Chapter no.34 A Broken Past part 3

[ POV Change ]

The Black Mirror Sect was a shadowy sect that had long been shrouded in mystery and legend. It was said that the sect was founded by a powerful cultivator who had made a deal with the Rotancito tribe, a species of humanoid demon beast that is related to the illusive fairy tribes. Unlike most of the fairy tribes, the Rotancito tribe is the most willing to approach humans as human flesh, and meat is considered a delicacy in the Rotancito tribe and they are willing to trade treasures and items of great power in exchange for human flesh. Because of the rarity and demand of the items of the Rotancito tribe, innumerable amount of sects around the world are allies to the Rotancito tribe.

Some say that the first patriarch of the Black Mirror Sect, whose name has been lost to history, was rumored to possess the ability to move between the "mirror world", the home of the Rotancito tribe, and the physical world at will.

The Black Mirror Sect is feared and respected throughout the land for its unconventional and highly effective tactics in battle. They were infamous for their use of guerrilla warfare and their ability to create illusions that could deceive even the senses of mature demon beasts.

But while their reputation on the battlefield was unquestioned, little was known about the inner workings of the Black Mirror Sect or the motivations of its members. Some whispered that they were a cult devoted to the worship of some ancient, dark power while others believed that they were rebels of the Rotancito tribe.

Regardless of the truth, the legend of the Black Mirror Sect continued to captivate and intimidate the people of the world, their enigmatic ways and unknowable goals shrouded in secrecy and mystery yet somehow the young master of the Black Mirror Sect was marrying the adoptive daughter of the patriarch of the Divine Feather Sect.

...

The wedding between Lin Lai and Fu Xi was an intimate and solemn affair, held in a small, traditional temple nestled in the heart of the palace.

Lin Lai glanced and found only the patriarch and a few elders of the sect on her side. There was no sign of her brother which left a bitter taste in her mouth as even though she had convinced herself to be marrying off, she at least wanted her best friend to be with her on this occasion.

The bride and groom stood before the altar, surrounded by so few people that their number could be counted in one hand, as they exchanged vows and pledged their love and devotion to one another.

The bride, Lin Lai was resplendent in a beautiful red qipao, the traditional dress that hugged her slender figure and flowed gracefully to the ground. The qipao was adorned with intricate gold embroidery and sparkling jewels, symbolizing the prosperity and good fortune that the bride would bring to the marriage.

The groom, Fu Xi, handsome and dignified, wore a simple yet elegant black suit paired with a white shirt and a red tie. The combination of black and red was believed to bring good luck and ward off evil spirits, and the groom looked every inch the part of a devoted and loving husband.

As the ceremony progressed, the bride and groom each lit a small candle and placed it in a tray of sand, symbolizing the joining of two lives into one. The ancestors were then honored with a small offering of fruit and incense, as the couple prayed for their blessings and guidance in the marriage.

The wedding concluded with the traditional tea ceremony, in which the newlyweds served tea to their elders as a sign of respect and gratitude. And with that, the short yet dull wedding came to a close.

....

Lin Lai sat in her highly decorated room, surrounded by silence and the soft glow of candlelight. The room itself was a testament to the opulence of the occasion, with intricate tapestries adorning the walls and a plush carpet covering the floor. The air was heavy with the sweet scent of jasmine and rose petals.

Lin Lai was a vision of beauty in her traditional white wedding dress, adorned with pearls and diamonds. Her long, dark hair was styled in intricate braids and adorned with delicate flowers. Despite her radiant appearance, however, a frown remained on her face.

But as she stand there, surrounded by the splendor of the moment, Lin Lai reminded herself of all the reasons she had agreed to this pathetic marriage.

Feeling the wind brush against her skin, Lin Lai opened her eyes to see Fu Xi, standing by the door. By all accounts from manners to his physical features, Fu Xi wasn't missing anything yet Lin Lai felt nothing for him. Maybe she wanted to be someone she loved but it looks like fate had other plans. His eyes locked onto Lin Lai's, and a faint smile played across his lips. Lin Lai felt her heart race as she watched him approach, her nerves getting the better of her.

She had never met Fu Xi before, and the thought of being married to a stranger was daunting. She had heard rumors about him, of course, but she had no way of knowing what kind of man he truly was. As he stood before her, Lin Lai couldn't help but feel a sense of panic rising within her.

