The Phoenix embraced the Sun

Through sleep we heard a cry

She was barely four years old when her grandfather started frequenting the Burial Mounds. The adepts and acolytes were suspiciously quiet about it, as if the head's stay on dead earth was routine for them. Even her parents told her that Wei Yang was fine, he just had some business to take care of.

Wei Ying sincerely wanted to trust her mother and father, but she was quite worried about her grandfather. Even though the Yiling Wei sect was famous for its dark arts and close proximity to the notorious mountain, nothing could convince the girl that the Burial Mounds would not harm her people.

When a wounded Zhou, an adorable green-eyed raven, flew into her parents' chamber, the little heiress had no choice but to follow Wei Yang. The Burial Mounds had never frightened her. But she was terrified of her grandfather's fate, for she had no idea what he was doing there.

Gathering all her strength in her fist, the little girl sneaked out through a secret passage, miraculously not caught by the guards, and made her way confidently to the mountains.

Every path, every blade of grass and pebble reminded her of her past life cycles. Illusions flashed involuntarily before her eyes as she stopped at the mouth of the cave where she had created her most marvelous inventions.

A few ramshackle wooden huts that were barely heated and kept their owners warm. The owners themselves were tirelessly farming from day to day to feed themselves. Wen Qing, going back and forth to Wei Wuxian, then to fourth uncle, then to grandmother, then to A-yuan with medicines in her hands. Her timid little brother, Wen Ning, who became a shield for them all. And Yiling Patriarch, who failed to save them.

The girl reached out her hand to the ghostly figure of her "son" that was rushing toward her at full speed, but the two never reached each other. She knew it was just an obsession from her past lives, but Wei Ying felt a dull ache in her heart. Tears flowed freely from her eyes, falling silently onto the soulless stones of her once home. A shiver gripped her small, defenseless body, and she collapsed, hugging her skinny arms to her knees.

Everything repeated again.

All of a sudden there were hundreds of ghosts crying and moaning in pain coming from the stone walls, reaching out to her with black arms like thick shadows. Male and female, elderly and children's soft touches made the little girl raise her head. Wei Ying stared in shock at the dead men around her who were smiling at her. None of them wanted to harm the girl, their mistress, in any way.

And then the ghosts sang. Their shrill voice echoed throughout the Mounds, as if they were trying to wake something. Wei Ying heard the wind howl in the distance, moving the few trees, and the blood pond stirring. With a questioning look at the ghosts, the girl slowly rose to her feet. The ghosts parted, and she saw an unprecedented sight. The sun had brightened the darkness of the Burial Mounds and for the first time Wei Ying saw how the trees were covered with leaves, small sprouts of grass and flowers were reaching out of the soil, and the blood pond became purer. As she approached it, she saw her own reflection. And she was dazed.

That morning, when her mother had gently braided her hair, she'd been sure they were a completely dark shade. Now the strands at her temples were somehow gray. Wei Ying ran the soft hair through her fingers and pulled out a strand, drawing it close to her eyes. It was white as snow.

"They keep your memory... the memory of your lives..."

The voice that sounded in her head was chillingly icy, but exuded paternal care. It was as if a parent had found his long-lost child.

"Who are you?"

"The Mountain."

The Burial Mounds?

"But...how?"

"Cycle after cycle through sleep we watched you, and finally we awoke. As our Master returned to us. All things have settled down."

"Master?"

"Wei means Ghost, the only one who is worthy to be our master," they said. Wei Ying felt someone's presence behind her and turned around to see a tall figure in white robes. While the girl distantly recognized herself in this creature, it also bore the features of other people unknown to her. "We heard your cries ... felt your pain ... but this time you will be free of yourself. Let this be our gift to you."

Wei Ying didn't realize how she felt at that moment. For a second she was pierced with pain, as if cats were scraping her ribcage, and then...then nothing. Her tormented heart became unimaginably light, as if freed from invisible shackles. Like her thoughts no longer returned to the fact that she needed to fix at least one thing. Her own mistakes and the mistakes of others. She realized, she was not responsible for them, and if anything was her fault, it was the deeds of days gone by.

"Time to live for yourself," Wei Ying thought, pulling on a small smile.

The thing that embodied the Burial Mounds, her home, joyfully felt her mistress's soul abandon everyone and everything that had ever brought her suffering. They bowed respectfully to her, folding their arms in front of them, and something like a smile appeared on their ghostly face.

"We will see you again, Wei Ying. You are not alone."

And with those words they vanished within the dark fog, leaving the girl alone. But in this place, Wei Ying felt no more danger but unity.

"A-Ying? What are you doing here?" the heiress turned toward the voice, and when she saw her father's older copy, she ran straight to him. The man hugged his granddaughter tightly, kissed her cheek, and then looked into her happy eyes. "Why did you leave the residence? I told you not to go anywhere alone."

"A-Ying was worried about Grandpa. So she came for him."

"And you weren't afraid?"

Kid shook her head negatively.

"My little fearless ghost," Wei Yang smiled proudly and nuzzled his forehead against hers. "I am so happy to have you in my life."

"A-Ying is happy, too!"

"Come, we have to go home."

Holding hands, the two proud ghosts headed back to their family.