Chi Mystwing - Chapter 4 The Valley Of The Goddess

“Come, Chi,” said Nuwa, beckoning Chi to follow her into the cave. They trod through inside the cave with the dark tunnel before them, leaving the bright area behind. Instead of rocky ground, the path was rather smooth since Nuwa had trodden on for ages. As they moved on, the tunnel got darker. The cavern was much like a starless night except with a small bright circle before them. The circle became more prominent as they walked forward. When the circle was big enough, it revealed the scenery of another forest.

Chi and Nuwa came out from the opposite end of the tunnel. Before them, a beautiful forest even more beautiful than the woods they had seen before they entered the tunnel. Along the path, leaves painted in hues of red and yellow. The place felt like a paradise for her. Whenever the breeze blew, Chi could hear whistling music played in vocals Chi had never heard. She browsed around as she walked. The vocals came from bamboo trees, trees with holes and holey rocks. Dews from tips of the leaves dripped onto puddles, producing rhythmic tip-tap sounds. The music was so tranquil that she had a feeling to live here forever.

“Sister Nuwa,” said Chi. “This place is so peaceful, and the music so soothing. Me wonder what is the music called?”

“It’s called the music of nature.”

“Music of nature?” Nuwa’s answer had invoked Chi’s curiosity that she raised her brows.

“Yes, Chi. You must have already heard the music of Cyaian?”

“Yes.” At that moment, Chi could think of leather drum and dragonhead horn which she had heard in Igniswing.

“The music of Cyaians,” said Nuwa. “Was produced when air vibrates inside a musical instrument. Drum and flute. When the air moves inside a flute, different openings when close will produces different rhythms. The music of nature was produced when the air vibrates inside nature things. You can hear music whenever the wind blows through hollowed trunks and holey rocks. The vibration produces sound and our ears interpret the rhythmic sound as music.”

“Looks like the music of nature is melodious of all pieces of music,” said Chi.

“Not really, Chi. You haven’t listened to the music of heaven yet.”

“The music of heaven?” said Chi. “How does the music of heaven sound like?”

“Well, the music of heaven is not without any sound. When the air we breathe in, it vibrates and produces sound. But the sound is too subtle to be captured by ears. So, it can’t be listened and could only be felt by our heart.”

Chi wondered if the music of Cyaians and the nature were produced when air flowed and vibrated through the hollow opening, then what would the music of heaven sounded like when the air flowed into herself.

They stopped by a big stone which was as tall as Nuwa. The stone had an inscription written in an ancient ideogram which Chi had never seen. Thus, Nuwa read it aloud for Chi.

The valley spirit never dies,

It’s called the mystic goddess;

The portal of the mystic goddess,

It’s the root of the universe;

Within you, the portal exists,

Though its’ energy is limitless.

“The mystic goddess must be Sister Nuwa,” said Chi with great certainty. “And this place must be the root of the Universe.”

Nuwa shook her head, and this puzzled Chi even more. “It does actually hint something rather vague and abstract.”

“But what about the third sentence?” said Chi.

“The first and the second do tell you about that abstract thing. The third describes its’ limitless properties.”

“What does it mean?”

“Something rather vague. It’s hard to explain. Even if I could, it would be hard to grasp.”

Now, Chi felt her mind was blank. It was really vague.

“Chi, one day you may grasp the meaning of it,” said Nuwa as she beckoned Chi to follow. “For now, let’s clear your mind from it. The idea will come naturally to you. There’s no point forcing yourself to grasp it.”

Chi continued to follow Nuwa. As they passed through the forest, Chi heard sounds of creatures that was so auspicious that she realised that the forest was not just a paradise. It was a place of mystic too as she saw creatures which were unknown to her. The creatures were moving so majestic and graceful that Chi had never seen in her life.

“This is a sanctuary for the mystical creatures,” said Nuwa. “They once roamed around the world when the world was still at its infancy.”

The paradise was in fact ‘Nuwa’s Sanctuary’. All the creatures who live in the sanctuary were mystical and auspicious: millennium tortoise, qilin, phoenix and dragon. When they saw Nuwa and Chi, they greeted them and welcomed Chi by their own respective sound screech, neigh, woof, roar.

