Chapter 11
Flower of Paradise
Chu Qiao had stayed in Chu Jing Palace for almost a year now, and it was summer. Zhong Yu disappeared that night in the blink of an eye. With Viper's help, Chu Qiao adjusted to life in the old palace and helped rebuild its ruins.
The people of Chu visited the palace, bringing wine and other harvests from the land. They expressed their joy at seeing the lost princess, whom they thought was dead.
Unfortunately, she was the last seed sown by time to grow, as the rest of the noble Chu and Jing families had been slain by the swords of the Western Empire during the rule of the merciless Yuwen Hao. He was the master of the Eyes of God before his adopted son, Yuwen Yue, took over after his death.
Yuwen Hao had no heir until the infant Yuwen Yue arrived at the Green Hills Courtyard, brought by a lady who traveled far from the Xie household to the Yuwen household.
This lady was the niece of Tai Furen, the mother of Yuwen Huai, who was a concubine of the third branch of the Yuwen household at Red Hills Courtyard. Tai Furen came from a gentle lineage, and it was later discovered that the lady who visited her wearing the peony gown, and later found at Jile Pavilion, was Yuwen Yue's mother.
Yuwen Yue eventually discovered that his mother had suffered a tragic fate at the hands of Yuwen Xi.
Tai Furen told Yuwen Yue the day he crashed the gates of his own Yuwen household at Red Hills Courtyard, "You must listen to stories longer than you spend bypassing the stratagems of my place today."
The poorest of the poor, who hid in the divine mountains of the East Sea, were the only ones who returned when they heard the lost princess was alive and ready to revive the lost Chu Empire.
The Chu Empire was not only a home for the powerful but also kept the balance of dark forces from the underworld. The Chu Empire housed non-governmental elite spies, also known as underworld spies. They did not work for money but for a mission to rescue mankind from the brink of darkness and danger.
These spies, often referred to as "angels of grace," would appear to punish or reward as needed, operating as if they were not raised in flesh and blood but were bestowed with powers from the afterlife passed down since birth.
This story was told to Chu Qiao throughout the year by an old woman who had challenged her upon her first entrance to the Chu Jing inner courtyard after a long absence.
At the age of six, Chu Qiao left the palace for her safety. Her mother took her away and resumed her former life before becoming queen. She returned as Luo He, the leader of the Wind and Cloud Decree, the most powerful underworld elite spy.
Chu Qiao was left with her closest relatives, the Jing family, alongside her half-brothers and sisters: Zhi Xiang (4th), Lingxi (5th), and Xiaoqi (7th), while she was renamed Xiao Lui (6th) to conceal her identity. They resided at Yanbei on the Longji mountains, where Mr. Wu, a native of the small village and a skilled fighter, was born.
Chu Qiao and her siblings were princes and princesses who had been raised in the palace, but on that fateful day when the Western Empire struck, only her mother was able to protect them from the blades. After the king was slain, only Chu Qiao survived the bloodthirsty onslaught of the Wei Empire.
Mr. Wu, also known as Wu Dao Ya, trained the young Chu Qiao for years, but only at night.
Thus, Chu Qiao was prepared to fight, becoming skilled in facing various enemies. She practiced her Katas blindfolded in the cold and dark of night, competing against elite spies.
By day, she was a normal child, but by night, Mr. Wu taught her arts like wushu, gongfu, wuxia, and other self-defense skills necessary to control the powers passed down to her since birth.
Mr. Wu also helped her perfect her meditation, which sharpened her senses and enhanced her flexibility, stamina, and relentless spirit, much like her mother, Luo He.
Mr. Wu and her mother were cousins, both powerful elite spies of the underworld, but Mr. Wu chose a quiet life and retreated to the Yanbei mountains after the Chu Empire was set aflame, leaving behind the forgotten remains of Datong Way.
The face of the Skyshadow gatekeeper should never be revealed, as anyone who sees it will be cursed with blindness until the Supermoon appears once again to restore their sight.
"The Supermoon comes only once in a hundred years. How can it be cured? It's better not to see the face of this old woman!" Chu Qiao, looking beautiful and pristine in her princess dress adorned with plum blossoms, teased the old woman while wearing her indigo scarf as a veil.
"Another time?" Chu Qiao joked.
"No," replied the old woman.
"Alright, let's hear more, then we can rest for the day," Chu Qiao said in a dull tone.
The old woman told Chu Qiao the story of the Forgotten River, which separates the underworld from the world of the living. Overwhelmed, Chu Qiao struggled to comprehend and repeated, "When someone dies, and they cross the Forgotten River, all memories of their past life fade."
The old woman cut her off, adding, "But just before reaching the other side, a flower called Higanbana thrives on its shores."
"What's the use of Higanbana? Is it different from Hing Ba Na?" Chu Qiao pressed, eager for more details.
The old woman explained, "Secret princess, listen closely. The legend claims that the fragrance of Higanbana brings back all of the dead's earthly memories one last time before they vanish, just as they cross the Forgotten River.
Additionally, it is said that when unrequited lovers die, these flowers bloom along the path of the departed lovers, but they are never destined to meet again. Remember, these flowers also signify the transition from summer to fall, a beautiful sight."
The old woman paused, noticing tears welling in Chu Qiao's eyes, though she tried to hold them back.
