Case 01: “Rebirth.”

Somewhere inside a spectacular palace with a dark blue rooftop and white bricks as its wall, a beautiful woman struggled on her bed with sweats flowing down on her face. Her lustrous black hair was scattered everywhere on the bed.

"Your Highness, take a deep breath.. then push further." an old woman who clad in a humble traditional eastern clothing wiped the beautiful woman's sweat with a silk cloth. The old woman had turquoise eyes and light-blue hair color and on her neck, there's a visible gill that only the people of the sea have. While the beautiful woman on the bed has pitch-black eyes and lustrous dark hair, which is a feature that only the people of the earth have. However, despite being a different race this extremely beautiful woman is actually the Empress of Qianghai the Kingdom of the sea, Liu Xiurong. Empress Liu Xiurong's breathing slowly returned to normal and with great strength, she pushes the baby inside her womb out.

The old woman next to her immediately wrapped the baby with a warm cloth. She took a glance at the baby on her arms, then she turned to the exhausted beautiful Empress on the bed.

"It's a beautiful baby girl, your Highness." The old woman smiled in joy and hand-over the baby next to Liu Xiurong.

Liu Xiurong bends over to take a good look at her newly born daughter. She mostly inherits Liu Xiurong's features, like her beautiful face and dark hair. The only thing that she inherited from her father was his beautiful turquoise eyes… and probably his height.

Seeing that the Empress smiled radiantly like a mother to her child, the old woman beside her smiled too, "What do you want to name her, your Highness?"

Liu Xiurong tilted her head and pondered for a good while, then she looked back at her daughter again. "Liu Meifeng." The old woman beside her was astonished,

The Empress was from the people of the earth while the Emperor is from the people of the sea. If the Empress using earth-element for her daughter's name it would be understandable. But how could the Empress put a wind-element in her child's name?

Seeing that the old woman turned silent Liu Xiurong smiled and continue, "This child is already a mixed-blood between the earth and the sea. I purposely put the wind element to this child's name, because I want her to grow up without looking at the differences between the three races. So that whenever she goes, everywhere will be her home."

The old woman was astonished once again, after hearing the reason she respected this beautiful Empress laid in front of her even more.

"Should I call his Majesty to come in?"

"Yes, please."

"Then, please excuse this humble woman." The old woman gave a slight bow and retreated from the room. After a short while, a tall muscular man came inside the room and kneeled on the side of the bed. He had a turquoise eye that glittering like clear water, his face looked stern and his dark-blue beard made him looked rather manly. This man is the Emperor of the Qianghai Kingdom, Liu Yongchang. He's known for his bravery and excels in martial arts. And of course, he's also known as a loyal and faithful husband to the only Empress in the kingdom. Liu Yongchang wiped the sweat on his wife's face, "Are you alright, my love?"

Liu Xiurong smiled warmly and nodded, "It's a girl."

A trace of joy surfaced on his beardy face, he touched Liu Meifeng's cheek softly with his finger.

"What's her name?"

"Liu Meifeng."

Liu Yongchang look surprised for a moment, then he smiled as he finally understood the reason behind that name.

"I'll let you and Meifeng rest, you must be exhausted. I will arrange a banquet in three days."

"Alright."

Liu Yongchang smiled and gave a peck on Liu Xiurong's cheek. After he left, Liu Xiurong's fatigue finally showed up and sent her to the dreamland immediately. However, the other party who had just been reborn couldn't help but stare blankly at the ceiling.

What the heck was that? Did I get reincarnated?

Liu Meifeng who was just reborn actually still remembered her past life as Xu Haoran. Of course, that also includes his otherworldly knowledge and skills as the famous genius detective. Liu Meifeng felt both grateful and resentment towards this blessing.

She's grateful that at least she won't live as n idiot in this world, but at the same time, this memory had become a curse to her. Why? How could she live as a woman when she's still inherited Xu Haoran's taste and personality. Strictly speaking, Xu Haoran is definitely straight in his past life. But how about now?

Either I die alone or I go through same-sex relationships.

Liu Meifeng sighed and closed her eyes, hoping that this is all just a nightmare from staying up late.

Sadly that didn't happen…

The next day, she's still waking up as Liu Meifeng the princess of the Qianghai kingdom. Two days later, her parents held a big banquet at the palace to celebrate her birthday. Liu Meifeng can only stare and drooling when she looked at the exquisite dishes placed on the long table covered in a golden silk tablecloth. She's still nine months and three days old, hence she still doesn't have teeth to eat those fancy meals. Truly a shame indeed.

Liu Meifeng continues to live her days as the adored princess at the palace. When she reached two years old, she already knew how to speak and walk normally which shocked the entire kingdom. Later the news of her being able to speak and walk like normal people spread throughout the kingdom. Many people have said that the princess will definitely become a prodigy when she grew up. To their surprise, Liu Meifeng lived up to that very rumor. One day, the wet nurse found her sitting on the floor while reading about political maneuvers at the Grand Library. Hearing this, Liu Xiurong and Liu Yongchang were delighted that their daughter is born as a prodigy at such a young age.

