Special Chapter - Princess Bai's Memories 2
1966 Words
Four years had passed since she had met the boy, Zheng Jin.
With his guidance, she had finally reached the 2nd level of the Awakened Mortal Realm. She was amazed at the strange way he cultivated. It really was vastly different from what she had learned from many masters she had heard from.
He sometimes even went to the mountains and made her consume several herbs that she, even with all the books that she had read, did not know that they could be used for cultivation.
Also, throughout the years, she also found out quite a lot about Zheng Jin from Elder Zhang Fei, the only elder that he was fond of.
It turns out that Zheng Jin was just a little boy, about five years of age, when he was found by the sect on the outskirts of Goldenridge City. His parents were nowhere to be seen, and was found with only a small, black book he had clutched on his hands, which he adamantly refused to hand over.
After being brought back to the sect, he showed immense potential, shocking even the Sect leader himself; reaching the peak of the Mortal Realm at just the age of seven. Not only that, he insisted that he did not need a master, training himself in the ways of cultivation.
The sect had high hopes for him at the time of his Coming Of Age, where he can finally be admitted to the sect.
As for his attitude, he was a naturally stoic person, not speaking when he needed not to; with the exception of an elder named Zhang Fei.
Though throughout the years they have been together, he slowly became comfortable around her, changing their relationship to that of close friends.
She could not be anything but happy, finally having a person that cared about her, just as much as she cared about him.
...
This relationship, however, was ruined the day before Zheng Jin turned fifteen years of age, and also the day before his Coming Of Age.
Because on that day, tragedy had struck... Zheng Jin's cultivation had suddenly fallen back to the 1st level of the Mortal Realm!
The elders and even the Sect Leader was baffled as they tried to identify just what happened to Zheng Jin, but alas, they found no answer.
After that horrible event, she stayed by Zheng Jin's side almost all the time. But to her surprise, his attitude towards her was still, the same...as if he wasn't bothered much by the tragedy.
He also still persevered through his cultivation, but even his potential vanished without a trace, leaving him with little to no progress with his cultivation. The sect, no longer seeing any value in him, placed him amongst the lowest disciples of the outer sect, even giving him the last place in the rankings...
She never left his side, because she noticed that although he acted as though it was nothing around her, she knew what he really felt inside. How could she not? She was the same before she found Zheng Jin, after all.
So although a tragedy had struck her and Zheng Jin, they still remained inseparable as close friends.
This relationship, however, garnered the disapproval of both disciples and even elders of the sect. They were fine with her staying with Zheng Jin before because of his immense talent...but now? He had lost all of that talent and even years of his cultivation vanished without a trace.
Many disciples even compared letting Zheng Jin stick around her to putting a flower in cow manure. It was a complete waste.
...
A week after the accident, she noticed that when she visits Zheng Jin in his house, he always had a bruise on his face or his body.
Though he was denying that he was being beaten up by other disciples, she eventually knew the truth when she had caught Zheng Jin being beaten up by a number of outer sect disciples.
This infuriated her so much that she sent four disciples to the sect's infirmary.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
She asked Zheng Jin. She did not understand why he would lie to her about this.
"Ahh, it was nothing... I'm alright, see?"
Zheng Jin then stretched his body, as if the beatings were not a problem to him. However, try as he might, his occasional winces betrayed his intentions of fooling her.
"You are not okay...how could you treat this as a joke!"
She then said out loud to Zheng Jin, her tears now threatening to fall from her eyes. She hated to see him hurt. After all, he was the only one that really cared about her in this world.
Zheng Jin then replied, a carefree smile on his face.
"Don't tell me you're going to cry again, little sister Bai."
"Hmph, you i***t!"
Although they were the same age, Zheng Jin liked to call her junior sister. She, however, didn't have a choice because she already refused to call him "master" when he jokingly asked her to. And to be quite honest, she didn't really mind it.
After reprimanding Zheng Jin for quite a while, she made him go to the sect's medicine hall with her to get some physical recovery pills for his bruises.
...
6
That night, however, when she was about to go to her house, a familiar face caught her eye. It was one of her father's servants. She wondered what the servant would be doing here, as she had not seen them since she got to the sect.
"Hmm, 2nd level of the Awakened Mortal Realm. So our sources spoke the truth. Not bad. The king would be pleased to hear about your progress."
What the man said caught her attention. After all, her father was the reason why she was here in the first place.
"But, that is not why I am here. You are acquainted with a man named Zheng Jin, correct?"
