Chapter 12 - Which Is The Real You

"I cannot focus," he groaned red faced, "Let me read. Maybe I can figure something out."

So picking up books and scrolls once more, he read through the words, memorizing them easily. It felt as if he had read them before, like little missing pieces returning to his mind. As he continued soaking in the knowledge, he came across the history of this world.

"Oh, now I can find out more with the sectors and stuff," he smiled opening the book.

Each turn of the page, he felt his lips turned deeper and deeper into a frown. Was this really what was written for the people? This information wasn't false or was the author was misinformed?

"Four sectors: North, South, East, and West were formed by the Heavens and watched over by the sect leaders. The West Sector is known for their belief in the Heavens and created temples to worship them. The South Sector has an abundant of supplies from goods to foods and is known for their festivities. The East Sector is known for their warriors, loyal and disciplined. Lastly, The North Sector is known for their use of an array of weapons. No sector had gone to battle with the other due to the pact with the Ghost King. Each sector relies on the Ghost King to not only hold off the undead, but to keep the entire sectors in stability. For thousands of years, there was peace and many of the cultivators were no longer needed. Life is calm."

Staring at the pages, Ying Yue felt the twitching of his eyes.

"This can't be right," he spoke up, "How can the entire land rely on one man?! That is not fair," the blonde stood up and headed to the shelves, "This author must be crazy."

Books after books, scrolls after scrolls, all lead to the same conclusion: The Ghost King was the center of it all. It didn't make sense to him. Why were the sectors so dependent on Wang Li? Did the Heavens not care that the weight was on one man? Was cultivation extinct? Frowning, he rolled out a scroll and stared so hard, it was as if he was burning a hole through it. Letting out a defeated noise as he placed his head against his palm, he looked over to the other table across from him.

An image appeared like a lost memory of the Ghost King in red, sitting calmly with a smile. His silver eyes were looking down at his writing. Hair up in a messy bun, he let out a soft laugh and looked up at him.

"Are you finished?" His voice, so smooth, covered his skin.

"Almost, stay still," Ying Yue heard himself say.

"Alright," Wang Li sighed and continued what he was doing.

He looked down to see he was holding the brush dipped in ink against the parchment. A stroke of the brush here, a slide there, a twist around were made to form an image of the beauty before him.

"Alright!" He heard himself say getting up excitedly, "What do you think?" He asked turning to paper to show the man.

His eyes watched as the man in red stood up and headed over. Silver eyes held the paper and hummed.

"You've improved," Wang Li nodded turning to him.

"I know!" He laughed happily staring at the image before sighing, "Still can't catch your full beauty though."

He turned to see that soft smile on those thin lips once more, as those platinum eyes softened.

"You can continue to practice if you'd like?" He offered.

"I've already wasted so much of your time," Ying Yue shook his head.

"No time of mine is wasted when I am with you," the Ghost King stated wrapping an arm around his waist, "Anything of mine is yours."

"Is that so?" He grinned and tip toed up, "Even this?"

He pressed his lips to Wang Li to feel him smile. Pulling back, he saw the beautiful man nod.

"Everything," the man in red whispered before capturing his lips once more.

"Wang Li," he whispered out closing his eyes and-

Bang!

Ying Yue sat up quickly feeling the pain against his forehead. Rubbing it, he groaned out loud as he returned to reality. Why was he thinking about the Ghost King again? He really needed to stop this lovesickness he was developing for that man.

'Lovesickness or a curse?' He narrowed his eyes as he thought about it, '… sure feels like a curse…'

Emerald eyes looking back down at the unfinished words on the paper he worked on earlier, he felt determination build up in him once more.

'Write what you need to on the paper and give it to that man.'

So with that in mind, he completed his task and stood up. Smoothing down wrinkles on his clothes, he took strides to find the Ghost King. He had to do it. It was time. He shouldn't be here any longer or thinking of the man anymore. Let this be the end. Let this whole thing be done with.

