⤄CHAPTER 4: ‘The So Called Fate of Once Known Infinite Glory and Grace’ (Part 1)
Xianwu opened her eyes. She laid inside a pitch black void. Looking at her surroundings she stood up. "Is someone there?" she called, her voice echoing. "Hello?" she called again. Xianwu walked forward further into the void. "Where am I?" she thought. Suddenly she heard a voice "Xianwu. How are you?" the voice was the same who woke her up. Xianwu smiled "I'm fine…" she replied sitting down again. The voice chuckled "Haha! Tired already? Come on! Here I thought you would freak out that you are dead again." Xianwu smiled back "Why would I freak out? But on one side you are right, I'm tired… I feel like not even leaving anymore." She replied gazing at the darkness.
"What's wrong? Didn't like the human world or the demon sovereign is a violent one?" The voice asked. Xianwu chuckled "No way~ on the other hand, he is really kind and the mortal world isn't too bad… but still, everything is hard to bear. When I face the people from my past even in my present, I'm ridiculed and made fun of. When I try to say something… I can't. I already lost my voice, my authority to talk. I'm merely no one and when I help someone and they thank me instead, it makes me feel so guilty, that I don't even deserve that so why? I really can't take it." Xianwu buried her head in her knees.
The voice with a motherly tone spoke "Yue Xianwu… from when, did you become like this? From when, did you start to belittle yourself so much? From when, did your once carefree self, started to hear people's opinion about yourself so seriously? Just tell me one thing, in your eyes… just who are you?" Xianwu looked up with her eyes widened "Who am I…?" she repeated. Xianwu cracked a smile "I am… Yue Xianwu, spirit born in the inferno city. Whose only mission is to stand beside the demon sovereign of the inferno city…" she answered.
The voice giving a faint light in front of her replied "That's right… the Yue Xianwu I know is stronger than mountains, smarter than kings, wiser than great scholars and kinder than mother earth. Don't be afraid, don't be discouraged. When there are people who mock you, there are also people who love you as well. It's just that… I have a single advise for you "Unlike the last time, don't push away the people who love you, care for you and want to stand by your side. Instead, cherish them and love them back. Protect them forever! Don't throw them away." She advised.
Xianwu nodded grabbing the light in her hands. "And when you find someone, whom you can't leave no matter what, you can't bear to watch him get hurt… then, stand by his side! So firmly! , so strongly! That not even fate can break you apart…"
Suddenly the light grew more and more pulling Xianwu back into reality. Xianwu flickered her eyes open. The rays of sun shine which many a times shone on her face were nowhere to be seen. "I'm back…" she thought looking at the surroundings and instantly recognising her little cottage. Getting up, she heard a familiar voice "Sister, don't sit. You're hurt… you should rest." Xianwu beamed. Whose voice could it be else than Xiao yin. He sat behind Xianwu gently combing her long hairs which Fa ling was enjoying merrily.
Xianwu with a deep sigh spoke "Xiao yin… I'm sorry. Even though I promised to return back fine…" Xiao yin stayed silent, only his hands moving back and forth, his eyes concentrated and his beaming smile was turned into a serious one. With just a glance Xianwu knew he was angry. Even though his face didn't show it, his quietness did. "Ah… he's angry. What should I do now?" Xianwu thought. Looking at the setting sun she suddenly realised.
"Xiao yin! What time is it now?" she asked waking up haphazardly. Xiao yin stood up walking towards the old bucket and keeping the comb inside, he replied "It's half past 4… you slept the whole day." Xianwu shocked to core repeated "Half past 4! And a whole day!!" "When will I go to the Heavenly City?" she thought shocked. Xiao yin in the meantime walked out of the door. Xianwu with curiosity watched over. Xiao yin climbing the ladder, walked up the roof of the cottage with a hammer. Instantaneously, he began hammering.
Xianwu dumbfounded looked at him and the only thought that came to her mind was "What in the world?! A young master of a disciplined family is mending my rundown cottage's roof?!!" Xianwu flicking her head sideways called "Xiao yin! What are you doing?! Come down here or else you'll hurt yourself." Xiao yin on the other hand didn't reply and did his work persistently. Xianwu sighed "Kids these days… why are they so naughty? They don't even listen to elders…"
Soon Xianwu heard someone knocking the door. She walked and opened it. Outside the villagers stood with lots of middle sized trays and kids whom she saved as well. Xianwu was perplexed with the sight at first. The man who owned the inn came walking forward as he greeted "Young lady! Good to see you healthy again. The villagers wanted to thank you earlier but you fainted in between…" "Thank you! Thank you!" they thanked. Xianwu nodded remembering "I fainted… right. Wait a minute! Then what? Who bought me back and how am I clean??!" she thought. Her thoughts rampaging as a young girl interrupted "Elder sister, Big brother on the roof bought you back and aunt Mian washed your hairs." she said.
