In the Emerald City, the sky was painted with hues of emerald green, and the steeples of grand temples reached toward the heavens as though they were trying to touch the Gods themselves. The sound of bells ringing through the city was a constant reminder of the people's devotion to their deities, and the tributes of gold offered to them were a symbol of their reverence.
The city was a place of stark contrast, where the rich lived in lavish palaces and enjoyed the finest of things, while the poor struggled to survive in the darkness, barely able to put food on the table. The youth of the city were encouraged to join the army and wage war against other nations so that they could pay tribute to the Gods who were just cultivators belonging to the black lotus cult whose powers were interpreted as being Divine by mortal eyes.
In this world of sacrifice, Xie Dongyi was born into poverty, living in a run-down house infested with vermin. The innermost room on the second floor was where he lived, and opening the door to it was the hardest thing for him to do. From infancy, Xie Dongyi was surrounded by the scent of death, with illness leaving nothing but skin and bones. His mother screamed at him, demanding that he rub the pain away from her back, which was decorated by the sight of her ribs and spine standing out as if they were carved there.
"Where did you wander off to? You left me all alone, didn't you?" His mother's voice was sharp and full of anger. "My back hurts, rub the pain away!"
"I have your food, mother," Xie Dongyi replied softly, his voice barely above a whisper.
Xie Dongyi often felt as though his mother was some sort of unknown monster, her sickness twisting her into a creature he barely recognized. Her words were always the same, demanding that he be proud of his noble blood and never debase himself by arguing with those beneath him. Xie Dongyi knew that his mother had once worked as a maid in a nobleman's house and that he was the result of a fling with the master of the house.
"Remember to keep this against your flesh. This is the proof of who you are." His mother's voice was weak now, but still full of urgency. She pointed at the necklace that Xie Dongyi wore, which contained a picture of her in her youth with a man.
Xie Dongyi clung to the necklace, his only connection to the father he had never known.
He knew that his mother was clinging to her precious memories, never realizing the weight she was placing on his small shoulders. He had to fight every day just to put food on the table, and he knew that he was far from being the flawless nobleman his mother dreamed of ripped apart in the morning as he would fight amongst beggars for the food thrown in the garbage.
Xie Dongyi lay in the cold snow, his breath coming out in ragged gasps. The winter winds whipped around him, biting into his skin, and freezing his blood. He could feel the icy chill seeping into his bones, making him shiver uncontrollably. But he knew he had to get up. He couldn't just lay there, he had to fight to survive.
He struggled to his feet, his body aching from the cold and the exertion. He looked around him, but all he could see was snow and darkness. He was alone in this desolate wasteland, with no one to help him. He knew he had to keep moving, to find shelter before he froze to death.
He stumbled forward, his feet sinking into the deep snow with each step. He could barely see anything, the darkness surrounding him like a shroud. His mind was foggy, his thoughts jumbled and confused. He didn't know how long he'd been wandering in the snow, but it felt like an eternity.
Finally, he saw a glimmer of light in the distance. He stumbled towards it, his heart pounding in his chest. As he got closer, he saw that it was a carriage, parked by the side of the road. He felt a surge of hope, but it quickly faded when he saw the young girl standing in front of it.
She was dressed in fine clothes, with a fur-lined coat that shimmered in the dim light. She had a haughty expression on her face, and she was surrounded by a group of servants who looked just as disdainful. Xie Dongyi knew immediately that she was a noble.
He tried to back away, to disappear into the darkness, but it was too late. The girl had spotted him, and she was marching toward him with a look of disgust on her face.
"Insolent dog!" she screamed, her voice echoing in the cold air. She stepped on Xie Dongyi's head, grinding her heel into his skull.
He cried out in pain, but she didn't seem to care. Her servants rushed to her side, asking what was wrong.
"Miss Chun Jiao, what's the matter? We will be late to the communion."
"Huh, why is a child buried in the snow?" Chun Jiao huffed, looking down at Xie Dongyi with contempt. "Load him onto the cart. We'll take him home with us."
Xie Dongyi couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had expected to be beaten or killed, not rescued by a noble. He lay there, dazed and confused, as the servants lifted him onto the cart and wrapped him in blankets.
Chun Jiao climbed onto the cart with him, her fur coat rustling as she settled in beside him. She looked at him with a mixture of curiosity and disgust, as if he were some sort of exotic animal.
"I rescued you, and now you belong to me," she said, her voice cold and commanding.
.....
" You got a job at a noble's mansion. What was the master's name ?" Xie Dongyi's mother would ask as Xie Dongyi was relieved at the fact that he was finally free from this monster who he called a mother.
" I was too flustered to ask. I will be working with them from tomorrow and I will live with them but my wage will be enough to get you a caretaker."
In response to my words, the woman who I perceived as the one who put me in this hell said one thing.
