Chapter 18

"Will you show your presence to him?" Xiu asked.

"No, not today. I will not send him away either. He will leave of his own accord. He cannot feel the essence here, so he will just see this place as a beautiful, mysterious realm. If he leaves now, he will return soon. In fact, he might come back more frequently," Lien said with certainty.

Xiu's face flushed with a mix of emotions; anger was predominant as he thought about Da Zihan's intrusion into their space. What if he laid eyes on his beautiful Lien? There would be no doubt that Da Zihan would be drawn to her. And if Lien was to reciprocate those feelings, Xiu would be devastated. He felt a pang of guilt—if only he hadn't ventured into the library. But who could have predicted a human would appear there after over a hundred years?

He snapped out of his thoughts as Lien asked, "What are you thinking?"

"Nothing," Xiu muttered. "Lien, he is not the same as you."

"What do you mean?" Lien's brows furrowed slightly.

"You have spiritual beads and opened an immortal path ages ago. You might look like a child, but you are far from it. That boy is not like you; he is just a lowly child," Xiu said with indignation.

"Xiu! Do not speak like that. I have never looked down on anyone, regardless of their status. He might be mortal, but everyone has the potential to open their immortal path. It's just that the process is not available on the other side where he came from."

Xiu snorted derisively. "He might be able to open an immortal path, but it would be a low rank in the heavens, one that only grants a mundane existence as an immortal, similar to those common folk can achieve. It's best if he remains ignorant of it and what lies beyond, lest he attempts it."

Lien was unperturbed by Xiu's words and continued to gaze at the unconscious boy lying beneath the almond tree. "I envy the tranquility he is in. He could even eat from the durian fruit," Lien said softly.

"Those are strange words from you. Why would you be envious? Eating, sleeping—those are mortal ways. They do not benefit immortals. They only deplete the spiritual beads within and can cause a weakening for a hundred years."

Lien pouted. "But I want to experience those things again!"

"No, you don't!"

"Yes, I really want to."

"The only way is unattainable," Xiu replied defeatedly. "Even the legendary figures have tried and failed. It's not wise to assume you can."

Lien grumbled, her mouth forming into a pout. "I know," she said.

At that moment under the almond tree, the little silhouette began to stir. Da Zihan sat up, stretched his body, and yawned. "This is comfortable. After long nights sleeping on the hard floors of the roadside, this place is a much-needed respite. The grass is soft and feels almost like a bed," he remarked to himself, tapping the ground lightly beside him.

"It's time I went back to the palace," Da Zihan said, rising to his feet. He glanced back toward the pathway he had come through, his eyes fixed on the short distance. The waterfall continued to flow ceaselessly from the top of the ridge, revealing nothing of the magical figures of a girl and a white-furred rabbit who had noticed him earlier.

"Will it be the same as when I came through earlier?" he wondered aloud, shrugging his shoulders. "I'll have to find out," he decided and moved toward the waterfall. As he neared it, the tranquility of its flow was apparent. Unlike other waterfalls, it lacked a violent nature, flowing down at a gentle pace that seemed to bestow a calming essence on those beneath it.

Given this, Da Zihan felt confident he wouldn't be affected negatively by walking through it. Any pressure from the waterfall would be momentary. He stepped forward purposefully toward the waterfall. When he finally stood in front of it, he looked up toward the empty horizon of the ridge, speculating that perhaps it led to more mountains and valleys. Bringing his gaze back to the waterfall, he stepped into it without hesitation. There was no forceful impact, nor did it feel like his clothes were getting wet. It felt as though it were a translucent presence, passing through his body effortlessly, as if he weren't even there.This strange phenomenon reminded him of the tales he had heard about magical bridges in his own world.

"Could they share the same mysterious origin?" he pondered as he walked through. There was no barrier stopping him. He realized that the method of running into a wall might only apply to the other side.

Soon, Da Zihan found himself back in the library. He glanced around, looking at the walls once more and admiring the intricate designs. "No one else can ever know about this," he thought, heaving a sigh. He had no idea how much time had passed.

He carefully returned the books he had perused previously to their original places and stepped outside the room. The breeze of a perfect morning greeted him; it was just the next day. "I haven't overstayed," he muttered to himself.

Just then, he heard a voice from the courtyard. "Little Highness, Little Highness, where are you?"

He moved toward the source of the sound and found a young, yet mature-looking woman calling for him. Her appearance was neutral—neither beautiful nor unattractive. Notably, she didn't curtsey when she saw him.

"Her Highness ORDERED your presence," she emphasized, making it clear to Da Zihan that even she considered him insignificant.

