Di Fuyi gave her an assuring look and smiled. "All right, I will not say anything stupid." Anyway, Di Fuyi would not usually say anything unnecessary. He would only say what he should.
Gu Xijiu's heart throbbed when he smiled at her. She looked up at him, and their eyes met. His eyes were gorgeous, shining in the light. At this very moment, he was staring at her with a warm smile. His thick eyelashes curved into two delicate arches. His smile was pleasantly warm, like the beautiful spring breeze.
The young man loved to smile, apparently. They had only met for a short while, but she had seen his smile many times. He looked like a man of good character who was well behaved. Although Gu Xijiu had lost her memory, she could still tell if a person had a good personality.
Under the young man's charming smile, she could tell that he was not a simple man; he was a wolf in sheep's clothing. He seemed easy-going, but he was surely an authoritative man with a strong influence. His smile was beautiful yet deadly.
"Who are you?" She could not hold back her curiosity any longer.
"I am Di Fuyi, your fiancé," Di Fuyi answered properly. "What do you remember about me?" He continued to ask.
Gu Xijiu could not answer. She could barely remember anything at all, not even her name. Di Fuyi held her hands tightly in his grasp to comfort her. "Xijiu, you have lost your memory, so it is normal that you no longer remember me. It does not matter, as long as I still do. In the past six months, I have been searching for you everywhere. Luckily, I have finally found you today."
His voice was very calming. Gu Xijiu's heart warmed at the reassurance. She would not trust anyone easily, but she chose to trust him. He was somehow familiar to her. She felt good about the man, intuitively. Even worse, she had the urge of throwing herself at him. Was it real? Was he really her fiancé?
The moment she opened her eyes, she was already stranded here in the mountains without any memory, but with a body full of injuries. She almost became a meal in the wilderness. Fortunately, she made full use of her teleportation skill to avoid being killed. While she was trying to escape, she saw that someone was trapped by one of the beasts. Being caught in her own escape plan, she did not manage to save the man in time and watched as the beast slowly tore him apart.
There was an abundance of beasts in the wild. Driven by intense anxiety, she ran all out in random directions, like what Di Fuyi did. Along her way, she also attracted many beasts behind her. She was fortunate enough to have discovered the entrance to the hidden cave. With a quick swing, the clan leader pulled her into the safe haven and kept the beasts away. He saved her life that day.
The clan leader told her that he was out there to look for his son, Stone, and asked if she had seen anyone on her way. Gu Xijiu told him everything about what she saw. The clan leader sat, pondering the loss of his son. Then, he broke into tears and grieved about the death of his one and only son. His son was the hope of the entire clan. His death had shattered the hope of everyone else in the clan.
From his mumbling, Gu Xijiu could roughly put his son's figure into perspective. The beasts had always haunted the people. There was no way out, making their lives miserable. When Stone was born, a sorcerer once made a fortune telling about his fate, stating that he was born to be the only hope of the whole clan.
However, as opposed to the prediction, Stone had always been a weak child, with a shy and introverted disposition. He did not like to speak or socialize. When he fought, he would usually end up as the one being severely beaten. As days went by, he slowly became the laughing stock of the clan.
The angrier Stone was, the more reluctant he became to socialize with the villagers. He would stay home most of the time. Most people would treat him as if he was transparent. In the village where most people were known for being strong and masculine, his presence was quite negligible.
The clan leader was anxious that his son would never become someone useful. However, he also believed that the sorcerer would not make a false depiction about the future of his son. Thus, he would often force his son to practice Kung Fu while at home. Occasionally, he would try to push his son to achieve his potential, even if it meant being harsh.
In a sudden righteous ardor, his son decided to leave a letter to the clan leader, saying that he would prove himself by hunting a ferocious beast personally. Then, he sneaked out alone, not to success, but his death.
Although Stone was not a very significant member of the clan, the sorcerer once predicted that he would encounter an odd adventure when he was 18 and proceed to become a great leader who would change everything about the place. Therefore, the clan members were still a little hopeful.
