Wei Wuxian was sitting at a small tea table that was placed in the centre of the pearl-white gleaming balcony. A set of tea cup along with tea pots were placed on the fine Sal wooden polished table. The aroma of the Lavender flavoured tea was tempting, and it's essence mere was capable of ebbing away lethargy within a flash of a moment.

Wei Wuxian took a sip of the fragrant tea with relish.

"So, how do I prove myself to this realm as a worthy spirit for retribution? " He asked the frosty man who was sitting on the opposite side of the table. The latter was taking his first sip from the porcelain cup, as his smooth skin gleamed along the surface of the white vessel - stuck to his lips. He looked at down at the table, and put the cup down sombrely.

Wei Wuxian waited patiently.

Finally, the man looked up with his ocean deep dark brown mahogany eyes - his face adorned by a pleasant expression and eyes by a scintilla of mirth, as he washed a glance over Wei Wuxian's face.

Wei Wuxian frowned.

"What happened? Why are you smiling?" He asked in an irked tone and a cold, edgy voice.

In reality, not even a pinch of smile was written on the cold glowing sharp face, but the feature was as stoic as ever. Still, Wei Wuxian successfully picked up the small smile, and he felt a agitated, as his frown went deeper, and the cold displeased aura crept it's way through his somnolent displeased face.

The subtle smile faltered, and Wei Wuxian felt a pang in his swaying heart.

"Do not sway from the cardinal topic," The man said in an amused tone, and took another sip from his cup which he had picked up when Wei Wuxian was busy in demanding the reason for his smile.

The white-robed meticulously dressed Wei Wuxian shrugged, and scoffed at the statement.

"You were smiling " Wei Wuxian accused with a tint of agitation.

"How could you say that? Did my lips stretch even a centimeter? " The man asked in his usual calm, yet amused tone.

" Okay okay. Now come to the point " Wei Wuxian surrendered.

" Hmm" . The man hummed, and the other man at the opposite end gritted his teeth.

" There will be three stages in your ordeal; each stage harder than the other. The first stage is the 'quest for the sword'. The second stage is the 'quest for the shield' and third stage is the 'quest for the crown'. "

Wei Wuxian was offering his full attention, and after absorbing the words spoken by the man, he was left anticipated for the next series of information.

"And? " He asked with curious eyes.

" You will know soon. Your training will commence from today, prepare yourself mentally."

"I am prepared." Wei Wuxian affirmed with confidence rippling in his determined eyes.

"Every morning, a bell will ring, and it shall remark the start of the day. After accomplishing the morning chores, you will reach the training ground. "

" Where is the training ground? " Wei Wuxian asked with curious eyes. This realm appears to be void and nothing more than an emptiness of misty opacity. Though Wei Wuxian never ventured around the palace, he is sure that it is not possible for a training ground to be located inside a palace, as such an auspicious ground for the warriors is usually built separately in a grandeur and convenient manner, and no way it is possible to build it inside a house - even if it is a palace.

"After descending down from the first floor, a door will be waiting at the end of the bottom-most stair. Enter the door with confidence and self-assurance, and you shall reach the training ground. I will be waiting there every morning. "

Wei Wuxian curtly nodded, absorbing the strange words. Enter with confidence and self-assurance? It was rather a strange instruction. A part of him also vacillated at the uncomfortable thought of being rendered alone with the man. A sudden shiver ran down his spine with a flow of panic.

"I dismiss this meeting. We shall meet tomorrow morning." Not even waiting for any reaction from the other, the man vanished along a smooth Zephyr.

Like the drum beats of duty, an Earth shattering sound of bouldering rocks resonated, as if a grand landslide was having its way through the palace.

Wei Wuxian jerked up from the bed, as the noise stirred up his soul from the depth of his bones. With a fluttering heart, he frantically looked around to assimilate the commotion in the eternal peaceful and tranquil heavenly realm.

The sound was still resonating, capable of tearing apart the tympanum. Wei Wuxian groaned while covering his ears with his palm, but the piercing heavy sound took no name of stopping.

" STOP IT! " He bellowed like a roar, and the sound immediately ceased to propagate, and the usual void and dead silent again reigned the place.

Is this a fucking sound of bell he has been talking about? Is that guy fucking mad! Who sets such a horrific bell to wake someone up?!

