“General.” A guard approached Han Yuelin. In his limits the guard was not supposed to disturb Han Yuelin when he was in the middle of a meeting with the fellow martial gods. But since the guard had dared to do so, it could only mean whatever he had to say was important.

  Han Yuelin made adjustments to his conversation and turned to the guard. The guard was from the silver realm, judging by his attire and more sufficiently the badges on his coat. Seeing this Han Yuelin’s eyes narrowed. He eyed the guard with an intense warning. He absolutely did not want to hear anything that could ruin his meeting. The guard leaned in and so did Han Yuelin, as the guard whispered in his ear, “Princess Nian Yue has been to the silver prison.”

  Han Yuelin turned face to face with the guard to glare daggers at him. At this point the guard really wanted to cry. He continued in his defence. “I tried to stop her and also reminded her of your will. But she wouldn't listen. Fortunately it seemed like a simple visit,” he said calmly, as if that alone would spare him from the general’s intense gaze.

  Han Yuelin let out a harsh sigh. “Where is she right now?” he asked while pinching the bridge of his nose.

  “My apology. I am not aware of her whereabouts afterwards,” the guard replied.

  “....” Han Yuelin was horrified.

  ~~~

  As they were nearing their destination, the faint sound of water gurgling nearby became clear. And soon, Wanshu and Nian Yue were in front of a small river. Water rushed at its speed as the goddess and the old mortal stared at it.

  And then without any words shared, Wanshu stepped inside the river where the water was shallow, running smoothly against her knees. She was holding a shovel she had brought with herself with quite the determination.

  Nian Yue could only stare at her with concern and uncertainty. And especially with disbelief. She was looking at a lady over ninety, setting feet into the water standing like she had won wars in her prime.

  “Is this why you have a shovel?” Nian Yue asked weakly.

  “How else am I going to dig?” Wanshu replied dryly. And then suddenly she raised the shovel in the air before striking down. The shovel merely plucked any dirt in the water. She did the same act a few times, yet the result didn't seem to be there. Nian Yue couldn't take it anymore.

  “Let me help you.”

  But she was immediately turned down and even that in a hostile way. “I don't need your help. Stay away,” Wanshu growled.

  There was nothing Nian Yue could do at that point so instead she fell silent, leaving the older lady be. She had heard the old people were especially feisty and she had no intention to be lectured by one about god knows what ethics.

  Nian Yue let out a tired sigh. Her eyes fluttered close with emotions of helplessness. Unable to do anything her eyes trailed around instead. The place they were in was in the middle of the forest beside Yinchu village. The small river must be heading straight by the side of Chenlian mountain to meet in the main river of Yueyou nation. The river there especially used to be quite big. But what does she know? A century of neglect wouldn't bring her the knowledge she desired.

  Sweeping her gaze in a circle When she finally glanced over her shoulder, something caught her eyes. The trail of the familiar trees. The resemblance of a dream to a nightmare. She turned around and saw clearly—the high cliff staring right at her. The nightmare she saw was right there, which only made sense. The one to live in that nightmare was now with her, digging the buried truth.

  When Nian Yue turned back to Wanshu, her unfocused mind was forcefully pulled back to reality. Wanshu had barely dug anything. On top of that as she was in shallow water the dirt she had dug was pooling back in the place. Where was she even throwing it? Useless. Useless!

  “For the love of the lord let me do it!” Nian Yue pleaded. Her voice was squeaky with shock.

  “No! You don't touch my shovel!” Snapped Wanshu.

  Nian Yue was going to lose her mind if it continued even a second. She felt like her future was suddenly dark and colorless. But then an idea lit a candle in the middle of her dark world. “If this is how things are going to move then soon you'll hear, goddess reincarnation has been thrown into heavenly jail for the rest of her immortal life. And then that poor child won't have anyone to help him. I remember promising him. I can not risk breaking his trust?”

  “...” This in fact caught a thought from Wanshu, who weighed the circumstances thoroughly. Then finally filling her chest with air Wanshu said, “I would really want to see you imprisoned but..” She stretched her arm out and held the shovel on display towards Nian Yue. “I can not play with my brother’s wellbeing.”

  Nian Yue heaved out a sigh of relief and took hold of the shovel and replaced Wanshu in the shallow water. She was neither a soil god nor strength goddess but with her young bones and sufficient goddess energy she was sure she could do it faster and better than what they were going to have. The water was running cold, but it was merely a consideration for Nian Yue in a situation like this. So, she quickly got to work.

