The Urban Dao Child

Yang Dao and Natalie Brookes made their way to the place called Wilting Moon cafe. They did not waste any time after the girl narrated what she found from the lady at the stall. Yang Dao was in a hurry as well, as he remembered that the trial spirit had told them that they will be left to die inside the array if they were not quick enough.

However, Yang Dao was not making haste with his feet only. His brain was working faster than his body. He was trying to come up with a strategy to get the node from the owner of the cafe, without the need of killing her. He did not wish to shed blood until it was the last option, even inside the illusion.

Natalie was unaware of the thoughts inside the brain of the young boy. She had called him to aid her because she was unable to think of something to get by in this situation. She was not dumb, but she was aware of when to ask for help. As a flower who spent most of her time dealing with spars and medicinal cauldron, her level of social interaction was a bit lower.

Yang Dao was walking ahead of her in the market and he asked someone for directions to the Wilting Moon cafe. The person was a middle-aged man, who shook his head slightly and said, "That place is not where kids should go."

Yang Dao smiled and said, "I know that, Sir. It is my mistress who wants to go there and change the pace of her daily monotonous life. Could you please tell me?"

The middle-aged man cast a gaze at Natalie Brooke, who was glaring at Yang Dao and thought that the child was a slave of the lady. After all, the alchemist princess was radiating a cold and aloof aura from her whole body. The middle-aged man sighed and told them the directions before leaving.

Yang Dao did not wait for Natalie to reprimand him over how he framed her to be an evil mistress. The lady also did not make a fuss of it, she just put this arrow in her quiver and decided to use it later on. The two moved through the market following the directions given by the middle-aged man.

Sure enough, the directions led them to a building that resembled a courtyard house. The main entrance had a couple of statues standing on both sides. Yang Dao cast a gaze at the statues and his body trembled. Natalie noticed that something was wrong with him and asked, "Young Master Yang, what is it?"

Yang Dao snapped out of his daze and said, "These statues are of a phoenix."

Natalie followed his gaze and found two slender and elegant statues at the sides of the door. It was like two birds perched over a stand. The statue did not have any color to it, yet it felt like the birds were alive. The lady was surprised. However, just as the two of them were admiring the art of the sculptures.

The door was pushed open from inside. The person who walked out wore a vermilion hanfu and her face was something that Yang Dao felt to be very familiar. He could not help but walk over and asked, "Excuse me, big sister, but have we ever met before?"

Natalie heard his question clearly and was shocked, she was aware that it was an illusion array, how could Yang Dao have met with the lady in front of him? She wanted to snatch him up and run away when the lady on the other side of the door gracefully smiled and knelt on the ground. She said in an ethereal voice, "Young Master, long time no see."

Yang Dao shivered and Natalie Brooke felt the world turn black as she lost consciousness. As her body fell, a gust of wind held her up. Feng Yun said, "Young Master, come inside, quickly."

Yang Dao did not know why but his body seemed to have grown a mind of its own. He walked inside the doors and Feng Yun waved her hands to close the door. She waved her hand and Natalie's unconscious body moved through the void to land on a bench under a pavilion.

She led Yang Dao to the pavilion as well, and asked, "Are you surprised?" with a sweet smile on her lips.

The child nodded in a stupor, he was trying to recall where he has seen this lady and what she was doing inside this illusion array. Feng Yun smiled and said, "Do not bother, your memories are sealed so you will not be able to recognize me yet. I came to you because of two reasons. One is to alert you about the coming trials. Second, because I missed you."

Yang Dao replied instinctively, "I missed you too, Sister Yun."

Feng Yun smiled brightly and the next moment she embraced Yang Dao in her arms. The youngster also did not act repulsive, he said, "It feels like I have been embraced by my mother." as he snuggled closer.

This gesture of his made the lady shed a silent tear, which slid down her jade-like cheek and landed on the forehead of the boy. She said, "Young Master, the time will come when you will be able to meet us all again. Till then learn well and grow strong."

