(Part 5)

After spending a little while in the village Xianwu decided to move. She had to find a place to accommodate her before dawn and finding it was no joke. "How will I find a house in just a single day?" she sighed in utter defeat. There were cottages on left and right of the village, but due to sudden immigration from the river bank every single one was in use. Fa ling who was tired of hiding soon came out wiggling peculiarly. Seeing his actions Xianwu laughed "Tired of hiding are you, Fa ling! Haha, what are you doing you look so funny." Fa ling stared at her lazily. "Say Fa ling what is the possibility of us finding a house before dawn?" she asked. Fa ling looking around gently turned himself into a big zero standing right before her eyes. Xianwu sighed, lines of defeat traced her forehead. "Don't comfort me like that…" she said. Shortly, Xianwu walked over the hill a little away from the village until she reached a hut where a women was waiting for someone in front of the brick door. In her arms was an infant who was merrily playing.

Xianwu walked towards her greeting normally "Good morning. Are you waiting for someone?" tracing Xianwu the women gleamed "Ah! Yes I am, I was waiting for the scrap collector. I have so many things to give out yet, he isn't here?" she replied. Looking ahead Xianwu looked out if someone was coming or not but couldn't find anyone approaching she toddled back. "I don't think someone is coming." She told. The women smiled worryingly "I think so too. I've been waiting for a long while for him." She replied. Xianwu nodded in return while glancing at the items in the box before her. The box consisted of rags, old mattresses, lamps and wooden logs. Xianwu pondered "How about I buy those… I still haven't found a house, if night falls I might sleep near the forest trees with the help of them."

Xianwu stood straight as she asked "Miss, if you don't mind can you give me those items, in return, I pay you for them? What do you think?" The lady slightly shocked pondered for a while. "I won't get rejected will I? But I really am in great need…" she thought in assumption. The lady spoke up after a moment of silence "Well if they are to your liking, then I think I can pass them to you." Xianwu perked up in joy nodding while handing money to the lady which was forcefully given to her by Meizhen. Picking up the box Xianwu gazed at it gleefully. The lady looking her smile asked "Young girl are you a new resident here?" Xianwu nodded. "Where do you live?" the lady asked.

This question made her feel like the whole earth had been snatched away underneath her feet. "My benefactor… why do you ask me something which I don't even know myself?" she gulped. Xianwu facing the women stuttered "I… don't know this myself… ma'am…"

For an instant the surroundings became silent. For the lady this was like a fatal blow. A young girl who doesn't even have a house bought a scrap box, but where will she even take it? Where will she spent the night!! The more she thought the more shocked she became. "Wait here!" the lady ordered. "And don't move!" she threatened. Xianwu who was unable to reject her command nodded. The women went back inside her cottage. Fa ling who could feel the pressure popped out staring at Xianwu. "Maybe she is mad…?" she asked. After a while the lady came out with her baby with a man behind her. From the looks he looked like her husband. "Follow me!" she ordered. Xianwu unable to evade followed the woman with her scrap box.

After half an hour. The lady, the infant in her arms, her husband and poor little Xianwu with the scrap box arrived at a rundown cottage. It was a little far from the village but in Xianwu's eyes it was perfect. Under the open sky, surrounded by the natural greens, the scent of apple blossoms produced by Red Silver Flowering Crabapples filled the air. In middle of the sight there was a rundown cottage. Wooden fences and a door guarded. Xianwu hadn't even thought of finding a house but to the mercy of these good people she was able to. Unable to show her gratitude Xianwu hesitated. The lady interrupted "Young girl… no need to thank us, this cottage wasn't actually in use and seeing how rundown it is nobody wanted it, so you can use it until you find a new one." She said.

Xianwu was thankful from the bottom of her heart "I am grateful for your help…" she said. The lady's husband giving her keys said "If you ever need help find us anytime." Xianwu couldn't reply back. The three of her benefactors left as she thought "Better than being on mercy by my once beloved people. There kindness is like pure water. Forever heartfelt forever remembered. Being under it… is not that bad. Maybe my luck this time is not that run down…" Suddenly Fa ling rose up playing with the moonlit nightingale. "You're out… it's been long did you sleep well?" Xianwu asked gently caressing it. The moonlit nightingale fluttered around her. "Come on now! Let's go and take a look at our new home." She said picking the box and making her way towards the cottage.

She opened the door making a way inside, everything was outside her expectations. "Looks like I'll have to clean everything from the very beginning…" she sighed. Tugging her sleeves she picked up a broom, half of it left onto the ground. Xianwu looked at it with a puzzled expression. Finally laughing. "Haha! Do you really want me to fix it as well?" she questioned herself in disbelief. Fa ling dusted every corner, surely the cottage was a mess. When people said it was a rundown it really lived up to its name. However, thanks to Fa ling's help Xianwu had finally finished her chores. She sat the rugs and mats, cleaned the kitchen, pulled the weeds in the yard, set the tables and finally cleaned the bath place. It was sunset. Xianwu was tired now, all she wanted was complete rest, about the mission. She really had no strength left to even think about it "Is living in the mortal world… that hard?" she thought to herself. Instantly, a door knock was heard. Xianwu looked at Fa ling as he hid. Xianwu walked to the door opening it.

She saw the same women holding a plate in her hands as dumplings steamed over it. "Young lady… you must be tired after cleaning, here! I cooked some dumplings. Have a try!" she exclaimed. Xianwu looked at her in delight grabbing the platter. "Thank you… I- I really don't know how to thank you anymore, I am really indebted to you…" replied Xianwu flustered. The lady replied "Don't fret, we are neighbours and neighbours stand together at the time of need. After all you are a little girl, how can you do everything on your own?" Xianwu thought confused "A little girl… how can I tell them I'm even older than a 1000 years! Still… there kindness and care is far better than being betrayed by a 1000 years of family whom I deeply trusted…" No matter what anyone says the woman's name had already been written in her well-wisher's list. The woman waving her hand one last time left.

