LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN TIGRESS

While Xing was feeling bloated eating and sleeping in the palace of the water G.o.d, on the surface of the sea, the ten s.h.i.+ps of the Wind Kingdom"s navy were all terrorised by a giant squid at odd times. They tried their everything to attack the monster but that did nothing to it and they stayed in fear for the next couple of days with their commander taken into the deep sea by a G.o.d.

Should we have not talked bad about our commander appointed by out Emperor? They wondered.

For some reason when they apologised sincery to the G.o.d of Water for disrespecting their commander, the monster stopped bothering them.

Chenglei on the other hand, felt a strong barrier around his s.h.i.+p and when he thought of jumping in the sea to look for that woman, he couldn"t cross the barrier.

He felt his heart clench everytime he remembered the piercing smile she had on her when she went down. She must have thought he doubted her character and blamed her for being frivolous. But he didn"t believe a single thing he said that day. He was jealous as a matter of fact but he didn"t really believe that woman Is having illicit relations.h.i.+p with all the other men. He felt dirty for talking to her that way attacking her character and he could understand why that prideful woman did what she did and ran away from him.

I"m to be blamed... But... Please come back to me!

Xing was taking a walk in the garden area of Mazu"s palace and it looked beautiful and it didn"t smell much. The place calmed her down and made her relaxed and she really loved it here.

As she walked through the pathway where many colourful fishes pa.s.sed through her and when she reached out to touch them they curved around her hands before they went on their way.

One of the fishes had beautiful emerald green streaks on it and it reminded Xing of Chenglei and his spiteful voice he last spoke. The way he acted and the time he used, the way he grabbed her and walked....

Xing noticed a big shark coming at her and she knew it won"t hurt her. She felt bored walking and she decided to ride on the shark and the shark complied to her wishes and carried her around. Xing felt better and she went back to her thoughts.

Chenglei acting this way...

It all reminded her of the time when he got s.h.i.+hong"s letter and spouted some useless words. He let his darkness take charge back then and doubted her.

Could he be jealous?

Xing wondered and if there could be the possibility for that.

Or is he simply possessive?

She knew he is interested in her and he told her that much.

Chenglei is a possessive guy, she knew. He did say "You belong to me" when he was just twelve and as she grew up, guarded her from a distance letting no other men with other intentions get near her. And it was the situation before that let him give her up to live in the palace.

In either case, he used to know her and trusted her enough to not let his jealousy or possessiveness get the better of him in the past.

But now, he doesn"t remember her and so he might not understand the relations.h.i.+ps she has with other men and when he saw her acting as her usual which is not how women in their kingdom act with other men, he might have found it odd and offensive even.

Should I change?

But... Can I suddenly change my ways?

Xing wondered and it did hurt her heart. This man previously stood by her side when her cousin accused her and told her not to mind those people who attack a woman"s character. And now she has to defend herself against his attacks.

How am I going to deal with it?

She thought hard about it and she knew she won"t be able to suddenly act distant with Haru or avoid the Emperor. That would be her acting against herself and sure enough she"ll end up hating Chenglei in the end if she starts to bend over backwards for him. She had that much understanding about herself.

Xing took a deep breath as the shark took a deep turn as it reached the end of the path. Xing realised Mazu"s palace is inside a cave in the deepest part of the sea surrounded by a barrier and somehow the palace looked like the shallow part of the sea with the coral reefs, colourful fishes and stingrays swimming above and the whole place looked like it was illuminated by a brighter moon. She really loved this place but she loved Chenglei more and she wanted to get back to him.

Even though Mazu is gentler to her now for some odd reason, she was the one who brought her to the Heavenly Audience Hall that day saying that she"d bring her back the same time and so she need not speak to Chenglei first. In the end, she was brought back the same time but the next day.

What an odd way these G.o.ds twist everything to their benefit! The power they have, make them more dangerous. This is why I"d gladly belong with the humans in the human realm. Even though they stab in the back too, they won"t be able to hurt this deep!

Xing decided to get back and Mazu joined her for tea, had her hands almost scalded when Xing asked her to send her back.

"Must you leave this soon?", she looked like an abandoned kitten looking at you with its eyes wide and cute.

"... Yes!", Xing almost got pulled into the vortex of that adorableness of those dark blue eyes and almost screamed out.
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"Little one....", Mazu held her hand, "Did you forgive this idiotic one for what I did that day?", she was hesitant and her eyes were expectant and pleading making her more adorable.

Xing who is always weak to the beauty of women couldn"t help but sigh. It is not like forgiving her will reverse it and she had no intention of trusting Mazu explicitly but looking at Mazu, Xing felt a rug in her heart and decided to let go.

Well! At least she tried hard to change her ways and apologise!

"I will...", Xing said and she could see Mazu"s eyes tearing up in happiness. But she still decided to ask for a favour, "If you take us to the Ouyang Navy"s hiding place"

"Really? That"s it?", Mazu closed her mouth with her hands with her eyes teary and started chuckling making Xing feel Odd.

What is this.. Why is the need for the G.o.d of water to pander to her this much. Well, whatever! Now I know the Ouyang Navy is not just a legend but they are real and I could find them.

Xing who felt like she was filled upto her throat was still asked to eat snacks before leaving and Xing who found herself weak to the most irrefutable eyes she"d ever seen, found herself obliging to Mazu"s wishes. These past week she was here, all Xing did was eat and sleep and she felt like she has gained a lot of weight.