  When she finished, she had made water and dirt alike. The muddy water pooling around her knees was the truthful picture of a white lotus standing in the middle of filth, still ethereal, still as breathtaking. If anything the contrast made it clear that a god standing in the middle of filth was still a god. For the fact, Nian Yue had dirtied her white robes in the process. But the smile she had afterwards was acknowledging that it was all worth it. She wiped her sweaty forehead with a proud look in her eyes as she gazed down. When the water ran clear, she saw a coffin a few feet beneath where she had dug with the instructions of Wanshu. A small makeshift coffin barely the size of three feet or so.

  Nian Yue sank down in the cold water, knees settled on the muddy surface. With a little struggle she pulled the coffin out. She instinctively assumed the coffin would be heavy but to her surprise, it wasn't what she expected, at least not as heavy. She pushed the coffin toward the river bank and Wanshu then pulled it further towards herself. Nian Yue dragged herself and her wet robes out of the body of water. Her eyes were fixed on the coffin with complicated feelings.

  Which was no different from Wanshu. Nian Yue saw from the mirror of Wanshu’s eyes—the grieving soul of the older sister roaring out in pain. Her hands were trembling as she traced the wet lid of the wood coffin. The gaze she had, was no less than of a mother mourning her dead child who couldn't scream even if she wanted to.

  Nian Yue did not dare speak. But the question welled again and again in her mind. In the end Nian Yue couldn't hold back and asked. “Why is he buried like that?”

  Wanshu wiped something from her cheeks and then tucked her hand into the sleeve of her robe, searching for something where it must have stayed safe. “To give him what he wanted. He thought I did not know what he was thinking?” She had pulled out a key, that was probably for the lock on the coffin. “Have I not known you will find him somehow? That you will find us somehow. I couldn't let it happen until his wish was complete.”

  Nian Yue’s eyes were wide as she listened to the confession. How long has this been going on? “You have known me. You have known it all.”

  “How could we forget you?” Wanshu taunted again and with a scoff she stuck the key into the rusted lock and twisted it open. Even after such a long time, the lock worked perfectly fine, smooth even as if it was under spells.

  Nian Yue knew this part of her life was specially messed up. But to think it had affected lives in such a way was a horror to learn. However if she were to be honest, as much as if it was a horror, it was just as depressing. She had guilt, but it felt nothing more than an empty emotion. Guilt, it had long shrunk to being just a mere emotion that came and went but changed nothing. What could it even bring back? She was way too aware of her existence and the horrors of it that it did not surprise her any longer. However it still did not mean she did not know how to acknowledge them. “I am nowhere in a place to ask something from you. But if you can, please forgive me..”

  Wanshu did not reply but her hands had stilled and her eyes narrowed in response. However it was all for just a split moment. Her hands were then pushing the lid of the coffin open. As if she had never heard what Nian Yue had said. “Cut the ridiculous talk and take what you need.”

  Nian Yue smiled with resignation and awkwardness. Right. It was really not the time for such a talk. She crouched down beside Wanshu. Her eyes landed on the now exposed insides of the coffin. There was a skeleton of a child merely seven or eight years old, as Xiaoyu had appeared.

  “At the time of Xiaoyu’s death.. we did not possess much. But whatever Xiaoyu loved, is here.. I am certain one of these had imprinted on him,” Wanshu said.

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  Nian Yue hummed. “May I touch them?” she asked as respectfully as she could. When Wanshu nodded, Nian Yue reached a hand forward, tracing each object with care. Besides the skeleton there were wet calligraphy papers stuck together and a few broken brushes, a few wooden toys and a cloth doll. Nian Yue’s eyes calmly closed shut. She focused her energy at the tip of her fingers brushing against the items inside the coffin, as if trying to read their soul. Suddenly her fingers flinched when they brushed against the cloth doll. Her eyes squeezed into themselves with unease and a shiver ran down her body before her eyes fluttered open. “This one.”

  Wanshu smiled with the smallest twitch of her lips and picked up the cloth doll, giving its head a gentle caress. “Gift from his savior.” She then handed it to Nian Yue. Her eyes were just like Xiaoyu’s when they were hopeful. “Here it is.”

  Nian Yue nodded and straightened her legs. Towering over the coffin, Nian Yue glanced down at the skeleton. Her eyes were weary with a hint of disappointment. “You should give him a proper burial. Take Xiaoyu's remains and give him a grave to be remembered and for the peaceful resting of his po. Besides, without a proper burial he can't cross the circle.”

  Wanshu nodded. “I will. In fact, right down. It won't take much time.”

  Nain nodded back and pursed her lips. She turned to leave but something kept her held in her place. Unable to let it go, she turned to Wanshu and asked anyway. “Do you not want to meet him for the last time?”

  “Soon. But not in this life.” Wanshu was already preparing to leave, carefully wrapping the remains of Xiaoyu in the coat she had brought with herself.

  Nian Yue understood and did not muddle in anymore; rather with a hardened gaze she turned around. Her palms drew in spiritual strength as they lit up in silver light. Now It was her turn to fulfill her part of duty.

