I opened my eyes to see that Su Hai was gone. I brought my palm up to my forehead, ready for the hammering, but it never came. Hmm... this wine is really good... and I also retained all the memories from last night... even better... ah! Why did I act like that toward him? Ahhh! Oh well... what's done is done...

I sat up and saw a bundle of four wines on the table. I got up from the bed and walked over. Next to the wine bottles was a folded note. I picked it up and it read, Ah Bin, I had matters to attend to so I left first. You looked peaceful in your dreams so I didn't wake you up. These are the four root wine bottles that you wanted. Let's meet again soon. Love, Su Hai.

My lips curled up as I waved my hand over the wine bottles and they disappeared into my inventory. I took a good look around the big room of Tian Yue Palace. I noticed that the room was rather small but it was decorated with simple yet delicate furniture. It was probably going to be my last time coming in here. I didn't want to be involved with Su Hai anymore. I wasn't ready for a relationship... I'm just going to treat everything that happened as a sweet, short dream. I looked back down at the note and it also disappeared into my inventory.

"Goodbye, Su Hai," I said, "it's sad but it's just not our fate to be together," I activated my teleportation spell.

I appeared back on the porch of Hua Mi's garden and I saw Hua Mi sitting down with his fingers laced together. He stared down at the table with a worried look on his face. I took a seat and placed my hand on the table.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked. He flinched before looking up. His eyes widened as his jaw dropped.

"Xiao Bin!" he exclaimed, "where have you been?!"

"I-I," I tried to think of an excuse, "I-I was bored of waiting for you... so I went down to play in the Mortal Realm."

"For a whole year?!"

"It's alright... a day here is a year there. I wasn't even gone for that long here. Why are you so angry?"

"Xiao Bin!" he argued. I shook my hand at him.

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry. I lost track of time and made you worried," I gave him my puppy eyes, "forgive me?" he looked at me discontent for a second before letting out a sigh.

"Alright. I forgive you," I gave him a thankful smile and he just let out a sigh, "I thought that you had gone back to recuperate... next time, leave me a note."

"Un, I will leave you a note next time. Sorry," I clapped my hands together and held it in front of me. He let out a small laugh and nodded his head.

"Now then, shall we drink?" he asked. I looked away as I put my hands back on the table.

"Err... I... already hit my limit...haha... ha..." he narrowed his eyes at me before crossing his arms.

"You..." he shook his head at me, "what did you drink? Don't tell me... did you drink the wine that I was supposed to bring to the Crown Prince? I mistook it for yours."

"Ahh... yes... hehe..." I gave him an apologetic smile and he just rolled his eyes.

"It's alright... we can do something else. For example, let's play a game of Wei-" before he could finish my rude stomach let out a loud yelp. My face grew hot as I bit my lip. Our eyes met and I gave him a smile. He let out a sigh, "What do you want to eat?" he asked.

"Hehe... Hua Mi, you are truly the best. Anything you make, I am willing to eat!" I replied and he just let out another sigh before disappearing. After a moment he returned with a tray that had some meat stir fry vegetables and egg drop soup on it. Mhhmmm! It smelt like a pepper garden and I loved it. He set the tray in front of me and I rubbed my hands together, eager to eat.

"Thank you, Hua Mi! I love you, Hua Mi!" I picked up the chopsticks and then I felt him grab my wrist. I froze as I looked up to see his eyes focused on the ring.

"Xiao Bin, where did you get this ring?" he turned my hand back and forth to observe the ring. Ugh...

"A-ah... that's right, I bought it when I was down in the Mortal Realm," I lied as I pulled my hand out of his grasp, "why?"

"Oh... just, I saw a lady in the Celestial Palace yesterday with a similar looking ring... but I must've been mistaken," he rested his chin on his head. I just let out an oooh as I started to eat. It was the first time I had to try to act normal while eating.

"Was she pretty?"

"Pretty? I don't know... I didn't see her face."

"Ohh... why?"

"Because... she was shy."

"Who was she?"

"I don't know... but she saved me yesterday so I owe her my thanks."

"Saved you?"

"Un... I was being put in a difficult position by the Crown Prince, but she helped me out of it."

"Ahh... why would you be put in a difficult position by the Crown Prince?"

"Because..." Hua Mi had a distant look in his eyes, "because... I offended him before," I choked on my food as my hand rushed to cover my mouth. Hua Mi handed me a cup of tea and I downed it. I couldn't believe what Hua Mi just said... how could Hua Mi offend anyone?

"Y-you... what did you do?" I set the cup down. Hua Mi's lips quivered.

"I... I... I..." his hand trembled and his eyes darted around, lost. I felt bad.