Nuwa gave them a smile and then turned to Chi. “Chi, all these creatures welcome you. They are peaceful creatures and can feel one’s nature. They all like you very much.”

Chi was delighted and greeted them in return. “Hello, me very happy to meet you.” And all the creatures sounded their reply to Chi.

“ROAR!”

A thunderous roar demanded Chi to look up onto the sky. The roar came from an azure dragon, gliding with such majestic aura, as though it was painting the sky with azure light by its’ scaly tail. Even from where Chi stood, she could see the dragon’s face and its’ scale so clear that she could imagine how titanic the dragon was.

“Sister Nuwa, what is that creature?”

“Qinglong,” said Nuwa. “The Guardian of the Eastern Heaven.”

By the time Nuwa finished her words, they had found themselves before a courtyard house: siheyuan. From outside, Chi noticed the siheyuan has an oriental architecture with perfect geomancy. The walls had mural paintings of the mystical beast. At both sides of the entrance gate, there were two statues of qilin which seemed like they were guarding the entrance. They walk alongside the ponds to the entrance and Chi noticed the mountains far at the background were blurry as they had been smudged by misty fog.

“Welcome to my home, Chi,” said Nuwa, leading Chi into the courtyard house.

As the Sol hung low at this time, Nuwa led Chi to a side room to which after Nuwa opened the door, leading Chi into a dining room. There was a round wooden table with nothing on it and Nuwa led Chi further into the kitchen.

“Let’s cook something together,” said Nuwa as she took out a handful of vegetables from a rattan basket and handed it to Chi. She then showed and taught Chi how best to prepare the food.

As Chi had never done it before, she found that the process was tedious. Soon, she had gained some improvement in the food preparing process.

When Nuwa and Chi had finished preparing their meal, it was time for them to enjoy their cooking. The moment they saw how alluring their foods were, they forgot that they were starving before. Chi pulled out a chair, and when she sat on it, it broke. Chi looked as if she had forgotten that she is a large redragon. Seeing how awkward Chi was, Nuwa burst to laughter, followed by Chi which she laughed at herself. With no intention to break another chair, Chi sat on the stone floor instead.

On the table, were foods that Chi had never eaten before. All she had eaten was the raw meat which made her puke, throwing out everything inside. She instead sneaked out from Igniswing and had fresh fruits, crunchy nuts and beans. She loves them very much and even brought some to her happy mama. Sneaking forbidden foods into Igniswing was quite enjoyable.

“Before we have our meal,” said Nuwa. “Let’s thank the Universe for the blessings. We have to be grateful for the abundance we have. By this, the Universe will give us even more things for us to be grateful. And the foods will also taste better.”

Then, they had a meal. Chi noticed some foods were nuts and beans which she loved. The food was even tastier and crunchier when it was cooked. There was rice which Chi found it warm, soft and a little sticky on her fingers. The green vegetables were darker, more delicate and juicier. If only she had realized all that earlier. And there was tofu, Chi had never seen it, and it ran soft and smooth on her tongue. All the fruits on the table Chi had seen them, and they tasted better.

“Sister Chi, do the food suit your taste?” said Nuwa, looking at Chi.

“Yes, the food is so delicious. Although me is a redragon, me love these kinds of food. Me had eaten those before, but without having it cooked.”

“Yes, cooked foods taste better.”

After the hearty meal, the sky has gone dark. Nuwa led Chi to a room across the central courtyard. When she entered the room, she found that the room had only a little space that felt she was like being encased in a box. It was due to her large redragon body that made the room was less spacious. Despite that, she was glad that she had a comfortable place to rest. Chi wished Nuwa good night, which she settled down on the bed. After laying a while, Chi went into slumber.

Everything was dark except for a spot of golden light shone a distant away. Chi trod toward the light. It became bigger and bigger until it revealed to be a beautiful garden. The garden seemed familiar. It was the garden she had seen today Nuwa’s Sanctuary. She saw Nuwa and a tall redragon, whose spikes all around his blood-red body. His wings were misty-blue like hers. Sudden warmness bloomed inside her. She had a feeling that the redragon had a blood relation to her. Chi continued to move nearer the redragon then turned to her with a warm smile. And she felt the warmness of love from the redragon. He was her papa.

