Chapter 79 - Am I In Love

Kuaile became the bearer of bad news as she flew high to find Xinyi. She spotted her with Ming at the gate. She flew down on her shoulder. 

"Why are you here?" Xinyi asked through her mind.

"There's an urgent matter in the Goding's camp. The panda and the great dragon are waiting for you. You must go now." Kuaile replied.

Ming noticed the bird and figured it was important. He knew the animals wouldn't come out to seek her in the open unless they needed immediate help. Then he saw Xinyi's eyes grew big and wondered.

She looked at her husband and said, "Mmi…" and bit her lip, breathing deeply. "Ming… we need to go. Now! Let's follow Kuaile."

Ming understood the urgency and agreed without asking. The two left half-running. Mafan and Qinfen were close to them and the former saw them. 

"Where are they going? They seemed to be in a hurry," Mafan said to his companion.

"Who knows? My brother is very busy now with the people going back to their villages and its harvest time. Something might have come up outside. Don't involve yourself with their affairs. Come, I'll introduce you to my friends."

Yet, Mafan was restless when the two went out the gate. He then controlled Qinfen's mind and sent him to sit near the gate. Mafan ran out and followed the two from a distance. At first, he saw them running under the canopy of the trees and turned left at a bend. When he reached the place, the last he saw them... they were nowhere in sight. 

They left Mafan open-mouthed. How did they vanished at an open road with rice fields at both sides? "Can they run that fast? Unless if they had blue stones on them. Ugh, why did I give my last stone to that useless Gerd?"

He placed his hands on his waist and thought hard about what to do next. But the uneasiness kept crawling in him. "Where did they go? To the camp?" 

He pondered whether to go there but after a time; He changed his mind. 

"I still have my chances as long as I stick with them. As long as they don't know how to stop the trap or find those men."

Suddenly, a thought sprung in his mind. I will let Qinfen guide me instead. Even if he doesn't know the way, but he might have easy access to some restricted areas as the governor's brother and find the right material for me.

With this decision in mind, he went back to where he left Qinfen.

---- o ----

Flashback. This was what took place earlier, when Xinyi and Ming left the gate, she communicated with the Hutyuns through telepathy. When they reached the bend, the Hutyuns had arrived and flew them in a flash to where Xionmao and Nianshi waited. That's why Mafan didn't see them.

They slowly descended a distance from the Goding's camp and saw it was dead silent. No movement of any sort while smoke rose from the biggest tent. But Xionmao and Nianshi kept their distance.

"What's going on?" Xinyi asked. Nianshi explained the whole situation connecting to the Sorceress' disciple. They clearly magnified the point that Xinyi had to face this problem without their aid. 

However, about the trap, Nianshi and Ming were the only person who could find the buried stones because only the two of them had the sensitivity with the Wag stone.

"Why is my wife is not affected by the stone? And why is Master Xionmao and the wee beings are the same as her?" Ming asked. 

Xionmao provided the answer. "Governor, I'm a guardian. All guardians are immune to it. Next, the Hutyuns depended on their queen's powers. Since she's not affected, so are they. About why the lady is immune, it's a long story but I can summarize it for you in one sentence. Her power is above all these things in this world."

"What?!?" Xinyi and Ming loudly shouted.

"Explain," said Xinyi. She had a hard time comprehending this matter.

Suddenly, Skrider popped out from nowhere and smacked the back of the panda's head. "You, old fool. Do you want to give me a heart attack? This is not yet time for her to know while her powers haven't fully bloomed."

The panda groaned. That smacking was strong. It gave him a bit of headache.

Ming looked at the uninvited guest with shock. Who is this greenish half-porcupine cat? But sadly, no one cared to explain it to him. 

"Skrider, explain." Xinyi demanded with her arms crossed her front. 

Skrider disregarded Xinyi's question and saluted to Ming. "Hi, Governor Lei Ming. I'm the person Xinyi will introduce to you. See you later." Then his body floated at eye-level with the irritated lady. "I already told you your origin and that you have great powers beyond you can imagine but you still need to understand how to use it."

Xinyi sharpened her gaze and pointed a finger at the green cat. "You're hiding something, I know. Spit it out." 

"I already told you. Hurry honing up your powers and the answers to your questions will fall on your lap. Tatah!" Skrider blew his tongue out, waved his paws, and gave her a shameless grin as he faded.

"Wait!" she blurted out but Skrider had left. She gritted her teeth in exasperation and looked at the panda and the dragon. Either had to receive the blunder. "Nianshi?"

Nianshi jumped in fright since her power flowed out a bit. "Hehe, my lady, we're wasting time. Please focus. Someday, you'll get your answers." He blew air and his voice trailed as he sped away . "We will search for the stones and try to break this illusion while you search for the one who made this trap." The panda followed zooming away.

Their avoidance annoyed her, but she knew they were right. She just couldn't wait to hear the answer. 

While Ming silently waited for a good timing to ask, the Hutyuns saw his puzzled face and transformed into a huge hand, patting Ming's back. Ming sighed glancing at the oversized palm covering his whole back, including his butt.

Ming shrugged it off and decided they'd try to locate the mischievous person responsible. "Let's walk around. As the dragon said, if the object sensed your presence, it will shine on its own and brings the person with the object to you. We have to find the person now or lose this chance."

"Yeah." Xinyi walked with Ming with a heavy steps. So many mysteries hidden. So many things needed to do and learn. So many things to face. Yet, she's still 18 years old. Why was she born carrying a big responsibility on her shoulders? 

Ming saw her long face and felt sorry for her. "Don't be sad. In time, everything will fall in its proper places and you'll find your answer. And I promise that I'm always here with you no matter what happens."

Those kind words encouraged her and released the tightness in her chest. Out of instinct, she gave Ming a lovely smile without constraint. "Thank you, Ming." 

Seeing that heart-stopping smile made Ming's chest go *Love dab, love dab * , palpitating like crazy. Her smile was like a magnet attracting him to kiss her but… clenched his fist and controlled the urge.

Am I falling in love? Is this what it feels when a man falls in love? If so, I want to fall in love with my wife for real.

This lightened the mood between the two while Ming guided her to the nearest village. Per chance or fate, no one knew exactly, but it was the place where Mafan's men hid.

Will everything work out fine? Is their hunch true and will she get the missing anklet and crown?