Chapter 23: The Second Seal in the Lake |
[Dec. 13th, 2018] . . .
A crisp refreshing wind blew down the hills into camp, cutting through the miasma and clearing the air, allowing the bright moon to shine gloriously down from the sky. Everyone in camp looked up in amazement at the sight. How long had it been since any of them enjoyed such a view?
Mò Fāng sat on the white stone training platform quietly gazing at the character imprinted on the hill. He was in a contemplative mood.
“Here.” Shàng Běi tossed a jug of wine at Mò Fāng. He jumped up on to the platform and made himself comfortable next to the other man. “Injured people shouldn’t drink liquor straight, so I cut it with some water. Hahaha!”
Mò Fāng shook the bottle. “No. Drinking leads to mistakes.”
“OK. Even if you won't drink it, just take it anyway.” Shàng Běi raised his head and poured a mouthful down his throat. Then he glanced at Mò Fāng and said, “Do you still think Immortal High God Xíng Zhǐ was bullying Her Highness?” Silence met his question. “Hahaha!” he laughed at Mò Fāng’s refusal to answer. “Immortal High God’s personality is really strange, but if you look at his aura, it’s insanely pure. An aura of that magnitude, neither you nor I would have been able to withstand it. I’m sure our legs would have turned to jelly had either of us switched places with Her Highness.”
Mò Fāng nodded. Even if he didn’t understand it then, he did now. The moon’s glow, the fresh clean breeze, he could feel Immortal High God Xíng Zhǐ’s consideration for them in these actions. It was just that. . .
“Hey! The moon’s been out for so long. Shouldn’t they have finished what they were doing and be back already?”
Mò Fāng gripped the jug and uncorked it. He chugged down the wine trying to drown his sorrow. The first mouthful was immediately followed by a second, then a third, until his face blushed red.
The drunken Mò Fāng looked at the moon in a daze. “What I like?” he whispered as if to himself. “Is there anything I don’t like?”
“Oh. . . ” Shàng Běi, stumped for words, scratched his head at the tricky dilemma. “You’ve got it bad.”
As if on cue, a light streaked across the night sky landing somewhere on the other side of camp. Mò Fāng got up, leaving Shàng Běi behind as he walked over weaving around the tents. He saw Xíng Zhǐ grab a leaf from above Shěn Lí’s head in front of one of the tents.
She snatched the leaf back. “Another day, I will blow a melody from this leaf for you to hear.”
Xíng Zhǐ smiled and said, “I will await that beautiful melody then,” before turning to leave.
Shěn Lí was intent on doing the same. She turned around and was about to enter her tent when she caught a glimpse of Mò Fāng out of the corner of her eye. She paused. “Mò Fāng,” she called out.
With his head hung low, Mò Fāng obediently walked over. Shěn Lí said, “The Demon emperor doesn’t know I’m here. Return and report my presence and the events that happened here to the emperor. Returning early, it will also be good for your recuperation.”
This. . . was this her way of making him leave? Clenching his jaw, Mò Fāng knelt on one knee to accept the order. “As commanded.”
Shěn Lí smelled alcohol on his body when he came over. She wanted to remind him not to drink while his body was still recovering, but with things the way they were, she changed her mind part way through. It was better to not say. She turned around to head back into her tent. After she left, Mò Fāng didn’t get up, but remained kneeling like that for a long time.
. . .Shěn Lí saw Mò Fāng off the next day. Sighing, she thought about his confession. She had never met someone who had the courage to confess to her. Unfortunately, Mò Fāng had lousy timing.
She wanted to give the person she liked all of her, but the current her couldn’t do that. Even though Xíng Yún died, his presence still loomed large in her mind, preventing her from returning anyone’s affections. She didn’t know if things would change in the future, but she knew she didn’t have space for anyone right now. Not to mention there was her fiancé, Fú Róng. Just thinking about him gave her a headache.
She turned her head up to the sky and the clean air helped relax her heart. She would lead Immortal High God Xíng Zhǐ to another of the seals later today. The continued improvement in air quality would uplift the soldiers’ mentality. She smiled. It had been a long time since she’d looked forward to doing something.
. . .It wasn’t until late in the evening that Xíng Zhǐ leisurely walked up.
Shěn Lí calmed herself before speaking. “Immortal High God, do you know what time it is?”
Ignoring her provocation, Xíng Zhǐ asked, “How’s the leaf blowing going?”
Shěn Lí’s face stiffened as she recalled her efforts with the leaf yesterday. She coughed, embarrassed. “We should take care of business first. Yesterday, you said there were several seals. The one on the high mountain, we already fixed. Let’s use today to go to the lake in the west. Thanks to the purification of the mountain yesterday, the air cleared a lot. We’ll be able to see the ground even if we fly high up.”
“OK.”
. . .Their trip over was smooth without any problems. Upon landing the appearance of the lake made Shěn Lí frown. The miasma had left its imprint leaving the lake looking more like an overgrown swamp than anything else.
Xíng Zhǐ was unphased by the filthy water. “Let’s go in.”
Shěn Lí was stunned. “Go in?” She shook her head immediately. “The foot soldiers never patrol this area and they’ve never gone into the lake. We don’t have a map of the region underneath. I won’t be able to assist you with the path. Immortal High God Xíng Zhǐ will have to go in alone. I will wait here on the banks for your return.”
