Chapter 2
Crepuscular light
Inside the frozen lake, Chu Qiao lost touch with Yuwen Yue and eventually lost herself as well.
As she weakened, her master grew stronger. This drove Chu Qiao to sacrifice more of herself to save her master. Behind her was an inexplicable and indescribable heat.
It felt as though every inch of her skin was being pinched, tearing her soul apart.
There was neither pain nor gain at the moment.
The only thing she could do was close her eyes and let the heat flow through her body while suspended in a void.
A trickling red fire slowly burned her back, disappearing and reappearing.
It was as if her body was being recalled through an ancient oracle inscription called Feng Yun Faling (the Wind and Cloud Decree).
At first glance, it looked like a flower, but inside it was full of ancient inscriptions and texts.
Chu Qiao's memories flashed before her, reminding her of who she was, what she had to do, and where she should go.
Yet, the only thing she could recall was her farewell to her younger self, hearing the name "Xinger, Xinger, Xinger!" echoing in her mind.
At the last call, she opened her eyes, and the light radiated brightly.
However, Chu Qiao found herself in an entirely different realm. In the blink of an eye, she was back at the frozen lake.
But what seemed like a split second felt like days, weeks, months, and even years.
In another scene, the Prince of Yan, Yan Xun, searched for Chu Qiao. He visited the icy lake to offer incense or burn snow papers, a blank paper sprinkled with disappearing powder that made the author's written message appear or vanish.
Losing both his best friend and the love of his life at the same time was an unforgivable pain, yet Prince Yan Xun managed it with a cold and merciless heart. He betrayed Chu Qiao, the love of his life.
Amid the battlefield, he also killed the heir to the Eyes of God.
There is no greater pain than witnessing three people make life-or-death decisions in a single moment.
In his desperation and madness, Yan Xun deemed himself unworthy of grief, focusing instead on giving pride to Yan State and its people.
He restored Yanbei from ashes to prosperity.
In the midst of his triumphs, Yan Xun succumbed to his darker side.
There were many wars and battles after the icy lake tragedy, and Yan Xun was behind them all.
However, he never personally engaged in any of these battles. Instead, he rode with his horses, ordering his armies to show no mercy to those who opposed him.
Though Yan Xun became strong, famous, and powerful, he was empty inside.
Fulfilling the prophecy of his name, Xiaolong (meaning the sleeping dragon of the North), the Prince managed to reclaim half of Yanbei's former glory.
Yet, the price for every victory was his own self-defeat, turning him self-serving, selfish, brutally distant, and cold.
Alone and naked, wrapped in a gold fabric, Chu Qiao curled into a fetal position.
Surrounded by ice, she was enveloped in an ear-piercing silence.
Though she didn't feel cold, her body radiated heat.
The snow melted beneath her, forming an oval-shaped cocoon in which her body lay.
This became her comfort zone, as her body coped with the unknown event. Even Chu Qiao was unable to control it.
The power was massive and magical. Like a sleeping beauty waiting for her prince to awaken her, Chu Qiao lay there, seemingly forever, unaware of the passage of time.
In her sleep, Chu Qiao dreamed of a journey. She descended to the underworld, passing through an endless desert filled with hopelessness and unbearable heat, yet none of it scorched her skin.
In her dream, she was dressed in a flowing white gown, made of the finest satin from Ximeng Continent.
As the wind blew, her dress flowed freely. Half of her face was covered with a cloak adorned with beautiful beads that draped across her forehead, tied to a long, light shawl around her neck.
Chu Qiao said, "Look at this endless desert, dunes, and sand everywhere. Is this all there is?"
She sat down in the middle of the desert, scooping sand into her hands and letting it trickle through her fingers like an hourglass. She repeated this over and over until she remembered the name "Xinger."
Chu Qiao tried to recall who Xinger was, and the name echoed continuously in her mind. Who was Yuwen Yue? What happened between them? She lingered in this state, unable to remember.
Flashbacks continued to flood her mind. She remembered her last battle with Yuwen Hao and the Liang state spy, Yin Xin. She remembered falling from a cliff.
Her body hit the water, her head slamming against a large stone underwater. Her body floated for days in the Yellow River.
Servants eventually found her unconscious body and locked her in a cage.
From then on, Chu Qiao lost her memories and could only remember her name.
Now, it was happening again, but with slightly different details.
After a long stretch of time, a sudden sandstorm came.
Chu Qiao used her long shawl to shield herself from the storm. For how long, she did not know.
She couldn't measure time; it seemed she was trapped.
Chu Qiao closed her eyes until the sandstorm passed.
When she opened her eyes, the storm was gone.
But still, in her dream, she found herself in another place.
"Where are the dunes and sand?"
Chu Qiao saw a swirling, hollow-like tube.
It sparkled along its sides, full of moving colors and magnificent lights. The only thing she knew was that she had to enter it, unafraid.
Stepping inside, her dress tore at the back, exposing a flower tattoo that burned her skin, turning into red flames.
Yet, she felt no pain.
Each step she took intensified the burning of the tattoo, as though someone was etching it into her back.
After taking seven steps, she was swallowed by the tube entirely.
Suddenly, Chu Qiao woke up, startled.
She looked down at herself, touched her back, and asked, "Where is my long white dress? Why am I here in this vast snow, wearing only a gold fabric? Where are the endless desert, sand, and dunes?"
So many questions, yet no answers.
Suddenly, she felt the coldness of the snow around her, and she wrapped herself tightly in her Jin Bu.
