*Demon realm*
Liang Feng
"A-ah my lord" Xiao Cheng screamed as I lifted him off the ground with a firm grip on his neck.
"You good for nothing. Why the heck did you kill her? She was our last hope" Xiao Cheng looked at me as he furrowed his eyebrows to what I response to my words, and as he wanted to speak, I let go of his neck and dropped him.
"Your majesty, you told me alive or dead...…also, I didn't mean to kill her, I just poisoned her, if she's one of us and the orb is in her she'll not die rather the orb will purify her and also, demons like us are immune to such poisons. So, if she's dead, that means she's not one of us" I smirked as to the intelligence of Xiao Cheng and turned back.
"You sure got something up there" We both smiled as I sat on my throne. After he left, I couldn't help asking myself questions; Who is she then? Where is the real demon queen? Is the demon queen dead already? Has someone taken the orb? What happened 21 years ago? I can only get this information if I travel to the past but first, I have to go to the mortal realm to look for demon queen myself.
Peng li
My eyes widened as I turned back, I ran back to Xing Li's bed before slapping myself. Am I dreaming? "Xing li, you're alive! B-but how?" I shouted as I held her hands, I noticed her eyes were closed but she's shouting 'Xue Huang, Xue Huang' I checked her pulse and it wasn't like that of normal humans, maybe it's because of the fact she's been in a coma. My eyes beamed as her eyes opened widely and she shouted, "Xue Huang".
"Calm down, my lady. What's wrong" I asked with worry visible in my eyes
"P-Peng li, Where's Xue Huang, where am I?" She panicked as she stood up from the bed. I lowered my head as I shook it.
"My lady, Xue Huang id dead"
I could see tears form in her eyes as it slowly rolled down her cheeks,
"How did he die…How's Feng wan, how many days has it been?" She collapsed on the floor and began crying.
"You were poisoned, and you've been in a coma for two months just like Feng wan. People thought you were dead and wanted to dispose of your body so insisted we wait a little longer but they did not agree and left the inn. Months passed but you didn't show any sign of awakening so I was going to clement you tomorrow… On the other hand, Xue Huang went to the ice cave alone to get the antidote for you and we haven't seen him since then" I narrated so she stood up before wiping her tears, she looked at me intently.
"So, he did that for me…unbelievable! I'm going to try save him, take me to the ice cave" I looked at her and signalled her to come with me. we got into the carriage and continued our journey.
***
We soon got to the ice cave entrance since it was a little distance from the inn to the ice cave. It looked like it had been abandoned for a while and there was a rock blocking the entrance to the big cave.
"Peng li, you can go, I 'll do just fine alone" She insisted. I shook my head telling her a 'no'
"Go! If I don't make it out alive with the king, you should take the position of the king, you're his best subordinate. Go back to the place!" She shouted so I nodded due to how loud she shouted as she made her way towards the rock blocking the cave. She turned back to take a good look at me for one last time so I gave her a slight nod and sniffed in.
"Stay safe, I'll come back to get you!"
Xing li
It's still so shocking that I slept for two months. Xue Huang must really care about Feng wan to risk his life going to the ice cave. What does Peng li mean by I was poisoned? Xue Huang wouldn't haver really cared if I was poisoned, will he? If he actually went into the ice cave for me it means only two things; maybe he felt guilty or he needs me for something. I'm not lady Lingling after all.
I have to save Xue Huang and get out of here, this place isn't practically in the kingdom, how did Peng li leave the kingdom, I thought it was enchanted by stupid spells. Never mind, when I save him, I'll just dump him in lady Lingling care and maybe leave Xin men kingdom. I don't really care about him, do I? No! I don't I just want to find out if he actually went in there for me by finding out if I was actually poisoned. If I was poisoned with the same poison as Feng wan I would not have woken up but that doesn't explain why I slept for two months. Peng li can't be lying, can he? Why was I shedding heartfelt tears when I heard Xue Huang died, I'm just sympathetic. I chuckled as I pushed the heavy rock blocking the entrance with brute strength unfolding a weird looking cave with ice bergs at the top and iced floors, I stepped on the floors and to my surprise, it wasn't as cold as I imagined, I walked forward as the rock rolled back in place, blocking the entrance which frightened me a little but I kept on walking.
