73 To Cultivate, One Should... 7 (1/2)
A sea of plants and medicinal herbs, each releasing a colored glow of light. Some were harsh to the eye, and others were mellow, but the garden appeared as a mottled sea of lights, obscuring the herbs from view.
Near the fringes ran a small stream, the current rapid and cold. On one of the banks kneeled a young girl, dipping a black iron wok into the water multiple times, rinsing the cooking utensil until the surface gleamed.
Dipping the knives in the water and gently rubbing the sides of the blades with a thick leaf, An Fei moodily stared at her appearance. Without saying a single word, the girl finished washing the utensils and cleaned up, looking at the medicine garden with a sigh.
”…still hard to get used to…” she murmured, walking towards the doorway to corridor with the clutched to her chest.
This moment marked the third meal she had consumed for the day. Three meals of nothing but spiritual vegetables, but she couldn't complain as the taste satiated her gluttonous nature.
Eat till her tiny stomach couldn't consume any more, then gaze wistfully towards the remaining food in the wok with a lingering hunger in her eyes.
Walking in the corridor and admiring the smooth surface of the sky-blue crystal walls, floor, and ceiling, the girl released a mighty yawn. Her gaze drifting skyward as she patted her mouth, An Fei was slightly disappointed to not be able to see the moon hanging in the sky.
Only, the girl didn't say any more as she steadily strode towards the boudoir contained within the first gateway, pushing open the door and walking into the softly decorated bedroom.
Slipping underneath the bedsheets with practiced ease, An Fei looked at the top of the curtains, an unknown sentiment swirling in her chest.
Was she missing the study of the Flowing Wind Residence? Or her previous apartment in the risers of Nan Jing?
Lost in thought, the girl's eyes glazed over as she stared blankly into the air, her fingers involuntarily clenching the bed covers, before abruptly letting go. Repeated sighs could be heard within the boudoir, diminishing with each successive breath.
Soon, the bedroom had returned to silence, a drowsed atmosphere gradually encompassing the room. Just as the girl was about to drift into sleep amongst a sea of comfort, a red gleam suddenly caught her eye.
On the bed stand nearby, stood a plain mirror. A thin wooden stand supporting the back of the mirror, the reflective metal surface plated in polished platinum.
However, the mirror's edges were releasing a dull maroon glow, not too different when compared to her eyes.
When she had struggled into a sitting position and brought the mirror before her face, An Fei could not see a reflection staring back at her.
Even after stepping onto the floor and bathing herself in the soft, golden radiance, the mirror's reflective surface remained a pitch black.
What was going on?
An Fei frowned, an unsettling thought threatening to take root in her mind. All thoughts of sleeping were fully washed away as the girl sat on the edge of the bed, relying on the golden luminance to carefully inspect the mirror on both sides.
”The inscriptions are still there…” she mumbled, not forgetting to wince at the gentle caress of her voice.
”This… ahem.”
Clearing her throat, the girl stared at the back of the mirror, carefully reciting the inked characters one at a time.
[The eyes of the mortal soul reveal Heaven's courts. Wrap Illusion around Reality, Falsehood amongst Truth, and the Forefather's lament descends onto the world.]
Flipping the mirror with an expectant gaze on her countenance, An Fei didn't know what to think when she realized that the mirror remained silent. There was no glow of scarlet light, no tinkle of bells as the mirror quaked; the platinum mirror remained dead in midst of midnight, undesiring to wake until the golden sun heralded the breath of dawn.
Nothing.
Helpless and clueless on how to respond, the girl quickly restated the words inscribed on the back of the mirror multiple times, only to be dismayed when the mirror failed to respond or react in any form.