THE TRACES OF THE FRIENDSHIP OF SPIRITIS AND HUMAN.
CHAPTER 12 (THE MYSTERIOUS PERSON)

Far from where Chang yi and Xiuhuan had been, stood a large house surrounded by green trees and several lanterns hanging from each stalk. In the courtyard there is a small pond filled with large fish and stands a curved bridge on it, seen also three deer sitting beside the pond.

From the outside, a person appears to have come unaccounted for, carrying something in his hand that he hides in a white pocket resembling his clothes. The man was tall and his hair was long unraveled which was partially bound, from the side he could be seen smiling but only his face was difficult to recognize.

As he walked over the bridge standing over the pond suddenly his entire appearance changed, he was a young man before, but now he looked like a ninety-year-old old woman in her hand carrying a cane to help him walk, his hair was all white and his clothes changed like never before.

Then he walked into one of the rooms in the house, when the door was opened there appeared Xiuhuan lying unconscious. In his stomach there was also a puncture wound that was quite severe.

After closing the door the man walked over to him, then took a small bowl and put it on the table. The person is also seen opening a small bag that he carries and removing some leaves with different colors that he then squeezed and put in a small bowl earlier.

I don't know what he did but after that person put the strange ingredients into the bowl and stirred it up, he was then seen rubbing it on the wound that was in Xiuhuan's stomach slowly.

"Now this wound will dry up .. It seems you don't remember what I said"

One week ago Xiuhuan met him, the first day Xiuhuan set foot in a city occupied by many people. At their meeting at that time he once advised Xiuhuan.

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"Be careful, son, when you visit a foreign place, take good care of yourself. Not all people have a good heart"

"Thank you for reminding me, I will always be careful on my journey"

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He had once told her to be careful when visiting a foreign place, but it seemed Xiuhuan did not remember his words which made her now like this.

...****************...

Simultaneously in a different room, Chang yi had just regained his senses while holding onto one of his shoulders while enduring the pain, Chang yi looked astonished at his current existence, his eyes continued to look throughout the room and not long did he mutter ...

"What is this place? why am I here? not before ..."

Slowly he then attempted to stand up, and there Chang yi saw a painting of a man sitting on one of the small tables close to several scrolls of paper, it looks like it's forty years old. And what made him feel astonished again was when he saw a fire sign on the man's forehead.

"Is he a spirit? ahh that's where it's possible, no spirit will help people after the events of hundreds of years ago"

" ... But what if he was a spirit and brought me here?, "the young man couldn't seem to stop staring at the painting before him, his mind was even filled with many questions regarding the person in the painting.

Not long after he looked at her suddenly the door opened along with an old woman who was walking in. The woman saw him standing up, saw his sudden presence made Chang yi startled and started to be wary because he did not know her.

"Finally one of you is conscious"

"What do you mean?"

"Your friend is in another room, the wound is quite severe and until now he is still unconscious"

"Right?, "Chang yi who just found out about it now felt worried about Xiuhuan's condition

"what room is he in?"

"Let's come with me, "it's with pleasure that the old lady invited her to go see Xiuhuan.

When Chang yi stepped his feet out his eyes were immediately fixed on the atmosphere of the afternoon that was so calming along with the rain back down but just a trickle, in the yard, some sleeping deer also eat grass. There are also many lanterns with various shapes installed in several places.

"This place is so amazing, "as he put on a smile the young man did not stop to see what was in front of him as he walked slowly.

"Young man, did you see this beautiful place for the first time?" ask the old woman who was walking in front of him.

"ah! this is the first time I've seen a place like this"

"So ya hahaha, "the woman then stopped and opened the door that was in front of her slowly, after which she invited Chang yi inside.

"Please your friend is inside"

Chang yi hurriedly walked in but suddenly stopped when he saw Xiuhuan lying weakly on a bed surrounded by candles as a light. Now he walked slowly closer to her and saw the wound on her stomach.

"Xiuhuan, is he okay?"

"Your friend is fine, but his body is very weak"

The old woman then walked up to Chang yi and stopped right beside him, she saw him looking at Xiuhuan sadly. The woman smiled at him and said. "It looks like you guys are close friends"

Chang yi, who had just realized that the old woman was looking at him, wiped away her tears, then returned her smile.

"Ah haha we're not friends, I haven't seen him for long"

"really? I thought you guys were friends a long time ago"

"Xiuhuan helped me after a night of being beaten by violent bandits, they attacked the village where my sister and I lived before the full moon"

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In the afternoon before the massacre in the village where he lived first carried out by dozens of bandits who allegedly were the rulers of the region before being made a village. Back then in the small hut house lived Chang yi with his younger brother who was only twelve years old.

"This is eating" Chang yi said as he gave food to a boy who was none other than his sister.

With pleasure the boy accepted it and ate the food given by his brother very greedily, it was because all day he had not eaten something because Chang yi was unable to buy him food, he said, and the food he had just given was the leftovers from the merchant he had found in the trash.

With a sad look while smiling Chang yi watched his little brother who was very happy with the food he gave her.

"Changpu I'm sorry, I can only give you food from the trash" he murmured.

When she was nine years old Chang yi was already living without her parents, her mother left her alone after giving birth to her sister.

At his young age back then, Chang yi had to feel the rigors of living without parental affection, people always looked down on them and no one wanted to help the two, either, even when it is cold under rain or snow.

Previously they lived in a fairly large urban area, but one day a group of soldiers took the place by order of king Jiao long. And since then the people who previously lived there have been forced to move from the city, including Chang yi and his seven-year-old sister.

Until in the end they found a region that is not too large, but enough to accommodate several people. Since then Chang Yi has decided to stay there with the others. But it turns out the same as before people still do not consider them and even had time to expel both, but fortunately it did not happen.

