⤄CHAPTER 2: ‘Gaining Merits: Back to the mortal world after a 1000 years’ (Part 1)
Yue Xianwu and Yeying Long reached back to the Inferno city. Walking inside the Arcadia Manor Xianwu thought "The demon Inferno city is the place I am reborn… but the moment I chose to stay here, the emperor wasn't looking quite happy… What should I do when I go back tomorrow…?" The more she thought the more confused she became. Yeying glanced at her confusion. Xianwu pondered "Today I meet the emperor and my brother… who knows whom I will meet tomorrow? Or should I show remorse after meeting them or should I act happy?" those thoughts confused her. "Even after all that happened in the past… am I even worth remembering? Moreover, Will Yeying allow me to go? If he does then what about him? I made that decision on my own without even asking. Silly me, all that habit of independent decision making might bring me to my downfall…"
Suddenly she bumped into the wall in front of her realising she wasn't hurt. Yeying kept his hand over her forehead to shield her. "I'm sorry!" she gasped in confusion turning around to face him. Yeying walked away. His expression stern yet calm. Xianwu toddled behind him. Reaching the top of the Manor Yeying took a deep breath as he spoke "My lady… What you are thinking about now is already in the past. Even if you do anything to change it right now, the fact that it happened before won't change, No matter whatever you do the past never changes and nor does the people's perspective who went through it." Xianwu stared at him as he continued. "People can't change everything, that's why milady, Why not start from the very beginning, from the very start where none can make reflect your past." His smile radiant. Xianwu walked beside him. In an instant all her worries and thought vanished into thin air. "You're right. Even after coming back a 1000 years later. I'm still such a klutz." She smiled. All of a sudden she remembered "Oh right! Yeying what about those demons who turned into nightingales, where are they?" she asked curiously. Yeying smiled as he lifted his arm in front of him and many Moonlit nightingales flew under his sleeves.
Amazed by the sight Xianwu gasped. The moonlit nightingales made their way towards the garden of the Arcadia Manor. Changing their shape into demons they all stood there in wonder. "We are back!" said one of them happily. "Milord! Saved us!" said the women as she hugged her child. "Mama our king saved us! Look he is looking at us, the fairy is also there!" said the child pointing over the Arcadia Manor in delight. The demons with the sight of their king bowed low in their steps. "My Lord! Spirit fairy! Thank you for saving us, we useless beings will forever be in your debt!" They uttered in harmony. Xianwu looked at them with a heartwarming smile. Yeying nodded as he asked "Tell me… what happened?" His words were sharp but gained a sense of sympathy.
"Your majesty, as usual we were in the parade and everyone was together, but meanwhile passing through the forest half of us got separated from each other because of some kind of restriction spell. No matter what we did we couldn't get past it and indeed lost our way when we tried to find another one." explained a demon. The women demon continued "When we were in search of finding another way, we saw we were close to the 2nd king's territory, so we left hurriedly towards a village nearby. We thought we would make it until the array was opened again but those heavenly Supremes caught us, and blamed us that we killed those humans." Xianwu listened as she thought "How could brother blame anyone without proof and moreover mentioning that way to the emperor?" she pondered.
"That's it?" asked Yeying as he went towards his throne and settled down. "Yes My lord!" they responded. Yeying gazed at the red pomegranate glass in his hand. "Go back and continue your work. No need to worry about the rest!" He said as he drank. Xianwu waved them back as they bowed and left. The demon boy in his mother arms whispered in her ear. "Mother, when I turned into a nightingale she patted my head, Lady Fairy is really kind just like our king!" The women demon replied "Yes my dear… we are gifted with the best gift, so no matter what anyone says you only have to believe them. The boy nodded waving back at Xianwu. Xianwu turned around as she walked towards him. "What are you thinking about?" she asked. Yeying smirked as the parasol hid his eyes. He passed the glass into her hands. "Nothing to worry about, Drink it." He told. Looking at the glass Xianwu nodded.
Breaking the atmosphere, Yeying questioned "Lady Xianwu tomorrow will you leave the inferno city?" Xianwu looked at him with surprise. For her, Yeying saying like this was meant clearly that they won't be able to meet each other for a while after this. Xianwu nodded with a slight hum. "I really don't wish to but I have to. If I want to stay in the inferno city with you or even live a single day of my life in the future. My life force are the wings you see behind my back, the more dimmer they get the lesser the time I have left. So to make them fly I have to earn merits and that can only be earned by solving cases given by the heavenly city or the emperor himself…" she explained staring at the rim of the glass in her hands.
"I know it is hard for you to trust the heavenly city but please try to trust me rather than them, it will take a while and I might not be with you but this is something none rather than the heavenly emperor can do…" she continued.
Yeying stood there without replying back. After a long silence he uttered "What if I stop you from leaving tomorrow, not caring if you live or not the other day?" he asked. Xianwu looked at him with her expression widened but because of the night and his dark parasol couldn't quite make out his expression. Her surprise soon turned into a smile. "Then I won't leave. I will stay and do just as you say. Don't worry when you said you hated lies, I feel the exact same way. I won't lie." She replied. Yeying's eyes widened, a smile escaped his lips. "Don't worry that was just an assumption. I don't intent to stop you, after all that was your home before wasn't it?" he asked.
"Don't worry about me or the city, but try not to take tasks that are a threat to your life or harm you in any way and… remember to come back." He said. Xianwu smiled as she walked closer towards him. "Then let's pinky swear!" she said as she pulled out her pinky finger. "When I'm gone you take care of yourself and I will surely come back! How does it sound?" she asked. "Yeying looked at her with surprise "Are you a child?" he asked as he in turn took her hand. To Xianwu's wonder a red light surrounded her wrist and then centred into her palm.
A beautiful red pearl with a layer of moonlight blue atop of it attached to a silver chain shined on her palm. It was an exquisite necklace. In her whole life Xianwu had never seen something like this, Even though she was a princess and seeing gold and jewels was natural for her in the past. However, this one was the most exquisite she had ever seen, not even the whole heavenly city's treasures could be compared to exchange for it. "What is this?" she asked in amazement. "Keep it. The next time we meet return it to me…" he said. Xianwu stared at it for a while as she gently tied it around her neck, Yeying taking it from her hands fastened it around instead.
"Is it that mesmerising? You can't take your eyes off it." He asked. Xianwu nodded. "Yes it is. With this I'll surely meet you again!" she replied. Yeying smiled "It won't take long until we meet…" he whispered under the moonlight. Xianwu hid the necklace inside her clothes. Soon she yawned feeling drowsy. Yeying patted her head "Tired aren't you?" he asked. Xianwu nodded rubbing her eyes.
With a click of his finger's two demon women came inn. "Take her to her room and make sure she sleeps soundly!" he ordered. The demon women nodded and bowed. "Yeying…" Xianwu called as he looked at her. "Yes?" he asked. "Don't sleep too late or escape at night to play and make sure you drink milk before you go to bed or else you won't grow tall, Am I clear?" she asked. Yeying looked at her as he blinked his eyes in wonder. With an escape of an unheard laugh he replied "Yes milady… I heard." Xianwu nodded sleepily as she went back a little nightingale resting on her shoulder. Yeying turned around with a smile, his gaze piercing the moon.