The sun had already began to set as Chief Chu raced back towards his village. His face showed signs of exhaustion as his complexion darkened. His once white robe was filled with huge spots of red. His back felt wet and sticky from all the blood had compiled on top of each other. He showed no sort of disgust though, as the only expressions he had was of concern and desperation.
“Leave me… if you leave me… you will reach the village faster… please leave me…” A hoarse voice croaked out from behind him.
“What are you saying? I will not leave either of you behind!” Chief Chu sternly said.
“Gran-”
“Yu Lin, grandpa will save the both of you so don’t worry, alright?”
“Bu-”
“No buts! You believe grandpa right, Yu Lin?” Chief Chu said cheerfully, though his expression betrayed his voice. Tears formed in Yu Lin’s eyes as she nodded her head. “Good girl.” Chief Chu softly said as he felt Yu Lin’s chin move up and down. Yu Lin could only pray that they would get to the village on time.
She knew how exhausted Chief Chu was as some of his droplets of sweat had landed on her face. She felt his sturdy body began to shake at times however he never slowed his speed. The tears that formed now began running down her grey cheeks. ‘So… this is what having a grandpa feels like…’ She thought as her eyes fluttered up and down. The stinging pain she had felt earlier was now a throbbing, numb sensation.
“Grandpa… I feel so tired… I want to sleep…” Yu Lin said, barely audible. Her head felt foggy as the light in her eyes grew dimmer and dimmer. Chief Chu’s eyes grew as he heard Yu Lin’s voice.
“No! Yu Lin, you can’t!” Chief Chu yelled, scared that she might go away. “We are almost there, just a few more minutes! Don’t fall asleep! If you fall asleep then I will doub- no triple your training!”
“Grand… pa… thank you… for everything.”
“No Yu Lin! No! Stay awake! You must stay awake!” Chief Chu cried out, however his cries could not be heard by Yu Lin as her mind began emptying itself of her surroundings. She blinked and when she opened her eys, she saw her husband’s profile. Her husband turned and when he saw her, he gave her a smile. Yu Lin lifted her arm as she tried to reach out to him while she returned his smile.
“Qi Long…” She breathed out, and she looked at to be at peace before her arm dropped, and her eyes shut closed.
“What did you say? Yu Lin? What was that? Say it again so grandpa can hear! Yu Lin! Yu Lin!” Chief Chu shook his shoulders, however there was no response. “No! I promised to save you. I will save you!” Although Chief Chu was already at his limits and he knew that if he pushed any further he could damage his body, he didn’t care as he quickened his pace and leapt faster towards his village.
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Ju Hua paced back and forth inside their home as she bit nervously on her fingernails. Although she wanted to go, the group had told her to stay back just in case something happened to the village, as she was a skilled swordswoman. Chou was also not allowed to go as the village still needed some help with the construction and also because he could not fight very well.
Ju Hua was worried to death about what had happened. ‘Are they safe? Will they come back? Please, let them come back safely! Please!’ She thought as she kept pacing back and forth. Two weeks had already passed and her anxiety was growing by the hour.
“Lady Ju Hua,” Ju Hua stopped and looked to her side to see Tang Tang standing there with her head down and a towel in her hands, “It is getting late, perhaps a bath before going to bed?” Tang Tang suggested. Ju Hua let out a sigh before nodding her head.
“That’s right. Let’s do that.” Ju Hua said as she walked up to take the towel from Tang Tang’s hand.
BOOM!
Ju Hua turned around and her eyes widened when she saw Chief Chu standing there holding He Lan, with a huge crater underneath him. His face shined with all the sweat that had trickled down it, and his chest heaved up and down. One could see that he was totally exhausted, however the fire in his eyes would make them think twice.
“Father-in-law!” She cried as she ran up to him.
“Ju Hua, go get the house doctor now! We don’t have a lot of time left!” Chief Chu ordered.
“Huh?” Ju Hua stopped in her track before quickly nodding her head. “Yes.” Ju Hua turned around and ran out of the siheyuan.
“Tang Tang, follow me.” Chief Chu started running towards one of the guest room.
“Yes master.” Tang Tang bowed before running after him.
The guest rooms were the only rooms on the property that had beds on opposite sides facing each other, thus was the reason why Chief Chu chose to go to the guest room. He set He Lan down on one bed.
“Tang Tang, please hold onto Yu Lin as I break off the vines.”
“Yes master.”
Tang Tang slipped her hands under Yu Lin’s arm as Chief Chu ripped apart the vine. She then carried Yu Lin and set her on the other bed.
“If I remember correctly, you were a nurse before you came here correct?”
“Yes master.”
“Please check their pulses.” Chief Chu had an expression that looked like he was very close to crying on. Tang Tang nodded her head as she grabbed He Lan’s wrist. She cocked her head before nodding. She then picked up Yu Lin’s cold wrist. She furrowed her brows, concentrating before looking back up at Chief Chu.
