In the depths where the water turned red, and the sky rained ash Shui Si road a horse trotted through dead trees and rotten corpses to come to a spring. Pulling the horse to a stop she got off the horse and went up to the spring getting close to the water. At first glance it was normal water but after looking at it was a spring of blood and water.  

“This should keep the price at bay for now.” Her outer clothing was thrown over on the horse while the white inner clothing was all she had on. Shui Si didn’t take off her shoes when she stepped in. The muffled sound of crunching bones could be heard. This place was a place she created with the blood of those seeking refuge and the innocent. Sinking down into the liquid she bathed in it and let out a breath of relief. “Ahh so much better.” Snapping her fingers “Mask come here now.” Wearing his mask, the man appeared from behind a few trees holding new clothes and a towel. 

“Master, you called for me.” He bowed to her. 

“What is the progress of the investigation of the seal on YiGe’s temple. And has anyone found the pesky bird as well?” Shui Si tilted her head back to look at the masked demon she keeps around. Nodding Mask looked up and using one hand he created a mockup of the seal placed on Qinglong’s temple.  

“Master after studying it for some time. It looks like the one you created but…” He stopped before continuing. There was a sharp breath like he was trying to stop something or even trying to prevent a sigh.  

“But what tell me! I swear you lie to me, and I will make it, so you wish death.” Shui Si huffed out and looked back to the mocked up. The masked demon gritted his teeth for a moment but relaxed after highlighting some parts in the seal.  

“Master these here are all parts changed to allow the seal to weaken over time and force the seal to break when certain conditions are met.” He pulled the highlighted pieces out and got rid of the rest of the seal.  

“Alright what were the conditions?” waving her arm she looked at the parts that moved around a bit.  

“First must be sacrifice before must be wife of Chun Xue.” Shui Si head was bobbing side to side before she heard the name Chun Xue. Standing up in the blood spring she stared at her servant. 

“What is next.” She demands. 

“Second he must desire with all of his heart to leave.” The bones crunching under her feet reminded her of the whip that Guanting Xue used on Lian Wujin-ai to make sure he couldn’t move. It was her who suggested he use it.  

“Next” Her words were coming from gritted teeth 

“Third he must want the truth to why is treated so terribly” Shui Si grabbed a rock nearby and threw it with all her might into the tree next to them. it went crashing down as it could not handle the spiritual energy thrown within the rock. It was Shui Si who made the lies about having white hair as an omen. It was her that said the child had bad luck. She only did that because she knew who the child really was even if he didn’t, and she made sure he couldn’t remember who he was. 

“Careful of your words.”  She warned. 

“Fourth, he must be Lian Yuexia.” Getting closer to her servant the sloshing of water and crunching of bones made the masked man step back.  

“There are five what is the last one.” she asked while looking at him with malice and rage. It made him hesitant to say it. However, this was going to be a show for him. As this woman was his master, he thought about lying, but ever since Qinglong had escaped she had been stomping on his nerves.  

“Finally, Lian Yuexia must already care for Zhan Xinyi.” Shui Si Looked at the five alterations to that were made to her seal that she had placed on the temple. This time at the Blood spring she thought would be peaceful was not, it was infuriatingly annoying. Her frustration needed to be focused somewhere as it couldn’t be on her servant because he still needed to do tasks for her, and the blood spring took her hundreds of years to make. Unfortunately, the poor horse that she had used to travel there was the only other thing she could see that was moving.  

The horse was hit so hard and with such spiritual energy that it called out one last time before it fell over with a hole in it. Taking the towel Shui Si got out of the spring and started towards her home through a cave at the end of a narrow pathway she took on horse beforehand. The Masked servant just smiled in amusement as they walked behind her.  

“Where is that sick bird so I can lock it up this time for good.” Shui Si was very demanding as her patience was used on questions for the seal. Before answering Mask looked up at the cloudy sky and tilted his head back and forth debating something in his head. “Well tell me now. I am losing time to win my loves heart now hurry up Mask.” She yelled at him.  