Heartbroken, the clan leader had never thought that his son's life would end so tragically, but there was actually a more significant problem about his death. Stone was the sole reason that they struggled to live on under the harsh living conditions, for they were all waiting for that day he became stronger.
Once the clan found out that Stone was dead, they would definitely be greatly affected by the loss of their only hope. Hence, the clan leader was worried about the emotions of the members. A plan occurred to him. The clan leader asked if Gu Xijiu could pretend to be Stone for a while, as their figures were more or less the same.
Gu Xijiu had completely lost her memory. Also, she was not familiar with the world that she was just sent to. Having nowhere to go, she agreed to the clan leader's request. Luckily, the people there would paint their faces most of the time. Stone had a fine face, which was unlike the majority of the people. Due to his extremely low profile, his face was barely recognizable by most people.
Although her memory was lost, she did not lose her ability to disguise herself; she looked almost similar to Stone. For the past six months, no one knew that she was actually in disguise. Certainly, the loss of memory did not take away her character. She would not tolerate the clan members' mistreatment like how Stone used to. Briskly, she gave her bullies a lesson by fighting them off. Later on, she also joined the hunters to pursue the beasts together.
There was barely any spiritual power left, but luckily, a third of her internal power remained. In addition to her mysterious teleportation skill, she became an eminent member of the clan. Within six months, she managed to change the people's attitude about Stone. Most of them started to regard her as their leader. Without any memory, she started to adapt and become a whole new person.
Di Fuyi's presence had reminded her that she did not belong there. She did not even know where she truly belonged. She observed how he would hold her hand; it was very natural.
"You said that my name is Xijiu, didn't you? Do I really like to drink?" She asked in a low voice. For people who had lost their memory, they were typically insecure. All this while, she had never stopped trying to recall her past, but there was nothing she could remember.
"Your name is Gu Xijiu." Di Fuyi took her hand and wrote down her name, letter by letter, on her palm.
His long, slender fingers looked well refined, with soft and supple skin. She could barely resist his beautiful hand. With every stroke, she could feel her heart throbbing to his every movement.
At this moment, he was leaning close to her. His faint and yet irresistible scent hung in the air. Wildly, her heart thumped. Baffled, his scent gave her a mixed feeling of excitement and grief. Yet, she desperately wanted to pull herself into his embrace.
She coughed and pulled her hand back. "All right. That's enough. Can you talk properly without any skin contact?" she softly demanded.
Di Fuyi smiled with a sense of helplessness. "I was lost in the moment. All right, I will do as you say."
Gu Xijiu looked askance at him, as though disbelieving. Was he the same to every girl he met? She felt slightly uncomfortable, for she did not completely trust the man.
"Brother Stone! Brother Stone!" Someone was calling out her name like he had just found something.
"What is it?" Gu Xijiu teleported to where the man was, leaving Di Fuyi behind. Before she left, she warned, "I will make a thorough investigation of your origins. I am warning you now. It is best if you behave yourself. Otherwise, I will not let you get away easily!"
Di Fuyi gave her a helpless look in return. How could he possibly misbehave? His sole purpose was to get her out of place and head back to the world where they once belonged. He observed the men who were full of vigor and vitality. They had no spiritual power at all, only physical strength.
It was strange. Shen Jiuli had once told him about the Shura World in general. The people here should be able to cultivate, even to become celestial beings. According to his dad, the spiritual power here was not as abundant as the Upper Bound but was not entirely scarce. Why didn't he feel the slightest bit of spiritual power here? Was the entire Shura World the same? Or was it only the valley?
...
The streets were covered unevenly with various stones. On the sides, there were low houses made of stones with roofs made of hay. Every house was already occupied. The return of Gu Xijiu and her men created quite a stir in the streets.
Everyone came to celebrate their rewarding return. When they saw the bodies of the beasts, they accepted them happily. The men had their faces painted and their bodies covered in animal skins. Some covered themselves in rough, coarse clothes. Di Fuyi found these people unbelievable.