"Forget it," I waved my hand, "if you can't tell the tale, then just forget it. I don't want to know... anyways, we were going to play Weiqi, right? Bring the board out! I want to see how much you've improved," I challenged. He looked up at me and he stopped shaking. He nodded and waved his hand. The food in front of us disappeared as a Weiqi board and stones took their place.

-

After about 20 games of Weiqi, with me half of them, we decided to call it a night. Hua Mi allowed me to sleep back in his house as he said he wanted to check up on his wine stash. I readily agreed as I was mentally exhausted from the games. Hua Mi did definitely get better but I still wanted to be the triumphant one so I used a lot of analyzing skills which left me beat. I laid on the bed and from above me, there was a barred window. The moonlight poured inside the house but I didn't mind. This sight just reminded me of when I first entered this world.

-

My last memory on Earth was that I was designing a storyline for a new game my company was launching. I had been working for over 24 hours already so I had gone to the convenient store to grab some food. While I was deciding on what unhealthy food to buy a man wearing a mask and holding a knife came in.

He threatened the clerk while I hid. As the clerk was taking out all the money from the cash register I had dialed the police. I didn't say anything as I didn't want to be heard but I kept the call going as the man kept shouting and yelling at the clerk. I was holding onto three beer cans as I was very thirsty that night, but I guess due to my nervousness one ended up falling out of my arms.

It made a loud clunk as it fell and rolled away. The robber heard it as he turned around and started to walk in my direction. I felt my whole body freeze as I didn't know what to do. Before I knew it he was already standing beside me. I looked up to meet his dark eyes and he pulled me up by my hair. He smashed my head into the glass and I blacked out after that.

-

After that, when I opened my eyes the room was very dark. I wondered what was happening but when I moved my hand to touch my face I realized I didn't have hands. By instinct, my head started to move back and forth as I started to chip away at a barrier, which I soon realized to be my shell.

Out of the six eggs my mother laid, only three survived. It included my two brothers and I. Sadly, my two brothers ended up passing away as there wasn't enough food to eat. My mother was injured and one of her wings was weaker than the other. She had a hard time collecting food for us and when my two brothers passed, I was also close to passing. She cried a lot during the passing of my brothers which led to my Master walking up to our nest. My Master realized the dire situation and used magic to gift us with grains. He also said that it was our fate to meet him and that if we tried hard enough to cultivate we might be able to gain a human form. I didn't know what to make of this world and this life... but as time went on, I just told myself that I had to lived.

After I grew up and was able to fly on my own, my mother taught me how to hunt. Although we couldn't speak a word to each other, I knew how much she loved me. Sadly, she ended up passing away during one of our hunts. It wasn't because she was attacked by another animal but because her injured wing would no longer work.

She was no longer able to fly and thus just laid on the ground. I tried my best to feed her but eventually, she just stopped eating. She must've known her end was coming. The next three days after that I stayed by her side and I refused to eat. I watched my mother passed and afterward I buried her body with twigs and branches I could carry. When I cultivated enough to gain a human form, I got my first system notification. It's was weird at first and still is a bit. I feel like I'm just playing a game, but a very long game that came with no tutorial or synopsis. That reminds me... I should visit my mother's grave tomorrow before I return to Cui Yun Mountain. I felt tired... I closed my eyes and rested for the night.

-

I started the next day having breakfast with Hua Mi.

"Hua Mi," I said as I put my chopsticks down, "do you... know how the relationship between the Dark Arts Tribe and the rest of the other tribes are doing?" Hua Mi stopped eating as he set down his chopsticks too.

"Umm... about 30,000 years ago the then ruler tried to wage another war, but they were stopped. Now the current ruler is doing a fine job and has a good relationship with most of the tribes."

"Hmm... I see... who is the current ruler?"

"Xiao Bin," Hua Mi sounded like he was treading on careful waters. I furrowed my brows. Did this mean what I thought it means?

"Don't tell me..." I didn't even get to finish as Hua Mi's face immediately told me the answer. I balled my fist. "How?" I said through clenched teeth.

"He was... he was the most suitable and willing to negotiate with the other tribes..."

"Even so..." I slammed my fist on the table as I tried to calm my rage.

"Xiao Bin," Hua Mi tried to calm me down. I took in a deep breath as I relaxed my hand.

"Don't worry. I'm fine," I said but I could still feel my flame of fury burning on a tiny wick.

"Xiao Bin... why did you ask?"

"I wanted to go to Huang Hun Territory today to pay respects to my mother," I told him honestly. When he heard this he opened his mouth as to discourage me from going but I held my hand up. "It's fine... I won't cause any troubles. It's just going to be a short trip. " He closed his mouth and I think it was because he knew he couldn't stop me. My love for my mother was too strong.

"You must promise me that you won't cause any trouble," he said after a long pause. I nodded my head.

"I promise you," I agreed and he smiled as he stroked my hair.

