Chapter 18
Shanggu Julong showed up shortly after the woman and children stood over Chen Zhen. The woman and children were forced to the ground by the pressure of Shanggu Julong's aura, and this was after he had restrained it as much as he could. The woman pulled her kids underneath her to protect them even though she knew there was nothing she could do if this figure wanted to take her life. Her long black hair cascaded down her back and spilled over her shoulders. Looking up Shanggu Julong could see her beautiful countenance.
"What is your name and how are you related to this man?", Shanggu Julong asked looking at Chen Zhen and not facing her at all.
"My…my name…name is Mei Ling….", she stuttered, "and I don't have any relations.h.i.+p with this man. I've never seen him before in my life."
"What are you doing here?", Shanggu Julong asked, still not looking at her.
"It is a long story my lord.", Mei Ling said while looking around nervously.
"You are safe as long as I am here. But depending on what you tell me will determine whether you remain safe.", Shanggu Julong said with an emotionless voice. Mei Ling nodded her head in understanding.
"We used to live about a hundred miles away from here. My husband was a hunter, and we lived in a village on the edge of the Qin Hong forest. My husband would leave for a week at a time to hunt in a small group of warriors. They would bring back rations for their families and spirit cores that they would pay to the mayor of the village as taxes. About a week ago while the warriors were out hunting, my husband was injured by an object falling from the sky while trying to flee from a rank 4 Vine Snake. They were hunting rank 2 Spirit Foxes when they were lead by the fox into the Vine Snakes territory. My husband was the member of the group, so he stayed back to allow the other members time to flee. He was struck by a flat square shaped object that was spinning down from the sky. It was covered in flames and it wasn't really able to hurt my husband, but I was told it slowed him down for a second, which allowed the Vine
After the rest of the village warriors returned and told us of what happened the mayor wasted no time trying to make me his play thing. He came up with all kinds of false allegations saying that our family was late on our taxes. He had the power in the village and no one was willing to stick up for our family. So I decided to leave the village with my children, because I feared for our safety. I was on the road when we were pa.s.sed by a merchant caravan. The young madam of the caravan took pity on me allowed us to join the caravan. I was placed with the cook to help prepare meals. But soon after a couple of the guards started hara.s.sing me. Before I could speak with the young madam the guards made their move one night. I fought back and grabbed my kids and ran into the woods. As soon as I lost the pursuit of the guards, I could here the wolves in the woods behind us. We have been running nonstop for the last two days. I truly believed that we were going to die right here until he intervened. But other then that I have no clue who he is. When he first appeared in front of me for a split second I thought he was my dead husband come back to save us one last time….", tears were flowing freely down Mei Ling's eyes by the time she was finished speaking.
Shanggu Julong could see that Mei Ling had left her life bare before him. He knew she wasn't lying to him. As he heard her story he felt a sense of guilt begin to form in him. Shanggu Julong put the time period together and figured that the strange object that killed her husband was most likely a piece of the chair that Chen Zhen fell into this world in. It would have broken out and been flung far away by the impact with Lou Tian. Knowing that her current circ.u.mstance was tied to his disciple, Shanggu Julong felt some responsibility toward Mei Ling. A teacher for a day, a father for life. Picking up Chen Zhen, Shanggu Julong told Mei Ling and the kids to follow him as he headed back to the barrier and the shack within.
Shanggu Julong laid Chen Zhen on his bed. He handed Mei Ling a bottle of medical ointment that he told her to apply to Chen Zhen's wounds. The kids hid in a corner of the room scared of the new environment they found themselves in.
As Mei Ling applied the ointment to Chen Zhen she was able to finally get a good look at her savior. As she looked at Chen Zhen's face she was shocked by his appearance. He looked close enough to her husband's appearance that they could pa.s.s for brothers. Chen Zhen's height was shorter, and he was a lot skinnier then her husband was, but there was definitely a resemblance between them.
Shanggu Julong walked back into the shack and handed Mei Ling some bandages to put over Chen Zhen's wounds. He told her of a shack not too far away that she and her kids could stay in for now. He still had no idea what he was going to do with her. Maybe if she was willing he would sent her to the Shanggu Clan as a maid. Her life there would be safe, and she would be able to earn a living for herself and her children, they wouldn't want for anything.
Chen Zhen lay there, and the clone circulated energy to help heal his body. With the help of the ointment and the clone, Chen Zhen woke a couple hours after they returned to the clearing. As he opened his eyes he at first thought he was dreaming. His loving wife was standing over him looking down with care and concern on her face.
"Xian-er you will never believe the dream I just had, it felt so real.", Chen Zhen said with a smile on his face
"Who is Xian-er?", Mei Ling asked.