Yang Dao raised his head to look at the lady and asked, "Sister Yun, will it be soon?"

Feng Yun caressed his face and gently said, "It will be. Just be patient. Okay, Dao?"

Yang Dao nodded and gradually he fell asleep. Feng Yun sat him down on a chair and after pecking the center of his forehead she vanished with a golden glow.

...

Inside the heavenly palace. Feng Yun opened her eyes and found three people standing in front of her. She was aware that she was caught, but asked, "What is it?"

Laohu Bai pouted and said, "Sister Yun, you sneaked off on your own."

Ryu Jinshi and Atsuji Kurogame were glaring at the lady in vermillion hanfu. Feng Yun smiled as she opened her eyes, "I did not interact with him for more than thirty seconds. It pains me to see him look at me like a familiar stranger. His soul is sealed but it is still strong enough to unconsciously reply to me. Do you all want to feel such agony, be my guest and go meet him.

Laohu Bai clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction while Atsuji Kurogame asked, "Did you alert Dao Yin?"

Feng Yun nodded and said, "I did, the girls did not see us in her past life, that was why she did not relax around me easily." some bitterness in her voice was picked up by everyone.

Ryu Jinshi said, "I guess it took you a long time to earn the trust of Dao Yin, that was why you could not spare much time with Dao. No wonder you are bitter at th moment." he could not help but smirk at this situation.

Feng Yun glared at him and said, "You think, I am better than someone, I went down there and met the Young Master. What about you all?"

The trio fell quiet. Feng Yun said, "The trial is so close that it is making me nervous for some reason."

The atmosphere turned solemn. Atsuji Kurogame said, "Trust him, and he will not fail you."

...

Inside the wilting moon cafe, Yang Dao opened his eyes and found that he was sleeping on a chair, and Natalie Brookes was sitting opposite him. The girl was awake and she had a faint smile on her face. Yang Dao asked, "What happened here?"

Natalie replied, "Do you not remember that you just debated with the owner of this place and she gave us the array node? Then you complained of being tired and fell asleep in the chair."

Yang Dao had a memory that was completely different from hers. He did not mention it to her as he was knew nothing will come out of it. His memory with Feng Yun inside the array was meant to be a secret, thus he did not even mention such a thing in front of Natalie Brooke.

He asked, "Where is the node that you mentioned?"

Natalie Brooke said, "Huh? Did you not put it inside your space ring?" she expressed doubt.

Yang Dao did not explain and directly swept the space ring with his consciousness. He found a bronze node lying inside. He raised his head and said, "I am still a little sleepy. Shall we go and wait for the others to come to the meeting point?"

Natalie nodded and the two made their way outside the wilting moon cafe. However, what surprised them was the crowd of people outside the cafe. A middle-aged man came forward and asked, "Children have you seen anyone inside the cafe?"

The two were confused, Natalie was about to say something when Yang Dao asked, "Uncle, what seems to be the issue? Did something happen?"

The middle-aged man looked at the people around him and when he made sure that no one was making trouble he asked, "We need to see the mistress of this place, the city lord has been murdered. Have you seen her?"

Yang Dao revealed a surprised expression and said, "Yes, no wonder that senior left the place in anger."

Natalie was even more confused but she did not say anything. She was aware that one mistake and these people will attack them. Someone from the crowd asked, "What is your proof that you did not harm the lady inside?"

Yang Dao smiled and said, "Big brother, the senior is so strong that she can fly, how can I be her opponent. You sure know how to joke."

The man did not give up and asked, "Where did the lady go?"

Yang Dao raised his finger and pointed in the direction opposite the meeting spot. The crowd rushed away saying, "The lady must have found the murderers let us go quickly."

Yang Dao was not aware why Feng Yun had come to see him, but he has begun to feel uneasy in his heart. The trials she mentioned were the cause of it.