Let's look around for clues," Yu Chen suggested.
"Clues?" Wei Yu asked, confused.
"To find out who did it."
"Oh! Yes, shizun." With that, they began searching the place. Most of the furniture had been burned to ash, but only the furniture—why? That was a mystery.
Wei Yu grabbed a broomstick and started sweeping away the ash while Yu Chen checked outside. As Wei Yu cleaned, something shiny caught his eye in the pile of ash.
"This—"
Yu Chen returned and asked, "Find anything?"
Wei Yu quickly hid the golden object in his sleeve. "No luck," he said, feigning disappointment.
****
Later that night, Wei Yu tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. Yu Chen had suggested they stay here for the night and return to the sect tomorrow, which Wei Yu had agreed to.
Getting up, he lit a candle and pulled out the golden object from his sleeve. It was an ancient talisman, the paper stained with blood. "What kind of paper doesn't burn?" he wondered aloud.
Suddenly, the talisman began to move. The paper shifted, forming into a small paper man. It waved at him, then pointed toward the door, urging Wei Yu to follow.
"Hey, wait for me!" Wei Yu called as the paper man hurried out the door.
They followed it outside, where it led them to a nearby tree. The paper man changed shape again, becoming a small key. It floated toward the tree and inserted itself into the bark. The tree creaked, and a hidden passage opened.
"You want me to go in?" Wei Yu asked, hesitant.
The paper man nodded impatiently before darting into the tunnel. Reluctantly, Wei Yu followed.
Yeah! just follow a PAPER in the big, dark, scary passage.....
Wei Yu stepped into the dark passage, the only light coming from the candle he held. The air was cold and still, and the darkness stretched ahead of him, swallowing everything. He walked carefully, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the quiet tunnel.
As he moved forward, the light from his candle seemed to fade, replaced by a soft, glowing white light. It came from ahead, from a floating pearl-like orb at the center of the room. The pearl shone brightly, casting a pure, calming glow.
The paper man, now tiny and glowing faintly, drifted toward the pearl and waved for Wei Yu to follow. He hesitated for a moment, heart pounding, before taking another step.
The pearl pulsed with a strange energy, drawing him closer. His hand moved toward it slowly, but as he reached out, a wave of doubt hit him. What if it's true? he thought. What if I really am mixed blood? The thought made his stomach churn. His father, the Demon Lord, and his mother, a human—could it really be that simple? If he was truly mixed blood, what did that mean for him? It could.... change everything.
His hand wavered, just inches from the pearl. He wanted to turn back, but before he could, something pushed him forward, a strange force nudging him to touch it. His fingers brushed the smooth surface of the pearl.
In an instant, everything changed. His black eyes glowed white, and his hair floated around his head as if caught by an invisible wind. Images flooded his mind—memories not his own. He saw the bloody battles between the demon and righteous sects, heard the clash of swords, the cries of war. His father, the Demon Lord, falling in battle, a fierce, yet tragic figure. His mother, a human, her face soft but resolute, sacrificing herself to save him. He saw her dying words, her hands pushing him away, urging him to live—to survive.
The memories flooded him all at once. They confirmed what he had feared. He was mixed blood—his father's dark legacy, his mother's human love, both inside him.
Wei Yu's heart raced. His father was gone. His mother was gone. But now he knew one thing for certain—he had to find his grandfather. He was his only family left, the only one who could help him understand who he was and what his future would be.
The light from the pearl faded, but Wei Yu stood still, his heart steady now. The truth was clear, and with it, his path forward. But none of this explained his grandpa's sudden death.
He looked at the paper man who flew to a table nearby and then burned itself. Gone, without any ashes remaining. Beneath the ashes remained a letter. Wei Yu knew it was left by his grandfather, so he hurriedly opened it up and started to read.
"Wei Yu, my child if you're reading this, then that means that I have already perished. I'm sure you know about your true nature now. Keep this a secret and don't let anyone know. I was not actually your grandpa but your caretaker. Your mother was truly a kind person rarely seen in this world nowadays. Cultivate and be strong, this tunnel can now open when it senses your blood. Find the three mirror lives and return. When the time comes, you'll know your purpose..."
A tear drop fell on the letter as Wei Yu closed it and got out of the secret tunnel. He carefully folded the letter and placed it in his bossom. His grandpa mentioned the word Three mirror lives, but it's use? He did not mention.