Unexpected Act Up

As the ritual drew to a close, Xu Jinhai felt the world around him glitch and go back.

When his vision cleared, he found himself in the midst of a warzone. Fallen gods lay scattered about, their bodies broken and lifeless. Xu Jinhai took a deep breath and forced himself to stay calm as he looked around.

That was when he saw Azalea and the nature goddess locked in a deadly embrace.

He turned and went in a different direction, his eyes scanning the battlefield for any sign of life. That was when he saw Kai Koichi, holding his mother in his arms, with Tsukiyomi Yan snapping his fingers to make Kai Koichi fell asleep and covering him with a protective barrier.

Xu Jinhai knew that he was just a spectator, unable to change the outcome of the battle or help those around him. He felt a deep sense of sadness and helplessness as he watched the mortal people slowly die in front of him.

For a moment, he considered trying to intervene, but he knew that it was futile. Instead, he closed his eyes and focused on the one thing he could control – his own thoughts and emotions.

As Xu Jinhai continued to explore the battlefield, he saw more and more destruction and chaos. He saw fallen gods, shattered temples, and rivers of blood. The air was thick with the stench of death, and the sky was darkened by smoke and ash.

Xu Jinhai continued walking through the battlefield, and as he did, he could hear the whispers of the souls of the fallen. They were crying out to be set free from their torment, and their voices echoed in Xu Jinhai's mind.

"The old man is the key", they whispered. "The old man is the key."

Xu Jinhai couldn't make sense of what they meant, but their pleas for help filled him with a sense of urgency. He had to find a way to set them free just like he promised.

As he walked, the whispers grew louder, and the souls became more desperate. They cried out to him, begging for release. He knew he had to act fast, but he didn't know how.

He closed his eyes and focused, trying to block out the screams and pleas of the souls. And then, in a moment of clarity, an idea came to him. He knew what he had to do to set them free.

Xu Jinhai opened his eyes and planned to go back to reality, now with a clear purpose. The whispers of the souls still echoed in his mind, but now he had a plan to save them.

Xu Jinhai was about to go back to his own reality when a figured from a distance caught his attention. He crept closer, hiding behind a fallen pillar. He couldn't believe his eyes – it was Yu Xian, his companion. 'But who was the woman he was with', he thought to himself. Xu Jinhai tried to get a closer look, but they both seemed oblivious to his presence.

As he watched, the dark red head woman suddenly turned and looked right at him. Xu Jinhai's heart skipped a beat. 'How could she see me?', he felt a strange pressure building in his head, and his vision started to blur.

Suddenly, he heard a voice behind him. "Get out now or you'll go deeper into the void", Tsukiyomi Yan warned.

Xu Jinhai turned to face him, his mind still reeling from the encounter. "What was that?" he asked.

"That was a glimpse from the past. Your own ability acting up.", Tsukiyomi Yan replied gravely. "You must leave now, before you get pulled in any further."

Xu Jinhai nodded. He didn't want to get stuck in that world forever. He closed his eyes and concentrated, trying to pull himself back to reality. Slowly, the world around him faded away, and he find himself back in the present, in the old house.

Xu Jinhai stepped out of the old house, clutching the cloth in his hand. His eyes scanned the surroundings as he looked for the old man. As he was walking, he suddenly heard a rustling sound coming from behind him. He turned around and was shocked to see Yu Xian standing there, his clothes were torn and blood was seeping out of his wounds.

"Yu Xian! What happened to you?" Xu Jinhai asked with concern, as he ran over to him.

"I'm fine, it's just a scratch", Yu Xian said.

Xu Jinhai could tell that Yu Xian was in pain. He gently helped him sit down on the ground and took closer look at his wounds.

"These are not just scratches, Yu Xian. We need to get you some medical attention", Xu Jinhai said, worried.

"I told you, I'm fine. We don't have time for this. I know you used your ability, what did you see?" Yu Xian said, his voice strained.

Xu Jinhai took a deep breath, "I traveled back in time, to the battlefield. The souls there were crying for someone, saying that the old man was the key."

Yu Xian didn't seem surprised at all, but instead nodded and said, "I see. Congratulation on unlocking that part of your ability, to travel through time and space. And it seems like the old man is important in some way."

Xu Jinhai raised an eyebrow, surprised that Yu Xian seemed to know about his ability. "You knew about this?" he asked.

Yu Xian looked at Xu Jinhai and said, "Of course I've heard rumors about that ability. The first one to have it was the one who said its abilities."

Xu Jinhai was curious but didn't want to push the issue. "Do you know who the first one was?" he asked.

Yu Xian looked at Xu Jinhai. "Oh, Xu Jinhai. Always so curious", he said plainly.

Xu Jinhai raised an eyebrow. "Well, aren't you going to tell me?" he asked, his interest piqued.

Yu Xian sighed. "Perhaps another time. For now, let's focus on the task at hand", he said, pointing at the old temple.

