Soul Lock

In the House of Reincarnation... Once Again

The duo stood in front of the final stone gate and exchanged a glance before entering into the House of Reincarnation.

"Well well, what a surprise!" the Master of Life-and-death exclaimed excitedly while clapping.

"Your Highness," the duo bowed with respect. As they had the memories of the House of Reincarnation from their last time, there was no need for introduction.

"Xiao Lan, I have to admit that you are the most stubborn soul I have ever seen," she snapped her fingers and a table appeared in front of her and two high chairs on the opposite side. She gestured at them to take a seat, "seems like your Soul Lock functioned even after it disappeared."

Wen Lan shrugged, "well, Your Highness can say that, I guess."

She giggled and snapped her unnaturally long fingers again. A red cloud slid in with a tray with three cups of tea. It landed on the table and she gave them a cup.

"I hope it is not the Tea of Oblivion," Wen Lan blurted out, making her giggle again. He was trying to keep a blithe atmosphere so that she would be willing to help them.

"Xiao Lan, you should stay here with me! We can have so much fun!"

Hearing her, Ju Xin's face paled. Would she forcefully keep Wen Lan there?

"I am joking, Xin Xin!" she let out a chuckle, "look at his face, he got pale!" She was having so much fun with these two.

Ju Xin feigned a cough with embarrassment while a tiny smile crept onto Wen Lan's lips for a second before they formed a line again with nervousness.

"Although I am enjoying your company, I also wonder the reason why you are here together," she said politely, her black holes shifted between them. It was good that she was tilting her head according to her focus, otherwise, they wouldn't understand where she was looking with those black holes.

"I want to regain my memories of two lives and Wen Lan wants to see those memories alongside my third life."

"Oh my," she slapped her hands on the table, making the cups hop, "why do you want such a thing?" she asked with brimming curiosity. Maybe it was really a good idea to keep Xiao Lan with her as he had all those weird ideas in his pretty head.

"I believe I deserve an explanation for all my sufferings, don't I?" Wen Lan uttered in a serious manner.

The Master of Life-and-death leaned forward on her elbows, "do you agree, Xin Xin?"

Ju Xin just nodded.

"Are you not afraid? You drank that tea two times for a reason, you know."

With the remark, Wen Lan's face darkened while Ju Xin said "I can handle it, it is all in the past."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Even if it taints your soul?"

"Wait, what?!" Wen Lan intervened, "why did you say that?" he asked with fear. Indeed, he didn't want anything else, other than learning about Ju Xin's past, but he couldn't let his selfish desire ruin Ju Xin's soul.

"It's fine," Ju Xin wanted to reassure the agitated Ghost King, but Wen Lan snapped at him.

"HOW CAN YOU SAY IT IS FINE?!" he shouted with a tsunami in his ocean eyes, "I am not that low, you know," he continued with a softer tone.

Ju Xin sighed, his shoulders stooping. Of course, he didn't want to suffer, but he couldn't deny Wen Lan the only thing he really wanted. Although Wen Lan shouted at him, he didn't mind, even being touched as the Ghost King put his well being before his own wish.

"You two are really interesting," the Master of Life-and-death commented with an amused expression. She could understand Wen Lan's obsession, but Ju Xin's willingness to help was a mystery unless... he was madly in love with the Ghost King.

She sat upright as the sudden revelation hit her. Now, everything made sense. It was an enemy/lover situation!

The duo kept sitting in silence, not aware of her rapid thoughts.

"Well," she managed to utter in the end, "I might have exaggerated the situation a bit."

The duo lifted their heads synchronically, and the hope in their eyes was overwhelming.

"It is not that bad, it is just extremely unfortunate and sad," she clarified the situation.

"Oh," Ju Xin was the first to react, "then there is no problem," he said rather cheerfully.

"But..." Wen Lan mumbled quietly as he still felt uneasy.

"Don't worry," she patted Wen Lan's hand, "his life was hard like yours, well maybe a little harder than yours, but still..."

Wen Lan didn't say anything.

"Shall we?" Ju Xin asked the goddess who nodded with a smile.

"I will connect two of you, so whatever Ju Xin remembers will be in your mind as well," she explained, then she pulled out a single thread from her long transparent hair and tied one end to Ju Xin's ring finger and the other end to Wen Lan's.

When she finished, she shouted "Hong Ben!" and the red notebook fell from nowhere to her already waiting hand. She placed the book onto the table before she reached for Ju Xin's hand. She held Ju Xin's hand on Hong Ben and formed a slight cut on his palm with her sharp nail. A single drop of blood fell on Hong Ben and it opened a certain golden page on its own.

"It is your page, Ju Xin," she said as she let go of his hand, "when you are ready, touch somewhere on the page, thinking which point in the past you want to go."

Ju Xin took a deep breath and put his finger down in the middle of the page, thinking about his first encounter with Wen Lan. As soon as he did that, Hong Ben started shining with gold glimmer and red letters jumped out of the notebook and rushed inside Ju Xin's head, transforming into memories.

Now, there was no going back.