A woman wearing a white robe stood above the towering building, her eyes were like emeralds, completely separating her from the crowd, playing an otherworldly tone with her flute. Her every moment was like an illusion, standing at the same place yet never still.
Her skin was as white as her robe, completely detached from humanity. Blood seeping from her lips, dying them red. She was like a wandering ghost, scary, yet lovable.
My eyes seemed to be fixed on her, making me unable to look away from her. But the same can't be said for her.
She was like a beautiful illusion, which couldn't be real.
The Crowd seems to have vanished, leaving only me and her to remain in this world.
Finally, our eyes met. My heart beat paused for a second. I even forgot to breathe, but as beautiful as it was. All broke in a second.
I was standing at the festival entrance. Little Black and Fatty stood there beside me. I again lifted my head to look at the building, but no one was there.
"Your majesty, what happened? What were you looking for?"
The woman in red asked me, curiously.
Nothing.
"Oh… Your majesty, the Village chief would love to meet you. There is also a grand feast you can enjoy at his place."
Well, I am already here; meeting him isn't a problem.
The woman led the way. Moving through the crowd, we headed towards the same building where I had seen the white ghost.
Finally, this world is becoming as interesting as I imagined in the past.
We came in front of the building, and a few guards were guarding it. The woman walked through, ignoring them, and we too followed behind.
We came into the grand hall filled with more green lanterns.
'These villagers surely have something to do with green, whatever it looks beautiful. Giving the perfect vibes for a village amid the horrific forest.'
As I was looking at the surroundings, an old, weak voice interrupted my thoughts.
"Guests, it's been a long time since our village had any outsiders."
What a horrible face you got, old man.
I looked at the person in front of me; his half face was charred black, and the other half filled with wrinkles, his body hunched. Looking at him, an unknown kind of disgust emanated in my mind.
"Waah…"
You fatty mf, what the hell are you doing? The fatty started vomiting all of a sudden.
"Mister, maybe your friend is sick, let me help him."
The old man quickly ordered the servants to bring the medicine for the Fatty. In less than a minute, the servant came back carrying a small vial filled with green substance.
"Little friend, here take it, it will help you."
He gave it to Fatty, but before Fatty drank it. I snatched the bottle, throwing it away.
"Mister, what does this mean?"
All the eyes in the hall were staring at me.
What hell do you take me for? My servant doesn't need your trashy medicine.
"Mister, see his condition is getting worse, if he doesn't take medicine, he may…"
I looked at Fatty, who was still vomiting, and even blood had started to come out. Looking at his condition, now even I feel like vomiting.
I stretched my hand, grabbed his back, and used origin flames to burn him from the inside. Origin Flame quickly burns through his organs, completely healing his body.
"Thank you…"
You meatball, you have to make yourself worthy enough to follow this emperor, or I won't mind replacing you.
"But…"
What but!
"I'm sorry."
Hmph, and you, old man, how long are you gonna stare at me?
"My apologies, mister. I was just curious about your method of healing."
You are not qualified to know.
"I was just a Little curious. Haha…"
Your laugh is annoying me. Laugh again, and my patience may collapse.
"Hm… my apologies"
Humph
"Why don't you join us for tonight's feast? A small gesture from this old man in the form of an apology."
I don't eat anything random… but I will give you a chance. After all, I'm a benevolent emperor.
"Thanks for your generosity, your highness."
We moved through this hall to another one where a long dining table was placed. Filled with many different types of food, giving a delicious aroma.
"Wa… Tasty."
You fatty, weren't you vomiting just a few minutes ago? Now you want to eat.
"No, no, I don't want to eat."
Good, this meal is only for this emperor.
"There is enough food for all of you, even if the servant eats a little bit, it won't be a problem."
Who asked you to speak? I still haven't forgiven you. Let me taste the food first, if it's not good enough then…
I sat on the chair staring at a table filled with delicious food.
Where should I start from?
As I was thinking, Little Black jumped on the table, munching on the roasted chicken. Looking at his tiny figure, who was devouring food like that, he had been hungry for 1000 years, completely ruining this emperor's royal image.
Well, I will let you enjoy yourself today.
I grabbed another piece of chicken.
Fuck, it's really good.
"It's our honour to serve you, your majesty."
As I munch the voice of the red cloth woman, but this seems to carry some strangeness.
What happened to your voice?
"Nothing, maybe because of the cold. Thanks for your care, your majesty."
Well, now you mention that I, too, feel like this place is getting colder.
I turned to Fatty, whose body was continuously shaking. What a trash servant I got.
I summoned a fireball and threw it at him. As it hit him, Origin Fire quickly covered his whole body. Giving him relief from this cold.
"Immortal flames…"
The woman in red and the so-called village chief grasped in shock while comparing my origin flames with those trashy immortal grade flames. Well, what else can I expect from these mortals? I didn't correct them and continued my meal.
Finally, I'm full.
I sat on the chair, my stomach bulging. Little black lay on his back on the table, too full to even move his body.
"Your majesty, how was the food? Did you like it?"
It wasn't too bad.
Suddenly, a loud bell rang. And a person came whispering a few words in the village chief's ears. The village chief came to me; his face was a bit grim.
"Mister, a demon has attacked our village. You should stay here while we deal with him."
Hm
I nodded cause I was too full to even lift a finger.
The old man left quickly, leaving behind the red-robed woman and us.
What are you doing here? Why don't you go with the old man? What if the demon chews on his ugly face?
"Your majesty, please don't speak like this. He is our village chief."
I know already. Now tell me about yourself and this village's back story.
"Your majesty, what do you mean?"
You clearly know, don't you?
The woman seems to think about something before replying.
"Your majesty, what would you like to hear about first, me or this village?"
The one which is most interesting.
"I will tell you about this village's story."
Hm
"Hundred years ago."
"This village was like any other village, and we live happily. Until one day, an outsider came. He was covered in blood. Looking at his miserable condition, we decided to help him. After he was healed, he wanted to repay the life-saving gratitude, so he stayed here helping all the villagers, even educating kids. I was, too, one of his students."
She paused here.
Continue.
"Everything was fine, all the villagers had started to like him. He was good to everyone, maybe… too good. He was the most perfect man in the whole village, desired by every woman. Some even proposed him for marriage, but he never accepted it."
"Time continues to pass, many kids from the village gave the examination in the Vermilion academy, hoping to join it in order to change the future of this village. Many kids tried, but all failed except me. I was lucky enough to join the academy. The whole village celebrated it like a New Year's festival."
What's so great about Vermilion Academy? its just the Mortal Academy.
"You may not know, but the founder of Vermilion Academy was a cultivator and most of their top teacher are cultivators. They have deep roots; even those immortals can't enter Vermillion City without permission."
Suddenly, a loud explosion sound came, and the whole building started to shake, with some cracks appearing in the walls.
Hey, complete your story quickly, I still have to deal with other matters.
"I was in the Vermilion Academy for 5 years. When I came back, I felt the whole village had changed, or it was me who had changed. But that everything thing became clear, the village I came back to no longer exists. My years of struggle, hoping to come back and give these people in the village a bright future. But all in vain…"