Chapter 154 - Koi Guardian In My Domain

Xinyi got hit and blown to a hill of books. She got up as soon as she could, but before she could take a breather; the Koi swam at her and sent a tail attack again.

Xinyi made a side-somersault, evading the hit. She tumbled onto a pile of books and got up again. Her cringing face told the Koi it hurt her. This encouraged the Koi, believing it had the upper hand.

"Who are you?" Xinyi said as she got up.

"I will tell you if you can defeat me." The Koi swam toward her at great speed. Before reaching her, it swung its tail toward Xinyi again. 

Xinyi ducked, and it missed. She flipped backwards three times to put a distance between them. But the Koi seemed to know what she was thinking and turned around, sending her tail along the momentum to meet her where she would end. 

Xinyi saw she couldn't evade this hit and lifted an arm to cover her side as she received the impact. She yelped in pain as her body smashed on walls of books. Her arms instinctively covered her head from the falling books above her. She shook her head to clear her mind and got up. 

If only I have my powers back. That reminded her and tried her powers. Her arms crossed her chest and forcibly flung them on her sides. In an instant, a stream of light came out from her chest and attacked the Koi. 

"You're a roasted fish." Xinyi fiercely yelled.

The Koi opened its mouth and a blue light came out to meet Xinyi's attack. As the two powerful lights collided, the blue light died down like it was blown by a strong wind and Xinyi's powerful light reached the Koi's body. She expected to see a burnt Koi, but surprised to see a blue film protecting it. 

"What the..." she shouted. She crossed her arms again to send another attack, but the Koi bowed down. 

"I concede, Lady Xinyi. Forgive me for being rude. I have to attack you to confirm something. Your last attack showed me you're the present Sorceress. I'm your servant. I'm here at your disposal. I am ready to answer your every question or cook, clean for you. I can even massage your shoulders. Just tell me."

"Who are you? And why am I here?" Xinyi said, still on the defensive stance.

"My name is Alva. I am the guardian of this place. I've been serving the previous and present owners of this time scroll."

"Time Scroll? What scroll?" She looked down where she stood, recalling her items, specifically the painting. 

The Koi understood what she was looking for. "Your items are back in your bag, My Lady, including the painting."

Xinyi found them, as the Koi assured. She hurriedly took out the scroll and unfurled it. And what it revealed made her face grew dim. It was empty. The painted lady was gone. She turned it around, upside down. However, nothing changed.

"This is not my scroll. Where is my scroll?" She sternly said.

"That is the same scroll you owned, and that is the time scroll. No one wiped it out. But it's empty now because that is a gateway from the outside world to your space. What you see there would change depending on where you want to go," the Koi said and transformed into a two-year-old girl sitting on Xinyi's shoulder. The kid was aware Xinyi was surprised but did not mind, as if sitting on her shoulder was a common thing to do. 

Xinyi pushed the girl off her, but the latter disappeared. The next it appeared on Xinyi's other shoulder. 

Xinyi slapped the Koi from her shoulder. "Get off me." The kid jumped up, dodging the slap.

"Please, my lady. No need to fight."

Suddenly a realization punched in Xinyi's head. She almost forgot about her present predicament. "Where am I?"

"You are inside your own special domain that has a special power that transcends time."

"My domain?" She looked around and couldn't accept that her domain had nothing but books. This was a shocking and degrading realization. "Is this really my domain? You might be mistaken. I didn't open one yet."

"I'm not mistaken and no need to open another one. This is really your domain. You went in through the painting but not really in it, but in another place especially made for you. And I am the guardian of your domain. Do you understand now?"

Xinyi was silent. Her shoulders slumped. There was not a bit of excitement in her. She wanted something better, like the books she read about domains with herbal gardens, sacred springs, and more, but not mountains of books.

Alva understood her, but only giggled. "Allow me to explain, but let me welcome you properly before that." The little girl snapped her fingers. Without a second delay, she cleared the floor. Xinyi now saw there was no floor. She was standing on air with the clouds hovering under her feet. 

Alva snapped her fingers again, and a table appeared with sweets, a teapot where hot mise came out from the spout, and two cups on a saucer.

"Please sit, my lady." Two comfy stools appeared beside the tea table as she spoke the words. Alva sat next to Xinyi, showing her thigh covered with white stockings as her short golden dress' hem moved up. A red silk rope laced around her waist. "Please tell me if it's tasty or maybe lacking sugar or any spices. And I will change the recipe to your liking." 

Alva moved the plate of sweets next to Xinyi's tea. She poured a yellowish colored tea on the cup. As the tea water touched the cup, a soothing fragrance wafted to her nose. It calmed her mind from their fights in seconds. But didn't let her guard down. "Where are my friends, Alva?"

"They are safe back with Nianshi and the Hutyuns, my lady."

"You… How do you know them? Never mind. I really need to go now. Show me the way out." She spoke with a hint of urgency and authority. Anyway, if this was really her domain, she could come back here to read the books. 

But Alva was not moved the slightest. "I know those people around you, my lady. I can even hear you talk with them. You can even use me to spy on people." Alva's eyes twinkled.

"Spying on people is not nice."

"Never mind now. In case you need me someday… Please, drink it while it's hot. This is chamomile tea from another world. The first Sorceress brought this."

Xinyi only stared at the Koi, not giving in while pondering how to escape from this place.

"Just ask me directly and I will tell you the way out."

That was unexpected. An alarming bell rang in her mind, weary of facing another Mafan. "How do you know what I'm thinking?"