"Aunt Mian?" Xianwu repeated. Behind the crowd they young woman who helped Xianwu a lot of times came forward, carrying her baby in her arms. She explained "It's me. I helped you change. My name is 'A Mian' (Mirror). We met for such a long time but I didn't even name myself. How silly of me." She chuckled. Xianwu looked at her amazed "It's her… she helped me so many times up until now, and now even this. The least I could do to repay her is to remember her name forever in my well-wisher's list." She thought.
"Thank you. Thank you so much!" Xianwu replied. Amian and the others nodded "It's all because you helped us so much. This is all the least we could repay for." They thanked. Xianwu was happy and at this moment she felt blessed to be alive. "Here! We brought lots of fruits and food, all just for you!" they said giving Xianwu the plates which were hard for here to handle until Xiao yin grabbed from behind. Xianwu looked at him startled but smiled in return.
After a while of hustle and bustle in front of the rundown cottage the crowd died down. Xiao yin took the gifts inside. Mr. Mian who stood outside the cottage told with a smile "How nice brother you have. The time you were working. He seemed to fix the roof your house, planted the plants and even fixed the fences around. It looks so neat now!" Xianwu up to her surprise seemed to gaze around now. "It really is neat… he did all this?" she thought baffled. Xianwu nodded with a smile. Amian with a smile assured Xianwu "If you need anything just ask from us. Alright?" Xianwu nodded with a smile. Eventually, everyone left happily. Xianwu turned around to look at Xiao yin who sat on the stone and wiped his sleeve from dust.
She smiled walking towards him, she knew she made him worried and even angry to an, extend he won't talk to her but still she insisted on making up with him. Sitting in front of him she voiced "Ah~ this young master of a great family, did so much for me. How should I repay him?" Xianwu eyed him secretly. Xiao yin looked at the side still ignoring her. Xianwu with a lot of tricks in her hand on how to make people's mood, smirked "How about I cook him something delicious hun?" she asked. "Or how about I massage his shoulders in return?" Xiao yin still didn't replied. Xianwu with a loss of words stood up grumpily she uttered "Hmph! You'll regret for not eating something I cook!"
Xiao yin who couldn't keep in started laughing aloud. For an instant Xianwu was shocked but looked at him stunned instead. "Sister…" Xiao yin called in between his laugh. His usual smile and humorous personality had returned. Xianwu asked laughing as well "Yes?" and the two of them laughed for a long time. Xiao yin had calmed down as he asked wiping his tears "Sister, is this how you urge someone to talk to you again?" Xianwu with a proud smile asked back "Right! How is it? Did you like it?" Xiao yin nodded with a chuckle.
Xianwu with a hint of his mood questioned "So tell me, why was the young master so angry today?" Xiao yin's expression turned into a serious one again as he replied "Sister… the two idiots who came to help you, why didn't they come back with you? Did they even help? Why did they leave you midway when you were returning?" he asked instead. Xianwu with a smile replied "Xiao yin… When you were told to leave your house, did someone come to find you back? No right? Did someone try to trail after you, in case you hurt yourself? No one did right? They left you alone to learn a lesson so you never leave your home again. The same is the case with me, when I left my home, nobody wanted to find me or help me. They only wanted me to learn a lesson. They wanted me to successfully complete the mission, so they could go back and enjoy their lives…"
Xiao yin looked at her seriously. Xianwu stood up and twirled around the garden. The sunset behind her aroused a feeling of the past. Xiao yin looked at her with his eyes widened. Twirling around in motion Xianwu asked "Young master Xiao Yin! Then would you like to try out my special cooking?" "Hm…" Xiao yin nodded with a gleam. The two of them went inside. Xianwu who did the cooking and Xiao yin preserved the food for Xianwu which the villagers bought, for further use. After a while when the sun had completely set, the two of them had dinner, and when the night fell the two of them sat outside gazing the night sky.