It was chaos as, JinGe, LiRen, the staff from MingYan Teahouse escaped from the fiery platform with PangHai leading the way while an angry crowd was chasing after them.

The waiters and their boss threw away their fiery weapon and ran along the streets.

"We need to get away from here. Preferably somewhere they will never think about," said JinGe to the others. "We will need to stall some time until Doctor Yip could come out with the results of the medicine. Her medicine this time would surely work. I believe in it."

They all nodded.

"But where will we go?" asked Uncle Yang who although the oldest in the group seems to be quite fit, it was the waiters that looked pale and out of breath, even JinGe as well.

They were out of ideas and stared at JinGe.

"Hmm, I don't know but I got an idea. Let's just run randomly. So that they wouldn't be able to guess where we go. The three of you will decide our paths," stated JinGe while looking at the waiters.

"We can't," they said in synced.

"I am not very knowledgeable about the city. You guys should be able guide us better without driving us into a corner," mentioned JinGe.

"We will do it!"

And they began to lead the way.

"Here?"

"There."

"Turn left in this corner."

Under the dim city lights, they men lead them like rats, going through hidden paths that few used. Crossing alleyways and people's backyards. The people who were chasing them had dwindle due to their plan. It was working pretty well.

However, at the corner of JinGe's eyes, she caught sight of a silvery strand of hair. "JinGe," called out LiRen which snapped JinGe out of her trance.

"I am coming," replied JinGe as they continued, only pausing for a short pause, to regain their stamina when they suddenly bumped into Ah Zhong. As he emerged from the darkness, his menacing face with the eye patch scared the waiters.

"Who are you?!"

"Don't hit us."

But JinGe knew him and came forward.

"Are you hurt, DaJie?" asked the man when he saw JinGe.

"I am fine, but I can't say for any time longer. The citizens are chasing after us," said JinGe.

"Where are we going?" asked PangHai.

"To our hideout?" suggested Ah Zhong.

"No, that will bring harm to the others," said JinGe. "We can't go anywhere which is related to us."

"How about we go back to the temple?" asked LiRen. "My mother is making the medicine there, and if there was any person who could question it, she would be there to answer. She would be able to dispel the Taoist words."

"No, it might only worsen the situation as the people are not listening anymore to us or to any logic. They might rampage around the temple. It would affect the patients," replied JinGe worriedly.

"How about the city outpost on the city wall?" asked PangHai. "I know at this time. The men are changing shifts. I can use my authority as a guard, it would be easy for us to sneak in. No one would go there and dare to cause a scene."

JinGe thought for a while and agreed, "Okay, everyone there. Mister led the way."

PangHai was happy to be relied on and he ran in front bringing them to the city wall.

Going through another few back alleyways and corridors, to escape from the citizen's search, they finally arrived and just as PangHai had said, the guards were replaced by others. While they were chatting among themselves, PangHai sneaked everyone into a room.

They closed all the windows in the rooms and everyone finally able to rest a little bit easier.

"What are we going to do now?" asked LiRen who was sitting beside JinGe.

"We will have to wait for a little longer. Your mother had said that she finally found something that could cure the sickness," replied JinGe.

LiRen was frustrated but he tried to keep his cool and said softly to JinGe, "How could you believe in others so well. She might not be able to heal the illness. The medicine might fail."

She returned his question at him, "Do you not believe in your mother? Doctor Yip had been with you for so long, you should know better than anyone else how good she is."

He was in deep thought and said, "My mother despite being a female has exceptional skills. No less than those males' doctor. But you can't tell what will happen, now or in the future. There's no guarantee. Nothing in life has a guarantee."

"There is no guarantee, but we should still have hope. Without hope, life feels too depressed to keep on living," said JinGe giving out a slight cough as she looked at LiRen's ashen face.

"Must be from the fire before," thought JinGe as she wiped it away from his face.

LiRen was surprised by her touch but didn't evade it. "Thanks," he uttered, haven't notice JinGe's pale face.

JinGe's eyes trailed to the closed window, it is fifteen today, where the moon is the fullest, which also meant that she needed to absorb the moon's essence. She needed it to sustain herself or she might collapse from the lack of energy.

But, stuck here, she can't, and not with so many people around. She might expose her identity and also their location, to the angry mob that was hunting them.

