txolops Chapter 156 Fire Cloud Cave: Past Events of the Rakshasa Kingdom
Chapter 156 Fire Cloud Cave: Past Events of the Rakshasa Kingdom
Meanwhile, Li Fa diligently swept the courtyard, served tea and water, and attended to Princess Iron Fan's daily needs, never neglecting his duties.
The princess saw that he was obedient and clever, and gradually began to rely on him, often calling him to her side to talk.
Time flies, and more than half a month has passed in the blink of an eye.
That night, the moon was bright and the stars were few, and all was quiet.
Li Fa was on night duty in the side hall when he suddenly heard faint sobbing coming from the main hall. A thought struck him, and he tiptoed to the outside of the hall and peered inside through the curtain.
Princess Iron Fan sat alone under the lamp, her hand supporting her cheek, tears streaming down her face. She was truly like a pear blossom in the rain, her eyes brimming with tears.
Li Fa hesitated for a moment, then knocked on the doorframe and said in a low voice, "Madam, would you like me to serve you?"
Upon hearing the voice, the princess quickly wiped away her tears and forced a smile, saying, "It's Xiao Cui, come in."
Li Fa pushed open the door and entered, bowing as he said, "Madam, the night is still and deep. Why not rest instead of grieving here in secret?"
The princess sighed and said, "I see that you are kind-hearted and reasonable. You have some worries that have been on your mind for a long time, and I would like to tell you about them."
Li Fa said, "Madam, please speak freely. Although I am a servant, I know my place and would never dare to divulge a single word."
Princess Iron Fan remained silent for a long while, then said softly, "Do you know my king?"
Li Fa said, "I have heard the sisters in the cave say that the Great King is the Mighty Bull Demon King, with great supernatural powers and boundless magic. He is a famous great demon king in Xiniu Hezhou."
Princess Iron Fan nodded, her eyes reddening further, and said with tears in her eyes, "I used to have a very deep affection for that old ox. But these past few years... he's been out gallivanting all the time and rarely comes home. I've sent people to look for him many times, but he always says he's delayed by official business."
Later I learned that he had seduced Princess Jade Face, the daughter of the Fox King of Ten Thousand Years, at the Moyun Cave on Mount Jilei. The princess was incredibly beautiful, and the Fox King was also extremely wealthy. He was so greedy for her beauty and money that he abandoned my child and me, marrying into the Fox King's family there and never returning home.
Upon hearing this, Li Fa feigned alarm and said, "This is outrageous! Why don't you go and reason with him, Madam?"
Princess Iron Fan smiled wryly, "Reason? With his fierce and unruly nature, if I went there, I would only have a quarrel and become a laughingstock. Besides, I can't bring myself to do it."
After saying this, he sighed again and said, "That's not all. My son, Red Boy, although he was naughty in his early years, still had some innocence. In recent years, I don't know why, his temperament has changed drastically, and he has become more and more cruel and violent."
He was in the Huoyun Cave on Mount Hao, commanding the mountain gods and local deities, and harming all living beings. I pleaded with him several times, but he not only wouldn't listen, but also accused me of being a woman with too much compassion. My heart is truly heavy with unresolved feelings, and thus I wept.
Li Fa asked, "Madam, have you not suspected anything? Is there something fishy going on here?"
Princess Iron Fan looked up at him upon hearing this and said, "You are quite perceptive. To tell you the truth, I have long been puzzled. It is one thing for that old ox to be greedy and lustful, but my son was always filial when he was young and never disobeyed me. How could he have become such a different person in just a few years? I suspect there must be a reason for this."
Li Fa's heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "Has Madam investigated this matter?"
Princess Iron Fan said, "I did investigate. However, my magical power is too weak, so I went to ask my master."
Li Fa was taken aback and said, "Master? This servant has been here for many days and has never heard of Madam having a master. I only thought that Madam was born with supernatural powers and cultivated them on her own."
Princess Iron Fan smiled slightly and said, "I don't have such good fortune. My master's Taoist name is Guangming Daoren. He is a Great Luo True Immortal with profound and unfathomable Taoist cultivation. If it weren't for his rescue back then, I would have died and my soul would have vanished long ago."
Upon hearing this, Li Fa's heart stirred, and he thought to himself: "Guangming Daoist? Who is this person?"
