try,” said the peasant girl.
Xiao Ce taking this one chance he asked: Will Qiao Qiao be part of my new life?
The peasant girl did not answer, and there was a long silence, Xiao Ce broke the silence he said: “The answer is No, right?”
“You always knew the answer, why do you always ask?”
Xiao Ce did not respond to her question but said instead: Then I don’t want a new life. I am good where we are right now.
You cannot stay here, your time is running out, and if you do not follow, someone will pay the price on the other side.
Xiao Ce realizing someone paid the price for this scene to become possible he said: Then at least try to erase her in my heart.
The peasant girl said: You will recognize her, but in your second life, you won’t feel the same feeling you felt when you met her in your first life.
Xiao Ce suddenly put his two hands and said: Kill me now, for the odds have never been in my favor.
The peasant girl pricked Xiao Ce’s finger, and she held his hand in a downward position, pinched the wound and a drop of blood came out. The white marble stone was stained with red blood and ran across the carved ancient Chinese inscriptions, and after the last letter was covered by blood, an unblinding light came to sweep over them. The table and chair are gone, the peasant girl is gone, but Xiao Ce woke up from his royal bedchamber.
**
The Qinghai Queen threw the paper snow sent to her by the spies and said: “Skyshadow was seen at daylight, a man was rescued after the dark, and the bastard Healer is still alive! The Moon kingdom is breached. It is no longer kept under its dark spells of a curse. I will summon the realms!”
The Queen full of anger and daring eyes, she walked towards her bedchamber and pushed a secret door knob then entered into a cave-like place. After the long tunnel walk, she reached another door and turned on the torches of fire and suddenly all of it light its fire at the beat of her hands.
The door opened and hunchback man was waiting inside he said: “What can I do for you, my Queen?”
“Didn’t you see, the Moon Kingdom was breached, and it seems it is operating through this bastard Healer!” The Queen was very angry, and she even threw hot water she fetches from the wishing pond to the hunchback of the old man.
“Forgive me, my Queen,” the hunchback man skin was burned, he ran into the nearby cold waterfall and dipped his body into it.
I told you to finish the Moon Kingdom by revealing its secrets to the Wei Empire and shut it down, but it seems the celestial warfare by the Yuwen household did not complete its job! You are a failure!
“This is not faulted my Queen, I am not responsible for this! It is the Jianghu spies! Please give me another chance! Please bring me back my armies, my original face, and body and end this curse. I will make sure this time to reduce the Moon Kingdom into rubbles and ashes,” said the hunchback man.
“You said the leader of the wind and cloud decree is dead and the Twelve Hanshan Spies league has been scattered and crippled, not able to work to defy my orders. But what happened now? Did you forget the punishment you must take?” The Qinghai Queen’s shadow grew into a monster like a creature, like the ancient evil dragon on its tails.
“Do not eat your servant, my Queen! I will make sure to finish the Moon Kingdom and this time you can be at peace. Please give me another chance!”
Silenced by what she heard, the Queen went back to her beautiful body and calm face, she said: “Fine! Gather the five realms and do not let the conqueror break the shackles I have worked so hard for all these decades. You cannot let anybody win, or I will turn this empire into hell!”
The hunchback man fell in front of her and promised: “Trust your servant for one last time, for I will not let anybody win over my Queen.”
The Queen on her false pity stooped down and hold the disfigured face of the hunchback man she said: “Poor Qinghai King, I won’t give back your face and body and you will suffer until your moon kingdom is destroyed. You have blinded me with the fact that it is destroyed but what is this? The Qinghai Queen showed a mooncake with the Moon Kingdom’s engraved on it and said: Your son is like his father, a failure like you. Your moon will fall, as the sun eats the moon, there will be no more light in the dark, and the land of Ximeng is mine!”
♥♥♥
Chapter 073
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
Bulletproof Weapon
A sound of horse hooves heard from a distance and a woman on her white hood, and thick cape came to swift the forest leaves on the fast run. On her thoughts: “I must kill her! I must find her and kill her!”
Along with the restoration of fortune of the Eight Princess Chun’er, the re-appointment of Yuwen Huai to take over the Judicial system of Wei Empire was announced. Upon the return of Prince Zaru, the Black seal was finally turned off. With the current military turmoil inside Wei, the Emperor was torn into pieces when he learned that two of his powerful royal sons split the empire’s military strength. Looking at the lake mirror of Chisui said: “I won several times but lost twice as much, don’t you think?”
Tai Wei, the palace Eunuch feeling the Emperor’s heavy heart said: “I am not in the position to offer any word of encouragement but your Majesty, you have done many good deeds to protect the people who tried but failed to ruin this Empire.”
“I lost the Imperial Concubine Ning’er but fulfilled her last wish to forgive the prodigal daughter who tried to take my own life. Turning off the Blackguard’s seal and renewing the eyes of God meant the rise of Yuwen Huai to regain his power again.” The Emperor sighed and continued to say: “I was able to rescue the Batuha’s Prince Zaru, the only heir to their throne but lost Prince Yuan Yang, my son during my youthful days. I was able to turn the 13th Crown Prince mourn for Chu Qiao through the enthronement of Xiao Ba. Unfortunately, Yuan Song has been silently attacking his own Throne. I was not able to protect the youngest imperial concubine Lan’er Shuyi which led her difficult path and lost the baby prince Hao’er. But one night in my dreams, I saw her sat in my bed, but like a nightmare in the night, she went out of my chamber. I asked the guards around the bedchamber and told me they did not see anyone who came that night. Was it a ghost? And the Qinghai princes were released like nothing happened, they enjoyed and spent their fortunes on their dine and wine with women of Wei without even knowing their brother almost died. I never saw him again, but after I read his letter, I noticed I may have read and familiar communication, the strokes of the Chinese letters reminds me of the late Yuwen heir.
The Emperor gave a summary to write the Wei empire’s diary he said to Eunuch Tai Wei: “Let the scribes hold their inks on the last sentence…” and the Emperor look upward and saw the heavy snow falling into the river, glistened. His eyes caught in the vast, snow white bed of snow, suddenly found himself remembering the late heir of the eyes of God. Eunuch Tai Wei somewhat surprised when he heard: “Like a son of my own, he could have been the next brother-in-law to the crown prince.”
Tai Wei heard he asked: Pardon me, Your Highness, are you referring to the rebel son of Yanbei?
The Emperor’s mood changed when he heard the question from Eunuch Tai Wei: Are you listening or not?
Tai Wei suddenly threw himself and performed the Kowtow in front of the Emperor, he said: “Forgive me, your Highness, I am momentarily out of my mind. Please do not be angry with your servant.”
The Emperor’s angry mood suddenly changed he replied: “A different ending may have happened if maidservant did not find its fate with the noble Yuwen household. Same goes if it did not walk in the path of Wei’s royal household. Though one thing, wherever she goes, it seems inside people’s heart, whether royal or commoner always have a place for her.”
Tai Wei still in kowtow position was confused, he wanted to ask again if the Emperor was now referring to Chu Qiao who is rumored to be alive or Xia Chong, the puppet crown princess of Wei who died.
The Wei Emperor’s ministers, scholars, political allies, other royal families, Wei valve ministers, Shrine elders had been in the debate which led to temporary cold war among the aristocratic societies whether the rumors are true or not they secretly wished Chu Qiao is alive. According to the rumors, Chu Qiao is alive who took over the Phoenix crown, enthroned and became the Empress Dowager in Liang empire.
However, Yan Xun knew those rumors would reach Wei empires illegal channels faster than a bullet train, created a fake paper snow spy letter and sent to the eyes of God. On his cunning ways, he created different news to confuse the Wei Empire and inflict a dagger to Wei’s royal family that Chu Qiao died and was buried at Xiu Xiu mountains. While the new Empress Dowager in Liang who resembles their late Wei crown princess Chu Qiao is just fake news.
Since then, when the spy paper snow letter was sent to the eyes of God and was passed to the Palace, the 13th Prince Yuan Song did not stop challenging his father’s opinion of the matter. He also wanted to travel and decided for a state visit to Southern Liang which has been opposed vehemently by minister Wei Guang, Wei Valve elders. Also, other Wei scholars assembled in the middle ground of the Shen Jin Palace to send their petition to the Crown Prince decision. In the end, the majority rules and the people of the empire won. A decree was passed to counter the conclusion of the Crown prince to prevent him from leaving Wei’s border. Later, Yan Xun heard the news that Yuan Song was detained in his palace.
The ex-afterlife camp spies with their Leader Meng Feng maintained some distance to the crown prince since then to avoid being caught and expose himself as their secret ally and supporter when the royal guards sealed 13th Prince Yuan Song’s palace entrance and exits.
The Bathuja families returned their peace when Prince Zaru returned to their homeland at the coldest Northland of ice and snow-capped mountains. Before he left, the Wei Emperor brought him a reward for enduring many nights of pain and shame under Yanbei’s camp. The Emperor also prepared a send-off banquet dinner. Prince Zaru gained back his position and entitlements but not his same self, his entire being, tried and chiseled in the fiery pit of darkness had never been the same before. He was somewhat enlightened when his brutal heart was peeled by shame saved by the masked prince whom he had not earned a chance to meet him. Though his rescue was possible, the details were kept confidential by the palace. Yet few from the many officials like Wei Guang knew how it has been planned and how it was done.
The Wei Emperor knew that when he used a mass weapon of destruction or the Black seal he is likely to suffer karma for the next four generations. However, the Qinghai Princes like an escaped goat for karma, like a bulletproof weapon used to protect the present empire, the Emperor schemed and used blackmail strategy to lure Ra Yue. Ra Yue was right, it is a trap competition, and yet he still grabbed this dark opportunity to find Chu Qiao. When Ra Yue got the news that his brothers and Qinghai troops marched towards the east, he already knew that the Emperor honored their one-time deal. Ra Yue remained elusive and chose to make his location unknown to his royal brothers. He did not also reveal another Qinghai troops just across the hinterlands led by Yue Qi were ready to defend or attack.
Occasionally, Ra Yue sends spies to look for his brothers, sends letters but never told them about his grave condition. Ra Yue also went to visit the Liang empire to have a glimpse of Chu Qiao. When Ra Yue receives his brother’s response letter, he wrote telling them he is enjoying his adventure on cold north Yanbei’s grasslands and paddling through the Pengcheng waterways near Liang state. Truth is, he is looking after Chu Qiao while recovering himself from grave wounds. The result of his hardest battle with Yan Xun for the exchange of whom? The lame and useless Prince Zaru.
Between the sun and thin snowfall, Yuwen Yue often play a bamboo flute on a sad tune at times he wanted to reflect on the death of Xia Chong or express the longing for the estranged wife, Chu Qiao. It has been the hardest part of his life where he cannot do anything else but to trust the winds of change and lead him back to his true destiny with Chu Qiao in it. After his last visit, he already knew that everything was passed on to the hands of fate and when he came back to attend her enthronement, he knew it is over.
Whenever someone finds it is over, another beautiful chance starts to unfold. Will the lost be found? Will the tangled fate be untangled in the path of destiny? Only the will of man can decide while it is on earth, while the heavens work with the grace of giving it once more.
This handsome man walked with a heavy presence, on his splendid golden Hanfu suit with heavy head-dress of jade pinned on his head, long Kam sleeves that kissed the floor entered the courts holding the blind dragon scales on his right hand. He walked graciously and sat on the middle of the massive round table. He put on his left hand to feel Wei’s heavy imperial seal engraved at the table. Once again, Yuwen Huai recalled his former glories and his future ahead put the dragon scales on the center of the huge table. The famous Justices Imperial seat appointed solely for him, destined to govern forever and sovereign of all, in the land of Wei. Together with 12 lower minister justices and hundreds of palace officials and their spokesperson leader Wei Guang rose from their seats to welcome the honorable Lord of Justice Yuwen Huai.
The eyes of God was also rebuilt and restored but not its heir. A huge void for Wei empire and many Yuwen relatives and families presented themselves to become the next heir, but none of them passed the Emperor’s decrees. None of them was able to show the exemplary character of the late Yuwen heir and no one from the guards was able to exemplify the skills needed to run the center of government intelligence of the empire, where Yuwen Gao became more rigid in its own ways. It started to operate half of its full measure bringing information to the Wei palace. Through the sweat and effort of the 13th crown prince, the eyes of God was put into an entire re-work. Yuan Song summoned all Mohists masters in the land of Wei. They came to build its destroyed foundation and deployed it to work, but there is no perfect leader found to govern and maintain it. Presently, it remained a beacon of empire’s information center, and the Wei Emperor hopes that one day is able to fill it, with the next Yuwen heir that will come along.
Lan Shuyi arrived in the Qinghai palace. She tapped the ass of the white horse, and it ran away until it is gone out of her sight. On her swift moves, she was once again back to her palace spy clothes that conceal her identity as second Prince Ra Zheng secret and invisible spy.
Looking back at her past, the only sister of the chief justice Yuwen Huai from another mother, who was persecuted by the Yuwen relatives, her mother was beaten to death. One day she could not cope up anymore, she decided to run away, and Yuwen Huai guards went to search for her. Not so long, the guards found her at Pengcheng docking harbor. Sounds of long honk heard the ship started to leave the berth. Not far and . . .
Whoosh! A whistling arrow was heard, not far but not too near, Yuwen Yue released a Bingxue (snow or ice) arrow and landed at Lan Shuyi’s back. She fell on the ship, and the people started to panic. At that time, Yuwen Huai was at the back of Yuwen Yue watching when he made the shot, he smirked and said: “Well done my brother, it will be a whitewashed story.”
If Yuwen Huai knew that Lan Shuyi would come back to haunt him and also finds that Yuwen Yue tricked him to free Lan Shuyi from further siege and assault, he deceived Yuwen Huai making him believe she is dead, he coldly said: “Why are you so worried?”
Yuwen Huai looked directly to Yuwen Yue he said: “Worried? No, let’s go.” And both Yuwen cousins tapped their horses and on the fast run drove back to Wei Empire.
The people gathered to encircle a girl’s body lying on the floor while others panicked. Suddenly a beautiful woman dressed on her white hood on her thick fur cape walked, and the people slightly slid to their side to make way for her. Lou He instantly saw her frail body. Lou He felt pity, she looked at her innocent face and touched her pulse. After examining, Lou He said: “Whoever did this will tell a long story.”
Xia Chong, Viper, and Trailkoya were with Luo He at that time, and she ordered to take her to the cabin. The ship sailed from Liang’s Pengcheng harbor station to Qinghai entering the city port of Luoyang. It will take seven days to travel via ocean. Lou He knew she is not an ordinary person and does not have plans to save this poor Yuwen sister. In the end, she decided to treat her and then maybe leave her when they dock to Luoyang. However, Lou He did not escape the sharp spy network of Zhan Ziyu and scratched all her plan when the afterlife campers attacked their cabin the night before they get off the ship.
Zhan Ziyu brandished a knife, and like an instant instinct Luo He controlled the wind, and at that moment, all of their swords fell.
“Impressive!” said Zhan Ziyu but before Zhan Ziyu can react, Lou He immediately broke the lamp in the cabin, she covered her face with her scarf and cut a small bottle. The smell was issued on air, and everyone including Zhan Ziyu dropped on the floor. Lou He took Lan Shuyi quickly.
When they were a bit far, Lou He quickly stole a glimpse of Zhan Ziyu at the cabin window, she grinned a bit while Zhan Ziyu gaining back his balance were outsmarted, he showed an angry face then banged his hands outside the cabin window.
Lou He mocked Zhan Ziyu and even shouted: “There is always next time!”
And she grabbed her white horse together with the underworld spies and Lan Shuyi. Just as Dong Fangyi has that mysterious personality so is Lan Shuyi’s identity.
It was somewhat more of an accident that she became the maidservant of the Leader of wind and cloud decree. Lan Shuyi spent her time with Lou He and trained her with spy skills but unable to finish her Gongfu skills, left her vulnerable to attacks. Becoming the maidservant’s leader, Lan Shuyi stayed in the Moon Kingdom and occasionally travels with Lou He. She knew Chu Qiao better than anyone and became the second eyes of Lou He to watch over the Chu Jing Princess. Right after Lou He was murdered, Lan Shuyi became a stray spy looking after the little innocent Chu Qiao. They have trapped nearby the Wei borders, and Lan Shuyi was forced to reveal herself to protect Chu Qiao from their pursuers. The Yuwen Huai guards thought she is a beautiful maiden lost in the forest and they started to play on harassing her. They picked up the frightened lady and took her to their young master Yuwen Huai.
Lan Shuyi back to her household, was not able to run from Yuwen Huai’s fabricated story about her missing years and said: “Lan Shuyi, I never thought you were so all grown up and look at you?” Yuwen Huai smirked, and poor Lan Shuyi afraid of his brother’s voice wrapped herself on a child’s pose.
Yuwen Huai laughing at her sister’s fearful and tearful eyes said: “Come here little sister, I have a surprise for you.”
Yuwen Huai took out a torture whip he asked: “How did you escape? Why would Yuwen Yue keep you alive? I saw it with my own eyes, You’re supposed to be dead meat!”
Lan Shuyi cried in horror she said: “Tell me what you want, and I will do it for you!”
Yuwen Huai on his evil smiles and handsome dorky smirks said: Will you really do everything I tell you?”
Lan Shuyi using her skills as a spy to deceive said: “You tell it and it is done.”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk, too bad I do not have anything in my mind right now except to send you to the lovely pavilion.” Yuwen Huai laughs out loud like the devil ready to devour everyone in his death bedchambers.
Lan Shuyi pressing and afraid, she cried: “There must be something I can help you, tell me and I will fulfill all of your wishes, just let me out of here.”
Yuwen Huai on his dreamy eyes thought for a moment, like a mad child looked at the ceiling full of iron thorns, went near Lan Shuyi, he whispered in his husky voice, said: “Become a spy for me!
Lan Shuyi shocked she said: “What? A spy and for what? For Whom?
Yuwen Huai tickled with the thought he said: “Sister, you are pretty and young, you are not after all just an ordinary woman but a Yuwen’s bastard child next to me. Your quality will come out if you can become one.” Another evil grin came out of the dorky handsome young master he continued: “Can you handle it?”
Lan Shuyi asked: “Tell me for what and for whom?”
“Seduce the Emperor and become his concubine!”
Lan Shuyi wanted to just die at what just she heard took the small dagger nearby and said: “Brother just kill me now. I don’t want to be a concubine!”
Yuwen Huai said: “No, you will be Wei’s concubine or I will track the child you hid in the bush one day ago and feed her to the Jile Pavilion.
When Lan Shuyi heard the threat, she agreed instantly to work with Yuwen Huai. Yuwen Huai immediately wrote a letter to the Shen Jin Gong that night and sent it to the messenger the next morning.
When the palace Eunuch read, it was just in time, they were looking for a servant maid to serve the Emperor. Lan Shuyi entered the Emperor’s court for the first time. After a night of sleeping with the Emperor’s bedchamber, she was promoted and became the youngest Imperial Concubine then after few years of staying in the palace, of all places, she met Chu Qiao once again. She prayed to the Gods that Lou He would grant her wish to see her again and it happened. Chu Qiao already grew up to a beautiful lady. The rest of her story tells, she bore a baby prince named Hao’er but were later killed by Yuwen Huai locking the child in a treasure chest. The baby prince was indeed pronounced dead, but Yuwen Huai planned it all, hold his killing instincts to kill the child when he saw his eyes and remembered Chun’er. Because of his special feelings for Princess Chuner, he decided to keep the baby prince alive and send it to the far side of northwestern mountains, Yuwens old secret mansion. The Yuwen guards took a long journey to the northwest mountains and hid his sister’s child away from the royal empire.
While Lan Shuyi spent her time in the Wei palace, Yuwen Huai set her as a strategic spy inside the royal family. Huai has personal interests and eyes for princess Chun’er. He knows he cannot possibly get the Emperor blessing and become his son-in-law to marry Princess Chun’er. Yet Yuwen Huai can try to influence and if he can grasp the little probability of chance, he vowed to move heaven and earth to take it.
Lan Shuyi while mourning the death of her child smashed all of her idols and threw her offerings of the dead outside her palace. The maidservants saw her rage, they cried and afraid of her death threats, they just stood there witnessing their Mistress grief and anger. Lan Shuyi blaming Lou He kept shouting and cursing Lou He and vowed to kill her child, the Chu Jing Princess Chu Qiao. While the other Wei Concubines gossips and began to create a rumor that she is going crazy after the death of her child which were untrue. Yuwen Huai knows how much this torture would bring his sister to become insane, he intended it to teach her a lesson after Huai felt her sister is snubbing him and abusing her powers to revenge on him.
After a few months, her behavior went worst, and unstable emotions led her to pour more outrage and ordered her male guards to be emasculated. Still unable to cope up with the lost child, she asked the emperor to use his powers to find her son but hid some information to the Emperor that the child was taken by Yuwen Huai. After months of searching, Lan Shuyi gave up the thought of her child being alive, she ran away from Wei leaving only a piece of paper for the Emperor. After reading the letter, the Emperor genuinely thought about it. He lost another pawn in his empire.
Meanwhile, Yuwen Huai has changed a lot after years of absence to Wei’s Imperial Justice seat. Things have changed, and the present matters did not give him a comfortable position. Instead, Yuwen Huai faced insurmountable problems of turmoil in the military, cold war among Wei’s royal clans and their enemy have likely expanded to their own Wei’s uniform Prince Yuan Yang who joined his most hated rival Yan Xun.
On the last thought of Yan Xun’s name, Yuwen Huai clenched his fist, he said: My first justice is to bring Yan Xun head in this table. The Wei ministers thought this is ambitious, but a cold and calm voice came out, said: “Glad to hear that your Honor” Wei Guang said.
“I will find justice to those who were killed from the bloodiest battle, and those aristocratic societies of this empire who suffered shall be avenged, then kill the perpetrator!”
“Your honor, what about Prince Yuan Yang? What do you plan to do?” said Wei Guang tapping his fingers in the table.
“Either we burn or cross the bridge,” said Yuwen Huai. Quoting his excellent knowledge of Wei’s constitutional laws and rules of the empire: “Treason is the highest crime to the land, and we all know is punishable by death at once. But all of us knows as well, just like the Mulan title of the late Chu Qiao, it can earn amnesty by the seal of the Wei Emperor, his father.”
Wei Guang first to rebut in a positive note he said: “You did not rust all these years of hibernation. You are sharper than you were at first. Shall we have a toss for the return of the Great Yuwen Huai.”
Jade goblets tossed in the air, Wei Guang ended the court justice session by hosting a huge banquet. The palace ministers ate, drank and enjoyed the young night with spirit wines, dancers performance, and musical plays.
**
“Whoever sows the wind will reap a storm.”
Without looking at the person, Prince Ra Zheng continued to write at his royal table, his calm eyes silently waiting for the secret spy to report while his hands are perfecting his Chinese calligraphy.
Your Highness, I cannot find a trace of the seventh Prince Ra Yue and his troop’s whereabouts while the Liang Emperor Xiao Ce returned to his empire safe and alive. It has been reported among the Jianghu spies that Skyshadow was the one who made it possible with great help coming from the Healer of the Moon Kingdom. They have seen the Healer used healing powers to overcome the forces of darkness and bring the Liang Emperor to life.
Ra Zheng stopped his writings and turned to see Lan Shuyi who is on a kowtow position he said: You came after all had been said and done, you have held back information, you failed to report on time, where is the useful information now?”
“Forgive me, your Highness! I have to secure myself and hide from the sharp eyes of the blackguard spying near Yanbei, Wei and Liang borders!”
Ra Zheng suddenly leaped so high and took a sword from its sword holder, calm as the waters he looked and unsheathed the sword in front of Lan Shuyi, he said in a very slow and husky voice: “As a former maidservant to Lou He, a second eyes looking after the Chu Jing princess, an imperial concubine of the Wei Emperor, a mother who lost her child, shall I recite it further?”
