NoGift

THE SUN was not even shining yet but Argent was already awake. It was because of the sudden call she received. It was from Jaxon. As soon as she knew it was him calling, she immediately opened her light brain and connected the call. Argent also planned to call him last night. But right after she got back at the Zhang household, she immediately fell asleep. She did not even realize how exhausted she was.

"Did I wake you?" Jaxon asked.

"No, it's okay. I was planning on calling you anyway. Did you find something?"

"Yes. It seemed like Thea stayed at a small village in Sarmatia for quite a while. I talked with the people there and they said that she was asking if they remembered someone with Dorian's description going to that village. She even showed them his picture. And most of them remembered him. He was not exactly the kind of guy that someone could easily forget. So of course they also remembered a lot of details that happened during that time. They told her that Dorian came to their village 15 years ago."

Any sleepiness that Argent was still feeling vanished when she heard that. "15 years ago?" That was also the year that her father stole that map. What exactly had he been up to that year? "So what did he do in that village exactly?"

"He was asking around about an old legend. It tells of the favorite jewelry of the Elven queen that she gave to a human before the Mythos continent closed off. It said that the descendant of that human fled into this village and had been keeping that jewelry safe."

Because of what Jaxon said, Argent remembered what Ying Hua told her about that map. That it lead to a place called the Temple of Tian Long. Tian Long when translated to the common tongue meant 'heavenly dragon'. And now, according to what Jaxon just said, her father was also searching for a jewelry that belonged to the Elven queen. Argent was sure that that was just no mere coincidence.

"But that was all a legend, right?"

Jaxon dropped his gaze. "No, there's definitely a hint of truth to that."

Argent stared at Jaxon's expression. "I also found something here. 15 years ago, that dear father of mine stole a map that leads to a place called the Temple of Tian Long." There was a slight change in Jaxon's expression when she said that. "Uncle Jax, if you know what my father was up to 15 years ago, it would be best to tell me. Keeping secrets at situations like this would just hinder our search for Mother. Especially since there's a high chance that her abduction might be related to what Father did."

Jaxon sighed. "It's not that I'm keeping a secret. I was no longer part of Dorian's crew 15 years ago so I wasn't really particular about what he's been doing that year. But we happened to have a talk when he contacted me using a defaro crystal, it was just about the time when he found out about Thea's pregnancy. He said he finally found clues to the treasures he'd been searching. That he was about to set off for his final voyage. I told him that he should just wait until Thea gives birth at least. But he said that it might be too late then. That if he wanted to stay with Thea and their unborn child, he should find those treasures as fast as he could. Of course, I told these things to Thea the moment Dorian disappeared. We both thought that his disappearance might have something to do with those treasures he's searching for. But it never really accounted for anything because we both have no idea what those treasures were."

"Father never told any of you?"

Jaxon nodded. "But I knew he started to be an adventurer because he was searching for those treasures. I asked him once about it but he said that it's much safer for me or for anyone for that matter not to know anything about it. And maybe he had a point. Because if what you're thinking was right, then Thea found out what those treasures were and this was the result."

And those treasures were probably connected to those mythical race who closed themselves off in the Mythos continent 500 years ago. Argent had a bad feeling about this.

"Anyway, I will search more about this Temple of Tian Long. It might lead us to Mother's whereabouts."

"I'll do the same here, then."

"And Uncle Jax, could you ask your men here to ask around about that Temple of Tian Long as well?"

"I'll do that. I'll contact you again when I find any important information."

Then they both ended the call.

Argent stood up and went out of the inner room. She looked out of the window and saw the sun rising. She decided to have breakfast with her sister and tell her everything that she found out.

----------

"So, how was your visit to the palace yesterday?" Aurum asked when all the servant girls left after delivering their breakfast. "It was really boring staying at this courtyard all day. Especially with only this brat as company," she added while pinching Black's cheek.

"Aww... Master, Aurum is bullying Black again," Black said pitifully. "She bullied Black all day yesterday too."

"How dare you complain?" Aurum said while pulling Black's cheek even harder before turning her attention back to Argent. "So Brother, why did you return so late last night?"

As an answer, Argent told Aurum everything that happened yesterday. Well, except for that incident involving Lei Feng and that male courtesan. She also told Aurum about the talk she had with Jaxon earlier.

"Wait- Brother, you went to a brothel?"

"That's not exactly the point, isn't it?" Argent said in a helpless tone.

"Well, yes, I know. But I have to make sure that you weren't taken advantage by any of the women there. So, were you?"

"I was not." Those women didn't even have the chance to touch her because Lei Feng didn't hesitate to let out his killing intent. Now that she thought about it, she wondered if no problem resulted from what happened last night.

"That's good then," Aurum said breathing a sigh of relief. "So, Brother thinks that Mother's abduction had something to do with those treasures Father was searching 15 years ago?"

"There's a high chance that that was the case."

"Then should we ask someone here if they know anything about that Temple of Tian Long? If that Ying Hua woman told you that the map leads to a place that doesn't exist, then just like that jewelry of the Elven Queen, it might also be some kind of legend."

Argent smiled and stroke Aurum's hair. "That was a good deduction." She also ended up with the same conclusion. So having Aurum come up with the same conclusion made her a bit proud of her sister.

"Of course, I'm your sister after all," Aurum said proudly. "Should we ask Madame Lin then? She should probably know a thing or two about it."

"Let's do that after we eat breakfast."

After they finished eating breakfast, the twins looked for Madame Lin. They found her standing near the lotus pond, feeding the carps there. One of her maidservant was standing beside her.

"Good morning, Madame," Aurum greeted.

"Oh, Aurum, are you already feeling better?" Madame Lin asked when she saw the twins.

Aurum smiled. "Yes, Madame. I think it's because of the delicious chicken soup you cooked for me."

"This child, you really do have a sweet mouth," although Madame Lin said that, anyone who could hear her could see that she was really quite pleased with Aurum.

"Thank you, Madame, for taking care of my sister," Argent said.

Madame Lin turned to the older twin. She hadn't spent any considerable time with him yet but with all the stories Aurum had told her yesterday, she felt like she already knew him. Someone who has a sister that adored him so much surely wouldn't be a bad kid. "There's no need for thanks. I'm more than happy to help."

"Madame Lin, my brother heard some people talking on the streets about some legend while he was out yesterday. They mentioned some temple or something. Are you perhaps familiar with a legend like that?"

"I was quite curious about it. Since I'm also planning on searching for a location that has a prominent legend like that for my company's project," Argent added.

Lei Feng told Madame Lin that the reason why the Blackbourne twins visited Xing was because of a collaboration project Silver Corporation planned to do with the fourth prince. That's why she didn't suspect anything when she heard what the two said. "Hmm... a legend that has something to do with a temple? No, I'm not familiar with that." She turned to her maidservant. "How about you, Zi Yu?"

"There are many legends in Xing. If Lord Blackbourne has more information, then maybe I could give you a more accurate answer," the maidservant said.

"It involves a Temple of Tian Long that was said to be found at the sea of Lei Jing," Argent answered.

"Ah, if it was that, then it might be a legend from the Southern region. There was a servant girl before that talked about something similar to that. If I remember it correctly, she's from a small fishing village called Hangzhou."

"Thank you. That was very helpful," Argent said to the maidservant.

Now their search finally had a destination.

Hangzhou.