Xie Yuan blanked out for a moment before grabbing Xiao Xue to him, his heart anxious.

Everyone in the continent of Lyra knows about the beast tide in Infernal Rise Valley. It occurs every ten years without fail. No one knows what exactly sets it off but every decade the spiritual beasts within the Black Highlands would rampage through the mountain range and Infernal Rise valley is along the route.

Spirit Temple was supposed to be founded by an immortal cultivator for the purpose of protecting the valley and its inhabitants. The High Priestess of the temple would evoke an ancient matrix using a special ritual that would act as a defensive shield against the beast tide.

In history, everything about the beast tide in Infernal Rise Valley is written with flowery words and the Priestess’ ritual is generously lauded as a heroic deed. Every Priestess of the Spirit Temple is marked as a heroine, a figure immortalized within the cultivation world’s historical registers.

But Xie Yuan knows there’s more to it than just ‘heroic deeds’. With his status, he’s privy to a lot of information that not many individuals have access to. Although the scribes were generous with their praise with regards to the accounts of the beast tide relayed to the masses, they held back the gruesome truth. There’s always a hidden version for every major happening in the three realms and the beast tide in Infernal Rise Valley is among the top with a very long and bloody history.

In the secret annals, historians did not neglect to note down and verify all the information about every Priestess of Spirit Temple, especially the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

Every successor of the Priestess of Spirit Temple was raised and cultivated from childhood, beside the current Priestess whose origin is somewhat unknown. Although disciples would range from two to three people, there would only be one successor per generation. The temple has their own archive with full accounts of all the previous beast tides and every Priestess who performed the ritual, how long the beast tide lasted and what happened to each priestess after. Only the successor of the Priestess is allowed to read through the registers in preparation for her ‘duty’.

Cultivation is pretty straightforward, body and mind strengthening and tempering through hands-on experience. When a successor reaches a certain level in her cultivation she is given the key to break the matrix and taught how to manipulate it for the defense of the valley against the upcoming beast tide.

There can only be one Priestess every generation. Once a Priestess is at the end of her time, she would pass on half of her cultivation to her successor to ensure the success of the next ritual. Every Priestess of Spirit Temple has performed the ritual once in their lifetime, except for the previous Priestess who managed to perform it twice and was hailed as the strongest Priestess in the temple’s history, Xiao Xue’s deceased master.

The true horror is that none of the Priestesses of Spirit Temple lived past the age of thirty. All of them died young due to the incurable injuries they sustained during the performance of the ritual. Their life after the beast tide was riddled with pain and suffering from the internal damage that slowly chipped at their life line and no one, not one, escaped the path to death.

“No…” Xie Yuan held Xiao Xue tightly, his voice broken and his body slightly trembling. “You can’t!”

How could he have missed something so important? The reason why her senior sisters were so antagonistic, why Xiao Xue never fought back or left the temple despite their hostile treatment. And why she once said she cannot leave Spirit Temple.

“I have to.” Xiao Xue whispered, wrapping her arms around Xie Yuan’s waist, not knowing how to calm him. “It’s my responsibility.”

Xie Yuan was immediately chilled to the bone. “There has to be another way!” He was holding her like he wanted to melt and consume her. He cannot allow her to do this!

“I am the High Priestess of Spirit Temple and like my predecessors I have a duty to uphold.” The news might have come as a shock to Xie Yuan but there’s no use fussing about it now. The outcome will be the same, she has to perform the ritual and he has to leave, to be safe.

Xiao Xue has done everything she could to prepare and she’s confident that she will not fail. But accidents do happen, there’s always something that gets overlooked no matter how well a plan is thought out, that’s the reason why she wants Xie Yuan to leave. Xiao Xue doesn’t want any accident to happen to him.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Xie Yuan asked, burying his face on her hair, slowly inhaling her scent to compose himself as his mind furiously worked out possibilities, of ways to counteract. “Why didn’t you say you’re the temple’s Priestess?”

Xiao Xue could feel his turbulent emotions and she feels sorry for it, for not disclosing her identity as priestess. Perhaps if she told Xie Yuan the truth earlier they wouldn’t have reached this point. It’s not that she purposely tried to hide it. The matter never came up and honestly, it slipped her mind. When she is with him, Xiao Xue tends to forget a lot of things because Xie Yuan has the innate ability to make her focus solely on him.