Lan Shuyi heard the last phrases from the cold Qinghai Prince and felt she is becoming emotional she replied: Your Highness, I can never repay what you had done to me when you captured me and brought me to where I am today. Without your greatness and help, I would not be in my position today. I have chased and spied the Jianghu spies, and have seen their leader Sand Drizzle Master. He was renamed as Dong Fangyi and became Yanbei’s military counselor. While the former Chu Jing General was renamed as Wu Dao Ya and led the Datong Way. Born out of the ashes, Datong Way was formed as the secret traders if Yanbei who was responsible for bringing wealth to the rising empire whom my former master Luo He died protecting it. Wu Dao Ya’s counterpart of Datong Way, sister of Chu Jing Kingdom’s remnant warrior Viper, the lesser master of the cloud decree, was renamed Zhong Yu, became the right hand of the King of Yanbei. I can also affirm that Viper has found the Chu Jing Princess, but as of now, I have no clue of what her face looks like. Liang’s high-ranking spy leader Xiao Yu became the Queen of Yanbei and Tao Ye, one of their top Skyshadow spies has not been recovered from Wei where she was captured by the late Yuwen Heir. However, it has been rumored while Tao Ye is missing, Xiao Yu recruited one of the Jing’s family sister Xiao Qi. It is not clear what the intentions are, but definitely, it is part of a bigger plot. The afterlife camp spies headed by Zhan Ziyu did not stop their quest to kill all living underworld spies while the Eyes of God hibernated after its Yuwen Heir died. The Blackguards spymaster Princess Zama inflicted the Black seal like an explosive bomb to Yanbei who lost half of its grassroots cities except for those Cities who have defended by Viper and Wu Dao Ya. It has been said that those Jianghu underworld spies who watched what happened in Yanbei identified Viper and Wu Dao Ya fought hard with Dong Fangyi, the former Sand Drizzle master who joined and allied with the Blackguard spies Princess Zama.
Ra Zheng’s cold eyes and ready to kill hands were suddenly diffused, and he dropped his sword and said: “Very well your reward…” Ra Zheng paused for a long while then continued to speak: “I know your son is alive.”
Instead of surprising the second Prince with the late spy report, Lan Shuyi was surprised instead. With what she heard from Ra Zheng’s voice, her eyes did not hesitate to let go of her tears. She wanted to ask more, but she kept her word to herself.
Ra Zheng came in front of her, still looking at the beautiful spy lady in her kowtow position, he slowly descended to meet her face and hold her rosy chin then said: “I know you have lost your faith, but during my visit and longer stay than expected to Wei Empire, I found many ways to ask about the baby prince Hao’er. Indeed, the Yuwen household is really full of secrets and tricks, that they even tricked their own Emperor’s lost child hidden somewhere in the far mountains, won’t win from Qinghai’s second Prince who knows more about their secrets than they know.”
“Lastly, do not ask me how it was done. For you won’t be able to repay me even if you offer your life in exchange.”
Today, Lan Shuyi wanted to leap for joy and kill Yuwen Huai as well for making her into a fool and plotting to kill the only Chu Jing Princess, daughter of her former savior master Lou He. After her flight from Wei Empire and abandoned all of her duties to the Wei Emperor, Lan Shuyi’s later life was wrapped in the dark side and made her decision to enter the dark chambers of Qinghai’s second Prince’s secret spies circle. It is a do or die alliance. Once the tattoo is received on her back, it becomes a bond, there is no turning back. She was later picked by the second Prince after she proved her worth by displaying her underworld spy skills taught her former master Lou He. An advantage that none of the secret spies of the Qinghai empire had.
♥♥♥
Chapter 074
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong’er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography
Inside War
Before the 12 Hanshan Elite spies enjoyed a time of peace until Lou He stirred the silent and cold river lake spies called Jianghu spies. Three belong to the Wei Empire named as: Eyes of God spies led by Mohist masters, Yuwen Gao, Yuwen Hao, and Yuwen Yue, Wei’s Empire Jile Pavilion spies led by Yuwen Xi and the Blackguard spies led by Princess Zama of the Batuha family. Two belong to the Liang Empire named as Liang’s Skyshadow, high-ranking spies led by Xiao Yu and Zhan Ziyu’s Daoist master’s established spy killers for hire called the afterlife camp spies. The rest belonged to Qinghai Empire named as: Secret Invisible spies headed by second Prince Ra Zheng, the Qinghai Queen Gorge spies who are beastly in nature and can devour or eat human alive or dead, and Lou He’s underworld spies or known as Jianghu spies of rivers and lakes, a non-governmental spies who rules over the five realms, guardians of the Underworld was the most significant and most influential spy in the whole land of Ximeng.
Lou He, the Queen of the Moon Kingdom, deceived by the Qinghai Queen sent her to gather the Jianghu spies to watch over Yanbei. She left the Moon Kingdom in peace but came back in horror and found many dead bodies of the underworld spies. Everything was destroyed except for the gate to the Underworld realm that no one has the power to kill or let it loose but the leader of the wind and cloud decree. Its citizens annihilated but those who survived hid themselves to the thousand caves headed by Chu Jing General Wu Dao Ya, the healer Zao Baocung, Sand Drizzle Master Dong Fangyi and Zhong Yu and did not die in the Celestial warfare led by Yuwen Hao.
By the time Lou He arrived at the Moon Kingdom, she cried in bitterness and torn her clothes finding the body of King Chu Teng Gao murdered in the palace along with the other princess and princes on their own bloodbath. Finding more survivors, Lou He saw her only child little Chu Qiao, little Viper, and child Trailkoya.
After the bloody war, Lou He stepped down from her royal status as the crowned Queen of Moon Kingdom, however, vowed to go back to her former ways, and once again became the leader of the wind and cloud decree. Lou He did not settle or even stayed longer to any permanent place. From Woolong mountains to Longji Mountains, she did not leave any trace of her footsteps or went back to Moon kingdom again. She continued to be the fierce opposition to the Wei Empire and continued to be the archenemy of the Eyes of God. She also influenced the closest kin of Wei forces of the cold North, the King of Yanbei Yan Schicheng and its Queen Bai Schicheng. In secret, together with Wu Dao Ya, they provide protection and spy information to win their battles and help them become strong and capable ruler of Yanbei.
The Wei Emperor awarded Yan Schicheng the next highest title to become the Duke of the tributary state called Yanbei but was later on deployed to defend the border of the cold North against the Ugurus people. This is a very special title because a tributary state shouldn’t be supposed to embody their own royal blood and always subject their actions to the Wei Emperor. History knew that Yan Schicheng and Wei Yuan Emperor (same as Shen Jin Gong Emperor) had a strong bond and both share the same royal bloodline of nomad ancestors. Both rulers enjoyed a close childhood through their forefathers, a golden past where the story begins, Yan Schicheng saving the life of Wei Yuan crown prince, who is now the present Wei Emperor.
But later on, the Shen Jin Emperor unable to balance the favors bestowed with the Yan family brings the other protectorate and vassal states like the Batuha family to enmity over the promotion of Yanbei state from the rest. This resulted in hostility and social-political tug of wars. To silence all of the protectorate and vassal states, the Wei Emperor passed a decree seeking for all states to submit their tributary prince voluntarily as a sign of loyalty to the Wei Empire. Yan Schicheng was the first to respond and offered Yan’s crown prince Yan Xun in the name of allegiance among all other states and the rest followed. Though the decree gave a substitute fix for a long time, it did not vanquish the roots of enmity and ended up the order of Shen Jin Gong to execute all members of Yan household. All of this happened because the Wei Emperor received misconceptions and suffered contempt from Yan Schicheng’s hero image being the Duke of Yanbei who gained popularity of Kingship over Yanbei. While the Bathuja family took advantage of this position, fan the fire, continued to cloud the Emperor’s mind that resulted to further destruct Yanbei and kept them away from becoming capable ruler of the North.
Remembering those days like it was yesterday, Lou He fought one of the hardest battles they had to meet facing the hostile Mongol gulf – the Ugurus people. The Ugurus gaining supremacy over their territories and land mass, the Ugurus tried to invade the land of Ximeng by their war called “monkish.” Monkish war refers to the fake monks who entered the territory of Ximeng with the purpose of invading the land and convert it to their own beliefs and change the people’s way of life. The nomadic tribes opposed this and brutally killed all monasteries rapidly growing at the upper plains of snow-capped mountains in Yanbei led by Yan Schicheng and its Yan armies together with its Military General adviser Dong Fangyi and non-governmental spymaster Lou He.
The waters of spring and the breath of cherry blossom trees across a beautiful mountain, its blossoms blew by the winds portrayed like a small flying bird in the air. Spectacular to the eyes was a monastery standing tall with its secret stairs covered by the lush of the forest huge vine shrubs, and magical plants, this is impossible to breach.
Lou He’s horse was uneasy for a second, she taps its ears to calm its senses. She knows the ground they are standing is somewhat strange.
“Master, this is a tranquil place and impossible to climb to get to the top of the monastery. Are you sure you do not want me to call some help?
“Lan Shuyi, if I need some help, I would have asked you to do so.” Lou He wearing her long white hood that covers up her head, the entire sense is observing the plants surrounding the mountain, like a white fairy, climb down from her white horse and whisper to its ears again. The horse steps back and obey the master’s secret code and carefully stand beside her. Lan Shuyi about to say more words but was surprised to see Lou He who is now closing her eyes. She put her palms facing down on thorny plants in front of them.
Lou He touches the edible plants and sees the leaves of the plant quickly shrink. After the plant shrink, Lou He sees more of these plants underneath, and it seems to replicate the behavior of the first plant she touched first and then it stopped shrinking.
Lou He keenly observing the plant, if left undisturbed will it open up again? It did not. There is no reaction in the latter except for the shrinking earlier, did not bloom.
Fascinated with these magical leaves of Mimosa plant, Lan Shuyi climbs down from her horse and about to touch the same plant where she stands when Lou He said: “Don’t touch anything unless I tell you.”
Lan Shuyi asked: “Master, what do you think about this plant?” Again Lan Shuyi seems deaf, did not heed at her Master’s warning, the scarf from her face fell while she bends a little to smell the soft pink flower of the plant.
Lou He, ten times sharper on her ears, heard a rushing sound while the leaves of the plant ten times sensitive shrank. Like a chain reaction, the two found themselves in the field of the wild Mimosa plant, shrinking like it is tapping and passing the accidental movement of Lan Shuyi. It revealed a danger some path full of wild Mimosa’s thorn-like stairs on the mountainside. One would still appreciate a rocky mountain climbing than this mountain wall climbing stairs full of thorns but adorn with soft pink flowers, a beautiful, tempting escape, invites them to try to step on but seriously this is nature’s frolic thorn-like killer stairs. To make it worst, the Master and her servant not even sure if this lengthy thorn-like stairs are poisonous or not. Do not be deceived by your eyes. Try to think but do not try to get pricked.
Lou He seems calm even if she knows the field of Mimosa plants stimulus might have awakened some kind of trigger from the top of the mountain, she considers this plant like a trigger switch mechanism to alarm the monastery. Eventually, she climbs on her horse, and Lan Shuyi follows as well. Now Lou He understands why Dong Fangyi passed on a secret hum to a bird to reveal his grid coordinates which she is tracking now.
Lou He is one hundred percent right, the Uguru’s saw what happen below and felt the chain reaction of the field of the Mimosa plant reveal the path to their monastery. A chanting fake monk suddenly hums to the wind. Eventually, turn the field of lush of Mimosa plants to open their leaves and bloom again. Lou He discovered this plant deceiving behavior and concealed the killer thorn-like stairs right before her eyes. Her instincts turn on to danger and possible killing nearby but no violence on air, the greenfield turns into a quiet and undisturbed state. This Mimosa plant is compared to silent killer ninja, even if it recoils or it looks like a shy lady sitting in this greenfield, it cannot be overlooked as a perfect cover-up to conceal a lurking monster inside.
Lou He closed her eyes but left her ears open ten times sharper, she sensed a powerful and dangerous dark magic hovering the greenfield she said: “Lan Shuyi, go and call for Xia Chong’s help.”
“What about you Master?” said Lan Shuyi anxiously and Lou He did not respond. Lan Shuyi went on the fast horse run and left Lou He alone.
“Are you sure, this time, the leader of wind and cloud decree will be captured?” Princess Zama throwing some doubt at Dong Fangyi.
“I don’t deserve such question of doubt,” said Dong Fangyi.
Lou He used her powers and took herself into another level to bypass the thorn-like stairs and plant-deceiving greenfield. She suddenly transformed into a simple white-ninja outfit with covering around her face went to secret paths suddenly sees the top of the mountain. The monastery-like of those ancient Chinese temples but she definitely sees some inscriptions are not quite like the true Chinese Buddhist temples approached it with great caution she whispered: “Sand Drizzle Master I am here.”
The leader of wind and cloud decree walked to enter the monastery and suddenly felt some soft swooshing wind that blows over her face. It is rather a wind of warning but turned off her sense of danger in exchange for the path of curiosity. The monastery is empty except for a floating candle at the middle suspended in the air. Lou He is somewhat feeling strange and feels eerie on this place and yet continued to walk. Drawing herself to the floating candle, suddenly stepping an ordinary stone and the sound of Bang! heard. This is a trap! There is no Ugurus and no Dong Fangyi to rescue.
Lou He swallowed by the tunnel underground, unable to respond to the fast trance of action reached the bottom of the tunnel. The scent of the underground tunnel was very fragrant however her senses were suddenly shut off, and she went into a deep sleep.
Princess Zama received a snow paper and said: Gather the blackguard spies and turnover to the Eyes of God. A catch like this is grand, but we do not know if her powers will work for her to escape the garrison torture chambers.
Dong Fangyi came to Princess Zama and said: Since the deal is done, can I have my reward? Princess Zama said: Here you go. The secret to the black seal remains a secret however you have the information on how the Blackguard’s spy works and how to turn off the Eyes of God. This is what you want correct?
Dong Fangyi cannot hide the smiles on the corner of his eyes, but poker face said: “You are a secret traitor to your kingdom.”
Princess Zama answered: With the prize like this, so I really looked like a traitor or more like a hero? It seems, you are talking more about your self than me, handing over your underworld leader is an irreversible act.
Dong Fangyi commented: “Ops, I did not hand her over. She came to the monastery and was trapped.”
Princess Zama replied: How this story goes it does not change the fact that you are the betrayer of your own leader. Who is the real traitor here?
Dong Fangyi laughed and said: Why do we have to pass on judgments today and look for the crimes of this act? Do we want to kill each other today?
Princess Zama replied: You are right and no as well. Right because we were just exchanging some goods to deliver our results. No, because I will definitely reserve the time to kill you but not today.
Dong Fangyi heard the last phrase and said: You can’t kill an underworld spy.
Princess Zama looked at him and said: Why not? They are still human after all.
Dong Fangyi on his sarcastic smile he said: You really do not understand. Human is all flesh and an underworld spy you do not know anything except that they are human that can also die.
Princess Zama dismissing the secret conversation she said: In this world, once a human dies it all ends there. That is a fact.
Dong Fangyi replied: But in our world, even if an underworld spy dies, it is just the beginning from the end of something.
Shi Da came to interrupt the two and said: “Master, here is the leader of the wind and cloud decree. What can we do before she wakes up?”
Princess Zama looked at her beautiful covered face she said: “Bring the black seal shackles and tie her from head to foot. Deliver her to the Eyes of God and the Eyes of God will turn over the body to the Emperor’s torture chambers.
Shi Da nodded and carried out Princess Zama’s order immediately.
Zhan Ziyu’s afterlife camp spies went to spy the blackguards and continued to follow them to Wei. The Eyes of God saw Lou He and confirmed her identity went to send a report to the Wei Emperor waiting for the final verdict of execution. The Eyes of God turned over Lou He to Wei Imperial Garrison courtyard. While another two shadows lurking and following Lou He secretly to the torture chambers of Wei.
Not so long, Lou He woke up and found herself full of black seal shackles enchanted with dark spells and find herself suspended on air, inside a prison cell. The prison cell has a stinky smell of oil and grease. She tried to use her power but unable to use it when she saw her pulse was dripping blood apparently leading to blood loss. This is the reason her strength was reduced and unable to perform her usual powers, Chi flow is getting weak. One of the unspoken rules of underworld spy, it is forbidden to spill blood out from their body.
The morning came, a decree was passed from the Emperor declaring Lou He will be executed. The decree announced while on her capture, she is declared as a rebel to the throne and a traitor to the people of Wei. The bounty on her head is priceless, and therefore they tighten the prison security to prevent her escape.
The Jing family received the news and informed Chu Qiao about the execution. Chu Qiao living with her Jing Family’s Uncle’s home decided to rescue her mother by the use of her Gongfu. She planned to attack at night and went to the Wei garrison courtyard alone and in secret, break some necks of Wei’s Imperial guards.
However, when Chu Qiao arrived at the torture chamber, she asked: mother? Chu Qiao dressed in black ninja with a black mask on her face found the fake Lou He. Xia Chong dressed on a white gown, suspended on air, her body tied with two huge chains to the two corners of the prison walls, spit a deadly needle at her, the shouted: Go find her in hell! Like a possessed spy, Xia Chong drove Chu Qiao away, and Chu Qiao not worried went outside the garrison yard.
Suddenly a woman dressed in black hood came out of the Wei garrison yard. She killed lots of Imperial guards and then finally meets a faceless enemy wearing all black with the squad of unnamed spies ready to kill and attack her. Chu Qiao bravely took a regular sword and killed everyone that meets her way, she flew to kill their faceless leader in a black hood. However, the leader exposed his right hand and, a jade ring on his thumb was revealed. This leader controlled the elements around and used an inner Qi to counter-attack Chu Qiao attacking in front of him. The rest of the squad watched how their leader takes her life. The leader suddenly recognizes her he said: You are the daughter of Luo He.
Chu Qiao panting but do not want to quit this fight she asked: What did you do to my mother?
The leader replied and said: Want to see your mother? Pity, She is in hell now.
Chu Qiao on her angry voice she said: You killed her!
The leader said: “So incredible gongfu and agent she had, but she wants to release the slaves and stop the war. That is a daydream. If I say she was killed by you, do you think people will believe it?”
Chu Qiao shouting at him, she screamed: “Then I will kill you today!”
The leader still mocked her and said: “Today you won’t get away with it!”
Under the bright moonlight and misty ground, the leader flew as high as he can, reached above, but Chu Qiao closed her eyes, gathered her inner strength and the winds around her, she formed her kungfu of ice powers.
The ground suddenly gave up its moist that formed into a morning dew, including the bloody drops turned into a bloody dew, the air stiffened, and at the compass of her hands, it became sharp needles of ice. Having the enemy confused did not know where all of this ice needles came from but in all perpendicular directions that pursued their body.
You can call it, the rain of ice needles, and the leader too late to evade himself from its frosty bite sting received it in his toes and legs. The rest of the assassins were hurt, and the leader on a bloody state was shocked at her kungfu of ice powers. Suddenly many Wei Imperial guard came to rally outside the Imperial garrison to attack them, and another dark woman standing nearby came to help her.
Chu Qiao standing on the ground, like a mad woman unable to control her powers when suddenly, Viper swung her whip and caught her waist to take her out of the battlefield. The faceless leader in the black hood was taken by his assassins to retreat, but he shouted: “Capture Chu Qiao!”
If not for Viper’s help, Chu Qiao might have released dark powers to kill everyone standing in the ground. The timing is perfect but Chu Qiao did not find her mother alive. Assuming Lou He is dead, Chu Qiao was left to be the heir of the wind and cloud decree. This is Viper and Chu Qiao’s first encounter after they parted at the Chu Jing Kingdom when they were still a child. From thereon, Viper became the secret protector and spy of Chu Qiao. Lou He is nowhere to be found, even her body was not recovered.
We can conclude that the leader who attacked her on that night, was no other than the Daoist Grand Master of Afterlife Camp spies, Zhan Ziyu. This can be further seen when the faceless enemy of Chu Qiao revealed an inch of his skin with his hands exposed his thumbs wearing the jade ring. In the secret circle of 12 Hanshan Spy network, Zhan Ziyu has been identified with such ring. That day Chu Qiao swears to find him and avenge her mother’s death but still no one can confirm if it was Zhan Ziyu who assassinated Lou He or it was the Sand Drizzle Master Dong Fangyi.
With the disappearance of Lou He, the underworld spies dispersed and became stray spies. But not until Viper and Trailkoya gathered to save Chu Qiao from drawing more of her powers for some ambush fights. Ever since then, they have worked together to assemble the non-governmental spies who hid behind humble human clothing. Some have temporarily retreated to their own ways and lived a simple human life like Zao Baocung, the lover of hamster pets and renowned healer from Chu Jing Kingdom became a merchant of ancient relics. Lan Shuyi escapes and back to her own Yuwen household faced more difficulties she became Emperor’s consort, run away from Wei palace, only to become a real spy after she joined the secret spies alliance of Ra Zheng. Zhong Yu took the face Yanbei’s General and occasionally uses her Chuyi Jian Martial arts called the wind and feather powers. While Wu Dao Yao changed his fighting and strategizing tactics from Military leader to a secret trade leader that works as the CEO of what they call the Datong Way.
♥♥♥
Chapter 075
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Seven Seas (raw)
The branches of the willow tree on top of the cliff swayed by the trade winds. From its branches, full of red ribbons, Yuwen Yue finally tied the knot in one of its high branches. The master of Kungfu of Ice warned him: “Remember one wish…the higher you place it in this tree, the higher it’s chance to come true. In this realm, there are no second chances.”
Yuwen Yue uttered a name: Xinger . . .
So be it.
Flashing on his memory, the master of Kungfu of ice warned: If you are not going to be strong in your heart and wise in your mind, you still have a chance not to walk in these paths. But if you are ready, you will have to protect yourself first before you can protect others, your kingdom, and your coming generations. Yuwen Yue never displayed any hesitation and did not hold back from his will.
Yuwen Yue learning all he can with its cognizant masters, once again looked back on his divine training. He has powers more than he had ever imagined by unlocking the Poe Yue Jian sword. It can shed light from dark places. It can transform and deliver a dark entity and break its curse. It relies mostly on the strength of his heart and belief in his mind to restore the former state of its subjects. His martial arts were put into the fiery pit of trials and purified through his will.
The cold wind blew on his face and knows its time. It is time to leave his battle zone that became his comfort zone and will start redeeming the meandering paths. With his white Hanfu dress, his bow and arrow at his back, a familiar sword on his waist, he looks divine and like a god ready to bless or curse. Although it has been days or weeks have passed by, his garments have never worn out. Yuwen Yue thought: “This is really a magical realm where human is incorruptible, and everything is the opposite of the human world.”
There were countless nights of walking in total darkness, he is not blind, but he became blind. He was oppressed by several strong forces he had never encountered before but used his human mind, combined his spirit to win them all. On the human mind alone, one cannot comprehend these extraordinary abilities he acquired. He concluded: “these realms are not for the faint hearts.”
Reserved for testing the godly material of his existence, Yuwen Yue has to pass through them all.
Among all of these perilous journeys was another young man who taught him probably the hardest lesson to learn. Staying strong amidst the abyss of darkness, the deathly hallows of a bloody mess, the beastly creatures that are not of this world, the spiritual realm who controls and rules the mind of the gods. It is an entirely new world.
“Yuwen Yue… drink…” a deep voice like hell, suddenly awakened his tired eyes. A young man was covered in a black hood, did not reveal an inch of his face. He sat and leaned on his back. Not facing each other, Yuwen Yue facing the opposite direction, they talked in the wind. It is very awkward in manner. In this wooden prison, Yuwen Yue was held captive and the young man handed out a pouch that contained an elixir.
Facing the endless horizon, Yuwen Yue is suspended on a wooden cage at the mountain cliff. He let the wind pass through their sides and took the pouch. Yuwen Yue look at a far distance, like a sheep’s eye, gloomy and cold, he asked: “Must you do this?”
The young man, his voice is deep like hell, whispered: “I must know the mind of the gods, what my fate lies, remember it is not yours to unlock but mine to understand.”
Yuwen Yue squinted his eyes, out of his cold heart already knew what the young man just said. A lone underworld assassin, the young man will have to face this one on one fight. There can be no doubt of his courage, his passion, and his loyalty is something to die for. The young man knows his faith, and by this faith, he swears his allegiance to become a friend or a foe. Yuwen Yue did not speak and sat in total silence, is not ready and comfortable yet to open the windows of wisdom after tonight.
