Ch. 10

Before any of the frozen figure can speak, Shengsi's voice echoed in the large room they're in "I'm deeply sorry!" She looks up and proceeded to speak first facing Lan Zhan "I'm sorry for making you suffer for years of grief and longing" next was Wei Ying "I'm sorry that you have to bare such burden, if only I have told you the truth" then Jiang Cheng "I'm sorry for causing you unwanted pain" and lastly Jin Ling ".. I'm sorry..for taking away your parents" Wei Ying only thought that she might know Mo Xuanyu and was apologizing but it didn't add up.

Enraged by her action, Jiang Cheng roughly pulled her up "I don't know what you're scheming but we don't need such uncalled for words and action" he pushed her but Wei Ying caught the girl's frail looking figure making Jiang Cheng assume "Is this your way of easing the situation? How much pity do you need?" Shengsi broke free from Wei Ying and continued to kowtow "Forgiveness does not come that easy, but please spare Ying-gege from your anger" Wei Ying was surprised to speak but Lan Zhan's voice was heard "Shengsi, that's enough" the girl shook her head and didn't budge from her position.

Jiang Cheng hearing the familiar name struck guilt in him recalling their arguement from the past just because of how she defended Wei Ying. Now he knelt on one knee and cautiously pulled up her shoulder "Sector Leader Jiang, I did what I had to" he saw sincerity in those gray orbs. Jin Ling finally processed her word came fort and pointed the sword on her neck "Jin Ling!" the adults exclaimed

"You! All this time! I've been blaming Wei Wuxian and the Ghost General! Now you suddenly appear and say you're the one who took my parents life away?!" Wei Ying tried to calm the boy "I was the one to take their lives. I was the one who lost control" he looked at the girl "Shengsi... it's fine, it was my fault, you had nothing to do with any of this" she remained unfazed and spoke "No, that's not the truth. I'm also involved on what happened-"

Jin Ling almost pricked her but Jiang Cheng held him "Why?! Why are you stopping me?! Uncle! She's also responsible for my parents! Your sister!" He pulled away from Jiang Cheng "Do you know how it feels?! To grow up having no mother and father?! How much it hurts to remember them? To see others in the arms of their parents?! To feel this unpleasant void in my heart?! You!" by now tears streamed down Jin Ling's face "I just want my mom and dad back! I want to hear mother's comforting words and eat the food she cooks! I want to hear father tell me stories and spoil me! I want to feel the warmth of their hugs and praise me when I achieve something!"

"Young Master Jin, please let me speak. I want to tell you that-"

"What? Are you going to tell me that I should man up and stop crying? That I had no parents to teach me manners?! Who are you to speak?! Such lowlife like you doesn't desrve to live!"

"A-Ling!" how can a yell be loud yet soft, they all turned their heads to the owner of the voice "..Shijie/Mom?" there stood Jiang-Jin Yanli. She rushed to Shengsi's aid along with a man- Jin Zixuan.

Yanli pulled up the young girl "Stop apologizing for helping" she knows how strong the girl was and seeing her unfazed by her son's words made her more worried "A-Ling, is this how you treat a lady?" Zixuan face his son but soon the two newcomers were engulfed in a hug by Jin Ling "Mom! Dad!" now, even Jiang Cheng and Wei Ying were in tears.

"A-Cheng, A-Xian" Yanli calls out opening her arms wider as to invite the two. They wasted no time and hugged their sister "Shijie!" they cried out.

Lan Zhan puts a hand on Shengsi's shoulder, as if feeling the question "It was a coincidence at first but I'm glad that I gave them more time with each other" she smiled bitterly "You did well" she felt a pang of pain but faced him and bowed "Thank you, Zhan-gege" she stored away the cloak but puts on her weimao "I am no longer needed here" Lan Zhan felt sadness as she walks away.

"Shengsi" it felt foreign to hear Zixuan call her that but nontheless faced them "Leaving already?" she nods "Stay for awhile, Yuezhou Zhao Sector can wait" Yanli smiled softly.

"Zixuan-gege, Yanli-jiejie, I have brought my friends with me. I shall take my leave"

"Then let us come with you"

"Yanli-jiejie, you've been at Yuezhou for so long. Please spend time with your family"

"You brat, aren't you even going to apologize" Jiang Cheng scolded "Like you have room to talk uncle. You were so harsh on her and even pushed her" Jin Ling looked down after seeing the glare "A-Cheng!" Yanli was surprised "I didn't mean to, I'm sorry I acted on impulse" Shengsi shook her head "No apologies needed, I've taken up too much of your time"

"Then let them go with you to Yuezhou, I'll stay behind and handle things here" Zixuan urged and all of them agreed feeling greatful towards her as well a curiosity.

Shengsi seeing that she had no choice could only bow "I'll send over Qing and Song to help you"

The Jin-Jiang family were closely walking together, on their way to meet the other junior disciples at the bottom of the stairs while Lan Zhan and Shengsi weren't far behind.

>>

They were on a ferry that Jiang Cheng rented. Mo Fan sat next to Shengsi as Xiaohou and He Yu were talking lively with the others.

"You should join them"

"I've done enough talking for those two already"

"Did you enjoy Lanling?"

