Parallel World: Light World
"Little angel, please watch over Xiao Wei for me. I'm going to meditate for a while." Zhao Yunlan requests.
"Sure but why are you meditating a lot lately, master?" Little angel inquires.
It's not that he is not aware of his master meditating before, but the amount of time his master spend and the frequency of meditating has increased exponentially. At the beginning he thought that the reason behind the increased number of meditating was due to his master feeling restless with his mate's current condition. After all, his master Yunlan tents to meditate to calm his emotions down before. However, little Angel is starting to become suspicious.
"hmm..."
"Please tell me the truth, master. I notice before that your third eye has open not long ago too." Little angel presses on seeing that Zhao Yunlan is trying to avoid answering.
"Don't worry little angel. I realized that this world fair well with my energy. I'm assuming it's because my power has strong correlation with Yan energy unlike my Wei which is more related with Yin energy. And meditating helps me tone into my inner core more and I discovered a lot of new powers I posses. I thought I might as well grow myself while taking care of my Wei. Just watching him like this makes me restless and it's not helping anyone." Zhao Yunlan explains making little angel feel relieve but he has a hunch that there is more to it.
"And?" Little Angel is not planning on letting his master hide anything from him.
"And what?" Zhao Yunlan asks, surprise with sudden firm inquiry.
"I know there is more, master Yunlan. Don't try to hide it from me. Don't think that I haven't noticed how you would block me from your mind from time to time, and most of the time is during your meditation. Don't tell me it's due to your meditating because you don't block me all the time." Little Angel expounds.
"Oh..." Zhao Yunlan sheepishly replies.
"Yes, 'oh'. Now, out with it. What or who are you trying to connect with?" Little Angel imitates Zhao Yunlan and then demands.
"No one in particular..." Zhao Yunlan said while scratching behind his neck, a nervous tic of his, making little angel glares at his master.
"Fine! I was trying to connect with others... well, I am trying anyway. Doesn't seem like it's working though." Zhao Yunlan sighs.
"Huh? Why did you have to hide this from me?" Little angel questions, feeling puzzled.
"It is something I'm trying to experiment with. I don't know if it will work or not and didn't want to give you false hope if it didn't work out." Zhao Yunlan explains making little angel more confused than before.
"Master, I don't like riddles. Please explain to me how you are trying to connect with others, will it make me hopeful? Sure, I like them and all, but my important people are here." Little angel points out making Zhao Yunlan sighs more dramatically.
"As I said, I'm experimenting with it. Trying to reach others is just the first step of my experiment. My end goal would have been trying to get inside my Xiao Wei's and little devil's dream state. I thought if I could communicate from long distance, it would work with dream state as well."
"I see... that's makes sense." Little angel admits.
"Yeah... but I haven't succeed once." Zhao Yunlan confesses.
"Well if anything we have in our hands right now is times, assuming we don't get kick out from here first. Keep trying master!" Little angel cheerfully chirps making Zhao Yunlan groan in frustration, remembering mad Shen Wei, it's a scary experience...
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Parallel World: Haixing
Both Wang Zheng and Sang Zhan have been watching over the house as they promised Da Qing. Meanwhile Wang took the potion after letting it suck in moonlight overnight as instructed by Lin Jing. At the beginning Wang Zheng was overwhelm by the potion because it over-boosted her energy. Luckily Sang was always by her side and neutralized her energy when she needed it. As a result, she was able to adjust to the potion after a few days and now she is perfectly fine.
"Darling, when will they come back? I wonder how our masters are doing?" Wang asks worriedly even though she knows that Sang know as much as she does.
"They will be fine. You know more than anyone else how stubborn and single-minded our lord can be if he is determined."
"True, no obstacle ever succeed in separating them before no matter how tragic their life went." Wang admits remembering fond yet bittersweet memories.
*Knock Knock*
"Who is it?" Sang asks while opening the door and can't help but smile seeing both Da Qing and Yezun come back.
"Welcome back Da Qing and Leader Yezun." Wang greets sweetly.
"We are back. Did anything happen while we were gone?" Da Qing asks while carrying in a huge wooden box with the help of Yezun.
"No, no one has showed up yet. What with the box?" Wang asks while letting Sang help carry it and goes into kitchen to bring water.
"Ingredients" Yezun replies while sitting down and gladly accepting the cup of water as well as Da Qing.
"How many ingredients did you find?" Sang asks.
"About a fifty different ones." Da Qing replies, joining his husband.
"Wow. Are all these ingredients necessary?" Wang asks while looking through contents of the box.
"It is listed as necessary, and I don't want to take risk. Besides we are currently one important ingredient short." Yezun answers.
"What ingredient?"
"Ruby Red Tear of Ancient White Snake."
"Oh, I know of it. It's rare but not impossible to find them. They typically reside deep inside mountain caves." Sang shares what he remembers.
"Yeah, the problem is you guys have been trapped over a century and ancient white snake is good as a myth at this point." Yezun points out tiredly.
