Lucid Dream... or Not?
Su Jin never felt a dream as lucid as this. He felt his body shuttling through the tall bamboo forest. The rustle of the leaves, the silence of night, the fatigue of his muscles and the bloody wounds that hurt now and then. It was all too real yet he couldn't control his body. It didn't stop as he wished. Moreover, this body knew the legendary martial arts. He wasn't running on the ground but forcing his body ahead through the recoil of the strong bamboos.
Su Jin's heart suffered the trampling of a hundred horses. And sentences mixed with gibberish burst into his mind scolding his unseen lover.
"Someday I will.." The lips moved on its own as well as sound that it made. None of it was controlled by Su Jin but it was as if he himself spoke and sadly he couldn't listen to any word ahead.
Soon, houses were seen. Houses made by humans from ancient china... the time line wasn't modern!
All of these houses were ancient chinese architectures. More ahead, the houses were more beautiful and elegant and no longer small in size but very large courtyards.
All the while the body was going through shadowy areas unseen by any passer-by.
Not long after an ancient chinese palace came in view. Absolutely remarkable. Strong walls, large areas of greenery, strong pillars with exquisite designs. Su Jin wanted to take a look but the body didn't listen. He felt as if sometimes he was looking at everything from the first person's point of view - he could see, feel, hear, smell and speak and all felt real - yet there were times when he felt as if he was in third person's point of view - he couldn't control the body, his consciousness didn't even feel tired and he didn't know any of the thoughts or memories of this body.
A large courtyard came in view. Su Jin's body once again showed prowess and went up the wall, entered another window, passed some corridors sneakily and jumped into a window to enter a room. "Qingxin..." The body closed his eyes and fell asleep on a couch whispering.
Su Jin only saw dark. His eyes were closed after all. The body had lost consciousness yet Su Jin hadn't and could still feel the slight wind coming in through the window. It was shivering and yet the body wasn't moving an inch and felt total cold.
Su Jin wondered who Qingxin was. Then sound of footsteps came.
Although Su Jin couldn't free himself of this corpse-like state nor could he be in a ghost-state, he was clearly able to hear. And Su Jin felt like cursing at his lover again although his unfound and unseen lover wasn't at fault even a bit as always.
Creak... The door to the room made noise as a young man with his dark brown hair tied up in a crown pushed it open with his slender hands that were calloused at the palms. He was wearing black robes lined with dark yellow threads. The whole attire looked a little dull yet when worn on his fit figure, it gave a strong dangerous aura.
"The same as last time..." A deep subwoofer voice came out of his thin lips.
Su Jin couldn't help but feel his soul shudder. Nice voice! Is this his fated lover? He felt excitement rush over him. Did his lover finally found him?!
Then, suddenly he felt as if he was doused with cold water. "Should I kill... before things become same as before?" The nice voice came softly yet with a murderous intent.
Su Jin felt the man was talking to him, instead of himself, as if asking for his opinion. And this man might not be his lover. He felt like crying and cursed at his supposed lover again. Who intents to kill your lover at first sight?!
NO!! Su Jin wanted to yell at this man's face. Unfortunately, he was unable to.
A soft chuckle came brushing his ears. Then the footsteps sounded again but got lighter instead. Su Jin felt relieved. The man must have changed his mind.
A few minutes later before Su Jin could think more about why he was suddenly here as he clearly didn't feel that it was just a dream, the sound of footsteps rang again and got they louder slowly.
The room opened with a creak just as it had closed before. Su Jin couldn't help but focus on his ears trying to hear if the person is muttering about killing him or not. Unfortunately, he heard no clue and instead the person came closer and closer.
Is this person going to kill him finally?
The footsteps got closer and closer until something was set on a wooden furniture. Su Jin assumed it to be a table. Then he felt.. slightly cold hands on his chest and... he was disrobed. Only one word flashed in Su Jin's mind - cold!
Is this man trying to give him a fake natural death? Death by cold?!
Hiss... Su Jin felt pain as the wounds on his abdomen was covered by something cold and slimy - probably a cream - and the slender finger tips slid over them while pressing them too. It was a torture!
This lunatic was clearly torturing his body by pressing on his wounds!!
Unfortunately Su Jin couldn't see that whenever his wound was pressed by the young man, it healed slightly faster. He was unable to see the process of first aid too.
The young man had a complicated look in his eyes as he looked at the man laid on his couch. Long black hair that fell freely, eyelashes that were also slightly longer, pink lips that seem to lose their color, the upper half of the face that hid under the dark blue mask with silver linings and the pale complexion of the skin against the slightly tattered dark blue robes.
This was the man that was his only help after his destruction yet this man was also the mentor of his enemy.
With the look in his eyes gone, a smile creeped on the young man's face. How would that guy feel if his mentor started caring for the son of his enemy.... He wanted to see that look.
