11 The Diamond Girl and Jade Emperor

Jin Tong dashed away from the station, clinging onto Taehyung's hand and dragging Taehyung along with him. The sound of their steps on the hardened dirt floor echoed throughout the empty streets, drawing unwanted attention on to them.

Taehyung called out, "Jin Tong, do you know where you're going?"

Jin Tong looked back and shook his head. Taehyung wrestled his grip away, his expression incredulous.

"Why are you so anxious to get away?"

Jin Tong frowned and wrung his hands, bouncing on his feet. His eyes constantly roamed from Taehyung to the direction of the station. Taking out another piece of paper, he wrote something that made Taehyung want to cry and laugh at the same time.

[We got off at the wrong station. It isn't safe here.]

The air around the two seemed to thicken, the darkness threatening to enclose the two with it's shadowy grip.

The hairs on the back of Taehyung's neck stood up. His heart was suddenly gripped with a sense of foreboding.

Metal on metal; the faint sound of a sword being quietly drawn from its sheath rang out, startling in the picturesque silence of Xuanpu. Jin Tong immediately pulled Taehyung close to him, a look of stoic determination on his face.

Two figures appeared from within the shadows, one on each side of Taehyung and Jin Tong, blocking off their exit points. Both figures dressed in red robes, their drawn silver swords reflected from the warm glow of the lanterns. One was taller than the other, with a sharp face and beady eyes. The shorter one had scars all over his tanned face, the ever present glare on his face enough to scare even little kids away.

Jin Tong didn't have any weapons on him. How was he supposed to fight against them? Taehyung felt absolutely helpless in this situation. Not only did he not have a sword, he had no experience in fighting. Memories could only go so far; he still needed to practise.

"Jin Tong. You are breaking the law in coming back here," the tall figure spoke, his voice threatening and full of bloodlust.

Jin Tong shook his head.

Taehyung recognised that voice as the first one from the station. The one who obviously had a grudge against Jin Tong. He concluded that the short one must be the voice who had recognised him. Part of himself itched to call out and ask, but he didn't want to draw unnecessary attention onto himself. Who knew when these men would get violent.

The tension around the four heightened as the two figures slowly paced towards Taehyung and Jin Tong, closing the gap.

"Why are you attacking us?" Taehyung asked, hoping to buy time.

The shorter one chuckled. "A dead man asks no questions."

The figures charged towards Jin Tong and Taehyung. Taehyung felt hands shoving him roughly to the side as the figures came closer. He tumbled onto the dirt floor, away from the fight that was soon to occur.

Jin Tong waited until the shorter figure came closer, and used his shoulder as a pivot to leap over gracefully. Upon landing, his legs swept at the shorter figure, catching the figure off-guard. With a brutal kick to the chest, the short figure flew through the air and landed on his companion's face. The two figures collapsed together into a pile.

Taehyung watched the fight unfold with a mix of awe and worry for Jin Tong. He winced at Jin Tong's brutal kicks. On the other hand, he also made a note to himself: learn to be that cool, and don't piss off Jin Tong.

The taller figure shoved the other figure off, picked up his fallen sword and rushed towards Taehyung this time.

Jin Tong cried out and ran towards Taehyung, who had started running in the opposite direction(it seemed like the best idea for him at that time).

A tiny sound registered in his ears: a fabric fluttering in the wind.

All of a sudden, another figure in a black cloak dropped down from the sky, mercilessly stepping on the taller figure's shoulders and using his face as a springboard to spin into the air with a flourish, landing on the ground in front of Taehyung.

The wind from the flip caused the hood of the clock to flutter and fall, revealing the mysterious figure's face.

To Taehyung's surprise, the figure was the diamond girl he saw in Fusang. Her delicate features were carved from clear white diamonds, the soft facets reflecting the dim glow of the lanterns. In her hand were two black obsidian daggers, the blades paper thin and deadly.

She looked up, and Taehyung noticed that her eyes were made from yellow diamonds. Paired with that black clock of hers, she looked like a panther; sleek and dangerous.

Jin Tong stepped in front of Taehyung, his eyes wary. The girl sheathed her daggers and kneeled, falling onto one knee with a gloved fist over her heart.

She spoke, her voice husky and grave.

"Milord...you've returned."

Taehyung pointed towards himself. "Are you talking about me?"

The diamond girl's eyes narrowed in confusion. Her voice quivered, "Does Milord no longer remember us?"

Her voice held a tinge of sadness, and a certain amount of defeat, as if she knew this event was expected. Taehyung searched his memories, and several vague memories of the diamond girl appeared.

