“HEEEE!? GUANG YUE LEFT!?”

  “Guang Yue went back down! What in the heavens is wrong with celestials here??”

  “You did not listen to me, that's what will happen!”

  “Please be assured. Gaung Yue is under watch. If anything happens a group of martial gods would descend.” Han Yuelin said with a stern tone. Least be said he was also as annoyed as any other sane celestial in the hall, hearing these screechy complaints.

  “That is not enough!”

  Mei Wu was present during the sudden meeting, as she always was, listening to the chaos with a serious face. Sitting inside the royal court, she saw the Saturn celestials lose their minds over what had already been transpired. However, it was true, she couldn't believe Nian Yue descended even after all the drama in heaven over the day. That takes some gall. A bitter smile tugged on her lips.

  ~~~

  The night was usually cold in the mortal realm, especially in this part of the area where trees fill the view far ahead. Yincu village was quiet, quieter than any other day. Perhaps because there wasn't any moon in the sky. It was a moonless night—dark and misty. It was said the ghostly forces were stronger in nights like these, like a bad omen. And to add to that the weather was dark, roaring like a sign of upcoming misfortune.

  Gentle trees sway softly. Strong trees stand proud in their place—the whispering wind blowing their leaves. Nian Yue sat on the leafy ground. A peaceful expression adored on her face. Her divine energy was low, almost absent. Her hair fluttered behind her back with each gentle wave of the breeze.

  Her eyes occasionally trailed from one place to another, drinking in the sight of small things. This part of the forest was most familiar to Nian Yue. The place she had come across countless times. This was the illusion path. The area where that one mysterious tree resided, where the little ghost child hid itself.

  Hours passed. Nian Yue waited with utmost patience. Until the night dissolved into a certain hour. The time pushed past one in the morning. The already black night darkened further. Thick and dark clouds hid the sky. When the temperature dropped, Nian Yue’s smile widened. The wind took a little strength, sending her feature light hair sticking to her face. The Lozenge communication core was present in front of her, pulsing with each exhale of her breath with soft shimmering silver light.

  She slowly opened her eyes and tilted her head to the side. “I have been waiting for you,” she whispered, even though there was no one in the farthest of distance. “You were looking for me.” She stretched her hand out, the tips of her fingers dripping with black liquid much like rotten blood. “Is that correct?”

  The chill only seemed to increase. Nian Yue didn't fight it. She let the prickling cold sit on her skin. If it was a test, so be it.

  “I am here. And I know you're sad.”

  The silence was louder after that than the sharp rustling of leaves and the wind around her. She spoke again. “I know you are scared. I know you are confused. Lonely. But.. you don't have to linger like that. You choose me, for whatever reason. Now it's my duty to help you.”

  “....”

  “Xiaoyu.”

  A moment of silence between the surroundings and Nian Yue, before a small head peeked from behind the old tree. The small hands gripping on the tree so protectively. He might have eased up but not yet given control.

  The spark in Nian Yue's eyes dulled upon seeing the sight of the child. He had blood all over his face. Dried up and rotten. His ghostly black eyes blinked with uncertainty and hostility. And then there was that horrible part of him, the side of his forehead was cracked open. The figure appeared so similar to when Nian Yue first spotted him, but much clearer.

  Nian Yue smiled again after a moment. She lowered her spiritual strength further, hoping it will help the child build trust in her. “You can come closer. But take your time. I am not going anywhere.”

  And it seemed to work. Even if hesitant, the child slipped out of the protection of the tree, tilting his head as if testing Nian Yue's words. In return Nian Yue stretched another hand towards him, holding eye contact. Her eyes were soft and inviting. “You are such a brave child Xiaoyu.”

  Xiaoyu felt confident, hearing his name called out so fondly. Slowly but surely Nian Yue’s affectionate words pulled him closer. They were only a few feet apart from each other. He reached his shaking hand towards Nian Yue, hoping he could trust her. But then he saw Nian Yue’s face change colors. Her eyes widened in horror. Scared, Xiaoyu pulled his hand back and was about to retreat, before Nian Yue’s sudden call startled him.

  “No!” Nian Yue tried to snatch the child away, but it was too late.

  Someone else’s hand was seizing the child away from Nian Yue. It was Mei Wu! She gripped the collar of Xiaoyu’s tattered upper robe and hoisted him up like a kitten. She was merciless doing it as the child cried out in terror. His trust was broken.

