The Northern Fortress

Guo Baiyu slowly opened his eyes and saw Zhao Renshu sitting at the table drinking tea. Zhao Renshu grabbed a cup of tea, walked to the bed, and Guo Baiyu got up slowly. Guo Baiyu took the tea and and drank it quickly.

Zhao Renshu frowned, "Slow down, there is still a lot left."

Guo Baiyu asked, "Ping'an?"

Zhao Renshu replied, "Aishu came this morning. She said she was going to take a walk with Ping'an. She said about coming back later tonight."

Guo Baiyu, "How long have I been out?"

Zhao Renshu, "One Day and One Night."

Guo Baiyu said frustratedly, "Why let her go alone? You should go with her."

Zhao Renshu, "Because your beloved wife instructed me to stay close by your side."

Guo Baiyu, "It doesn't sound like you to behaved so well."

Zhao Renshu, "Because I am a good husband, I can't say no to my wife."

Guo Baiyu smiled at him, "If you are still frustrated with our kiss, then I can kiss you in return."

Zhao Renshu, "No, thank you. This is not the first time I have seen her kiss you, and the effect is better than painkillers." He looked at Guo Baiyu seriously. "If you really want to pay me back, please become better and leave here."

Guo Baiyu, "Why? These people are decent people."

Zhao Renshu, "Did you not notice? Everyone here treats Ping'an like a god. Everywhere she go, everyone treats her very well."

Guo Baiyu, "She is the reincarnation of thier Guardian. Are you worried?"

Zhao Renshu, "No, I am not."

Guo Baiyu, "Yes you are. You are worried that Ping'an will stay here and not go back us."

Zhao Renshu, "That's one thing."

Guo Baiyu, "What is the other thing?"

Zhao Renshu frowned, "Their food. It's all green. No meat. I can't live here with apples and vegetables. The dinner last night was hard to swallow." He shivered.

Guo Baiyu laughed suddenly, but he groaned because of his back pain.

Zhao Renshu, "This is not funny."

Guo Baiyu, "If you read Master Zhao's journal, you will know why."

Zhao Renshu, "What?"

Guo Baiyu, "Have you ever seen a horse eat meat?"

Zhao Renshu, "No."

Guo Baiyu, "There, the mystery is solved."

Zhao Renshu, "No matter what we are leaving tomorrow."

Guo Baiyu, "Go stand by the door and face the door."

Zhao Renshu, "Why?"

Gouo Baiyu, "I will put two arrows on your back, and we will see if you can leave tomorrow."

Zhao Renshu yanked the cup of tea from Guo Baiyu's hand. He sneered madly, "Jerk."

Guo Baiyu, "Hey, give me some more. If not, I will tell your wife."

Zhao Renshu poured more tea into the cup, "You dare to bad mouth me." He drank the tea. "I will make sure you will not get a single sip of tea until your wife return."

Guo Baiyu asked, "Are you sure you want to play this game?"

Zhao Renshu replied, "Bring it on." He taunted Guo Baiyu.

Gouo Baiyu, "I believe you will be the one who begs me to eat and drink."

Zhao Renshu, "Never."

Guo Baiyu closed his eyes and lay on the bed.

Zhao Renshu, "Hey, hey, open your eyes."

Guo Baiyu didn't answer.

Zhao Renshu nodded, "You are pulling the silent treatment card, are you?"

Aishu, "Queen Ruilin told me that you don't remember what happened five hundred years ago."

Ping'an, "I don't remember sorry. I don't even remember what happened in the last life."

Aishu said, "I was born less than a day five hundred years ago. Three winged bat creatures broke free from the Demon Gate and started attacking us. I am standing here with my mother." Aishu stopped and looked down at the open field. There is a stone door bolted into the mountain. On each side of the door there were big lighting blots. She pointed at it. "That is the Demon's Gate. The magic circle in front of the Demon's Gate is the northern fortress."