The way Di Fuyi dressed made him stand out as an outsider. His clothes were made of silky satin that flowed gracefully in the wind as he walked. In addition, there was a crown made of white jade, setting off his black, silky-smooth hair. He appeared refreshed and refined among the hunters, standing out like a distinguished man in a common crowd. He looked extraordinarily charming and attractive.
Di Fuyi was smiling all the way until he heard what people were gossiping about him.
"Ah, who is that?"
"Looking so beautiful like a little bride!"
"He looks a little weak. Look at how fair his skin is!"
"I heard that Brother Stone found him. He has claimed himself as Brother Stone's fiancé."
"Haha, don't be funny. How can Brother Stone, a man who is equally wise and strong, have a fiancé! He looks more like the bride, in my opinion. Look at his sweet little face. Even a girl will not look half as good as he does."
Di Fuyi had seen the world long enough to get used to being the center of attention, but it was his first time to be mistreated as a weak man or even a bride. His smile soon disappeared.
There were girls in the streets, too. Their skin was tanned and muscular. Their faces were not painted, thus exposing their true texture. Their dresses were made of coarse clothes. Bracelets hung loosely either on their wrists or ankles and jiggled as they walked.
These girls were enthusiastic. They rushed forward as soon as they saw Gu Xijiu. "Brother Stone, you are so brave! Look at how many Phantom Beasts you have brought!" The first girl complemented with immense adoration.
"Brother Stone, this is a bone bracelet that I have just made. It is for you." The second girl looked at Gu Xijiu lovingly.
The exchange continued frantically. These girls surrounded Gu Xijiu with infectious enthusiasm and chattered like magpies, thus pushing Di Fuyi to the side. Di Fuyi was speechless, for he finally realized that men were no longer his biggest concern. These women were the one he should be aware of.
Gu Xijiu was surrounded, so Di Fuyi could no longer fit in the crowd. He did not intend to fight with the women. Casually, he stood aside and hugged his arms as he observed.
A man named Tie Dan approached him for a small chat, but before he could touch his shoulder, Di Fuyi had already slid about ten feet away, without even shifting his body. Tie Dan was amazed. He was greatly impressed by Di Fuyi's speed. Also, he noticed that Di Fuyi did not like to have anyone standing too close to him. Could he actually be a woman?
The women here were usually bold and passionate. They were not usually difficult to deal with. They would often wrestle one another. Some women were even stronger than men. If a woman fancies a man, she would confess directly, and if the affection were mutual, they would move into the same house and address themselves as man and wife.
The gender roles between men and women were not typically divided. The men and women would always walk together, shoulder to shoulder. Skin contact was not an issue at all to everyone, except Stone. Even the real Stone, who was shy and introverted, and the present Stone, who was frank and authoritative, shared the common behavior. They were not keen on skin contact. It appears that the newcomer was the same. He seemed even more reluctant than Stone to get in touch with others.
"Did you come from the city that only exists in legends? How did you meet Brother Stone?" Tie Dan was curious.
Di Fuyi frowned and asked him, "Have you never been to the city?"
Tie Dan answered in a depressed tone, "I certainly have not. Once trapped, the people here can never escape, so we have never seen the city. In fact, even our clan leader has never seen it."
"Then, how did you know about the existence of such a city?"
"It is only a legend, passed from generation to generation."
Di Fuyi seemed interested. "Tell me more about it."
Tie Dan gave him an unimpressed look. "Hey, I was the one who asked you first."
"Have a sip." Di Fuyi offered him his leather bag that carried a bottle.
Tie Dan accepted it and turned the cap to open the bottle. His eyes danced with merriment the moment he found out about the content. "Wine? It smells so nice!"
He took a sip and was completely lost in the taste. "It tastes so good! Okay, you must be from the city. The clan leader once told us that only people in the city could afford such decent drinks. No, actually Brother Stone knows how to make wine, too, but it does not taste as good as this."
