𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐧 !

「 𝟎 𝟎 𝟐 」

'What a surprise to have met her here.'

Yi zaha watches as you run off, mind wondering to the memories of his past. Before regressing, he had met you in his late late 30's, when he was young, impatient, and immature. If he's 20 now, that would be a few more years later, but perhaps thanks to the heavenly pearl, he managed to meet you much earlier. 

Both of you were on the same path and level in cultivation, and both he and you had a few screws loose in the head in his past life. A crazy duo—not exactly the best misture in a world like the jianghu. 

You were his companion, as he was yours. he learned so much from you, and always looked forwards to your random moments of philosophizing. But when you died, it's like something had blocked out in his head. Like there was a part of him he couldn't reach anymore.

He regretted not doing enough, he regretted not asking about you enough, about the things you liked and didn't like. He regretted not fighting you enough, not liking you enough, not being with you enough.

But now that he's gone back in time, he's willing to change fate if it meant he wouldn't have to watch you die before him a second time. 

'But..' he stares down at his hands, eyes narrowing, 'With my body's current level, it is too risky to save her.'

long timeskip

It has been months since you've seen that strange man at Ilyang prefecture. his black hair and red eyes couldn't seem to leave your mind with each passing day and it's been causing you to become more irritated.

You wonder why he lurks in your thoughts, because no matter how much you rack your memories, you swear you have never met him prior to that day. His gaze is familiar and his brief touch almost felt warm despite the freezing cold rain.

As you grumble to yourself, the doors to your filthy jail open with loud creeks, your master standing right outside with his hands behind his back. The same annoyed look on his face as he stares down at you, as if trying to decide what he should do with you this time around. 

You'd accidentally fed him molded food due to your distraction—Yi Zaha.—and he immediately punished you with a thousand whips and being thrown back into your pig pen for another few months. 

You wren't even aware the food has mold in it until the green dog of the heavenly generals had pointed it out and threw the plate at you. You always hated that immature, rage-filled bastard. 

"Go to the black pearl fort and investigate."

He immediately leaves, not sparing you anymore time nor does he provide you with a motive and information.

'??? what the fuck do you want me to investigate????'

black dots fill and disappear from your vision as you stand, your entire body numb and infected wounds from whips on your back making it hard to navigate out the prison cell.

You groan, rubbing the side of your head in frustration. 

──────⊱⁜⊰──────

The moment you arrived in black pearl fort, dressed in new clothes and a weimao resting on your head, the white veil covering your masked face, the fort leader immediately offers you food and a room to rest in.