. . .

' Crunch

' Crunch

' Crunch

Hastily Crushing the old frost-edged leaves that had fallen to the ground. A man hooded in dark robes rushed around in the markets of 'Shirong'. The secluded mountains in the deep north, are also known as the criminals' den. They were called so for two reasons, one being the official place where the royal traitors were deported, with the only means to come back was to fly through spiritual power. But with the distance so vast, along with rigorous terrains and dropping atmospheric pressure, it was an impossible challenge. And second, this was the place where most of the underworld transactions were done. And most people here are up to no good.

The heavy drapes moved along with his rushed movements. Even though his entire face was almost hidden by a hood. One could still tell he was a novelty by the exquisite quality of the robes. It was Mid spring', but even though the colds have subsided in the Su regions, these deep forgotten northern parts remained in ice all year long.

The man in the dark-clad suddenly came to an abrupt halt. Unsure, Yet somehow there was a creeping uneasiness. Turning around he scanned again.

Odd!

Even in the bustling crowds, he could tell each person's intent apart. The hooded man tensed. For the past hour, he sure felt as if someone was watching. Yet no ill-intended aura. There was nothing. He lets out an exhale. Nevertheless, he hurries off being cautious as he quickly walked down the turning to a shadowed dark alley.

Coming to the snow-covered downtown. He scanned to trace down an old leaning building at the edge of the street. A dusty cranky building, with an old architecture, the upper floors leaned off the base but somehow it still retained its balance. Looking around once more before pulling his hood further down he chanted 'fleur signus'. A spell marking an invisible sign in the winds.

Entering the old vast athenaeum, he tossed a stack of gold coins at the counter shushing up the note of his arrival. the owner nodded to putting his quill down, as he pulled over another ledger.

"Purpose," The old man asked lowering his moon-rimmed spectacles.

"Nothing much" The man stated in a deep voice as he slid down the chipped gold coin cut into embossed in a bizarre ancient inscription.

The sight of it made the old man fumble in nervousness as he pressed a polite smile while he rushed to find something. His mind filled him with numerous questions. Having produced such a rare bargain, even his ancestor has seen known them in record books. This bargain was never good news. Either a high aristocrat or the nastiest devil. Not many people knew this secret chamber of messaging. He bowed low as he placed a specific key on the table.

Rummaging around the sorted record sections, the man Calculates to reach a certain rack. Taking the contents out of the selves, He mumbles to chanting a spell as he closes his eyes to felling though fingertips find a keyhole in the backwood.

'There!'

Turning the key in, the whole shelf rumbles to disappear downwards revealing a spiral staircase leading to a chamber below. Looking towards the side he tosses the key back to the old man as he taps his foot in a pattern, meaning 'secure'. The old man bows from afar turning around, as the man in dark robes, descends. The fewer words exchanged the better,  You never know when the air hearsays. It is a belief that the higher the mountains the deeper the magic resides in the air, even if it is defamed as the criminals' den, it is also where semi-human spirit beings can reach high cultivation attainment. But that is somehow rare and extremely difficult with all the nature's energies channelizing.

" sight" he whispers as the place glows in lit talisments.
Coming to the section of he requires, he sits in the study lighting a candle as he
pulls out the whole piles of old scrolls and records off the shelves.

---' an insecnce time passes'

The man sitting among the pile of books and logs stills, stopping his quill. His sight locks at the flickering of his candlelight.

'Someone else is there'

Breathing out he carefully writes a single slip code carefully keeping in his robes, as he casts a spell making the whole scroll of transcription dissolve in thin air.

" Damn it! " a voice curses.

Three blades snip through the air aiming toward the man.

'Dommed !' It was not just some random blades, he just dodged. He recognised this one. Grabbing a hard bind he dashed to suck past the shelves, knocking off scrolls along his chaser's way as he hid among rows. Even though the information he held was caught, it would be still manageable. But if he were to be caught the trouble would be immense.

