Chapter 87 - Opposites

While flying, Nianshi prayed for Xinyi's safety and for her to learn to use the Hutyuns well if she was in great danger. While Ming was worried sick if more side effects would come out and he's not with her.

In the mountain.

Xinyi avoided the avalanche in the nick of time but because of her uncontrollable speed, she jumped into a powerful natural illusion in the mountains.

Xinyi saw herself inside the forest. She looked around and saw the Hutyuns on the ground. "Why are you not floating?"

"We are not, my king." the Hutyuns replied.

"What are you talking about? What king?" Xinyi brows curled.

Her questions puzzled the wee beings. "We called you a queen."

"Oh, I thought I heard you said king."

"We did." 

Xinyi thought she heard wrong and placed a finger in her ears to clean it. She asked again. "Are you not sick?"  

"We are."

"Oh no. Are you all really sick?"

"Yes, we are."

Xinyi was so concerned and told them to transform into animals but what she saw was black shadows of the animals on the ground.

"Why are you in that form?"

"You didn't think for us to not look like this." 

Xinyi stared puzzled at the black beings. This is not good. What is going on? The Hutyun never lie but  their answers are not making any sense.

So she spoke through her mind and understood she heard and saw the exact opposite. From that point onwards, they communicated through their minds.

"Why am I hearing and seeing the opposite?"

"Maybe we're in the mountain's illusion trap."

"How do you know? And where are we?" Xinyi shivered. She rubbed her shoulders and arms excessively. She looked around and closed her eyes and opened it again. 

Her eyes saw pine trees with yellow trunks and purple flowers and blue skies above her head. Yet, she could feel the biting cold winds penetrating her skin. 

"Because we are now in Shining Water Mountain, our former home. The place our late King Kaos guarded with his life."

This was a surprise. Damn that husband of mine. I'm stuck here because of those fruits he gave me. But she also wondered why Ming and Lifen was fine. It never occurred to her it was her fault.

"Brrrr. Cold." She hugged herself as her teeth rattled. Yet, her vision showed black soil, leaves falling from trees, and blue skies above. The scene was so serene that one would wish on living in this peaceful place, disregarding the coldness in the atmosphere. 

"We are in the snowy mountain, but don't worry, we will be your eyes," said the Hutyuns to assure her.

"Cover me from the cold winds. I'm freezing to death." She kept on rubbing until her skin turned red.

"Yes, my queen." The Hutyuns surrounded her body and induced fire magic to warm her.

"Ahh," Xinyi heaved a deep breath, feeling the warmth all over her body.  Thank goodness, the spell has no effect on the Hutyuns .

"What type of illusion is this? Will it kill me?"

"No, as long we're here to guide you and keep you warm." They explained that the illusion was called the Opposites. What she saw and heard were the opposites of reality.

Xinyi frowned. That was the best and worst news she heard after the mishap. "Do you know the way out from this illusion?"

"Yes, my queen, but we need to hurry. We need to reach the Cave of Truth before nightfall."

"Why do I need to go in a cave? I didn't enter one."

"The entrance is everywhere, but the exit is only that cave."

"Why before nightfall?"

"Because the wind is strong at night."

Xinyi understood. "Fly me there as fast as you can."

While flying under the trees, "What animals are present?" She asked because the illusion kept her from seeing anyone else aside from the Hutyuns but she could feel the animal's presence.

"Queen…" Xinyi heard the Hutyuns gulped hard. "My queen, these are magical beings and big ones as tall as the trees." 

"Magical beings?" Xinyi felt their uneasiness and wished she could see what they saw. Then recalled Nianshi's words, "You must learn to use them as your weapon with ease as if you are one with them... You need to connect your heart and mind to them "

I better try doing this here with the Hutyuns or with the animals.  But she felt the animals' hesitation. 

"What are they doing? Why are they not coming near me?"

"They are only observing us."

Xinyi asked to stop on a rock for a while and sang the forest song until she reached the ending, but... the animals remained distant. 

"Why is the song not working?" Xinyi tried to feel the animal's emotions. She sensed reluctance and mockery.

"I'm sorry, my queen, but you sang it very fast and... with your tiny voice, it sounds ba... (gulped) not the same way you sang it to us." 

Those words were like knives cutting Xinyi. "Damn, why didn't you tell me earlier?" Xinyi gritted her teeth in anger.

"Sorry, Queen. We thought the effect was the same as long as it was the same song." The Hutyuns hurriedly hugged her to appease Her Majesty Xinyi. Some even rubbed their bodies on her face, although she could only feel them.

Xinyi gave up, shrugging her shoulders. Who would remain angry with those affectionate acts? "Let's go. Alert me if they come nearer or attack us."

----- o -----

Nianshi flew and went to the centipede's cave and the latter pointed where Xinyi ran off. While flying, they searched the areas they passed by. Then Nianshi saw the cloudy mountain ahead of them and reluctant to fly there.

"Why are you hesitating?" Ming asked when Nianshi didn't move an inch while staring at the mountain.

"Governor, that place is bad news. I feel an unstable power there."