"Hahaha, who dares come to the ice cave, who dares seek death" I heard a voice echo around the surrounding when I reached a distance. After hearing that, I felt dark aura surround me as I scanned the surrounding and saw I was surrounded by people who looked like they were out to get me, they are about 5 and didn't look so strong, I looked closely as I slowly looked around but stopped when my eyes met a familiar face. That's Xue Huang.
"Stupid girl, that's not Xue Huang you know, he's now a puppet. everyone who came to this cave did not die rather they became puppets, it's your turn now. And everyone has a different test." The voice spoke again as some instrumentals begun playing which made the puppets sharply open their eyes as they all attacked me at once. It's me against 5, 1v5. I can't possibly kill them since it's their body, they're just being controlled.
"Silly child, you're quite smart. Now your fate is hung in balance, let's see if you'll be able to pass this level or become a puppet. This is the easiest level you'll find so hold on to it. But remember, not everyone gets the same tests. Anyways, let me tell you a fact I'm not sure you are interested in. I am the lord of the ice cave; I've been here since I can remember. You can call me ice lord" I didn't care about the nonsense the voice was sprouting; all I heard is that he is the ice lord. Right now, this is a life and puppet situation.
Luckily, I was able to fend them all off as I breathed heavily. I went to puppet Huang and found out his spirit is not in his body. I'll think of a way to wake him up. "You must have wild imaginations, but not bad child. You proceed to the next stage". It felt like he was reading my mind. "I'm not reading your mind; it's just connected to mine. You'll find out the reason later…anyways, what do you seek in this cave?"
I heaved a sigh of burden as I spoke to the voice, "I seek an antidote and a man" I heard laughter from the voice.
"Oh! Then pass all stages, I won't tell you more. You may now proceed."
A white light shone on me revealing a very dark place with some kind of purplish light aiding my view.
"What should we name our child, when he's born?" A pregnant woman asked as she sat next to a man.
"Our child's name should be really exceptional, how about Wang li" He replied but the woman shook her head.
"No! I think Xing li fits better". Could that be mum and dad. I felt tears roll down my cheeks as I called out to them. "Mum, dad". But they couldn't hear me. I walked further to hold their hands knowing fully well they won't hear or see me. when I reached out my hands to theirs, they disappeared and I found myself in a dark place again. I looked around before calling out to them again, but to no avail.
"Ahh!!!" I heard a woman scream as the darkness faded away again, this time it was a different location it looked like the place I mostly see in my dream. I saw my mum again with a woman holding a baby, "Xing li, I'm sorry, I have to hand you over to her, mum would always love you" My mum cried filled with blood on her clothes as she stood up, wiping her tears.
"They want a war, then it's a war they shall get, Mai Lian, please take care of my baby" After my mum said that, she took out her sword and ran out.
Soon after I heard swords clashing and saw lots of people fighting. "Stop, please, stop!" My father shouted then my mum looked at him and shouted back.
"I regret marrying you, you tell me to stop when you started this? Never! I'll kill you first and you'll return all I've given to you. You betrayed me, so I'll do the same!" I closed my eyes when I heard the sound of a sword going through a man's body, it was my mum. My mum killed my father! the sound of swords clashing stopped and everyone turned around to see what just happened but my mum fled before anyone could see her. Everyone rushed to my dad as a circular substance came out of his body and went a far distance.
"Xing li, Xing li" I heard my father call out my name as he looked at me.
"Father!" I responded as I walked to him.
"Yes, Xing li, come to me" He smirked. I was shocked as to why he could hear and see me; I halted as my eye widened.
Oh! No. it's a trap.