Ji YuLan had always been an alert person in the first place. As Mia Simmons and Bai YuLan, she could even tell one's arrival from the sound of their walking; or sometimes, by sensing just their 'aura' - so to speak. Even with having her back facing them, without looking, she was able to tell who had visited her house, or her room.
She fondly recalled that her acuity had always driven Ji LanBai nuts. In their younger days, Ji LanBai always tried to sneak up behind her back to give her a scare, only for YuLan to suddenly turn her body around. Just with a light 'boo', she ended up shocking the living daylights out of the other instead.
It was only after she had been reborn into this world where cultivation was the norm - that she found her limitation to this ability, that also applied to every other Dao practitioner. If an aura was a qi, they could not sense qi of those who possessed cultivation levels beyond them, or of the ones that had no cultivation at all.
The former was self-explanatory; to an Established, Martial-Artist, or even an Enlightened, a Sage's qi was like an immeasurable depth of ocean, impossible to gauge, let alone hope to fathom. If they persisted and tried to 'challenge' such depth by force, their Dantians would just be damaged by the extreme pressure of such depth and power.
Higher leveled cultivators could also mask their qi at will, even if only to fool their enemies of the same level of cultivation. Though in practice, hardly anyone did such a thing. Powerhouses tend to flaunt their enormous qi on purpose instead, like a lion roaring to strike fear.
Towards those who did not have an ounce of cultivation - those people's Dantians were empty and full of cracks. If qi were to be transferred to such a person, it would just go to waste as it would be dispersed straight away, slipping through the broken reservoir. If qi was water, such person possessed Dantians like a cracked basin, a receptacle incapable of holding any.
Normally, Ji YuLan did not pay too much attention to this phenomenon. Having grown up and cultivated in Chun Ping Gu sect, she had gotten used to being able to 'sense' her fellow martial sisters of the same or below her rank.
Only once she had finally attained Sageism, and was released of her confinement by her Shifu, was she was finally able to sense her Shishu's qi - Ju huang's - as the latter was only at the late stage of Enlightened. After that, she could then start to faintly feel her elders' qi, including her Shifu's - Zhu Hong's; but only if those experts did not mask their qi in front of her. Contrary to the norm, the old Sages of Chun Ping Gu sect did not like to show their qi, even amongst themselves.
Nevertheless, at that time, Ji YuLan was exposed to the different strong qi 's of her elders. It was to familiarize herself with those of the same rank and higher - after all, her Sage cultivation level granted her respect and regard as their equal. Who was to say that she would not far surpass them in the future? She was their sect's precious pure Yin Maiden after all - one with an unprecedented future to bring the sect to great heights.
The Sages' wish was for the sect to be the first sect written in records to have one that was to be successful in attaining immortality. It was a feat that sounded as mythical as a qilin's beard, but did not seem too impossible now that Ji YuLan had broken Zhu Hong's record in attaining Sageism.
Nevertheless, ever since then, Ji YuLan had never sensed her elders' qi anymore. It was perhaps due to the older women masking them once again on purpose, it was perhaps due to her gradually longer distance from each other, it was perhaps that she did not bother to try or think about it.
It was also perhaps, because there was something 'wrong' with her own Dantians ever since she lost her virginity to Zuo ZhouLei. Regardless, she had no regret.
But somehow, that feeling came back.
What would one do when one had too much time on hand, only focusing on indulging in the happiness bestowed by her beloved's presence? Although Ji YuLan and Zuo ZhouLei spent almost every waking moment together, they still had to maintain their meditation separately. In such moments, YuLan felt it.
The 'sense' was faint at first, more like a soft nudge to her conscience. Then it got stronger, and she was capable of sensing more presences.
Xiao Zi, Cao Lu, Zhen Zhu, were amongst the first ones she felt. Then she started to sense Zhu Hong, Ju Huang, Hu Lan, and Xiang Ya. Then, she could even sense the old Sage that supposedly possessed the highest level of cultivation in Chun Ping Gu sect - Sage Wei Lan. In short, she was able to sense the qi of everyone that she had grown up with and accustomed to at Ping sect.
Ever since she started sensing their qi, despite being so far away, YuLan initially thought she was hallucinating and attributed it to missing her friends and elders. However, at one point of time, right after she finished her meditation and stabilised her surging qi boost - an experience that was no longer novel ever since she started cultivated together with Zuo ZhouLei - she felt Zhen Zhu's qi fluctuated almost chaotically.
Then the same happened with her Shishu, and even her Shifu. She had fretted then, only the sight of Zuo ZhouLei in deep meditation, combined with the soon- stabilizing qi signatures of those people she had known since childhood - finally calmed her down somewhat.
She could not leave him, could not bear to leave him - the keeper of her heart. She knew if she did that, she would regret it for another lifetime.
One past lifetime of regret was more than enough.