With all this in mind, Ying Yue didn't think he would be eating without Wang Li or sleeping alone again for the next two days. Frowning as he finished bathing in the morning, he dressed and crossed his arms. Where was Wang Li? Why was he gone for so long?

"Madam Yue," Hien greeted, "Is there something wrong?"

"Ah, no," he shook his head, "Just wondering when he will return."

"We are also wondering," the brunette nodded, "He has been gone for a while."

"Yes!" He agreed with a frown, "What if something happened to him? He is there by himself. What if he is hurt?"

Hien watched her king's new wife and found her lips curling up into a laughter.

'So he truly has returned,' she softened her face, 'My king has been alone for so long and now that he has return… will things be different than before?'

"My king is strong, Madam, do not worry," she smiled at him.

"I'm-" the blonde stopped himself before letting out a sigh, "I am."

"Even if something were to happen to him, he will return to you, Madam Yue."

Ying Yue stared at those purple eyes and that smiling face, before she bid her farewell to him. Covering his face with a hand, he felt it flushed from what the brunette just said. Clearing his throat, he went to the library where he sat underneath the plum tree. Closing his eyes, he could feel Wang Li's spiritual energy and he smiled. From all the reading he had done, cultivation had to do with qi and one's own spiritual sense. Taking a deep breath, he tried to urge his own core to awaken more by meditating under the morning sun, shaded by the plum trees, and light spring breeze.

He didn't know how long he meditated but when he opened his emerald eyes, the sky was dark. Blinking his eyes to focus, he stood up stretching up to his tip toes. He had not eaten anything all day, so heading to the kitchen, he hoped there were leftovers for him. Knocking, he waited to hear shuffling coming to the door.

"Madam Yue," Shen greeted with his flat face.

"Is there anything to eat?" He asked embarrassed.

Shen stared at him for a moment before stepping to the side, leaving the door open as the white-haired male walked further in. Ying Yue stared and glanced inside for a moment, before walking in. The kitchen was large, but it seemed the young man only used one area of the place. He walked around and noticed the cot in the corner and found his head tilting in confusion. Did Shen sleep here… in the kitchen?

"Ah Shen," he spoke up looking toward the man, "Do you sleep here?"

Shen was warming up the noodle soup over the fire, stirring the heat evenly. He nodded and Ying Yue found himself frowning.

"There are so many rooms, why do you not sleep there?"

The blonde watched the silver haired male pour the soup into a bowl, turned off the fire, grabbed the silverwares, and brought the bowl to him.

"Would you like to eat in here or outside?" Shen asked straight faced.

"The candles are already lit in here; I shall finish my meal here. Thank you," he said, and the young man placed the bowl and silverwares onto the floor table at the side. Pouring the warmed-up tea into the cup, Shen stood beside him. Eating in silence, Ying Yue felt like he was burdening the white-haired male. The boy was probably asleep when he came knocking, so the blonde ate quickly. Once he was finished, he nodded to Shen who cleared the table. Thanking the boy once more, he headed to the door and slid it open.

"Just in case," Shen spoke up and he turned to the young man.

Those purple eyes caught his green ones.

"In case he returns hungry."

Ying Yue stared at him for a moment as his addled brain soak in what the boy had just said.

"Good night Madam," Shen bowed and slid the door closed before him.

'He chose to sleep in the kitchen for… for Wang Li?' His mind turned the thought in his head as he laid in bed alone, 'Wang Li… you are so liked here in your palace, yet so feared outside of it.'

He closed his emerald eyes with a sigh. An arm outstretched over the empty side where the man occupied.

"Which is the real you?" He whispered in the dark, but what returned was his own upset voice, reminding him that he too was hiding something.

'I'll give you the letter when you return, then you can do as you wish. I won't worry about you and you don't worry about me. We will go our separate ways.'

He told himself, yet those words… they sound all too familiar that it made his heart stutter with heaviness and his eyes began to water.

'What is wrong with me?'