The next morning.
Ming Yue woke up drenched in cold sweat and with a throbbing headache. She felt completely exhausted as if she hadn't slept for days.
'What's going on?' She wondered and touched her forehead but couldn't feel any fever. 'Did I have a nightmare?' She tried to remember what she dreamt about last night but all she could remember was some random flashes of a figure performing martial arts, however it was so blurry she wasn't sure. Was she fighting someone in her sleep?
She washed her face in some cool water and it relieved some her fatigue. She then got dressed and did her little morning routine and went out to have breakfast.
She was happy when she saw Jun Xi sitting under the octagonal pavilion drinking some tea. She walked over in her fatigued state and crashed on the stool.
Jun Xi looked up and saw her pale face and fatigued appearance. He furrowed his brows and leaned over and put the back of his hand against her forehead and then checked her pulse. However, he couldn't sense anything wrong with her. Thus he asked, "Are you not feeling well?"
Ming Yue shook her head. "I'm fine. I just didn't sleep well last night." Ming Yue picked up a bun and began to eat it slowly.
"Then go back to sleep after breakfast. Right, I will be leaving the sect after breakfast and will not return in a few days, so you will have to take care of yourself." Jun Xi said.
Ming Yue was stunned. "You're going away? Where are you going? Can I come with you?"
"No, it will be too dangerous to bring you along. I can't guarantee that I will be able to protect you while finishing my mission." Jun Xi said.
"Dangerous?" Ming Yue's brows creased and she unconsciously squeezed the bun in her hand a little tighter.
"I'll be fine. You don't have to worry." Jun Xi stood up and patted her head. "Alright, I will be leaving now. Take care of yourself."
"W-What? Now? Didn't you say..." But before she could finish the sentence, Jun Xi had already disappeared in a stream of light as he flew off on his flying sword. Ming You frowned and kicked the dirt. "Didn't you say you would leave after breakfast? I haven't finished yet!"
Ming Yue walked back and sat down on the stool again with a loud thump. "Fine. I won't worry about you then!" She grabbed another bun and ferociously bit into it.
After breakfast she went back to her bedroom and flopped into her bed and soon fell asleep again.
And once again her dreams were bombarded with flashes of a figure who appeared and disappeared in the darkness as he or she produced various martial arts moves. Then for a moment she thought she saw the glimmer of a sword flash by.
She woke up with a start. She groaned loudly as she felt even more exhausted this time. 'What's going on?' She rubbed her hair in frustration. Then she smelled something sweet, like grass and flowers and little water. She looked around and was shocked.
She was no longer lying in her bed in her bedroom but was lying in the grass of a beautiful green meadow.
Dark cliffs surrounded the green meadow where several beautiful wild flowers of various colors grew. A few handful of trees provided some shade from the sun's scorching rays and a small pool of crystal clear blue water and a small waterfall cooled the air. It truly looked like a small secluded eden. The only thing missing was a few cute furry animals and she'd never want to leave this place again.
'Did I sleepwalk?' She scratched the side of her head as she looked around, trying to remember if she could recognize her surroundings. But the dark cliff walls prevented her from seeing anything else but this meadow. And she had definitely never been here before.
Ming Yue walked over to the pond and washed her face and drank some of the water and felt slightly better.
While the place was really beautiful and she wouldn't mind staying here for a while, she was a bit concerned about her sudden sleepwalking and not knowing were she was. So she decided to find her way out and come back at a later date and perhaps bring along Yao Yao and Chen Mei.
She walked along the dark cliff walls and found an opening and went out only to discover a path surrounded by more cliff walls. She had a foreboding feeling as she continue along the path and once she reached the first intersection she immediately got a bad feeling. 'Don't tell me this is a labyrinth?'
She continued walking for another half an hour and still hadn't found the exit. "Argh!" She wanted to pull out her hair out of frustration. If she only had learned how to fly with a flying sword she could've just flown out of here. And that's what she decided, if she ever made it out of here she would have Yao Yao to teach her, despite her fear of heights.
She continued walking for another hour before she stopped to rest and drink some water, luckily she had some water bags in her ring. The sun was scorching and the sweat was basically pouring off of her. The dark cliffs around her seemed to absorb all the sun's heat and increased the temperature by a two-fold.
She poured some water over her head and then she continued walking and walking and walking. Two hours or so passed by and she finally gave up and collapsed in a puddle on the ground.
She regretted leaving that cool meadow and she regretted it even more that she didn't leave any marks so that she could find her way back. She was so stupid, even though she suspected it was a labyrinth early, she assumed it was just one of those labyrinths that were for decoration or for fun. Never in her world did she think it was a labyrinth made for killing people!
"Stupid Jun Xi! Look what happens when you leave me alone!" She sniffled and tried to contain her tears.