Day turns into darkness, so is the entire Ximeng continent swallowed by the night.
From above, the dark hawks continued to fly in a circle motion and painted the ring of embers in the skies, issuing a threat on air. The howling fox cried bitter anguish out of the darkness, spread fear and dreadful darkness crept the ground.
If you come closer to the middle, you would see a body of lava and fire. Like a catch basin of seven seas, is where the endless firerfalls lie. Seven druid priest from the cliff of the mountain began to walk towards the seven pontoon bridge. In a circular position, all seven bridges were connected to the firefalls. It is made of rustic, mossy, wooden bridge. The seven druid priests reached the end where the firefalls lie. The sound of firefalls is wonderful, like an earthquake that can shake the earth and make the mountains tremble. All of the seven druid priests suddenly opened their hoods and revealed their godly faces. With white long straight hairs, white eyebrows, and their faces shine. The only priest who opened his eyes seems to have been aware and awake from a very long sleep, like the clear lake of blue sky, he opened his calm blue eyes. At the gentle beat of his hands, an invisible rod and staff appeared in it. This druid priest tapped the pontoon bridge where he stands and said: It has been a long time since these realms were put to challenge. Your worth will be tested in the furnace of fire, and death is the only price. “Do you accept?
“I accept.”
Yuwen Yue suddenly startled in his sleep, as if he heard the voice just whispered to his ears. And the mountain cliff ground started to receive thin raindrops until it became a heavy rainfall. His clothes is now wet.
As soon as the voice was heard, the firefalls spun into a terrible hurricane and swept the place. Chaos was all over and the raging sea swallowed all the seven pontoon bridges surrounding the firefalls.
Closed eyes are slowly zooming out and showed a monk dressed in white, he is not disturbed by the chaos surrounding him. He remains untouched and unchanged sitting in a Zen position seems sleeping but he is not. Suddenly a man dressed in black monk attire appeared. His presence spelled dark eternity with many Chinese inscriptions tattooed in his neck. A belt made of wooden beads is hanging in his waist, started to spark its brilliance then turned into hot coal ready to burn his body and everything around it.
Yuwen Yue suddenly felt the rush in his blue veins, he began to move his body around the suspended wooden prison. Every time he moves, his Poe Yue Jian sword is like a low hanging fruit dipped into the bitter seven seas below. It should not touch the seven seas of fire or his only weapon of defense will melt in the oblivion of eternity. He knows he can come out of this prison cell alive and well. But he has been figuring out how to touch the rope without being burned. Yuwen Yue is covered with a white cloak on his face and white Hanfu all over his body. He has been fighting the fire in his body, like a thyroid fever it became his curse. This body can handle such amazing fire strength while his heart is very cold as frozen ice. Every time he touches the raging fire rope, it burns his cold hands and his sword down below is swinging to the gateways of hell.
**
He can still remember back then, after reaching the ends of the happy valley, Yuwen Yue saw a vast dead grassland. It is another realm, a dark creepy realm with scorched earth and dry parched grounds. The master of Kungfu of ice said: “This will be your final test.”
But what Yuwen Yue did not know, it will be the last day, he would see the master, his sifu, his companion and guide. That final test meant that the Master of Kung Fu of ice has crossed a boundary that should not be supposed to step on, but he has chosen to cross and trespass.
Plang! Plang! Plang!
Sounds of various sharp objects such as an ax, hatchet, and machete were thrown in the air but the Kung Fu master of ice greeted them all with his bow and arrows and were all thrown to the ground. When he was out of arrows, Yuwen Yue jumped in front of him and counterattack the last knife to go in their direction. Suddenly there was silence. A mist of fog came to caress their cheeks but this is not a time to rest.
“Tap the middle of your sword!” calmly said by the master of Kung Fu of ice.
Yuwen Yue tapped the center of his Poe Yue Jian sword and to his surprise, an unblinding light came out of it. He raised his hands. The sword served as a flash of light, they saw a group of fierce faceless enemies.
Suddenly the group of black hoods assassins now seen walking towards where they stand. The Kungfu of ice master said: “We may be outnumbered but we are not afraid.” The underworld assassins slowly approaching, one of them step up in front, looking down below the ground he said: “Today I came to take your life! Crossing these boundaries means death! Yet you did not adhere to your fears!”
Suddenly, the man in the black hood become a fast mist of smoke and the body of a person is somewhat gone. Yuwen Yue in a blink of an eye was not able to look at what just happened and felt the most painful emotions in his heart.
“Massssterrrr!” Yuwen Yue cried in vain.
It was all too late when his master’s heart was pierced with big ice needle in his heart, his godly master was still made up of a human body, now weak with its bleak skills said: “Pass this test for me! I am waiting for my retribution on the other side…”
“No, you cannot die.” Not yet!”
Yuwen Yue on his calm eyes, handsome full of anguish face came to wipe his master’s blood in his chest.
“We both know, this is my fate. I have waited for you for a long time and now my time is up, listen I want you to have this,” said the Kung Fu of Ice.
The master of Kung Fu of ice took something from his waist and gave Yuwen Yue a tiny wooden flask and said: “Take this and bring it to the leader of wind and cloud decree.”
Yuwen Yue does not have many choices but to accept this master’s dying wish he said: “You can trust me.”
And the Master of Kungfu of ice suddenly gave away a bitter smile and his body slowly melted like ice until it is gone.
Yuwen Yue’s brows suddenly wrinkled and like a wounded wolf, ran with an attempt to attack the underworld assassin. The underworld assassin’s face is covered with a cloak and not being afraid of the Poe Yue Jian sword he walked slowly and waited for Yuwen Yue.
Yuwen Yue finally reached where the underworld assassin stood, he saw his golden eyes when another tall, mysterious underworld assassin came to hit both of their heads. He walked calmly in between the two sleeping bodies and took the tiny wooden flask.
Another underworld assassins holding a double ax on his back with a scar in his face said: “What about the Poe Yue Jian sword?”
“Is it necessary?” said Di Fu
Maybe? Said the underworld assassin and showed a glimpse of his hellish eyes.
Di Fu not familiar with the human sword said: “Whoever owns this sword is a weak master!”
And what about Tracker? said the Scarface, one of the underworld assassins.
“I want you to end his life.” Di Fu looked at sideways and smirked, picked up his machete.
“What? This is not the order of Master Sand Drizzle!” Angrily shouted by Scarface.
“No matter what you do, you always knew how his life is going to end,” Spare me now! Di Fu said in a calm but deep voice and suddenly disappeared without a trace.
Scarface about to kill Tracker but Skyshadow woman produced a cloud of black smoke and quickly took Tracker and Yuwen Yue. Like the quicksilver fast move, she laid down their unconscious bodies in another far place but still parched ground. Skyshadow took the Poe Yue Jian sword and kept it. Zao Baocung tied Tracker and lock him up in the prison with no walls. While he helped Yuwen Yue stay at one of the Moon Kingdom’s mansion he said: “Good to see you again, Qinghai Prince.”
Zao Baocung was kneeling on his knees when Yuwen Yue woke up. He stood and took the Poe Yue Jian sword from Zao Baocung he asked: “Where am I?”
Zao Baocung said: “My Prince, you arrived at the Moon Kingdom.”
Yuwen Yue suddenly wants to remember something but cannot, asked: “Priest, I am supposed to kill the man who killed this… this… “
Yuwen Yue cannot continue to speak straight. He is trying to remember everything in time.
Zao Baocung suddenly went to the incense burner and crush a gold sugar cube and sprinkled it. The smoke quickly spread in the air, reached Yuwen Yue’s nostrils. It smells so sweet like the scent of vanilla and plum blossoms, Zao Baocung said: “You will lay down to sleep again and when you wake up, you will remember what happened to the happy valley realms and your trip to the underworld.
Yuwen Yue suddenly back to his sleep while Zuo Zong stayed beside him.
Yue Qi just saw what happened and said: “Was that necessary? Turning on and off fourth young master’s memories?”
Zao Baocung answered: “You do not have an idea what happened and you do not know how your soul was snapped back to earth!”
“Okay, I got it!” Yue Qi gave up playing Zao Bauocung when suddenly they came outside the mansion and they saw a young man hanging outside.
Yue Qi has to say something first:” Isn’t it wonderful to capture an underworld spy and display it like this?”
Zao Baocung saw Tracker and he felt some pity in his heart, he said: “Why do you punish when you can kill this guy right away? Let me do it!”
Yue Qi quickly went in front of Zao Baocung and said: “Easy, not today!”
“Why not now?” Zao Baocung raised his eyebrows.
Yue Qi came closer to him and whispered in his ears: “He did not confess yet and I already tortured him but he is really twice stronger than I think he is. I think he is faking that indifference in his face but he always wears that arrogance and prideful attitude. I did everything to destroy his character inside. But he is stronger than any iron in this world. He even said, if I would like to kill him, I have to do it fast because my hands are so soft and in his next life, I do not get the chance!”
Zao Baocung asked further: “And what did you do after he said that?”
Yue Qi looked at his hands and said: “My hands are soft so I feed him to the band of brothers in the prison with no walls.”
Zao Baocung eyes went big like an owl and he said: “Did he fought back?”
Yue Qi said: “He did and stopped when he saw the youngest of them all.”
Who is this youngest of them all? Zao Baocung cannot hide the curiosity in his face.
The stick warrior monk. Yue Qi said and he painted a smile in his face.
Zao Baocung was even shocked like he has seen a ghost said: “Trailkoying is here?”
“Does it matter? do you know him?” said Yue Qi with his smiling face smirking at the same time.
Zao Baocung said: “These three brothers have a very sad story.”
“What? Did you say, brothers?” Yue Qi asked again.
“Continue to torture him but I can assure you, he will never confess. The young man prefers death. If I were you, I’d better kill him!” Zao Baocung said.
Yue Qi void of any emotions agreed he said: “Okay as you wish, he is useless anyway just like you told me!” But Zao Baocung has a different plan.
Dusk came and the silhouettes stole the sun from the horizon. Darkness gradually took over the skies.
“What is your name?” Tracker does not seem bothered and no answer”
“Where did you come from?” Yue Qi is twitching his palms and did not hear any answer”
“Why did you try to kill our young master?” Tracker smirked and back to his poker face, still no answer.
Yue Qi is throwing two dice in the ground while his captive was meditating upside down. Seems he is just waiting for the hour of his death.
The band of brothers was all injured but not anyone was harmed and killed except for the young stick warrior. The underworld assassins martial arts cannot be compared to any. the captive assassin obviously belonged to the A-league. Zao Baocung knows the story of the three brothers who joined three different paths. Only two of them is alive today, while Trailkoya died when he encountered Yuwen Hao and protected the Secret Princess, Chu Qiao, the leader of wind and cloud decree.
Yue Qi finally decided: “Alright! I will give you the honor!”
Tracker did not move but continued to listen.
“You versus me!”
The band of brothers was excited they throw more driftwoods to the bonfire and the fire gradually went up, soaring the bright skies, like it is going to burn people alive.
While the stick warrior was silent and did not move in his place did not reveal any of its blood relations to the captive underworld assassin.
“Release him!” said Yue Qi.
Tracker was released, he coughed a bit, being suspended for a long while in an upside down position, his guts seems like full of acid.
If you beat me, I will let you go. But if you do not beat me I will kill you. Said Yue Qi and he took off his breastplates, his armor, and his weapons, his sword.
The man to man fight began. The Skyshadow woman is on the rooftop silently watching the fight below she smirked: “You do not know what the word underworld means!”
Yue Qi started to form his martial arts while the other party stared arrogantly at him, watching his moves, he did not move. Tracker just did what is opposite. Yue Qi went to strike him first and Tracker spit out blood, he did not fight back. Yue Qi was getting pissed off, it seems he became the antagonist trying to please a protagonist, he gave him a big low blow. Tracker must have felt the pain, he rolled on the ground and murmured he said: Still soft hands, can’t fight with soft hands!
Yue Qi have never been insulted in his entire career, he already cheated death and have survived many troubles but this fight is getting the best of him.
Pang! Yue Qi just gave him another kick on the ground.
Tracker’s face was full of blood and other’s do not understand his proud but bloody face.
When Yue Qi could not get any reaction from Tracker except for his fierce, arrogant and prideful face, he suddenly ran at the band of brothers and took the youngest stick warrior. He is around 12-14 years old when he said: “You do not fight me? Then how about this?” Yue Qi wants to test his limits, he jumped and took his sword from the ground, then leaped so high to chop the stick warriors arms.
All eyes were stunned, the crowd was shocked.
Suddenly time stops, only the droplet sound of blood was heard. Three drops reached the ground and the with the only strength left of him, he unleashed his underworld powers. Eyes like brilliant gold, his body emits a different kind of heat. The skin is slowly revealing the ancient tattoos in his body but it was not as black as before. But its too late to recover his wounded arms overflowing with blood from Yue Qi’s swordmaster Jian cut. Tracker feels like a light feather about to fall to the ground.
While the Seventh Yue found himself dragged by some heavy wind, he ended up being pushed very far while Yuwen Yue used his sword to spank his back, Yue Qi grinding his teeth in pain.
Zuo Zong took the young stick warrior shaking all over his body while a tall young master dressed in white, his eyes calm as the seven seas, gave the bloody underworld assassin, a pity look. With gentle strides, slowly walked towards its subject. Making sure the subject is correct, he pointed his index finger on his shoulder and tapped his back. Then a gentle hand suddenly took the head of the underworld assassin and lifted his hair to see the nape. When everything was confirmed, Yuwen Yue said: “Since you are cut by the Seventh Yue through the order of My Palm, if you continue your stubborn attitude, I am afraid you would never see your brother again.”
Tracker can no longer hold his blood loss, he passed out. Yuwen Yue gave Zuo Zong an eye to eye, and he already knows what to do.
Zao Baocung came and said: Your Highness, I will take care of him.
Yuwen Yue replied: He is going to be added as My Palm.
Yue Qi was surprised to hear and sees his master’s eyes and Yuwen Yue said: He will take over My Palm for the underworld while you are still in charge of the human world.
“Nuò” (means yes, this is a promise!) said Yue Qi.
After a few days, Tracker found himself in a prison cell with no walls. His wound was stitched that prevented him to lose more blood and his strength is back to its shape. A voice came was heard, said: “brother, how are you?” The stick warrior looks at his eye to eye.
Tracker did not respond from his brother’s gaze he said: “Go away! I am not your brother!”
Another calm voice was heard and said: “I did not wake up today to become kind with your rudeness.”
Tracker did not look at who is this divine-like being in front of them and remained cold, distant and arrogant showing no reverence in his brilliant eyes like gold.
Yuwen Yue dressed in his battle gears, said: Prepare our horses, this savage beast needs to understand what loyalty means.
Yue Qi went to fetch the horses while the Skyshadow woman is unlocking the prison to free the underworld assassin. Yue Qi took Tracker and pushed him. His hands were slightly burned he said: “Your skin is like coal! Are you really human or what?”
Tracker gave him a sneer.
Zuo Zong gave Yuwen Yue his sword and he received some instructions from Yuwen Yue. The Yuwen parrot was released by Zao Baocung and it landed in Yuwen Yue’s shoulder.
This is going to be a journey where Yuwen Yue and Tracker needs to walk alone.
At first, Yue Qi hesitated but Yuwen Yue said: “Who dares not to follow me?”
**
Yue Qi felt a little strange in Yuwen Yue ever since the day he left the Jinwu Palace abandoning the enthronement of the new Empress Dowager of Liang Dynasty. Yue Qi and Zuo Zong went back to Ximeng to find the Qinghai prince but failed to find Yuwen Yue. Yue Qi took the command for the meantime and told the Qinghai army to wait for his return. Took awhile, until a druid priest went to their military camp and informed Yue Qi they found Yuwen Yue.
Yue Qi asked the druid priest: “Did you also find Xinger and the playboy Prince is he dead?”
Zao Baocung took off his cloak and simply said: “No.”
Yue Qi asked again: Is it no for both questions?
Zao Baocung responded in a deep voice and said: “Yes.”
Yue Qi did not speak but would like to hit his head in front of the Qinghai army, he raised his hand but turned back his hand.
The priest just saw it, he loosened himself and became a chatty merchant like when they first met, he said to Yue Qi: “Why do you always force me to ruin my serious face. When I am in this costume, you do not want to put me in shame.”
Yue Qi with a faint smile in his face said: “I am saving this palm for you!”
“Aha, I saved a soul and this is what I get! Rudeness!” The priest is now pouting like a child in front of the many Qinghai armies.
“And do you regret it now?” Yue Qi is having a good time with Zao Baocung.
“No, I do not regret! I repent! The Qians (heavens) warned me and I never listened!” Zao Baocung looks funny in his face but looks creepy with his outfit and only Yue Qi can make fun with him.
“I am glad you did not,” said Yue Qi.
Zao Baocung turned his back from him while Yue Qi smiles swaying his head from left to right.
**
The sun had been set in the horizon and Tracker, a stubborn being was forced to walk when he refused to take the horse prepared for him.
“I do not ride on horses! I prefer to walk!”
Yuwen Yue heard and said: “I hear you prefer to be dead! So be it!”
You’re dead! You’re dead! You’re dead! said the Yuwen parrot.
Tracker wanted to harm the bird but Yuwen Yue pointed his sword to him and Tracker did not show any fear or even stunned at what he did.
Yuwen Yue spoke in a calm but deep voice: “Try harder and you will regret this day in the afterlife!”
Tracker kept still and thinks for a way to escape.
Not so long, the two warm bodies reached the dense, cold forest. Tracker slightly smiled then smirked, said: “Do you even know where we are? Can your fear handle it?”
A jade-like skin and handsome god came down from his horse said: “Do you dare?”
♥♥♥
Chapter 076
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Black Forest (raw)
Yuwen Yue silently walked beside his horse while Tracker executed his escape, he jumped and leaped from the nearby forest tree. But Yuwen Yue knew exactly how he is going to land. He flew like an angry but cold lion, and suddenly he was looking at Tracker’s eyes, without any warning he sprinkled a drop of the potion from his hand.
Tracker was momentarily blinded and cannot see clearly. He walked like a drunken man and Yuwen Yue stood there behind him.
What did you do to my eyes?! Tracker was very angry!
Yuwen Yue said: “Don’t worry, death won’t come yet.”
“I cannot see!” Tracker is now scratching his eyes.
“I know.” Yuwen Yue said in a cold voice and took his head and put green silk. Tracker’s eyes were now on blindfold he said: “On your knees!”
“Are you going to execute me in this manner with that sword?” Without fear, Tracker still managed to question the manner of his executioner.
“Is there any problem with it?” Yuwen Yue annoyingly sneered at him.
“Fine! Give me death!” Tracker bravely stated on a horrible sound, he took a knee and became ten times sharper on his surrounding.
Yuwen Yue drew a circle where Tracker was kneeling, using his Poe Yue Jian sword it started to emit a bluish white unblinding light, he coldly said: “You will pay your rudeness with this hard lesson. You will learn how to be loyal to your master.”
And Tracker coldly responded: And anyone who tries shall earn it hard as well!
The circle started to bore a hole on the ground. Suddenly it began to crack and revealed a fiery pit underneath with molten lava boiling below. A stinky smell came out of the pit Tracker’s only foothold started to spin fast until he can no longer hold on.
True to what Yuwen Yue said, the cone shape ground where Tracker was kneeling were slowly losing the tip of its base. As it loses the tip of its base, the temperature is getting hotter and hotter. Tracker’s skin began to bruise and burn, but still, he did not call for help.
Yuwen Yue waiting for the outcome did not bother but ask him: “How long can you hold on to your vow?”
Tracker’s human body almost reached its limit, he said: “I prefer to die than to abandon my vow!”
Yuwen Yue looked at him below and responded: “Then why can’t I believe every word you just said?”
Tracker cannot hold it anymore, he cried in pain.
Ahhhhh!
Yuwen Yue knows Tracker can’t hold it anymore when the fiery monster dragon came to sweep Tracker’s body.
Swoosh! Bang! A sound of slashing sword and closing was heard.
Yuwen Yue took Tracker’s head, his body is like a bamboo leaf, weak but never abandoned his vow despite his near-death experience.
Yuwen Yue calmly said: “Fool!”
Tracker did not respond, he seems almost out of breath and but still alive. Yuwen Yue took his nape and cut a very small wound on it. Bloody red began to come out of his pale skin he said: Since you cannot spit your vow, I am taking it out!
Noooo! said Tracker, but its too late, the blood is already dripping from his nape. he became pale and almost dying.
Yuwen Yue closed his eyes and asked coldly: “Abandon or die!”
Tracker almost dying out of blood loss he firmly said and smiled: “Both!”
Suddenly Yuwen Yue sat in a Zen position and began to chant healing words. For every word that comes out of Yuwen Yue’s mouth, the wound begins to close the wounds until it healed completely.
Everything back to normal and Tracker lost his internal Chi flow but his pulse was restored back in time, he was a little too close to the afterlife.
Yuwen Yue set-up a bonfire beside him waits for him to wake up.
After many hours, Tracker woke up. He found himself lying on the ground and his tattoos in his arms and the embedded swirling snake in his nape is already gone.
Yuwen Yue eyes staring at him he said: “You said Both. Remember?” Short and bland voice.
Tracker responded in his rude manner he said: “You don’t have to remind me!”
Yuwen Yue got irritated he replied: “Seems I should have been deaf earlier and let you bleed to death!”
Tracker did not respond and touched his nape. His nape is free of any underworld shackles and the ancient snake tattoo is gone.
Tracker cannot believe it happened but it did. To taste this kind of power means second life. In the underworld realms, such power would only possess by the leader of the wind and cloud decree but in this case, he has to acknowledge this godly figure, sleeping, he asked in an unheard, soft voice: “Who are you?”
Tracker lost his underworld chains and the shackles of dark powers. On the other hand, gained a new insight. With the potion Yuwen Yue used to clear his eyes, he has seen true light once again. Going back to a time when Yuwen Yue poured out this potion at Chu Qiao’s eyes to become one of his spy of sacrifice, he did this to steer clear of Chu Qiao’s blind spots and train her to become one of the best spies.
Tracker cannot come out during the day, the reason for him, all of his work must be done at night. But now, he can open his eyes and see the sunlight. What’s amazing was he did not lose his golden eyes like wolf, where it is mostly seen at night.
Yuwen Yue woke up and still finds the Yuwen parrot and his horse in order. But Tracker out of sight, he went out somewhere. Not bothered, he walked a few steps and saw some sunflower seeds dropped on the ground. The Yuwen Parrot flew to the ground and started to pull the seeds using its beak. He closed his eyes and tried to think and suddenly opened his eyes. Yuwen Yue knew Tracker left him a trace to follow in case Tracker will be out of sight for a long time.
With the new found life, Tracker was thirsty for the first time. With his hands and feet can now walk or run the normal, he walked a few steps and heard a body of water gushing through. Just to make sure he is right, he walked a few more steps and hid then extended his neck to peek at the picturesque view. Breathing in and out, he saw a clear stream of water when suddenly the sun rays were covered with clouds, a thick fog densely hovers around the stream of water.
Yuwen Yue pulled the reins of his horse while the Yuwen parrot ahead of him ate all the sunflower seeds leaving no trace behind. The handsome god and animals followed the trail.
The cold forest is dense and a thick fog hovering around it. Tracker ten times sharper at night but not in daytime. He wasn’t able to sense the dark presence surrounding him and left everything unnoticed. Back to his human senses for the first time from the last time he tasted the water from the stream.
Bang! It was too late to turn back when suddenly, the clear streams of water turned into blood and Tracker were poisoned. His eyes dilated and he passed out.
Yuwen Yue went down from his horse and let the Cangwu bird flew to a high Fir tree, he bent down and try to hear the ground. When Yuwen Yue counted the sounds from his mind, he already knows someone is coming. He knows these are little footsteps approaching and a dark entity is going to harass their way. He whistled to call the Yuwen Parrot and the Cangwu bird flew back to his palms. Yuwen Yue whispered to the Cangwu bird and suddenly took out a plum blossom flower and let the Cangwu bird smell. The Cangwu bird went to sleep and Yuwen Yue put the bird inside his Kam sleeves. As soon as the bird went to sleep, Yuwen Yue took his Poe Yue Jian sword.