“Young master’s pulse is faint and weak… young lady’s pulse… I did not feel it.” Tang Tang said. Chief Chu gasped before swallowing hard.
“No… that can’t be...” Chief Chu clenched his fist as he could not believe the words he just heard. ‘What do I do? What do I do?!’ He screamed in his head. ‘Who could save her, wh- that’s right. That person, that person can help her!’ “Tang Tang, please monitor their situations. I will be back shortly.” He said as he ran out of the room and started leaping towards town. Tang Tang bowed her head towards Chief Chu before looking at the two.
She sat down next to He Lan and wiped the sweat off his face with her sleeve. She looked down at him with concern in her eyes. ‘Young master… how did you get in this situation?’ She let out a sigh as she brought her other sleeve to wipe the other side of He Lan’s forehead.
“Eugh…” Tang Tang paused as she heard a sudden groan coming out of nowhere. She turned around and looked at Yu Lin. She cocked her head to one side before getting up and sitting down next to Yu Lin’s side. ‘No way…’ She thought as she picked up Yu Lin’s wrist again. She closed her eyes as she concentrated on finding a pulse. A few seconds passed, before she sighed. ‘It’s not the-’ Tang Tang froze as she suddenly felt a very weak pulse beating beneath her finger. She opened her eyes wide. ‘She’s alive. She’s alive!’ She thought. She got up from where she sat before running out of the room and headed towards the kitchen.
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A girl opened her eyes. She looked around her to see nothing but darkness. She frowned not knowing where she was, however she was not afraid. Just as she was about to pick herself off the ground, a light shone brightly in front of her. She brought her hand up as she closed her eyes. She slowly opened them squinting before looking up to see a bright light that radiated off a yellow hue.
“What is that?” She said aloud as she picked herself off the ground. She reached her arm out and smiled when she felt the comforting light rays hug her arm. “It’s so warm… and comforting…” She smiled, and just as she thought this her toes lifted off the ground. She started floating towards the light. She closed her eyes and smiled. ‘How nice.’ She thought.
“No!” A desperate voice shrieked out from behind her. “Don’t go! Please, I beg you, don’t go! You are my only hope!”
The girl opened her eyes, shocked at the voice. Her body then began to fall as she gasped. She hit the ground and groaned however frowned when she felt no pain.
“What was that?” She said aloud as she picked herself off the ground again. She cocked her head to one side not understanding, but shrugged her shoulders as she raised her arm again.
“No!” The voice cried out again. The girl grimaced as she covered her ears from the mind piercing voice. “Please, turn around and come back here.” The voice pleaded. The girl pouted and shook her head.
“I don’t want to… it’s dark and scary. I’m going towards the light. It feels nice.” The little girl said as she raised her arm again.
“No! You can’t go towards that light. If you go towards that light, you will never return! If you go towards that light, you will be hurting the ones you love! Please, listen to me… and come back.” The voice begged. The girl ignored the voice as she kept her hand up and she felt her body being lifted up. “No! Please! Don’t!”
“I’m sorry, but find someone else to help you.” The girl said back. The voice stopped speaking, and the girl smiled as she closed her eyes again and a smiled.
“Shan Qi Long.” The voice rang out. The girl’s eyes shot open as she heard the voice and she felt something resonate deep within her. She fell down again, however this time she landed on her feet. She froze there, not moving a muscle.
“What… did you say?” The girl’s voice echoed in the void of the darkness.
“Shan Qi Long.” The voice rang out again. The girl gasped as she felt something resonate inside her again. THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! ‘What… is this?’ The girl’s vision grew blurry and she felt something balled up in her throat. She slowly turned around and looked in front of her to see a horrifying darkness that threatened to eat her up. She was scared, she was completely terrified but she could not stop this resonance inside of her.
“I’m scared… so… very scared…” The girl whimpered.
“I know that you are, but you must return. This name, this person, you don’t want to leave him alone right? You want to meet him right?” The voice softly said. The girl nodded.
“Un… I want to… but…”
“Do not be afraid, come. Run towards me. I will be with you.” The voice said. The little girl wiped her tears away as she nodded her head.
“I understand.” She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth as she took off into the darkness.
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Yu Lin took in a sharp breath as she opened her eyes. ‘Where… am I?’ She thought as she peered around her. ‘This ceiling… we must be back in Glorious Forest…’ She pulled herself up. She let out a yelp as she swords stabbing into her abdomen. She breathed in heavily as she endured the pain and sat up.
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“It hurts.” She breathed out as she clutched her stomach. She frowned as she looked up, but when her eyes laid upon He Lan her expression changed to concern. “He Lan!” She cried out as she got off of the bed and started walking over to He Lan. She clenched her teeth as her legs trembled furiously while she made her way over. She sat down next to him and reached for his wrist. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the pain as she felt his pulse.
