"Sister...Can you help?" Xiao's voice, barely a whisper, carried a weight far beyond his years. He gestured towards the ancient oak in the corner of their yard, its once vibrant leaves now a sickly yellow.
I knelt beside the gnarled trunk, tracing the deep grooves with my fingers. It was abundant in yin energy.
Xiao's eyes, reflecting the same emerald green as the leaves he held in his hand, filled with a sorrow that was almost unbearable to witness. It used to be so strong, but now, it's losing its life force.
Later that day, I found myself standing before Duke Lin, the owner of the house and Xiao's grandfather. The air around him radiated the quiet strength of a man who had lived through centuries. He was a seasoned warrior, yet his eyes held a depth that hinted at a past beyond battlefields.
The eternal tree, he murmured, his voice raspy with age. Its a part of the jade falls, indeed. It draws its essence from the yin energy that flows from the falls.
I leaned forward, my mind racing. There must be a reason for this connection.
His eyes flickered, a distant memory flickering in their depths. It was said that a long time ago, he began, his voice a low rumble that echoed through the room, an immortal fell in love with a mortal. Their love was forbidden, their paths destined to diverge. The mortal was cursed, his life cut short. In her grief, the immortal crafted an artifact, a desperate attempt to revive her beloved.
He paused, his gaze drifting towards the distant mountains, his voice fading. The artifact was hidden within the jade falls, whether she succeeded, it's unknown. The eternal tree, planted by the immortals own hand, became a representation of her love.
I stared at the old man, my thoughts swirling. But why is the tree dying now? Is something wrong with the falls?
Duke Lin shook his head, his voice a tired whisper that I didn't hear. "Jade falls is polluted, the energy of the jade falls weakening."
As we walked away from the house, the setting sun painting the sky with hues of orange and crimson, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the story.
We arrived. There a majestic fall in front of us, its water crystal green and blue, it was tranquil. Elder Li stepped near its waters, letting the orb in his hands float.
"It's true," Susu breathed, her gaze fixed on the glowing orb in the water "Jade fall...it's tainted."
The orb, once a clear crystal, now pulsed with a sickly green light, confirming Duke Lin's grim theory. The air around us thickened, heavy with an unspoken unease. Bai Lin, ever the pragmatist, muttered, "But how? And what does it mean for us?"
"The source of this demonic energy must be found." Hua Lin declared, her voice firm despite the tremor in his hands.
I nodded, my thoughts already racing. While the others focused on the orb, I had been examining the surrounding area. It was then I stumbled upon it, hidden beneath a tangle of overgrown vines: a mirror, its surface polished to a chilling perfection. It felt wrong, unsettling. As if it were watching.
An instinct, primal and insistent, urged me to hide it. I tucked the mirror into my satchel, a shiver running down my spine. Perhaps it was nothing, just an ordinary trinket, but something about it whispered of secrets and unknown dangers.
Later, as we returned to Duke Lin's mansion, the weight of the mirror pressed against my side, a constant reminder of the unsettling truth we had unearthed. I debated with myself: should I tell the others? Was it just a useless trinket, or something that could prove invaluable?
Just as I was about to reveal my discovery, a strange sensation filled the room. The air shimmered, the air grew thick, and a chill snaked through my veins. As if something was pulling me, drawing me in. I turned, my gaze falling upon the mirror in my satchel. It was glowing a warm light.
Before I could even gasp, I felt a sudden lurch, a dizzying sensation of falling. And then, I was gone. The world around me shifted, the familiar walls of the mansion replaced by an unfamiliar landscape, a world not mine. The mirror, it had brought me here. To its world.
I blinked, disoriented, the soft glow of a lamp illuminating a room adorned with silks and scrolls.
My mind reeled for some moment, but a strange acceptance settled in. This is where I'm currently in now, a reality I wasn't sure I could comprehend. Then, with a rustle of silk and a clatter of jade pendants, a figure entered.
He was impossibly handsome, clad in the finest Hanfu, a vibrant cerulean blue that seemed to hum with energy. His smile was as captivating as his attire, a playful light dancing in his eyes. "Well, well, another scholar joins our ranks," he said, his voice a melodic baritone. "Lost your way, did you?"
The words were an invitation, a playful challenge, and I found myself responding in kind. "Perhaps," I conceded, my voice still a little shaky, "though I'm not sure I understand this particular path."
He chuckled, a sound like wind chimes in the quiet room. "Oh, you'll learn," he said, moving closer, his gaze lingering on my face. "You'll learn all about this world, and about me."
As he drew nearer, his features became clearer, and my breath hitched in my throat. The eyes, the curve of the nose, the delicate line of his jaw they were all too familiar. This face, this intoxicatingly beautiful man, was the mirror image of Lin Jian, the one I'd left behind in my own world.
"Lin Jian?" I choked out, the name a whisper lost in the fragrant air.
He tilted his head, a mischievous smile flickering across his lips. "You do know a thing or two about my beauty, scholar. What a compliment. But tell me," he continued, his gaze unwavering, "what brings you to my turf?"
My mind whirled. Was it truly him, or some cruel trick of fate? I was lost, adrift in this world.