17 CHAPTER FOURTEEN

It was night time, the moon light making him see the way, his legs took him to the Yuqiong fields.

Once he arrive there he froze, the once vibrant place was now dark and grey, the flowers were burnt and the petals turned to ash.

Up ahead was a dark wooden table, he walked towards it and froze, this wasn't a table, it was a coffin.

Thump. Thump.

His heartbeat started to beat very fast, blood rushed to his ears as his shaky hand slid the coffin top open.

There laid inside the red rose lined coffin was Li Xiwang, his eyeless corpse starring right into his own soul, he took a step back screaming in horror.

The corpse sat up and turned to face him.

"Wang Zunyan!"

He jumped out of bed, his forehead covered in sweat. He looked around the dark room and sat on the lotus position, he closed his eyes and tried to do the Tu Na breathing technique.

The evil thoughts were suppressed and he sighed, what was the meaning of that dream? Could....could Li Xiwang be dead for real?

"No...it can't be"

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The room was dark, the crackling fireplace only providing light, she stepped inside and closed the door.

Up ahead was the emperor's throne, she flicked her wrist and three acupuncture needles popped up, she threw three then at three different positions, one on the arm rest, one on the back of the chair and one on the head rest.

"Wang Jun, you will pay for kicking my son out of his own home"

And with that she left the throne room to her private room.

The following morning, Wang Jun woke up early, the official scrolls he had left last night were still waiting for his jade seal of approval.

He sat down and felt three stings of pain in different parts of the body, one on the arm, his scalp and his tailbone.

He opened his mouth to call for help but nothing came out, the doors opened and Wang Jing entered the room, her eyes were dark and sinister.

"You kicked out my son from his home? Why? Because he loved someone, are you that heartless"

So this was the work of his wife? The betrayal he was feeling was no match for the anger building up inside him, he leaned forward and pulled the needle from his scalp out.

"Wang Jing! You did this?"

"Yes, what will you do? Exile me as well?"

His other arm pulled out the needles from his body, he staggered towards her.

"You will pay for this"

"So you'd rather kill me than bring my son back home?"

"He is not my son!"

There was silence, Wang Jing took a step back with tears in her eyes.

"You made me pregnant Wang Jun, are you truly denying the truth?"

He shook his head.

"That's not what i meant, what I meant was"

A ball of fire flew towards the empress making her gasp, she ducked and turned to face Wang Jun.

"You-"

More fire balls were thrown at her, his foot stomped on the wooden floor making it crack and fly up, he used the air and sent the pieces of wood flying toward Wang Jing.

Using her water tricks, she slashed and froze the wood, once the air cleared up Wang Jun was nowhere to be found, she looked around and left.

"Wang Jun! You can run but you can't hide!"

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Wang Zunyan made his way out of the guestroom he spent the night at, he walked around the quiet Zhengyi Palace.

"That dream....what could it mean"

"Look out!"

He ducked and looked at Zhang Jing in shock, there on the ground was a large piece of wood.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Zhang Jing shrugged.

"Making you come back to reality, you were deep in thought I thought you were a walking corpse"

"Ha-ha" he said with an eye roll, She giggled and ran off.

"Childe Wang, can we talk?" Zhang Wei said behind him.

He sighed and followed him inside.

"I just wanted to know, what happened yesterday?"

Where should he begin?

"I was exiled"

Zhang Wei frowned, how can a crowned Prince be exiled without cause?

"Why?"

"I....I did something terrible"

Did Wang Zunyan kill someone? A sect official?

"Oh...then you can stay here then, if you want that is"

"I can't, you have started to rebuild Zhang Shi sect and i don't want to cause you any trouble"

He nodded, but he can't let him go that easily, people will surely bombard him with questions.

"Stay at trunk mountain, we will bring you food and new clothes every day, until we find a way to help you that is"

He smiled, he was right to consider Zhang Wei a friend after all.

"Thank you"

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"And I am pleased to open the new project we have been working on, Lianmin library" he said.

The people of the Li Shizu sect applauded with pride as they took in their new library, the building was really fancy and very well stocked in manuals and sutras.

Li Jun turned to face Li Qiang.

"Why the name Lianmin?"

"It means mercy, I guess it has something to do with Madam Li Na"

"Ohh, when I die I want my wife to name a building after me as well"

"Mm...wait what?"

Li Jun slapped her mouth, how could she be so careless. Her widened eyes looked at Li Qiang who wore the same expression.

"Li Jun....you...."

She sighed, it's clear her friend heard her so why hide it anymore.

"Yes....do you....do you find it strange?"

Li Qiang laughed.

"I'm in love with Li Xiwang who is another man and you ask me if I find you fancying women strange"

She laughed as well.

"Well then, since we both know each other's secrets, we have become more closer than before"

"Mn...what do you think Li Xiwang would do if he heard that you fancy women"

She shrugged, she never gave it much thought.

"I don't know, but I think he will try and set me up" she said finishing with a sigh.

"I'm sorry....I didn't mean to bring your mood down"

"No it's not that....the person I had feelings for....is gone now"

He put his arm around her shoulder.

"Don't worry, you are a pretty girl, you will find new love soon enough"

She nodded and walked away leaving Li Qiang behind. He sighed

So Li Jun likes women, who knew. And now the person she liked is gone, gone as in no more? Or left?

He gasped.

"Li Jun you like the late Madam?!"

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Trunk mountain, the place where Wang Zunyan was to spend his time at.

The place was tidied up for him and a makeshift bed was made for him as well, firewood was gathered and a clay stone stove was given to him.

He sighed as he looked around, the birds chirping with their mating calls and the trees rustling in the wind.

"Has my life come to this?"

He suddenly heard something, it was the sound of a seven string Guqin, the melody was dark and sad.

He stepped out of the cave and walked towards the sound. Deep inside the forest he saw a young woman, her bright red robe laid delicately on the ground, on her lap was the dark wooden Guqin and her fingers played it beautifully.

"Who are you?" He asks.

The melody came to an erupt stop, the woman looked at him making him gasp.

This woman had no eyes, just a black void where her eyes are supposed to be, he drew his sword.

"I said who are you?"

"I am Shangxin, I came to see you personally"

He frowned. Shangxin? Doesn't that mean grieve? He took a step back.

"Who died?"

The lady cackled revealing her extraordinary white teeth.

"Wang Zunyan, let Li Xiwang go, he is dead and you dreaming about him isn't helping him reincarnate, each day you dream of him, his soul is sent a hundred years later into the future"

"Ah Xi....is dead?"

"Listen! If you want him back, stop dreaming about him, it is high time you accept that he is gone, he wants to see you again but you won't let him....let him go"

He shook his head, let him go? What about him?

"No, i will dream of him until I die, then we will be reborn at the same time"

Shangxin cackled again, her fingers strummed on the Guqin making his ears ring.

"Let him go!"

"No!"

She strummed again, this time blood started to flow out of his ears.

"Let him go!"

"No!"

A bright flash blinded them and a sharp tune of a dizi flute echoed inside the forest.

Shangxin looked around in panic, she strummed her Guqin and faded away.

Wang Zunyan fell to his knees, his ears were still ringing and his vision was becoming unclear, he saw someone step out of the forest running towards him.

"Wang Zunyan!"