The Sol rose from the eastern mountains, brightening the sky and warming the cold earth. Chi had such a wonderful sleep unlike her days in Igniswing. She wished that she could return to her dream, but it was already morning. With less struggle, she decided not to continue indulging in the comfort of the bed and the cold temperature. She rose from the bed and went out.

Nuwa was at the central courtyard, moving in a slow-motion that it appears rhythmic. With her hands, she formed a great circle as if she was holding a large invisible ball. When her right hand raised, her left hand went down. The movement was balanced that it captivated Chi that she was frozen looking at the graceful motion. Once Nuwa finished, she relaxed and turned to Chi.

“Good morning, Sister Chi.”

“Good morning, Sister Nuwa,” said Chi. “The movement was graceful. What was it?”

“Taichi,” said Nuwa. “A way of finding inner peace. Are you hungry, Sister Chi? Let’s have breakfast.”

Chi nodded. She must have been starving since she awoke. And Nuwa led Chi to the dining room, and they prepared their food together. Chi had learnt much in food preparation since the last dinner, and the whole process of preparation was enjoyable that they chatted and laughed.

After breakfast, Nuwa led Chi toward the north through a wide-open courtyard.

“All the buildings here are built on reference to the five elements and our internal organs,” said Nuwa. “The five elements are metal, wood, water, fire and earth; each represents lung, liver, kidney, heart and spleen, respectively.” They passed by two large rocks, one on the right and another on the left. “Sister Chi, when you stand on this place between two rocks, you will feel a vibration of energy.”

Chi stood on the place, and she did feel a little vibration. “Me did feel some vibration.” After which, Chi continued to follow Nuwa to the north gate, and they were out of the courtyard house.

With a short trip through the pebbled path, they reached an unusual lake. It was crystal clear that Chi could see the bottom of the pond. Mist of vapour was evaporating above the surface. Despite the chilly temperature, water was still warm.

Nuwa glanced at Chi. “This is the Lake of Transformation. This lake will transform your physical body into the one that harmonises with your mind. Sister Chi, do set your mind in peace. It’s you that controls your physical body, not otherwise. It is the condition of the mind that determines the body. The body will react to your thought. Now, Sister Chi, do descend into the lake.”

Without a second thought, Chi closed her eyes and began to descend into the lake. As her feet touched the surface, warm sensation tingled around her feet. She continued to descend until she was completely immersed. The warm water embraced her all around. Without her intention, she had gulped a mouthful of water, and she found out it was sweet like nectar. She felt herself shrinking as warm sensation pulsating within her. She no longer felt her wings and fleshy tail and her head becoming smaller. The sensation grew stronger with the time. Once she felt herself no longer shrinking, she raised and ascended from the lake.

Once she was out of the lake, the warmness faded. What strange was, her body was dry like she had never descended into the lake. She felt her body was way lighter than her previous form. Now her height was about Nuwa’s height.

“Congrats Sister Chi. You are now harmonised with your bodily form.”

“Sister Nuwa, the water tastes like nectar. Is it really nectar?”

“No, the water is magical. To the Cyaian with kind and pure heart, it tasted like nectar. To the Cyaian who is otherwise, it tastes like something-that-you-will-not-dare-to-eat.”

Chi was puzzled, thinking of what would a wicked Cyaian tasted when he drinks the water. Does it taste like the stale meat she had in Igniswing?

“Since you have this form, you cannot go around without any clothing,” said Nuwa as she took out a set of garments from a piece of baggage she had carried all the way and she passed them to Chi.

Chi received the garments with both her hands. She caressed the silk clothing; silky, smooth like a flow of water. Never before she felt such smoothness that she felt so liking it. The garments were red hanfu coat and long white dress; both with floral embroidery. She followed Nuwa’s instruction on how best wearing it. The garments fitted comfortably on her skin. Last, she draped the coat on her. She turned to the lake to see herself beautiful and elegant. She realised that she still has her eyes that looks like phoenix’s and her hair was black, touching to her shoulders. Her face was plain yet beautiful, and she ran her hand on her smooth face of reddish complexion.

“Your new form will help you to absorb and utilise what I will teach you, Mystic Chi.”

The word mystic made Chi raised her brows. “Mystic? What’s a mystic?”

“A mystic is someone who seeks harmonization with the inner self and the Universe,” said Nuwa. “Do you think you are a mystic, Chi?”

