Bab 8: Bitter Medicine and A Walk Down Memory Lane
As Nastasia continued looking in the mirror, trying to decide if she was really seeing her younger-self staring back at her, a figure materialized behind her. She saw a man adorned similarly to the one who threw the head soldier over his shoulder within the mirror. They looked the same, even in the face and hair, except this one had green flecked eyes that glowed in the low candlelight.
He was watching her with a tray in hand a moment before moving toward the table beside the bed to set the tray down. Atop it was a porcelain bowl and beside it was a spoon.
After he sat it down, Nastasia asked even though she figured he wouldn't understand. "Where is that guy with the devilish looks?" Filling the silence made her feel a bit better.
His brow furrowed at her words and it was no surprise for Nastasia to see the complete lack of comprehension in his eyes. The man said a few words to her. His tone was measured and deliberate as if he were testing something. Thus, she responded to him in the same way he responded to her words.
The man's eyes widened by a very slight margin, but it was enough to notice. He then seemed to come to a conclusion after a bit of thought. He walked toward her and carefully lifted her into his arms. The action threw her off, so she didn't react right away.
That changed when his forward step jostled her from her stunned state. Alarmed, her gaze flew to his face. "What do you think you're doing!? Put me down!" She demanded. Nastasia then tried to get herself down only to find that she couldn't move.
How was this possible? It wasn't like this guy had put any strength into the arms that held her. In fact, she barely felt the pressure of his arms at all. This notice filled her chest with a fair amount of anxiety. However, Nastasia was not one to succumb to fear and so firmly swallowed down her rising panic.
Since there was nothing she could do about it, she calmly waited to see what he would do with her. From the time she struggled to the time she stilled, he never drew to a pause, therefore after this thought came she was already being carefully placed back into bed.
Her heart calmed marginally.
The man took the bowl from the tray and placed it in her hands. When she took it and then looked up at him, he gestured with a hand to his mouth to let her know he wanted her to drink it.
Nastasia arched a brow as she looked from the nauseating concoction to the man's imploring face. The greenish-brown mixture, a bit bumpy here and there, was so grotesque in smell and appearance that it brought bile to her throat. The thought of that going in her mouth and to her stomach... had her shuddering in disgust.
The eyes that shot toward him Nastasia made as expressive as she could to get her point across without words. 'You want me to drink this? Not on your life!' Those blue eyes of hers narrowed and a bit of mistrust wound its way in. 'Something this disgusting has to be poison. Do you think I'll fall for your trap just because I can't understand you?'
She wasn't sure how much of her meaning he grasped, but the man reached over the tray for the spoon. He dipped it into the bowl and brought it to his lips, swallowing the spoonful without a change in expression. How could he eat that nasty stuff so nonchalant-like?
Honestly, she really didn't suspect it of poison. Who would kill a person they took efforts to heal? None-the-less, she wasn't going to put something that smelled that putrid into her body. She wasn't a picky eater and understood that some medicines were extremely bitter. However, this bowl looked like a witches brew and stank worse than a landfill. What if it had insects, or liver, or who knows what horrific and lurid ingredients inside? She paled at the thought.
The man's face darkened impatiently as he reached for the bowl in her hands. From look in his eyes and from how he was able to render her powerless earlier, a shiver ran down her spine. Swiftly and in one fluid motion, Nastasia drank horrid concoction in one long swallow.
There was no way she'd suffer the humiliation of being force-fed.
Having gotten to the last drop her body was overcome with a bone-deep tiredness. The man took the bowl from her hands before she dropped it and help her head down to the pillow.
It was instantaneous. Her mind shut off and she was in a deep, restful, slumber.
Lu Se Ying placed the bowl back on to the tray. With a wave of his hand, they disappeared from sight. With another wave of his hand, the room shifted back into its original state. When he had left to prepare this pain relieving and spirit poison detoxifying medicine he feared that she would wake and leave the room while he was gone. Thus, he put an illusion upon the room to make leaving difficult.
Before Lu Se Ying faded from view he cast one last probing look toward the odd young woman upon the bed. There was something strange, otherworldly, about the spirit energy forced into her body. It felt like spirit poisoning, yet there was something underlying it that lead him to consider otherwise.
