Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Xiao Yefeng, taken away by Cousin, did not have much luck either. After losing his parents, Xiao Yefeng arrived at Cousin's home and, six months later, at the age of five and a half, learned that the man who had lived a life of solitude had died from drinking. Following this, he was buried by Cousin, and on the day the government came to take Xiao Yefeng away, he was taken by an adoption team from a mercenary organization.
Thus began Xiao Yefeng's life as a mercenary. Three years ago, the team he was part of received a private rescue mission, and the person they were to save was Liu Qing, who had been captured due to matters related to Xiao Wen.
This memory piqued Xiao Yefeng's curiosity, as he felt he was getting closer to his enemy. During their conversation, he learned from Liu Qing that her captors were indeed the same group from years ago. Of course, things had changed; the five individuals were no longer the same people, but the tattoos remained unmistakable.
From the tattoo on the chest of the woman interrogating her, it was clear that it belonged to that same group. Upon further questioning, Xiao Yefeng discovered that this tattoo matched an image he had seen in his father's memories: a spider with three legs on each side and two legs at the back. Strangely enough, there was also a tail, and most peculiarly, the spider's head tilted to the left—an odd design that resembled both a spider and some form of script, leaving Xiao Yefeng puzzled.
Eventually, Liu Qing managed to sketch the design from her memory. After returning home, she gathered experts in painting, tattooing, and linguistics. After much effort from all parties involved, they proposed a suggestion with seventy percent certainty: it was a character from Han Yi Seal Script.
However, over the years, the Liu Family had searched extensively and even sought national assistance. Yet the organization associated with this character seemed to have vanished without a trace. Thus their conversation came to a halt. Under the bright moonlight, Xiao Yefeng and Liu Qing gazed through the window at the moon above, both lost in thought.
"Do you know? This is my first time sharing everything in my heart with another person. It feels so good; it's as if all the pressure inside me has been released. I can see that you have many repressed feelings as well. Finding someone suitable to confide in is truly beneficial," Liu Qing said.
"Yes, it’s nice to share; however, I haven't found that suitable person yet. By the way, Aunt Qing, may I ask how you found out about my background? My information is classified as top secret domestically," Xiao Yefeng inquired.
"Don't call me Aunt Liu; given my relationship with your father, we shouldn't be so distant. Just call me Aunt Qing!" Liu Qing replied earnestly.
Seeing Liu Qing's serious expression, Xiao Yefeng shook his head and said, "It's better not to get close; none of my relatives have ended well—my father and mother, Distant Cousin, and my sworn brother Liu—they all met untimely ends. So it's best if Aunt Liu keeps her distance!"
"What are you afraid of? I've already suffered misfortune because of your father; I don't believe I would be dragged down by you again. Besides, your father was a man of integrity—noble and unashamed. Fate is predetermined; if you can't avoid it, face it bravely. No one will suffer misfortune solely because of someone else's presence. Misfortune can lead to fortune and vice versa; there are no true calamity stars—only changing hearts," Liu Qing laughed heartily at Xiao Yefeng.
Hearing Liu Qing's words reminded him of his father's teachings. Xiao Yefeng murmured repeatedly to himself, "Are there really no true calamity stars?"
"Alright, let's not talk about anything else. Do you think you can avoid me? Whether it's from your father or from Yiyi, you cannot escape me or the Liu Family. Do you really think your brother asked you to take care of Yiyi just out of a dying wish? He has entrusted Yiyi to you; you just don't want to admit it. Whether you want to protect Yiyi in secret or stand by her side, it amounts to the same thing. Your father often said that when two people meet, they have already changed each other's fate. Do you think your father's words are true?"
Liu Qing's words struck like a bolt of lightning. Indeed, this is fate. Who can protect in secret without altering destiny? The ants that pass before you—if you crush one with your hand in one moment, the next ant that crawls by might be spared by your kindness. Yet, that spared ant may soon meet its end under the feet of others passing by. Fate is unpredictable. From a broader perspective, Xiao Wen calculated that Xiao Yefeng would come to take the Bagua Mirror, but on a micro level, could Xiao Wen foresee that entrusting the Bagua Mirror to Liu Qing would bring about a crisis?
Change occurs with every encounter and decision made; a person's fate can deviate, yet the outcome remains fixed. Any deviation can obscure the truth. Who can be certain? Perhaps father was right; fate is predetermined, and if one cannot avoid it, then one must face it bravely.
"Aunt Qing is right; fate is fixed. Everything has its destined conclusion, just like our meeting today. Father was right; as long as we stay true to our hearts, what wrongs could we possibly commit?" Xiao Yefeng smiled, feeling as if he had regained himself from two years ago—before his brother's death.
"Feng, you..." Liu Qing looked at Xiao Yefeng, but at that moment he said, "Aunt Qing, don't worry. With the Bagua Mirror in hand and my Seven Star Revitalization Needle, I can at least hold off Yiyi's condition for several years. As long as I find the other two lost family treasures, I can set up formations like our ancestors did and help Yiyi reverse her fate."
"This! Feng, I... I don't understand your geomancer issues, but I've heard from your father that helping others with divination comes at a cost. Changing one's fate must carry a heavy price for you all!" Liu Qing remarked.
"Aunt Qing, there's no need to worry. My Xiao Family has been destined to be geomancers since our ancestor's time. You probably know how my father and grandfather ended up—grandfather passed away peacefully at sixty-three; that's the peak lifespan for a man in the Xiao Family. The average lifespan for us is under sixty years. So among the five deficiencies and three shortcomings, we stand out with our short lifespan. Thus, punishment isn't a big deal for us because each generation of the Xiao Family has sacrificed thirty to forty years of life as payment. Our threshold for punishment differs from other geomancers." Xiao Yefeng explained.
However, what Xiao Yefeng didn't mention was that even though the Xiao Family ancestors paid with their lifespans, reversing one's fate remained a taboo—a violation of sacred rules. No matter who it was or how much they sacrificed, once crossed, it would lead to an irreversible situation. Such matters were best kept from outsiders.
"Alright then, what will you do?" Liu Qing asked.
"In four years, it will be Yiyi's time of demise. At that point, I will use the Bagua Mirror to cover her fate and employ the Seven Star Revitalization Needle to conceal her aura from Yin Si so he won't discover her condition. This way, I can buy us several more years. Moreover, if I am fortunate enough to find the other two lost treasures during these four years, I might even help Yiyi change her fate at the last moment." At this point, Xiao Yefeng grasped the Bagua Mirror in his left hand and held his pouch in his right hand; he felt invigorated by the cool night breeze as a faint silver glow seemed to emanate from him.
This unusual sight caught Liu Qing's attention, and instinctively she said, "Brother!" However, this utterance was merely a whisper in her mind; Xiao Yefeng did not hear it. After saying those two words, Liu Qing realized something was off and shook her head saying, "Feng, let's not discuss these matters for now. You should go to Wankang Building today; what do you think?"
"Oh, it's not a big deal. Although I have little experience now, with this Bagua Mirror in hand, I'm confident I can handle it—it's just an unformed Earth Fiend after all. Now that I have the Bagua Mirror with me, even if it's a formed Binding Spirit, I'm confident I can eliminate it!" Xiao Yefeng replied enthusiastically.
"Alright, I see your father's shadow in you. I believe you will surpass him. Your father! Back in the day, he couldn't train his body due to poor health and ultimately fell to those people. However, now that you've come to the Wankang Building to assess the feng shui, I suspect some keen observers have already noticed you. I think you've been exposed. What are you planning to do?" Liu Qing asked with concern.
Comment 0 Comment Count