WangXian Forever 5

Chapter 101 Insight

Wei Ying watched his daughter frantically put away items in a Qiankun pouch, haphazardly tossing them in. He hated to disturb her, but this was more important.

"Li XiWang...Bai Hua," he started to say, but changed his mind. "Little rabbit, please stop. We need...we have to do something."

She hadn't heard him the first time, and he had to repeat himself, louder, before she stopped stuffing yet another scroll inside.

She sighed.

Just that act alone, made him rethink. This wasn't wholly Li XiWang.

"We don't have much time, but I know you want to do this. Come." She sat down in the middle of the floor and held out her hands for both of them.

Lan Zhan squeezed his hand before sitting down next to him, as they had done before.

"I know what you want to see." She told them. "But we have to hurry. And then, I must ask you a vital question."

She closed her eyes.

Wei Ying followed suit but with trepidation, worried about what he was going to see, and the fact that she knew what it was, even before he did. But it was nice that his left hand was encased inside a warmer, bigger one, comforted him no end. Sandalwood scent drifted closer to him, and he smiled quietly before concentrating on the task at hand.

He saw a beautiful baby with burgandy eyes being cuddled by raven haired parents, and knew without a doubt that this was Zai Shu Xia and Tiaopi De Long.

They looked so happy, the three of them, that it hurt his heart. This was his little girl, and he had never seen her like this, so small and cute and beautiful. Innocent.

They were dressed in plain clothes, living in a small shack on the edge of town. The place was clean, if nothing else. They had meagre supplies and it was evident that things were not going well.

The parents were arguing now, both angry, and Wei Ying could feel the waves of fear emanating from the little kid as she watched them with big eyes, worried about their reasons for the discord.

She was a good child, not fussy or crying without reason. Her happiest time was playing with her mother and father, although those times were becoming less and less frequent now. As she became a toddler, running towards her mother on chubby legs, just having learned to walk, Wei Ying could feel his heart breaking all over again.

Her face full of radiant innocence and wonder, at the miracle of independence that the simple act of walking on her own provided.

There was an abundance of happy moments, like when she first said their names, stumbling over the pronunciation with a cute toothless smile. The joy on her parents faces, as she overcame the daily challenges of being in a child's body.

One such moment stood out.

Zai Shu Xia was brushing her long hair lovingly, tieing it up with a hessian string. Then she sat down in front of her child.

Wei Ying was shocked to see tears fill her eyes.

She gathered the now confused child in her arms and tried to smile.

"Yinghua, listen to me carefully. Mama loves you very much. Please don't ever forget that, no matter what happens. Do you understand?"

The baby Li XiWang chortled another laugh and grabbed her face in her chubby hands and smooshed their lips together in wet kiss, trying to make her mother happy again.

But even as he watched, screams erupted outside. They both looked around before Zai Shu Xia snatched up the child and raced out, using a back exit.

They were surrounded by the assassins, who had already captured the seventh Dragon King, Tiaopi De Long. He writhed to try and free himself, in obvious pain as the barbed shackles cut into his skin.

"Run!" He shouted, before the woman standing in front of Zai Shu Xia turned with a whiplash move and silenced him.

Baby Li XiWang cried out, her chubby arms outstretched to go to him, while being restrained by her mother.

"Are you going to come quietly, Sister?" The woman asked, spitefully.

"Let him go. Your quarrel is with me." Zai Shu Xia sounded powerful and strong, but Wei Ying could see her hands tremble as she forced herself not to look at her husband.

"Not likely." The woman with sharp features snapped. "We have plans for him already, and this time, who are you going to go to, to cure him?"

"Don't hurt him." Her voice was full of threat.

"And what are you going to do about it? Besides, we have already sold him. Say goodbye now, because this is the last time you will see him." She smiled evilly.

Zai Shu Xia flung something round onto the ground and watched it explode while she ran back into the shack. There, she created a fiery portal, sparking with purple and green flames, and walked confidently into it with Li XiWang, not looking back once, while tears dripped from her blue eyes, without stopping.

He recognised the place immediately, having been there so many times before now.

The familiar oak trees rose up to greet them, but Wei Ying wanted to cry himself, knowing what was coming up now.

Zai Shu Xia hugged her daughter, holding her close for a very long time.

"My darling girl, I must leave you here. You can be safe...and...and I can do what I must, if I know that." She sobbed, her heart breaking again and again.

Li XiWang tried to wipe her face, but then watched in awe when her mother waved a hand at the Oak trees. When they separated, Zai Shu Xia tied the pouch around Li XiWang's waist, kissing her face repeatedly.

"I love you so much, my love. I will find your father and then we'll come back to get you. You will be safe here."

Zai Shu Xia walked a way inside. Then she produced a straw doll tied with string and gave it to the distracted baby. She put a hand over her head and watched her eyes close as sleep took over. She kissed her one last time, before leaving.

When she passed through the Oak trees again, she waved a hand so that they came together again, no sign of the path that led inside.

Then she left.