Finally Waking Up

Looking at the map with satisfaction, Xuan Yueji laid out in his mind the sketch he had planned for the architects to build. The place that he chose to buy cost him a little over a hundred gold taels, but it was only pocket money to him. The significance of the location was worth the little amount lost and he felt joy upon imagining the prosperous and gigantic building that would be built on the piece of land.

With everything in mind and planned out, Xuan Yueji headed back to the governor's residence with the title deed and the sketch that was roughly made but more than enough to specify what someone would want. Painting, drawing, or any art related did not fit well with him, but he made sure to train in those skills in case they were ever needed. Though there were the five people by his side that knew to draw, he could not possibly tell them what a person looked like and expect them to be able to draw it exactly based on how he described it.

Reaching the governor's residence, Xuan Yueji entered the lobby unannounced and waited until a servant saw him. The moment that the servant saw him, he cried out in surprise but also paid his respects. Then, he quickly left to send the news to the governor that the grand advisor was back.

Again with the rushed steps, the governor politely asked, "Grand Advisor, what can I do for you?"

"I've bought this land and designed this building for the men. I'll provide the money and materials, just make sure that there is fairness in every job you are to do," Xuan Yueji ordered while handing the papers in his hands to the servant at the left side of the governor. "I expect there to be a building like this in the major cities that have been poverty-stricken due to the famine."

"Yes, I will make sure to do so," the governor respectfully replied in obedience.

"One more thing, do place posters and spread the news," Xuan Yueji reminded the governor. "I do not wish for my hard effort to go down the drain for poor publicity."

"Please do not worry, Grand Advisor. I will get the news out to every part of the country," the governor quickly said upon hearing the reminder.

Getting the reassurance of the governor, Xuan Yueji quickly left the residence and headed straight for the village. Once again, his qinggong was used to travel at his fast pace, but he still planned to come back to the city by the next week to check the progress on the building. He knew that the hired people were not magicians nor built like him, so he understood that it would take at least a few months before the building would be completed.

Upon entering the foggy cloud that blocked the entrance of the village, Xuan Yueji wondered why the village seemed to be so much more greener than it previously was. Only a few weeks have passed, so he wondered if his sense of time had gone wrong or whether the world was running faster than he thought. Or was this the doing of Bai Shuixian that made the natural growth of all the plants in the village speed up faster than he would think?

As soon as Xuan Yueji entered, many people looked at him strangely as they have never seen him before. Naturally, none of them would correlate him with Bai Shuixian, nor would they know that he was her and that she was him. At the same time, they would also never have known that she had gone missing for a long time but only hidden by Zhu Jin who was privy to know her matters.

Ignoring the strange stares of the villagers though, Xuan Yueji once again leaped up to a tree and disappeared from the sight of the villagers. Who would have known that this one time appearance would shock the villagers and make them think that he was related to Bai Shuixian? Honestly, the villagers were so uneducated about the hidden matters of the world that seeing his speed of jumping on the trees immediately made them think that he was probably the fiancee of their savior.

Landing at the entrance of the big tree, Xuan Yueji looked around to see if there were signs of Zhu Jin. Only when he saw that Zhu Jin did not leave the tree did he finally take a breath and enter the tree with a relaxed attitude. He knew how much Bai Shuixian wanted to keep the place secret and that there could always be someone spying on them somewhere, but he also knew that as long as the white tiger was roaming this place, there was no one that would dare to come near the area.

Hearing the entrance of Xuan Yueji, Zhu Jin called out in a loud voice, "Hey! You're back?"

In a not too loud voice, but loud enough that Zhu Jin could hear, Xuan Yueji answered, "Yes. Lianhua told me that Xiao Xian has finally woken up although still a bit dazed."

"Ah, that's nice to hear. I've been missing company with her gone," Zhu Jin gruffly said while walking out from his room to the lobby where Xuan Yueji was sitting down to drink tea.

"Are you guys going to change personas now or after you have fallen asleep?" Zhu Jin asked, knowing the process as he had already seen it before.

"After I've fallen asleep, she'll take control again," Xuan Yueji said. "We want to give her more time to recover from the grogginess."

Sighing, Zhu Jin remarked, "I always find it amazing when I know that she can see into the future, but then… I would remember that in order to look into the distance, you must also be willing to sacrifice something in return."