Chi immediately thought of how different she was from the redragons. She loves foods that redragons hated and forbade. She even sneaked those foods to her mama. How she had no passion for the hunting festival. She could grasp what Sister Nuwa had told her about herself and her form. There is really more to life than just hunting and fighting for survival.

“Yes,” said Chi. “Sister Nuwa, me is a mystic.”

Nuwa gave Chi a smiling nod. “Chi, do you know you had spent a thousand lives before you came to realize that there is more to life than just surviving, hunting and power? And it was actually you had begun your seeking toward the path of harmonization with the Universe. Even before you’re born as a redragon. You were someone else, in another form. It’s an affinity for us to meet, Chi.”

Chi faced Nuwa with deep concentration. It didn’t take long for Chi to understand what Nuwa had spoken. “Yes, Sister Nuwa. Me feel that too.”

“We choose our destiny through our realization in this world,” said Nuwa. “Otherwise, the next world would be the same as this world. Remember this, Chi. The Universe will always take care of you.”

These words brought Chi renewed hope and faith, but Chi suddenly recalled of her mama.

Either it was the Universe had informed Nuwa of Chi’s thought, or Nuwa had experience in reading faces, Nuwa could know what was in Chi’s mind, and she placed a hand on her cheek. “Chi, I know you mama is safe and sound. The Universe will take care of your mama, too. Finding your mama is dangerous, you need to be ready and utilise your new form. But for now, your need to take some time to get used to your new form. I will start to train you two days later.”

“Thank you, Sister Nuwa,” said Chi. She felt disconnected from her new body, and she really needed some time to get used to her new form.

“Chi, for two days, you need to learn the correct breathing method first to help you get used to your new form. Focus and be conscious of your own breathing.”

Nuwa sat crossed-legged on the grassy ground and beckoned Chi to follow her.

“To begin, close your eyes with your tongue touches your palate inhale deeply then exhale slowly. Inhale the air and let the air itself expands your abdomen.”

Chi could grasp the breathing method in no time and felt a sudden clarity in her thought. But then, she remembered her vivid dream of Nuwa and her papa.

“You do it well, Chi,” said Nuwa. “Practice this daily, you need to be conscious of your own breathing.”

Chi opened her eyes. “Me had a dream about Sister Nuwa and my papa, meeting each other in this garden.”

“The Universe always has a way with everything,” said Nuwa with a smile. “Indeed, I had met your papa. Your papa was a great redragon.”

“Please tell me more about my papa.” Chi couldn’t hide her curiosity to know more.

“Your papa was a redragon whose mind like you, Chi. Had a different mind than the rest of the redragons. Affinity brought us to meet, and we exchanged knowledge and skills. He met many friends of congenial minds in Eastern Land but also enemies. Your papa wished to bring great changes to the redragons. He rejected the norms of savage and proud redragons, and opposed the hunting tradition. He challenged the conservative elders and their thinking. But the elders accused your papa as a heretic which he was usurped and got killed.”

“Who killed my papa?” Chi spoke in trembling voice, as she was about to burst to tears.

“I don’t know,” said Nuwa. “I really don’t know. Your papa isn’t a vengeful type. He had accepted his fate and hoped no one would revenge him. Chi-dear, do live happily and freely,” said Nuwa.

Chi noticed a sudden change at Nuwa’s tone that she felt it was not hers. Perhaps her papa? “Sister Nuwa, was it my papa speaking just now?”

“Yes, and your papa is here,” said Nuwa in her own tone. “Since you have your papa’s essence with you, your papa will always be with you.”

Her papa presence didn’t give Chi goosebumps but a feeling of blossoming warm. “Papa, me love you.”

Nuwa gave Chi a warm smile. “Chi, your papa hears it. And your papa loves you too.”

At this moment, Chi could feel her eyes watery.

“Chi, you shall take rest now,” said Nuwa. “Remember to utilise this breathing method daily. I will train you three days later.”

“Yes, me will, Sister Nuwa.”

At night, Chi missed both her papa and mama so much that she couldn’t sleep well. In the darkness of her room, she heard a soft flow of music just outside at the courtyard. When she tried to listen clearly, the music was almost like the voice of a phoenix, feelings of nostalgic and melancholic. She rose and went outside, and saw Nuwa was playing music with a flute.

