Silver Night Palace

Could what Caihong said, be true but then again, why would the little bird appear now of all times. Song doubted Caihong's words, but it seemed Xiao believed the bird spirit. In a way, Caihong's words made Song hopeful that if they held some truth, Xiao would never leave his side, but if Caihong was telling the truth, how come he had no recollection of all they had been told.

Song knew when his father stole his mother's cultivation for himself; that a foreign Immortal had appeared and prolonged his mother's life just long enough for Song to be born. Not only that but thanks to that immortal, his father was unaware of Song's existence as she had hidden all trace of him.

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Caihong worried her Mistress wouldn't believe her, but what else could she do? She had waited as the Mother Immortal had instructed and allowed her Mistress to complete her cultivation in peace. But now that her Mistress had regained her strength, it was time to return home towards the silver gate hidden over the horizon.

Now that her Mistress had recovered, they could return home and eliminate the tyrant King, her Mistress's Uncle. For the last seven of her eight lives, her Mistress had worn many faces and used many names, yet her current appearance was the closest to her original form.

Caihong herself had to take on a different form in each life and found that she preferred being female to male and thus kept the same shape she had worn since her sixth reincarnation. She kept the bird form of her fourth life instead of her original jaguar one.

Yes, moving swiftly was great but being able to fly was even better; she now understood why her Mistress always took the form of a Monarch Butterfly.

Her Mistress looked at them with a wicked smile as she proclaimed, "we will cross the horizon beyond the Kingdom of the Sun and the Temple of Snow. We will go home and reclaim your heart."

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Having officially regained all her memories from all eight lifetimes, Xiao knew something Caihong didn't, which was that Song's heart was still trapped back in their original world. Even if it killed her, Xiao would restore Song's heart.

The end would finally come for all who had caused them harm. This Xiao promised herself deep within her heart that no matter what, she would end the tyrant even if she had to wait millennia to do it.

Xiao could tell Song was weary of Caihong, but the little bird was harmless. In their first life, Xiao had saved Caihong's life, and thus he had sworn his eternal servitude to the point of taking a vow that would kill him should he betray her. Even after the vow was removed, Caihong remained enduring hardship after hardship with her.

To Xiao, Caihong was like a little brother and, later on, a little sister. Xiao had never seen Caihong as happy as when he took female form.

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Seeing Xiao so happy to be reunited with Caihong, Song decided it was best if they went to his palace instead of remaining in the burrow. After all, now that Xiao had awakened, there was no point in living in the cave.

Song was sure Tae would be relieved to have him back on palace grounds. Tae, his commander and adviser, was against Song spending so much time alone on the mountain, but Song did not care.

"Before we travel, there are some things I must tend to," Song explained as he started guiding Xiao and Caihong down the mountain.

Xiao looped her arm through Song's, "Will it take long?" she gave him a smile that made his chest ache.

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The path Song led them down wasn't as lovely as the one leading to their burrow. If anything, it reeked of death. Xiao watched as Song struggled with something as if he had broken a promise to himself.

"If you would rather go alone, Caihong and I can go into town and wait for you." At her words, Song seemed to snap out of whatever trance he was in.

"That won't be necessary," Song lifted Xiao's chin towards him. "It might take a few days to months to take care of everything I've neglected. I just hope the palace will be to your liking."

Xiao stopped in her tracks, pulling Song back in the process, "You live in a palace?"

Song nodded as a massive black wolf appeared before their path. The wolf gave Xiao and Caihong a disapproving look but said nothing as they silently walked the rest of the way.

Even though there were flowers and trees on the path they walked, all things within the palace's range gave off an aura of death as if even looking at the red flowers would kill her.

The further they went, the more the ominous feeling grew. What exactly was this place, Xiao wondered. Even Caihong changed back into her bird form and flew onto Xiao's shoulder, burrowing into her hair.

The negative energy surrounding the palace was too much for Caihong.

Xiao needed to know not just for Caihong but also for herself, "Song, what is this place?" she asked.

Song didn't answer right away. It was evident he was trying to find the best way to explain, but in the end, all he said was, "This is the Silver Night palace, home of all misfits and my domain."

The lack of emotion in Song's voice worried Xiao; she knew the gods had corrupted his soul. She knew there was only darkness where Song's heart used to be, but this was not what Xiao had expected to find.

Silver Night palace was established atop a battlefield's remains. The souls of the dead still lingered, their grievances far too many. No wonder Caihong was terrified. The amount of negative energy gathered at Silver Night palace was far greater than that of the Land of Souls. Xiao would have to find a way to alleviate their grievances.