233 - Mistress, I Was Wrong

**Chapter 233: Memories** Dongfang Minghui climbed down from Toothless, revealing footprints previously covered by snow. She measured them, then exclaimed excitedly, "These are Xiao Miao's footprints, but how did he end up here?" This place was miles away from where they encountered the avalanche, a full twenty kilometers, practically in the opposite direction. "Little Fatty, do you want to find Xiao Miao?" "Find him." Little Fatty replied without hesitation. After searching for three days, finding traces of him here left Dongfang Minghui conflicted. Yet she decided to follow the footprints. "I wonder why Xiao Miao left his prints here... Did he leave them intentionally, or was he brought here forcibly?" After considering it, she sensed the latter was more likely. She reached for her favorite item, only to find a few plum blossom nails instead. She tilted her head, brushing her nose against soft fur as the Little Artifact Spirit on her shoulder tumbled off with her pause. She caught it, feeling its soft body. The little guy had its eyes closed, belly rising and falling, seemingly asleep. She gently poked its belly, and it rolled over, nestling in her palm, emitting soft cooing sounds. She listened to the Longevity Cauldron again, finding it eerily quiet. "What’s up with Little Artifact Spirit?" she wondered. "Sleeping," Little Fatty responded shortly. Unable to find anything amiss after a thorough check, she went along with Little Fatty's explanation. Yet, she found it unbelievable that even the Little Artifact Spirit needed sleep, considering Little Fatty, once humanoid, had boundless energy and usually only slept a few hours after several days. Unbeknownst to her, the Little Artifact Spirit's consciousness had ventured inside the Longevity Cauldron, inching closer to the fierce beast clawing at the walls. The metal walls of the cauldron remained unmarred, but the beast's claws had broken. Since then, the beast had leapt around, unsuccessfully trying to extinguish the formidable flames atop the cauldron with its icy blades. After hopping the whole day, the flames burned steadily while the beast lay exhausted inside, panting heavily. The Little Artifact Spirit aimed for the plum blossom nails. During the beast’s futile attempts, several nails jingled—falling from it. Seizing the opportunity, the Little Artifact Spirit gathered them within the cauldron. “Humph!” It mimicked the beast’s growl. “Little Artifact Spirit?” Dongfang Minghui followed the footprints, discovering two additional hefty sets alongside Xiao Miao’s—larger, likely belonging to two men. Just as she intended to quietly follow, the Little Artifact Spirit leapt onto her shoulder, settling with pig-like grunts. Though quiet, Minghui feared it might alert the others. “Shh.” Like a magician, Little Artifact Spirit brought out all the plum blossom nails for her. After the tenth nail, it lay faithfully on her shoulder, staring at her. Worried she’d be left without resources, Dongfang Minghui was thrilled when Little Artifact Spirit returned the ten nails, feeling it was divine intervention. "You're amazing, Little Artifact Spirit." However, twelve nails were still missing. Sitting upright on her shoulder, Little Artifact Spirit beamed contentedly. “He’s quite stubborn. We can’t make him talk, let’s set him loose,” one voice softly drifted to Dongfang Minghui’s ears. Lying in a depression, she couldn’t see them but recognized the familiar voices—Rahan and Cheng Jiang, missing since the avalanche. “Fifth Brother, don’t joke, let him go and where would we find someone?” “Dummy, if we release him, we secretly follow him.” Realizing this stratagem of releasing the tiger back into the wild, they concocted a ploy. Pressed against the cold snow, shivering, Dongfang Minghui marveled, "These two actually survived the avalanche. Is it true what they say about misfortune lasting forever?" A hole appeared where Little Fatty rested, the surrounding snow melted by her body heat. She replied earnestly, "Yes." Dongfang Minghui was caught between laughing and crying. Recalling Zhi Lan and Uncle’s injuries, she restrained her scorn, waiting patiently for Xiao Miao. --- After being buried by the avalanche, Xiao Miao barely escaped, only to be caught by Cheng