Chapter Fifty One
Ling Da Chuanli's eyelids move lightly before opening to see an unfamiliar ceiling, clearly not his bedroom in the Azure sect. For a bit, he was disorientated staring at the moonlit room before sitting up and returning to his senses, confused and alarmed as to why he couldn't recall when he had fallen asleep. Catching a piece of parchment paper with familiar handwriting on it beside the bed he was lying in Da Chuanli instantly relaxes recognizing it as his master's. Where ever his master could reach and visit, he would always be safe if left behind. As he goes for the paper Ling Da Chuanli felt a wave of exhaustion flooding him despite just waking up along with soreness. Frowning down at his trembling limbs, he lightly turns the paper around leaving it on the nightstand in case he dropped it reading like so instead.
Minglan said a few words of scolding, telling him not to make so much trouble before saying he was too busy to visit him. Da Chuanli smiled helplessly as his master even added that he expected him to come back in a few days to prepare for his travels alone with Jiang Tengyi and everything had already been sorted out while he slept in. Slept in? I never slept in like this before. Frowning Da Chuanli felt as if he had forgotten something important but when he read the entirety of his master's letter besides the confusion of when he fell asleep nothing was off. Plus, despite being a bit sore he had no injuries, and nothing on his person was taken nor tampered with proving that Minglan indeed took care of everything.
Wait took care of what again? Why did Master need to be contacted? And what business couldn't be discussed with me? Although his master had many secrets he never really tried to cover up or hide anything from him purposefully with the attitude of "Whether you know or don't know is not up to me". Suspicions fill his mind as Da Chuanli forces himself to get up and walk around knowing sitting still waiting for answers would never come. He would ask Jiang Tengyi first as he could never lie well. Trying to recall his steps and all his actions since arriving at the Zenith Star sect. From meeting Feng Shuchang and Feng Mei Xing again to being introduced to the junior sister Jiang Tengyi always spoke of.
But nothing in his memory stood out to him, this was the most suspicious. As his hands reach out to slide open the door, his instincts tell him to stop, intuitively and intelligently Da Chuanli then finds the most suspicious point of everything. If everything was fine, why would his master specifically leave him a letter telling him that it was alright? The hand that was supposed to open the door slowly fell down and Da Chuanli held his breath as he quietly made his way back to his bed. His eyes flickered in the moonlight dangerously as footsteps outside could be deliberately and conveniently made coming from the corridor. "Young master Ling? I heard movement from within, are you awake?"
"I woke up to grab a cup of water, did I disturb your patrol?" He asked calmly, the man outside naturally denied his question before he considerately and casually expressed that if there was anything wrong he would do his best to accommodate him. Just like every other night he had stayed here. A hint of interest arose within him, if even his Master was trying to act as if nothing happened, what could it be that he had forgotten? With his personality Da Chuanli deduced there was no possible way he could have been traumatized, perhaps it was a murder within the sect? Either way, the more he mulled the more curious he became. If it was a real danger, his master would have retrieved him instead of leaving a mere letter. Meaning the trust between his master and Feng Shuchang was still maintained, to the point where they even colluded against him.
Jiang Tengyi would also be no match for them, so asking him would be the same as asking a child where they lost their toy three blocks ago. Rubbing his forehead and frowning, Da Chuanli still felt as if he was overlooking something important. If his master was trying to hide something from him, what could it possibly be? The only things he could consider were if it had something to do with the Zenith Star sect's secret arts, or perhaps something about his elder brother his master didn't want him to worry about. As he ponders, a sudden *thunk from across the room made him pause mid-thought. As well as the sound of something smooth sliding across the hardwood floors.
At first, he tensed, but then released his tension as he remembered he was still in the Zenith Star sect which wouldn't allow even birds without consent to land within the courtyards. So releasing his hold on his sword he stood up and went to investigate fearlessly. A tiny tail, the color of white stone caught his eye very obviously pushing its way into a cabinet. The cabinet holding the incense he usually used to clear his mind he had brought along. "..." He almost laughed if it were not for the surprise in his heart at who it was who was trying to steal from him. Doubt and a hint of genuine wonder arose within him at the lively snake who had not batted an eye since that dreadful day.
"...Chi?" Hearing a familiar voice, surprisingly the little snake straightened like a pole and seemed to pretend to be dead. Eyebrow twitching, Da Chuanli held back his chuckle and pleasant surprise by walking forward alarming the little snake to stop acting and try to enter the cabinet fully as fast as possible. Unfortunately, her speed was lesser than his and he easily caught Chi by her tail. Unwilling to be detained again, she swung up threatening him with a hiss. Not intimidated by her at all, Da Chuanli was benevolent and a flicker of rare real warmth entered his countenance for the creature who was the closest to the girl who played the guqin filling the halls with music in his youth.