"You like it?" chang yi asked his sister.

Smiling, Changpu replied. "This food is so good"

"Then you have to spend it"

"... I'll go out for a while, take good care of yourself at home"

"sorry"

Chang yi then went to walk out crying and away so that Changpu did not see him, he walked into the forest his cheeks looked wet as well as his eyes reddened. There Chang yi poured out his grief that had not been able to make his sister happy, and recalled his suffering life.

"Why? why hasn't it changed? I always try to keep trying, but why is it still like this?" he said while looking at the abyss that was in front of his eyes.

"Until this second I still can't make my sister happy, and keep her hungry. Even he was always happy when I gave him food from the trash, "Chang yi actually could not stand his life that continued like that, but he had to continue to survive for the sake of his younger brother.

Until night Chang yi was still there, he was seen sitting under a tree with eyes that looked empty.

"I hope that someday something will change everything, something that will bring strength to me" he murmured, turning his eyes to the moon.

In the middle of his daydream Chang yi suddenly remembered with his younger brother Changpu, he then stood up and rushed back home.

...****************...

"Hurry here!"

"Though we are masters, we do not know if this territory belongs to you" a middle-aged man told the large man.

"Not many reasons!"

"SLASH" the man with a large body suddenly swung his sword and slashed the old man who was resting before him, with a single slash he was already lifeless.

"Cut the trash, "the man then burned his lifeless body and his house.

A short while after Chang yi left the village, a horde of bandits came and destroyed the place also snoring the people who lived there.

"Sound all of you! this is the result because you have dared to enter our territory!, "shouting one of them who is the leader of the bandit horde.

"I'm sorry sir, forgive us"

Frightened people seemed to gather before him while begging for forgiveness, they did not know the place they had been incandescent was the territory of the bandits. But the ruthless bandits did not listen to the groans of the men, instead killing one by one innocent people and burning their homes.

"What the hell is this?, "Chang yi who just arrived in the village was very surprised to see everyone being held hostage by a group of armed men.

From a distance while hiding Chang yi noticed what the bandits were doing. His face was sweaty and his hands were trembling as he saw people slashing their necks one by one while waiting for their turn.

"Why did they do that?"

" Changpus? where is she?"

Chang yi suddenly recalled his sister and started to worry about her, from there he did not see Changpu being among them. While the bandits were busy with another Chang yi then ran to his house to find his sister. Arriving at Chang yi's house was very surprised when he saw the condition of his house which was being burned by a large fire.

"Well! it's impossible"

Then without hesitation he ran inside to save Changpu, inside the man found his sister who was about to faint.

"Changpus?"

"K-Sister? you're home yet?"

"Changpu I will take you out, "Chang yi then holds his sister and immediately runs out, and a few seconds when he just came out the fire grew bigger when after they were outside.

"Everything is burning" the young man whispered as he looked at his house, then put Changpu in his lap.

"Changpu are you okay?"

"Sister you have to stay alive, run away from here before they see you"

"What did you say? why did you tell me to run away and leave you?"

"Sister, hurry up and go, I don't want them to kill you"

Chang yi stared inside his sister while rubbing her hair as well as her tears. And without realizing it he also joined in crying, the child continued to cough and his chest felt tight because of the smoke he inhaled.

"Why are you quiet? go quickly"

Chang yi did not answer him and he also did not follow his orders, the young man only fell silent while staring at Changpu. Until at last the bandits saw them then approached the two and pulled Chang yi's hand violently then kicked him many times.

"It turns out there is still trash left" said one of them while holding onto Chang yi's cheeks.

In the slightest Chang yi did not take his eyes off Changpu, whereas those people continued to beat him nonstop. Vice versa, while crying and lying weak the child saw his brother who continued to be beaten, from there he began to remember when the two were having difficult times. That is when people never accept their presence, also when they are cold in the rain no one pityes the two.

The battered Chang yi then fell to the ground, the distance between the two was now very close. Changpu was also seen starting to close his eyes and the moment before he completely closed his eyes, Chang yi smiled at him to tell him that he was fine, and his sister could leave without worrying about him.

That night was his last night alive, Changpu died during the full moon.

Chang yi could only cry while staring at his lifeless sister, he wanted to hold her hand but his body could not move as the bandits endlessly stepped on his back.

"At the end of the day I'm just a loser, Changpu sorry. Because of this stupid brother of yours you have to die in vain, you have not felt a decent life" inner Chang yi.

Now that his life was filled with regret, he did not expect his sister to leave so soon.

The men then took him away from there. Chang yi's face looked alarming, blood continued to pour from his head as well as his mouth and almost covered part of his face. They carried the already defenseless body into the river, and without hesitation threw it there.

"sadly, the next few days his body will definitely rot" said one of the bandits who had just thrown him into the river.

After that they left the river and let it sink carried away, those people thought Chang yi had died yet that was not true, he was still breathing.

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Chang yi told her what happened at the time the ruthless bandits slaughtered their village, and the old woman who had just listened to the story seemed to still be smiling, she then slightly approached her and held onto Chang yi's shoulder.

"I understand how you feel, losing the most precious person is painful what else he is the only one you have. But are you aware? it's possible that the young man is a friend who will listen to your every problem, stop regretting your sister's death because it's already her destiny"

"Now live your life and stop feeling guilty about your sister's death because it's not your fault"

Chang yi smiled at his words but the sadness he showed was still visible, while Chang yi looked at Xiuhuan who was still unconscious.

The old woman was also seen looking over at Xiuhuan. "You haven't continued the story, how did you meet?"

"When I came to my senses, I saw Xiuhuan sitting beside me and meditating. At that time I didn't know what he was doing, but in the end I found out .. It turned out that he was doing it to heal my wounds"