Da Zihan, calm and unperturbed, nodded and followed the woman. Entering Da Xia's residence, his expression remained unchanged; the beauty of the palace no longer impressed him. The mysterious realm he had visited was far more wondrous.

The lady chuckled derisively as she noticed Da Zihan's unflinching expression. "Look at him, acting as if this place is something he's seen a thousand times before," she muttered under her breath. She had expected him to be awestruck by the splendor of Da Xia's residence, but she could never have guessed that he would remain so unfazed.

They entered the castle within the residence and passed through several courtyards, eventually arriving at a large dining room. The room featured a grand table surrounded by rows of chairs, laden with various delicacies and wines. Da Zihan immediately recognized it as the dining area.

The lady who had brought him hastened her steps and approached the head seat where Da Xia was seated, another woman standing close by. Da Zihan stood still, waiting silently for Da Xia to speak, his gaze firmly fixed on her.

"Won't you sit?" Da Xia finally asked after a long silence.

Da Zihan exhaled and moved towards one of the chairs lined behind the table. Suddenly, Da Xia's voice rang out, sharp and commanding, "What are you doing?" She asked, the cutlery in her hand suspended mid-air.

Confused, Da Zihan replied, "I'm sitting down as you asked."

"Asked?" She scoffed. "First, it was an order, and second, you cannot sit at this table."

Da Zihan remained calm. This woman had guts, emboldened by the old fool backing her. If not for that, he would have demonstrated the power of the seal. He thought for a moment and then asked, "If I am not to sit at this table, do you expect me to sit in the air?"

At this point, the lady who had brought him interjected angrily, "Don't you see your seat in that corner?" Da Zihan looked over and saw a small, shabby chair and table with patches indicating Da Xia's efforts to make life difficult for him. He shrugged openly, indicating that he did not care, which only made the lady who had brought him hate him more. She wanted to see him break, to see that calm gaze turn to one of despair.

Da Zihan sat down in the corner, and with a wave of Da Xia's hand, an attendant brought a tray to his table. It was covered, but it was clear that it contained his meal.

"Eat up," Da Xia said as she resumed her meal.

Da Zihan uncovered the tray to find excessively watered mushroom porridge and a small loaf of stale bread. He didn't reject it arrogantly—this was minor compared to what he had eaten on the streets. He dipped into the meal and ate without complaint.

Da Xia was perplexed. Everything she had done was meant to break the boy's spirit, yet he seemed unfazed. Her perplexity was accompanied by the quiet anger of the lady who had brought him, who clenched her fists in frustration.

"You will have your meals here every day. I will choose your clothes, and you are not allowed to leave the residence I have provided for you or contact anyone. Is that clear?" Da Xia listed and asked.

Da Zihan had no issue with this arrangement. He smiled, thinking about the benefit he had gained from coming to Da Xia's residence—the discovery of the mysterious realm. If not for Da Xia's invitation, he wouldn't have found it.

Slightly angered by his nonchalant response, Da Xia snorted. "Hmph! Meiling will look after you. She will bring your clothes and escort you here for meals."

Meiling, the woman who had brought him, was fuming internally, knowing she would now be stationed in that deserted place. Nonetheless, she dared not disobey.

After finishing his meal, Da Zihan stood up and bowed, saying, "I will comply with Mother's arrangements."

Hearing him call her "Mother," Da Xia's body shivered with anger. "Don't ever call me that again, or you'll regret it!" she yelled.

He said nothing further and began to leave, with Meiling following.

Upon returning to his residence, Da Zihan noticed the clean and orderly state. Meiling was slightly shocked, knowing her master had provided him no help; he must have done it all himself. Passing through the front entrance, she observed the debris and leaves were gone, replaced by fresh air.

"This little boy has indeed experienced much," she thought as she watched his small figure walking ahead. Such maturity at a young age was unusual, making her reconsider if he was truly just a boy or perhaps an old spirit in a young body. Though such theories were often dismissed as mere tales about immortals.

Da Zihan opened a door along the corridor, revealing a well-arranged room some distance from the library. He had scouted all the rooms beforehand and chosen this one for its condition and location.

Meiling looked into the room, surprised by its state. "You can stay here," Da Zihan said. "This is the best in the whole building."

Scoffing, Meiling replied, "You don't expect me to believe that, do you? Of course you'll say that to make me like you. How can this be the best room when you've taken it for yourself?"

"Whatever, I don't care if you think that way," Da Zihan said and walked away.

In just one night, his attitude had shifted profoundly. The allure of the throne now seemed insignificant, and the seal in his hand felt like a mere trinket. There was something beyond this world, something the mysterious realm had revealed—it was heaven.