“My head feels so numb.”, spoke Ji Hua softly as she tried to get up. “Song Qing”, she suddenly heard a mysterious yet cute voice. She looked around her, it was little boy (5 or 6 years old). She had never seen the boy before, yet he was here gazing at her calmly. The boy came near her and clutching her robe, spoke, “Why did you do that?” in his cute voice. He spoke it so innocently just as he really meant it and Ji Hua ransacked her mind thinking that had she ever met this boy or done anything to him? She hesitantly spoke, “What do you m…” Before she could’ve said any further the boy, “Ah! You don’t know me?” For a moment silence prevailed. Ji Hua didn’t know what to say while the boy stared at her. Suddenly his body started to tremble. His eyes became red and the former expression of calmness was replaced by an angry look. “You don’t know me? Yet you made me turn like this?!”, his voice was trembling in extreme anger. Ji Hua was thunder struck, before her eyes the boys turned into a sluggish black matter. A monstrous opening appeared on the matter’s front surface. The opening moved and produced a demonic voice, “It hurts! Song Qing, it hurts!”, soon the voice was mixed with several other voices and they repeated the same sentences again and again until Ji Hua felt like if she heard anymore of this perhaps her body will dismantle on its own. “I am not Song Qing!!!”, she cried.
“But I never said that you are Song Qing.”, Ji Hua opened her eyes only to find Ji Miao sitting on her knees before her. Ji Hua hopped up and looked around her. It was a beautiful tree around her with its purple blossoms and vast stretching grassland. She took a deep sigh, “Oh! What kind of dream was that?”, she murmured. Looking at the ruckus being played in front of her Ji Miao spoke, “Looks like you had a bad dream. This is what you get when you slack off training.” Ji Hua grinned wide to reveal her snow- white teeth. But Ji Miao had an air of seriousness, “Brother Ji Luo is here and he is asking for you.”
“Huh? Why did he come? Have I made a mistake again or master complained against me?”, Ji Hua became cognizant in an instant. “Made a mistake? You know that better than anyone else. Well, but don’t worry. It isn’t the case, this time.”, Ji Miao consoled Ji Hua as she taunted her. “But then for what…”
“There’s no time for thinking all that.”, Ji Miao spoke as she dragged Ji Hua along with her. Ji Miao being Ji Hua’s only and best friend is also her cousin. Daughter of her father’s brother. They had spent their childhood together and are best of friends. Ji Miao is the only one who shields Ji Hua whenever she is accused for one of her naughtiness. So, more than anything she is her shield and her secret keeper.
Soon they reached Full Moon courtyard, and were directed towards Liu Ji Lie’s study by a maid.
“Come, child. Your brother and I were just talking about you.”, spoke Liu Ji Lie with a warm smile on his face, “Then I’ll leave you both to talk.”, saying this he rose up and went out of the room followed by Ji Miao. Before Ji Hua, sat a figure calm and complacent, sipping tea. His face had the aura of a beautiful and awaited sunrise. His eyes as sharp as a sword and judging by his meticulous and well-mannered actions, he was indeed Ji Hua’s elder brother and the crown prince of Shen Sheng, Ji Luo. “Have you been training well?”, Ji Luo looked at Ji Hua with his voice as cold as ice. Ji Hua nodded not daring to lift her head and look towards her brother. Why? Because her brother is known in all the realms, to be a perfect immortal from all perspectives. He is calm, obeys his elders, never lies, handsome and is already on the 87th level of immortality. How can Ji Hua just stand the glowing aura coming from such a connoisseur? And what’s more, he can’t tolerate ill-manners.
“There is a matter back home that must be dealt with.”, Ji Luo surfaced the edges of the tea cup, “You must return back.”
“What matter?”, Ji Hua finally looked at her brother and asked.
“Just a matter. You’ll get to know when you reach Shen Sheng. Now, don’t waste any time and bid your farewell to the people you find necessary.”
“Bid farewell? Am I not going to return?”
Ji Luo gazed sharply at Ji Hua, “You ask too many questions. Tell me, what have I taught you?”
“Always obey your elders and never question their decisions and intelligence.”, Ji Hua spoke as she was chanting a sutra.
“It’s good you remember.”
“Is Ji Miao also coming?”
“Yes.”
Closing the door behind her Ji Hua took a deep sigh of relief, then she looked at Ji Miao, who’d been waiting for her all this time.
“Do you know why my brother has come all the way here?”, asked Ji Hua.
“Yes, I know. I am ready to go home.”, Ji Miao answered with a complacent look on her face.
“Well, if that’s the matter then, I am going to visit Mrs. Liu, one last time before leaving. You wait for me with brother.”, saying this Ji Hua went on her way to Mrs. Liu’s chamber. When she reached, she found her re-writing some sutras. She was a middle-aged woman. Now her face was a little shrivelled, but it seemed that she would’ve been quite a beauty in her times. Ji Hua had always admired her wisdom. She was like a motherly figure to her.
“Hua’er”, a soft voice jingled in her ears, “Why are you standing there, dear? Come in.”, Mrs. Liu spoke looking at Ji Hua. Ji Hua hesitantly entered. If it had been any other time, she had not felt like that, instead she’d have entered like a chirpy bird. But, today was different. Living for about 5,000 years in the Heavenly Academy, she had developed a close connection to this place and specially to Mrs. Liu. Now, thinking about going from here…...Ji Hua didn’t even know when she’ll be coming back. “What are you writing, mother?”, Ji Hua used to call Mrs. Liu mother. “Nothing, just re-writing a sutra. The old one’s nearly damaged. It’d be better to……ah! I remember, is it today? Are you going back today?”, Mrs. Liu had a gift of foresight. She already knew about everything. So, it wasn’t much surprising for Ji Hua.
“Ah! You know that too? Don’t worry I’ll come back soon.”, Ji Hua tried to speak confidently but there were certain traces of gloominess. “Hmm… It’d be a total lie if I say that I won’t miss you…be a good child back home, and don’t be too mischievous. People that are with you now, won’t be there in the future perhaps…but you should be strong. You are just leaving your academy…what I can see of your future, you’d have to do even more severe things.” Then taking out a wooden hairpin from a box kept on the table she spoke, “In times of extreme crises, use it. This may help you to change yourself.”, saying this she handed it to Ji Hua
Mrs. Liu seemed serious then she added laughing, “Don’t miss us too much, okay?”, saying this she looked at Ji Hua in the eye. “A parting gift? You are making me feel like I am not to return.”, spoke Ji Hua with a delicate voice. “Eh?! Is that a tear in our mighty Ji Hua’s eyes?”
“What tear? Looks like you are getting older, as to speculate such things.”, Ji Hua cried as she exited in a haste.