" This is a chance to reenter aristocratic society, work hard and well."
Xie Dongyi stepped out of the rundown house that had been his home for years. It was a small and cramped place, with tattered walls and a leaky roof. He had grown used to the smell of mildew and the sound of rats scurrying across the floor.
As I left the rundown house I called home, my heart was filled with a sinner's guilt.
Soon my life changed as I was a servant to the daughter of the family head of the most powerful noble family of the emerald city.
"Anything I say, you do," she said with a haughty tone. Xie Dongyi knew he had no choice but to accept. And so began his new life as Chun Jiao's servant.
The mansion was unlike anything Xie Dongyi had ever seen before. It was a sprawling complex of buildings, with towering columns and intricate carvings adorning every surface. The servants scurried about like ants, each with a specific task to perform. Chun Jiao was a demanding mistress, ordering Xie Dongyi to do absurd tasks like racing dogs and jumping off horses while riding them.
But the other servants whispered of Chun Jiao's true nature. She was a monster, they said, with a disposition so foul that even the strongest of wills had fled in terror. They spoke of how she had set a little girl on fire and how she reveled in the pain of others. Xie Dongyi felt a chill run down his spine.
As he tended to Chun Jiao's injuries, the other servants would gather around and tell him stories of her cruelty. "Be careful," they warned. "She's capable of anything."
But Xie Dongyi began to see Chun Jiao in a different light. He realized that she had grown up in a loveless home, with a father who was rarely present and a mother who was more interested in partying than raising her daughter. She was left to fend for herself, with only material possessions to keep her company.
In the mansion, Chun Jiao was left alone without any real responsibilities. Xie Dongyi couldn't help but think of his own rundown home, where he had grown up with his mother. In this giant mansion, Chun Jiao was like a caged bird, trapped in a maze of oppressive gloom.
Maybe her acts of cruelty were a child's desperate cry for attention, Xie Dongyi thought.
...
The storm had been brewing for hours, and by the time it hit, it was a raging monster of thunder and lightning that tore through the sky like an angry beast. Chun Jiao lay in her bed, feeling the weight of the storm pressing down on her chest. She looked over at Xie Dongyi, who was sitting by her side.
"You'll stay here, won't you?" she asked, her voice barely audible above the din of the storm.
"Of course," he replied, taking her hand in his.
As he spoke, a bolt of lightning lit up the sky outside, casting eerie shadows across the room. Chun Jiao shuddered, her eyes wide with fear.
"Please calm down, Miss," Xie Dongyi said soothingly, but before he could say more, a tree branch crashed through the window, sending glass flying in all directions.
Chun Jiao screamed and jumped out of bed, running for the door.
"Miss, where are you going?" Xie Dongyi called after her.
But she didn't answer. Instead, she ran out into the storm, her hair flying wild in the wind. Xie Dongyi followed after her, struggling to keep up as she led him deeper and deeper into the woods.
The rain was pouring down so hard that it was like a curtain of water, making it hard to see more than a few feet ahead. Chun Jiao was like a ghost in the storm, flitting in and out of view as she ran.
Xie Dongyi could hear the sound of her laughter over the sound of the storm, and it sent shivers down his spine. She sounded like she was possessed by some kind of wild spirit, and he didn't know what to do.
But he didn't leave her side, even as she danced round and round, as if trying to escape from something that only she could see. Eventually, she stopped at an old shrine that Xie Dongyi had never seen before.
The shrine was old and weather-beaten, with a faded roof and crumbling walls. Chun Jiao stood in front of it, her eyes fixed on the door.
"Look at this place," she said, her voice low and eerie. "This is my sacred altar. I burn away evil things here."
Xie Dongyi didn't know what to say. He had never seen Chun Jiao like this before, and it scared him.
Chun Jiao took a rabbit doll out of her pocket and held it up.
"Many years ago," Xie Dongyi heard her say, "I pestered my father into buying me this doll. Even as it grew old and ugly, I cherished it. But now, it has to go."
She threw the doll into the shrine and lit a match, watching as the flames consumed it. Xie Dongyi could hear the sound of the fire crackling as it burned, and he could smell the smoke rising into the sky.
In the storm, Chun Jiao stood still, watching as the doll burned. Xie Dongyi could see the fear in her eyes, and he knew that she was afraid of being left alone in the darkness, afraid of hurting others and driving them away.
He walked over to her and draped his coat over her shoulders. The snow was falling now, soft and white, and it covered everything in a blanket of silence.
As snow fell from the sky while we didn't have the power to melt it away but perhaps we each felt a slight warmth in the other.
Winter had come, and with it, a thick blanket of snow had covered the world outside. In the midst of this icy tundra lay a maze, its walls towering high above the ground, trapping within it two seedlings that writhed and snarled, yet still grew. Despite the harsh conditions, these two seedlings managed to survive, and one day, they began to bear strange fruits.