“I have heard of sightings of him in the forest below Xuexing Peak and a recent report of a water demons pond returning to its former glory, but it was purified so it can no longer hunt there.” Masked said as he omitted the parts about the bird being taken by the Beggars sect and Qinglong being with him all around. It would be best for her to find out on her own those parts. He thought to himself. Does she ever have a chance with him? Who will she kill next to make it happen? He went ahead and opened a door for his master to walk through.  

“Im setting out to the Qinglianpai sect as the wandering rogue cultivator Shui Si today so I will not need my Bodhisattva clothes today.” She went to take a bath to wash off the residue of blood and the stench of it, as one usually would not have it if they were someone walking the righteous path. The bath water was filled with a mixture of peony and Chrysanthemum petals. Shui Si only took these kinds of baths when she needed to get information and wanted do things on her own. That was very seldom though as she didn’t like being reminded of the past, someone with a blurry face, long brown hair often braided would help her before she decided to love a demon. Shui Si couldn’t remember who he was anymore but the painting she often threw her knives at she would yell “Brother”.  

Looking up at the roof Shui Si raised her hand to look through her fingers. “Why do I call that out anymore I do not have a brother. Do I?” painted on the ceiling of the bathroom was a beautiful mural of two tigers, one white with black strips while the other was black with white strips. They were standing on two different mountains staring at each other as if they knew one another, but they didn’t need to move from their spot. Staring at the mural, Shui Si felt like something was missing, something extremely important to her. It was something that made her life complete, but nothing came to mind when she tried to think of it, only the thought of gaining Qinglong’s heart and power came to her.  

The water became cold as Shui Si sat there and thought about what she was missing only for her to get out with the sloshing of water. The petals stuck to her body as well as strands of dark brown hair across. The masked servant came in facing her back seeing the scare left by sword. If it wasn’t for him Shui Si would not have lived a moment longer after a long battle between Master Zhuque and her. 

“Does it still hurt Master?” Mask asked Shui Si as he help put on her inner clothes on. 

“Only when that pest is around. He will not get in the way this time I will have Yige this time. Even if I must kill every last one of Chun Xue’s family members.” This was huffed out as she picked off a petal from her neck. 

“Perhaps that is a way for the memories to come back. Master, you hasten for the kill you must be patience and wait for the bird to fall into its own chaos then that’s when you strike and leave it with no feather.” Shui Si looked at her masked servant, her almond shaped eyes were complimented by her defined jawline that had just enough softness that it didn’t seem like she was created from stone. The yellow and brown eyes stared at him looking as if looking into his soul or the words themselves before she nodded.  

“This is a much better plan. From what I heard and observed from previous visits that bird wouldn’t know how to handle even the slightest bit of rejection from The Qinglianpai sect leader. He has very little faith in himself and doesn’t have much to live for. I wonder why he did not run away sooner?” Shui Si started to think aloud and began to think about why Lian Wujin-ai stayed at the Qinglianpai sect.  

“Why did he stay in a place that treated him like less than dirt. No, they treated him more like a demon than human and like those who are on the streets.” Her pupil became like a feline and looked at her masked servant. “But from all of these years of watching for that stupid bird there has always been one thing in common with each and every single one of them.”  

“That is?” unfolding the light purple clothes he had prepared for Shui Si he continued to dress her carefully making sure she looked like the someone who wandered from place to place but at least took care of herself properly.  

“Always helping those in need and trying to protect those who raised or cared for them.” Shui Si turn around for her masked servant so he could tie the belt around her waist. Nodding mask finished up and presented her with her daggers and set of throwing knives that he had latched on to her hip.  

“You are already Wander Shui Si.” Mask opened the door for Shui Si to walk out of the room. She smiled walking out it had been a while since she had worn these clothes, they were lighter and cooler than the ones she had been wearing for disguise.  

