Chapter 10: Fuck coincidences, this is down-right terrifying
Aaaauuuughh.
Someone, kill me now.
Huddled in the safety of my thick woolly blanket (which thankfully had a heating seal), I shiver as a chilly wind brushes against the nape of my neck. The blanket was then securely pulled up to cover the entirety of my body, encasing me in a cocoon of warmth against the damning climate. The depressing thing was, I wouldn't have been bothered by the temperature in my past body. It was barely passing as a nippy afternoon at the moment. To my body, however, it was like I was yeeted into the tundra, butt naked and soaking wet. My sudden sensitivity to Qì wasn't helping at all either.
For a moment, I muse to myself if smothering my body with fat would do me any good against the godforsaken weather. Just as the thought entered, I quickly dashed it from my mind. The fat would only attract hungry animals and stares; both of which I wouldn't care for at the present with my desperate mindset, but would most likely agonize over in the future once I gain logic back in my frozen head.
(I swear, being the logical one in the sect sucked ass.)
The rest of my group went about their business unbothered, their bodies more accommodating to the change in climate than my pathetic ass who was currently fighting a losing battle against frostbite. They're accompanying sword spirits were unaffected as well, passing my pitying looks when they thought I wasn't looking. We had stopped by a mountain pass to gather some herbs for the medical department; it was always good to bring back some to study, sell, or store for future uses. It's not often we go on trips up north after all.
"Gēgē?" A tug on my sleeve turns my attention back to the Xiāo Sect's recently abducted—I mean, totally adopted child. (The cold weather must be messing with my mind more than I thought if I got the terms mixed up. Oops.)
"Mm?" I hummed, frozen fingers clenching into fists under the thick blanket. "What up, Ducky?" He was comfortably huddled in my arms, free of any duties, and more than happy to cuddle up with me.
I nodded to myself. Children really were the best space heaters. Feed them sweets and they'll be your best friend for a limited time.
Truly, my genius knows no bounds.
"Um," Fiddling with his hands underneath the shared blanket, Xuē Yáng opened his mouth before hesitating. A little nuzzle on the head with my chin broke his silence, releasing a small giggle from his previously pursed mouth. "Stop!"
"Well? Out with it." I encouraged, softly flicking his chin with my finger.
"Okay, okay." Shyness now ruined, the brat rolled his eyes and leaned back against my chest. He took a lock of my hair and started playing with it. "What are your siblings like, Gēgē?"
"My siblings?"
"Un!" Xuē Yáng nodded curiously, fingers braiding my hair the way Rú-gē showed him a few nights ago when we were in bed. The little bugger was curious when he saw the twins taking turns braiding my hair, and asked them what they were doing. They merely grinned, happy to add a new follower to the Ā-Dī braid cult, and pulled him closer to teach him the steps.
Despite his braids being a bit too loose, thus making it easier for my wild hair to escape, they weren't too bad for a beginner.
"Huh, okay. Give me a sec." I put on a thinking face, wrapping my arms around the younger's waist in a loose hug. (The body heat was like a balm to my bitter, frozen, and shriveled soul.) "Guess I'll start from eldest to youngest. Strap yourself in, 'cause it's gonna be a long ride, Ducky."
"Huh?"
Looking around for someone with decent Qì manipulation, I whistle for the disciple picking out some Lily Hearts a few feet away. "Oi, Shēn-shīmèi, I think that's more than enough for the department twice over."
"Hehe, thanks!" She giggled sheepishly, looking over her bursting basket full of violently purple heart-shaped leaves.
"Mind helping me out for a minute? I'm giving Ducky a run-down on the family, and you're one of the only people here with a decent hand at manipulation and a good memory to provide the visuals."
Brightening up with pride at my comment, Shēn-shīmèi quickly nodded and walked over to where we sat on a fallen tree trunk.
"What is she gonna do, Gēgē?"
"Just watch." I hushed, grinning at the boy's gasp of wonder at the sudden apparition of my eldest brother in front of us.
Shēn-shīmèi had his appearance down perfectly, not a single robe or strand of hair out of place. She even got his smile, which was a mix of chilling eerie and serene, down to a T.
Eyes as wide as dinner plates, Xuē Yáng stuttered over his words, looking from Shēn-shīmèi, to Dàgē, took a second to rub his eyes, then looked back to Shēn-shīmèi, and then to me. "B-but how?"
"Eh, I'll explain later." Motioning at the illusion with my chin, I smiled. "That's my Dàgē, Xiāo Niú. He'll be turning eighteen this spring and will officially receive his courtesy name as per custom at his coming-of-age ceremony. Dàgē is the first in line for sect succession. A hard worker and lover of all things cute, he'll worry over you like a big momma bear at the slightest hint of hurt. Makes for a great cuddle buddy as well." Xuē Yáng giggled, batting my tickling hands to stop moving. "Oh, and he hates bugs with a burning passion. (Won't ever admit it though.) Alright—next up, our Dàjiě, Xiāo Měi. She's a blacksmith of sorts."
The illusion of my badass Dàjiě in all of her 180 centimeters and MMA fighter body glory made the boy's jaw drop in shock.
