(Part 7)
"Xiao yin… such a lovable name." she thought going back inside the cottage. Realising how late it had been. Xianwu asked "Xiao yin, are you hungry? I have some dumplings?" Handing him one of the dumplings to him which the women gave her before, Xianwu sat in front of him.
"So Xiao yin, would you mind telling this sister what were you doing in the forest in middle of the night?" Xianwu asked taking a bite. Xiao yin sitting on the floor stared at the dumpling. "I ran away from home because they always tell me to study! I have so many siblings before me, they should study as well but they don't. I don't want to study as well but they would still force me! So I left the house and I won't go back!" he told grumpily. His demeanour was one of the mocking ones. Xianwu looked at him with a smile "So… he's a runaway from a wealthy family huh… kids these days sure have a lots of guts." she thought with a sigh. "Don't worry I know he will soon miss his home and go back."
Xiao yin on the other hand looked at Xianwu curiously "And you are Sister Xianwu, a Heavenly supreme am I right?" he asked. Xianwu was about respond yes, however, suddenly shocked, she faced him wide eyed. "How did he know?" she thought. There went many people in the mortal world who could easily distinguish the difference between a normal human and a heavenly supreme just like the inn keeper whom she met in the morning and the women by whom she was able to acquire the cottage from, none of them could recognise her… then how could he in an instant recognise her? What does he study to have even this minor knowledge? Before she could ask Xiao yin spoke up "Sister, are wondering how I knew that?"
It was as if he had snatched the question right from her mind. The boy explained "Sister, Frist was your spirit. It even saved us from the demons right now. Normal humans can't yield one because they consume lots of power and need proper directions to control them. And about how I found you were a heavenly supreme was that I guessed from the scroll you were holding. The scroll of the heavenly palace has a special design on it which differentiates them from a simple scroll. You seemed to have that design so it was easy to grasp the fact that you were a heavenly supreme." Up to Xianwu's concern all of his explanation was quite right. Even in front of him Xianwu was like an open book fully unguarded. "How clever…. Such an interesting child. Not many have knowledge like that. I wonder what else, does he know…?" she thought. Soon Fa ling too came out of her hairs.
"So what else do you know about? If you know that I am heavenly supreme. Do you know something about the heavenly city? I am a newcomer at being an official general who takes mission from the Heavenly city so I don't know much about It." she asked slightly curious. Even though Xianwu had learned the whole history of the Heavenly realm in her sat life. With this question she would surely know the depths of his thoughts. "Hmm…" the boy pondered for a minute replying back "The Heavenly city is the basic centre of the Heavenly realm. The one who rules all of the heavenly Supremes' is 'Tiandi Zhijun' the emperor of the heavenly city. His palace also resides there. Mostly virtuous people ascend in the heavenly city on ascension planes and you know sister! Sometimes even whole kingdoms ascend!" he told in awe. Xianwu smiled "That is true…" she replied.
Soon the two of them finished dinner. Licking his fingers Xiao yin stood up after finishing the dumpling. Looking at Xianwu he spoke "Sister… you saved me twice when we met and in the forest so I can't repay you back but I'll excuse myself now." He told. Upon his sudden departure Xianwu felt slightly surprised. "But still, I am glad he is going back home. His parents must be worried" She thought. "Alright, Xiao yin it was great to meet you. If you need my help you can come back anytime. Go home carefully okay?" she advised. Xiao yin who was about to leave the cottage turned around slightly confused. "Sister… I am not going back home." He told. A sudden silence took over the two of them. "Huh?! Not going back home?!" Xianwu asked surprised. Xiao yin too stared at her surprised. "Sister, did you think I was going back home?" he asked. Of course Xianwu had thought that. Where else would he go if not home?
"No way… I won't go back, I ran away from there myself. To go back from the place you run away from would be an embarrassment!" Xianwu thought puzzled "Really?!… just because of embarrassment?!" "Kids these days. Why are they so difficult?!" Xianwu worriedly asked "Where will you go then?" Xiao yin looked outside as he answered "Probably back in the forest. The demons might have gone inside the array and it would be quiet and I might find a good branch to sleep on. Don't worry I've been sleeping on the streets and over tree trunks for past few days!" He made himself clear.
Xianwu was thunderstruck and her soul was probably leaving her at that very moment "What!? What do you mean by that? You will go to the demons again? In that forest again? If so why did I even save you? Doesn't this kid has a least bit of conscience?! What would I do if I find his dead body in the forest tomorrow?!" She thought bewildered. "Then I'll take my leave…" Xiao yin excused leaving.
"Wait a minute!" Xianwu called confused. "Don't leave. As I told you before the forest is dangerous and really unsafe… what if demons come back again?" she sighed. "So?" Xiao yin questioned. "How about you stay here for the night?" Xianwu asked.
"And… I did it. My sympathy kills me every time…" she cried in her thoughts.
Xiao yin smirked "Sister, you're such a worrywart!" he smiled. His eyes twinkling. Xianwu replied "Of course! What if you get eaten by the demons? What would I do…?" she said as she noticed her thoughts went into the words she spoke at him. Xiao yin was shocked but he regained his usual smile back. He sat down on his knees and removed his boots. "If sister is that much worried, then I think I'll stay!" he said. Xianwu smiled. After spending a little time with Xiao yin, Xianwu missed company. Fa ling was with her but he couldn't talk. So spending some time with Xiao yin won't be too bad. Of Couse he knew many things which was quiet shocking for Xianwu as well but if he won't sleep on the streets or on the tree branches then it's all worth it.