  ~~~

  Xiaoyu stuck to his little corner in his cell—from when he was taken there, until now. It was peaceful or rather silent. People here didn't talk much which was a good thing for Xiaoyu. Except for the occasional intervention of random people coming in his cell to make him spill whatever he knew. None of them were quite successful. Some would even lace out but hopefully none dare hurt him. They would leave when he would start crying.

  Xiaoyu was scared. He would choose the silence and loneliness over contorted faced celestials with forced sweet talk, trying to convince him to speak up.

  A session had ended a few minutes ago therefore there won't be any for the next few hours. Xiaoyu let out a sign of relief at the thought and tucked himself in the corner, curling into himself to provide some warmth. In the meantime he also thought of taking a nap just to kill time. But before those eyes could even flutter half close they were forced to snap wide open when a sudden circle formed upon the wall next to him. Nian Yue effortlessly slipped out of the circle glowing with silver light. Xiaoyu was so surprised his eyes would have popped out.

  “Jie–”

  “Shhh.” Nian Yue hurried towards Xiaoyu and grasped the chains tied to Xiaoyu's ankle. With the flickering glow of Nian Yue’s hands the chains and cuffs snapped open. As soon as that happened Nian Yue felt the account of her spiritual energy empty at a rapid speed. But ah anyways.

  “Up, up. Let's go.” Nian Yue helped Xiaoyu get up and led him towards the transportation circle she had formed upon the wall. As they passed through the rim, the circle closed shut. Everything happened so suddenly, all it was left behind was uneasy silence, as if they had disappeared into thin air.

  Stepping out of the magical circle Xiaoyu found himself between the safety of thick trees, earthy ground and open sky. They had returned back to the forest where Xiaoyu belonged. Finding himself out of that cage, Xiaoyu was almost emotional.

  “Xiaoyu.” Nian Yue called out and turned to Xiaoyu, handing him the cloth doll she was preserving. “This is your essence vessel,” she said gently.

  Xiaoyu took hold of the doll. When his glittery gaze landed on the familiar object, memories of a shimmering, free past flooded his mind. He did not know if it was the effect of his soul connecting with his essence vessel or just him reliving the forgotten moments.

  Nian Yue smiled and then crouched down to Xiaoyu’s height. “Now I want you to answer a few of my questions. Okay?”

  Even if displeased, Xiaoyu averted his gaze from the doll in order to look at Nian Yue. He did not understand why again when they already had plenty of talk in that cell. Was there still something left? He made a face but nodded anyway. “Yes..?”

  Nian Yue grinned awkwardly. The faces these two siblings made were truly identical in one way or another. “Don't worry. I'm not going to ask you anything you don't want to tell.” She then cleared her throat and began seriously. “You have lingered for a century now, haven't you?”

  Hearing the type of question, Xiaoyu relaxed a bit and with curious eyes, nodded. “Yes.”

  “Then, did you ever get to the step or desire to convert your spiritual soul?” Nian Yue asked.

  “What is that..?” Xiaoyu counter asked, confused.

  Nian Yue blinked, at first with surprise but then relaxed and let out an airy chuckle. “En. You are good to go. We can now work on your po attachment.”

  Xiaoyu was curious at that point. He lowered his head to glance at the cloth doll in his arms and then showed it to Nian Yue. “You mean my essence vessel?”

  Nian Yue shook her head. “That is not your essence vessel, surprisingly. You are still in charge of your Hun. It's simply your po attachment keeping your Hun bound to it.”

  “But– You called it an Essence vessel,” Xiaoyu asked.

  “Mhm, because it was easier for you to understand, wasn't it?” Nian Yue merely shrugged and stood to her feet. “Now let's go.” Nian Yue summoned her silver communication core over her palm and asked it to lead the way.