Xiao Xue’s position as Priestess was never that important, not to her, what she cared about was performing her duty well when the time comes nothing else.

“Is there no other way?” Xie Yuan asked, looking at her face, begging for a sign, anything! He’s not reconciled with the fact that she’s about to do something that might cost her life but he knows he cannot stop her either. This was Xiao Xue’s choice and although he cannot change her mind or fully support her, Xie Yuan is willing to stand by her.

Xiao Xue looked back at him sadly. She knew what she was getting herself into the moment her Master named her as the successor. Xiao Xue was prepared for the task. But she didn’t think, couldn’t have imagined, that she would cross paths with Xie Yuan and he would eventually stay close to her. It’s unfair to him. But Xiao Xue cannot change what’s going to happen and even if she could, she will not. What she has now she owes it all to Master, the protection of the valley is the only thing Master asked of her and Xiao Xue has to see it through to the end.

“I would leave with you,” she said after a while. Xiao Xue reached out to cup Xie Yuan’s cheeks with her hands and promised. “After all this is done, I will follow you anywhere.”

Xie Yuan closed his eyes to soothe his chaotic thoughts and held her hands in his, dropping a kiss on each palm. “Do you swear it?” He asked.

Xiao Xue thought for a moment. Although their life in the valley is somewhat peaceful she knew they cannot stay forever. There’s a whole world out there waiting to be explored. She had thoughts about leaving after the beast tide and even if she did not meet Xie Yuan she decided she would leave the valley to travel the world. Now that she has him, she will not be alone. She will not be lonely.

Xiao Xue smiled beautifully as she nodded and answered, “I swear.”

Xie Yuan hugged her to him once more before slowly letting her go. He grabbed her hand and silently led her back inside the house to rest.

“When are you leaving?” Xiao Xue doesn’t recall Xie Yuan saying when he would leave. He has to leave soon or it would be too late. “Xie Yuan, you didn’t say when you’re going to leave. You have to leave soon or else…”

“I didn’t say I would leave.” Xie Yuan answered, gently cutting her off. He smiled as he tucked a lock of stray hair behind her ear.

“But you said if I tell you the reason you would leave!” Xiao Xue was severely put out. He promised her and now he’s reneging!

“Little Xue, I never promised to leave. I only said for you to tell me first.” Xie Yuan reasoned in a matter-of-fact tone which annoyed Xiao Xue even more. “If you think back on our conversation, you will know I did not mislead you.”

Xiao Xue was silent for a moment and for the first time in her life had the sudden urge to curse. She cannot believe it. Xie Yuan has done it again!

“But you cannot stay here, it’s dangerous!” Thinking it was a done deal she grew complacent, that was her mistake. Xiao Xue thought that after knowing the full account Xie Yuan would do the smart thing and leave. She even promised to leave with him after everything is done. It is true that Xie Yuan did not promise to leave the valley but he implied he would if she told him the truth. Why is he acting so devious now?

“You’re my fiancée. I will not leave you here to face the beast tide alone. As your lover, I’m already quite lenient allowing you to perform the ritual even though I want to take you away. Why are you haggling about my staying or going? If I have to compromise you have to as well otherwise it’s unfair. Don’t you think so, Little Xue?” He sounded like a woman full of grievances, someone who was willing to make a concession but always gets the short end of the stick. If Xiao Xue did not see the flash of cunning in his eyes, she would have fallen for it.

“Xie Yuan, just this once,” she implored. “Please obey me!”

“No.” Xie Yuan answered solemnly. On this matter, he will not be moved nor will he change his mind. “I cannot leave you, do not force me. I promise not to get in your way. You may do as you seem fit and perform the ritual. But you cannot force me to abandon you here. I will wait for the ritual to be done and then I will take you away.”

Xiao Xue was still conflicted but also knew this was the best he could offer. If she tried to force him, Xie Yuan might change his mind and whisk her away, beast tide be damned. Xie Yuan is willing to meet her half-way so she should be willing as well.