The feeling fled as he tried to grasp it, so Lu Se Ying could only set it aside as himself overthinking it.
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Within Jingshen Yansei Continent there were five countries and in each of these countries, there was a location that housed four gates into the Spirit Realm. These locations, each ruled by a different spiritual element, was guarded by an elemental spirit master. This wasn't something that one could, ordinarily, by giving it their all work toward. It was something inherited from father to son. Once placed into the Palace of the Four Gates, the said person was removed from the mortal world and became a denizen of the spiritual world.
Because of this, the Gate Guardian -or Elemental Spirit Master- could not enter into the mortal world unless by way of special circumstance. For instance, to hunt down an escaped Spirit Realm resident, to find a wife, and to answer an imperial summons are a few such reasons.
However, Li Yu Rong was not bound -at least entirely- by these rules. His position wasn't from an inheritance. His father had not been the previous Gate Guardian. Jin Ang Country's Elemental Spirit Master had vanished without a trace, leaving behind no heir to shoulder his place. For half a century Jin Ang Country had been raided and ravaged by demons, beasts, and wandering ghosts that had escaped from the four gates left unprotected. So, desperate and weary, the Emperor decided to try a suggested option regardless of any backlash that might occur.
Li Yu Rong had merely been tossed here due to his one red eye, however, the power that eye afforded him was enough to bind him as the master.
The man that sired him, the Emperor, fancied his beautifully innocent mother. He snatched her up for himself and housed her among his many beauties, never knowing that he had taken in a demon. Then again, how could he have known? Only the Gate Guardian could tell a Spirit Realm resident from a normal human once they hid under a human guise. His mother was strong, the spirit energy within her unfathomable, and so was able to hide her origins deeply. Honestly, even an Elemental Spirit Master would have a time of it finding out her true self.
However, his mother was a terribly innocent sort. She didn't know how to scheme and couldn't understand why one would want to hurt another when there were so many wonderful things to occupy one's self with. She was entirely unsuited to the inner court. Thus, when she was pregnant with him, she fell prey to an insidious plot. She died with him still in the womb.
Within the room she had been lain to wait while the servants prepared her and other things for her funeral, Li Yu Rong had been born. As he took his first breath of air, a shrill cry erupted from his lungs.
The servants had been scared witless from the sudden sound. When their eyes came upon the one who made it, they could only stare dumb-faced at the crying, wriggling infant. Finally, a male servant that had scrapped together some courage, went forward to pick up the baby boy.
The infant immediately stopped crying upon being held and wrinkled his nose cutely. Even the male servant was moved by the lovely baby's cuteness. However, that changed once the baby opened his eyes to look up at the servant.
Upon seeing that one red eye looking up at him, the servant let out a shrill scream to rival the infant's first cry as he dropped the baby boy and backed up a few steps. One of the spirit creatures that had been mourning beside his mother's body jumped forward to catch the infant before he fell to the hard floor.
To the humans who did not have an eye that could discern supernatural creatures, it appeared as if the baby halted mid-descent and then floated over to his mother's corpse. The reality was, however, that the spiritual creature brought the baby boy over to meet his mother and then to send her off. It knew, with how these humans were, the baby would likely never get the chance to do so.
Rumors flew after that incident. It was widely believed that Li Yu Rong was possessed by death and held a disastrous omen for the country. He had been abandoned to the Cold Palace and left forgotten until the age of five. The only reason he could survive those long, grueling years was due to the care of the escaped Spirit Realm creatures. Even his name came from them; or at least, it came from what his mother told them she wished to name her child.
Somehow the emperor got wind of Li Yu Rong's ability to see what could not be seen by normal eyes and so decided to forcibly make him guardian to the Palace of the Four Gates.
Li Yu Rong's Lips curled bitterly as he thought back to these events. Most of which had been told to him by the spirit creatures who had been at his mother's side. He did not know why his mind wandered over them. Perhaps it was merely an unfortunate result of the strange girl's reaction upon seeing his red eye.
Either way, his mood plummeted even further. The spirit creatures he passed on his way to the eastern gate gave him a wide breadth for fear of attracting his ire. Even with the distance they kept, they could feel the cold aura radiating from his person enough to freeze through flesh to the bone.
"Poor Paoxiao," they couldn't help but pity, "he really picked a terrible time to challenge the Gate Guardian."
