(Part 3)
The village settled down after a while. Everyone went back to their homes. Amian too was sent back. In the village's inn only Xianwu, Xiao yin and the man who came running for help before settled. The innkeeper kept glasses of water for the three of them. The man sat terrified, his clothes soaking with sweat. Who knows how long has he been running to find refuge? Xianwu on the other hand spoke calmly "Sir, the corpses have been taken care of now. No need to worry anymore. However could you kindly tell me how you encountered them?" Xiao yin sat beside her as he kept staring at the man, his expression vivid.
The man gulped stuttering "I-I was com-ing back- from- after the sale of my bargains, on my way home I encountered them. They surrounded me and started chasing me from there. I had nowhere to run to so I ran here and then all this happened…" he ended breathing heavily.
Xianwu stared at him as she pondered "He ran away to here all along, even if he was chased, he never went to his home but used and alternative to run into others… how weird, if he was surrounded why didn't he get caught by them? How did he get the chance to run here? The speed of Human eating corpses are slower than of human when running, why didn't he take the initiative to run away the moment he found them?" Xianwu cleared her throat continuing "Are you sure there's nothing more?" she asked. The man turned his head right and left.
"I-I just want to go home to my wife and my children. I've got nothing to do with this! Please let me go!" he begged. Xianwu stood up immediately stopping him. "No please, it's my fault. I shouldn't have asked you about a tragic incident you've already suffered." She consoled in return. "If you don't mind sir, can I ask where you live?" she continued. The man nodded as he spoke "In the 'Forest of No-Return' I live in a tribe which decided to stay there for a while. We have been staying at that place for about two years now. But this is the first time it happened." He replied.
"The forest of no-return?!" Xianwu thought "Isn't forest of no return connecting the Silent city. The cases of mortals turning into human eating corpses, isn't it what Emperor Zhijun talked to me about yesterday! How come they are coming even here, when the distance between the Silent city and the Spirit sealing forest is so far away? The case is in the hands of Mo Xingchen. How come it isn't being solved?" Looking at the man Xianwu sighed "Sir, are you sure you can head back safely?" she asked. The man nodded abruptly. Getting up immediately he made his way outside the inn leaving. "Why such hurry?!" thought Xianwu in wonder while Xiao yin gazed at the man from the window.
Paying farewells to the innkeeper. Xiao yin and Xianwu walked back to the cottage. "What in the world is happening? Emperor Zhijun already told me to stay away from this case but, the human eating corpses have already made their way far till here. What if they attack here again?" thoughts rampaged through Xianwu's mind. Xiao yin with a slight glance of her tensed brows called "Sister, if there is something which bothers you. You can ask me." He recommended.
Xianwu looked at him. A sudden realisation hitting her brain "That's right! Xiao yin knows so many things. He might also know about the condition in the Silent city right now. It's true I defeated the murdering demon there 1200 years ago, but being dead for so a 1000 years I don't know a single thing about the circumstances it's facing right now or even in those thousand years." She thought.
"Xiao yin, do you know about the Silent city?" Xianwu asked. Xiao yin pondered for a while. "The city of endless laughter? I know about it. Legends say that the Silent city called by the name a city of endless laughter. Around 1500 years ago, it was among the most prosperous cities and was amongst one of the places which were greatly influenced by Heavenly Supremes. Later on, when it came onto different rulers its progress failed. In the most prominent on of its histories was an anecdote which told that once the city was under captured by a murdering demon, who took over the 'bridge of forever silence' which connected the city from the outside world." He told.
"It created such a huge rampage that the most famous mortal warriors of that time were called to eradicate him for a handsome reward however, many of them lost their lives and the demon still lived. In the end even when twenty years were to pass by and there was no light of hope. At that time there was a princess who was seeking for ascension, the only one who stepped forward. Her blade curved into a crescent moon and her martial arts were never to be seen by anyone before. That Princess was "Yue Xianwu" by the books knowledge it is said that this was her first step towards ascension to the Heavenly city…" explained Xiao yin.
Xianwu on the other hand was listening with a frown on her face. "You're right, it was indeed her very first step towards ascension…" she affirmed.
Xiao yin continued "Moreover, with her bravery and victory. The city was freed of the demon as well. Yet, five hundred years later plague spread in the city. Resulting in complete eradication of the city of Laughter. The seriousness of plague was so extreme that even the Heavenly City couldn't do anything but watch it drown into ruins. After the city had been eradicated by plague a two hundred years later rumours of corpses of those who died were bought to life."
"The heavenly city before the rumour could spread sealed the city and disbanded every communication from it even so, rumours did spread and people started calling it the Silent city. But, right now in front of you Human eating corpses are coming again." "So that's what happened, under my absence. However, Emperor Zhijun told me about mortals turning into human eating corpses… what connection does it have with the past?" Xianwu thought. "The bridge of forever silence connects the Silent city and the forest of no return and the man said he lived near the tribe there… why would he even live there when all of this is happening?" she asked confused.
"The forest of no return is a very dangerous forest. A fifteen hundred years ago it wasn't like this but after the plague in the city it's said the forest absorbed all of the dead's regret and became the forest of no return, one who goes in cannot come back without facing the horrors of mirages constructed in it. Many have died crossing that forest. Sister, don't you find it weird that a normal person would go in and out of the tribe in that forest when not even a single heavenly supreme dares to set foot in and moreover nothing happens to him. Didn't you find that man strange too?" Xiao yin asked.
Xianwu nodded "Even if Xiao yin's a kid, he too noticed that… I was right, something is really not right in the silent city or somewhere near the forest of no return…" she thought. Arriving at the cottage the two of them paused.
Xianwu glanced at Xiao yin who looked a lot dishevelled than his usual self. "What were you really doing to get you this dirty?" she asked while dusting his sleeves. "I was working. Working very hard! I picked up the fish barrels, carried the vegetables, pushed the carts and took a bath, but, I still got dirty after picking up the last fish barrels." Xiao yin explained with a gleam. Xianwu sighed "What would be of this kid? Such unbelievable tasks performed by a young master like him…" she thought hopelessly.
"Xiao yin, go clean yourself up, while I get water from the spring. I completely forgot about that in my thoughts." She advised. Xiao yin nodded while going into the cottage. Xianwu turned around to making her way towards the spring. In the meantime her mind gradually assessed the group transmission.