Di Fuyi threw Gu Xijiu a look. She was still busily caught in the crowd.
After the wine, Tie Dan became completely obsessed. Driven by the excitement, he had forgotten about his question for Di Fuyi. Instead, he answered accordingly to every question that Di Fuyi had for him.
Soon, Di Fuyi had an idea of how Gu Xijiu lived her life in this place. Also, he managed to find out more about the clan. The village had not always been here. About a century ago, a group of hunters came to the valley and were trapped, so they started their lives anew here.
The mountains were once lively. Among the rocks, there was a forest, full of greens and vitality. Animals set foot in the forest as their habitat. However, ever since the hunters arrived, the trees had disappeared completely. The animals went extinct, too. Rocks were the only remains. The only being that lingered on was the Phantom Beast.
These Phantom Beasts regenerated quickly, so they could not be killed. There were many of them, all equally fierce and savage. Even the greatest hunter could not make it out of the valley alive. Those who tried would usually end up in miserable deaths.
Throughout the years, no one had ever escaped. However, the discovery of the cave and its channel gave the hunters a second chance to survive.
However, the living conditions in the refuge were very harsh. The typical lifespan of an habitant in the Shura World was 300 years. The hunters used to be masters in cultivation. Many of them had extraordinary spiritual power, but their power slowly depleted throughout the years. Moreover, there was no supply of spiritual power anywhere, so they could not possibly resume their cultivation practices. As a result, most of their lifespan was reduced to only 70 to 80 years.
The villages were the second or even third generation of the hunters' descendant. Most of the elders had already passed away. The clan leader was the only elder left in the clan.
Certainly, the tales of the foreign city lived on. According to legends, the foreign city possessed spiritual power in their land. There were magnificent buildings, gorgeous clothing, and scrumptious food. The closest city from where they were was about a hundred miles or so. However, the journey had become impossible for them to embark on.
Tie Dan had also told Di Fuyi many things about Stone. He then turned to look at Gu Xijiu, who was still being surrounded at the moment and let out a smile. The sorcerer's prediction was not entirely wrong. Stone would emerge as the savior of the village, but it was not the Stone that they had thought.
With Di Fuyi's help, it would not be difficult to escape from the refuge in the valley. However, he was not sure if the city was really safe. What had happened a century ago and turned this place into a living hell? Also, what kind of animal was out there, making thundering growls? What was concealed underneath the layers of thick, grey fog?
Meanwhile, the bottle of wine Di Fuyi had shared was able to convince Tie Dan that Di Fuyi was a trustworthy friend. Tie Dan was not a keen drinker. He got drunk only after a few sips. After chattering for a while, he gave Di Fuyi a gracious tap on the shoulder before he added, "Brother, you are a capable man and a real friend. I do not know how you and Brother Stone met, but I do know that if you really like him, you should express your feelings boldly. However, there is a problem. Brother Stone prefers women. He will not usually come into contact with men. If you were a girl, he would definitely fall for your beauty and your strength."
Di Fuyi was impressed. "I will express myself boldly, for sure." This time, he would not hold himself back.
"That is right. You must be determined. Actually, our village is not against the idea of homosexuality. No rule has stated that you cannot marry a man."
"Hmm, that sounds good. Either way, I will be happy as long as he is by my side. When we are finally together, I will treat you with more drinks."
"Brother, you have my support. I will talk about you nicely to him later." Tie Dan was very supportive of Di Fuyi.
All of a sudden, their surroundings came into complete silence. Tie Dan noticed something strange and looked up immediately. A man came into sight.
He was obviously intimidated. "The clan leader is here!" He announced hoarsely.
Di Fuyi saw a man standing not too far away from him. He was strong and tall. His strength was fully realized in his gigantic, muscular frame. His face was covered in a full beard and a layer of thick paint, making him look very distinguished.
The people were intimidated by his presence. The moment he appeared, the noise in the crowd died away. All of them faced him and greeted courteously.
