Chapter 35: Reminiscent of the Past |
[July 14, 2019]
. . .
The girl was shaking like a leaf. Shěn Lí thought it best to just release her.
In her happiness, Shěn Lí forgot Xiǎo Hé had sacrificed herself for the one she loved, that even if she looked like Xiǎo Hé in her reincarnated form, she would have no memory of her previous life. Unlike Xíng Zhǐ who retained his memories, she would have lost hers. Without that memory, she was freed from the past. In this life, she didn’t know Prince Ruì or the heartbreak of that love.
Shěn Lí was silent for a moment, then she took a step toward the girl and asked, “Your abilities aren’t even that great, yet you dare set up a stall like this to harm others? How brazen. Aren’t you afraid the mountain god will punish you?”
With her head lowered to her chest the girl whispered that the mountain god was gone, captured some time ago.
Xíng Zhǐ and Shěn Lí shared a glance.
“When? Did you see who did it?” Shěn Lí probed. Her voice came out unintentionally sterner than she meant it to.
It scared the girl, and though her lips trembled, she refused to say more.
The sigh made the older woman exert a great amount of effort to look up from the ground. In a hoarse voice she asked, “Great immortals, you are sparing our lives?” Shěn Lí had only shaken her twice, but it was enough for her to understand the disparity in their strength, so she was very respectful when she spoke.
“Neither my child nor I wish to engage in such a malicious trade, but we were forced to do so because we had no other choice. We’ve only robbed passersby of their money. We take what we can, but we’ve never physically harmed anyone!”
“When did you put up the stall? And why were you compelled to do so?” Shěn Lí asked.
Thinking about it made the greened eyed python sigh. “This child’s father is a mortal. Together as a family we used to live in the forest surrounding Yáng Zhōu . It was a hard life, but we got by on the food he grew and the game I brought back from the mountain. Then three months ago something strange happened. The trees started withering away and the grass stopped growing. Thick miasma spread everywhere and nothing grew. I’m sure it’s related to the mountain god’s disappearance.”
It clearly made her anxious just remembering. “The mountain god disappeared . . . The other supernatural beings said the god was taken away by some guys from a group called Fúshēng Mén.”
Shěn Lí wrinkled her brows, that name again. Although it was a small immortal sect, it was a rising power capable of not just kidnapping immortals around the capital, but also using demon magic. Even Shěn Lí began to doubt her conviction. Did someone from the Demon realm really break through the barrier and enter the Mortal realm?
“I had to take this child and hide here. There wasn’t anything to eat. Out of desperation we came upon the idea of robbing passersby of their money and any food they had with them.
“What about your husband?” Xíng Zhǐ asked quietly, not concerned about Fúshēng Mén. “He’s not here with you so how is he getting by?”
“He . . .” The woman hesitated for a moment before fording forward honestly. “He was a Taoist priest before we married. Things were peaceful and we lived together without incident, but he never laid down his duties. When the miasma spread down the mountain, he had me and our daughter leave the area while he and his disciple went to Yáng Zhōu . He said the miasma would be difficult to deal with and would affect the city.”
Shěn Lí was speechless at the revelation. This woman was in a relationship with a Taoist priest and they had a daughter together. Their identities were so different. It must have been incredibly difficult for them to remain together. She couldn’t help but admire the green snake.
Xíng Zhǐ spoke up in Shěn Lí’s silence. “Since that’s the case, why don’t we go to Yáng Zhōu ? I’ll treat you to a meal another day.” He smiled slightly at Shěn Lí as he spoke.
The intimate tone of his voice made Shěn Lí stare at him. She turned away and coughed.
“Great . . . great immortal!” The daughter suddenly spoke up. “Won’t you take me along as well?! I miss Dad and I miss Brother Yán!” Her cheeks blushed out of embarrassment when she said this.
A girl so young wouldn’t handle the miasma well. Xíng Zhǐ was about to refuse, but Shěn Lí spoke up first.
“OK, let’s go.” She turned around and glanced at Xíng Zhǐ. “Can you give her a talisman ward?” Though it was phrased as a question, it was clear she wasn’t interested in discussing the matter.
Xíng Zhǐ looked at Shěn Lí in surprise before laughing out loud. He walked in front of the girl and drew several letters on her forehead. Finished, he said, “Let me know if you feel unwell once we enter the city.”
The girl nodded gratefully. She crawled into Shěn Lí's sleeve after transforming into a tiny snake. She peeked her head out and looked up at Shěn Lí.
With a laugh Shěn Lí said, “OK then, let’s go!”
Though the sun was setting as they reached Yáng Zhōu , there was no beautiful sunset to behold. Black miasma fog shrouded the entire city. Shěn Lí felt like she was stepping into the Demon realm.
According to the girl snake, Jǐng Xī, all the immortals around the city had been kidnapped. Miasma flowed out from the forest surrounding the mountains and settled in the city, leaving it in its current shrouded state.
The once vibrant city was a dead shell of its former self. Sickness pervaded, affecting both old and young. There were only a few hardy individuals able to walk the streets.
Shěn Lí frowned. “Those in the Demon realm have adapted to the miasma but for ordinary mortals, it would be unbearable.”
The girl in Shěn Lí’s sleeve trembled in fear.
Shěn Lí stroked the snake’s head. “Don’t worry. We’ll find your family.”
After walking along the streets for a bit Shěn Lí asked, “Is there a way to get rid of the miasma?”
