"Ah!"

Lory awoke abruptly, she stares at the bed canopy with cold sweat drench her back, after she realizes she was dreaming her erratic beating heart gradually subside. She raised her back from the bed feeling cold and lethargic, she massages her damped forehead then let out a heavy sigh, if only Zhao Li Xin was here.

​​

[What's wrong, bad dream again?] Girsha perch on the side of the table, their connection make him able to feel her fluctuated mood.

Lory brushes her hair to the side while trying to calm herself then she quietly says: [The beast tide, do you remember?] she shifts her gaze at the bird next to her [The beast tide that was brought by Nazareth] she reminds him again.

[I remember….]

Lory took outer robes from the stool to add more layers to her robe [Before that, there also decreased in beast population and we start to find the different beast in different habitat and the change of their behavior as if something make them restless…]

Lory pour spring water on the bowl to moisten her throat then Girsha jump on the table in front of her [You worry this would happen in here too, but Lory the beast was caught, it obviously under the influence of a certain group, unlike what happened in Verrion]

[Which group?] Lory tilted her head [I hope it got nothing to do with Lao Min Ba because we know what part of the group she is, you don't say in Verrion Lazarus might use Nazareth but in this world, he got Lao Min Na]

[You know the matter of Nazareth and Lazarus, for now, is just a hypothesis, we not sure yet] Girsha said.

Lory make mirthless smiles [Is it? At the sacred mountain peak, we know that Lao Min Na give Mo Ning Yuan Demon Parasite that only Lazarus could provide, then we know at Verrion the beast was controlled by the beast parasite, everyone thought it because Nazareth open the gate to the dark realm and flooded the world with black mana and demon parasite that soon latched on the beasts and turn them into shadow beast some called it 'Lich' because it's still moving even after we cut their limbs]

[The dark gate the demon parasite, Nazareth, Lazarus, they all have the same dark mana and their existance for some reason, to destroy Harland – to killed Lucient descendant]

Lory was immersed in her thought, the past seems so far away like a fleeting dream at night, she thought she would start a new life but the past seems to chase her like a rabid dog trying to get a piece of her, she thought she knows everything, she thought she understand everything but she realizes there's so little she had known, and so many remain as an unanswered question.

It's ironic how ger past become clearer once she came to another world how she begins to realize everything that she missed and overlook, everything becomes a black dot that connecting by a red string, it starts from the day she was a child to the present she was known, the red string follows her beyond her world until she realizes that she was not part of the dot but she was the red string, and everything connected with her.

'What once start, would begin again'

Is what Arthea said, Lory thought is the feud between herself and Lazarus but what if she means something else…

______________________________

At another place a certain Lord also awaked from his meditation with awful mood, without Lory his world become slow and dulled, it got easier when he was cultivated because it gives him enough distraction but when he was only lazing around doing nothing but strengthen his foundation he felt the day moves extremely slow and he missed Lory dearly.

For almost a week Zhao Li Xin is given luxurious accommodation despite other people objection, Sanguan JinSheng attentive care and sincerity should able melted even the coldest heart, unfortunately, Zhao Li Xin only have a little amount of heart and everything he had was given to Lory completely, there's nothing left on him.

Mong Liu knocked on the door, he enters the room after his Lord gives permission. Zhao Li Xin sat on a lotus position on top of the bed as always, his empty dark eyes devoid of any warmth just like an abyss stare at the wall in front of him with a cold stare.

Mong Liu cupped his fist and kneel on the floor courteously "Milord, the housekeeper said Sanguan Jin Sheng is wished to meet you at the study room, he said this is important"

"Oh" he response briefly.

Perhaps people think a man would be drawn to their roots no matter where he goes or what he does, they say whoever you are you will be longing for the comfort of family and blood is thicker than water, or so they say.

However, Zhao Li Xin didn't felt such familiarity. He didn't feel a sense of belonging and attraction to his biological father, is not like he tried because he also curious if he would felt something. He thought if he feel something about kinship maybe she would understand better about Lory pained, he would understand what she had lost, alas he didn't feel anything not even a slight ripple in his heart.

When this happened who could be blamed? Himself or his dear father?

The Housekeeper opens the study room door where Sanguan Jin Sheng is standing near the table as his eyes fixed on the painting on the table.

"Father, you want to see me?" he greeted Sanguan Jin Sheng politely. If anyone thinks it was hard for Zhao Li Xin to called Sanguan Jin Sheng Father then everyone is wrong, because the word of 'Father' is meaningless for him and it represents nothing but a respective term for an elder.

"You came," Sanguan jin Sheng said without looking at him as his eyes fixed on the painting on the table "Come, tell me what you think" he beckoned Zhao Li Xin.

Zhao Li Xin lazily walk toward Sanguan Jin Sheng, his old man look proud with smug smiles plastered on his face, while Zhao Li Xin lowers his head to the direction of the painting, he tilted his head slightly feeling unimpressed whatsoever he rather like Lory painting a 'sketch' it was Lory told, perhaps because he had so many ink painting he becomes numb with it, in fact, Zhao Li Xin blessed with talent at ink painting but he thought it's wasted of time so he never paints anymore not even Lory know that Zhao Li Xin could paint.

"It's nice…" Zhao Li Xin gives a perfunctory response.

Sanguan Jin Sheng let out a heavy sigh, he take Zhao Li Xin's simple answer because Zhao Li Xin doesn't understand art he simply disappointed with his uneducated son. He decide not to muddle in his thought he rather straight to the point.

"The map that you bought from the auction, do you have it?"

"Yes…" Zhao Li Xin answer briefly.

"Where is it?" Sanguan Jin sheng narrow his eyes

"It saves" Zhao Li Xin smiles calmly.

Sanguan Jin Sheng's eyes darken "After everything I've done for you, you still cannot trust me?" he said with grief and remorse.

Zhao Li Xin opens his arms "I just know you for a few weeks"

"I'm your father!" he justifies himself.

"You are the patriarch of the noble family before a 'father'" Zhao Li Xin smirked, he didn't show anger or disappointment only an eerie calm leaking in the air "As a patriarch of a noble family, I know you prioritize your family benefit before kinship" Zhao Li Xin take a seat then cross his legs on top of each other in relaxing manner.

Sanguan Jin sheng was vexed, he does not expect it would be so hard to persuade his prodigal son "What should I do to make you believe me" he said with a tired expression.

If Sanguan Jin Sheng wants to use the 'guilty' card towards him then he chooses the wrong card and the wrong son to play with, Zhao Li Xin make a steeple hand gesture on his knee then raised his eyebrows "Why don't you start by telling me the truth, tell me why this map is so important – why you bring me home? Please don't tell me because I'm your son and you care about me, I might not have much experience, but I'm not stupid"

Sanguan Jin Sheng balled his fist behind his sleeve as anger stirred within him, he contemplated what could he say to persuade his wretched son, he swallows down his frustration before he shifts his glance at Zhao Li Xin "The map is our family treasure, and the sword belongs to our family"

"Oh, but the map has scattered all over the world, I only have one piece, what make you think it would be useful?" Zhao Li Xin expresses his doubt.

Sanguan Jin sheng eyes suddenly lit up, excitedly he says: "Because our family holds another piece!"

'THUMP'

suddenly he could feel the sound of a drum inside his head then a radiant smile bloom on Zhao Li Xin face "Oh…..excellent"