“It’s there… it’s weak, but it’s there.” She let out a weak smile before looking at his wound. “This… it will be hard, but I can save him, no, I must save him.” She raised her hand and hovered it over the wound on He Lan’s stomach. She tried exerting her chi energy out however when she did she felt the two conflicting chi inside of her grow more violent. “Eugh!” She groaned as she retracted her hand and hugged her stomach. She clenched her teeth as sweat trickled down her face. ‘What do I do? What do I do?!’ She thought as tears began to well up in her eyes.
“Hey kid!” A muffled voice called out. Yu Lin raised her eyebrows before reaching inside the chest part of her robe. She pulled out the bright orb and held it in front of her. “Do, you want to save the little brat there?” Sheng Huo asked. Yu Lin nodded her head.
“Of course, but I need my chi center to work in order for that to happen.”
“But you’re not even a healer?”
“I am… I am…” Yu Lin didn’t want to explain what she meant because she did not have enough strength to.
“Stop lying! You’re like four! And even if you are a healer, you probably don’t have the skills to save the boy in front of you!”
“If you’re just going to scold me, then shut up and go away! Our alliance already ended when I got you out anyways.” Yu Lin raised her hand to throw the orb outside.
“Wait! I can help you save the boy!” Sheng Huo blurted out. Yu Lin paused before bringing the orb back down in front of her.
“How? How are you going to help me?” Yu Lin asked.
“Listen carefully, if you absorb me into your body then I can give you some of my power and then you can help the boy.” Sheng Huo said. Yu Lin frowned as she stared at the orb before her.
“But then, won’t you die?” Yu Lin asked.
“N-n-no! I won’t die!”
“Then, what do you want from this?” Yu Lin knew that Sheng Huo wouldn’t just suggest something if he wasn’t going to get any benefit from it.
“I wa- no what do you mean? I am just trying to help the both of you here.” Sheng Huo sweetly said.
“Spit it out, what do you want?”
“Like I said, I am ju-”
“Stop lying and tell me! If you don’t then I’m throwing you away.”
“Alright alright! I will tell you... I just want you do me one favor after I help, one favor.”
“One favor? What is it?”
“Just a small little favor, I will tell you after we are done.”
“Tell me now.” Yu Lin hissed.
“It’s a long story, I will tell you after we are done s-”
“Tell me now!” Yu Lin hissed again.
“Eugh…” She turned her head as she heard He Lan groaned. She quickly felt his pulse and shook her head. ‘It’s weaker. I must hur-’
“Just hurry up and do what I say already, do you want to see the boy die?!” Sheng Huo yelled. Yu Lin squinted her eyes suspiciously at the orb however when she thought about He Lan she couldn’t help it.
“Is it guaranteed?”
“What? Ye-yes! It’s guaranteed for sure, well about me helping you with your chi center. As long as you can save him with your skills then I can help you with your chi center!” Sheng Huo said confidently. Yu Lin let out a sigh before nodding her head. She opened her mouth and was putting the orb inside her mouth. “Hold on! What are you doing? Don’t eat me! If you do this then I will just die!” Sheng Huo cried. Yu Lin furrowed her brows before pulling the orb back out.
“What do I do then?”
“Look here,” Sheng Huo said and an inscription illuminated out of the orb, “bite your finger and write this inscription on your chi stomach with your blood. After that just push me inside of your stomach and I will be in your chi center.” Yu Lin stared at the inscription trying to remember if she had seen it before however she had no recollection of it anywhere in her memory. She didn’t really trust in Chang Sheng Huo however she wanted to save He Lan no matter what. ‘I have no choice, I have to save He Lan. He got that injury because he was trying to protect me anyways.’ Yu Lin thought as she bit her finger. Blood leaked out and she lifted her robe. She started to write the inscription down on her stomach. After that the inscription on her stomach started to light up giving her a tingling sensation. She swallowed hard before she brought the orb over her stomach, and pushing it in. She clenched her teeth and closed her eyes as she felt as if she was being punched in the stomach.
After the orb entered her body she opened her eyes wide as power suddenly surge throughout her body. Yu Lin felt formidable. She stood up from where she was as she felt the two chi energy inside of her suddenly come to a halt as it turned into purple energy once again. Her chi center was filled to the top. She glanced down at the wound and saw that parts of it was still leaking blood. She raised her arm up and the bracelet on her wrist lit up. Her bundle appeared before her and she caught it. She opened it and pulled out the Chidung moss. She gently placed the Chidung moss on the parts that were still leaking blood. She inject her chi energy into his stomach to check his chi center. ‘It’s still intact. He will still be able to practice martial arts.’ She let out a small sigh.