But of course, Liu Meifeng can already talk and read because she inherited the memory of 'Xu Haoran'. However, her new body also gave her a new skill. Which was to hear people's hearts by performing physical contact with them. Liu Meifeng accidentally found out that she had this skill when she touched her mother's hand. Liu Meifeng heard that her mother was planning to bring her to the Underwater garden. She was so excited and asked her mother, "Why do we need to wait until my second birthday? I want to see the Underwater park tomorrow!"

Liu Xiurong was baffled by her daughter's excitement, "How do you know I was planning to take you to the Underwater garden on your second birthday?"

Liu Meifeng tilted her head and replied, "Because Empress mother said it just now."

Liu Xiurong eyes widen, she placed her slender hand on Liu Meifeng's forehead. Then she confusedly stares at her for a good while, until Liu Yongchang came in.

"What's wrong with you two?", Liu Yongchang sits next to Liu Xiurong who had Liu Meifeng sat on her lap.

"Your majesty, there's something wrong with our daughter."

"What's wrong with her? Did she get sick?"

"No, it's just… she can read my mind."

Liu Yongchang chuckled and gaze at his wife attentively,

"I also can hear your thoughts it's all shown in your beautiful black eyes."

Liu Xiurong's cheek turned red and she pretends to be angry, "You… it's not like that! Meifeng can really read people's minds! Meifeng, why don't you read your Emperor father's mind too."

Liu Meifeng didn't exactly get what her mother was talking about, but she stares at the Emperor father who stood next to her mother. Then she shook her head, "I don't know what Emperor father is thinking."

Liu Yongchang laughed as he patted Liu Meifeng's head, "Don't worry all your Emperor father think is you and your Empress mother."

Only then, Liu Meifeng could hear the voice of her Emperor father's heart. Then she continued casually, "Emperor father is lying because right now Emperor father is being anxious and confused on how to go to the Underwater bar without Empress mother finds out."

Liu Yongchang froze in place, his firm face turned pale. While Liu Xiurong just smiled at him without saying anything. But as Liu Meifeng is still sitting on her mother's lap, naturally she could read her mother's thought as well.

"Oh, Emperor father should apologize to Empress mother now. because… she's very angry right now."

Liu Yongchang kneeled before his wife and daughter immediately and admitted his mistake. "Please forgive me, my beloved wife!"

Liu Xiurong sighed and brush aside this trivial matter. She turned her gaze on Liu Meifeng and asked seriously, "We can discuss that later, but right now our daughter is the utmost importance. Does your majesty have any idea?"

Liu Yongchang stood up and sat back on his seat, he pondered for a good while and finally remember something.

"I recalled there is a myth about a Goddess of the Sea who had the ability to hear the sound of people's heart. I think she gave our daughter her blessing for cleaning her statue the day before Meifeng was born."

"I see."

"Why do you look unhappy?"

"I'm just afraid that if the world knew about this, they might try to harm her for knowing the truth of everything."

"Then they don't need to know."

Liu Yongchang caressed both his daughter's cheek and his wife's shoulder. He repressed his strength to avoid injuring both parties, "Let's keep this a secret between the three of us. Meifeng, don't go tell anyone about this power of yours, okay?"

Liu Meifeng nodded her head, in the other world where she lived as 'Xu Haoran'. Those who had a peculiar ability might gain fame and become a celebrity. But it seems like it worked differently in this world. She had the taste of death before and she is not eager to taste it again any time soon.

After this conversation, none of them mentioned Liu Meifeng's peculiar ability again nor did she spoke it out loud. The days continue normally for a while until one night She suddenly coughed out blood and fainted, the wet nurse who was taking care of her got freaked out and called the Empress and Emperor. The two of them rushed to Liu Meifeng immediately and called the imperial physician.

After reading Liu Meifeng's pulse and examining her body, the imperial physician's complexion turned pale. He hurriedly turned around and kneeled before the Emperor and his Empress.

"This lowly one deserves death!"

Liu Yongchang furrowed his eyebrows, "Raise your head and speak what's wrong with my daughter!"

"Your majesty, calm down." Liu Xiurong patted her husband's chest who was raising and falling miserably. The latter finally calmed down and asked once again.

"Stand up and explain about the princess' condition."

"Y-yes."

The imperial physician stood up and answered weakly,

"The princess' condition is very weak due to her mixed blood, your majesty."

Both Liu Xiurong and Liu Yongchang grimaced, as far as they know marriage between two different races are already pretty common. By far no one ever leaked out information regarding such disease by having mixed blood.

"Oh? How come?" Liu Xiurong asked calmly, but those questions were pregnant with anger. The imperial physician realized that he had angered the Empress and kneeled on the ground again.

"P-please forgive this humble physician, this lowly one knew that people who have mixed blood rarely had such disease. But it was because the first baby died first before the second one is being born. However, this issue was rarely being publicized as there's only a few among each race who married someone outside their race. And since this is counted as a huge scandal, no one dared to do further research on it. When the princess is born, it is already a miracle for her to stay alive and healthy for two years. But just as this lowly one suspected, the air is like a poison to her which greatly reducing her lifespan."