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A/N:
So I just found out that ISAW is ranked 43 of more than 500 (didn't know that there was that many) web novels! I'm absolutely stunned and humbled that you guys would like this story so much that it would rank that high with only having a few chapters released.
You guys are amazing and I'm really grateful and appreciate that you readers feel ISAW is worth dedicating your power stones too when you only get so many of them a day. So as a thankyou today's chapter is extra long and I'm also gonna release a chapter over the weekend.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Saoirse
Saoirse I hope you all enjoy today's chapter! o(^^)o
To answer some recent comments asking about my release schedule...
It's 1 chapter every day Mon-Fri.
Bab 9: Paoxiao, He Never Saw It Coming...
"Ahahahahahahahah!'
Paoxiao felt great! His well thought out plan of retreating to gain an advantage was working brilliantly. After his wild actions the day before, pretending to run because he was too injured, the Gate Guardian's people hadn't been too quick about replacing the guards for this side of the gate.
He only had one opponent to face. This was the closest he had ever been to getting beyond that gate. It was so close that he could almost taste the air of the mortal realm.
Flanked on either side by large spirit wolves, whose backs came to his waist, he placed his hands upon his hips brimming with confidence. Though theses wolves had only just developed a higher consciousness after death, the spirit energy they've managed to amass is quite remarkable. With their strengths added to his, Paoxiao felt he had a shot at winning.
So, that in mind, with a voice teeming in arrogance Paoxiao said. "Ahahah, you're completely out-numbered! Do you still dare to face me? Dare to bar my way?"
The guard, dressed in neat black robes and armor, paid the jeering words no mind. Rather, one could say, that he treated them as a pesky fly's buzzing. He dutifully remained standing guard and didn't even glance in his direction.
Ah, Li Yu Rong's people were all like this; stiff and unapproachable. No matter what he did, he could never get a rise out of them. The only way was just to hop to it and start throwing fists around.
So, he did just that.
Flying forward, he tossed a punch toward the guard's face. The guard, without blinking, caught his on-coming fist and moved into a shoulder throw. Paoxiao grinned as he followed along with the move, not making any efforts to break it.
This was all part of the plan!
The wolves that had been flanking him before his move pounced into action. As the guard was in mid-throw the spirit creatures sank their teeth into leg flesh, forcing out their own unique spirit energy into the wound. It all happened so quick that there was the nothing the guard could do to remedy the situation. He felt the strength drain from his limbs, causing him to drop Paoxiao.
Righting himself in one fluid movement Paoxiao shot the fallen guard a triumphant grin. "You ignored the wolves because they're newly born spirit creatures, right?" He laughed gleefully. "However this pair of brothers are that rarely seen thing called a genius! Even though they're newly born, they created a move all their own that siphons out spirit energy to replace it with a kind of corrupted energy. It's an energy that paralyzes the body."
Paoxiao could hardly believe that he was seconds away from walking through the gate and into the mortal world. His steps were slow and measured as he felt a mounting anticipation for his long time desire to finally be met.
The moment his foot went to step beyond the gate, Paoxiao was roughly flung backward to slam into a nearby tree. He sat on his rump a whole thirty seconds in a disbelieving daze before jumping to his feet and flinging an accusing finger toward the paralyzed guard.
"What is this!?" He cried, his tone sounding wronged and bullied. "Since when was there such a strong spirit barrier barring the eastern gate!?"
"I put it there after your latest escapade," came a low drawling voice from his back.
From that cold and familiar tone, Paxiao's spine stiffened. He straightened his body and fixed his skewed robes of bright scarlet before turning to face Li Yu Rong like he wasn't affected by the Gate Guardian's sudden presence. When his eyes rose up to meet those frosty dual colored orbs it took the strength of all his self-control not shrink backward.
Normally he would focus upon Li Yu Rong's clear, gentler by comparison, ebony eye as it would help him to feel that this terrifying and domineering man wasn't so fierce. Howbeit, today, there was something rather truculent in the way that gaze narrowed in on him. Paoxiao couldn't find his usual comfort.
This, nonetheless, hardly prevented the demon from opening his mouth foolishly. He wouldn't be Paoxiao, the demon that rages ahead without forethought if he really paused to take the time to calmly consider the present situation.