Jiang and Rahan, who had been searching for them. The two were ice elementalists; he wielded fire. He had the chance to flee but was ensnared by a metallic net they conjured from nowhere. Indeed, just as they said, despite his best efforts, he could not contend with them, and they couldn’t subdue him either. “Go on.” Cheng Jiang retrieved the net, not sparing Xiao Miao a glance. Covered in flames, when captured, Xiao Miao unleashed his intrinsic power, turning their weapons to water in front of him. Yet, the golden net resisted. Xiao Miao bolted, running faster than he had ever run in his life to escape. “Heh, that little punk sure runs fast.” “But he can’t escape our grasp.” Dongfang Minghui couldn’t predict where Xiao Miao might flee. She leaned against Little Fatty, shivering, “Toothless, will Xiao Miao return to the ruins?” Toothless scratched long marks on the ice with her forelimb, then gripped Dongfang Minghui’s sleeve, laying low with a growl. “Someone’s coming,” Little Color explained. Dongfang Minghui quickly mounted Toothless, whispering, “Little Fatty, you and Xiao Miao run together, okay?” Little Fatty’s eyes sparkled, nodding to her. Xiao Miao, relieved by the lack of pursuit, retraced his steps until a pit forced him to halt. Hesitating, he found Dongfang Minghui below. “Shh.” Xiao Miao’s eyes lit up, and he swiftly jumped down. Seeing him unharmed, Dongfang Minghui sighed in relief, “Let’s go, don’t confront them head-on.” Leaving the pit, they saw the wind and snow intensify, swirling to deliberately block their path. Toothless turned, growling at the void around. “We’ve been discovered,” she lamented. Cheng Jiang and Rahan had intended to trail Xiao Miao secretly to them, but fate led them to Dongfang Minghui first. “What luck!” “Long time no see, Sorceress.” “How did they spot us?” Dongfang Minghui wondered, confused. She glanced at Xiao Miao, who was glaring, seemingly blaming them for their breach of word. “Perhaps it was the aura.” It was the second time she heard this mention of aura. “The opponent is an ice elementalist, which favors them in this place while disadvantaging us. Are you planning to kill them or flee with Xiao Miao?” Little Color spoke of escape without shame, though it made Dongfang Minghui feel cowardly. “These two are cunning; best to eliminate them to prevent future troubles,” Dongfang Minghui decided. She then addressed the pair, “Ah, so it’s you. I thought you perished with Meihu.” Cheng Jiang and Rahan’s faces hardened, their eyes venomously fixed on Dongfang Minghui. “You must be with the death mages, but you alone aren’t much.” Dongfang Minghui noted the pervasive presence of death mages, visibly annoying. Their sullen expressions appeared as if they wanted to swallow her whole, but she laughed, “That other group in black robes must be your comrades too, right? They all ended up buried in the avalanche. If you can inform others, send them our way to prevent us from truly finding the Dragon Clan's land—what a pity that would be.” Rahan sneered, dismissively, “We’re enough; no need for others.” Dongfang Minghui noticed a cocky tone in his response and his disdain at the mention of the black robes, indicating familiar but unfriendly relations. Cheng Jiang urged, “Capture her; she’s more important than the fire user—surely, she’ll reveal the map.” Dongfang Minghui nodded, agreeing, "I believe I am more important." As soon as Dongfang Minghui finished speaking, both sides sprang into action simultaneously. She discreetly let Little Color's vines lurk beneath the ice and snow, while Lahan and Cheng Jiang subtly buried ice spikes in the snow, encircling them. Toothless flapped her wings twice, lifting Minghui into the air where the ground's spikes missed entirely. Numerous fireballs circumvented Little Color's vines, hitting the ground and blooming into spectacular displays, obliterating the hiding black-threaded ice spikes. "Roar!" The Little Artifact Spirit, perched on her shoulder, enthusiastically spewed fireballs at the ground, whether for fun or in a genuine attempt to eliminate the ice spikes. Seeing Little Artifact Spirit, Dongfang Minghui had a sudden idea, "Little Artifact Spirit, release the beast to handle them. Let them fight amongst themselves." The Little Artifact Spirit's eyes