  Xiaoyu’s lips curled into a pout. But he obediently trailed behind Nian Yue as she started to follow the lead of the core pulsing faintly in her palm. He still had questions in his head, but was too shy or too scared to ask them out loud. And then he remembered the words of his Jie Jie, If you think something is now or never, you better take that opportunity before it becomes a never.

  Clutching the doll tightly in his arms, Xiaoyu raised his head to look up at Nian Yue and asked finally, “What is the difference between an essence vessel and Po attachment?”

  Nian Yue sighed in amusement. “You’re a curious kid, aren't you.”

  Xiaoyu shook his head. “It's now or never.. Besides I don't think a century old soul like me is a kid,” he said proudly.

  Nian Yue laughed. “Okay, you win. Hm.. when a soul, like you, who has unfinished business decides to remain in this world—by choice or by force, they form an attachment to a vessel which keeps their spiritual soul and corporeal soul tied together. These are called the twin souls—Hun and po. And that's your Po attachment.”

  “I know about the three Hun and seven Po.” Xiaoyu Said.

  Nian Yue blinked, surprised. “You do? That's amazing. You must be a scholar.”

  “Jie, tell me about the essence vessel.” Xiaoyu insisted, his pout deepening.

  “Eager, eager.” Nian Yue shook her head. “An essence vessel is..” All of a sudden she took a pause. “...A ghost’s last lifeline..”

  “...They had given up on their spiritual soul and on heaven. When that happens their Po becomes the most potent energy in their soul which soon consumes their hun. To bind the final energy together, they use an object which becomes the essence vessel…” As if suddenly snapped out of a daydream, Nian Yue looked away. “These are often high level demons. Very rare anyway.” Nian Yue glanced down and saw the core on her palm shining brightly. “Well that's all Xiaoyu, we're close.”

  “I feel like jie has told me the kid's definition of the essence vessel.” Xiaoyu deadpanned. And then suddenly he fell silent. A grave had come into his view.

  Xiaoyu’s eyes were wide with disbelief, the pupils trembling. The grave was new. Fruits, incense and paper money left behind. However the reason for Xiaoyu’s reaction was none of this, it was the mere fact that the tomb had his name. Xiaoyu. The incense, fruits, and paper money were left there for him.

  “This is where your memories will rest. Forever between your loved ones,” Nian Yue said softly. “Your sister loves you so much.”

  Xiaoyu’s lips were quivering. His hesitant steps approached his own grave. He looked closer at the tomb and at the offerings, as if inspecting it like a good old ancestor yet admiring it like an innocent child who had gotten something new for him. When he turned around, his eyes were brimming with tears. “Jie–” He choked but didn't give up. “Jie Jie did this.. for.. for me?”

  Nian Yue nodded. And so Xiaoyu continued. “Did.. did she know about this..? Then why didn't she come to see me?”

  “Soon.” Nian Yue repeated the word like a message. “She will soon join you. In a better life, where no one will ever separate you two from each other.”

  “...She promised?” Xiaoyu asked innocently.

  “Mhm. And for that, you have to start that new life first,” Nian Yue reminded the child.

  With another glance at his neatly arranged grave, Xiaoyu wiped the tears off his cheeks and stood up. “What do I have to do to go??” He asked, determined.

  Nian Yue nodded and replied at once. “To step into a new life, you have to let go of every attachment that binds your spiritual soul to this world. Let yourself be free.”

  Xiaoyu lowered his head and mumbled. “Hua Jie and Jie Jie were my only reasons but none of them binds me anymore. It is not enough?”

  Nian Yue shook her head and with a fragile gaze she pointed at the doll in Xiaoyu’s hands. “Let that go.”

  Xiaoyu followed the trail of Nian Yue’s finger point until it landed on the cloth doll still in his arms. He felt his breath stuck in his throat as he desperately tried to defend the object, clutching it close to his chest. “But.. but it's just a toy. It's..”

  “Memories of your pleasant past. Hopes and wishes wrapped in one object as little as a mere doll.” Nian Yue continued for Xiaoyu. “Xiaoyu.. they are no longer there. But a future full of those does awaits for you. So let it go..”

  ___ ___ ___

  Details

  [魂 (hún) — “Soul/The Ethereal Soul, Yang energy”]

  [魄 (Pò) — “Soul/The Corporeal Soul, Yin energy”]

  To be continued:-

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