Lìngxiāo shakily looked in front of him.
They were falling, but the man always jumped from one tree to another without any problem—the jumps impossibly high, taking them back to the distance they had been up there.
The man kept saying things which Lìngxiāo found strange but not unpleasant. Almost something to make him thoughtful.
"So I thought of kidnapping any criminal and raising them instead of bringing any kid from a normal orphanage—which takes silvers for payment as if I'm buying meat."
"Are humans something which can be bought by some copper coins or silver?"
"N..no.." Lìngxiāo muttered, still stunned.
His grip tightened and softened with every jump—which was really practiced by the man, but also careless, like even if they broke a leg, it didn't matter.
"Anyways." The man dropped the topic easily too. "You have a name, kid?"
Lìngxiāo parted his mouth and shut it—his name now felt like a shame. Because now everybody would remember it not as any humble boy, but a killer who killed his father.
So he mumbled, "No.."
"I have a list of names. Let's officially make you my little boy under this moonlight, while jumping like a frog." The man said, casually yet mature, and like he actually meant every word.
Lìngxiāo didn't question anything. He didn't want to keep this name at all. This name was like the most beautiful memory with bitter edges.
Nor now did he feel this man..dangerous for his life. Someone said it right: you have no fear if you have nothing to lose.
He felt the exact same.
So he just breathed the fresh air while the man moved gracefully without any kind of spiritual powers—only ancient techniques which he had kind of heard about from Nihon.
"Then.." the man thought while kept moving, his gaze ahead. "Your name would be Lìngxiāo from now." He added after a faint pause. "It matches with those eyes of yours. Warm like a lantern. But sharp like needles. Freedomsick like a bird."
And that was when he had his new name. A new identity.
"How about this?" The man asked a little softer.
Lìngxiāo's eyes fluttered lower or up thoughtfully.
'Lìngxiāo..'
'Feels like a swipe of my real name. Away from real but connected.'
'I think..it really matches me..'
'I love birds..'
'Lanterns too.'
'I saw zhù fù sometimes..watched lanterns at the markets when we have gone out. He would just watch them and then says with his fingers: my lantern is you. So I do not need one.'
'He also loved birds..'
After thinking a lot of bittersweet memories which had lightened a little by the fresh wind, the escape, no personal attacks, he answered softly to the question by a single trembling nod.
His smile softened.
"Oh. Then..say 'I am Lìngxiāo.' Let's see how it fits on your tongue too." The man said again. The smirk could be felt in his voice.
Now they landed in front of a house which was out of this whole town. The hill was a little distant from the capital of Yínglòu Chéng. But the roofs of Hàngwō clan and Yìn Làn clan could be seen from far on two other distant mountains, shaped like proper living places.
The scenery was silent, beautiful and peaceful—something which felt unreal after such traumatizing events.
The soft command of the man rang like a gentle ripple of the wind over young leaves. The words smoothly floated out of his mouth—almost in awe, while his eyes were still over the view, his grip soft over the man's shoulder.
"I'm..Lìngxiāo.."
"Indeed." The man almost purred.
He slowly untied Lìngxiāo's messily tied ponytail. The hair fell over his back flatly. The man just effortlessly made a small bun at the back of his hair at the middle after crumbing it with his fingers.
Now that was the way he tied his hair even now.
Lìngxiāo's small hand hesitantly touched his own hair. A warmth spread into him.
'Zhù fù..used to tie hair like that.'
The man let the fabric fall from his face for the first time as he leaned closer to Lìngxiāo's ear.
He was smirking softly. Eyes were sharp hollow black—something only an actually bored person could have.
"Nothing like your past would remain over any part of you from now." The man whispered, arms tightening around Lìngxiāo like a slow warm hug.
Lìngxiāo's eyes felt heavy with sleep and exhaustion. The hug was something he couldn't resist.
A thousand times better than anything else.
"Hmph..yeah..I'm.. Lìngxiāo.." He mumbled while his head fell over the man's shoulder, getting sleepy. "You..my shù fù then.."
The man chuckled deep into his throat. "Let me get you cleaned.."
Then he moved into the house. The lamp turned on, filling the warm light inside.
Then the door was closed behind—just like any father would when returning home late while the world was sleeping.
"And let me help you be that 'him' you were always capable of.."