Liu Yongchang gritted his teeth and felt hopeless for the first time. Liu Xiurong started to cry silently too she just can't believe the daughter she had been looking forward to would die before her.

"How much time she had left?" Liu Yongchang's voice turns hoarse and his eyes reddened. He's still trying to remain calm so that his wife won't get frustrated.

The imperial doctor remained silent for a while, with his body still kneeling he explained carefully, "If the princess is being nursed properly and bath in herbal water every day, she could make it to ten years old. However, she must not absolutely get drown. The princess may inherit most of your Highness' features and stamina, but her physique is definitely of our people. Which is why despite having a powerful Qi and inherit both races' natural skills. Her body could not contain such immense power, other than that.. just like our people, the princess body has weak lungs. The reason why we could breathe normally is that we have a gill attached to our neck. As the people of the sea, we must at least breathe underwater for three to five hours a day to maintain our breathing organs. But the princess doesn't inherit our gill, naturally she couldn't breathe underwater like us. In fact, it will worsen her lungs, if she were to drown. Which is why both the surface and the water could endanger her life."

The three of them went silent for a moment, only sobbing sound echoed through the entire room. Liu Xiurong couldn't hold it in anymore, she approached Liu Meifeng who was still unconscious and hugged her. Liu Yongchang told the imperial doctor to stand up and follow him outside.

"You must find a way to safe her, no matter what it takes."

The imperial doctor hung his head out of fear, "Your majesty, p-please have mercy. This lowly one's skills are limited…"

"Then find someone who can cure her!"

The imperial doctor was silent for a moment until he finally spoke, "According to the rumor that has spread at the underwater bar, a master cultivator who has lived for a hundred years visited our kingdom. Perhaps, he has a way to prolong the princess' life."

"Search for him immediately! Say that the Emperor Liu invites him to the royal palace."

"As your majesty decreed."

The imperial doctor bowed and quickly leave to seek this master cultivator. At that time, Liu Meifeng didn't know how dangerous the situation she's in. She had slept for two days and two nights while having a nightmare. She dreamed that her former best friend in her previous life as Xu Haoran argued with several high officials. Liu Meifeng can see them clearly, yet she couldn't hear what they're arguing. Suddenly, Huang Liangjin pulled his gun out and shoot those high officials on their heads. No matter how hard she screamed to stop him, the person before her couldn't hear her.

Feeling satisfied Huang Liangjin smiled as if he had gone mad and pulled out his cigarettes. He walked away from the room Liu Meifeng followed after him. Soon, the two of them arrived at the cemetery. Huang Liangjin turned left and walked for a while until he arrived at someone's gravestone; the gravestone belonged to none other than Xu Haoran himself. Huang Liangjin caressed 'Xu Haoran' name that had been carved neatly, his expression was gentle like never before. He also gingerly caressed the gravestone as if he's caressing someone's cheek.

Liu Meifeng was shocked beyond relief, only by witnessing this scene before her that she finally realized something and recalled her memories with Huang Liangjin as 'Xu Haoran'. Like how Huang Liangjin would ignore him if he talked about other women in high school and how depressed he is when he heard that Xu Haoran got engaged to someone. Everything is finally as clear as the day and the answer is too obvious to be ignored. This guy is definitely in love with him for only God knows since when. Despite the great shock, Liu Meifeng didn't feel disgusted towards Huang Liangjin who harbored romantic feelings towards her in her previous life.

Perhaps it's because he was like a brother to her or perhaps it's because she got reincarnated into a girl. Besides in her previous life, Xu Haoran was known for someone who was indifferent towards anyone. No matter who they are, he will always treat them respectfully as long as they deserve it. While she was busy with her own thoughts, Huang Liangjin who was smiling in front of her gravestone aimed his gun to his head. Liu Meifeng eyes widened, she rushed to Huang Liangjin immediately. But her hands went through his body like a ghost. She tried to grab Huang Liangjin's hand repeatedly and failed spectacularly.

On the other hand, Huang Liangjin shed tears and sobbing quietly. He said a few words in which Liu Meifeng can't figure out what he was saying. All she knew, Huang Liangjin end his life right after that without any hesitation. Only then, Liu Meifeng finally woke up with tears flowing down on her ghastly pale face. She stared blankly on the ceiling while silently cried and suddenly the sound of an unfamiliar old man reached out to her ears.

"Young princess, why are you crying?"

Liu Meifeng flinched and finally realized that she's not alone in her room. She turned her head and saw an old man with long white hair and a beard sitting next to her bed. Normally, if other children find a strange man sat next to them while quietly observing them as they slept, they will feel terrified and even screamed. But Liu Meifeng still has her memory as 'Xu Haoran'. Generally speaking, they're still the same person. This is why through under any circumstances, Liu Meifeng can still remain calm and asked curiously.

"Who are you?"

The old man was shocked that Liu Meifeng can speak like normal people above her age. The old man smiled and find Liu Meifeng is quite an interesting kid. He offered a bowl of a simmered medicine to her while introducing himself.

"I'm called Duan Gen a master cultivator."

At this time, Liu Meifng had no idea that this old man in front of her is going to be her Shifu in the near future.