Chapter 98 - Dellusion

The next day in Nianshi's dream, he woke up in another place. The barn, farm, and the village was gone. Instead, he was looking down at a large crowd of humans chanting his name in celebration.

"Nianshi! Nianshi!" People leaped while waving and throwing flowers at him.

"The Sorceress won against a hundred but Nianshi won against a thousand. Hurray for Nianshi, our savior." More chants and praising went on. However, Nianshi couldn't feel the spirit of the occasion. 

At first, the praise made his ego swell but confusion struck him again. He moved his wings and saw huge ones. His feet were gigantic that he could stomp a two-story house down in one step.

"What is going on?" And turned around and saw knights wearing armors with Wag stones in their swords. He stepped back but stopped his foot from reaching the ground, afraid that he might step on the innocent men behind him. He almost stumbled to the sides from avoiding.

Nianshi looked back to where the praising men were… and froze in puzzlement mixed in with fear. The people was no longer there. Instead, the blue-haired woman he met last night stood there alone holding a bow with the readied special arrow. 

"I'm sorry, but you need to die for me." The woman cried and let go of the arrow.

His body stiffened. He knew he'll die if that arrow pierced through him but every part of him admitted in defeat. And the arrow struck straight his heart. But…

He woke up on the same series of scenery again. Confusion deepened, but he went through the motion believing the previous event was just a dream. But he was careful this time and avoided the village, but the woman appeared with the army at the lake and shot him dead with the same arrow.

Then he opened his eyes on the same scene again. He understood this wasn't right and ran away from the place. However, another arrow hit his back with no idea who did it. 

And the cycle went all over again and again. At this point, Nianshi accepted the fact that he would die and come back to life again. So he stayed at the volcano and let the fiery magma swallow him than dying under the arrow's curse. 

He stood in a hurry after dying the fifth time. At this moment he jumped to the lake and stayed in the water while analyzing the reason of the unending reincarnation. 

"What is going on?" The name Cave of Truth rang in his mind. 

"Where is that cave?" Nianshi roamed around and searched for it. Alas, he saw a cavern and ran for it but… a rushing arrow welcomed him when he stepped at the opening.

He died again and lived again. At this point, Nianshi stayed on the water and realized that the arrow was the turning point of the whole process. Then he had a vision of a black-haired woman calling him in desperation, "Nianshi, help!" with hands extended toward him.

"Nianshi? Who is that..? Is that me?" Nianshi wondered who it was but that despairing face and call for help gave him determination to see through this and go out from the cycle.

"If I'll avoid the arrow, I might live. Yet, the arrow always find me. What is going on?" Then a thought struck him. "What if I'll accept the arrow instead of running away?" On that note, his brain worked hard planning his moves.

Again, he went through the whole event as it should be and when the lady pulled the bow, Nianshi opened his arms and let the arrow reach him. Somehow, it turned and pierced his nape. 

There, the true event in the past  flashed back in his eyes but… he didn't die. Nianshi beheld the Sorceress beside him, crying. 

"Don't die," said the Sorceress. This time he remembered everything, the cave, his purpose, and, most of  all, the present Xinyi who needed him badly.

Willful strength filled his chest and Nianshi's body transformed into the human form. Although hurt, his hand went to the arrow and pulled it with no hesitation. Pain wove in every tissue of his flesh as the arrow slowly inched out. He roared with all his might, braving the pain charging like a bolt of lightning inside his body.

His head began to swirl as he stared at the bloodied arrow with the red and blue stones. "I hate you," he muffled as he broke it into two and fainted.

In the cave, Nianshi's eyes opened at once. He suddenly sat and realized he was back.

"Is this it? Did I pass the test?" He looked up and white crystal dust fell from the ceiling while the ground quaked. From there, all of his doubts vanished. "I passed. I've overcome my fear."

Nianshi stood up and faced the inner quarters of the cave. His eyeballs changed into the lion's and saw Xinyi dazing in front of the mad giant chameleon. In a dash, he reached on time to smack the lizard away.

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Hours later, Nianshi, with Xinyi on his back, arrived at the exit. They saw Ming lying on the dirty floor. This sight disturbed Nianshi greatly. 

"Ming!" Xinyi shouted as she jumped down and limply walked toward Ming. She knelt and shook him but only heard a snore. "Hey! Wake up." Xinyi patted Ming's face and touched a freezing skin. She rigidly rubbed her hands and placed it on Ming's cheeks and forehead to warm him up. 

"Ming, wake up. What's wrong with you?" Her eyes went to her companion for help but stared at a gaping Nianshi. "What's wrong?"

"Oh no. This is bad. We need to call that stupid spirit to wake him or else…" Nianshi glanced back at the cave's inner space.

"Or else, what?" 

"Just call that spirit now, my lady." Nianshi said with a face telling her to do what he said now or something bad would happen to Ming.

"Don't leave me hanging. Tell me what did that spirit do?" Xinyi placed Ming's head on her lap and rubbed her palms directly on Ming's arms.

"Call that spirit now or we won't be able to wake the governor." He suddenly huffed and puffed in anger as he clenched his hands. "That foolish spirit did something to me after I came in. Causing me into a realm of endless dreams earlier. If not for our spiritual connection, I might still be asleep while you were in danger."

What took place hours ago after Nianshi entered the cave was a spine-chilling experience for him. He feared Ming might also in the same endless cycle.