Chapter 16: Capture |
The atmosphere in the small room turned dangerously tense. Although Chì Róng still had a smile on his face, he had taken out his fan. Qīng Yán likewise had also drawn his sword from its scabbard. Even though they were brothers in arms, both sides knew that if a fight erupted it would be a fierce battle without mercy.
“Your Highness.” Chì Róng shook his fan and laughed. “You have given the emperor quite a bit of trouble. He is furious and has even called on all four generals to search for you.” He looked at Xíng Yún behind her. “Your Highness can keep yourself safe, but the one behind you is a different story. I hope that Your Highness can properly read the situation and cooperate with us.”
Shěn Lí ignored his words. Instead she glanced at Xíng Yún out of the corner of her eye. “You still alive?”
“Yeah.” Xíng Yún nodded his head and smiled slightly. “Not for long though.”
“You’re not allowed to die.” Shěn Lí switched the silver spear to her left hand and sliced her right palm with the blade.
Qīng Yán frowned. He was about to approach her when she scattered the blood in an arc on the ground. Qīng Yán stepped on the blood and felt like his body was encased in flames. He immediately used his power to scatter the heat and used his hand to protect his eyes before jumping back.
At the same time, Shěn Lí flipped her spear upside down and slammed the blade into the floor and let her blood run down into the ground. A golden light flashed and Shěn Lí and Xíng Yún were encased within the barrier, providing them with two feet of distance between the generals. Shěn Lí tore a strip of cloth off her garment and used it to wrap the cut on her hand. She looked at Xíng Yún. “You’re not allowed to die if I’m here.”
Despite the fierceness of the flames and the light all around them, Shěn Lí’s figure was the most dazzling sight in Xíng Yún’s vision. In fact, it was so mesmerizing he almost forgot himself. He was brought back to his senses when Shěn Lí lifted him up by the armpits, propped him up then lifted him onto her back. Her body heat radiated itself into him, warming up even his internal organs. He barely had enough energy to curve his lips in his characteristic smile. His dark ambiguous eyes didn’t reveal his thoughts.
“Highness!” Qīng Yán was shocked. “A blood sacrifice can injure the soul. Your wedding is so close at hand. Please consider your health.”
Chì Róng and Qīng Yán were quick, and picked up on her plans instantly. They shared a look and reached the same conclusion: they could no longer delay. Both readied their weapons. Then they decisively cut an opening in the flames and charged forward. The collision of qi between the parties instantly turned the room into ash. Before the dust settled, countless arrow rays of light shot down from the sky. In the chaos, a figure in red and another in black jumped out.
Qīng Yán fell to one knee and had to brace his hands on the ground to keep from being pushed farther out. The armor on his shoulder cracked with a loud bang. Chì Róng, on the other hand, had slammed into the pillars supporting the bridge. He turned his palm into talons and grabbed onto a pillar to pull himself out. He wiped the blood off his face and smiled. “This is my first spar with Her Highness. Her power is truly formidable.”
A golden light flickered through the settling dust as though on the verge of extinguishing. It quickly regained its strength and glowed more brightly and magnificently than before. Shěn Lí stood in the light with Xíng Yún at her side, one hand holding onto her shoulder. He wasn’t injured, but the toxin invasion of his body had weakened him so much he could barely stand. In fact, he could barely even speak, having to whisper in Shěn Lí’s ear. “Why . . .”
His breath moved the tiny hairs on her temples and blew blood into her face. She wiped it away and said, “Cut it out and stop talking so much. I’m not going to let you die.” Her voice was because of her injury.
Xíng Yún grinned at that. “Shěn Lí . . . life and death are fated . . . It doesn’t matter what you say and it doesn’t matter what I say.” He sighed. “You . . .”
Before Xíng Yún could labor through the rest of his speech Qīng Yán attacked. Shěn Lí embraced Xíng Yún’s waist with one hand and used her other hand to swing her silver spear, sending a sharp blade of golden qi at Qīng Yán. He easily dodged it thinking that her attack was really too simple. Seriously? A full-on frontal attack? Where was the finesse? Who knew it would suddenly shift directions and slice through the sky? A feeling of foreboding gripped him. Not good! Not good! But it was too late for him to stop it. The qi force struck the black cloud overhead, forcing the soldiers there to scatter for cover, creating the exact opening Shěn Lí needed.
