They moved along the dark pathway which was lightened up a little by red boiling lavas.
It frightened Mei jingjing she held unto Li Jie's arm even tighter.
Two beast guards moved about, Mei jingjing and Li Jie both hid in a corner waiting for them to leave.
Once they were out of sight, they both sighed in relief.
Li Jie glared at his frightened wife who leaned held unto his arm holding it tight.
"You are so.... why did you even come here?" he whispered but Mei jingjing could hear the annoyance in his tone.
"I.... couldn't let them hurt you." she said innocently with a low tone.
He wasn't going to scold her now, first they have to get out of here.
"How did you get here?" he asked in a whisper, Mei jingjing suddenly remembered Daiyu.
"I don't know but when Daiyu was about to vanish, I grabbed unto her arm and we both ended up here."
"Daiyu?"
Mei jingjing brought the seal from her sash. "She was trying to steal this but thankfully I was able to get it back from her."
"Where is she?"
.....
Daiyu rested on the wall lost in her thoughts when there was a sudden knock on the door.
Li Jie glanced at his stubborn wife who looked away.
"You had her locked up here?"
"She was trying to kill me, I had to do something about it." Mei jingjing defended herself.
Li Jie opened the door and Daiyu stepped out, Mei jingjing hid behind Li Jie.
Daiyu had a smile on her face. "I see you've found him."
Li Jie kept his gaze Stern. "How do I get out of here?"
Daiyu walked up to him. "Only I can get you out of here, just like how I was the one who brought her here."
"Get us out then."
Daiyu folded her arms. "Why should I do that?"
"Cause I know you will." he sounded so sure about it, Daiyu swallowed hard finding it hard to keep up with her act since he sounded so sure about it.
"You know this isn't a fair fight, get me out of here so I can prepare myself for the real battle." he added hoping it will convince her.
Daiyu glanced at Mei jingjing. "We also have an unfinished battle Mei jingjing, you also need to get prepared."
Li Jie didn't understand her words, what was she talking about?, but Mei jingjing put on a brave face and gave a slight nod. Daiyu couldn't believe she was doing this but...
She held both their hands and they were back in the house.
"One more thing." Li Jie said.
"What?"
"How do they plan on getting my powers?"
Daiyu paused for what felt like hours before opening up. "It's a ritual."
"What kind of ritual?"
She walked up to the window. "Once you're done with your healing process which is the first stage, you'll be taking to the ritual room where you'll be tied to a wall and..." she paused.
"And what?"
She took a deep breath. "The walls will close in on each other smashing every bone in your body, Your blood will be drained into tiny tubes and that's what they need, your blood from the ritual is what they need."
Mei jingjing gasped holding unto Li Jie tighter, If she hadn't gone on time, Li Jie would be dead?!.
Li Jie kept a straight face as he stared at Daiyu. "You helped me get out of there on time."
She pointed her blade at him. "I didn't help you, I only want you to get prepared."
"Either ways you helped and I appreciate that."
Daiyu kept quiet, Mei jingjing felt a little sting in her heart watching him talk to her like that, she was actually trying to kill her and steal the seal but he's thanking her?
Weng Lie paced around looking anxious, Chaoxiang showed up staring at his anxious face.
"What is it?" he asked.
weng Lie glared at him. "I thought you had Li Jie with you, but his wife always intervenes in our plan."
Chaoxiang smiled. "I let them get away doesn't mean I have no clue what I'm doing, you see he needs to get prepared for what's coming."
"Why let them get away, didn't you see them escaping?!"
"Why wouldn't I, it's my territory after all but I told you, he needs to get prepared for what's coming."
Chaoxiang walked ahead with his arms behind his back.
"The first ritual is complete, he hasn't found the last seal yet, things are just starting to get interesting." he chuckled.
.......
Daiyu had left leaving Li Jie and Mei jingjing alone.
"What about my guards and weng Lie?"
"Your guards are out and weng Lie is nowhere to be seen."
Li Jie frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Well, after you were gone, things went crazy after that, weng Lie was nowhere to be seen but Haorang and Chao Xua has been with me through out."
Li Jie nodded still a bit confused, the both of them had a lot in their minds and it wasn't the right time to celebrate each other.
Chao Xua and Haorang finally showed up.
"We've got your message princess and....." Li Jie stopped halfway and his jaw dropped open at the sight of Li Jie who had already freshened up and changed his dress.
"Young master, is that you?" Haorang asked finding it hard to believe.
Li Jie only kept his face pokered as he gazed at them.
Chao Xua walked up to him and wanted to poke his cheeks but Li Jie slapped his hands off.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Chao Xua and Haorang exchanged glances and grinned.
"It's really him." they jumped on him falling Li Jie to the ground, Mei jingjing was surprised as she held back her laughter covering her mouth with her palm.
"Get off me!" Li Jie found it uncomfortable while Mei jingjing found was cute.
"I knew it was you, no one can be as grumpy as my master." Chao Xua said playfully.
........