Meanwhile, within the grand halls of a nearby castle, the sounds of laughter and music echoed through the corridors as nobles and royals alike mingled and danced in their finest attire. Amongst them were Xie Dongyi and Chun Jiao, both dressed immaculately in clothes befitting their station.
As they made their way through the crowded halls, a nobleman approached Chun Jiao, his eyes fixed on the young girl.
"Miss Jiao, if you would be so kind as to accompany me through this dance, Miss?" he asked, his voice dripping with honeyed words.
Ignoring him, Chun Jiao turned to Xie Dongyi and said, "No thanks, Sir Dongyi, dance with me."
Gazing upon their dance, many nobles whispered to one another, their eyes fixed on the pair.
"It's hopeless," one said. "She is far too choosy."
"But we are here to get closer to her," another replied.
"Is she going to dance with that escort of hers all night?" a third asked.
"Who is that fellow anyway?" a fourth chimed in.
"Don't you know?" the first nobleman said. "While he has a noble's title, he used to be her little servant boy. He's just a commoner. Her father seems to be his guardian. Looks like the family knows what they are insinuating."
Hearing the other nobles talk, Chun Jiao couldn't take it anymore. She walked up to the nobleman and slapped him across his face.
"An insult to my companion is an insult to me. I demand a duel!"
The nobleman gritted his teeth as he drew his sword, his eyes fixed on Xie Dongyi.
...
"I guess this is a tie," he said, his sword touching Xie Dongyi's stomach. "And Miss Jiao, seeing his skills with a sword and a dagger, I presume that he must be your guard. I retract my offending words from before."
As the duel came to an end, Xie Dongyi flinched as Chun Jiao struck his back with a bullwhip.
"This wound was from last week," she said, her voice laced with a hint of amusement. "And this from the month before."
Clasping Xie Dongyi's hands, she added, "If you don't get stronger, then you'll end up like a rag doll. Hmm, the idea of you becoming a rag doll seems oddly compelling."
As she finished her words, Chun Jiao bit Xie Dongyi's hand, drawing blood.
"When did this start, I wonder?" Xie Dongyi thought to himself. "In some warped fashion, she has begun to view our relation more than that of a master and servant."
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
After years of absence, the master of the house came but with shocking news.
" Marriage ?" Chun Jiao exclaimed in shock.
" B, But it's so sudden."
" Jiao, I think this is best for you. I have heard of your tendency of making others forced into a duel against your servant but you are my only daughter and maybe I have neglected you a little but you are only 14 years old and you have to learn how to act like a lady."
" Fath..." Chun Jiao tried to speak but her father continued.
" Your groom is a celestial from the Black Lotus Cult, it is an honor for you to be wed to a God, don't you think so."
" Yes, father."
....
As Xie Dongyi walked through the forest on this particular day, he felt the gentle breeze brush against his face, and the leaves rustle underfoot. The sun was starting to set, casting long shadows over the trees and bathing everything in a warm, golden light.
But his walk was soon interrupted by an unexpected sight. Ahead of him stood Chun Jiao, completely naked. Xie Dongyi felt his heart skip a beat as he took in the sight of her lithe form, her skin glistening in the sun. Her hair was a tangled mess, and her eyes sparkled as she turned to look at him.
"Ch..." he began to say but was cut off as Chun Jiao suddenly hugged him. Her bare skin was warm against his, and he felt a surge of desire course through him.
"I won't leave here," she said, looking up at him with a blush on her face. "I wouldn't live anywhere but here unless..." She trailed off, looking at him with a mix of hope and uncertainty.
Xie Dongyi's heart raced as he considered her words. He had always felt a strong connection to Chun Jiao, but the idea of running away with her seemed like madness. Nevertheless, he couldn't deny the pull he felt toward her.
Before he could answer, however, the sound of rustling leaves drew his attention. He turned to see a child standing on a sword floating in the air. Xie Dongyi felt his blood run cold as he took in the child's wicked grin.
"Hmm, two for the price of one, I guess," the child said, before disappearing in a blur.
Xie Dongyi and Chun Jiao crashed onto the ground, the impact knocking the breath out of them. Xie Dongyi quickly got to his feet, drawing his sword as he searched for the child.
But as he turned around, he was met with the sight of the child's face, contorted with rage. Xie Dongyi swung his sword with all his might, but it shattered on impact with the child's face.
" If only I didn't have to meet a quota. I would have killed you." The exclaimed as Xie Dongyi felt a sudden, sharp pain in the back of his head, and then nothingness.
...
[ Black Lotus Cult - Demon Prison Cave ]
The prison was filled with other children, some older and stronger than Xie Dongyi and Chun Jiao. The food supply was limited, and as the days passed, it began to decrease rapidly. The children were hungry, and they started to fight for every scrap of food they could find.
