71. Death of Luoyin
.
Meanwhile, Zhang Furen was locked in the Xu Clan Prison, awaiting her journey to Central Baishan, where she would be tried by the Wulin...
The prison was dark, with only a few lanterns giving light, far apart and ineffective, adding to some slivers of moonlight through the windows.
Here and there on the walls, were softly glowing seals or talismans, which prevented those within the cells from using their powers at all, and reinforced the strength of the walls and bars from any attack, even from outside.
Alone in her cell, Zhang Furen seemed like a shadow of herself.
Her usually beautiful face and countenance were in a state, with tear streaks and dirt smudges. Her elaborate hairdo was loose and tilting to one side, the hairpins askew, and her elegant robes were wrinkled and disarranged.
'How have I fallen so far?' She wondered.
She had put everything in place, ensuring no one could touch her, and yet, here she was.
Her name had been blackened beyond recovery, her son was now without a proper family, and her mother had been lying dead for more than half a year, and she hadn't known...
She sobbed into the silence, her voice bouncing off the walls, but there was no consolation to be had, and she suddenly raged, unable to accept it.
How had all those people gotten into Yue City without notice?! Who had gathered them?! Where had so much evidence come from?!
No. All this must have been deliberate!
"Who harmed me like this?!" She demanded aloud.
"Our dear Zhang Furen, you brought it on yourself..." A quiet voice spoke from the shadows, and she looked up to see one of the prison guards. "Calamity befalls those who lack virtue.
"Nothing ever remains hidden under the sun, and night eventually gives way for day. The snow presses on the tree branches, the ground, and the mud, but after the harsh winter, its power melts away. Every thing has its time, and your time is done..."
"Who are you?!!" She demanded. "How dare a mere guard talk down to me?!"
But he scoffed and stepped into the light. "You really think you're still an important Madam? Peh! Be thankful the young Master Zhang sent a guard, and not a servant!"
He folded his hands. "I'm merely a messenger. I only repeated Young Master Zhang's words to you! He asked me to say them, because he doesn't want his eyes to explode upon seeing your face! Peh!" With one last disgusted look, he turned away, leaving as quietly as he appeared.
Zhang Furen had frozen in shock for a bit, almost wondering why her own son would send such a message, but then she gasped realizing that 'Master Zhang' likely referred to 'Zhang Luoyin', not A-Cheng!
And who else would refer to her as, 'Our dear Zhang Furen'?
"That bastard!!" She fisted her hands in fury.
Now that she thought about it, her misfortunes had begun when Zhang Luoyin returned from those caves, and he certainly held the right amount of hatred to do such a grand thing!
"Zhang Luoyin!" She practically shook with anger. "I should have killed you long ago!!"
"You should have indeed killed him..." Another voice spoke, and her eyes brightened in hope.
"Gēge! You came for me?!" She rose and ran to the bars as the visitor stepped into the light.
"Little sister, of course I'd come for you..." It was the father from the Huofeng father-son pair, and he was also the man she had addressed as 'Elder brother' during her gathering of 'guests' at the Zhang north pagoda...
He was also an elder in Huofeng Sect, and Zhang Cheng's true father.
As she smiled up at him, hope in her eyes, he reached through the bars and gently patted her hair, tucking a few loose strands behind her ear.
But then, faster than light, his hand suddenly shot out, holding her throat in a death grip.
Zhang Furen choked, clawing helplessly at his hands.
"G- Gē... Gē- ge...! Wh- Why ...?!" She choked out, as her eyes began rolling backwards, but he simply smiled lovingly down at her.
And as her life ended in a miserable expression of shock, fear, and disbelief, he flung her backwards, away from the cell bars.
"I cannot allow a lowly thing like you reveal our dealings or identities, but little sister, don't worry..." He turned to leave.
"You will be avenged!"
.
.
The Yan house was quiet, the lanterns swaying in the night's breeze as the leaves rustled, and the flowers shared their sweet scents to all.
In Weiyan's courtyard, a gentle melody filled the air, as she sat in her room, her fingers delicately dancing across the pipa's strings, strumming a fast but light tinkling tune. Accompanying the beautiful tone were light giggles as Tong chased the Light tiger cub around.
But the music and glee were sharply contrasted by a deathly silence on the opposite side of the Yan house, where Luoyin lay asleep, tossing and turning in discomfort.
A mild twinge flared on his wrist, as the last of Zhang Furen's arrow vanished completely.
But as the arrow vanished, 'Luoyin's' final memories filtered into his mind, sending him into a fevered dream...
...
..
.
Bailong found himself in a shabby room, no better than a wood shed, and immediately noticed 'himself' also sitting by the tiny window, staring up at the stars.
'No.' He thought. 'That is 'Luoyin.'
It was a bit surprising because, before now, he usually only watched Luoyin's memories through his eyes, but this time he could look around, even move around, and see things for himself.
He also noticed his hair was silvery white again, and he was back in his sea-blue robes from Caoyang.
"So my inner appearance never changed...?" He thought aloud, then glanced up in a panic.
However, Luoyin didn't react at all.
Bailong appeared beside him and frantically waved a hand in front of his face.
Still no reaction.
"Hmmm." The real Luoyin was clearly unaware of his presence, and he remained still, staring up at the stars.
The clouds began to cover the skies, hiding the moon, and there was a low rumble of thunder.
