Accompanying the Phoenix

As if Xing Yun’s words were a jinx, that night, the lanterns around the house suddenly extinguished. Around the hospital suddenly sounded chanting. Xing Yun in his bedroom with a quilt over his ears sighed. “Hahh, who knew that he would have such clumsy plans. It seems like I really have overestimated that Crown Prince.” He stopped talking. The continuous chattering had suddenly gotten broken by a crisp voice. Hearing that, Xing Yun immediately stood up, tugging on the edge of the bed to steady himself and walked hurriedly into the hall.

Recently after becoming regaining her human form, Chen Li had been sleeping in the hall on a bench as a temporary bed. Living so close to him, every night he is able to see Chen Li stand up, drink water, before staring at him and continuing to sleep. It was a habit of vigilance that she had gotten naturally after years of the battle field, but it was also to let Xing Yun sleep rest assured.

So when today he saw that Chen Li was not lying on the bench, his heart had a bad feeling in it and he hurriedly went the front courtyard to take a look. In the front yard, stood 5 men who have fallen within the array. With addition to the 3 black robed men, there were actually 2 dressed in priest’s robes who have all fainted, white faced. Their breaths were weak as they laid on the ground shivering, and within Xing Yun’s courtyard, there was only one figure left standing. It was a girl, a girl called Chen Li who seemed like she would never bend her knees or bow her spine, but was also whose face currently held helplessness and despair.

With her current expression, Chen Li no longer looked like an aloof god but rather someone normal, someone that can indeed experience pain. Xing Yun unexpectedly did not try to control his panicked heart, instead daring to step directly into the courtyard, inside the fearsome array.

In this moment, he saw Chen Li’s hands that were clenching tightly loosened as she spat out a mouthful of blood, her figure slowly collapsing to the floor. Xing Yun’s eyes closed as he took a deep breath and continued to move forward. Xing Yun reopened his eyes, only to find that the scene from earlier was alike a dream. Standing within the formation was still Chen Li, her hands still clenched tightly by her side. The only difference now was that 2 bloody streaks marred over her face near her eyes.

Chen Li had no way of knowing about what Xing Yun was doing outside. Her demon world was in ruins, huge floods of red, glowing hot lava swallowing up the people in the kingdom of the Demonic Realm. . Brave soldiers had reached out their hands to her for help, yet she was bound by some force, unable to lift a finger and save them. The once lofty castle had been reduced to dust, and she felt worried, unsure of the Demon Emperor’s life or death. She turned around suddenly, and saw that the Demon Emperor wearing black robes were restraining her arms. His voice and stature were cold. “This place should not exist.” Her mind went blank. Before she could open her mouth, suddenly he was before her, mouth open, savagely tearing off flesh with his teeth wanting to eat her alive!

No……

“Chen Li” The calling seemed to bring up light, yet sounded very faint. However, it was as if time froze, the world around her stopping. “Wake up.”

Who’s calling her name…..

Her eyes ached with pain, opening up to see an indescribably familiar face intrude onto her vision. “The flaming kingdom was fake, it’s all right.”

The bloody scenes gradually faded from her vision, her hands no longer bound. Chen Li slowly watched her surroundings become more and more real. The courtyard was back, the chattering noises rehearing once again. Xing Yun was in front of her, his hand gently unfurling her painful eyelids. “Breathe.” His tone and manner was heavy, as if he had failed once again. “Wake up.”

Xing Yun blew gently on her eyelids in an effort of wake her up. Chen Li tolerated it, but Xing Yun was worried when he saw that she had still yet to awaken. He forcefully opened her eyes, took a deep breath, and was about to blow hard when Chen Li turned her head to escape. “ Stop blowing.” Her hands rubbed at her dry eyes, “I’ll become blind!”

Xing Yun got up. “As a matter of  fact, it would make the illusion fade faster!” He grabbed Chen Li’s hand and tugged it, walking out. “Anyways, it’s better to leave this array first.”

Being dragged by Xing Yun, her sight landed on his hand covered by her blood stains. She felt startled- That’s right, this array is so powerful…. She looked at the Xing Yun’s back absentmindedly and asked, “ The Fearsome array, is it because you are it’s maker, which is why it doesn’t harm you?”

“This is but a mere stone array, how could it recognize people?” Xing Yun’s voice was faint. “ But if the heart has nothing to fear, how could this array do anything?”

Nothing to fear…. Chen Li fell silent. A heart that has nothing to fear in this world, Xing Yun to say this, really is too arrogant. However…. Chen Li’s eyes moved, gaze falling to her hand in his. This man is also too indescribable, but he can also make one feel at ease so easily.

Xing Yun, without a word, led Chen Li back into the hall. He did not mention that, for a split second, he had saw the scene Chen Li had experienced.

“Those people, what should we do with them?” She pointed at the collapsed men lying inside the array.

“You can go kick them out in the morning.”

“What about the ones outside?”

Xing Yun pondered, then suddenly the chanting outside fell to a stop. “A group of trash!” A cold, young voice shouted from the outside. He ordered. “ Fire the arrows!” Following his voice, a flaming arrow shot into the house, landing on the wooden roof of the house causing it to burst into flames. As if the young man had pushed a button, countless other arrows fired from outside the house onto the roof.

Chen Li frowned. “Their own men are still inside, yet they still dare to burn the house down!?”

Xing Yun had no time  to reply, he turned his head to see another fire behind them. The wooden frame the grapevines were growing on had caught on fire. The fearsome atmosphere emitted by the array were continuously being weakened. Every object in the courtyard was part of the array, and were all reliant upon each other. If one part got damaged, the array as a whole would be heavily affected by the loss. Xing Yun naturally knew of these circumstances, yet he seemed as if he didn’t care, on the contrary even letting out a laugh. “After so many years, it seems like I’ve overestimated one’s kindness.”

His small courtyard is part of a much bigger neighborhood. Both to his left and right are attached to other houses, so if his home is burned to ashes, it’ll cause disaster to not only him but also others. Originally, he believed that the Crown Prince would only harm him, but he never thought that nobility would treat others so ruthlessly!

“Hahh…l was reckless and harmed others as a result of my actions.”

Chen Li glanced at him, “You feel guilty?”

He didn’t reply, but the curve on his lips was bitter. Chen Li moved her eyes forward and wiped the blood stains off her face. She took 2 steps forward. “Today will be the last time I help you. After this, if the courtyard is burnt down, then seek refuge at Prince Rui. Then I will leave in separate ways.”

This was the first time that Chen Li had told him that she was leaving verbally. Xing Yun was surprised, but he could only watch as she waved her hand, making a silver long spear rotate in her palm. With a flash, a cold, silver spear abruptly landed in her hand, red tassels waving at the end. Just a look seemed like it could cut one in two, the tassels looking like flames. With a twirl in her hands, the edge of the weapon was sharp with killing intent.

Forcefully with a slam of her feet, she jumped on the roof and straight up into the air. The silver long spear in her hands drew 4 sharp strokes. With a shout, they solidified into a character that pushed down on the courtyard. Instantaneously, the walls of Xing Yun’s home exploded, the impact causing the surrounding  houses to be moved by 20 feet making everywhere else empty. Without any strong winds, the fire could not spread, limiting the amount of damage.

Chen Li’s figure flashed and fell inside the barrier. This time, now that the wall is out of the way, Chen Li could clearly see the attackers. There were dozens of guards, crossbow in hand trembling far away. The only one who still dared to face her was a young man outside the crowd, eyes coldly staring at her.

Chen Li unceremoniously kicked out the 5 collapsed men from the front courtyard, into the huddled up guards and said slowly, “ Today, this king does not wish to see blood.”