After a few seconds, the thick fog started to strangle the horse. Blag! And the horse was down. Yuwen Yue still looking for clues saw what just happened and it was all too late when the thick fog violently strangled his neck.
A while ago, Yuwen Yue was left standing with his Poe Yue Jian sword and then…
Yuwen Yue hear horrible screams of sounds and the loud beats of dreadful drums. Trying to open his eyes but can’t, suddenly a strong wind blew on his direction came to shake his body. His Poe Yue Jian sword hanging upside down ready to tear his chest.
The dark clouds and thick fog is gone and the sun is shining so bright. Tracker suddenly awake found himself sleeping in the circle arena of fire and black smoke. In the middle was a big yin and yang shape of a bloody pool with floating bones of skulls.
The Gnome King said: “Do you want to save your master, underworld assassin?”
Tracker got angry but in a calm deep voice he said: “who is my master?”
“I think he is your master?” The Gnome King smirked and gave a signal to another gnome guard to blow the horn. And the horn blew all of the audience were stunned. The Arena tower of fire and smoke was located underground the ground and its walls are raging with fire and black smoke. The Gnome audience sits layer by layer in circle formation can watch by looking down. Their Gnome’s faces were black coming from the smoke below. There are big and black mythical flying birds circling around the arena and swirling body of bats blocking the sunshine above.
An ancient undertale of the underworld was freed from the bottom of the bloody yin and yang pool and the bones and skulls were scattered around the circle of fire and smoke. Tracker on his dismay smirked and smiled he said to himself: “Not again!”
Instead of fighting, Tracker ran for his life and the Gnome King laugh out loud while the audience was horrified. Tracker knows his powers are limited and he cannot be cut open. So it is best to be chased and does not fight at all, lest he becomes a stupid monk. The only difference was his eyes were crystal clear. Faster than laser technology, he can look at anything and can act even in this human body created to be limited. Tracker’s eyes like the latest telescope, he can zoom in or zoom out that can see every detail.
Yuwen Yue opened his eyes and saw his Poe Yue Jian sword was taken by a dark lady. The dark lady on her back covered by her dark hood all over her body put Yuwen Yue’s sword on her back. He suddenly stood up and gave her curious eyes he asked: “Who are you?”
“Welcome to the underworld fourth young master! Your underworld palm is being dragged by the ancient undertale force! said the dark lady.
Yuwen Yue focusing on the sword at the dark lady’s back he said: “I asked you a question but instead, you give me this fearsome rude back to look at!”
“Am I rude fourth young master? Did you just forgot what I just did?” the dark lady still on her back did not show her face to Yuwen Yue.
Suddenly Yuwen Yue took a leap and flew like a bird, in a slow-motion took the bow and arrow from a sleeping horse nearby. The dark lady not surprised met his martial arts. Both bodies danced under the passing of fog and dark clouds. Spinning, tumbling, kicking, rolling, flying, crawling, for how long, time did not matter.
Yuwen Yue suddenly grabbed the Poe Yue Jian sword at the back of the dark lady but the dark lady would not give up, she took out her whip and whipped Yuwen Yue’s hand. Instead of Yuwen Yue feeling the pain, it bounced back to the dark lady. The dark lady was stunned she attempted to whipped it again to capture Yuwen Yue’s neck but Yuwen Yue eventually hold her whip and took it by force. Unable to control the dark lady was dragged by her whip and electrified with the energy coming from Yuwen Yue’s hands. Yuwen Yue’s face is emotionless, he suddenly took control of the whip and used it to fetch the Poe Yue Jian sword at her back.
On a quick action, Yuwen Yue suddenly took the sword and flew on air while the dark lady tried to control the whip but her hands got electrified, she dropped from the ground. The moment in time stopped, Yuwen Yue taking advantage of the power in his hands, he took the sword from the whip. It’s like the whip obeyed Yuwen Yue more than its owner. Yuwen Yue holds the sword on his right and on his left, he is holding the whip. On Yuwen Yue’s palm, the whip changed its color to gold and the dark lady was blinded by it.
The Gnome King and its audience shouted and the chants even grew louder. Tracker was running around the arena circle of fight when the undertale force came to sweep his feet. The undertale force took Tracker and like a thin paper pinned him down to the ground and Tracker was planted down. Full of bruises and wounds, he tried to stand and attempted to run but he just can’t move his body. The undertale force did not show its face, it is made of black smoke while on land, but while inside water, it looks like a gigantic water dragon.
The black smoke went back to the yin and yang pool and after a few minutes came out of the water. Transforming to become a body, it began to form his feet like a man and going up revealing his naked body but looking at his head as a fierce dragon.
Tracker has never seen the undertale force this way before. The arena circle of fight began to shake, in his presence everyone trembles. Even Tracker thought he is dead but the undertale force came to him and smelled his neck, then said in a horrible voice: “You abandoned your vow! I shall eat you now!”
Yuwen Yue not only heard the legends of the underworld but is already looking at it. Like a strange presence who intruded, breaking in, he leaped inside the arena circle of fight and dipped his Poe Yue Jian sword into the Yin and Yang pool. He took the potion from his long flowing sleeves and poured out a drop on it. The undertale force was momentarily displeased he saw the parched dry ground cracked and water began to flow to drown every living thing on it.
Tracker too late to realize, he said: “I am inside in gigantic water well,” and he was swallowed by the waters drowning him.
Yuwen Yue quick on his moves, he used his right hand and threw his sword like he is going to kill an insect on the other side of the well. Then used the whip on his left hand to swing his body. He is safe while the water swallowed the undertale force he did not forget about Tracker.
“It’s not your time yet!” Yuwen Yue balancing himself while standing on the edge of the handle of his sword, he used the whip from his left hand to pull Tracker from the water that turned into a sea.
The whip magically stretched and Tracker was gently lifted and his body landed on the grassy ground not moving. Yuwen Yue put back the whip in his waist and still standing on the edge of his sword’s grip, he carefully took out his bow and arrow. He stretched the bowstring gently and look up in a 45-degree angle to set up his arrow, gently said: “Trade winds!”
While swirling birds come to disturb, the echo reverberated and affected the winds, a crisp whizzing sound heard. Trailing a spiral target, it must reach the perfect spot as it attaches it’s tip to the safe ground above.
The arrow will determine his life and death, whether it can reach above or not, in this realm there is no room for error reminding himself: “There are no second chances!” The arrow found its path and finally reaching the desired spot.
Yuwen Yue looked above he must climb using its rope. Making sure everything is safe, he finally let go of his foot from the edge of his sword’s handle. A godly body is vertically hanging from the gigantic waterwell wall. He held the grip of his sword and finally unsheathed the sword from the waterwell wall.
Yuwen Yue finally reached above but a dark lady is waiting for his return unfortunately tied Tracker’s neck. Her entire face is covered by the dark hood, Yuwen Yue cannot see her face, he raised the whip in his hand and said: “I believe this belongs to you.”
The dark lady said: “It belongs to me but you used it to save this poor underworld assassin! Tracker hasn’t been awake yet and seemed to be dead.
Yuwen Yue said: Dark lady, or shall I call you by your name, Viper!
“My name is Viper?!” The dark lady said in awe.
“You see, you knew me when you called me the fourth young master!”
“Your memories were traded in a place of oblivion but whenever you use your powers, your memories gather in the present moment, as if you knew everything but then loses them again when you do not use it,” said Yuwen Yue.
“You are deceiving!” said Viper and she tightened her grip on Tracker’s neck.
“It is just a matter of seconds and Tracker’s soul will cross the forgotten river, and you do not want to send him there.” Yuwen Yue on his cold but calm tone, ready to snatch Tracker away.
“In the blink of time, I will make you remember!” Yuwen Yue took a golden celadon bottle hanging on his chest and sprinkled the golden ash of memories on her eyes. Suddenly Viper was frozen in time saw her childhood and past memories. Yuwen Yue used this opportunity to snatch Tracker away Viper like a blind woman came on her knees, Yuwen Yue laid down the whip in front of her told her: “You won’t see for many days and nights but here take your only weapon of defense, and I hope to meet you again someday.”
Yuwen Yue took Tracker away and his horse fully awake and alert standing nearby, he grabbed its reins and drive as fast as he could.
“Hold on!” said Yuwen Yue. Tracker who is pale and the pulse is weak, his eyes half opened, he saw Yuwen Yue draw out his sword and bloody mess all around. They finally escaped the Gnome army and evaded its attacks. The Gnome King was very upset he even set a fire arrow but Yuwen Yue and Tracker is already out of their range. They were finally freed from the black forest.
The sun is bright, the passing clouds are gone and the sky is blue.
♥♥♥
♥♥♥
Chapter 077
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Barrels of Souls
Dusk painted the skies of orange and hues of blue, and darker twilight befalls the underworld realms. After the rainfall, the passing of clouds went fast. A sudden peace embraced the misty mountains and quiet rivers.
Yuwen Yue suddenly heard a bird tweet. A suspended wooden cage in a cliff is hanging like a pendulum clock waiting for the hour of death. He looked up but then looked down as well. Yuwen Yue looks at the seven seas of firefalls. A man in the middle surrounded by a dark force. One of them is the strongest underworld assassin waiting to be attacked. On the opposite, a young man who lost its underworld chains when his powers were refined by light. Wanting to challenge the underworld, he promised to handover Di Fu, chief of underworld assassins.
He began to work as a dark palm. Under Yuwen Yue’s command, he was slowly transformed to be the light to the dark palm. Teaching him to control his dark powers, he succeeded in using meditation.
Yuwen Yue never gave up to show him the opposite of his character and the young man struggled to deal with it every day. Learning Taichi everyday, he mastered to meditate. Teach what is humane and what is not, the conduct of unbecoming and becoming a gentleman, learning cultural refinement through justice and injustice, made him forsake his underworld assassins behavior, back to his human soul and mind. All of these teachings are never introduced to the underworld realms. What is taught is all about evilness, there is no remorse and only punishment, all kinds of sins are committed. Tracker was human at first but because of he wants to revenge, he became half-bred underworld assassin who took the vows of hell.
Tracker’s past life was full of killing and betrayal. As long as he betrays, it becomes his strength but spells weakness for the good. Being an enemy of the good, it always looks for evil people to accomplish their vilest sins and does not feel remorse afterward. Now, it is his turn to experience evil himself. Betrayed by Di Fu, at the time he was abandoned alone, he eventually recognized the glistening Poe Yue Jian sword he softly whispered: “This is not a coincidence, I found the Qinghai crown prince Ra Yue.”
Tracker summoned the seven elders of the seven seas and disturbed the balance of good and evil. To challenge Di Fu, Tracker will have to open these realms to show who can win and who will lose then make him pay for abandoning him. Revenge is not accepted in the underworld realms because to challenge the underworld realm means, to die in the Abyss. Only one rule can never change, no one can extinguish evil. For it holds the balance of the good which can define the rewards of the loyal and faithful.
Aside from undivided loyalty, Tracker also thrives from his prideful heart. So long as he preserves pride in his heart, he is never going to be pitied. He will never be seen as weak underworld assassin. He earned it when he started to perform his vow to be an underworld assassin. His first encounter was to defeat Scarface, one must go through fiery hell and Tracker earning his first challenge became next to Di Fu. When Tracker sent many underworld assassins to the abyss, including Scarface who tried to fight him with evil versus evil, he did it on purpose. He did this to rise in the underworld principalities and powers and with the right time can use it for his revenge. He vowed to revenge for Trailkoya’s life, his brother who was slain by the Master of the eyes of God.
During the fight, Tracker fought Scarface and defeating him meant to force him to bow to Tracker and save himself from the death in the Abyss.
Scarface can still remember that day, he was the most perfect handsome face that turns people to become evil. Scarface used his perfect face to confuse as he tries to lure and copy good people to turn good people to become evil. Jealousy is written in his neck, the art he mastered became his weakness even if he earned it for a thousand years when he received that scar in his face. Instead of sharing jealousy to good people, he himself became jealous of himself. He is no longer beautiful and insecurity began to creep his vile confidence. Tracker marred his face and gave a permanent scar. Scarface became the ugly evil and anyone who looks at his face will turn to be good instead of being evil. Instead of gaining more power, Scarface gained weakness when he lost the challenge to Tracker. He was punished for a decade and became the gatekeeper of the Underworld realms.
Going back to the time when Yuwen Yue asked but already knew Tracker’s weakness: “What is your weakness in the underworld realms?”
“The thing that you ask for!” Tracker said to Yuwen Yue in the rudest manner.
Yuwen Yue smirked a bit and said: “Loyalty.” That is why you always betray.
“Why ask if you knew it all the time?” Said Tracker who took a stone and threw it to the river.
Yuwen Yue coldly said: “Because you may need to stop doing betrayal one day and I may need to harm the underworld when I force your loyalty to be displayed.”
“Keep dreaming, it will never happen.” Tracker found himself smiling.
Yuwen Yue disrespected but felt honest with Tracker’s reaction said: “I am awake. Only the Masters who sleep, dreams.”
Tracker looks at Yuwen Yue like he is going to kill him but smiled at him, in return did not refute his Master’s forewords.
That day his Master’s words became true today. Tracker facing his challenge once again to take over Di Fu and the seven seas of fire owes him a chance.
Di Fu on his closed eyes spoke with a horrible sound, he said: “Tell me, are you really the master of betrayal?!”
Tracker’s sitting in the middle of the seven seas closed his eyes is meditating. His ears rang when he heard the voice of Di Fu.
Tracker in his calm voice responded: “I am.” then he paused for a second and breathe for a second, he said: “I betray to fulfill my vow.”
Di Fu was not happy with what he heard, he became angry, he said in a loud thud of voice: “What is your vow? Did you forget?”
“Momentarily forget.” soft, cold and calm voice Tracker hummed in peace trying to resist the evil arousing in him.
Its Tracker’s turn to ask his former Chief he asked boldly: “Why did you abandon me?”
Di Fu will be honest for the first time he said: “If I will have to tell the truth, one of us will have to die.”
“Then you will die!” Said Tracker and he started to swing his hands and peacefully demonstrated the hand signal of the yin and yang until it floated in the wind.
Di Fu felt its powers, darkness, and light are entering the yin and yang sign. It tortured him for a while.
Tracker suddenly opened his eyes and as fast as the lightning, he struck Di Fu. Di Fu found his hands captured inside the yin and yang floating in the wind, it cannot contain it.
“Why endure it?” Tracker boldly said and gave him a mocking eye.
Then to injure Di Fu’s pride, in his deep horrible voice as hell, he said: “If you lose your human image, it will be a desperate act! And then what next? You won’t gain another human body again. You are bound in the Abyss forever. That is your death!”
Tracker let go of his anger at that moment and was back at peace and sat down in a Buddha position. With his left, steady and straight palm continued to torture Di Fu with shame.
Di Fu’s face shows dark madness, he started to draw invisible Chinese inscriptions in front of Tracker. But Tracker controlling the yin and yang in his mind, he is fighting evil with evil causing him to draw out more underworld power.
As the yin and yang sign tightens, it captures Di Fu’s both hands. Like invisible handcuffs, the two circles inside the yin and yang were spinning fast it began to burn Di Fu’s human hands. In any moment, Di Fu will be forced to show its true nature, he will begin to grow and became a body lake of fire.
When Di Fu increases its hell power, the mountains and rivers are consumed with fire. The forest lake turned into a raging lake of fire that spread forest fires and black smoke can be seen all around. Describe the pit of hell.
Yuwen Yue for the first time saw what hell means, he looks at the Cangwu bird for the last time until it was slowly burned in his sight. Without a sound, his heart was torn into bitter pieces. The feeling of losing hope flowed through his veins.
Under this realms, Yuwen Yue defied the laws of the underworld. He is a human being with godly superior abilities. He bravely descended to hell. Yet he cannot even save a simple animal who went with this journey and sacrificed its life.
After a few moments, Yuwen Yue realized the elixir of potion that Tracker gave him earlier was cracked. The Cangwu bird may have eaten some of it. While he realized the bird took the half of the flask to spread it over on the suspended wooden cage saving his life. When Yuwen Yue’s situation is hopeless, with no help coming from anyone, he began to see the world around him.
Yuwen Yue’s tired eyes looked below. He saw Di Fu’s hands burning and yet he cannot do anything to stop. He saw Tracker lingering and sitting in a Buddha position, fighting Di Fu’s refusal to become a lake of fire.
He remembered Tracker whispered into his ears: “When the world becomes a hopeless place, look around and take this elixir and drink it. If you are what you knew about yourself, this elixir will unleash your human godly existence.”
The underworld realm is full of fire, it is going to burn him alive and the fire began to burn the wooden cage. As soon as it touches the wooden cage, instead of them being burned, the cage dramatically turns into gold. Yuwen Yue felt safe but his body unable to stand the fire he sat in Buddha position inside the golden cage and closed his eyes. Buying more time, Yuwen Yue began to chant. Suddenly in a timeless space, two souls called to meet again.
It is the only safe passage of time where Yuwen Yue can communicate when suddenly…
Two handsome bodies, free of chaos were facing each other. Their eyes were closed. Both Sitting in a Buddha position but suddenly two pairs of eyes opened. One is a master and one is a servant. The master spoke, he said: “Do not fret. To defeat evil, you must do nothing.”
The servant looked at the master and silently revealed through his eyes: I haven’t told you… I must lose in order to end Di Fu. If I win, I will only replace Di Fu and have to fight my Master. I did not accept Di Fu’s place. Even the gods know this.
The Master recalled in his vision was the opposite of what he heard: “I accept.”
The servant paused and gave the master a prideful look in the eyes and then he continued to reveal silently… I accept..I accepted death.
The day I saw the Poe Yue Jian sword, I knew it was Qinghai Crown Prince Ra Yue. Bearing the shame forever, I killed the Kungfu master of ice in exchange for you. I betrayed my underworld vow and started to betray Di Fu. But unless I kill one of you, Di Fu would not believe that I am going to betray the trapped Masters of this realm instead of him. I am sorry I have to choose. I have to deceive Di Fu and kill the master of the Kungfu of ice.
The servant paused for a while and continued . . .
At that moment of your pain, I already devoted my loyalty to you. Thank you for freeing my curse. Thank you for making me live in the human world once again. Goodbye Master, please save Mimi Gongzhu she is waiting on the other side. I promised to take you out of this realms but it seems I will betray one more time. Now I already knew what my fate lies. The gods have revealed, this is the path I must take. I will walk in it and shall see the light.
Master, please take care of my brother. This is my last wish.
A calm, handsome, human godly face took pity on the servant’s last wish and silently expressed his last empty words: Very well, in your spirit tablet, I will inscribe you the word Loyal to a Master, and a Loving Brother.
Timescape began to fast forward, skies are clear, the sun is bright, the clouds moved faster than the usual, snapped two souls in the present. The world in a dark fireplace. One must end. One must continue.
Yuwen Yue drank the elixir. Time stopped and like the sound of tiny rain droplets, A handsome human god appeared in the middle of chaos.
The divine like human opened his eyes, his face like a white jade stone, his body penetrated by light, came to watch Di Fu drawing a Chinese inscription, it turned off the chaos all around reversing the Yin and Yang sign, it freed his hands. Di Fu not consumed with the lake of fire, his human image remained intact. Looking at his hands, they were burned but it slowly went back to normal like nothing happened.
The losing moment of Di Fu became a winning moment while Tracker turning off his underworld powers and embraced his human nature. Yuwen Yue in a godly trance of existence cannot violate the rules to the human world. Yuwen Yue can only watch as he sees the two underworld spies clash using their swords.
Once again the dark skies went clear, the raging fires gone, the seven seas went out of sight and the black smoke turned into a cold dense fog. Both underworld assassins found themselves in the black forest. Suddenly the shying moonlight came out tonight. Tracker saw the beautiful moonlight like it smiled at him. He knows the enemy is stronger than him, ten times the human capacity, he won’t be able to stand.
The two bodies started to fight. Using their martial arts, both possess the human body, with flesh and blood went to tear each other’s fate tonight. Tracker was severely beaten, bloody face, broken limbs but he still managed to stand. He is no match to Di Fu’s dark Kungfu and Di Fu said in a hellish voice: “Any death wish you want to say?”
Tracker spits out blood and in a calm deep voice like hell, he spoke: “I do not have a death wish but whatever words I say, it will haunt you forever!
Di Fu with an evil charm and evil laugh he said: “Bold! Your loyalty stinks! And you are going to die with it!”
With no hesitation, Tracker took the sword in his back and pounded it on the ground, in a calm voice he said:
“This is my grave! I am only human. I am no longer a vessel. I am loyal to few and ruled by no one.”
Di Fu felt a thousand swords cut his body, the pain in his ears became unbearable and his rage unquenchable, Di Fu slowly took out the glittering sword at his back and went to insert at Tracker’s chest.
My Palm!!!
A loud voice crying out above heaven’s calling out his name! His coldness gone, his chest is breathing fast wanting an act of revenge for a lone underworld assassin.
Suddenly the black forest was swayed by a big wind. Nobody moved and the sound of footsteps heard, a handsome godly human being approaching in front of Di Fu’s eyes. He slowly walked towards Tracker’s dead body and went to scoop the ground and his hands slowly let go of the desert sands that covered Tracker’s body until it is buried.
Eventually, Di Fu was stunned, he found himself in the middle of the scorching desert.
The handsome divine-like figure has never been in this way. He never had this big amount of hate in his heart. He continued to control the wind and the wind violently turned into a sandstorm while Di Fu forced to endure the punishment of nature.
Furthermore, he spoke and said: “On earth, there are only two types of a human being. One is a teacher and the other is a learner.”
But in the spiritual realms, there are only two paths. Good and Evil.
At the beat of his hands, the godly being turned the desert sands into the landmass of ice he spoke again and said: “I am the good teacher but you continue to learn evil. I shall punish you but not by death. Death is too easy, death won’t come until you have paid the last drop of blood shed from Tracker’s body.”
Di Fu’s body was slowly eaten by ice suddenly trapped inside an ice mass. He will forever endure the snow needles that grow inside the ice mass. It tears away every flesh inside his body. Blood will flow but no expression of remorse is allowed. Di Fu’s power was suppressed by ice. The coldness killed all the heat and fire, he possesses. Under the wind and cloud decree, his condition will become permanent.
The Master of Sand Drizzle suddenly saw a vision about Di Fu’s call for help he said: “The time of the Star is near. All of the prophecies about the Sun and Moon Kingdom shall be fulfilled.”
Finally, Yuwen Yue faces another underworld assassin gatekeeper and he introduced himself: “I am Scarface and I believe this one belongs to you.”
“It is,” said Yuwen Yue in his emotionless face, never bothered to look at Scarface.
Then Yuwen Yue spoke again: “I passed all the test, you should open the gate.”
♥♥♥
Chapter 078
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Bring me out of the dark
A loud sound of death hollows heard when the underworld gate slowly opened. Like in the ancient of days, there is an indescribable gothic view, all made of copper, silver, and gold. Scarface took the neck of the Dragon on his right hand and the neck of the ancient serpent in his left hand to fully open the gate valve. They were all made of cast iron, fireproof, fortified with precious minerals, one can see its reflection made of heavy metal like a mirror.
A divine-like being is walking into a dream, the magnificent world of endless Higanbana flower field meets his eyes, swaying and dancing with the butterflies. And not far from where he stands lies the forgotten river. No living person may pass, no human being could trespass.
Yuwen Yue became the most beautiful human form that earned the chance to step into these realms without trading his memories, however spending only a limited amount of time. The elixir that Tracker handed over to him was broken. Yuwen Yue drank only half of it. Transforming him into an enlightened state, it helped him discover his human form into this godly existence, offered him a beautiful escape.
Yuwen Yue holding the tiny wooden flask, he remembered the Kungfu of Ice master’s last words. Scarface still on his knees, he did not even dare to look at Yuwen Yue’s back.
Yuwen Yue walked towards the forgotten river, and not even Xinger’s shadow was present. Yuwen Yue simply took a plum blossom and holding in his palm said: “For my Cangwu bird.” Emotionless but calm face, he finally let go of the flower to the Forgotten River.