Su Jin, whose consciousness was tortured feeling the pain, had long fell unconscious.
-
Birds chirped welcoming the morning sunlight.
Su Jin, who felt tortured last night, regained his consciousness and found his body drinking soup as it half-laid on the couch with the brand new blue robes on. Once again he felt the wonders of this body which probably had its own consciousness and realised the sad truth that he was trapped in it and he didn't even know the reason.
This time with eyes available, Su Jin tried his best to take in of the surroundings that he could see. A couch of quite a length that could act as a bed, a small round wooden table with a night lamp on it at the side, a bookcase at the other side, a window and a small-sized couch beside the big couch and a beautiful wooden door through which the room could be entered.
Knock. Knock. Sound from the door came and the body put down soup bowl. "Come in."
Creak... The terrifying sound came from the door that Su Jin hated by now. A modest-faced girl came in with a tray in her hands.
"This servant pays her respect to the mister. His Imperial Highness sent these to help the mister's mood." The girl bowed with the tray, that carried grapes, jujubes and loquats in separate bowls, then gently put them on the table. She didn't show any awe or admiration at the man's figure and looks.
"Request a meeting for this mister with His Imperial Highness in evening."
"This servant will forward this. May this servant retire now." With a bow, that girl calmly exited the room and peace restored.
Su Jin was irritated. The eyes were staring at the loquats only and he couldn't see much aside from the peripheral view.
Is the body in a daze? Or is there some problem in these loquats?
Su Jin's contemplation didn't last long as the body started savoring the fruits. These really tasted good. As expected of the pollution free and organic times.
Taking out a handkerchief and dabbing the lips. Then putting it back in sleeve. With these actions done, the body stood up and went to the book case.
Su Jin unfortunately couldn't understand a bit of this traditional chinese. And all titles were confusing. The body raised its pale hand, opened the bookcase and took out a light blue covered book with some traditional characters calligraphed on it.
After closing the bookcase, the body half-laid on the couch and muttered. "Anecdotes of Jianghu.."
Su Jin realised what kind of book it was. Probably a mixture of truth and rumors. Unfortunately, this body won't whisper out the whole book or he could have enjoyed it too.
As time passed, Su Jin felt another wave of torture. Although he knew this body could understand what was written, he only felt as if garbled characters were hovering in front of his eyes.
Creak... The door opened and a young man, with long black hair tied up in a crown and wearing black robes with dark yellow lines, came in bringing a dangerous aura with him.
The body put down the book and stood up. "This one wishes His Imperial Highness peace." And gave a bow.
The young prince smiled. "No need for pleasantries. The mister is a patient right now." Yet he hadn't even stopped the man until he payed the courtesy.
The man sat back at the couch. He didn't let go of the chance. "This one thanks His Imperial Highness for the medicine." Su Jin felt like cursing again.
Where was it medicine? It was simply a torture!
"This prince is only gathering merit." The young prince chuckled as his slightly narrowed and sat on the small couch.
This person never treated himself wrong when the conditions allowed.
"If this one may ask.." The young prince nodded. "Is His Imperial Highness but the Seventh Prince?"
The young prince smiled. "Indeed, this prince is the Seventh Prince. Does the mister want something from this prince?"
"This one wishes to know the residence of King An. It's been quite a few years since this one came back to the imperial capital and lost his way unfortunately." The man sighed.
"Imperial Uncle now resides in the mansion west to the Imperial Palace." The prince's eyes gleamed slightly as he noticed blue-covered book on the wooden table.
The man nodded, slowly stood up and patted inexistent dust. "This one bids farewell to His Imperial Highness. This piece of jade is a token that can be used to fulfill a single task by this one when taken to the Azalea Pavilion." A square white jade with impression of the famous poisonous yet medicinal plant was put on the wooden table.
Before the prince could say anything, the other person had long escaped through the windows.
"Still the same..." The prince glanced at the white jade. "...yet different."
Su Jin, who experienced all the ups and downs of the conversation between the lunatic seventh prince and the body he was residing in, once again experienced the feeling of the rustling winds although the wounds hurt less.
But... the body he is residing in seems to be of extraordinary identity. Probably no less than that lunatic prince! Wahahaha!
The lunatic prince, on the other side, picked up the book with his right hand and started reading through it with a smile that touched his eyes now and then, when his fingers slid across the surface of the white jade in his left hand.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
zelene_aleah
zelene_aleah With the speed I wrote at, I have started doubting my ownself if I would be able to write up an arc by 28th. My speed is that of 1 chapter/week.... so forgetting the binge idea. I will just try to post 1 chapter every sunday.
This is the 1st time I wrote an ancient article.. so there might be title and etiquette problems.
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