A Vision of the Past
A vision of the past unfolds.
An old man stands before the entrance to Aomi’s home, knocking on the door.
He is one of the high-ranking elders of the Kurogama Sect.
The door opens, and Aomi’s uncle and aunt welcome him inside.
“Ah, Elder! What a pleasure to have you visit us,” Aomi’s aunt says with a warm smile, stepping aside to let him in.
“Thank you for welcoming me,” the elder replies.
Aomi’s uncle leads him down the hallway before stopping outside a room.
Inside, two small figures sit at a table, quietly eating their meal.
The elder’s eyes widen slightly as his gaze settles on Ishiki.
After years of experience, he can recognize raw talent when he sees it, and the boy immediately catches his attention.
Ishiki notices the visitor and rises from his seat, bowing respectfully.
“Greetings, Elder. It is an honor to have you visit our home.”
The elder smiles and gently pats the boy on the shoulder.
“What a well-mannered young man you are.”
His gaze then shifts toward the other child sitting at the table.
Unlike Ishiki, the boy remains seated, quietly observing the elder with an unreadable expression.
This is Aomi, two years younger than Ishiki.
The elder tilts his head slightly.
“And who might this young fellow be?”
Aomi’s uncle steps forward and introduces the two boys.
“These are my nephews. Ishiki is the elder, and Aomi is the younger. Unfortunately, their parents are no longer with us.”
His expression softens as he looks at the boys.
“My elder brother meant everything to me. My wife and I can only hope to give these children the love and care they deserve, so they never have to feel the emptiness left behind by their parents.”
He pauses before turning toward Aomi.
“This one is rather quiet for his age. I doubt he has the aptitude to become a great spiritual master.”
He then approaches Ishiki and rests a hand on the boy’s shoulder.
“But Ishiki is different. He has potential. He is already ten years old, so I believe it is time for him to begin his formal training.”
The elder studies Ishiki for another moment before nodding.
“Indeed. I can sense considerable raw talent within him. With proper guidance, he could become quite promising.”
Just then, a young girl enters the room.
“Aomiii~!”
Aomi turns toward her, and his otherwise expressionless face immediately brightens with a warm smile.
“Big sis!”
He hops down from his seat and runs toward her.
Seo crouches and catches him in her arms, pulling him into a tight hug.
“Awww, there’s my sweet little boy! Have you finished eating?”
Aomi nods happily.
“Mm-hmm!”
“Good boy!” Seo says, gently patting his head.
“Then how about we go for a little walk?”
Aomi’s eyes widen.
His smile grows into an excited grin.
“Really? Okay!”
“We’ll be back before nightfall,” she tells Aomi’s uncle.
He glances at Aomi, then at Seo, before giving a firm nod.
“All right. Take care of yourselves, and don’t stay out too late.”
“Of course!”
Seo leads Aomi out of the room, his small hand clasped tightly in hers.
The elder watches them disappear down the hallway, his eyes narrowing slightly.
That sensation…
I could have sworn I sensed an inner born demon within that boy.
He remains silent for a moment, recalling the strange feeling he had experienced upon first seeing Aomi.
Yet he seemed so innocent around that girl.
Perhaps my senses deceived me.
With that thought, the elder dismisses his suspicions.
Or so he believes.
…
Huo Xīng stares at Aomi, her expression caught between disbelief and curiosity.
“What exactly can you do to stop my wedding?” she asks.
“You can’t seriously expect me to believe you can solve this so easily.”
Aomi sits on the window frame, folding his arms across his chest.
“You want to escape your wedding, and you want your father dead. Why don’t we kill both birds with one stone?”
Xīng freezes.
For a moment, she simply stares at him.
Then, as the implications of his words sink in, a faint glimmer appears in her eyes.
She rises removing the restrains clinging losely to her and folds her arms.
“All right. What’s your plan?”
Aomi tilts his head, a faint smirk forming on his lips.
The evening light casts a shadow across his face.
“So, you’re interested after all?”
He chuckles softly.
If that old man dies, I’ll finally be free, Xīng thinks.
Aomi continues, his tone casual despite the gravity of his proposal.
“You’re the sect master’s daughter, aren’t you? Surely there are people in your sect who admire you.”
Xīng rolls her eyes as she considers his words before nodding.
“There were plenty of them. I used to receive letters from admirers all the time, until my father decided to ban them.”
Aomi leans back against the window frame, settling comfortably into his seat.
“Then some of them might be powerful enough for the plan.”
“Some of the younger elders had sent me letters, too,” Xīng replies.
“They’d only recently been promoted.”
Aomi rests his chin on his hand, thinking for a moment.
“Then why don’t we deceive them into assassinate your father?”
Xīng’s eyes widen.
She stares at him, stunned by the simplicity—and audacity—of his proposal.
Then, slowly, she begins to understand.
It would look like a conspiracy…
perhaps even the beginning of a revolt among the elders.
Her gaze sharpens as she looks at Aomi.
“What do you need me to do?”
Aomi rises from the window frame.
“Simple. Write letters to them. Tell them you’re trapped in an unwanted marriage and that you’ve taken an interest in them.”
He pauses, watching her reaction.
“Make them believe they have a chance with you. If they take the bait, they’ll have their own reasons to act. Let them gather together and devise the plan themselves.”
Xīng’s lips curl into a smile.
Without another word, she hurries to her desk and begins writing letters.
A few moments later, she stops.
Her pen hovers above the paper as she turns toward Aomi, who is now lying on her bed.
“Wait a minute. I can’t send these letters to anyone. My father has restricted my movements. How are we supposed to get them to the elders?”
Aomi rolls off the bed and lands on his feet.
“That’s what I’m here for.”
He brushes himself off before asking another question.
“By the way, does your sect possess any spirit that can change a person’s appearance?”
Xīng taps the end of her pen against her cheek, thinking.
“Not that I know of. But there’s one near the borders of Azadia.”
Aomi looks at her, puzzled.
“Azadia?”
“Yes. It’s a kingdom founded by people who sought freedom. Many sects operate within its borders, and they possess quite a number of valuable treasures.”
Aomi leans against her desk, nodding thoughtfully.
“So, there’s something worth taking near Azadia’s borders…”
His eyes narrow slightly as an idea begins to form.
“Very well. I’ll acquire that spirit before we put our plan into motion.”
Xīng opens a drawer and rummages through its contents until she finds a map of the Eastern World.
She unfolds it and hands it to him.
“Here. You’ll need this. Judging by the questions you’ve been asking, you don’t seem to know much about the surrounding territories.”
Aomi accepts the map with a firm nod.
“I haven’t traveled much in the past two years. I suppose I’m a little out of touch.”
Xīng settles back into her chair, idly twirling her pen between her fingers.
“Just make sure you’re back within five months. My wedding will take place after that, and I won’t be able to keep this up forever.”
Aomi glances at the letters scattered across her desk.
Outside, the sun sinks lower, painting the room in fading golden light.
“Four months,” he says.
“I’ll be back before then.”
Xīng stops twirling her pen and extends her hand toward him.
“Then we have a deal?”
Aomi clasps her hand in a firm handshake.
“Deal.”
He releases her hand, turns toward the window, and slips outside.
Moving through the streets without drawing attention, Aomi unfolds the map and studies the route ahead.
Then, an idea strikes him.
Xue Níng can finally be put to use.