Heavenly Opposers

Valencia's mind blazed with a question, the feelings of her forgotten self were combined with her, making her attached to Xiao. The side effects of the poison continued to torment her, and she had no idea when it might disappear. If she were to return as such, she might make mistakes. After all, it's been a long time since she has 'felt'.

'Well, let me rest for now.'

She thought as she entered the depths of the forest, where the most dangerous of beasts live. But to her in this low-life area, all of them were like ants to her. Quickly, she seated herself at the center, where above her, a waterfall kept flowing down. Her powers spread, stopping anything from entering her sight. Sitting cross-legged, she started to meditate.

But her concentration didn't last for long, her mind would always reel back. No matter how much she tried, the same face kept appearing in her mind, dominating her thoughts and making her lose focus. Crystal-clear memories of what happened kept rolling like tape in her, each moment being engraved in the depth of her heart.

"Why do I feel lost?"

Her sweet voice filled with confusion was heard. All her life, she never feared being lonely.

Always depend on yourself.

Never show weakness.

And loneliness will make you tougher.

She had always followed those principles, never straying from its path. Cultivation was all that she needed, the rest that came her way were just distractions. But now, sitting there alone, her feelings truly loosened. Having got the touch of 'love,' something within her had changed.

'Looks like the loss of my emotion suppressor has more effect on me than I thought,' Valencia mused. Her physique had granted her the perfect emotion suppressor, hence helping her to take actions with pure rationality. Of course, she had feelings, but they were majorly suppressed. Adding onto it, her natural mindset made it hard for anything to affect her.

Sure, she smiled and showed emotions, but those were all taught to her by her second master, who taught her how to use emotions as toys to let people play with her. For her, the best solution would be to eliminate the source of her problem, but her 'feelings' were preventing it.

Above that, she feared that the side effects may not wash away. Her calm mind was now analyzing, trying to find out ways to get over this. If her senses were to not get back her mind suppressor, adding in the increased feelings, she might have to face problems in her future path, especially her cultivation. How was she to live with Xiao's face appearing in her mind?

But how was she to kill him? Will doing so evoke new feelings in her? She had seen the grief of loss in others; she didn't want such a thing for herself.

'The best way to lose the value of something is to keep experiencing or using it over and over again,' Valencia theorized, her calm mind accepting this fact. Sadly, she who had lived her life far from love, she who always tries to do things rationally, didn't know.

There is nothing rational about love.

Unlike toys, food, gifts, or treasure, it only increases with time. The more you spend on it, the more you will be drowned in its sweetness. It is something that has resulted in the rise of the greatest heroes and the one that caused the downfall of the greatest powers.

'Good, I will follow this plan.'

Thinking so, she rose up ready to execute whatever she had planned. But even then, she couldn't help but shake her head due to the play of fate. Back when she was young, Xiao ran behind her, lusting after her beauty. And now she has 'feelings' for him, ready to spend her time, which is greater than gold, with him.

'Looks like even I am under the rule of fate.'

Thinking so, she disappeared, arriving beside Xiao, who still lay on the ground, his eyes up above the sky. Feeling her presence, he turned his head, seeing the very same woman on the left, now sitting beside him. Her face was obscured by a mist, and a flash of surprise filled him as he gazed at her, but soon his eyes turned normal.

"Why are you back?"

He asked, and somehow seeing the nonchalant look on Xiao's face, miles different from the one he used to give her, she felt her heart squeeze.

'So this is emotional pain?'

Valencia noted it down as she responded,

"I need your help."

"Help? You need my help?"

Xiao asked, confused as he could be, and Valencia nodded her head.

"Yes, it would seem that the feelings from my lost self are affecting me, and to numb it, I want you to spend some time with me."

She spoke just as Xiao was about to reply; she raised her hand, stopping him.

"Wait, this won't be for free. My status is above what you can imagine. In return for your help, tell me what you want. Anything is possible."

Finished saying so, silence remained. Xiao's eyes flashed with a hidden desire; he mused for some time before he spoke,

"Can you find out something for me?"

He asked,

"What do you need?"

She inquired,

"I need you to find out if Yurou Flammia is alive or undergoing rebirth."

Xiao wasn't an idiot; even if she had died in his arms, he still knew she was a phoenix of the highest order. While he isn't privy to the true secrets of those giants, he has still heard of their rebirth power, and he wants to know if she's alive.

"Yurou? Do you mean the genius of the fire shrine? Sure, I can look into it, but it will take time. They are pretty secretive about their family."

Valencia spoke, her expression completely calm, but deep inside waves of emotions were quaking. Seeing the loving yet saddened emotions on Xiao's face, she felt her heart squeeze harder, but this time for a different reason, and Valencia couldn't even tell what this feeling was.

"Really? You can? Then you have my thanks."

Saying so, Xiao rose from his laid-back position, sitting up straight. He put on a serious expression,

"So, how can I help?"

He asked, to which he got his reply. A hand was extended forward.

"Um?"

Confused, he looked at the misty face in front of him,

"Hold my hand."

An unexpected reply hit him, making his eyes widen,

"Are you sure?"

He asked,

"Yes,"

She replied. Hearing this, he moved forward as he caught her hand. Just as he did, a tingle traveled through his spine.

'Soft.'

It was the softest thing he ever touched. He felt that even the world's best silk wouldn't match up to it. Soon, he felt his fingers intertwined with that of the woman in front of him.

"Th-This is okay."

Valencia spoke in a quiet voice, a bit shaky,

"Did you say something?"

Xiao asked,

"No,"

A cold reply came, shutting him up. Sadly for him, he wasn't able to look at Valencia's fully red face. Just holding hands was making her heart beat faster than she could think.