Xu Jinhai sighed, knowing that Yu Xian wouldn't budge on the topic. "Right, your wounds. Let me help you with that first", he said, walking over to Yu Xian.

Xu Jinhai kneeled beside Yu Xian and took out his beloved fabric, Shiro, to bandage his wounds. Yu Xian looked at him surprise, "Isn't that your beloved fabric, Xu Jinhai? The one you always use to cover yourself from the heat of the sun?"

Xu Jinhai smiled, "Yes, it is. But healing your wounds is much more important. I can always buy more fabric and name them Shiro."

Yu Xian's eyes seemed to light up at Xu Jinhai's words. He had always known that Xu Jinhai was different, but he never expected him to be so selfless. "You truly are a kind soul, Xu Jinhai", he said.

Xu Jinhai smiled, "It's nothing. I just don't want you to suffer. You're my companion after all."

Yu Xian nodded, "I understand. Thank you."

Xu Jinhai finished bandaging Yu Xian's wounds and stood up, and he reached out his hand towards Yu Xian and helped him to stand up. Yu Xian groaned in pain as he stood, but he managed to get to his feet. Together, they walked towards the temple where they hoped to find the old man.

As they walked, Xu Jinhai could sense that Yu Xian was still in pain. He asked, "Are you alright? You're still hurt."

Yu Xian nodded. "I'll be fine", he said. "It's just a flesh wound. I've had worse."

Xu Jinhai could see that Yu Xian was trying to be tough, but he knew that his companion was hurting. He said, "Let me help you." He put his arm around Yu Xian's shoulder, helping him to bear some of the weight.

The sun was beginning to set. The air was cool and quiet, except for the sound of their footsteps on the ground. As they approached the temple, Xu Jinhai could feel a sense of foreboding in the air. He knew that they were close to finding the old man, but he also sensed that danger was lurking nearby.

Yu Xian must have felt it too, because he said, "Be careful. We don't know what's waiting for us inside."

Xu Jinhai nodded. "Let's go."

Together, they pushed open the doors to the temple and stepped inside. The air was musty and thick with incense smoke. As their eyes adjusted to the dim light, they saw a figure in the shadows.

It was the old man.

Xu Jinhai approached him with a smile. "Hey there, old man. How're you feeling?" he asked.

The old man looked up and smiled warmly at Xu Jinhai. "I'm feeling just fine, young man. It's good to see you again", he replied.

Xu Jinhai took a seat beside the old man and struck up a casual conversation. He asked the old man how long he had been living in the town and how he spent his days.

The old man happily shared his routine with Xu Jinhai, and he listened attentively as the old man shared his daily routine, but as he finished, Xu Jinhai noticed something strange.

"Excuse me, old man", Xu Jinhai said, "you mentioned all the things you do in a day, but you didn't mention anything about eating. Don't you need to eat?"

The old man's face clouded over, and he didn't answer at first. Xu Jinhai was about to apologize for overstepping when the old man finally spoke. "I don't eat because I always feel full", he said simply.

Xu Jinhai was silent.

"And the reason for that is because you're already dead. You don't need to eat anymore.", Yu Xian's words caught the old man off guard and he looked at both Xu Jinhai and Yu Xian in disbelief.

"What are you talking about? I am not dead!" the old man protested.

Xu Jinhai looked at the old man sympathetically, "I'm sorry to tell you this, but I already knew that you were dead from the start."

The old man's eyes widened with shock and disbelief. "I… I don't understand. How could I be dead? I feel alive, I can see and hear everything around me."

Yu Xian sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, old man, but it's true. You died some time ago, and you've been stuck in this place ever since. That's why you don't need to do things mortals do."

The old man's face paled, and he looked as though he was about to collapse. "No… no, that can't be true", he muttered. "I remember waking up this morning, and… and going about my day like usual…"

Xu Jinhai put a comforting hand on the old man's shoulder. "It's okay", he said gently. "We're here to help you, so that all of you can now move on."

Xu Jinhai felt a sudden chill run down his spine as the souls appeared around them, their ghostly forms floating and shifting in the air. As he looked around, he noticed that the old man had disappeared, and in his place was a young man with jet black hair and piercing green eyes. Xu Jinhai's heart skipped a beat as he realized who it was.

"Kai Koichi?" he whispered in disbelief.

The young man smiled at him, and Xu Jinhai could see the familiar mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Yes, it's me", Kai Koichi said, his voice sounding much younger and livelier than before. "And I'm sorry, I was the one responsible for you going back in the past. Just because I saw a potential in you and I wanted you to meet me when I was alive. Oh, by the way, the red string you were asking… It's actually just in my pocket hee-hee."

Xu Jinhai was shocked to hear Kai Koichi's words. "You put me in the past to meet you? How dumb can you be…You know it caused my ability to act up." he asked, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

Kai Koichi smiled sheepishly. "Well… because I wanted to meet you before I passed away. Like you know, If I approached you as an old man, would you even consider me as a friend?", he explained.