gleamed with excitement, scratching its head as it blew the Longevity Cauldron into the sky like a balloon. Toothless quickly flew a safe distance away, recalling the time she was trapped by it and not wanting a repeat. "Xiao Miao, Little Fatty, run quick." The two, understanding quickly, dashed on the path they came from. Little Fatty's speed was unmatched; she pulled Xiao Miao along, leaving only a trail of footprints and silhouettes. Before Cheng Jiang and Lahan could react, a small black dot thrown by them expanded, blocking their path and mushrooming into a mountain-sized entity before catapulting into the air. A colossal creature appeared in front of them. "This, this is—" "An ice-element beast, perfectly matched with your abilities. You can spar with it," Dongfang Minghui said with rare delight, flashing a grin before calling Little Artifact Spirit back and flying away. "Roar—" The beast, maddened from being trapped in the cauldron, unleashed its ice powers wildly, especially upon seeing Toothless, it charged fiercely. Lahan and Cheng Jiang's defenses crumbled under the beast's onslaught, as it pursued Toothless avidly, trampling them in its wake. Dongfang Minghui covered her eyes, calling out quickly, "Little Artifact Spirit, do you plan to keep this big guy contained, or just let it rampage?" Little Artifact Spirit, still eager from its task, replied, "Contain again, and this." It slyly revealed a plum blossom nail, gesturing in excitement, though the concealed nails were a challenge to retrieve. Dongfang Minghui sighed, sympathizing with the beast. Initially, she aimed to use plum blossom nails poisoning it, unaware its hide was the thickest she'd ever encountered; thirty-six nails were ineffective. Such a large creature, once free, was trouble. Observing Little Artifact Spirit's enthusiasm, she consented. The Little Artifact Spirit tossed the Longevity Cauldron again, enlarging it until the beast inside furiously struggled, unleashing an icy dragon while Toothless countered with a fiery dragon. The clash sent them both recoiling. Dongfang Minghui, shaken by the overwhelming spiritual energy, fell from Toothless but managed a steady landing through swift energy manipulation. "Toothless." Toothless shook her fur, clearing her head. Bravely, she charged, yet the Longevity Cauldron imprisoned the beast again before she reached it. Little Artifact Spirit tapped the cauldron in frustration, scratching persistently. "Looks like I arrived a bit late." "Who?" A figure suddenly appeared, descending amidst the wind and snow, revealing his burly form once landing. His gaze lingered on Toothless, then Little Artifact Spirit before settling on Dongfang Minghui. Startled, she thought it was Xiu Qi, but the newcomer wasn’t him. “Long time no see, you seem in such plight you can’t even transform,” he mocked, disdain lacing his tone as he eyed Toothless with teasing eyes. “Toothless growled dismissively, “Mind your business.” Dongfang Minghui tilted her head, sizing him up, recognizing him from somewhere, "You—" He looked humorously at her, his thick eyebrows wiggling amusingly but exuding a pressure that felt oppressive, "You are the dragon clan's servant." "Hey." Though she often did 'servant' tasks, she stood as an equal, willingly caring for Toothless, Little Fatty, and Little Artifact Spirit. How did his words twist it into something derogatory? Servant... Such old feudal thinking. "You're quite rude, aren’t you? Showing up and rudely calling us out. Who exactly are you? If you don’t say, we’ll leave," she demanded. With Little Fatty and Xiao Miao long gone, she beckoned to Little Artifact Spirit, "Let’s go, don’t mind this rude weirdo." Little Artifact Spirit perched the Longevity Cauldron on its small head, wings fluttering on her shoulder. Toothless swished her tail, lay down in front of her to offer a ride, infuriating the thick-browed man. "Enough audacity! You, just a human, dare to ride a dragon!" "I'm riding," Dongfang Minghui petulantly climbed onto Toothless, patting her large head, "Toothless, let's go." "You’re not leaving." The wind whipped furiously, threatening to blow her away for the first time, she realized her frail form could be swept away. If not for Little Color's prescient vines, she might have been flung