"Right, I forgot that things are not how it use to be." Sang admits, sheepishly.
"It's okay, Sang Zhan. You are just trying to help. We are not expecting both of you to learn everything in such short notice." Da Qing replies.
"If that is the case, where are we going find it?" Wang worriedly asks.
"We are hoping Lin Jing could help answer that for us." Yezun and Da Qing reply hopefully.
"True, if anyone is to know about mystic creatures it would be dwarf." Wang agrees.
"Since we can't do anything else but wait, let me prepare something to eat for everyone. Da Qing and Leader Yezun can rest in the meanwhile." Wang states before heading toward the kitchen.
"Let me help." Sang offers to his wife and follows her into the kitchen.
"What are you pondering about, Yezun?" Da Qing asks when he sees Yezun lost in thought.
"I'm wondering how long before demon queen and Lin Jing can arrive from Timeless Forest."
"It's worrying isn't it?" Yezun just sighs in reply to Da Qing statement.
***
Haixing: Kunlan Mountain
"Uncle Chu, something is not right with this forest." Guo said while clutching to Chu Shuzhi's arm for his dear life. After resting at atop of Mount Kunlan, they approached the mysterious Ice Forest. The atmosphere is eerily quiet and freezing.
"Can you stop being a coward?!" Chu grumpily asks and searches for this supposedly pure river.
"But we can't even hear any bird or wild animal sounds and we are at atop of mountain so we should be hearing and feeling wind." Guo reasons frighteningly and Chu has to admit, Guo has a point.
"What about the barrier you felt before? What happen to it?" Chu recalls.
"I can still feel it and there is definitely a strong barrier surrounding the place, but I don't know why we are able get in easily" Guo confesses while expending his senses out and feeling the energy.
"Barrier doesn't stop intruder from coming in but prevent intruder from leaving" suddenly a soft musical voice said making both Chu and Guo startle and promptly stand on their guard.
"Who's there?! Show yourself!" Chu orders and his threads already spreading out searching for the intruder while Guo is hiding behind Chu.
"Look up" the voice replies, but both Guo and Chu only to see a phoenix statue and suddenly their surrounding change into black ice cave and there is a breath-takingly beautiful phoenix emerging from pond inside the cave leaving both Chu and Guo gapping in awe.
"Wow! So beautiful!" Guo admires.
"What are you both doing by invading my territory?" Phoenix asks, bringing the others to reality.
"Are you guardian of this Ice Forest?" Chu asks carefully.
"Indeed, I am. Now answer my question." Phoenix demands.
"We are sorry for invading your territory guardian. We are looking for the purest of pure river water. We need it to help save a beloved family member." Guo pleads while kowtowing, there is no point in lying and from the look of the phoenix guardian, she can spot lie in instant.
"... Leave. It's not something I can give you" Phoenix replies.
"Please! I'm begging you. Wei Ge is in critical condition, and he doesn't deserve to be cursed for helping others!" Guo pleads again while crying.
"..." Phoenix said nothing but keep observing Guo who is still kowtowing.
"Please guardian phoenix. We are begging you. We only need a few drops of pure water. My precious nephew's life depends on it!" Now Chu also joins Guo and pleads and hoping that the guardian will show mercy on them.
"I can see that you both care greatly of this family member of yours... but the thing you are asking for is something I have sworn to protect from getting into evils' hands." Phoenix confesses sincerely.
"We understand what you are saying, but we can promise you that we are not going to use it for wrongdoing. We only need to break the curse that is cast upon him. We are willing to do anything to prove that you." Chu states confidently.
"Very well. I shall test you both. Keep in mind that if my Ice flame judges you unworthy, your life ends as well." Phoenix warns.
"Yes! We understand. Thank you, thank you!" Both Guo and Chu said happily and kowtow one last time and stand up.
"Get already then." The phoenix announces and start casting spell which creates a barrier made out of Ice flame that circle around both Guo and Chu. When the ice flame connected to its beginning point, the magical circle expands upward, trapping both Chu and Guo into a cylinder ice flame trap.
Although both Guo and Chu felt uncomfortable, they determinedly stayed calm. After all, they can't defeat guardian in her territory. The best option is to gain the guardian's trust.
"Last warning, back down now and leave my territory safe and sound." Phoenix says while observing them.
"No, we will not back down. We have nothing to hide, and we will pass your test." Guo confidently said making Phoenix pleases while Chu smile seeing Guo being brave for his Wei-ge.
"Good! Shall my ice flame find you worthy then." Phoenix said and suddenly the magical trap burst out blue flame from every cover inside the trap. There is no heat but pure freezing flame surrounding their bodies freezing them inside out.
The Phoenix keeps casting the spell into completion and couldn't help but smile seeing Guo being embraced protectively by Chu and both are unharmed when the trap disappears.
"You can open your eyes now." Phoenix announces making others realize that they unnoticedly had closed their eyes.
"We pass, Uncle Chu!" Guo shouts happily while shaking Chu Shuzhi.
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A/N: Chapt. 1/2