  Several assistant Martial gods surrounded the area after her. Some reached forward and took the child into possession as Mei Wu carelessly handed the spirit to be locked away. She brushed her hands afterward, as if they had been contaminated.

  “Xiaoyu–” Nian Yue made another attempt to get to Xiaoyu, but was held back by Mei Wu.

  “What do you think you’re doing? Get in your senses, that is a vengeful spirit.” Mei Wu said with a click of her tongue.

  “Are you serious!?” Nian Yue snapped. “Let go–!”

  Blooded tears spilled from Xiaoyu’s eyes. His little body struggled in the hands of the powerful Martial gods who were locking him away in a spiritual cage. The bars must have been burning his skin. In between his struggles, he spotted Nian Yue. His hands were shaking. He shook his head and suddenly let out a loud cry. The cry was more like a screech. A wave of malicious energy flooded the area, causing the martial gods and Mei Wu to cover their ears out of irritation. There wasn't much effect on the other celestials, but Nian Yue’s spiritual protective shield was specifically weak. As the wave hit her, her vision went black.

  Voices around her started to blur. Her balance trembled as she struggled to remain steady in her place. Outside voices were muffled but something else was starting to burgeon inside her head. A memory replayed, and the haunting began.

  Stab!

  NGHH—

  She was taking her last breath and yet you failed again. You let it happen all over again.

  Stab! Zap! Stab!

  Yue..

  …

  You could only stare, unable to do a thing. Your first mistake. What good was your cultivation if it devoured her alive.

  No…

  “No.. No! No!!!” Nian Yue squeezed her head with both of her hands, as if that would stop the ringing of those noises inside her head. She gasped for breath desperately but found no relief. She felt like she was losing herself, losing control of herself. She tried her best to stay in her senses, trying to keep her eyes open. But when she managed to do so, she saw a totally different scene. Three figures stood around her in a circle. Still and staring hauntingly. Their bodies covered in fresh blood—oozing from their heads down to their torso. They whispered something.

  “Satisfied?”

  “Selfish.”

  “Your mistake, our culpability."

  “Heedless.”

  “One pride, several lives.”

  “Satisfied.”

  The consequences of your mistake will be paid by the blood of hundreds if not thousand. And in the end, you won't be able to protect anybody. It will remain your fault.

  Nian Yue’s eyes remained stuck in front of her. She has frozen. Frozen again. What good was this body? No use. Her face contorted in a mix of terror and guilt. The words were vaguely familiar, burning her chest with nauseating guilt. She felt too much, too many emotions until it ached. Her soul begged for a release yet not a single tear would come out. And soon the bottled emotions took the form of suffocation. No use. This divine body was useless. No use at all.

  Nian Yue gasped and struggled as if there was no air around her. Overwhelmed, yet the stinging whispers won't stop. She wanted to scream, cry, do something—anything to release the suffocation building inside her chest but she couldn't.

  She couldn't.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  She—

  “Nian Yue!!”

  Slap!

  Everything came crashing down. The nightmare cleared. The fog lifted off Nian Yue's eyes as she found herself being tightly gripped by Mei Wu. Her left cheek burned viscously.

  “You can stop trying to gobble up all the air around the world at once! Do it properly! Breathe, one-two-three..” Mei Wu instructed calmly. Her fingers loosened around Nian Yue's forearms, not enough to let her stumble back, but enough so there was support and distance.

  Once Nian Yue seemed to calm down, Mei Wu let out a heavy sigh. “Agh you're a God, you won't die anyways.” At last Mei Wu rolled her eyes, taking Nian Yue's composure to being stable as her hands retreated to herself. But the next moment, Nian Yue's body gave out. She slumped down on her knees. Her body was convulsing. Her eyes rolled at the back of her head.

  Mei Wu's eyes widened. She held Nian Yue by her arms once again. Her lips sealed shut. For a moment she thought her words caused Nian Yue to react in such a way, but then she realized she was being silly. Not knowing what to do she instead grasped Nian Yue’s cheek and pinched and pulled on it, trying to force her to speak. “Nian Yue! Hey!”

  Nian Yue was struggling to breathe. No voice would come out of her throat even when it seemed she was trying to. Mei Wu knew Nian Yue wouldn't die as long as she had sufficient amount of spiritual mana to handle any type of complication the flesh might endure but that doesn't mean she could be left like that for long.

  Her next task was terminated. Mei Wu decided to head back to heaven with Nian Yue. She had intended to stay, to investigate along with the martial gods. But Nian Yue's condition led her to change her route. After all, what would have become of her reputation if she left a young struggling goddess to suffer on her own. That would be heartless. And she can't be called heartless.

