Reunion: The Guardians of the Five Elements

Chapter 16

At the moment Kong Jin was struck by the arrow, the control he has over the girls was instantly gone and able to move freely. Chu Chu and Bai Hao Tian immediately attacked the guards behind them. Xia Yu Yan was about to move after Kong Jin's control over her was gone but being forced to kneel aggravated her previous injuries making it difficult for her to move. When a guard was about to attack her, she was able to grab the nearest rock and aim right at the guard which hit his neck. Chu Chu, Bai Hao Tian, and Bo Sying saw that their friend having problems, they all hasten to get to her but were beaten by someone else. They saw Zhang Qi Ling ran through them and reached Xia Yu Yan's bent form. "Get her out of here Xiao Ge. We'll cover you." Bo Sying said as she hit and trip some of the guards without noticing an enemy behind her until he fell with an arrow behind him. Zhang Qi Ling was way ahead of them as he already has Xia Yu Yan in his back securely and is currently running towards the other entrance of the tunnel. "Ah Sying, go follow Xiao Ge. We'll take it from here." The said girl looked behind her only to see Wu Xie and Black Glasses Ge running towards her. When she turned again to see where they were going when she saw them attacking the other guards where her two other friends are and are being pulled immediately by them when she was pulled as well, with the others behind them. "When Wu Xie said go, he meant, run. Why are you still standing?" Bo Sying then got the view of her savior and, even though she can only see his back, she felt her tears flowing freely down. Then she felt his grip firmed around her wrist, comforting her in his way.

The moment all of them got inside the tunnel, Pang Zi immediately threw his dynamites that created a massive domino effect explosion causing their only opened entrance to be closed by the rocks that fell.

No enemy-possessed people were left alive.

~*~*~*~*~
"You mean to say, those bastards were possessed by that Kong Jin and his loyal servants? How is that even possible, Gypsie?" "Gypsie? Since when my name changed to Gypsie?" "You can see the future, right? Then you're a gypsy. So I will call you Gypsie" "That doesn't even make sense." "Nothing ever made sense when that fatso starts talking." "Hey, jinx, have you forgotten that I saved your butt a while ago and at the basement of Warehouse 11 from those thugs. If not from my words, you would be dead by now." "Alright! Alright. Stop it. Pang Zi, Ah Sying hasn't finished her explanation yet. How can we understand everything if you keep on interrupting?" Wu Xie got in between Pang Zi's and Liu Sang's bickering as they both roll their eyes at one another as Bo Sying's sits in between them while Xiao Mei sat comfortably on her Sying Jìe's lap.

After their chaotic ordeal, Huo Dao Fu suggested that they move a few meters away from the tunnel's entrance, now closed from the explosion, just to be on the safe side and now all are taking refuge as he treats the girls' injuries and giving them an antidote for the poison to leave their system. Then he continues treating the others for any cut and stab that they all got from fighting and thankfully, all of their wounds are not serious. As he was doing his duties, Kan Jian made a fire to warm their place as Jia Le put Xiao Mei on a mat near her friends as they were treated so that he can help his friend and her, a company she missed dearly. When all was settled and was able to eat their meal, not sure when they had their last meal upon starting their quest inside the tomb, that's when the other girls tell their tales as well as the boys. It was Bo Sying's turn to explain and tell her tale where Pang Zi kept on interrupting her, thus the bickering immense.

With a sigh, Wu Xie then looked at Bo Sying and smiled apologetically at her which the other reassured him that it's fine. "As I said in the very beginning, I already saw those men in my vision before we arrive at the hotel. At first, I thought that they already know who we all are because Nuwa Jìe had warned us about them. So, as I wait for all of you to arrive at the tomb, I already know that they were already inside, waiting for all of us. In my vision, I looked for them, and eventually, I would find them which I did, fully knowing that they are also after the relic of the wood stone guardians. But, I wasn't expecting them to be possessed by Kong Jin and his servants. I fought them. When I thought I was getting the upper hand, they kept on standing up, as if my attacks are nothing. That's when Kong Jin told me that the people they possessed were already inside the tomb, looking for the relic at the night before we could all wake up in the early morning yesterday. Well, assuming that it was yesterday?" Bo Sying looked at Liu Sang, directly asking him when he looked at his watch. He then nodded. "Yeah. We all went inside the tomb at half-past one in the morning, the ninth of May. That was yesterday. It is already five in the afternoon today, the tenth." Bo Sying nodded and continued her story. "Kong Jin was Li Ju Lai's protector and friend. He was adopted by the Li family after his parents died in an accident when he was still young. Ju Lai's parents appointed him as their blind daughter's companion and protector. Because of their young daughter's disability, no one wants her to be their friend. With that being said, Kong Jin became Ju Lai's friend and her bodyguard. He was taught by Li's five greatest and strongest men that not even the Qi family can compare. As they grew up together, Kong Jin's feelings for his charge gradually changed as well. He treated Ju Lai as his young sister. He protected her, cared for her, and supported her in everything she wanted. Until when they reached a certain age where his feelings turn to affections of love. Li Ju Lai's parents saw how Kong Jin loves and protects their daughter that they decided to wed them the moment they enter adulthood. But, it all changed the moment the goddess sends her gifts.