Xu Jinhai was at loss for words. He couldn't believe that Kai Koichi would do such things just to meet him. "But why me? Why did you want to meet me so badly?" he asked, his voice filled with curiosity.

Kai Koichi chuckled softly. "Well, I don't know but still, you seemed much nicer unlike the guy behind you.", he whispered, looking at Yu Xian who was standing a few feet away from them.

Xu Jinhai turned to look at Yu Xian, who was looking at him with a stoic expression. He couldn't help but smile a bit at his friend's teasing. Turning back to Kai Koichi, he said, "Thank you for doing this, Kai Koichi. I'm glad that we were able to meet and become friends."

Kai Koichi smiled warmly. "The pleasure is mine, Xu Jinhai. I am glad I was able to meet such unique person like the both of you before I left this world."

Xu Jinhai felt a lump form in his throat at Kai Koichi's words. He knew that Kai Koichi was not long for this world, and he couldn't help but feel sad at the thought of losing his new friend. But he pushed those thoughts aside and smiled back at Kai Koichi, grateful for the time they had spent back there.

Xu Jinhai was about to speak when Yu Xian holds his shoulder and gestured him to look behind them. A soul approached them slowly, Yu Xian and Xu Jinhai stepped aside to give Kai Koichi some space. Kai Koichi's eyes widened in shock as he saw the soul's face, and tears began to fall from his eyes. It was his mother.

Kai Koichi's mother slowly approached him, her ethereal form radiating with a soft light. As she drew near, Kai Koichi's tears flowed freely down his cheeks. He reached out his hand and she took it in hers, their fingers intertwining.

"Mother", Kai Koichi whispered, his voice trembling with emotion.

"Kai Koichi, my dear son", his mother replied, her voice gentle and soothing. "It's been so long since I last saw you in this form."

Kai Koichi's heart swelled with love and longing as he gazed at his mother. He couldn't believe he was finally seeing her again, even if it was only in spirit form. He held her hand tightly, not wanting to let go.

"I miss you so much, Mother", Kai Koichi said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I miss you too, my son", his mother replied, her eyes filled with love and tenderness. "But I'm always with you."

"I love you, mother", he said, his voice choked with emotion.

"I love you too, Koichi", his mother replied, her voice soft and comforting.

As they held hands, the two souls embraced, surrounded by the soft glow of the other souls around them. For a moment, all was still and peaceful, as if time had stopped. Kai Koichi felt a sense of completeness he had never felt before, as if a missing piece of his heart had finally been restored.

Xu Jinhai and Yu Xian watched the reunion from a distance.

Kai Koichi's mother smiled at him, her form starting to glow brightly. "It's time to go, Koichi.", she then turned to look at Xu Jinhai and Yu Xian. "Thank you for your help. Both of you."

As Kai Koichi and his mother slowly disintegrated, Xu Jinhai and Yu Xian watched in awe and wonder. The other souls around them started to glow and disappear one by one, like tiny stars fading away in the night sky.

Xu Jinhai felt a pang of sadness in his heart, knowing that he would never see these souls again. But at the same time, he felt a sense of relief and happiness for them, knowing that they were finally free from their eternal torment.

Yu Xian stood beside Xu Jinhai, silently watching the souls disappear. Xu Jinhai turned to Yu Xian with a soft smile on his face. "This journey was supposed to be about finding the antidote for the disease", he said. "But along the way, we've helped so many lost souls find their way."

Yu Xian nodded; his expression serious. "It's true", he said. "I didn't expect to find myself caught up in all of this, but I'm glad we were able to help."

Xu Jinhai turned back to watch as the last of the souls dissipated into the air. "I think we've done a good thing here", he said.

Yu Xian nodded. "I think you have", he said.

"Yu Xian, I just remembered something crucial about the antidote. One of the key ingredients we need is the Moontide Lily", Xu Jinhai said.

Yu Xian asked, "Where did you get that information from?"

"When I was in the void of time. Someone told me about the antidote needed for curing the disease."

Yu Xian just looked at Xu Jinhai.

Xu Jinhai noticed the surprise in Yu Xian's expression asked, "is something bothering you, Yu Xian?"

Yu Xian shook his head and replied, "No, not really. It's just that the idea of finding an antidote for a disease that didn't exist in the past is quite intriguing. But I trust that you have your sources."

Xu Jinhai nodded, "I know it may sound unbelievable, but I was able to travel back in time and meet someone... – I can understand if it's hard to believe, but that's how I got the information about the Moontide Lily."

Yu Xian nodded and said, "I believe you, Xu Jinhai. Your ability to travel through time is not something new to me, and I trust that you have your reasons for doing so. Let's focus on finding the Moontide Lily for now."

Xu Jinhai nodded in agreement, glad that Yu Xian didn't press the issue further and now they'll continue their journey in search of the Moontide Lily.