Xie Dongyi always looked out for Chun Jiao. He knew how much she meant to him, and he would do anything to keep her safe. So, he would give her his portions of food while he ate moss and other plants he could find.
At first, Chun Jiao was grateful for Xie Dongyi's kindness. But as the food supply dwindled, she began to grow more and more desperate. She knew that they couldn't survive much longer without more food.
One day, as they huddled together in a corner of the prison, Chun Jiao turned to Xie Dongyi with a pleading look in her eyes. "We need more food, Xie Dongyi," she whispered. "We can't survive on what we have left."
Xie Dongyi nodded, understanding the urgency in her voice. He knew that they needed to find a way to get more food, but he had no idea how to do it.
Chun Jiao saw the hesitation in his eyes and decided to take matters into her own hands. "We can kill the others," she said softly, her eyes fixed on Xie Dongyi's. "We can take their food and survive."
Xie Dongyi's heart sank at the suggestion. He couldn't bear the thought of hurting another child, even if it meant saving their own life. But Chun Jiao continued to plead with him, using their love as a bargaining chip.
"We have to do this, Xie Dongyi," she said, her voice growing more urgent. "I can't survive without you. We need each other."
Xie Dongyi finally gave in to her demands, unable to resist her plea. He knew that he would do anything for Chun Jiao, even if it meant killing another child.
That night, while the other children slept, Xie Dongyi silently approached one of the prisoners and took his life. The act sent shockwaves through the prison, and soon, chaos erupted as everyone fought one another for survival.
Xie Dongyi stood protectively in front of Chun Jiao, ready to defend her with his life. He watched in horror as the other children turned on one another, their hunger driving them to madness.
Days turned into weeks, and the situation only grew worse. The food supply was almost gone, and the children had become savage beasts, fighting tooth and nail for every scrap of food they could find.
Xie Dongyi and Chun Jiao were the only ones left alive. They huddled together in a corner of the prison, their stomachs empty and their bodies weak which would soon change as they were saved by Xiao Fei.
....
The Days in the mansion became a routine for him as Xie Dongyi woke up to the sound of birds chirping and the warm sun shining on his face. He looked around his small room, which was adorned with simple furniture and a few books scattered on his desk. He got out of bed and stretched, ready to face the day. He dressed in his usual attire of a white shirt and black trousers and headed out to meet Chun Jiao.
As he walked through the bamboo forest, he couldn't help but feel happy. The sun was shining, the air was fresh, and he was going to spend the day with the person he loved the most. He saw Chun Jiao waiting for him by the river, her long hair flowing in the wind. She was wearing a simple white dress that complimented her beautiful figure.
They spent the day playing in the fields, laughing, and sharing everything. Life had never felt so beautiful for Xie Dongyi. He couldn't believe his luck that he had found such a wonderful person to spend his life with. He felt invincible.
But everything changed the day they found out the strength of their spiritual roots. Xie Dongyi found out that his spiritual roots were trash compared to Chun Jiao's. He didn't think it mattered, but Chun Jiao's attitude toward him began to change. She no longer laughed with him, nor did she want to associate with him.
Blinded by love, Xie Dongyi tried to prove himself to Chun Jiao, but she always shot him down. She began to distance herself from him, and he could feel their relationship slipping away. He didn't understand why this was happening. He thought their love was more than just their spiritual roots.
Then came the day when she told him that she no longer needed him, that he was trash, and that she was kicking him out of their group. Xie Dongyi was devastated, his heart shattered into a million pieces. He tried to reason with her, to make her see that their love was real, but Chun Jiao was cold and unfeeling, laughing at him as he begged for her to stay.
Xie Dongyi's depression left him as a target for everyone. He was an easy target for bullies, and they took every opportunity to mock and belittle him. He felt alone, lost, and worthless.
One day, he saw him, that red-haired bastard. He was just like Xie Dongyi, with weak spiritual roots, yet everyone feared him. Xie Dongyi couldn't understand why everyone was afraid of him when he was just like him.
In his anger, Xie Dongyi was taken advantage of by Ye Mo, who wanted revenge on that red-haired bastard. He didn't realize what he was getting himself into until it was too late. He had become a pawn in someone else's game.
If only he didn't let his anger and jealousy take a hold of him, he wouldn't be lying in this ditch, dying. He could hear the sound of his heartbeat, thumping slowly and weakly. He tried to get up, but his body wouldn't cooperate. He could feel the cold creeping up on him, and he knew that he was going to die.
Xie Dongyi closed his eyes, thinking of all the mistakes he had made in his life. He wished he could go back and make things right, but it was too late. He took one last breath, and his body went limp. The birds stopped chirping, and the wind stopped blowing. Everything was silent as Xie Dongyi was embraced by death as he muttered out.
"Please, someone, anyone .... help me .... I don't want to die."