24 The Stars

The moment Yamato opened his eyelids, what immediately came to view was stars. His last recollection was also of stars that lacerated his whole skin, thus constraining him to abruptly got up defensively in caution. However once he noticed the outline of his surrounding, all that dawned him was wonders. He wondered how he ended up in another place he knows nothing of again, he wondered where the heck it was, he wondered what kind of place it was.

All around him was darkness, with flickering faint stars in the ceiling, and burning light of campfire beside him. Once he scrutinized the ceiling, he figured how the flickering lights weren't stars, but a set of small and scattered shining gems that were somehow embedded on the ceiling's surface. He also noticed how the ceiling was an uneven surface with occasional pointed objects which faced downwards, he distinguished it as stalactites, and thus Yamato concluded that the place was a cave.

Releasing his sight from the ceiling, he began to observe the ground, and was surprised to find a laying and unconscious Baili Haoyue across him beside the same campfire. Moreover, the man only has a single layer of a bloodied pants on him. The bizzare attire reminded Yamato of himself, urging him to inspect his own body only to discover how he also dressed just as infelicitously. Attached to his body was his bloodied and tattered black silk yarn embroidered dudou underwear, and a layer of a light blue outer robe which were too small for him.

Yamato immediately streaked up the moment he recognized the small robe, it was Qing Youya's. Hastily he scanned right and left in apprehension, and shuddered in dread when he couldn't spot the figure of the small child . Chills ran down his spine as cold sweat began to form, suspecting that perhaps the child had encountered some kind of accident while the two adults were unconscious.

"Hiss!!" Yamato sensed a sharp sting all over his skin. There was no part on his once smooth skin spared of the slit, even his beautiful face and silky long hair were now tattered like a possessed woman. The whip wound on his back was supposed to be healed already, and yet the wind slash just had to cut open those recuperating skin again. The wind slash also slitted his newly sewed side neck, causing more blood loss that made his head spin to the point of nausea. Yamato fumbled by just taking a step, he fell and crouched on his knees, wincing in pain with eyes firmly shut.

Originally Yamato has a stronger resistance to pain than most people, however what actually made him appeared fine and lax all along was his acting skills. With a strong will, Yamato refused to display his weak side in front of other people. When Qing Rui almost slashed his neck, when blood were streaming down like a waterfall, he was in fact in the verge of fainting, in the verge of falling, as his legs were soft and his head spinning, and yet he gritted his teeth and steeled his smile to appear fine instead. He endured all kind of great pain and fear in front of people, however once there's no eyes to see him, he would silently hug himself, wince, and shudder.

All the pain in his whole skin forbids Yamato to pay attention to his surrounding any longer. Thus Yamato wasn't aware that Qing Youya was actually just five steps behind him, peering coldly in silence at his trembling crouching figure.

Far from lessening the pain he sensed, crouching was actually increasing the sting as it stretched the slit wound all over his legs, thus constrained Yamato to lay himself back down. He carefully placed his head backward to the dusty, cold, uneven and hard ground, while he winced with furrowed brows, shutted eyes, and gritted teeth. Relaxing his whole body, Yamato kept inhaled and exhaled long rhythmical breaths to calm both his mind, heart, and body. However once he opened his eyes after regaining a little bit of composure, he couldn't help but flinch to find Qing Youya stood beside his head and peered at him from above.

Yamato widened his eyes in surprise, but then shortly he took a deep breath for a moment to abruptly beamed a smile warmly, "How are you doing your highness? Are you hurt anywhere? I was worried because i couldn't find you.. " he acted as though nothing had happened.

"... I am doing fine sister-in-law, i apologize for worrying you," Qing Youya began to squat down in order to have his head face to face with the laying Ren Xiu, "More importantly, i couldn't find any herbs here to apply on your wounds. Also, i apologize for my impertinence but i did clean your body, i also cleaned your robe however it's still currently damp," Qing Youya plastered an apologetic fake smile.

