WangXian Forever Book 8

Chapter 39 Legends

Suanni threw back his head and roared, a deep, vibrating sound that seemed to reach into the very pores of the earth, humming through the trees and echoing in the wind.

The silence that followed was deafening, the weight of a heavy decision about to be announced.

No one spoke, no one disturbed the crackling quietness and they held their breaths waiting in anticipation.

Suanni looked around all of them until his gaze rested on a bowing Shen Ling.

And then he spoke.

"Our Young Masters are well loved by many. But keeping them here will not help."

Uncle Qiren stepped forward and bowed before addressing him.

"Immortal Celestial, welcome to our home."

He heard Baoshan Sanren scoff under her breath, "never said that to me..."

And behind her, Hui Gai to Zago, "me neither. What if I showed up with big teeth like him?"

Zago was taking notes, her lollipop bulging in her right cheek.

Uncle Qiren cleared his throat rather noisily and continued.

"What do you suggest? All we want is for our children to return to normal."

Suanni gravely returned his look.

"Normal is the last thing you should expect. A cocoon signifies metamorphosis. Change is inevitable, but it is how we deal with it, which matters. Unfortunately, in all my long years of existence, I have never seen something like this before." His huge tongue came out to wipe his massive canines.

"So then?" Uncle Qiren looked worriedly at the cocoon.

If it was within his power to do so, he would gladly swap himself out with those two precious beings.

"It is not your place." Suanni told him, gently. "There is a place, far away from here, known as the Dragon's Graveyard. Legend has it that the first ever dragons were born there. It is full of old magic, the kind that was first used to create the Universe. It is our hope that by letting them rest there, the Young Masters will be able to emerge with its help. It is a place only known to dragons, for that is where we are born and where we go to die."

A rippling gasp ran through the gathering crowd.

Even Uncle Qiren had goosebumps from what he was saying.

"No one can know the true purpose of anything, but I believe it will help both of them." Suanni continued.

Li XiWang buried her tearful face within his soft golden fur, wanting to hide.

Ever since she found out her parents were in that state, she kept trying to summon Bai Hua, hoping and hoping for that Celestial Immortal to appear and shed some light on what was happening. Rumi had wrapped a thin arm around her waist, unwilling to let her go.

"Children...you must say whatever you need to now, before we take them away." Suanni added. "It is time for you to be brave."

"But Suanni...what if I can't?" Li XiWang bit her bottom lip and tried not to cry.

Rumi growled.

"You will find courage comes at the worst of times...but it is necessary." Suanni had a firm tone. "This may be the only thing that can save them. And isn't that so much better?"

Li XiWang nodded slowly, wiping her face with her sleeves.

"Come on, Rumi. We have to say goodbye." Even the words hurt her throat, but she tried to smile.

She grabbed his hand and put an arm around his skinny shoulders. They came to the edge of the bedsheets, the ones with little bunnies embroidered on the corners. She had seen her Father Wei doing them one day and asked why he was sewing them where they would not be seen.

But he had smiled at her in a special way, only lots of love shining in his silver eyes and told her a secret.

"Your Father Zhan is the one who does the laundry. When he takes these sheets off the bed, he will see these little bunnies and he will smile. That is enough."

And then one day she had walked into the Jingshi and seen exactly that.

Her Father Zhan had been standing by the bed, a look of absolute love on his face as he stared at the bunnies, his fingers running over the stitches.

Now both of them were in a deep sleep.

Her Father Wei had been right after all.

"I miss you. Come back soon." She touched the cocoon, feeling its softness, its fragility. "Rumi."

Rumi was thoughtful. He touched the cocoon too.

"Love." He whispered softly.

Li XiWang smiled through her tears, letting them fall down her face as she gathered him into her arms.

SiZhui came next with Jin Ling.

His hand rested on the cocoon, trying to convey the depth of his feelings. These were his parents and everything that mattered to him. He loved them with a fierce devotion, a filial connection that had grown since he was a baby. Tears left his chocolate eyes against his will, and even Jin Ling choked up.

"You promised me that if I made him cry, you were going to make me fart bubbles..." He laughed through his tears at the memory of running away with a vengeful Uncle chasing him. "But this time...it's both of you...come back soon..." He could not say any more, and it was SiZhui who helped him up.

XiChen and Jiang Cheng came next.

"Didi...A-Xian..." XiChen was unable to speak because of the lump in his throat, tears falling over the cocoon.

He clutched Jiang Cheng's hand tightly, hoping for some much needed strength.

"Stupid idiot." Jiang Cheng wiped his eyes furiously, hating how he was feeling, hating the fact that they were going to take away his brother. He knew it was right, he knew it might be the only thing to save them how...but he still hated it with all of his heart.

Uncle Qiren knew he had to set an example. As a senior in the clan, he had to show a calmness even when his heart was thundering in his chest.

These two children were like pieces of his heart and to let them go was breaking it. So he said nothing, kneeling by the cocoon and praying for their safe return.

Zago crunched the end of her lollipop with glee. This was the best part in her opinion but she also had a question for her boss.

"Why can't we talk to them? I thought you had a special connection through here." She tapped the side of her head with the now empty lollipop stick and held her hand out for another.

Hui Gai gave her a blue one, a part of him curious if it would turn her red tongue purple.

"I'm not sure. I've been trying to speak to both of them since yesterday, but there's no answer."

She hummed back in response, watching the three youngsters whispering quietly as they sneaked off with the dragon babies, hoping nobody had seen them.