Song of Silent Promise

13. Echoes of Memories (2)

There were no dynasties back then. Civilization was much simpler and easy to maintain; only small human tribe kingdoms, none too substantial to worry about. For cultivators, the path of Dao and exterminating demons was already more than enough to fill their hundreds or thousand of years of lives with plenty to do.

From the upper realm to the lower realm, everyone did what they were supposed to do. Although there were a few skirmishes, years, decades, and millenniums passed without calamity.

Cultivators were normally humans, who had gained affinity with the existence of the universe, enabling them to open their sixth sense - so to speak. Thus, these humans could overcome the limit of mortality, pursue the path of Dao, awaken their inner core while training their True Essence.

Of course, various factors determined this 'affinity': talent, persistence, support, luck.

Some human cultivators chose a deviated path, foregoing prolonged lives for stronger power. They colluded with the demons and created havoc throughout the world. Most of these human cultivators could also assume forms of others, creating confusion and bloodbath between mortals who did not know better.

That was not to say normal cultivators did not have such skill. Some ancient Sects and their Saints had lived for as long as time itself, they no longer knew where from and how they came and when they were born. These Saints were considered Guardians of the universe, assuming the form of humans. Humans after all, were the current sovereign of the world. For these sovereign species, the guardians sometimes acted as 'shepherds'. They did not necessarily meddle in the world and ways of humans.

How did she get here? She could not remember. The first person she saw was him, her Master. For some reason, his face looked familiar. Even his cerulean-colored aura that seemed to constantly envelop him was warm and comforting.

His voice was a soothing breeze, "I thought I'll vanish one day, just like this. Yet, here you are, in front of me, appearing just out of the blue in the voiceless night. You are hereby named Ye Jing."

He brought her to the tallest mountain, a simple abode above the clouds. Birds were their only companions, bringing news and songs form the mortal domains below. In fact, she used to look like one of them, but she had always been unable to fly.

Her Master took great care nourishing her, training her in the cultivation path, until finally she could transform into a human form.

After taking a human form, her outer appearance looked like a normal girl, if not for the sky-blue colored wing jutted out of her back, between the arteries and muscles under her right scapula.

"Then Master, what am I?" The girl flapped her one wing, sending flutter of leaves surrounding her. Her eyes were wide and bright, willowy eyebrows and pale countenance. Her jet black long hair was simply let loose, some stray strands ended up tangled on her wing feathers.

The man in front of her smiled a little, then proceeded to untangle the fine silk black strands gently. The girl's feathers fluttered lightly in response, subtly brushing over his sleeve. The man spoke, "You, Ye Jing, are one of my kind. Ever since I could remember, there was only me. I lived for far too long, seen far too much. Maybe the heavens took pity on me and sent you to me."

"Ye Jing, our kind rule the sky over the two realms. But the sky is the loneliest place of all."

Ye Jing put her head on her Master's chest. Master had always been Master. She never knew his name, but he had been called myriad of salutation by others.

The tortoise that ruled the southern ocean called him 'Feng'; the scaled dragon-fish who ruled over the swamp called him 'Zhen'. Feng was a phoenix, Zhen was a poisonous bird. Both were wind-kind.