She then began the healing process. Yu Lin concentrated hard on the wound getting every vein together and making sure to fix everything so that it was as if he never got hurt. Her work was fast, she was actually working the fastest that she had ever worked. She had estimated that it would take at least two hours to heal He Lan, however she was done within fifteen minutes. Yu Lin took a couple steps back not believing how fast she was. ‘This… this…’ She raised her hands up and could see steam rising out of it. Her tongue felt dry as her body temperature rose.
“It’s hot.” She said through clenched teeth. “Why is it, so hot?” She stumbled forward as she placed her hands on the bed to support herself. Her face grew flushed as she swiped her hands, knocking her bundle away. Papers scattered around the room as she ran out of the room.
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Chief Chu leapt into the room, with a man hugging onto him.
“We’re here. Hurry, check up on her.” Chief Chu said.
“Alright then.” The man hopped off of Chief Chu as he looked around the room. “Who am I checking up on? There’s no little girl here.”
“What?” Chief Chu looked on the bed that Yu Lin was suppose to be on. It was empty. He furrowed his brows as he looked around the room to see paper scattered everywhere. He heard footsteps outside the room and turned around to see Tang Tang walking in with a bowl of brewed medicine. Tang Tang bowed her head when she saw Chief Chu.
“Welcome back master.” She quickly said.
“Where’s Yu Lin?”
“Yu Lin? She should be resting on the bed. I rechecked her wrist after you left and felt a faint pulse. I then rushed to the kitchen to brew some medicine to help her.” Tang Tang answered.
“Yu Lin is gone.”
“What? Gone?” Tang Tang rushed inside the room as she set the tray of medicine on the table. “She was here. She was here just a moment ago.”
“Didn’t you tell me that your grandson was heavily injured Hong Hu?” A deep voice asked. Chief Chu turned to look at the man that he brought with him.
“Yes.”
“Then how come he looks perfectly fine here?” The man pointed to He Lan. Chief Chu walked up next to the man. He looked down to see no wound on He Lan’s stomach, as if he never had one in the first place. Tang Tang eyes widened when she walked up to see that there was no wound on He Lan’s stomach.
“What is this? Did the house doctor already arrive?” Tang Tang blurted out.
“We’re here! Sorry it took some time but doctor Wang was still taking care of another patient.” Ju Hua showed up at the doorstep of the room with a female next to her. Chief Chu eyes grew. ‘What is going on?!’ He thought as he looked at Ju Hua and the doctor. Ju Hua saw the shocked expressions on Chief Chu and Tang Tang’s face and frowned. “What’s wrong? Are we too late?” Ju Hua asked.
“N-n-no… just… have you guys seen Yu Lin?” Chief Chu stuttered.
“Yu Lin? No. We just got here. Why? Did something happen to Yu Lin?”
“That… we are not sure.” Chief Chu replied. He felt anxious, worried, and a bit scared at the same time. ‘Don’t tell me… a spirit?’ He thought. Ju Hua turned around, ready to go look for Yu Lin. Chief Chu grabbed onto her shoulder before she could walk any further. “No, I will go.” Chief Chu pushed her back.
“Father-in-law!”
“All of you guys stay here and make sure not to move until I come back!” Chief Chu roared. The group flinched, stunned for a moment before nodding their heads. Chief Chu then closed the door before leaping to Chu Clan’s treasury. He quickly grabbed a sword that emitted a strong aura before running back outside and leaping high into the air. When he looked down he could see a small figure by the pond in the garden. He immediately headed there. When he reached the pond he saw a young female dark elto ducking her head inside of it. He waited and as she pulled her head out he place the sword on her neck. The girl froze. Chief Chu squinted and a trace of killing intent flashed across his eyes.
“Who are you?” Chief Chu hissed as he kept his eyes on the girl. “A spirit? A demon? I thank you for saving my grandson, but I need you to get out of that body right now, or I will kill you.” The girl slowly turned her head and looked up at Chief Chu. Chief Chu gasped when he saw the same red eyes that had always been looking back at him.
“Grandpa?” The girl whispered with weak eyes.
“Yu Lin?!” He moved the sword away as he walked towards her. Before he could reach her, chi energy suddenly bursted out of her body.
“Agh!” Yu Lin screamed as her body suddenly levitated into the air.
“Haha! Hey Yu Lin!” Sheng Huo’s voice suddenly appeared in her head.
“Chang… Sheng… Huo…” Yu Lin said through clenched teeth. She felt as if she was being burned alive.
“You know that favor that I asked you for if I helped you save the boy? Well, just give me your body. I don’t want anything else… just your body… Muhahaha!” Sheng Huo’s voice echoed in her head.
“Aahhh!” She let out another scream before her eyes rolled back and she fell to the ground.