Ignoring her emotion, the old woman continued, "It's a welcome sight, but only if you obey and don't look at my face." She mockingly added, "But after so many hot summer days, it's still not a sign of cooler weather. There's a beautiful sight behind you, but you won't have the chance to see it."
The old woman's mocking tone irritated Chu Qiao, who asked, "What's behind me? What is it called?"
"I was waiting for you to ask," the old woman said in a naturally dull voice that made Chu Qiao even more impatient.
"The flower tattoo on your back isn't just an ordinary tattoo. Your late mother, Luo He, the former queen of Chu Jing Palace, passed it on to you when you were old enough to control your powers. It's called the Higanbana, the flower of the afterlife. Its power wanes in summer as its leaves grow, but it thrives in winter when its upward petals bloom in the fall.
The Hing Ba Na, however, is an ancient chant for Feng Yun Faling (the Wind and Cloud Decree) used to accept a reward or consequence upon using its powers. The words were inscribed on white snow paper, given to you by your mother, Luo He, inside a small bottle of Celadon. However, you cannot read what's written unless you use the consecrated appearing and disappearing powder..."
"...So, another time?" The old woman teased, repeating Chu Qiao's earlier words to mock her excitement.
Chu Qiao, now frustrated, wanted to kick the old woman, but the woman disappeared like a shadow.
Ready to fight, Chu Qiao prepared herself for martial arts training. "I'll slap you even if it means going blind for eternity!" she shouted, half-joking, half-angry. "You better come back and finish the story!" she yelled, but the old woman was gone.
Chu Qiao sighed as she found her window open, the old woman having escaped. "Another day!" she said softly, "That old woman is so rude!"
From the shadows, the old woman smiled, hearing Chu Qiao's complaint. Viper, watching nearby, enjoyed the scene.
The next day, Chu Qiao attended her usual training session and left Diamond Hall for the Chu Palace training grounds.
The people of Chu cherished the memory of King Chu, the father, who had sacrificed his life for peace in the land. The treasures and weapons of the Chu Kingdom had been hidden in the divine mountains of the East. These people remained loyal, as they owed their lives to King Chu, who had saved them with his blood.
Over time, they made a covenant that the treasures left by the noble king would be preserved under the protection of the former underworld spies, only to be revealed when the time was right, upon the arrival of the secret princess. This belief was based on a prophecy passed down through generations, and so far, every prediction had come true, slowly but surely.
Some of the Chu villagers who settled in the divine mountains eventually found the Ximeng continent, where the Qinghai dynasty reigned. However, they could not pass the Great Walls to enter the land, as they were told the king forbade it. In truth, it was the queen who forbade it, leaving the Chu people to fend for themselves, with some even sold into slavery by other empires.
Now ready, Chu Qiao rode her black horse, her indigo scarf marking it as a royal steed of the Chu family. She wore a white and yellow-gold gown with a phoenix embroidered on her chest. Her hair was adorned with jade and crystals, and she wore a pair of dewdrop earrings. She looked as pristine as the clear waters of the Arcadian mountains, her dark brown eyes gentle yet commanding attention.
Each morning, Chu Qiao trained in gongfu to regain her lost skills. Dressed in royal attire, her hair styled the same each day, Viper often tried to disrupt her appearance, aiming to mess with her hair.
The flower tattoo on Chu Qiao's back had remained visible since the frozen lake incident. Whenever Viper touched her body, she felt the same intense power that burned her hands when she had pulled Chu Qiao from the frozen lake.
Viper nearly lost her hands when they were burned with blue flames. Although she felt no pain at first, the sensation struck when she submerged her hands in the icy lake after securing the princess in a hidden location near the glacial lake.
Viper cried out in agony as the meeting of hot and cold caused unbearable pain, and she never fully understood Chu Qiao's power until that moment. Days later, her hands healed, returning to their original state, but Viper wore gloves to protect them from the harsh winter.
The drummers were ready. They surrounded the Chu Palace training ground, beating their drums from fast to slow rhythms.
The bass drums produced horrifying sounds, but Chu Qiao had grown accustomed to them.
The secret princess signaled the start of her training. This was the royal training style of Chu Jing.
A hidden obstacle course lay on the ground. At first, Chu Qiao was hit and sustained minor wounds, thinking, "This isn't fun at all." But as time passed, she mastered the course, bearing whatever it took to return to her former self.
The drums quickened with each obstacle she completed, signaling the end of her training. As she finished, she entered through a gigantic red door with a gold dragon handle. A large incense basin stood in the middle, with a burning stick of incense almost spent.
Chu Qiao's task was to maintain her pristine appearance throughout training, her hair still neatly styled except for a small jade crystal that had fallen to the ground, a sign that she had almost been hit on the head.
"Again, you were hit!" Viper remarked as she waited outside.
Chu Qiao placed her indigo scarf over her head, shielding her face from the sun.
After flying kicks, tumbling, grabbing crossbows and arrows, and mastering cold weapons like daggers made of cold iron and beautiful shields, Chu Qiao finally entered an inner chamber within the obstacle course. Inside, she found a prized sword, causing her to drop her bow and rush forward to see it closely.
There, she saw a glistening sword.
No comments:
Post a Comment