But before she could think of what to do, Fu Xi leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, catching her completely off guard. The kiss was rough and forced, and as Lin Lai felt his arms wrap around her, she couldn't help but felt a sense of dread fill her heart.

She tried to force him off but " Fu Xi's " words made Lin Lai stop.

" Oh, why are you resisting? Aren't we husband and wife? If you want to resist, we can destroy this right now and see how the Divine Feather Sect survives."

Fu Xi's words caused Lin Lai to stop resisting as she closed her eyes, wishing this was all over.

" Oh my, what a good wife you are! Presenting yourself in such a way. I just want to eat you up."

Fu Xi's words to Lin Lai's ears were not much different than the words of a demon as she clenched her bedsheets.

.....

[ Hours Later ]

The early morning air was crisp and cool, the sky a canvas of pink and orange hues as the sun began to peek over the horizon. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the trees, and the chirping of birds filled the air. It was a moment of peace and serenity, a time for new beginnings.

Yet in this serene time was contract by Lin Lai who was a vision of horror as she stumbled down the hallway, her once-pristine white wedding dress now stained with blood and dirt. If one looked closer one could see crystalized blood on her legs.

Bruises covered her body, and a dead look was in her eyes as if all the life had been drained from her. She looked like a ghost, a shadow of her former self, and anyone who saw her would have been filled with dread.

As she made her way toward her father's room, she needed to tell him that the Black Mirror Sect had done something.

She could sense it, her cultivation had regressed as she had fallen two major cultivation ranks into the manifestation realm.

Her massive reserves of Spiritual Qi were seemingly gone as if they had been stolen and she suspected it to be that monster of a man.

Lin Lai tried to knock but the door suddenly swung open, revealing two people carrying a shrouded figure between them. Her heart raced as she tried to make sense of what was happening, and she couldn't help but wonder who the corpse could be.

But as the figure passed by, Lin Lai's eyes widened as she saw a flash of gold on one of the hands. It was her Fu Xi's ring.

" Come in." Hearing the grave voice of her father, Lin Lai turned and entered the room.

" From the looks of it, you have something to tell me." Lü Fengxian exclaimed as he gazed upon Lin Lai.

Lin Lai slowly nodded as she entered and closed the door behind her.

She began to retell everything she had experienced and her suspicion of Fu Xi along with her decrease in cultivation.

Lü Fengxian heard with a calm expression on his face.

" This is most troubling, I will have to investigate this. My dear, I'm sorry you had to endure that and I promise that I will get to the bottom of this." Lü Fengxian exclaimed as he hugged Lin Lai in a comforting manner.

Meanwhile, Lin Lai's mind raced as she smelled a unique odor coming from her father's body.

The odor was like jasmine.

Lin Lai's face dropped when she sniffed hints of charcoal coming from her father's body.

With her inhuman sense of smell, Lin Lai determined this unique odor coming from her father's body was most similar to ..... hers.

....

As the men carried away the concealed corpse, they suddenly stopped when a collection of talismans floated near them, with a burst of energy from the talismans, the men crashed into the ground; knocked out.

As the men lay unconscious at her feet, Lin Lai stepped out from the shadows, her eyes narrowed and focused on the shrouded figure.

With a sense of purpose, Lin Lai approached the figure and began to lift the shroud, her heart racing with anticipation.

As she removed the shroud, Lin Lai found herself gazing upon the corpse of Fu Xi but his face was missing as if it had been cut off.

The horrifying faceless corpse didn't even faze Lin Lai, rather as Fu Xi's body odor entered Lin Lai's senses.

Lin Lai stumbled backward, her hand flying to her mouth as she fought to control the wave of nausea that washed over her. Tears streamed down her face as she realized the truth, a truth that was more horrifying than she could have ever imagined.

The monster who had caused her so much pain was none other than her father.

Even after finding out all of this, a question remained; Why?

She had been married off to the young master of a powerful sect yet her adoptive father had killed said young master, carved out his face, and plaster it upon himself to defile his adoptive daughter.

Lin Lai couldn't keep it in as she barfed out everything she had eaten onto the floor as tears ran down her face.

As Lin Lai's mind calmed a little. A wave of hatred, disgust, and fury engulfed her mind as Lin Lai gazed upon everything around her.

Her chest burned as she felt anger at this place that she called home.