The meeting with Noble Xi

They made their way to the pavilion they had been directed at. Everyone was wondering similar thoughts inside their mind but no one wanted to speak out loud. There was a silent agreement to not bring the topic up again.

The pavilion was raised from the grounds by a few steps and open on all sides. They could easily spot the cloaked figure from this distance. He had the same body height as Fu Hua but seemed a little healthier with how the cloak fitted him.

"- only once. I'm sure things would turn out alright" Xiao Lan felt the team hit his eyes at that familiar voice. He was not sure why he felt like crying when he had Fu Hua right at his side but he did.

The tears, however, did not fall. The party was not sure how to approach this new figure. They had no experience with such a situation at all.

In the end, Fu Hua was the one to approach the figure.

"Excuse me -" the figure turned just as Fu Hua's hands touched the other's body and their Fu Hua disappeared. At the same time, the younger Fu Hua let out a groan in discomfort and closed his eyes.

The man who had just been given a talisman seemed not to have seen anything, his eyes almost glazed over and unseeing. But Xiao Lan had no eyes for him. His attention was on Fu Hua.

Slowly, Fu Hua blinked his eyes to clear away the white light in front of his eyes. He had expected to see his own face but he was faced with his three companions instead.

"You alright? Which one are you right now?" Detective Song was the one who took charge. Out of all three of them, he had been the one who had reacted the fastest and recovered the fastest.

"I'm the one who came here with you. As for the one from the past? I cannot feel his presence anywhere. It is likely that he was the part of the illusion without any real soul" no one here likely had a soul.

Since this whole place was built upon memory, it was likely that all the people here were shadows without any real personalities.

"But what about the couple we were here with? Surely they exist in real life?" Commander Yuhan raised an excellent point. Not everyone here could be a shadow since a lot of normal people had entered her as well.

Unless they were not pulled in with them.

"We need to check the array to confirm it. But I think we were dragged inside here because of the talisman. I was the one who had it along with Commander Yuhan. Both Xiao Lan and Detective Song were nearer to us than the old couple and their grandkids" that was one possible explanation.

There was likely another which was not coming to Fu Hua's mind right now. He would need to think a little more over this issue.

"So that's why only we were pulled in. Someone tried to pull unsuspected people in here" Detective Song concluded in his nervous manner. Xiao Lan had been quiet the whole time, his face in a thinking frown.

He wanted to pay attention to the whole issue but the merging of Fu Hua's had distracted him. He could not help but feel like he had missed his chance to ask questions. Fu Hua had been right there but he had been a shadow but he had still been Fu Hua.

"Xiao Lan, what should we do from here?" Fu Hua's voice cut his mind through. This version of Fu Hua still had his cloak to hide behind but there was no connection between him and Xiao Lan. the scar that had bound him, the energy and blood Xiao Lan had forced upon the other was gone.

He did not like it at all. The other was trying to give him a sense of control but Xiao Lan knew a better way to achieve it.

"Give me your arm" Xiao Lan demanded the other who looked confused but complied. There were no shackles that bound those arms, no marks of hurt on that pale wrist.

Xiao Lan grabbed the arm tightly and spelt a marking spell on it. It was temporary but it would work for now. He instantly felt calm when he felt that connection between them.

"Young prince, you -" Detective Sing started but a small shove from commander Yuhan alerted him to be quiet. Instantly, the voice stopped the question.

"Let's investigate. I think you already have an idea about where to start" Fu Hua nodded in agreement.

"If my memory serves me right then it is about time I will be invited into the back pavilion for a small talk with the nobility of Xi. I refused their offer and they planned an attack here under my name. I was expelled the next day from this complex" so they had only one day left.

Xiao Lan did wonder what kind of thing could have triggered Fu Hua to flat out refuse but that was not what mattered here.

"So we have a few hours left, huh. We should - " Xiao Lan starter "- Hide" Fu Hua finished as he saw people walking toward him. Detective Song ran a little further away with an 'eep' and Commander Yuhan picked Xiao Lan before he could make any protests.

"Noble Master, we pay our greetings to you. The young master is calling for your expertise in the back pavilion. If the master would be so generous to make himself available" The two who had come to take him had a very familiar touch to them.

As soon as the first one spoke, Fu Hua recognised him. So should detective Song if he had paid attention. Had these people been the ones who had guided him in the past as well? Fu Hua's memory was not that good, unfortunately.

"I'll be there shortly" the one behind narrowed his eyes at Fu Hua in suspicion. It was likely that he had already started suspecting foul play here. But he did not act out, which meant that Fu Hua was safe for now.

"Of course. We'll wait for you to finish your work then. We were ordered to accompany you after all" god, they would be on his trail the whole time. This was not a good sign but Fu Hua could do nothing but agree with a smile.

He could not let the others catch up on what was happening here after all.

He made a show of giving a few talismans to the people who asked for one and then was driven away. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw someone who looked very much like his body build take his place.

Since the cloak covered the other's head, it was impossible to see their features. God, they never had any intention to work with him, did they? What would have happened had Fu Hua taken that offer from the other?

He wanted to observe that new talisman as well. It looked vaguely similar to his own but it felt different to his senses.

However, he was not given a chance as he was led away from the place.

The back rooms were just as they appeared in his nightmares, overbearing and dark. It was just a memory but it still haunted him badly all the same.

The family head still sat in front of him, his face covered by a vile. Fu Hua was willing to bet this was not the actual family head but a body double.

"Welcome young master. I have heard a lot about you from the locals. The young master is willing to extend a hand to anyone who asks for help. Come, sit down now. Don't be shy" Fu Hua would rather not but he knew that was not how the nobility was handled.

With a sigh, he sat down on the seat offered to him. In front of him, the noble let out a wide smile. Fu Hua wanted to claw it away.

"Now that we are on equal ground, we can begin. Young master, are you not tired of dealing with the local pests all the time? How about you come work for me and earn a certain profit" this person was not good news.

He did not care about the common people at all, only for what they could give him. He disgusted Fu Hua but he was also an opportunity.

Too bad Fu Hua had not been in a good place right then, having received the last mission of his life before his deflection. As such, he would have to act as he had done in the past.

What had he done again?

"No thank you. I will see myself out and in the company of those pests then" the guard who had come to collect him made a move to attack but then stopped. The nobility must have made a gesture for the other then.

"Then the young master is free to leave. However, you might come to regret this decision later on in life" regret? Fu Hua had no need for those anymore.