Lifen wanted to laugh at Xinyi's manners because she recalled her past self, but kept the bubbling laughter in her chest. She vowed this time to teach this daughter-in-law before going back to the mansion so Xinyi would never experience what she had experienced in the past. However, for now, "Do you eat eggs?"
"Yes, as long as it doesn't speak to me, I can eat."
Lifen laughed at this and heaved a deep sigh of relief. At least, she could have eggs and fish. Suddenly, Xinyi asked. "Ma, can I ask something personal from you too?"
Lifen nodded.
"How come you're here in this cave? I didn't see you arrived yesterday. But..." She gestured a palm at Lifen with her eyes wide. "You need not tell me if it is a secret. I respect your decision if you want to keep your coming and identity a secret but I still want to know who you are as my Ma. And I'm willing to accept your past."
Lifen was taken aback but also encouraged to tell her true identity but she had to make a point first. "Why not insist on me to tell you? Are you not afraid that I might be a bad person or a murderer and I might kill you?"
"If you were, then you can't enter this sanctuary. Xionmao will prevent you. But since you're here, then he must have approved."
"Really?" This was a shocking truth to Lifen and looked at Xionmao with respect... and made a slight bow at the panda. The latter nodded his head in return.
"Yes, as I told you earlier, Xionmao is the guardian here and Shijian here...," she patted the eating Qilin beside her, "told me, no one can pass Xionmao that easily. Not even tiny animals."
"That is assuring, but I need to give you these two items first." She took off the ring from her finger and pulled out the rolled wet portrait from her long sleeve. "Xinyi, when I told you I'm your Ma, I mean it..." she paused and looked at Xionmao, who shook his head. But these were a misunderstanding between the two. Xionmao thought she was asking him if she could mention Ming while Lifen asked if she could tell her she was Xinyi's mother-in-law.
Lifen's shoulders sagged with the thought she couldn't tell Xinyi as the mother-in-law. Then, she continued. "Because you are a very important person to me since I'm one of the Sorceress' disciples descendants. And..."
Xinyi cut her explanation. "Ma, you know about the Sorceress?"
"Well, not exactly but I'm the only one of her disciples' descendants," she calmly said as she placed the items on the table.
"I'm confused. Who is this Sorceress? Who are her disciples? Please explain." Xinyi said in one breath; her excitement was clear in her voice and face.
"Your Grandma Liu said nothing about this?" Lifen raised her brows.
Hearing the name Grandma Liu, Xinyi stood up from her seat. "You know Grandma Liu? Where is she? How is she?" Xinyi said while pulling Lifen's sleeve.
"She is in the capital but I don't understand. Didn't she give you an item from the Sorceress?"
"She gave me an item but I don't know if this is from the Sorceress." Xinyi took out the jade necklace with a broken pendant hidden under her blouse.
"Then didn't she tell you anything?"
Xinyi gazed up the ceiling and frowned as she tried recollecting the past. "Actually, we found her almost dying on the road after some bandits attacked her. She said this necklace glowed and scared the bandits. But she can't remember anything before that, even her name. We only found a hanky in her pocket with Liu embroidered on it. Then after remembering a little, she gave me this necklace and left." She ended with her arms wide open.
"What? Oh dear. She didn't tell me that. Fine, I'll tell you myself." So, Lifen told Xinyi about the past and about the Sorceress. [All written in Chapter 23 and 24.]
Xinyi almost couldn't breathe listening to Lifen and asked, "So, I'm the Sorceress' successor?"
"No doubt about it. The ring brought me here last night while I was walking in the forest." She kept the truth about running after Xionmao in his human shape nor mention anything about Ming. But she kept glancing at Xionmao as if signaling the animal to allow her to tell Xinyi that she was her mother-in-law. However, the panda didn't' get what she meant. Their misunderstanding grew deeper.
"Here, wear the ring and try to open the painting. My grandma said only the Sorceress can open the hidden powers in these things." She handed over the ring on Xinyi's hand and opened the painting on the table.
Xinyi took the ring and while she put it on her finger, it glowed brightly. All of them closed their eyes and after a minute, Xinyi opened her eyes but only to see herself standing alone in front of a sleeping huge being.