Maiden Of The Splitting Moon

Chapter 539 – An Unusual Find

It was a small wooden box and when she opened it, she found three things inside. There was a ring, a necklace with a small sword as a pendant, and a note folded between the two objects. 

"This is…" 

Ming Yue looked at it, finding the contents of this box very strange. There was a strange power emanating from them that could be beneficial or ominous. She didn't know. 

Closing the box and storing it, the young woman looked under the bed once more before retreating back to the stone formation. 

"Hopefully, I was not here for too long", she thought. 

Activating it, a light covered her surroundings as she was sent back to the cave. Back to those rocky walls, Ming Yue noticed the growing sunlight coming from the crack in the ceiling. 

"Whoo, back in time."

Breathing out a sigh of relief, she exited the cave, walking out of the waterfall. Going off to make breakfast, it wasn't long before the others awakened with the smell of cooked food. As everyone ate, Ming Yue was the only one slowly eating her breakfast. Rather, she looked off into the empty space, thinking about what she had discovered in that room. 

The little box and its contents were still on her mind. 

"I wonder who those were meant for? It looks important, I doubt they could just forget about it. Perhaps, I should spend the day here, focus on whatever that formation leads to."

Thinking this, Ming Yue found it to be the better option rather than going out to explore. For all, she knew this stone formation could be an opportunity of a lifetime, or perhaps lead her to the answers that she is looking for. 

With that in mind, she made a warning to the others, looking at them sternly. 

"None of you are allowed to touch those stones or even go into the cave. It's too dangerous especially if I'm not here. I'll be going inside to investigate but I expect all of you to behave!"

Hongyu and the other two beasts shared a look of disappointment whilst Xiao Yin glared at them all. In the end, they nodded in agreement. 

"Good."

Seeing this, Ming Yue nodded before going off to check the border. Aside from the contents of the box, there were plenty of things to do and much to improve on. 

"It's already been a few days and nothing has come yet, guess those skulls make a good warning sign."

Looking at them, it seemed that none of the skulls had been destroyed or touched yet, giving a sense of satisfaction for the young woman. 

"It should be safe enough then."

Thinking this, she returned to the clearing and brought the others out. Among them, Ming Yue walked with a basket on her back whilst the others followed. 

" If you three want to go hunt then go."

Liang Wei and Hei Yue both wagged their tails in excitement. The former was fully healed and couldn't wait to stretch their legs whilst the latter was just excited to go out. The pair shared a look before Hei Yue raced off into the sea of trees. The giant cat chased after, running off quietly. 

Only Xiao Yin stayed, dutifully helping Ming Yue by watching their surroundings. 

The cultivator couldn't help but chuckle before glancing at Hongyu, whose face showed both excitement and curiosity. The little girl couldn't help but look around. Even though they traversed these lands to find a home, the exhaustion and constant moving had made her numb to sights. But now, she was full of energy!

"Look around for anything tasty and bring it to me, okay? I'll be right by you", Ming Yue said. 

Hongyu looked up at her, her eyes were practically sparkling as she took another look around. 

There was an abundance of trees, a somewhat quiet calm with the leaves shimmering under the sun. Flourishing with numerous plants and whatnot, the little girl quickly ran from one place to another, admiring any and all that was strange and colorful. Every now and then, she'd grab it and run off to show it to Ming Yue. 

The young woman followed her while doing a bit of foraging herself, stopping to collect every now and then. Rather than use her dagger, she had a single Zephyr Claw out, digging at the ground or cutting at the stem. 

"What did you find? That looks good, put it into the basket."

"Wait, stop! Don't touch that, there are thorns."

Even as she was busy with her own searching, she always kept Hongyu in her sight. Walking up, Ming Yue knelt down next to her, using her claw to shave off the thorns before cutting it off. 

"What a pretty flower", she muttered to herself. 

It was a vibrant red flower, one with six petals and two black dots on the tip of each one. She then smoothened the stem, bending it a bit and making it softer before putting it on Hongyu's head. Gently, she slipped it into the girl's hair, letting stay there like a hairclip. 

"Look at that, how pretty you look!"

She smiled as the little girl, felt the flower with her hand. A smile grew on her face as she excitedly looked around for more flowers. Ming Yue watched before following close by, looking around for anything she could forage. 

From things that were edible to others that could be added to the garden.

Soon enough, the sun was beginning to set and the sky turned darker. With the basket nearly full, Ming Yue looked for Hongyu, finding the child kneeling down and fiddling with her hands.

"It's time to go now, look at how dark it's become", she told her. 

Walking up to her, Ming Yue turned to see what Hongyu was doing only to have the little girl suddenly stand up. She turned around while holding something in both hands. Looking at the cultivator with eyes of anticipation, she held up what she had been working on all this time.

"This is… a flower crown." 

She looked at it, a well-made crown of flowers, each of which was of a different color. 

Ming Yue was no stranger to these crowns, having made them for herself and her father. 

"To think, I'd still remember that…" 

She couldn't help but give a small wistful smile, having recalled such an old memory. Kneeling down, Ming Yue lowered her head, letting Hongyu put the flower crown on her before standing back up. Despite practically smiling all day, the little girl's face didn't seem to get tired of it, showing a brilliant smile of pride and satisfaction. 

"Alright, come on, let's go."

Holding out a hand for her to grab, Ming Yue brought the girl away, taking her back the path they came while Xiao Yin followed from above. As they made their way back home, there was rustling coming from another direction as well as a loud thumping as Liang Wei and Hei Yue burst out of the trees with a fearful look. 

Crossing Ming Yue, they stopped and looked at her with eyes urging them to leave immediately. 

But by then, their pursuer had caught up. The thumping grew louder and louder, almost reaching a thunderous level as a great beast emerged through the trees, trumpeting angrily. What came was a massive elephant, one with thick brown fur and two pure white tusks on each side of its trunk.

Looking at it, Ming Yue took her basket off and grabbed Hongyu, placing it all on Liang Wei's back. 

"Go!" 

She shouted as the giant cat left, but Xiao Yin and Hei Yue stayed. As she took out Blood Moon, the cultivator looked at the fox with an incredulous look. 

"I know I told you to go out and hunt but did you really have to do this?!" she asked.