To Leave one's own home

Sitting by a noodle shop outside the city, Xing Zishen sipped the bowl soup, thinking. Feng Li should be fine since he was supposedly a 'hostage'. Even if he was punished, it wouldn't be critical. Their earlier interaction before the fight suggests that Feng Li has already been caught early on. He won't share the burden of letting Xing Zishen escape, alone.

Xing Zishen calmed his mind down and slurped his noodle with a great wish to devour every problem. It's been about two weeks since the fight, and he's gotten bored of waiting. The second prince, Yun Wei sure is taking his time.

Meanwhile, inside the palace, things have become burdensome too. Yun Renshu, or in the cultivation world, Jin Lixing, sat on the right side of his father accompanied by the harem, while they obsessively criticized and praised the ladies gathered by the entrance. "Which one is suitable, Shu'er?" Father emperor asked his son, but Renshu has no interest in remaining in the Royal Palace. There are more urgent matters waiting for him.

"Father emperor...." He began but immediately felt the empress' glare. "Summer brought another pleasant scenery, why don't they have a tour inside the palace first?"

It was an undeniable hint, an immature sounding one. Albeit confused, the emperor agreed and sent the ladies and his harem away. Only the two of them remained inside the room.

"What's the matter?"

Yun Renshu went straight to the point. "Allow me to return and cultivate, father. I'm still too weak and young to rule the empire. Compared to the Jindan guards in the palace, I'm nothing." He explained but only to see his father's furrowed eyebrows. "I swear to return when I've made my golden orb."

"No."

Silence followed as the emperor's displeased expression grew. He looked at his son. "You've been there too long, and it's time you return. Don't make me regret my decision."

Renshu cursed in his mind. 'Then you shouldn't have made that decision. I'm not even twenty years old, why so intent on making me stay?' But no matter how much he complained in his mind, he did not say anything.

The emperor continued. "I sent you to Hu Tian to understand the way of the cultivators. Understanding them meant better opportunities and more power. In this way, the empire you'll hold will be more stable. Not like mine…" "It's always been a regret of mine to not have a spirit root, so to give you a chance at it, I've married cultivators like your mother. These are all my sacrifices for you, so do not disappoint me, son. I can't live long like you, so you have to take over soon. Lead the Yun Empire well."

The emperor patted Renshu's shoulder and left him alone in the room. The silence allowed him to ponder, but his youthful and rebellious side rose up. The plans to leave within the next three days were already decided. He can't back out now. Especially since his family is waiting for him, most importantly, Jin Jiyang.

"F*ck." This time, he was able to speak, unlike earlier, when he was in front of his father.

The second elder, Kai, walked inside with a sigh.

"Elder Kai… why?"

"It's not good to answer back to your parents. Especially when their actions are from childhood trauma." He proceeded to explain. "There must be a reason why his majesty is obsessed with cultivation. Your mother, who is the most powerful in strength out of his harem became the empress, while you were sent out to become a cultivator. Find…"

Outside of the capital, a carriage with a dragon insignia attracted Xing Zishen's attention. Finally! He threw the silver towards the shop owner and fixed his appearance. Make-up, check. Dress, check. Hairstyle, check. And, most importantly, feminine features? Check, check, check!

She walked in the middle of the path, limping with a stick. Constantly groaning and complaining. As she anticipated, the guard leading the prince's carriage called out to him. "Move out of the way!" The man pushed him aside, and Xing Zishen's dramatic acting began. "Ouch, it hurts." He cried in the most feminine voice he could pull out. It wasn't challenging because her voice wasn't deep in the first place.

Contrary to her expectations, the royal carriage didn't halt, nor allowed in the carriage out of kindness. They passed Zishen like he was a speck of dust.

He became bold and changed his tactic. "Bai Mountain, and the pill master. Your highness, I know him, and I'm here to lead you!"

Only then did the carriage stop, and the prince looked out. How rude as it may be, Zishen stepped inside the carriage before permission was stated. Surprisingly, he wasn't kicked out by the second prince. The guards also didn't fight her when he jumped inside. They know best their young master's preferences.

The journey to Bai Mountain took about a month, allowing Xing Zishen disguised as a woman, and the second prince to grow comfortable one another. Meanwhile at this time, Yun Renshu had also left the palace.