Paoxiao pasted his hands to his hips, golden eyes twinkling as he laughed boisterously. His words were shamelessly arrogant; a front to cover his growing nerves. "Ahahah, this is really great! So you've finally gathered up your pitiful courage to come and face the Gre-"
The demon's tongue was cut short of his lofty prattling when a palm smashed into his face, driving his skull into the dirt below his feet. Paoxiao was made to see stars as he felt a nauseating dizziness rattle about his head. He was on the verge of recovering when he heard this earth-shattering sentence...
"The demon Paoxiao, by thy name I bind thine soul!"
A light burst forth from within searing words around his neck, archaic in form, to look much like a tattooed collar. It burned as if he were being marked by a hot poker. Every muscle in his body seized and refused to bend to his will as he tried to escape.
"H-H-Hey, now," he trembled and protested, "t-this isn't how it's supposed to go!"
"Until thine master is satisfied, thy will is thine master's will and thy life is thine master's life. This contract has been foraged."
Li Yu Rong usually used the Slave Binding Contract as a last resort, though it was what he was meant to do with all spirit creatures that tried to cross the gate. Said offenders were then forced to serve a term -that could span several years- as a slave to either a great house or a high-level martial practitioner. The practice had never sat well with Li Yu Rong, yet he was bound by the laws within the Place of the Four Gates.
While he was bound, however, it was not a tight grip. He was not the true inheritor. Having some leeway, he did not avail the contract upon those that avoided committing what he considered unforgivable.
The killing of the Spirit Guards to escape.
The Spirit Guards were departed mortal souls that acquired spirit energy upon entering the Spirit Realm. They forewent the wheel of reincarnation to serve as guards to this side of the gate. This sacrifice, however, came with a great price.
If killed, they could not reincarnate.
Their souls dispersed into the dense spirit energy of the Spirit Realm, becoming fodder to further the growth of others. Such a horrid end to the kind and gentle ones that chose this sacrifice to protect their families still living on the other side of the gate stifled his heart. It was something Li Yu Rong could not forgive and thus he bestowed upon those that heartlessly killed the endless suffering of the Slave Binding Contract.
This was a widely known fact throughout the Spirit Realm. Those that lived in the regions under Li Yu Rong's jurisdiction all respected this fact and forewent killing to go beyond the gate.
Paoxiao was one of those that oversaw this respect and could not understand why he had been bounded under this hateful contract. He wanted to ask but was too afraid to voice his grievances. Just as he receded into deep thought over how to escape, two vicious growls cut through the air. Paoxiao felt excitement over the two, wonderful, wolves charging at the Gate Guardian. He struggled and tried to wriggle his immobile body outside Li Yu Rong's range of control, hoping that it would gain him back his mobility.
That hope had been mercilessly crushed. Honestly, it was foolish to place hope upon wolves whose instinct was to submit to the strong. Li Yu Rong merely needed to growl out the word "submit," placing only a fraction of his power behind it to change them from snarling beasts to attention seeking puppies.
The wolf brothers, one a gleaming silver and the other as dark a midnight, crawled on their bellies toward that demonic red-eyed man that contained a staggering strength that left their fur standing on end. Even though they were newly born to a higher consciousness, it didn't take a high level of thought for them realize their best option for survival was to lay down and bare their bellies in submission.
Seeing the wolf brothers' whole-hearted display caused Li Yu Rong's lips to twitch upward. He reached out and scratched their bellies to accept their display of deference to his strength. Ordinarily, he would have ignored it and allowed them to retreat back into the forest, but the lovely soft and gleaming coats of theirs had him changing his mind.
They'd also make a lovely gift for his pet.
Recalling that strange girl and the way that she looked at his eye, the way that she felt in his arms, lightened his darkened countenance even further. Seeing that Li Yu Rong seemed to have softened his stance for whatever reason, Paoxiao took a risk.
"So, um, this human I'm to serve... would be...?" Might as well feign obedience for now.
Li Yu Rong shot the demon a mysterious grin but didn't answer, causing poor Paoxiao so much worry his stomach started to hurt.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA
Saoirse
Saoirse
I hope you all enjoyed the extra chapter o(^^)o
Thank you for all the comments, reviews, and power stones in support of ISAW. You readers are really awesome!
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