three meters away. "Little Color, who is this maniac?" "Definitely a maniac." The man released another fire dragon, larger than Toothless's, causing Little Color to flinch and pulling Dongfang Minghui forcefully to escape. "Oh dear!" Escaping wasn’t as lucky for Little Artifact Spirit; it was swept away by the wind, facing the fire dragon head-on. "Little Artifact Spirit!" “Don’t worry. It has the Longevity Cauldron,” Little Color urged her, "Instead, worry about us. That one’s aura screams Dragon Clan." Her jaw dropped, astonished, as Toothless exhaled a fiery dragon, easily distinguishable by its golden glow. When the two clashed, the larger fire dragon was thrown back. "Guess size isn’t everything," she mused watching the skirmish unfold. A breath of relief later, she saw Toothless transform back into her human guise, stunningly matching Minghui’s attire. "Try that again, and I’ll kill you." "You’ve degraded to a human’s mount; I’ll find a way to kill her." "Then I'll kill you first." The tension escalated into combat as Minghui felt her eyes sting. She thought Toothless reverted to beast form due to injuries, realizing it was to accommodate her. “What now? If Toothless kills a kin without returning to the Dragon Clan, could it affect her status?” she pondered. “Just kill—dragging this out raises risks,” Little Color reassured, surprisingly pragmatic. “Yeah... guess you're right,” she conceded. Above, two dragons thrashing conjured explosive fireballs. Little Color feared fire, especially from true dragons, whose mere swoop could heavily injure her. Hence, she pulled Minghui ten meters away. "Ah-choo." Covered in flames, Little Artifact Spirit emerged from the fire dragon, sneezing repeatedly and scorching the ground with each step, landing beside Dongfang Minghui after fifty sneezes. "Delicious." "What did you eat?" Little Artifact Spirit gestured with its paws, elongating them, and suddenly Dongfang Minghui inferred—it could have swallowed the fire dragon! "What happens when metal elements consume fire energy?" "It would likely feel like the searing pain of being burnt by flames," Little Color said seriously. The Little Artifact Spirit didn’t seem to grasp survival rules, mimicking others thinking it was Toothless, or just imitating without understanding its true nature. Dongfang Minghui rubbed her forehead and promptly pried open its mouth, murmuring, "Little Artifact Spirit, some things are not safe to eat. They're bad for you. Spit it out." Remarkably, Little Artifact Spirit listened, patting its little belly before expelling a golden, web-like substance intact. "Huh?" "It’s a net made from a metallic material." Touching it, she realized the golden net was impervious to weapons and untouched by elements. It was reminiscent of the predatory plant’s silk, “Is there such exquisite metallic thread in the world?” “There is. The world is vast, limited only by your imagination,” Little Color replied with a sidelong glance. Swallowed by the spirit, it was a treat wasted. "But this is fine; it could be handy someday. Perhaps discuss with Little Artifact Spirit—it’s quite smart.” Dongfang Minghui observed the net, about five meters wide, able to net a large catch. “Little Artifact Spirit, you can eat this, but it seems like a waste,” she hesitated, finding her inventory lacking for a fair trade. “I’ll ask Seventh Sister if she has something suitable for you to eat, and then we can trade. How does that sound?” The Little Artifact Spirit cocked its head, catching on to a word, “What’s suitable for me to eat?” Looking at the two battling dragons that were stirring up the skies with fireballs and an impending blizzard, she quickly stashed Little Artifact Spirit inside her coat, shouting to Toothless, “Stop fighting! You’re drawing in the storm; if this keeps up, we’ll all perish here.” With that, she had Little Color pull her away rapidly. Witnessing the thundering blizzard racing toward them, Toothless fiercely charged the meddlesome fire dragon. The two were soon engulfed entirely by the storm. “Toothless!” “Stop yelling, move!” Suddenly, Dongfang Minghui felt immobilized and urgently called within to Little Color, “Little Color, why can’t I move?” Inside the soul sea, Little Color seemed absent as silence filled her mind, punctuated