When the goddess Nuwa gifted the southern province, the Li's grew stronger and richer every day, just like in the legend that Wu Xie told us before. But, the moment goddess Nuwa blessed Kong Jin's beloved the ability to see, he thought, that she will be able to see him at last. And when he found out that her sight has more than can give her, he was proud and happy for her. Only, the Qi's son came and requested for Li Ju Lai's hand in marriage, that everything falls apart. Kong Jin witnessed how the two fought like cats and dogs, to Qi Zhang Wei's real reason for asking Li Ju Lai in marriage, to the reconciliation of two families because their children loved one another, everything that was once his, slowly taken by Qi Zhang Wei. With that, his fear of being left alone, came crashing into his mind. He can't accept the union of the two families, especially the marriage between his Li Ju Lai and Qi Zhang Wei. So, he planned something to destroy the union. He poisoned the minds of the Qi and the people living in the northern province as he did the same in the south and the Li's. It spread so fast, like wildfire not expecting that the feud, the anger, and the jealousy that each clan has run deep. And thanks to that, a civil war started appointing people on who should lead both parties to war with one another. For Kong Jin, everything was perfect and the union will never happen. But, he didn't expect that Li Ju Lai and Qi Zhang Wei would speak to the goddess and request her help. And, well, we all know how it ended."

Silence engulfs the whole group as the fire flicker, creating white noise in their area as the new information sinks into their minds. "Did Kong Jin told you all of this?" Black Glasses asked, breaking the silence. Bo Sying shook her head. "I summarized everything. Kong Jin showed me his past life as well as Li Ju Lai and Qi Zhang Wei." "So, Kong Jin got obsessed and promised himself to get the love of his life in the next opportunity he gets. He even got his servants to do the same thing. He is obsessed." Kan Jian said as he tossed more twigs in the fire. "The two families didn't even reconcile for their children. They also promised they would. It was all for nothing. Some family they are." "But they are still our family." Jia Le looked up only to see the pale figure of Li Ju Lai right in front of him, giving him a scare which he drops in his seat. "Xiao Lai."

Everyone in the group wasn't expecting two guests, ghosts, to reappear and join them in the circle that Liu Sang and Chu Chu made for them. "Ju Lai is an energetic person or spirit." Bo Sying explained, smiling apologetically at Jia Le when her spirit friend surprised him. "Now that you mention it, Ah Sying, Miss Li Ju Lai appeared to us after you were taken and then vanished. Then, another figure came into your rescue when you were about to..." Bai Hao Tian stopped, not finding the right words to say it. Up until now, she was still shaken, terrified about the whole thing when she felt a warm hand wrapping hers in a gentle yet firm grip. She then looked at her left where she saw Wu Xie looking at her, worriedly. " Sir Zhang Wei is with me. When Kong Jin magically changed my clothes and when the other girls came to the tunnel, Sir Zhang Wei is always there. He said to me that he can't always move around or he will be seen." Bo Sying answered her. "Well, now that the other opening is sealed with rocks, do you think we have another way to the tomb, Sying Sying?" "Yes." All looked at Zhang Qi Ling for answering a question coming from his partner who he ignored for most of the time they are together and Xia Yu Yan smiled sweetly at him when the latter rolled his eyes at him. "Uhh, actually, it has been in everyone's minds now on how we can push through. Liu Sang's map doesn't show anything if there's another passage or entryway. Unless both of you have any idea where we can find one?" Chu Chu asked Liu Sang and Bo Sying when Xiao Mei speaks up. "I think Huo Dao Shū has an idea and I think is a great one. Why won't you tell them?" As if he was caught like a deer with headlights, everyone looked at the doctor. He sighed. "Since we are in the presence of the wood guardians, maybe they have an idea where we can find their tomb. And besides, we are not sure if the golden lockets are there anyway. Might as well ask that." Huo Dao Fu said, ending his statement while looking at Wu Xie as if he's asking, or was it an order? He can't be sure but everyone was looking at him if the idea is worth a shot and all are telling him, by the look in their eyes, that he should be the one to ask.

He sighed. "Right, well, I hope you understand that what I'm about to ask may be personal but we need to know where are the golden lockets. Are they in your tombs or somewhere else?" Wu Xie looked at their spirit guest who then looked at each other then looked back at him with a gentle smile. "My locket is already in your possession, my dear. My great-grandson is already wearing it." Li Ju Lai said and looked at Liu Sang with her sweet and gentle smile. At that declaration, all looked at Liu Sang and is already walking towards him while Wu Xie is already beside him when Liu Sang took his locket out under his shirt, surprised beyond belief.