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As night fell, Meilin had been enjoying a full day at the amusement park. She was tired but happy after going on all her favorite rides except for the Dark Ride. She approached her companion, eyeing the eerie-looking building, and said, "I want to skip this ride..."
Qingcang, growing annoyed with Meilin's unpredictability, replied with a hint of frustration in his voice, "You already dragged me into almost all the rides, so why skip this?"
Meilin took a deep breath and explained, "It's the Dark Ride... I already went through all the scary stuff lately with those monsters that want me dead, and now I don't need to experience them again."
Qingcang sighed, feeling impatient. "If you want, I can frighten you instead," he offered with a slight smirk, his tone malicious. He was secretly hoping Meilin would agree to his little payback.
Meilin was taken aback and faced Qingcang as she quickly retorted, "What the heck? No, I don't want you to scare me. Besides, you're too pretty looking to be scary."
Qingcang scoffed and thought, 'How long until she's pleased?'
Meilin stopped in her tracks as she saw an admirable view of the Ferris Wheel. She thought it was the perfect way to end the night. She gazed at it, noticing the fascinating trees around it that were adorned with red blossoms while the stars twinkled above her. The sight filled her with nostalgia for all the warm moments this view reminded her of.
Qingcang noticed Meilin's admiration and took her hand, surprising her with this gesture.
Meilin was taken aback and asked, "Uh, what?" She was not expecting this initiative from the most aloof person she knew.
"You like this ride? Then, let's go," Qingcang said as he led Meilin toward the Ferris Wheel.
'Qingcang...' Meilin thought, secretly smiling at him from behind as they walked hand in hand. 'You're so sweet.'
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Yichen stood in the attic, and the only light came from a small window on the far side of the place. He noticed two shimmering, translucent circles of light hovering in the center of the attic. The circles puled with energy, causing the air to crackle and pop.
Yichen cautiously stepped forward, feeling a strange energy filling the room. The portals continued to throb, sending shockwaves through the room and charging the atmosphere with electric power. "What is this?" he asked himself in amazement as he gazed at the strange phenomenon.
Approaching one of the portals, Yichen heard a low, ominous hum in response to each step he took. His heart raced as he extended his hand toward the portal's surface. As he reached out, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as he heard electrical sounds, almost like whizzing, coming from the portal.
"Unreal..." Yichen whispered, staring wonderfully as his pointing finger made contact with the portal. Suddenly, white light gathered around his body, and he felt a force pulling him forward. He tried to pull back, but it was too late. The light engulfed him, and he suddenly vanished, transported to another world.
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Meilin sat admiring the beautiful night view on the Ferris Wheel, relaxing under the starry sky and before a reddish-pink horizon. She felt as though she was in a fairytale tonight.
However, Qingcang wanted to return to the moment of getting his answer from Meilin, as he was still pondering about that time before they got interrupted.
"Why do you want me to stay?" Qingcang suddenly asked, startling Meilin. "You were about to say this before that old woman came."
Qingcang's question took Meilin aback, and did not expect him to repeat it. She felt a painful stab in her chest as she thought about her answer and replied, "Because I fear for your safety."
Qingcang looked at Meilin with shock and was surprised to hear her answer. He froze, forming a slight frown as he thought, 'She's worried about my safety?' He asked curiously, "Why do you think I'm in danger?"
Meilin explained, "The night we met in the portal, your armor was battered, and you were covered in wounds. I don't want you to get hurt."
Qingcang listened silently, his eyes downcast.
Meilin continued, her tone laced with stress, "I don't have superpowers like you, but if there is any way to protect you, I will, even if it means telling you not to return to that dangerous world."
Qingcang felt surprised as he thought, 'This isn't the first time she wanted to protect me.' He gathered his thoughts and scoffed, "Hmph. No one matches my strength there, and if it weren't for an inconvenience that day, I wouldn't have gotten a single cut on me, let alone be covered in wounds." He reminisced about the day when his Hellfire had stopped working, and he was forced to use a lethal technique to kill two large armies.