He got out of his bed, and as soon as his feet touched the red-golden hued carpet, a wave of white energy pierced through him, and the lethargy of the long night of sleep vanished in a moment, and a fresh tide of refreshing energy swept through his entire frame.

The sound was not any ordinary set of random noise, but a powerful musical notes, judging from the new thread of vigour looming in his body.

Wei Wuxian sighed. Ever since he was taken to this realm, something mysterious always found its way to him, either it be a story, or any incidence.

Looking around with wide awake eyes, he inspected the entire room. As usual, a tray of lavish food was kept on the table, and a set of neatly folded robe was deposited on the cabinet. His Suibian was dangling proudly from the sword hanger on the wall, and his Chenqing was sleeping peacefully within a silver case inside the cabinet.

There was a time, when he could not spend a day without imbibing the cherished flute notes that he used to play with burning passion of heart - an outlet of the anguishes and the trepidation. Playing flute was like an inhale of zing, and exhale of anguishes.

Blowing the melodious instrument was one of his inalienable habit, followed by slurping the relishing burning taste of dousing alcohol. Not only because Chenqing was his spiritual tool, but he too, felt a spiritual connection with flute notes, be it envinced from refined Chenqing, or from any random broken bamboo stick; his heart always craved to release the held down breath through the stick of melody.

But now, those little mirth, those little touches of happiness, a small loophole of bliss, are all gone, as if they never excited. He has nowadays stopped believing that he is a man of flesh and bones. Every day, he stratifies every bit of hatred over his heart, until the load is excessive to bear over the fragile shoulder that has already been jaded with onerous burden in his both past and present life.

Without wasting a further moment, he took his bath, thoroughly cleaned himself, gulped down the luscious yet tasteless and solemn breakfast, dressed himself up in the endearing suit of a soldier, neatly tied his hair into a strong bun, and finally felt himself - his being, for the first time in these few months.

There is no mirror in the room; all the mirrors vanished from the room the day he had suddenly bursted into wrath and ran into a frenzy being after he got a sudden upsurgence of hatred upon seeing himself in the mirror in front of that strange man.

That day, he had noticed an Adobe of concern in that man's eyes; since then, his heart allayed into a scintilla of softness, and he moderated his approach towards the man into a gentler one.

The other had visited him few times in these few months; sometimes to inform him about his upcoming preparations, sometimes he came to feed him some bitter soup, herbal medicine, obnoxious herb extracts. But he has to admit that his health had improved miraculously, and he could feel a fresh bounty of energy flowing through his nerves and flesh.

Before exiting his room, he took a deep breath. A wave of enthusiasm washed over him. The mortifying past miseries fuelled his thirst; thirst to show the world who he could become, and what he is capable of bringing upon that foolish world. For the first time in his life, he thought of destruction; of meeting to the people the dread of hell.

However, a portion of his heart was still vacillating. But he choked those iring emotions, and exited the room. True to the man's words, a door was waiting at the bottom most step of the flight of stairs. It was a mystical door, as if it was holding an Adobe of secrets behind those extravagant closed doors. He could see the rest portion of the common Hall behind the door; the door was just standing stranded in the void Hall.

Is this a teleportation door?

A part of Wei Wuxian's heart quivered; to his utmost detest.

What if this is a trap and he is unable to fight? What if red eyed hyenas are waiting to ravish him - take his honour? His heart throbbed with a hard beat.

Should I bring Suibian? But I could not yield it without golden core. Chenqing? But I behold not a single bit of energy, how would I command it?

Suddenly, panic strikes his mind and heart, and he retreats few steps back from the door - ascending upwards a few stairs. With muddled eyes, he started at the mystical door.

Certainly, a low hushed voice started echoing in his mind; muddled words were spoken, of which he couldn't assimilate any. What are these voices? Is the door trying to convey a message? Or is it his inner self urging him - begging him?

What are you scared of ? Still not going to take steps forward? Are you still cowarding away? How long are you going to be subjugated and tyrranized by others?

When are you going to strengthen your heart? Are you that docile?

Where is the blazing sun of Cangse Sanren? Where is the son of the tigress?

Explore yourself Wei Wuxian, melt yourself and again solidify into a pillar as rigid and unbendable as the iron, so that no could ever break you. Don't give them another chance. Seek your revenge.

