Author's notes

In a far away place...

A spider tries...

A golden snake decides...

Song Wu finds himself...

Chang Yi decides...

Chapter 12 – The sleeping young woman

Meanwhile, in a distant place, a beautiful young woman with long white hair and noble clothes was sleeping in a bed that had silk sheets and around her there was a powerful barrier that guaranteed her protection.

Outside at the barrier were two people in good robes and one in high-level attire. Two women and a man.

"Soon, she will return from her ordeal."

"So I hope."

"I hope she was able to get through the ordeal so she could regain her powers."

"She passed, you can rest assured. I just confirmed it."

Relief washes over the other two and the man says sadly, "It was all my fault."

"Don't feel guilty, Lord Si Ming."

"Yes. That bastard knew how to get to him to get what she wanted."

"That's right. What matters is that, my lady, she will be able to solve everything."

He sighs, then speaks, "The problem is the price involved in this. She has already sacrificed so much and was forced to go through an ordeal in the mortal realm just to regain her power."

"You are one of her friends. Of course she will help her friends in difficulty."

"As for the object she asked for. Did you manage to obtain it?"

"Yes" He takes out a wrapped object from one of his sleeves and hands it to one of the young women who consents, "It was difficult, but I did it."

"How did you do it?"

"Through the payment of a debt. But considering the benefit I will reap it was worth the collection of that debt."

Then, outside that part of the complex surrounded by high walls where there was an imposing gate that was guarded by guards with shiny armor, a brown spider passes close to the wall in a less protected part and when trying to get closer, a golden snake with feathered wings and with a circular blue jewel on his forehead, he lands between the spider and the wall while staring at the being in front of him, who was the size of a medium-sized dog.

Then, the spider becomes a servant by taking on a human form while seeing itself reflected in the watchful blue orbs of the winged ophid.

Then, the snake speaks, "The Moon's celestial Snow palace is closed until further notice in accordance with my friend's wishes. Everyone knows this."

"I was just passing through, Mrs. Kinkiba."

'So how do you explain your approaching the wall?'

"I thought I saw something in the little garden that borders the outside wall. I apologize for not making my intentions clear." She speaks humbly while bowing deeply to the golden serpent in front of her.

Kinkiba hisses threateningly and then stretches her body so that her head is at the servant's level as she frames her in her blue eyes, with the spider feeling fear inside although she fights hard not to show anything.

"I will look closely at the garden after you leave. Next time, make your intentions clearer to avoid future problems."

It was visible to everyone that the snake only spoke politely because it implied in its posture that it did not believe the servant's words while at the same time veiledly threatening her.

Indeed, Kinkiba was correct in her assumption about that maid's approach.

"I will be more careful. With your permission, please." She asks meekly as she bowed.

The golden serpent merely makes a gesture with its head, with the spider servant bowing again before retreating while the snake kept her in its field of vision until the woman disappears around the wall just ahead.

Then, Kinkiba turns to face the palace and flies from there towards her friend and to tell the others what had just occurred.

Half an hour later, in the mortal realm, Song Wu was in an isolated place and through a specific gesture with her hands, she made a mist appear which, when it dissipated, revealed a brown spider in front of her that bowed respectfully, with her then asking, "How are things there?"

"Everything is in order, my Lady."

"Are there any rumors?"

"There aren't any rumors yet. I and the other servants are keeping an eye out."

"Did you manage to find out why that palace was closed?"

"No. I tried, but that bastard Kinkiba showed up at the last minute, foiling my plan. I had to make an excuse, but I know she didn't believe it. Plus, she discreetly threatened me."

"She's a fierce protector of it. She's been closed off for a while."

"Is she going through some ordeal here in the mortal world, master?"

"Even if she was passing by, it doesn't justify sealing the palace for all this time. Still, we need to be careful. She's very smart and Lord Si Ming is one of her best friends."