Meilin noticed that Qingcang had begun to open up about his past and appreciated the moment. She asked, "Can you tell me what happened that day?"
Qingcang looked out at the stunning night view of the amusement park before his eyes darted downwards, and he became lost in thought. He furrowed his eyebrows slightly in response to Meilin's question and let out a small sigh. "My tribe was betrayed that morning by someone. I dealt with him and destroyed his army," he replied as he turned to face her.
Meilin became lost in thought and found herself in a dilemma as Qingcang's gaze now locked onto hers. On one hand, she did not want him to get hurt, but on the other hand, she now understood that he played an important role in his world, and if he did not return, things would spiral out of control. She approached him with a serious look on her face. "Can I ask you another question?" she queried.
Qingcang, sitting beside Meilin, still had his gaze on her and calmly replied, "Ask away."
"Please be honest," Meilin requested, hoping to receive a sincere answer from Qingcang. He nodded his approval, and she took a deep breath before continuing. "Have you considered showing mercy by giving him a chance to redeem himself?" she asked.
Qingcang took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes in contemplation. "That would be an inconvenience," he replied, his tone firm.
"How so?" Meilin asked, raising an eyebrow, troubled by Qingcang's response. She believed everyone deserved a chance to make amends, even those who had betrayed the Moon Tribe. "I can't bear to kill him," she muttered.
Qingcang scoffed at Meilin's suggestion, his piercing gaze fixed on her. "You can't bear to kill a traitor?" he asked, his voice tinged with disapproval. "Hmph," he scoffed as he looked away. "Thought so."
Meilin was shocked by the sudden change in Qingcang's demeanor. "What?" she asked, confused by his reaction.
"I told you that emotions are burdensome," Qingcang said apathetically. "Your compassion has put you in tight spots."
Meilin blinked in surprise. "I don't think so," she retorted, defending her perspective. "On the contrary, dealing with emotional hardships strengthened my heart."
Qingcang fell silent, not expecting Meilin to push back against his viewpoint. "What do you know?" he finally said. "Without love and pity, you can analyze strategies without disturbances."
Qingcang's harsh words took Meilin aback. She did not believe emotions were a weakness. "Do you want me to debunk this mindset? Only if you want," she challenged him.
"Then enlighten me if what you're saying is true," Qingcang challenged Meilin, crossing his arms over his chest and gazing deeply into her eyes. He was curious to hear her arguments, but he remained skeptical.
Meilin took a deep breath to collect herself before speaking in a firm yet gentle voice. "When someone divides their nation's people, that nation becomes vulnerable, and outsiders can attack them. Destroying an entire local army means setting oneself up for an even bigger enemy to attack."
Qingcang was deep in thought, pondering Meilin's words. He knew that the Fairy Tribe was not just an enemy of his home, Ninth You, but of the entire Moon Tribe. He continued to listen as Meilin spoke.
"This could have easily been prevented if someone learned what makes the army's leader tick. Where the wound lies and how to treat it can only be achieved by understanding emotions. Maybe he didn't mean to betray your tribe out of spite but was forced to or didn't want to entrust his people's lives to another leader he barely knows," Meilin continued, her voice full of wisdom.
Dongfang Qingcang thought about the King of the West's words, "We will never serve a boy," and how he could have been serving him loyally today if he had been shown mercy. Qingcang could have convinced him to entrust the West Kingdom's people to himself, the Moon Supreme, no matter how young he was.
Meilin continued, "And that army that was killed would have been alive now, serving a righteous leader and protecting their families from the bigger enemy ahead. Because if someone keeps killing every strong soldier, they will be left with nothing. And then, the foreign enemies will have no problem wiping everyone out."
As Meilin spoke, Qingcang was left speechless. His eyes wandered slowly as a traumatic memory resurfaced, returning him to the last days he felt emotions. They were painful, and he experienced them at a very young age.
"This would have been possible if someone had the compassion to analyze other hearts. So, no, emotions aren't a burden; it's how an entire nation can survive. If you can't understand the heart, you become muddleheaded, a corpse, even though you're breathing," Meilin concluded with a soft yet powerful tone.