They left the place and continued on their journey hoping not to get caught by Chaoxiang again.
They wandered off till they got to a nearby town, it was being decourated for the autumn festival, the place was beautifully lightened up.
Children played around, a little girl suddenly tripped and fell to the ground hurting her knee, she screamed in pain which caught the attention of Li Jie and Mei jingjing.
Li Jie got down from his horse, so did Mei jingjing as they hurried to the little girl.
"Hey....., are you alright?" Li Jie asked softly, the cute little girl glanced up at him with her big blue teary eyes.
"I..... I hurt my knee." she said pointing her bloody knee to him.
"I hope you don't mind me seeing it?"
The little girl hesitated for a while before moving her leg to him.
Mei jingjing watched him hold the little girl's leg as he examined it.
"Does it hurt?" he asked, she nodded while cleaning her tears, Mei jingjing made her sit on her lap.
"You don't have to cry okay?" Mei jingjing said sweetly. "Aren't you a strong girl?"
She nodded, Mei jingjing smiled at her.
"Can you keep a secret?" Li Jie said gaining the little girl's attention.
"I can."
He smiled. "Close your eyes."
She closed her eyes looking excited as she ignored the pain in her leg, Mei jingjing wondered what Li Jie was about to do, Li Jie glanced around to make sure no one was watching and slowly rubbed his fair hands on the little girl's knees, a yellow light shun from his hands and before Mei jingjing knew it, the wound was gone.
Mei jingjing was utterly dumbfounded by it, how did he do that?!, Li Jie kept his gaze on the little girl.
"Open your eyes."
She slowly opened her eyes and she wasn't feeling the aching in her legs, she glanced down at it and saw her injury was gone, her big blue eyes grew wider in surprise.
"My wound is gone, I feel no pains at all." she exclaimed but Li Jie shhhed her up with a smile.
"You promised to keep it a secret, remember?"
She nodded with a grin and got to her feet. "I pinky promise." she let out her little pinky for him, he crossed his pinky with hers.
Mei jingjing felt her heart warm up watching their little friendly conversation. who knew Li Jie was so good with kids.
Li Jie got to his feet as the little girl still gazed at him.
"You're really handsome, are you new to this place?" she asked.
Li Jie crouched next to her. "Yes, I'm new."
The little girl glanced at Mei jingjing who crouched beside her. "She must be your wife judging from how pretty she is."
Mei jingjing felt her cheeks heat up at the little girl's words, Li Jie gazed at Mei jingjing who refused to meet his gaze.
"Do you have a place to stay?" she asked.
"Why do you ask?"
"So I can take you with me, my parents have enough room at home, I'm sure they'd let you stay for the night."
Mei jingjing shook her head with a smile. "No thank you, we'll manage."
"I insist, my father is well known in Jiangnan town."
Li Jie looked around. "This is Jiangnan town?"
She nodded, "please come with me, it's the least I can do for your kindness."
Haorang and Chao Xua smiled at the little girl, Li Jie nodded and he helped the little girl unto the horse with him.
She grinned. "This is fun!"
"You've never ridden on a horse before?"
She looked over her shoulders to gaze at him.
"No, but I like riding it with you, cause you're my guardian angel."
Li Jie smiled at her and rode of on his horse.
She showed Li Jie and Mei jingjing each part of Jiangnan as they passed by till they got to a huge building.
"Welcome to my home." she said.
Li Jie gazed at the big building, Lijiang kingdom was much bigger but this house is exquisite.
Li Jie helped her down before getting down as well.
Chao Xua and Haorang gazed at the beautiful house.
"It's true what they say, do good and good shall definitely come to you." Chao Xua said.
The girls parents came down from the stairs to meet her.
"Chyou fen, were have you been?" her mom crouched to her level hugging her.
"I'm fine mother."
"I told you not to stay out this long chyou fen." her father looked utterly worried.
"Sorry father, mother, I was on my way home but I sprained my knee."
"Gosh are you alright?" her mom checked both her knees but they looked perfectly fine.
"But your knees look fine."
Chyou fen smiled. "Yes, my guardian angel saw I was hurt and came in time to fix my knee." she pointed at Li Jie.
"Guardian angel?" They both glanced at Li Jie and the rest who bowed politely at them.
"Greetings." Li Jie said politely.
Chyou fen's parent bowed at them as well. "Greetings, thank you so much for bringing this naughty girl back to us."
Mei jingjing smiled. "It's nothing at all."
"May I know who you are?"
"They aren't from here father, they're looking for a place to stay." chyou fen said.
Li Jie smiled at her. "I'm actually Known as master Li Jie from Lijiang kingdom."
The two couples gasped in surprise as he mentioned his name, they suddenly bowed politely.
"Young master Li Jie, it's you." Chyou fen's father said sounding really surprised.
Wow, seem's like they've heard of him. "How could we not have noticed, the golden eyes says it all." Chyou fen's mother added.
"Please come in." he ushered them in.
They walked into the house with Chyou fen holding unto her mother.