39 Strong Wall Crumbles

Those hypnotizing hazel eyes burned through her. She could see the turmoil he had and all the questions he was holding in.

He stared intently trying to memorize every small action she made. He wanted to make up for all those years in which she was apart from him. Although she was really in front of him, he still felt that it was a dream. Only God knew how excruciating those years were for him. They felt like an eternity of torture. Every second not knowing where she was or what she was doing was painful. Every day, millions of questions would pass through his mind making him fall deeper into despair.

[Is she well? Is she afraid? Is she lonely? Is she trapped within that tomb?]

Similar questions would torment his sanity. The possibilities of what she could have endured made his heart bleed. He wanted to know everything. He wanted to protect her and love her. He wanted to cage her away so that no one would harm her and no one would see her other than him, but that was impossible for her. She was meant to shine and he could feel it. He couldn't bear to do anything against her wishes because she was his everything. He could barely hang on to his sanity and life by the simple fact that their connection was still there. He could feel her but whenever he looked at that spot, she wasn't there. He looked and looked and did everything he could but she wasn't ever in his sight. Just like that four years passed and he grew tired but his heart never wavered. He needed her.

She was his life source, his motivation, and his hope.

Without her, he had no reason to continue living. After living in his old cabin in pain and sorrow for so long, he was used to his negative feelings. He didn't know why he continued to struggle and live until he saw her. He saw her bright, sad, and cautious eyes. They were so beautiful that they made his heartbeat increase at an incredible rate. When he heard her sweet voice he felt it in his very being and in his necklace. She was for him. She was the very sole reason that he had endured for so long. He was waiting to meet her. She was his life. Living near her, seeing her every day, and talking to her at any time took away all the memories of his suffering and all the injustices he had gone through. He forgot everything and relished in his happiness….Until she in pain, until she was hurt, and until she was abandoned. Her tears seemed to stab his heart multiple times with daggers.

It was the worst at that time.

But, she disappeared and that sent him into a chaos.

Panic.

Fear.

Loneliness.

Endless loneliness.

Experiencing it all over again was much worse than all the beatings he had had. She was capable of throwing him into insanity with a single gesture.

During those four years, he had thought of one action multiple times.

Suicide.

A world without her wasn't worth living. She was his everything.

The only thing stopping him was the single possibility of her return.

He thought all of this everyday but she wouldn't know.

She wouldn't know how pained he was every day and how he cried in front of the tomb in her birthdays. She wouldn't know how much his heart was torn apart by time or how much he missed her and loved her. She wouldn't know how he would whisper his love to her in secret hoping for her return.

She wouldn't know how much he had gone through without her because to her only four days had passed.

He could feel his eyes burn as a sour feeling rose up at the back of his throat and his eyes teared up. He wanted to release all his suffering but he didn't want her to see him as weak. He wanted to be seen as strong, dependable, and unwavering but even the strongest wall could waver and crumble.

Fan Daiyu looked at his fragile emotional state and couldn't comprehend what had happened. Slowly she tried her best to explain everything to him. She didn't hold anything back except for the story in the tunnel. She told him of the images on the walls, the strange letters, the treasures, the ankle bracelets, the underground grave, the voice recording, the skeleton, the crown, and the ring. She told him that the tunnel had taken about three days to pass because of a vision but she didn't give out details and she told him about her cultivation boost on the fourth day. After finishing everything, she took a deep breath and finished her narration.

"…. Then I went up the underground stairs and ended up near the back so I walked here thinking you guys would be looking for me and that's where I saw you."

The small girl smiled and flashed her white teeth at him.

Listening to the entire story, Long Wei couldn't believe it. Although he was relieved that she didn't suffer anything and he didn't doubt her story he felt a bit angry. His four years of suffering and worrying had only been four days of adventures and discoveries for her. She was well and happy without a single thought of them while they fell into despair for her. However, upon seeing that beautiful smile radiate hope into him again he felt all his anger and grievances put to dust. His eyes burst and he couldn't hold back his tears anymore. Before she could see him, he rested his head in her small shoulder.

Fan Daiyu was surprised by the sudden action. Her eyes widened and her mouth gaped open in shock to form a small 'O' shape but her body slowly relaxed as she felt his warm tears wet her shoulder. She could see the slight tremble of his body as she tried to comfort him with a light hug and his tears flow more rapidly.

She didn't know what had happened but she couldn't bear to see him like this. She lightly patted his back and rubbed it in a soothing motion.

Slowly time passed and the tranquil sound of the trees swaying calmed his tormented heart. He wiped away his tears and the tips of his ears reddened in embarrassment.

He hadn't wanted her to see him like that but even after she did she didn't laugh or joke about it she just gave him her brightest comforting smile.

She knew that at such weak moments people don't always need words. Sometimes they just need small gestures and smiles usually worked best. That's what her mother had always done to her I her weakest moments, smile, so she would do it too.

Remembering her mother her face dimmed in pain and her heart dropped a bit. She looked towards the tightly shut tomb and whispered her love to her. She left behind a piece of her heart as she filled it up again with a piece of an irremovable memory, her mother's smile.

Long Wei could see the change in her face as she paled. Her eyes dimmed as she looked towards the tomb.

[It's only been four days for her. She hasn't gotten over it.]

He stroked her back and began informing her of everything that had happened in her absence.

-Long Wei-

She was shocked and hurt at her father's actions but it seemed that she wasn't surprised. She seemed to have matured greatly in the span of those four days. When she heard of her siblings, she had a helpless look on her face and she sighed sadly. It was no surprise. She had literally missed four years of their lives. I told her about a woman named Lilian Dalai visiting to see her. She was surprised and happy at the fact that I had told her the truth behind the matter. I did so because she was her master and needed to know. After all, before she had disappeared I knew as much as possible about her from the moment in which she was born until her mother's death.

I told her about how she had given me her direction in case she ever showed up and her small face lit up. She looked adorable. Overall, she was sad that she had missed so much time and she had just noticed how much she had grown. She was at the age to enter the academy but who would be her guardian. Her father didn't love her and her mother had joined the stars.

Where would she live when her father didn't want her? Who would she be when she was dead to the world? What would she do when she had nothing other than us?

-Fan Daiyu-

[My own father staged my death! It's so sad that it's funny. I wonder what he would think after he sees me.]

"Long Wei let's go see my father."