บท 80: Xiao Dai's Past

"Hey, are you okay? You seem a little distant."

Li Qingchan was unusually concerned about Xiao Dai, and Julong couldn't blame her. She usually had her graceful facade about her or the one they were more familiar with, her overexcitable side out on display. But currently, they were nowhere to be found.

Just what seemed to be a cold shell of Xiao Dai remained as she flew just ahead of them, out in the wastelands.

They assumed it had something to do with the Sacred Palace, but even before when they had spoken about the Sect, they hadn't seen such an adverse reaction from her. It was only the current day when they had set off to find the Cult.

And it only got worse the further they went into the wastelands.

It was almost like she became more nervous as they got closer to the Cult Members. She always did have a strong prejudice against them.

"No. I'm not."

Xiao Dai replied without looking at the two. She was out front almost like she was trying to run away from them.

It wasn't the response they were expecting. She always had a disposition to not draw attention to herself in that way.

"Xiao Dai, can we all stop for a second? If you're not okay, we should definitely talk about it. Especially because of our current situation."

Julong as he said that slowed down. Feeling them do so from behind, Xiao Dai too came to a stop, hovering a little away from them.

"It's about the Cult isn't it?"

Almost as if hitting the nail on the head, she flinched.

"How do you know that?"

"Come on, it's pretty obvious. The way you've always acted when the topic was brought up was completely out of character for you. It also made me curious about how you like to watch children play. That's not something normal people really reminisce about, Xiao Dai.

"...Is there something you're not telling us?"

She muttered, then stopped for a second, turning around; facing the opposite direction from them, almost as if she wasn't ready to face whatever was bugging her. But with a deep breath, she turned to face them again.

"My Mother and Father... t-they're influential figures within the Cult. As in, my Father is the current leader of the Cult."

Qingchans eyes widened. While the two disciples of the Cangxuan Sect could have assumed they would have been part of the Cult, hearing it aloud was another thing.

With all the bad things they had heard about the Cult, she would, of course, assume they would share a similar view about her once they knew the truth.

It would obviously be important to her. From the looks of it, all she had was her master. The only friends she had were her and Julong. Of which she seemed to idolise Qingchan, a great deal. Of course it would be hard to mention.

At that moment Li Qingchan smiled at Xiao Dai. It was the most genuine heartwarming smile Julong had seen from her thus far.

"Xiao Dai, did you really believe we would think bad of you for that?

"Do you really think we could blame you for being born into such a situation?"

Xiao Dai's lips trembled. "B-But I've still taken part in those rituals you've heard about-!"

"The fact you were able to realise it was wrong, make it to the Sect and reach where you are today is enough for us to be complete idiots if we were to think in such a way about you. You clearly are not defined by your parents or what you were forced to do when you were young."

"But I wasn't forced...at least I don't think I was..."

Julong caught her attention with his own comforting gaze.

"Even so, it was likely all you knew at that time, who were you to say it was wrong when it was happening." Julong looked her dead in the eyes. "Everything adds up now to me in regards to who you are. In some ways you're just like me I suppose. We both didn't have childhoods, raised in environments where we were both expected of something since our birth.

"I don't know what it was that was expected of you, nor do you need to tell us. Just know that no matter what, you are Xiao Dai. You will never be compared to a Cultist when myself and Qingchan are around."

Xiao Dai's eyes became watery as she looked at the two. She seemed to cross her arms as if trying to comfort herself.

"Y-You-"

Qingchan quickly moved into her and embraced her. While they hadn't known each other for long, just like Xiao Dai, Qingchan didn't have many friends and she valued the ones she did have. Ones that despite her image were able to treat her equally. Xiao Dai was one of these people, despite some of the incessant teasing that would sometimes take place.

Julong watched from the side as Xiao Dai cried into Qingchan. He would of course have no qualms about helping in comforting her, however, he also felt he would be betraying Yao Yao in some way if he were to get in on the hugging - and he really didn't want to be called a womanizer by her again if she were to find out. Better yet, Qingchan was cunning enough to be able to use it as some sort of blackmail, which he was not about.

"I'm sorry, for assuming you would both react differently from this. It was selfish and insulting toward both of you."

Xiao Dai pulled away from Qingchan, who took her cheek and wiped a tear from her eye. She then looked down.

"Please promise me, even when you go back to the Cangxuan Sect, you won't forget me, and that you'll come to visit me one day."

Qingchan gleamed at those words.

"Don't forget that you can come visit us as well. When we get back I intend to request the Sect Master to send an envoy out here so we can form an alliance between our Sects. That way we can see each other whenever we want."

"I'd like that."

"Now come on, show us the Xiao Dai that we both know and enjoy being around."

Xiao Dai seemed to steel herself at those words, and with a nod, put on her signature grin.

"Let's continue with the commission then."

Julong stared at the scene fondly. Everything sorted itself out without much interference it seemed.

Keyword: seemed.

As soon as Xiao Dai turned around, Qingchan glared at him almost as if to ask why he didn't join their hug.

Julong wasn't sure how to react. He felt that her want for him to be in on it was just a little biased outside of just wanting to make Xiao Dai feel better.

Somehow, he had a feeling even though he felt he did the right thing, it would still somehow come back around to bite him in the ass when he reunited with Yao Yao.

…

I don't understand women.