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Zuo ZhouLei opened his eyes, softly exhaling the warm breath he had been holding upon reaching the end of his latest meditation session. Even without probing into it, he could feel his Dantians were flawless, the congregation of qi docilely gathered like tepid water - an unusual perfect mixture of his own familiar qi, as well as his Dao partner's cooler one.
He tilted his head subconsciously, a habit he had formed in the years they had been together, if only to feast his sight on the most beautiful existence in the world.
By his side, there was beautiful woman smiling back at him, as if greeting him after a short slumber that was his meditation. She was his treasure, a person that granted him more light than the summer sun, more mesmerizing and beautiful than the spring blooms, gave him more serenity than the white vastness of snow in winter, gave his heart coolness of autumn's shades.
Zuo ZhouLei took YuLan's hands into his palms, softly rubbing the soft unblemished skin.She was his most precious person that he must protect at all cost, for eternity. Or so he had always been telling himself. However lately, he had questioned his own mind.
Was only 'Zuo ZhouLei and Ji YuLan' enough? Was it alright to not think or care about anything else, or anyone? Should the two of them be the only one that matter to each other?
If only the two of them were enough.
But those qi signatures that he had been feeling, he had sensed, were not illusionary. He had started sensing them when he finally broke through from being a Martial-Artist to an Enlightened. He sensed Yu Mei and Ding Shun - his martial brother and sister from Wu Shan sect.
A couple of years had passed since he became an Enlightened once again. One morning when he reached Sageism, he could easily sense Ji YuLan. The sudden strong qi he sensed was obviously by his side - a feeling of being close to a cooling stream of water.
Then he began to start 'sensing' other familiar ones.
His Shifu - Sage Shen Zheng. He could also sense Ao Xiang's and Ji YuLan's martial sisters'. Shen Wei's.
He could sense the elders of all three major sects, as well as other qi's he was not familiar with - most probably belonging to people he had not met before.
All of their qi's shifted gradually; sometimes they were as strong as a healthy person's heartbeat, other times they felt as if they were being submerged in water. When the latter occurred - which was becoming more frequent, it was as if something murky and dark was trying to swallow those vigilantly throbbing qi.
His heart clenched. Especially, when the latest one that was affected belonged to Shen Wei, one person that he would unabashedly call a brother.
The pair left the humble residence they had holed themselves in. Throughout the years they had isolated themselves, they had moved their living place from one house to another. Sometimes, they even forsook the comfort of simple bedding and opted to finish their prolonged meditation in the nearby bamboo forest or by the waterfall. As a Sage, sleep was optional, and the weather did not do much discomfort to them.
Because Zuo ZhouLei did not have his sword with him - for all he knew, "LanHua" had been lost amidst the chaos that fateful day in Lingdi - they both agilely made their way to the top of the hill by foot. The boulders they stood overlooked the raging water falling down below onto a flowing ravine. The vapor from the water masked his troubled expression as he gazed towards the flowing stream, seemingly unending beyond the horizon.
"I felt them. I still feel them." He whispered. The hand that was still being gripped inside his palm stiffened, but the person said nothing,
"Ever since I became a Sage, and until this day, it just got stronger. Their presence... , their energy... . YuLan, can I ignore them? Can we ignore them?"
She shifted her body closer, melding into his embrace, as if comforting him, comforting herself. It brought him a bit of calmness. He knew, she had been able to sense their loved ones' qi as well. However, he also knew that she had kept quiet about it, keeping her worry to herself, waiting until he actually broke through to be a Sage as well, until he was able to sense it for himself.
Truly he knew, she placed him above her worries towards her own martial sisters and teacher.
He let go of her hand, wrapping her body in front of him, his chin resting on the back of her head. Her scent was as intoxicating as ever.
"Lei. If you wanted to stay, we would stay, alright?" The voice, calm as it was, contained a hint of uncertainty as well.
Zuo ZhouLei knew, she was equally torn.
Would they be happy if one day, those qi's suddenly disappeared? They belonged to people they had known and respected, those they had called friends, brothers, and sisters. Would 'Zuo ZhouLei and Ji YuLan' be enough then? For them to live and love without reservation and regret?
They both knew the answer. Zuo ZhouLei did not have to tell her his decision, for he knew she would have decided the same. However, as long as they would do it together, then they knew they would be alright. There would not be any argument on who would protect who. This time, the both of them would protect each other, and those loved ones.
He lightly tugged on her white robe, turning her body softly to face him. Only a light smile was exchanged, as both made their decision, each other's decision. He sighed in content. Heaven had truly been kind to him to grant him this person. She was his blessing.
Nevertheless, although the path taken was definite, he knew there was still one thing he needed to ask for her consent. As he softly gazed into the dark brown pupils, hooded by a pair of feather soft lashes, he felt a tug in his heartstrings, laced with a slight anxiety.
"Ji YuLan."
A light smile as a response.
"Marry me."
She widened her eyes and her bewildered expression told him that she was not apprehensive of his request. The trembling fingers gripped the folds of his sleeves tightly. Emboldened, he chuckled lightly.
