"Ju Feng?"
Ju Feng turned around and stared at the young girl coming towards him. As the girl got closer, Ju Feng saw the lunar symbol on her forehead. Realisation dawned on him as he rembered a recent mory. One of the young girls of his village. The girl living st the outskirt of the village with her
"Chang Chang?"
"It's really you!"
Chang Chang said happily. She looked at Ju Feng as if he was a ghost. The mories of the past ca flooding into her mind again. She rembered the lonely boy who would co into town with his mother to sell goat milk. The boy who gave her the money that changed everything.
"Co. et my parents."
After the introduction, Ju Feng followed Chang Chang and her parents ho. When he got there, he didnt know when he fell asleep. When he woke, Ju Feng had no idea what ti it was. The room was shadowy and still, but there were cracks of light through the bamboo window that told him it was dayti. He rose imdiately and went to the windows to peer out. The sun was directly overhead. Midday. He had slept a whole day.
Way too long!
Slowlyly, he washed his face and hands, dressed, and left the room. Chang Chang was nowhere to be found, so he went out the door and walked toward the large area at the front of the house, thinking to find her there. But he had only taken a few steps to his destination when Chang Chang appeared on the path ahead. On seeing He Feng, she glanced around as if looking for soone and rushed over.
"Hello Ju Feng. Why dont you wait at the cottage? I only left to find the Striped Water spirit grass for you. How are you feeling? Better?"
"After an entire day's rest? I would guess so."
Chang Chang grinned. "Almost two days. You never woke once."
Ju Feng couldn't believe it. Now he really was worried. Too much ti had passed while he was sleeping in a strange world he had no clue of.
"Thanks for taking care of , Chang."
"Dont ntion it, Feng?"
Chang Chang said before continuing.
"You're not from this world, Feng, and certainly, I know you're not a blood. How did you end up at the summoning ground."
Ju Feng stared at her.
"I wasn't sure I know how, myself. I was in a battle with a black dragon inside an ancient ruin when I suddenly found myself near the summoning valley."
Brecon did not answer, his blond head lowered, his blue eyes intense as he studied the path in front of him.
"Follow ."Chang Chang said finally.
They walked over to the clearing at the other end of the cottage, detouring to the far end where large stones were set in circle. Beside the stones were Chang Chang parents. Chang Chang hurried to them and whispered sothing to them. They signalled Ju Feng to co near.
"Tell us what happened."
After listening to the words of Ju Feng, Chang Li stroked his beard gently.
"The Frozen Ti. That explain the lack of blood aura on you. Keep this to yourself. These are dangerous tis in this world. You're a chi cultivator, you're not suppose to be at the valley. Hmm.. follow ."
They left for sowhere at the center of the city. Once there, Chang Li led the way inside a hallway, his long stride lengthening as they drew closer to the destination. At one point, Ju Feng heard voices from down the forest, surrounding their path, and Chang Chang shook her head before smiling. Ju Feng squinted his eyes as he realized where they were going. It had to be the place of the Oracle Of Xue.
Moving more quickly now, Chang Li took them into a room at the end of a hallway and from there into another room beyond, each ti pausing to close and lock the doors behind them. was looking around guardedly now, sensing that sothing was wrong.
"Don't worry," Chang Chang reassured him as her father secured the second door and motioned to a grouping of chairs. Together they seated themselves, facing each other across a small, round table. Chang Li glanced at a sideboard.
"Let get you sothing to drink. Is a glass of ale all right?"
Without waiting for a response, he filled glasses from a cask concealed in a cold box and carried them back to the table. There was a furtiveness about him, an uneasiness that told Dar sothing was definitely not right. But he held his tongue and waited for his friend to reveal it in his own ti. When Chang Li was seated again, he raised his glass.
"In the house of the oracle, to health and good fortune."
"What of the oracle, father?" Chang Chang asked.
"Almost here. Be assured."
Ju Feng looked around curiously. The place was better than most Xue Wus houses in his howorld. Strange. He was in a bloody strange world and inside a blood oracle's mansion. How strange was that?
"Dont be confused. All will be revealed. But it's all so strange to say the truth."
"I never this ti would co."
Chang Wang could not believe itbut then it was exactly the sort of impulsive impulsive prophecy they had received, a long ti ago.
"I couldn't believe it, either,"
Chang Li agreed, seeing the look on his wife's face.
"And then we had listened to the words of the oracle, thinking it might not co to be."
What prophecy? Ju Feng wondered she he heard those words. Deep in thought, not quite two feet away, in a room that sat apart from the house, there was a silent whisper. The power of the whispers carried strong echoes with it. Then, the door opened. The look of mingled shock and wariness mirrored on Ju Feng's face was both priceless and gratifying when he saw the oracle.
The oracle was dressed in full Skara regaliawhite silk robes and scarlet accessories. Her accessories and items dangled on her body like the herald of heaven's. She stood with her back bent a little and her head slightly lifted as she spoke. She had lived before the comings. She knew the secret to the world, the profound mysteries hidden on it.
She sat down in great composure. Her eyes were fixed on Ju Feng, unblinking. She knew she must tell them from the start what she had already seen and known.
When she had finished and stood waiting, there was a long silence. She resisted the urge to look over her shoulder to the grim-faced Ho Guards, who stood behind her like expressionless statues. Unlike her, they bore swords and knives. But she didn't regret her choice to forgo weapons. She knew the nature and reputation of her audience. Coming ard would have sent the wrong ssage. Any sort of confrontation at this juncture would have been disastrous.
"You are in any mortal danger, young one. Unless you intend to enter reincarnation, you'll heed my words. The fates of the two of you are intertwined. But you'll suffer death, child. Your fate has been sealed. It can't be broken."
She used an example she was certain would resonate. Thanks to the blood divination, the oracle knew the becoming of the prophecy that brought the young boy to their world. She knew the history of these lands before the age of ti. The dreadbloods had, in fact, attacked the finebloods on more than one occasion. The dreadbloods had, in fact, attacked them on more than one occasion over the centuries, seeking to subdue or at least dominate them. This had been a part of their history with other nations, as well, for as far back as anyone could rember.
"I know your presence ant no harm"
The oracle said.
"But you yourself are in great danger."
"As it happens," Chang Li said, "I've co to ask for your help."
It wasn't quite the truth, but it was not a big enough lie that she couldn't speak the words. She watched as the Council mbers exchanged uncertain glances.
"You've managed well enough. But without any assistance, youll die."
The oracle observed and turned to look at Chang Chang.
"You seem a very capable young lady. And your fate seem a fair and well planned one. It's hard to believe you require help from anyone, but you do."
"The bloods are a strong and determined people, and we fully expect to succeed in our efforts to make a ho here. But a small number of our people, although it is ordained, have fated lives on their heads. These lands are ours, but we do not seek to dislodge those already living in these lands before us. We are not the original occupiers of it. We only seek a place for our own people. The Dreadbloods were a powergul, selfish, disorganized order that thought only of themselves. They were charged to be protectors of the land's magical powers, Heavens Blood. Yet they squabbled and sniped at one another and did very little to aid those who were supposedly under their protection. Then, ca the prophecies of the divine blood oracle. The prophecy that now brought you to my place."
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