He saw something happening in his hands, something very strange he said: “It must be the elixir he thought.” Everything is new to him but already knew before it happened. He read it from the Qinghai books and listened to the Master of Kungfu of ice, every story told from the beginning until his last breath, all of it happened just as he spoke.
Suddenly an ancient Chinese boat is floating nearby. An old man dressed on his monkish attire, with a covered hood on his entire face and body paddling the river waters without effort, calm and quiet. Yuwen Yue knew who he was, in a voiceless voice, he impressed: “I am not here to overturn these realms. I came to say goodbye to someone and ask you to ferry me to the Ersatz realm.”
The Urshan did not speak but moved quickly towards Yuwen Yue’s back and stared at the Poe Yue Jian sword.
Yuwen Yue, handsome as ever, the eyes cold as ice but the heart warm as summer, did not move. There is no fear or even a hint of doubt in his heart.
“Your firm will and devoted heart paid you another chance to step into these realms, but your time is limited. I fear that you will die when the elixir slowly depletes in your body and when you return your mortal body to the mortal realms, it won’t be able to endure it. The wind and cloud decree can only save you once. The Mimi Gongzhu used it once to make you live well. When she was swallowed by the Ersatz realm with no definite time of return, you should have lived well. But you defied these realms and put her into danger again. If she can no longer come back, she will be trapped in the Ersatz realm forever, “the Urshan speaking in terms of silence, but everything was clearly understood as if Yuwen Yue heard his voice in a crystal clear sound.
Yuwen Yue spoke using his silent eyes to the Urshan: “I did not come here to listen to you or give away myself to your fears. They are not mine but yours. But you shall answer my question as well.”
“I, who existed as old as the plane existence of time shall bestow you a chance to ask one question,” and the Urshan moved quickly, showed his face to Yuwen Yue. A handsome face is full of many ancient tattoos in his skin. It glowed like molten lava all over his face and neck.
Yuwen Yue did not look at the Urshan’s face, as if his eyes were blind. He knows to see his face is to invite him to snatch your soul to eternal damnation.
“I am about to usher your underworld Palm to the afterlife. He is here,” the Urshan is slowly walking in circles waiting for Yuwen Yue to speak.
The Higanbana flowers swayed and Yuwen Yue started to smell its fragrance, but Yuwen Yue started to crack the Plum blossoms in his hands. Suddenly plum blossom rain started to fall in the field of Higanbana flowers. Such a beautiful and fragrant place.
According to the legends, the flower of the afterlife called the Higbanbana flower, brings back all of the dead’s earthly memories one last time before they disappear, before they reach the other side of the river. It has been told that once an unrequited lover dies from the earthly realms, these flowers would bloom along the paths of the departed lovers. If they were once a companion, they are never destined to meet again. And these precious flowers represents the change of season too, from summer to fall.
However, the Master of Kungfu of Ice once told him as well: When you crack the plum blossom, it is often told that even immortals feasts on plums to enhance their physique and renew their vigor to surpass against the test of time. In the midst of harsh winter, before snowflakes melt, when the Cangwu bird returns, plum trees beautifully buds. When it blooms, it decorates the barren landscape ending the harsh dark wintry nights and awakening people’s memories of spring. Enduring many ugly nights, plum blooms, and makes everything beautiful, as it opens the gateway of hope, to begin another life.
Growing in the lap of his great Yuwen grandmother, Yuwen Yue was often told: As a “friend of winter,” the plum blossom mostly forms the value of perseverance. Eventually, each blossom overcomes through the change of seasons where the fragrance is formed from “bitterness to coldness,” as the Chinese saying goes. When a soul plucks these blossoms from their branches, it is often told, they will undergo the test of time and come out strong, tempered in the depth of existence, breed their inner strength and generate unyielding firmness.
During his many visits with the Liang Empire, Xiao Ce prepared royal poetry readings and Yuwen Yue would come and sit to one of their reading session, as a masked Qinghai Prince, no one knew it is Yuwen Yue, the fourth young master of the Greenhills Courtyard. He heard all the poet expressed the wish of being one with the plum blossom:
All flowers have withered, you alone blossom,
occupying the focal scenery of the small garden.
Delicate branches cast shadows aslant over clear shallow water;
secret fragrance floats lightly in the moonlit dusk.
occupying the focal scenery of the small garden.
Delicate branches cast shadows aslant over clear shallow water;
secret fragrance floats lightly in the moonlit dusk.
How can I transform my body into millions,
each enjoying the blossom by a plum tree.
each enjoying the blossom by a plum tree.
Yuwen Yue, as the fourth young master of the Yuwen household often read Chinese Classical poetry books, recalled about the wordless poetry by Wang An Shi and the house of Plum Blossoms in resemblance to his life:
méi huā
梅花
[sòng] wáng ān shí
[宋]王安石
qiáng jiǎo shù zhī méi ，
墙角数枝梅，
líng hán dú zì kāi 。
凌寒独自开。
yáo zhī bú shì xuě ，
遥知不是雪，
wèi yǒu àn xiāng lái 。
为有暗香来。
梅花
[sòng] wáng ān shí
[宋]王安石
qiáng jiǎo shù zhī méi ，
墙角数枝梅，
líng hán dú zì kāi 。
凌寒独自开。
yáo zhī bú shì xuě ，
遥知不是雪，
wèi yǒu àn xiāng lái 。
为有暗香来。
Plum Blossoms
By Wang Anshi (Song Dynasty)
At a wall corner some plum trees grow;
Alone against cold white blossoms blow.
Aloof one knows they aren’t the snow,
As faint through air soft fragrances flow.
By Wang Anshi (Song Dynasty)
At a wall corner some plum trees grow;
Alone against cold white blossoms blow.
Aloof one knows they aren’t the snow,
As faint through air soft fragrances flow.
The power of the plum blossoms cast in the field of Higanbana flowers dramatically turned off the Urshan’s trickling hot tattoos over his face and neck. The underworld Urshan transformed into a godly being allowing Yuwen Yue to meet Tracker once again.
Like a turn back of time, Tracker’s body was slowly restored through the Urshan godly being. He was given a chance not to betray his Mimi Gongzhu and to fulfill his last words to his Master Yuwen Yue. They met once again and saw each other’s faces. Yuwen Yue smirked and said: “What did I tell you when you were still alive?”
Tracker back to his human senses told his Master, “You said once because I may need to stop doing betrayal one day and You may need to harm the underworld when You force my loyalty to be displayed to you. And it is happening now. I am here in front of you. And I have a gift for you Master!”
Tracker used his finger and pointed it to a distance. Suddenly a Cangwu bird is flying from the Plum blossom rain towards where Yuwen Yue stands. It landed onto his shoulders picking his dress.
Yuwen Yue suddenly can utter the words he said: “Xie Xie, I owe you my Cangwu.”
Tracker bowed to Yuwen Yue and said: “Master Brother, I owe you my life and this moment. I shall usher you to the Mimi Gongzhu.”
Tracker started to move the ancient Chinese boat fetch Yuwen Yue from the other side of the Forgotten River. Scarface stood and closed the Underworld gate and looked at the two divine beings paddling through the water path, he silently uttered in his thoughts: “May you win the favor of the winds and the clouds in your hands.”
Tracker sailed through the waters and Yuwen Yue is standing behind him. In another space and time, like a hidden territory in the water realms, they arrived at the Ersatz realm.
Tracker stopped the sailing and the boat was suspended in the vast mirror of the lake’n sky. There is no living thing that can be seen except for the undisturbed water mirroring the sky. One cannot tell the difference but can see the reflection of its face. However, facing the endless horizon, the Cangwu bird tweeted and uttered: “Seagulls, Swans, Seagulls.”
As soon as Yuwen Yue landed in its shores, many seagulls flew. While the swans continued to swim in the lake and painted the perfect, beautiful scenery. In the blink of an eye, the Urshan came back to the boat while Tracker bowed again then slowly faded in Yuwen Yue’s sight. No farewells but the memory lasted for a lifetime. Yuwen Yue finally waived his hands.
The Urshan did not react to Yuwen Yue but told in the gush of winds: Whatever your questions are, I hope you already got your answers.
Yuwen Yue feeling the impulse of the wind, his mind reading through it he responded back in his thoughts: Already got an answer. Be at peace. Yuwen Yue took out Poe Yue Jian sword and bestowed it through the waters. An endless horizon suddenly showed in their sight. The Urshan sailed through the winds and entered the horizon until it went out of sight.
“Once you enter the Ersatz realm, there is no time nor space. Void of any emotions, no entrance or exit. It is a place where only the present lives. There is no past or future, nor memory does exist.” From his ears, he listened to the Master of Kungfu of Ice like he just heard it close to his ears. Yuwen Yue knew he is fighting a battle he can’t win.
Yuwen Yue’s enlightened human form is slowly turning on and off like a bulb. He looked at his palms and he seems to see traces of his human hands back to its original form. He is not afraid but hopes to find a solution. He started to walk to the endless sands of time. Not knowing where to go, there is no guide to follow.
The Cangwu bird, like its master, transformed to its enlightened form but around his eyes already showing some weariness. Yuwen Yue took the bird from his shoulders and put it in his Kam sleeves to protect the bird from weariness. A sudden sandstorm came to block its sight and Yuwen Yue quickly closed his eyes used his hands in superb and excellent coordination, the bow and arrows steady and ready to fire a downward angle. He took down a single scorpion. Yuwen Yue still closed eyes, works by his sense of hearing, ten times sharper than the usual, he heard another batch of scorpions crawling on the sands.
The Kungfu of ice once told him: “If you exhaust the winds, your arrows will not be that strong. Use your sword but do not let any bite from scorpions drag you to death. Keep your eyes closed or fear will have a grip on your soul.”
Yuwen Yue freed more arrows continued to shoot at a downward angle, and suddenly finds an empty Quiver at his back. Ran out of arrows, he can only use the sword as the last weapon of defense. He does not know where the Scorpions are coming from but it meant to test his sight, feeling only the impulse of the trade winds but tempted to open it. Eventually, giving into temptation, he opened his eyes, sees the scorpions crawling as many as the sands. The first scorpion crept into his veins, this stung in his feet turns off a portion of his enlightened form. The second, third stung and so forth… Until he can no longer hold on. His light is dying but his sword remains untouched.
Suddenly three sounds of an arrow are whistling away trailing the scorpions as many as the sands. An endless fire brilliance of golden hot arrows came to burn the scorpions on the ground. Yuwen Yue’s body was spared but he is slowly returning to his human form but there is fire all around.
The master of Kungfu of Ice said: Once you lose your godly form, your body will pass out like you never existed. When it happens, you are forever trapped in the Ersatz realm. The will of your mind will determine your outcome, you must not face oblivion before you see it coming in your own sight.
Chu Qiao continued to shot endless hot arrows. And when everything was set on fire, she walked at the middle to find the godly man lying in the sand, a circle of protection was formed. The Poe Yue Jian sword was inserted in the ground just before Yuwen Yue dropped to the sand. Looking through his dreamy eyes, he tried to capture every moment but his eyes are slowly getting hazy. He saw a woman dressed in white with a cloak wrapped around its head and half of its face. He thinks he lost himself forever.
“Xinger…is this you…Xinger…answer me.”
A helpless groan came from Yuwen Yue’s lips, he is not going to close his eyes, yet do not want to lose this moment or even break a stare for the most beautiful woman approaching him.
Yuwen Yue took the wooden flask from his Kam sleeves and put it in his palm he said: “I have no time, but this will heal your chibi. Take it.”
Abandoning himself, he is slowly disappearing. Yuwen Yue’s body being engulfed by unblinding light is like slowly turning off. Yuwen Yue finally reached out his Poe Yue Jian sword.
Chu Qiao heard and looked at Yuwen Yue’s body. He is fading like a memory in front of her. Chu Qiao said: “You don’t understand.”
Yuwen Yue still have little time left found the words to speak he said: “If this is the only way for me to save you, I must do. See you in a better place…”
Chu Qiao reached out Yuwen Yue’s hand but he slowly turned invisible until he can no longer be seen. No Poe Yue Jian sword, no Cangwu bird and Yuwen Yue gone out of sight.
Her bitter teardrops fell.
As soon as the teardrops fell, the fires all around were turned off and the mirror of the lake’n sky was clear when suddenly the Urshan is sailing towards her. The Urshan reached where Chu Qiao stood, he stepped out of the ancient Chinese dragon boat he said: “He is trapped forever. He has been warned.”
Chu Qiao asked he Urshan: “Can I turn back time?”
The Urshan walked in circles and said: “You can do anything. You are the leader of the wind and cloud decree but there are consequences. To replace him, you must exchange yourself and you will be trapped in this realm forever.
Chu Qiao sighed and said: “He must know I gained back my memories. I remember him.”
The Urshan said: “There is another way if you are willing.”
“What is it?” Asked by Chu Qiao there is a curiosity in the tone of her voice.
The clouds quickly moved by the trade winds, misty forests and mossy grounds, all living things came to move in the surface. To the dust and dew, the springtime has come.
Chapter 079
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Chain of Memories
In the soft morning light, Chu Qiao finds herself in a timeless space. She is now looking at a peasant girl sitting with a chair and table found in the middle of the green field. The green fields swayed by the wind and the peasant girl saw her. On her formal face, she welcomes the leader of the wind and cloud decree but on her small table and another empty chair, she continues to do her work.
Chu Qiao walked towards the peasant girl and when she was closer, she saw what the peasant girl was working at the table, she said: “I came here to ask for your intervention.”
How could I possibly help Mimi Gongzhu?
There is a man named Yuwen Yue. Chu Qiao looked at the greenfield ground and her eyes are soaking in tears.
“And why would the Mimi Gongzhu care for the man?” The peasant girl still working on the wooden table.
Chu Qiao’s lips wanted to say a lot but now seems empty of words she simply said: “I am asking you a favor to rewrite the destiny of this man in exchange for this…”
Chu Qiao suddenly went flying in the mid-air and slowly performed the wind and cloud decree at the beat of her hands. The back was trickling with fire with small sparks of the ancient flower. The Oracle of the Higanbana flower is endlessly swirling in many Chinese letters inscription. The beauty of the flower and its fragrance slowly left her back and suspended in mid-air it formed the red Higanbana flower.
“You are giving up your powers to the underworld realms to save him?” Asked the peasant girl.
“No. I am offering it to open another chance for the man named Yuwen Yue.” Chu Qiao still on her divine-like figure while the Higanbana Flower is suspended in the mid-air.
Is he worth it? The peasant girl started to align and carve the white rectangular marble stones in the table.
“If it is worthy to do so, then yes.” Chu Qiao in her soft voice.
“The leader of the cloud and decree is the only person who can handle both powers of darkness and light. Do you accept the consequences?”
“Even if I have to face oblivion,” said Chu Qiao.
The peasant girl took the white marbles and threw it on the air. It gently went to cover the Higanbana flower then reads the new Oracle: “The Qinghai Prince will be restored to the human realms. So it shall be done.”
At the peasant girl’s words, the remaining white marbles began to form a line in the mid-air. A light started to imprint each stone.
Another Oracle was uttered to the winds: “The Mimi Gongzhu who abandons her powers will pursue the subject of her will. She will be given in a quarter time of the Ersatz divine incense. If the time seizes, you will face oblivion and forever trapped in the Ersatz realms. Do you accept?”
Chu Qiao without hesitation cast her words to the winds and said: “I accept.”
“The decree is now sealed.”
This world is never been an easy place.
**
When the dew of the morning drops, everyone expects to meet a new beginning.
After three years, the Moon Kingdom slept like an abandoned child while the Qinghai Empire expanded its influence over the Ximeng Continent.
Grand preparations have been made for the royal state visit of the Qinghai crown prince. Every hotel around Liang State was booked, where the royal entourage would stay. Every street corners were blocked and no one can pass except the royal guards. Tons of Qinghai goods have been shipped through the long lines of caravans entering the Liang state borders.
Baskets of flowers were showered on the aisle of the Jinwu palace as the Qinghai crown prince walks towards the Liang Throne. After passing the royal gestures and courtesies, Xiao Ce heartily accepted an old and familiar face. This time instead of a masked prince, the Qinghai crown prince exposed his face to everyone. It broke the customs and protocols of the Qinghai empire. And the neighboring Wei State was shocked and feels threatened but secretly traded alliances with the Qinghai crown prince while Yanbei remains cold and finds everything amusing, the King of Yanbei said: “Yuwen Yue how many lives you still have left?”
Xiao Ce squinted his foxy eyes and said: “Hello my old friend? How’s everything?”
Ra Yue still on his cold serious face said: “Am I really that old friend? We just met each other when you visited the Qinghai empire.”
Xiao Ce smirks and said: You can never be too old with good friends. And this is my lucky day because you accepted my invite to visit Liang state. Besides pretty girls, what can I offer you? How can I please you? Tell me.”
Ra Yue understands the reputation of the Liang Emperor to be easy going but very shrewd and foxy being afterward, he said: “Can I abuse your majesty’s kindness by visiting the Xue Fu Street?”
Xiao Ce’s eyes went big like an owl and said: “Of all the riches and pretty girls I can give, why ask for this Xue Fu Street? Tell me, is there something special in that place?
Xiao Ce lights a spark of curiosity while Ra Yue squinted his eyes he said: “I was once told a story of a deposed Queen who lived with the Empress-to-be of the Liang Empire.”
Xiao Ce swallows on his throat before answering he said: “And I was once told that a prince in the land of defectors and criminals lost his memories when he entered the Moon kingdom and left the surreal realms.”
Ra Yue downplayed it, said: “Besides Qinghai, there is no Moon kingdom or surreal realms.”
The corners of Xiao Ce’s eyes were even foxier, said: “Really? Look at me I am alive because of it.”
Ra Yue really thinks this Emperor’s mind is nuts and wanted to dismiss Xiao Ce’s half meant jokes, said: “When you find one, invite me. I will surely come.”
Meanwhile, Chu Qiao just came from the mountain temple to pray when she suddenly meets a royal envoy passing their way. Mei Xiang dressed in a fine white satin fabric, her head and face covered with a white veil while Ping’An dressed in brown sackcloth like a pauper boy, bowed to the ground. Chu Qiao slowly put her hood on her head, the taupe veil to cover her face, dropped her knees on the ground.
The royal envoy did not recognize Chu Qiao and her companions. They passed by as if they were strangers in sight. Chu Qiao somewhat at ease but suddenly finds herself in constant memory of her wind and cloud decree, she remembers the quarter incense of the Ersatz realm.
The royal passenger suddenly felt a chill, he slowly touched the curtain of the Palanquin and stole a glance from the roadside. But the three people already somewhat far and distant. Those cold eyes were half-squinted as if he would like to command and stop the envoy to check these people again.
Yue Qi’s eyes caught the Qinghai Crown Prince glance and tapped his horse and went beside the palanquin window, said: “Your Highness, is there something wrong?”
“Nothing.” A soft cold voice was heard.
Yue Qi did not leave at the palanquin window yet when suddenly the Qinghai Crown Prince said: “Turn back, we must catch them!”
Although Chu Qiao’s powers were disintegrated in her body, yet somehow her sharp senses remained. It can still predict whether danger and threat are real. She quickly tapped Mei Xiang’s shoulder and said: “They are coming back in our way. Stay put and alert. Ping’An, do not move unless I take out my sword.”
The royal envoy suddenly turned all their prime horses and run fast towards the three people who continued to walk like normal people.
Yue Qi shouted and said: “Stop!”
Yet the three people did not stop walking and continued to walk.
Yue Qi then stopped the horses and the horse’s envoy at his back created the dust to the ground. Yue Qi seen in a target position took an arrow from the quiver. He stretched out the bowstrings with his back arms and released the arrows trailing a rainbow path.
Swoosh…
Chu Qiao footsteps suddenly halted, stopped walking, her palms are twitching.
They looked unarmed but Yue Qi cannot underestimate these types of unexpected intruders. The horse is suddenly running towards three people to inspect them.
Suddenly, the leaves on the roadside began to sway and its sounds alarmed Chu Qiao’s wrist, making her veins swell, her palms, ready for a kill.
Yue Qi focused on the lady covered with a white veil over her head and face. Yue Qi took her. Now, it began to introduce its hostile environment when kidnapping the lady dressed in white began to happen.
Chu Qiao did not fret and Ping’An did the same. Still facing ahead of the road listening to the incoming footsteps from her back, heavy, cold and still.
Yuwen Yue stepped down from the Palanquin and went to Yue Qi, he said: “Isn’t really a coincidence or an intruder spy?”
Chu Qiao at the right time to strike, leaped high from her back and on her quick act went to protect Mei Xiang. Her sword shocked the entire envoy and time stops when Yuwen Yue took out his Poe Yue Jian sword and counterattack the Canhong sword.
Yuwen Yue knew the girl dressed in white is a decoy figure.
The howling fox sounds came to Yuwen Yue’s ears as the two swords clashed in the air. Ringing his ears, it brought him back to some of his past distorted memories. The Greenhills courtyard, the Eyes of God, the Wei empire, and the rest was just forgotten rewind of memories inside his mind.
An attack after attack flashed before their eyes, yet nobody is allowed to interfere. Yuwen Yue and Chu Qiao did not stop playing their swords as if they were not fighting at all but dancing in the strange fight. Neither of them wants to stop and all of their martial arts compliment each other.
Suddenly, Yuwen Yue felt he is fighting a battle he cannot win, he finally stopped and said to Yue Qi: “Release her. We shall meet them again.”
While the Qinghai men were all down to their aching joint and bodies. Their swords were neatly piled up and Ping’An was seen clapping his hands showing an innocent face. Like he wasn’t the boy to blame. Everyone down, the job is done.
Chu Qiao her head covered with a hood looked down, she likes to hear the words of retreat said: “When we meet again, you will have to remember!”
Yuwen Yue did not even look at her but said: “Who do I have to remember?”
Chu Qiao heard the cold words, it penetrated her heart like a haunting pain that crept her veins. The time left is slim and dangerous. How can this cold man recognize her before the incense of time seizes, she will disappear on earth and will forever be trapped in the Ersatz realm.
Xiao Ce was happy to receive the presence of the Qinghai Crown Prince to spend an afternoon tea ceremony. In a Gazebo pond, all of the maids arranged everything as if it was a turn back of time.
Yuwen Yue finds himself looking at the lotus flowers scattered among the man-made lake. Suddenly a lotus flower slowly unfolded its petals and he was stunned. He thought to himself: Why do I feel I have seen this before?
“Ahem…”
Xiao Ce on his fake coughs, ready to play games clapped his hands and at the beat of his hands, a live puppet show was mounted into the middle of the Chinese Gazebo pond.
And the puppet show started to run. Ra Yue turned his back to see the stage. He saw the puppets are swinging each other and a very talented voice over telling stories of two lovers who forgot each other’s memories. Xiao Ce looks in the direction of Ra Yue then said: “Are you going to stand there forever?”
“No.” Short and a bland voice came out from Ra Yue’s lips.
“Then come over here so we can watch together.” Said Xiao Ce who gave Ra Yue a slight flirty smile.
Ra Yue wants to please his host said: “You are not so full of surprises.”
Ra Yue walked from the open corridor towards the Gazebo pond, his envoy also walked behind his back.
Two pair of lovely eyes watched the puppet show. Yuwen Yue did not give any slightest hint of surprise. However, inside his mind is like a flickering candle, igniting his memories of the past. At the moment, he did not give Xiao Ce any chance to look into his soul. Xiao Ce is busy thinking about the next dialogues, he asked: “Yuwen Yue how was your trip to Xue Fu street?”
Yuwen Yue said: “Is this the pet name you wish to call me while I am on a state visit to Liang state? Who is Yuwen Yue?”
“Oh, my brother, you wish not to remember anything about your true identity? Have you forgotten anything about Wei empire?” Xiao Ce smiled at him.
Yuwen Yue gave Xiao Ce a slight stare and said: “About the heir of Eyes of God?”
“Oh! Thank goodness you remember!” Xiao Ce threw him a glance of his foxy eyes.
Yuwen Yue smirked and said: “I used it to my advantage to expand my influence to Wei Empire. And it was very helpful. These people really think and believe I am Yuwen Yue. The lost heir to the Eyes of God. Nobody could refute not even a single word, except that I do not want to let these hallucinations of the Yuwen noble people in Wei empire to continue or they perish.”