She grabbed her chance and flew to the opening with Xíng Yún in her arm. Qīng Yán sneered. “Highness thinks too little of us!” He disappeared only to reappear directly in front of her. “To attempt to outrun me even with a burden by your side?”
Qīng Yán wielded his sword in an arc and a powerful force slammed into Shěn Lí. Though she blocked it, she was forced to take several steps back. Suddenly, Xíng Yún’s grip on her shoulder loosened and his body began to slide down her side. She squeezed him tightly to keep him up. “Don’t add to the confusion.”
“That was unintentional. My back just really hurts.” Xíng Yún reluctantly squeezed out a reply.
Shěn Lí still had a lot of spiritual energy so it was no problem for her use one arm to hold him up by the waist. But without the ground for support she had to use more force to do so. The pressure was really killing him! There was no helping it though, she couldn’t very well put him down. She could only grit her teeth and tell him, “Bear with it.” With that she waved her spear, piercing it through the sky.
“Watch the west where the land gods are! She’ll want to head there!” shouted Chì Róng. Since she wanted to heal Xíng Yún, he was sure she would head in that direction.
The black clouds holding the soldiers quickly reassembled in the west.
Shěn Lí charged forward, the golden light encompassing her and Xíng Yún. The silver spear in her hand gave off a murderous aura with an oppressive amount of killing intent. “Out of my way or die!”
The soldiers in her way had blood in their eyes as they waited for her to attack. Suddenly a strange force came from the black cloud. It pushed her back several feet and it felt like she was being held in place.
Droplets of sweat formed on her forehead as she tried to press against the force binding her. “This power . . .ugh . . .” Her voice trailed off, her golden light shield shattered, and an invisible force hit her square in the face. Her body shot out, knocked back to the palace grounds and hit the stone floor with a strong impact. After the dust settled, she looked down to find Xíng Yún on top of her, unconscious, but otherwise uninjured from the fall. Shěn Lí dropped her bloody head back down on the ground. The dizziness overwhelmed her and she had to stay down. It was some time before she recovered.
Chì Róng and Qīng Yán made their way to the pit created by her fall. Next to them stood another man. Dressed in a robe of gold decorated with black trim, he stood with the sun at his back and letting the wind toy with his hair ribbon, causing them to flutter loosely in front of him.
“To dare lay hands on your comrades, you’ve grown bolder.” Chì Róng and Qīng Yán couldn’t help but kneel at the sound of his voice. The tone was a commanding and majestic one that demanded immediate obedience. From his voice the two knew he was very angry.
“Your Majesty we beseech you to calm your anger.” It appeared that the Demon emperor personally came to fetch Shěn Lí.
As for Shěn Lí, her focus was on Xíng Yún. His breathing was shallower and his body had considerably cooled. Her heart felt cold and a sense of powerlessness came over her. To have to fight such a power . . .
“Out.” The emperor ordered.
Shěn Lí wiped the blood from her lips, grasped Xíng Yún firmly, and leapt out of the pit. She laid him down gently and felt for his pulse. Weak, but still alive.
“Explain to me what you did wrong.” This time the voice that came through the silver mask the emperor wore was a little flat.
Shěn Lí looked at Xíng Yún. “I don’t know. I don’t know what is wrong with not wanting to marry someone I don’t love. I don’t know what is wrong with fighting back when forced. I don’t know what is wrong with not wanting to be confined to the Immortal realm. I don’t know what I’ve done wrong.” She looked at the eyes behind the silver mask defiantly.
“Your Majesty has submitted to the will of the Immortal realm for more than a thousand years. Those idle immortals while their days away in leisure, enjoying themselves in the Immortal realm while those in the Demon realm shoulder the burden of overseeing the spatial temporal rifts. The miasma that flow from the rift create a perpetual cloud of darkness destroying the vegetation, leaving the land lifeless and barren. It is a miserable life for those in the Demon realm. As royal aristocrats, are we not responsible for our own people? Why must we spend so much effort to guard the rifts in the Ruined Abyss and subjugate the malevolent beasts for them?” Shěn Lí sneered. “I have no respect for that kind of the Immortal realm. What’s wrong with not wanting to marry into it?”