Not far away, she saw a beautiful girl wearing tight black clothing.
Her chest was adorned with titanium light chains like a breastplate. She wore a red satin mask on her face, her hair in a side ponytail, and her lips were painted a dark, hellish color. Her face was angelic, and at her waist hung a long whip.
On her head was a large, woven hat made of rattan, with an indigo scarf hanging above it.
Chu Qiao felt a strange familiarity with the girl's attire, and suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her head. She touched her forehead, worried. The girl noticed and ran to her. Too late, Chu Qiao realized her palms were burned.
The girl sat beside Chu Qiao but didn't touch her. Chu Qiao was unaware that she was emitting a steamy aura, as if she were a volcano about to erupt. The girl said, "Mimi Gongzhu (Secret Princess), you must learn to control your powers. I am the Viper, do you remember?"
Another sharp pain hit Chu Qiao's head. Each time it happened, memories flashed before her, but almost in an instant, they vanished. The Viper asked, "Can you walk?"
"I've kept you in this place since I took you out of the frozen lake. It's been many weeks since then."
Chu Qiao felt strange about her surroundings, but at the same time, she felt as though she had known this girl for a long time.
"Mimi Gongzhu, are you alright? We can't stay here longer; dangerous animals roam this ravine at night. We need to move," the Viper urged.
Chu Qiao asked, "Do you have something safe for me to wear?"
Viper quickly grabbed a bag and handed Chu Qiao an expensive white silk dress. She also gave her a woven hat made of rattan, along with a thin indigo scarf embroidered with gold plum blossoms.
Viper helped Chu Qiao put on the dress and wrapped the indigo scarf around her neck. Finally, to conceal her, she draped the Jin Bu over Chu Qiao's delicate frame, exposing only her beautiful face.
This was the first time Chu Qiao had stood on her feet since the icy lake tragedy.
Viper and Chu Qiao embarked on a long snowy journey, heading east toward Chu Jing Palace. Chu Qiao remained silent throughout the journey.
Questions filled her mind, but her lips were sealed.
She would speak only when they reached their destination, where Viper was taking her.
Viper looked at Chu Qiao with pity, thinking, "She really has lost her memories."
It saddened her, too, that Chu Qiao couldn't remember their childhood together.
Viper had grown up in Chu Palace, where her father served as an elite officer in the Chu army.
She had been handpicked by King Chu Teng Gao to become the personal attendant and bodyguard of the Secret Princess.
When the Wei Empire attacked the Chu Jing Empire, Viper had been sent on a mission to search for the Secret Princess.
It was her duty to escort the Secret Princess and restore their lost empire.
When Chu Qiao was six years old, she was nearly killed.
One of her royal sisters rushed in front of the Wei executioner and sacrificed her life in exchange for Chu Qiao's.
Deceiving the Wei executioners, she told them that Chu Qiao was not the Secret Princess, but a decoy meant to mislead them.
Chu Qiao's sister was both furious and cunning, but not enough to outwit the enemy.
The executioner looked at her sister with anger.
But the royal sister continued mocking him, saying, "You've caught the wrong one. I am the Secret Princess. She's just a fake."
Suddenly, Chu Qiao bit the hand of the executioner and ran to hide.
Unbeknownst to her, her royal sister had sacrificed her life while little Viper remained by her side.
The two children hid well.
Viper suddenly placed her hand over Chu Qiao's mouth.
A sharp sound pierced the air.
The two pairs of eyes couldn't believe what they saw.
The sword's cut had been swift.
Chu Qiao watched as her sister's head fell, blood dripping to the floor.
She bit Viper's hand and cried silently.
It was the first time Chu Qiao had witnessed the death of a family member.
"Viper, are we there yet?" Chu Qiao finally broke the silence.
"Almost! Mimi Gongzhu, please be patient. We took the longest but safest route for your protection," Viper replied.
"Tell me, what is the meaning of this indigo scarf with plum blossoms? Why do you wear a plain one while mine is embroidered?" Chu Qiao asked, curious.
"This isn't the right time to explain, but I'll tell you once we reach those walls," Viper said firmly.
"Does it have to do with my last name, Chu?" Chu Qiao pressed, unable to let the matter go.
Viper stopped and looked at Chu Qiao, saying, "Are you sure you want to know now?"
"This indigo scarf is your only identification as a true descendant of the Chu royal family. The Hing Ba Na (which means happiness to wish and to accept) on your back is a power you've had since birth. The Hing Ba Na appears and disappears based on your wishes. It comes with rewards and consequences."
"Rewards and consequences at the same time?"
"The Hing Ba Na on my back?" Chu Qiao was utterly confused, and Viper seemed uncomfortable continuing.
"The flower tattoo on your back is the key to unlocking…" Viper stopped suddenly, sensing something or someone following them.
She picked up a bluish feather from the ground.
She already knew who the sharp spy trailing them might be.
Viper shouted at Chu Qiao, "Run! Run! I'll explain everything when we get there. Please hurry!"
Chu Qiao, bow in hand, ran quickly behind Viper.
To avoid leaving traces, Viper suddenly sat down and began to meditate.
Chu Qiao scoffed, saying, "I thought we were being chased. Why are you sitting there, as if you're ready to surrender?"
Viper ignored Chu Qiao's mocking tone. She assumed a meditative position and called upon the Dong Feng (East Wind) to sweep away their footprints and conceal their trail.
Chu Qiao, bewildered, couldn't order Viper to stop.
A strong wind blew by, swirling around them, erasing all traces of their path.
No sign of them remained.
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