--

Rushing out the forbidden section, he staggers, the sight of athenaeum dripping in bloody trails has his soul shuddering in horrors. A whimper escapes his throat, as he Stumbles to cross the piles of the assassinated bodies, his dark robe is now stained in blood-red streaks. he lets out a chokey exhale as he grips his hood tighter heading towards the __

"Sssh_Wrong way" A whisper, as a hand from behind comes to cover his mouth, dragging him to hide in a cornered shelf of the side tapestries. The faint smell of spicy wood. An ally.

" Argh, Where did he go" A frustrated grown followed by some rushed footsteps went past them.

.
.
.
.

"FOUND HIM ! "

'Curses!' The assassins caught up, While They were still latching the windows.

"Go!!" A fierce voice commands, pushing him out the escape as the person in mahogany robes stretches a purple lightning whip that beams to lifeguarding.

He falls off the high window pane, his robes draping in a calculated landing. Tumbling across the icy floor of the cleaned lawn, he gets back on his feet, holding onto his hood, he ran down, across the icy floor.

The morning mists make it harder to see though where he headed, but he is sure knows that he has company by now. Crossing into a tumbled fall that looked like accidental tripping. He grabbed his pair of sais out of his strapped boots.

Staying in the silence, he waits.

'ZOOSH' The sound towards a top tree in the right corner, He flung his sais in a right degree.

AAAAAFFFFGGHH. A pitched scream follows. He spells to summons his sais back, as he rushes...

ZIPP

Zipp

ZIPP

He dodges the blades that went past him closely even before he had a minute to spare. Drawing his sai in ying formation he lets a small spell causing a rumble on the icy floor of his doubted direction of the enemy. He runs crushing the snow floor edging towards to the start of a forest.

They chased midst the fog before the man in dark robes comes to halt roughly brushing past a tree. The dense foliage, it seemed to lead deeper into the forests. 'Was this.. the'. Yes, The dense black Forrests of the north, no one ever seems to be known to cross them and return safely. He can not go further.

He turns but the sipper swiftly appeared in front of him blocking the other way. 'Dang it' The man hiding in his hood stood still gulping as he clutched his sias. He has no choice now. Launched forward dodging the blades that came his way. He needed to be closer as the snipper only thew air attacks speculating his less knowledge in a hand to hand combat. The snipper zipped to a panther semi-human panther form as he pranced higher on a tree aiming at his victim. A blade zipped near the cutting ear the ears as he turned to dodge it as his said stunned clashing to defect off the mini blades.

In the rushed combat somehow the hood off his. The man's long hair flew free strewn in a gold white ribbon had already given off his identity.

They pause abruptly.

"Your highness... Crown Prince? " the snipper stated, bewildered.

The halt in combat was more than just the silence that crept in.  Lan Xichen tore to look at the now stunned snipped who has dropped softly on the ground near him. The expression of the snipper was saying as if he had been betrayed. After all, the snipper was none other than his own right-hand man, Song Lan. A believer's sider.

Believers and Rebellions that is what now the clans were now divided into. The underground secret pacts. Believers of the prophecy were chasing the nine-tailed devil-like crazy for they considered he is the doom to the world, that must be slain at any cost. Though somehow, some groups who came to question the reasoning were the Rebellions. After all the happenings do not add up to the prophecies. The slaughters of the nine-tailed species. The tangles of the politics that lay underneath. Trying to uncover the unknown clarity, their world was torn, gruelling ahead into ugly storms.

"I really wished to spare your life" Lan Xchien stated, taking in sai in a back stance. After all once one made a choice, they need to abide by it, even at cost of life.

"Hmpfh! Indeed, this is why I wondered one did not turn to their sprit form, your highness crown prince" Song Lan stated as he unseated his sword and flung it forwards in full force

They clashed in speeds clanking metals, dodging, attaching, and blocking in a grievous pattern. Launching in the air, Song Lan strikes his unguarded torso as Xichen spins Switching quickly his sai blocking to push his Sword off successfully. They panted hard with a locking gaze Xichen's sai somehow sternly paced the sai on the other's heart. He was left with no choice. He must kill, it was not just because Song Lan was a believer, but he must kill. Everyone who comes to know that the sacred messenger of rebellions was the crown prince.
It was his comrade who fought n grew up with all the years. A Second He Hesitates, the snipper acts fast snatching the sai as he flips the crown price aiming a dagger at his throat.

