"Err...."
It was Yue Chen's second day since crossing over to the blood world yet his eyes had become dull with despair. He had spent an entire day wandering aimlessly. It wasn't that he had a poor sense of direction, he didn't know where he was headed at all!
"Hey little brother I couldn't help but notice you seemed to be lost how about I show you around!" a boisterous voice called out to Yue Chen from a distance.
Meeting the gaze of the stranger Yue Chen nodded in confusion. It was a youth dressed in a monk attire with a huge grin on his face. A single glance was enough for Yue Chen to instantly question his attire.
"Where are you headed? I'll lead you there!" the monk attired man shook and titled forward in a tipsy manner, breathing down at Yue Chen's face.
"..... I'll pass" Yue Chen immediately declined.
It wasn't that he didn't want help but the monk next to Yue Chen reeked...of alcohol. Turning away Yue Chen was about to continue walking when the monk grabbed him by the shoulder.
Instinctively Yue Chen leaned forward to dodge the monk's grasp. Thinking he was now out of reach Yue Chen relaxed when suddenly a palm landed on his shoulder.
"Little brother I may be a little ...hicc... I can still lead the way...hicc...come on" the monk grinned widely, revealing two rows of white teeth.
"..." Yue Chen soon recovered from his shock and released a shallow sigh then replied " No need"
"Awww you're no fun, c'mon.....hicc" the drunken monk bobbed backwards then forward in a ditzy manner and turned away and finally decided to leave.
Yue Chen frowned as he glanced in the direction of the departing monk, thinking there was something strange about this monk. "Aren't monks supposed to be bald?"
*****
In a certain cell a mutilated figure with an appearance of death itself hissed from the pain of having his hands that had been severed up to his wrists tied together behind him.
"Disobedience to the emperor, negligence is an insult and is a sin of its own that you have committed. Was your filial obligation worth it?" Gou Peng Li stood outside his son's cell with a cold look of disappointment on his face. Two years ago this stupid son of his went against the emperor's wishes, sparing the life of a cursed child and incurring the wrath of the emperor, this was none other than Gou Peng Ran.
"I .....haven't.....grown....so" Gou Peng Ran mumbled under his breath faintly.
Looking at his sorry excuse of a son Gou Peng Li shook his head in silence. Though Gou Peng Ran's words had become incoherent it was obvious what he was about to say. "Prostrate before the emperor when the Berdim's Benediction begins, that will be your only chance at redemption"
****
In the Blood World
"...." Yue Chen had no idea where he was supposed to be at the moment, it was almost as if his actions were all made on a whim and now he had to clarify with himself.
While Yue Chen was contemplating a silver light flashed before his face causing his eyes to widen in surprise. Yue Chen twisted in a fluid motion in an attempt to grab the figure. However what greeted him was nothing but air.
"Did I imagine.....no i felt that person's presence, that intrinsic qi was real" Yue Chen continued to scan his surroundings until a similar silver light entered the corner of his vision. Without hesitation Yue Chen gave chase. The streets weren't particularly busy yet locating the silver silhouette proved an arduous task for Yue Chen.
"!" Yue Chen reached out and pulled the foreign figure into his embrace. "I never thought I'd find you here of all places, though its a bit blurry I remembered, the promise we made"
"Uh- ah..uh....um" fidgeting in Yue Chen's embrace was a fair girl with ink black hair that had been tied into a bun.
"I....I'm sorry but I don't remember meeting you!" Qiyuan Xia freed herself from Yue Chen's grasp and retreated until she was out of arm's reach. It was obvious she didn't want Yue Chen grabbing her again...
"Its okay, I expected this to happen" a surprised expression surfaced on Yue Chen's face followed by a pained smile "I was just a bit hopeful is all"
"A-ah I was told my memories had to be sealed so I forgot a lot of things. I'm sorry" Qiyuan Xia could see behind Yue Chen's smile was a profound pain and hurt and subconsciously she began to tear up.
"Even now you still cry over the smallest things" Yue Chen reached out to Qiyuan Xia to wipe her tears but this time she reject his touch.
"I don't know...I don't know why but seeing you in pain hurts" Qiyuan Xia held her chest with streams of tears trickling down her cheeks. Even though she didn't remember him there was an unusual sense of familiarity between them.
Yue Chen touched his nose and made a silly laugh. He knew who the other party was but she didn't seem to remember him. Turns out he wasn't as mentally prepared as he thought.
"It was silly of me to pounce on you like that, you reminded me of someone who I cared for dearly, let me introduce myself" Yue Chen took a step back and made a palm fist salute "I'm Yue Chen-"
"Begone you Yue family scum!" before Yue Chen could finish an unfamiliar voice boomed in his ears and a bald elderly man landed next to Qiyuan Xia .
"Grandpa!" Qiyuan Xia shouted in surprise. She didn't know what had made her grandfather leave closed door cultivation.
"His intrinsic qi reeks of the Yue family and anything affiliated with those trash will also become trash" Qiyuan ShiDe spat at Yue Chen in disgust.
"Aren't you being too presumptuous now old man?" Yue Chen who had already become slightly upset was easily aggravated by the elderly man and immediately retorted "come over here and I'll shave that beard of yours, maybe then you'll have enough for that bald head.
"Bald? you dare call this elder bald? I dare you to call me bald again you brat!" Qiyuan ShiDe puffed while his vein bulged from anger. The only thing that was stopping him from clobbering Yue Chen was that he didn't know which young master of the Yue family Yue Chen was. "stay away from my granddaughter Yue family bastard or I'll rip the tendons from your feet and stuff them in your throat!"
"It seems you've forgotten who the tiger is on the mountain, Qiyuan ShiDe" another voice entered Yue Chen's ears and a man that seemed a little older than Yue ManTian appeared next to Qiyuan ShiDe out of thin air and placed his hand on his shoulder.
"Yue Feng!" Qiyuan ShiDe shrugged off the hand on his shoulder and scoffed "tiger on the mountain? of course I am aware of who the tiger is and it certainly isn't you!"
"You live up to the name Venomous Tongue ShiDe, alas your achievements only amount to this much, wordplay. The only thing with true value is a man's usefulness with a sword" Yue Feng berated with a smirk as he finished he turned to Yue Chen "someone informed me we should be expecting a missing child of the Yue bloodline, that is you I presume?"
"Hmph! with your father in closed door cultivation your Yue family doesn't stand a chance against my Qiyuan family!"Qiyuan ShiDe shook in rage and turned away with Qiyuan Xia. The Yue family had a habit of infuriating him today and he refused let them get the better of him.
Ignoring Qiyuan ShiDe's departure Yue Feng began to inform Yue Chen on important information regarding the situation in the blood world.
"You'll understand everything once you get to the Yue family household" Yue Feng chuckled and began to lead the way.