JinGe was getting weaker every minute.

"Are you fine?" asked LiRen. Although it was quite dark in the room, but he could still JinGe's shallow breathing.

"Yes, just catching my breath," replied JinGe.

In the dark room, waiting for help to arrive. JinGe, finally had time to think. Remembering the figure, she saw passing by when she was with the guys crossing through the alleyways. That striking silver hair that belongs to JianYu, "Was it him?" thought JinGe.

"Is it really the work of her Master? Would he really me like this? What about the things he had said to the black coat woman about killing someone, a woman whose name is ZhongYue. Who is she?" thought JinGe.

Suddenly Ah Zhong shook JinGe, breaking her from her deep thought and asked her, "How do we contact Doctor Yip?"

She thought for a while and said, "You."

"Me?" asked Ah Zhong.

"Yes, because first, you know Doctor Yip. Secondly, you know our location. Third, everyone one of us here had been recognized, only you aren't. Therefore, you should be the one going," explained JinGe.

"Sound logical, okay," said Ah Zhong and he sneaked out from the window again and went looking for the doctor at the temple.

"I do not believe in any Buddha or anything, but I really pray that he will bring good news," said PangHai as he looked through a small gap, at Ah Zhong's shadow going further and further away.

The three waiters nodded to his comment.

Back at town, JiuTian, on the other hand, had climbed off from bed as she was worried about LiRen and JinGe. She had a bad feeling. It's churning in the pit of her stomach. There was a sudden pain in her heart as well. Something that was sad but painful at the same time. She needed to see JinGe.

JiuTian put on a coat and ran out from her room. HanFeng, the black coat was not there to stop her, it seems that lately he was absent from her perimeter. She had told him about JinGe's decision and now he had left to find a suitable place to bring them back to the realm.

However, on the way out, he bumped into a young woman and they both fell down.

The young woman quickly got up and supported her.

"Are you alright?" asked the other.

"Yes," said JiuTian and she wanted to hurry on her way. "Please excuse me."

"Do you not recognize me?" asked the woman as she grabbed hold of JiuTian's arm.

JiuTian gave the woman a good look and then she said, "ZhiMei. Why are you here?"

"Just like you. I am worried about DaJie. I was out shopping for some supplies for the patients. I went back to the temple, but DaJie was already gone. Then the people talking about a sacrifice. I saw DaJie but I couldn't catch up with her. I tried to find the others for help."

JiuTian was absorbing the information from ZhiMei.

"We need to go back to the merchant stall. That will be our meet up point. Ask everyone to go there, gather and relay information. We will decide what to do from there."

She nodded when another two more youngsters came over to their side. It was ZhuQian and FuHan, the young bandits who helped out at the stall. "It's good to see the both of you here," said ZhiMei.

"Why?"

"Gather everyone. We need to have a meeting. Something serious had happened to DaJie."

The two nodded and went their separate ways. The two to contact the others while JiuTian and ZhiMei went to the stall to coordinate everyone.

Back at the city outpost, in that dark room, JinGe is struggling with the lack of moon essence.

"JinGe seems to have a weak constitution. She sounds sick," thought LiRen. He was reminded of their first meeting where he had to carry her on his back, across mountainous range to find a cure.

He was very worried, and without further ado, grabbed hold of JinGe's hand and pushed her sleeve away, to reveal her bare wrist and before she could react. The young scholar quickly used his index and middle finger and pressed onto her vein.

In the dark, the rest didn't notice his rude behavior.

"It is just as I am afraid, your pulse is getting weaker," said LiRen softly.

But he only said the simplified version of it, her pulse was not just getting weaker, it was very confusing, sometimes it would get really fast, sometimes very slow. Even without a lot of experience and knowledge, LiRen could tell that something is very wrong with JinGe.

"Stop," said JinGe as she pushed away his hand and covered her hand.

And then she looked at him, "Please do not tell the others. I do not want them to know."

"What sickness is this?" asked LiRen.

"It's incurable. I am going... to die," said JinGe. Her last word hung in the air, suffocating LiRen. "What do you mean?" he finally uttered slowly.

"I am not long for the world," mentioned JinGe as she gripped his hand. "You must not tell the others."

