Chapter 3: The Heartbreaking Truth

Chapter 3: A Heartbreaking Truth

Ye Tian could not wait any longer and asked eagerly, “Excuse me, may I ask where this place is? And who are you people?” The old woman looked at Ye Tian and replied slowly, “This is the Forest of Magical Beasts. You mean you don’t know that?” Ye Tian shook his head in confusion. The old woman continued, “If you don’t know where you are, then how did you come to be here?”

Ye Tian, frustrated, explained, “It was that old man’s fault! I was tricked into coming back, and for no reason, he left me with some broken sword. As soon as I touched it, it felt like something sucked me in. When I woke up, I found myself here.” The old woman paused, her eyes immediately fixed on the rusty sword on Ye Tian’s back, and she said, “Human, let me take a look at that dagger.”

Ye Tian, hearing this, casually pulled the rusty sword from his back and handed it over, saying, “It’s a sword, not a dagger.” The old woman was clearly taken aback. “You really don’t mind me looking at it?” she asked. Ye Tian smiled, “Please, feel free.” A faint smile appeared on the old woman’s face as she reached out and took the rusty sword.

As Ye Tian released his grip, the old woman’s expression changed, and she slapped her hands onto the carpet with a bang. Ye Tian asked in confusion, “What’s wrong?” The old woman gave a wry smile. “Didn’t you find this dagger heavy when you carried it on your back?” Ye Tian replied, “Not at all. And by the way, it’s a sword, not a dagger.” The old woman studied Ye Tian and said, “Your dagger… well, sword, is quite strange. I’ve never seen anything like it. Given what you’ve told me, I think you might have accidentally opened a Gate of Space,” she said calmly.

“Gate of Space? What’s that? And how do I get back?” Ye Tian asked.

“You don’t know what the Gate of Space is? Then how did you open it?” The old woman regarded Ye Tian with surprise, her gaze as if she were looking at some sort of oddity. Ye Tian shrugged, indicating he truly had no idea what the Gate of Space was.

The old woman continued, “If you didn’t open the Gate of Space yourself, then it means you have something on you capable of unlocking it. I believe it’s that sword.”

“The sword?” Ye Tian immediately examined the rusty blade eagerly, but after a moment, he put it down in disappointment. “Doesn’t seem special at all. By the way, what was that thing you put in my head earlier? Will it harm me? Will there be any aftereffects?”

The old woman smiled. “That’s our shaman’s secret art, ‘Soul Copy,’ a way for our kind to copy a portion of memory and preserve it. If I should die before finding an heir, those of our tribe who carry the copied soul will seek a suitable successor, who will then become the next shaman.”

Ye Tian let out a sigh of relief. “That’s good. I’m still young and don’t want to die without knowing why—I still have to go back and pluck the old man’s beard! By the way, I haven’t asked your name yet.”

The old woman looked puzzled. “What do you mean by that?”

Ye Tian scratched his head and said helplessly, “I’m asking, what is your name?”

“Then why not just ask directly? Why say something so confusing?” the old woman replied.

Ye Tian was left speechless.

The old woman glanced at Ye Tian and said slowly, “I am Seraphine, the Grand Shaman of the Serpent Clan.”

Ye Tian’s eyelid twitched. “Serpent Clan? I don’t recall hearing of such a name back in China. Could this be Miaojiang? How did I end up here?”

Seraphine sighed softly, “I don’t know what you mean by ‘China’ or ‘Miaojiang.’ All I can tell you is that this is the Forest of Magical Beasts, on the continent of Dissi.”

Ye Tian’s mind went blank, leaving him speechless for a long time. Seraphine regarded the young man before her with a silent sigh. After a while, Ye Tian managed to ask, with difficulty, “So… can I ever return home?”

Seraphine shook her head. Ye Tian’s heart sank, and he slumped, defeated, to the ground. Suddenly, Seraphine said, “In all the inherited memories I possess, I know of no way. But there is someone who might have a solution.”

Ye Tian seized her hand desperately. “Who?!”

The old woman’s wrinkled face flushed, and she struggled to free her hand from Ye Tian’s grasp. Realizing his rudeness, Ye Tian quickly let go and apologized, “I’m sorry, I was too anxious. Please, tell me who it is—I beg you!”

Seraphine composed herself and answered, “The Great Sage, Pusi Gimureis, is said to know all things. Though I do not know the way, perhaps he might.”

“Really?” Ye Tian asked eagerly. Seraphine nodded with assurance. Ye Tian let out a deep breath of relief. Just then, his stomach rumbled loudly. “I’m hungry. Is there anything to eat here?” he asked, wearing a pitiful expression.

