The Gatekeeper of Yellow Moon Mountain

"What is it?"

"You probably ran into Tua, he's said to be a god that resides in the hidden lake of Yellow Moon Mountain."

"Yellow Moon Mountain?"

"They say whenever the god Tua reveals itself, a path from this world to the realm of the gods opens. And although it's not often, the moon will swell and become yellow. It's said only he gets to control who comes and goes."

"So he's a gatekeeper?"

"His lake is nearly impossible to find. If what you say is true, he must've brought you here." Nodding to himself he eyes her. "Young lady, you're either an incredible liar or you've got a terrible fortune. Either way, I'm the worst possible person you could run into."

"Huh?" What did he mean by that?

"Also, what's all this?" Agitated, he looked around at the items on the boat. He couldn't quite relax whenever he leaned back because of the bulky items poking into his back.

"It's. . .my dowry, a few of my personal belongings as well as wedding presents from my parents." She was hesitant to explain this at the thought of him possibly robbing her.

"Hmmm..." Looking her up and down he said. "That is an unusual dress." Something seemed to catch his eye for a second, he fished out her foot from underneath her dress.

Lifting up her leg his eyes glittered.

"Hoho, is this what I think it is?"

"Let go!" Kicking her free leg at him only resulted in him grabbing both. When his ironclad grip tightened around her ankles, Cui Ruiling quickly realized she was not his match in strength and sat still. When he lost interest in her ruby heels he put them back down.

"Your name?" He asked finally.

"My name? It's Cui Ruiling?"

"Cui Ruiling? I'm Kang Fengshu of the Chu Clan. I'm afraid I'm not the best person who can help you, right now there are many after my life."

Hearing this, she frowned.

"You killed someone?"

"Wh-you decided my crime rather fast."

"I'm sorry, well? Did you kill someone?"

Instead of answering Fengshu leaned his back against her luggage and closed his eyes.

"Keep rowing."

Cui Ruiling did so, eyeing him as she rowed.

"Either way, you already owe me for saving your life. I don't really care about what you did so long as you can help me out."

He didn't respond.

"At least give me some directions. Where are we headed?" It felt weird to her, saying 'we' to this stranger especially when he was possibly her destined one. There had never been a "we." It had always been an "I." She had always been the captain of her life but things were different now. Back in ancient times noble women could die for owning businesses, and a lone woman was always viewed as a target to exploit.

"Just keeping going straight, I'm meeting up with some others later."

Cui Ruiling's cheeks became pink. His looks were a pass but his personality and all the rest she was still undecided. If all else failed she'd live the life of a spinster. For in her whole lifetime, aside from boy band groups, there had only ever been one person she ever came close to truly loving. It was an old childish crush she should have outgrown a long time ago but. . .

Her mind drifted as she thought of her parents. There was no one around to give her guidance, no one around to protect her from harm. To love her as a daughter. Her parent's love was warm and their expectations just as heavy. But right now she felt light, the breeze and current pushing them downstream were cold enough to make her shiver like a soggy piece of underwear on a clothesline, depending on the wind not even the clothes pin would be enough to keep her balanced. For the first time ever she felt uncertain of what to do. Although her parents relied on her heavily to the point she often felt stressed to become perfect, it made her feel accomplished when she did well, somewhere in her life she had her parents became a variable in her life equation, they gave her a purpose. Without their existence whom's expectations would she rise to meet? Who would she love and who would love her in return as a given, without doubt or question. Who would believe in her unreasonably even if she was ignorant and talentless? Even if there was no reason to have faith? It was all gone. That love and their existence which she took for granted. Cui Ruiling knew her heart, she didn't warm up to strangers that quickly.

Right now, Cui Ruiling felt lost just like her boat that glided aimlessly. Cui Ruiling rowed and rowed without much thought to how long their journey extended, until eventually, her arms began to feel limp. Her temple throbbed from too much thinking.

Unbeknownst to her, Fengshu stared. He expected the lass to give up after offering to row and doing so for so long, but even as beads of sweat began to dampen her veil and stick to her face, she didn't complain and didn't seem to slow her pace either.

What could she do in this world? What would her new purpose be?

By the time she snapped out of it, she found the boat surrounded by fog. Before long, they drew close to a small chain of islands connected together by bridges. She couldn't see much else.

"Sorry Sir Kang, I must've steered us to the wrong place."

But Sir Kang was already climbing out the boat.

"Not wrong."

A question sign hung over Ruiling's head.

Pulling the boat as he waded through the shallow waters, Ruiling could see a small collection of people standing on a small dock in wait, the closer they drew. There were soldiers dressed in white and silver uniforms, and they all stood at attention behind a silver-haired man dressed in a light blue robe that billowed about from the strong breeze coming through.

"So, you did make it back in one piece?" The man that spoke to Ruiling was his opposite. Throughout her career, she had come to read people based on their looks and style. An image was painted in her mind each time, almost like a camera filter. Fengshu's aura felt unsettling like a savage beast napping in a forest, it's soil muddied by the blood of his victimes. While this man here felt like a polar bear, standing alone in the Antarctic.

His sleepy gaze fell upon her. He didn't ask who she was. Just stared.

Tracing his gaze, Sir Kang explained.

"She was brought here by Tua." Then to Ruiling. "Wait here for a bit, I'll be back." He left first.

"Tua?" The polar bear raised an icy brow before he and the soldiers followed after Sir Kang.

Cui Ruiling blinked. It'd be difficult to get out of the boat herself with all of her dowry tied around her waist. But before she could even ask them to untie her waist, they had already left.