“Oho, you came to their empire like a Trojan horse! Everybody was stunned to see your face but they did not expect to see you act this way! Did you know you have not changed?” Xiao Ce is teasing Yuwen Yue more.
“Really? I did not change?” Yuwen Yue glared at Xiao Ce’s foxy eyes.
Xiao Ce deeply sighed and looked at the ceiling he spoke like he is going to tell a long story: “The fourth young master of the Yuwen household is the coldest and indifferent of all Yuwen brothers. He has eyes but chooses not to see. He has ears but chooses not to hear. He has a heart but chooses not to show his love. They used to call him Master ice cube. It is better to drown him in the icy lake than see him alive today than deny all of his family and Xinger is better when he is dead.”
“Xinger?” Ting… Ra Yue’s ears may have heard a little bell sound.
“Yes, Xinger!” Xiao Ce playing everything through the puppet show which is not taking any effect or working to his advantage did not mind to confuse the Qinghai Prince Ra Yue for a while.
Ra Yue paused for a second and said: “What do I have to remember by this name Xinger!”
Yue Qi came close to his ears enough to hear his whisper said: “Your Highness, Xinger is Master Yuwen Yue’s agent of sacrifice. She was personally trained by the Heir of the eyes of God. You have many stories to hear if you want to hear.”
Ra Yue understood and said: “Yue Qi, you are quite helpful but I don’t want you to elaborate further unless it is a command you must follow and no offense should be taken literally tonight.”
Yue Qi sensed a shame in his heart. After hearing those words, he went back to his post, stood straight, and gave everyone an emotionless face. He did not intend to offend his Master but he thinks he is not helping him either.
Xiao Ce stole the moment back to him when waived his hands, indicating to stop the fancy puppet show and said: “Very well. As this puppet show ends, I would like to open the banquet early. I am your extravagant host, Your master showman tonight. Who knows what I prepared for you?
Ra Yue couldn’t say no said: “Is there anything good that comes out of this?!” (whispering to himself)
“Let’s start the banquet early so we can also end it early. Qinghai men look tired and need rest,” exclaimed by Ra Yue.
Xiao Ce squinted his eyes showing smiles in the corners of his eyes he responded: “We have not started the day, and Qinghai men are yet drunk nor have enjoyed Liang’s finest women seems already tired? Where is the vigor? Ha ha ha”
Xiao Ce laughed out loud, enough for everyone to hear his evil laughs but the Qinghai envoy faces are serious, did not mind the Emperor’s joke at all.
Ra Yue couldn’t back down at the Emperor’s joke he simply said: “We did not know that Liang’s Xue Fu street is full of unplucked weeds. We were caught on a beautiful decoy figure to a burlap sackcloth woman who had an extreme martial art like a civet cat. Hence, the unexpected happens. The Qinghai men had to unsheath their swords and exhaust themselves for a little while.”
“Oh! You mean the black cat, a white fairy and the match stick guy?! You’ve met the weeds on the road but was pricked by their thorns! What did you do? Or shall I ask the reverse, what did they do to you? It seems your advance party cleared the way and makes your path safety and yet you mistreated them. But what did you do? Xiao Ce laughed out loud again.
Ra Yue said: What? You sent them as an advance party to clear our paths and ensure safety?
Xiao Ce responded and said: ” Treacherous paths are civet cat’s playground. You can stand here because she chooses you to be alive and not dead.”
Just like that, Xiao Ce cannot stop laughing at all even when he walked away from the Gazebo pond followed by his royal maids and eunuchs. Ra Yue looked coldly at Yue Qi. While Yue Qi did not react and followed his Master quietly when he remembered his words: “Let Zuo Zong find out about the woman wearing burlap sackcloth with a martial arts like a civet cat. I would like to remember this woman from this day forward.”
Xiao Ce and Ra Yue arrived at the Banquet. The Emperor and the Qinghai Crown prince were facing a different audience as the Prime Minister, Elders, and Royal Liang Council and other Liang Ministry branches gathered to honor their guest and their Emperor.
Sun Di not far from Xiao Ce started to speak: “Before our banquet starts tonight, may I have the honor to present to you the finest of Liang’s musical performers and dancers to welcome our honored guest tonight Qinghai Crown Prince Ra Yue.”
The musical performers started to form their line and bowed to the royal guests. What caught the audience eyes the most is the musical instrument called Bianzhong. An ancient Chinese musical instrument consisting of a set of bronze bells played melodically. Hanged on a wooden frame and slowly played using a mallet. This is not Ra Yue’s first time to see this ancient musical performance. When the graceful hands started to strike the bell to run the musical piece, like opening a petal of flowers, a set of finest women dancers came to the mounted stage. They look like the statues of Greek gods in Greece. They posed themselves like no one is allowed to breathe, waiting for the star dancer of the night.
The women were dressed and covered their heads with satin fabric. It must be expensive silk and the fragrance on-air suddenly spread to enhance the mood of the banquet. The maiden’s eyes were neatly decorated with various pearls and luminous powder blushers that made their eyes shine so bright but remain hidden under the dim lights.
Indeed, Ra Yue’s attention’s playing hard to please, not until the lights were blown off and the star dancer appeared from the only light above shining so bright. Along with the dim light, suddenly, a rain of plum blossoms slowly popped from the above. Not so long, an expensive silk rope tied from above was thrown at the middle of the stage. A beautiful woman on her perfect body form, tightly holding it, slowly descending from above sprinkling the entire audience and leaving their face in awe. Like an Angel who appeared from Qians (heaven) to earth, her face glows covered with an expensive thin Kashmiri silverish silk hood. Everybody stands in awe, mesmerized with the grand entrance.
Ra Yue cold as ice cannot resist stealing a glance from this woman. Matching the music of Bianzhong, she started to dance her hands and feet gracefully. She used her body to dramatically form the perfect arches but blended it with Gongfu martial arts poses. The face remains distant and unknown. She became the phantom of the night. She did not have the slightest doubt in her heart but she aims to capture the heart of man in front of her who is staring so cold and indifferent towards her.
Yuwen Yue’s memories started to spark for every mallet strikes from the Bianzhong instrument. And this woman in front of him is making him so uncomfortable, she is already affecting him. Yuwen Yue finds another distorted memory of the past, and like a dream that fades away, it stayed for a while and like the smoke of the incense, it is gone.
He began to feel upset but to be honest, his heart is really being pulled piece by piece from the dance performance of this beautiful jade skin woman in front of him. Her fragrance, her graceful moves is not the typical dance as Yuwen Yue reads all of her moves. Feeling romantic at all?
No. Instead it reminds him of his Gongfu martial arts, an empire, a bed full of plum blossom incense smoke and a bedchamber maid at night. He finally gave up his thoughts and started to utter words to the beautiful Emperor beside him said: The woman who is wearing burlap sackcloth earlier said, “I will have to remember!”
Xiao Ce who is intoxicated with the performance and whose mind was already drifting far away from Liang Empire, momentarily disturbed: “What do you have to remember?”
Ra Yue spoke again and said: “She is the woman whom we fought earlier at the Xue Fu Street, whose martial arts is extremely offensive, like a civet cat.”
Xiao Ce continuously drinking spirit wine, did not even mind his guest. He snorted a short expression of pleasure said: “Ei, really that offensive?”
Xiao Ce did not even bother to look at Ra Yue and did not look away from the dance performance when he said: “A hair of a Rapunzel, a face of an angel and a belly like a whore.”
“Is she a whore?” Ra Yue in disbelief checks the Emperor’s sanity.
Xiao Ce already drunk of the spirit wine is not in control of his silver tongue. He gave Ra Yue dreamy eyes and winked at him said: “It is rather a compliment when we call a woman’s belly like a whore. This is not an insult when you are in Liang State.”
The woman continued her martial arts dance and suddenly faded into the audience sight. Yuwen Yue extended his neck a bit but he can no longer see the star dancer, the heart starts to flood with so much regret.
Another dancer came to surprise the guests and changed the mode of the scene. A sword in display and there is a spotlight at the middle. The scene becomes a dramatic display and sad music that plays all along. Eventually, the star dancer came out again. This time showing her face but a covered head. Instead of dancing she took the sword and gave the audience a wonderful, hair-raising, spine-chilling swordplay.
Yuwen Yue was stunned, he watched every move of her hands that coordinated with her feet. In fact, Yuwen Yue even closed his eyes and imagined all moves in his mind and when he opened them, the woman was already in face to face with him, she said softly: “You will have to remember!”
Yuwen Yue caught her eyes and lost himself once again. In between a dreamy state or in reality, he must have said something like this: “If I will have to remember, you will soon forget.”
Chu Qiao locked her brows and threw her sword in the air, making everyone stunned, she managed to catch her sword on the other side and said: “I can remember anything. Try me!”
Yuwen Yue thinks he may have heard a word or have been pretending to be deaf but he said something like this: “Whether you like it or not, you will fall for me before you even know it.”
Chu Qiao heard and his words became like a piece of music to her ears, said: “Never let me fall, for when I do, I will make you regret it.”
Yuwen Yue cold like ice stared at her, said: “Then make me regret because I really would like to see you fall.”
Chu Qiao sighed for a while, said: “You never learn!”
She quickly snatched the Poe Yue Jian sword bravely from a cold, handsome crown prince sitting in a Zen position. The Crown prince wasn’t bothered with the star dancer’s misbehavior.
A calm voice slowly spoke, said: “This is really offensive my Lady. But tonight, I will show you how you can fall because you always forget why you have fallen.”
Sounds like a double meaning from Chu Qiao’s ears when Yuwen Yue speaks like the Ra Yue Qinghai Crown Prince has known Xinger for so long. Chu Qiao locks her brows and said: “If I have forgotten, why do I have to make you remember?”
Yuwen Yue stared at her beautiful face, cold blinking eyes, became speechless for a time. He moved his lips to say something but Chu Qiao said:” The walls have ears, illegal channels.”
Yuwen Yue somewhat upset, but still cold as ice started to fight Chu Qiao using his Gongfu martial arts combined with their swordplay. While the audience in awe realized they were already watching the ancient Jian swordplay. Some said: “It cannot be! Wow! Excellent moves! Like I live during my ancestors time.”
Eventually, Chu Qiao have to scale down her moves while Yuwen Yue took advantage of it, he tapped her left wrist causing her veins to swell for a moment, she lost the grip handle of the Canhong sword. Yuwen Yue did not even let it fall on the ground, swiftly took it.
To please the audience and to end this short discourse, Yuwen Yue bowed at them and bowed in front of Chu Qiao. As a cold gentleman as he can be, he handover the Canhong Sword in exchange for the Poe Yue Jian sword. This is not an act of surrender but a silent nudge implying the beautiful Lady: “This is a stalemate!”
Chu Qiao bowed to the Qinghai Crown Prince and in kowtow, handover the Poe Yue Jian sword.
Xiao Ce clapped his hands and the stunned, gauche, and beautiful crowd of Liang empire followed their Emperor and clapped their hands as well.
She whispered and said: “Do not forget you own a Cangwu bird, a lodge in the heart of the forest and empty cenotaph!”
Yuwen Yue gave Chu Qiao a cold look. He took the sword and walked like he is deaf to every word Chu Qiao just said. His footsteps wore the heaviness he feels in his heart. He suddenly remembers: “different scene, but why do I feel like this happened before.”
Chu Qiao looked at Yuwen Yue’s back with a painful stare before she took her Canhong sword and went out of their sight.
The two walked away with such beautiful awakening of unfinished business.
**
Meeting the master swordsman in the borders of Liang and Wei…
A man in his old clothing is sharpening his sword outside his barracks. The bird cages started to issue a sound of fleeting Cangwu birds when suddenly another handsome man from the high trees came to strike the old man’s back. With the man’s old age, his experience can only speak for himself. How can the old man defend himself from such fierce, perfect Jian master swordsman moves?
Two shadows danced in swordplay in this cold morning. The low mist gathered around and followed their fighting poses and then revealed their familiar faces into this beautiful mess.
“You have already taken off the mask in your face. Yet, you remain unseen and undiscovered in the first place.” The old uncle spoke like he is ranting to a lost nephew finally put back the sword in its sheath and relaxed a bit. He started to light up a small roll of tobacco and smokes.
“Is there anything wrong in teaching the hard lesson to your perpetrators?” Yuwen Yue put back his Poe Yue Jian sword in its sheath as well.
“Why teach your enemies a lesson they will learn to use against you?” The old uncle sat down in his old wooden chair.
“I am not teaching my enemies for them to learn. I am teaching them to straighten their own crooked paths.” Yuwen Yue looked far and saw the misty mountains.
“After they feed your fake body to the hungry fox and denounced your name to be forgotten, why not just kill them?” The old uncle puffs his tobacco.
“Death is too easy. I must not forget who suffered, cannot even count the loss.” Yuwen Yue still looking at the misty mountains and the old man smirked a bit, continued to smoke then a bird whistle was heard.
**
Recaps about Qinghai Empire…
Meanwhile, Qinghai’s Queen Zhejue was happy to hear about the reports from the gorge spies that the Moon Kingdom will just be part of history, lying on its own graveyard. After the Qinghai’s Crown Prince Ra Yue state visit to Liang Empire, a decree shall be passed to commence the planned extinction. The Qinghai Queen is happy with this thinking, the Moon kingdom shall seize to rule. Hence, disprove all of its prophecies to be false.
Ra Yue had been working in reverse order. He had been using an on and off strategy to conceal everything and plays difficult-to-read moves outsmarting the Qinghai Queen Zhejue. While the King of Qinghai still plays the role of being an absentee King, Ra Yue finally understood his curse is irreversible. If the Moon Kingdom shall lay to ashes, his father’s body will die and rot. Ra Yue even said: “Everything in Qinghai is ruthless and enchanted. The impossible becomes possible.”
“You must not forget the Moon Kingdom is like a key to the lost Qinghai power.” Ra Zheng continued to touch his ears while talking to his secret spy hidden somewhere.
Lan Shuyi on her kneeling with her face covered in dark cloak appeared and said: “I have seen the Jianghu spies gathered together by whom other than Zhong Yu. It seems they were protecting a child called Huan Huan.”
Ra Zheng suddenly wanted to listen he asked: “Who is he?”
“She is not a He, my Lord.” Lan Shuyi responded short and precise.
Ra Zheng stood up and gently took Lan Shuyi’s delicate face, he said: “Why are you giving me some thrill?”
Lan Shuyi responded back, said: “Huan Huan is very mysterious, my Lord. They said she has been raised by the Datong Way. What I know is she is very close to Wu Dao Ya and look at to him as his father after King Yan Shicheng died.”
“You have been very smart and useful in kidnapping Xiao Ba, but still cannot get any piece of information about this Huan Huan?”
Ra Zheng smirked at her then continued: “Say I would want to reveal the whereabouts of your son Hao’Er would you be cunning to find a way to break the Jianghu spies secrets or breach the Datong Way?”
“My Lord, Crown Princess Xiao Ba is an easy target. She is not a problem at all.”
“You can say that because you do not know her at all. But I do. I have seen her suffering in the cold-blooded empire of Wei. She hides a great deal of pain in her heart and loves a decapitated man. And this man sees a shadow of a ghost in her. I cannot bear it.” Ra Zheng drank the cup of tea from the small gold finish table.
Lan Shuyi was surprised for a moment when she heard the revelation of truth. She sensed deep care coming from the Qinghai’s Silver Prince.
The kidnap spree was not at all kidnap by crime. Ra Zheng wanted to snatch away Xiao Ba from Wei Empire so the abduction was done by Lan Shuyi with Ra Zheng coming to save the damsel princess. Before Xiao Ba could feel this was all an act of the drama, she was taken away by Ra Zheng after she was pricked with a sleeping needle during the night of the abduction. Ra Zheng did not leave any room of mishaps. He ordered Qinghai men to arrange the crime scene and made sure that the Great Summer will mourn for the second loss of Crown princess of Wei empire.
Before the Royal Palanquin left, he said to Lan Shuyi: “Your ex-husband Emperor of Great Summer will fall this time. With the second loss of crown princess for the Wei Empire, the Crown Prince will not be able to recover and there will be unrest with its people. This is an act of good revenge.”
The next day, a young maidservant came to Xiao Ba’s royal residence and said: “Good morning Princess, would you like to have a cup of tea?” While another older maidservant about 50 years old came in as well with a serious face she said: “What is good in the morning?”
Xiao Ba did not say anything and ask the maidservants: “How long should I stay here? I want to go back to my empire, my crown prince Yuan Song surely worried about me.”
Two pair of eyes are watching a beautiful princess staring so far from her window. And the eunuch behind him said: “The lady said, she wants to go back to Wei empire and the crown prince is surely worried.”
Ra Zheng feels upset, he bumps his hands in the wall and walk fast then left.
The young maidservant feels empathy with the lonely princes said: “When the time is right the Silver Prince of Qinghai will meet you.”
“Meet who? Silver Prince?” Xiao Ba cannot hide the curiosity in her face.
The older maidservant responds sarcastically said: “You do have to know. You should be thanking your savior and not thinking of someone who doesn’t even care about you!”
The last six words hit the bottom of Xiao Ba’s heart, she felt gloomy when she heard the unkind remarks.
Ra Zheng on his uncontrolled emotions towards Yuan Song, out of a jealous heart makes him order the standby servants: “My bow and arrow! Now!”
The servants calm but seen in the fast move likes to please the Silver Prince and immediately took off his princely garment and the servants put on his warrior armor. After a few minutes, the Silver Prince came out with a mad but more handsome face, who looks like a hungry fox ready to devour his prey.
The old Eunuch bows at him and said: “My Lord, don’t you think its time to meet your old familiar childhood guest?”
Ra Zheng quickly tucks some buttons in his chest and shouts angrily: “No!”
The old Eunuch not affected at his rude behavior did not fret and said: “You have all the time in the world, my Lord.”
Ra Zheng went out and rode on the prime horses waiting outside his palace corridors with some of his royal guards ushering him to the royal garrison.
A quiet yet loud beats of the chest, he held his breath then…
Swoosh…
Released the silver arrows fast with the perfect arc.
“Missed!”
A sudden low bass male voice spoke and the handsome man standing on his panting horse, wearing his velvet red hunting garments, came out of the woods.
The target hare was shocked ran fast.
Who invited you to disturb?!
Ra Zheng on his cold and handsome emotionless face loaded another arrow into his bow and pointed it to Ra Zhun’s horse!
Ra Zhun felt the excitement from his veins said: “Do you think you are challenging a beginner?”
Ra Zheng replied: “No, I am challenging a weak spot, color-blind brother!”
Ra Zhun loves to wear red because he was born with a curse in his eyes. He cannot identify the yellow to red and brown colors. Ra Zhun has to train his eyes to wear these colors every day and hopes to get his cure.
Ra Zhun responded with a glee tone in his voice: “Oho, you are seeing improvement, my brother! You do not want to try me!”
A mock was passed into the air and Ra Zheng venting out of a jealous heart and frustrated target did not hesitate to let go for another silver arrow.
The Qinghai Velvet Prince like a storm suddenly leaped in the mid-air and took off his two Persian Shamshir swords and with great agility tapped the butt of the horse and the horse went on a fast run. Ra Zhun executed a Persian style art of swordplay rejected the silver arrows with great precision just a few inches to kill himself in his chest.
“Hmm…Impressive! Yet even close to death!” Ra Zheng praised but mocked him still would not want to Ra Zhun to grow on his overconfidence and airy attitude towards everyone.
Ra Zhun not happy to hear the mocking said: “You praised me so much and yet insulted me more than what you do not like to see and hear.”
Ra Zhun quickly brandished small daggers towards Ra Zheng in spiral form, forced Ra Zheng to leap from his horse. For a moment, his feet touched the ground suddenly flew on air and back tumbling.
Now a tree is creaking with some noise, slowly cut from its bark, dropped to the ground. The royal guards were dispersed from their defensive position.
Ra Zheng laughed out loud and said: “Oh my brother! This is child’s play! Look at what you’ve done? Poor pine tree!”
Ra Zhun happy with the outcome he said: “It cannot be undone! I did what I have to do!”
Ra Zheng heard a happy brother said: “You do not have to force nature to do your damage! Is this what all Father spent in Persian Empire to train you? This is worst, do you know?!”
Ra Zhun absorbing all the insults gave him a big laugh: Ha..ha..ha.. Are you jealous or mad at me because I am able to bring more delight to Father than you? Your hunting ways are so outdated! Your ancient ways do not match my new methods!
“Do not be overconfident with your new ways, the ancient ways are still the best ways. Always trust the tried and time tested ways.” Ra Zheng is whistling to call his horse.
“I am the future and you will be the past. I am fast forwarding and you are rewinding? What can you earn from it!” Ra Zhun also called his horse by whistling and both horses came to their sides.
Qinghai Queen Zhejue lovely as the rising sun is seen bathing in the pool of light. It was called the cone pool of light because the pool is formed in a circle shape like that of the human eye. There is a thin line waved form in the middle that separates the hot and the cold water. Underneath is a cone-like structure clear cut pool mounted like a diamond on top of the ground base tiles of the Qinghai Queen’s Palace. It was told that the deeper one swims to perfect shape cone, no one lived to make it back to the top. The Queen’s servant palace rumors tell that the lover of the Queen turns out to be a Merman. He was imprisoned inside the pool of light by the Queen because of his unfaithfulness to her when the Merman came back to Qinghai with another woman.
The story of the Merman was no other than the Queen’s version of the punishment she bestowed to the King of Qinghai. To her wit and smart tongue, she managed to cover everything in her own twisted truths and hid the truth from the entire empire. Turning all back to normal at the crucial time of chaos, the Moon Kingdom was shut off and wrapped in poisonous vines. From thereon, the Qinghai Queen hid everything behind her bitter heart. Until now, her endless revenge is unquenchable. Pity and mercy do not exist in Qinghai. And the Queen wants to conquer the entire Ximeng continent by using Ra Yue, she thinks the son of the Qinghai King can be useful as she believes they are both cold, ruthless to unite the tribal bones and political grass empires. Only Qinghai will remain strong and stand alone.
The Qinghai Empire had never been recovered after the King was cursed and his body almost considered to be long dead after the Moon Kingdom was destroyed. The Celestial warfare ended it all. It made the Yuwen blood a hero and sweep the Jianghu spies defeated while the half-bred underworld spies took different roles in life. The heap of ruins would not let the Qinghai King’s body die and no peace is granted until the curse is freed. It can only be freed with the lover’s sword Poe Yue Jian and the Broken moon sword.
The beauty of pain can only be realized when the ugly door of happiness opens.
**
Reports of Jianghu Spies…
A group of spies gathered into a secret cave from the farthest steppes of snow-capped mountains of Yanbei. Everyone dropped a snow paper in the stone pot suspended in the middle of the star shape fireplace. The leader hasn’t arrived and has never given any advice to anyone in the league. Whenever the leader arrives, it is always an ambush visit. The heads all covered by white Hessian burlap fabric, the faces like an angel, and the eyes were heavily wearing white eyeliners. They looked divine when they call for a gathering, but looks atrocious Ninja’s if they are a spy at work.
Jianghu spies do not reveal themselves to ordinary people. But they always intervene for the good of the side they chose to follow. They often visit the leaders of the state, the Emperors in secret to foretell the future, send forewords about a warning or a threat if Emperor does not listen.
Jianghu spies balance good and evil. They break or make an empire. Unlike the underworld spies who are half-bred human with supernatural powers, they are full human flesh and blood and no supernatural powers. However, they possess extra human superior skills and also belong to the league of non-governmental spies. Unlike the Afterlife Camp spies who work as assassins for hire network, Jianghu spies do not work for money but for a secret code. If the mission is a complete success, the secret code is tattooed into the body to complete the Nirvana cycle. This is very important for them to liberate one human state into the repeated cycle of karma. It is the highest form of freedom from suffering which will lead to the attainment of true peace.
The Lesser leader arrived not revealing an inch of her face while the Greater leader shadow has never visited them for a long time. The Lesser leader came to sit in front of the star shape fireplace. No one dared to speak, no one dared to look at her. Her origins were not known to them, but the Jianghu spies follow her commands at her will.