He devoured the mountain of unknown food before him. Though the taste was unremarkable, his hunger left him no room for complaints, and the food disappeared at a speed that left the onlookers dumbfounded. After half an hour of ravenous eating, Ye Tian finally emerged from the pile of dishes, exhaling a satisfied breath and offering an embarrassed smile to the amazed crowd.

The chieftain of the Serpent Clan quickly recovered from his astonishment and asked, “Brother Ye, are you full? If not, I can have more food prepared for you.”

Ye Tian hurried to reply, “You’re too kind, Chieftain. I’ve only just arrived and already troubled you so much—I hope you won’t mind.”

The chief waved his hands, “Not at all! For helping Lilis fend off that attack tonight, you have given our clan a great favor. How could that be a bother?”

Ye Tian asked, “Who were those people tonight? They seemed much like you, so why the conflict?”

The chieftain gave an awkward smile. Ye Tian yawned and said, “Chieftain, I’m feeling a bit tired. May I ask where I'll be staying?”

“It’s all arranged. Brother Ye, no need to be so formal—think of it as your own home,” the chieftain replied.

At that moment, a young maiden approached and, with a gentle voice, announced, “Chieftain, the tent has been cleaned and is ready.”

“Show our guest to his quarters and see to his needs,” the chieftain instructed.

The maiden bowed and then turned to Ye Tian, “Sir, please follow me.” Ye Tian nodded, saluted the chieftain, and said, “I’ll take my leave and rest for now,” then followed the girl. The chieftain sighed and went to rest as well.

Ye Tian followed the girl for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before arriving at a brand-new tent. Inside, there was only a bed and a table, simple and bare. Ye Tian was not the least displeased—for all the hardships he’d endured with the old man, this was luxurious by comparison.

“Thank you for bringing me here—you can go now,” Ye Tian said to the girl.

She hesitated and replied softly, “The chieftain instructed me to be your personal maid. I cannot leave your side.” Then she stepped forward, her hands reaching for Ye Tian’s belt, “Please, let me help you prepare for bed.”

Startled, Ye Tian grabbed her delicate hands, feeling their softness and nearly losing his composure. He quickly steadied himself and said, “Thank you for your kindness, but I’m used to looking after myself. It’s late—please, go rest as well.” He let go of her hands.

The girl looked up at Ye Tian, tears welling in her eyes. Alarmed, Ye Tian asked, “Why are you crying?”

Between sobs, she asked, “Am I ugly? Do you dislike me?”

Ye Tian, flustered, used his sleeve to wipe her tears, but the more he wiped, the more she cried. “Please don’t cry, all right? How about I give you some candy?” he said, pulling a small wooden box from his pouch. As he opened it, a sweet aroma filled the air. The girl, though still sobbing, was quickly drawn to the scent, her big, bright eyes peeking through her fingers at the box.

Ye Tian smiled, “If you stop crying, I’ll give you some. It’s delicious.” The girl immediately stopped, reaching eagerly for the box. She picked out a piece, sniffed it, then tasted it with the tip of her tongue. Finding it delightful, she popped it into her mouth and chewed slowly, savoring the treat.

“Do you like it?” Ye Tian asked gently.

The girl nodded happily. “Then, would you go to sleep yourself?” he suggested.

But tears welled up again in her eyes, and Ye Tian, seeing another storm brewing, relented, “All right, I won’t chase you away—just don’t cry.”

Suddenly, the girl said, “You’re a good man.”

Ye Tian was taken aback. She continued, “I’ve heard from sisters rescued before that humans are the worst race, that they like to torment beast tribe girls.”

Ye Tian smiled wryly, “I’m not that twisted. I only know that if you stay here tonight, I can’t promise I won’t do anything.”

The girl blushed, lowering her voice, “But I came here so you could…” She trailed off.

“But you don’t really want to,” Ye Tian interjected, his gaze meeting hers. “Your eyes told me so.”

The girl smiled. Suddenly, Ye Tian realized her face was strangely familiar. He exclaimed, “You’re Seraphine!”

The girl grinned mischievously, saying nothing. Ye Tian pressed his palm to his forehead. “Respected Shaman, what game are you playing now?”

Seraphine replied with a question, “How did you know it was me?”

Ye Tian thought for a moment. “Just a feeling.”

Seraphine nodded. “A sharp intuition—you’re not an easy one to fool.”

Suddenly, Ye Tian’s expression grew cold as he stared at Seraphine. “Why are you doing this? If you don’t tell me, I might kill you.”

Seraphine smiled. “Would you?”

Ye Tian’s voice was icy. “You’d better not test me!” He reached for her.

Seraphine moved as well, stepping toward Ye Tian and offering her pale neck to his hand. Ye Tian, startled, withdrew his hand, and the two collided, Seraphine letting out a muffled groan as their bodies met—