[ON HOLD] Defy the Heavens: The Journey of Miss Black Belly

16 I Facing One's Fears

"Fears are nothing more than a state of mind." —Napoleon Hill

______________________________________________________

Initially Xiren was hesitant, but with no other choice she continued forward down the lighted path.

After walking for an hour or so, the path that she was on leaded her to a bigger cavern with multiple pathways.

In front, there were three cave pathways that looked identical to each other. But since she could only choose one, Xiren decided to go into the middle one purely base on her gut feelings.

However, once she went inside, the cave tunnel closed shut at all sides. Suddenly, Xiren looked down at her feet and a bright red magical array detonated beneath her as if it was coming to life. Somehow, seemed like the array active once she stepped inside her chosen pathway. No, more accurately, it was a trap!

"What now!" Xiren cried out in alarm as the red blinding light engulfs her whole being and her mind filled with its bright light. In this moment, all the walls disappeared from her vision, leaving only herself.

When Xiren opened her eyes, an endless prairie appeared before her, extending as far as her eye could see. At this moment, a horde of vicious six-eyed demonic spiders—larger than a rhino—darted from the grassland, running at full throttle towards Xiren.

"What ape shit luck is this!" Xiren exclaimed. She wanted to cry, but only dry tears came out. "Why did it have to be bloody spiders!"

Although Xiren always thought herself to be brave, she still had fears. She's a person who was not afraid of dying a painful death; however, she was extremely afraid of spiders!

If she had a weak heart, she probably would've fainted at the horror scene before her very eyes. Perhaps faintly would be a kindness in this case. But unfortunately, this was not Xiren's nature. She was never maiden-hearted to being with.

[T/N: maiden-hearted means a girl with a faint heart and/or being a damsel in distressed]

Despite her acute fears of spiders, Xiren started to gather her disarrayed emotions, and then took in the surreal scene once more.

'This is just too strange! It can't be real; get yourself together dammit!', Xiren scolded herself.

As the horde of six-eyed spiders ran together, the grass trembled and the ground began to pulsate. An imposing force and sense of enmity trolled towards her. With the horde's swiftness and monstrous momentum, Xiren had no way of escape.

An overwhelming sense of dread hammered at her very being, but Xiren did not even blink an eyelash until the first beast lunged at her.

"Ahh!"

The vicious beast fangs pierced straight through her body. Xiren steadied and harden her mind and body for the attack; however, when that beast had pierced her, Xiren felt a very intense pain, shock, and pressure coursed through her being.

Although Xiren guessed that the magical array is only a life-like mirage and not a real death array, she could not rid herself of this feeling of dread as if it were a fear that originated from her very soul. The array had to be a mirage; if not, she would've been long dead by now since the spider fangs pierced through several major arteries.

Still.... the effect of the magic array was quite terrifying! Even though she knew it was a mirage, she almost lost herself in it. Thankfully, she hardened herself just in time. If she had let fear overtake her judgement and mind, she would not be able to tell that it was a mirage! And if that were to happen, then the mirage would turn to reality and might truly die from it!

Xiren took a few deep breaths to calm herself and control her heart rate, bringing it down to a resting rate of 80 beats per minutes. Then, she closed her eyes as bright red lights flashes and engulfs her once more.

When she opens her eyes, Xiren was back inside the cave that enclosed on her. However, this time, it wasn't enclosed anymore because there was a narrow pathway. Without further obstruction, Xiren follow the tunnel's path, in which, guided her to an intricate rock cut cave entrance door gate.

Fortunately, the rock door was not one of her obstacles. Once Xiren placed her hand on the it, the door started to move and open the entrance for her to get inside.

Xiren cautiously walked in; however, Xiren eyes instantly grew wide into full moons at the slight inside the room. 

"Holy mother of pearl!!" Xiren's eyes glistens with temptation. 

Inside the room, piles on stockpiles golden ingots and coins, rare crystals, and priceless jeweled pieces comprised of pearls and jade stacked on top each other. The miniature mountain of riches was a grand sight to behold—really a feast for the eyes! Xiren's heart couldn't help but to beat faster. 

Even though Xiren considered her family to be rich, it was nowhere near this level of intensity! This goldmine made the Wang's Manor Treasury seem so pitiable in comparison. And don't even compare the sum of golden ingots (taels) here because her father's yearly annual income as the Minister of Finance was only a mere 5,000 golden taels (or 50,000 gold coins). However, this tomb of treasures exceeds over 5,000,000 golden taels!

[T/N: Don't know if using ingots or taels will sound better, so I'm going to use these terms interchangeably. Suggestions?]

Xiren walked up to a pile, grabbing a golden ingot and bite into it.

"It's real alright", she muttered before tossing the golden ingot back into the pile, and gazed at the treasures for a few minutes before looking the other way.

'If it's too good to be true, then it probably is', Xiren reminded herself. "Nothing in life comes free. Everything in life comes with repercussions or equal compensation."