Walking from the room there were, together they walked to the entrance of the cave Shui Si entered. Her masked servant presented her a thin veil that would cover her face from below the eyes.  

“Master may you have safe travels and call if you need me I shall be there when you need.” He bowed to Shui Si as she walked forwards towards a thick forest. The stars that twinkled above her soon became obscured by thick green crowns. Knowing the night held more dangers than the day Shui Si still chose to travel at night, it gave her a feeling of excitement. It also gave her a chance to get rid of any murderous intent she would have if she met Lian Wujin-ai. Taking only a few steps in the forest she could hear the sinister giggles of lower ghosts who would want to play tricks on those of the living. Scoffing at them she proceeds on walking even further into the forest and up the incline. Shui Si home and place was close to the Xuexing peak However it was on the other side and at least a full day and half's travel if walking on foot as it was on the very base of the mountain. Shui Si had been very careful on picking the place because she wanted to be close to where Qinglong was sealed away at, but she needed a place where they wouldn’t suspect her to be so close at.  

Taking her time through her normal path Shui Si came across several ghosts that wanted to harm her and try to throw her off track. Taking a few talismans, she used them and dispersed the mischievous ghost that would pop out here and there as she walked. Then she ran in to newly cultivated Yao it was just a little wildflower, the intelligence of a young child but it looked at Shui Si and started to cry out. It was so pure in its cultivation the flower knew with only one look at Shui Si that there was evil in her, and this angered Shui Si to the point she ripped it out of the ground. At this point the Flower had only cultivated the intelligence and not it human form yet that would take another hundred years or so, thus it was just a little flower. Still weak and easily plucked from the ground. The flower trembled and cried but then it reached out to the one that plucked it from the heavenly earth. The eyes of a tiger looked at it, softened just slightly but then they turned to cold ice. Shui Si opened wide and at the little flower taking in the cultivation that it had.  

After sucking it dry of the cultivation, she spit out the Yao who was on the brink of death.  

“The taste of grass is sicking to me. How can a little flower like you become a Yao. Such a weak thing. I hope I find another one that’s something better. Maybe I can eat that bird too.” Shui Si smiled and walked further to the village where Lian Wujin-ai and Qinglong stayed. 

The masked servant had been following her in the shadows. He watched her drain the poor little Yao of its spiritual energy. He picked it up and to save it from death he injected his own spiritual energy into it along with the year of cultivation that the flower had just lost. Taking out a small pot from a bag and took some of the dirt that the flower had grown in, then replanted the little flower and gave it some water. 

“I apologize on behalf of my master little flower don’t be angry at her.” He asked the little flower. “I'll take you somewhere even better for you to cultivate. You will also meet someone nice too.” Smiling, he took the little flower in the pot and disappeared in a whisp of silverish white smoke.  

Shui Si was quickly going through the forest she was getting rid of low ghost and coming across newly born Yao’s. Since Shui Si had walked, run and even fought several times on this path she knew it like the back of her hand. Thus, she also was able to travel the path quicker than those who would travel it the first time. At first it took her a day and a half to travel, but now since Shui Si was also well versed in Qinggong allowing her to travel even faster.  

Shui Si traveled through the night fighting and having her fun getting rid of the pest she didn’t like, but she made it to the village where Lian Wujin-ai and Zhan Wujin-tuzai resided in the inn. It would be a few hours before dawn broke. The village streets were quiet, and none roamed about as there were wandering ghosts and ghouls in the night. Even if the village was close to the Qinglianpai Sect they didn’t get much protection from them as they were tasked with keeping the evil within and trying find where abouts of the Sun and Moon Sect.  

Spotting the Inn, she walked to it and when she entered a stoic man with a sullen face and sharp glaring eyes staring at the moon caught her attention. The dark green clothes matched his white skin and long black hair was tied up neatly. It made Shui Si freeze seeing the man of her dreams sitting so quietly and was in front of her. Smiling under the veil she walked up to him and tilted her head.  

“May I join you sir?”