"I assume we can not ____."

'SLASH' The snipper's voice hushed midway as the sniper's body fell heavy at his body. He straggles free to see. Two blades slashed in a zipped criss-cross, as the body fell on its knees before falling lifelessly to the snow.

"Your Highness" "Your Highness"

The two sisters panted holding the spirit weapons steady as Xichen blinked in acknowledgement. Looking over the body of his comrade that laid red yet not a drop did it flow to the snow. The Purple lightening technique.

" Miss Jiynags' " He blinked.

" Ah, I. am indebted," He told the sisters.

"Sure, your highness in serious concerns, What if we had reached a bit late!?" Jiyang shi stated, quickly reaching out to fix his veiled hood by some reflex.

" A- shi!" Jiyang Yanli reprimanded her sister who scolded the crestfallen crown prince.

"ah, Jie-Jie...his highness is_ just _just too kind, for his good" She mumbled lowly.

"I am grateful to you, A- shi, miss jiyang, It's just we had practically led many battles together, fighting against each other seemed. I could just not..."

"He has chosen the sides. It is not his highness's fault." Yanli told in her quiet voice.

He gave her a tight smile in apologies. Taking us sais He pierced the body as they watched him quietly. Mumbling a soft peace he let the magic flow through dispersing the body to immediate ashes that flew off the ground.

Above the white snow, they watched as the ashes flew off with the wind. Lan Xichen's eyes welled. The three of them prayed to close their eyes, for the spirits.

---

They reached to come over an old run-down house on the other edge of the forests. It was run down yet somehow held a warm beautiful charm. Was it what they call 'Home'? Xichen thought.

"Your Highness, please. " Yanli asked the royal prince to step inside.

In a small cottage on the south cliffs, a trio sat in the round with a dozen of ancient tales draped in the dust.

"This..?, does not! Ah, how does any of these add up." The Crown prince frowns looking closely at the transcript of the ancient folklore

"Just as the sudden depleted treasuries of Jin's and the newfound earth of the She clan does not add up," Jiyang Shi states coming to settle the tray of tea. 

"Your highness, A Shi, look at this." 

'True Legends' The book's cover it was. Historical folklore.

"The older legends, the sprits, all the legends that have been born to a certain reason to the earthly realms never just has single heavens prophecy, Look, They have more than one prophecy stating the destinies for the royals and sprit being to guide them, probably a dozen more or less."

"Incredible, miss jiyang, I knew stating that you were not suitable to become the empress was a terrible lie and understatement, but I did not realise to which degree. A-shi, place them all, in chronology."

Although the folklores held a twisting and turned truth one can not diverge greatly from what the true message of the stories are. They stood observing as Jiang Shi, placed in the order of ascending years. A pattern! They see it.

"So according to the tales ancient tales of nine-tailed, they were mythical creatures of the underworld, drawing the energies from seduction and consuming a generous amount of yang or Ying, depending on the gender of the fox.
Meaning There is a link to fertility. Their energy cores should be drawn from fertility energies. Y, A-shi, Remember you and A xian went to the East with Father."

"Yes, The year the east had no rain that died up all the rivers, and he somehow yet managed to be almost drowned."

"Ah no, go back in the story, A-xian was so detailed in explaining. You both came to visit The head of the village and his daughter was pregnant with a child."

"Mhn hmm yeah so."

" I remember him telling that he could feel the little girl and was so upset that you both came up to grow rice in the barren field no matter what, and when you guys failed, he cried holding onto the child in her belly"

"Jie, Do you.."

"I understand where is this going, The child was a complete Ying and yang fertile energy. Mother gave him that choker all those years to not suppress his powers but just to hide them. You understand."

"Yes, it rained right after and he was so happy, Ah right that brat! meaning he transferred the energies but"

"Right But the seductress does not add up, this is Reasonable miss Jiang, fertility Gods in the mythical stories were always mixed up with demons of incubus and succubus because they need physical touch to receive and transfer and attain high cultivation, hence easily judged either way."