She began to stir the stone pot and took the first snow paper. She sprinkled the appearing powder then read: “Misery”
A Jianghu spy stood up and said: Misery is everywhere, as long as misery torments and devours the people, the pain (or the curse of poisonous vines) will never cease to flow through their veins. The Moon Kingdom have suffered long enough to protect its Sun. The Sun (Qinghai) Kingdom wants to swallow the Moon. There can never be any hope. The leader of the wind and cloud decree has given up.
The Lesser leader said: To understand misery is to delay death. But death always marks a new beginning. This time we cannot stop it. The Moon must come to its full moon or the new crescent moon would not rise. Hence, misery transforms the full moon into a new moon.
Everyone was delighted to hear what they have to hear.
The Lesser leader sprinkled the disappearing powder in the snow paper and the snow paper was put into a wooden flask bracelet. She handed it over to the Jianghu spy who spoke about misery and picked another snow paper from the pot.
The appearing powder was sprinkled in the snow paper and the Lesser leader spoke: “After Misery, here comes, Wisdom.”
Another Jianghu Spy stood up and spoke: With ignorance, the people are always a victim of their own self. Forgetting one’s wisdom and prudence can lead someone to Chibi (means short). If you become short with wisdom, you can forget anything, your memories will be traded in a place of oblivion, a place of amnesia. It is the worst enemy of Sun (Qinghai) Kingdom which the Moon Kingdom contains and controls it. Aside from being blinded by the truth, they also forgot the ancient ways. The Underworld realms which are the keeper of all evil is being suppressed by the Sun Kingdom. While the Moon kingdom who serves as the scales of the Qinghai Kingdom to weigh good from evil will be overthrown. If this happens, who will balance the scales? Can wisdom still teach the hearts of those people who forgot?
The Lesser leader opened her mouth and spoke about Wisdom.
“Wisdom is the most elusive of all virtues. While Misery is always the path to avoid, Misery does not avoid anyone. Misery forces itself into all life forms. It does not respect anyone or please someone. Wisdom is different. The path to wisdom is like a young lover who pursues a beautiful lady and its desire to own it shall burn day and night. It is not gained by mere listening or studying.”
“Wisdom can only be cultivated and developed. In order for wisdom to become part of those people who forget, one must display the act of strong courage to own it. However, if Wisdom pledges its form to you, you must nurture it to grow. Wisdom places a high value of itself. It is always ready to leave if people take it for granted. To those people who have forgotten its ways, it will have difficulty finding it again unless one finds the Teacher with pure peace and good heart where wisdom chose to reside. People can only hope if they can find the Teacher whom Wisdom favors and reveal its ways.”
Every Jianghu Spies, closed eyes, tapped the middle of their nose and the middle of their foreheads. No one knows why they have to display such gesture. But it is said that it is a sign of inviting insight to breathe within them and let them stay in their temporal minds.
Again, the Lesser leader sprinkled the disappearing powder in the snow paper and the snow paper was put into a wooden flask bracelet. She handed it over to the Jianghu spy who spoke about Wisdom and picked another snow paper from the stone pot.
When another snow paper was picked from the stone pot, the Lesser leader suddenly was astonished. A violent wind came to shake the place and the stone pot was swaying. The last snow paper flew at the stone hedge door slab of the cave. Suddenly all heads bowed.
The Greater leader has a strong presence and unexplained autocracy, the plum blossom scent brings good memories to every Jianghu spies. Her beautiful body form with covered head and face came for an ambush visit.
A delicate hand, full of beautiful white ornate florals, hand painted henna tattoos, picked up the last snow paper from the ground. Having no appearing powder to sprinkle in it, suddenly crumpled it.
Everyone was shocked. No one dared to move when they saw the wooden bracelet hanging in the wrist of the Greater leader.
The wooden bracelet was recognized by everyone. It is a gift of Dong Fangyi to Lou He. Dong Fangyi was a secret admirer of Lou He. He stirred the emotions of Lou He and Lou He fell for it. The bracelet was given to Lou He as a pledge of their undying decree as a promise to each other to defend the Moon Kingdom even against the Sun Kingdom and free its curse from the Qinghai Queen. However, Dong Fangyi took a different path and Lou He was left alone standing for the decree. Dong Fangyi betrayed Lou He causing her untimely death.
The Greater leader knew everyone was looking a the wooden bracelet. She walked gracefully towards the star shape fireplace, then took out the bracelet in her hand.
The Lesser leader on her calm face assisted the Greater leader by bringing her the ash of appearing powder. The Greater leader took the snow paper inside the wooden bracelet and sprinkled the appearing power, it revealed: 自由
It means Freedom.
**
“Skyshadow, you are not going to disturb me!”
Zao Baocung is meditating, momentarily opened his eyes and saw the woman as cold as ice in her beautiful Hanfu fighting garment, a sword on her waist, she is a killing machine.
“You will need to bring a lot of calmness and indifference to this!” Sky Shadow handed a piece of paper snow to Zao Baocung.
“Wait, where are you going?” Hurriedly said by Zao Baocung.
“Rectify the situation!” Said Skyshadow who has her own mind and will. She acts according to what is needed at the moment and does not need any permission to do it.
“When the enemy is strong, make them closer than your friends.”
Zao Baocung reads the paper snow. He is not surprised to see it coming this fast. The Jianghu spies were all gathered to work overtime as their Greater leader declared the sacred word Freedom that cost her life. He knows as well the Lou He had been pronounced dead by the present time but he didn’t believe it was all true.
A turn back of time where Lou He was imprisoned and about to be executed. . .
“Call me Li Yul.” The enemy sneaked into the Wei garrison grounds and took Lou He’s hand dripping with blood and wrapped with a soft cloth to stop the profuse bleeding.
Lou He out of blood loss but a dangerous state of human life was taken out of the Wei Garrison yard by an unknown dark entity. Xia Chong came in too late found an empty prison cell. She tried to call Lou He’s name. Suddenly a group of chanting monks from the dark prison cell came to encircle her and started to frighten her. They started to cast a spell on her. Xia Chong tried all of her best to counter the spell chant cast upon her. Her underworld powers were not enough when they tied her up with the chains of her Greater leader Lou He. She asked for help but the last chanting monk cursed her. Xia Chong felt betrayed with her Greater Leader Lou He started to curse Lou He’s name.
The group of dark unknown entities suddenly came out of the prison cell and took Lou He and went out of sight trailing a secret path.
Meanwhile, Viper was waiting outside and sensed Xia Chong did not come back yet, she continued to spy on the Wei Garrison yard. Trailkoya was waiting outside the Black Palanquin and started to sense some strange entities dressed in monkish attires. Trailkoya knows who they are, he said: “Did you come to die?”
One of the monks dressed on monkish attire introduced his ruffian presence spoke: “We came to save an enemy.”
Suddenly, their surroundings produced an unusual rain of ice needles and their stage fight was interrupted. Trailkoya let go of the Monks went to awaken the horse and start to run the Palanquin. Exactly where Viper was waiting, Trailkoya took Chu Qiao and gently laid her body inside the Palanquin. Chu Qiao is wasted and looks dying. Viper pulled the reins of the underworld prime horses in the fast run towards the Moon Kingdom. While Zhan Ziyu and the afterlife camp spies were injured, another shadowless spy came for a double work that night. Xia Chong was captured by Tao Ye.
“Stop!!!”
The Skyshadow leader was about to kill Xia Chong but Tao Ye stopped it.
“Master, she can still be of good use. Why kill her today?” Tao Ye slightly counter attacked the belt sword of Xiao Yu.
Xiao Yu thought for a while and said: “She is a dangerous underworld spy! We must finish her!”
“Master! You cannot kill her yet until she spits out the underworld spy secret network.”
Xiao Yu thinks, Tao Ye is right, she put down her belt sword and back to the calm beautiful face, she said: Tie her up and imprison her and send her to Liang’s secret prison. She must be taken as captive!”
“Nuo.” (means promise) said by Tao Ye.
Deep of the night was over, and the dawn has finally come.
Chapter 080
♥Author♥Angel♥Chua♥
Impossible to Forget
The Beauty Emperor was staring blankly at the window from his magnificent Daoming Palace and remembers once again the dreaded tour to the Moon Kingdom, he whispered: “Impossible to forget!”
The Beauty Emperor’s destiny was rewritten in the stars but not his love story. Thanks to Zao Baocung who healed his forgotten memories and made it come back to his present mind. He can remember vividly, all his feelings, what happened from enthronement day down to his death, and how Chu Qiao tried to save him from crossing the afterlife twice. He promised himself not to reveal to Chu Qiao and so Xiao Ce puts on his mask and plays his pantomime.
After Chu Qiao’s encounter with the peasant girl, temporarily offered her wind and cloud decree powers in favor of the Ersatz realm, she became an ordinary citizen who went to every town and state to find Viper. However, she failed to find Viper traveling around Qinghai and living in secret inside the Moon Kingdom. From thereon, she remained elusive and kept a low profile status. She occasionally met Zao Baocung in the Thousand caves in secret and explained to him about what happened to her powers. Zao Baocung received instructions not to inform any of the Qinghai authorities about her presence in the Moon Kingdom and instructed Skyshadow to release Yuwen Yue’s Band of Brothers. As a result, the Moon kingdom remained in its hibernated state, as it lies in its ruins, several of its people may have rebuilt but not able to restore the former glories of the Kingdom.
As the Moon Kingdom continues to move forward, it struggled to keep its citizens in the stable financial and economic state which needs to be restructured because their supplies were cut off from Qinghai, one of their main source. Zao Baocungs relic store cannot provide it all but through the help of Datong Way, a portion of its funds is transferred through Zao Baocung’s stewardship. In return, Zao Baocung oversees the fund and redistributes it to the Moon people as food or in the form of mooncake or dumplings and shelter to defend the families in times of harsh dark winter nights or dry spell of mid-summer.
She also received spy report from the underworld spy Skyshadow that the lesser master of cloud decree Zhong Yu wants to meet her in secret but she refused because the agenda did not fit into her timetable. But if she can achieve her goal and have more time before it expires, she said she would like to meet her and the leader of the Datong Way Mr. Wu.
Chu Qiao’s primary goal was to unite the Underworld spies and Jianghu spies together. But this cannot be possible without the help of Zhong Yu and Viper both lesser masters of non-governmental elite spies. She was regarded as the heir of the wind and cloud decree but after the death of Lou He, she took the responsibility of the wind and cloud order.
However, since she lost her memories from the cliff hanger battle with Yuwen Hao, she was not able to fulfill her responsibilities up to this day. She was entangled in a beautiful mess with the Yuwen household as iron bell maidservant, became the Tiger General of Yan-Xiuli army, nearly bequeathed the next Queen of Great Summer Dynasty and about to become the Empress Dowager of Liang State. Nevertheless, can she still recover from her condition and unite these Underworld and Jianghu spies? Is there any possibility left that she can triumph over the Ersatz realm? Can she escape the seal of her own decree?
The Oracle of the ancient Chinese calligraphy inscriptions was temporarily suspended in the Ersatz realm which contains the power of the wind and cloud decree. Until the quarter incense time expires, the order of wind and cloud decree will remain forgotten and its owner will join its fate. There is no other remedy known, only consequences with no option to abandon the seal of the decree.
A throwback after Chu Qiao saved Yuwen Yue from Ersatz realm…
Yuwen Yue was drifting in the lake n sky and was found by the little Moon children playing along in the green field of the river lake. The Little Moon children also found his Poe Yue Jian sword and many little hands took it to hand it over to him.
Yuwen Yue looked at their faces and looks like the Moon Children knows him more than he knows himself he asked: “Do you know the name of this place?”
One of the youngest of all the Moon children said: “You are in the mirror of the Lake n’ Sky.”
Yuwen Yue heard but still disoriented became amazed at the unique colors of the Moon children chinky eyes but noticed their skinny body, he asked: “Where are your parents?”
One of the Moon children answered: “They are working in the field of Plum blossom flowers.”
Yuwen Yue went curious and suddenly wants to go and see the field of Plum blossom flowers. A cold face but light smile, he stood up and took his sword from the little Moon children hands.
Yuwen Yue looked so godly as if his clothes were never worn out, his calm but cold face looking bright and handsome, the Moon children were instantly attracted to him. He feels strange and something is not quite right with the surroundings. He thinks this is the first time he saw the Moon Kingdom and felt awesome with the view. In fact, some of its citizens know him very well.
The workers of the Plum blossom flower field saw the Moon Children and the handsome cold man strangely looking at them. Eventually, all of them ran to meet the Qinghai Crown Prince. The Adult parents came this close to the Crown Prince, yet no one dared to look at his face. Everyone performed kowtow and all foreheads kissed the greenfield ground. Not even a glimpse of his feet was allowed to be looked at.
Yuwen Yue feeling all the special attention and thinks he is a royal figure to these people required him to reciprocate into noble acts. Holding his glistening sword as the sun rays kissed its blade, he stood still.
Suddenly, the Moon Children took some of their harvests, brought him a basket of sundried golden plum fruit. While some of the Moon children took a bale of peaches and brought them all to Yuwen Yue.
Like a statue of a cold god, the Moon children offered the best of harvests to the Qinghai Crown Prince. Yuwen Yue could not refuse, he picked and tasted one of the golden sundried plum fruit. Next thing, he forgot everything he has to say.
The Moon children looking anxiously waited for Yuwen Yue to speak. However, the Qinghai Crown Prince never said any word and his face looked upset. The parents of the Moon children didn’t dare to move unless a word of command spoken from their surprise esteemed guest is spoken. Everyone hold their breaths when suddenly Yuwen Yue ran fast to cut a branch of the Plum blossom tree near the greenfields barrier.
A rain of petals flew in the beautiful greenfield, its fragrance started to drift and filled Yuwen Yue’s nostrils he thought of a familiar scent, a familiar childhood memory but cannot recall when or how. About to fall into a dream, but the handsome eyes of the cold prince went narrower, saw a horrific vast land.
Behind these glorious Plum blossom trees, a land of dry and parched ground appeared in his sight. Yuwen Yue felt uncomfortable suddenly went to hold the only plant that served as a barrier of protection from the devastated ground versus the safe ground. Yuwen Yue is an expert Mohist master but also have knowledge about herbal plants, immediately identified the tall grass-like plant to be a Citronella.
“Why? Can’t you believe this grass-like plant, works many wonders?”
Yuwen Yue looks at the cold druid priest dressed in his monkish attire. Feeling strange he replied: “Not at all, when I write, the scent of this grass clears my mind. These grass also alerts my stimulus of protection from deadly elements.”
“Now that explains your anger earlier, you cut some of the plum blossoms trees and started to uncover the dangers that wrapped the whole kingdom,” said Zao Baocung while Zuo Zong and Yue Qi arrived at the greenfield.
Beforehand, they are made aware of Yuwen Yue’s condition and Zao Baocung told both of them to act normal and regard him the same Master and Crown Prince of Qinghai. Zao Baocung never believes in surprises. He knows everything, but one thing, he is limited to do, is to find a cure of the Zàn Shí Chibi. For this reason, Yuwen Yue will have to depend on his present judgment and goodwill to put all his actions into appropriate behavior towards Qinghai and Moon Kingdom.
Given Zao Baocung knows Yuwen Yue’s condition, he saw this happening during one of his deep meditations. In his mental vision, Yuwen Yue was released from Ersatz realm through an unknown source of energy. He is also aware that his memories were somewhat distorted and cannot function at the normal continuum of Ximeng continent whether in Qinghai or Moon Kingdom land of existence. Yuwen Yue’s condition is called Zàn Shí Chibi (temporary short). For the time being, Yuwen Yue would not be able to recognize his usual memory of the past but they will be gathered one at a time if someone esteemed from his past will allow him to remember.
Is this a reverse of fate? Yuwen Yue saved but forfeited his memories? What about his wisdom, is it also taken away from him? Now the Chu Qiao remembers it all, Yuwen Yue’s memories are gone. Seems misery always has its way of breaking the hearts of these two lovebirds. Can the two lovers still meet at the end? Memories will have to work or nothing can cure this sickness to make these two lovers meet at one point.
On his temporary memory loss, Yuwen Yue became busy with Qinghai affairs. He did not have the heart to look for the woman called Chu Qiao anymore nor remember his past with the maidservant called Xinger. He also forgot his Cangwu bird, and cannot even recognize his former comrades and band of brothers.
This ill-fate brought so many changes in his behavior but with the same cold heart. Yuwen Yue began to accept his fate as the Crown Prince of Qinghai and has been working closely with his stepmother Qinghai Queen Zhejue with his brothers Qinghai’s Silver Prince Ra Zheng and Qinghai’s Velvet Prince Ra Zhun. Yuwen Yue was also given a codename as Snow Prince. The Eunuchs thinks it is the most suitable code name they can suggest and Yuwen Yue did not object. As cold as he is, it became easy for him to tackle his affairs given Zuo Zong spying and Yue Qi being the Palm, doing the punishment and reward system towards Qinghai’s political and state affairs. While Zao Baocung occasionally meets him in the Thousand Caves. Whenever Ra Yue visits, a specially designed mooncake is always available to reveal his identity that guarantees safe passage.
There were times that Zao Baocung is tempted to let the Moon and the Star meet in one sky of the Thousand Caves. However, whenever an attempt is done, Yuwen Yue plays tricky lures and traps, the unpredictability strategy makes him send several mooncakes only to find out some of it is just decoy mooncakes.
In his last visit, Yuwen Yue sent two or three mooncakes before the fourth one confirmed his visit just to make sure he does not compromise his trip, yet misses the chance to meet Chu Qiao. Truly a former heir of the Eyes of God, Yuwen Yue acts as if he is the fourth young master of the Yuwen household taking care of the Qinghai’s core of intelligence. Yue Qi thinks, his master may have been recalling some of his past memories and every time Yue Qi asks, Yuwen Yue always gives him a cold stare.
Aside from his daily royal duties, he began to exploit the outside world to look for opportunities by visiting the political tribal bones of Qinghai, yet reserved time to meet the tall grass empire Great Summer Dynasty, the beautiful Liang state and the harsh cold empire of Yanbei.
The Crown Prince of Qinghai started to implement reforms particularly its military affairs with the main concern of guarding of the Mountain Pass at The Great wall of Bohei mountains. Learning that there were a large group of Yanbei’s Black Hawk pressures, Ra Yue deployed station commanders to guard it day and night. One day a rearward evasiveness of several Qinghai troops instinctively kindled the military chain reaction. Not surprised of the well trained first row of the Yanbei’s Black Hawk Cavaliers, Qinghai troops took the opportunity to take down their horses.
Defeated and miserable, Yan Xun’s stiff face was blue. He can’t say any word for a long time even if there are almost no casualties at that time. A report was passed to Ra Yue that Yanbei’s Black Hawk Cavaliers tried to infiltrate the Bohei Mountain Pass. This gave him the idea that the Yanbei King is aggressively trying to slap Qinghai Great Walls. For what? Testing its firmness or wanting to taste Qinghai’s criminal and barbaric attacks. Ra Yue knows they will come back to return their fair share of revenge while Ra Yue is not worried at all but put some tight measures to defend the Qinghai’s frontier.
Aside from improving the military ground troops of Qinghai, Yuwen Yue started to invade the skies. He had been studying the gravity and forces through flying birds such as black hawks, vultures and the mighty bird eagle. He already knew the wings could give a man advantage that anyone does not usually have. This is not new to him. In fact, he already has some prototypes when he was still serving as the heir of the Eyes of God in Wei empire. He even used a pair of wings on one of his trip to Jile Pavillion when Xinger and her sisters were sent to die at the hands of Yuwen Xi. The reverse of fate happened, but the amount of hate will never be balanced when Xinger killed Yuwen Xi yet lost her sisters in the Pavillion of death.
Occasionally, a bird nearby comes in the Palace to encamps then tweets the name Xinger. This bird sounds did not escape Yuwen Yue’s ears, he heard it more than twice, thrice and sometimes he opens his palace windows and throws some bird seeds. The bird flies and eats the seed while Yuwen Yue is just staring coldly at it. Emotionless face, he seems to be indifferent to this Cangwu bird but always keeps bird food in his princely garments. Yuwen Yue keeps this as a secret and no one knows he is feeding the bird. No one knows as well that the Cangwu bird became his inspiration to form paratroopers.
After long months of development and research, Yuwen Yue finally unveils an airborne unit that completely relies on the power of the wind. Training the new troops of Qinghai men, the basic principles were etched to their wingspans; to fight against enemy forces, attack the enemy, prepare for less, and winning the odds. The sudden airborne combat is absolutely necessary. It has the advantage of overwhelming the opponents’ side but also spells sudden loss in front of an enemy who is trained to prevent it. This is the weak side, Yuwen Yue taught them.
“What would be the difference and advantage I have that the enemy will be ignorant about? How can I control the winds of the skies and win from my opponent?”
Yuwen Yue’s contemplating mind continues to soar in the skies. The idea still lingers in his mind until one day a flying bird carrying an object invaded the Crown prince Palace atmosphere. With the crossbow beside him, the quick reaction forced the bird to drop its balloon-like lantern but instead of dropping, it flew higher, reaching a higher altitude than usual. Yuwen Yue calm hurried his footsteps to ran when he took his bow and arrows. With positioned hands and feet, let go of the whizzing arrow in the air. The balloon-like lantern was popped. Now, both arrow and object fell in the waters of man-made lake of the Crown Prince Palace.
Yuwen Yue frowned suddenly calls his royal guards to swim over and look for the piece of the damn lantern balloon. He advised them to be careful and contain the object.
Another figure was standing tall, the eyes were beautiful as the flowers of the spring sparkled, saw what happened and said: “Even an heir of God can still be tricked!”
Yuwen Yue did not quite like the idea of this bow and arrows popping a balloon lantern in the middle of the afternoon. The next scene, exhausting Qinghai men to swim in the man-made lake and finds wet useless evidence of rabbit shape lantern pieces of paper. Yue Qi and Zuo Zong even laugh a bit about it and said: Did you remember Miss Hell? And both men laugh out loud but behaved when Yuwen Yue coldly stared at them and threw a rough look.
Yuwen Yue got an impression that his palace atmosphere is not at all well guarded and safe. He was unhappy about it, forced him to summon the royal guards.
A face covered with entire Kashmiri silk hood, forced to stretch the beautiful wrinkles in the corners of her lips but lonely eyes whispered in secret, said: “This is it. I have limited time left and the security of the palace will even get tighter. I am hopeless being, I became nobody to you. If I cannot breach your space anymore, then how can I even breach your mind to remember me.”
Suddenly the Cangwu bird flew back to a shoulder and behaved. Both beings walked sadly that afternoon.
The night came, when Yuwen Yue was about to close his eyes, he remembers the perforated rabbit shape lantern. He woke up again to see the rabbit lantern left at his chambers. He was looking for clues who might have the big courage to invade Qinghai skies throwing some useless childish lantern toy. Suddenly he noticed a portion of the dried paper reveals Chinese calligraphy “幸” which means Xing. Yuwen Yue read it aloud again and again. He noticed another character beside it but too faint to read, he reached out a small jade bottle and took the powder and sprinkled it in the paper. It reads “而” which means ‘er. Yuwen Yue like a broken record went to say it aloud over and over again: Xing’er, Xing ‘er, Xing’er.” It became an open puzzle needs to be solved. It became his delight when he finally found a dumb and same time smart reason behind it he thought: “I will create big rabbit balloons in addition to my paratrooper glider troops.”
He smiled and continued to think: “I will ride in one of these giant rabbit lantern balloons to open the curtains of war and make the enemy fell in one swoop. This way, not much of a blood loss, only surprise attack and the other side will be panic-stricken unable to organize resistance.”
The lantern sender meant for him to gather his memories of the past but Yuwen Yue ignored a part of himself while he was already starting to uncover his past. The memories must come naturally for him to remember. There is no definite cure except Yuwen Yue’s recognition and acceptance of himself.
The next morning came, everything back to normal but Yuwen Yue hides behind a facade or pretending he didn’t care about what happened yesterday. He began to release a decree with a detailed plan to construct these huge rabbits lanterns in a balloon-like structure that can fly the skies.