  ~~~

  The very next day, heaven felt much more stable. More peaceful. As if a big relief had drawn over the system. The golden hall got set up for the next meeting. The representatives from each star made an appearance, showing gratitude to the goddess of temptation once they spotted her.

  “Congratulations Goddess. Once again it's proven, experience over arrogance!” said a Saturn representative. A bright smile played on his lips before he took his seat.

  Mei Wu was the center of attention indeed. Her expressions were smug, as she caressed her hair before brushing them behind her back. “I just did what I felt was right.”

  Nian Yue was left alone by herself. As one of the representatives, she had to take part in the meeting, even when the circumstances were like this. Celestials were not fearing nor hesitating talking ill about someone who was clearly present there. At least they were not talking behind her back. Oh well, would it change anything?

  Nian Yue sat silently, dazed and staring at the red carpet with an unfocused gaze. What could she even do? What happened last night was embarrassing. If she could have another title it would definitely be the goddess of mental illnesses. And then her followers will be even less. That's not inherently bad, it just means less headaches.

  “Thank the great lord, goddess Mei Wu made the right call and descended. Otherwise we all would be worrying about everything even now,” said a representative from the Jupiter star.

  “You all worry too much. I have told you before it was nothing more than just a little ghost spirit. And even If he has connections we'll know,” Mei Wu said.

  “That's such a relief!”

  “Hm. As Goddess has said, the inquiry is still in progress.” When the emperor finally spoke, the court’s chatter finally came to a stop. Their heads turning towards the high throne in union. Each wearing a gaze of respect and attention. “The child will be brought for another session soon. There will be measures in order to acquire as much information as we can. The system need not worry. Return to carrying out your usual responsibilities.”

  Nian Yue's head abruptly turned towards the Emperor when the ghost spirit was mentioned. Her pale face contorted in worry. She was about to get up, wanting to object but was held back by a hand on her shoulder and then she was being forced to sit back down by none other than the general Han Yuelin who shot her a sharp look and shook his head. It was like a warning. Nian Yue’s eyes lowered in disappointment as she gave up and sank back down.

  “The court has been dismissed.” Emperor Yan Tianxiu announced, once he made sure there were no more objections.