The moment faded within this last word from the man.
Just after that, another clip followed.
But this one earlier could have been the longest time he had got to react properly.
Because it started worse—but ended in the softest yet unexpected way.
Lìngxiāo found himself older again—no longer ten years old. He was now nineteen years old yet he had his head on his neck, alive—which meant he had already won the unofficially accepted bet of surviving into the upcoming eight years.
Now he was at the field of the same house he had come with this man—the very man who was more than his bloodline-less uncle, who had raised him.
The day was bathed in soft golden light—both soft, warm and ruthless. The sun was peeking from the space between mountains.
He blinked by this shift again.
'I feel..older now..'
'The pain is dull..'
He was riding a black horse, running gracefully, moving towards the road of the Yíngluò Chéng's Chéng Yùe city.
The fast wind rushed past his half-tied hair—now more longer, healthier, something which would tangle around hearts without even trying. The soft golden robe with the thin veil around his bamboo hat was catching gentle light of the sun.
But not more then his golden-brown eyes.
"Where is your focus, boy?" That same man—his uncle—called from beside, riding another black horse like he was the black horse spirit itself. The same black hood flying behind his back.
Lìngxiāo quickly gripped the harness tightly, focusing on the road instead.
"Yes." The man echoed, satisfied. "Move smooth and unstoppably just like a wave of pleasure~"
Lìngxiāo nodded once, his cheeks faintly heating up a little—since the words seemed now employing something else he didn't understand at his young age.
He pushed back his long black hair behind, almost showing off before running faster, overtaking him. "Follow my lead. Grab your needles. Let us hunt some high-ranked curses."
Lìngxiāo followed, took out his needles, holding them between two fingers.
Rushing past the people. A few young women seemed to be crashing over Lìngxiāo's growing beauty. They waved at him and blew kisses.
"You are going to be a really handsome exorcist, Lìngxiāo Gōngzǐ!"
"Sometimes join us at the tea ceremonies!"
But he just cleared his throat and moved, now blushing. 'T-they are older than me. How do they even—!'
His thoughts clipped by his uncle's laughter who seemed to be receiving the same attention and flirting back, winking, but never serious with them.
"Maybe in the next life, ladies!" He said.
The women groaned dramatically and watched them go, never stopping waving.
Lìngxiāo's uncle turned behind at him. "Every exorcist needs a lead curse who would be your all-time partner. So this time instead of any curse—we would catch the sharpest one which would hit the sweetest spot."
Lìngxiāo nodded again while thoughtful, still face warm.
'Again those words..'
'He seems to know everything but enjoys just..knowing more and doing less..even in ten years I have not understood him any better.'
The moment clipped again—now into the Fukaki forest. Deep green embraced the whole area.
'What is he..doing with him?'
Lìngxiāo's smile—which had now fully formed as a companion he could never avoid—twitched with silent awareness while watching his uncle almost arguing with a curse he had just caught.
That curse was Mō Qīn.
"How dare you lock me into my warm form?! Get me my CURSE BODY back!" Mō Qīn yelled while squeezing around Lìngxiāo's uncle's arm like a big bug.
At least five needles belonging to Lìngxiāo were in his body, and one dried-out moth wing pinned over his creepy face like a ridiculous crown on his head.
"How would you be tamed if I do not steal your few limitations?" Lìngxiāo's uncle said, grinning mockingly at it.
"I would NOT be tamed." Mō Qīn bitterly cursed, staring at him. "Even if you beg."
But he ignored, just fetched the curse to Lìngxiāo. "Catch."
Lìngxiāo caught it in his necklace—that same one where now Mō Qīn lives in.
This was gifted by his uncle too.
"I would leave this fucking place one day!!" Mō Qīn screamed muffled into it. "You would regret insulting me like this, took away one of my most admired abilities!!"
Lìngxiāo's smile pressed tight as he looked at his uncle.
They both stared at each other.
But then broke into laughter which felt like family.
"You did it, boy." He patted Lìngxiāo's shoulder a little harder. "Now watch how everything comes to you like a wave of—"
He paused dramatically.
Lìngxiāo understood and said it in unison. His own voice hesitant but filled with life, while his uncle was..his uncle.
Always full of energy and determination.
"Pleasure!"