After some time, Nuwa finished playing and turned to Chi. “Wonderful music, isn’t it, Sister Chi?”

“Yes,” said Chi. “What is that thing called?”

“This bamboo flute is called ‘xiao’. Do you wish to learn?”

“En.” Chi had a natural smile when Nuwa passed the flute to her and began teaching her.

“You should hold vertically like this your finger press at this opening… use your stomach to blow.”

It never took long for Chi to learn to play, but she still couldn’t play it well and smooth. She was so indulged at the newly discovered instrument that she kept playing over and over again. When she felt exhausted, she stopped and rested.

“Sister Chi, whenever you feel sad,” said Nuwa. “You can play this flute. This will make you can feel much better. You can also play it when you’re happy and when you feel like wanting to express yourself.”

“The tune Sister Nuwa played just now was melancholic,” said Chi. “Is it something from the past sadden Sister Nuwa?”

Nuwa sighed. “Indeed, I am longing for the long-gone harmony of the world. In fact, I had gone to another world with great hope and faith only to returned here devastated.”

“What happened?” said Chi. “They mistreat Sister Nuwa?”

Nuwa nodded.

Chi took hold of Nuwa’s hand. “Sister Nuwa, me would thank you for helping me. Me will not mistreat Sister Nuwa no matter happens.”

Nuwa was so touched that she gave Chi an embrace. Laying together on the courtyard’s grass, they looked up the dark sky. A messy streak of stars arched across the sky.

“Sister Chi, do you see the brightest area at the silver stream?” said Nuwa, showing Chi the central mass at the band of the stars.

“Yes.”

“The world I mention just now is somewhere in that area.”

“How is the world looks like?”

“It was wonderful at first when I went there. So auspicious that even the mythical creatures loved to be there. Soon, everybody slowly changed. So shocking and terrible, peace and harmony were destroyed and everywhere were greed, fame and power.”

“It’s better Sister Nuwa left that terrible world.”

“Sister Chi,” said Nuwa. “You’re right. This world is much better.”

“Sister Nuwa,” said Chi. “Thought you live alone now, it won’t last long. Me will accompany Sister Nuwa once after me have found my mama.”

“Thank you, Sister Chi,” said Nuwa.

From the corner of Chi’s eyes, she could see tears flowing from Nuwa’s eyes. She knew Nuwa had a resentful experience from the world, but she couldn’t feel as to how Nuwa’s felt at her very heart. Chi continued to gaze at the bright area of the galactic streak. The night sky somehow had a soothing effect on them as they went to sleep not long.

Sol rose with chirping music from the feathered Cyaians. Chi felt a warm touch on her cheek, and she opened her eyes

Nuwa was beside her, beaming with the Sol’s radiant. “Oh, you finally have wake up.”

“Morning, Sister Nuwa.” Chi greeted Nuwa as she replied.

The next things they did once awoke, was morning exercise and then breakfast. Then, Nuwa and Chi sat together for breathing practice, which was substantial for inner peace and energy circulation.

For the following days, Chi practised the breathing method which Nuwa had taught her. All the creatures in Nuwa’s Sanctuary were happy to see how Chi had changed, from large and spiky redragon to a slender and graceful mystic.

Two cycles of Sol had passed. Even when the third Sol hadn’t rise, Nuwa and Chi had already awoken and they were in central courtyard to practice Taiji. When the Sol awoke and appeared reddish at the eastern horizon, they had an enjoyable breakfast. And when the Sol arose even higher, Chi and Nuwa were to at the courtyard to practice a new skill.

“To begin with,” said Nuwa. “Close your eyes and use the breathing method.”

Chi closed her eyes and inhaled as how Nuwa had instructed.

“Good, Sister Chi. Now watch me carefully, and repeat after my movement.”

Chi nodded and focused on Nuwa, following Nuwa from her relaxation, hands movement through the air in slow and graceful motion to the circular hands’ movement. While following Nuwa in her every move, she realized that her movement was more agile and flexible than to her previous form.

“Water is the softest and the supplest substance in the Universe,” said Nuwa. “In fact, it is also the most abundant element. It can melt even the hardest rock. By incorporating softness in your movement, you can easily deflect any strong blow. You can absorb the opponent’s strength and then you can deflect it. This is called strength-deflecting skill.”