“Consider it done Your Highness.” And the Eunuchs left to deliver out the decree.
Everyone was astonished how did it might have happened that the Qinghai Snow Prince formed these plans in a very fast manner, where an average man will need many years to complete it. The Qinghai Princes heard and read a copy of the decree and they all laughed at it saying: “Ra Yue will call them White Rabbit balloons? Are we going to ride these in the skies and risk our lives in those balloons?”
Yue Qi and Zuo Zong gave a shocking stare and said to their Master: “Your Highness, did you remember the lantern festival a few years ago?”
Yuwen Yue again shutting off the sparks in his memories, said: “What do I have to remember?”
Yue Qi and Zuo Zong looked at each other, quiet but not confused. They knew their Master Yuwen Yue is going through a lot of transformations and even if they knew him for a long time it is still not easy to predict his ways.
Chu Qiao has been busy reading the news articles when she was caught in a headline: Liang Emperor’s Prairie Silk Road travels to meet the Lord of Qinghai with the first line: “The Khan Road to the Sky.” It will pass by the eight major prefectures built from the Southern territories towards the Eastern to Northern territories that directly controlled the passages of Central Asia and China.
Strings of struggling camels and camel bells create the traffic that became music plays day and night in the Prairie Silk Road while the main Silk Road was unimpeded. To the foreigner’s merchants language they call the main ancient trade routes as Silk Road but inside China is it originally called the Jade Road and the other road is were also called Prairie Jade road. But foreign merchants continued to call it the Prairie Silk Road trade route. Because when traveling in and out of China, Chinese Silk traders from wealthy families buy slaves to encamp the long road alleys to display and sell first to low-grade kind of fabric called silk for barter trade.
Chu Qiao couldn’t believe that the Beauty Emperor is traveling to the Far East to meet Yuwen Yue. She remembers, Xiao Ce hates distant traveling it makes him ugly as he always says. Chu Qiao chuckled in the idea she was thinking to surprise his former best friend. Would Xiao Ce remember her? According to Zao Baocung, the Beauty Emperor’s memories were left at the forgotten river. Zao Baocung and Chu Qiao spoke in secret but do not see each other face to face in the Thousand Caves.
Chu Qiao asked him what happened after she disappeared in the day of her enthronement and Zao Baocung answered: “Mimi Gongzhu, if you will show yourself to Liang people and claim that you suddenly disappeared with the Dead Emperor, this will create a huge chaos. The dead emperor was ushered by the Urshan to the Forgotten River and take his soul to the afterlife. However, Viper came to cut the crossing of the dead emperor and the Order of the wind and cloud has been violated. The Viper was punished by the Urshan and was swallowed by the great undertale of the ancient dark breeds. After a year I saw her roaming around but…Zao Baocung cut the story.
Chu Qiao asked: “And what did you do to help?”
Zao Baocung did not speak for a while and took a deep breath and speaks: “She lost her memories and I cannot help her Zàn Shí Chibicondition.”
Chu Qiao knew what it meant, took a deep breath said: “Pity her, she took it upon herself to save my best friend.”
Zao Baocung responded: “She must have felt misery, and might have lost her faith when she already knew you were trapped in the Ersatz realm with an indefinite return.”
“I was dreaming and floating and all of my memories flashed in front of my eyes but I could not make any physical movements,” said Chu Qiao.
Zao Baocung turned his back, teary eyes and said: “How could I not know. I was…”
Chu Qiao heard she hold Zao Baocung’s back and said: “You were what…” and Chu Qiao violently tore Zao Baocung’s shoulder and saw a black mark tattoo.
Chu Qiao astonished and said: “No!!! You…you…” Chu Qiao, her faint face of disbelief. The Chu Jing Healer will share the same fate with the Leader of the wind and cloud decree.
Zao Baocung walked a bit but then stopped and said: “I know everything, and I am also going to disappear if you cannot save yourself from the quarter time incense ticking in the Ersatz realm.”
Her head is low and eyes are welling in tears she said: “I am sorry my friend…I do not know how to escape my decree. I only knew I want to save this man.”
Zao Baocung heard and stopped walking again he said: “Fortunately I know the solution to break the quarter incense of time from Ersatz realm.” He continued to walk and left Chu Qiao.
Chu Qiao’s ears ringed so loud, she shouted at Zao Baocung: “Wait! wait!”
Zao Baocung stopped and Chu Qiao was already at his back, she asked him: What is the solution?”
“The solution is a person, who also fell into condition Zàn Shí Chibi. You know who.” Zao Baocung paused to hear what Chu Qiao has to say.
Chu Qiao was puzzled, she only knows two people who have been involved deeply into the Moon Kingdom and experienced the Underworld spies.
Was it Xiao Ce? Chu Qiao asked Zao hoping for a positive answer.
Zao Baocung frowns and shows a clown face, said: “Maybe?”
Oh gosh, do not do this! I am serious! Chu Qiao is looking desperate.
Zao Baocung likes the Mimi Gongzhu to guess more he said: “You can try…if he can break it for us.”
Chu Qiao retorted and said: “I don’t want to try and try. I want the sure way or we will both disappear in this present time!”
Zao Baocung wants to play hard to get, snorted: “Oh yeah, I feel threatened but between us, who is asking?”
Losing patience now, Chu Qiao said: “Fine if you don’t wanna tell, do you want me to kill someone now?” Chu Qiao smiled at Zao Baocung and the chinky eyes became so beautiful but a dagger is ready to cut his neck.
“Eaaaasy, pretty princess. I found this Cangwu bird, let its Master remember!” Zao Baocung stretched his arms pointed to the direction of a noisy Cangwu bird.
He smiled at her even if his dry throat is somewhat hanging on to his breath.
“Hmmm… It is Yuwen Yue or Xiao Ce? Did the two men had already erased me in their memories?” Chu Qiao sweetly smiled at Zao Baocung but did not let go of the sharp dagger on his neck.
Zao Baocung tried his best to talk, said: ” You will have to be strong Mimi Gongzhu. I cannot bear to see you suffer and have a broken heart once again. The pain of losing memories and trying to make the man remember will damage your heart. If the man chooses willfully not to recover from Zàn Shí Chibi, you break your heart and at the same time, we disappear from the earth. I would rather just disappear than to see you break your heart again. It is best if you do not try but it is not going to do you good anyway.”
Chu Qiao has never heard any serious words coming from this old man, she removed her hands from his neck. She felt his words are true she assured him: “I will try. This is what I traded for, in exchange for the wind and cloud decree.”
Zao Baocung does not want to sound demanding he said: “I can set it up for you.”
Chu Qiao rejected the help, she said: “No, I will find myself away.”
**
Meanwhile, Yuwen Yue secretly meeting the Ex-spies, they were suppressed and somewhat abandoned but Yuwen Yue did not stop to pursue them. When he found them, he told them they were not retired from their post and they have an important mission to do. He did not inform Yue Qi or Zuo Zong about it because Yuwen Yue’s mission is to revenge his open wound heart and he does not need help from them or he will blow his undercover.
For the first time in so many years, he will have to revisit the place where he was taught, the people he thought loves him as a family, the lordship promised to him, an empire he was supposed to inherit. But with a single act of mistake, out of his love for the girl who was destined to be a spy of sacrifice, the name Yuwen Yue was mocked and ridiculed.
In Wei’s history is often told, the Fourth branch of the Yuwen family released an official communication of forbiddance to utter the name, Yuwen Yue. To make it more grave and horrific, anyone who utters this name Yuwen Yue is regarded as a grave sin and it is punishable by hanging in the tree of death.
After the order was passed, the old Yuwen Gao felt depressed for many months to a year especially when Yuwen Yue’s corpse cannot be found, he has to cover up the story to put an end to his adopted Grandson single act of mistake. To their eyes, Yuwen Yue made a mistake of using the Yuwen’s government’s time and resources to put up an exhibition and run after the pretty girl spy of sacrifice. This is somewhat true and no as well. What really happened there was, he came as a man’s best friend to make a truce to Yan Xun.
When Yuwen Yue was in the middle of the frozen lake, he is rallying Yan Xun to put a stop in slaughtering all of the innocent households like what he did to Mo’ers family. But because Yan Xun is opportunistic, and knows how to produce a perfect headline the next day, being aware of his best friend’s feelings towards his Tiger General, he mercilessly used Chu Qiao to lure Yuwen Yue’s feelings.
It caused Yuwen Yue’s reputation and best spy guards to be deceived and defeated. It led to its frozen lake shameful death using the Tiger General as a bait. The next day, the people’s tongue spread the fire of shame and uselessness about the heir of the Eyes of God but there are people as well who opposed and hid the whole truth about what really happened in the frozen lake.
The Wei Empire suffered contempt and the Yuwen household was put into serious internal chaos that led the shutdown center of its spy and repository mandate. The Greenhills courtyard maidservants were expelled and the Yuwen’s best spies were defected and abandoned the heir of the Eyes of God. While the old Yuwen Gao was exposed alive and was kept to the Greenhills courtyard prison for many months until he was restored back to temporarily become the Master of the Greenhills courtyard and Eyes of God.
The story of Yuwen Yue’s defeat must continue and Yan Xun wants a blame game tactics to ruin them all and lead the downfall of the tall and proud political grass Great Summer Empire. To fulfill his revenge to the very last drop of Yuwen Yue’s blood, he said: “Sell these useless dead bodies to the old filthy Yuwen Gao for 200 taels of gold. Make a profit out of it!”
The Yanbei generals looked at the corpse and Cao Meng Tong is likely to say anything good but said: “It is barely unrecognizable my Lord! I am sure the old Yuwen fox is not idiot not to do perform post mortem of this body. They will know we tricked the old wicked Yuwen fox!”
Yan Xun looked at Cao Meng Tong sharply but Cao Meng Tong has the guts and nerves, he heard him say: “That is exactly my goal. The old Yuwen fox will think why did I send him this fake body. He will know we trick them but what can he do? This is the only way they can end the story of Yuwen Yue. As a Master of the Eyes of God, he must admit their defeat and punish this dead meat to satisfy the outrage and anger of the Yuwen nobles and Yuwen ancestors. And the Great Summer Emperor shall never recover as well”
A Yan General gave an evil grin and replied: “I bet these corpse won’t even have a place in the noble mausoleum tombs of the Yuwen noble ancestors, my Lord.”
Yan Xun sarcastically chuckled, said: “Are you new to this world? If they do not throw these fake bodies to the dogs, then Yuwen Gao must have lost his mind. These two bodies will crush his spirit. It will serve as a reminder that he lost his face in front of Wei and to the World (means Yan Xun).”
A’Jing rebutted and delivered the last piece of advise before they hand over the unrecognizable fake body of Yuwen Yue: “My Lord, please reconsider your karma. If you execute this act today when you already have gotten your revenge from the frozen lake, the cycle of karma reverses it back to you.”
Cao Meng Tong with a husky chuckling voice said: I could just imagine the old Yuwen fox grilling this dead meat in front of the Yuwen nobles. Not to mention, they will have to pay a high price for this unfortunate dead meat. You make a profit from useless things, my Lord. What a bright idea this is! This revenge is the best I have ever heard so far!
Cao Meng Tong cannot control his useless tongue said in front of the Yan General assembly: “Useless meat for 200 taels of gold? Cào nĭ zhǎng! (means go fuck your head!) This price can feed the Yan army for 10 years!”
The Yan Generals heard what Cao Meng Tong said and gave rhetoric looks to each other passing a secret glance saying: Can anything good come out from the mouth of this fucked General?
Another Yan General had to murmur a comment and said: “If He Xiao is here, he already cut his fucking goat head!” The Yan General is talking the opposite of the goat but used this positive secret word to ironically insult Cao Meng Tong and silently defend A’Jing’s opinions.
And the Yan General chuckled he murmured as well and said: “So Cao Meng Tong is the goat?”
“Stop the fucking trash talk at my back! I am the fucking G.O.A.T.! Do you want to be killed today?” Cao Meng Tong already at their backs with a clean dagger blade ready to cut their necks. (G.O.A.T. – stands for greatest of all time)
Yan Xun saw Cao Meng Tong, said in a low haunting male voice: “It does not matter who is the goat! Sit Cao Meng Tong!”
Yan Xun had to calm himself and thought for a while looked at the direction of A’Jing and said in a slow manner: “A’Jing let me remind you, how many lives lost inside Yan family? How many innocent Yan grass cities suffered after the loss of my own family? Am I only avenging my bloodline? Do not forget, I represent Yan Shi Zi. In other terms, I am the World.”
A’Jing was silenced and remembered his dead relatives and families. What Yan Shi Zi said was true. There will never be blood balance between the Yuwen and Yan household. The scales of injustice is forever etched in the veins of Yan Xun and karma won’t stop until the last drop of Yan blood will be avenged. He had to let go of his opinion of the matter and follow Yan Xun’s footsteps.
Another beautiful General wants to say something but the feather girl sealed her lips.
In the end, even if Yuwen Yue’s act was successful turnover for Yan Xun it did hide the fact that Yan Xun’s ways are brutal and cruel. His revenge was true to what they said: “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” He did not consider Chu Qiao’s feelings whether this would forever stain their good relationship or thought about Yuwen Yue’s sacrifices when he blindly abused his power, to defend the Yanbei’s crown prince safety without compromising Yan Xun’s position and himself. Yan Xun’s heart is cold and dark.
When Shen Jin Gong Emperor of Wei read, he sent a decree of exception in addition to the Yuwen order and approves it. The Eyes of God passed it through secret channels of communication addressed to Wei valve nobles and princes. The Fourth Yuwen branch order was amended which states: “The Great Summer Emperor and his royal sons may use and utter Yuwen Yue’s name without bearing the consequence of the Yuwen Order.” Since then, the Yuwen family had to accept another slap in the face, losing another face in front of the Great Summer Dynasty Emperor and Wei nobles. It is one of the hardest time the Grandfather Yuwen Gao had to endure.
With the growing hatred and reaping of unlucky fortune of the Yuwen household, the Yuwen ancestors must be appeased. Yuwen Gao called for a ceremony to appease their ancestors but before it happened, he bought the fake body of Yuwen Yue and Yue Qi.
Yuwen Gao ordered the Yingge Hospital to carry out the post mortem of the two bodies and to deliver the post mortem report to the Emperor. Not so long, Yuwen Gao ordered the Yuwen servants to burn these fake bodies and return the ashes into the Chinese urn with their spirit tablets beside it.
In the Temple of Yuwen ancestors, the middle was a huge gold lion basin full of fragrant tall incenses that burns day and night. Fruit offerings and money offerings are often burned to honor and give remembrance to the dead relatives. When Yuwen Gao came in, he was feeling upset to see the monument tablet that the Emperor sent in remembrance of the late Yuwen heir. Beside it, is the late Yue Qi’s spirit tablet. The old man, holding a machete suddenly smashed Yuwen Yue’s spirit tablet monument. After smashing the erected tablet monument, the old man felt tired, suddenly dropped his handicapped body on the dusty tiles of the floor. The Yuwen servants tried to help their Master, but Yuwen Gao became angrier, pointed a dagger to his servants and said: “Throw these temple urns, you idiots!”
**
Before he was called the Lord of Qinghai, Yuwen Yue already scouted Qinghai, his new found land after his frozen lake death. Being connected to different peddler Lords of the East essential for his survival, by delivering goods to rich Lord’s address, he studied every map and strategic locations of Qinghai’s black market. He knows exactly how Qinghai mainly controlled the trade routes of wheat, rice, oil and other first-hand commodities fundamental to the survival of grass dynasties.
The East is always the gateway to the West where he found the floating black market called Shangrila. Shangrila is a gigantic trading vessel that delivers goods from east to west and vice versa through water channels. Oftenly, the Shangrila operates its business in the middle of the sea. Where ship merchants can enter and trade with goods and services in the middle of the sea.
If Yue Qi and Zuo Zong were left to work with Qinghai affairs, Yuwen Yue is secretly working in the Wei Empire. Yue Lui and Meng Feng became his most trusted spies to carry out the revenge plan to the Yuwen household. Who knows well about Yuwen household than the late Yuwen Heir Yuwen Yue?
In other words, Yuwen Yue became the White Robinhood. Showing who is the real Heir Eyes of God, everyone, thought they were seeing a ghost. When he showed up dressed as the Master of the Eyes of God, everyone welcomed him and wants to help him. He simply said: “What can you offer?”
He robbed the Wei Empires commodities from the black market, turned all of its trade alliances in favor to him. This act prevented all commodities to enter the waterways of the Wei Empire. Logistics were now redirected to large warehouses near the YanMing Guan Pass. Yuwen Yue also had a nephew he called the Black Sun Pirate. He became the leader of Qinghai ruthless defectors and mercenaries who performed the act of evil to counteract more evil. These are barbaric pirates of the Qinghai world who will not forgive any acts of not surrendering to their smuggling activities end up saving thousands of children and adults from victims of illegal slave trade industry in the Wei Empire.
A secret meeting is about to happen. A Black Palanquin suddenly stopped in the middle of the road.
There is a tall, handsome young man, 16 years of age, the head is wearing Black Sun bandana in his black ninja suit greeted Yuwen Yue. He bowed in front of him and said: “Uncle, as of today, the Yuwen household were not able to buy more slaves as they expected their time of shipment would arrive. We have stopped the logistics activities and recovered 1,000 children and 500 adults. We have put them into our temporary shelter near the YanMing Guan Pass, and sooner or later, the adults will join the workforce in our local warehouses to feed their children. I have wished them to live well and enjoy a normal life.
Yuwen Yue heard it all, felt some ease in his heart he said: “Mo’er, you did not forget to strongly impress where this frustration is coming from?” Did you make sure the Wei empire and Yuwen household shall know who did this act?”
Mo’er showing a serious face, he said: “Yes Uncle. I left another Black Sun Bandana as a clue and the snow paper together with the small bingxue (snowice) arrow tip as a token.
Indeed, this is the third time Yuwen Yue has sent these pieces of clue to the old Yuwen Gao. Although the bingxue (snowice) arrow token was not as perfect as it was made inside the Yuwen household winter foundry, the old and smart Yuwen Gao should read who is the mysterious sender.
Holding the pirated bingxue arrow, it is almost identical and close to the original bingxue arrow made from the Yuwen winter foundry. Yuwen Gao for the third time quietly confirmed that Yuwen Yue is alive and has a secret message in the snow papers he sent. Yuwen Gao almost wanted to jump and rejoice for silently confirming the idea that his grandson is alive and well. He asks the Yuwen servants to bring him the appearing powder and the first two snow papers. He opened the three snow papers and sprinkled the appearing powder.
I can never repay you
But Grandfather owes me a lot
And I am going to collect all of Yuwen’s debt
Yuwen Gao understood, he whispered: “He is truly the rightful heir of the Eyes of God.”
Yuwen Gao’s response to all of Yuwen Yue’s aggressive moves is passiveness. How can he fight the very heir of this Yuwen household? “This is futile for I can never win,” he concluded. So even if the Emperor cut Yuwen Gao’s head right now for negligence to execute its commands, he is ready to face the fangs of the Shen Jin Gong execution.
“I can only hope that Yuwen Yue shall remember the virtue of mercy after he is done collecting the due from the Yuwen household, my grandson, welcome home,” Yuwen Gao suddenly feels heavy from happy to depressed face.
Meanwhile, Yuwen Yue visited the Local warehouses and temporary shelters around it. He is happy to see that a new community is starting to emerge. The ugly circumstances these people and children faced can no longer be traced in their faces. Mo’er is directly reporting to Yuwen Yue about the parent’s condition if there are any complaints about earning enough salary to live a decent life with their children. The people feel important and more freedom is what they were thankful for and not the money they earn from their work in the local warehouse. Yuwen Yue’s ears happy to hear the report, he smiled genuinely for the first time in so many years. Mo’er noticed his Uncle’s wrinkles in his chinky eyes he thinks it is good to ask: “How is Auntie?”
Yuwen Yue in a happy mood he replied: “Auntie is roaming around, pretending I do not know her whereabouts.”
Mo’er smiles and said: “Uncle, you need to talk more than doing many useless actions. Auntie may think you do not really care at her at all.”
Yuwen Yue joked at Mo’er, said: “If I remember everything, then Auntie will soon forget. Action will let her know, that I have already finally grasped the world she dreamed about.”
Yuwen Yue used his fingers and points to the direction of the playing children with happy faces. In a deep voice, said: “Look at them, this is what Auntie calls – freedom.”
Mo’er happy to hear his Uncle for being part of this Freedom community is healing his bitter past.
The secret to the ultimate revenge is to do good, it is never about killing.
“Thank You, Uncle, for taking care of me, and never forgot this orphan child left from blades of Yanbei.” Mo’er finally let go of Yuwen Yue back to Qinghai Empire.
Yuwen Yue never thought that his plan of revenge would produce a good result rather than inflict damage to the Yuwen household. He is not really surprised to know that his Grandfather will be passive to his aggressiveness. It seems the old man is waiting for his return by doing nothing, however, if this continues, it is almost equivalent to treason to Wei Empire. What can Yuwen Huai do about it if he finds out his cousin Yuwen Yue is alive?
**
Chu Qiao saw the crowd of people waiting for the historic event of the Most Beautiful Emperor’s Travel event “The Khan Road to the sky.”
Speculations have been raised that the Beauty Emperor will pay homage to Qinghai Empire to display public praise and a special honor to the one who saved his life when he was stabbed to death from the hands of his own stepmother. The deposed Empress Yuan died on the same day after she tried to kill her His Highness. It is both sad and unfortunate day for Liang Empire. For they lost all of their noble rulers including the Fengguan Empress Dowager Chu Qiao. The Liang Empire almost could not recover from the triple loss, which the former Empress Lu Zhi had to fill in. Thank God for the former Empress Lu Zhi did not give up her grandsons and his son one day would return after many months of disappearing from his throne. Viper assisted Empress Lu Zhi to remain in power and promised the Empress to make the impossible possible by helping Chu Qiao bring back Xiao Ce from death to life.
Xiao Ce released a publication proclaiming to all the dynasties in the entire Ximeng continent about his near-death experience and wants to repay and reward the noble act to Qinghai Empire.
The Qinghai Empire cannot find the person who saved Xiao Ce’s life. The Beauty Emperor requested the main person but the Queen Zhejue knows this well, she thought about Skyshadow and the Master Healer of Chu Jing Kingdom but this all wrong. It was Chu Qiao who saved him at the expense of Viper’s life.
The Qinghai Queen was not keen on the details for she does have any access to breach the underworld spies network. She has no power to affect the realms inside the Moon Kingdom. The Qinghai Queen is very upset and even angrier this time because the Moon Kingdom is suddenly exposed to the Ximeng Continent from this beauty Emperor’s state visit. This should not happen for it will stir up many problems in the future that may be used to attack Qinghai if the secret underworld Moon Kingdom is exposed.
However, this time, the Beauty Emperor determined to find who is this person used all of his royal resources to make this historic event possible. Chu Qiao eyes are far-looking at a distance, the long Prairie Silk Road was decorated by the people of white to gold expensive silk. It served as an expensive carpet and it looks like a slippery path of snow. As the Royal envoy steps in its soft grade fabric, the road glistened like the beautiful Chisui lake of the Great Summer Dynasty.
The beautiful transformation of the Prairie Silk Road cannot be compared to any other roads in the world. The wind brushed the desert sands from the desert mountains, the sand dunes continue to hurt the people’s eyes, and the autumn trees continue to lose their red-brown and yellow leaves, the spring flowers bloom start to fall off too from tree branches and the Prairie Silk Road full of white to gold silk fabric, now turned to the instant white snow road.
Thousands of royal guards stand on each side followed by Liang armies defensive formation that blocked the roadside. Sun Di led the way. The people such as dog slaves, the merchant and traders, the young and the old, the poor and the rich, were in kowtow position, all of their heads bowed to the ground.
At the middle, is the grandest and biggest Palanquin made of gold. A pair of lovely foxy closed eyes and the body of the Beauty Emperor is sitting in a Buddha position calmly meditating. Around the Palanquin’s four corners are four braziers full of fragrant aromatic incenses. The smoke scent of Ylang Ylang flowers spread on the air, Xiao Ce breathes in total peace and serenity.
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