She's Beside the Coffin, Not in It

Throughout the journey to cross the length of mists, to get past the barrier that surrounds Cloud Frost Mountain, Nastasia had not stirred from her somewhat peaceful slumber. Paoxiao had not spoken a single word to break the silence. Though Hui Se Ying was bored out of his mind, he didn't make any attempts to entertain himself at anyone's expense.

The girl in the cart had suffered through a terrible ordeal. The demon leading at the front lost his dear elder sister. In light of this, even if Hui Se Ying had the mood to make mischief to pass the time, he'd restrain himself.

Instead, he contented himself with the snippets of mumbled words that fell from Nastasia's lips from time to time. As he never had the opportunity to be around her while she slept, he was unaware of this quirk of hers. Now that he knew of it, he found himself wondering how often it occurred.

And, when it occurred, did she always let loose such interesting words?

Although there were mumbled foreign parts, there was plenty he could understand. A devious grin crept along his mouth. The first time it happened he felt fortunate that he had something he could use to extort his master. However, throughout the girl's restless sleep, there were several rather interesting bits about Li Yu Rong tumbling out.

"Okay, time to trade places."

"Hn?" Hui Se Ying came out from his inward thoughts, in the midst of his devious planning. He had been trying to decide between several desires to barter with his master when Paoxiao interrupted.

"We're outside the mists," Paoxiao called his attention to their surroundings, "so it's your turn to lead us. Unless of course, you want us to find ourselves lost."

Hui Se Ying actually considered it but changed his mind. Though he wanted to hear what else this girl would mumble, he had already acquired a fair amount. He also already had the plot to entrap his master well planned out.

However, after handing over the cart handles to Paoxiao, he had been grabbed up and roughly held in place. The act had him calling forth his energy as he clasped his hands around the wrist of the enemy that grasp him. He had every intention of using his flames to sear through even the bones but stopped at the last second.

Hands weakly fell away and then one climbed up to clutch at his chest. "Master!?" He exclaimed in shock and then took a breath to calm his racing heart. The energy he sensed before being grabbed was so immense that he considered going out in a suicide attack to beat back the enemy while Paoxiao ran off with the cart and its precious contents.

"Master, I know you're worried and eager, but please don't just sneak up like that. I was worried that-"

"Where is she!?" After pulling Hui Se Ying around he glanced this way and that but didn't see any signs of Asya though he sensed her nearby through the mark that linked them.

"Oh, she's in the cart." Upon hearing those words, Li Yu Rong threw his gaze to the cart that had a coffin laid inside. His eyes widened and his breath caught in his throat while his heart nearly pounded its way out of his chest. Hui Se Ying, noting the reaction, hastily said. "Ah, she's sleeping under the robe by the coffin because it's cold."

Nodding toward him, Li Yu Rong cautiously walked toward the cart. He peeked over the edge and gingerly brought a hand to carefully pull the robe back to reveal a peacefully slumbering face. Seeing that, a weight fell from his chest and his dark expression softened.

A finger lightly swept down a velvety cheek before the robe was carefully placed back as it was prior. Through all the commotion, she didn't even budge. A testimony to her exhaustion. For that reason, even though he wanted to crush her to him to siphon out the agitation from his bones, he forced himself to hold back.

Rather, he turned on his heel to spurn the want and said to both Hui Se Ying and Paoxiao, "there's a caravan of travelers hunting down Ice Spider Silk not far from here. We'll stay with them for the night and then meet up with An Ying." He left the cart and Asya in Paoxiao's care.

Lu Se Ying had been left to survey the camp of the travelers to be assured that the group of demon martial artists were honestly interested in nothing more than Ice Spider Silk. As well, he was to set up the two tents they were graciously allotted and to be prepared for anyone that may need medical attention upon his return.

"Ah, master," Hui Se Ying called out to stop his master seeing that the demon next to him didn't have any plans to do so. "Inside the coffin rests Paoxiao's elder sister," he slid a glance toward the one next to him, who had an abnormal, withdrawn silence cloaked about himself. "We should see her body back to their home before we continue on."

For the soul to rest peacefully, the body needed to be allowed to observe the proper rites. To live in the next life with all the luxuries of the previous, one needed to buried in the family tomb with certain items. Each item carrying with it, its own symbolism.

Li Yu Rong understood the importance of this practice. Because he understood this, he didn't deny Paoxiao and easily acquiesced. "Hn, after we meet up with An Ying we'll take care of that before anything else."

Asking for such a favor did not fall from his lips because Paoxiao did not expect that Li Yu Rong would grant him the grace to see his sister home. He had been making plans to sneak off to see to it himself after assuring Nastasia's safe return.

Although he didn't fully trust Li Yu Rong and his intentions toward her, Paoxiao knew that he wouldn't let anything happen to Nastasia. Now, being showed this kind consideration, he felt his prejudice towards the half-demon, Mortal Realm prince, change a slight bit.

"Thank you." The low murmur was filled with his heartfelt gratitude.

Li Yu Rong inclined his head to accept it and then hurried them along. The length of time it would take to reach the caravan was the absolute limit he could give Asya to rest. He didn't want to prolong the journey on anything else. Though he didn't want to interrupt her rest and recovery, he was quite eager to have his reunion with her.

He couldn't help his becoming a bit impatient.

There was also Lu Se Ying that would need to check her over before he would truly get to have Asya to himself. Thinking of this, he encouraged the other two to up the speed of their march.

Now making headway at a swifter stride, Li Yu Rong's imagination ran wild with the thought of having her all to himself.