Sensing his low mood, Yukiya gently tugged at his hand. "What's wrong dear?"
"I just met some annoying people, that's all," Xia mumbled as he walked forward with his mother-in-law.
Yin Long sighed loudly. "I'm really sorry Xia. I forgot to warn about them. That was Long Aotian's uncle and his adopted daughter," she whispered with a deep frown.
"Long has an uncle?" Xia curiously whispered.
"hmmm.... he is husband's younger half brother. He is also one of the oldest and strongest elders in heaven's realm as of now. But stay as far away as you could from him."
"Why?" Yukiya pulled her son closer.
"Because his intensions are not clean," Yin long whispered with killing intent in her eyes. "I suspect it was because of him that Long Aotian got wounded. To think I have been treating his daughters well... che, I feel disgusted," she mumbled, clenching her fist tightly.
"Wait, wait, he is the one who hurt my Long. That huge wound on his chest was caused by him? He is the culprit?" Xia pulled at her hand and glanced into her hooded eyes. "Mother in law, tell me the truth was he the one who hurt my long?"
Yin long finally looked into his eyes. "I suspect so... there is no proof but I can sense the blatant greed in his eyes."
"Then why is he even allowed here!!! You should have imprisoned him immediately!!" Xia shouted aloud.
"It's not like I didn't try. I tried my best, but without firm evidence I cannot evict a grand elder like him. Even my husband does not have the authority to." Yin long held her head with a hapless look.
Xia peered at her, but a warm hand gently patted his shoulders.
"Xia, calm down. Let's talk indoors,"
Xia let go of Yin Long and backed up close to his mother. "I need a perfect explanation for this event. My poor dragon had to suffer so much because of this person and he allowed to roam freely. I can't accept that."
He walked swiftly away.
The servants chased after him to try to keep up.
"Young master, the rooms are this way," a young girl timidly showed him the way.
Without waiting for others, he ran back to his assigned room.
Seeing his retreating back, Yukiya sighed. "Forgive him... he doesn't mean it in a rude way."
"I know. Even I am helpless.... I just want those evil being to be condemned but..... I am powerless..... as a mother I feel like a failure," Yin long silently sobbed.
"You are a great mother." Yukiya hugged her tight and gently patted her back.
"No.... Xia hates me now...."
"Don't worry, I'll talk to Xia he will understand."
After a while, the empress stopped crying and wiped at her wet cheeks. "Forgive me... I just lost my composure a bit. I'll show you to your room as well. It's close to Xia's."
Just like that, two days passed.
Xia was still in rage. He tried to convince himself to forgive Long's mother, but somehow he felt too temperamental. His mood swings were becoming too vast.
"Xia? You awake?" Yukiya peeked from out the door.
"hmm..." he mumbled as he was rolling around in bed.
"You still rolling in bed? Come on, get up." she slapped his butt.
Xia mumbled something and rolled himself tightly in the bedcover.
"Come on Xia. Get out, don't you want to send something to your dear long?"
Xia sat up instantly. "We can send Letters?"
"The first battalion and the second battalion are descending to the human realm. If you want to give something to Long Aotian, you can give it to the battalion leaders," Yukiya smirked at him.
"Sweet~" Xia ran over to the study table and swiftly scribbled something and folded it up into a neat letter. "Can you ask them to give this to Long?"
"That's all? You are not giving him any presents?" Yukiya whispered with her brows raised.
"What kind?"
"You know, in the human realm, when warriors are going for war, their wives will give them a piece of things they created to give them good luck and for them to return safely back home. I have prepared this for my Ki." she took out a small white kerchief from her pocket. "I hope my mate can come back safe and sound."
"I want to make one too!!" Xia excitedly looked at her.
"Hey you can't just copy my gift. You have to be creative,"
"oh..." Xia sat down thinking about what to gift his beloved.
After a long time of thinking, he came up with a brilliant gift idea. "Mom! I want to make him a sword tassel."
"Nice idea. I'll ask the maids to bring in the necessary things for that." Yukiya patted his head and left the room.
The while night Xia stayed up, making a small blue tassel. At first he was not able to get a hang of the strings and the loops, but as time went on his finger moved skilfully and a small blue tassel was formed.
It still looked to normal for his liking.
"How can I make this more special...." he whispered as he swung it around in front of his face. "Oh I know how,"
With a small knife, he cut a long strand of his hair and braided it tightly to form a string. He added it to the tassels and finished it with a small blue crustal in the middle.
"Long can have a part of me now...."
The next morning he ran out to his mother's room and two of them left to send off the battalions.
Thousands of soldiers stood in a straight line in front of the crystal palace. Their armours shimmering in the morning sun, creating a glorified sight.
Xia watched in awe as they marched forward
The emperor walked out dressed in his ceremonial golden dress along with his long wife. They looked even more stunning together.
Xia particularly looked at the emperor. He held a striking resemblance to Long's brother, Long Ki. On the other hand, Aotian was more similar to his mother.
"Warriors of heaven's realm, brave souls that defend the helpless human from destitute, Today we face a huge calamity because of the Rakshasas. They have broken the first layer of the demon gates and brought about destruction and death to the human world."
The crows around started to murmur amongst themselves.
Xia particularly gazed in the distance where Aotian's uncle stood. His face had a proud triumphant smile.
'He is not trustworthy at all...'
Near him, two girls much similar to each other stood cutely. One was the annoying girl he met near the lake. The other girl looked similar to her but had a mature beauty vibe.
Suddenly, this mature girl glanced at him with a beaming glare.
'What's her problem?'
She pointed at him and then at the dagger on her hip. She made a slicing gesture at him.
'Crazy girl...' Xia frowned and ignored her.