Mixed Robes [FengQing]

How Long

As Yulan transferred spiritual energy to Lian's body, she quietly sighed. It had been so long. When will Lian awaken?

It had been over a year since Lian had suffered from her injuries, and every day, Yulan would pass spiritual energy into Lian's body to help her maintain and nourish her features. The majority of the time, Yulan stayed cooped up in Lian's room sitting beside her, so she didn't have much news about the outside world. 

Previously, a few months after Lian collapsed, Yulan was called on a mission. There, she vanquished many wrath-tier ghosts and ascended. She celebrated quietly and used most of her spiritual power to help Lian recuperate. Lian's body had matured, and she now looked like a real young woman. Her cherry-red lips were shaped in a very attractive shape, and one could even describe them as 'sexy'. Lian had also grown in height, and Mu Qing had to make a new blanket to cover her. Her face was pale, but not enough to consider her corpse-like. Overall, she was beautiful. Yulan, on the other hand, didn't pay attention to her features. 

Yulan had also grown and was strikingly beautiful, but she always had a look of sadness on her face. Her ink-black hair was held up with a white jade hairpin, and she was always dressed in white. It was as if she was in mourning, but she was in waiting. Waiting for her beloved to wake up. Waiting to hear her beloved's laughter, to feel her soft lips upon her own, to feel what she once felt over a year ago. 

Although it was guaranteed that Lian would wake up again, Yulan was impatient and wanted to know the exact time she would wake up. Yulan passed the time by occasionally visiting her fathers and chatting with Feng Xin and Mu Qing. She hadn't seen anyone in a while and heard that the heavenly officials were in some kind of war. Yulan didn't care much even though she was a heavenly official, so she stayed with Lian. She didn't get tired of gazing longingly at Lian's beautiful face, and she didn't get tired of running her fingers through the raven-black strands of Lian's hair. 

"It's been a year," Yulan said helplessly. She traced the features of Lian's face, offering a sad smile. 

"Please... please wake up soon."

~~~~~~~~~~

Lian gripped the strings of the guqin so hard that they nearly broke. She stared wide-eyed at the man in front of her.

He had a handsome face, his lips straight and his eyes sharp. His bangs covered four-thirds of his forehead, and his hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, held with a golden hair clasp. Lian's eyes followed down his face and landed on his neck. There, an ugly scar ran around his neck, as if he had been beheaded and his head was put back on his shoulders. He was looking at her, slight amusement in his eyes. Lian nearly jumped out of her seat and bolted through the curtains of the willow tree. The man chuckled as if he felt her intention.

"Feng Lian, there's nothing to be scared of. You may have heard of me, yes?" The man asked. Lian hesitantly nodded her head and tried to relax her shoulders.

The man standing before her was Shi Wudu, and the scar across his neck was pretty much giving away who he was. Lian stared in disbelief at him and looked at herself. If he was here, then was she dead?!

Lian was nearly thrown into a state of panic, and she trembled all over. If this was the place where the souls of deceased heavenly officials went, there was no way that she was alive. 

"G-greetings, Master Shi... I'm dead, aren't I?" Lian asked, looking slightly depressed. Shi Wudu lightly inclined his head towards her. 

"You're not dead, Feng Lian. Your physical body is in a comatose state, but your soul has been temporarily transferred here," Shi Wudu explained. He looked calm and composed compared to who he was when he was alive.

"..." Lian commented. She thought about his words for a few moments. "Temporarily?" Lian echoed.

"Yes, temporarily. You will wake," Shi Wudu said patiently.

"How long has it been in the mortal world? How long has my family been burdened with my body?" Lian asked, tears gathering in her eyes.

"A little over a year. But since your consciousness came here at this time, I believe you will more or less awaken soon," Shi Wudu answered. A wave of relief washed over Lian. 

"Come. While you're still here, you should see everything else. It's beautiful here," Shi Wudu said, gesturing outside the willow branches. Lian obediently got up and followed Shi Wudu out of the willow tree.

Shi Wudu walked ahead, and Lian followed close behind. He was following a different stone path than the one Lian had taken from the river, and Lian looked around at the scenery around her.

Bordering the path were bamboo stalks, growing high beyond her sight. It seemed that they were in a bamboo forest, and there was a clearing up ahead. Shi Wudu silently walked into the clearing, his dark robes fluttering. It seemed like everything here was graceful and flowed. 

Once Lian had gone into the clearing, she found out that there was a small house. The house seemed to have been built out of rosewood and paulownia, enchanted to last a very long time. A small pond was on the right side of the path to the house, and spirit koi were swimming around inside of it. A man clad in black was kneeling beside the pond, watching the fish. Hearing movement behind him, he turned around. 

His features were handsome, with finely shaped lips and a sharp nose. His ink-black hair was pulled back, and his bangs framed his face. His face seemed gentle and serene, and it looked like he had been here for a long time. He offered a small smile to Shi Wudu and Lian.

"Feng Lian, this is the Former Earth Master, Ming Yi," Shi Wudu said introducing the man clad in black. Lian blinked a few times and lightly bowed at her waist.

"Hello, Master Ming," Lian greeted. Ming Yi smiled at her.

"Hello, Feng Lian," Ming Yi greeted back.

*now that we have two dead people, should I ship them together, Shi Wudu and Ming Yi? Sounds strange, but understandable*