Yamato couldn't help but be inwardly astonished in realization. He became aware of the fact that although there was countless slits in his body, his skin was clean of blood. Although the cave wasn't cold, he was provided a robe. Once he became conscious of one thing, he started to notice things like who lit the campfire, or why and how was Qing Youya even there.

After spending some time watching the child, his impression and understanding of Qing Youya was that he's a composed, intelligent, objective, fake, and mysterious child. Also, he wasn't kind-hearted and compassionate in the slightest. In fact, he sensed that the child was actually very indifferent, apathetic, and insincere towards anyone except his sister. The child would assume a polite manner out of obligation, he also would appear amiable and cute out of necessity. Most of the time his objectives are unclear and mysterious, even Yamato was not capable to read the mind of the child.

Hence the reason for Qing Youya to carry out all these things were unclear. Although mostly it seemed to be done for the child's own sake, but Yamato couldn't help but think that it wasn't everything. For instance, Qing Youya might require the adults to recuperate in order to protect him in this place, however he didn't need to do so much if he didn't enter the portal in the first place. Regardless of whether Qing Youya entered the portal because he was pushed by someone or because of his own will, the child is here, not complaining, and caring for him. In the end of the day, even for whatever reason, Qing Youya was a cute child and did so much for him, that fact alone was enough to make him feel touched.

"Your eyes are wet sister-in-law, do you perhaps have a fever?" Qing Youya gently placed his small palm on Ren Xiu's forehead.

Yamato swiftly seized the small wrist despite the sting on his whole arm, while plastering a serious expression he proposed, "Your highness, let's get married."

".. Seems like you are fine, that's good," witnessing the usual pedophilic act, Qing Youya flatly ignored the sentence then pulled his hand back and stood up.

Expecting such reply, Yamato lightly chuckled, "Yes, i'm fine."

Qing Youya spared a glance at Ren Xiu's cheeky smirk, then plastered a smile along though it didn't reach his eyes. He slightly wondered about his sister-in-law desperate attempts to appear leisurely with a leeway every single moment, while she clearly must be in great pain. Qing Youya might be a bit curious, however in the end he was apathetic enough to quickly put the useless matter to the back of his mind.

"Your highness, if i may ask, where are we? Do you perhaps happen to have a lead?" Yamato inquired dazedly while gazing at the flickering gems embedded on the ceiling. His memory was cut until the part that he was almost swallowed whole by the portal.

Qing Youya sat down with a gallant motion beside the campfire, "Cave."

The concise yet adequate forced reply was quite amusing for Yamato, "Well that's a mind-blowing revelation your highness, this crown princess is enlightened!" he chuckled with no fear of offending the child, "Then maybe his highness also happen to know what gems are those?"

After glancing, he tilted his head upwards with a smile, "... Grossular garnet."

Yamato actually didn't see that coming, rendering his eyes to widen in astonishment and doubt, "As expected of his highness, this crown princess is enlightened by his highness's vast knowledge! His highness is basically too outstanding to be true!" still he wasn't the least bit stingy with compliment though he might sound a bit teasing.

Turning his head towards the try-hard jovial lady, the little prince plastered a fake smile, "Thank you, this humble prince is just fond of gems and jewelry."

"Oh, that is unexpected!"

"Is it? Doesn't most people like gems?"

"Yes, but i just didn't expect your highness to be one of them," because you seem to disregard anything useless, "If i may ask, how do your highness come to like gems?"

Shifting his gaze away, Qing Youya still smiled, "Hmm, if there is a reason.. Then maybe because it will stay beautiful forever no matter what the circumstances," his eyes glinted.

"Hmm.. That's a rather deep reason your highness," Yamato purposefully plastered a serious expression, half curious, half teasing.

Though he was aware of the teasing in the banter, Qing Youya was magnanimous enough to bear and go along with it, subconsciously he even felt slightly amused. From a small chuckle, came a smirk that reached his eyes as he looked towards Ren Xiu, "I look mysterious and scholarly by saying deep things aren't i?"

Yamato didn't have any proof, however he somehow could assume how that little playful smirk just now wasn't faked. It was the first unfabricated smile Qing Youya had displayed in front of him. Though fugacious, it was irrefutably mesmerizing, enough to make his heart skip a beat.