There are outposts around the area, and soldiers patrolling this area closely. There is a big magic circle in front of the Demon's Gate with two waist-high pillars. There are two transparent crystal balls floating at the top of the two pillars.

Aishu, "What I remember that day is clear. The soldiers tried to bring down the three beasts. They killed one, but the gap was still open. Syaoran suddenly flew around, brandishing his swords at the creatures and kill them. Syaoran stands right in the middle between those two pillars, and then transfers his spiritual energy to completely bridge the gap."

Ping'an, "I'm sorry, even if I am the current reincarnated of Syaoran, I don't have that ability. The reason why I can control the sword is because I promised Jiutian Xuannü that I will help her catch the criminal that I released five hundred years ago." Ping'an gave Aishu a disappointed expression.

Aishu, "Ping'an, the life of the fortress is fading, one day the northern fortress will fail. If this day comes, we will be killed first, then the residents of Waterfall City, and so on, until the demon clan occupied and control the rest of the land. Unless, Syaoran close the gate. If that day does come, will you let the people and your loved ones be killed one by one?"

Ping'an, "If I become Syaoran, I must call back my heart, Renshu and Baiyu cannot be reincarnated. I don't want to be immortal, but let them turn into dust."

Aishu, "Or your accept your fate, guard the fortress for eternity, and let them reincarnate." She smiled at Ping'an.

Ping'an, "If I choose to do nothing. Will your kin hate me?"

Aishu, "If you don't want to sacrifice yourself, no one will hate you. All lives in this universe are created equally. No one can impose one's own thoughts or beliefs on another. When an epiphany strikes you with the desire to change, only then you can become your true form . It's too late, let's go back."

Ping'an, "If you don't mind, I want to stay here for a while."

Aishu, "Not at all. Can you find your way back?"

Ping'an nodded.

The maid put the food on the table. Zhao Renshu picked up the chopsticks and began to poke and turn the vegetables, hoping that it would magically turn into meat.

Zhao Renshu complained, "We are not monks, why feed us vegetable?"

He looked at the bed, and Guo Baiyu had been sleeping in the same position since the morning without talking to him.

Zhao Renshu, "The food is here. Wake up and eat."

Guo Baiyu did not answer.

Zhao Renshu frowned, "You stupid stubborn son of a...." He walked to the bed and pulled off the blanket. Even with this action, Guo Baiyu's eyes remained closed. He was worried. He sat on the edge of the bed and shook Guo Baiyu's shoulders vigorously. "Baiyu! Baiyu!"

Guo Baiyu opened his eyes, "What are you doing?"

Zhao Renshu slammed him back hard on the bed, "Should I be the one asking you?"

Guo Baiyu, "I'm resting."

Zhao Renshu, "I thought you were dead."

Guo Baiyu, "If I die, you better have a good explanation for my wife."

Zhao Renshu, "I didn't know you would hold this card for such a long time."

Guo Baiyu, "Playing mind games with you... is not to play at all. Easy win."

Zhao Renshu, "You...you know that I will lose when I become irritable."

Guo Baiyu, "It's easier than getting candy from children." Zhao Renshu was about to hit Guo Baiyu. "Why hasn't Ping'an returned?"

Zhao Renshu, "Let's go find her." He grabbed Guo Baiyu's shoes. "Here...I will help you."

Ping'an stared at the Northern Fortress and the Demon's Gate, wondering what Syaoran thought at the time? What if he didn't commit that crime? He is a powerful God, respected by the Centaur Kin, other gods, and feared by evil. Why must he fall in love? Because he fell in love, he was punished by heaven. If he can choose everything again, will he still chooses to love? What if he didn't fall in love? He will live happily here with all these kind people, who love and cherish him like a priceless jade. He does not have to be reincarnated to be someone who has been hated since birth. What if the Northern Fortress fails one day? What will she do? Ping'an has all these strange things circling in her mind.