only by her heartbeats, thumping steadily. Frozen, she couldn’t lift a finger, while her moving eyes watched a snowflake hang inches from her face. It had six translucent petals, perfectly beautiful. Other flakes hovered near, some far, yet all were still. “Little Color, Pig Immortal Grass, say something.” She was sweating nervously when a savior-like white figure descended before her. Xiu Qi, with his ever-handsome features, bore a gentle, comforting smile. Were one to find such a charming man looking affectionately at you, it’d feel blissfully overwhelming. Yet Dongfang Minghui trembled in fear, unable to even move a finger. Her wide eyes bored into Xiu Qi’s, desperate enough almost to burn a hole. “He wouldn’t seize this moment to take advantage, would he?” Thinking he'd snatch the Pig Immortal Grass. How could she protect it? Xiu Qi noticed tears, frozen into a gem-like drop at her eye’s corner. Gently, he brushed it away, keeping the tear like a memento. Her eyes darted as his touch on her face felt soft, though his words were far from gentle. “First time seeing someone break free from time’s shackles; you surprise me. Your kind, the Wan Shou clan, is out of place here. One day, you’ll understand: extremes lead to downfall. I won't take the Pig Immortal Grass... until next we meet.” She didn’t hear the rest. Xiu Qi passed her by, lamenting, “You unruly lot have stirred quite disaster here.” Then— Dongfang Minghui collapsed to her knees, hands planted on the ground, staring vacantly forward, mind blank, weighed by a nagging sense of forgotten importance. “Little Color.” “What?” Little Color replied, puzzled. Dongfang Minghui shook her head; that odd feeling vanished. Looking back, she saw Toothless and the other fire dragon collapsed, panting heavily. Around them, the snow was gone, leaving bare ground. “Toothless.” “Don’t show yourself before me again, or I'll kill you.” Toothless, puzzled as to why the urge to kill hadn’t come, loathed the way he looked at Minghui. Warning him, she rose, moving toward Dongfang Minghui. Dongfang Minghui glanced at the burly man, “Ah, I remember.” Finally, she recalled feeling déjà vu—it was him. The night she and Seventh Sister explored the ice lotus mountains’ peaks, encountering this man in an icy confrontation. He’d tricked Seventh Sister into a risky leap off the summit. “Toothless, let’s go.” “Uh—” Toothless, flustered by her slip, patted her own mouth. Dongfang Minghui stood there awkwardly, her mind spinning from the unexpected title. She stumbled over, gripping Toothless' warm hand, speechless, having lived enough for two lifetimes to be a mother, but still unsettled by such a pretty girl calling her that. “Our Toothless is equally lovely in human form.” “Mm.” Remembering the past, Toothless recalled her ill behavior when taken back by Little Fatty, trying to earn favor by reverting to beast form to make amends. "You came for the Dragon Clan’s land," that man commented, standing, chuckling lightly. "I know where it is, but a word of caution: don't open it." “Why? Toothless just wants to reunite with family,” Dongfang Minghui puzzled over his warning. He smirked, transforming into a dragon and disappearing. Minghui clashed with the urge to shoot him down. Stomping in frustration, she said, “Forget it, we need to find Seventh Sister.” “Toothless reassured, “Don’t fret, we’ve got the map. Even without his guidance, we’ll find it.” Dongfang Minghui didn’t worry about finding the place; it was his cryptic warning that unsettled her. What secret lurked within the Dragon Clan’s land? Throughout the journey, Toothless discreetly watched her, trying to comfort her but unsure how. Minghui wished desperately for Qian Wanyu’s presence, thinking of her comforting ability. Soon, Dongfang Minghui rejoined Xiao Miao and others. Little Fatty grumbled endlessly, upset over their tardiness. Dongfang Minghui reached out to pat her head but found Little Fatty taller, awkwardly retracting her hand. "It's fine. Can you trace the marks Uncle left?" "Yes." Toothless and Little Fatty led the way while Dongfang Minghui followed slowly behind. Little Artifact Spirit had transformed back into Toothless and swung playfully on her chest. Looking down, she saw the cauldron atop Little Artifact Spirit’s head. "Spirit, you