Xianwu washed the dishes and kept them safely. She thought "Tomorrow I'll return it to the lady and thank her, her dumplings really tasted great!" On the other hand Xiao yin had already spread the new rugs and folded the old ones to form a pillow. Looking at Xianwu who wiped her hands he called "Sister… the mats are set!" Xianwu nodded making her way towards them.
Sitting straight Xianwu stretched her arms, she reached out to remove her cloak revealing her sparkling silver wings lightly dimmer than the morning. Her gaze shifted towards Xiao yin who looked at her in awe. "No need to be alarmed… even though there is no case for the heavenly Supremes to have wings, I am gifted." Xianwu told as she laid on the rags. Xiao yin sat beside her instantly gazing her. Xianwu picked up the cloth to cover herself up, hiding her face in it. She looked at Xiao yin as there gazes met she said "I'm sorry… this place might not be comfortable like your home or will come to your liking but please feel yourself at home." As a young master from some great family this kind of rundown cottage was really unfit. Xiao yin nodded in rejection "No… I guess it's not bad, it's really good than sleeping on trees." he replied.
"So Xiao yin, you now about the heavenly city as well. And even the emperor. Do you know anything else?" she asked. Xiao yin hummed thinking "I do know." He told. Xianwu quickly turned upside down facing him with her face cupped in her hands. Xiao yin blinked his eyes "Sister… are you so curiosity to know?" he asked. Xianwu nodded up and down. Fa ling beside her too did the same.
"In the Heavenly city after the Heavenly emperor there are also the 7 famous heavenly Supremes of the heavenly city. People in the mortal world call them the Supremes of Values or the ones who changed the history of the heavenly city." He told. With his words Xianwu gazed at him with her expression widened. "The 7… Supremes of history…" she whispered. Xiao yin continued
"The 7 of them were also known as The Pillars of the Heavenly Realm. Amongst them, the 1st one is, 'The Genius of the entire Heavenly realm' he was the one who ascended at the age of 15. The youngest one to ascend. And up to today there's no one to beat his record of ascension. His genius mind is unparalleled up in the whole city and his single word is believed by many. They say, that his future predictions are always accurate."
"2nd is 'The King who burned in Flames' He isn't a master at fights but his decisions are never wrong. He was the only king who ascended with his kingdom while burning in flames. He ascended for his patience and rumours have it that he is the right hand of the emperor. He takes care of all the cases and missions in the Heavenly city in the stellar library which is also his palace."
"3rd is 'The Lady whose Brocade robes Spoke' The most truthful lady in the Heavenly city. Her reason of ascension was being truthful. She is the only supreme who wears robes and whichever robes she wears, they talk. No one can lie in front of her and none if guilty can escape her wrath, making her the third most powerful amongst the seven…" he paused for a break.
"4th is 'The Most Virtuous who opposed Heavens' He was the most righteous Heavenly supreme in the history of the heavenly city. However, he is the only supreme who turned into a demon as well. The only one who took the wrong path and practice demonic cultivation. Many know why that happened yet they still blame him. Some say he died in the hands of evil, some says he's alive but went astray. Hence, none knows the truth. If he's alive or his current whereabouts."
"5th is 'The Fire who met Water' Even though fire and water oppose each other, He can control the both of them together. He is said to descend on the basis of being the most helpful making him the second most powerful in the list of seven and the rival of the strongest one."
"6th one is 'The Prince who rules the Dreams' the prince was the only heavenly official who received the ascension in the heavenly city. His kingdom was already a part of the heavenly city. He could see the desires and the dreams of mortals and even Heavenly Supremes. Rumours say his harp which chooses an owner in a millennium, is the epitome of controlling human's negativity. He is the fourth strongest amongst the seven…" the boy soon gazed at Xianwu who seem to fidget as if uncomfortable. This was something Xianwu was not quite ready to hear but she had to act calmly and listen to everything to the very end.
"And lastly the 7th one… The strongest one out of all the sevens. 'The Princess of the Unparalleled Moonblade who withstood 777 Heavenly Arrows' the 2nd earliest to ascend in the heavenly city with her kingdom due to her grace and her blade. She was the strongest one and the one to die the earliest… Amongst the most beloved for centuries but trampled on in a second." He ended.
Xianwu felt like she was about to break apart but it was all in the past. Her grace and blade were no more… She replied "For a young boy to know this much is really extraordinary…" Xianwu complemented trying to evade the topic. Xiao yin eyed her disturbed expression as he asked "Sister, are you perhaps from the Yue kingdom?" Xianwu was shocked but calmed down nodding "I am… or I was actually! But not anymore…" she replied turning around and facing the roof once again. She stared at the hole in between it. "Xiao yin… what do you think about the princess of the Yue kingdom, was she really a bad person?" she asked. Xiao yin looked at her complexly, but his lips turned into smile.
Suddenly she realised "Ah! Silly Xianwu what would a young boy know about a 1000 year dead princess. Stop getting emotional and apologise…" she thought. Xiao yin interrupted "In moment of a second's breath! Overwhelmed with abundant Grace! Hereby, all virtuous granted and, all evil banished…" When she said something like that with her own mouth and always walked over her words… I don't believe she was an evil person but in my heart she was a brave one..." his words were like a burst of happiness in Xianwu's heart. Xianwu smiled back "A child with a child's thoughts, surely he must have read about me in those books in reality none would say that… but still if it's truth from the bottom of his heart it really made me happy…"