[HUMAN REALM]
"Watch your step." The servant said, while Bai Ling stepped out of the carriage in her red wedding attire, the bridal veil covering her head.
She stood still for a moment, biting her lower lip as her breath trembled beneath the veil.
The groom, Chu Zhou, stood by the front door. The first legitimate son of the noble Chu family. His family came from generational noble titles.
As Bai Ling stepped forward, the carriage suddenly went in all directions as the horse was startled, making him go crazy,
"Run!" Screams tore through the streets.
A stench of burning air filled her lungs. Bai Ling didn't know what to do. Everyone started running around, and even the people inside the residence came out running.
"What's happening?" She asked as everyone pushed passed her. She stepped a few steps back, then a crowd came running down the street, causing her to almost lose her balance.
She lifted the veil, seeing everyone running down the street. When she looked to the other direction, a man was thrown on the ground while his Power Core was extracted from him. The two people bound by the Soul Thread.
She took small steps back as her eyes widened with anxiety. Her dress was so tight, she could barely move.
The person looked at her after killing the man on the ground. He smiled with cruelty in his eyes.
"What a beautiful bride we have here", he said, his voice rough with hunger. "Your soul, in exchange for my cultivation. If I have yours, I may finally ascend!"
He came closer to her, and she took small steps backward. He pulled out the Soul Thread, smiling brightly as he neared her.
Stepping closer and closer.
Then Bai Ling turned and started running, but her dress got caught under her feet. She was close to hitting the ground, when an arm went around her waist, pulling her up. Her veil flew from her head, and her dark, long hair flowed down over her shoulders.
When she looked up, her eyes met the person holding her. The light twinkled in his dark eyes. His hair was tied in a ponytail with pieces of hair on his forehead, wearing a dark blue robe.
An unexpected energy moved between them, giving feelings of deja vu that couldn't be broken.
With one hand, he threw his Soul thread to the man, moving Bai Ling to his back.
He raised his hand forward. Bai Ling got a glimpse, seeing him extracting the same glowy ball from the man. She anxiously looked away.
The thread came back to his hand when he was done, leaving the man dead.
He picked up her veil and threw it back on her head.
"Lu Chang He", another man called him. He looked at her again before walking off.
Bai Ling lifted the veil, watching his back until he disappeared behind the building. A feeling of familiarity ran through her body.
"Lu Chang He." She repeated softly. Her eyes flickered as she zoned out, barely hearing the incoming voices of her servants.
"Are you fine, my Lady?" One asked, but Bai Ling remained frozen in her step.
"Let's take you to clean up." The servant said. While the other two lifted her dress at the back.
The carriage stopped in front of them, and they got in. She lifted the curtain by the window to look out.
The servants looked at each other, sensing something was off.
Bai Ling was the eldest daughter of the Bai family. She was known for being quiet and reserved. Her marriage had been arranged by her family and the Chu family when she and Chu Zhou were still young. Reaching the age of eighteen, their marriage was set to take effect, but because of the circumstances that day, they had to postpone it.
Reaching home, she got out of the carriage. She went to the study where all the elders were waiting, and knelt.
Her family was known for producing excellent scholars every generation. She had two older brothers, who were completely different from each other.
The eldest brother, Bai Xuan, was the first legitimate son, taking after his father, who was a very strict and serious person. His mother died when he was young, and his father remarried, producing the second legitimate son, Bai Yuan.
Bai Ling was closer to her second-oldest brother. She was the daughter of a concubine, the first daughter in the family.
"You can rise." Her father said.
"Thank you, Father." She replied and stood up.
"Your marriage is postponed till the day after tomorrow." Her eldest brother, Bai Xuan, said.
Her father struck the table in anger.
"If only you had gone earlier, all of this trouble wouldn't be necessary!" He yelled.
She lowered herself to her knees again.
"It's not her fault." Bai Yuan spoke up.
"Right, Master", Bai Ling's servant agreed, lowering her head. "We were the ones who got her ready… just punish us!"
"If this happens again, none of you will be spared", Bai Xuan said, his voice commanding.
"Yes", Bai Ling and her servant responded.
"You can go, I don't want to see you now."
"Yes, Father", Bai Ling said and stood up, bowing and walking out.
She had never been favoured in the family. Their reaction was totally normal for her. Since young, she'd spend her time alone in her courtyard, with only occasional visits from her second brother.
Bai Ling sat outside, playing with her finger in the water pond before her.
"Hm", Bai Yuan held out a sweet to her.
She stood up and slightly bowed to him.
"No need for formality." He said. "I brought you this." He hands the sweet to her. "I know you're always craving for something sweet."
She smiled and said, "Thank you".
"Bai Yuan, what happened outside today?" She asked.
"It's always like that." He replied.
Bai Ling had never been outside the residence. Her wedding day was the only exception.
"Cultivators are always killing one another to retrieve their Power Cores."
"Power Cores? What's that?" She asked.
"It's the spiritual energy within you. For humans, the colour will always be light blue. As for demons, their Power Cores are red, orange and yellow, and immortals have the colours purple, blue and green. The strongest ones are the silver and gold Power Cores, but they haven't existed for centuries."
"How do you know all this?" Bai Ling asked.
"Everyone knows it, it's just that… you haven't been outside."
"Oh." Bai Ling said, looking down.
"The cultivation world is gruel. They'll kill whoever they want just to ascend. You should be careful."
"What happens if they ascend?" Bai Ling asked.
With his finger, he hit her on the nose. "Don't ask too much." He said.
***********************
The stars shone brightly at night, while the sounds of the insects and owls played in unison.
Bai Ling sat by the open window in her room. Her servant lit up an incense stick and walked out.
A soft tune started playing. An instant comfort to the soul.
Bai Ling looked outside but couldn't see anyone.
She listened attentively, like the tune was played for her. Its rhythm was elegant and controlled, pleasant to the ear.
"A flute?" she asked herself.
The tune went on for minutes. Bai Ling kept looking in all directions to find where the sound was coming from, but she couldn't see anything outside.
Then it suddenly stopped. And there was a knock on the door.
A nerve shot through her body as her gaze was steadfast on it. She slowly walked over to the door, keeping a safe distance. The knock banged again, this time it was louder.
She tiptoed a little closer.
"Bai Ling!"
She struck back. Her eyes were wide in her head.
"It's me, Chu Zhou!"
"Chu Zhou?" She softly asked.
"Are you asleep?" He asked from behind the door.
She quickly went to open, but her gaze first fell upon the black figure on the roof. Her body and eyes froze in position.
Chu Zhou narrowed his eyes, waving in front of her face.
She looked at him for only a split second, yet when she looked back up, the figure was gone.