Transformation

Yeshia awoke still trembling with fear from the strange entity she had seen in her dream. She turned her head towards where Azure, her spirit owl companion, was sleeping, only to be taken aback by the sight of a little baby boy staring at her innocently. The boy appeared to be around two years old, with chubby arms and a face, and shoulder-length white hair. Most surprising were his big blue eyes, which mirrored Azure's exactly. He also had the same glowing symbol on his forehead as Azure. It was clear that the boy standing before her was, in fact, Azure transformed into a human child. While Nuwa had mentioned Azure undergoing a transformation, Yeshia had not anticipated it being this significant. Her father had once told her that some spirit beasts could take on human forms during their cultivation, although it was a rare occurrence. Yeshia tried to locate Nuwa to understand this situation better, but Nuwa was nowhere to be found.

Assuming Nuwa was out searching for food, Yeshia moved closer to Azure. "Can you talk?" she asked, still adjusting to the idea of speaking to Azure in his new form. Astonishingly, Azure responded in a clear, childlike voice, causing Yeshia to jump in surprise. Though Yeshia and Azure had become close friends during their weeks together, conversing with him in this new form would take time getting used to. With Azure now in humanoid form, Yeshia realized she needed to find clothes to cover his body. She retrieved a shirt from her bag and gently draped it over Azure. He didn't object, but he seemed strangely quiet. Yeshia brushed off the unusual behavior, chalking it up to Azure acclimating to his new form.

The oversized shirt enveloped Azure's body, reaching down to his ankles. Yeshia decided she needed to find Nuwa as soon as possible. She had countless questions about the entity named Feng from her dream and Azure's transformation. Nuwa had also promised to teach her about demon cultivation today, something Yeshia eagerly anticipated. However, she couldn't simply leave Azure alone. Yeshia wondered if Azure could change back into his beast form. Although Azure could fly as a spirit owl, she wasn't sure if he could even walk in his human form. She asked him if he could walk, and Azure responded by standing up on his own. Judging from his ability to walk without difficulty, Yeshia began packing her belongings in preparation to leave.

Once her bag was packed, Yeshia reached for Azure's hand. He didn't resist, though he appeared shy. She held his tiny hand, and together they set off in search of Nuwa. Despite the sudden transformation, Yeshia was pleased that Azure could now take on a human form, as she had always longed for a sibling, and now she had a little brother.

After an hour of fruitless searching, Yeshia decided to take a brief rest. She was exhausted and hungry from their expedition. Surprisingly, Azure did not seem tired, his face showing no signs of exhaustion. They sat beneath a tree, and Yeshia retrieved two fruits from her bag, offering one to Azure. He began taking small bites, revealing a full set of adorable, little teeth that seemed surprisingly strong.

Though she couldn't find Nuwa, Yeshia was not particularly concerned for her safety. Nuwa was more mature and a powerful cultivator capable of taking care of herself. Yeshia's main reason for searching so urgently was because she missed her. She hadn't expected Nuwa to disappear without a word. After finishing their fruits, Yeshia decided they should continue their journey towards Jade Village, hoping they would encounter Nuwa along the way. Just as they were about to depart, Yeshia heard the sound of a moving carriage and swiftly picked up Azure, prepared to protect him in case the approaching party posed a threat. They both concealed themselves besides a tree, remaining wary due to the unusual circumstances. Normal people typically travelled along the outskirts of the forest, whereas Yeshia and Azure found themselves in the perilous heart of the forest, a route only taken by powerful individuals. Yeshia had chosen this path assuming Nuwa would accompany her. Had she known Nuwa would vanish so suddenly, she certainly would have taken the safer route.

After a few moments, an old carriage came into view. The carriage was being driven by an elderly woman, who did not appear to be a cultivator. Her worn-out robes were clean, yet noticeably outdated. Her face was etched with wrinkles, and her grey hair was disheveled. The carriage itself was weathered and lacked a protective covering on the back. Yeshia glimpsed a young girl and boy within the carriage, who seemed to be siblings due to their similar features. Both were approximately Yeshia's age and donned matching clothes, the main distinction being the length of their hair.

Despite their lack of resemblance to cultivators, Yeshia remained vigilant, sensing something was amiss. It was possible they were cultivators in disguise, and Yeshia preferred to avoid any potential trouble. The carriage continued in the direction of Jade Village, prompting Yeshia to maintain a safe distance by waiting before resuming their journey, allowing the carriage to proceed for an additional hour. Yeshia eventually decided to move forward, though Azure insisted on walking on his own instead of being carried. Yeshia found herself adjusting to his changed demeanor, as Azure now appeared shy and displayed a surprising level of maturity.

After walking for a few minutes, a loud scream echoed through the air. Yeshia intended to discreetly investigate the source before Azure impulsively ran in that direction, leaving her no other choice but to follow suit. Despite his infant form, Azure's speed was astonishing, quickly reaching the site of the disturbance. Before him lay a broken carriage. The elderly woman was covered in blood, with the young boy crying nearby. However, the girl from earlier was conspicuously absent. Azure did not approach them, choosing instead to wait at a distance. A few minutes later, Yeshia arrived, panting and covered in sweat. Witnessing the scene before her, she hurriedly approached the wounded old woman to assess her condition. The woman was bleeding profusely and appeared lifeless, yet Yeshia detected a faint movement in her chest. The woman was still alive, albeit not for much longer. The fatal wound on her abdomen was unmanageable, the clotting impossible to contain. Yeshia sighed, her heart heavy with the realization that she couldn't save the woman. The boy remained in a state of shock, motionless and tearful. Yeshia empathized with his grief, as it reminded her of the loss of her own father. Though she longed to help him, she recognized her inability to do so.

Then, a thought suddenly occurred to Yeshia. She rummaged through her bag and retrieved a small jade container. Opening the lid, she extracted a glowing pill that Nuwa had given her when Azure experienced difficulty during his transformation. Yeshia was unsure if the pill would be effective on a human, yet she felt compelled to try. Gingerly opening the woman's mouth, she placed the pill on her tongue. As it made contact, the pill transformed into a brilliant green light and traveled down her throat. Within seconds, the woman's bleeding ceased, and the wound began to visibly heal. Her complexion returned, and moments later, she opened her eyes. Yeshia stood in awe of this magical occurrence, her first experience witnessing such a phenomenon. Using the pill to save this women felt like it filled a void in her heart, a metaphorical hole left by her father's death. Although Yeshia didn't know the woman before her, she embraced her and sobbed tears of relief. The woman had just returned from the brink of death, greeted by a young girl offering solace. She didn't understand why this girl was crying or hugging her, but she instinctively comforted her. After Yeshia's tears subsided, she helped the woman to her feet. The boy, still in disbelief, struggled to accept that his grandmother was alive. Eventually, the woman managed to calm him down and embraced him, reassuring him of her well-being.

"Grandma, can you tell me what happened here?" Yeshia inquired, yearning to clarify the events of the attack and the whereabouts of the girl Yeshia had seen earlier. They had seemed perfectly safe moments ago, and Yeshia couldn't fathom how they had fallen into such peril. Although the elderly woman was perplexed by Yeshia's presence and her resurrection, she had an inherent trust in the girl. She sensed that Yeshia genuinely cared for their safety. "We were attacked. I don't know what it was, but it wasn't human. It had a humanoid form but was much larger than a normal person. It was incredibly swift, and I couldn't get a clear look at its appearance. That creature destroyed our carriage and took my granddaughter" the old women said and tears started welling up in her eyes.