"You are...Zuan Shi Nu Hai?" he questioned, after catching the brief mention of her name in one of his memories. The people in this world didn't seem to be exactly the best at naming.

Jin Tong backed down, standing beside Jin Tong. The girl glanced at him with a curious look in her eye.

She winced. "That is my...name."

Taehyung frowned. Something wasn't right about that name, like it was merely a sticker pasted onto her body, a label.

"What did I call you before?"

"Milord has always called me Xue Ya," she responded with a bittersweet tone.

Taehyung pressed on. "What is my name?"

Xue Ya looked deeply at Taehyung. She sighed deeply.

"Jin Taiheng—Milord, how much of your memories are gone?"

Taehyung smiled bitterly. Xue Ya bowed her head and didn't continue asking.

"I will bring Milord back to where Milord came from." With that, she stood up and held her hand in front of her. Her crystal hair floated as power streamed from her body. Multiple white circles appeared from underneath, surrounding the three of them. A bright light flashed, and the three of them were gone, leaving a two unconscious men behind.

Taehyung had covered his eyes, the lights blinding. When he opened them again, he was standing in a pavilion, out on a clear lake with dozens of pink lotuses in bloom. He recognised this place as his childhood home, where he grew up with the silver haired woman.

Jin Tong was also nearby, gazing out at the lake with a serene look on his face.

Taehyung realised that he had technically kidnapped Jin Tong, who was only meant to accompany him to 6th Heaven. He coughed lightly to get Jin Tong's attention.

"Sorry, Jin Tong. I can get you sent back if you want," he said awkwardly.

Jin Tong shook his head. He pulled out the last piece of paper and brush, dipped it into the container of ink and scribbled.

[It's too late for me. They know I'm here. It's time for me to face my past.]

Taehyung frowned. "Who's they?"

Beside him, Xue Ya narrowed her eyes at Jin Tong. Her hands went straight for the hilt of her dagger, ready to unsheath it at any violence.

[The ones in 9th Heaven. I have been lucky to get away from them for so many years.]

"I'm sorry."

Taehyung felt regret inside his heart as he realised the implications of Jin Tong coming to 6th Heaven. The sudden attack, the defeat on Jin Tong's face. But he was impressed by the quiet determination that was also present on Jin Tong's face.

A dragon flew over suddenly, causing the waters of the lake to stir. Ruby scales glimmered under the sunlight, white mane and golden claws clutching a jade scroll. The dragon shifted into a refined looking scholar dressed in a muted shade of red with gold edges. His phoenix eyes narrowed at the sight of Jin Tong, before moving onto Taehyung with an out-right glare.

"The Jade Emperor has asked for your presence in the next gathering," he said coldly, passing the jade scroll onto Xue Ya. He shifted back into a dragon and flew off, not willing to spend another second with Taehyung and the others.

Xue Ya sighed. "The Jade Emperor's sources are truly impressive. It has not been long since you arrived in 6th Heaven."

"How does he know I'm here?" Taehyung asked, curiosity overtaking him.

"No one knew where you were since the war."

Taehyung brought his mind back to the utopia that he had saw, the golden spires and roaring waterfalls. What was his reincarnation doing? Why had he hidden himself away?

"The war?"

"En."

Xue Ya refused to say more, even after endless prodding from Taehyung. She sighed and opened the jade scroll, reading it before tossing it to Taehyung, who fumbled a bit but caught it in the end.

"The gathering is the next full moon?"

"In three nights."

Jin Tong, who was being severely ignored by the two, tugged at Taehyung's sleeve.

[I will come with you.]

Taehyung nodded. For the next few days, he would have to properly sort out his memories and start planning on which member he had to save in this world. But, for him to do that, he'd have to fully unlock his memories first. His eyes flitted to Xue Ya, a person who obviously knew a large part of his locked life. Her defeated reaction to his memory loss could only mean one thing: his locked memories were not a side effect of him claiming this body, but a deliberate attempt at blocking his memories.

Who did it? Himself?

Or was it the gentle man in green within his memories, who told him to sleep? Taehyung knew if he heard the man's voice again, he was sure to recognise it.

But first, he was starving. He wanted meat, maybe some japchae...he definitely wanted japchae. Unfortunately, in a Chinese-based world like this, it was very unlikely for him to find any, let alone have someone make it.

"Food?" he asked Xue Ya, an innocent and cute expression on his face.

Xue Ya had dark lines on her forehead.

What happened to her elegant and god-like Milord?!