"My mother must know about it," stated LiRen.

"Yes, she did. But she kept my privacy."

"When did you know about it?"

"A long time ago," said JinGe as she recounted.

That time when JianYu had told her to leave at the inn, no, even longer than that, even before anyone told her, she already knew that she was dying.

Bai LiQin, the body she borrowed was sick from the start, she was dying. It was thanks to her power, the moon essence that her life was extended, but it is only extended, she was not cured.

Her power, the moon essence that she was constantly absorbing, was supporting the body, and after six years the body is at its limit.

JianYu had wanted her to go back because the pure air in the heavenly realm was better for her body and there are more different and magical medicinal herbs and plants which might extend her life and might even cure her, but she was reluctant, reluctant of letting go of everything here.

She would rather die, than coming back later. The time flow between the heavenly realm and the human realm flows differently. One day there is three years here.

Meaning if she left for a year, a thousand years might have already passed in the human realm. She couldn't bear not being with them, the bandits, BuDao, ZhiMei, the twins and she is so close to saving her brother and father.

She had too many longings here, but she had decided to end everything and leave once for all, in a month as promised to JiuTian or else she will die and also JiuTian, the one who shared half of her soul.

From the conversation, LiRen finally understand why that JinGe had always plunged into trouble headfirst, why she would do so much for others and how even though she was heavily injured at the performance, she would run away instead of seeking help.

How she was acting so reckless.

"Her life was forfeited a long time ago," thought LiRen.

"I can find a way to cure you," he whispered to her, trying to give her hope and wishing that, she would value her life a bit more, but she shook her head.

JinGe was someone who had already given up on finding a remedy.

"I have tried everything. I have travelled far and wide with the troupe, by myself and I have found many, many famous doctors but none of them could cure me. I am at the end of my line already," said JinGe, her voice slightly shaking.

"I do not believe it, there surely must be some other way. You are the one just now preaching me about hope," said LiRen angrily, knuckles gripped tightly together.

JinGe smiled bitterly and touched his hands and said to him, "There's a way but once I am gone. I will never be able to return."

"Go where? I can follow you surely."

"No, only certain people can go there. My master could only bring me and JiuTian... I will not only be leaving you. The others too."

"But this trip will save your life?"

"Yes."

The man was quiet, left with only complex emotions and more questions in his mind from he had started.

Failed

Tasked by JinGe to search for the doctor, Ah Zhong ran with all his might and had found YuXiang and Doctor Yip. They were covering the boy who drank the previous medicine with many blankets. Before he arrived, Ah Zhong could already hear the little boy's crying. He seems to be crying very loudly.

"Is he the boy?"

"Yes," replied YuXiang, one of JinGe's maid.

"Come, pass him to me. I will show him to the others."

YuXiang looked over at Doctor Yip.

"It seems to be no use," confessed the female doctor. "His fever hadn't gone down as it should. It's getting worse. I am using acupuncture to reduce his fever and aching."

"Oh no," thought Ah Zhong.

"Are there any other medicine you could use, to ease the ailment for a while?" asked the man.

"No, I have tried everything, but the symptoms did not lessen," said Doctor Yip.

"What am I going to do?" said Ah Zhong, who was scratching his head, trying to find a way to save JinGe. Then he thought of something, "YuXiang come with me, I will use you. I will tell everyone that you are someone who is cured from the disease."

"But sir, would the people be fool?" asked YuXiang.

"You have disappeared from the town for a while now. People should assume that you are sick. If you appear in front of them lively and healthy, they will believe that we have finally found a cure and they will believe us. We have to try, we need to save DaJie even if it just for to stall some time until the real cure is made," said Ah Zhong as he looked at the doctor.

"I will try my best coming with a true cure even if I have to use this old life of mine to make it so you can count on me," stated Doctor Yip.

"Okay sir, I will come with you," said the young girl.

Both of them rushed over to where JinGe hid.

However, when they arrived at the city walls, the crowd was already gathered. Clustered together, yelling something. Ah Zhong had a bad feeling about it, "Have they already found out about them?!" he muttered.

"Find what, Brother Zhong?" asked YuXiang.

"Come quickly," said Ah Zhong as he took YuXiang while pushing away the crowd to reach the front. He was still stuck in the middle when he saw the Taoist, DaJie and the rest was on ledge of the city walls.