"Lianhua has told me before that the job of a priest has always been dangerous though it is famous," Xuan Yueji commented. "It may seem that all it needs is a few years of training, but then as soon as you become adept at it, it seems that the heavens would suck the energy out of you as punishment…"

"Punishment for looking at what cannot be seen, right?" Zhu Jin finished the sentence.

"Yes," Xuan Yueji said as he turned towards Zhu Jin to see his human figure. "You look much better in this form than as a tiger."

Chuckling at the comment of Xuan Yueji, Zhu Jin replied, "I used to be a dashing hot man… chased by many girls and turning many straight men into gay men…"

"Do you wish to return to that time?" Xuan Yueji asked upon hearing the reminiscent tone in Zhu Jin.

"What use is it to return? I would never return, nor do I want to," Zhu Jin said with a cold tone and a cold light streaking across his pupils. "Aigh, what are we doing getting so sentimental? Xuan Yueji, how was your trip outside? Was it fun?"

Frowning, Xuan Yueji said with a wry and bitter smile, "It was adventurous to say the least… but…"

"But?" Zhu Jin repeated with a bit of a higher tone than usual to show his excitement.

"It seems I must now serve the emperor," Xuan Yueji finished with a light joking laugh at the end.

Putting on a thinking face, Zhu Jin commented, "When I was still in the capital, it was said that the emperor was self-indulgent and unwise. Blinded by the allure of women, crippled by the enemies of the empire. It was only after the emperor died that the crown prince finally succeeded the throne and changed the nation for better."

Smiling, Xuan Yueji said, "Well, I suppose that's why I'm not too mad. At the very least, this emperor is very different from the others."

"Very different you say?" Zhu Jin questioned with curiosity.

Nodding, Xuan Yueji explained, "Despite the disrespect I showed him, he dealt with it. Despite the fact that I caused quite a stir, he was very patient."

"The most dangerous people in the world are the people that hold patience," Zhu Jin remarked.

"That is indeed true. Too true," Xuan Yueji said with a slight shrivel, albeit a little confused as he did not know where the nervousness and fright came from.

"Hm… Wait… Xuan Yueji, you're quite a dangerous person yourself," Zhu Jin pointed out.

"In what way? I must say, I'm a very nice person. Besides, I'm not very patient," Xuan Yueji stated upon hearing the finger that pointed him out.

Lightly laughing at the final statement that Xuan Yueji made, Zhu Jin said, "How are you not patient? It is only that the things bothering you are not important to you. Only when it is important to you do you become patient, just like the case with the Bai Clan."

Going quiet, Xuan Yueji slowly admitted, "Alright… You are quite true there. But that is the only case-"

"I think that it's because you have not been challenged enough that you do not try to enforce patience on yourself," Zhu Jin said. "You are not Lu Lianhua, nor are you Yu Lanhua. However, you are also not Chi Dujuan or Tou Juhua."

"Then who am I?" Xuan Yueji asked with a raised brow.

"Hm… You are very like in between," Zhu Jin honestly answered. "You know when to be patient, but you refuse to because it's not important to you. You only become impatient because you know that the repercussions are not big enough to be impactful to you."

Smiling at the answer that Zhu Jin said, Xuan Yueji replied, "You are very right."

"How could I not be?" Zhu Jin proudly stood up while saying so. "I've stayed with you guys for ten years. If I do not know you well, I would be an idiot with no brains."

"Indeed, you are right," Xuan Yueji joked along. "Alright, I'm getting a bit tired. I'll take a rest now."

"Alright," Zhu Jin replied. "Have a good rest. Don't cause havoc again. I don't think Lu Lianhua can handle you."

"Don't worry," Xuan Yueji started. "That man can handle almost anything. If not, Bai Shuixian would be dead now."

Though not understand what Xuan Yueji was trying to say, Zhu Jin left the lobby and went back to what he was doing. As for Xuan Yueji, he entered his room and laid on the bed with closed eyes and meditated. The moment that Bai Shuixian woke up, he would have long entered the realm of cultivation.

As quick as the eyes fell closed and fully shut, they opened up with the same speed. With bright silver eyes and silver tears falling down, the person had changed once again. Lifting their hand, they wiped the tear that dripped down from their face.