Yamato had to snap himself from his captivation, ".. Ah.. Oh, Yes! Your highness indeed have that charming mysterious aura enveloping you. Even your Rui ge couldn't compare!" then he avoided Qing Youya's face as casually as possible.

Hold yourself together Yamato! He's still a child!!

"Sigh... what shall we do about this predicament.." suddenly Baili Haoyue chirped in out of nowhere.

"Oh, you're awake Haoyue ge?" Yamato turned his head towards the half naked guy across him.

"I actually was awake even before you did your highness. I just focused on meditation in order to expedite the healing of my wounds. A little bit more and i will be completely healed. Therefore this general deeply apologize for his impertinence of not performing the proper etiquette towards her highness, this general begs for her highness's magnanimity," though the words were formal, the tone was casual.

"You're pardoned," Yamato lightly chuckled, "But more importantly, how do you say you're healing your wound again?" the words of the general captured his attention. Because Yamato have seen nothing magical the whole time he became Ren Xiu, he presumed there was truly nothing of the sort in the world he was thrown into.

"This general utter deep gratitude for her highness's grace. And to answer her highness's question, i meditate."

"I understand meditation, but how could it heal your wound?"

"Ah, it is because i cultivate my energy. Everyone has an energy circulating inside their bodies, it circulates automatically like a natural metabolism. But for people who cultivates, they could control those energy on their own to a certain degree. In my case right now, i regulate my energy to focus on accelerating the natural regeneration of my wounds," in fact Baili Haoyue was puzzled as to why Ren Xiu didn't know about this. Although not everyone cultivates, still they should've known as it was common sense. But he immediately explained calmly after he remembered about Ren Xiu's memory loss.

Yamato blinked, "... I see.." he closed his eyes slowly to ponder, "I see.." ever since the first day he transmigrated into Ren Xiu, Yamato have always been keenly observing his surrounding. Not only for the sake of adapting and coping, but mainly for the sake of finding a way to go back to his original body and world. All this time, he didn't find anything magical or supernatural to send him back home that it almost dampened his spirit. However now that he found cultivation, which was quite supernatural, Yamato was very surprised and excited.

From the summary Baili Haoyue have explained, Yamato roughly guessed at how cultivation was similar to Qi or chakra manipulation, but a lot more powerful and not limited to nurturing physical and spiritual health like in earth.

Watching Ren Xiu became silent while smiling, Baili Haoyue called, "Your highness?"

"Hey, can i learn cultivation?"

Both Baili Haoyue and Qing Youya were taken aback.

"Why??" Baili Haoyue raised his right brow and propped himself up to sit.

"Can't i?"

"You can but you can't," there was a hint of tentativeness in Baili Haoyue's answer.

"Which one?" Yamato chuckled.

Baili haoyue scratched the back of his head, seemingly hesitant, "Well, you can if you want to understand it theoretically, but you can't if you want to apply it practically."

"Why?"

"Eh? ..Why? Hmm... For example, martial arts are best to learn since childhood. Because if you start too late, your muscles won't grow and build up to fit with it. Though you can still learn it, it will be much harder to learn and impossible to master. So even if your head understands, your body is incapable to cooperate. The same goes with cultivation. Is it hard to understand?"

"No, i understand very well, thank you... But well, guess i'll just see through it once we get back," Yamato at least needed to learn the theory first, he couldn't possibly give up even before trying.

"Yes.." Baili Haoyue scanned through his surrounding, "once we get back," the last sentence emitted faint chuckling as if laughing at his own ridiculous predicament.

Although Baili Haoyue felt depressed, as he doesn't have a clue to even where here was, it wasn't the case with Qing Youya. In fact, Qing Youya tagged along to lead the two people back. Because if the promising general and the crown princess were to be missing or even dead, there will be a whole lot of irritating trouble Qing Youya have to deal with.

However Qing Youya was actually having a hard time to come up with a way to convey the path without sounding too unnatural.

Still laying and gazing at the ceiling leisurely, Yamato inquired, "Hey, how does portals works?"

