Author Angel Chua

Adapted from Princess Agents drama series and original novel by Xiao Xiang Dong'er – Chu Qiao Chuan Biography

Life in the snowy spring of water (Edited 01.29.2021)

Snow falls slowly, harsh winds, in the immenseness of all-white, it is never-ending haziness. A human figure in deep freeze cannot keep up with the coldness, left almost a dead body. Shallow breaths, it forces the tired muscles, and the heart's pumping in pain. Lips turned blue, the palms overly wrinkled. Is there any better way to fight hypothermia? Can you think of other means, how to save, how to get out of this situation, how does it end?

No matter what it takes, no one dares to let go, not Yuwen Yue.

Screams of life, she lets it out, rejecting death yet settling in pain.

No! She can't die and Yuwen Yue must live! But reality vanishes all hopes at the moment.

The frost in Chu Qiao's body cuts like a thousand knives. It trapped the heat in her skin while the prime energy is spreading throughout her body. She feels it's coming from her back. Like it burns in hell. Is she coming out of her senses or not? She is losing for real, losing Yuwen Yue for life.

The fire and cold are tearing her body apart. Too much power is helping today. It can be compared to when she first encountered the snow jade dog. Spirit is strong, the body is weak.

A super-luminous bright light sparkling inside the icy lake. The light overwhelms Yuwen Yue. There's a flashback in time, she saved the fourth young Master from the opposing power of the snow jade dog.

In a burst of light, released a very powerful vibration on air.

It held Yuwen Yue from going to the deepest gully of the lake.

Suspended in a dreamy state, between life and death, Yuwen Yue watched Chu Qiao like a memory entangled in a different realm. A realm where no one has reached. A realm that does not belong to Yanbei or Wei.

Yuwen Yue uttered this name: "Xinger…"

However as if not heard, the voice remained voiceless. Looking at Chu Qiao's face and feeling strange, the body is in the same form except for this dazzling light on her face. Shinning like a phoenix, glowing in bright light, becomes unblinding. Chu Qiao looks calm and a divine goddess. Yuwen Yue had a hard time recognizing if this female in front of him is Chu Qiao or someone else.

A hallow yellow light came out so pure and bright. A small figure wonderfully suspended in the air is surrounded by white clouds. The clouds were spinning slow, it went up. Chu Qiao's eyes are closed in a Zen position right at the middle of spinning clouds, she spoke: "Go at peace and live well."

After hearing the voice, the unblinding light overwhelmingly surrounded Yuwen Yue. He even puts his trembling fingers to protect the eyes. In a blink of an eye, Yuwen Yue banished from this magnificent light when it exploded in his sight.

Three days after the tragedy of the ice lake passed, Yuwen Yue suddenly struggled to gasp some air, finds himself breaking the ice above him. He was floating at the surface of the body of the ice lake. He is trapped inside a lagoon.

Thoughts run dry but must keep it awake: "If I use all my strength to move, I might lose all the power I have now."

Instead, he let himself float. Yuwen Yue unspoiled under the icy lake. Like in a dream, he trapped his mind into meditation to limit all unnecessary movement and gather all the heat from his body. It feels strange as Yuwen Yue wonders, where it is coming from? He kept still, allowing his body to float and flow with the water.

At this state, Yuwen Yue tried to enter this state wherein his eyes saw a yellow light and a form, also heard some words, they are not to forget: "go at peace and live well."

Those words continued to echo to awaken his senses. It was a source of inner strength. While lingering in this state, He began to utter: "Xinger, Xinger, Xinger!" After the third call, Yuwen Yue woke up and opened his eyes.

Seemed short but counting the days it has been seven days since he freely floated in the icy lake. He gained strength, and able to move freely above the frozen lake. It is connected to an open spring body of water. He found himself near the sideways. In shallow breathing, promising life ahead. The spring forest was covered in snow. And when the sun took its place, these piles of snow melted. Then the sun hides, and snow begins to fall.

For the first time from the last, Yuwen Yue is able to move the hands and feet. With this ability, he got up from the spring and laid down the body to the snowy ground. Yuwen Yue shivered like a helpless youngster, for the snowfield seems colder than in the body of ice lake. Rubbing both hands to keep himself warm, Yuwen Yue all at once sees the small panda playing the other side of the ice lake. He thought: if there is a little panda then there is a bigger panda around. Yuwen Yue forced his knees (still shaky) to stand up and walk. He thought again: "I have no time to check myself. For now, I must walk even if it's just a few steps to avoid the bigger panda."

Yuwen Yue finds a perfect spot to lay down his body. The clothes were worn out, but the bloodstains were thoroughly washed in the water. Tiny brown spots is visible over the chest and the wound is still healing. Turning to black, it seems scar. Yuwen Yue checked the head, shoulders, waist, hands, and feet some of the wounds healed faster than normal.

After the physical body check, Yuwen Yue remember he must heal the spirit by meditation. He squatted his body but leaned slightly under the Fir tree. He mainly chose this spot because he believes Fir trees represent hope, promise, and renewal. Amidst its long dark wintry nights, the tree is also known to outlast many trees. Thus, if he meditates and be in one in this spot, it may help him put his determination of will and endurance to refresh himself and finds his next steps.

Yuwen Yue soon finds himself refreshed. Soon, after an hour of meditation, he feels hungry for the first time. Yuwen Yue knew it is time to hunt for food. And if he wants to survive the night, he must make a shelter for himself. He isn't used to this kind of life, but he was trained when he was still young to survive in any given condition. Using only the available sources, Yuwen Yue was able to create tools for hunting then gathered pieces of firewood to warm himself at night. The small dagger left at his boots was very useful, out of the Fir tree driftwoods, he created seven spears of medium size.

Yuwen Yue is content but still looked gloomy. He also cut some fabric from his clothes. Yuwen Yue also took some material from the left boot made of bearskin. Cut in a circle shape and scrap it without tearing the outside of the boot. Putting this circle bear-skin material in the middle of the band to warm and protect the forehead. It also restores the "Qi" flow that could prevent colds.

When everything was set, Yuwen Yue went hunting for food in the snowy forest with the seven spears he must supply what the body needs. Yuwen Yue quickly checks some herbs and plants, smells and taste some, he suddenly found edible mushrooms. This is for dinner he thought. For the water supply, the spring is enough but must find a container to bring some to this hunting adventure, He looked for a bamboo tree, chooses a heart shape leaf, and use it as a funnel to filter the water. Yuwen Yue is hunting an animal particularly a deer or a bird. The deer, the skin can be used for shelter, and the lean meat rich in nutrients. If it's a bird, the meat can supply his protein needs, he can use the feathers to assemble a bow and arrows.

Nothing is wasted. Everything must start this small for him to survive. All by himself, he has to do it. It is a total 360-degree change of lifestyle, and thankfully he is skillful. From the nomadic ancestors he learns, it is not a tragedy at all. This fate may somehow turn in some good outcome it the end? He did not bother that he lost it and all by himself now. All he knows, there is no time to complain. He needs to stay alive.