"Yeah, there's so many things to see and try"

"I'm glad"

"You said that Yuezhou is a little far. Sleep, I'll wake you up when we're there" surprisingly she agreed and changed her weimao into a headband like hairpiece that had a veil covering hee face "Why are you mysterious all of a sudden?" she leans on him "It's a lot and long story" he understood and lets her rest.

_~_

"Im sorry for what happened, Shijie. I really did stop but-" Yanli stopped Wei Ying "It's all in the past now. I'm here, thanks to Shengsi" they glanced at the sleeping girl who was leaning on Mo Fan.

"Si-jie saved you Madam Jiang?" He Yu asked and the woman nods "She first saved Zixuan then me, it was a unexpected. To be saved and sheltered by a child" the young ones gasped, seeing such reaction made her smile even more "It's like an old soul trapped in a small body" she recalls, the present adults were close to Shengsi letting her call them by their birth name along with gege and jiejie honorifics. It was true, for a child that full of mischief to suddenly act or speak out of character was the impressiom Shengsi carved to them.

"Then uncle must've regret having that fight with her" Jin Ling subconsciously said his thoughts "Jiang Cheng you fought a child?!" Wei Ying exclaimed making Jiang Cheng glare at him "It was an arguement, not an actual fight"

"What was it about?" Yanli was curious, unaware that this happened.

"Well..."

~Flashback~

It was Jiang Cheng's turn to look after the 7 years old Jin Ling, and he just tucked him in. He was out at the silent training field when a 10 years old -almost 11- Shengsi appeared in front of him, her braided her was disheveled and dark circle under her eyes, it wasn't what a child would look like.

"Wanyin-gege, where's Ying-gege?"

"..."

"I looked everywhere, even checking at Luanzang Hill everyday but there was nobody there"

"Why would you go there by yourself?! Do you know how dangerous it is?" Jiang Cheng stated in concern, as he stare at the small figure in front of him.

"I'm alive aren't I?" her tone held no emotion and it was then Jiang Cheng realized, something must've happened.

"Don't be a brat, let's go inside and rest"

"If you have no information on Ying-gege then I don't need to waste more time here"

"Is this a joke? You're asking information from me? Why are you so persistent on looking for that bastard?"

"You're dead set on completely exterminating him so you'll probably my best bet on intel...I don't believe that you killed him. I know his somewhere out there, even if it's just a fragment of his soul" she declared

"Why do you meddle with thing like this? His recklessness have rubbed on you, did you forget that you're just a child"

"Look who's talking, try seeing on who's acting like a child"

"You better watch what you say!"

"Hurts to admit the truth? Such childish vendetta on someone like Ying-gege"

"Nonsense! You speak like you know him so well"

"..I do, probably more than you. He's a good person, why can't you see that?"

"A son of a servant! He cause nothing but trouble! My whole family died because he wanted to play the hero! Do you not understand thay?"

"Why are you so narrow-minded! See the whole picture! Do you think he actually- just think about it, will that rebellion against the Wen be successful without Ying-gege? You didn't even spare Wen Qing-jie and Wen Ning-ge, they saved your life and their branch didn't participate in the killing, I even thought you liked Qing-jie"

Not wanting to see her so tired and continue the conversation, he sigh "Just get inside, eat, and sleep. I'll have someone bring you back to Yuezhou first thing in the morning" she shook her head "No need, I can look after myself" Jiang Cheng grabbed her but she pushed him away "I still have to find Ying-gege, I made a promise"

"Well throw that promise away because his dead. Just burn some paper money for him that's the only thing you can do, and hope that he's as good as dead or else I'll be the one to make him suffer" Shengsi let out a humorless laugh "Then why are you still looking for his soul as well? Aren't you a bit contradicting" caught off guard he spoke on impulse "Does your parents not teach you any manners? Remember who you're talking to" Shengsi's patience had gone thin "Then forgive this little girl for stating nothing but facts, Sector Leader Jiang" she had a tone of mockery "I see why Yanli-jiejie and Ying-gege had a hard time" since the night was dead silent, her murmur was easily heard.

The frustation, exhaustion, and responsibilities were already crushing Jiang Cheng and hearing her talk made his vision blurry and mind unclear "How dare you bring up my sisters name with that murdering traitor" he whipped out Zidian, the purple lightning almost white was unleashed toward Shengsi. She was surprised as well managing to pull up a water wall that bursted, seizing his attack "So much for being a sector leader" he struck the lightning whip to her again and she swiftly dodged.

Shengsi wasn't afraid of the pain his lightning could cause, she already felt numb "What would others think if they saw you attacking a child" water chains wrapped on Jiang Cheng halting his movement and finally he regained his thoughts "Sh-Shengsi, I-" he was silenced by her frightening gaze, it was no longer the eyes of a child "I know" she smirked "Cerberus just told me that his soul haven't entered the underworld nor were there traced from othee entities" she informs him as she walked away and morphed into the dark.

~End of Flashback~

"You attacked her?! That wasn't a fight nor an arguement, it was straight up abuse" Wei Ying pointed at him then suddenly pointed at himself "She...was looking for me?" He sounded baffled "We didn't stop, she even went to the world of Mages" Lan Zhan said and the three mages felt tense, aftaid of being found out.

"Then how come you didn't recognize her earlier, Hanguang-jun?" Jingyi asked "Besides her wearing a mask. After Wei Ying disappeared, we only sent letters to each other since both of us were busy" this was the most words he spoke.

"Are we just going to ignore that Uncle almost killed a child?"