"What are you doing here? Weren't you dedicated to playing statue years ago? Why so lively now? Did Master drop you by accident?" Knowing the last question was impossible he still teased it by asking. Seeming anxious to leave, Da Chuanli wasn't heartless enough to restrict the little thing that had been practically stone for half a decade anymore and set her down. Finally at ease after being set free so easily Chi stopped her hissing and looked up at the peacefully smiling Da Chuanli quietly for awhile. Her big round eyes seemed to stare straight into his soul, even tilting her head at him like she did when he teased her owner.
Without knowing why, this familiar sight made his soul tremble which hardened his expression. The way Chi was now was almost like back then sending his frozen heart for a painful jolty ride for only a second before he calmed down watching as the white snake turned away from him to enter the cabinet insistently. Opening it for her generously, he wonders why the little creature would want whatever was inside it so desperately. And why steal from him? So, crouched down in an undignified manner he watched and waited as the little snake stole a stick of incense, and Da Chuanli didn't know if it was his imagination or not but there was a bit of satisfaction in her eyes as she did so.
His pursed lips rose into another smile and he no longer held in his amusement chuckling as the tiny thief without paying any mind to the owner of the incense started slithering away toward the window right in front of his eyes. "Where are you going with that? Can a snake appreciate incense too?" To his surprise, this time, Chi did turn around, seeming to acknowledge him by tilting her head at him innocently once before allowing herself to fall out the window towards her escape. A hint curious and determined to follow her, Da Chuanli casually pulls on an outer robe and exits his bedroom. Announcing to the people he was sure were watching him from the shadows. "I'm going on a walk."
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Chi carefully makes her way into the shadows across the entire sect, staying harmless without an ounce of spiritual essence in her body. Carrying one stick of incense in her mouth, her eyes brilliantly reflected the stars when she sometimes exposed herself to the moonlight. As if rejuvenated and ready for her life to begin again. She carried that stick of incense all the way to an isolated courtyard that breathed the same air as the one she was born within. Her speed doubled as a white figure sat waiting for her in the courtyard to return, wearing simple inner robes as no one dared peek into her courtyard. At the foot of a pavilion, sat a white sickly flower. Her hair untied behind her for comfort, wearing no shoes, no blindfold, nothing to accompany her beauty.
Tilting her head, her lips trembling slightly, the girl's eyes slightly open a slit to reveal a dazzling silver-like treasure laying behind a single curtain. "Chi." Reaching her shaking hand out, the snake familiarly slithers up her arm appearing clingy and almost as excited as her owner to reunite. Rubbing her smooth scale head across the pale woman's cheek in a sticky manner inhaling and rejuvenating its tired existence in the icy spiritual sea of her beloved master. "My Chi." Chao Bai's voice shook, and though on the surface she appeared slightly moved, her joy had long soured above the clouds at the unexpected reunion. "How did you come here? Was master here too?"
Keeping her voice below a whisper, Chi bumps her head into Chao Bai's lips and affectionately rubs her face all over the woman's own earning an endearing smile from the other. "Naughty thing, you've become more expressive in my absence. A snake is without emotions and thoughts, you're just a cold-blooded little thing and you dare act cute? Who taught you such things?" Though she scolded, her heart still melts because of Chi's affectionate actions. Even when Chi wrapped her tail around her wrist eagerly wanting to be held by her master again after all this time in hibernation she wasn't impatient with her.
No longer able to be stern Chao Bai's silted eyes open a tad bit more as she squints with a bell-like laugh in return. "You've learned to be coy too? Who are you to urge your master to play with the blade?" As for if her master was looking for Chi, she was assured by the little snake that her master had long left her behind. A bit uncomfortable with this fact, but also knowing she was thinking too much into this she merely dismisses the unhappy feeling. Softening her tone she taps Chi's nose lightly "Were you treated well?" But Chi merely stared back at her dependently, just like before. As if nothing changed and time had never been lost between them.
"Foolish snake." Her tremor more notable as she dotingly bumps her nose with the marble colored beast returning her affection. The greedy beast swallows the cold mist surrounding her like it were the sweetest honey earning more pity. "Where did the beast cores I purposely left in your belly to sustain your life go? Did you already digest them?" Oblivious to her owner's thoughts of her being a greedy beast for being able to digest so many cores in just a couple of years. After having her fill of Chao Bai's spiritual energy Chi once more wraps her tail tighter around the wrist of the beauty. Chao Bai hesitates, murmuring in a coaxing manner "This is not the place to practice it'll attract too much attention." "What will?" Xiu Xie peeks over Chao Bai's shoulders at Chi with curiosity only to crinkle her eyes into a bright grin.
