Thankfully, Chóng Fēi didn't interfere for now.
Lìngxiāo totally flipped his usual style of talking as he spoke to the driver, praying it wouldn't take much longer. He kept his head low like he had stolen something he shouldn't have.
The conversation still rolled smoothly as he talked about himself like he was someone else—just recommending a help which he 'coincidentally' received and was now handing over.
But he also felt Chóng Fēi's bitter gaze on him—like he was cursing him with his eyes. If Chóng Fēi said anything out loud, Lìngxiāo would probably slap him again. He hated disrespect, especially from those younger than him. And Chóng Fēi had been the one in everything, always.
His hand just..slipped, like anyone's reckless tongue—even if he had managed to keep his own tongue fine.
The driver nodded thoughtfully. "Of course..he has also survived the temple loop."
Lìngxiāo nodded once, slightly shaky, his left hand still clenched tightly as he took out a lantern-shaped soft golden talisman. He handed it with the perfect act of an unknown humble man. "Perhaps it would help you more than me. You would be safe with this."
The driver looked at it. "How..?"
"Any of his tamed mō would be there in time to rescue you." Lìngxiāo said immediately.
He felt the ghosts and demons respond to those words—from his mirror. Not only for this matter but also helping him to keep the thunders locked into this empty place with less harming.
"Like hell I would go." One of the new male demons he had caught three months ago muttered, which only he could hear.
"We are always ready, Gōngzǐ!" A female one earlier replied back—a lady curse who was literally in love with him and the most obedient one.
But he barely used it because she just..tried to seduce him even if she worked the best.
Finally—as if yapping only to talk faster, faker than he had ever done most of the time—the driver agreed to leave them there when he received the talisman. He started slowly adjusting it to his carriage.
"He said it would be better to adjust it at the middle of the carriage if not only a single person.." Lìngxiāo advised. His mouth felt bitter with each lie.
'I hate lying yet I have no other choice. People here believe on lies more than truth too.'
When his gaze fell over Chóng Fēi again, that innocent horse was already eating his hair like grass.
The moment wasn't anything big.
But he felt his chest lighten just a little—like a drop of water rippled over a sea. He might have chuckled fondly at it if he wasn't struggling.
But now, he just flatly said after pointing his fine hand at him. "Your hair, Gōngzǐ.."
"Shu! It's not grass." Chóng Fēi shushed the horse lightly, checking the edges of his braid.
He didn't focus on how much damage this horse did to his hair. But that was sure—it got wet with saliva and now it would kind of look like a tornado fabric from the edges.
'He always stays lost into thoughts..that he had grown up while horses eating his hair or robe..'
Chóng Fēi called the driver, forcing a smile as he asked for water. The man didn't take too long to reach out and hand him a bottle of water. Then he moved to a side to clean up. He moved past Lìngxiāo with a side glare.
Lìngxiāo held his gaze through the veil. His own hand took out that clipped lock of his hair thoughtfully. He took a deep breath, kept the hand totally covered under his sleeve, still clenching hard.
'It is almost shameful..that I had collapsed this way because of losing a hair lock.'
'It should not have been a big deal. But it..somehow hurts. Like..someone had crossed the boundary I have learned to guard.'
'Like..I am no longer alive..like him..'
'But everything happens..for a reason.'
'Perhaps this lock was like..releasing a painful past I do not even want to remember yet..cannot let go either.'
He didn't know how he had been looking at Chóng Fēi that his jaw tightened, deeply thinking about something.
'Perhaps he still..cannot accept my independence without his order here. I cannot just play like before. I have..my reasons to—'
Once done, Chóng Fēi returned the bottle to the man who had just gotten up to his carriage. The driver bowed and wished them a good journey.
Lìngxiāo gave a single nod to the man and crossed the road fast just as the carriage turned towards its way back. He looked at Chóng Fēi from the corner of his eyes.
'I should not be more late. It is getting worse.'
He was gripping his wrist with his other hand, close to his chest.
"Oi!" Chóng Fēi finally called in his usual voice, running behind him. He could hear the confusion in his voice. "The path isn't this way! Where do you think you are going??"
'I have no time to explain. Nor is it something I can explain.'
But Lìngxiāo just ran into the bushes. The path here was a bit narrow downwards. He balanced himself with his left hand, not looking behind once as he left. The path downwards was not comfortable—just as his whole life.
The cracking sound of thunder rumbled over his head in the sky, rain followed, soaking him all slowly.
His one eye shut faintly when a drop of rain sank into his drying eyes. His body felt cold in places. The sweat was cooling down, drying up before dumping again with fresh was of wind and water drops making, making him feel better than before—yet still tense with the problem on his hand.
The crystals made thin, faint sounds like some tiny pieces of glass hitting against each other. Not too loud to be found, but enough only he could hear within the sound of thunder, hitting plants against each other with soft rushing sounds.
He looked behind once before taking out his hand to look at it properly. His eyes reflected the crystal spark of the hand.
It was now pulsing actively and had spread from his hand to the middle of his full hand before reaching his elbow. The physical clenching and mentally holding back had kept it much lower from risk.
But still it wouldn't stop unless he released it.
'It would be easier to release the energy here since rain would be starting heavily.'
'He might not be able to catch the difference between what was released by me and what is natural.'
He noticed some of the zombie spiders were crowded at places, totally silent, unmoving and watching him like some ghost. Their tiny black eyes on him, legs rubbing to each other like flies.
And then they quickly scattered away too.
'Zombie spiders..?' Lìngxiāo breathed thoughtfully as he looked around.
'Symbol of that exorcist. Perhaps..he is somehow related to here—'
His thoughts broke by his own painful gasp when the half-jade hand felt like it was eating up his flesh again. At the same time, he received a long thin cut over his palm from scratching at a rock when he wasn't focusing, painting it red with his hot blood.
He looked at his bloody hand without stopping. Then doesn't worry about it too much.
'It happens..'
Another zombie spider—smaller—peeked right over the rock where his blood was left—like a mark of his existence here.
It watched him leave with a tilt of its head.
Lìngxiāo was already feeling his eyes forcing him to shut, pulling toward unconsciousness—or struggling to keep his focus.
'I..would not let things slip so easily..nor let it get messed up.'
'No matter what.'
[End of Flashback]