"You're going to leave now, aren't you?" he asked as he tucked a loose strand of my hair behind my ear. I nodded. He patted the top of my head. "Alright. Be safe, and remember your promise," he reminded me.

"Un. See you another time."

"Un. See you soon, Xiao Bin," he gave me a smile and I returned one to him as I used my teleportation magic.

I stood on the cliff where I met Su Hai the other night as I overlooked the forestry down beneath Hua Mi's garden. I was initially going to use teleportation magic to arrive at Huang Hun territory but I remembered that some places have barriers that block teleportation spells and if someone wanted to use teleportation to get there they had to go through a process with the owner of the land. I didn't feel annoyed though, as I could take this flying trip to cool down my heart.

-

It was a short flight of only half an hour as I landed in the dense forest inside Huang Hun Territory. Although 120,000 years had passed, this place didn't seem to change much, as I knew where I was going. This Huang Hun Territory didn't originally belong to any tribes, however, due to the Dark Arts Tribe committing too many felonies they were forcefully kicked out of the Celestial Realm. Afterward, they claimed the Huang Hun Territory in the Immortal Realm as their own.

-

I took a stroll through the woods before walking out and being met with a huge plain of grass. On this huge plain of grass there stood one calm tree. I walked to the tree as I tried to collect all my thoughts. When I was an arm's length away, I reached out and touched the smooth bumps on the trees. This tree was a tree that sprouted where my mother died. I'm not sure how it got there. It probably got mixed in all the twigs and branches I had collected, but it had used my mother's body as an energy source to grow. I wasn't mad that it used my mother though, because if it wasn't for this tree then I wouldn't know where my mother's grave was, where my only blood relative's last breath was taken. I believe that the tree now held a part of my mother's soul with it and it comforted me even if it was a false illusion.

"Mother," my vision grew blurry as tears began to form, "after 120,000 years, your daughter has woken up," I felt a tear stream down my cheek, "I'm sorry. I didn't think I was going to sleep that long. I wonder if when I went through the trial, I came to visit you. I hoped I did. I know that you didn't have the ability to talk to me, but I could feel your love through your persistent efforts to make sure I stayed alive... mother... thank you for giving me life. If you weren't the one who gave birth to me who somehow managed to get stuck here... I don't think I would've been able to live this long... it was you who showed me what paternal love was... a feeling I didn't even know when I was on Earth... thank you," I felt a gush of wind pass by as I wiped my tears away. The wind felt nice and seemed to be a comforting gesture from beyond forces I could see.

"Who are you?" I heard a familiar voice call out. The sadness from within me completely dissipated as it was replaced with anger. I turned around to see a man with fair pale skin, long dark hair and shocked red eyes looking at me. Although this man's looks couldn't be compared to Su Hai or my Master's, he was still handsome in his own way. Still, his face was one of the faces that I never wanted to see again. "You... you are..." his fancy dark robes dragged behind him as he took a step toward me.

"Stop!" I ordered, my voice as sharp as a blade. He froze and I held my hands together, trying to contain my feelings. His eyes trembled as he frowned at my coldness as if he hadn't expected it. I ground my teeth together before I opened my mouth, "Sun Du Kong, it's only been 120,000 years. Have you already forgotten me?" I glared at him. His eyebrows raised as he widened his eyes. Those red eyes were once my favorite pair of eyes in this world.

"B-bin Bin... is it you?" he took another step forward.

"Don't call me by that name!" I yelled and he stopped, "you have no right to."

"Bin Bin..." his eyes were filled to the brink with sadness, yet I couldn't care less, "I... I'm sorry..." his voice was barely audible. I balled my fist.

"You're sorry?" I felt my nails dig into my hand, "what would your apology do? Can it bring back Fifth?! Can it bring back Eighth?! Can it bring back Thirteenth?! Your apology is meaningless!" I screamed.

"Bin Bi-"

"Shut your mouth! I don't want to hear another word from you," I felt a tear building up and I turned my head away so he wouldn't see it trail down my face as I quickly wiped it away.

"Bin Bin... please listen to me... I made a mistake."

"Mistake? How was what you did a mistake? You're a traitor! You're a sinner! It wasn't a mistake! A mistake is something you make unknowingly. You knew perfectly what you were doing!"

"Bin Bi-"

"If anyone here made a mistake, it was me. I made the mistake of trusting and believing you. I thought your love for me was pure and real. I was going to give up on Seventh for you. I didn't care that you were from the Dark Arts Tribe... if only I knew then, I wouldn't have befriended you back then. I wouldn't have told you our plans thinking you would help us put down your tyrannical father... I wouldn't have fallen in love with you..." I didn't even care if he saw the tears now. I let them fall. I wanted him to know how much he hurt me.