Xianwu kept the plate on the table. Gazing at the moon she thought "Yeying… how are you? How is the inferno city? Did you eat? Are you well? Did you sleep? Demons don't sleep!! What am I silly? No! Do they sleep or do they not?" she thought thinking hard. "Whatever… don't worry about me, I'm alright. I even found a cottage, it's a bit rundown and really unlike the prestigious Arcadia manor but, it's still really comforting. I wonder if you'd like it..." her thoughts trailing off. Suddenly she saw a figure walking towards the cottage. Unable to make out who it was Xianwu walked closer towards it. It was dark and was hard to make out but under the light of the moon she got a glimpse of a young man age up to 15 walking towards her. His hairs black and his eyes glowing. His ears pierced with 2 crescent moon earrings dangling. His red and black robe looking alluring hide and showed itself under the light.

Unable to see him in the darkness she accidentally bumped into him, both falling on the ground with a thud. "Ouch…" Xianwu winced in pain. Looking up she saw the person in front of her. "Are you alright? I'm really sorry…" she said gently pulling him up. Xianwu's eyes widened looking at him. He was breathing hard and his hands cold. "So cold!!" she thought touching them. She immediately pulled him up "Hey are you alright? Get up! You are cold, let me take you to some place warm!" she exclaimed pulling him up. Even though he was young, a boy is still a boy. Poor Xianwu couldn't match his physique. Pulling him to her cottage she laid him down to rest. Looking at him properly under the light Xianwu was astounded.

The boy's face was fair white and his figure slender overall depicting he was a handsome one. Judging by his appearance he looked form a well distinguished wealthy family but what was a child of a noble family doing so late at this hour? However Xianwu was too puzzled to go into depths "Fa ling! Pass me a glass of water hurry!" she asked. "He was alright a second ago, how did he pass out? Did I really hit him that hard to the extend he passed out?!" She freaked.

Calming down she took the glass of water from Fa ling and sprinkled it on his face ever so lightly. The boy twitched opening his eyes. Xianwu stared at him while eyeing Fa ling who was watching curiously as well soon hid. Just as his eyes opened Xianwu breathe a sigh of relief. The boy blinked his eyes in wonder. Sitting straight he stared at Xianwu. "Are you alright? How are you feeling? Sorry did I hit you too hard?" Xianwu asked relentlessly. "No you didn't… Thank you instead…" he replied. Xianwu passed the glass of water towards him. "I know it's not my business to ask as a total stranger but… what were you doing in the forest at a time like this?" she asked. This question blazed the boy's eyes. All of a sudden he became hyped replying "I was walking in the forest but suddenly I saw some scary demons and I ran away from there. But before coming back I fought with one of them and won! Cool right?!" he asked his eyes twinkling.

Xianwu with a complex expression thought "So… this little kid met demons in the forest and… ran away… moreover fought and won with one of them and won?? Does he really want me to praise him for that?!"

"Ah! Really? That was very brave of you… but really try not to do it again, it can turn out to be pretty dangerous." advised Xianwu worriedly. "Big sister, you saved me! What's your name?" he asked. "I am Xianwu… and I really didn't save you… in fact I think it all happened because of me…" she corrected taking away the glass. "Ah! I remembered!" Xianwu remembered instantly. "Young boy you just said there were demons in the forest? How much deep did you go in?" she asked.

The boy examining the walls of the cottage replied "Not that deep. Just 40 to 50 steps in there." Xianwu was startled. "Huh?! What are the demons doing so close to the village? Could it be it's already full moon night? No but I'm not sure if the kidnapping is done by the demons? And nor is it the date to of the full moon… but if there is no possibility of anything like that then what are they doing here and do the villagers know about them?" Questions flooded through Xianwu's mind making here more confused than before. Looking at Xianwu frown the boy waved his hand in front of her eyes "Hello~ earth to sister, Sister!! Can you hear me" he called. Xianwu leaped back into her senses looking at the young boy. She smiled. The boy asked "What's wrong sister? What are you thinking about? I called you at least five times?" he asked.

Xianwu tilted her head sideways assuring the boy. She responded "Little boy…This little cottage of mine is a little rundown but help yourself for as long as you like. I'll comeback after a while…" Xianwu kept her scroll on the shelf making her way to the door. As soon as she was about to step out, she heard faint footsteps following her. Turning around she saw the boy in front of her, the distance between them was about a single footstep. He passed by Xianwu with a blink of an eye. A cold shudder left her spine.

The boy stood on the grass. His black hairs ruffled but tied into a long braid reaching to his waist, and his blue eyes shone like two extra moons under the night sky with his lips as usual curved up into a sweet honey smile. "Sister…you are going into the forest right? If so, then I will come with you. The forest is dark and quiet unlike your little cottage. After all I can't let a girl who saved me go alone in such a dangerous place." Xianwu looked at the boy amazed however this child already faced danger thanks to her. And already fainted once all because of her. So, there was no way Xianwu could let him welcome danger again. "I better protect him. If he urges too much to go." She thought. "Alright, you can come with me but promise to not leave my side got it?" she asked. The boy moved his head up and down delighted.

Xianwu sighed "Little boy… if we met a demon. Are you going to show me in reality, how you defeated him? This boy really is a carefree one…" Xianwu smiled walking outside the cottage and closing the door behind her.