might enjoy consuming weaponry. Seventh Sister mentioned a place, a sword grave, where you might feast,” she speculated. "What’s a sword grave?" Little Artifact Spirit inquired. The Little Artifact Spirit, imitating Toothless with a soft, childlike voice, melted Dongfang Minghui’s heart. Such an adorable little creature—it made her want to nurture it endlessly. With patience, Dongfang Minghui explained, "A sword grave is like a cemetery for swords, a place where old weapons are laid to rest." The Little Artifact Spirit was still puzzled as to why it could only consume these things but decided not to question further. Sometimes, even its tiny brain needed a moment to think. "Hmm, can I call you Little Nine?" Dongfang Minghui was taken aback; the Little Spirit must have heard this from her uncle and mother. “Yes, you may. And what should I call you?” The Little Artifact Spirit tilted its head, searching its memory but finding nothing satisfactory. Instead, it recalled a beautiful person calling it once, "Ding Ding." “You like that name?” “Yeah.” Ding Ding knocked against the Longevity Cauldron, producing a metallic "ding-dong" sound, as if echoing its own name. "Then you shall be called Ding Ding." "Little Nine." "Ding Ding." While they childishly exchanged names, the Pig Immortal Grass suddenly chimed in from within her soul sea, "Xiu Qi seems to have left." Dongfang Minghui detected a hint of regret. "Isn’t it good that he left? Maybe he didn’t notice you and went elsewhere to look." Yet Pig Immortal Grass disagreed, its instincts suggesting that someone with Xiu Qi's sharp senses probably detected it. It had been prepared for the worst, but Xiu Qi departing was unexpected. “That’s not his usual style.” “Pig Immortal Grass, be honest, is there more to you and Xiu Qi than you’re letting on?” She often found Xiu Qi peculiar, exuding no aura yet provoking fear within her, even more than the massive fierce beast. It was the constant sense of impending doom, as if being crushed underfoot at any moment. Pig Immortal Grass sighed, "It’s unspeakable." Unspeakable? What kind of an answer is that? Dongfang Minghui was ready to yank the Pig Immortal Grass from the soul sea and have a serious heart-to-heart. She needed it to understand she wasn't a person to be trifled with. But then, a rumbling interruption caused the ground to sway briefly before settling. "What happened?" "No avalanche, so likely something to do with your Seventh Sister." On hearing Seventh Sister might be in trouble, she yearned to sprout wings and fly over, pushing all thoughts of Xiu Qi aside. Urgently, she urged, “Toothless, Little Fatty, quick, take me to Seventh Sister.” --- They journeyed from the mountain’s peak to a subterranean chamber hidden beneath the ruins, where Hehuan Jade led them to a spot before stopping, hovering midair. Lien surveyed the etched mountains on the walls, a wave of familiarity washing over him, triggering forgotten memories that surged into his soul sea. “Ah—” “Lien.” Under Hehuan Jade’s dim light, Qian Wanyu managed to decipher the wall drawings. Unlike the refined art in the small house on the ninth peak of the Qian family’s mountain, these were crude sketches, roughly at her waist level. Watching him bang his head against the walls confirmed her suspicions. Lien was indeed Qian Ying’s child. Yet perplexingly, a person assumed to have died lived, seemingly with his age paused for a century. Qian Wanyu let out a small laugh, marveling at fate's curiosities, how it mistakenly led her to Qian Ying’s child, unearthing the blood oath placed upon her. “Mother, Uncle, help scour for the half of the heritage Qian Ying hid here.” Qian Yiling extended her hand, gently feeling the walls, tapping as if searching for a secret chamber or similar. Lien, head bloodied, seemly oblivious to pain, sought to untangle the chaos in his soul sea. Memories flashed by like fleeting dreams, resurfacing only briefly before fading again. A tall man always dragging a little boy to this spot, persistently telling him, “When this door opens, your mother will return.” And so, the boy would carve incomprehensible symbols only he understood into the wall, recording time as he awaited his mother's return, filled with childhood hopes and dreams. “I remember now!”