Pleased at an opportunity to hint, Qing Youya explained, "Oh, i have read this in a scripture before. It says, teleportation is a very high leveled technique that needed an absurd amount of spiritual energy,

"The method is to slice open two different parts of space and dimension. The size of the slice and the range of the place is determined by the amount of spiritual energy. Even if a cultivator mastered this technique, to travel from Rui ge's living quarter to the palace gate should immensely exhaust them, or worse, squeeze them dry of energy and die. Thus this technique is mainly used to get into or out of a locked place, not to travel."

"As always his highness vast knowledge amazed this humble crown princess.. But i see, then, is Jian Yu and our guards a skilled cultivator?"

"They wouldn't be in this troop if they weren't. Moreover not only do they cultivate, they also practiced martial arts, even the youngsters we brought are all the cream of the crop" Baili Haoyue answered with a smug.

"Is that so.. Then in that case, this cave must still be within Xuyin," Yamato presumed cheerfully.

Baili Haoyue pondered for a second, "Ah! I see.. Since portals require a huge amount of spiritual energy, even though Xie Hei might actually be able to send us far away, he wouldn't do it considering how he still needed to face Jian Yu, and when he heard how we address your highness, Xie Hei might consider how we still have a lot of backup around, compelling him to reserve his energy."

"Exactly!" Yamato praised, "so our task right now is just to get out of this cave."

Feeling as though a huge load has been lifted off his shoulders, Baili Haoyue became a little calmer, "But that's still quite hard your highness. I've been sensing for sometime now, but still cave is no ordinary cave. I'm afraid that something out of hand would appear if i recklessly pull any move here. It's safer to just walk the meant path, but we don't have a lead."

Yamato closed his eyes and hummed for a while, ".... the crimson vision of worldly tribulation," he finally uttered.

Baili Haoyue, "what?"

Qing Youya was surprised and astonished, though his face displayed the same puzzlement as Baili Haoyue.

"It's the passage we get from the informant.. 'The star of solitude will lead your steps' was a line from that.."

Baili Haoyue was still puzzled, "and?"

"And aren't those gems looked like stars? I've been looking for some time now and it indeed forms a constellation, we are currently under yu fu zuo*, the driving man constellation."

*auriga

The two male immediately turned their heads towards the ceiling as if to confirm, although truthfully they didn't know a thing about stars let alone astronomy.

Truth be told Qing Youya didn't expect Ren Xiu to be this knowledgeable and perceptive, thus allowing him to feel that it wouldn't take long for his hints to reach a natural conclusion, "But sister-in-law, isn't star of solitude a term in fortune telling? And it's astrology determined by the date and the movement of the stars. So.. Even if there is a star map, does the star of solitude exist in here?"

Yamato smirked, "As expected of your highness.. Honestly, i don't understand astronomy that much, let alone astrology, you could say my knowledge is superficial.. But i know a constellation called nan yu zuo*, there simply exist a star looked so bright because the others are so dim, why don't we go there first?" though the tone was casual, the determination was not.

*piscis austrinus

Baili Haoyue blinked as he raised his brows, "When i thought things are getting complicated, her highness is actually down to this? Choosing the simplest?"

"What if our interpretation is wrong sister-in-law?" Qing Youya inwardly cursed at how perceptive yet carefree Ren Xiu was, he couldn't decide whether the woman was intelligent or straight dumb.

"Let's go! I'm in!" Baili Haoyue cheered. The man have always been impulsive, whenever he felt excited, he wouldn't bother to use his brain and left the thinking to his muscle.

'Are you also dumb Haoyue ge??' was what Qing Youya want to spit at him, but instead he acted childishly uneasy in order for the adults to consider their decision.

"Yeah! Laying around like this won't bring us anywhere anyway! Let's go!" Yamato cheered, the action was set in stone.

Qing Youya knew not every adults is mature, not every adults consider the consequences of their actions, and thus Qing Youya lumped the two into the category, cursing them as brainless idiots. However for the sake of appearing natural, he could only comply while inwardly facepalmed.