Chapter 14: Xiaoqing's Vow
Bab 14: Sumpah Xiaoqing
As Xu Mengjiao grew, Xiaoqing realized that she could not stay with him forever. Her presence as a spirit was beginning to draw unwanted attention, and she needed to focus on her own spiritual cultivation if she ever hoped to free her sister.
Setelah Bai Suzhen dipenjara, Xiaoqing merasakan kemarahan dan kesedihan yang mendalam. Dia tahu bahwa dengan kekuatannya saat ini, dia tidak bisa mengalahkan Fahai dan menyelamatkan kakaknya.
One night, she stood by the boy's bed as he slept. "You are a fine young man, Mengjiao," she whispered, a tear running down her cheek. "Your father would be proud. But I must leave you now. I must go to the mountains and train until my power is great enough to break the seal on the pagoda."
"Aku bersumpah! Aku akan kembali ke pegunungan untuk berkultivasi. Aku akan berlatih menjadi kuat. Dan suatu hari, aku akan kembali untuk membereskan si botak Fahai itu dan menghancurkan pagoda sialan ini untuk menyelamatkan kakakku!" Xiaoqing menyatakan di depan Pagoda Leifeng.
She left a letter for Xu Xian's sister, explaining that she had to depart but would return one day. Then, with a final look at the house that had been her home for so long, she transformed back into a green snake and disappeared into the night.
Xiaoqing berpamitan pada Xu Xian dan keponakannya. "Jaga diri kalian. Aku akan kembali ketika aku siap."
Xiaoqing returned to the deep forests and high peaks where she and Bai Suzhen had first lived. She spent the next twenty years in intense meditation and training. She faced fierce storms, fought powerful demons, and pushed her magical abilities to their absolute limits. Every moment of pain and exhaustion was fueled by the image of her sister trapped in the darkness.
Kemudian, dia terbang kembali ke kedalaman pegunungan untuk berlatih keras. Dia mengubah kemarahannya menjadi kekuatan tekad, menunggu hari untuk kembali membalas dendam dan menuntut keadilan bagi kakaknya.
"I will not fail," she vowed, her voice echoing through the mountains. "I will return to Hangzhou, and I will tear down that pagoda stone by stone if I have to. Fahai will know the true power of a sister's love."
Xu Xian membesarkan Xu Mengjiao sendirian, dengan harapan mendalam bahwa suatu hari nanti, keluarganya akan bersatu kembali.
While Xiaoqing trained, Mengjiao grew into a brilliant and kind-hearted young man. He was a gifted scholar, and he felt a deep connection to the history and legends of his city. He often visited the West Lake, drawn to the Leifeng Pagoda by a feeling he couldn't explain. He felt as if the stones were calling to him, whispering secrets of a past he had never known. The stage was being set for the final chapter of their story, as the power of the next generation began to rise.