"A sentient weapon cultivated into a living creature? How interesting! How did you come by this darling?" Perhaps because of her similar countenance to Chao Bai, Chi was surprisingly docile peering up at the newcomer with her darling doe eyes winning the royal snake's heart almost right away. With a weakness for children Xiu Xie coos to the snake in delight "Chao Bai what a sweet child you've cultivated! Let me borrow her for a couple of weeks ok~?" Naturally she was ignored as Chao Bai flickers her silted eyes over to the other royal with indifference before shutting them completely as to prevent harm to herself. "Back from delivering news to Feng Shuchang?" Xiu Xie didn't hide it from her dancing around the sitting ice sculpture with some pep in her step showing she most definitely profited a lot tonight.
"I also didn't think I'd be back so quickly, despite being relatively idle these days who would have thought that a juicy piece of news was delivered right to my door steps without any efforts? Did you know, that the mortals from the capital have actually been colluding with cultivators in the golden city?" Chao Bai's brows furrow into a deep frown of disapproval, though she had guessed as much. To hear it confirmed from this person was an entirely different matter, because that meant heaven's retribution was now a confirmed future they will not be able to avoid. Xiu Xie never paid attention to matters that weren't of major importance and confirmed as much when she next grins like a madman awaiting the wipe of a dynasty to make room for her own.
"For almost a decade now those fat nobles have been buying and selling spiritual beasts as kept pets hahaha! From tigers to peacocks to foxes they have not a trace of opprobrium at all and have a taste for it all~!" Seeming to not care that Chao Bai's whole body became covered in a layer of frost in an instant and the pond by their side stilled into an painting stuck in time she laughs to herself audaciously. "Daring to forcefully tie down spiritual beasts to human flesh to satisfy their own urges, who are the real beasts?! Haha!! Only right! It's only right they face retribution from heaven~!!" "The blood in the capital will be of humans and beasts alike and you dare still laugh?"
Perhaps truly surprised by Chao Bai's expression that seemed wrong Xiu Xie questions her curiously "It cannot be that you are pitying those other clans?" Chao Bai's frigid silence confirmed her guess so Xiu Xie chuckled at the naïve royal, clicking her tongue. Bending down to eye her frosted over body the woman said rather evenly without any care for her thoughts "Little Chao Bai~ Who was it who ravaged the ground our ancestors fell upon? Who was it who helped those blasted humans drive the Silver Sea beyond the main land to become a puddle in an puny realm? Who thinned our numbers and strangled our hatchlings in the nest out of fear for our natural born superiority?" Seeing Chao Bai's eyelids sway faintly Xiu Xie knew she had won this round and was pleased with herself.
"I, this queen, hold love for neither the clans beyond our own nor useless mortals. We who were meant to be the Silver Sea beyond the horizon of the rising moon, rulers of the sea, noble and pure, destined to be worshipped by the weak upon birth." Her venom eyes glow with not a small amount of malice. When Chao Bai's eyes open a crack to see the surging vortex of power in the seeming small charming woman hidden by a small yet sturdy layer of silver. She massages her temples to soothe the ache of that brief glance. "We may be spiritual beasts like them in name, but that is all we share. The blood they shed is naturally a different shade of red." "And those nestlings stolen? Shall you ignore them too for this new dynasty you await?" Xiu Xie settles her spiritual sea and pats Chao Bai's snow covered head treating her like a child.
Her eyes crinkling with her smile "It depends on which side they stand by when this queen ascends the throne. Only those with the blood of our clan deserve my generous mercy to make said choice. Oh! But of course you do not count." Xiu Xie, who knows if it was sincere or not, she gave Chao Bai a particularly fond and doting look. "-You are special to this queen." Having her golden hand swatted away she watches with amusement as Chao Bai went back to petting the head of Chi instead of picking another fight. "That person is also aware of this?" "Ahh~" Xie Xie straightens up and sighed exaggeratedly "That person? I suspect he long knew of these dirty matters but deliberately hid it from the others. Even I didn't know the mortals were trading spiritual beasts amongst themselves until Caihong caught wind of it from the errand I sent her off to."
After all, matters of other clans were none of their business. As cold hearted creatures, who would deliberately look closer to confirm if the other was a spiritual beast or much less care? It was only because times were becoming turbulent that Xiu Xie bothered to look more into it at all after being told by Caihong about how suspicious it was. The cases of stolen hatchlings from other snake clans were personally dealt with by the clans themselves already. Even if one or two slipped through the net, they were still one of the most feared spiritual beasts for a reason. Killing all involved and letting them experience fates worse than death was enough to send a message to the mortals to not take them as lightly like others. In their own thoughts both of the royals once more in sync tilt their heads to the side gate.
