Fu Ran’s mind jolted awake, as Wan Yu shook the unconscious cultivator's shoulders. “Shizun, wake up.”

There was another deeper voice that spoke a reply before Fu Ran could move, and it tore annoyance from him. “Wan Yu, let him sleep,” the voice said, sounding quite serious.

“But, Gege--”

It was rare that Fu Ran was pulled out of his sleep… mid dream. However, getting away from his sleep induced horrors was just find for awhile. He sheepishly began to survey the area. The atmosphere was dry and gray, still painfully clear that he was in the demon realm.

When trying to sit up right, small hands touched his chest. “Shizun, don’t get up yet,” Wan Yu said blankly. Fu Ran did find the boy strange as his expression never changed. Only the occasional shift into one of guild or sadness.

Fu Ran frowned when he caught a secondary sight of his features. Amber eyes have always been misfortune for Fu Ran, but the boy before him was undeserving of denigration.

The other man in the area spoke up as well, but Fu Ran was far too lost in thought to really look at him. He simply listened. “The Peak Master’s are still looking over the bodies.” This voice belonged undoubtedly to Wan Yu’s “gege.” Fu Ran barely caught the sound of it before fainting, and it left such a grating irritation on his brain. “You can still close your eyes and rest more,” said the mysterious gege.

Bodies, Fu Ran thought. That’s right. There were many bodies of masters and children! He swallowed, the lingering taste of blood still prevalent in his mouth. He turned to the older gege in panic and held his mouth open to ask, but instead he went rigid. He wanted to ask a simple question, but only managed to say, “How many?” before his trepidation wouldn't let him speak. “Gege” looked familiar. Too familiar.

“How many casualties? Sadly quite a lot, but luckily-” This was the first sentence of many, but it was the final one that Fu Ran listened to.

Fu Ran watched those familiar lips move in explanation. He could easily make out some words as those lips grew wider, pursed together, or when he saw teeth, but he wasn't hearing them in a logical manner. The gege moved and rested a hand on his hip while he spoke, and his hand balled up into a fist. Due to the threatening image, Fu Ran felt the heat in his veins flee; he felt like ice.

How he awoken from one nightmare, into another?!

The man before Fu Ran wore light robes covered in the same blacks from his dream, and his hair was only a touch neater, but still unmistakable. With each and every movement Fu Ran panicked.

This cannot be real. Calm down, calm down, calm down, calm down. Fu Ran fought to regain his breath and keep it in his lungs. But this only resulted in him feeling like he had to cough it right back out. Has this astute teacher forgotten how to even breathe? His internal thoughts were in complete disarray.

When Fu ran appeared to have some trouble breathing, the man changed his demeanor into one of concern. He stepped closer, capturing Fu Ran’s full attention. “Was my first aid inefficient? Please, let me know if you are hurting anywhere at all.”

No no! Do not take a single step closer! Fu Ran cut his gaze into a glare. There wasn’t much time to decide on a method of self preservation, so he didn’t put much thought in at all. If nothing else, Fu Ran had learned to deal with this face after many, many nights of frightful tossing and turning.

Fu Ran brought his sleeves together and put them into a bow. Along with this simple action of respect, he faked a smile.

“Y-you,” Fu Ran clearly stuttered. No. That wouldn't do.

Taking a deep breath, he tried again, “You rescued this master? Then this one is grateful.” That’s better. Just like in my dreams.

The man seemed a bit confuse by Fu Ran’s change in attitude. He moved about a foot away after realizing that the master was fine and without deadly injury. “I’m happy to see you feeling better,” the man said before continuing, “Let me introduce myself if this master is feeling well enough to talk. My name is Tian Han.”

“Tian Han. It is a pleasure.” Fu Ran smiled politely, but the curve of his lips disappeared as soon as he deemed the conversation done. His entire jaw hurt from the tenseness he felt.

It was obvious that only really Wan Yu felt the atmosphere a little hard to bear, “Shizun, do you think I passed?” Wan Yu’s words brought his Fu Ran’s mind back to the present.

Fu Ran’s face retained the same hardened look, but he forced a more teacher-like compassion. While he probably did well enough to pass. Wan Yu might have been the only one to fit that requirement. 15 of them had retreated to a safer location, thus giving up their chances. But the remainder… Could very well all be dead. This was a disaster of an entrance exam. This caused the corners of Fu Ran’s lips to droop.

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Fu Ran shook his head and said, “Allow us to talk about that later.” Fu Ran took notice of his surroundings. It seemed like he was moved towards a part of the path that was a little more open and wide. It was the base of the pathway back up to their humble encampment. He had managed to stand well and move on his own. He picked up his sword and began to walk. “Let us meet up with everyone else first.”

The small trio had begun to move towards the entrance where they had crafted their array. There was very little remnants of a camp left, and supplies were scattered on the dusty red dirt. It was a disarrayed mess.

The camp was littered with bodies, and the stench of death left a sickening weight of Fu Ran’s stomach. Luckily they were covered in cloths, but this did not stop the sounds of crying children. Fu Ran felt such guilt.

Gritting his teeth, Fu Ran thought, How is this right? They must be so afraid. Those that didn’t abandon this exam had to go through horrors. Those that did abandon it, still endured horrors.

