Jin Xi felt the shift the moment she crossed the border. The air in the Heaven Dou Empire seemed lighter, somehow less charged with the aggressive, competitive energy she'd sensed in Star Luo. The forests were greener, the rivers flowed with a gentler current, and the humans… they seemed less hurried, their faces holding fewer sharp edges. It felt… softer.
She paused at the edge of a small, babbling brook, closing her eyes. She reached inward, feeling for the silent pull, the invisible thread of destiny that had guided her since her transformation. It was stronger here, clearer, a warm, golden current flowing steadily northward.
'He's closer,' she thought, a thrill like a hummingbird's wings fluttering in her chest. 'I'm on the right path.'
She entered her first Heaven Dou town, a small, sleepy place nestled beside a river, named Verdant Creek Town according to a painted wooden sign. Her arrival caused the usual stir. Farmers stopped their work, merchants paused their haggling, children pointed with wide, curious eyes. Her golden hair and crimson eyes were as alien here as they had been in Star Luo, and her bearing, though she tried to mimic the humans she'd seen, still held the untamed grace of a forest predator.
Her naivety remained a glaring beacon. She saw a baker pulling steaming, fragrant buns from a stone oven. Her stomach rumbled. She walked over, plucked a vibrant crimson flower growing nearby, and offered it to the bewildered man.
"One bread, please," she said, her voice a clear chime.
The baker, a portly man with flour dusting his apron, just stared at the flower, then at her. "Uh… miss? That's… that's not how it works. You need coin."
"Coin?" Jin Xi tilted her head. "Shiny stones?" She remembered the frustrating conversation with the Star Luo guards. "I don't have those. But this flower is pretty. Prettier than a stone."
The baker sighed, rubbing his temples. "Look, miss, it's five copper coins for a bun. Not… not flowers."
Before Jin Xi could try to argue the inherent value of flowers versus metal, a voice intervened.
"Here, let me help." An old farmer, his face weathered like old leather, stepped forward and placed a few copper coins on the baker's counter. "Give the lass a bun. She looks hungry." He winked at Jin Xi. "New around here, are ya?"
Jin Xi took the warm bun gratefully. "Thank you! How did you know?"
"Just a lucky guess," the farmer chuckled, before turning and ambling down the street.
Ah Yin, watching through the senses of a patch of moss near the bakery, allowed herself a small, mental smile. 'Subtle influence. Easy enough.'
As Jin Xi continued her journey, the coincidences began to pile up. She found herself trying to read a confusingly painted road sign at a crossroads, unsure which path led further north. Just as frustration began to bubble, the same old farmer reappeared, seemingly out of nowhere, whistling a tune.
"Lost again, lass?" he asked cheerfully. "Heaven Dou City? Ah, you want the King's Road. Just follow this path here, straight as an arrow." He pointed her in the right direction and then vanished around a bend.
Later, in a larger town, a nimble-fingered youth tried to snatch the pouch of gold coins Luo Fan had given her (she still carried it, more as a curiosity than a tool). Just as his fingers brushed the leather, his foot caught on a suddenly protruding cobblestone (that hadn't been there a second ago), sending him sprawling face-first into a pile of horse dung. He scrambled away, cursing, without his prize.
Jin Xi paused, looking back at the cursing thief, then at the perfectly normal-looking cobblestone. Her crimson eyes narrowed slightly.
'That was… convenient,' she thought. 'Like the farmer. Like the other thief who tripped over the cat…'
She was a creature of immense power, her senses honed by five thousand years of survival in a world where noticing the smallest detail could mean the difference between life and death. She felt a presence. A constant, watchful gaze that was not hostile, but undeniably there. It felt… familiar. Like the rustling whisper of leaves in a gentle breeze. Like the deep, quiet strength of the ancient earth.
'Someone is following me,' she thought, her crimson eyes scanning the seemingly empty road ahead. 'But... they feel... like the forest itself is watching.'
She continued her journey north, moving through towns and villages that grew progressively larger, more prosperous. Her beauty continued to draw attention, stares that ranged from simple awe to predatory hunger. But any potential trouble seemed to miraculously resolve itself before it could begin.
A lecherous merchant, his eyes lingering far too long on her figure, suddenly slipped on a patch of inexplicably slick mud on a dry road, landing flat on his back.
