Chapter 15

At night in a forest, an eerie yet enchanting atmosphere prevails. Shadows dance among the trees, and ethereal mists cloak the ground. Strange sounds echo, hinting at unseen creatures and ancient spirits. Despite the mystery, there's a tangible sense of magic in the air, drawing adventurers deeper into the forest's secrets.

In the distance, a moving shadow is seen while traversing the path between towering trees.

Clip-clop, clip-clop, accompanied by the creaking of wooden wheels rolling over the ground.

With the help of the moonlight, gradually becoming visible. A horse with a wagon traverses towards the exit of the forest, and when they reach its end, the horse stops immediately. As the horse slows to a stop, the rhythmic clip-clop of its hooves gradually fades, blending with the soft creak of the wagon's wooden frame.

"We'll rest here for the night to have dinner, so you can get down," the woman said while looking back.

When she said this, the two children riding on the wagon immediately followed, and when they got down, they stretched their bodies while wandering their eyes around the place where they would spend the night.

It's a small hill, and its top is flat, so it's just right to set up to spend the night because the path they traversed earlier wasn't good due to potholes and dense vegetation due to the towering trees.

"Madara, help me set up the cooking area," the woman said to him as she carried cooking utensils towards the small hill. Upon hearing this, he immediately followed his sister. After a few minutes of setting up the cooking area, Xiao Yun began to cook.

When she finished, they started to eat their dinner, and shortly after, his sister suggested they sleep because they still had a long journey ahead.

"Madara, where will you sleep? You can stay in the wagon or lay down a cloth outside if you prefer."

"I'll just sleep outside, sister," he replied, so she handed him a cloth.

"What about you, Li Lu? Where will you sleep?" she asked the young girl.

"I'll sleep outside too, big sister," she replied, setting up her bedding near Madara.

"And you, Sister Yun, where will you sleep?" Madara asked his sister.

"I'll sleep near the wagon to watch over both of you," she replied.

"But Sister Yun..."

"Shhh, it's just for one night. I'm used to it. Go to sleep, both of you. We have a long journey tomorrow," she interrupted.

Madara couldn't do anything to persuade his sister, so when everything was settled, the two children lay down on the grassy ground. When they were lying down, Li Lu called out to Madara, so he turned to her.

"Madara, look," she said, pointing to the sky. "It's beautiful, isn't it? I didn't realize how beautiful the night sky is."

Because of that, Madara also looked up, and the night sky was indeed a mesmerizing spectacle of vivid colors, twinkling stars, and mystical phenomena.

"Indeed, Li Lu, it's beautiful. It's my first time sleeping outside," he replied while still staring at the sky.

Because of what he saw, he couldn't help but compare the world of Xianxia to Earth because Urban light pollution and modernization can obscure the view of the night sky for many people, diminishing the visibility of stars and celestial objects compared to more remote or less developed areas.

He paused in his thoughts when he heard Li Lu calling him.

"Madara, can I ask you something?" she said while looking up at him.

"Of course, Li Lu, what is it?" he replied, puzzled.

"Why is it that when we were little, I rarely saw you come out of your house, and when you did, you seemed to ignore my calls, as well as those of other children our age in the village when we invited you to play?"

Upon hearing this, Madara looked up at the sky, and after a few seconds, he answered.

"I just got used to it, Li Lu," he replied, his mind flashing back to his past life on Earth.

She didn't understand what he meant by his answer, so she continued her questioning.

"Is it because you're the only one left in your family? I'm sorry if my question is too personal, Madara," Li Lu said, waving her hands apologetically.

He glanced at Li Lu's reaction to his response before he sighed and answered her question.

"It's not like that, Li Lu. I've come to terms with what happened to me, and Sister Yun is here, so I know I'm not alone," he replied, looking in the direction where his sister was sitting.

"Madara, when you talked about why we want to become cultivators, why did you mention wanting to fly in the sky?" 

"Because it's one of my dreams," he replied simply.

A moment of silence passed between the two children before Li Lu spoke up again.

"Let's go to sleep, Madara. We'll be in trouble if we're caught awake."

He simply nodded in response, and after a second.

"Goodnight, Madara," Li Lu said before turning over to sleep.

He didn't respond, pretending not to have heard her, and soon he fell asleep as well.

The next morning, he woke up because he felt something on his face, so he opened his eyes and was surprised to find Li Lu's hand on his face. He glanced at her but couldn't get angry since it was obvious she was still asleep, so he just removed her hand from his face.

After tidying up his bed, he heard his sister cooking, so he went to where she was.

