The temple's doors rattled when the troops shoved them open. Heavy boots strike the stone floor without regard for reverence or peace. The hallowed air inside was disrupted by angry voices and banging armor.
"Where is he?" One of the men barked, his voice harsh and frigid.
Elder Liang gently emerged from the darkness, hands folded behind his back. His shoulders were stooped, his steps unsteady—he moved like an elderly man. His voice cracked when he spoke, weak yet forceful.
"I'm here," he said gently. "Leave the students out of it."
One of the soldiers went closer and flicked his fingers. The others paused, then relaxed their grip on the children. They stepped aside. The lead soldier approached Elder Liang with a smirk, clicking his tongue as he walked. "Old man Liang," he sneered. "Master Wei Yong demands the scroll. The one that fell from the heavens a thousand years ago, wrapped in light so fierce it split the ice cave wide open. You were there, weren't you? Don't play dumb. You took it."
Elder Liang lifted his head with slow effort, his eyes dim but unyielding. He leaned in as though whispering a secret or pressing a kiss, but his lips hovered close without touching. "I don't have your scroll," he whispered. "Now leave my temple."
The soldier's face stayed still. For a heartbeat, it looked as if he might obey.
But then, in one swift motion, he gave Liang a hard shove, causing the elderly man to stumble and fall to the ground with a grunt. The soldier yelled, "Search the place!" "Tear it apart if you have to!" The soldiers ran through the temple like dogs freed from chains, toppling statues and shelves and yelling at one another as they rifled through rooms, but Elder Liang remained where he had fallen. He sat motionless on the chilly stone floor, his thoughts elsewhere.
'He had it,' he told himself. 'Mu Chen has the scroll now. It's no longer mine to protect.'
A low, weary breath left him. "Mu Chen," he muttered under his breath. "It's yours now." Then he crossed his legs beneath him, his hands resting gently on his knees.
His eyelids closed slowly. Warm and golden, like candlelight amid a storm, a gentle light started to emanate from his body. The light grew thicker behind him, taking the shape of a serene, motionless Buddha in meditation.
Minutes went by. One by one, the soldiers came back with nothing.
One of them muttered to the captain, "There's nothing." "He was being honest."
The captain glared at Liang one last time but remained silent. He ordered his guys to back off with a flip of his wrist.
Elder Liang opened one eye as the sound of their footsteps diminished. After observing them vanish behind the outside gate, he stood up and waited for the silence to return. His arms and legs shook a little. He let out a breath and slammed the heavy door shut.
---
"Mu Chen! Where have you been? Standing with her hands on her hips, Xinyin's voice reverberated down the corridor. "Dinner has been prepared for a long time!"
Mu Chen hesitated for a moment. He was at a loss for words. In an attempt to make himself laugh, he massaged the back of his head.
"Oh… I was just assisting Mrs. Lian with her food sales in the market. She required assistance.
Xinyin's eyes narrowed, unconvinced. She studied his face, leaning forward a little.
"Are you certain about that?"
Mu Chen nodded too quickly. "Mm. Yeah."
She gave him one more look, then turned around with a sigh.
"All right, come have some food. I want to share something with you."
He trailed after her to the table and took a seat without a word. He had a flurry of thoughts.
'What if Elder Liang was harmed? What if the children were abducted?' He still had stiff hands. He glanced down at his palm, where only a few hours before the scroll had been.
'Elder Liang gave it to me, but why? Why is it so crucial? And what should I do at this point?'
Xinyin, who was sitting next to him, looked over. His meal had remained untouchable.
"Mu Chen... Are you okay?
Smiling crookedly, he blinked and pushed himself to smile. "Yeah. Just wondering if I have the strength to keep you safe. from individuals such as those soldiers.
She didn't respond. She simply gazed at him, silent and uncertain.
She then filled his bowl with rice. "Eat. You'll require your strength.
Trying not to think, Mu Chen picked up his chopsticks and took a bite. attempting to be normal.
A couple of minutes went by.
"Sister Xinyin," he murmured quietly. "You mentioned that you had some positive news."
She gave a nod. "Yeah. Today, I earned a significant amount of money. sold far more than normal. Her eyes were warm as she gazed at him. Sufficient to transport you to the city. You can now go study.
Mu Chen merely stared at her for a moment. His eyes then grew wide.
He blurted, dropping his chopsticks, "What?" He got to his feet, almost toppling the bowl, and embraced her. "Xinyin, sister! I am at a loss for words. Thank you. I promise to put up my best effort if I go. I'll train and learn, and I'll return for you one day. I'll also take you there. Both of us will live better lives.
She remained silent. Slowly, she put her arms around him and held him close. He sensed a shift in her breathing.
Then, silently, he could feel her tears on his shoulder.
They moved out of the way, and Mu Chen sank into position, his hands already grabbing the food. He didn't say a word. Nothing could compete with the sound of his hunger. Like a youngster who hadn't seen food in days, he ate rapidly, cramming mouthful after mouthful without pausing and without swallowing. He appeared to get a little more comfort and warmth with every bite.
With a gentle smile tugging at the edges of her lips, Xinyin sat across from him and watched him. Her eyes were filled with a silent happiness that only arises when someone you care about is safe, fed, and at last at home.
Mu Chen's cheeks were still puffy from the final bite when he was done.
"Xinyin," he said, through partially consumed food, attempting to avoid appearing impolite, "I'm finished. I'll probably go lie down for a while."
She nodded slightly, her eyes following him as he stood up and left for his room. Her gaze remained fixed on him until he vanished inside the door, but she remained silent.
Mu Chen collapsed onto his bed's edge inside, folding his legs under him. Only the oil lamp's feeble light danced on the cracked walls in the dimly lit chamber. With shaking fingers, he went beneath his tunic and retrieved the scroll wrapped in fabric that had been concealed against his chest.
He placed it before him.
"What exactly is this thing?"
"Why did Elder Liang give it to me? Why not someone stronger… someone ready?" he asked himself in a low, almost terrified voice as his fingers slowly undid the faded threads holding the cloth tight. Then, the air in the room changed, and he unrolled it a little. Then, a sudden burst of golden light spilled from the scroll, flooding the room in a glow too bright for its size. The walls flickered as if they were on fire, and something inside him stirred. The same blue flame that had once frightened him now surged up from within, burning cold and fierce. It didn't hurt, but it didn't feel natural either.
He gasped. His hands froze in mid-air as he gazed at the scroll. At least not ones he recognized, the symbols on it weren't words. They shifted as though they had free agency, moving like living ink.
He took a deep swallow.
"What is this?" He muttered.