"But Jie Jie Xian has just Ying energies, not yang."

"But the child had both, he was very little he just transferred the fertility then"

"Oh"

"Pardon me, But Wei Wuxian has only ying,"

"Ah Yes, Usually Normal sprit creature has a Ying and yang completing their core, even his mother, The former empress had both, but somehow A-xian just had Ying,"

"This can not simply be coincidental that Wangji has only yang,"

"Your highness did the second Prince he also had Qi fever on the nine-star alignment when he was young"

"He still has them, does Wei Wuixian"

"Yes, He used to until he attained his fox bead, the energies of the nine-star alignment somehow stabiles to his bead, the fever occurs but the Qi is not affected..just that.."

"Ah, I understand, Brothers"

"Right,"

"But if our theory is that Wei Wuxian is a fertility spirit being that means, he is an exotic creature,"

" yes your highness, our clan is quite known to have exotic powers of sprits, mother empress said someone in our ancestors were phoenixes." 

" Xian being a fertility spirit, prophecies hidden, folklores manipulated, the lists just adds up and up, A war is brewing, and it can not be more clear that the royals are involved."

"My incompetency," Lan Xichen sighs.

"Usually the nine tails will be white, but A-xian isn't, Do you know your highness, what that symbolises, the power balance is utterly disrupted in nature. Whatever is coming is not just a War, and whatever is hidden isn't just a simple truth, you might have seen the lists of hunt kills of nine tails and spirit beings. The cat that is hidden inside the bag, I am afraid is a tiger holding the power to turn all our lives upside down."

Lan Xichen gets up abruptly rubbing his temple with a closed smile.

" Then miss jiyangs, which one of you has greater potential in theatrical acting."

No one knew what was in the crown prince's head or more like jiyang shi had no idea as the other duo looked curiously at her."

-------

Bowing in a thanked goodbyes they headed to depart as Yanli watched them till they vanished in the fogs. Letting out a long exhale Yangli closed the long wooden door as she pressed her head over it. Now the bickers of those two she loved were at different corners of the realms, Hard to even spare their sister a glance.

---

Crown prince coughed a fit of blood into his sleeves as Jiayang shi smoothed down easing him. They were not allowed to touch a prince yet the case of this was truly different.

How long you are going to travel back and forth all this time. Do not have enough duties to attend to."

"Thank you miss jiyang Shi or sorry jiyang cheng.

for following me all along." he adds.

"Ah when.." before Jiynag shi were to say something the Carriage rattled to push her almost over the crown prince. His roughed cheeks against the lotus frowned lips, they knew they shared something that was considered more than just care. But the responsibilities lay too heavy on both.

The driver apologises are heard in haste pulling them out of their frozen gazes. They tidy up in tense silence.

" I "

" Is it hard? for you A- shi"

"huh oh Of course! No matter how bad my temper may be to act as your male assistance is ridiculous, your highness" A shi flusters

"That's not What I meant," 

She meets Xichen's adoring yet careful gaze for a second as they both abruptly look outside the window panels.

"Don't worry your Highness, We are Travelling! We don't stay in one place now. Mother and Father are looking for allied friends and_ we are_preparing." She answered. Xichen nodded, 'this is how it was now.'

"I will be fine, Xian ge is reliable.."

Lan Xichen smiles pressing her hand in his reassurance. He reaches out his inner pockets taking out to look at a transcript code thinking. 

Holding it out the window, he lets it fly away in the air. "The is magic is known to be deeper here, I can not return here either way, but let's see how strong the depths of magical destinies be." He says as They both look out to the winds that flow longing in an ache familiar. 

.Sai _ a small trident sorta weapon.

. . .

A/N- So, happy belated pride month and anniversary of the untamed (CQL, MDZS)

I know u guys want steamy meat buns,  but Belive me the logic makes it sexier.

I never wanted to go on a hiatus but this edit n plot organisation came over months.

Plus I have a broken hand..literally fractured.

But when I saw all the love to this story so let me make this up to you with good plot. And yes steamy stuff is comming . And other bl book updates too.

_