32 The Great Being

While back at the mansion, Ming started the investigation with the prisoners but, unfortunately, the people refused to speak. He was not a man who tortures prisoners to make a person speak unless there was no other way. For now, they had to stop while thinking of another way to make them confess who sent them and their reason for attacking.

This morning, Lei An complained and having a tantrum on why her mother left soon. Ming made up a story that their mother received an urgent message from the Lei clan and left as soon as possible. He kept the story hidden concerning Xinyi's identity and about her mother's whereabouts from his brothers and sisters. However, Zhai and Qinfen thought of the 'fairy lady' had any connection to this and didn't tell Lei An about the fairy too. They trusted their big brother regarding situations such as this.

Ming sat now in his study. He took the slung cloth purse from his waist, opened it, and poured out the stone he kept as a lucky charm. After passing as the top examiner, the Lei elders gave Lei Ming the title as the new head clan, as per the request of the former old clan head. He saw Ming's potential and left the clan's care to him. After the investiture, they gave Lei Ming the chance to go into the clan's treasure room and get an item as his gift.

Ming recalled that day. As he entered the treasure room and found this jade stone on a stone pedestal. It seemed to be a broken half from circle jade stone. A note was beside it. The note said that this stone was known to be a good luck charm of his great grandfather. The elders allowed him to take and keep it as his lucky charm too, just like his predecessor did. But he heard no sound or has seen it glowed until today.

Thinking of the circumstances, he realized those odd situations when it glowed and when the whispers came; it was only when he and Xinyi were near to each other and when she was running away from him.

"What causes for this to shine on those times? Ah, I forgot to mention this to Ma." Then he saw something of which he didn't see before on the stone. "Hmm, the ring has a golden dragon image on it but this one has something too. Weird." He examined it closely and only guessed a bird's feathered tail because the upper part was missing.

"Is this one connected to the items from the Sorceress that Ma said? But what does it got to do with my great grandfather?" Ming placed it back and thought of asking his mother when they got back.

Ming sent another letter to Zang Wei, the head of the city guards, to take down the Alarm signal #1 about the note he sent to check the animal's behavior. Unknown to him, the city guards were in a frenzy after receiving the letter. They were checking the city's mini-zoo and even houses who have animals as required by alarm signal #1. People complained about why the guards bothered with their pets now.

Zang Wei also sent people to go outside the city walls for any signs of disturbance concerning the animals and… found a very alerting situation. A huge snake with two heads came out from hiding and permeated a huge farming area with its venomous breath. They heard it killed five people of the landowner's men. Zang Wei hurriedly made an alarm signal #3 in this area for a lockdown. Ming received the report right after he sent the taking down of the warning at the same time.

"Is this connected to my wife's appearance?" He muttered to himself and left as soon as possible to investigate the area or the snake causing the havoc.

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Xinyi was now facing the enormous head of a sleeping lion. She couldn't see the rest of the body because the head alone could devour her in whole and she stood approximately fives steps away from it. Fear rushed her, but all of a sudden, the ring played a tune that loosened the tightness in her chest, gave strength to her wobbling feet, and filled her with courage. The melody was like a song she knew by heart and a part of her, but never heard it once in her life.

She closed her eyes and sang, believing it was the lyrics of the music.

"Oh, the mystic being of the peaceful valley of Knoll. I fear you miss this mistress in forlorn. Come, rise and fill this loneliness in me, with joy I will bless thee with a kiss. Let's search for my dear who left me, though my heart he let go, I know he did it for my sake, and for my sake, we suffer, for death, we only bade farewell, we promised while we're in each embrace."

"Oh!" She stopped singing, feeling that loneliness she didn't know why. The song was full of sadness and heartache, of which tears began to fall from her eyes. Unknown to her, the big eyes of the being opened while she sang and it started to cry as well. It soundlessly moved in front of her without her realizing.

While her eyes were closed, the being spoke in a male booming voice. "Why are you singing this when this song is not yours?"

She hastily opened her eyes and saw the whole body of the lion… no, the being. It had a head of a lion but wings of an angel, and body of a dragon up to its tail. The being was so huge and tall as it sat in front of her.

"What is your name?" His voice echoed in the whole deep ravine.

Xinyi swallowed her saliva and her brain went blank.

"Speak or I'll swallow you now," said the being with fierceness and no room for negotiations.