A group of rowdy, drunken soldiers who started catcalling her were abruptly called away by their sergeant, bellowing about an urgent, unexpected latrine inspection duty.
Jin Xi's suspicion grew with each convenient mishap. This was no longer just luck. This was intervention.
She decided to test her theory.
She reached Silverstream City, a bustling hub of trade and travelers. Deliberately ignoring the bright, crowded main streets, she turned down a dark, narrow, and deserted alleyway, the smell of refuse thick in the air. She walked slowly, deliberately, making herself an easy target.
As expected, two figures detached themselves from the deeper shadows ahead. They were rough-looking men, their faces hardened by a life of violence, knives glinting dully in their hands as they blocked her path.
"Well, look what we got here," the larger one rasped, his eyes crawling over her form. "Lost your way, little bird?"
"Pretty thing like you shouldn't be wandering in places like this," the other one added, taking a step closer, his grin revealing missing teeth. "But don't worry. We'll take good care of ya."
Jin Xi didn't even tense. She just waited.
Before she could even summon her spirit, before the men could take another step, it happened.
THWACK!
A loose roof tile, dislodged by a sudden, inexplicable gust of wind in the windless alley, plummeted from above. It struck the larger man squarely on the head. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed like a sack of grain, unconscious before he hit the ground.
The second man froze, his jaw dropping. He stared at his fallen comrade, then up at the perfectly stable-looking roof.
Meow! HISSS!
A sleek, black cat, which hadn't been there a second ago, darted out from behind a pile of crates, directly under the man's feet. Startled, he stumbled backwards, tripped over the hissing feline, and tumbled headfirst into a large, overflowing bin of rotting fish guts.
"Ugh, rotten fish!" he sputtered, flailing amidst the slime and stench.
Jin Xi looked at the unconscious thug. She looked at the man currently swimming in garbage. She looked at the black cat, which gave her a single, almost imperceptible nod before vanishing back into the shadows.
She looked around the now-empty alleyway. Then she looked up at the sky. A slow, knowing smile spread across her face.
'Alright, I know you're there,' she projected silently, her mental voice clear and strong, not knowing who she was speaking to, but knowing she was heard. 'That was you, wasn't it? The one controlling that farmer? The cat and even the mud? Why do you hide?'
In a hidden network of Blood Silver Grass woven into the cracks of the alley wall, Ah Yin's projected consciousness felt a jolt of surprise.
'She sensed me? How? My concealment is perfect. Even Titled Douluos cannot pierce my domain's cloak when I wish it.' Ah Yin realized this golden-haired woman was far more perceptive than she appeared. Her instincts were as sharp as a dragon's tooth.
Ah Yin considered her Emperor's orders: protect, but remain unseen. However, the girl had called her out. Continuing to hide felt… dishonest. And perhaps, direct confrontation was the best way to build trust, to guide this powerful, naive creature who was clearly linked to her Emperor's destiny.
'He said protect her at all costs,' Ah Yin reasoned. 'Gaining her trust seems the best way to do that.' She decided to reveal herself, but not her true form. Not yet.
She gathered her power. She drew on the life force of the Blood Silver Grass growing in the alley cracks, the resilient descendants of the Blue Silver Empress lineage, now touched by her Emperor's crimson power. The grass began to writhe, to grow, weaving itself together like living threads.
Strands of crimson light intertwined, coalescing, solidifying. A figure formed from the grass, shimmering into existence before Jin Xi. It was not Ah Yin's true body, but a temporary vessel, a Golem woven from her spirit and the essence of her clan. It took the form of a woman with hair like flowing crimson, her features strikingly similar to Ah Yin's own, but slightly ethereal, her form seeming to shimmer faintly at the edges.
Jin Xi stared as the woman materialized from the very ground, her spear appearing instinctively in her hand, held defensively but not aggressively. Her eyes went wide, not with fear, but with a jolt of recognition. The power signature… the crimson color… the feel of the life force… it resonated with her vision. It was the same essence as his.
"Who are you?" Jin Xi asked, her voice tight with awe and suspicion. "Are you… sent by him?"
Ah Yin spoke, her voice echoing slightly through the grass-form, as if coming from a great distance. "I am a guardian. Sent by one who wishes you well. You can call me… Yin."
