At the Tong Ren Tang medicine shop, everyone had fallen asleep. The oil lamps had been extinguished, and there was not a single light there. Mei Dong, Physician Tong Yang, and Xiao Mei were all fast asleep on the second floor of the shop, in complete silence.
Xiao Mei experienced a series of strange dreams as she couldn't find her lost brother. She dreamed of a village far from the Empire where her brother lived like an adult, selling goods and teaching abandoned, poor children. Sometimes Xiao Mei saw her brother transform into something terrifying, with multiple eyes, teeth, and an irregular, melting body attacking the capital. Other times, he became a great warrior who had a wife and children. But all these dreams had one thing in common: her brother, Xiaojun, never remembered Xiao Mei's existence, nor did he ever hear any news of her.
Unconsciously, Xiao Mei cried every night in her sleep. Her only family, the brother she loved most, had forgotten her. Xiao Mei could only watch from afar, unable to hold him or even approach him.
"Brother Xiaojun…"
Mei Dong woke from her sleep. She heard sobbing from beside her. Mei Dong slowly rubbed her still-heavy eyes with both hands. She opened her eyes and was surprised to see Xiao Mei beginning to cry in her sleep. Mei Dong pulled Xiao Mei into a deep embrace, providing warmth in the cold night.
"It's okay, Xiao Mei. We're here for you. You're not alone," Mei Dong whispered softly into the ear of Xiao Mei, who was sleeping through her nightmare. After whispering that, Mei Dong fell back asleep while holding Xiao Mei, who was sinking into the abyss of inner turmoil.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Xiaojun woke up disoriented inside a damp cave deep in the mountains and forest. He sat up slowly, holding his throbbing head. Xiaojun looked around; all he found were rocks and damp puddles in a cave untouched by humans.
"Where am I? Why does my head hurt so much?" Xiaojun felt his entire body aching, as if he had been fighting non-stop.
"You are inside a cave, Xiaojun. I saved you." The voice came from inside his head, making Xiaojun look around in panic.
"Who is that?!" Xiaojun shouted, summoning an ice sword in his right hand, ready to cut down anyone who dared attack him.
"I am no one. I am just a spirit embedded within you."
"How long have you been inside me?" Xiaojun asked the voice, looking like a madman talking to himself.
"I awakened when you were in danger, when you were attacked by the blood moon wolves."
"So you know who I was before I lost my memory?" Xiaojun asked, dismissing his ice sword. He sat down, leaning against the cave wall, and sighed.
"I don't know. All I know is your name: Xiaojun."
"Xiaojun? That's my name? Then who was that little girl I saw in that strange realm? Was that me and my sister?" Xiaojun exhaled heavily. The situation was becoming more complicated. He had lost his memories.
From the cave's entrance, the light of dawn began to rise, illuminating the inside of the cave. Xiaojun's eyes were gradually hit by the light. It was gentle, yet Xiaojun's hand tried to block it from entering his eyes. His eyes were now too sensitive to look at light directly.
"So it's morning already? My stomach feels hungry. Does this forest and mountain have any food?" Xiaojun asked himself, assessing the environment outside the cave. The voice inside him spoke, forming a shadow of Xiaojun's body into a three-tailed fox.
"If you want to eat the animals in this forest, you won't go hungry. But if you can't eat them raw, you can just eat fruits," said the Fox Spirit flatly, hiding within Xiaojun's shadow.
"I don't mind eating raw animals if necessary. Besides, I have animal instincts because of your awakening within me," Xiaojun replied indifferently about the taste of food. Before they left, Xiaojun took the time to put on his silver fox mask to protect his sensitive eyes.
"Then let's go out," the Fox Spirit and Xiaojun said simultaneously.
In the dining area of the Tong Ren Tang medicine shop, Physician Tong Yang and Mei Dong were already waiting while preparing this morning's breakfast. The two of them were waiting for Xiao Mei, who was still sleeping soundly. Her thick, shiny black hair was spread across the pillow and mattress. The blanket covering Xiao Mei from the night's cold was messy and pushed far away from her body.
"Xiao Mei, wake up quickly! Breakfast is ready!" Mei Dong called out to Xiao Mei, who was still in a deep sleep, even drooling onto her pillow.
Uh-huh…
Xiao Mei slowly opened her eyes. The morning sunlight entered gently through the gaps in the window into her pupils, which were still slightly closed. She rubbed her eyes slowly, softly.
"Is it morning already?" Xiao Mei murmured groggily, staring at the window in front of her. "Last night's dreams were really strange, but thankfully, the dream disappeared when someone hugged me. Maybe it was Sister Mei Dong?" Xiao Mei got out of bed and cleaned herself up. After she finished, she went downstairs to eat with Mei Dong and Physician Tong Yang. They ate warmly, chatted idly, and laughed joyfully together.
Khwak!
