Ling Ling is seated on the top floor of the teahouse overlooking the stage. She ordered tea and it is just being delivered when Feng Tian and Zhang Yu arrive.
She delicately pours the tea. "Perfect timing, the tea is your favorite Hibiscus tea."
Noticing Feng Tian appears distracted she looks towards Zhang Yu. "Did you pick up all the supplies you need?"
Zhang Yu tells her that he thinks they might need a few more items and the boat will only be able to transport five horses and they bought ten.
LingLing raises an eyebrow and taps on the table, who all is going?
Feng Tian is worried about XiXi, he wants to go get the servant girl Huiqing and start back, but knows Zhang Yu must be hungry.
"Zhang Yu, all the dishes here are delicacies, please choose whatever you would like." Feng Tian swirls the tea in his cup looking into it with a pensive expression. Hong Bo missing, XiXi unconscious, I feel helpless. I am going to discuss with Feng Che allowing me to use my abilities, I don't like this feeling of being unable to help the people I care about.
He looks up to see Zhang Yu and LingLing staring at his cup of tea that is bubbling and boiling as he turns the cup. He immediately cools it down with his palms and smiles at them. "It's a little trick I learned from Feng Che. So what looks good on the menu Zhang Yu?"
While Zhang Yu orders, Feng Tian asks LingLing if she had the seamstresses make the clothes for XiXi and when they will be finished. He can pick them up when he comes back for the horses in two days.
LingLing has her hands under the table clenched, but sweetly tells him that would be fine.
Feng Tian and LingLing talk about Yun Pei Shan and her Sect business. LingLing is smiling, finally I have a chance to just sit with Feng Tian without the pest, her father is engrossed in eating.
" LingLing do you mind keeping Zhang Yu company for awhile? I need to go to the palace and get Huiqing to come with us so she can take care of Zhang XiXi."
LingLing stares at Feng Tian trying to control the fire rising to her eyes. The silver specks in her dark eyes are beginning to gather revealing her inner emotions. She doesn't want Feng Tian see her eyes turn to silver with anger. Huiqing is not only talented in martial arts but possess an ethereal beauty.
Jealous of Huiqing she sounds concerned, "Why would you take Huiqing, what about Rong? Her martial arts are far superior."
"You have a point, but she... how should I put this, Rong is so.. manly! How will she relate to Zhang XiXi on a daily basis?", Feng Tian pictures Rong and squints his eyes, under his breath he mutters, "Rong..she.. is an eyesore."
" Zhang XiXi appears to be the friendly sort, I'm sure it will be fine. Don't you want the stronger of the two servant girls protecting the weak girl?"
LingLing thinks, if the nuisance survives long enough to go on the trip, I am not letting you take that slut Huiqing.
"LingLing, I'm glad I mentioned it to you, yes, I will ask father if I can take Rong." He considers the situation and concludes that although unattractive,Rong is still a woman. She can help XiXi watch her bathe and dress in the wilderness.
"I will return in a bit, enjoy the show, the woman who plays the Qin here is renowned throughout Cloud Kingdom.
I heard she is beautiful and extremely talented."
Feng Tian leaps down over the railing and heads to the palace. Feng Che should be finished with The High Council if LingLing met him earlier. I am going to ask him what he knows about Hong Bo too.
Meanwhile on the Island,
Yun Tai swiftly flies to the bamboo house and immediately sheds his clothes. The black robes are tossed onto the ground, and the Gemini Twins hop out as he is about to incinerate the dirty clothes with his internal energy. We were so quiet listening at the hut did he forget we were in his pocket?.
Embarrassed, Yun Tai sighs, What was I thinking rushing down to the lake without cleansing the residue of blackness that had flowed out of my body while I was cultivating. I guess I'm used to being surrounded by my soldiers who are constantly around the foul odors of the demons.
But, Tian's girl is not very ladylike, blatantly showing her distaste, holding her nose like that and waving her little arms. He laughs recalling her silly look and voice. She did sound ridiculous talking while holding her nose.
Yun Tai shakes his head laughing picturing XiXi. I don't think I have seen such an amusing girl in all my travels. Did she not learn any manners or etiquette?
She is not like any of the noble women who surround him vying for his attention. They are quiet and have an air of perfection about them. Why did he leave her in the hut with Siyu guarding her? I should hurry and return to check on the girl.
Yun Tai sinks into a bath, enjoying the warmth of the water, the temperature perfect. When he is cultivating his body reaches extreme temperatures of hot and cold as his qi flows through his meridians.
Yun Tai leans his head back washing his long ink black hair draped over the back of the bath. He rubs his throbbing temples, Feng Tian why do I feel this situation will be harder to deal with than a horde of Demons.
He closes his deep black eyes for just a moment, when he does he pictures XiXi on the bed laughing holding the little beast. The dress must be Ling Ling's because it is too big and slid down her delicate white arms. Her twinkling blue eyes when she was hugging Siyu, seemingly not caring he could crush her with a paw. Too impulsive!
Yun Tai climbs out of the specially designed large moon wood bathtub, his muscular body still dripping water as he grabs a towel by the side. He looks down to see a disturbing sight, just picturing that stupid girl my body has a reaction. He takes the basin of cold water that is on the jade table, irritated by his lack of control he dumps the freezing cold water on his body.