"Bin Bin... that was 120,00-"

"It might have 120,000 years for you, but for me, it's only been six days. I just woke up five days ago... I can still feel the knife you dug into my heart. I have told you before that if you betray me, I will never forgive you. Others may give people two chances but I only give one. If you break that chance, then it's over forever! You clearly knew, yet you still used me. How do you feel? I want to know how it feels to betray a person who gave their all to you, only did good for you, and never doubted you. Did you it feel good trampling all over them like that? Did you like it? Are you happy?!" my hands trembled from pain and anger. He froze as I watch tears trail down his fair face. He shook his head like a broken toy.

"I'm sorry... I should've learned... but... I'm sorry, Bin Bin... you don't have to forgive me. I won't be selfish and ask that we return to those days. I don't want to hurt anyone that way anymore..." he said it as if he had already caused someone else grief with the same method. I didn't care enough to ask. I wiped my tears away as I took in a deep breath to calm myself.

"If you're really sorry... then let me come here to pay respect to my mother in peace," I touched the tree and I felt lighter, "I'm not going to accept your apology... but I will consider that you did apologize and won't give you a hard time. I just ask that you don't disturb my time with my mother."

"Bin Bin... if that's what you really want, then it's alright. You may come whenever you want, I will tell all of my soldiers to not disturb you," he said, "if you ever need anything... please tell me... I have changed... I'm sorry..." I let out a small sigh of relief that he agreed.

"Thank you," I started to activate my teleportation magic, "and congratulations on becoming the new Dark Arts Ruler. Farewell," I closed my eyes.

-

When I opened my eyes I was at the gate of Cui Yun Mountain. I wiped away the remaining tears. I wasn't in Huang Hun Territory anymore. I'm back at Cui Yun Mountain. I need to get my act together or else Master is going to worry. I walked up and flashed a smile toward the two new faces guarding the gate. They saw me and smiled back before bowing.

"Greetings, Fifteenth. I am Sixteenth," the one with yellow hair said.

"Greetings, Fifteenth, I am Seventeenth," the one with orange hair said.

"Greetings Sixteenth and Seventeenth. I am Fifteenth," I copied them. They stifled a laugh and then cleared their throats as they put their poker face back on. I chuckled as I saw how fast they regained their composure. "Do a good job guarding," I encouraged as I walked inside the gates.

I walked into my Master's office to see him intently reading bamboo scrolls. Aww... he's still so hardworking after all these years. He is a true example to everyone in all the Three Realms! I cleared my throat and he looked past his scrolls. When he saw me he put down his scrolls and smiled.

"You're back?" he asked.

"I'm back," I announced as I skipped over. I sat down next to him as I leaned my head on his shoulder. Although Su Hai had broad shoulders, he could not compete with the comfort of Master's. He let out a laugh as he wrapped his arm around me.

"Now that the troublemaker is back, Cui Yun Mountain is going to get noisy," he pinched my cheek and I let out a whine.

"Master!" I elbowed him and he just laughed again.

"Alright, alright. I'm just joking! Master is just happy to see you again," he patted my head.

"Hmph!"

"Don't be angry! Don't be angry! You must be as tranquil as a streaming river, or else Cui Yun Mountain will really erupt."

"Master!" I pulled myself away from him as I narrowed my eyes at him. He let out another laugh before pinching my cheek again. "Ah!" I pulled myself away from him, "Master!" I yelled.

"Alright, alright! Master is sorry. Master is just teasing you. Master just really misses you," he smiled and opened his arms wide. I couldn't stay mad at him when he was acting like this as I entered those open arms. I felt him pat my back before I pulled away and smiled back at him.

"You seem to be in a happy mood. Did something good happen?" I asked as I glanced down at his bamboo scrolls. There was a moment of silence as he looked at me with eyes I couldn't decipher. After a moment, I heard him sigh.

"Nothing really... it's just that I have to attend a banquet soon," he shook his head.

"Hmm? When did you start attending those sort of things?"

"Just recently... I felt that I needed to be more aware of the things that occur outside of Cui Yun Mountain," he rubbed his temples. I stifled a laugh as I didn't want to get flicked on the forehead again. Master hated being in crowded public places and being the center of attention as much as I did. It must've been one of my seniors who persuaded him to give it a try and I knew exactly who it was.

"Master, be honest... Second talked you into this didn't he?" I pulled on his sleeve and he only nodded his head.

"And I should've never listened to him," his voice was filled with regret. I almost burst into laughter but I didn't want to die after just waking up so I pinched my thighs to keep myself in control.

"So... where is this banquet taking place?" I pinched myself harder.

"At the Northern Sea Palace," he answered. Huh?!

"Northern Sea Palace?"

"Yes, and I'm planning to take you with me."

"What? Take me with you?" I widened my eyes yet a bit of me felt happy. This meant I didn't have to sneak in and sneak out to restore my first lost data!