"Ma, the rains are here," Luoyin began with a grin. "...fireflies flit about, the cicadas shrill merrily, and the hydrangeas are in full bloom...
"I wish you were here to see it!" He sighed. "But I won't disturb your rest. I can only try to expose your murderers..."
Bailong sighed as well.
It was a sad sight to witness, especially since he knew Luoyin's mother was indeed around to witness all this, but was trapped in a suffering of her own.
Bailong turned his thoughts from Luoyin and began pacing.
'What changed? How am I here like this?' He pondered for a bit, then stopped suddenly.
"Ah! I got it!" He said aloud, recalling his breakthrough the previous evening! "I've somehow unlocked his inner sea of consciousness!"
The sea of consciousness or 'mind sea' was a spiritual realm within an individual's mind, usually a vast and boundless space, depending on one's own soul power, and it was a place where one could cultivate the mind and gather spirit energy.
All beings were born with it, but most mortals went through life unaware of it, as it required a certain level to activate.
In this case, Luoyin's memories had arranged themselves around the internal sea, creating a near-perfect replica of Yueyan, which meant Bailong could move within and around the memories, viewing things from an outsider's perspective.
And almost as if to confirm this, he suddenly felt two mild auras.
'They're here!' He thought as the auras drew a bit closer, but remained at a distance, not approaching.
Bailong moved quickly, leaving the tiny shed.
'Yuan Jing!' He activated the far-seeing technique, and everything burst into colourful glows around him.
But he focused... 'Where are you?' ...and soon, he found two individuals standing some distance away in the shadows, their red and white robes crisp against the dull backdrop
'Oh?' Bailong instantly recognised them.
It was the father-son pair from Huofeng Sect...
'Luoyin indeed got a little too close!'
Luoyin assumed no one would notice his absence, but Zhang Furen was suspicious by nature... If she found no trace of Luoyin, she would get anxious and act, and Bailong had no doubt she had contacted these two...
Over the next few days of Luoyin's memories, Bailong felt the two get closer and closer, till Luoyin himself noticed them.
Luoyin didn't know who they were, but given their ages and the white and red Huofeng Sect robes, it sent a deep chill into his bones.
Especially since he had just learned of Zhang Furen's ties to a certain elder in the Huofeng sect.
So Luoyin gave up his pursuit and ran from them, returning to the Zhang mansion.
However, the two followed him, boldly paying an open visit to Lord Zhang, who could care less about Luoyin's protests. Lord Zhang heartily welcomed them, and even invited them to dwell under his roof, in the courtyard closest to Luoyin's.
And during that visit, Bailong confirmed their identities.
'Hmph. They're indeed Zhang Cheng's father and stepbrother...' He had always found their auras similar to Zhang Cheng's, but couldn't be certain.
Meanwhile, Luoyin clearly understood the Zhang Mansion, his own home, was no safe haven, and he quietly left.
There was nowhere under the heavens he could hide, especially when his enemies were so powerful.
He had offended Sect Leader Xu, and he likely wouldn't risk offending the Huofeng Sect for his sake.
He could keep running, but that would achieve nothing, and they would still catch up to him.
So, filled with a bitter resignation, he headed for the caves
"If I'm to die, it shouldn't be anywhere near mother, and not in that blackened household..."
And so he sat to await them, and didn't bother moving as their silent steps entered the cave, cutting off any chance of escape.
"Yo..." The Son began as he approached. "If it isn't the waste my little brother toys with."
But Luoyin swallowed his fear and merely scowled at him.
"How dare you look at me with such defiant eyes?!!" With a simple hand seal, ropes shot out at Luoyin, binding him and forcefully pulling him towards the son, who placed an insulting foot atop him, looking down at him.
"You filthy gutter snake, you should have known your place and remained as my brother's plaything!"
"Hmph." The father spoke. "Since you want to threaten A-Chun's place, you can't blame us for sending you off." He turned away. "Finish him, but don't use any of your known powers. Beat him up till he's lifeless!"
"Heh! My pleasure!" The son replied, raising his foot to kick Luoyin.
Bailong turned away.
Unable to aid the poor young man, he didn't think he could witness such cruelty, and he left the cave.
But he felt every bit of hate Luoyin held for these two, and as Luoyin's Luoyin's life came to a close, Bailong finally realized who the last two arrows belonged to...
'Soon I'll be done with Zhang Luoyin's grievances.' He thought, and for the first time since his awakening, he considered where his life might go afterwards.
Would he remain here?
Or would he find ways to re-enter Sky Realm to investigate and clear his name and the names of those who had died back then?
Surprisingly, the thought of leaving left an unpleasant taste in his mouth.
He hadn't deliberately set out to form any bonds, but now there was Lord Xu, who had protected him from his first day of awakening. There was Xu Min who always jumped to his defence, there was even Xu Wen who endlessly plagued him for some lesson or the other.
And if they were to leave, what would Yinying do? They couldn't exactly take the Tiger Cub away!
But that thought brought forth a sigh, forcing him to contemplate whose parting bothered him most...
Xu Weiyan's face appeared in his mind - something which tended to happen often- teasing his senses with a willow-thin waist, and long silken hair...
He sighed in frustration and almost welcomed the light-headed feeling, as his consciousness slipped away, and he jerked awake, back in Luoyin's body.
But something was wrong...
He couldn't move!
.