Of Soulmates and Love

Ghost Valley

A/N: A continuation of Day 15's Prompt: Tian Chuang (Chapter 6).

Btw, I made Gu Xiang a few years younger than canon (because in Chapter 6, I made Wen Kexing met her later than the original story). It doesn't really affect the plot or anything, though.

Also no p0rn today, lemme have a little break. xD

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When the former Master of Ghost Valley was still alive, their great hall built deep within the green bamboo ridge of Mount Feng Ya was never bereft of liveliness. The sound of music and dances, good meals and liquors, ghosts big and small boisterously laughing, all sorts of self-indulgences and immoralities—it was an everyday's sight, a routine in the life of unredeemable villains who had fled justice to live completely detached from the rest of the world.

However, all the zeal and exhilaration of the great hall vanished into thin air once a new leader rose to power. As if the sun had suddenly been shot down and the world stripped of its light, there had only ever been bone-chilling silence in the great hall, where not even an insect dared to fly past.

On a large divan with intricate carvings that seemed to serve as a throne, Wen Kexing sat idly within that spacious chamber. Dressed in vivid red robes, there was no other soul present by his side, save for a pretty little girl dressed in purple who was combing his long black hair with much care. She looked to be at least half his age, still springy in the beginning of her adolescence. Amidst the terrifying stillness that could make one's skin crawl, there was no sign of fear on her bright visage.

A child picked up by the Master of Ghost Valley on a whim, she was named Gu Xiang by the man who eventually became her father and brother, and since then she had become the sole person allowed to remain by the Valley Master's side—whereas others would tremble in fright by the mere sight of him alone.

"Master, why haven't you been going out of the valley again?" despite the honorifics, Gu Xiang talked to him lightly as one would to a family member, "Has that someone with the surname Zhou broken up with you?"

"Who told you that?"

Wen Kexing did not expect to hear this girl saying such a thing out of nowhere. Raising an eyebrow, he slightly turned his head to look in her direction.

Gu Xiang shrugged her shoulders without remorse.

"No one. I just assumed that's the case because you haven't gone out to visit him lately."

"A-Xiang..." Wen Kexing stared at her, "Are you asking for a beating?"

"No, no, I'm not!"

The little girl shook her head vigorously, forgetting that she was still in the middle of combing her master's hair. Wen Kexing let out a long sigh; as he rubbed his temple, it looked as if he had aged for another ten years, exhaustion written all over his face. When he picked up this lost child back then, he didn't think she would grow up to be such a chatterbox.

But perhaps the fault lied with him. After all, he was the sole example she had while growing up and there could be no other people who influenced her to have this unbridled, unkind mouth.

"Greetings to the Valley Master!"

At that moment, a small ghost appeared at the door of the great hall. He bowed deeply towards the divan where Wen Kexing sat, all the way until his body was bent in half. The man who received his respect threw a side glance at him, as though he was nothing more than an insignificant pebble he happened to run across on the street.

"Speak," Wen Kexing replied without a care.

"M-Many thanks, Valley Master. This subordinate... This subordinate would like to report that there is an intruder trying to barge into the bamboo ridge," in a trembling voice, the ghost spoke to him without raising his head even once.