"S-so coooool!"
"-and that is why I'm banned from the horse stables."
"Wha-really?"
Seeing Xuē Yáng and the other finished disciples intrigued faces so focused almost made sitting outside worthwhile. After finishing the rundown of my extremely vast family tree, we moved on to the scenery and staple areas to know about, leading them to beg me for any anecdotes I could spare. Who was I to refuse?
Word had quickly spread in the area I was in that I was storytelling, spurring the disciples into speed demons, their hands blurring as they hurriedly picked their designated plants to finish as soon as possible.
I felt a smile tug on my lips as I noogied the boy sitting on my lap, making him squawk. "You know, I think I'm actually enjoying myself right—"
"Ā-Dī, we're finished!" Rú-gē called out, waving his arm at us.
"-thank fuck, I wanted to leave, like, yesterday."
The group dispersed in giggles and chuckles at my usual blunt honesty, picking up their bags full of highly dubious plants and carefully wrapping the bags up before storing them away in their sleeves.
'They learn so well.' I thought fondly, wiping a tear from my eye.
"Gēgē." Xuē Yáng, wanting to be helpful, tugged me to kneel down so he could help adjust the blanket around my shoulders. Hands clumsy, the boy wrapped the blanket tighter around my neck and shoulders with a proud look. "All done!"
I hummed approvingly at his work and extended my hand. "Come on, I hear a bowl of noodles with—"
The hairs on my arms stood up and my gaze immediately shot to the woods.
"Gēgē? What's wrong?"
I looked down at his curious face and smiled before kneeling down, making sure my back was turned toward the others. "Just wondering what I should get for dessert for us." Bringing a hand behind my back, stuck out four fingers and pointed to the woods. "Do you want to get jiānduīor tánghúlu?"
The others tensed.
Code lotus. Danger in woods from right.
A couple sword spirits clicked their tongues.
"Jiānduī!" The boy cried out with joy.
"Mm," I nodded with approval, closing my hand into a fist. "Good choice, Ducky, I'm more of a jiānduī person myself."
Everyone evacuate.
A couple of the disciples dispersed from the group, with their own mission to warn the other groups.
"Hey, do you want to see something cool?"
I traced a line across my lower back before tracing another up my spine.
"Yeah!"
Swords out. We're flying.
"Good, good." Picking an experienced disciple, I walked us over. "Just one question before I show you: How are you with heights?"
"Um, okay I guess." Xuē Yáng answered, wondering why the big jiějiěs and gēgēs were taking out their swords. "Why?"
"Well, we're going to be flying back, that's why." I nonchalantly replied, picking up a nearby rock.
"Huh?"
"Alright, here we go," Not missing a beat, I pulled him in front of me and stepped on the blade, thankfully, it was as large as the Shīxiōng I picked, so there was no issue with space. "Oh, I'm gonna need your blade for a moment," I informed the disciple right before I bent down and nicked my finger against the blade.
"Gēgē!"
"No worries, no worries," I assured him, writing a sigil on the rock. "We should probably get going." With a nod, I tossed the now dubiously looking rock back into the treelines farthest where we were. "Preferably now."
Recognizing the sigil, comprehension flashed through their eyes. Some of them froze, while others already dipped out, racing to escape the suddenly-made danger zone. It was clear to see who were fresh recruits and who were the veterans of the group.
"Wait, isn't that—" One of the younger disciples gasped.
"I suggest you move." That was a lie. It was obvious I wasn't suggesting.
"Eek!"
Without further warning, we were launched into the air and streaked through the forest, the rest of the gaggle not far behind, desperately fleeing for their lives.
"Woah!"
And of course, Xuē Yáng was having the time of his life; his eyes glittered with amazement, and peals of laughter sprouted from his mouth as we flew above a lake and passed a waterfall. The boy squealed with joy when some droplets splashed across his cheeks.
Thank the lord for small attention spans.
Xuē Yáng was so distracted by the view that he paid the ominous boom that came from behind no attention, too caught up in the moment. It was a good thing the cords were top-notch too, or else our wéimàos would've been blown off from the ensuing whip of air in the aftermath.
Of course, when we land in a relatively safe area, I come across a problem.
"Ah, it's you."
Head bereft of my wéimào (which I had knocked off out of surprise at the sudden noise) I stood shocked still at the sight before me.
Propped against a tree, a familiar face greeted me. His white robes were stained with blood, the majority of which was spreading from his left leg where a large claw mark lay deeply gouged in the flesh. Judging by the ominous Qì emanating from the wound and blackening veins, it was poisoning him into a slow death.
"Tsk."
The one time I take a bathroom break.
"Xīchén-gē, who is she?" A kid piped up from literally nowhere. Looking around my age, he made a pitiful sight with his teary, red-rimmed eyes and disheveled robes.
"Oh my, what a coincidence."
"Haha, good to see you're still alive, kid."
My hand goes to reach for some migraine medicine before stopping when a vivid image of my sister's terrifying face shows up in my mind. If she found out I OD'd on prescribed medicine, I'd be dead thrice over.
I sighed.
Interaction it is.