The only solace was that some of the missing Peak Master’s were sitting and tending to wounds. Not all of them had died. Fu Ran’s expression softened when he saw his Shixiong looking well enough, and he approached them.

“So you didn’t die?” Shesui Lang spoke a bit indifferently.

“Don't act like that,” Zhi Lao let out an audible ‘tsk’ before he spoke more. “Especially when you were the one who immediately decided to forgo our battle when you saw the flare.” Shesui Lang didn’t seem to appreciate Zhi Lao’s words and closed the distance between them. He had already grabbed his brother up by the robes when his voice got louder.

Angrily, Shesui Lang yelled, “Well, are you not his babysitter?” His words seethed with real rage, not usually heard from Shesui Lang. “He sits in the Xingti Pavilion for three years and you go to look at him every day! Why didn’t you rush off this one time?”

“I believed he was fine,” Zhi Lao said.

“Bullshit!”

Fu Ran sighed, and he pulled out Shi Wei Ji. “Isn’t my blade supposed to prevent me from getting into unforeseen dangers?” Fu Ran’s bad attitude poisoned his words, and they came off harsh, too much so for his Shixiong. They looked at him with widely different reactions of shock.

Zhi Lao and Shesui Lang only shared a quick glance between one another before they looked back to Fu Ran. Zhi Lao spoke first, “Sorry. This is a bad time for everyone right now.”

Fu Ran nodded.

“The array is nearly done,” Shesui Lang just started, “If you want, try to rest for a few hours. Feng Shigu is putting the final touches on it.”

Fu Ran was told to rest, but truthfully that was hard when he had two golden-eyed puppies following behind him. Not once had “Tian Han” and Wan Yu left him alone. Every time Fu Ran look a quick look to see if they were still a few feet away, Tian Han smiled.

How annoying!

In order to ease lingering attention, Fu Ran tried comforting the children scattered about the campsite. Many of them sought for any form of comfort, and clung to him with a desperation.

***

The clean up took a few hours, and eventually the disciples and masters were returned to the Xing Xing Pavilion Entrance Hall. This entrance hall was used as a temporary medical ward for those who needed it, and on orders of Shesui Lang, not a soul was to leave the hall.

There was important conversation going on all around Fu Ran, but soon an irritating, deep voice took command over the quiet chatter. It belonged to one of the master’s Fu Ran disliked the most: Jie Baihu. Like Shesui Lang he wore bright warm colors, and not the soft whites and blues of the sect. “And when are we going to be allowed to leave? I am sure all of us must grow tired of idly waiting around with a bunch of dead bodies.” Jie Baihu asked the question as if it were common sense, and like all of the other masters should have agreed with him. This did not happen, as most wore solemn expressions. Fu Ran watched with Jie Baihu judgment.

“Are you in a rush to return, Master Jie? What about the five of our own fellow Peak Masters who won't be able to simply return home to rest? Or the twenty-eight, could have been, disciples of An Xian Yun Peak?” Shesui Lang said. His face showed a hint of sadness, but his words were hissed out.

Jie Baihu must have been tad bit guilty. But clearly not guilty enough to shut his mouth! Changing his tone a touch calmer, “Then when will we be done?”

“There is a high chance that someone here has colluded with, and spread out plans to, the demon realm. We will be done when more information is gathered. Right now this is a serious matter, and I do not think that a few hours of wait will kill you,” Shesui Lang clearly did not want to play games with the man.

Jie Baihu did not take the gaudy Master’s words easily and he stepped closer to him with crossed arms. “Then can we start by asking the face no one here knows!” Jie Baihu’s sleeves swung wildly as he pointed towards Tian Han. “He has been following around that damn wannabe Peak Master! Might as well interrogate him as well!”

The person Fu Ran hated the most actually made a good point. Fu Ran felt a tinge of worry, but he was in the middle of keeping up his act, so he forced his face to remain calm. It was clear that Jie Baihu was talking about himself and Tian Han. Since Tian Han had first found Fu Ran, he didn’t seem to understand any hints given. No matter how many times he ignored him, or how rude he spoke, Tian Han did not leave his side.

“I can explain this. Please, wait a moment.” Tian Han stepped forward, and reached into a satchel at his side. Everyone in the room waited with baited breath to see what it was he sought to procure.

The silence forced Fu Ran to fully take in Tian Han’s looks. There was a good chance that the other Peak Masters were doing so as well. A twinge of annoyance sat within his gut. Good looks are wasted on those with bad personalities.

Finally he pulled a written letter from his bag. “I sent a personal letter of interest to the Elder Peak Lord, Yi Yang. For the moment I will be staying here as a guest only. However, within one month's time, I intend to join your ranks as a Master of An Xian Yun Peak.” Fu Ran didn’t see any signs of deception from him, despite the fact that he didn’t trust a single word.

Shesui Lang took the letter from it and looked over the writings. Fu Ran could not read the letter, and could only watch his martial brother incredulously read. “It looks legitimate. I will verify this with the Sect Elder later,” Shesui Lang said, stuffing the paper into his robe.

The interrogations went on for even more hours, until Shesui Lang had merely given up. All questions were asked, and all threats were made. There was simply no more information to gather. Not a single individual seemed suspicious, other than the tyrant himself.

When it was explained to the Peak Elder, they would no doubt reconvene.