Back and forth, Chi’s palm moved as she mimicked Nuwa’s movement. Her movement was guided by the action of her shoulder. She felt a tickle of warmness circulating inside her. At last, she saw Nuwa ended her move, and she ended hers too.

“Sister Chi,” said Nuwa. “Now, I will show you how you can use the skill to deflect an opponent’s attack. Give me your best attack.”

Chi swung and launched her best punch she could ever muster toward Nuwa. Nuwa had readied, and Chi’s attack had been cushioned as Nuwa’s palm moves around her arm. Without her seeing, her attack had been deflected mid-air.

“You can deflect to any direction,” said Nuwa. “Including to your opponent if you wish so. Now let me try on you, be ready.”

And Nuwa swung herself with her palm toward Chi. Chi hadn’t ready that her palm failed to capture Nuwa’s palm, but Nuwa just halted her attack. Then, Nuwa launched another swing to Chi this time, Chi had been more readied that she circled her hand around Nuwa’s hand and deflected it to mid-air. Nuwa kept launching a series of swings and attacks which Chi could deflect most of the attacks yet there were some attacks she missed it.

After several hours of practice, they stopped for some rest. A tiny white flake fluttered before Chi. She was full of amazement when she saw the small white fleck that she raised her palm to receive it. It gave Chi a pinch of cold on her palm.

“What is this?” said Chi. “It’s prickling cold.”

“Snow,” said Nuwa. “Now is the winter season.”

Not long, more and more white flakes fluttered on her. Chi looked upward as tiny specks of cold accumulated on her. Now, like a little child who had never seen snow, she raised her hands to gather as many bits of snow as she could.

Nuwa circularly moved her hands, attracting flecks of snow. The streaks of snow were now whirling in streams around Nuwa’s hands. She pushed her hand toward a direction, and the streams of snow blasted to the direction.

It was so amazing to see how Nuwa could manipulate snowflakes.

“You can do it too, Sister Chi,” said Nuwa.

Chi grinned and circularly moved her hands, but there’s nothing happen. Not even a piece of snowflake sway from its path. She circled her hands again but she couldn’t attract the snow to her hand.

“Chi, focus and breath,” said Nuwa. “The most important is that you must believe you can do it.”

Chi closed her eyes and focused, inhaling deep cold air into her abdomen. She had thought that she was attracting the snowflakes with her hands. She opened her eyes and circled her hands again, beginning from the first move that she had learnt. She kept her pace but still couldn’t see any snow moving.

More and more snow fell on to the now snowy ground and on Chi. Her breathing became quicken, and she noticed that there were some flecks of snow began to follow her movement, thought it only happened in a brief moment. Nuwa was not far from away, observing her.

After much trial and error, Chi, at last, could guide flecks of snowflakes circling around her hands. Seeing that, she felt a surge of satisfaction thought she was exhausted. She finalised and ended her move. The flecks of snow that were circling around her hands now fluttering away.

“Well done, Sister Chi,” said Nuwa.

“Thank you, Sister Nuwa.” When Chi saw the Sol hung high, she realised had been practising until mid-day. What she needed now was a good meal and a rest.

“Let’s help ourselves with the lunch,” said Nuwa.

Then, they headed to the dining room for a meal. After the meal, Chi rested for an hour before Nuwa asked her for help with food foraging.

“Come with me. There is a special place which is still like it’s in summer even though now it is winter.”

“What is it, Sister Nuwa?”

“It’s called the greenhouse,” said Nuwa. “There are some plants edible, and some are poisonous.”

“Is it?” Chi gave Nuwa a me-do-not-know look.

“Because your previous redragon form could neutralise any toxin. But now you are in a new form, you really need to know which one is edible,” said Nuwa as she walked alongside with Chi.

They went into the wooden building and entered a new world of the forest. Upon entering the building, Chi found out that the temperature inside was warmer than the outside. At ceiling above, she could not mistake it for an artificial Sol. They walked in the greenhouse for hours until the Sol hung low. And they walked short distance back to the kitchen with gatherings like berries, potatoes, mushrooms, herbs and seeds. And they prepared the dinner and had a meal together.

