The essence of my being, the spirit core, served as the main element in the creation of an incense burner destined to replenish Lin Jian's soul, a process that would require a span of a decade or perhaps two for its complete restoration.
Once accomplished, his soul could reunite with his body, while I, in turn, would need to distance myself to prevent any further harm to his essence.
The meticulous crafting of the incense burner demanded 12 arduous months of my life, during which I frequently succumbed to unconsciousness, enduring excruciating bouts of agony and spitting crimson droplets. Yet, with each drop of blood shed, I drew nearer to my objective.
Zhang Li's concern, or perhaps it was a concern for his sister, now also inhabiting this body, was evident in his gaze. It was a worry disguised as care, a veil he wore thin. I felt it as I neared the end of my task, the culmination of a journey that had tested me beyond measure. My body, weary but resolute, strained against its limits. And then, he appeared.
He moved with a swiftness that belied his apparent compassion, exploiting my weakened state. He sliced through the center of my chest, burning pain there was. Darkness engulfed me, a chilling void that threatened to swallow my very existence. Panic surged through me, a desperate struggle against the encroaching darkness. Then, my consciousness was ripped from my physical form. It was a harsh severance, a tearing of the very fabric of my being.
His voice, a chilling whisper, echoed in the void. "I intended to aid you initially," he said, his words dripping with false remorse, "but I cannot imperil my sister's existence. She shall inhabit your form, though it remains dormant... for now. I shall transport this craft to Jade falls for its safety, it's made of your own core so it'll only follow you. Soon, my sister will awake in your body, and she can access it, while I burn your soul to eternal flame."
Betrayal. The word clawed at my soul, a festering wound that mirrored the pain of my shattered consciousness. My being was consumed by a tempest of emotions anguish, fury, and betrayal intertwined, leaving me trembling with wrath. The injustice of it all, the cold-hearted calculation, the callous manipulation it all combined to forge a burning, incandescent rage within me.
My spirit, adrift and disoriented, felt the pull of his words, the promise of eternal flame chilling my very core. As the darkness enveloped me, I could only think of the body he had stolen, the life he had condemned to a fate worse than death. And, as the shadows closed in, I saved an ounce of my spirit with my last bit of strength. Vowing to met Lin Jian in another life.
As the flames licked at my soul, a coldness descended upon me.
The wind picked up, whispering through the leaves of the ancient Jade falls tree, as if mocking my confusion. I was lying there. I traced the faint scar across my chest, a physical manifestation of the wound. I was sent back. Though I don't know how, I'm back in this world.
Tears welled in my eyes, blurring the world around me. "Lin Jian.." I choked out, his name clinging to my tongue like a prayer. Was he still there? Did he meet his demise? Was he saved?
The question hung heavy in the air, unanswered. I closed my eyes, picturing his face, the warmth of his touch, the echo of his laughter. All of it felt like a fading dream, a memory about to be swallowed by the encroaching darkness.
A bitter laugh escaped my lips. "It matters not," I whispered, the words laced with a sorrow that ran deeper than the ocean. "For he is not the true Lin Jian. Not anymore."
The weight of the world settled on my shoulders. The memory of the vibrant, loving Lin Jian was gone, replaced with a hollow echo - a phantom of what he once was. I had been ripped from one realm, only to find myself burdened with the knowledge of another, a world where the man I loved exists but no longer exists. And in this reality, I was left to face the profound, aching emptiness, a living testament to the unfulfilled aspirations and the traitor that had stolen everything from me.
I looked at the falls in front of me. Here lies the body of the immortal that serves as a vessel for Zhang Lin's sister soul. It must mean that Zhang Lin is trying to unlock it now. If we could find Zhang Lin today, we can stop this.
I wasted no time returning to Duke Lin's mansion, bursting into the room where Susu, Hua Lin, Bai Lin, and Elder Li were gathered.
"Yinuo! You're finally awake from your slumber. Come, we were discussing the investigation." Susu welcomed me as if I only over slept in the real world. I spent 2 years in mirror.
"We need to act now" I declared, breathless. "The falls... Zhang Lin... his sister's soul.."
Hua Lin raised an eyebrow, a skeptical look on his face. "Who is this Zhang Lin you speak of?"
"I saw it," I insisted, holding up the mirror. "I saw through the immortal's life by this mirror. Zhang Lin betrayed her, and now he's trying to get the craft of the immortal for his sister, and we need to stop him."
Bai Lin and Elder Li exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable. Susu, however, seemed to understand the weight of the situation. "What proof do you have?" she asked, her voice low.
"The falls, the immortal's craft, Zhang Lin ... it's all connected," I said, my voice growing stronger. "This is no ordinary situation,"
But their skepticism remained. Bai Lin scoffed. "You speak of Zhang Lin as if he's a threat. There's no proof of any of this."
Their hesitation sparked a suspicion within me. Were they deliberately downplaying the threat? Had they been guarding the truth all along, perhaps even involved in Zhang Lin's plans?
I played along, forcing a smile. "Perhaps you're right, Bai Lin. But this mirror shows me the truth, and I can't ignore it." I placed the mirror on the table, its polished surface reflecting the faces of the four before me, their expressions unreadable. "I need your help."
Their silence, their wary expressions, only solidified my suspicion. I knew, in my heart, that there was more to this than met the eye. And I was determined to uncover the truth, even if it meant going against those I had come to trust.