  As the court stood to their feet along the Emperor and offered him respectful courtesy.

  ~~~

  Heavy books smacked against the table as Mei Wu’s figure loomed over and pressed a palm over the pile of the books. She then pulled a chair and sat down on it with a heavy sigh. An elegant glass of red wine was placed beside the pile of books. “Agh what a gloomy-gloomy place.” Mei Wu shivered into herself and rubbed her arms in an attempt to warm herself.

  The place where Mei Wu found herself, with her own choices and decisions, was her least favorite place to be in and that was for so many reasons. The place was the grand literature hall, established at the cold star, Neptune. A star, known for book and record keeping. Centuries of history was preserved and hidden here. No matter the knowledge or the history—good and bad, if it existed it was preserved.

  Time walks faster in this paradise, but seems like an eternity once stepped inside—an illusion on eyes and one’s mind. Being far from the sun, the absence of sunlight causes this star to be cold but no less magnificent. The day never arrives, the black sky—full of stars, was the only scenery greeting its visitors. The quietest place in the whole celestial system, where gods, goddesses and even the attendants won't bother talking unless necessary. It was famously called a living literature city, pulsing—dripping with knowledge.

  Many figures walked past Mei Wu, holding scrolls, books and other preserving, getting them to settle in their respective places in the huge library whose ceiling seemed to reach the void of the system, far up ahead. Each attendant was having big, fat dark circles under their eyes. Their gaze sharp and calculated, the gaze a brilliant scholar would have. However Mei Wu was worried about something else and flinched each time her eyes landed on those horrible dark circles. “...They should take at least one beauty sleep a day. Poor girls..”

  “Goddess temptation–”

  “AAH—!” Mei Wu dramatically clutched her chest, startled by the sudden appearance of a literary attendant deity. “You.. You ghosts! Who will call you gods!”

  “Please keep your voice low. Unnecessary noises cause distress and it's not allowed.” The attendant deity said coolly, sounding more dead than the dead themselves.

  “I-Is that why.. you tried to kill me with that appearance of yours like that..?” Mei Wu said while caressing her chest.

  “...No. You are drinking. That is not allowed,” said the attendant deity.

  Mei Wu blinked and gazed down at her wine glass. Then with a click of her tongue, her hands flew to her hips. “Oh?? What else is not allowed? breathing??”

  “If it gets loud, I suggest not breathing.”

  “....And that's why I do not like this place,” Mei Wu complained, letting out a weary groan.

  “Please hand over the glass,” The attendant deity said before extending her hand.

  “Fine, fine!” Mei Wu quickly picked up the shining glass of wine and handed it over. “No regard or respect for this ancestor.”

  The attendant deity, without saying anything, turned around and returned to her business. If simply losing the little drink didn't upset Mei Wu, that definitely will.

  In an attempt to contain herself, Mei Wu took a deep breath, smiled greedily and crookedly and turned her attention to her books. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw another shadow starting to loom over her. She raised her head, angry and hissed, “Now what! Oh–” Mei Wu blinked, dumbfounded. Then her lips suddenly twitched to a grin, her emotions were somewhere between surprise and amusement. “Nian Yue~” She called out sweetly and tilted her head. “What a surprise. You willingly walked up to your bad omen?”

  “......” Nian Yue stared. Her lips pressed together. A complicated expression was plastered over her face as if she had been caught stealing but was trying not to make it obvious.

  Mei Wu chuckled knowingly. Her eyes crinkled at the corners, as she let out a dramatic sigh. “Well now that you are here–”

  “What does all this have to do with you? Why are you so obsessed with the spirit?” Nian Yue said finally, sharp and clear. Her eyes bored into Mei Wu.

  In return Mei Wu’s left eye twitched. “You need to work on how to start a conversation. Come on, sit down first.”

  “Don't waste my time. Why did you do that?” Nian Yue pressed on.

  “..I don't know what you’re talking about.” Mei Wu said simply and turned her head down to her books. Now seeming sour and annoyed than amused. “I’m a goddess. It's also my duty to protect and control such affairs.”

  “You won't bother. You never did. How many ghosts have you helped before? When those ghosts were mutilating each other out of whatever effect you had on them, did you help them? No. All you care about is control and power—corruption of those that cross paths with you. Is that it??” Nian Yue said. Her words were meant to cut through the weakest nerve, to get a reaction out of Mei Wu and it seemed to work.

  Mei Wu’s jaw clenched. Her eyes flashing. “Quiet. Do not talk over where you don't belong,” she said slowly as if her composure was hanging on the thinnest thread.

  “Alright. Then I belong here. If you didn't bother intervening with those cases what danger does a little ghost spirit pose to you that you personally had to go down and capture him. What had that child even done to you–”

  Nian Yue flinched when Mei Wu suddenly stood up from her chair. The screeching sound of the chair dragging back was so loud a few heads turned in their direction. But seeing nothing was out of the ordinary they went back to their work.

  “You want to know why I did it, right? Fine.” Mei Wu grasped Nian Yue’s wrist tightly, leaving the moon goddess shocked. She pulled Nian Yue with her, dragging her towards a quiet corner between the wooden walls filled with endless books.

  “What are you doing?” Nian Yue asked hesitantly, growing uncomfortable by the force and the proximity between them.

  Mei Wu cornered Nian Yue against the book shelf, almost shoving her into the wall of books behind her, before looming over. Her eyes brimming with hatred. “You are so desperate to know that eh? Then listen. I do not care, that little thing lives, dies, disperse. If he wouldn't have been such a threat to what I do, I wouldn't care. This system is stupid enough to believe it's her just because there's a tiny bit of resemblance. These cowards are the reason I did it all.”

  Nian Yue kept a steady face to appear strong, but that faint discomfort on her face and her tensed body revealed everything. Her eyes were unblinking because Mei Wu’s eyes were stabbing right through her. She was worried, anxious that if she blinked, something terrible would happen.

  Mei Wu’s lips twitched into a mocking, bitter smile. “You think that An Xu is being generous?” She scoffed. “Bull crap. Even he has selfish motives, no less selfish than mine. No one is being generous to you. You are on your own.” She finally pulled away, stepping a few feet back from Nian Yue. “Unless the dog has found a new owner.” She rolled her eyes and turned around to leave.

  “....” So many words. So many comments. Which one was right and which one was wrong Nian Yue did not know. She only knew one thing that hung with her. “Who is her.”

  Mei Wu paused in her tracks. A dry smirk formed on her lips. Nian Yue’s question forced her to take a step back. When she turned to Nian Yue, she had her usual amused smile plastered on her lips and her eyes, but Nian Yue interpreted it as another mock. “You have asked that question to me. Don't dare asking the same question to any other celestial again. Otherwise, god knows what will become of you.” With that her sandals clicked against the floor, calculated and heavy as her figure disappeared from the sight. And soon Nian Yue was left staring into nothing.

  “....”

  ____ ____ ____

  To be continued:-