Chapter 131 Aunt Ulans Recovery (1/2)

So this was magic of Zhu Mei, the Fifth of the Six Terrors: the magic to control the earth and enable its user to control the movements of a target! This was the sorcery behind the mysterious trap-like enchantment that had us walking around the Labyrinthian Canyon like mice in a maze!

This is one of the two most fascinating magic used to manipulate movements, said Old Shang, with the other being Father's Autumn Decline. So this was the reason Godmother would have wanted me to learn something from Zhu Mei, I reflected. Father's magic was like a fairy tale and myth from a bygone age to me; I would never be able to perform the things that he could do nor would I be able to achieve the feats that he did. Learning Zhu Mei's magic, on the other hand, seemed more realistically doable to me.

Everyone laid drunkenly sprawled on the floors of the fortress when the feast ended. Delirious and badly-stoned, Old Shang tugged on my arm, asking me to stay for a few more days. I said nothing. Aunt Ulan was still waiting for us, so was Father, who was anxious for my return.

At first light the next morning, we took our leave from Old Shang and made ready to ride back. Shang the younger saw us out the gates of the fortress and bade us farewell. We did not go to the Labyrinthian Canyon, galloping instead at full speed towards Aunt Ulan's encampment in the South. Strangely, we saw the distinct arch of the gates of Aunt Ulan's camp even before the sun was down in the evening. It cannot be, I brooded, unless... This could only be somebody's work: Zhu Mei. He had cast his magic on us to help us reach Aunt Ulan's camp quicker than was usual. The journey to the Labyrinthian Canyon took at least a few days but we were able to return the same distance with just a day's ride. Feeling grateful for his help, I stopped at the gates of the camp and gave a deep bow towards the direction of the Canyon afar. ”Deepest thanks to you, Fifth Uncle...” I muttered furtively like how I once saw Zhang Zhigui did. And indeed, I could hear his recognizable sniggers echoing from a distance before it faded quickly with the setting of the sun into the mountains beyond.

Rushing into the encampment, I sprang off the saddle of my horse, leaving it to be handled by others while I rushed into the main hall with others trailing behind my heels.

But the main hall of the camp was empty. Mother was sitting on the roof of the main hall again. It was fortunate that it was a low season for the camp which occasionally provided accommodations for tourists and backpackers. I could imagine the horrified screams and gasps if anyone were to see Mother leaping around atop the main hall building.

With a somersault, Mother flung herself off the roof and landed safely on the ground. With an outstretched arm, she said to me, ”Give me the Flask of Souls.” I shrugged, grimacing at her childish antics as she took the flask with a playful grin before she noticed the deadpan expression of Godmother behind us...

In fact, it was Godmother who had specifically insisted to come back with us to Aunt Ulan's camp when she found out that Mother was helping to sustain Aunt Ulan's body by entering it. She was noticeably annoyed when she heard me speaking of Mother. But now that they have met, Godmother merely wore a despondent frown despite her best efforts to remain taciturn. She said not a word. She was just too crushed to say anything, knowing that Mother possessed considerably more powers than her.

Mother, however, seemed hardly perturbed by her presence. With a gentle smile, she said to Godmother, ”How are you? It's been three hundred years...” The words struck deeply. So deeply that Godmother was frozen on where she stood. Rings of red circled her eyes as she did her best to stifle any tears. Mother turned and walked to Aunt Ulan's cabin, allowing Godmother at least to salvage some pride.

But I could almost comprehend how Godmother felt. Mother has always been her greatest rival in their contest for Father's love. But meeting together again after so many years, at that very moment when their eyes met, Godmother truly understood that there was no one else other than Mother who would have been more worthy of Father's affections. It was a feeling of defeat and forlornness that not even a demoness with hundreds of years of powers and experience would be impervious to.

What happened next became simpler and quicker: with the Flask of Souls, Mother restored Aunt Ulan's soul to her physical body while she departed back to Wu Zhong with a gentle whiff of wind. Aunt Ulan reopened her eyes and tears welled in the eyes of everyone present. Finally, after so long, Aunt Ulan has recovered! Her eyes opened and I was the first person they laid on. Trembling, her frail arm extended towards me and caressed my cheek. There must be so many things that she wished to speak to me about that her eyes too grew wet with motherly adoration.