Every Lifetime I Fall {COMPLETED but undergoing revisions}

Chapter 17: Second Life - Mingxian and the Hall of Secrets

The next day I wasted no time lying around. I got up and early to the library with the little student leading the way. Since I couldn't read the lettering for each manual I pulled out, I asked her to read them to me.

"Therefore, the use of acupuncture can be applied to..."

"It is not to be confused with bad blood circulation but..."

"A balance of energy is necessary for the body to heal..."

She read from different texts that I was really interested in learning from. They were much more in detail than from Master's collection, which I'd already read twenty times over and memorized.

Coughing, Chu asked, "Miss Mingxian, is okay if we take a break. I've been reading all day."

Clucking my tongue at her, I said, "Didn't Lord Kong ask you to do what I wanted?"

"Yes, but... my throat," she whimpered.

"Fine. Go get some water, and come back here."

"Thank you, Miss Mingxian." She ran out the door.

"Can't wait until I can get my eyesight, so I read on my own..."

About half an hour went by, and that little student never came back. Using my stick, I made my way to the door of the library. Setting one foot out the doorway, I went back the way we came.

The Invigorating Essence Sect was huge with hallways like a maze. I thought I had made it all the way back to my room, but the scent of the room was different. It smelled like Kong Shuguang's scent. Like freshly washed garment mixed with the smell of a newly opened book.

Is this Kong Shuguang's room?

But there was nothing in the room. Feeling my way around, it was quite empty. No drawers, tables, or desk. Just then my stick hit a loud metal sound. I jumped from encountering the random furniture in the middle of the room. 

"Miss Mingxian! You cannot be in here!" The little student yelled at me. She grabbed my arm and dragged me out.

"Ow. Don't pull me like that!" 

Once we were outside, I pulled my arm away from her hold. It must had been an extremely restricted place for her to drag me out like that. 

"No one is allowed in Tian Guang Hall!" She yelled, "If Lord Kong knew I left you wandering in there... I'm going to be in big trouble."

Oh?

Taking a step in her direction, I demanded, "If you don't want to get in trouble, then tell me what is in that hall."

"What?"

"Tell me. Or I'll tell Lord Kong you left me by myself and I got lost and went into that hall."

I could hear her frustration as she paced back and forth, wanting to give in but also wondering if it was best to just get punished.

"Fine, I'll tell you, but you cannot let Lord Kong find out you know about this."

I nodded.

"You didn't see her, but she was lying on that golden platform you hit with your stick."

"Who?"

I started to get goosebumps when she said that. Was there a dead body in there?

"The previous Sect Leader, Gao Yi Fei."

Gao Yi Fei? The previous Invigorating Essence Sect Leader Gao Yi Fei who died three years ago from an illness? Why would they put her body in there? And how is it that the scent wasn't pungent from a rotting body?

"Why did you guys put her body in there?"

"Lord Kong ordered for her body to be stored on the golden platform to maintain its form. He's looking for a cure to wake her up."

"She isn't dead?"

"I really shouldn't tell you..."

"Tell me or I'll ask Lord Kong," I threatened her.

"Fine, I'll tell you... she isn't dead. She fell into a coma and hasn't woken up."

"Does it have something to do with the Immortal Sect's battle with the Demon Sect? I thought she died from an illness not long after."

"Yes, Sect Leader Gao cast a spell using her soul to restrain the Demon Sect Leader, but was injured."

"So Lord Kong had the sect keep quiet about this? While he looked for a cure?"

"Yeah."

"Just what was their relationship?" 

"Sect Leader doted on Lord Kong... The two were inseparable. Before Sect Leader Gao's father passed, he wanted to see the two get married but now it doesn't seem like it will happen anytime soon."