So he feigned curiosity and asked, "Would Madam be willing to tell me?"
The princess thought for a moment, then sighed, "You don't know this, but I am a princess of the Rakshasa Kingdom. My Rakshasa Kingdom is located north of the Western Regions. Although it is a small country, it is quite peaceful. My father only has one daughter, and he has doted on me since I was a child. He hired a wise master to teach me martial arts and magic, hoping that I would inherit the throne."
Who would have thought that in that year, King Wu of Zhou conquered King Zhou of Shang and unified the Central Plains. He ordered the Duke of Zhou to lead his army westward to sweep away the various Rong tribes, and the Rakshasa Kingdom also suffered from the ravages of war. Although our Rakshasa Kingdom resisted stubbornly, how could we possibly withstand the mighty army of the Celestial Empire?
When the city fell, both my parents died in the chaos of battle. I escaped alone, traveling westward for countless days and nights until I finally collapsed in a desolate mountain.
Li Fa remained silent. Although he knew about the Investiture of the Gods, he never imagined that there would be aftereffects after the conquest of King Zhou.
The princess continued, "When I awoke, I saw an old Taoist priest standing before me. He had white hair but a youthful face, and held a whisk in his hand. He said to me, 'Poor child, you and I are destined to meet. Would you like to become my disciple?'"
At that time, I was all alone and destitute, so I immediately kowtowed and became his disciple. He gave me the title "Rakshasa Woman," taught me the methods of breathing exercises and spiritual cultivation, imparted to me many supernatural powers and transformations, forged a precious sword, and gifted me a banana leaf fan.
Princess Iron Fan then spat out a small fan from her mouth and held it in her palm. The fan was no bigger than a palm, but its appearance was quite extraordinary.
"This banana leaf fan was a gift from my master. One fan extinguishes the fire, two fans generate wind, and three fans bring rain. It is a treasure of the world."
Li Fa thought to himself: So Princess Iron Fan's master wasn't Laozi, but this Daoist Guangming. Laozi's banana leaf fan was used for fanning fires to refine elixirs; these were two different fans.
Princess Iron Fan continued, "I cultivated in the mountains for many days before becoming a Taiyi Loose Immortal. Later, I went down the mountain to travel and met the Bull Demon King by chance at Cuiyun Mountain. At that time, he was also a local hero, majestic and awe-inspiring. We fell in love and became husband and wife, settling down in this Banana Cave."
Those years were filled with love and affection. The birth of the Holy Infant brought even greater joy. But who could have imagined… who could have foreseen that things would turn out this way?
Li Fa pondered for a moment and said, "Madam just mentioned that she had asked your master, I wonder what instructions Daoist Guangming gave?"
Princess Iron Fan said, "My master said... we don't need to worry about it."
Li Fa was taken aback: "Should we just ignore it?"
Princess Iron Fan nodded and said, "He said that everything has a cause and effect; what is meant to come will come, and what is meant to go will go. He told me not to worry, but to stay here and cultivate in peace, and that I will make my own decision in the future."
Li Fa's doubts deepened. Guangming clearly knew about the changes in his disciple's family, yet he instructed him to ignore it; there must be a hidden reason. Could it be that he knew the secrets of heaven all along? Or was this matter something he had secretly orchestrated?
He dared not ask further, but stepped forward to comfort her, saying, "Madam, please do not be sad. Since your master has said this, there must be a deeper meaning, and things will surely turn around in the future. Madam should just take care of your health and not suffer unnecessarily."
Princess Iron Fan wiped away her tears, took Li Fa's hand, and said, "Xiao Cui, I've been holding these worries in my heart for a long time, and now that I've confided in you, I feel much better. But my son has been away from Haoshan for a long time, and he hasn't sent any letters or people. I'm a little worried."
Li Fa asked, "What does Madam mean?"
Princess Iron Fan said, "I want you to go to Mount Hao and check on my son. See what he's doing, why his personality has changed so drastically, and whether some wicked person is bewitching him. Investigate carefully and report back to me."
Upon hearing this, Li Fa was overjoyed and immediately kowtowed, saying, "This servant obeys! Rest assured, Madam, this servant will do my utmost to investigate and uncover the truth!"