"How did the Taoist found them?" thought Ah Zhong as he stared at the ugly man who was walking staunchly towards JinGe and the rest.

The Taoist had the upper hand in the situation. He was inching in and pushing them towards the ledge where only death awaits.

"Hand her over and I might spare all of you," demanded the moustache man.

PangHai's brother was there as well, Captain PangShen, standing beside the Taoist. He was trying to advice his brother, "Give up the girl. There are many girls in the world. I heard that you like that little timid girl, called ErQing. I will get her for you. Please just give up."

"No brother, it's not a matter of like. I am doing this because I think this is the right thing to do," said PangHai who stood at the front with the three waiters and their boss at his back while JinGe was held by LiRen.

"You are really stubborn. We are the only family members left in our family," said PangShen.

"No, brother. I will not let you have her," said Pang Hai who pulled out his sword, ready to fight with his brother.

"You never win against me," said PangShen as he too, took out his sword.

"I might today," replied Pang Hai as swords clashed and they began fighting each other. He jumped while he struck but the end results were clear. PangShen won and he subdued his brother however, not without some damage caused by his younger brother. He had black bruised eye and a shallow wound on his arm, "Men take him back to the headquarters that will calm him down."

And then he looked over to the three waiters and their boss.

They were afraid but, "We have four people while there is only one there. We might have a chance," said one waiter to the other and then looking at their boss. All four of them nodded in preparation and charged ahead.

In spite of their bravery, the conclusion for their effort is the same. Without stalling much of time, they were defeated in an instant and were caught swiftly by PangShen and his men.

"There are only the two of you left. What are you going to do?" asked PangShen.

But then someone yelled from below, it was Ah Zhong who took out his sword and screamed at the crowd to give way, "If you do not want to be slashed, get away." The human ocean quickly parted to allow him through, but it seems to him that he no longer need to go up because everyone's eyes was already on him and that was what he wanted.

He swung his sword around, "Listen, I came back from the temple at the outskirts of city and bought this girl back with me as proof."

Ah Zhong pushed YuXiang to allow the crowd to have a good look at her. "She is cured," said Ah Zhong as he pointed towards the girl.

People stared and murmurs and whispers were travelling across the weary crowd.

JinGe too took a look at the girl and noticed that it was YuXiang.She knew something must have gone wrong and said to LiRen, "The medicine has failed."

"But then the girl?" asked LiRen.

"YuXiang, she wasn't infected at the first place," said JinGe softly so that they were the only one who could hear it.

"But it might work," said LiRen as he understood Ah Zhong's plan as he continued his announcement.

"No, it won't. Ah Zhong is not a very good speaker."

"You are too pessimistic. After we survive this, we could find the cure."

"It isn't about that. They are in danger right now," stated JinGe.

"What danger?" asked LiRen who could not understand about JinGe's concern. "Look, it's happening now," replied JinGe as LiRen leaned further to get a better look at the situation.

"She is cured," repeated Ah Zhong but then suddenly one of the people in the crowd came out from the mass.

"My baby," said the woman as she began hugging the little girl.

The woman was someone she knew, it was her friend's mother, XiaXia's mother, Madam Fung. She remembered the day when her friend came here and she accompanied her all the way till she died and due to the desperate hugging and crying of the woman, YuXiang accidently said to the woman, "No I am not your child. XiaXia died."

The woman stopped instantly, angered by her words, "What are you saying? Do you mean that my child died while you did not?" She pushed YuXiang aside and grabbed hold onto Ah Zhong. Madam Fung began shaking him, "Why did my child had to die? Did not you say that there is a cure?"

"Yes, there is. We are going to make more of them, enough for everyone," said Ah Zhong.

"She is already dead, even if there is a cure, my child has already died. Give me back my child," said the woman.

The crowd too began to go into a frenzy. They were gathering around the two.

"Why did they have to die?"

"Why did not the cure come sooner?"

"My poor baby."

"My wife."

There were numerous laments as people started to remember how their loved ones died from the illness.

"It's all the fault of the 'Celestial'. If she wasn't here, our loved ones would not have died. She bought upon this disaster," said the woman. Her voice united everyone, and they were shouting again for her death.