"Move out of the way!" Renshu yelled to the Jindan guest, preventing him from leaving. The commotion attracted people's attention, and soon, many gathered to watch. Even the emperor himself and Renshu's mother.

The emperor scolded him, "Yun Renshu! What's with you and your rebellious actions! Stop fighting this instant!" Yet however or how long he scolded, Yun Renshu didn't halt. Eventually, he was defeated by the Jindan cultivators upon his majesty's orders, but the fury in his heart remained. His eyes reflected flames of hatred, continuously growing. The desire to leave this palace cage had reached its peak.

His mouth opened but no words came out, and the image of Elder Kai appeared on his mind. His eyes began to turn moist, but the queen interrupted the scene's progression.

A cold silver thread lined the emperor's neck, causing him to stiffen and gulp in nervousness. He doesn't dare to even breath too heavily. "Unrestraint him, and allow him to leave." The empress' voice was very clear with Qi fused with it, allowing every single one of them to hear it. When her eyes saw his poor appearance and the expression on his face, her strick face loosened, and a soft smile appeared on her face.

"Go follow your own path and wishes before it's too late. Don't be tied down by mortal matters anymore and yourself­­, just like the great dragon and the son of heaven you were fated to be. Don't let yourself be caged" and in a whisper, she said, "-like me," that only the emperor heard.

The Hu Tian disciples waiting outside the city turned to face him, and what greeted them was his smiling face. His eyes were puffy and his nose pink. These were one of the moments that everybody agreed to never mention.

***

Ten Years later

***

The royal carriage rocked left and right, rocking the two people. Their return is rocky and as they neared the capital, turned rougher. It appears to be a new road, a different one from before. Nevertheless, they didn't mind for their hearts and mind were set on returning to the capital city.

Yun Wei witnessed as Xing Shen Yue smiled at every passing civilian they encountered. She was like a goddess carved by the elements themselves. She slowly turned to face him then smiled as she got closer. Her hands crept up to his legs, then his waist, reaching for something.

*Gulp*

"I thinnkk… we need to stop in an inn for awhile, I need a potty break." Xing Shen Yue took his Qiankun pouch and took some sanitary pads, dangling it in front of Yun Wei's eyes.

His eyes softened and reminisced about their hardships together; the torturous practices they've experienced in the Bai Mountain including the bond they've made. Xing Shen Yue became one of his motivation to practice. Because his Daintian was forced to enlarge due to the pills he'd eaten, he had to match it; To level it by increasing his power and stabilizing his foundation.

During the past ten years, countless things have occurred. He began with simple practice, exercising his muscles and strengthening it, to balling countless evil beasts that roamed around the mountain. Being at death's door has become the norm, and there were times when he had actually stopped breathing. It was thanks to the master that he continues to live on.

Through the master's instructions and difficult missions, he was able to smoothly rise in power, reducing the gap between his actual abilities and his daintian space. This time, no pills were used to advance his cultivation as per Xing Shen Yue's instructions.

Shen Yue waved at him from the inn's entrance and walked back to their carriage. He wasn't sure of her situation but her cultivation level never rose despite her noticeable advancement in skills. It might be due to her lack of practice, not even a tenth of his own cultivation exercise. Or Maybe she's simply hiding it like all the secrets they kept from him. All these years, the sound of her screams never left his ears.

Every week, she would mandatorily follow the master to his chambers at night and remain there for about a night. It only began there, but as time passed by, it increased by a day, and sometimes, she would stay there for three days and nights. During those times, the master would also not leave, and Xing Shen Yue's screams would never stop Not even for three minutes.

It's unknown what's happening on the master's underground place under his chambers, but when they both comes out, she'd either be passed out, or laugh crazily. Sometimes she couldn't recognize Yun Wei. Every time, she would be drenched in sweat, with her hair and dress dishevelled. Blood and dark gooey liquid would be by her mouth, tainting her beautiful face into a grim one. Here clothes have the same traces, whereas the master would have a completely opposite look on his face. He's energized despite sleepless nights, and he always wore a crazed expression on his face. He looked psychotic. With all the blood he spat, evident from the blood beside his mouth, and all the blood on his clothes, he was happy.

There were times that both would come out of the chambers, only to fall unconscious right outside, for him to help them up. Yun Wei found one of Xing Shen Yue's secrets, and from that moment on, he never dared to wonder what she held deep inside. Unless she tells him herself, he would never ask.