Qingcang could not speak or breathe, lost between Meilin's words of wisdom and his recent dark past that resurfaced, each time more vivid than the other. He could still hear his painful screams in his mind, continuously echoing.
Meilin watched as Qingcang's eyes glazed over, lost in thought. She could sense that he was no longer fully present in their conversation. 'He spaced out,' she thought, growing concerned about his well-being. She stopped talking and called out to him, using the nickname she had given him. "Pretty Eyes?"
There was no response from Qingcang, causing Meilin's worry to deepen.
Meilin decided to try and connect with him on a more personal level, intimately using his first name. "Qingcang?" she said softly, trying to catch his attention. "Are you okay?"
Qingcang's eyes slowly moved to meet Meilin's, and she could see a hint of discomfort in them. He did not say anything in response to her question, but he let out a small sigh, signaling that he was listening.
Meilin could see that something was troubling Qingcang, and she wanted to ease his pain. She placed her hand on his back, gently caressing him as he side-eyed her hand. "I can imagine the stuff you've gone through," she said empathetically. "Being in so many battles must have numbed your feelings to the point that it made you act more aggressive." His eyes pierced into hers, and she could sense the hurt and pain within them. She wanted him to know that she cared about him and comfort him. "But you're a good person," she said softly, reassuringly. "No matter how dark and lonely your past was, you're not alone anymore," she said gently.
Qingcang's eyes twitched slightly at Meilin's last sentence before he lowered them in thought. He seemed taken aback; he had never had anyone care about him like this, as a person, not just as a weapon to be used in battle. For his entire life, he had been trained to become a tool to defy the Fairy Realm, and he had lost sight of his own identity.
As Qingcang's eyes slowly turned up to bore into Meilin's, she saw the shock in his eyes. It was as if he was seeing her for the first time, taking in the sight of her smile that was meant just for him.
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When Yichen arrived at the end of the portal, he found himself in a damp area unlike anything he had ever seen. The walls were shimmering crystal, and the floor was paved with white tiles that seemed to shine.
As Yichen looked around, he noticed a middle-aged man approaching him. "You're back. As expected," the man said, his voice calm and steady.
Yichen stood up, feeling a bit disoriented. He was still trying to make sense of his surroundings when the man welcomed him with a hand gesture from his world, and he was baffled.
The man wore a white robe with a golden crown on his head. He looked like a king or some royalty. Yichen felt a little intimidated by the man's presence.
"Who are you? Where am I?" Yichen asked, his hesitation evident in his eyes.
"I'm Lord Yunzhong, from the Fairy Tribe, like you. We have a lot to talk about," Lord Yunzhong replied, gesturing for Yichen to follow him.
Yichen could not believe what he was hearing. "Fairy Tribe? What are you talking about?" he asked, looking at Lord Yunzhong with disbelief.
Lord Yunzhong gave him a grin. "I can see that you're confused. But rest assured, Yichen, you are one of us, and we must talk about a great evil that threatens our people. A monster, Dongfang Qingcang."
'He knows my name. What a freak of a stalker,' Yichen thought as he could not believe what he heard. He looked around, half expecting to wake up from a dream. "This can't be real," he muttered under his breath. He looked at Lord Yunzhong momentarily, trying to make sense of everything. 'How much time did he spend on gaming or watching anime? Does he actually believe he's a fairy? Or does he think he's a god? Blasphemy! This cosplayer is nuts,' he thought as he blinked.
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Qingcang held Meilin's body close to him, her head resting against his chest as she slept soundly. He could feel the gentle rise and fall of her breathing and her body's warmth against his skin. As they flew, he could not help but study her face, taking in every detail of her beauty.
Qingcang adjusted his hold on Meilin, ensuring she was secure and comfortable. He held her close in his toned arms, wary not to disturb her peaceful slumber. As they soared through the night sky under the stars, her hair swayed in the breeze, catching his attention. He could not help but notice how beautiful she was and how soft her skin felt against his.
