Chapter 57: Embers in the Wind

From the distance, WenXi city looked lively with all the colorful lights however, it wasn't all that. This night was a different night of all the nights that they have. Sounds of drums filled the air as men and women raised sky lanterns from the kingdom's walls up to the outskirts of the city. The drums stopped sounding as Zhao Min's corpse clothed in a white robe adorned with phoenixes was carried at the tip of PeiFang cliff. There, a ceremony was held to bade farewell to the departed. Wei Yue sang a tune with FeiXian's accompaniment of an ocarina:

The starry skies smile tonight

Yet here I am mourning

The sky looked so bright

Until you've been gone

All the laughter joy and tears

You left us behind

Are memories to keep until

We meet again

Farewell thy friend

May the stars guide you across the universe

When you will come and be rebirthed

We surely would again be friends

Goodbye and farewell

To this starry sky

I hope you are watching

From the other side

Farewell thy friend...

After the song, FeiXian gave YingLuo a torch. She nodded at him and went closer to Zhao Min's body. She lowered the torch and the flames started devouring Zhao Min's body.

Her eyes started to swell and being in tears, she knelt down and mourned for the loss of her dear friend. Embers lingered in the wind as she embraced FeiXian. FeiXian's hands trembled witnessing YingLuo like this. He felt her pain.

Faraway, a woman can be seen walking halfway at the streets of WenXi city. The woman was pale and her hair was all white but a noticeable trait can be observed, her eyes were blind. A blindfold was wrapped at her eyes and only a stick can guide her along the streets. Children picked at her as she walked clumsily bumping to other persons.

After she walked, she accidentally bumped into a group of men who are already drunk.

"Hey you! Blind woman! Do you want to die early?"

"I—I'm sorry. P—Please... I'm looking for someone called Wei Yue.... I have something important to discuss with him."

"Heh. What are you? A royalty? From the way you look, you're just one ugly blind woman!"

As the man raised his hand to smack the pale woman, but a staff directly hit the man and he fell on the ground unconscious.

"You dare hit a blind woman? How could you. Men like you have no place for a benevolent kingdom that I'm trying to raise."

A man's voice filled her senses. She was blind but she felt warm hands wrapped up her waist. She was carried by her unknown savior.

"Master... I'm blind but I can walk."

"No. You're safer at the palace."

Her hearing was very active due to her blindness. She can hear people gasp as the man took more steps heading to where they were going. Most of them are calling him "You're highness." As they buzzed around him.

"Your hi—highness?"

"You needn't call me that. You tried to kill me am I right?"

"But you're highness you shouldn't have carried me to your palace."

"We are doing a farewell for now and we need to keep the streets off people like you. Once they discover that you're a demon, you're dead."

The pale woman could not speak anymore. Instead, blood tears welled up from her eyes as his highness brought her on his chamber.

"I—I came to warn you about the Shuras."

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As soon as the matter from the ninth heaven was resolved, LanRong together with XuanWu, XuanZheng and Xi Yuyao descended down to the mortal realm. XuanWu led them to WenXi city where Zhao Min's funeral has been held.

LanRong was confused. They have been gone only for a few days and now...

"Did someone die?"

"Hopefully it's not someone from the Jade Phoenix's, LanRong."

"You maybe right XuanWu... But look at that. They held a funeral pyre up there so she must be..."

"Come let's go to the palace and ask the Emperor himself."

XuanWu, XuanZheng and LanRong went inside the palace but Xi Yuyao chose to witness the funeral pyre. She went up PeiFang cliff and saw a great bonfire. Zhao Min's body wasn't visible anymore. Holding out her hand, an ember landed in her palms.

"The corrupted could never be reborn again... Just like my brother..."

She whispered and gripped her hand shut.

When she turned and looked at the ones who attended the funeral, someone caught her eye that made her cry at the same time painted her mind with confusion.

The glimpse between a hugging man and a woman...

The man's face was a seamless blend like of his brother's. She gasped and covered her mouth...

'B—Brother?'

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Returning back into the Dark Realm's Nether Shade, QiuShan Li transformed back into his original form and bowed before XueCao.

"Master... I have grave news. Qing Luan and Zhao Min... They're dead."

"I know. They're merely pawns for my plans. Useless swines."

"But master... Qing Luan..."

"What about her hmm? Did you think I would waste another Shura's blood just to bring her back?"

"Master. I am at fault. I should not have talked back."

"Keep your mouth shut next time or else, I'll sew your lips shut myself!"

"Yes Master!"

XueCao clapped his hands and demonic servants bring out the dead sixth Shura out into the main hall.

"Master... This is—"

"LiuFang Asuro... The Sixth Shura of Nether Shade."

"His eyes... It's—"

"I gave him eyes dugged out from that she-demon that I gave life."

"Lu—Jie?"

"Yes General. You are right. Her eyes were special. They have the gift of seeing the future. In short, she was one half-immortal corrupted by the Shura's blood."

"And how do you suppose to raise Asuro back to life, Master?"

"I will need the Nether Secret Record kept in secrecy by the Shifting Flower Palace.

General... I will lend you my troops and attack the Shifting Flower Sect. You will set out by tomorrow. Get me that Secret Record if you may and kill all of the disciples if you want."

"Yes Master!"

QiuShan Li excused himself and bowed in front of XueCao.

Looking at Asuro's body, XueCao flashed a sinister smile on his face.

'Soon, Old Jianghu will tremble upon my feet. Once LiuFang Asuro rises, there will be no one who can stop me.'

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"Sect Leader XiNiang, this tea that you have brewed, where did you get this?"

"I have traveled from WenXi city and found it displayed on a store. Although it was pricey, the taste and rich aroma captivates me a lot."

XiNiang sipped some more. Her mood was good today and flowers from the palace's terraces and gardens are in full bloom. Jewelries from her head clinks and clanks whenever she moves her head. A beautiful flower mark from her forehead visibly shown as she graciously moves her head in pure bliss due to the tea's aroma.

'I wish this day wouldn't end.' XiNiang's beautiful mood was ruined as a disciple ran up to them and reported an incident.

"Sect Leader XiNiang! QiaoZhu has been attacked yesterday by servants of Shuras."

"Any casualties?"

The disciple couldn't speak but she nodded. XiNiang's eyes grew big. She suddenly stood up from her seat and called the other disciples in the fragrant hall.

"Today, I'm making it clear... The real enemy has returned. I will impart to you a secret. The Nether Secret Record kept below our treasury, is not an ordinary tool. It can bring back Asuro and beckon forth other evil things. However, everyone must know this... When the time comes that the Sect will be attacked, someone should bring the Secret record and the the heart protection pill. Go to the ends of the Coiling dragon column with Ming's Grandmaster and forever destroy that horrible thing."

Mei WuTang raised her hand and bowed in front of XiNiang...

"Sect Leader... I will go."