Her eyes still open just a crack, Chao Bai was the first to recognize the man approaching her courtyard and her heart shivers like a chandelier in the wind. Without letting even the fabric of his clothes to appear before her eyes Chao Bai snatches the interested royal beside her and sent her out of her realm by force just as a male voice murmurs from behind the stone wall. "Did she come here?" Remembering the words of Feng Shuchang from the morning her chest ached slightly as picking up her skirt she quickly yet lightly made her way back into her bedroom. The Zenith Star taking her as their own and comforted by the reassurance of the ancestor's acceptance of her gave her more freedom. Not a word would be spoken about the day she was personally carried out by the young master of the Azure sect.
Until the day Jiang Tengyi and Da Chuanli set off for their journey together Chao Bai was to remain out of sight from the young master Ling so as to not trigger his memories until they settled properly. "Does Young Master Ling have business here?" Naturally, it wasn't that easy to enter her courtyard. Two female cultivators stepped forward to prevent Da Chuanli from coming closer to the gate, respectful but guarded. It was obvious they wouldn't let him come closer, so Da Chuanli wore his signature smile to appear harmless succeeding in appearing tranquil and without guilt. "Apologies, I was just wandering the sect in a daze and found myself lost without a person in sight. Can someone lead me back to my chambers?"
The women hesitate between believing him and not, since his current bedroom was clearly the furthest away from the lady's courtyard and he managed to accurately find his way here it was hard to believe. But having no evidence against his claims, paired with his handsome and earnestly innocent expression they could only warily agree to help him back. One going back inside to notify the Lady within and the other staying with Da Chuanli so he didn't wander off again. How did he manage to get lost? Where were the people shadowing him? However, only a fool would ask the person who was being so closely monitored without permission this upright with a smile. Forget it, they were not the ones who would be punished by the Master later, it was better to just report the situation and keep a closer eye on this seemingly ignorant and gentle young man.
It wasn't that they underestimated him, but rather for the past week Da Chuanli stayed here he had been rather docile. Never taking more than a few steps outside of his assigned courters unless accompanied by Jiang Tengyi and a walk around the corner to clear his mind before resting. So for him to manage to slip away without letting anyone suspect it, they couldn't help but raise suspicions that the young master Ling was fooling everyone on purpose. When she heard this same analysis from the person who came to inform her of the current predicament Chao Bai's fingers rubbing the bottom of Chi's chin halt for a fragment of a second. ".....Then bring him back to his chambers." Hiding her thoughts and revelations from them, Chao Bai didn't voice her speculation that Da Chuanli was probably scheming something.
Since he was a child Da Chuanli loved playing the pig to eat the tiger the most, his victim usually Wang Lan Biyu who reluctantly was forced along with his whims to not upset their master. Right now, the unsuspecting Zenith Star sect was probably his victim this time. Despite her reservations, a soft peal of laughter escapes her lips. Although she had no idea what he was trying to accomplish this time, she was fine with letting things play out the way he wanted for now. "What could he be planning to do this time? Perhaps he suspects he is being deceived?" No matter what it was, Chao Bai would never suspect Da Chuanli was searching for memories of herself so she felt safe.
At most, she was a shadow in very back of his mind he didn't care to invest time into. A person as heartless as Da Chuanli would never guess he would one day personally enter the deep sea and carry out a woman in his arms risking his Dao. Chao Bai's gaze glazes over with the troublesome speed up of her heartrate she purposely pretends doesn't exist. The questions she had been burying surfacing for a moment stirring weird feelings within. Why did he do it? He had no obligation to do what he did for they no longer shared the same master. A few words exchanged between strangers were enough for him to follow them into the abyss? Where was the callous and indifferent young master of the Azure sect she knew?
The senior brother back then teased and bullied her for his own amusement, did things without being asked, and butt his head into her business asking for a scolding every single day. Could this type of person who cared for himself more than others do such a selfless thing now? "Have you grown into a conscious mortal while I was left behind as a child holding onto petty things from the past?" Murmuring this to herself, Chao Bai touches her face a touch sour with the human life span which worked different from her own. Or...Had he also grown into a despicable person who valued the surface over the soul? Her chest felt restless, with anger and jealousy before she took a deep breath letting Hui's spiritual essence in her stomach calm her.
Jealous? What was she to feel jealous about? Her own face? "It has nothing to do with us." The prodigal son of heaven cultivating the Heartless Dao... Chao Bai lowers her head quietly, no longer letting her thoughts wander.