Only for him to soon feel slight pain a second later, having been punched not very subtly by the queen of his heart.
Now, her expression showed as if he had wronged her somehow. He took a step backwards, feeling a sudden crisis of the demure woman that currently seemed to emit an aura of impending doom directed towards him.
"... . Am... I... -fe... ." The stammering voice as she heaved tickled his heart. She was like a teased tiger cub.
"Huh?"
"Am I NOT your wife already?!" She robustly stepped forward and pointed her finger to touch his chest, causing him to once again to step backwards. Her pupils were bright with ire and slightly moist with exasperation, her breaths haggard with emotions,
"Ever since we did you-know-what those years ago... . Ever since we have cultivated together as Dao partners... . Have you actually not been thinking of me as your wife already????"
"Oh... ." He blinked dumbfoundedly, only for another slap to land on his chest. He finally laughed as he gathered the fuming person into his embrace. The woman lightly struggled, but he locked her in his arms, inhaling the crisp air mixed with her scent once again. His every being wanted this woman to always be close to him.
"YuLan... YuLan... ." He whispered in her ears, and his lips curled slightly as he watched the exposed skin on her neck began to turn a reddish due to his teasing. He knew, although YuLan could very well release herself from his hold - if she really tried - she would not do it in fear of hurting him. even the earlier punch caused him more surprise than pain,
"What I meant was, I want us to be a couple bound by marriage. Let us kneel to the earth and heaven, and let us swear to each other, that we would be a pair bound by the oath for as long as we live."
"YuLan... . YuLan... . You... have always been my only one."
The figure in his embrace was finally dormant. She felt weightless to him; if Zuo ZhouLei let go of his grip, he was sure that she would just slump onto the ground,
"YuLan, would you be willing to grant me that oath? In front of each other, the earth, and the sky as our witnesses."
"For as long as I live, I will not let you be wronged."
He lifted her chin to look into her eyes. Her nose was slightly red and her eyes were moist as well, soon followed by two droplets of tears as she blinked softly, nodding her head. Before he could express his delight, she tiptoed lightly and wrapped her fingers around his neck,
"For as long as I live, I will also not let anyone wrong you. I will not let anyone come between us."
Even if she had to be evicted out of her sect, Zuo ZhouLei was her home, where her heart had set anchor.
She claimed his lips with hers as she lightly pushed him onto the ground. He chuckled as she ravaged his tongue with her own, soon taking his own initiative to remove the fabrics that barricaded the direct contact of their bodies. Soon, their need towards each other took precedent over anything else as they whispered their oaths again and again into each other's ears; as they teased each other to seek pleasure; as they slowly brought the other towards blissful pleasure of the flesh.
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"The sky's constellation tells that two days from now, towards dusk, would be an auspicious time for a matrimony." Zuo ZhouLei tightened his embrace of the woman laying in his arms as he sighed, "The only regret that I have, is I could not see you in a red dress."
They had always been living frugally and had never cared for any other garments apart from the ones they had - a few sets of their sects' respective robes.
YuLan smiled, "Never mind that. Chun Ping Gu sect's uniforms are all white. It's already perfect for me. Besides, where I came from, brides normally wear white."
For Zuo ZhouLei, sometimes she said the strangest things, but as long as she was content, he would not question her. He attributed her words to be what she had known best. As far as he knew, she was right: for the female cultivators of Ping sect, white was their only color.
He just reminded himself, that one day, when the circumstance allowed him to, he would grant her the most marvellous wedding a woman could ever ask for.
Thus, two days later, at the time chosen by the two of them when the orange sun had just graced the forest and hills with its morning yellow hues, they began to prepare for their simple ceremony.
YuLan did not have any make-up to pretty herself up with. However, to mark their first day as husband and wife, Zuo ZhouLei adamantly wanted to paint her eyebrows. She could only let him to do so, after being coaxed and convinced that it was perfectly normal for a man to do such a trivial thing for his wife. He also ended up grinding some wild red flowers to be used as a simple rogue for her lips.
Their so-called ceremony was awfully hasty and would probably cause a normal bride to cry over the simplicity and lack of anything. It did not have an ounce of festivity at all. However, for YuLan, the most important ones to be present was already there: Zuo ZhouLei, and herself. If the heavens would not bless them because of lack of wine they could not present, then she would just blame heavens for being overly petty.
Therefore, that day, they still knelt to ask for the heaven's blessing, the earth's protection, and vowed their promise towards each other.
They only hoped that their sincere feelings towards each other - one that Ji YuLan knew that she had carried from the last lifetime to the current one - would move the heavens and protect them ahead.
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Runexi's notes:
Ahem. Hurry along now, save your sisters, brothers, teachers, whoevers... .
Ji YuLan: *accusing stare* "Really, of 3000 odd words of a chapter, you barely gave us a paragraph of sexy time."
Zuo ZhouLei: *chokes*