However, Di Fuyi only looked at him with a smile; he did not greet him. Although Di Fuyi had concealed most of his splendour family background, he still possessed the same old temperament, which was intimidating for most people.
"Stone, who is this?" The clan leader consulted Gu Xijiu about the newcomer.
Before Gu Xijiu could answer, Di Fuyi explained himself. "I am her fiancé. You must be the clan leader, am I right? We need to talk."
The clan leader's eyes flashed with uncertainties, and his jaw dropped. The other's did not know about Gu Xijiu's real identity, but he was well aware of it. Her fiancé was here looking for her now. The clan leader sighed and agreed. "All right, follow me."
...
The clan leader's house was a two-story building made entirely out of stone, like a little castle.
To play the role of Stone, Gu Xijiu had to share the house with the clan leader. She was staying on the first floor. The ground floor was where the clan leader's room, and the living room were located. The clan leader brought them to the living room.
Gu Xijiu was already familiar to the surrounding. Di Fuyi, on the other hand, was unimpressed. The house was so simple and crude. The only pieces of furniture in the living room were the stone table and chairs, without any cushion to keep warm.
Did Gu Xijiu really spend the past six months in such a shabby place? It was no wonder her body was getting weaker; thus, explaining the instability of her name on the celestial pillar. Although the clan leader felt a sense of enmity towards Di Fuyi, he still welcomed him as a guest into his house. He pointed at the chair and asked him to sit.
Di Fuyi did not do as told. Instead, he took out two brocade cushions and offered one to Gu Xijiu. As for the clan leader, he should continue enjoying the solid-hard chair that his tough body was made to endure.
The clan leader noticed the luxurious cushion. Then, he fixed his eyes on Di Fuyi and asked him frankly, "Where did you come from? Do you have any proof that you are Stone's fiancé?"
Di Fuyi showed off the bracelet on his wrist and answered smilingly, "She likes to give away bracelets. This is a token of love that she has given to me."
Gu Xijiu remained quiet as she observed the bracelet. Indeed, it gave her a sense of familiarity. The bracelet looked like a high-end item with an extraordinary origin. Was it really a gift from her? Was she once a rich woman?
When she arrived in the Shura World, she had nothing else but a dress to cover up her naked body. Hence, she had certainly not expected that she would be so generous in the choice of gift.
The clan leader looked at the bracelet fixedly. There was a flow of spiritual power within the body of the bracelet. Spiritual power was the element that they most lacked in this world.
He reached out his hand and requested, "May I have a look of your bracelet?"
Di Fuyi pulled his sleeve down to hide it away. Briskly, he rejected. "You may not."
The clan leader did not give up. "If you do not show me, how are you going to prove that it is a gift from her?"
"You will not be able to tell even if I show you."
The clan leader was speechless.
"Show me," Gu Xijiu offered.
Di Fuyi agreed swiftly. "Sure." He put his wrist on her palm and said, "Have a look."
Gu Xijiu was not quite comfortable with the idea. Frowningly, she continued, "Take it off and show me instead."
Di Fuyi heaved a sigh of helplessness. "Have you forgotten? I cannot take it off once it has been worn."
Was that a logical explanation?
Gu Xijiu did not believe him, surely. She tried to take the bracelet off his hand but failed miserably.
"How is that even possible? How did I put it on for you?" Gu Xijiu felt something strange about the bracelet.
Di Fuyi hesitated. "Have you really forgotten it all?" He gave her a look of disbelief.
She was chagrined at her inability to recall her past. In distress, she pinched her lips into a tight line. Obviously, she had really forgotten it all.
Di Fuyi sighed. "Back in those days, you carried a box around with the bracelet within it in hopes to find your perfect husband. As told by the myth, it will only secure itself around the man who is destined to be with you. During my birthday, you showed up with the bracelet. It picked me and secured itself on my wrist."
The sequence of the events was pretty accurate, but what he said was not exactly what had happened. His obscure version of the story had successful led Gu Xijiu into believing that the bracelet was actually a Love Bracelet. She thought that it worked almost like an embroidered ball that was used to choose a husband. Their engagement seemed to be a result of the random selection.