“Yes, however the miasma comes from the mountain. Clearing it here would only address the symptom, not the root of the problem –.” Xíng Zhǐ was interrupted before he could finish.
“Fix the symptom first, take care of the cause later,” Shěn Lí cut in. “Slowing it down is better than nothing.”
Shěn Lí barely finished talking when a person rushed out to her. His hair was poofy like he’d been electrocuted, while his entire body, from his clothes to his skin, were completely ashen.
“Finally! Someone came!” He was practically crying tears of joy. “Someone came at last!”
“Who are you?” asked Shěn Lí.
He wiped his face with one hand, nearly in tears again. “Ah?! I’m Lord Fú Róng!” He used his filthy clothes to wipe his grimy face. It didn’t help. He only smeared the grime around more. He pointed to his face. “I’m Lord Fú Róng.”
Shěn Lí frowned in disgust. “Go away. I don’t have time for you.”
Fú Róng looked around and saw Xíng Zhǐ so he didn’t over do it, only saying, “That’s over the line! How can you treat this lord like that?” Fú Róng patted his chest. “This lord risked his life to save the city. If it weren’t for this lord hurrying to Yáng Zhōu , everyone here would have fallen to the miasma! This lord did what he could to control the situation and purify the city. How can you treat this lord like so?!”
Xíng Zhǐ looked up at the sky. “There are traces of purification in the air.”
The confirmation dissipated Fú Róng’s anger, but he still felt wronged. In a sad voice he said, “This lord encountered such a thing while strolling. How could this lord not help? This lord tried to purify the miasma to the best of his abilities, but it wasn’t enough. In less than a day, the miasma returned and pervaded the city again. Then at the same time, a great number of people fell seriously ill. It was too much to manage the miasma and the sudden eruption of sickness. Those not seriously ill, this lord gathered and brought to the temple in the northside of the city. This lord set up a boundary circle to keep the miasma out, but lately the miasma has been so dense this lord has reached his limit.”
“You could have reported this to the Immortal realm. The only reason you didn’t was because you were afraid they would take you back, so you figured you would just try to clean the miasma here on your own. But now that it’s beyond your abilities you’re trying to shove the responsibility onto someone else?” She shot him a glance after laying his motivation bare. “The nerve. To claim you saved the city.”
Fú Róng nearly choked at her words. He was slightly embarrassed at having been called out.
There was a flash of green and a girl suddenly appeared in front of him. Her unstable legs caused her to stumble into Fú Róng’s arms. She hastily pulled back and asked. “Great immortal, inside the city, did you see a Taoist priest and his disciple?”
Such a soft, sweet voice. Even if his eyes were filled with dust and the city dark and dimly lit, Fú Róng could recognize a beauty when he encountered one. He gave her a quick once over to confirm.
“Of course. This lord set up the boundary inside the city after all.”
“Can you bring me over to them please?”
“Of course.” Fú Róng extended his hand toward her. “But the miasma is a hindrance. Take care where you step; it’s hard to see here.”
Shěn Lí picked Jǐng Xī up by the waist and tossed the girl over her shoulder. “Lead the way,” she said to Fú Róng.
Fú Róng resentfully glared at Shěn Lí’s cut, but he turned around and did as told.
. . .Shěn Lí thought Fú Róng was just a useless skirt-chasing fool, so she was surprised at the extent of the boundary he created. It was large enough to protect several hundred people. Those inside the boundary welcomed Fú Róng with big grateful smiles on their faces.
Fú Róng turned around proudly to look at Shěn Lí as if seeking affirmation of his accomplishment and virtuosity.
She turned her head away, refusing to indulge him.
Jǐng Xī looked around the encampment distracted as other people came over and bombarded Fú Róng with praise. “Great immortal is amazing! Great immortal is a such a good person!”
It made Fú Róng laugh in happiness with his hands on his hip.
Jǐng Xī spotted two people in the corner of the temple. Running over she yelled, “Dad! Brother Yán!”
Shěn Lí looked over in their direction and was stumped at what she saw. Jǐng Xī’s father was indeed an ordinary Taoist priest, but Brother Yán bore an uncanny resemblance to King Ruì.[notes] Laying prone beside him, was a sick woman asleep; she looked remarkably like King Ruì’s wife. They appeared to be the same people from the previous century.
Jǐng Xī rushed excitedly over to them.
“Why are you so loud? Can’t you see people are sleeping?” Jǐng Yán reprimanded her.
Jǐng Xī stared in silence, feeling like she’d been wronged. She shifted from foot to foot before walking over to her father’s side, lightly tugging at his clothes.
The interaction between the three made Shěn Lí ask if their fates were bound to repeat.
Xíng Zhǐ shook his head. “It’s just a coincidence.”
The aggrieved look on Jǐng Xī’s face reminded Shěn Lí too much of Xiǎo Hé. She couldn’t help but speak out. “I’m sure Prince Ruì had many people in his life after he took the throne. What were the chances of him remembering a sharp-tongued woman who sacrificed everything to help him gain his desire?”
“Let me think.” Xíng Zhǐ thought it over before answering. “After he became king and assigned an empress, he planted lotus flowers all over the royal garden.”
Shěn Lí gave him a quick glance in surprise. She didn’t expect him to answer. It made her sigh. “It’s useless now, but I’m sure Xiǎo Hé would have been happy if she knew.”
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