Take your steps forward.

Strengthen your heart.

Are you going to remain a coward?

Shed your past. Build your soul.

Take your steps forward...

The hushed rough, calloused voice seized to echo, leaving Wei Wuxian in a dazed, pondering state.

I am not a coward. No misery could ever make me brittle.

Clenching his palm into a strong fist - capturing in it a handful resolution and determination, he surged forward with long steps; ready to unveil his future journey that lays ahead - shrouded behind those mysterious doors.

However before he could cross the last step and intrude through the door, a strong force crashed against his body, and his frame was expelled and thrown four feet apart from the door, that was gleaming with a cold mystical hue.

Wei Wuxian lay on the steps with stupefied mind. But without wasting a moment, he made a second attempt, then third, then fourth, then fifth; but in vain. It felt like the door was adamant to let him in because it considered him to be an unworthy trespasser. Addled emotions and realizations were clogging inside his clotted mind.

He had noticed one thing. Initially, he was thrown ten steps apart, and with every consecutive trial, his determination was getting stronger, and he was able to first cross one step, then two steps, then three, but the last step was reluctant to accept his intrusion, and he was being tossed away again and again.

Is it possible that he could cross that last step only when he frees his heart from all the fears and dreads? Is his determination still lagging somewhere? Is he not resolute enough?

His inner self was throbbing from a petrifying dilemma. A portion of his heart is telling him to render away the past miseries, spread his wings, and fly with honor of a mighty eagle. But another part of his inner self is still jittery, as if that portion is still struggling to unconfine itself from the cage of darkness; and always putrefy in the abyssal misery of the cold dark past.

Shedding away the layers of daze and the unruly befuddled thoughts, he stood up straight, and ascended ten steps upwards.

He permitted his inner self to fight within its perimeter of existence.

Let the two contrasting inner voices quarrel with each other. Let's see whose voice screams louder and whose resonance transcends the other.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His lips wobbled a little from the tightness with which he was holding his jaw. His gritted teeth were binded by a new flush of determination and obstinacy.

The petrifying images of the miserable past volleyed across his mind like sharp bullets. Every word of admonition, every word of objurgation; those cruel lambasting eyes, boring through his soul with the serration of loathing hatred; he was so impotent at that time that he could not even raise his voice.

Was he really impotent? No. He was made impotent. The time when he was being castigated, berated and being flooded with the burning deluge of inculpation, his heart was seeking for only one thing he cherished - warmth and shelter in those golden-melted honey eyes. But what he got in adverse was a shrieking coldness, and burning revulsion.

He was too dependent. Love made him dependent. Isn't it?

His first mistake was to drown in those cold chiseled golden sapphire eyes for the very first time he came across on the cloud Recess wall in a serene, whispering flowery night. He drowned in the thin golden pool, and in return got choked and asphyxiated in the throttling emotions of so-called bliss known as 'love'.

He is never going to let his heart beat for anyone; anything. From this very flaming moment, his only resolve is to avenge his enervated self; meet the glitzing joy of glaring justification to his shuddered soul.

He opened his eyes; eyes, that were blazing with crimson fire of flaring spite of revenge. He clenched his hand, tightened his lips, and ascending three steps up, the surged towards the door with sheer confidence.

The door opened with a bright flash of white luminescence, and Wei Wuxian found himself standing at the ground of his new journey, which marked the commence of a brand new phrase in his life.

Few feet apart, a tall, elegant and an ethereal figure was standing with a dazzle of pure serenity with the inky hair swaying along the fresh gushes of sweet mirthful air.

The heavenly figure turned back, and Wei Wuxian got lost in those deep and bewitching Mahogany brown eyes that were adorned by streaks of golden as they seemed to worship Wei Wuxian.

"You made it." The man uttered with a soft smile. A sense of pride was rippling in his sparkling eyes and the wooden face.

"I made it. " For the first time after the harrowing tragedy, did Wei Wuxian let his lips stretch into an inch of mirth and pride. Although the tiny smile ebbed away along with the mystifying gush of wind, the pride and the resolution, and also the scintilla of softness in his eyes for the man never left his eyes.

Guess who the man is and also Li Xiuyang? That's secret ( ͡°❥ ͡°)

Thank you for reading (ㆁᴗㆁ✿)