Just at that moment, a few pieces of memory flashed by. Gu Xijiu somehow recalled a birthday party. She gave out a gift box, and when the box was opened, a glass dragon emerged. The scenes were in bits and pieces, so she failed to connect the dots. Nevertheless, Gu Xijiu decided to try and relate the events together. "Before the bracelet secured itself on your wrist, was it in the shape of a golden glass dragon?"
Di Fuyi's eyes darkened in response. "Did you get back your memory?"
"Just answer me."
"Yes."
Gu Xijiu was moved. The pieces of memory in her head were real events that had happened before. She could finally remember a bit of her past. She tried to think more deeply from the clues given, but an intense headache stopped her from doing so. The pain was as if someone had put a nail in the back of her head, and the intensity of the pain made her break out in a cold sweat. Her body trembled in pain.
"What is it?" Concerned, Di Fuyi grabbed her hand tightly.
"Do not try to help her recall her memory. Whenever she tries to remember something from the past, she will get a headache. It has been going on like this for a long while." The clan leader sighed.
Still trembling, Gu Xijiu reached into her pocket and took out a small bamboo bottle. Inside, there was a green pill. She immediately wanted to put it in her mouth but was halted by Di Fuyi.
"Give... Give it to me." Gu Xijiu begged him with a trembling voice.
Di Fuyi took the pill in his hand. With a sniff, he could tell the function of the pill. "The pill works only as a painkiller. It does more harm than good to your body. You should not take it."
With a flick, the pill went straight into the pile of rubbish in the corner.
Gu Xijiu was at a loss for words. The refuge was very short of resources. In fact, the western part of the village was barren land. The best crops that they could afford were sweet potatoes. There was no source of medicine anywhere.
She had to brave her way through dangers in the valley in order to get the painkiller, which almost cost her life. It was a very rare herb, so she would not usually eat it. To her utter surprise, Di Fuyi treated the precious pill as if it was a waste.
Before she argued, Di Fuyi took out another bottle of medicine that carried a shimmering purple pill. "Take this." He fed her the pill.
The smell of the pill was refreshing. It was the typical kind of scent that every good pill bore. With a sniff, she already knew it was good. She put it straight into her mouth and was ready to scoop some water to swallow the pill. Before she could get up, Di Fuyi immediately offered her another bottle of liquid. "The water is not clean. Come; have this."
She did not know how the liquid would taste. However, from the look of the bottle, she could tell that it must be something expensive. The bottle was made of transparent crystal, carrying some clear liquid within. She took a sip and was overwhelmed by the pleasantly sweet taste that lingered on her tongue.
Slowly, she drank it all. She could not help but look at Di Fuyi with curious eyes. His robes were thin, hanging loosely over his body. How did he manage to keep so many things within his robes? The space in his sleeves was like a goldmine that offered him anything that he wished for.
Di Fuyi's pill worked well. Very soon, the pain in her head was significantly reduced. It worked so much better than the medicine that she made herself.
For the past six months, the pain had been haunting her from time to time. Hence, she would not take the risk to think about her past. However, now, with the help of the pill, she would not mind the risk at all.
"It is not hard to create the pill, but the ingredient is uncommon; it will be quite difficult to find in the Shura World. Don't worry. I still have plenty for you. You can have as many as you want." Di Fuyi explained as he knew exactly what she was thinking.
Gu Xijiu was bewildered. "The pills are yours."
"What is the difference between what is yours and mine?"
Gu Xijiu did not know how to answer. She was still not convinced about the entire situation.
"I cannot be sure that you are her fiancé based plainly on the bracelet. After all, it is a one-sided statement. I will not simply believe it!" The clan leader wrinkled his brows in disbelief. He looked at Di Fuyi like he was a con man who was here to kidnap his beloved daughter.
Di Fuyi was not troubled by his denial. "You are not related to her at all. Why should I be concerned if you choose to believe my words or not?"
