Her snow hair was carefully brushed and braided into a long loose tail splayed out luxuriously along a brightly lit room on a bed. She wore plain white robes making her appear like a ghost with the lack of color to both her hair and creamy white skin. But the person brushing her hair strand by strand did not mind her appearance at all, even smiling to herself softly as they conversed. Feng Mei Xing didn't spare any effort as she assisted Chao Bai in maintaining her long hair patiently untangling even the tiniest of knots to apply a fragrant oil. "The shopkeeper said that this bottle of herbal oil is popular among the capital girls for its lack of strong fragrance, unlike the others that itch their delicate noses. Since you are sensitive to such things as well, I bought a bottle for you to try out today. Do you like it, Xiao Bai?"
Having a lot on her mind, Chao Bai only curtly nodded in reply, but Feng Mei Xing was generous as she knew the young woman was more troubled than others. The fact that she had accepted Feng Mei Xing to do as she wished to her hair or dress her as she pleased whenever she asked despite being a cold person was telling enough. Chao Bai was a gentle girl in her eyes who did not express herself well, so naturally Feng Mei Xing treated her even better. Feng Mei Xing didn't need to look to know that Chao Bai was still internally fuming and upset from this morning.
She clicks her tongue slightly, as she didn't expect that Sir Wang's disciple could be such a bold and ignorant thing. He seemed gentlemanly enough on the outside, even she had been fooled. "I also brought you some new fabrics on my outing today, though not as expensive as the hair oil the colors bring out the color of your skin without making you appear ill. I remember you said you did not like bright colors, however, I do think a soft blue would look rather good on you still. Shuchang even personally commented that I did not pick enough and had me buy a few more pieces." The gentlewoman chuckled lightly recalling his words out loud for Chao Bai to hear. "-"Chao Bai's aunt is an ostentatious person, buy her a few more or else she will think we are mistreating her niece." I told him there was no possible way Lady Xie would think such a thing however he refused to listen."
Chao Bai's pursed lips finally loosened the slightest bit however Feng Mei Xing did not acknowledge it openly continuing to tell her about her day gradually and humorously. It was only after the woman was halfway through her hair did Chao Bai asked so faintly Feng Mei Xing thought it was a figment of her imagination. "Madam, do you also believe that accepting his proposal would be the best for us?" She was a hint baffled until the heartbrokenness settled in after hearing Chao Bai's question the older woman naturally looked up worriedly. "Chao Bai you do not need to worry about anything but yourself, such a ridiculous request no one expects you to accept it. Jiang Tengyi may be the best answer now, but there are always other options. You are already doing so much for us, how can we ask you to endure such a humiliation? It would be a dishonorable act to force such a thing on you who counts as our benefactor."
She had always disapproved of the burden Lady Xie and her younger brother placed on such a young woman. It was only when Chao Bai told her it was her idea did she reluctantly accepted her decision as with or without them the young woman made it clear she would commit the deed. They had no power over such a stubborn and righteous girl who was merely entrusted to their care because of her special condition. Lady Xie must have brought her to them on purpose knowing her plan. Although it broke her heart to see someone so young being forced into their war no doubt it would bring them the most benefit to help her.
Currently, it was already hard to hide the strange fluctuations in the young woman's spiritual sea from others as time passed. Jiang Tengyi's elusive yet imposing aura masked her the best out of all the juniors, hiding her unique scent from beasts and humans alike. With so many battles breaking out on the borders they couldn't spare as many cultivators around her courtyard anymore. Delaying Jiang Tengyi who was the future of their sect was also impossible, for who knew when would be the next time they could freely enter the outside world before bloodshed took place. Tempering the young man took precedence. Sending him with Ling Da Chuanli the disciple of Sir Wang was also for Jiang Tengyi's sake.
But who knew Ling Da Chuanli would be the opposite of rumors? Even proposing to Chao Bai as a condition for agreeing to her tagging along. Feng Mei Xing would have expelled the young man herself if she had been present. It was only through Feng Shuchang's comfort that she did not have him driven back from whilst he came for daring to harass the delicate Chao Bai. "Your senior brother did well to lead him out of the sect into town for awhile to avoid our scorn. If any of the elders dare to agree to the engagement watch how I punish them." Though she couldn't criticize him out loud Feng Mei Xing still spoke with disapproval when mentioning him.
Chao Bai quietly listened to Feng Mei Xing mutter to herself unhappily before replying a tad softer "I see." Knowing that Chao Bai was less tense Feng Mei Xing went back to combing her hair with a sigh of relief. "Really, when Muyang was young he-" Chao Bai felt the woman holding her hair freeze up and abruptly cut herself off before falling into a heavy and strange silence. She could hear the woman choke faintly, feel the ends of her hair being tugged just the slightest bit accidentally. Feng Mei Xing's eyes fill with tears as the flood of memories of Yang Muyang and herself overwhelm her once more. She took a deep shuttering breath trying to calm down before she gave an unnaturally bright laugh.