Jin Xi looked closer, her innate power of Destiny, her third eye's perception now woven into her soul, allowing her to see beyond the physical form. She saw the spirit energy swirling within the grass-construct, the ancient, powerful life force. "You are… like me," she whispered, her voice filled with wonder. "Not human. You are a spirit beast. Transformed."
Ah Yin was taken aback again by her perception. This girl could see through her disguise, even sense her true nature. 'Her senses are sharper than I imagined.' She gave a slight nod, confirming the truth. "I am."
Jin Xi's eyes lit up, pure excitement replacing all suspicion. "Then the man who sent you! The one with the same crimson power! He's the one I saw! The one I'm looking for!" Her questions tumbled out, full of childish eagerness. "Where is he? Is he nearby? Can I meet him now? Take me to him!"
Ah Yin sighed mentally. 'This is going to be more difficult than I thought.' Guiding a creature who could literally see fate was going to require a delicate touch.
Ah Yin hesitated. Her Emperor had commanded secrecy, discretion. But this creature… she felt a connection to him, a pull as strong as gravity. And her power of Destiny was clearly leading her straight to him. Lying seemed pointless, perhaps even dangerous. How do you lie to someone who can sense the truth?
"He is… far," Ah Yin said evasively, her grass-form shimmering slightly, betraying her internal conflict. "In the north. In a great city called Heaven Dou. A journey of many days, perhaps weeks, for one traveling alone."
Jin Xi nodded eagerly, bouncing on the balls of her feet like an excited cub. "Yes! Heaven Dou City! That is where the golden thread leads! Will you take me to him? Now? Please?"
Ah Yin shook her head gently. "I cannot take you directly," she explained, gesturing to her own ephemeral form. "This body… it is only a projection, woven from the grass nearby. My true body is far away. I do not possess the power to transport you across such distances in this state."
Jin Xi's face fell, her excitement momentarily dampened by disappointment. "Oh."
"But I can help you," Ah Yin offered quickly, her voice softening. "I will continue to watch over you. I will guide you along the safest paths. I will keep you safe from those who would harm you. Think of me as... the forest whispering directions in your ear."
She paused, her crimson gaze serious. "But you must trust me. You must be patient. The human world is dangerous in ways you cannot yet comprehend. You must learn its ways, its rules, before you meet him. He... dislikes unnecessary trouble."
Jin Xi pouted, her lower lip sticking out. It was an expression more suited to a petulant cub than a Spirit Ancestor. "Wait? Why must I learn all this? I am strong! I beat those bad humans! I beat the ones before them too! I can protect myself!" She gestured emphatically with her Golden Dragon Spear, which materialized in her hand for a moment before vanishing again.
Ah Yin sighed, a sound like rustling leaves in a gentle breeze. "Strength is not enough in this world, little sister," she said, her voice gentle but firm. She thought of her own painful experiences, of the deceptions and betrayals she had faced in the human world. "Humans are creatures of cunning. They build traps with words, with smiles, with false kindness. You must learn their games before you can play without being hurt."
Jin Xi fell silent, considering this. She thought of the lying nobleman, Luo Fan, his charming smile hiding a viper's intent. She thought of the greedy guards, their politeness a thin veil over their desire. She realized, with a dawning, unpleasant understanding, that Ah Yin might be right. This human world was… complicated.
"Fine," she grumbled reluctantly, crossing her arms like a sulking child. "I will listen to you. I will be patient. But you must promise to take me to him soon. Very soon!"
Ah Yin smiled, a genuine, warm expression this time. She saw the fierce determination burning beneath the childish impatience. This girl was a force of nature, yes, but she was also alone, and vulnerable in ways she didn't yet understand. "I promise," Ah Yin said, the words a quiet vow.
A fragile, strange, and potentially world-shattering alliance had just been formed in a dark, garbage-strewn alleyway. The former Empress of the Blue Silver Grass and the future key to the fate of all Spirit Beasts were now bound by a shared purpose.
Ah Yin's grass-body dissolved back into the earth, leaving only the faint scent of crushed leaves and ozone. Jin Xi was alone once more, but not truly alone. She felt the silent, watchful presence return, no longer a source of suspicion, but a comforting, guiding force.
She continued her journey towards Heaven Dou City, her steps a little lighter, her heart filled with a new, strange mixture of impatience, excitement, and the first, tentative shoots of trust. The Empress's watch continued, now as a known, if unseen, companion.