Both Chì Róng and Qīng Yán were silent. The emperor was silent for a moment as well before speaking. “There is nothing wrong with you holding your view, however you violated my commandment.” With that the emperor waved his hand. “Bring her for her punishment.”
Qīng Yán moved to obey the command but Shěn Lí spoke out before he could. “This king will move of her own accord!” She stared at Xíng Yún. Perhaps her gaze was too fierce for it caused him to open his eyes.
Seeing her look at him he cracked his usual smile. “Shěn Lí, why are you looking at me like you want to start something?”
“Yeah just think of it as me teasing you.”
Ignoring everyone there, she leaned over and kissed Xíng Yún on the lips. Her hair piece had cracked from earlier, leaving her hair unbound to be scattered by the wind. The cool strands draped across his cheeks, a direct contrast to her hot lips on his. The sensation gave rise to a strange feeling inside him, making him dizzy almost to the point of blacking out. Shěn Lí didn’t have experience kissing, so her kiss was more of just a fierce pressing of her lips against his. The force she used was too strong it was a little unbearable for him.
While kissing him, she reached for his injured hand and placed her index finger just at the edge of the lacerated hole. Her fingertip glowed, and a bead gradually formed at the tip. It slowly seeped into his skin and merged with the hole until it was completely filled.
“I said, you weren’t going to die.” Shěn Lí said after pulling away from the kiss. “Although you may not live well, you will at least live peacefully.”
She didn’t have the skills to cure the poison in his body but she did have the ability to lessen the potency. The glow she infused into his body earlier was a portion of the magical essence she cultivated. By adding it into his body, there would be a natural counter to the toxin, preventing it from spreading further. He would live in pain for the rest of his life, but at least he would live.
She straightened her clothes, patted him on the shoulders and said, “When I said I fancied you, I meant it. It’s just that I am betrothed to another and can not stay with you. Take care.”
Shěn Lí turned and left without a backward glance, taking the other three with her. The dark clouds soon dispersed after their departure.
Xíng Yún laid on the ground feeling uncomfortable because of the conflict inside his body from Shěn Lí’s magical essence and the poison. Despite this, he was feeling much better than before with some color returning to his lips. He unconsciously looked up at the sky and touched his mouth. He smirked and whispered to himself. “You want to be with me . . . I also wish to be with you.” As he finished, a strand of hair landed on his face. He pinched it between his fingers but couldn’t quite find the wherewithal to laugh.
He didn’t have the ability to be with her.
In time the clouds and mist passed by.
. . .“Why did you expend five hundred years of cultivation for him?” The emperor asked as he stepped onto a cloud. “An ordinary mortal . . . In a hundred years he’ll enter into the cycle of reincarnation and forget all about you.”
Chì Róng and Qīng Yán were surprised when they heard this. Although demons lived a long time, and it was possible to regain cultivation through training and study, five hundred years was still a lot. It was especially significant for Shěn Lí because she was a commander. For those who staked their lives in battle, where the distance between life and death was razor thin, five hundred years of cultivation strength was no small matter! However most shocking to them was the recipient.
Shěn Lí’s hand was bound by a chain and her hair was scattered loosely giving her an untidy and disheveled appearance. Her eyes, though, were full of conviction. “I wanted to.”
The emperor’s face under his mask resembled a sneer. “You’re just worried I’ll send someone to kill him.” He looked at her very coldly before continuing with his thoughts. “But really, why would I need to do something like that? In a year or two he’ll forget all about you, get married, have kids, and live a completely normal mortal life. Be at ease. I will not act against him.”
Shěn Lí was silent, but in her head, she was thinking that the scenario the emperor posed was not bad. She thought about the courtyard and the time she spent there. The feeling and the sound of the breeze as it blew through the trellis, the warmth of the sun and the smell of food wafting in the air. She remembered the first time she woke up there and the sight of Xíng Yún that greeted her that day. He was lounging in the rattan chair with his eyes closed and the sun on his body. They were peaceful days. She hoped Xíng Yún would continue like that. She hoped he would find someone to share it with, to accompany him through life, even if that person wasn’t her. Living in solitude would be too lonely.
She took a deep breath and gazed out into the distance, suddenly understanding how Xiǎo Hé must have felt. It wasn’t about whether something was worth it or not, but more so about whether you were willing or not.
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