"Kill her, kill her. Redemption!" chanted the people down below.

The people's intention had changed, now instead of wanting to burn her to death to reunite her with her heavenly mother as the Taoist had said. The people now just want her death, by any means whether she is pushed off now, or whether she is killed by the guards. They just want to kill her as compensation for the disaster that had happened.

"It really become worse just as I expected. The citizens are already tired and weary, they just want to end everything now," said JinGe.

"Before this, did not you want to use the same thing? Just like how Ah Zhong mention about the cure?" asked LiRen.

"I did, but not like this. After confirming about the cure, I would tell Ah Zhong to bring everyone and gathered them at the temple and then give out a speech about valuing what is left. The walk would tire them further and they wouldn't rampage. Telling them like right now with their unstable mind will causes what in front of us, mad crowd that wants nothing but redemption," said JinGe.

Seeing the angry crowd, LiRen could not help but thinking that this might really be the end, "Instead of wanting to kill JinGe for a cure, they now wanted revenge by killing her," thought LiRen.

He gripped her hand tightly again. She returned his grip and said, "It's a fine day to die," joked JinGe.

She never thought that this would be her end.

At this moment where everything seems bleak and hope was nowhere to be seen, a constant drumming was heard from across the street.

A band of musicians were marching towards them. JinGe who got better eyesight from the others, squinted her eyes to get a better look at the oncoming band.

It was ZhiMei and the others. All the people from the hideout were walking down the streets, while playing sets of drums and wind instruments and leading them, was a girl whose face was covered, but JinGe could tell that it was JiuTian. She recognized her voice as well.

JiuTian was singing a sad touching elegy, a parting song to the dead which everyone knew very well. While it was soothing it was also a very melancholic. It bought about a sense of heartache and sorrow.

People parted as she walked past them, while JiuTian continued to sing until she reached the city walls where the Taoist and the captain stood.

"Another lunatic," stated PangShen. "Capture her! Men."

Part of PangShen's guards quickly walked off the city walls and headed to where JiuTian and the musicians stood.

They began to tear apart the musical instruments from the hands of the Dancing Merchants. Destroying them in the process. There was a scuffle, although not bloody but it was messy. People were manhandled and push to the ground.

JiuTian saw the incoming danger, but being protected by the others, she continued to sing in the scuffle. "Just a little more," thought JiuTian as she continued to sing.

"Sing!" shouted the others from the merchant group.

"It's coming. Finally," thought JiuTian as she stared at the sky which began to rumble and a storm seems to be in store, however the weather seems to be following the sound of her voice, when she sang in a higher pitch; the sky gave out a few thunders.

However, when her song started to become softer and softer, and a drizzle began to fall from the sky. It fell on the people, and they were rejoicing because the rain that fell on them was sweet. They tasted it and felt energized. The citizens were dancing in joy upon the rain. "It's a miracle they kept saying."

When she finally stopped singing, the rain stopped as well.

When the people noticed that it had ended, they kneeled down on the ground. "Thank you. Thank you," they kept repeating. She looked upon them with kind gentle eyes.

"Do you want to start worshipping me now?" she asked the masses.

The people's eyes grew wide with awe and replied with agreement, "Yes. Please help us goddess."

She laughed, "That's how it is so easy to lie to you. This rain was bought down by the heavens. I have done nothing. I only predicted it through my knowledge."

"What are you trying to say? Goddess."

JiuTian hidden behind a veil turned around and pointed directly at the man who stood beside the captain, the Taoist who was trying to sneak away.

While her index was still on him, she said in a loud voice, "You are a cheat!"

The crowd was shocked at her statement and began murmuring between themselves.

"Prove it. If you think I am a cheat."

"Proof. I can."

"Show it."

JiuTian grabbed his pouch, and said, "Use this to kill me." As she took out some charms and amulets from the pouch.

"I do not kill for fun," as he took it back.

"I am a demon. I can conjure rain," stated JiuTian.

The people suddenly took a step back, afraid of the frail girl.

"You are not a demon."

"Then how do you explain the rain?"

The people murmured.

"You are just trying to provoke me. I will not fall into your trap."

"You are no Taoist. You do not have any powers. You are a fake."