At the Gu family residence, Zhen Ji, Bai Ming, Zhou Ying, and Nan Yun were being treated by Yang Xu and Physician Wo Lang. They were severely injured. Zhen Ji and Bai Ming hadn't even regained consciousness despite being given soul-healing pills. They were all lying on treatment beds in the healing room.
"All of you… started out wanting to help your sibling, and ended up needing treatment and soul healing," Yang Xu sighed heavily, lowering his head for a moment. "Fortunately, Father wasn't at home last night. He is carrying out the Emperor's mission to defend the northern territory of the Empire." Yang Xu stroked the head of his younger sister Zhou Ying, who was still lying weakly even though she had woken from her faint.
"Why do you all always make things so difficult for me…" Yang Xu chuckled bitterly. "If you hadn't acted impulsively, you would still be able to enjoy the fresh air this morning."
"Forgive us, big brother Yang Xu," Nan Yun spoke softly, feeling guilty for the chaos that had occurred.
"No need to feel guilty, Nan Yun. This is purely my fault as your older brother for rarely paying attention to all of you lately," Yang Xu said, smiling gently at Nan Yun, who was across from Zhou Ying's treatment bed.
"Big brother has been busy healing the Empire's soldiers wounded in the war. You also just returned yesterday afternoon," Nan Yun replied. She tried to get off her treatment bed, walking unsteadily toward Yang Xu. When Nan Yun had walked a few tens of centimeters from her bed, Yang Xu ran and immediately carried her.
"Nan Yun, what are you doing?! Why did you get out of your bed?!" Yang Xu exclaimed in panic. Nan Yun hugged her big brother deeply. "Don't worry, big brother. I don't want you to get sick from taking care of us after returning from the Empire to treat the soldiers."
Yang Xu unconsciously let his tears fall to the floor. He felt he had failed to be a role model for his other siblings. "Forgive your selfish big brother, who always prioritizes outside matters over family matters."
"Sir, there's no need to blame yourself. Remember: even a planted tree will decay if not cared for, or can even be shattered by a storm. What I mean is, no matter what, if it's already destined, it cannot be avoided," interjected Physician Wo Lang, who was still trying to channel his energy to heal Zhen Ji and Bai Ming.
"You're right, Physician Wo Lang. I must not get trapped in the past that has already passed." Yang Xu wiped his tears, carrying Nan Yun upright.
Rawr!
The roar of a wild beast was heard from within the forest where Xiaojun was. He turned toward the source of the sound. Estimating that a large bear was rampaging, he ran toward the sound.
"Help me!" A young girl was being chased by a poisonous thorn bear. She ran as fast as she could, screaming in fear but with a mocking expression on her face.
"Hey! Fat bear, go away! Why are you chasing me while I'm looking for herbal plants to sell at the village market?!" The girl still found the time to mock him even in a critical situation. She accidentally crossed paths with Xiaojun coming from the opposite direction. The girl ran away, but Xiaojun instead ran toward the bear.
"Finally, food!" Xiaojun dashed forward quickly, summoning his ice sword, ready to attack the bear.
"Sir, don't go there!" The girl stopped and turned her body to warn Xiaojun, but Xiaojun ignored her warning.
Xiaojun viciously slashed off all the thorns on the bear's body. He didn't cut from the middle but from the very base of the bear's bones. When the thorns were cut off and fell to the ground, the bear's fresh flesh still clung to them. This made the bear writhe in pain.
"Wow… This sir is amazing!" The girl who had been warning him now looked at Xiaojun with admiration.
"Time to end this bear's suffering," Xiaojun swung his sword slowly as if dancing—graceful, beautiful. The bear suddenly went silent, as if it had frozen without any visible ice on its body. Suddenly, the bear was no longer alive. Its soul seemed to have been taken in the gentlest way, like soap meeting water. What was initially hard and rough became soft and slippery after being given water.
After the bear lay weakly and lifeless, Xiaojun casually grabbed the bear's tail and walked back toward the cave. "Um… Excuse me, young lady. I want to take this bear and eat it," Xiaojun said casually.
"Wait a moment, masked fox sir! Since you saved me, allow me to repay your kindness by helping to cook that bear." The girl looked very happy, her eyes reflecting admiration. She was still carrying a basket of herbal plants, making her look like someone from a remote village—too easily amazed by such things.
"No need," Xiaojun continued on his way without paying attention to the girl. He kept dragging the bear, which was the size of a three-story house.
"Stop! Please, allow me to repay your kindness…" The girl stopped Xiaojun with her slender hands, then sat down begging before Xiaojun.
Xiaojun felt both disgusted and annoyed by the young girl's strange behavior. He gave up and finally allowed the girl to come along.
"Fine, you can come. But after cooking, you must return to your village!" Xiaojun said irritably, putting on a stern face. He also gripped the bear's tail so hard that the impression of his fingers remained.
"Yay! Yay!" The girl jumped for joy, causing the herbal plants she had gathered to fall and scatter on the ground. While the girl was still lost in her happiness, Xiaojun had already walked far away, leaving her behind.
"Sir, wait!"