Luo Ri Yi ignored the annoying chirping white bird flying around her as she found a broken hoe and an unused rope near the wall. She tied them together, swung the rope towards the wall, and hooked the hoe at the top of the wall. She pulled at the rope to test it's strength before she used it to climb up. It took her less than a minute to reach the top. She switched directions and used the same rope to go down the wall.

Her feet gently landed on the ground. She looked around to make sure she was alone as it was a crime for a servant to leave the manor without permission. Assured there was no one else around, she moved behind the bush and entered the forest behind the manor.

​​

She headed toward the noise. She was a few meters away from the fenced wall when the pungent smell hit her. The smell was familiar, but the lifeless corpses scattered on the ground surprised her.

They were a bunch of men in black clothes and 'Ninja' face covering. Most had lost some of they're limbs. They must have fought a strong expert as he didn't hesitate when he chopped off they're limbs. His cuts were clean and neat.

Luo Ri Yi stepped over some of the corpses. The white bird followed behind her quietly. She found more corpses of men lying face down on the ground. She wondered what kind of beast they fought as they were about a dozen more corpses.

Suddenly, she heard a man moaning. Luo Ri Yi did not dare to approach the man hastily. There were so many casualties and only God knew how dangerous her opponent would be. However, she did not back down.

She couldn't hold her curiosity. She took out a small knife from inside her sleeve and stepped quietly towards him. She held her breath as she got closer to the heavy breathing. She saw a man with exquisite black robes with blood all over his body. His breath was faint and his wounds deep. The man could probably die from blood loss.

However, what stunned Luo Ri Yi was not the blood or the wounds but his faces. He got the most beautiful face that Luo Ri Yi had ever seen in both of her lives, yet she had been alive for a long time. It was the kind of face that God took his time to carve

The bird pecked her cheek waking her from her stupor. Luo Ri Yi glared at the bird and pushed it away before she approached the unconscious man. He was leaning on the big tree while his hand still held his sword tightly.

Lory touched his chest and felt a light heartbeat. She also found a jade placard on his wrist with the name 'Xin' on it. This stunned Luo Ri Yi as only one man had it. The owner was the sixth Prince Zhao Li Xin who was the least favored Prince of Jiangwei Kingdom or so the rumor said.

Luo Ri Yi stared at the young handsome prince. He was about twenty-three years old or younger. However, he had already been through too much. He was hated by his own father and ignored by his own mother. Yet, he still managed to survive his 'young and tragic' life. He reminded her a little of her brother.

The prince's breath weakened but he still held on, refusing to give up. She watched him struggle between life and death. She didn't want to interfere at first. She didn't want to use her power as she had a curse that did not allow her to use her power. The cost of using her power could be too devastating.

[Lory… don't be reckless!!] Girsha, the little white bird, reprimand. The bird spoke the Harlandish language to reason with her.

But her heart was restless. It beat faster than normal. Luo Ri Yi bit her lower lips as she tried to decide. The prince's grip became weaker as he struggled to breathe. Her heart panicked. She suddenly clenched her palm and closed her eyes as a purple light emerged from her palm.

'Just this once,' Lory told herself.

Her black eyes turn purple as she slowly put her one hand on the prince's chest and the other on his cheek. The prince's body was soon illuminated with soft purple light. The wound on his body slowly disappeared and his breathing becomes easier and stronger.

"May the light guide you're way even in the darkest path young Prince…" Luo Ri Yi whispered softly in his ear.

The prince abruptly regained his conscious. He gripped his sword out of reflex but found only the corpses of his enemies. He was alone in the forest, but he was still leaning on the old tree. The only sound in the forest was from the rustling leaves and a chirping bird. He frowned in confusion.

He was supposed to be dead. He was not just wounded by a blade but the old cold poisoned in his veins had suddenly acted up. The disease was the reason his enemies managed to hurt him. The disease was caused by a poison he had in his body since he was a child.

Zhao Li Xin checked the wounds on her chest and arms the only sign that it existed was faint scars. The most surprising thing, however, was his body condition. He felt very light and strong.

He couldn't remember the last time he felt this good. He moved away from the tree and checked his pulse. He was right. The old poison has gone… Leaving him with questions… How...? Who...?

______________________________

Away from the prince and deep in the woods, Lory clenched her chest. It felt like someone was squeezing her heart. Lory gritted her teeth as she fought for control. She tried not to scream but her chest was getting tighter. Her body shook profusely as her consciousness started drifting away.

[Lory, fight it!!!] Girsha scream awaken her from being unconscious.

Half of her skin turned dark as scales emerged on her neck and face. Her eyes turned yellow as her pupils shrunk into crescents. They looked like snake eyes. She struggled to control herself.

Something was trying to take over her mind. The bird transformed into white orbs and pierce through her chest.

Something fought inside her as fire and ice collided within her at the same time.

[You will not have me!!!] she began to chant [IT'S MINE, IT WOULD NEVER BE YOURS !!!]

Lory began to scream as her body was engulfed with purple lights. The purple lights started shining brighter and brighter illuminating everything around her.

The darkness on her body suddenly dissipated little by little as the scales also disappeared gradually. Her eyes returned to normal and so did her heart. Lory leaned tiredly on the tree panting heavily.

White orbs flew out of her chest and turned to little bird, the bird nestles on her laps he looked tired and very worried.

[Girl, you are so reckless] He exhaled deeply.

[Yeah...]