"Good morning, Madara. Come and have breakfast." Xiao Yun suddenly paused in her speech. "Wake up Li Lu too, so we can leave early."

He immediately followed, so he went to where Li Lu was sleeping.

"Li Lu, wake up. It's time for breakfast," Madara said, kneeling beside her and gently shaking her left shoulder.

"Mama, I don't want to wake up yet." Li Lu paused in her speech as she opened her eyes and saw Madara in front of her. Her cheeks flushed at the sight.

"Madara, what are you doing? Wait, what time is it?" She recoiled from her lying position.

"It's time to wake up and have breakfast so we can leave early to go to Jin Yang Town," he replied.

With that, she quickly got up from her bed, and they headed to where breakfast was served.

"Madara, Li Lu, let's have breakfast so we can get to Jin Yang Town early. It's difficult to travel there later," Xiao Yun added.

The two quickly followed suit, and after a few minutes, they finished packing up and preparing to leave. Throughout the journey, the two women talked while he quietly listened and observed the surroundings they passed. After several hours of travel, they finally reached Jin Yang Town.

From afar at night, the town emerges like a mystical painting, nestled amidst misty forests and rolling hills. Tiled rooftops gleam under celestial light, guarded by crimson pagodas. A bustling marketplace buzzes with merchants selling exotic wares, while practitioners of ancient arts roam the cobblestone streets.

When they reached the gate, there was an inscription above it that read 'Jin Yang Town.' Just as they were about to enter, someone blocked their way.

"There's an entrance fee here: two copper coins per head," the guard told them. So Xiao Yun paid the guard six copper coins.

As they entered, Madara's eyes wandered because it was his first time visiting a different place.

The streets of the town shimmered with lantern light, casting enchanting shadows on cobblestone paths. Shops displayed exotic wares beneath ornate banners, while the air was filled with the aroma of incense and street food. Inside houses, paper lanterns glowed softly, and families gathered to share stories.

When they arrived at one of the inns, Xiao Yun told the two children to get off the wagon and go inside to rest because she still needed to put the horse in the stable. The two immediately followed.

When they entered, in the main hall of the inn, lantern lights illuminated silk banners and wooden beams, creating an atmosphere of elegance. Travelers conversed, tales of adventure filling the air as they sipped fragrant tea. Scholars debated in one corner, while minstrels enchanted with celestial melodies. As night fell, the hall became a haven of magic and camaraderie.

Their attention was diverted when someone grabbed their shoulders.

"I know you're tired, so let's head to the reception area to get a room," Xiao Yun said to the two children.

After obtaining a room, they headed towards it. She promptly used the key provided by the receptionist, and they were greeted by soft candlelight illuminating elegant wooden furnishings and silk tapestries.

A low table hosted fragrant tea, while celestial symbols adorned embroidered cushions for comfort. Nearby, an altar paid homage to the divine as distant chants filled the air.

"Let's sleep now; I know people will be busy tomorrow," she said to the two children.

But Madara paused when he noticed there was only one bed, which was just enough for two people.

"Sister, where will you sleep?" he asked her.

"Here..." she said, pointing to the floor.

Madara didn't ask further because he knew his sister would refuse to sleep on the bed. He also remained silent because Li Lu would be sleeping beside him.

As he pondered this, he found himself staring at Li Lu as she arranged their sleeping area, remembering how Li Lu slept.

The next morning, he woke up because his sister was shaking him.

"Madara, Li Lu, wake up. Today is the day for scanning your spirit root, bone marrow, and bloodline."

Upon hearing this, they quickly showered and dressed. He chose to wear an ordinary black hanfu paired with black hanfu shoes, while Li Lu wore a colorful ribbon in her hair, a cotton dress with playful patterns, and sturdy shoes. A knitted cardigan offered warmth, and a small pendant adorned her neck. With a wide smile, she radiated innocence and joy in her simple attire.

When Xiao Yun saw them, she was amazed at what the two children were wearing.

"Come, let's go to the dining hall for breakfast."

The two children followed suit, and when they sat down at one of the tables, Xiao Yun ordered "Cloud Rice Porridge," a fragrant blend of rice and tender meat in savory broth, accompanied by "Divine Lotus Buns," sweet buns filled with lotus paste. Served with "Celestial Jasmine Tea."

After breakfast, she accompanied the two children to one of the plazas where the scanning would take place.

As they passed by one of the streets, Madara's attention was caught by a shop where he saw a book. He was about to go there when he heard the sound of a bell coming from the plaza.

"Madara, Li Lu, it's starting," Xiao Yun said.

So she held the hands of the two children and led them towards where the sound was coming from.