After the dinner, Nuwa and Chi were in the study room. The room was bright, having hundreds of candles that Chi felt the place was as warm as summer’s day. Nuwa taught Chi words and ideograms. She wondered whether it would be of any use in helping her to find her mama. “You need to know the language Cyaians use, so you can see any news or happenings,” said Nuwa. But this only half convinced her, she believed that the strength-deflecting skill had more practical usage.

Chi had a daily routine like that for several months. She had been learning skills and knowledge that would help her survive and finding her mama. Every cold night, she missed her mama, wondering if her mama could survive the blizzard. But as she recalled what Nuwa had said: The Universe will always take care of you, and the Universe would undoubtedly take great care of her mama. And of what Nuwa said, she felt a lot relieved. Even when she slept, she dreamt of her papa who comforted her, telling her mama is alright.

It was months ago since Chi came to Nuwa’s Sanctuary and began her practice. She had been practising on the snow-capped ground through the whole winter until the ice melted to make way for the greener ground with the sprouting plants.

Months of practice had Chi’s hair grew longer. She was now practising with Nuwa. Both her hands were moving through the air as a gust of leaves circling around her hands.

Nuwa concentrated a gust of leaves and directed it toward Chi. Trails of leaves moved in a path of curvation when Chi deflected the blow and headed to Nuwa Nuwa countered the gust of leaves while enforcing it with a blast of waves and delivered back to Chi. And Chi vaulted backwards to evade the enforced blast, but the blast hit the lake behind, displacing a large volume of water. Chi circled her hands as streams of water gathering around her hands and she directed the streams to Nuwa and Nuwa just slapped the air before her. The flow of water and the pressure of air met, creating an explosion of water so massive that threw water high up the sky. Tiny droplets drizzled like rain and rainbow appeared hanging at the horizon.

Nuwa and Chi were amazed by this new beautiful scenery that they forgot about their training.

“Well done, Chi,” said Nuwa. “You have improved a lot these few months.”

“Thank you,” said Chi. “Thanks to Sister Nuwa for helping me.”

“Actually, this wholly depends on yourself, Chi. What I do here is just guiding you.”

“Anyway, thank you to you, Sister Nuwa.”

“You’re welcomed, Sister Chi,” said Nuwa. “I’m sure you are more prepared to find your mama.”

Chi could hear the first wake-up sound of a mythical creature. It seemed that they had awoken from the winter-long hibernation. What Chi never realized was where they had all gone the winter. It was just the sanctuary went so sudden silent, and she went through the eerie howling sound of winter. And the roaring sounds of those mythical creatures made Chi felt the spring was much livelier.

Later that evening, Chi had a meal with Nuwa. She felt a little sad having to leave Nuwa soon to begin her journey to find her mama. She did not know how long she would take to find her mama. The meal was silence except for the faint clinks of bamboo chopsticks and china wares.

The next Sol dawned. Chi rolled her clothes into her small bag and went to have breakfast. After breakfast, Nuwa and Chi begin their walk from the dining room.

“Sister Chi,” said Nuwa. “Once you find your mama, do come back.”

“Yes, me will, Sister Nuwa.”

“This is the food I had prepared for you,” said Nuwa as she handed Chi a jade-green bag. “This is the water from the transformation lake. Use it if you need to disguise into someone else. Imagine a person you wish to disguise as, and take only a drop. A drop will last an hour.” Nuwa inserted the small bottle with an oak cap into the bag.

With Nuwa as her company, Chi made her way from the siheyuan until the cavern opening. “Until here, I shall accompany you, Sister Chi. Take great care of yourself. Be careful, the outside world is much more complicated than it seems. Some people are unpredictable and have hidden motives. Always remember, the Universe will always take care of you. And you will find your mama in no time.”

Chi had a sudden burst of tears, and she threw herself to Nuwa, embracing her. “Thank you, Sister Nuwa, thank you. Me will come back as soon as me have found my mama.”

“Sister Chi, it wouldn’t be long when you come back,” said Nuwa. “The Universe will arrange the meeting of your mama and you. Take care, Sister Chi.”

“Me will,” said Chi. “Me will take care of myself.” Then, Chi pulled herself from the embrace and bid farewell to Nuwa. From there, walked all the way through the cavern, leaving her beautiful paradise and re-entered her former known world; complicated than it seemed. What did Sister Nuwa want to tell her exactly?