"Here, pack these snacks to have in your journey. You like these don"t you?", Mazu was packing some more snacks for Xing to carry and Xing"s opposition was ignored.

"Have these to play with", Mazu gave her many boxes filled with colorful crystals or they might be gemstones, some boxes with beautiful round pearls and there were even pinkish pearls that Xing had never seen of and also some boxes of colorful corals. Among those was a pearl the size of her palm that made Xing wonder for what purpose that would be useful for... Maybe bas.h.i.+ng skulls?

"I don"t want all these... I cannot carry them", Xing refused. Did she think that I am a donkey?

"It"s fine... Its fine...", Mazu still added some more boxes. "I"ll send you back to the s.h.i.+p and after that it would be the s.h.i.+p carrying... Why are you worried? I"m only giving you a little and how could you refuse me? ", she was rambling and was running here and there ordering the maids around and in the end, Xing got jewellery that could fill an entire carriage.

" I don"t want all this... ", Xing tried to refuse her.

" This is the first time you are visiting here. How can I send you back bare handed?", Mazu asked Xing and that made Xing feel weird.

"I didn"t bring anything to visit you, did I?", she felt a little embarra.s.sed.

"You are a child... You need not bring anything... How cute you are?", Mazu kissed Xing in the forehead, " Come sit! Why are you standing? And eat something...", Mazu was too exited and Xing didn"t know what to do and just sat in the corner watching everything.

There were some silk in different shades of blue, from the heavens loaded which Xing found pleasing and also gold and platinum jewellery too.

"Okay! Enough!", Xing had to scream from the top of her lungs for the overzealous Mazu to stop adding more.

"If you add even a single little pearl more, I"d leave everything here!", Xing ordered and that stopped her and the entire place looked like a storm has pa.s.sed. It"s not like she has less money already and she has to get all these expensive items for free.

What a drag!

"Visit me often... And call me if you need any kind of help, okay?", Mazu held Xing"s cheek and kissed her in the forehead and Xing could feel the warmth from Mazu.

This is weird! Why is this so nostalgic?

Xing wondered and somehow she felt like her hate for Mazu had vanished.

And with a sack filled with snacks and two big boxes the size of a carriage, filled with gems, Xing was returned back to the s.h.i.+p.

The moment he heard the clattering noise from the deck, Chenglei came running and he was panting as he practically flew there and when he saw Xing standing there with her back to him... Her royal blue robes were fluttering in the wind that blew for the first time after ten days, joined by her silky smooth jet black hair. He felt the need to hug her.

Thank goodness, she returned! And... I love her! Don"t I? There is no other way to explain the conflicting feelings I have for her....

"You will be meeting with the Ouyang navy soon ", Mazu said before she left and Xing felt the burning stare on her back and turned to look at Chenglei.

He looked tired and unkempt and maybe it was the noon sun that made a shadow to give the illusion of him depressed.

When Xing walked towards him, with a smile to lift his mood, she could see the smile that spread on his face that stared from his mouth and reached his eyes making Xing shudder for a moment because it seemed like the smile she was accustomed to, in the past.

Did I see wrong?

"Lord Li!", Xing walked towards him and as she got closer she could see his eyes looked guilty than gentle.

Ah! So I saw wrong! And is he feeling bad for hurting me before?

Chenglei saw her walking towards him and he remembered the disrespectful words he used at her and his happiness turned to guilt.

I have to apologise to her!

"Miss Táng, I...", before he started talking the s.h.i.+p shook hard and Xing held on to his arms out of instinct and her body pressed on to his and he almost hugged her close.

Ah! She smells so good! I really missed her!

"Let"s get in... We"ll get to the Ouyang Navy soon. Inform the others too", Xing stood straight and looked at Chenglei who looked like he was dreaming and pulled him inside.

Chenglei followed her mindlessly with her leading him holding his hands. The warmth from her hands spread throughout his body.

I will make you my wife, JiaXing! Just you wait!

"Here, have some snacks.... Mazu gave it to me", Xing shared the snacks she brought back to Chenglei and he just swallowed everything without even savouring the taste with his eyes fixed on the woman in front of him.

"Don"t do that again..." he said holding her hand that was feeding him the snacks. His voice was hoa.r.s.e and his eyes looking at her were pleading.

"What?", she asked with a pleasant smile in her lips. She found that no matter what, she cannot hold anything against this man... This man who had done a lot for her... This man who feared he"d lost her after waiting for a day for her return... This man who made an awful deal with a G.o.d and ended up hurting her...

This man she loves with her everything!

Her man!

"Running away from me", he held her cheek gently as he saw her eyes getting clouded.

What is she thinking now?

He wanted to kiss her.

"Okay", Xing nodded, " Even if I did, I"ll always return... Where else would I go?", she held his hand on her cheek, closed her eyes as a tear drop rolled from the corner of her eye and she kissed the palm of his hand.

You are all I know, Chenglei... You are the one I"m chasing behind even from when I was six years old... That"s all I know! Running behind you... Running away from you...? I really cannot! Even if you stab me in my heart, I will still run towards you and not away from you... I"m stupid that way!

"Do you like me?", he wanted to ask.

"You...", he gulped seeing her watery eyes looking at him with what seemed to be deep love for him and it perplexed him.

Could she be in love with me?

He held her other cheek with his other hand and leaned towards her. He wanted to claim her as his. His face leaned towards hers and he closed his eyes first fearing she might push him away. He leaned closer and closer to get her lips.

But then....

They, felt the entire s.h.i.+p shake again and it was immediately filled with a bone chilling coldness.

What is going on?