The demon master decided that she should not mix the two Chang Yis and that she should only keep the one from the past in her heart because he was the one she fell in love with and was willing to sacrifice her freedom so much for his.

Therefore, she must see that jiaoren as someone else. The use of the name, informal behavior and the affectionate nickname "big-tailed fish" only belonged to the merman of the past. Using it in the current one was unfair to the one in the past even though it was she who transformed it into what it was today.

In her view, it was necessary to separate the two and in relation to the current situation she should adopt a formal and respectful behavior, as well as the use of correct titles.

After all, the young girl was currently nothing in that realm in her view. She was just a prisoner and property of Chang Yi who was the honorable Beijing-Zunzhu and who in terms of status was so far above her that she could be considered a simple commoner and prisoner without any official title and inferior to anyone and even the other prisoners because the others still had some rights while she had none, thus making the other prisoners superior according to her assumption

Furthermore, that demon was there to take revenge on her as well as to punish her and in fact, he was doing that and now even from a distance, in addition to making her feel pain if necessary by using it as a tool of coercion. The jiaoren of the past would never do anything like that and it was the one that he should keep well kept in his heart at the same time that he should avoid contaminating the face of the past with his current face.

Therefore, not seeing his face currently was the best choice because she only wanted to engrave the Chang Yi of the past in her heart. The gentle and kind face, as well as the clear eyes and the affectionate smile. This was what she wanted to keep engraved in her soul and to do this properly she needed to restrict her gaze to the current and disentangle any warm feelings from the past with the current. They were different jiaoren and that was how she should act.

After eating the vegetables, she takes the medicine bottle and drinks the bitter contents while thanking her for not feeling sick, knowing that it was because of the other jewelry she was wearing, and then bending over slightly, then lying down on the bed at the same time who turned her back to him while deciding that she would find a way to hide the mark on her ear that filled her with shame because despite not walking in public, there were maids who cleaned the place daily. Being branded like cattle was revolting to her.

The merman looked astonished at Yunhe's behavior and the fact that he rarely heard her voice, just as he was astonished that she hadn't looked at him one last time because before he marked her, the human made a point of observing him when they were in the same environment.

Furthermore, the young woman always tried to bargain in some way or was forced to threaten her to make her eat.

Now, Yunhe ate and drank obediently.

She also began to refer to his title and speak the same way everyone spoke to him along with the fact that she bowed using the greeting used in that kingdom.

Only her friend Kong Ming and her friends Luo Jinsang and Qu Xiaoxing did not bow and used her title. Qu Xiaoxing still displayed some respect while Luo Jinsang ignored the formalities.

Chang Yi was annoyed, in addition to being upset by her distant attitude because he missed her looking at him and talking to him without any filter or restraint because what he received from the servants, soldiers and other members of his kingdom who had to deal with him was enough him in a respectful way for stability and control because the existence of an authority respected by everyone was necessary and as a result, he was often forced to act in an intimidating manner.

There were also correct ways to manage the newly created kingdom, in addition to being mandatory to have strict control over all matters relating to the North due to the limitations of the climate and its location.

Furthermore, the flow of refugees entering the kingdom through the gates was gradually increasing, making it necessary to manage the means of production and inputs to guarantee everyone's subsistence.

Chang Yi was fully aware of the population limit that the northern kingdom could support and was always attentive to the absorption capacity of newcomers, in addition to guaranteeing the safety of those who were under his domain because even founding a kingdom with the objective main of taking revenge on her, the merman knew that he would inherit many responsibilities and that he would have a duty towards everyone regardless of the reason that led him and Kong Ming to found the Northern Kingdom.

Jiaoren sighs and decides to ask why she changed, practically, overnight despite his theory about the brand being almost official.

After all, this new Yunhe, or rather, a much more reserved Yunhe than she was in the Demon Valley bothered him. The merman didn't want her to treat him the same way others treated him.

"Why are you addressing me so formally?"