"Haha! Sorry Xiao Bai I didn't mean to make things awkward, don't worry I'm fine it just slipped out for a moment." Her grin the blindfolded girl could not see straining as she lowered her head to try and focus on her current task once more. How could Chao Bai not hear her pinched voice? The deep intake of cold air to prevent water from overheating due to her souring nose and heated eye ducts? Chao Bai had heard of it before, the murmured tale of Yang Muyang's demise which was a banned topic in the sect. Feeling a hint complicated knowing someone was crying behind her Chao Bai didn't how to react for a moment. Although she shouldn't care, Feng Mei Xing had never done her wrong and always treated her kindly despite not knowing who she was.
It made her uncomfortable to stay silent, but even thinking so what could she do? As a snake how could she know how a human was feeling and comfort them? "...Madam, look at my hand." Confused, the woman looked over as the hand extended from the young woman's sides and was stunned to see a crystal as clear as glass but shimmering as beautifully as an opal. The colors seemed to swirl into a milky mist towards the center, it was memorizing to look at. Chao Bai awkwardly holds her scale up for the woman to see, then, silently inserts a part of her spiritual essence into the scale making an exclamation of surprise escape Feng Mei Xing. Although she held the blood of a doomed heavenly being, she was still a heavenly being.
For spiritual beasts like them who were born heartless, it was a useless skill besides tempting and taunting humans for a little fun. But for Feng Mei Xing, perhaps, "I'm still unskilled in spells, but this much I can still muster. May your sorrows lessen." Her voice held traces of uncertainty as after the gasp Mei Xing had fallen silent not verballing expressing any other reaction other than the initial one. Holding her scale in her palm, Chao Bai hesitantly turns back slightly "Madam?" She tried not to stiffen when Feng Mei Xing embraced her sobbing softly into her shoulder. But from her spiritual sea, Chao Bai could tell it was an amalgamation of sorrow and happiness.
"Thank you, Xiao Bai." Uncomfortable but not having the heart to push the emotional woman away Chao Bai could only awkwardly wait for Feng Mei Xing herself to let go. And she did after a few moments, carefully reaching out for the gift that took her breath away eliciting another choked sob from her chest. She caresses the crystal that at first a milky white, now carries one of her most fondest memories of her beloved Yang Muyang. So vivid, so alive, the way his square brows narrowed with his smile, the way his stern features softened when looking at her so gently, the way he smiled at her. How he looked down at her with so much love, being able to see it again tore her broken heart into millions of pieces yet patched up the hole in her chest she had felt since his death.
"Muyang..." Sobbing like a child Feng Mei Xing hugged the crystal tightly curling up into her knees without a care towards her image. Chao Bai wavered before ultimately gently laying her palm on the woman's shaking shoulder not knowing that her actions only made the fragile woman cry even harder. Her buried memories subconsciously melded with the curled-up Feng Mei Xing creating turbulence in her heart faintly. In a daze, Chao Bai recalled how Hui had died before her very eyes. How did she react again? Did she cry too? Did she wail like Feng Mei Xing did? Her Hui who was her sun and called her his moon did she also look like this when mourning him?
"If I wasn't so useless-If I had been stronger, better, smarter-...Muyang-Muyang-" Chao Bai's eyelashes stutter hearing her laments and self-degradation as her words seemed so in tune with her own. Instinctively, she knew that no matter what she said Feng Mei Xing wouldn't be able to hear her so she kept her silence. Acting as a companion to the woman who after so many years was still mourning her loss, much like Chao Bai herself. Perhaps in this moment, no one would understand Feng Mei Xing's sorrow more than her. Her? Sharing similarities with a human? Maybe back then she would have scoffed and disdained the thought.
But as she fell deeper and deeper into the world of nothing but ice and a spiritual sea that threatened to devour her spelling out her impending doom in bright bold letters. Chao Bai could not find it in herself to disdain Feng Mei Xing's sadness. Swallowing her Hui's scale and blood which her body rejected with all it's might every night the moon was at it's fullest. She wanted to carry him with her till the very end, till she saw her previous lord's head fall from his body and he was burnt to a crisp with her very own eyes. She would endure this all if it meant Hui could get his revenge and that beast was dead, even if it wasn't by her own hands.
Yes, Chao Bai why do you hesitate now? Are you afraid of being discovered? Emotional and childish, Wang Lan Biyu died so many years ago. For Hui's sake, you mustn't waver. "Madam, Chao Bai believes that sincerity can only be met with sincerity. So, for the sake of earning the sect master and the Azure sect's trust, Chao Bai is willing to undergo hardship if it will lessen future problems." Not knowing or caring much for Feng Mei Xing's reaction after she said this, Chao Bai lowers her head speaking confidently. "Although a mere guest, Chao Bai will undergo the trial as all before her." As dull as she is, this was a opportunity that was given to her to push doubts to the side. She could not say with confidence it was not predetermined by fate or by the dictation and prediction of another. However, it was true that her status was still ambiguous.