Damn that Feng Tian bringing the little seductress to my house! My body's reaction must be caused by..of course because I haven't seen a woman who wasn't a Demon in fifty years.
Yun Tai decides his body's physical reaction is natural, it would happen if I saw any woman in that wantonly alluring posture on the bed. Her beautiful green eyes provocatively half open, the way she kicked the covers off of her body revealing her white soft legs.
Her slender thighs were completely revealed before the little beast jumped onto the bed to cover them! He stops himself there, rubbing his body roughly with the towel to erase the images of XiXi in his mind.
He takes a black robe from the closet, maybe I shouldn't rush back down to the lake. He ties the sash around his waist, Feng Tian must be returning soon, he wouldn't leave Siyu to guard her all day.
I need time to process this feeling I'm having. I was often surrounded by Demonesses trying to suck my soul out over the course of the Demon War, They would be beautiful, voluptuous, fawning and hanging their bodies onto mine. I'm positive it was just seeing a normal{well not quite normal} girl I let down my defenses. Of course that explains it!
But, I said I would return and bring her the Chrysanthemum tea. She said she is anxious without Feng Tian there. I should take it to her. It's not right just to leave her with those two beasts.
After Yun Tai leaves XiXi walks outside into the woods to get away the stench which permeated the small room. XiXi glances down at the beautiful dress in her hands admiring the deep pink color and the white lilies delicately embroidered on it that Feng Tian left for her to wear. The dress reminds her of Feng Tian and she frowns, Feng Tian...where would that brat go without me, he has some explaining to do! Noticing a stream close by she smiles, the water is clear and looks refreshing.
While Yun Tai drinks a cup of wine sorting through his feelings, XiXi happily picks flowers in the woods on the way to the stream.
She is accompanied by the two beasts, Siyu and Zhen. The little beast wanted to ride on Siyu's back, his short legs can barely keep up, but he decides against hopping up onto Siyu's braod back. He watches the formidable beast next to him, maybe I could make friends with him at the stream..I was always good at making new friends.
When they get to the slow moving stream the two beasts being gentlemen wait for XiXi behind a large bush where they couldn't see her bathing but could hear if she was in any distress.
While they are lounging behind the tall bushes Zhen can't help staring at Siyu's golden eyes which makes Siyu uncomfortable. Why is that little beast drilling a hole in my face with that look?
Well I am too tired to care, he lays his muscular body down on the ground making himself comfortable. Zhen is astute enough to realize now is not the time to try to communicate with the big beast beside him from that glare he just got.
Zhen also lays down to soak up the warmth of the sun. If a passerby saw the scene they would laugh at the contrast. A majestic beast with a red mane, laying next to a little beast with a little furry head and chunky body.
XiXi is in the water wishing she had some soap, she takes some of the flower petals with a nice light fragrance and crushes them in her hand. Once the scent is released she wipes her naked body with them, noticing one of the purple wildflowers are especially fragrant she thinks could be used to make soap. I will collect some more wildflowers on my way back to the hut.
She emerges from the cool stream feeling refreshed and freely walks naked to dry in the sun. XiXi thinks being in these woods no one is around, there are only those two beasts it will be fine.
I don't want to put the beautiful dress on while I am wet. The sun is hot today it should only take a few minutes to dry my body , I can clip my wet hair up with this pin. She studies the jade hairpin, what a beautifully carved lily on it. LingLing really has beautiful clothes and accessories .
Looking around at the scenery , the tranquil green woods, the stream quietly flowing she has an urge to dance like a wood nymph, naked in the sun.
XiXi suddenly considers this is a freedom she would never have in her world.
She lived in an urban setting with people everywhere, even when they went to the mountain spa there were still people who could walk through the woods.
XiXi on an impulse begins dancing, her wet hair flying as she spins around.I never thought those tiresome lessons would come in handy! She starts singing a French song her mother loved, it's sad lyrics tell the tale of a lost love.The sound of her voice is drifting through the air and she is moving to the melody of the sad song she is singing.
XiXi is thin and has the lithe figure of a ballerina she smiles brightly as she flies in the air off a large rock, her creamy white body spinning around and her long black hair cascading down her slender back. Landing on her tiny feet in the lush spirit grass XiXi stumbles a little from being off balance, laughing she skips a verse of the song. She puts her willowy white arms up over her head and stands on her tiptoes twirling around.
The French song resonates with heartbreak, she dramatically grabs her hair in her fingers , raises her arms, then lets go of her hair. Her expression reflecting that of a woman whose love is lost, her dark blue eyes filled with pain.
The sunlight makes her black hair shine like black jade, as it messily contrasts back down her snow white back. It was a breathtaking sight.
Then she bends over backwards, with a fluid motion slowly came forward, imitating a dancer she had seen on television.
She decides for the finale of her dance she grabs the pink, white, and pale yellow blossoms that remain on a rock nearby. XiXi tosses the colorful petals in the air, laughing as they floated down around her naked body.
Some of the vibrant blossoms are entwined with her tangled hair and don't fall to the ground. The petals create a beautiful contrast to her black hair.
" Qing Jun! Wait for me!" XiXi shouts longingly, as she looks up at the sky with a gleaming smile.
XiXi slowly strolls over to her clothes, "Whew, haha..I deserve an award for that performance!" She playfully laughs as she picks up the pink dress.
Little does this carefree wood nymph know, her performance has a spellbinding effect on a mesmerized audience of one...