The Huangye Tribe lived a simple life, from the looks of their living place. They had a well, and a place for cooking, plus they seemed to use all and everything from what they caught.
"Perhaps you will join us in a meal?" Boney guy offered.
Wei Ying glanced at the carcass slowly roasting on the spit, and the unidentifiable animal skins hanging out to dry and thought about how to word his answer.
"Um...they're already cooking for us back at the camp...we shouldn't waste food. Maybe next time?" He smiled to soften his words.
Boney still looked disappointed and then he turned to Lan Zhan and got glared at for his troubles, so Hui Gai was left.
His red eyes gleamed and Wei Ying always thought he had an inner monologue going on, to entertain himself, hence his high spirits.
"I don't eat." He licked his lips, an old habit that made Wei Ying want to copy him.
"But we were wondering...there is something you can help us with, if you can." Wei Ying told him.
Boney brightened up real fast.
"Of course! Anything to help."
Wei Ying thought he was feeling bad about shooting him with their arrows.
"Well, to be honest with you, we come from the North. And we have come here looking for a plant, and we're hoping it grows in the mountains, more specifically, within the Ring of Fire mountains. But because this is our first time here, we're a bit lost and were hoping you could shed some light on where we have to go."
Boney pondered for a bit...thinking hard.
"I don't know, I have never heard of any such place...but we have a wise woman here...she advises us on our rituals...maybe you could meet with her?" He offered.
"Sure." Wei Ying led the others to follow him.
But when they got to a large hut, larger than all the others, Hui Gai stopped Wei Ying with a hand on his shoulder.
There was a questionable smell emanating from behind the slightly ajar door.
"She can come out." He said, firmly.
"Mn." Lan Zhan stood in front of Wei Ying, this time not bothering to be subtle.
"Guys....how bad can it be?" Wei Ying asked, but neither listened to him.
"She comes out or we're leaving, either way, we've got nothing to lose." Hui Gai was adamant.
The door creeped open and a wizened old lady stepped out, very carefully putting one step in front of the other.
Her face was so creased, she had wrinkles upon her wrinkles, and yet it was her eyes that were so captivating. A brilliant green colour, they hinted at magic, a sorcery that came from within. Her wispy grey hairs flew around her face and she walked forward with a crooked walking stick.
She had a kind of aura that promised retaliation if she was messed with, but at the same time, there was a kindness in her eyes. Wei Ying thought she was like a person who could harm them, but hopefully would choose not to.
"I think she looks cute...you know, grandmotherly..." Wei Ying whispered.
Hui Gai snorted.
"And your grandmother is? Fierce, hard, tough...might be better words, frightening is even more accurate..."
"I'm gonna tell her you said that." Wei Ying grinned at him.
The fear was real in his eyes.
"Come, child...sit with me. I am old, cannot hear very well." She said to Wei Ying, but her voice was quite youthful.
She went to sit by another fire, this one used for heating solely.
Wei Ying went to sit next to her, but both his protectors stood in his way.
"Come on...she looks harmless." He protested. "And what was she gonna do when both of you are here to look after me?"
"Let me sit next to her." Hongse said, and sat down without asking, folding her legs gracefully under herself.
Wu Zhubo looked at Wei Ying.
"If I wanted to harm you, I could have done that ages ago." She said.
All five of them believed her.
Meekly, they all sat around the fire, next to her.
She pulled out a pouch from inside her robe and brought out a pinch of blue powder, which she tossed into the naked flames.
They turned from bright orange into a vivid blue within seconds.
"Ask. Ask what you wish to know." She barked at Wei Ying. Her eyes matched the flames, a darker blue than those of the Flowers of Venus.
He was shocked at her transformation from sweet old lady to terrifying witch, and so it took him a few seconds to get his bearings.
"T-the way to the Ring of Fire..." He replied quickly.
The flames showed a route from presumably where they were to where they had to go, showing them three landmarks they had to look out for.
"The Five Fingers of NianLing, five waterfalls, that come from the Ju Xing Valley, the dog star, TianLang Xing which will guide your way, and the Broken Tree." Her voice had changed again, now deep and commanding. "What you wish for will surely come to pass, but there remains danger as always, in the unknown. Look for signs, the Universe will guide you."
"Thank you Grandmother." Wei Ying bowed from his waist.
She snatched his hands.
"You carry a great evil...beware...beware the promises you make..." her blue eyes bore into Wei Ying's silver ones, looking deep inside him.
Wei Ying couldn’t look away, vaguely hearing the familiar sound of Bichen being unsheathed.
She let go of his hands and cackled when the blade appeared at her throat.
"Hahaha...you think you can hurt me?" Her fingers touched the blade and Bichen shimmered unnaturally but then she stopped. "I see why you are like this..." her eyes returned to their natural green colour. "You too have suffered deeply. That time will come to an end once you have completed one last challenge. Succeed and you will be able to spend all eternity together, fail...and you shall bring the calamities of all calamities to pass...heed my words, Lightbearer of the North, and Dark Angel. Heed my words." And then she vanished.
YOU ARE READING
WangXian Forever 7
RomanceDue to popular demand, Wei Ying and Lan Zhan return with a new mystery to solve. Will they be successful? What new challenges will they face? And will there be a book 8? Read on to find out...