That made Xíng Zhǐ laugh. “Does Your Highness not know how to swim?”
Shěn Lí was born with a natural aversion to water. Her water magic was abysmal. Of course she didn’t know how to swim! She’d nearly drowned that day when Xíng Yún tossed her chicken form into the tiny pond in his backyard. Now Xíng Zhǐ wanted her to go into a lake so muddy that visibility was practically nonexistent. . . yes! She was unwilling! She was loath to expose her weakness in front of him but without an alternative. . . “No.”
“What about water repellent spells?”
“No.”
Xíng Zhǐ nodded. At that Shěn Lí retreated a few steps, however his next words froze her.
“That’s fine. I’ll lead you then.”
“Huh?” Had she heard correctly? “Wait, hold on. . . ” She was about to refuse, but before she could even open her mouth, Xíng Zhǐ had moved his fingers and a black sheet of darkness instantly covered her vision. Although her vision was obscured, she could hear vague “glu glu” sounds around her. She knew she was in the water and her heart tightened at the knowledge. Her body was rigid with tension, but she reached out and gripped Xíng Zhǐ’s hand like her life depended on it.
“Don’t be so nervous.” Xíng Zhǐ’s voice sounded faintly from nearby. “Down here you can breathe the same as up there. My water repellent spell isn’t so weak it would fail that easily.”
Shěn Lí breathed in hesitantly after Xíng Zhǐ spoke. The success encouraged her to take another deep breath in and then out. She really could breathe underwater! She was so relieved; however, the relief was quickly replaced by rising anger. “That was completely uncalled for!”
“The water repellent spell will stop working if you let go of my hand.”
His words put her on alert and she immediately became obedient. Though she tightened her hold on Xíng Zhǐ she was still resentful enough to yell at him. “It’s pitch black here. You dragging me with you, what’s the use? Let me go back up!”
“But I’d be afraid to go in alone.”
What a ridiculous sentence! How could he spout such nonsense?! Shěn Lí was practically choking on the curses threatening to erupt from the fire in her belly. Although she kept them from coming out, her thoughts were unkind: His respectful venerable self resided Celestial realm for how many years now? What hardships, what disturbances had he not faced?! To dare say he’d be afraid of a small lake. . . he was just toying with her!
But remembering yesterday and the character outline on the hill, Shěn Lí reasoned he had to have a plan and a reason for dragging her along. She decided to play whatever role he had in mind for her. Just as she hardened her resolve, she was thrown for a loop by Xíng Zhǐ’s next words. “We’re here.”
Suddenly a beam of blue light flashing ahead caught her attention. Looking at it she saw it was coming from a strangely shaped stone statue. Xíng Zhǐ placed his hand on the topmost part of it, closed his eyes and chanted an incantation that Shěn Lí couldn’t understand. Whatever it was, it made the water around them ripple and vibrate.
A part of the statue crumbled away revealing a sparkling translucent disk that emitted a light bright enough to hurt Shěn Lí’s eyes. More parts of the statue crumbled and turned to dust, the speed ever increasing until its insides were completely revealed. A solid bright pillar of ice lay inside. Xíng Zhǐ poured his energy into it. A frigid cold invaded the area as the temperature dropped.
Water passed through the ice pillar in an unceasing flow and emerged on the other side free of murkiness, shining clear and crystalline. The once pitch-black lake turned translucent and sparkled gloriously.
Shěn Lí raised her head and stared at the top of the ice pillar as wave after wave of water rippled through it on its way into the lake, filling the bottom with water warmed by the sun. A hard to come by feeling of serenity blossomed in her chest. It was like water was rushing through her own heart and clearing away all the fear that had gathered over time, unwinding and relaxing her.
“Fish should be able to spawn in the lake now.”
“Naturally,” Xíng Zhǐ replied.
She turned around to look at him. “Aren’t there two more seals? Let’s find them quickly,” Shěn Lí excitedly said.
“Your Highness doesn’t have to worry about the other two seals.” Xíng Zhǐ patted the pillar of ice in a gesture that appeared placating. He pulled Shěn Lí along with him as he circled it. “There’s one located below the training platform back at camp. When we return, just tell everyone to stay away from the area while I mend the seal. After that will be the steel chains in front of the Ruined Abyss.”
Shěn Lí realized Xíng Zhǐ had always known the location of the seals. She thought out loud, “The mountaintop for wood, the lake for water, the camp for earth, the Ruins for metal. These are four of the five elements.” She frowned as she continued, “We’re missing fire. Where would that be? The seals won’t be as powerful if the five elements are not aligned."
Xíng Zhǐ smiled, “We’ll handle the next two seals together, but the fire one I’ll do alone. Your Highness doesn’t need to be worried. Since I, Xíng Zhǐ, am here the borders will be purified.” Xíng Zhǐ turned around to move back. Unexpectedly, his robe tangled up and caught on the ice pillar. He automatically reached down to fix it, letting go of Shěn Lí’s hand in the process. He caught Shěn Lí raising her eyebrows while looking at the hand he just released.
Xíng Zhǐ shook his head and laughed as he said, “Busted huh?” He raised his head to look at her, expecting her to give him a piece of her mind. But instead when their eyes met, she appeared distracted. Xíng Zhǐ took advantage of the situation. Smiling he said, “Let’s go back.”
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