"Yes."
She replied warily. With the mention of Zheng Jin's name, she immediately wanted to see where this conversation was going.
"The king orders you to cut ties with him. The matter has been explained by the Golden Dragon Sect's Leader. You are a princess of the Azure Phoenix Kingdom. You should not be associated with a useless person like him."
"Wait, you don't understand...He was the reason why my cultivation was like this in the first place!"
She quickly defended Zheng Jin. In her heart, the last thing she wanted was to lose him.
"You are the one that doesn't understand, Princess Bai Shuanyang. We do know that he was the one that trained you, but his value faded as his potential had declined. With his current ability, what could he teach you then?"
"But-"
"But nothing. The king has spoken, and his words are absolute. You will cut ties with this Zheng Jin fellow...or else...don't even think about returning to the Azure Phoenix Kingdom! Just so you know, the king was ready to abandon you here, but you should be grateful... for he is now considering to take you back if you reach the late stages of the Awakened Mortal Realm!"
Her eyes widened at the man's revelation. She was now being made to make an impossible choice. At this moment, her mind went into turmoil.
After all, hearing that her father would take her back in his kingdom brought back the memories of her purpose. Of why she wanted strength in the first place. But then, if she chose to obey her father, she would lose Zheng Jin, who helped her in every step of her cultivation; and the only person in this world who really understands her...
"I will now leave you. I trust that you will not disappoint your king, no- your father.
With that, the man left her...his last words echoing through her mind.
"I- Zheng Jin...please...please forgive me."
She thought as she wept. Unaffected by the cold of the night as she kneeled on the ground, clutching her head as her tears flowed out uncontrollably.
The day after, she had met with Zheng Jin. She had desperately tried to hide her grief from him. After all, she had already decided and convinced herself that she made the right choice.
"Hey little sister Bai, look at what I found for you!"
She looked at Zheng Jin's hand. It was an Eight-Petal Pink Lotus. She, however, took the flower, threw it on the ground and stomped on it.
"It is always like this with you. To be honest, I'm really sick of it."
She then saw Zheng Jin's expression change as he replied:
"What's the matter, Little Sister Bai. Is there something wrong?"
"I don't think I can stay friends with you anymore. I- I have grown tired of you... I am a princess of the Azure Phoenix Kingdom, you should know that. You might be a genius back then, but being further associated with you drags my royal name to the dirt!"
As she said all these things, she couldn't help but feel a stabbing pain in her heart...They were complete lies. Her time spent with Zheng Jin were the happiest days of her life. But for now, she must completely cut off Zheng Jin from her life...or she will lose her home and her father.
"You... have the past few years...meant nothing to you?"
"I...yes. You have taught me well for the past few years and you have my thanks for that. But you must know that our relationship was just that of a benefactor and beneficiary. For that, you can name any treasure you want. As long as my kingdom can acquire it, I will give it to you!"
"Just go..."
Zheng Jin responded. His eyes now downcast, devoid of any emotion.
"I also have to show my gratitude Zheng Jin. I am certain that I can get you unparalleled medicinal pills for your recovery, just say the word!"
This, she thought, is the only way she could make up for her selfishness. Whatever treasure Zheng Jin asked for, she will surely get it, no matter what the cost!
"I don't need your gratitude! I-"
As Zheng Jin lifted his head and replied, she saw...tears.
Not once...
Not once did she see Zheng Jin shed a tear throughout the time she had been friends with him.
"Go."
Zheng Jin said he turned his head back down, not moving an inch from where he stood.
"Zheng Jin...I-"
A part of her wanted to stay. To tell Zheng Jin that this was all a bad joke.
But she had already made her decision.
In the end, she chose not to say anything, simply because she was afraid that when she opened her mouth, she would never be able to leave.
As she went away step by step, she heard the last words Zheng Jin had ever spoken to her.
"I wish I had never trusted you at all."
He had spoken in a clear, grief-stricken tone.
*Drip *drip
Her tears dropped onto the grass one by one...on the very same riverbank they had first met all those years ago.
She went further and further away, each step felt like a part of her was dying, little by little.
The two people's figures recreated a scene long past, but the only difference...
The girl hadn't turned back.
...
...
...
Bai Shuanyang returned to her senses, realizing that she had been reminiscing a memory of a distant past, one she was certain that she had long forgotten...
As she gathered the books she was about to return, she felt something dripping down her face and wiped them with her hands.
They were tears.
- Writer
