43 The sealed pheonix stone [Bonus chapter]

"I understand," Xiana blinked and asked how he would answer his mother. "Her Majesty saw your eye." She was worried because Licheng wanted to keep all this a secret.

"Someday, Mother would have found out. So, it is better if it happened today," Licheng stated and looked at her hand. She noticed his gaze and pulled away her hand.

"Y-you suddenly turned furious, so I thought to do that," Xiana said and tucked the loose tendrils of hair behind her ear. "You should not have stopped Her Majesty. It is not good to act this way before your elders," she stated.

"It becomes necessary when they act like children and refuse to listen to you," Licheng said. Xiana noticed his eye slowly turn to its original color.

"Your mother has the right to ask you, Licheng. You brought an unknown woman with you, and you keep lying to people around you, about us. However, you said in front of Eunuch Jize and so many servants that you did not fall in love. You are being diplomatic, Licheng," Xiana stated.

"I didn't know Mother would create so much trouble here. She has no right to raise a hand at you. No one can. That's what angered me," Licheng asserted.

"Thank you for saving me from the slap," Xiana said. A tiny smile was carved on her lips. "I am never being slapped." Her smile turned brighter than before.

Licheng found it strange. How could she smile at that incident? His entire body's blood boiled with the act of his mother. He felt something weird inside him that he could not explain.

"So, why does your left eye shine red? It happens only on rare occasions," Xiana was curious to know.

"The fire element in me is the reason. The scar isn't an ordinary one. Three months ago, I encountered something strange while looking for the sealed phoenix stone and I ended up getting hurt badly," Licheng stated. He finally revealed the truth behind that scar to Xiana.

"It seems you can't control it," Xiana asserted.

"I can. It happens when I am angry or flustered or when any random emotion appears out of nowhere," Licheng affirmed.

Xiana reached her hand out to his eye while Licheng looked at her in bewilderment. "May I?" she asked.

"No," Licheng did not let Xiana touch the scar on his face. He took a step back while Xiana pulled her hand back.

"You should talk with your mother. I will see you in the morning," Xiana stated.

"I am not going to see her until tomorrow," Licheng said and went to the patio to sit for some time. Xiana wondered why he was acting that way. She went after him and saw him settle on the surface of the broad wooden handrail. He had his back toward her and asked her if she was going to look at him from afar.

"I thought you would be angry if I sat next to you," Xiana opined and went toward him.

"You can sit," Licheng said.

Xiana put her feet on the other side of the handrail and sat on the wooden railing. "The sky is clear," she asserted.

"It is," Licheng agreed with her. "Have you ever heard what Spirit Mediums do?" He randomly asked her a question.

"I did. Legends say that they possess great powers because their bodies are the way to heavenly spirits," Xiana replied.

"Hmm. Master Tao is the only alive Spirit Medium. He wants to see me tomorrow. So, I will not be in the palace after court hour ends," Licheng informed Xiana.

"Will I not come with you? Also, we were supposed to start the training from tomorrow," Xiana stated.

"He has called for me. So, I must go alone. The five martial warriors will train you. I do not want to hear that you skipped training," Licheng answered and tilted his head. His eyes fell on her right hand which was on her lap and he noticed she had worn the jade ring on her fourth finger instead of the last one.

"Why did you shift the ring to the fourth finger?" Licheng questioned.

"Because it was loose in my little finger," Xiana replied. "Is it necessary for me to keep this ring on? You tell me only half of things, which makes me more curious," Xiana explained to him.

"Yes, you need to wear it all the time. I do not want you to get hurt," Licheng said.

Xiana chuckled at him. "You are acting like my guardian. Do you think I am weak? I can fight well. Did your martial brothers not tell you how I defeated the general during the battle?" She arched her brow at her and made an expression full of pride.

"We never had any talk about you," Licheng answered. He grasped her hand out of the blue, "Try getting out of my grip."

Xiana tried pulling her hand but realized she was not even able to move it. Her brows furrowed and she used a bit more strength. But her effort went in vain. She used her other hand, but that also could not do anything.

Licheng let go of her hand.

"When the demon will be before you, you will not stand a chance. Then, this ring will show its effect," he explained to her and again looked straight toward the open rock garden. They both could hear the sound of the water flowing.

"You are quite powerful and I will not ever deny this fact," Xiana said.

"But you saved me in our previous lives. So, you also are stronger," Licheng asserted.

"I do not even remember about it," Xiana muttered.

"Soon, you will," Licheng said.

"I am excited to know what I was in the past," Xiana said with a smile. "If I saved the life of the fire descendant, then that makes me a goddess of that time!" She deduced and it made Licheng laugh.

"Did you just laugh at my capabilities?" She asked and he again carried the stoic expression on his face.

"No," Licheng denied.

"You are such a bad liar. You laughed at me because I called myself a goddess," Xiana said and grabbed the collar of his dress. He gazed at her and told her to leave him.

"First, apologize to me. If you can be the descendant of a powerful spirit, I can be the descendant of a powerful goddess," Xiana stated.

"Of course, you can be," Licheng said and gently held her hands. He lowered them and smiled at her.

"I am starving," Xiana said and promptly stood up. Her shoe slipped off the edge of the surface, and a low scream escaped her mouth in panic.

Licheng's reflex acted fast, and he wrapped his arm around her back. However, because of her weight, he could not balance them, and they both fell to the ground.

He pulled her up before she could touch the ground, so she was now on top of him. Her lips landed above his, and Licheng ended up seeing the memory from their past lives.

~~~~~

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