After a long flight, they finally landed at Meilin's home. Qingcang moved carefully through the halls, cautiously taking each step to not wake her.
Qingcang laid Meilin down on her bed, gently tucking her in. He stood straight, preparing to take his leave and keep watch from a nearby chair. But as he turned away from her sleeping form, something stopped him in his tracks.
"People suffer from seven emotions:
Joy, worry, sadness, pity, hate, jealousy, and love.
These will be the stumbling blocks when you make decisions.
Cut off emotions.
Don't love.
Without weakness, you won't be softhearted.
Then you'll become the strongest in the three realms."
Qingcang remembered his father's words as they echoed in his mind, filling him with doubt and confusion. He was caught in a dilemma, and seeing Meilin lying there so vulnerable made him question everything, his eyes fixed on her sleeping form. He was torn, his thoughts swirling in his mind as he struggled to reconcile with his beliefs, and he began to question his own life and whether emotions were burdensome.
Qingcang slowly knelt beside Meilin's bed, where she lay sleeping peacefully. His brows furrowed as he remembered the words she had spoken to him earlier tonight. "Emotions aren't a burden; it's how an entire nation can survive," she had said with a clarity that had left him deep in thought.
The Moon Supreme took a deep breath and fixed his alluring almond-shaped eyes on Meilin, who looked like a sleeping angel with her long hair fanned across the pillow. He noticed her steady breathing as she slept soundly, and he could not help but feel a sense of calm wash over him in her presence.
As Qingcang knelt beside Meilin, he remembered the moment they had shared earlier tonight as they rode on the Ferris Wheel. "No matter how dark and lonely your past was, you're not alone anymore," she had said to him, and her words resonated with him deeply.
Qingcang remained still and took in the details of Meilin's pretty face: The soft curve of her lips, the gentle slope of her nose, and the way her long eyelashes rested delicately against her cheeks were deeply etched into his memory forever.
"Meilin..." Qingcang whispered, intimately calling her by her first name. He sighed deeply, watching her sleep through the night.
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The next morning, as the first rays of sunshine streamed through the window, Meilin stirred from her sleep. The warm light beams illuminated her delicate features, giving her an ethereal glow. She groaned softly and stretched her arms, her eyes still closed. Slowly, she opened them, blinking as they adjusted to the brightness.
As Meilin yawned, she reached for her phone to check the time. However, when she saw the notifications, her irritation rose. She had many missed calls from her teammate and wondered about the urgency.
"What the heck? The competition starts in three hours, so why did my teammate call me twelve times already? Don't tell me that he's sick and can't compete..." Meilin muttered, her voice laced with annoyance. "No matter, I'll just call him and ask why he's so craz—" Before she could finish her sentence, her phone rang again. "That punk..." she said and sighed as she saw it was her teammate again. She rolled her eyes before accepting the call, putting it on speaker so that she could attend to other things simultaneously.
"MEILIN! Yichen is getting a divorce. A DIVORCE!" her teammate shouted through the speakers, causing her to drop her phone in shock, speechless because of this info. "He doesn't love Jianmin. Isn't this great news?" her teammate screamed, and she heard it clearly through the phone's speakers.
However...
Unbeknownst to Meilin, Dongfang Qingcang was standing outside her door. He felt her happiness and witnessed the joyful expression on her face when she received the news.
Meilin was stunned by the news, and her teammate's excitement was contagious. "I'm... speechless... But I'm happy," she managed to say with a smile.
Qingcang stood silently, scowling and clenching his jaw as he watched Meilin receive unexpected news from her teammate. He felt an unfamiliar sensation in his chest, like his heart was being torn apart, his chest tight with a pain he could not explain. 'Why does her happiness bring pain to my chest?' he wondered, his breathing becoming shallow as he struggled to control his composure, confused by the sudden news and change in his mood.
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"The Moon Supreme, Dongfang Qingcang" is in the public domain. All original additions are copyright © 2022 by Aurora Luxi.