The clan leader did not know how to respond.
"I do not think that he is entirely trustworthy, too," Gu Xijiu interrupted. Something told her that it was not the truth. "Do you have any other proof?"
Di Fuyi thought about it for a moment and asked, "Do you remember how you look like without the paint?"
Gu Xijiu nodded. She would remove the pain every night before bed, so she surely remembered.
Di Fuyi searched his sleeve and found two scrolls. "Open it."
Gu Xijiu did as told and unfolded the scrolls. She was shocked by what she found. There were two drawings. Each drawing had different expressions of a young woman. There were moments of joy, displeasure, rage, and nonchalance.
She was the woman of his drawings. It was so lifelike, almost indistinguishable from her real appearance. The woman in the drawings was depicted in many different outfits of black, pale green, and fiery red. Every outfit was equally mystique and ethereal. The style was almost the same as what Di Fuyi was wearing now.
Intuitively, Gu Xijiu took a look at the shredded clothes that she had. There was no style at all, even though the clothes were only her cover-ups.
She took a look at the woman in the drawing and touched her own face in comparison. Each day, she painted her face with grease paint and worked whether rain or shine. As a result, her skin became quite tanned and rough. There was some acne on her face, too. Was she so beautiful before? Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.
The drawings had somewhat cleared Gu Xijiu's doubts about him. The unbelievably handsome man knew who she really was, at least in the past. Also, he was very much in love with her. Otherwise, he would not carry her drawings everywhere.
She stroked the woman in the drawing thoughtfully and asked, "Did you draw this?"
"Of course. Do you think it looks like you?"
"It does. I did not know that you could draw so well."
"There are many things that I can do. You will be surprised by what you can find about me. I am worth more than treasures in a treasure box. You will know more when we get along," Di Fuyi told her. Modesty was clearly not his way.
Gu Xijiu was curious about his sleeve. "What else is in there?" The sleeve worked like a treasure box to her.
Di Fuyi could not hold back his amusement. "You can have what you want." He was very well prepared for his exploration out of heaven.
Gu Xijiu remained unconvinced. "You must be bluffing."
Di Fuyi observed her carefully. She used to act like an elder or a senior, especially when she looked at him with those eyes that clearly mistook him as a child. He had rarely seen her looking so innocent like a little girl.
It was a shame that her face was still covered in paint. Nevertheless, Di Fuyi's heart throbbed in excitement. "You will believe me once we get to know each other better."
Gu Xijiu's heart started to race. After this revelation, she felt it would be normal for her to spend more time him. In fact, she even began to think of their future together.
"Do you have any other proof?" Gu Xijiu asked again.
Was the drawing not enough? Perplexed, Di Fuyi tried to recall. Then, he approached her closely and whispered into her ear in a hoarse voice. "I know that there is a spot with the shape of a butterfly wing somewhere below your collarbone." She had revealed some parts of her body during their treatment for her injury. Although her body was mostly soaked in the water, he could still see the spot clearly when she lifted her arm.
Gu Xijiu froze momentarily at the discovery. Flushed with embarrassment, she retreated to avoid getting too close with him. "How dare you!"
The area below her collarbone should be private. He would not have seen it if they were not intimate. Perhaps, the young man was telling the truth. He could really be her fiancé, but how far had their relationship gone to? Had they had any physical intimacy?
Gu Xijiu believed most of his words by now. Relieved, she wanted to find out more about her background. "Did you come all the way to look for me? Where did we come from?"
'We?' Di Fuyi liked the term. He noticed the clan leader's fixed stare. Apparently, he was equally perplexed.
Di Fuyi smiled. "Heaven."
Gu Xijiu remained speechless.
Utterly shocked, the clan leader almost fell from his chair. He had spent some time in the outside world, so he knew that the greatest man with the greatest cultivation out there would not be half as good as what Di Fuyi had achieved. Especially when he managed to carry so many peculiar things with him, those things certainly did not belong here.