Looking at JiuTian, the man was angry at her words and took his wooden short and thought of teaching the girl a lesson. "Why not also kill a demon tonight," thought the man as he rushed over trying to hit the girl with the sword.

However, even sick, JiuTian could at least counter the scrawny man, but she let him hit her, that's what she wanted him to do. The man to add to the effect that he was punishing a demon, took out the talismans and stuck it at her. "Burn you demon."

JiuTian grabbed hold of his sword and then said, "That's enough. This will not hurt me."

"The demon is rampaging."

"Am I?" asked JiuTian. She pulled away all the talismans. "This doesn't hurt. Because they are just paper."

One of the merchants said, "I am only seeing how you are bullying a weak girl."

"She is a demon. She conjures rain."

"If I was, will I let you hit me. Wouldn't I use my demonic powers to kill you. Or maybe kill everyone else here."

"You... you... you..."

"You are speechless for your actions? If I was a demon, I wouldn't be able to move since your talismans would work on me but no... They didn't. That prove I am a human."

JiuTian looked at the people around her, get their attention and said, "As a Taoist you couldn't even differentiate between a human or a demon. If you are not a cheat. What are you!"

The Taoist knew he had lost.

She walked over to him and the man began to beg, "Miss, I have nothing to do with this. I am just paid to do this act," said the Taoist softly and then from his sleeve he took out a bag of coins and showed it JiuTian. Under a low voice the sly moustache man added, "If you would tell them that you are my underling. I will give all of this to you."

JiuTian acted as if she was interested, and the man quickly tried to hand the pouch over. The girl snatched it over and kicked the man's shin and then while he was howling in pain, dragged him to the front, so that every individual in the crowd could see the man's face.

"He is a fake," said JiuTian as she swung the pouch in front of the crowd and then overturned it so that the coins in it fell down below. "He holds no special power. He is influencing every one of you to kill a poor girl."

"Everyone one of you is too gullible. I am singing and it rained and every one of you thought that I had just performed a miracle. I am not a goddess. I am not a demon. I am not your saviour. I am just your average person who struggles every day to live. I have read books and from it, I had predicted that there would be thunder and rain today. I just put on a show and each of you believed it," yelled out JiuTian.

"The rain tasted sweet and energizing because each of you are tired and parched, normal water would have tasted sweet when you are thirsty. You believe what this swindler told you without even thinking. You are desperate, I know. I am too. I am sick as well but killing or sacrifice is not the solution," she continued.

JiuTian's yelling made her cough much worse. Her face pale but it made the people realized how that she was just as sick as those infected.

The girl pointed towards at Ah Zhong and YuXiang and said, "Those two have the cure so calm down and let them cure us. The dead has already died but the living must live on. Do not you have others that are waiting for you at home?"

Everyone looked at each other and was reminded of their families.

"I have family. They are waiting for me, to get better too."

Some of the people below started to cry, some nodded at her comment. It seems her message finally reached the ears of the people.

"Captain, I think you are finish here?" asked JiuTian.

The captain was a little shocked and he stuttered when he answered her, "Ye...sh"

"Good, take him and lock him up," said JiuTian as he backed down from the ledge of the city walls. She had gotten a bit dizzy and almost fell when JinGe came just in time to support her.

"Thanks," said JinGe with a warm smile.

"Geez, what are you saying. You know how important you are to me," said JiuTian returning her smile.

She and JinGe walked down the stairs and down below. While they were walking down the steps, JinGe continued, "Good work bringing the people together with such an elaborate singing and music. I have never thought of using it myself."

JiuTian replied, "You just haven't thought of it yet. We usually have telepathic connection right."

ZhiMei and the other hugged the girls and then they passed the crowd, the people parted and opened up a path for her to walk upon. JinGe and JiuTian stood by each other side.

JiuTian caught YongSan's eyes as she passed him by and deliberately let the veil fell down, so that he could see clearly.

The always calm YongSan changed, he was surprised, stunned to the ground when he noticed the girl. It was exhilarating seeing his shocked face and she can't but gave out a smile.

With that single smile, YongSan couldn't feel his legs. A cold shudder rain down his spine and he can't think of anything.

She looked at the road in front, and they left.

What do you feel when JiuTian exposed the Taoist's scheme?

See you again for the next chapter!