Moreover, Gu Xijiu and Di Fuyi looked very different from the people here. Their skin was white and fair. Their facial features were delicate and exquisite. Also, the color of their eyes was pure black.
He had doubts about Gu Xijiu's background when he first saw her. Now, all his doubts were finally answered. They were from heaven! God must have sent them to the Shura World to get these people out of their misery.
The clan leader kneeled immediately and pleaded for their help to save the lives of the villagers.
Di Fuyi's face darkened with uncertainty. "With our strength and skills, it is not impossible to bring all of you out of this place, but a foreign city may not necessarily be safe."
The clan leader looked unsure. He had the same doubts before but was not keen on finding out at the time. Their hope about the outside world was the only pillar of survival. If the world out there was just as chaotic, or worse than what they had here, was there anywhere else they could go?
Di Fuyi answered slowly, "You should not be depressed about it. The condition of the outside world remains an unknown factor. Our primary goal would be to make it out alive from here. Tell me more about this place; I will try to figure something out."
The clan leader would not hide anything from him anymore. He told Di Fuyi everything that he knew. There would only be six hours of daylight each day. For the rest of the day, the sky would be mostly covered in a layer of dark, grey fog. However, if one were to come into contact with the fog, he or she would dissolve and vanish into a pool of blood.
The thundering growl was the sign that the fog would approach. Whenever they heard the sound of the animal, they had to return to the cave immediately and seal the entrance with the rock. The valley was about 800 miles wide, and the outskirt of the valley was mostly sealed with a layer of red, thick fog. The fog acted like a barrier that prevented them from crossing the border.
Gu Xijiu first discovered the red fog barrier. Those hunters who rushed to the barrier before were unfortunately killed by the Phantom Beasts before they even got close to the edge. Gu Xijiu's teleportation skill had saved her life, as the Phantom Beasts could barely touch her. However, she could not penetrate through the fog barrier. Also, the closer she got to the edge, the more Phantom Beasts were around. She could not stay for too long.
"Her last adventure almost cost her life. Even though her teleportation skill could protect her, she was injured. As you know, she is a tough child. Knowing that everyone in the village had high hopes for her, she did not let anyone know about her injury. She had to treat her own wounds in a slow recovery process. In fact, she had a high fever for a few days in a row. I was so worried that she would never get well, so I wanted to stay by her side to take care of her, but she would not let me. This place is short of many medical supplies. She could only use the traditional way to reduce her body temperature."
The clan leader sounded proud and yet guilty. "I admire her. As a woman, she definitely possesses great determination."
Concerned, Di Fuyi was not happy about it. "When did it happen?"
"About two weeks ago. She has just recovered. Today was the first time she went hunting after the recovery. That was where you met each other."
Di Fuyi took a deep breath before pulling Gu Xijiu away all of a sudden. "I need to check your injury."
Gu Xijiu was obviously surprised by his sudden demand. She refused to go with him. "There is no need for that. I am well now." There were many wounds on her body. Some were quite private, so she did not want to show him. Some were just scars. However, her strength was incomparable to his at this moment. Soon, he managed to drag her back to her room.
Her room was upstairs. It was scantily furnished with only a few things. There were a stone table, a stone chair, and a stone bed. There was some grass on the bed, covered with another layer of coarse cloth, so she would not touch the grass directly every time she lay down.
The number of greens in the valley was rather scarce, so the grass was not soft and fresh. Instead, it was merely a layer of dried leaves and dried grass. Even with a layer of cloth on top, it would not be comfortable to sleep in the bed. There was another piece of cloth at the edge of the bed that could be considered as a blanket. Di Fuyi was not impressed at all.
"Is this what you get after all that you have done for them?" A pigsty would be even better than her room.
Gu Xijiu was delighted to see his handsome face burning with indignation. "Actually, my room is the best place in the entire village. Others do not even have a bed sheet or a blanket. They sleep with the dried grass on their beds, or on a pile of hay on the floor," she explained. Speaking of which, she was a little proud of herself. "When I first came, they did not even have clothes."